Kid's Discount Movie Programs 2016

Here is a list of a few local cinema's offering free or discounted movies this summer!

Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express

$1 admissions

June through August for 9 weeks total. Showtimes are always at 10am every Tuesday and Wednesday. Both movies play on both days.

Week 1 (6/7 & 6/8)

The Lego Movie

Max

Week 2 (6/14 & 6/15)

Goosebumps

The Iron Giant

Week 3 (6/21 & 6/22)

Pan

Smurfs

Week 4 (6/28 & 6/29)

Despicable Me 2

Home

Week 5 (7/5 & 7/6)

Minions

The Peanuts Movie

Week 6 (7/12 & 7/13)

Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip

Curious George

Week 7 (7/19 & 7/20)

The Book of Life

Hotel Transylvania 2

Week 8 (7/26 & 7/27)

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2

Shaun the Sheep

Week 9 (8/2 & 8/3)

The Croods

Dr. Suess' The Lorax

For more info, visit the Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express website.

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

$5 for ten movies or $1 per show. 

June through August. Showtimes are always at 10am every Tuesday and Wednesday.  

Please see listing of participating Cinemark theaters here. Tracy (West Valley Mall) is not listed, but Sacramento is.

AMC Sensory Friendly Films

AMC no longer has discounted summer movies for kids. What they do have are "Sensory Friendly Films." AMC has partnered with the Austism Society to provide a special showing a few times a month where they keep the lights up and the sound down to allow children and adults on the spectrum a chance to see their favorite movies without an overload to their senses. Children are also allowed the freedom to stand, jump, walk around, and be the kids that they are during the movie. We have taken advantage of these showings a few times when it was a movie we knew our son wanted to see, but were afraid he might not sit or be completely quiet through the entire thing. The tickets are not discounted, but being able to relax and know that no one will be shushing your toddler when he exclaims "THAT'S R2D2" is well worth it.

The AMC site is updated every month with new movies, so keep a lookout!

AMC Sensory Friendly Films

If you know of any other free movie events in the central valley, please let me know in the comments and I will update the list! Also, if you are on Facebook be sure to follow the Central Valley Kid's Activities group for daily local events specifically for kids in our area!

Have a Great Summer!

WE'VE MOVED!

I have moved all of my posts over to The Girly Geek! Please continue to follow me there! Thank you!

MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES (A List of Movie Release Dates)

There were a ton of movie release dates revealed at this year's San Diego Comic-Con that I had to compile them with all of the other movies we already knew about so I could keep them all straight.  I present to you, the Girly Geek's master guide of geeked out movies!

2014

August 1 - Guardians of the Galaxy
August 8 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
August 15 - The Expendables 3
September 12 - Resident Evil 6
August 22 - Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
September 19 - The Maze Runner
October 24 - Kingsman: The Secret Service
November 7 - Big Hero 6
                    - Interstellar
November 21 - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1
December 17 - The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five

2015

February 6 - Jupiter Ascending
February 13 - Fifty Shades of Grey
March 13 - Cinderella
May 1 - Avengers: Age of Ultron
May 15 - Mad Max: Fury Road
June 12 - Jurassic World
June 19 - Assassin's Creed
July 3 - Independence Day 2
July 7 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
July 17 - Ant-Man
November 20 - The Hunger Games: The Mockingjay Part 2
November 25 - Finding Dory
December 18 - Star Wars Episode VII

2016

March 25 - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
May 6 - Captain America 3
June 10 - Uncharted
July 8 - TBA Marvel movie (rumored to be Doctor Strange)

November 11 - Sinister Six

2017

May 5 - TBA Marvel movie
July 28 - Guardians of the Galaxy 2
November 3 - TBA Marvel movie

2018

TBA - The Amazing Spider-Man 3
May 4 - TBA Marvel movie
July 6 - TBA Marvel movie
November 2 - TBA Marvel movie

2019

May 3 - TBA Marvel movie

Jennifer Lee (Frozen) Will Adapt ' A Wrinkle In Time' For Disney

Jennifer Lee, writer and co-director of Disney’s blockbuster Frozen, has been tapped by Disney to adapt one of my favorite childhood books, A Wrinkle In Time.

Squueeeeee!

Let us hope that this adaptation is better than that terrible "made for tv" Disney version from 2003. 

No director has been named as of yet, but Jim Whitaker and Catherine Hand have already been announced as producers. Jennifer Lee is the second screenwriter to be announced, as Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia) worked on the original script when Disney first announced they would adapt A Wrinkle In Time back in 2010.  I am ecstatic that things appear to be finally moving forward.  Hopefully a release date will be announced soon and casting can begin. I wish Emma Watson could be cloned as a young teen and star in this.

