Family Movie Night Activity: Epic
“You’re here for a reason. Sometimes the connections aren’t clear, but they’re always there.”
A young girl thinks her father is crazy for believing that there is a group of “tiny people” living in the forest outside their home. She can’t deny their existence once she finds herself in the middle of their secret world; can she help them win the battle to save Mother Nature? Maybe. But you can help win the battle of movie night with this Family Movie Night Activity!
Movie Snacks:
*Queen Tara protects the beautiful forest filled with trees, flowers and DIRT! Make a Dirt cake (Check Google for a recipe) for dessert and have fun decorating it! I like to put mine in a flower pot (used only for this of course) and then top it with fake flowers, gummy worms, gummy bugs and so on.
*To embrace the whole nature experience, give a shout out to the old childhood favorite “ants on a log”. Simple as can be; celery, peanut butter and raisins and, voila, a yummy treat.
Must Pause Moments:
*While M.K. is with the Leafmen warriors trying to stop evil from taking over the forest, they run into her father. The Leafmen tease her about how they have been able to keep him off their trail so that he never finds them. Take a break from the movie for a quick game of Hide and Seek. See if you are as good as the Leafmen at protecting your hiding spot.
*M.K., Ronin and Nod must disguise themselves, so that they blend in, when trying to penetrate the layer of the Mandrake and his Boggan’s. Choose which team you are on, the Boggan’s or the Leafmen’s and then create your best disguise to blend in with their world.
Other Activites:
*Play a game of “Protect the Pod”. You could use anything you think represents the pod in the movie or you could simply use a balloon. Have two teams; one team’s job is to protect the pod from being “popped” and the other team is trying to destroy it like the Boggan’s in the movie. Set a timer for let’s say 3 minutes and at the end if the balloon hasn’t popped than the Leafmen team gets a point and if it has a point goes to the Boggan’s. You will want to have extra balloons on hand. The winner gets bragging rights!
*After watching the vibrant colors of the living forest and all its beauty, if weather permits, get outside! Take a family nature walk, collect different leaves and flowers along your way or turn it into a scavenger hunt. If you want bring a camera or two and have a photo contest to see who can capture the best nature shot.
Hannah – ClearPlay Leafmen Warrior!
Rated PG for mild action, some scary images and brief rude language; 102 minutes; Directed by Chris Wedge
Epic
There is an unseen world of tiny Leaf People that live in the deep forest. When the power of the dying Forest Queen shrinks teenager Mary Katherine down to the size of the small people, Mary joins a battle against a power that would turn the beautiful forest into rot. In a colorful world full of dazzling sights and deadly dangers, Mary Katherine must help her tiny companions save their way of life from the evil Boggans and find a way to return to full size again.
ClearPlay In Action!
ClearPlay doesn’t have a lot to do here, just a few minor edits in language, some rude humor, and violence. The movie ClearPlays well and filtered would be appropriate for the whole family.
Is Epic, well, Epic?...
Judging by the reaction of my younger kids who are in the target audience, Epic is a success. They enjoyed the colorful animals and plants and characters. Epic doesn’t have the inside jokes that make these kinds of films more enjoyable for adults, and the simplistic plot doesn’t thrill. Still, some of the visuals are worth the time to watch, and Epic is a fun adventure that the family can enjoy together.
Brian Fuller - ClearPlay Leafman
Rated PG for mild action, some scary images and brief rude language; 102 minutes; Directed by Chris Wedge