$50 iTunes card
What would you buy…?
Zootopia Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman $19.99
This is a really funny, brilliantly crafted crime adventure set in a totally adorable animal world. New bunny cop Judy Hopps (Goodwin) gets herself a bigtime disappearance case to solve, with the necessary help of con-artist fox Nick Wilde (Bateman). As the film develops, we see a world where prey and predator animals sharing a space is actually a cause of tension and prejudice. The story leans into these themes, meaning the film isn’t just a fun way to spend an evening – it’s thoughtful about giving kids a (non-cheesy) message about diversity and not judging people fairly.
Pokémon Go Niantic, Inc Free
Released shortly before we went to press, Pokémon GO is the biggest mobile game launch ever. It encourages kids (and, in fact, quite a lot of adults…) to explore their local area looking for tiny monsters to capture, train, and battle. It tells you if a Pokémon is nearby using GPS, and then “shows” it in the real world on your phone screen, overlaying it on a live camera image. Real-life popular locations become important hotspots in the game, meaning impromptu game communities are popping up all over the place. It’s fitness app, guide to interesting nearby places, and game all in one, and we’re loving it so far.
Love You to Death Tegan and Sara $9.99
Canadian identical twins with the style of ’80s New Romantics and sharp jawlines of cartoon superheroes, Tegan and Sara produce pop albums that are all killer no filler. This and their last album ( Heartthrob) are 10 songs apiece, and no song here is longer than three and a half minutes. They come in, blast you with fun tunes that range from bouncy synth pop to soft piano pieces, then move on. The songs are mostly about relationships (especially the tough times), but often are less about romance and more about the partnership between the sisters themselves, which gives things a fresh edge.
Hamilton: The Revolution Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeremy McCarter $16.99
It’s fair to say Hamilton has been a sensation – its huge popularity culminating in 11 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. This book, charting the amazing stories behind the creation of the musical and looking at its cultural impact through interviews with key political and artistic experts, makes a fantastic iBook, full of beautiful images that really pop from an iPad or Mac’s Retina display.