Do you know someone who enjoys anime? Then Shout! Studios has lots of anime movies that make great gifts including GKIDS's "The Boy...

Do you know someone who enjoys anime? Then Shout! Studios has lots of anime movies that make great gifts including GKIDS's "The Boy and The Heron", an Academy Award®-winning new fantasy adventure.

Note: I received product for review purpose. Any views expressed are always 100% my own.

My Review

I first saw GKIDS's "The Boy and The Heron" when it showed in theaters and enjoyed it so much. It was packed with imaginative adventure, amazing animated scenes and a heart felt storyline.

While "The Boy and The Heron" are the main lead in characters of the story, once you get into the larger world, the story becomes so much more with amazing characters, who lead the story into different and wonderous angles.

After viewing the film in theaters I couldn't wait for the home release. Thankfully I didn't have to wait very long.

After receiving the Blu-ray for "The Boy and The Heron" from Shout! Studios, I enjoyed learning more about the hand drawn animation, how the music was composed and watching the interviews with the Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki.

SYNOPSIS

After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events leads him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron.

When Mahito's new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world and the truth about himself.

The Boy & The Heron on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray

The Boy and The Heron, from legendary Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), is available on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray™ ($34.98), Blu-Ray™ + DVD and in a Limited Edition Steelbook™ ($44.98) that includes 4K UHD™ + Blu-Ray™™, featuring Dolby Vision plus Dolby Atmos for the ultimate home entertainment experience.

This is the first title from Studio Ghibli to ever be released on 4K UHD.

Contains the film in its original Japanese language with English subtitles, as well as in the new English-language version featuring the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.

Special Features include feature-length storyboards, an interview with Golden Globe®-nominated composer Joe Hisaishi, an interview with Academy Award®-winning producer and Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, an interview and drawing featurette with Annie Award-winning supervising animator Takeshi Honda, the music video for the film’s theme song “Spinning Globe” from global J-Pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu, and teasers and trailers.

The hand-drawn, animated feature – director Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years – is an original story written and directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, produced by co-founder Toshio Suzuki, and featuring a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi.

Its theme song, “Spinning Globe,” was written and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

Shout! Studios Anime Gift Ideas

While I highlighted "The Boy and The Heron", there's so many more Shout! Studios anime films to enjoy. Here are some of my top picks.


THE DARK CRYSTAL 4K UHD, Blu-Ray™ (Limited Edition Collector’s Set) RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2024
SRP: $99.98

THE DARK CRYSTAL Limited Edition Collector’s Set includes a glass replica of the shard (1:1) from the movie, five art cards, a 28-page book with a new essay, production stills, concept art by Brian Froud, a collectible sticker, insightful bonus content, and stunning 4K UHD™ and Blu-ray™ of THE DARK CRYSTAL.

All are housed in a gorgeous box with wrap-around art featuring original concept art from the movie and a lid flap that opens to a window display of the chard.

From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this puppetry work of genius recounts the timeless tales of good versus evil, becoming a cult favorite around the world. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra where evil Skeksis are in control and the Gelfling Jen, the last of his kind, is sent on a quest by the peaceful Mystics to find the missing shard that will restore balance and heal the world.


EVANGELION:3.0+1.11 THRICE UPON A TIME Blu-Ray™ [Limited Edition Steelbook] from GKIDS
RELEASE DATE: July 2, 2024
SRP: $36.98

From legendary director Hideaki Anno, EVANGELION:3.0+1.11 THRICE UPON A TIME is the fourth and final installment of the REBUILD OF EVANGELION films, bringing an epic conclusion to the story of Shinji and his fellow Eva pilots, with the stunning visuals and thought-provoking storytelling that has made EVANGELION a global pop culture phenomenon.

Misato and her anti-NERV group Wille arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have 720 seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari's improved Eva Unit 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei (Provisional Name) wander about Japan.


Great Pretender: The Complete Series Blu-Ray™ [Deluxe Edition]
RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024
SRP: $159.98

Self-styled “Japan's greatest swindler” Makoto Edamura is mainly targeting elder people and occasional foreign travelers. But when he tries to scam an apparently clueless French tourist in Tokyo, he can't possibly imagine that what looked like just another ordinary job is going to take him all the way to Los Angeles, tied upside-down on the famous Hollywood sign... And he is yet to find out what fate awaits him.

