Content created for this post is sponsored by Relativity Media.
Since school ended, we’ve been seeing Earth to Echo posters pop up while wondering what exactly the movie was about. The deep blue posters featuring an owl-like robotic creature provided few hints about the plot of this family friendly movie. We mused that it was a science fiction movie featuring space and robots. While the trailers provided a few more clues, seeing them also made us wonder whether or not it was scary. The truth is that the whole family fell in love with Earth to Echo that could be a sleeper hit for the summer for ages 7 and up and opens in theaters today- July 2.
A cross between classics like Stand by Me and ET (for those of us who grew up in the 80s) plus some Super 8 thrown in, Earth to Echo is a delightful movie that features strong bonds of friendship, an adventure fueled by mystery, and a loveable character worth protecting. This coming-of-age adventure that tests friendships is reminiscent of Stand by Me while the plot is a throwback to ET but features modern day technology like cell phones and video cameras that help document an unexplainable sci-fi mystery like in Super 8.
At its core, Earth to Echo is about three best friends- Tuck, Munch (his nickname), and Alex- who have known each other for years but must part ways as the construction of a new highway is forcing the families to move. The day before the move, their mobile phones start to go haywire and the boys figure out that they’re displaying a map. Using the excuse of one last sleepover to play a new video game, together the boys set off on their bikes towards an unknown destination more than 17 miles away.
Filming as they go to document their experience, the adventure proves to be the ultimate geocache and true test of their friendship as their loyalty to each other comes into question at different points in the movie. And as much as we’d like a happy ending, Earth to Echo doesn’t exactly turn out the way one would hope for all involved though it still provides many heartfelt moments that leave movie goers satisfied.
Since the quest that Tuck, Munch, and Alex embark on is much like geocaching where adventure seekers use an app or GPS on their mobile pones to locate cleverly hidden containers in nearby neighborhoods, we decided to embark on our own Earth to Echo inspired geocache activity. Like the boys, we armed ourselves with technology to assist us during our travels and headed off on our bikes, although we preferred to go on our trip during the day rather than their nighttime escapade. And like Earth to Echo, not all geocaches turn out exactly the way one would hope but we still had a great time! Take a look at our geocaching adventure!
In honor of Earth to Echo, your family is invited to go on a Geocaching adventure in your city with Earth To Echo! If you live in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle a special geocaching adventure has been set up to help you unlock the mystery. Just click on the links for your home city and if you live in another city, no problem!
Do what we did by using resources found on Geocaching.com and downloading the official geocaching app to get started. The free app is designed for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. If you’re looking for more features, there’s also a paid version for $9.99.
Earth to Echo opens in theaters on July 2. For the latest news and updates on the film, be sure to like #EarthToEcho on Facebook and follow the film on Twitter.
I was compensated for documenting our geocaching adventure and received a GoPro3 and other movie-themed items from Relativity Media to assist in our creation of the video.
I think my kids would love this movie!