Turning Red - a movie of teenage angst, but also great joy (Review)

Turning Red (The Walt Disney Company)

Disney Pixar celebrate teens and their big feelings with new movie Turning Red - In theatres from Friday, 11 March 2022

Miss Fine and I watched Turning Red this previous weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed the awkwardness of the teen years being explored in the change of Mei Lee to a literal big red panda. We had such a smile at the mother Ming running around when she thought her daughter had her first period, and the total embarrassment of Mei Lee by all of this. Especially when Ming turned up at school. Another "smother" at work, big time!

Disney's Upside Down Magic - our thumbs-up review

 

Disney's Upside Down Magic (cc Disney)

Disney Channel (DSTv 303) premiered Disney's Upside Down Magic on 29 January. We as a family enjoyed the movie so much, and Miss Fine watched it more than once. The movie has all the important elements she enjoys now: magic, suspense, humour, friends and friendships, action, and of course, teens being teens. The outsider element of the nerdy characters of the Upside Down Academy proofs that we don't all have to conform to be valuable. 

We give the movie 5/5 for perfect family entertainment. Hopefully a series is on the  cards, or in the making?

See the trailer here: Disney Upside Down Magic trailer on Youtube

Disney Festive - Gift ideas and a Give-away - "From Our Family to Yours"

Festive With Disney Retail products - gift from Disney

It's no secret that we are big fans of Disney and the magic it brings! We received a Disney Festive blog drop, and Disney is gifting one reader of this blog a give-away as well. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Festive times are loading and we are here for this! 2020 has been hard on most of us... 

There are Disney-themed Christmas trees appearing in malls across the country. Sandton City and Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg, Woodlands Boulevard in Pretoria, Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban and Canal Walk in Cape Town. Visitors can spread the festive cheer by donating to Smile Foundation and Reach for a Dream.

If you haven't seen Disney's Festive advert yet, it is such a feel-good animation with the song "Love is a compass", by Griff.

 

Foodie Friday with Disney's Cookabout - Cornbread with Cheddar and Herbs

Cornbread with Cheddar and Herbs -
Image: Anita Reed/Disney Channel

Every Friday I get a Foodie Friday recipe in my inbox. Inspired by Disney's locally produced live action show Disney's Cookabout on Disney Channel, they are sharing some of their healthy and totally delicious recipes that were featured on the most recent season of the show. Kids learn where our food comes from by visiting farms from around the country, before they head back to the kitchen to learn to cook with the ingredients.

I made this absolutely divine cornbread. We have an issue with our oven in our rental, but it still came out super delicious. See our version in a photo, where we used the exact same recipe. Which is a first. We usually add, or substitute something in a recipe, but this one is perfect, and super easy to make!

See recipe, which I copied exactly as is:

Frozen 2 - some insights before we get to see the movie - WIN

Frozen 2 (cc Disney Africa)

 “Yes, she will sing to those who hear.

And in her song, all magic flows.

But can you brave what you most fear?

Can you face what the river knows?”

~ “All is Found,” “Frozen 2”

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen 2” opens in cinemas on December 6. It seems the story-line is going to be even more intense that the previous blockbuster. We can't wait! Disney Africa has made available an awesome hamper of Frozen 2 products worth R1350 for one lucky reader to win on this blog.

Disney Junior - It's a Party

Disney Junior Cinema Party 

There's new seasons of Disney Junior (on DSTv 309) Fancy Nancy Clancy, Lion Guard, Vampirina and Puppy Dog Pals. I always remember what Christine Service, the country manager for The Walt Disney Company in South Africa, said a few years ago. Disney always remembers the parents when they write and produce the stories. We as parents have to see episodes and movies hundreds of times, but we can still marvel at the witty comebacks and above the head (of the little ones) jokes. We enjoy the episodes as much as our children do!

Some facts about the new Disney Junior episodes...