I have incredibly high hopes for this movie.  Jennifer Lee has given the impression that she can create memorable strong female leads, and that is what we need for Meg.  Also, now that I have a son, Charles' character really resonates with me.  A little brainiac who prefers to keep his words to himself or close family.

Also, if you have not read A Wrinkle In Time, you are missing out.  It holds up incredibly well now that I'm an adult.  I highly suggest you check it out of your local library. Or if you prefer, there is an amazing graphic novel adaptation by Hope Larson (Chiggers).

And enjoy these adorable character designs by Ruby Chen! Too adorable!

Don't forget to follow me on Facebook for all things girly and geeky!

Is Evangeline Lilly Playing Wasp in Ant-Man?

Marvel Studios has officially announced the roles of Evangeline Lilly and Corey Stiles for Ant-Man.

Stoll will play the film's "bad guy" named Darren Cross, AKA Yellowjacket (cuz, you know, bug themes).  Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man (played by Michael Douglas, will be the mentor for Darren Cross, until their relationship goes sour.  

Fans of the comics remember that Yellowjacket was actually one of Hank Pym's alter-ego's when he spazzed out and went all crazy.

Lilly was confirmed as playing Hope Van Dyne, daughter of Hank Pym.  Fans of Ant-Man instantly recognize Van Dyne as the last name of Janet Van Dyne, otherwise know as Wasp. 

In the comics, Janet Van Dyne was married to Hank Pym and both were founding members of the Avengers. 

This raises interesting questions about how Wasp will play into this movie, if she even shows up at all.  It would seem strange for them to cast an aged Janet Van Dyne as Wasp. My guess is that Janet Van Dyne is deceased and that her daughter will actually take up the mantle of Wasp and will become romantically involved with Paul Rudd's character, Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man. Everything is fun speculation at this point though.  

The Guardians of the Galaxy Get Their Own Cartoon!

The Guardians of the Galaxy opens in theaters this week, and I could not be any more excited!  Then I learn that Marvel announced at San Diego Comic-Con that the GotG crew is getting their own cartoon!  Now I am basically frothing at the mouth.

According to Comic-Con attendees, Marvel showed off a 1-minute sneak peek of the cartoon featuring Star-Lord and Rocket test footage.  No date has been set for the debut of the show, though we know it will broadcast on Disney XD alongside Marvel's other current cartoons, Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Avengers Assemble.  Marvel also stated that the Guardians will be making guest appearances in the other Marvel cartoons before they launch their own series, to keep the team fresh in the audiences mind.

Lets hope Marvel makes something good this time. I'm really over the nonsensical plot-lines and fart jokes that plague Ultimate Spider-Man.  Also, I am not digging the Rocket character design AT ALL (see below). But, again, this is a cartoon and aimed at kids, so I really shouldn't complain.  I get a full length GotG movie in less than a week! WOOOO!

Marvel Releases Movie Lineup For Next 5 years

Marvel Studios has released their movie lineup through 2019, which includes five films without titles!  There are two unnamed films in 2017, two in 2018, and one in 2019. According the the announcement, the new films will be hitting theaters July 28th and November 3, 2017 (on top of the previously untitled May 5th, 2017 title); July 6th and November 2nd 2018; and May 3, 2019.  My mind is reeling with speculations! I am betting we find out a bit more of what these mystery movies will be at ComicCon next week.  Please oh please oh please let there be a Black Panther and a Captain Marvel in there somewhere! Can you imagine if Captain Marvel was announced before a Wonder Woman movie?!  Here is what the timetable (and some of my predictions) now looks like:

2015

May 1: The Avengers: Age of Ultron

July 17: Ant-Man

2016

May 6: Captain America 3

July 8: Doctor Strange

2017

May 5: Untitled (Captain Marvel?)

July 28: Untitled (Black Panther?)

November 3: Untitled (GotG 2?)

2018

July 6: Untitled (Avengers 3?)

November 2: Untitled (?)

2019

May 3: Untitled (?)

The fangirl inside me wants to see banners like this in the ComicCon footage:

Created by the talented SkinnyGlasses

Created by the talented SkinnyGlasses

Created by the talented SkinnyGlasses

Created by the talented Pencils and Nougats

Hawkeye Gets A Tunic!

A photo of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) on the set of Avengers: Age of Ultron was released online today and left me scratching my head.