This highly anticipated 5-Disc Blu-ray collection comes housed in a visually striking slipcase and collects all 23 thrilling episodes, insightful bonus features, 10 stunning art cards, a double-sided poster, and a 192-page art book!


Arcane League Of Legends: Season One 4K UHD + Blu-Ray™ [Limited Edition Steelbook] (4K UHD) from GKIDS
RELEASE DATE: October 8, 2024
SRP: $59.98

Set in the universe of the massively popular video game League of Legends, made by Riot Games and Fortiche Productions for Netflix. The series is co-created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, and follows the origins of iconic League champions Vi and Jinx, as they become caught in the power struggle between the utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed underground city of Zaun.

Features a stunning Jinx-themed outer package, and contains the full nine-episode series presented across three 4K UHD discs, and an additional Blu-ray™ disc containing over three hours of bonus features.

Learn more, visit - www.shoutfactory.com

Did you know that Apple devices have built-in tools that helps families to keep safe while using their devices? During a family-focused brie...

Did you know that Apple devices have built-in tools that helps families to keep safe while using their devices? During a family-focused briefing, I was invited by the Apple team to learn more.

Note: I was invited as media to the event. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

Here's a breakdown of what I learned, including devices features and online resources.

Creating a Child Account

For family groups with kids, you can create accounts just for them with built-in parental controls to help you monitor their Screen Time and approve their purchases. Every child should have their own account to make the best use of parental controls, including age appropriate restrictions of apps, movies, books and more.

By default you will be able to approve your child’s purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books. And, you can share your child’s location with other family members as needed in the Find My app.

Once they have an Apple Account, kids automatically appear as part of your family group with all the parental controls that you wanted to have in place right from the start. You can also add another adult in the family as a parent or guardian too, so they can help manage your child’s settings and controls.

Device setup for a child

Once you have your child’s account set up, it’s really easy to set up an iPhone or iPad for them with a feature called Quick Start. If you're a parent or guardian in a Family Sharing group, you can use your iPhone or iPad to help set up a child's new device with your preferred parental controls.

Simply turn on your child's new device and place it near your device and follow the steps: choosing who will be using the new device, or if you want to create a new child account in the family.

Screen Time & Communication Safety

Screen Time is great for helping you and your family manage time spent on your devices. Screen Time gives you a better understanding of the time you and your kids spend using apps, visiting websites, and on your devices overall.

You’ll see suggested content restrictions, based on your child’s age, and you can tap “Turn On Restrictions” to use these suggested restrictions.

Then, you can read about Communication Safety, which is designed to help protect your child from viewing sensitive photos and videos.

— Communication Safety is turned on by default for all under-13 children accounts, and starting in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, the feature will require that the Screen Time passcode for the Family Sharing group be entered on the child’s device in order to view or send a sensitive image.

Learn more about Communication Safety, visit - support.apple.com/en-us/105069

Communication Limits

With Communication Limits, parents can control who their children can communicate with, both throughout the day and during Downtime. These limits apply to Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud contacts.

There's also “Always Allowed” options, for parents who want to select certain apps that their child can always use — even if it’s Downtime — like maybe Books for school.

Phone, Messages, FaceTime, and Maps are always allowed by default — you can remove them if you want.

Content & Privacy Restrictions

With Content & Privacy Restrictions, parents can decide the type of content that appears on their child’s device. They can block inappropriate content, purchases, and downloads, and set privacy settings.

Learn more, visit - support.apple.com/en-us/105121

Family Sharing

Family Sharing is the easy and secure way to share purchases, subscriptions, and more with up to 5 other people. You can easily share subscriptions to Apple TV+, Music, News+, Arcade, Fitness+, as well as other eligible third-party subscriptions with everyone in your family group.

You can also share items you purchase and download from the Apple TV app, Apple Books, or the App Store. Family groups can also share iCloud storage too, giving everyone enough space to store photos, videos and files without having to purchase separate plans.

Importantly, personal content stored on each family member’s device won’t be shared — photos, videos, messages, and files will remain private. And, if you don’t want to share certain apps or other purchases, you can hide them from the rest of the family group.

