It is tradition in our family that after we have gorged ourselves on our Thanksgiving feast we all head out to a movie as a family.  We generally try and pick a movie that will appeal to us all.  The age range is 64-6 so we have a lot of bases to cover.

Nine times out of 10 we pick a new Disney movie that has been released.  Well this year we have two movies to choose from.  It is going to be a very hard choice to make.

One of the new Disney releases is  Madagascar 2 Escape 2 Africa. The sequel picks up with the crew trying to find a way home to New York.  They piece together a crashed plane and take flight hoping to return home to New York.  Instead they end up landing in the plains of Africa.  While this seems to be a wonderous adventure it can not replace home sweet home.  We absolutely loved the first Madagascar and I am sure we will get a huge kick out of the second one. 

Another Disney movie that is set to release 11/26 is Bolt.  Bolt is a super duper TV Pup who is thrust into the lime light of TV.   Bolt does not realize that his puppy powers are digitally mastered and not his natural skills.  When Bolt is accidentally sent to New York he must rely on his wits and his two new friends to get back to the set and back to his life.   John Travolta lends his voice to the character of Bolt and Susie Essman purrs as Mr Mittens.

I think that my family is going to have a heck of a time choosing between these two great movies from Disney.

Jessica is a WAHM who juggles work, family and some how finds time to blog at It’s My Life Laugh If You Must and A Wealth of Knowledge as well as writing for Blissfully Domestic

Some of my most beloved films lack the bells and whistles of contemporary technologically-enhanced blockbusters, and as I search for movies that my whole family can enjoy, I love revisiting classic films that I watched as a child. I can remember eating popsicles on hot summer afternoons as a kid while I lounged on the sofa watching Swiss Family Robinson (1960), and laying on the floor while That Darn Cat! (1965) played on tv.  Seeing my children discover the magic in some of my favorite movies makes the experience of watching them again even more delightful.

As a child, I stopped to watch Swiss Family Robinson every time it aired. The film chronicles the adventures of a family shipwrecked on an uninhabited island as they build a home and then take in, and defend, a young woman freed from pirate captivity.

The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) is the original film remade by Robin Williams in 1997 as Flubber. Filmed in black-and-white, the original stars Fred MacMurray as Professor Brainard, the professor who invents a unique rubbery substance he terms “Flubber,” for “flying rubber.”  Demonstrations of the substance’s properties and attempts by others to scheme and profit from the invention result in a series of funny adventures.

Hayley Mills and Dean Jones are the stars of That Darn Cat! (1965), in which a Siamese is the key to solving a robbery and kidnapping case. This film has mystery, comedy, romance, and a cat which proves difficult for FBI Agent Zeke Kelso, played by Jones, to follow.

These are only three of the classic family films we’re enjoying at my house.  I’ll share more of my favorites next time.  What classic movies do you enjoy watching with your family?

Images from UltimateDisney.com.

When she’s not watching movies with her family, Robin blogs about them and other topics at The Driftwood Collector.

Like many parents out there, I have a kid obsessed with all things Disney. At just six years old, you’d think she would still be all about the princesses. Nope. My kid is in love with the tween-offerings of Disney: Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Camp Rock. Oh how I miss Ariel!

So, of course I’ve heard a lot of talk about HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3. It opened this past Friday and we haven’t gone yet.

Have you gone yet? Will you? If you’ve already taken the HSM3 plunge, what did you think?

Image courtesy of Disney.

Sarah can be found at The Mom Chronicles talking about all the things she’s been doing INSTEAD of taking her kid to the movies.

This week is a jammed packed week of DVD releases.  Here are just a few to get your weekend planning started.  I’ve also topped it off with a yummy teat.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a highly anticipated release for all of Indiana Jones fans. It is the latest installment in the Indiana Jones saga. We join Indy 20 years after his adventurous ride to the Holy Grail. Indy is joined by young thug Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf, and original cast member Karen Allen who plays his former love-interest Marion Ravenwood. A new addition to the mix is Cate Blanchett, who plays the villainous Agent Irina Spalko. The movie is rated PG-13 for violence and scary images. It runs for 120 minutes.

If you are looking for a great movie for your kids, then you must check out The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. The Veggie Tales characters are looking for fortune on the high seas. Favorite characters Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt, and Pa Grape must decide if they are up to the task of saving the royal family when an artifact falls into their laps. Should the veggies travel back to the 17th Century or should the continue to be couch potatoes? The movie is rated G and runs for 85 minutes.

Here is a super easy snack that I am sure your family will love.

Bird Seed Snack

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cheerios
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup M & M’s of your choice
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• Mixed nuts (optional)

What to do: Pour all ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well with clean hands. Serve. Store unused portion in an airtight container.

Jessica is a WAHM who juggles work, family and some how finds time to blog at It’s My Life Laugh If You Must and A Wealth of Knowledge as well as writing for Blissfully Domestic.

New on DVD Tuesday October 14 is another installment of Nickelodeon’s Roxy Hunter series (other titles include “Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman,” and “Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Mood Ghost”). Geared at ‘tweens, this movie follows young Roxy, determined to win a newspaper story contest, as she stumbles upon a mysterious new girl in town - one she eventually realizes is a mermaid.

I sat down to watch this movie with my six-year-old daughter. She’s typically drawn to tween-type stuff (such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody). She really enjoyed this movie and was riveted the entire time. I was a little less enthused, as I found the main character to be disrespectful to the adults, including her mom, and the storyline was a bit silly. Granted, that seems to be the norm in a lot of this sort of programming, but one I try to limit anyway. Roxy also has a tendency to make up words (or get them wrong), so I’m hoping words like “barbarical” and “defume-bugnated” don’t get added to my daughter’s vocab.

Though the plot reminded me a bit of a re-engineered Splash (for kids), my daughter gave the movie two thumbs up. Will parents enjoy it as much as the kids? Probably not. However, on the plus side of things, I did appreciate that Roxy was dressed age-appropriately (which is huge!), and will surely let my daughter watch this one again. I, on the other hand, won’t be watching it with her.

When Sarah isn’t watching movies with her children, she’s writing about them at The Mom Chronicles.

(Photo courtesy of RoxyHunter.com)