Disney Descendants are back with Series 3 - WIN

Disney Descendants 3

In celebration of Disney Descendants movie premiere on Disney Channel on Friday, 11 October, Disney Africa has made available a cool hamper to win.

Catch them on DSTv Channel 303 at 17:25 today!

Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart and Cameron Boyce return to Auradon
and the Isle Of The Lost in the dynamite new Disney movie, Descendants 3. 

Some cool facts from Descendants 3 that makes us look forward to it!

Disney Cookabout Season 3 - perfect to get us all out of the winter slump

Hosts Kirsten Mohamed and Mthunzi Ntoyi

Disney Cookabout Season 3 is launching with premiere episodes on Saturday from 27 July 10:15 am on Disney Channel 303. 

We attended the launch at The Good Food Studio yesterday. 

We now have a budding wannabe Cookabout contestant within our midst, because Miss Fine got a chance to display her culinary skills. She thinks she can take part in the next Season of Cookabout, as well! (Please notify us when you see the call for auditions? *big smile*)

In this cookery game show, set in South Africa, teams of two young chefs head out each week to explore where the food on our tables come from and then head back to the amazing kitchen to rustle up some tasty dishes. The hosts are Kirsten Mohamed and Mthunzi Ntoyi.

Tell the kids!

Disney Toy Story 4 is a fun adventure - Giveaway

At the movies - Disney Toy Story 4 

“Every ending is a new beginning.”

~Josh Cooley, Director, Toy Story 4

Is it possible to have a whole new adventure, and another Toy Story? Yes, Disney Toy Story 4 delivers yet again. I can't believe we saw the first Toy Story in 1995. My eldest was two at the time.

All the well-known characters, Woody, Buzz and the gang, are back, with some new additions that bring a delightful twist to the story-line. Forky is already a firm favourite, and we are sure he is here to stay. Miss Fine and I saw the preview last Thursday, and we loved it!

Vampirina Party recipe - Chef Remy's bread bones and Pea dip

Vampirina Party

We got a Disney Vampirina party bag as a reminder of the new episodes of Vampirina on Disney Junior. Have you seen them yet? It's all about friendship, respect, tolerance and finding your place in the world.

The Vampirina Party bag came with a few party suggestions, and we decided to make Chef Remy's Bread Bones and Pea Dip as a party snack for guests on Saturday. It was also a great way to take a breather from the mid-year exams.

It's an easy recipe, and the kids will love helping make the bread bones. We did our own take on it, but we are posting the original recipe at the bottom.

Disney Mickey The True Original Festive giveaway

Disney Africa have been celebrating Mickey the True Original for about 3 months now. The campaign joins the global festivities honouring 9 decades of Mickey Mouse, his heritage, personality and status as a pop-culture icon. On 18 November 2018 it marked 90 years since Mickey's first appearance in Steamboat Willie .

Mickey has been popping up everywhere, with loads of branded products, engaging content and events that embrace Mickey’s impact on the past, present and future. We spotted this Disney Mickey tree at Menlyn Mall in Pretoria on Saturday evening.

Disney Mickey Christmas Tree for charity at Christmas at Menlyn Mall 

“Binding generations together more than any other animated character, Mickey Mouse is the “True Original” who reminds people of all ages of the benefits of laughter, optimism and hope,” says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and Country Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa. “With his universal appeal and ability to emotionally connect with generations all over the world, no other character quite occupies a similar space in the hearts and minds of a global fan base and we are thrilled to be sharing these local festivities.”

To continue with the celebrations, Disney Africa has made available one Disney Mickey Festive Hamper for one lucky reader of this blog.

Disney Mickey Festive Giveaway

Disney Mickey Mouse plush toy

Mickey Mouse Funko POP! 

One lucky reader will win a Mickey Mouse Funko POP! figurine and a Mickey Mouse 43cm plush toy. The value is R750. (Would love this myself as well! *cue green with envy*)


To be eligible to win:

• Please comment below and tell me where you have seen the Disney Mickey campaign in South Africa? 
• For an extra entry, share this on social media. Tell me in a separate comment where you have shared.