Family Checklist

To help you make the most of Family Sharing, Family Checklist provides tips and suggestions, such as updating a child’s parental controls as they get older, turning on location sharing, or just reminding you that you can share your iCloud+ subscription with the whole family.

Family Checklist is found in Settings, then by tapping on “Family."

Family Checklist shows if parental controls and Communication Limits for the children in the family have been set up. If they are already enabled, it tells the parent when they were last reviewed.

By tapping on any of the options, you can get right into the relevant setting to make adjustments. Further down in Family Checklist, you can easily see whether Emergency Contacts, Location Sharing and iCloud+ features are enabled.

As you can see there's alot of options for parents and families to use to keep kids safe and focused while enjoying Apple devices.

Learn more, visit - www.apple.com/families

Inspired by true events of a young boy trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop, CITY OF DREAMS will be avaiable On Demand Novem...

Inspired by true events of a young boy trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop, CITY OF DREAMS will be avaiable On Demand November 1st from Lionsgate.

SYNOPSIS

City of Dreams tells the story of Jesús, a young Mexican boy whose dreams of becoming a soccer star are shattered when he is trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop making fast fashion in downtown Los Angeles.

Forced to comply with the grueling work schedule dictated by El Jefe, who promises freedom to those who meet their quotas, Jesús finds comfort in Elena, a young girl similarly betrayed and sold into slavery.

When she disappears and another co-worker is brutally beaten, Jesús realizes that the only way to save himself and the others is to fight back, even if it costs him his life.

Starring Diego Calva, Jason Patric, Samm Levine, and Paulina Gaitán

City of Dreams | Official Digital Trailer



Completing the creative team is executive producer and Academy Award nominee Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), along with Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and telenovela actor Luis Fonsi, winner of five Latin Grammy® Awards.

Together, they present City of Dreams, an unforgettable film inspired by true events and motivated by Fonsi’s song of the same name.

Learn more, visit - www.cityofdreamsmovie.com

The Big Apple Circus, returns with an all-new show “Hometown Playground” celebrating the magic and excitement of the city that never sleeps....

The Big Apple Circus, returns with an all-new show “Hometown Playground” celebrating the magic and excitement of the city that never sleeps.

From Manhattan to Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, audiences will take an unforgettable journey - with soaring acrobats, jaw-dropping stunts, comedic mischief, and the cutest performing dogs ever - celebrating the diverse neighborhoods and unique landmarks of New York City.

Big Apple Circus “Hometown Playground”

Big Apple Circus “Hometown Playground” will perform from November 8, 2024, to January 5, 2025 beneath the iconic Big Top in Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park.

Under the stewardship of renowned producer and promoter Michael Cohl and two-time Emmy Award-winning Director Shanda Sawyer, “Hometown Playground” will be a joyous return to the classic Big Apple Circus experience, with non-stop thrills, whimsy, and plenty of surprises.

This year’s show will feature all-new acts with a cast of international circus stars, including:

• Aerial Orb – From the artistry of the aerial moon to the skillfulness of the aerial hoop, all eyes will be on the graceful Sofia Petrov as she sails atop the Big Apple Circus tent
• Cartoon Poodles – Precocious performing poodles, all rescued from shelters across the United States
• Comedy Pickpocket – Sweden’s Michael Halverson becomes a hilarious one-man crime wave, be sure to check your wallets on the way out.
• Flying Poemas – Soaring high above the circus ring, this trapeze family will dazzle and thrill audiences
• Human Fountains – From Bethesda Fountain to City Hall Park, this hilarious take on New York’s iconic fountains may leave some audience members a little soggy.
• Slack Wire - Mihret Mekonnen demonstrates strength, power and balance on the slack wire

This season, the Big Apple Circus will continue its legacy of community engagement by donating tickets to local nonprofits and community-based organizations to offer the circus experience to hundreds of children and families at no cost.

The Big Apple Circus additionally provides daytime programming for local schools at an accessible price point.

Tickets are now on sale and include new, family-friendly children's pricing.

Learn more, visit - www.bigapplecircus.com

During SimpliSafe's event to highlight their home security devices and monitoring systems, I learned how various products can help keep ...

During SimpliSafe's event to highlight their home security devices and monitoring systems, I learned how various products can help keep you safe, whether you rent an apartment or own a home.

