The Girl on Fire: Katniss Everdeen Hunger Games Movie Poster

The Girl on Fire: Katniss Everdeen! Lionsgate has officially debuted the first official poster for THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on their brand new official INSTAGRAM account for the movie. The poster showcases heroic Katniss and a tagline pulled straight from the incredible words of Suzanne Collins – The sun persists on rising, so I make myself stand.

Lionsgate is also encouraging fans to design and illustrate the first chapter of ‘Catching Fire’ for the chance to see their work featured on The Hunger Games’ official Facebook page! You can incorporate photos, drawings, GIFS & video to create a great experience inspired by the book. What a fun project to do with the kids! Check it out here: http://lions.gt/GlossiCF

 

The Girl on Fire Katniss Everdeen Movie Poster

 

And check out the new Hunger Games Instagram here: http://instagram.com/thehungergames

SYNOPSIS:

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.  Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor’s Tour" of the districts.  Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.  

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.



Disney Planes Feature: Disney’s PLANES Takes Flight #DisneyPlanes

The amazing new spot “Disney’s PLANES Takes Flight,” featuring music by the film’s composer, Mark Mancina, is now available. Feel free to share with your readers and make sure to mark your calendars for Disney’s PLANES which opens in theatres everywhere on August 9th!

 

clip_image001From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. “Disney’s Planes” takes off in theaters on Aug. 9, 2013.

From above the world of “Cars,” “Disney’s Planes” is an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure about Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane whose high-flying dream gives a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

Website: Disney.com/Planes

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyPlanes

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures



A First Look At Disney’s Animated Feature Big Hero 6 #BigHero6

We are pleased to announce Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2014 animated feature BIG HERO 6:

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

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BRIDGE TO SAN FRANSOKYO – Concept art showcases an iconic bridge and treasured landmark of the high-tech, fast-paced city of San Fransokyo, the setting for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ action comedy adventure “Big Hero 6”— in theaters on November 7, 2014.

A first look at Disney’s Animated Feature Big Hero 6 on video:

 

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SAN FRANSOKYO AT NIGHT – Pictured in concept art, the high-tech city of San Fransokyo is home to brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada and his team of first-time crime fighters in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ action comedy adventure “Big Hero 6”—in theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

Visit the Website: http://www.disney.com/BigHero6

Like "Big Hero 6" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyBigHero6

Follow Walt Disney Animation Studios on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyAnimation



Iron Man 3 Movie Interview with Ty Simpkins #IronMan3Event

Iron Man is now in theaters and you have to go see it. In my review of the movie my husband said that I didn’t do it justice. He loved the movie. He went on an on about how awesome it was and that I forgot to mention that YOU MUST STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE CREDITS. You know I can’t say any more than that because I’m not about to give anything away. Plus I want to not think about it too much because I haven’t seen it yet.

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Anyway, I’m using my resources to keep you guys up to date on all things Iron Man. Here is the Ty Simpkins Interview I was able to get my hands on!

Q: What’s your favorite aspect of your character?
Ty Simpkins: I think my favorite aspect of being my character is that I get to meet Tony Stark. But I’m similar to him. Because I’m like a genius in the movie. And he’s a genius in the movie, of course, more of a genius than my character, but– [LAUGHTER]

Q: Have you always been a fan of Marvel movies?
Ty Simpkins: Yes, I have. I love the Marvel movies.

Q: Do you have a favorite hero?
Ty Simpkins: Iron Man. I mean it’s been my dream.

Q: How does it feel to be working with Robert?
Ty Simpkins: Oh, it’s awesome. Like literally Robert Downey Jr. is my favorite person. [LAUGHTER]

Q: How did you get into acting?
Ty Simpkins: So I’ve been acting since (before) I was born. I was still in my mom’s stomach when the people called and asked me to be on this– I think it was like at– it was either a TV show or a soap opera. I’m not sure. But they asked me. They asked my mom. And she said I’m not born yet. Then they said we’ll wait. So–

Q: What was your biggest challenge during filming?
Ty Simpkins: Um, one line kept getting like annoying. And I had to say retro-reflection panels. [LAUGHTER] And it was really hard. And then once the day was over I knew how to say it. That happens a lot.

Q: How do you find a healthy life balance?
Ty Simpkins: So like sometimes if we’re still in LA on the breaks we’ll still go back and go to school and stuff. I’ll see my friends a lot. Then we film. I have a studio teacher to teach me unless I’m in summer. I still have a studio teacher. But I don’t learn.

