MomStart

Forget the Mommy Guilt, it's a new day

  • Tech The Halls Holiday Gift Guide 2020
  • Movies
  • Travel
  • Tech
  • Recipes
  • Crafts
  • Home
  • About MomStart
  • Contact Me
  • Today’s Topic
  • Savings
  • Disclosure/Terms of Use
  • Cart
  • Purchases
You are here: Home / Archives for entertainment

DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free Family Discussion Guide On Netflix

July 25, 2017 by Momstart 1 Comment

Did you know that you can use Netflix for educational purposes. I’m even a member of a Facebook group where everyone shares how they use Netflix for home school. As MomStart is also a Netflix Stream Team member we will share a few things with you from time to time that might be educational. In May, Netflix started streaming Spirit Riding Free. And along with Common Sense media we have this Spirit Riding Free Family Discussion Guide to share with you below.

Spirit Riding Free Family Discussion Guide

About DREAMWORKS SPIRIT RIDING FREE.
Spirit Riding Free is an all-new Netflix original series. DreamWorks has teamed up with Common Sense Media to present a handy discussion guide to help parents talk with their kids about some of the themes and lessons in the show.

You can download the Spirit Riding Free Family Discussion Guide.

About Spirit Riding Free:

The Oscar®-nominated film “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” introduced the world to a resilient mustang named Spirit, and now it’s inspired a brand new story set to enchant the next generation of fans in Spirit Riding Free, a Netflix original series from DreamWorks Animation Television.

“Spirit Riding Free” follows the heartfelt journey of a gutsy 12-year-old girl named Lucky who befriends a wild mustang whom she aptly names Spirit. With her two best friends (and their horses) by her side, Lucky and her friends explore a world filled with endless rides, magnificent horses and never ending fun! Together they’ll push their own limits, harness the power of friendship and discover what it truly means to be free.”

My daughter Zoe loves watching this show. Her brother, not so much but he’ll sit through an episode or two just for her. It’s a great show and a great opportunity for the family to sit around together and talk about some important themes for their age group.

Filed Under: Movie review Tagged With: entertainment, Netflix, Spirit Riding Free

What Is the D23 Expo Like?

July 24, 2017 by Momstart Leave a Comment

This was my very first time to attend the D23 Expo and it’s impossible to describe in one post. So I’ve been writing about the different panels or my favorite parts from each panel over the past week and I feel like I have enough material that I could write about it for two more weeks. The D23 Expo is like the most amazing convention fans of Disney will ever experience.

If you ever plan on going to the D23 Expo you have to be prepared for one thing. LINES! Everything you might want to do there will be a line. But yes it’s completely worth it, you will enjoy, no I take that back, you will LOVE every single part of D23 Expo. The D23 Expo is a fantastic journey through all things Disney.

Disney Legends

D23 EXPO 2017 – Friday, July 14, 2017 – The Ultimate Disney Fan Event – brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which takes place July 14-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. (Disney/Image Group LA)
ROBERT A. IGER (CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY)

Our Expo adventure began with the Disney Legend Awards Ceremony. 11 new Disney Legends were named and honored. So far I have only had time to highlight, Disney Legend Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, Disney Legend Oprah Winfrey, Disney Legend Mark Hamil I hope to also write about Disney legends Whoopi Goldberg, Carrie Fisher even though there are still five more people that were named.

Oswald with Star Wars

D23 EXPO 2017 – Friday, July 14, 2017 – The Ultimate Disney Fan Event – brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which takes place July 14-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. (Disney/Image Group LA)
ROBERT A. IGER (CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY)

We had a little time on the D23 Expo hall floor where all kinds of exhibits surrounding us. There was so much to see and do it took a little time every day to get it all done. My highlights were the Pirates of the Caribbean Exhibit where you could see all the inspiration for Disney Pirates over the years and all the costumes from the movies including Disney’s Descendants and Once Upon a Time. Also really interesting to me was the Pixar Exhibit and the Marvel Exhibit. There were also many different toys, and other products that I’ve never seen before but to D23 members this was exclusive stuff that fans live for. Oh and I can’t forget to mention that Star Wars The Galaxy Edge was a huge exhibit that wasn’t to be missed.

D23 Expo is like

I’ve also already shared with you stuff from other panels that we sat though. We learned what live action films are coming out, what’s new with Marvel and Star Wars. We saw what’s new with Pixar and Disney animation. We learned what’s new at all of the Disney parks around the world. And we finished the D23 Expo with a concert by Alan Menken. Alan Menken was the perfect ending to a crazy three days. If you are any kind of Disney Fan you would love the D23 Expo lines and all.

Alan Menken

Filed Under: Movie review Tagged With: D23Expo, entertainment

Black Panther Costumes & Release Date

July 19, 2017 by Momstart 2 Comments

At the D23 Expo there wasn’t a lot of Marvel secrets revealed. We already shared with you the secrets from Thor Ragnarok to The Avengers Infinity War Part 1. We also know there are rumors that some of the actors are going to find the Infinity War movies to be their last. Which gives Marvel the room to focus on other Marvel characters like The Black Panther. And we have a first look at all the Black Panther costumes.

black panther cast

Photo credit: Marvel

Starting in Black Panther is Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa/Black Panther) and Forest Whitaker (the shaman, Zuri) Danai Gurira (Okoye) and Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia). Michael B. Jordan, who plays villain Erik Killmonger, is also spotted in the photo. Black Panther is directed by Ryan Coogler.

