As a mother to a little bug hunter my ear always prick up when I hear about a film involving minibeasts. Monkey and I sat down to watch Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants at the weekend and it’s really rather lovely.
Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is released on DVD on Monday 26th September (digital download from 19th September) and we were lucky to have a sneaky preview at the weekend. With a running time of around 85 minutes this really is a charming film. It’s actually rather different from the norm too. There’s no spoken dialogue, but the minibeasts converse in sounds, and not for one moment did my 6 year old Monkey not understand what was happening. It really made rather wonderful viewing and we both thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.
The adventure starts with a couple enjoying a picnic, the mood is tranquil, until the wife realises that she’s gone into labour. Cue lots of interesting questions from my son. The husband gets in quite a panic as he clears up the picnic and takes his wife back to their car. In fact he leaves some things behind, including a tin of sugar cubes.
Monkey loves ladybirds so he was thrilled to see that a newly hatched ladybird was to be the star of Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, along with a black ant called Mandible. The ladybird got lost in a rainstorm, damaged a wing and ended up taking shelter in the middle of the night. In the morning it becomes clear that the ladybird has discovered treasure in the form of the sugar cube box.
Mandible and his black ant tribe come across the remnants of the picnic and discover the treasure. We follow the black ants and the ladybird as they try to get the tin back to the anthill. All was going well until they came face to face with the red ant warriors, who not only want the sugar tin, they also want to destroy the anthill.
I won’t ruin the rest of the film for you, but Monkey was spellbound throughout, the blend of CGI animation and live action backdrops work cleverly together. It really is a charming film which we both enjoyed. Watch out for the flies, they’re rather entertaining.
We’ve found lots of snails on our bug hunting walks to school this week, and Monkey’s always on the look out for other minibeasts!
Priced at £7.99 I’ve included my Amazon Affiliate link below, it would make a lovely present.
disclosure: we were sent the item mentioned in exchange for an honest review
We wanted to share the Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants DVD adventure with you, and I have one copy to giveaway. Complete the Gleam form below for your chance. Good luck.
Terms and conditions:
(Please note that all entries will be checked against comments for validation).
Only the first step of this form is mandatory, all other steps are optional. Only one entry per person is allowed.
This giveaway is for UK residents only.
Once a winner is randomly picked, I will check if the winner has done what was requested and I will contact them, if they do not reply within one week, the prize will be allocated to another person.
The giveaway will close on 26th October 2016 at midnight.
Don’t forget to visit my Giveaways page for more great prizes on offer!
Butterflies and ladybirds because they are beautiful and so colourful
ladybirds
I love centipedes because they r my son’s favourite…he has so many pictures of them!
Ladybirds because they are just so cute 🙂
I love centipedes – so many legs xx
Love caterpillars they grow into beautiful butterflies
I like Bee’s, they are such lovely little creatures, that work hard & just want to be left to get on with things.
Ladybird. ( I wouldn’t have considered it a minibeast. As they are Beautiful).
millipedes – theyre great runners, amuse me and they do no harm
ladybirds as they look pretty
I love ladybirds, every other little insect makes me a little nervous!
has to be ladybirds they are so cute
Caterpillars – I love their transformation from caterpillar to butterfly or moth.
butterflies are very beautiful
Ladybirds -so cute and non threatening 😛
ladybirds they are so colourful, beautiful and fascinate me
I love spiders. They help us by eating the flies which spread germs.
ladybirds because they are pretty x
Ladybirds – love their spots
Butterflies – beautiful!
Ants, they’re so strong.
Ladybird they just look pretty x
Ants as they are so clever and work together as a team
Another vote for Ladybirds…my little guy is obsessed with ‘Gaston’ from Ben & Holly – even though he acts more like a dog 😉
I love butterflies, they are so pretty with all their different patterns and colours
i love caterpillars, love how they change into butterflies <3
Ladybirds they are pretty and dont bother people
Ladybirds because they are so pretty.
my daughter loves butterflies
Centipedes so many legs so quick and unpredictable in direction
butterflies
Ladybirds for me!
ladybird – they don’t sting or bite – our local park has a ladybird trail where you spot 32 painted ladybirds – my son has loved them ever since
Butterflies, I love the whole caccoon. chyrsalis drama … and the beautiful colours, etc 🙂
My daughter has always loved ladybirds
I love ladybirds because they are so cute.