Note: I was invited as media for review purpose. However, any views expressed are always 100% my own.


SimpliSafe is constantly innovating products and services to provide customers with next-level protection.

From HD cameras and advanced sensors to intruder intervention and SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection features, they’re transforming home security from a reactive to a proactive service, stopping intruders in their tracks and enhancing customers’ safety.


A few products great for apartment and home security  included:

Video Doorbell Pro

Watch and record activity at your entryway with ease, even if someone isn’t ringing the bell — whether that means ensuring packages arrive safely, guests are greeted or unwanted visitors are caught on camera.

• 162° viewing angle
• 2-way audio lets you hear and speak with whoever rings your bell
• Day and night modes adjust motion sensitivity based on light levels
• Activity zones allow you to choose where the camera checks for motion

Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera

Advanced indoor camera that can trigger an alarm and deter intruders with a built-in siren and live, 2-way agent audio (*For customers who subscribe to monitoring). On top of that, AI-powered motion detection distinguishes between humans and pets, so you can be more confident that an alarm is real.

• Automated privacy shutter
• 125° diagonal field of view
• Night vision
• Customizable activity zones

2-in-1 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector

Engineered to sense the difference between dangerous smoke and burning food, the Detector can tell when there's an actual emergency.

Plus, with SimpliSafe’s award-winning security system and 24/7 professional monitoring, emergency assistance will be quickly sent to your front door any time there’s trouble.(*For customers who subscribe to monitoring).

• Get instant phone alerts about dangerous smoke or CO levels, even when you’re not home
• Built-in internal 85dB siren and triggers the siren in the Base Station
• Automatic daily system check-ins
• Up to 2 years of battery life (depending on usage)

Water Sensors

Water Sensors send an alert whenever they come into contact with water as low as the width of a credit card, helping to prevent costly damage from leaks and floods.

• Water-resistant casing
• Triggers alarm upon contact with water — two metal contacts (of 6 total) must touch water to trigger an alarm
• For indoor use only

Keypad

The Keypad is used to arm and disarm your system, as well as customize your system settings. It also comes equipped with a panic button, so that you can manually trigger the alarm during times of crisis.

• Entry delay countdown signal
• Panic Button can be customized to send out an intruder alarm, fire alarm or medical alarm signal to our 24/7 monitoring center*
• Backlighting allows you to use the Keypad with ease in the dark

Base Station

The Base Station is the brain of the system. It communicates with all of your SimpliSafe devices and relays alarm signals to our 24/7 monitoring center (*For customers who subscribe to monitoring).

• Built-in 95dB speaker for audible sirens, door chimes and voice prompts
• Status light darkens during alarm to hide Base Station from intruders
• Can connect to WiFi and cellular simultaneously
• Battery backup (up to 24 hours) in the event of main power failure

Monitoring Plans

Core ($31.99/month)

With Core, customers get their alarms and indoor cameras monitored 24/7 by expert monitoring agents, who dispatch emergency personnel, including police, firefighters and emergency medical services, as needed depending on the alarm event.

Additionally, Core gives customers expanded control, including third-party integrations with smart home devices (such as Amazon, Alexa, Apple Watch and August Smart Lock) and unlimited recording storage for up to 10 cameras.

Pro ($49.99/month)

The Pro monitoring plan gives customers access to all of the Core features plus Overnight SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection (8 p.m. – 6 a.m. local time).

Outdoor Protection with Pro gives customers a double layer of overnight protection designed to proactively prevent crime before it happens.

Advanced AI detects threats and live security agents intervene to stop intruders. Using the Outdoor Camera Series 2, agents can see the threat and deter the person by speaking to them directly, sounding the camera’s siren and shining the camera’s spotlight.

Pro Plus ($79.99/month)

A Pro Plus monitoring plan also gives customers access to all the Core features plus 24/7 SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection.

Outdoor Protection with Pro Plus gives customers a double layer of outdoor protection designed to proactively prevent crime before it happens — day and night.

Advanced AI detects threats and live security agents intervene to stop intruders. Using the Outdoor Camera Series 2, agents can see the threat and deter the person by speaking to them directly, sounding the camera’s siren, and shining the camera’s spotlight.

Learn more, visit - www.SimpliSafe.com