The Black Panther Costumes are fantastic. Each Black Panther costumes is covered with details from head to tow. The costumes are perfect for each character in the movie. Here are pictures of the Black Panther Costumes that we took from the D23 Expo hall. I think you will enjoy these and now be super excited for the movie release.

Black Panther Costumes 1Black Panther Costumes 2Black Panther Costumes 3Black Panther Costumes 4Black Panther Costumes

The Black Panther Costume

The Black Panther is in theaters February 16, 2018. We will continue to bring you updates as we have them.

Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

Filed Under: movie, Movie review Tagged With: Black Panther, Black Panther Costumes, entertainment, Marvel

Check Out LEAP! In Theaters August 30th

July 17, 2017 by Momstart 14 Comments

This sponsored post is brought to you by The Weinstein Company and coordinated by Wendy’s Bloggers

image

Elle Fanning is one of my favorite young actresses. She has been so successful and I’m excited to see LEAP! because of her, even though she’s only voicing one of the characters. LEAP! is about an 11-year old orphan, Felicie who has only one dream, to go to Paris and become a dancer. Her best friend is also creative, he is an imaginative but exhausting boy with a passion for creating. Victor’s dream is to become a famous inventor. These two decide to follow their dreams and they run away from their orphanage to pursue their passions. However, Felicie quickly learns that talent alone is not enough. Of course she’s not one to give up because she is quite determined so she finds a mentor. Odette is a tough and mysterious custodian, who along with Victor’s encouraging friendship help her. Together they will inspire your whole family to reach for the stars.

I can’t wait to see it myself and I’m really excited by this new trailer. Check out the brand NEW trailer from The Weinstein Company’s  LEAP!, featuring Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit song from the soundtrack, “Cut To The Feeling.”

 

The entire cast captures the spirit and humor of the story and the music will have you dancing all the way home!

Make sure to get your tickets early!

LEAP! opens in theaters nationwide on August 30th and stars in addition to Elle Fanning, Nat Wolff and Maddie Ziegler alongside Mel Brooks, Kate McKinnon and Carly Rae Jepsen.

FOLLOW ALONG SOCIALLY:

#LeapMovie

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Filed Under: movie, Movie review Tagged With: entertainment, Leap

Inside Disney’s New Series Bunk’d: Interviews, Set Visit and Fun

July 30, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I’m a huge fan of Karan Brar for many reasons. He is actually from the same city that my kids are from so it gives me hope that they will be successful in perusing an acting career as well. (As long as that’s what they want to do and they are having fun doing it) With that being said, I love seeing his career change and had been thinking for a while now that Jessie had to be near it’s end. Anyone watching Jessie could see that these kids were all getting taller and looking older as well. So it’s super exciting to see a spinoff of Jessie…..Bunk’d.

image

It was also super exciting to get to meet him and talk about his experiences as an actor.

 

 

Bunk’d is about the Ross kids at summer camp. Here is the Official Description About BUNK’D

 

Emma (Peyton List), Ravi (Karan Brar), and Zuri Ross (Skai Jackson) have left their New York penthouse for a summer at Maine’s rustic Camp Kikiwaka, where their parents met as teenagers. Now CITs (Counselors In Training), they must learn the ropes from the overly cheerful head counselor Lou and the camp heartthrob, Xander. Zuri makes new friends with two younger campers, the uptight Tiffany and compulsive fibber Jorge. The camp’s owner is Gladys and she’s even scarier than the legendary creature that’s rumored to stalk the grounds, and with help of her sneaky niece Hazel, she’s out to get the Ross kids because of her decades-old rivalry with their mom. Along with their new friends, Emma, Ravi and Zuri adapt to their new “home away from home” and settle into their exciting new lives at Camp Kikiwaka. Luke wasn’t able to go to camp because he has to go to summer school, but the truth is the actor has his own show, The Gamers Guide to Practically Everything playing on Disney XD.

image

I was fortunate enough to visit the set and talk to all the main characters of the new show. They are all so cute, smart and humble, I loved chatting with all of them as they talked about different aspects of being child actors on a fun TV series.

image

Peyton was asked about how school work goes during the day. She said that they do a scene, run upstairs do some school in between takes and then run back down stairs. She said they get done with school work pretty quickly.

139946_2080

It looks like these actors are having such fun working together. And it’s going to be fun watching how their characters change having to be at camp and not in their luxurious penthouse.

image

The younger kids are the ones that I think are super cute.

image

In the first episode I saw how each one of their characters are developed. Nina Lu and Nathan Arenas seem super excited to be joining this team of actors and Nathan had me laughing right away. Miranda May talked about how she would love to start a new fashion line for curvy girls and I loved her passion behind it.

image

And my favorite quote was from Karan. You do not have to sell everything and move to LA to become a successful actor. Start in your own pond and develop your skills and you will succeed. He is a firm believer in that and that makes me admire him even more for spreading such great advice. All of these actors are super talented and I love seeing their success.

