March Break – two words that strike fear and dread into the hearts of most parents! Aw c’mon, you know it’s true! I drive my kids to school on snow days because the thought of them being home together all day makes my head spin. So, if you’re not one of the lucky ones who get to go away for March Break the key to a successful and fight free ‘stay-cation’ is to have a plan.
If you want to take the kids to a movie, Disney’s Mars Needs Moms opens this weekend and is a truly fantastic movie to take the entire family. It's the story of a young boy named Milo (perfectly voiced by Seth Green) who’s Mom (another fantastic performanceby Joan Cusack) is abducted by aliens from Mars. Milo quickly realizes how much he needs his Mom. With the help of an underground earthman named Gribble and a rebel Martian girl called Ki, Milo embarks on a mission to save his Mom.
Aside from the fact that the movie really shows how valuable Moms are (bonus points) this is a great flick with a great story and superb voice casting. We got to see a sneak preview last week and just the other morning my kids were reciting the dialogue to each other and laughing hysterically! It was a definite hit for them, and I had kids ranging in age from 3-9 who all loved it.
Mars Needs Moms wasn’t just funny, but also touching. I am not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears watching this move - definitely making it worth the price of admission. Check out the trailer below, and if you go see make sure you stay for the credits. One of my favourite things about this movie is that as the credits were rolling they ran clips that showed the audience how they filmed the movie using the actors and CGI animation. It was super interesting and shows you how big a business animation is!
If you’re in Toronto, or planning on going there, you should definitely go check out the TIFF Bell Lightbox. There are so many cool things to do there for the whole family over March Break. There’s a Tim Burton exhibit on until April 17th that your little film buffs will love, as well as FREE drop-in activities and workshops for the whole family. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, parents and children can drop in to participate in free activities.
They are also hosting a Back to the ’80s Film Series showing The Last Starfighter on Saturday, March 12 at 2pm and Gremlins on Saturday March 19 at 2pm.
Of course Teletoon also has you set should with some great movies for the whole family as well as terrific website with tons of games and downloads that your kids will love. Not only can you watch the movies together but the website will keep your kids occupied long enough for you to enjoy a coffee in peace and quiet. Which is priceless during March Break!
Scene and Heard
Confessions from a Pop Culture Mummy
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