Q: What are some favorite non-acting activities?
Ty Simpkins: I like to bay– play baseball. I like to fence. Yeah. I like to make, uh, Lego stop motion videos.

Q: What’s your next project?
Ty Simpkins: So I just finished Insidious 2. That comes out in September. I’m really excited for this movie called Conversations with Andy. It’s about a sixth grade kid who is like having a tough time with his family. Like they’re getting a divorce and stuff. Then he meets Andy Warhol. Andy helps him out and stuff. So I’m really excited for that.

Q: Are stunts fun?
Ty Simpkins: Yeah, I love doing my stunts. It’s– it’s really fun.

Q: How is it not working with your sister?
Ty Simpkins: So there is a different dynamic. I feel more kind of focused I guess you could say ’cause my sister is a little rivalry. But we get along a lot.

I enjoy filming movies with my sister, but I also enjoy not filming movies. So like it’s good once in a while to like film with your family and other times just to kind of do it with yourself.

Q: Who are your biggest role models?
Ty Simpkins: So there’s Robert Downey Jr. Um, Chris Evans. Johnny Depp. And, uh, that’s it.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to film?
Ty Simpkins: Genre? Um, I don’t think I’ve done comedy. I’m not sure. But I do like Action Adventure ’cause this is just awesome filming in Iron Man, especially when you’re like with the main guy. Like you’re helping him and stuff. That’s pretty fun.

Q: How did you react to getting the part?
Ty Simpkins: I screamed yes. [LAUGHTER] I was really excited. I was at a cello class. And it kind of just made it even better, cello even better.

Q: Who is your biggest supporter?
Ty Simpkins: My biggest supporter? My mom. [APPLAUSE]

Q: What’s your favorite way to pass time on set?
Ty Simpkins: Oh, well, it depends. Like if I’m in summer I usually hang out with like the studio teacher, like the one that was on this set was pretty awesome ’cause she had an iPad. And like she had like educational games, there was one really cool called Oregon Trail. [CROWD RESPONSES] But they made a modified version. And that’s just really awesome. [LAUGHTER]

Q: How did you get the part?
Ty Simpkins: So the first um,we got a call from my agent. I was really excited. I’m like, oh, this is so cool. Then we went to the audition. But it was so top secret that we couldn’t look at the script until we got to the audition. It was really easy ’cause it was only two scenes that were short– or, no, it was a scene that was short. So, it was pretty easy.

Then we hadn’t heard for a while. We got a callback. And I was like, oh, okay, cool, cool. This is awesome. I can’t believe I got a callback. So we went to the call back. The producers, the directors were there. We went through the scene only with one more scene. And that was a bit more difficult to learn because it was longer. It was a giant monologue– like paragraph.

And then we hadn’t heard for an even longer time. Our agent said that we gotta chemistry read with Robert Downey Jr. And I was really excited for that. So we flew out there. That was in North Carolina where we filmed the movie and I was looking around. I was like where is Robert Downey Jr.?

I couldn’t find him. And they were just introducing me to everyone. And then there was a guy with a hat and glasses. And I just completely looked past him. And then the lady that was introducing me to everyone said and you know who this is. And the guy took off the hat and the glasses. And it was Robert Downey Jr. I mean it was a really disguise. I don’t know how I missed it. [LAUGHTER]



The Animation Behind Monsters University #MonstersUEvent

One subject that I’m very interested in is art and animation so while I attend Monster’s University I took extra notes when it came to the animation department. My class schedule was quite intense with a morning full of classes. I took English 101, Sociology 203, Anthropology 152, Dramatic Arts and Physics and there was a little art and science in all of them.

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  • ENGLISH 101: How to Tell a Great Story

Learn about the story process and how to draw a character from MU.
Instructor: Kelsey Mann (Story Supervisor)

At Pixar when they create a movie like Monsters University it’s all about the story. They don’t move at all until there is a story and it took a while to get to this story line because in Monsters Incorporated Mike talks about how he’s known Sully since Kindergarten but you’ll find that fact changed. They decided that they had a stronger story by having them meet in college. Which is why Monsters University takes place where it does and the story is what it is. Then we learned how to draw Mike. There is still research involved as well, with the story taking place at a college they had to visit many different colleges. So Story moves into Sociology and Anthropology and Dramatic Arts and Physics that hardest part of all.