I am fascinated by bees. They work so hard in a beautiful environment 🙂
Ladybird, beautiful & harmless
I love ladybirds as tgeyre so interesting and cute
I love caterpillars
Love a little ladybird, they are so sweet.
I love the ladybirds as they are so cute
Love the way spiders move
Ladybirds because they are beautiful
I love Ladybirds!
Ladybirds…. but ants are very interesting.
I have a lovely story of my daughter, now an adult, who collected all types of bugs, but she used to put them in a container (bags, boxes etc) and hide them under her bed; then I would wonder what was smelling in her room!
This prize would be great for my great niece who also loves bugs.
Ladybirds, they are my Grandsons favourite, so colourful
Bees because they have such a vital role in the world
Caterpillars because they look so fluffy and then they eventually change into beautiful butterflies – amazing transformation
My favourite minibeast is ladybirds as i find them so cute and they are my favourite colour which is red.
As aminibeast I like butterflies as they are so nicely coloured
butterflies so pretty
I like Ladybirds are they are cool and have differing spots
I love beetles all so different and how they scuttle
ladyirds, they’re the only ones im not scared of!!
Bees are beautiful creatures and are so important
I love butterflies, they are so pretty
I love spiders, I like watching them spin their webs,totally fascinating- they are so clever and patient!
Bee’s cos we desperately need more of them! Dxx
I love bumble bees, they’re such gentle creatures, many a time I’ve stroked their furry bodies!
Mine would have to be a snail. my kids think they re their pets
Wasps they actually do a good job keeping pests down
Ladybirds. They’re the only insect I’m not scared of.
Butterflies
Butterflies! So beautiful and what an amazing creature!
we love ladybirds, so colourful
ladybirds cause they are cute
i think woodlice are really cute x
The butterfly, there are some really pretty ones but I don’t see many anymore
Ladybirds, they are just so cute.
Butterflies are so pretty
I’ve always loved Ladybirds as they are just so colourful.
We just love the Woodlouse, their little feet and scales. The thing we love is that they curl up when they think they are in danger.
I like Butterflies, so pretty and do such a good (vital) job 🙂
I love Ladybirds 🙂
I like ladybirds
My favourite minibeasts are ladybirds because they can’t sting and have great colours
I love money spiders- gotta live in hope it’s true.
Ladybird – very colourful.
Ladybirds because they’re cute and friendly
ANTS THEY ARE HARD WORKERS!
Ladybirds – they are pretty and good for the garden.
I love bees
Butterflies
has to be bees for me, so useful and just gorgeous
Ladybirds – I love their striking colours
I like bees as they play a big part in ensuring the upkeep of our environment
Grasshoppers – I like how they hop
I love bees, they are so beautiful and do amazing work
Love ladybirds, odd little things
I like caterpillars as their life cycle is so interesting and you have a beautiful butterfly by the end of it!
Ladybirds as my son loves singing the rhyme ‘Ladybird, ladybird fly away home …’
butterflies as they do no harm and theyre beautiful 🙂
Butterflies due to thier vast differances and colours 🙂
butterflies as they’re beautiful
Dragonflies as I think they are stunning
Lady birds are good with us.
Butterflies. They are so fascinating to watch as they flutter around.
Ladybirds.
Ladybirds, they have got to be one of the cutest insects
Ladybirds are really cute.
Ladybirds, they are lovely and not scary at all 🙂
Butterflies I just love the colours 😀
Ladybirds – just love the colour and gentle nature
Butterflies and dragon flies, they are so beautiful
Ladybirds because they’re so pretty and they stand out
caterpillars they turn into butterflies
Centipedes as they are very cute, yes they really are 🙂
we love ladybugs 😀
centipides are awesome
Butterflys and Lady-bugs (NOT Spiders…)
I love ladybirds because they’re really colourful 🙂
woodlice. I actually think they are cute but no one seems to agree!
Def has to be a ladybird! I remember as a child wanting to count the dots to see how old it was
I love ladybirds so pretty and I remember saying the rhyme as a child:
Ladybird, ladybird fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children are gone,
All except one,
Her name is Ann
and she’s hiding under the frying pan!
I love ladybirds because they are so colourful.
the butterflies as they are so colourful
Woodlice I like to watch them roll in a ball
Woodlice 🙂 I find the way they curl up fascinating, and I just love them!
Ladybirds because they are not creepy in anyway 🙂
Ladybirds as they are so small and delicate.