First Impression: Disney Infinity 3.0

Disney Infinity 3.0 launched on Sunday and we couldn't be more excited! We couldn't wait to add Star Wars characters, themes, and vehicles to the ever expanding universe that is the Toy Box. After D23, we had some more ideas of what the came would contain, as well as a sneak peek at some fun items that would be joining the game.

These are just some first impressions of the game, as we've only scratched the surface. At this point, it's worth mentioning that one of our favorite aspects of the game is the inclusion of nostalgia inducing toys. So, without further ado, here's some of our first impressions!

1. The Introduction made us smile wider than a kowakian monkey lizard! It was a perfect blend of the new and the classic. Seeing the classic trilogy Star Wars characters come together felt like Christmas . . . and now they can be played with our favorite Marvel and Disney characters. Yoda and Stitch team-up is a go!
2. So many new toys! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (which comes with a goat) is not a static set piece. It has falling dust that helps make for a more dynamic world-creating and playing experience. Gravity Falls has a lot more toys, too! Can't wait to add a Gobble Wonker to a world!
3. The expansion of town sets. Halloweentown can now become an actual town. Including pieces like Finkelstein's Lab, Jack's House, some gates, and other exciting buildings. Sugar Rush ca also be expanded to fill up your Toy Box with sweet treats.
4. Characters are amazing. Besides having beautiful sculpts, the few we played play well and fit perfectly into the universe. We're so happy to see Yoda be a nice mesh between classic Yoda and Clone wars Yoda. Let him sit for moment, you'll see.
5.  Vehicles - this is one of the best improvements. Many of the vehicle power discs have music upgrades. This is a small detail, but an important one. Some of the music was just bland and did not fit thematically with the piece. Now when you play Darkwing Duck's Ratcatchter, you get to hear the Darkwing Duck theme song! The Electric Mayhem bus has it's music back, which for some reason was lost in DI2.0. We highly encourage you to try all of your vehicles, as the music changes make for a more fun gaming experience.
6. The Boom Box now includes an amazing set list. We get most of the music from DI2.0 plus some fantastic new ones. I'm very happy to see that The Electric Mayhem Bus music can now be selected (so glad the Muppets are still being included in some small way!). You can now add a bunch of new classic John Williams scores to your Star Wars Toy Boxes. I can't wait to make a Dagobah themed toy box with Yoda's Theme. 
7. Star Wars themes and new Disney themes for the Toy Box. The inclusion of such classic art from Sleeping Beauty is wonderful. We love playing with the sky and terrain themes!
8. Packs and Tools has some new items, too. Our favorite by far is the Ewok Glider! We've never been a fan of the glider pack, but now I think it's safe to say that this pack will always be on our characters! It's one of those fun fan items that make the care and love that is put into every game shine and take the limelight. It reminds us why we're fans and why we love the game!
   
   Those are just a few of the things that we love about the game so far! Check back as we put up more impressions of the game, like Toy Box Takeover, Twilight of the Republic playset, characters, and more!

Ant-Man Review

Ant-Man is one of Marvel’s finest films. Filled with humor, heart, and a heist, Ant-Man delivers on all fronts and brings plenty of surprises along for the ride.

Ant-Man is one of the forgotten properties of Marvel. Making his first appearance in the 60’s, Ant-Man was one of the founding members of the Avengers. With the ability to shrink to the size of an ant and communicate with his name sake, Ant-Man was kind of a strange hero to sell. A morally grounded scientist with absurd powers. However, we are talking about a group of heroes with an egotistical billionaire in a suit, a Norse God, an assassin, an expert archer, a super soldier, and a scientist who has anger issues, Ant-Man really doesn’t seem all that strange when put into perspective.

Where the movie succeeds is not over explaining Ant-Man’s powers. Hank Pym, the creator of Pym particles and Pym Technologies, discovered a way to shrink the distance between atoms, decreasing the objects size. The technology was going to fall into the wrong hands so he hid it for years. Until someone else discovers it and now he must stop them from selling the technology to the highest bidder. That’s the generally plot of the movie. Nothing terrible original but the way it is presented is unique and unexpected. However, the movie is not bogged down in the science, but in the story of Hank Pym and Scott Lange, two of the Ant-Men.

Hank and Pym are both tragic characters, trying to do good in a world that just won’t let them succeed. Both have families they are trying to save, both for themselves and from themselves. Rather than the big spectacle like Iron Man or Captain America, Ant-Man hits closest to home, with family and redemption being the central theme. Everyone deserves a second chance. While Hank Pym’s story is more heart-breaking than Langs, we feel for both characters and want them to return to the family they used to know.

The ants are a highlight of the movie. Each species gets a great introduction in a montage while Ant-Man trains to fight and control the suit. They are as much as a character in the movie as Pym and Lang. They are presented as cute but formidable and make the most enduring chirping noises.  They are believable and the special effects are phenomenal.  It may turn some people off from the movie but the ants literally save the day!

There are plenty of surprises along the way, which I won’t spoil here. The humor was spot on, breaking tension and diffusing emotional scenes. It is one of the strongest aspects of the movie and sets it on par with Guardians of the Galaxy. It was refreshing after the heavy hitter that was Ultron, and yes, we don’t forget about those events in this movie.

Stay for themed credits scene.

Stay for the post credits scene.