          Shareable link: https://ctt.ac/ZcX8G 

• This competition will run for a week, until Tuesday 11 December 2018 at 12 pm. The lucky  winner will be drawn via Random.org. 
• This competition is only open to South African residents.
• If you have won on this blog in the previous 3 months, you will not be eligible for this competition.

Congratulations to Susann Deysel. You are the lucky winner of the Mickey Mouse Funo Pop! and Mickey Mouse plush toy. Please send me your contact details?

Thanks to Disney Africa and Entourage Media for gifting this to one lucky reader.

Raven in South Africa

#RavinInSA - Raven is in the house

Judging by the screams of all the excited fans last, Disney Raven's Home is a much loved series in most South African homes.  Raven-Symoné was at the SA premiere of Season 2 of Disney Channel’s Raven’s Home. The series, starring Raven-Symoné, premieres weekdays on Disney Channel (DStv Channel 303) from next week Monday, 8 October at 16:50. We got to see the first two episodes, and there's going to be a surprise for the fans. A welcome surprise... (That's all we are allowed to say for now.)

10 Disney Movies to watch in 2018/2019

Disney Africa Showcase 2018

The most recent Disney Showcase 2018 was once again a smorgasbord of great offerings. There are so much on offer. We can't share too much at this stage, but here is the list of great movies in the upcoming year. What we love about Disney movies, is that we know it always tick all the boxes. Great entertainment, for the whole family, humorous, adventurous, drama, suspense, action... It's all there!

10 Movies to put on the Movie List 2018/2019

• Nutcracker and the Four Realms - 2 November
• Ralph break the Internet - 30 November
• Mary Poppins Returns - 28 December
• Glass - 18 January
• Captain Marvel - 8 March 
• Dumbo - 29 March
• Aladdin - 24 May
• The Lion King - 19 July
• Artemis Fowl - 9 August

One of the movies in the #DisneyAfrica reveal that is going to be awesome 👏🏻👉🏻👉🏻
Mary Poppins Returns | Official Trailer https://t.co/qKgDNvlH0V @disney_africa #DisneyAfrica#Mickey90Africa

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) September 20, 2018

I can't choose!

“We only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing, that this was all started by a mouse” - Walt Disney #DisneyAfrica#Mickey90Africa #MickeyMouse pic.twitter.com/nK4fiXx4Wd

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) September 20, 2018

Second Season of ELENA OF AVALOR on Disney Channel - Giveaway

Elena of Avalor - Disney Channel

A special Día de los Muertos-themed episode launched the second season of Disney Channels’ animated series “Elena of Avalor,” this week on DStv channel 303.

In the new episodes, Elena takes on more responsibility as a leader and delves deeper into the magical land of the jaquins. In the season two premiere episode titled “The Jewel of Maru,” Elena is visited by the ghosts of her parents on the Day of the Dead and meets another ghost named Amaláy who stands watch over the powerful Jewel of Maru.

10 ways to celebrate Star Wars Day and Roar for Change

#MayThe4thBeWithYou

May the fourth be with you!

Friday the 4th!#MayThe4BeWithYou#MayTheFourthBeWithYou#MayTheForceBeWithYouAlways#StarWarsDayCelebrations#PrincessLeiaOrgana#YodaStarWars #StarWarsNotebook #DisneyAfrica https://t.co/8tNNLkokie pic.twitter.com/dUSIeHTrKq

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) May 4, 2018

It's no secret that we are huge Star Wars fans, and that we usually can't wait for a new movie release or anything that's got to do with the Star Wars Empire. Solo: A Star Wars Story is releasing on 25 May, and tickets sales are open. Happy dance!!