Questions I have (along with some obvious answers once I really thought about it):

#1: Why the long sleeved tunic?
A: Based on the sign in the background, this is Russia. It's freaking cold in Russia. Also, I have read that Jeremy is a terrible archer and his arms were fairly hacked up after the first movie.  This would probably relieve that a bit.  Lastly, maybe they are going for this look...but not as cheesy:

If that is the case, they failed miserably.  It turned out to look more like this (as hilariously discovered on io9):

#2:  Why is there a vent in the back of the tunic?! Too much Shawarma or what?

#3: What are the metal devices on the side of the boots?  Something for production purposes or a nifty storage space for more special arrow tips?

#4: It looks like the tunic portion zips away to give us this:

I am okay with this.  And now that I can see the long-sleeved look, I just really do not like the tunic part. It is totally unnecessary and seems cumbersome in a fight.

That is all. :)

Marvel Event: Original Sin Chronological Reading List (Updated 05/21/14)

I cannot for the life of me find a complete list of comics tying in to Marvel's new crossover event - Original Sin.  So here is a scan of a comic with some of the titles listed...hopefully in order.  I will update weekly as new titles are added.

In chronological order thus far:

Original Sin #0 (04/23/14)

Original Sin #1 (05/07/14)

Avengers #29 (05/14/14)
Original Sin #2 (05/21/14)

Mighty Avengers #10 (05/28/14)

Deadpool #29 (05/28/14)
Avengers #30 (05/28/14)
Original Sin #3 (06/04/14)
Original Sins #1 (06/11/14)
All-New Invaders #11 (06/11/14)
Mighty Avengers #11 (06/11/14)
Deadpool #30 (06/11/14)
Original Sin #4 (06/18/14)
Nova #18 (06/18/14)
Avengers #31 (06/18/14)
Original Sins #2 (06/25/14)
Original Sin 3.1 Hulk vs Iron Man #1 (06/25/14)
Fantastic Four #6 (06/25/14)

Unknown Dates (per solicitations)

Original Sin #4

Original Sins #1-2

Original Sin #3.3 - 3.4

Baked Cheesy Broccoli Rice Cups

I have been experimenting with different recipes to try and use creative and yummy ways to get my little boy (and myself) to eat more veggies!  This is a recipe that I had saved in a drawer and I am unsure exactly where it came from, but I have also seen very similar recipes on various Pinterest pages!  It is the Baked Cheesy Broccoli Rice Cups and it is so darn good!!

 
Baked Cheesy Broccoli Rice Cups

Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking rice (such as Minute Rice)*
1 cup chicken broth
1 bag of frozen broccoli (approx 10-oz), thawed and steam cooked
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions
Steam-cook the broccoli. Let cool, then chop into small bite size pieces.
Bring 1 cup of chicken broth to a boil and add the Minute-Rice. Cover and remove from heat.  Wait 5 minutes for rice to fully absorb the broth. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, using only 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, and stir until combined.
Spray muffin pan well with cooking spray.
Scoop mixture into muffin cups (I used a large spoon and filled the cups fully).
Top with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and edges are starting to get crispy.
Let cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy!

I have made these many times before, and each time I am still amazed at how good they are!  I forget that I am eating broccoli.  My son likes broccoli normally, but usually refuses anything with rice.  This, he eats as much as he can! Success!

Eggplant Pizza Bites (AKA OMG YUM)

I was really craving Eggplant Parmesan the other day while grocery shopping, so I snagged a ripe looking eggplant with all intents on making it for dinner that night.  Once the groceries were put away though, I forgot all about the eggplant (shoved into the veggie drawer) and made something different.  I rediscovered that eggplant last night...thankfully before it had molded away...and no longer craved Eggplant Parmesan.  But I still needed to use this veggie before it went bad.  I decided to try out an Eggplant Pizza Bites recipe I found online at FirstBites.org.  It looked fairly easy, and best of all I had everything I needed in the cabinet.  I did alter the baking time, as my eggplant seemed to cook faster, and omitted the salt since it has enough flavor already.

Eggplant Pizza Bites

Ingredients

1 eggplant, sliced thinly (about 1/2 inch thick)

Olive oil

Bread crumbs (I used Italian style because that is what I had)

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Garlic powder

Tomato sauce (i used about 1/4 of a small can)

Mozzarella Cheese

Parchment paper

Additional toppings as desired: Pepperoni, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, etc

Directions 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice the eggplant.

Lay the slices onto parchment paper and brush topsides with olive oil.

Sprinkle some bread crumbs onto the topsides of the slices.

Sprinkle some Parmesan onto the topsides of the slices. 

Lightly sprinkle the topsides with garlic powder.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Flip the slices over and repeat the process:

Sprinkle some bread crumbs onto the new topsides of the slices.

Sprinkle some Parmesan onto the new topsides of the slices. 