Overall, Ant-Man is a triumph. It is easily one of my favorite Marvel movies and I cannot wait for Scott Lang to make an appearance in Civil War. Bigger is not always better and Ant-Man proves that a good hero with a good hear and ant friends can save the day, whether it be for the whole world or a single family. Go see Ant-Man on July 17^th!

I highly recommend it in 3D!

Review: Inside Out

Review: Inside Out

Inside Out is the latest film from Disney*Pixar. They have taken us to so many wonderful places and told amazing stories. This time they take us inside the mind of an eleven year old girl who is is moving from one stage of her life into the next, and has to deal with a ton of emotional baggage. That's where this movie really shines.

Meet the voices inside your head: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. They reside in the
headquarters (pun intended, I'm sure) and help to form your responses to everyday occurrences. Imagine you see broken glass on the ground. That's where Fear might take the controls to help you stay safe. Broccoli? Disgusting, right? You don't get the toy you want at the store? Anger takes the controls and lights a fire under you! All of them work together to make you.

What makes this movie so interesting and fun is the visual representation of the mind and your personality. What makes you you. We all have different personalities and coping mechanisms. What emotion is driving us? Is it fear? Anger? Joy? What aspects of our lives form our personalities? For Riley, we get to see her Five Islands of Personality. The five things that make her who she is. Each one helps us understand who she is. We dive even deeper into her mind and explore what happens to memories, where imagination lives, and what resides in our subconscious.

The title of the movie really implies how the movie is set-up. We see Riley and who is she is not so much by her actions in the film, but by how she comes to those actions before she carries them out. We get to know the main character from the inside out. Instead of her just making a disgusted face to her parents, we see how she comes to make that face. We know all of her actions before she is even going to do them, thanks to her emotions. It's a very different way to experience a film.

I thought Anger was the strongest character in the film. Not only was he animated superbly with over-the-top expressions and actions, but he was really developed into a full character with his own emotional story arc. He also leads us to a critical moment in Riley's life, one he later comes to regret. Fear is visually wonderful and has a great scene when he is watching Riley's dream. Disgust was kind of along for the ride, but didn't really speak to me as a character. Joy and Sadness, who form the core story of the film, work really well together. And, as we find out, are inseparable. We also get to meet Bing Bong, Riley's imaginary friend (voiced by Richard Kind), and some other fun characters. But I don't want to spoil it for you!

I think the greatest thing about this movie is the sense of introspection you are left with after the film ends. Suddenly, you are aware of what drives you. What pushes you forward. How you react to situations. Maybe it'll make better humans of us all. After all, look at what happens when Anger gives us ideas . . .

Final Thoughts:
Inside Out is a must-see film. It is visually splendid, moves along at a good pace, and takes us to places we've never been before. Listen carefully for a nod to a Disney Parks attraction. The humor is wonderful. It let's us laugh together as an audience and at ourselves. Most of all, it will leave you a little wiser and perhaps give you some perspective.

Review Avengers: Age of Ultron Review 2

Avengers: Age of Ultron hit the big screen today, May 1, 2015. The entire world may be in theaters right now watching it. If not, it should be. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to evolve and change, this is a welcome film to help bridge the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. However, the film goes beyond being a bridge and ends up being a wonderful addition to the MCU.

First, let's talk about Ultron. I mean the film is named after him. Ultron is a wonderfully unique villain. He is a mirror of Tony Stark and all the things Tony is probably capable of, but does not act on. Ultron is the tamper throwing child version of Tony. As a cinematic villain, Ultron defies a lot of the traditional  cliches of a villain, including not revealing his evil plan in a well delivered line. Ultron is unpredictable and childish, a dangerous combination for the Avengers. His origins are fairly simple and his motivation is clear. He knows what he wants and plans to get it. James Spader does a superb job of creating a memorable villain who makes you just a little uncomfortable. I mean, how often do we have a robotic villain who can deliver one-liners? Ultron also has one of the most ambitious plans of any villain. Let's just say the dinosaurs had some experience with this plan.

The film also sees the introduction of a number of characters: Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Baron Strucker, Ulysses Klaw (a main villain of Black Panther, and Wakanda gets a mention), and the Vision. Each of these characters are welcome additions to the MCU, especially Vision who is portrayed so delightfully by Paul Bettany. Vision, who is created by a mixture of Ultron and the Avengers, particularly Stark, Banner, and Thor, is not only visually appealing but brings a nuance to the Avengers Team that helps balance out the heroes. Yes, there are a lot of characters in this film, but each is well written and doesn't detract from the story. 

Speaking of balance, it was wonderful to see Hawkeye and Black Widow get some more depth in this film. Hawkeye now feels much more rounded as a character and helps ground the Avengers in reality. He's a family man and that family resonates with our heroes after nearly falling apart. Black Widow's past, which is usually shrouded in mystery, is partially revealed in a well scripted scene with Bruce Banner.

What this film has, thanks to Joss Whedon, is so many great moments of well crafted character development. In just a few lines, whether serious or humorous, the audience understands these characters. Even the characters that get very little screen time are beautifully brought to life through just a few lines.

Besides introducing new characters, we also get to see old favorites, like War Machine and Falcon. Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of them as both Don Cheadle and Anthony Mackie have such great chemistry with the Avengers cast. Hopefully this chemistry will continue as the Avengers grace the big screen again.

The mid-credits scene also delivers one of the best lines and moments in the MCU. Be prepared for the MCU to get a little crazy.