Here are more photos from the day:

View album
Bunkd Set Visit
VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album
View album View album View album View album View album

 

And just a few more from my camera:

image

image

imageimage

Filed Under: Movie review Tagged With: bunkd, entertainment

Behind the Scenes Of Disney’s New Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything

July 15, 2015 by Momstart 1 Comment

Disney’s New Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything premieres July 22nd at 9:30pm ET/PT on Disney XD!! My kids are excited about this show coming on soon. I was lucky enough to go behind the scenes a few weeks ago. Then I was able to see the set, meet the characters and watch a network run through. The set is a long side of sets, different rooms side by side and then on the other side is another set of sets side by side. But before we take a look at the set photos let’s meet the characters.

Cameron Boyce as Conor       Murray Wyatt Rundus as Wendell Felix Avitia as Franklin Sophie Reynolds as Ashley

 

The subcultures of high school and professional video gaming are merged in the sitcom “Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything” starring Cameron Boyce (Disney Channel’s “Jessie” and “Descendants”) as a 15-year-old video game-playing phenomenon who enrolls in public high school for the first time.  Now, he must deploy his virtual gaming acumen to circumvent real-life challenges.
Cool and charismatic Conor gains notoriety as the ace game player “KidFury,” but he suffers a devastating thumb injury that forces him off the high-flying professional gaming circuit.  After years of being privately tutored, Conor enrolls in public school, Mondale High, for the first time and meets three fellow gamers – Franklin, Wendell and Ashley who help him for form the school’s first-ever gaming league. 

139256_4089
The series captures the fun spirit of the gaming culture by weaving digital graphics (“Game Over” and “Achievement Unlocked”) into the stories.  Video games come to life onscreen during “gamer vision” sequences that depict alternate realities whenever the characters face particularly challenging situations. 

GGTPME_logo
Also starring are Murray Wyatt Rundus as the overly-confident but lovable Wendell; Felix Avitia as the gamer-groupie Franklin; and Sophie Reynolds as the quirky and fun Ashley. 

 

139157_0869

 

I play Conner – he was a professional gamer. He did all these tours, went to Tokyo and London and all these places doing these professional tournaments. In the midst of a tournament, he breaks his thumb, which is kind of what you need to game. So, Conner has to basically be a regular kid now. He was home schooled and other stuff to do his gaming, and his mom tells him ‘okay, well you’re going to go to regular school.’ Conor doesn’t really know how to be a regular kid, so he goes and he makes some friends, but he tries to use them at first to get back on the tour where he thinks he belongs. Then eventually he realizes that he kind of likes having these guys around. Instead of going on the solo gaming tour, he chooses to keep these guys around and go on the team tour. – Cameron Boyce

139157_1328

I play Ashley and she’s the girl  that hangs with the guys. She’s not always the smartest with the books, but she’s got a really good heart and, she’s just a good friend. She’s a great gamer, super-smart gamer and that’s her strength. – Sophie Reynolds

139157_1592

I play Franklin and he’s very positive, very energetic. He’s not the best gamer like these guys who grew up like that, but he really wants to be. He wants to fit in with people and he wants to be a part of the group. He’s very smart though, outside of the gaming world. He knows common sense and knows he loves school and, of course, he’s got a great sense of fashion. Always wearing ties and shoes and pants and shirts. He’s just a good kid and he wants to make everybody as happy as they can be all the time. That’s what I love about him. – Felix Avitia

139157_1843

 

I play Wendell and he’s very, very full of himself. He is a very cocky character. He believes everyone around him doesn’t know what’s really going on, and that he is really the mastermind of everything that’s going on. He’s very aggressive when he plays video games with the crew and that really describes him. – Murray Wyatt Rundus

image

We briefly spoke with them about the show. They seem like they are having a blast working together. And who doesn’t like playing video games at their age? Cameron was asked about his transition from Jessie to this show and I remember him saying that the schedule is different but the actors became an instant family. And after watching them work together in the network run through I could see how well they all get along.

Here are some fun shots from the set, when you sit down with your family and watch this show see if you can find each of these items.

image

imageimageimageimageimage

image

 

 

image

Filed Under: Movie review Tagged With: Disney, entertainment, gamers guide, movie, tv

Tinker Bell and The Legend of The NeverBeast

March 16, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a copy of Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast for review and had to watch it as soon as it came. My kids had been waiting to see it since we were invited to a screening here in LA. We got stuck in traffic and weren’t able to make it so then we had to wait for the Blu-ray Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere release. We all watched it and at times we were really wondering if Gruff was a good guy or a bad one, but he was so adorably cute that deep down we knew the truth. Just like Fawn (Jennifer Goodwin) did. image

Return to Pixie Hollow for the heartwarming and humorous adventure “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast”! An ancient myth of a fabled creature sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell and her good friend Fawn, an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this creature – massive and wondrous with glowing green eyes – is not welcome in Pixie Hollow – and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast, who they fear will destroy their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink and her fairy friends to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast.

 

Fawn has a huge heart and cares for all animals dangerous and the ones that aren’t dangerous. She gets in trouble when she brings a Hawk into Pixie Hollow but she was just taking care of him. She learns a huge lesson about herself in Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast and you’ll have to watch to see what she learns.

