Jazz Up Movie Night and Celebrate Disney Pixar's 'Soul' with Family Friendly Meals from Blue Apron

 Shake up your dinner and a movie routine with a fun and savory mix of family-friendly meals to celebrate the release of Disney Pixar's 'Soul'. In celebration of the new Pixar film streaming on Disney Plus starting Christmas Day, December 25th, Blue Apron is debuting four limited-time recipes to inspire your next themed movie night.

Reel Families Watch: Must See Animated Movies Releasing in 2020

*This list has been updated with release date changes in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic as of May 2020. 

Are you looking forward to the new slate of family-friendly, animated movies coming to theaters and a couch near you in 2020? 2019 truly outdid itself, in good ways and bad and after watching underdog stop-motion/CGI movie Missing Link win the Golden Globe last night for Best Animated Film, we can't wait to see what's coming this year. 

There's a bunch of flicks giving new, shiny CGI life to favorite throwback characters that are over two decades old, plenty of origin stories, sequels, and some really exciting fantasy-based originals! Plus they are jam-packed with tons of your fave mega-talented (voice) actors. Surely there will be a movie out there to appeal to everyone's sense of humor (we should plan to laugh hard) or to tug at your heartstrings (we may cry even harder) or will have you raise an eyebrow in confusion. 

Movie watching has always been the ultimate way for us to spend time together as a family, with a teen, tween and threenager we have some really hysterical conversations and heated debates surrounding films we've seen. Get ready to mark your calendars, here's our list of upcoming highly-anticipated animated movies releasing in 2020. Stay tuned as we update the lineup with new choices and our latest trailer reaction videos. 

Toy Story 4 Review: Every Ending is A New Beginning as We Discover Purpose, A Voice and Prioritize Happiness

Whoa, where does the time go? It just dawned on me that it has been 9 years since we all thought the Toy Story franchise had come to an end as Woody, Buzz and the gang said farewell to their college-bound kid Andy and found themselves in a new room with the adorable, imaginative new kid Bonnie. 

Last week the monsters and I had the chance to partake in an early screening of the latest Pixar adventure Toy Story 4 and I hope you all have plans to see it this weekend!  It was a truly hilarious journey between friends new and old, that highlights discovering your purpose, finding your voice and learning that it's really ok to prioritize your own happiness. You could feel the anticipation in the theater once the lights dimmed, and the sweetest giggles of a child two rows in front had us moviegoers all laughing before the opening rescue scene. 

At the root of it, these iconic Disney Pixar characters are more than just our favorite toys who've been tugging at our heartstrings and making grown folks weepy for over 2 decades, they bring so many of our human characteristics to light in a relatable way. Would you have ever believed that Pixar's very first movie could carry such longevity and through animation allow us all to reflect on our own lives: successes, disappointments, and insecurities?

There's been a lot of internet buzz surrounding the film and whether or not there was a need for a third sequel and I'm going to say heck yes! I honestly think Toy Story 4 gives us the closure we didn't even think we needed and I'm happy that Disney Pixar decided to do it. Now, not everything in the film gave me the magical feels but didn't take away from the overall enjoyment and I'll break that all down in this spoiler-free review.

Rev Your Engines and Grab Tickets to Disney Pixar's Cars 3 NYC Advance Screening #Giveaway #Cars3

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post but we were given passes to attend and to facilitate this giveaway. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Countless weekend hours were spent by my boys kneeling on the floor as they pushed around mini hot wheel figures of their favorite Disney Pixar Cars characters. The Cars movie franchise is one that our kids have grown up loving and watching over and over, each time being just as entertaining as the last. We've been trying to contain our excitement as we countdown to June 16th when Disney Pixar's Cars 3 races into theaters nationwide.

Just last month my girlfriend Marta and her hubby took their gaggle and our lil' monsters to the Road to the Races Tour at Atlas Park to check out the cars, preview a snippet of the movie and more. I can admit that I was pretty bummed that the hubby and I couldn't see our boys reactions to seeing the race cars in full size. We can only imagine how hyped they all were when they stepped inside of  the long tractor trailer that featured a pretty cool movie theater for guests to view clips before it's release. 

DISNEY·PIXAR’S “CARS 3” ROAD TO THE RACES ROLLS INTO QUEENS, NEW YORK MAY 6th AND #GIVEAWAY

"Kachow, Kachow" Disney Pixar's Cars was the very first and long time favorite movie of our tween son CJ and it's a miracle that the DVD still plays after the hundreds of times we've watched it. As if it were yesterday I remember his little body as he'd speed through the apartment & he revved his engine while belting out "I am Lightening McQueen" and pushed around his toy Mater and Lightening. As a family we can't wait for Cars 3 to hit theaters and we're certain it will be full of action and laughs! While fans countdown for the release of the latest installment they can check out Cars 3 Road to the Races, a nationwide tour inviting fans of #95 Lightening McQueen to a fun filled afternoon of activities and a sneak peek of the movie. We're giving away 20 passes to our readers for the Queens, New York pit stop so enter to win a Family 4 Pack down below!

Disclosure: We've been provided passes to attend the Queens tour stop & opinions expressed are 100% our own!

Disney Art Academy: A New Nintendo Game that Brings out the Inner Artist in Kids of all Ages

Last month I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a private event at the Nintendo Store at Rockefeller Center to learn all about an amazing new game for the Nintendo 3DS and 2DS Disney Art Academy - a learn to draw game {$29.99} that features over 80 Disney and Pixar characters. With easy to follow lessons, the game takes you through different levels and skills of drawing from basic filling in of favorite character's like Olaf, Winnie the Pooh and Nemo to shading, expressions, portraits etc. There's continuous fun as the game player work's their way up to unlock new characters to draw and can then share with their friends or parents.  

NEW TRAILER FOR DISNEY PIXAR'S FINDING DORY #Haveyouseenher #FindingDory

"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming"..... I remember when my now 11 year old would hum these words to himself at 3 years old while completely mesmerized by the adventurous and humorous film Finding Nemo. Who didn't find themselves giggling at Dory's hysterical moments of forgetfulness and her endearing personality and witty bits of knowlege as she helped Marlin the clown fish while braving the perils of the ocean all to rescue his son Nemo. 

GIVEAWAY: Disney Pixar's THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Blu-Ray Combo Pack and Digital HD #GoodDino

 

There's nothing like a great Disney Pixar movie to give you the warm and fuzzies, teach you valuable lessons, make you laugh out loud or have you reaching for the Kleenex as you try to hold back a tear or two. Our boys have grown up on Pixar movies and we absolutely enjoyed watching Disney Pixar's Good Dinosaur in theaters.  A must see for families, this story of two unlikely friends Arlo the dinosaur, and Spot a mischievous, fearless cave boy unfolds while they learned the true meaning of family and bravery & while teaching us that although being small in stature, having a big heart and giving it your all are what count most.