  • SOCIOLOGY 203: The Deconstruction of a Character

Learn about the design of college-age Mike & Sulley, and creation & design of new characters in the film.
Instructors: Ricky Nierva (Production Designer), Jason Deamer (Character Art Director) & Daniela Strijleva (Character Designer)

So you have a story, and with every good story you have to have characters. However, we know Mike, Sully, and Randall as adults. (yep Randall makes an appearance in Monsters University) The animators had to take years off the characters and faced a quandary. How do you make a blue hairy monster and a green eye ball look younger?

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It takes trial and error and lots of it. Plus you have to be willing to take criticism. I’m not sure I could work at Pixar because I have a hard time when people ask me to change my writing. The animators at Pixar are amazing and I feel they did a fantastic job making a young Sully and Mike. Here is an early concept of Sully young:

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  • ANTHROPOLOGY 152: Monsterizing the World

Learn about creating and “monsterizing” the world of MU.
Instructors: Dice Tsutsumi (Shading/Lighting Art Director) & Robert Kondo (Sets Art Director)

 

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We have monsters in Monsters University and well monsters live in a monster world. What should a monster world look like, I mean should it look like our world or not? The animators at Pixar decided that the world should look like a monster world and they used the monstrous theme in all the buildings and trees and in all the details. I love watching and learning about all of the details and seeing them come together on the big screen.

  • DRAMATIC ARTS: Bringing a Character to Life

Learn how the animation process works, and view an animation demo on a linux machine.
Instructor:  Scott Clark (Supervising Animator)

My favorite class the animation of a character. I’ve taken this class before and loved it both times. Pixar and Disney both have amazing ways to manipulate art from drawing by hand then directly on the computer and then using vectors and paths and being able to move each limb, it’s AH-mazing. 

  • PHYSICS 250:  Global Illumination

View a presentation on the use of Global Illumination in MU and The Blue Umbrella.
Instructors:  Jean-Claude (JC) Kalache (DP-Lighting), Sanjay Bakshi (Supervising Technical Director) & Christine Waggoner (Simulation Supervisor)

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Physics was by far the hardest class but if you think about it you can’t create a 3D world without it. Lighting and the math of art is the only way to give it dimension. Giving an object a shadow provides a direction of light and it’s hard to describe without pictures but they have to consider so many directions for the light including all of the ways light bounces off of objects and then changes directions. Have you ever considered how many different light sources there are? Let’s take the sun, it hits a mirror, then it reflects, it reflect again off of a piece of metal but which way does it bounce? It depends on the shape of the metal and the angle the piece of metal exists in it’s plane. Art and animation and 3D is a complex world so if you want to go down this line of education you need to stay in school



Iron Man 3 The Man Or the Suit? #IronMan3Event

Did I get to go to the screening of Iron Man 3? No! My husband went in my place and took a friend that really wanted to see it. I really wanted to see it but we couldn’t find a sitter and one of us had to stay home and I’ve been the one that has been getting to do all the fun things so I sent him. My husband still owes me a trip to the theater for my birthday. Some day. So this review of Iron Man 3 is based on his opinion and the part that I’ve already seen, and my interview with the president of Marvel.

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The movie begins with Tony Stark going crazy. He’s having a very hard time dealing with what happened at the end of The Avengers. I think he’s realizing he might not be able to keep the world safe and that there are some really scary things out there. Well, he’s having issues and of course there is a bad guy but it’s not what it seems. The way my husband described it to me, it made me feel like there were parts influenced by Sherlock Holmes because the bad guy hired another guy to play him to keep his true identity a secret.

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Anyway, Tony’s enemy evilness knows no bounds. So I was telling you that Stark was going a little crazy, he announces on TV his address so the enemy comes knocking on his back door with rockets. Yep, he loses pretty much everything. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. Pepper is captured and crazy things are done to her. He has to get her back but he doesn’t have any way to do it. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

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Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968. 

I’m sure there is no surprise when I say that two men loved it. It was action packed and I loved what I’ve seen of it. In it they play with the characters strengths. Is Pepper a damsel in distress that needs to be saved or can she save the day? And what about Tony? Is he more than the suit? I can’t wait until we have time to go see it.



