Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and Digital from writer/directors Benjamin Renner, Gyulo Homsy, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures comes MIGRATION.

The Mallard family lives a pretty nice life on the banks of their pond. Dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani), Mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks) and their two children Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Resi Gazal). Mack is a bit of an anxious father constantly worried about keeping his children safe from scary things with Pam being the positive of the two.

Son Dax is a daredevil who is both a caring and irritating brother to little Gwen and she has picked up some of Mack’s nervousness. To round out the Mallard clan is Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito) who loves his family in his own way. When a group of colorful duck’s land in their pond for a bit of a rest, Pam learns they are migrating to Jamaica and she is intrigued.

Mack, however, is not so much into all the friendliness and goes about his business. Pam makes it clear that, in fact, she wants to migrate to Jamaica to see outside their little world. Knowing that he must overcome his fears, Mack decides to gather up the clan and head south. Once up in the huge sky, the family feels such freedom – which is quickly interrupted.

The Mallards discover Erin (Carol Kane) the kind of scary heron and the big city. Feeling a bit lost, they meet Chump (Awkwafina) who knows someone that can help them on their way. Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key) is a stunning exotic bird locked in a cage by The Chef! Wanting to go home, Mack decides to take on a task that brings him to a place ducks shouldn’t go, into a chef’s kitchen.

Escaping quickly, the new member of the flock is happy to be in the air again, when breaktime comes the family meets Googoo (David Mitchell) who is seriously into yoga. Since helping Delroy escape, The Chef has decided his mission is to find the birds and bring them back to his restaurant.

Not so fast, the flock of feathers might have something to say about that!

Nanjiani voices Mack, the head of the family (so he thinks) and thinks that telling his kids scary things about the world will keep them safe. It is only when his wife decides that she wants to do something different does he realize the hold he has been putting on his family. Banks as Pam is a loving wife and Mom who knows that it is time for them to do something different as a family. Once out in the world she is the glue that holds them all together.

Jennings as Dax is a thrill seeker who sometimes pushes the limits a bit to far. Gazal as Gwen is an agreeable and, at times, a duplicate of her father with fears no little bird should have but she is so dang cute! DeVito as Uncle Dan is an elderly duck who goes along to get along and does so in his own unique way.

Kane drops by as the voice of Erin the heron and keeps the Mallards on their webbed feet. Awkwafina flies in as Chump the leader of the pigeons who may be little but don’t let her size fool you. Mitchell as Googoo is as deeply meditating as a bird can get, perhaps a little too much into it to see the truth around him.

Key as Delroy is a bird of beautiful feathers who has been caged. That is until his new friends decide that it is time to be free once again, oh, and give them directions to Jamaica!

Universal Pictures has amazing films in their library and making it available for us to all experience in theatres and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

Illumination, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the industry’s leading producers of event animated films. Bringing the DESPICABLE ME franchise, to include Minions, features some of the world’s most renowned talent. To read more please visit www.illumination.com.

Exclusive Bonus Features on 4K UHD, Bluray, DVD and Digital include Fly Hard (Mini Movie) – Chump sheds her tough-as-nails attitude, risking her life to fly through a blizzard and the harrowing streets of New York to return a prized possession to a kind woman from the park, Mooned (Mini Movie) – Following the events of DESPICABLE ME, Vector and a lost Minion are stranded on the moon, and struggle to get back to Earth, Midnight Mission (Mini Movie) – The Minions will try anything to help Agnes overcome her fear of the dark, even if it involves going into outer space.

Also included is Microphone Madness – A fun look behind-the-scenes as the cast record some of their silliest lines, Meet the Cast – In this series of behind-the-scenes pieces, we learn more about our favorite characters and the legendary comedic voices behind them, Taking Flight: The Making of – MIGRATION is an original script so brand-new characters and locations had to be developed, designed, and animated from scratch! Here, filmmakers and crew break down their process to show us what gives this film an entirely new look and feel. The Art of Flight – Using a series of production phases from storyboards to pre-viz, we peel back the feathers and reveal just what goes in to creating the avian heroes of the film, The Sound of Flight – Take a closer look at the music of MIGRATION as Composer John Powell walks us through his scoring journey. How to Draw Mack, Delroy, Chump and Gwen,

Finally, Build Your Own Pop-Up Book – Daddy duck, Mack, likes to tell his two little ducklings some…overly imaginative bedtime stories. In this fun “How To” we’ll show you how to create a pop-up book so you can tell your very own bedtime stories, Calling All Birds – They may not have cellphones, but you can call your web-footed friends anytime you want! In this fun How To, we’ll teach you how to create and customize your very own set of colorful bird whistles with The Mack Quack, The Heron Honk and The Chump Chirp and Best Nests – You don’t have to fly south –or anywhere –to find a perfect paradise for your feathered friends. Here we’ll teach you how to make the best nest for your pet ducks, or anyone flying by, including a water feeder to keep them hydrated!

Illumination has done it again with their own unique brand of animation, togetherness, fun and humor. Three generations of ladies can tell you that the laughing won’t stop from beginning to end. We are all minion lovers from the very first so anything Illumination brings to the screen we are there for.

MIGRATION is absolutely adorable in all respects, from vibrant colors, to action, to humor, this film has everything a family wants to see for the holidays. The story of family is so strong in this telling, that it seems only natural that the birds of all feathers would be flocking together. Even the pigeons finally get to have a say in how they feel about their bad reputation and it is adorable.

It is clear that Moms and Dads will have a fun time with the kids talking about what they liked the most. Let’s be clear however that all adults should be have a wonderful time just seeing it on their own. Directors Renner and Homsy should be congratulated for bringing a wonderful film to the big screen in time for the holidays!

In the end – soar into a new adventure!

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