The Bonus Features Include:

· 5 Essential Ingredients to Getting Gruff: Uncover the 5 Essential Ingredients in making “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast.” The 5 ingredients are story, design, animation, sound, and making Gruff.

· My Dad’s Movie: The True Story of the NeverBeast: Director Steve Loter takes us on a personal journey of how his young daughter taught him life lessons that became the story for “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast”.

· Jeff Corwin’s Guide to Real-World NeverBeasts: From high above the trees to the darkest depths of the ocean, Jeff Corwin takes you on a wild adventure around the world where you will discover some creatures that actually exist in the real world.

· Deleted Scenes with Intro by Director Steve Loter

· Tink’n About Animals: From a float of crocodiles to a mob of kangaroos, Fawn breaks down animal groupings by singing her own catchy song.

· Gruff Love: Meet the big, lovable star of the movie with this musical montage featuring KT Tunstall’s heartwarming song, “Strange Sight.”

· My Dad’s Movie: Hanging Out at the Premiere: Now that you know how I helped my Dad come up with the story for his movie, join me as I get to see it for the first time. (DMA Exclusive)

DVD

· 5 Essential Ingredients to Getting Gruff: Uncover the 5 Essential Ingredients in making “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast.” The 5 ingredients are story, design, animation, sound, and making Gruff.

· Tink’n About Animals: From a float of crocodiles to a mob of kangaroos, Fawn breaks down animal groupings by singing her own catchy song.

· Gruff Love: Meet the big, lovable star of the movie with this musical montage featuring KT Tunstall’s heartwarming song, “Strange Sight.”

*Digital bonus offerings may vary per retailer

Filed Under: Movie review Tagged With: entertainment, Legend of the NeverBeast, movie, Tinker Bell

Interview With The Frozen Fever Creators Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee #FrozenFever #CinderellaEvent

March 11, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Last week while I was at the Cinderella Event, before watching Cinderella the new Frozen short, Frozen Fever was played. Frozen Fever is a cute short including all the beloved characters from Frozen. It happens to be Anna’s birthday and Elsa wants it to be perfect but she has a cold and every time she sneezes snow creatures are created and havoc ensues. I took my kids to a screening just a few days ago and they LOVED it as will you. I also had a moment to sit down with the creators (who are also the creators of Frozen) and find out how they are doing and what inspired this adorable short.

image

So it’s been a year. How are your lives now?

CHRIS BUCK : How are our lives now? Let’s see…

JENNIFER LEE : We thought they’d be less busy, but they’re not. So…

CHRIS BUCK : I still buy shirts at TJ Max. Hasn’t changed…

JENNIFER LEE : I still find myself going I have to buy another dress? So. So yeah. So nothing’s changed, really.

CHRIS BUCK : No. I mean, it…We, oh, since we first last talked, it’s been overwhelming, the year. We still get Youtube sent to us. I mean, I got one just yesterday…

JENNIFER LEE : Mm-hmm.

CHRIS BUCK : It’s actually very funny. Um, so I just, it’s, it’s been overwhelming. It really has. And I think the, you know

JENNIFER LEE : …still a surprise every day. It’s still…

image

In the Frozen Fever short, Elsa sneezing is the cutest thing ever. How’d you come up with that idea? Or who came up with the idea of her sneezing and snowmen come out?

JENNIFER LEE : One of our story artists, he was one of the head story artists on Frozen Fever… I mean Frozen itself. And we were brainstorming all, whatever could be, you know. Blue sky. Anything. And, um, we kept….. It would be nice to focus on Elsa more, and… ‘Cause she’s the one that people wonder What’s she like now? I mean, we end the film. We had this tragic character. We end the film, she’s free, but we don’t know. And, but we’d love to play with her magic in a different way, and he just said what if she’s a cold, and the cold wreaks havoc. And we, we just went crazy. I mean, … It got ridiculous at some points.

CHRIS BUCK : …you know, she would have this … stuff, but then suddenly, like, spikes would show up…

JENNIFER LEE : Create something else. And a sneeze does this, and blowing your nose does that. Like, we had all of these crazy… Does she know? Does she not know? So there were …. You know, still hours of what do we do? What if? But it was the idea itself was so simple, and fun. We just…

CHRIS BUCK : And it gave us license to have fun with Else.

image

 

During the interview we found that Chris and Jennifer are working on the Broadway Frozen musical and had a lot of input in the Frozen Fun feature at California Adventures. And they have no idea what’s next. They did discuss some of the inspiration in the location of Frozen.

 

CHRIS BUCK : …was… Mike was just going through, uh, books, and, uh, as many of the books he was going through, he’d seen a lot of, uh, internet stuff, too, but… And, and he was posting all these pages on Scandinavian, you know, beautiful scenery and architecture, and almost all the post-its were Norway.

So he said okay. Well, you know, we need our, our trip to Norway. Now we don’t say that it’s set in Norway. But, um…..It helps to have, um, something specific to kind of draw from. So it makes the world very believable. And their ideas in Norway, we’d never have come up with on our own, the, the stave church, which was very beautiful.

JENNIFER LEE : …real warmth and intimacy to the, to their, to the villages, and then when you get out to the vast Fjords, the contrast is great. And so it really, in the wood, it just lent itself to this beautiful extremes.