Overall, this film is amazing. It's huge and fun and lets the characters that we love grow. The characters are all in top form, new and old alike. Things explode, robots battle with gods, monsters and iron men grapple, and miracle twins step in to change the course of the world. The writing is amazing and many of the scenes are extremely memorable (probably due to the perfect and appropriate use of humor). Go see it and have a great time! I can't wait to see where our fearless heroes go next! Bring on the Ant and the Spider.

Review: The Avengers: Age of Ultron

The Avengers assemble once again in Age of Ultron. This time the Avengers must face their ultimate villain in the form of Ultron, an artificial intelligence bent on saving/destroying the human race. With more characters, more special effects, and more surprising than the first, Age of Ultron lives up to the expectations it has set for itself.

To begin, we had some really incredible trailers: Jurassic World, Ant-Man, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Age of Ultron explodes on the screen the moment the film starts.  The story begins exactly where it should, in the middle of the action, introducing the new players, and bringing all the Avengers together for a spectacular fight scene. I won’t go into any details because I, for one, do not enjoy spoilers. As you already know, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are in the movie and we see them straight from the get-go. No waiting, quick history, and I have enough to know that these are characters I care about. However, they are never mentioned by the aforementioned names, but are referred to as The Twins through most of the movie. The Twins are a nice counter to the Avengers and added to the movie, rather than fill it with unnecessary characters.

Of course we have Ultron, the main protagonist, who is new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Big, bad, and chrome-plated. Ultron has a very subtle and haunting introduction during one of the funniest and fun scenes in the movie. We see old and new characters having fun, then Ultron crashes the party. Ultron is quick, single minded, and has a lot of character. However, I felt we didn’t get enough screen time with the ultimate villain to truly understand him. I always took Ultron as a very tragic figure, and he was, but we needed to be told that by all the other characters, Ultron did not show us that.

Humor was on par with the first Avengers and really shown in this movie as the characters play so well off each other. You can tell the actors had fun on this movie. Always placed at the right moment, the humor never over shadowed the seriousness of certain scenes.

I’ll leave The Vision alone, you’ll just have to see the movie. 

The movie offered plenty of surprises, humor, and wit to match The Avengers. At times the story was a little rushed and convoluted. But there was a  lot going on and a ton of characters to juggle.  We also have nods to the Infinity Stones, which everyone now knows is what the MCU is leading up to. Some things were left unexplained, but I’m okay with that because I really don’t need to know what happened. Because of the pace, the movie is relentless. We only have one very calm and serene moment with Hawkeye, which was very Joss Whedon-esque and really brought the movie back to the ground. The Avengers are real people, doing real things, really dangerous things, and aren’t invincible. The theme of “What is a monster” is challenged time and time again in the movie, with almost every character giving their own answer to the question Ultron has posed. The major issue with Age of Ultron is so much in so little time. I would have liked to have seen another half hour to really fill in the gaps. The original Avengers had all the previous movies to set-up all the characters, including the villian, Loki, Age of Ultron introduces 4 new characters and only has 141 minutes to explain them plus the plot. they did a good job, but a little extra time would have been nice.

The movie was great! It had everything I wanted from The Avengers and more. Surprises are in store, action is abound, and the characters were true to themselves. We are being ushered into a new age for the MCU and Ultron had lead us there.

Review: Star Vs. the Forces of Evil

Star Vs. the Forces of Evil

DisneyXD

Monday night saw the premiere of Star Vs. the Forces of Evil, created by Daron Nefcy on DisneyXD.  I have to admit that the theme song is quite catchy and easily gets stuck in your head. The opening is manic, bright, and filled with rainbows and puppies. The show is 22 minutes with two eleven minute episodes with single plots.

The show is about Star Butterfly (voiced by Eden Sher) a princess from another dimension called Mewni. She is exiled to Earth by her parents and quickly falls in with Marco Diaz (voiced by Adam McArthur). Star wields a magical wand, one with powers she has yet to master, and Marco is a safety nut who knows karate. Also, there are puppies with laser eyes.

The first episode introduces the main characters, the main settings, and the main plot. For some reason, a little bird like creature named Ludo (voiced by Alan Tudyk) wants to take over the universe, and to do so he needs Star's wand. He has a bunch of animal lackeys that help carry out his misdeeds. Of course, the villains are completely inept.

In the second episode, we are introduced to the rather brash Flying Princess Pony Head (voiced by Jenny Slate). She is basically a floating unicorn head with dimensional scissors - scissors that can cut into any dimension. Pony Head is full of bad advice, jealousy, and is rather selfish. Star just wants her two besties, Pony Head and Marco, to be friends which leads to dimensional travel with some minor consequences. 

The show is colorful, has some fun art design, and has a cute end credits sequence. I'm hoping there is more of a story arc to the episodes that tie them all together. I like that magic is readily acceptable in the Earthly dimension, rather than something that needs to be feared or hidden. With only the first episode, it's hard to make any judgement calls now. But my first impression is that of a fun, cute show that goes for big visual jokes. Let's hope this show will be a star in the DisneyXD line-up as it grows.

Should you tune-in for episodes? That's up to you. I'm a little indifferent after the first episode. I wasn't impressed or turned-off to it. It just needs to grow a little, just like it's main character.

Review: Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

(or Fawn's movie with Tink in it)

In Disney's non-theatrical (at least state side) franchise involving Pixie Hollow and Tinkerbell, the newest film finds Fawn taking center stage and introducing a new beastie to the world of Neverland. The film is quite fun with some cool designs for the Neverbeast and it's habits and habitat. I thought this was one of the best of the franchise, though it did have some minor questions that remain unanswered. 