Iron Man 3 Interview With Gwyneth Paltrow #ironman3event

The event I wanted to attend so badly occurred last week; The Iron Man 3 Red Carpet World Premiere. Missing the red carpet was one thing and then missing the interviews was another. Oh, but that aside, I did manage to get my hands on the transcripts of the interviews so I can share them with you guys. Gwyneth Paltrow to me is an amazing woman. She’s an actress that I love to see in every movie she’s in. She’s intelligent and beautiful and she’s a mom. And in Iron Man 3 she plays a damsel in distress but she’s not completely helpless either. Check out how amazing she is in this interview!

 

Q: How did you feel when you were picked to be on the cover of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful issue?
Gwyneth Paltrow : Honestly, Steven, this man has been my publicist since I was, like, nineteen years old, and he sent me the email and I was like, this is a typo. I reread it three times, and then I got this really weird old feeling that my school bully had somehow was playing a trick on me. I swear, I had to talk about with my shrink. I went through this whole weird thing. He was like, yes, it’s true. I was beyond surprised, flattered, and I still kinda can’t believe it. It’s really cool.

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Q: Tell us about putting on the suit.
Gwyneth Paltrow : I love putting on the suit. It was really weird. I’ve never done anything like that in my whole career, and my son was on set, and so I’ll never forget it; I walk out onto the set, and I was fully dressed in the suit, and his face, because he’s like in the last probably year and a half, like, watched the, the first Iron Man and Avengers and everything- I’ll never forget his face. He was in shock and awe. It was so cool.

Q:You got Major Mommy cool points?
Gwyneth Paltrow: Oh my God, yes. And by the way, I now have a Lego in the set- there’s a Pepper, so I am, like, I am a goddess. So fun.

Q: How does it feel, as Pepper, to be that strong?
Gwyneth Paltrow: I loved it so much. You know, I was getting kind of like, come on, guys. All these boys are flying around doing all this fun stuff. I loved how patient and kind and sweet Pepper is, but, but when I read this script, I was like, oh yeah. She’s in the suit and flying around, and I loved doing the stunts. As I said, I really had never done anything like that before and it was really fun. I felt like I should’ve been doing this my whole- it’s like, why am I doing all these period films, like, it’s so boring. Okay.

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Q: What are some of the fun things that happen on set?
Gwyneth Paltrow : I mean, the things that I remember from set are, my kids learning how to drive a golf cart. On a movie, it’s so big and you drive a golf cart from one thing to another and, you’re like, okay, you can drive the golf cart. Then all of a sudden, they just started taking off in golf carts.

Or like the Nerf gun fights we just had- it was just like a fun experience for the family, and they love Robert. They had no idea that Robert was famous until probably a year ago. They just love him so much and he creates a fun environment, and it was just nice. It was a nice shoot and when you work with someone over and over again that you really love and that environment is so familial and the kids feel- everybody feels it. It really was so great.

Q: Have you seen it yet?
Gwyneth Paltrow : No, I saw it. Marvel very kindly did a- or Disney, or I don’t know who- one of my bosses. After all the press in London, they rented a little screening room and so I brought my son and my daughter and seventeen of their friends and it was so awesome. We watched it in 3D and I was really surprised. I mean, I thought the movie was actually a really a good movie.

I normally don’t watch this kind of movie and I thought it was so good. Like, I thought there were so many really interesting metaphors in it about the media sort of being proponents of fear and how that effects in the culture and, like, what’s real, what’s a threat. I loved Robert, like, Tony Stark being really stripped back and raw and you know, having to kind of MacGyver his way back to strength and I loved the relationship with Pepper and Tony.

I thought it was really cool to see her wanting to get her needs met, and just thought it worked. Then of course, all the action stuff is so fun, but I also think that the bones of it were actually really good.

Q: Are we gonna see you in more action films?
Gwyneth Paltrow: I don’t know. I would actually really like to, but really, am I old now to start being in action movies? [LAUGHS]. I would like to. The nice thing is that everybody’s sort of been very sweet about Pepper in this movie. All the journalists who came in. They were like, oh my God, you have to have your own movie, because in the comics, Pepper gets her own suit, and she becomes a character called Rescue. They’re like, we need a Rescue movie, and I’m like, okay, well, I’d better hit the gym.

Q: What color would you choose for your suit?
Gwyneth Paltrow : Ooh, great question. Gray, silver, and white. My favorite colors.

