KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS SOUNDTRACK OUT ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS

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What We're Playing

SOUNDTRACK FEATURES NEW SCORE BY ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER DARIO MARIANELLI AND REGINA SPEKTOR PERFORMING GEORGE HARRISON'S CLASSIC "WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS"

Are you and your kids enthralled with Kubo and the Two Strings, the epic action-adventure from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA? You can download the album on iTunes and Amazon!

The movie's original score was written and conducted by composer Dario Marianelli, Academy Award winner for his score to Atonement, for which he also earned a Golden Globe Award. Also from the movie, the soundtrack features the performance of George Harrison's classic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Sire Records artist Regina Spektor, whose vocal performance is produced by Alex Williams.

Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of Game of Thrones) ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Hashi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny. Kubo and the Two Strings is directed by Travis Knight; is MPAA-rated "PG;" and is being released nationwide by Focus Features on Friday, August 19^th.

Watch the trailer for Kubo and the Two Strings HERE.

The track listing for Kubo and the Two Strings: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is as follows:

The Impossible Waves

Kubo Goes To Town

Story Time

Ancestors

Meet the Sisters!

Origami Birds

The Giant Skeleton

The Leafy Galleon

Above and Below

The Galleon Restored

Monkey's Story

Hanzo's Fortress

United-Divided

Showdown With Grandfather

Rebirth

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Written by George Harrison,

       Performed by Regina Spektor)

http://www.KuboTheMovie.com/

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WHAT WE'RE PLAYING: Petz Beach Nintendo 3DS #TechReview #PetzBeach #Ad

• Here at ChiIL Mama, the kids love to chill out and relax with video games. It was our pleasure to recently play and review the Petz Beach video game. We're familiar with the series and have enjoyed several of their past games, and we're not the only ones. Did you know Petz has sold over 23 MILLION units worldwide?! 

• With Petz Beach, they're back on Nintendo 3DS just in time for the holidays, and more interactive than ever. This game includes 50 different types of animals and a host of adventures that change with the seasons, for year round fun! The game also expands as you play, gives you the ability to connect with friends, and more.
• Petz fans will embark on the ultimate adventure in Petz Beach, where players can care for a variety of dogs, complete quests to expand their village and connect with other Petz owners.

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• What We Dig:

• The animals are adorable! This game will charm your littles with the cutest critters out there. My tween, who wants to be a veterinarian, was entranced, though she conceded younger kids would enjoy it more.
• There's a lot of reading involved and following directions to care for your pets. So kids are learning and strengthening their vocabulary and skills while having fun.

• This game is non violent, rated E for Everyone, and encourages nurturing.

This is our favorite point. Learning while on the journey. Through its partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Petz Beach incorporates learning along the way. As kids care for their pets and complete missions, they’ll learn facts about animals, plants and insects! 

My grandma worked for Encyclopaedia Britannica for years in Chicago and I think she would have been thrilled to see all the new innovations that go way beyond book sets.

Not Crazy About:

• This game does skew young in style and taste, but younger players who are not strong readers may be frustrated by all the text and skip over crucial directions.

• The 3DS visuals are not recommended for kids under 7 years old and can actually cause vision damage! Now, the settings can be flipped to 2D on the unit for younger kids, but we worry a bit about kids switching it up on their own, and parents not monitoring it, since this is a game that appeals to the under 7 set.

• Beyond dogs & cats:
• Variety of animals and adventures—something for every kid. There are more than 50 different types of animals in the game from dogs and cats, to dolphins and whales. Because the environment in game changes with the seasons, the adventure lasts all year long!
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• The game expands as you play. As players explore the town and meet new neighbors with their pets, the game expands and grows. Helping new friends will expand the village as the game progresses.
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• You Might Also Like:
• Petz Countryside (another Petz game that launches on the same day as Petz Beach) Kids and their virtual pets can enjoy the same fun experience in a different environment.


• Petz Beach & Petz Countryside Product Specifications:
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Release Date: October 14, 2014
• Platform: Nintendo 3DS system
• Category: Pet Simulation and Adventures
• Rating: E
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• Avoid the rush and getting mauled at the mall. Order Petz Beach on Amazon.com
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• I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Labor Day Sale at Best Buy On Nintendo Tomodachi Life For 3DS And More #NintendoatBestBuy #Review

What We're Playing:

We dig gaming and Nintendo. In fact we're a Wii, 3DS, DS playing family and we have been for years. Luckily Best Buy is nearby, with all the latest and greatest releases. Summer road trips, cool fall days, and waits while siblings are in extracurriculars are all so much more pleasant when the kids are entertained!

This final week before school starts was full of doctors' appointments, check ups and endless waits in waiting rooms. Our DS and 3DS made the down time much more fun. Fill your waits with less whining and more winning with fun new Nintendo games from Best Buy.

Disclaimer:  ChiIL Mama is elated to be a Best Buy WOLF (Women's Leadership Forum) Blogger and we're happy to partner up and bring our readers tech news and reviews. The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Here at ChiIL Mama, the tween, teen, my husband and I love to chill out with video games to relax and have fun. Thanks to our friends at Best Buy and our partnership with the Wolf Bloggers, we had a chance to score a review copy of Tomodachi Life for our 3DS. It's too much fun, and all of us have enjoyed seeing our personalized Mii characters populating the Tomodachi town and having virtual adventures. All our friends and family are there! This town rocks with magic shows, rock concerts staring your family members, conflicts and cooperation. You can even customize each character's exclamations (though the pronunciation may be a bit wonky unless you spell it phonetically).

Chill out with Hot Labor Day Weekend offers available at Best Buy:

Offer 1: 8/29/2014 – 9/1/2014 (4 Day Labor Day) - Online only Nintendo 2DS system - Save $30 (regularly $129.99 with savings only $99.99!).  

My kids both got DS systems years ago and we still have and use both, though we've added a 3DS as well. Check out Nintendo's latest, the 2DS, which plays all the great 3DS and DS games. Now you can take videos and pictures using your 2DS and they have a great entry price point of $129.99 into an expansive world of portable gaming.

Offer 2: 8/31/2014– Online only ––Save $5 on select 3DS games

Click here to get your Tomodachi Life from Best Buy and so many more great Nintendo games!

At first my Pokemon obsessed kids weren't sure Tomodachi Life looked that fun from the commercials they've seen, but once your friends and family populate your own personal island, hilarity ensues. The kids have been laughing lots and playing Tomodachi Life early and often. They've been entertained for hours making silly mash ups, creating clever shows, and exploring their own personalized Tomodachi Island. This is also a fun choice if you have kids of varying ages or a competitive one who gets moody about losing. It's non competitive, interactive, and as much fun to watch as it is to play. Help your friends and family problem solve in Tomodachi Life and watch the rewards roll in.

What can you do in Tomodachi Life?

•Make Music Videos – write songs and watch your Mii’s perform your creations…did we mention that they wear goofy outfits while on stage?

•Create Mii’s of your favorite celebrities – anyone can show up on your Tomodachi Life island

•Favorite/Least Favorite Foods – discover and feed your Mii’s what they love or what they hate…and watch the hilarious results

•Get Married and Have Kids – start a family in Tomodachi Life and experience your child growing up, walking for the first time, and maybe move off the island?!?!?!

•Personalities and Voices – not only can your create Mii’s that look like you and your friends, but you can also give them their own voice and personalities 

Disclaimer:  Once again, ChiIL Mama is elated to be a Best Buy WOLF (Women's Leadership Forum) Blogger and we're happy to partner up and bring our readers tech news and reviews. The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.