The film is really about Fawn, the animal fairy, and here inability to match her heart with her head. In other words, her motivations are pure, but she doesn't always think things through. As evident by a young hawk she takes in, which is shown to disrupt everything at Pixie Hollow. Apparently, hawks eat fairies. This raises a question about the animal fairies: Do they selectively take care of animals? I always thought (or perhaps assumed) that fairies take care of all animals, regardless of species or their ability to ingest fairies.

This little hawk mishap is the introduction to a group of radical fairies called the Guards. They protect Pixie Hollow from any beasties and probably other bad things. Nyx, who is the antagonist of the film, is their leader. I'm not sure how fond I am of warrior/guard fairies, especially since they just randomly pop up in the sixth film of the franchise, if only as a plot device. I mean, where were they in the other films? Is this a newly formed fairy job in response to previous events? It kind of takes away from the innocence of fairies and puts them into a weird place. Anywho, Nyx is our antagonist who misunderstand a prophecy about a green comet and the end of the world . . . well, the end of Pixie Hollow at least.

The film also introduces us to the Neverbeast, or Gruff, a creature who appears only when the green comet is seen in the sky over Pixie Hollow. A ferocious beast that is part cat, part pangolin/chameleon, part bat, and and part badger. It's a pretty cool looking beast, though it looks more at home in Wonderland than in Pixie Hollow. The Neverbeast is the main source of conflict in the film. Is it good, like Faun wants to believe? Or is it bad, and will bring on the apocalypse, like Nyx believes? 

I enjoyed the film very much. I liked the introduction of something new to Neverland, as well as the myth building around the Neverbeast. I'm glad another fairy got a meaningful story, besides Tinkerbell. The music was great, with primal tones thematically linking much of the story. There were some wonderfully quite moments with Faun and the Neverbeast, and you could really understand the relationship they were building through the events that linked them.

Final Thoughts:

The Legend of the Neverbeast is a welcome entry into the Pixie Hollow franchise. Perhaps one of the best. It tells a fun story about following your heart and looking beyond the surface to find the true person inside. The other main idea I got from the film was to not jump to conclusions . . . or maybe it was don't believe nerdy fairies. It's a great story of friendship and trust. you'll laugh and you might even shed a small tear by the end.

Review: Doctor Who Season Finale

Doctor Who

Dark Water & Death in Heaven

I decided to do the finale of Doctor Who: Season 8 together, as they were best experienced back to back.

Dark Water, the first of the two episodes, finds the Doctor and Clara embroiled in a rather strange scheme that involves the dead, some rather interesting water, and Missy. Danny Pink, a character who seemed a little directionless in the season (besides being a soldier, which foreshadowed events in the finale) is killed off immediately in this episode catalyzing the events that follow. Danny's death leads to Clara acting out towards the Doctor in an attempt get him to change time and bring back Danny. The Doctor agrees, in a wonderful exchange about friendship. 

The Tardis locates where Clara and Danny's timelines were most likely to cross paths again - a building filled with underwater skeletons. Missy is there waiting for them and introduces herself as an android with a heart. We also get to meet the incredibly good looking Dr. Cheng. Here we learn more about the Nethersphere (where Danny Pink is currently learning about the afterlife). We also learn that Missy is up to no good with a plot to harness the dead to create an army.

The skeletons in the water, Dark Water to be exact, a water that Dr. Cheng says is x-ray water, allowing only organic matter to be seen hiding the exoskeletons that are keeping the skeletons upright, begin to come alive. As the water falls, it reveals the Cybermen! The return of a great foe! Who are working with none other than Missy, who also happens to be the Master! The return of another great foe!

Death in Heaven, the second episode, reveals what Missy's plan is and introduces UNIT back into the series. Missy, also known as the Master (who is wonderfully regenerated into a woman!) is planning on taking the dead of Earth and making them into a controllable army of Cybermen, including P.E. (that's Danny Pink)! This army will be raised by a cloud that rains cyber pollen on the Earth's graveyards, creating a storm of mechanical madness.

The Doctor, in the meantime, has been taken by UNIT to be the President of Earth. Clara stalls for time and is saved by the Danny Pink Cyberman. Missy is held captive and an Eleventh Doctor reference is made (bow ties are cool!). Some deaths occur and a reference to a long lost character is made to delight of fans.

In the end, things work out quite nicely. There is a wonderful monologue by the Doctor that harkens back to a question that has plagued the Doctor throughout this season, "Am I a good man?"

The answer to that question is yes. Yes, the Doctor is a good man, but he is so much more than that! 

Final Thoughts:

This was a good season finale that brought back some old enemies that deserved a revisit. It was especially wonderful to see the Master regenerated as a woman who just wanted her childhood friend back. Logic aside, it was a fun plan with two unlikely allies, the Cybermen and the Master. It also brought up some interesting ideas about the afterlife that left one wondering. 

Review: Doctor Who - Mummy on the Orient Express

Doctor Who

Mummy on the Orient Express

A murder, a train, and the Doctor, all in one place. This episode finds our heroes on their last hurrah together, as Clara had decided previously that she couldn't keep traveling withe the Doctor. It was strain on her and a strain on her relationships on Earth. Their last hurrah, however, would prove to bring them back together.