How much of it was really based on Hans Christian Anderson… Is it loosely based? Is it…

JENNIFER LEE : Yeah. I mean, we knew the Snow Queen is very, uh, was a compelling idea, but, you know, in the, in the, in the book she’s a… She’s evil, and you know nothing about her. She’s very one dimensional, and, and represents evil, and, and, uh, and in the original, uh, tonally, though, …..there’s a lot of similarity. And there’s a, the theme… We found the theme through the book. The theme and in the book it’s sort of, um, uh, love versus negativity. But we translated that in more extreme to literally to fear. So that was… That came from the book, and, and, um, and then it was just a lot more about, uh, sort of this, the setting, and, and things. But, but it’s a very different kind of a story, and, um, one that is beautiful in prose. But, you know. It’s, it’s not necessarily the most cinematic in terms of structure and, and things like that. So we wanted to have really three dimensional characters, and, and go deep into them. So we, we made it our own.

So from beginning to end, how long did it take to make the short?

JENNIFER LEE : Yeah. When did we…..June?

CHRIS BUCK : When we started the idea of Elsa getting a cold and all that. Just…So pretty much June through…

JENNIFER LEE : Through two weeks ago.…apparently. We’ve been called out for saying it’s a few months later. It’s 11 months….. Okay. It’s 11 months later. I’ll just say it. I mean. We’re animators. We…

CHRIS BUCK : Production-wise, like when we started animation or layout, it was probably August, wasn’t it?

JENNIFER LEE : …most of the, the writing and, and working with the songwriters was June through the end of August. And then…

In Frozen Fever Elsa sings “A Cold Never bothered me anyway” …what was the inspiration for that?

CHRIS BUCK : They did that. It was great. I think….Correct me if I’m wrong, but I know that a lot of kids, when they sang Let it Go, they sang that. They sang…

JENNIFER LEE : They sang a cold…

CHRIS BUCK : A cold never bothers me anyway…So they sort of… I think it might have been riffed… riffed off of that. And they …. You know, kids sing it so, like, that is the lyric. ‘Cause it’s like a cold, and their lives is so debilitating, and so big that it’s, like, that’s not gonna bother me. I’m gonna get through this! So, it’s so cute when they do it. And I think of it as a little bit of a nod to that, too.

 

You can only see Frozen Fever before the movie Cinderella in theaters March 13th.

Filed Under: movie, Movie review Tagged With: Cinderella, entertainment, Frozen Fever, movie

Kindness is a Super Power Lily James Has Cinderella Interview #CinderellaEvent

March 10, 2015 by Beeb Leave a Comment

Last week Louise participated in a Q&A interview with Cinderella herself – the beautiful Lily James! Beeb posted this for me because I ran out of time but I wanted to add what she was like.

Lily was exactly what you would expect Cinderella to be. She was so kind and funny. She was cute and petite. She smiled the entire time. I took a lot of pictures of her and almost everyone was a good one. She generally loves acting and it shows in her characters.

IMG_3142

Lily spoke about stepping into Cinderella’s shoes – literally – and her excitement in getting the role. She also discussed what the fairy tale means to little girls today, explained the fire hazard of wearing a large dress, and told us how exactly a princess navigates a port-a-loo!

Lily James
Q: What was your initial reaction when you found out you got the role of Cinderella?

LJ: Ken rang me himself and I screamed so loudly I’m sure I burst his eardrum. He said, “I’d like you–, I want you to be my Cinderella.” I was on set and I screamed. And Laura and Michelle came running over and, and they knew I’d been doing this torturous audition process and they’re like, ‘what is it, what is it?’ And then Ken was like, ‘you’re not allowed to tell anyone.’ So, I was like, ‘oh, nothing, nothing.’ And then, later that day, Hugh Bonneville announced the Downton dining room table. It was really sweet.

Q: Can you tell us about your experience with the dress? I’m obsessed with the dress.

LJ: Me too. [LAUGHS] The dress is insane. When I first put it on – there’s a scene from Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts where she puts this dress on and she looks in the mirror and, I think Richard Gere is looking really handsome somewhere and she just goes like swoosh, swoosh. She makes this sound and I put it on and I felt like Julia Roberts, it was just the best feeling ever. I was so nervous about this bit of the movie ‘cause it’s the bit where she’s the princess. It’s the moment, you know, and I think, ‘how can anyone live up to that?’ Really, you know, it’s this fairy tale, it’s this sort of thing that’s very far removed from me. And then I put on that gown and I just felt transformed and it felt like a suit of honor. But, [LAUGHS], it was really hard to wear and it was incredibly tight and incredibly – it had a life of it’s own basically.

Q: Was the dress heavy?

LJ: Yeah, it was really heavy. It was like crazy heavy and it pulled down on my waist and it took about twenty minutes to get in and twenty minutes to get out. [LAUGHS] It was kind of cool because it was almost like a ritual every morning. I’d have my dress – we’d start from the very bottom and slowly I’d, sort of, it would take a bit of time, we’d have some music on. But, the only thing was if I needed to toilet. [LAUGHS] And, you know, you’re always so rushed when you’re filming so it would be like a forty minute break, so the crew would be like, ‘God, where’s Lily?’ Me and Helena had same problem so in the end, we had these like port-a-loo’s that we’d like put under us. [LAUGHS] And it was like the most unglamorous thing ever. Um, [LAUGHS], so Helena and I would sometimes be, like, in our tent and be next door and be both using the port-a-loo’s at the same time. [LAUGHS]

Q: Was that a designer dress or was that custom for you?

