Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Movie Tie-In Giveaway!

To help celebrate the release of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (which hits theaters on Friday!), I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today. And a little sneak peek at a few stills from the movie. Win.

I have to admit that I have yet to read this book (I'm saying that about WAY too many books lately), but I couldn't be more excited for this movie and have little doubt I'll rush to read the book just as soon as I'm out of the theater. I actually prefer to see the movie first, that way I don't spend my time fixating on what was changed or left out, and can enjoy it for what it is. Then I go and obsess over the book ;-)

For those of you who aren't familiar with the book or movie, check out the description, movie stills and trailer below, and be sure enter to win a Miss Peregrine's prize pack!

From visionary director Tim Burton, and based upon the best-selling novel, comes an unforgettable motion picture experience. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
 
Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O'Dowd, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, with Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson

Directed By: Tim Burton

Rated PG-13

 (click to enlarge)

Seek the Peculiar. Get tickets to see Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, in theaters Friday!

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to a partnership with 20th Century Fox, I have an epic prize pack to give away today! One lucky winner will receive a $25 Visa gift card to see the film as well as a movie tie-in version of the book. Giveaway is open to US addresses only. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Visual Review: The Art of How to Train Your Dragon 2

A couple years ago I was sitting on my couch at home on a Saturday night (like the social butterfly I am), watching a little animated film HBO chose to premiere that week when I fell madly in love. The movie was How To Train Your Dragon, and it was one of the cutest movies I'd seen in forever. Not only was the animation astoundingly beautiful, but the characters were also laugh out loud funny, and I spent the next two days watching it ever single moment it came on. Which was a lot, as those of you who have HBO know. Once they premiere a movie, they play it 24/7.

Fast forward four years to 2014 when I discover my beloved movie has a sequel releasing. Best. News. Ever. Making my How To Train Your Dragon love complete was the arrival of a special package in the mail, one that contained a truly stunning book featuring the artwork that helped bring the second installment to life.

I majored in film in college and have always been fascinated by the behind-the-scenes aspect of moviemaking, so this book was a real treat for me and something I highly recommend to those interested in art, animation, costume design and the like. Between the covers is page after page of both sketches and finished artwork, the characters, settings and costumes broken down visually and then described by key members of the production staff to give us an in-depth look at everything the filmmakers take into consideration during the animation process. While the information provided by the director, production designer, art director and numerous others is an absolute treat, the true highlight of the book is the artwork itself, so I'm going to let it do most of my talking for me.

I took a few pictures of some of my favorite pages of the book so I could share them with all of you, and hopefully encourage those who have yet to experience these movies to give them a try! I have little doubt you'll love them as much as I do, and you might just want to pick up a copy of this book for display on your coffee table. Because...dragons. And Gerard Butler. You're welcome.

MEET THE HUMANS

Hiccup in sketch form:

Stoick (Hiccup's dad) in both sketch and painted form:

(One of my favorite things about this book is the fact that we get to see the artwork in various stages of completion - from early black and white sketches and storyboards to paintings in color to final animated form.)

The fashion of Astrid (Hiccup's love interest):

Drago (the villain):

 

MEET THE DRAGONS

Toothless in sketch form:

(Look at his face! Is he not the cutest dragon you've ever seen? I want him for myself.)

Assorted dragons:

LANDSCAPES

STORYBOARDS

Find The Art of How To Train Your Dragon 2:

Amazon • Goodreads • B&N

Giveaway: The Book Thief Prize Pack

Today I have a very fun giveaway to help celebrate the movie adaptation of THE BOOK THIEF which released this month. I haven't read this book yet but I've heard outstanding things about it and I absolutely cannot wait to see the movie! Just in case you're not familiar with either, here's a short description of the film:

Based on the beloved bestselling book, THE BOOK THIEF tells the inspirational story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany.

Starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, and Sophie Nélisse.

Directed by Brian Percival.

Given the brevity of that description, how about a clip to give you a better feel for it?



It's a long holiday weekend here for those of us in the US, so I'm thinking a trip to the movies might be in order! Who's with me?

More information on the the film version of THE BOOK THIEF can be found below.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Book Discussion Guide

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Twentieth Century Fox I have a fantastic prize pack to give away today! One lucky winner will receive:

• A $25 Visa gift card to see THE BOOK THIEF in theaters

• A copy of the movie tie-in novel THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

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Giveaway + Sneak Peek: Snow White and the Huntsman

Is anyone else as excited for this as I am? While my primary motivation for wanting to see this film lies solely in the casting of one specific individual *cough* CHRIS HEMSWORTH *cough*, the entire movie looks unbelievably gorgeous (the above poster needs to go on my wall immediately) and I will have my rear end glued to a seat as soon as it releases.

Thanks to the generous people over at Universal Pictures, I not only have an amazing giveaway for you today, but I also have some stills from the film and the trailer to share with all of you as well. Best. Day. Ever.

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN 

(releases June 1st from Universal Pictures)

In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) who was dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White’s beauty and power.

The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland, producer Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders.

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Toby Jones

(click to enlarge any of the stills)

(all images courtesy of Universal Pictures)

WATCH THE TRAILER

More information on Snow White and the Huntsman can be found here:

Official Website

Twitter (#SWATH)

Pinterest

GIVEAWAY

A huge thank you again to Universal Pictures for offering up such a fantastic giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a SWATH prize pack:

- A Snow White and the Huntsman book

- T-shirt 

- Necklace and ring set

- Cell phone mirror

To enter, please just leave a comment on this post and include a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run through midnight EST on Sunday, June 3rd after which time a winner will be chosen and announced on the blog. Good luck everyone and I hope you go see Snow White and the Huntsman next weekend!