An ancient curse is running rampant on the Orient Express in space. A confined little setting that allows, what looks like, folks from the 1920s to witness bizarre events that lead to the deaths of a few passengers. A curse known as the Foretold, a mummy that only appears to its victims and kills in 66 seconds. It's a fun little curse, but we don't get much explanation about the curse and the wrapped cadaver's motivation. I quite enjoyed the idea of a fear that only you can see that is truly real. What do you do with your last 66 seconds? Does it really matter how you behave when you know your in danger? 

Clara ends up trapped most of this episode away from the Doctor, perhaps allowing her to reflect on her travels and how much she really enjoys them, even though she's in danger much of the time. 

The theme of soldiers comes back up again as we find out a little bit of information about the Foretold's origins and the train conductor. Both soldiers of some kind. The Doctor sure has been running into a lot of them this season! Is that important? Yes. Yes it is.

Even though things work out just fine, the Foretold disappears (ending a 5000 year old fairy tale) and the artificial intelligence known as GUS, who is the mastermind with vague motivation behind the Foretold and the voice of the train itself, is destroyed, many things remain unanswered. Who is GUS? What did the Foretold really want? Why 66 seconds? 

In the end, Clara decides to continue traveling with the Doctor. And who wouldn't?

Final Thoughts:

It was a fun episode with a great setting and an interesting challenge to overcome. I find that this Doctor is all about slightly morbid Curiosity as a theme (the insides of a Dalek, the creatures that live in the dark, etc), whereas the Eleventh Doctor was mostly about Hope. Let's see where this curiosity takes us!

Review: Doctor Who Kill the Moon

Doctor Who

Kill the Moon

This episode finds the Doctor and Clara traveling to the moon to change the course of mankind. But this time is a little different - the Doctor stays out of it! 

When Clara tries to get the Doctor to apologize for calling a student "not special," the Doctor makes a bold decision to prove himself. Clara, the Doctor, and Courtney are whisked away to the moon in the Tardis where something universe altering is about to occur.

This episode is mostly about decisions. People are making a lot of decisions, from deciding to go to the moon, to explode 100 nuclear bombs, to save the moon, or to just run. Many things hang in the balance in this episode - future of mankind and the moon, as well as a relationship that was already slightly strained between the Doctor and Clara.

We find that companions are probably the best when traveling with the Doctor, rather than trying to live two lives. Clara begins to realize, or perhaps Danny Pink has had some influence, that the Doctor's life, and therefore her life, are difficult to balance. Hard decisions must be made and the Doctor will not always tell you the right way.

I really liked that the Doctor stepped out of this episode for a little bit. He left everything up to three humans who, right or wrong, were going to make a very human decision. One that would change the course of the universe.

This episode brought up some interesting ideas about what the Doctor knows and doesn't know. Did he know that Courtney was special and was just saying she wasn't to help push her along? Contrary to what the Doctor claimed about grey areas in his mind, he seemed to clearly know the outcome of the situation, but not how the decision was going to be made perhaps. This Doctor is a keeper of secrets, mores than any other. He is dark and brooding sometimes, but all for good reason. 

Final thoughts:

I liked the episode just fine. This season is really driving home the idea of what it is like being a companion to the Doctor. It affects you. Inside and out. Your decisions. Your life. Your way of thinking. Clara has a lot of thinking to do now. She's a wonderful companion and brings  avery human soul to the show, much like Donna Noble did.

Disney Infinity 2.0 First Impressions

Disney Infinity 2.0 arrived on Tuesday. Along with it came the release of the much anticipated Marvel Heroes and playsets including The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy! The Disney Infinity family grew not only in number but in strength and quips (thanks, Spidey and Rocket!).

My first impressions upon turning on the game were really positive. The opening sequence really sets the player up for success, utilizing the Disney Originals properties quite effectively. You almost forget that the Marvel characters are in the game. It's fun, it's imaginative, and it gets you right into the amazing world (or worlds) that is Disney Infinity.

Things have changed quite a bit, but the heart of the game is still present. Sure, the controls have changed (based on player feedback) and it looks a little different, but the game is still entirely intact and retains the thing we loved about the first game - making new worlds for our favorite characters to play in and explore!

Going through the tutorials that are presented by the hosts of the Toy Box, you quickly learn all you need to know, from improved helicopter controls to building INteriors. The best part though, you get Marvel characters interacting with Disney items like the Enchanted Bed from Bedknobs and Broomsticks! Speaking of which, the Toy Store has some really amazing surprises, like new terrains and skies and structures. The townspeople are new and varied, including some more Muppets and other favorite characters from both Disney Originals and Marvel, like the Lizard!

The Playsets are very fun. Spider-Man introduces some fun mechanics and missions with a great opening sequence with Goblin and Mysterio. Guardians of the Galaxy opens up right into the action and gets you going right away.

The Marvel characters are a blast to play. I've been hooked with Spider-Man and Rocket Raccoon. I haven't played them all, so that might change. The characters do feel very different from each other, in movement, strength, and style. The abilities of each character feel and look much better this time around. Not every character throws a ball as a weapon.

Overall, I really enjoy the game so far! I like that it looks and feels like Disney Infinity, just upgraded. It has all the charm, enjoyment, and beautiful aesthetics of the first game, and greatly improves the players experience. 

Review 2: Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy

August 1, 2014

I'm not even sure how to start this review except that this movie is absolutely outstanding! I went into this film knowing very little about it. Every time I saw an advertisement for it, I was sold more and more on seeing it and wanting to be part of the action that is Guardians of the Galaxy (great job advertising team!). Why did I like it so much, just keep reading and you'll find out.