LJ: That was Sandy Powell. It’s all Sandy Powell. She’s amazing and that wedding gown was – I feel like so sad that it was only in the film for like thirty seconds. I was like, ‘Ken, you’ve gotta shoot it from the back, you’ve gotta shoot it from the back.’ ‘Cause the flowers were hand painted and, you know, the detail that goes into these dresses.

And that veil, and the crown, and actually we did the hair like how Cinderella in the animation wears it at the ball, so that was a kind of like little echo. And that dress I was doing a sort of photo shoot in it one day when we were so busy and I rushed in and we did the photos. And, at Pinewood Studios it’s just, it’s England and it’s cold and it’s miserable and gray. And I rushed in, I was so cold and I was walking past this heater and my skirt caught on fire. [LAUGHS] And I didn’t care about myself I was like, ‘the skirt!’ And it was all hand painted flowers and they had to redo, like a whole section of the skirt.

Q: So, next to the dress you think about the glass slipper. How was that? Were they comfortable? Were they really made out of glass?

LJ: They were really made out of Swarovski crystals, so, even more amazing. They’re so beautiful but, sadly, I hate saying this, but, they don’t fit any human foot. [LAUGHS] So, I’m glad it’s no foot – if it was just my foot it didn’t fit I’d feel really un-Cinderella-y. But um, yes, so the prince is still looking for his princess. [LAUGHS]

Q: What would you tell young girls today that your character Cinderella – how is it relevant to them? What is the message that Cinderella has for them today? ‘Cause it is a bit of an old fashioned, some would say, out of date message.

LJ: Yeah, well, I think with our film, was being really faithful to the fairytale. This is a girl that’s not sitting around waiting for a prince to come and save her. That she’s got this unbelievable strength and it doesn’t come from fighting or from, you know, what happens, it comes from within. And the strength is her courage and her kindness and that, if she has that, she can, in a way, deal with as best she can what life throws at her. And by being this person, you know she’s being the best version of herself. And with such an open heart when she does meet the prince not knowing who he is, he falls for her because she’s a strong, powerful, you know, beautiful from within woman. That’s the idea.

Filed Under: interview, Movie review Tagged With: Cinderella, entertainment, interview, movie

Cate Blanchett The Evil Step Mom Cinderella Interview #CinderellaEvent

March 9, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I knew I was going to be interviewing Cate Blanchett but I never really thought about who she was going into the interview. I knew she was the wicked step mother of Cinderella in the new full feature live action Disney film but that’s all the thought I really put into it and then I saw her. When she walked into the interview room I felt like, wow, this is classic Hollywood. She is pure grace and elegance. Then it hit me who she was, she’s to me a living legend. She’s been in Lord of the Rings and she played Elizabeth. She has the talent to play such strong characters and she brought that talent to Cinderella. Here are just a few snippets of the interview with her.

IMG_3157

Q : So did you go after this role, or…

CB : Yes, like a rabid dog, [LAUGHS], and I didn’t get the Cinderella role, [AUDIENCE LAUGHS], though I had so many friends who- they asked me what I was doing in the summer, and I said, oh, I’m, I’m, um, in a live-action version of Cinderella, and there was a big kind of awkward pause. And they didn’t quite know how to ask me, [LAUGHS], are you a little old to be playing Cinderella? Yeah. A bit Bette Davis, so yes. No, I, well, no, it sort of landed in my lap, actually.

I was very lucky, and when I, um, Sandy Powell and Dante, uh, Ferretti were on board, and they’re, you know, two of the greats, uh, you know, uh, that they’ve created such extraordinary visuals, um, in modern cinema. And, uh, and, and then Kenneth Branagh came on board who’s so fantastic with actors and with language, so it was kind of a perfect, a perfect storm.

Q : What’s your favorite scene?

 

CB : Ooh, well, I think the chemistry between Lily and Richard is palpable, and I wept like a baby, completely inappropriately and out of character when they waltzed for the first time. The, the music is beautiful, but also it was a real- it was really big feat because Lily was cinched in so tightly, and that dress was like an armored tank, and he was in seven hundred layers of wool, and the dance was really athletic, and they acted like a dream. And the chemistry was, um, palpable, and I just, I wept because it was beautiful to watch.

 

Um, but I think maybe being the, the mother of, uh, sons, I found it very, very moving, and every time I see it, I do- I’m a bit of a- I do cry a lot, [LAUGHS]. Um, but I, uh, I love the scene between, um, Derek Jacobi as the king, and Richard Madden as the prince. You know, because that’s the wonderful thing about the film, I think is that, you know, we try and shield our, our children from moments of grief and, um, and I know it from, uh, having lost a parent at the age of, of ten.image

Children are resilient, and they can, in a way, it’s harder, I think, to lose a parent, you know, the age the way that we are. Well, I mean, I’m might be a thousand years older than you all, but, um, and I, and, and I found that really moving.