Lightly sprinkle the new topsides with garlic powder.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Spread a small spoonful of tomato sauce onto the topside of each slice.

 Sprinkle as much mozzarella cheese as you desire onto the topside of each slice.

Add additional toppings as you like.

Bake for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

I did notice that the skins do bake up a bit tough to chew, so I peeled the skin off of the ones I gave to my little boy. These turned out amazingly yummy!  My little Dragon especially liked that they were a perfect size for him to pick up and eat. 

 Yummmm!!

 

 

The Hemswroth Brothers Take "Charlie Bit Me" To Greatness

If you haven't seen this adorable YouTube video of a baby brother biting his older sibling's finger and the cute way the older boy says "Charlie...you bit me!" then you are missing out on some cuteness!

Now, Jimmy Kimmel Live, along withe Chris Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth, bring us the extended story of these brother as grown men, still struggling with the fact that "Charlie bit me."  It is fantastically brilliant.


I think these brothers need to be in a movie together soon.  Perhaps we can get Liam to play Balder the Brave in a Thor movie?!  Make it happen, Marvel!

New Fight-Sequence Revelaed for CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

 Fandango released a new four minute promo for Captain America: The Winter Soldier that has around two minutes of fighting followed by bits of trailer footage we have already seen.
The fight scene looks amazing!  Cap's acrobatics are realistic for a human at peak fitness, but not over the top like he's Spider-Man or anything.  They really let Scarlett and Chris' familiarity shine in this (they have done four movies together thus far).  I still hope they are not true "love interests" because I don't feel like Black Widow needs to be tied to a male superhero to be important for this franchise. She can kick ass all on her own.  And she does so in this clip!  Plus she uses the WIDOW'S BITE so we can all actually see it clearly!!!

A Toddler Masterpiece: Radin's First Painting

Today I busted out the acrylic paints, a few brushes, a few sponges, painters tape, and a blank canvas. Oh, and lots of baby wipes. For today I introduced Radin to painting!  I asked him if he wanted to paint with Mommy and he shook his head in disapproval.  Then I realized he had no clue what "painting" meant, so I asked him if he wanted to color with Mommy.  His answer was then a joyous clapping of hands and nodding of head! So I hoisted him (it's like lifting a giant sack of potatoes at this point) up into his booster seat at the table for some fun painting time.

I forgot to mention that I had already covered the table in newspaper to prevent the inevitable painting of the table.  I taped the newspaper down as I knew Radin would attempt to rip it away.  He did attempt. Multiple times.

I also pre-taped a stretched canvas spelling out Radin's name. I am sure that if you have been on Pinterest at all, you have seen people do this.

I really had to press the tape down onto the canvas, because I just knew Radin would attempt to peal it away.  And he did attempt.  Multiple times.

I cut up a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge into four pieces to use as fat paint sponges.  The acrylic paint is BASICS and states on the bottle that it is resistant to water, but I know from experience that it is super easy to wash off of skin.  Clothes on the other hand, I wasn't sure.  So I made sure Radin and I were both dressed in old clothes that I didn't care about turning into a rainbow of stiff paint.

I squirted a few blobs of blue, green and red onto the canvas and was about to show Radin what to do, when he picked up the paint brush and started painting. It's amazing what they pick up from watching Thomas & Friends movies on Netflix.  One of the episodes features Mr. Perkins painting a picture of James.  I assume this is how Radin knew what to do with the paint brush.  That or he is a genius.  And since he still runs into walls occasionally, I'm leaning more towards Mr. Perkins.

 

Then it happened; Radin got paint on his hand!  I thought for sure he would begin painting his whole body.  But no, he requested that I wipe his hand off. He doesn't really enjoy his hands being dirty.  If you've ever seen him at the park, you know he constantly requests the sand be brushed from his hands and shoes.  I am teaching him to wipe the sand away on his pants.  Possible bad habit, but I'm tired of being summoned every minute to wipe away a grain of sand. He doesn't seem to mind dirt covering his entire face after he dumps a pail of it over his head though.  Go figure.

After about an hour of smearing paint all over the canvas with the sponges and then making swirls with the paint brush, Radin started to attempt to paint the table. Then paintbrushes began being tossed in little rage fits over being told that he could not paint the chair.  That is when I knew we were done with our masterpiece.  I sponged over the small corner that was still paint free, and let Radin have a mid-day fun bath.  He loves his baths.

Once we were all cleaned up and he was distracted by toys again, I peeled away the painter's tape and put the painting in the garage to dry.  I am very pleased with how it turned out and I cannot wait to hang it up in Radin's room to add a vibrant pop of color and personalization!