At first this Marvel property seemed like it would be a hard sell. Who didn't doubt the talking raccoon who had a gun and was in space and was on a team with a green-skinned lady and a tree alien? Yes, at first it sounds so far-fetched. But I think that is its biggest attraction and appeal. What we got in the film is a team of almost anti-heroes with obvious flaws and a whole lot of heart. We got a hilarious joy-ride through the universe. A story that moved along at a brisk pace, allowing us to learn about the characters as we followed them through their journey.

I really loved the fact that this was an ensemble movie driven by the characters. We didn't have five other movies explaining origins of each character. We get to know these characters through their flawed interactions with one another. It was touching to hear each of their stories and how they have all been brought together. The casting helped tremendously and was spot-on. This film excelled in being unpredictable and often hilarious. The Awesome Mix Tape helped underscore scenes in a meaningful way and understand Star-Lord, a man trapped in his past but so ready for the future.

This Marvel film also seemed to have a good time poking fun at superhero movie cliches. For example, after a somewhat touching speech by Star-Lord, the team stands up to literally stand by his side as Rocket watches on and eventually stands up saying, "Alright, I'm standing. Now we are all standing. You happy? A bunch of jacka**es standing in a circle." Hilarious and perfect. The film has so many moments like this one. These characters have no idea how to be heroes and it fits them perfectly.

Between the mayhem wrought by Ronan, the films lead villain, there are so many scenes of beauty - Groot spores, Groot cocoon, the first time we see Knowhere. Even the infinity stone, the macguffin in the film, has moments of visual beauty. If you didn't walk out of the theatre with a big smile on your face, you might have missed the movie, so go see it again. 

Though the film may have suffered from an over abundance of baddies, it was still great. Nebula didn't quite get her dues and doesn't really get a nice wrap-up either. Which is fine, especially since we know Thanos is still out there plotting.

I really only have good things to say about Guardians of the Galaxy. It was big, it was fun, it was hilarious in all the right places, it had characters I really liked and really wanted to see succeed. It was great to see Thanos in all of his purple glory. I loved Rocket Raccoon. I loved that he did not want to be bullied and that he was so smart and cared so much (you know, even though he might not admit it himself).

Also, potted Groot was hysterical! Just saying. 

Final Thoughts:

Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite Marvel film so far. It has all the right pieces coming together to make for a perfect superhero movie - great characters, a driving plot, fantastic visuals, kickin' soundtrack, and most of all heart.

I can't wait to see them again!

By the way, it made $94.3 million its first weekend, easily the biggest box office opening for August and heading to become the highest grossing movie of the season. 

Review 2: Maleficent

Maleficent

(or . . . Sleeping Beauty, from a Slightly Different Perspective)

Disney's Maleficent came to the big screen on May 30, 2014. The film promised to deliver the untold story of one of Disney's greatest villains of all time. Promises are funny things - don't make a promise you can't keep. Maleficent tells another version of Sleeping Beauty, rather than Maleficent's story from the 1959 animated classic. Simply put, the film doesn't deliver what it promises.

This film has a number of interesting problems. First, it seems like someone took a bulleted list of the most iconic moments from the animated Sleeping Beauty and tried to explain them away with rather lackluster and flimsy explanations (or in some cases, over explanations). For instance, why does Aurora prick her finger on a spinning wheel? Because that's the item that Maleficent sees while cursing the young princess. Seems rather unsatisfying. In contrast, we spend a great deal of time on setting up why Maleficent chooses sixteen as the magic number to curse Aurora, but it's just tossed in the mix. This happens throughout the course of the film, especially in the beginning set-up that seems like wasted plot exposition.

Second, there are a number of logical problems throughout the film. For instance, in the opening we see a young Maleficent heal a broken branch on a tree. Yet for some reason (that doesn't get a needed explanation) she cannot heal her own wings. Perhaps her magic doesn't work on herself? Who knows, but it would have been worth an explanation. Also, why would King Stefan (who is really the villain of the film) hand over his child to a bunch of idiotic pixies? Especially when the relationship between fairy kind and human kind is already strained and they take the child to a cottage that is dangerously close to the Moors, where Maleficent dwells? Also, why are the pixies idiots? And why does Maleficent turn the raven into a man, except to have someone for Maleficent to talk to?

Third, flat characters. Maleficent as a character shines quite brightly and Angelina Jolie gives an amazing performance. But the other characters fall utterly short of being remotely two dimensional. Their motivations are mysterious or overwhelming singular (I'm looking at you King Stefan). Only Maleficent is fleshed out as a character and even she is almost unrecognizable in her actions from the character she is based off. She appears to lack all of her powers (such as turning into a dragon, appearing and disappearing in green flames, and traveling as a will o' the wisp). The audience is sympathetic to Maleficent, who does have an arc to her story. But she has the only story arc. The other characters fade into the background and are grossly overshadowed by Maleficent.

Speaking of shadows, the film itself if very dark for much of the duration. Sometimes it was hard to actually make out what was going on in many scenes near the end. The human world was quite dismal to look at and seemed to have no redeeming qualities. There was no understanding or sense of the scope of the kingdom and the people who lived there.

Okay, now for some good things. Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and the overall story arc for her character were quite good and it comes full circle by the end. There is a nice little story in this clunky film about the power of true love, in this case, between Maleficent and Aurora. This story helped pull the movie together. Yes, it sounds a lot like Frozen, but it works here as well, though you can see it coming a mile away.