I thought, um, for him as a, as a man to be curled up like a young boy, you know, and I’ve had a lot of friends recently lose a parent, and whether you’re eighty or eight and you lose a parent, you- you’re always the child, and so I find that move- that scene very moving.

Q : How much fun was it to play a Disney villain?

CB : There’s a lot of great Disney villains, and a lot of them are women and, um, and they always have, um, fabulous frocks and fabulous hairdos, um, uh, and so it was an enormous amount of fun. You know, the, the wonderful message in the film, of course, um, is to have courage and to be kind. You know, kindness is a super power, and we try to teach our children, you know, you share, you be respectful, you be generous, you be thoughtful, put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and to play someone who can’t play someone who can’t do any of those things, um, you know, to have that as your avatar during the day was quite fun.

image

Q : There was a scene where, uh, Lily asks you, as Cinderella, why are you doing this, and you say you’re- because you’re young, and I think you’re good, and I forget what the third one was.

CB : You’re young and beautiful, and, and I’m…

Q : Yeah, what is- is that saying that an older woman is gonna be, you know, so mean, and evil, and jealous to a younger, beautiful woman, and having to work that into your character? Did you find something else that you could- some humanity in her that you could use?

CB : Well, there’s that wonderful before that moment, you, you finally get to hear the stepmother’s story, and you know, it’s, it’s not the stepmother’s story. It’s, it’s the story of Cinderella. Um, and so the stepmother is foiled for her, narratively, and they’ve both suffered an incredible amount of hardship and tragedy, and this is a world still like today’s world where a lot of women don’t have agency; don’t have financial independence, and she made a decision really early on that the world is a tough place, and the way, the way to navigate your way through that is to graft yourself onto a, a man, and that’s, and that’s what she’s imparting to her, her children.

And the way that the stepmother has dealt with grief and hardship is to close down and to become bitter and jealous, um, you know, and there’s a sense of entitlement. And Cinderella’s experienced those things, but she’s remained open-hearted and good. She’s much more glass half full. And I think that whether you’re a man or a woman, you know, it, that, that tragedy does define- can define your character. So, I mean, hopefully, you’re not, you’re not, um, you don’t, you don’t necessarily like what the stepmother does, but hopefully you understand her.

And I don’t necessarily think it’s just about older women. There’s a lot of different female characters in there. There’s Cinderella’s mother, there’s the, the daughters, you know, there’s the people at the court and, and then there’s the stepmother, as well. But I think, I think there can be like professional jealousy, um, between men. You know, the same thing can exist between, between them, and this, I think it’s interesting to see them onscreen.

Q : How did you prepare for your role? You’re so evil. I love it. [AUDIENCE LAUGHS]

 

CB : Thank you. Um, often on film, we don’t get a lot of rehearsal time. We got a little bit of wi- with Ken on the, on the, on the script. Um, but, you know, actors come in at various different times, and so for me, the, the most creative two parts of the process early on are your costume fittings and, um, and so working with Sandy who I’ve worked with before, but also, Morag Ross who is doing my, um, makeup, and Kay Georgia who is doing my hair, and the four of us had, um, have, have worked together quite a lot.

image

And it’s- we get to try things out because before you even utter a syllable, um, what you wear- I mean, we do it, we do this on a daily basis. You, we form unconscious judgments of people, um, you know, the way they smell, [LAUGHS], by the way- what they choose to wear; how you choose to present yourself, you know, it’s a big part of who we are, and particularly on film because it’s so visual, obviously. Um, you, once I knew what those silhouettes were, I knew which bits I didn’t have to act because the costume was, was re- revealing those things.

You could- you could play against it. Um, so that was an incredible amount of fun and, um, and then obviously, it gives you a sense of how the character might move, and you try those things out because the camera’s not rolling- no one’s looking at you, and the other thing I find very creative is the camera tests. Because obviously the cinematographer and the director, uh, um, are looking for lighting effects and, you know, how will it affect on your skin or the hair- with wig color. They’re not looking at you, and I always like to see the camera tests because you can try, try things out.

You can fuck things up, and think, oh, [AUDIENCE LAUGHS], I won’t, I won’t do that. Um, so that was a big part of the preparation.

Q : Hi. Um, I wanted to ask you, um, did you have any input on what you wore, and what was your favorite look of what you wore?

image

CB : Oh, gosh, yes, it’s been a Sophie’s Choice moment isn’t it? Um, yes, I mean, Sandy’s got very, very strong ideas. I mean, that’s what makes her Sandy Powell. Um, but we talked really early on. We started emailing, um, each other pictures that we found inspiring, you know, lighting references, hat references, drapes, fabrics, um, and we sort of- we found this pool of images that we were both drawn to and, um, and the, the big offers that Sandy began to, to make, which I found really exciting is when she pulled out the color swatches.

 

Okay, we’re going for chartreuse, we’re going for green, we’re going for hot pink, and we’re gonna mix them all together. Um, and so there’s a, um, yeah, that was an enormous offer- that you, you take those offers from, from Sandy.

Q : And your favorites?

image

CB : My favorite, well, uh, there was a lot of green- my school uniform was green, so I tend not to wear a lot of green in everyday life, and I call that, that dress that I wore at the, um, the ball, the gherkin, you know, that was my least favorite, but everyone seems to like that one.