I would highly recommend this little art project for anyone with small children.  It was a fun way to share an artsy moment.

EDIT:  Here it is all dry and hanging in Radin's room/  We had to rearrange the Avengers wall clings a bit, but it works.

Homemade Baked Banana Chips

I have never really loved bananas.  They are okay. I like them in banana cream pie and chopped up and mixed in with my chocolate chip ice cream, but a banana by itself will never really appeal to me.  Plus, when they get really ripe, they make my throat itchy.  I know, I'm weird.
My son, on the other hand, loooves bananas.  But he only like them when they are still green.  Once they ripen and get a bit mushy, he is done with them.  And I'm not going to eat them then, because they make my throat itch.  So we usually have some bananas leftover that have to be creatively used either before they ripen or shortly after. Last week, I used a pair of overly ripe bananas to make Banana-Nut Bread.  This week, I am going to attempt Banana Chips.

This is a very simple recipe, and I see it pop up on Pinterest a lot, so I hope it actually works and tastes good.  I'm curious to see if Radin likes banana chips too.  If so, I can make batches of these for snack packs on the go.

You basically just need a few bananas, some lemon juice, and an oven.  Cut up your bananas into think slices, dip them into the lemon juice, and place them on a cookie sheet.

I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper, but I don't think it is necessary.  Now pop them into the oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours, flip them, and put back into the oven for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Currently, my bananas are in the oven for the first two hours.  I will update at the two hour flip mark and then again when they are done!  I really hope this turns out okay, as it sounds super yummy and like a good snack for Radin.

I checked the bananas after an hour because they smelled so good, yet also smelled like they were close to getting burnt.  The banana chips were already pretty crispy, so I decided to go ahead and flip them early.

Baked Banana Chips

Ingredients

2 bananas

lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Slice bananas into thin medallions.

Dip bananas into lemon juice and place onto baking sheet.

Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees.

Flip bananas and bake for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until crispy.

Let cool and enjoy!

Homemade Coconut Sugar Scrub

I hate soap.  Normal, sweet smelling soaps are super drying on my already dry skin  and the ones that I can use on my super dry skin are boring and blah!  I prefer scrubs by far.  A good sugar scrub is AH-MAZE-ING on my skin!  It buffs and then leaves a moisturized feel behind.  Plus they usually smell amazing.  Unfortunately, they can be a bit pricey for a tiny amount.  I just can't justify spending that amount of money on something that will last me two weeks.  So I decided to try and make my own from ingredients in my cupboard.  I once again turned to Pinterest for some ideas.  I couldn't find a recipe that used coconut oil in place of olive oil, so I altered a recipe found on Just Another Day In Paradise.

Ingredients

2 cups of white sugar

1 cup of solid coconut oil

juice from 4 lemons

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp vanilla

You will also need a container to store your finished scrub in.  Though a glass container is prettier, I opted for what I had on hand, which was a Snap-n-Lock plastic container.

I bought my coconut oil at SaveMart I think.  Nothing special.  It was the cheapest for the largest amount.

Directions

Add the solid coconut oil to a standing mixer bowl.  I have read that you can melt your coconut oil beforehand to get more of an oily scrub.  I prefer a whipped feeling scrub, so I went with the solid.

Mix on low for approximately 5 to 6 minutes, until you have a nice whipped feeling to the mixture.

Next, add the sugar and mix until blended.

Add the lemons juice (I used fresh squeezed, because that is what I had on hand, but you can use juice from the cute lil lemon shaped bottle) and honey and mix until blended.

Now scoop into your favorite container.

This recipe made more than I thought it would (the coconut oil really fluffs up nicely), so I put the majority of it in a shallow plastic container to use daily in the shower, and the rest in a recycled pizza sauce jar for later use.

I officially used the scrub this morning in the shower and it was perfect!  You can feel the sugar granules scrubbing, and then dissolving, on your skin.  I thought the oil might leave a greasy feeling, but it didn't.  It felt just like a scrub from the expensive stores.  Moisturizing and light.  I even used it on my face and it feels so good.  Plus, the lemon and honey are great scrubbing agents and have antibacterial properties that are great for your skin!  I was hoping for more of a scent with this scrub.  I really though I would smell of coconut all day.  But I couldn't smell anything at all.  Which is good for people who don't want to smell like the tropics.  I, however, do. lol  Next time I might add some vanilla for scent.

Overall, this was a huge success.  I am so happy I went with this option instead of the expensive store option filled with who knows what.

Sh*t My Husband Says, Part 2: Suspicious Side Dish

Husband: Why did you fill part of his plate with a bunch of mayo?
Me: That's yogurt.

I am just going to assume he was joking.