Q: What’s it like working with Robert?
Gwyneth Paltrow : It’s so fun. I mean, he’s really the most spontaneous, mad genius. Improvising, like, you’re really on your toes. You know, it’s really interesting, actually, to see how all these different actors, what their process is and how they work. Like, Jeff Bridges on the first movie, he had binders of research, and everything was all underlined and highlighted, and there were graphs and all this.

And then Robert would come in and read the scene and rip it up, and be like, nope, we’re not doing it. He’s like, this is bullshit. Let’s make it up- and poor Jeff Bridges would be dying, like, he had memorized everything. As the woman, of course, you’re just like, let’s keep everyone happy. [LAUGHS] There’s a happy medium to be found here, guys. I personally loved it- just because I’ve been doing this job for so long, it’s so nice to have someone who likes- it’s scary and they’re like, what am I gonna do.



DisneyNature’s Wings of Life The Nature Video Of the Year

Butterflies, I told you Zoe loves butterflies. I hand painted butterflies on her walls. She loves butterflies and Wings of Life is all about butterflies. We received a sample to preview and watch of DisneyNature’s Wings of Life.

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In this closer-than-close, high-definition look at the intricate world of butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and bats, and their life-sustaining collaboration with flowers you’ll be amazed and mesmerized. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg (“America’s Heart & Soul”) and narrated by Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep, “Wings of Life” is now available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital and On Demand . clip_image001

It’s amazing how they can use the cameras to capture things that are so hard for us to see with our eyes. I love how DisneyNature is so very amazing. I love so many, no all of their movies. It’s such an educational way to show nature to your kids. It’s great to see the bats, humming birds and butterflies  in their own not crowded exhibits. Seeing the butterflies at the zoo is always difficult because it’s crowded and a frantic rush because there are so many of them in one place I get a little freaked out. I’d much prefer to watch them this way with frame rates of 1500 rates per second so I can see all the details.

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I shared this once but I wanted to make sure you check out this 25-page educational guide, created by Disney’s Animal Kingdom Education Team, which introduces learners in grades 2–4 to the amazing and often unseen world of pollinators through science, math and art! Activity sheets, games and units of inquiry help curious young minds explore the plant and animal worlds as well as the many ways that humans depend on them.

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Watch NEW Monsters University Trailer #MonstersUEvent

 

What’s to love about Monsters University? Watch this new trailer from Monsters University and get a sneak peak.

 
 

Everything!

I’m looking forward to seeing the entire movie

You’ll learn how Sully and Mike actually met and became friends!



PBS Wild Krats Rainforest Rescue DVD Review

We received a copy of Wild Krats to preview!

When I was a kid, we didn’t have cable. Cartoons were pretty much limited to whatever was on on Saturday mornings, and the weekday kids’ shows on PBS. I watched a lot of Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood when I was young, and for as long as I’ve been a mom (going on 14 years now!) I’ve been a connoisseur of PBS cartoons and shows for kids. Back when my oldest was young, I was also teaching preschool, and the show “Zoboomafoo” was very popular among my students. I showed it to Shane, and he quickly became a fan of the Kratt Brothers, their leaping lemur pal, and all of the awesome animals they featured on their show. As a parent and a preschool teacher, I’m particular about shows like that. I want them to be factual and educational, but not preachy or boring. They have to be at their level, but not in a patronizing way. The Kratt Brothers seem to really get that, and the kids found them to be funny and entertaining, but would come into class, full of accurate, scientific information about all sorts of animals! Impressive!clip_image001

More recently, Chris and Martin, The Kratt Brothers, have a new show on PBS, “Wild Kratts”. True to form, this show features the brothers and their adventures with animals, and is packed full of fun and facts. But this time, it’s animated! Cartoon Chris and Martin are still wildlife explorers that teach kids about animals, but they do it by actually adopting their “creature powers” with special suits that simulate the unique traits of the animals they are studying (and usually helping out). The show is delightful – and that says a lot, coming from the mom who has to watch it from the kitchen while making dinner. And my kids like it, too!

Several episodes of Wild Kratts are available on DVD. Most recently, PBS released “Rainforest Rescue”, which features two episodes. In “Rainforest Stew”, kids are introduced to many creatures that call the rainforest their home, and the relationships between them all. In “Shadow: The Black Jaguar”, we learn about these impressive wild cats, and the importance of their special coloring.

This most recent DVD joins others already available, including “Lost at Sea” and “Jungle Animals”, is priced at $9.99 and runs 50 minutes.