Um, I like the blue one. There’s a scene where the stepmother goes to see the archduke, and yeah, the poppy gloves and, um, uh, and a blue hat. It was sort of, I think for memory, it had a bird on it. I mean, the detail in Sandy’s costumes are just extraordinary.

Q : There was a notably difficult scene for you that was really hard to shoot?

CB : Um, well, it was all this, you know, obviously, I’m not in the film all the time, so you have- I wanted to sort of try and chart a journey that was, um, you know, from an, an exquisite exterior- the, um, you know, with a sort of affected grace that the stepmother became increasingly brash. And so it was just trying to calibrate- calibrate that. Um, you know, the, the, the costumes were- some were slightly more difficult to maneuver. Um…

Q : You just spoke about, um, trying things out on the camera test. How much input did you have- the script or anything?

CB : A lot. I mean, I think there’s a sense, um, that actors are sort of puppets that get moved around, um, but no, I’m, uh, no, I’m always interested in input. I, my husband’s a writer, you know, and I come from the theater, so I have a great respect for the script, and oftentimes, you know, the line that you want to change is the line that you need to make work, and that once you make that line work, then you’ve actually- you’ve shifted from yourself, the line you find hardest to say.

It’s actually- so without getting too kind of complex, it’s quite a difficult neurolinguisic process to actually make someone else’s words sound like they’re your own. And so the one I find that you may find most difficult to make your own is often the one that will unlock the character. Um, but it was really important to me, and it wasn’t the case when I first read the script that, um, that Cinderella had the final line of the film. And, uh, I said to Ken, so it’s a really great message. She comes in and says, well, I’m not gonna be rescued.

If this relationship is gonna work, he has to accept me for who I am, which I think is wonderful for young girls to say. I think it’s fantastic. And then there was a line at the end where he said, shall we go, and she didn’t say anything. And I thought, it’s not his story- it’s her story. And so then they- we added in this sense of forgiveness. I forgive you, and I, I feel, I feel like that’s a wonderful kind of conclusion to her, to her, her super power. Ella has an incredibly generous spirit and, um, and, and she also closes out the film which I think is great.

 

Cinderella is in theaters March 13th.

Filed Under: interview, Movie review Tagged With: Cinderella, entertainment, interview, movie

Next Page »

Find Kids Auditions


Kids Auditions

Featured Video

Recently On MomStart

Don't let back pain ruin your anniversary plans!

Visiting a Doctor – on my Smartphone! #GetWellWithAmwell

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Amwell via Momtrends. The opinions … [Read More...]

Tech The Halls Gift Guide 2020

Tech The Halls Holiday Gift Guide 2020

Thank you to our partners who have sponsored our 2020 Tech The Halls Gift Guide! … [Read More...]

Recovering files from a failed hard drive

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: How to Restore Lost Files in Minutes

Thank you to our partner EaseUS for sponsoring this post! Now that so much of … [Read More...]

Skoove

Learn to Play Piano With the Skoove App!

Thank you to our partner Skoove for sponsoring this post! My husband is a … [Read More...]

How to Make Memories with Your Kids that Last Forever

This is a sponsored guest post. As moms, for sure, many of you can relate to … [Read More...]

Our Living Room Makeover With VIZIO

VIZIO M-Series Quantum 65” Class 4K HDR Smart TV: The Perfect Gift (Especially Now)

Thanks to VIZIO for providing their M-Series 65” SmartCast TV for review! Our … [Read More...]

Crucial® X8 Portable SSD

Five Ways to Boost Computer Literacy in Your Kids While Schools Are Closed

Product sample provided. This is a guest post by Natasha Hendrix, Customer … [Read More...]

Modern Mother’s Day & Futuristic Father’s Day Gift Guide For Techies

Modern Mother’s Day & Futuristic Father’s Day Gift Guide For Techies: Online Shopping 2020

Product samples provided; this page contains our Amazon Associates … [Read More...]

Vintage Weddings: Make Your Day a Blast From the Past

This is a sponsored guest post. As we move into a more digital age, we find … [Read More...]

  • Visiting a Doctor – on my Smartphone! #GetWellWithAmwell
  • Is It Time For Us To Start Embracing The Esports Revolution?
  • 4 AirFryer Desserts to Make For Valentine’s Day
  • Augmented Reality Craft: Create DIY Valentine’s Day Cards That Come to Life!
  • Valen-Tech Gift Guide 2020

Recipes

4 AirFryer Desserts to Make For Valentine’s Day

Keto Lemon Garlic Turkey

Keto Lemon Garlic Turkey: Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Ever Thanks to Topsy Turkey (Plus Giveaway!)

Hotel Transylvania 3

Hotel Transylvania 3: Plan a Spook-Tacular Sleepover!

Double Crusted Sausage Pixxa

Ghostly Pumpkins Double Crusted Halloween Pizza Recipe

Fancy Italian Coffee Recipe

Funfetti Stuffed Cotton Candy Cookies Recipe @Smuckers #HolidayTips

  • 26 Out-of-This World Star Wars Recipes
  • Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Cocktails
  • Keto Ricotta Pancake Recipe

More Recipes

We Work With

Louise Bishop: influencer & brand ambassador
dealspotr.com

Archives

Copyright © 2022 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in