We get some fun creatures in the Moors, but we don't get too much of them.

Final Thoughts:

Maleficent is a story about the truth behind Sleeping Beauty, not so much about the Maleficent from the 1959 animated film. In fact, forget that and just remember the names of the characters. Once you discover that fact, the film can be quite enjoyable. Don't go into this film expecting to think for yourself. If you do, you will be disappointed. The information the film wants you to know will be spoon fed to you (though it leaves out and doesn't satisfyingly explain things). It has some fun and especially sweet moments between Maleficent and Aurora and I wish the film was focused on the 16 years that Maleficent spent with Aurora waiting for the curse and their relationship, rahter than giving unnecessary backstory in the form of effects sequences that does not help move the movie along. Also, it would have been really nice to have more fleshed out characters who mean something and have motivations, rather than characters there for the sake of continuity of the 1959 animated classic (especially when these characters do not resemble each other in any way besides their names).

*Perhaps if I see it again knowing that it is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and without the false pre-tense that this movie is about the origins of Maleficent from 1959 animated film, I might have a different perspective. Thanks advertising department at Disney for setting my hopes high and not delivering on your promise of telling the untold story of Disney's greatest villain.

Review: Muppets Most Wanted

(or maybe The Muppets . . . Again!)

The Muppets returned to the big screen this past March 21 with Muppets Most Wanted, a direct sequel to The Muppets. The film has grossed over $69 million and had a budget of $50 million. 

This film begins at the "The End" firework titles at the end of The Muppets. As the Muppets break the fourth wall, the audience realizes that The Muppets film was indeed just that - a film. All the fans have gone (or never existed really as they were just extras) and the Muppets are left pondering what to do next. Perfect segue to a song, right?

We start with the really fun and Muppety sounding "We're Doing a Sequel." The song has clever lyrics, though sometimes they betray the characters. For instance, We're doing a sequel / We're back by popular demand - wait - didn't we just spend a whole movie saying the Muppets weren't popular and their fans (who turned out to be extras) saved the day? We're doing a sequel / That's what we do in Hollywood / And everybody knows that the sequel's never quite as good  - wait - did the Muppets just put themselves down? I get the parody here, but that seems like a set-up for failure, or perhaps an excuse for mediocrity (there's a pattern here, you'll see). Anywho, putting those things aside, and a few other lyrics that I find a little irksome, it's a great start to the film. We get Muppets singing, including Scooter and Rowlf, some great parodies of other films, and some really snazzy costumes! Things are going well, we're having fun right up until we get to the lines We're doing a sequel / It's more of the same. / Let's give it a name. / How 'bout The Muppets Again! and then we cut to the titles and its called Muppets Most Wanted. Wait, but didn't the gang just say it was called "The Muppets . . .Again," or did they not get the memo that the name was changed? Perhaps it was really difficult to edit out this song? It is a good one. Okay, we'll let you pass on this one, filmmakers. Good songs should stay.

So, after a rousing start, a bouncy song, and the shadowy escape of a criminal who bears a resemblance to Kermit, the Muppets meet with Dominic Badguy who suggests the Muppets do a world tour and he be their manager - effectively removing Kermit from the gang. Kermit appears almost as a bad guy here as he votes against the other Muppets to not go. The Muppets seem like giddy children who have no respect for Kermit or each other. Whoa, not cool. 

Now that the gang, except Kermit, has voted that Dominic be their manager and they go on a world tour, we get to see a Muppet vehicle that ranks well with Kermit's Bicycle, the hot air balloon, and Piggy's motorcycle - a train. I really love that Beauregard was driving the train, backwards nonetheless. I was hoping that would be a running gag. But alas, it was not. 

Now, I can't get much further in this review if I don't mention Constantine (performed by Matt Vogel). Constantine is our villian. A Kermit duplicate with a mole who is hilarious and spot on the entire film. His plot exposition song "I'm Number One" really tells us what makes this frog tick. He's nothing more than a selfish frog with plans to be rich (and probably famous, just like another frog) by being a criminal. Oh yeah, and he likes to see monkeys dance and things explode. Constantine is quite the opposite of Kermit in the sense that Kermit is the reluctant leader and Constantine is the only leader.

After a frustrated Kermit goes for a walk, suggested by Dominic with a convenient map of where to go, Kermit is ambushed by Constantine and taken to a Russian Gulag. Constantine can now run The Muppets world tour with Dominic. Let me digress for a moment, as I found the premise of the Muppets not noticing Kermit to be gone was once again betraying the characters. Okay, now for the digression: 

James Bobin says this about Kermit being replaced in the film, "You have to suspend disbelief and accept that The Muppets don’t know, and also not care that they don’t know. It’s an impossible situation, but it’s much funnier if you believe it. And if you do believe it, you’ll be fine with this film."

The problem I have with this idea is that I do care that the Muppets don't know. I care about these characters with all my heart. When something like Kermit being replaced happens, I care. Now, I know this has happened before in The Muppet Show when Kermit was almost replaced by an automated host (The Muppet Show episode 104) and a green pig (The Muppet Show episode 224), but even though the gang is initially fooled, they know something is up with their MC. In this film, it's just out of character for the Muppets to be so selfish, only care about their acts, and not notice that Kermit is gone. Except Animal, which was a very nice touch. End digression.

