Half term is looming and I am faced with the prospect of a whole week with all of the children at home, almost certainly stuck indoors given the current monsoon conditions in my neck of the woods.
I know, I could pull on wellies and raincoats and go for a nice healthy (damp) yomp round the woods with them. But if you were even thinking of suggesting that you obviously have never met me in real life. I am that woman who doesn't much like walking even on the sunniest of days. The words "a", "Nice" and "walk" should never ever be put together in my opinion.
At a push I might load them into the car and take them to the local museum but on rainy days, especially in school holidays it is always rammed with soggy toddlers and harassed mothers with steamed up glasses and their best Joyce Grenfell voices on. "George. Don't do that." (Go google Joyce Grenfell if you have no clue what I'm talking about!)
So I was delighted when I was sent the latest Paramount DVD release "Reef 2 :High Tide" which is coming out on DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 17 just in time for the half term hols - hurrah!
Now I'll confess I never saw Reef 1 (2006) but some of my children said they'd watched it at a friend's house and enjoyed it. They came home after a cold wet walk home from school this week and after I'd lit the fire I thought it would be a perfect film to watch for a post-school wind down.
The film sees the return of courageous little fish "Pi" who once again has to save his beloved reef. Troy the naughty shark that Pi saw off in his last adventure has returned and this time he has brought along his toothy shark friends for a fish buffet.
Pi decideds to train his family - Cordelia (Busy Phillips of Dawsons Creek fame) and son Junior in the martial art of Fish-fu, there is a fish-napping incident and watch out for fishy spies! Reef 2 also sees the return of the wise old sea turtle Nerissa voiced by Rob Shneider - my son is very keen on turtles so this was his favourite character.
To be fair you could be forgiven for thinking that the characters and animation are very similar to another very famous fishy children's animation but kids love familiarity so I don;t think it would be an issue - mine certainly noted it but didn't think it detracted from a sweet, bouncy story with plenty of laughs.
Probably best for younger children - my 5 year old in particular enjoyed the film and as always has watched it repeatedly. Check out the trailer for a taster - if you are on a mobile you might have to click here
 |
| rain, rain, rain |
At a push I might load them into the car and take them to the local museum but on rainy days, especially in school holidays it is always rammed with soggy toddlers and harassed mothers with steamed up glasses and their best Joyce Grenfell voices on. "George. Don't do that." (Go google Joyce Grenfell if you have no clue what I'm talking about!)
So I was delighted when I was sent the latest Paramount DVD release "Reef 2 :High Tide" which is coming out on DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 17 just in time for the half term hols - hurrah!
 |
Paramount Pictures in association with Empire Film Distribution Ltd
Reef 2. TM, ® & Copyright © 2014 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
|
The film sees the return of courageous little fish "Pi" who once again has to save his beloved reef. Troy the naughty shark that Pi saw off in his last adventure has returned and this time he has brought along his toothy shark friends for a fish buffet.
Pi decideds to train his family - Cordelia (Busy Phillips of Dawsons Creek fame) and son Junior in the martial art of Fish-fu, there is a fish-napping incident and watch out for fishy spies! Reef 2 also sees the return of the wise old sea turtle Nerissa voiced by Rob Shneider - my son is very keen on turtles so this was his favourite character.
To be fair you could be forgiven for thinking that the characters and animation are very similar to another very famous fishy children's animation but kids love familiarity so I don;t think it would be an issue - mine certainly noted it but didn't think it detracted from a sweet, bouncy story with plenty of laughs.
Probably best for younger children - my 5 year old in particular enjoyed the film and as always has watched it repeatedly. Check out the trailer for a taster - if you are on a mobile you might have to click here
And as a bonus to help all you mums out on a rainy day I have been given some fun downloadable Reef 2 activities to share with you. Add a flappy fish game - make fish out of newspaper and have races along the kitchen floor blowing them along or flapping them with more newspaper and with a bit of luck you can fill a whole damp day. I'd think twice about serving fishcakes for lunch though.....
