Movie nights are always a hit in our house, we curl up with some fun popcorn and treats and make a big bed on the floor to enjoy a family “screening” of movies. Screen time is fairly limited in our house so it really is a treat when we all set aside some family time to curl up with a fun new movie.
Just recently, we were sent a copy of Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants to review and we decided to make it a big movie night and invite over a couple of Alivia’s friends. With some colorful popcorn in some fun containers and some super tuckered out kids after a fun day we all cuddled up to check out this unique spin on a children’s movie.
Minuscule tells a unique story – with almost no dialogue! These adorable little animated stars communicate solely via a synchronized soundtrack featuring music and sound effects to tell the tale of their journey. With only one lone voice narrating the story- Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is the buzz worthy spring feature you won’t want to miss.
After a couple leaves their picnic in a hurry, a gang of hungry ants moves in to steal what could be their most coveted treasure: a tin box filled with sugar cubes. But before they can get away with the loot, a newly-born ladybug strays from its own family and gets trapped inside the box! The ladybug is soon spirited away by the ants as they try to transport their prize across the woods toward their colony. Together, the insects embark on an epic journey to protect their sugar.
With the littles settled in on the floor we started our movie; immediately you are submerged in a realistic landscape before being introduced to a live-action couple enjoying a picnic lunch before circumstance sweeps them away quickly. What is left behind is a delectable sweet treat for our movie stars who sweep in to scurry away with their new found treasure – a tin of sugar cubes! Little do they know that inside this tin is a tiny ladybug who will quickly become good friends with this new group!
My favorite part of this movie was the fact there is hardly any verbal dialogue to follow. It gave us a chance to chat about what was happening. Alivia, what do you think he’s trying to tell his friends? Amy, how do you think they’ll get out of this tricky part? Breton, what do you think is going to happen next? All without disrupting the movie! There was some fun sound effects that got some giggles out of the kids (the fart was a big one, I had a good laugh too!).
The kids loved following the little ladybugs journey to friendship with her ant friends, and the battle scenes had them jumping up and cheering for their favorite side, the ants are quite clever with their defenses and certainly had us holding our breath to see who would prevail.
This movie is a fantastic way to introduce a very important message about friendship, acceptance and how to overcome everyday challenges – even when you’re really small!
Some Fun Facts About Minuscule
- Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is a 2013 France/Belgium animated film, co-written and directed by Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo
- The film has been a huge box office success worldwide: France, Poland, Korea, Czech Republic, Switzerland and MORE
- Created by the same animated studio that produced Dragon Hunters
- Feature is based off the TV show ‘Minuscule – The Private Life of Insects’
- Series aired on the Disney Channel in the U.S.
These endearing insects will be in theaters, On Demand, and on DVD May 26, 2015 from kaboom! Entertainment.