Today is Star Wars Day, and here's a few pointers on how to celebrate. (Thanks to Disney Africa who supplied these awesome ideas in my inbox)

A new take on Disney Ducktales - Disney XD

Disney #DuckTales - #DisneyAfrica

DuckTales is still a firm favourite of good family fun. We all grew up with Huey, Dewey and Louie and all the mischief adventures they got into. With Donald Duck, and of course Scrooge McDuck. 
The long-awaited new take on the iconic Disney DuckTales launched this month on Disney XD with a special episode entitled Woo-oo!. The follow-up series launches with two back-to-back episodes every day from Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th April at 16:00.

We were invited to a pre-screening of Disney DuckTales and Big Hero 6, and it was such a treat. The stories are fresh, but with all the quirks and fantasy of the original characters.

Disney Be Amazing Giveaway

Disney's brand-new retail campaign this month is known as Disney Be Amazing. The campaign celebrates the remarkable princesses and their unique qualities. Who does not like any of the favourite characters from Disney? I think I love the characters more than my daughter, as I grew up with them, and still love watching it with her.

Disney’s princesses are known for inspiring children to dream big and face challenges with an undeterred spirit. This new campaign encapsulates a range of virtues that young children can find value in, from qualities like kindness, determination to being independent, adventurous and curious.

Disney celebrates each of the 11 princesses Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella (Cinderella), Jasmine, Merida, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana; as well as Disney Channel’s Princesses  Elena of Avalor and Frozen’s Anna and Elsa.

Disney Africa has made available one hamper to give away:

Disney Princess Rapunzel Magical Story Skirt

Elena of Avalor Storytime Guitar

GIVEAWAY HAMPER:

1 x Elena guitar value R700
1 x Princess Feature doll value R100

Total value: R800

To be eligible to win this:

- Please comment below with your email address. Tell me which is your favourite Disney Princess?
- Only open to South African residents.
- This competition will run from Tuesday 3 April 12pm to Tuesday 10 April 12 pm.
- Random.org will be used to find the winner.
- For an extra entry, please tweet or share on Facebook. Let me know in the comments if you have done so, to be added to the final entries.

You can make use of the following to share:

Disney Be Amazing this month!
Celebrate Disney Princesses and WIN a Disney Hamper
via @karentoittoit at MomAgain@40
#DisneyBeAmazing #DisneyAfrica
http://bit.ly/2H539ts


Congrats to Carolyn Augustus who have won!

Star Wars The Last Jedi quotes - Twitter

#TheLastJediSA

One of the highlights of a movie year is usually Star Wars. We saw Star Wars The Last Jedi at the end of last year, and of course we loved it! It was everything as expected, and the story-line was enthralling! Of course, it was not too long! (Says a serious fan!)

Now we can't wait for the next one!

Here's a compilation of some of the quotes that made this movie epic, as copied from Twitter. It is good to use for every day life situations.

My favourite is this...

Disney Pixar's Coco - reminds of the importance of family, living and dead

Disney•Pixar’s Coco

Ever since I saw the trailer of Disney•Pixar’s Coco at the Disney Life & Style Exhibition, I wanted to take the whole family to see this movie! It is bright with colourful characters, who shows us the importance of family, not only for the living, but also reminding us of our loved ones who have passed on already.

Festive Giveaway with the Bring Disney Home Campaign

Bring Disney Home

Disney and holiday cheer! Disney and fun! Disney and magic! We have already started a Christmas movie binge-watching tradition this year. The whole family is re-living Disney memories or experiencing them for the first time!

Disney’s Bring Disney Home retail campaign started from 13 November already. It will run until 31 December at all major retailers.

"With Disney’s seasonal cheer hitting stores, expect to see some brand-new Disney friends as well as some firm favorites -  from the brand new Disney Emoji range to your favourite princesses, there’s toys, apparel, games, DVD’s and so much more, a perfect gifting solution the whole family."

To celebrate the festive cheer, Disney Africa has given us one stunning Princess hamper valued over R1000 to give away!