In the Gulag we are introduced to a number of cameos and Nadya, the prison guard. Nadya is played well by Tina Fey and even gets a song. However, this song doesn't really feature any Muppets and just introduces the Gulag. Other than that, it doesn't do much for the film. Nadya's character is treated like a character should be treated in a Muppet film, as a secondary character to the Muppets. She's funny, has a crush on Kermit, and knows every escape plan in the book (well, at least on Netflix). Although we do end up spending a little too much time in the Gulag. It seems like this was the answer to The Happiness Hotel in The Great Muppet Caper. But without the Muppets.

Speaking of human characters in Muppet films, we can't forget Jean Pierre Napoleon played by Ty Burrell. I really enjoyed the team-up of Jean and Sam Eagle. It was funny, appropriate, and fit well into the film. They even got a song together, "Interrogation Song." This song ended up being one of my favorites, especially the uncut version on the soundtrack. It's fun, features lots of Muppets, and helps move the film along. However, this song also has a betrayal moment to the Muppets. At the end, Sam sings, They couldn't, they're too stupid. Okay, have the Muppets ever called one another stupid? I think they are naive to the situation, which is where the humor lies. But they are not stupid.

In the meantime, the Muppets put on shows to adoring fans . . . or so we think. Once again, the characters are betrayed. Apparently, the Muppets are not popular, once again. Walter, who has a suspicion that Dominic and Constantine are not who they say they are, follows Dominic and witnesses him bribing people to go to the show and write good reviews. Okay, this is the third instance I have mentioned of this idea that the Muppets are not popular. Here's why it bothers me: The Muppets are popular but are being sold to audiences (in two films now) as if they are not popular. Will this lead to a self-fulfulling prophecy? The opening song confirms this, We got another go to show them we can do it all again! If the Muppets fall into the void as unpopular, it will because the current films are treating them as unpopular forgotten has-beens. 

So now Walter knows the scheme and Fozzie finally gets to knowing and Animal knew all along. Let's talk about Walter for a moment. Walter had a whole film to be introduced. In this film, he is rightfully placed as a supporting character. However, I do find it very hard to believe that Gonzo, Rowlf, and Scooter would not notice Kermit being gone. Instead, the character who helped bring the Muppets back from the void of unpopularity (or did he?) is the only one who has any suspicion, besides Animal. My point here is that the qualities that make the Muppets a family- love, respect, mutual admiration, teamwork -have been distilled into one character, leaving the others a little flat. However, I do have to say that many of the Muppets that were missing or that did not get enough screen time in The Muppets, take fine form here. There's even a nice little jab at the first film with Rizzo and Robin. Which, I admit, I gasped audibly in the theatre.

Rowlf: Walter quit the Muppets? We just did a whole movie where he joined the Muppets.
Floyd: We sure spent a lot of time on it.
Rizzo: I'll say! Maybe even at the expense of other long-standing, beloved Muppets. C'mon Robin!
Robin: (sighs) Coming.

So the Muppets finally realize something is up. Constantine breaks up the Muppets and Piggy is getting ready for her wedding. We get a great Miss Piggy song, "Something So Right." I really love this song. It was totally written for Piggy, she gets to star in it, and Rowlf gets to play the piano. Oh yeah, and Celine Dion is her fairy godmother. The tune is wonderfully written for the pig and includes some other great Muppets like Link, Scooter, Dr. Teeth, Lew, Beaker, Floyd, Pepe, and Rowlf. This is one of the best character development songs in the film. We get to really feel Piggy's pain as she wrestles with the prospect of getting married after all these years.

Let's skip ahead to the wedding. We get some great visual gags as Kermit tries to infiltrate the Tower of London and not get caught. A hilarious and very Muppety mirror gag stands out. Annie Sue appears here, as well as a gaggle of Muppets. Once it's been revealed that Constantine is the fake Kermit (pointed out pointlessy by Scooter), things get a little crazy and back to Muppet standards. Chaos ensues as Constantine tries to escape with Piggy as hostage! Another sub-plot is revealed! And now we get the Muppet ladder! The Muppet ladder? Yes, the Muppet ladder that was previously mentioned earlier in the film as something we all should know about. 

The Muppet ladder is probably one of the most visually pleasing scenes in the film. It captures the real heart of the characters, who really do care about each other. Contrary to previous indications. The gang pulls together in Muppet Caper fashion to stop the thieves. You know, like in this scene from The Great Muppet Caper:

The Muppets, in a final moment of clarity, stand together as a family and save the day! They really do care for each other (sorry, I had something in my eye). Nadya shows up to take Kermit back to the Gulag, but instead the Muppets band together. So instead of going to prison, the Muppets do one last act at the Gulag - the Gulag Finale. 

The Gulag Finale turns out to be a hilarious scene for the Muppets. Not so much for the humans (with some awful green screen editing). The Muppets sing, "Together Again," again. It's cute and is probably there to help create the bookends using the word "again" in the opening and closing songs, as well as for nostalgia purposes. Who doesn't want to leave the theatre feeling a good about the Muppets from their childhood?

Final Thoughts:
Overall, after much ranting, I really liked the film. It stands up well with the first three Muppet movies. However, it does betray the characters a few times and relies a little to heavily on the theatre format, which can be limiting (remember, every other Muppet film saw the characters interacting in the real world, not in the theatre setting). Hopefully, this attitude of the Muppets being unpopular will change and not be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But in the end, the characters return to true form and remind us what it means to be family and a Muppet.