Official #StarWars Episode VII Teaser Trailer!

Have you seen it yet? No? Well, look no further! The official Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer is HERE!




That red lightsaber... with the HILT! And the Milennium Falcon! And X-Wings! And TIE Fighters! And and and.... GEEKSPLOSION. (Click any image to enlarge!)

©Lucasfilm/Disney.

©Lucasfilm/Disney.

©Lucasfilm/Disney.

©Lucasfilm/Disney.

And I'm dead of geek. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving for my American readers. TV Boy has been sick all week, so our holiday was a little more low-key than we'd hoped. Sigh. And sorry I've been quiet... I participated in NaNoWriMo! I'm writing a BOOK, guys! And it's actually going really well. I got a late start, but I'll end the month with nearly 14,000 words and more than 30 pages. It's a realistic-sci-fi conspiracy thriller. That's all I'm going to say. But I'm happy with how it's turning out.

MOVIE REVIEW: Disney's #BigHero6

Big Hero 6 was in post-production when I went to LA last February for the Frozen and Pirate Fairy event. I didn't know much about it, other than it was a super hero-ish movie that had some sort of Japanese-ish influence. I've been getting the emails and following the Facebook page for months, and I honestly couldn't make heads or tails of it. I went in with no expectations... and left having seen one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. It's that good.

All images © Disney.

Before I get into Big Hero 6, I have to start where the movie experience does, and that's with the new animated short, Feast, featuring the cutest little glutton this side of Garfield.

Look at how cute!

The short takes us through the meals of a rescued puppy and his owner, but there is a bigger story behind the pup. I'm almost positive this will be up for Oscar consideration in the animated shorts category, because it's amazing how much of an emotional roller coaster viewers experience in just a few minutes. You will laugh, cry, and cheer before it's over.



Now, onto our feature presentation!

I'm going to warn parents that Big Hero 6 has the usual Disney story mechanism of dead parents. We all know it's not a Disney movie without dead parents! Lucky for us, the parents' demise happened long before our story takes place. However, that does not save us from more tragedy early on. That's all I'm going to say. Be prepared to feel, folks. The trailer kind of hints at it...



Meet Baymax: the most huggable robot companion ever, and probably one of Disney's funniest characters. So many of Baymax's scenes were laugh out loud funny, despite his calm and even delivery. Straight-laced comedy at it's finest. The low battery scene is probably the most hilarious thing Disney has written since The Emperor's New Groove.

"Hairy BABY!"

I was surprised at how dark the villain is in the film. He's pretty scary, and while TV Boy is the most well-adjusted kid on the planet when it comes to peril in entertainment, for some reason, other young kids might be a bit afraid of this guy on the big screen.

Overall, the film is visually stunning, incredibly well-written, and absolutely the most fun you'll have at a kids' movie. Parents will be psyched that there is no annoying soundtrack for your children to obsess over like Frozen; instead the film's title song is written by Fall Out Boy, and is pretty awesome. I can't stress enough how much I enjoyed Big Hero 6 and how every parent on the planet should take their kids to see it. Honestly, it has earned a spot in my top three favorite Disney movies of all time (Emperor's New Groove and Aladdin are my other two, if you were curious). I also really love how they depict female characters in science. Truly fabulous!

Big Hero 6 is rated PG and is released in US theatres today, November 7th. Seriously, do yourself a favor and go see this movie. And, just like all good superhero movies, stay after the credits! Trust me on this. Geeks especially. I know I sound majorly cliched in this post, but this is the best movie of the year!

Here are some fun science experiements you can do with your kiddos to celebrate Big Hero 6!





Disclosure: A free screening of the film was provided for review purposes. For more information, please see my Disclosure tab. 

ICYMI: #Marvel Age of Ultron SPECIAL LOOK!

Last night's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. gave us a sneak peek at Avengers: Age of Ultron. Here it is in case you missed it!

The Day #Marvel Broke the Internet

HUGE Marvel news today as they unveil the next series of amazing Marvel films for which we will now all wait anxiously!

All images courtesy Marvel©.

This morning, during a special event at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed the films that will make up Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring a mix of fan-favorite characters and several heroes who will be making their big-screen debuts. Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”), Chris Evans (“Captain America”) and Chadwick Boseman (newly announced “Black Panther”) all made special appearances.

Feige also unveiled the next two release dates for the Avengers Infinity War series and the release date for the highly anticipated sequel to their summer 2014 blockbuster hit (that is still breaking records worldwide!), Guardians of the Galaxy.

Here's the complete list of films from today's announcements: 

·       5/1/15 –  AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

·       7/17/15 – ANT-MAN 

·       5/6/16 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

·       11/4/16 – DOCTOR STRANGE 

·       5/5/17 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 (previously dated 7/28/17)

·       7/28/17 – THOR: RAGNAROK

·       11/3/17 – BLACK PANTHER

·       5/4/18 – AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR PART I

·       7/6/18 – CAPTAIN MARVEL

·       11/2/18 – INHUMANS

·       5/3/19 – AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR PART II

Which film(s) are you most excited about? Sound off on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments section! I personally can't wait to see the female version of Captain Marvel. Check out Marvel.com for more info on all your favorites! 

Pee-wee's Playhouse comes to DVD and Blu-ray!

I was a kid of the 80's - early 90's. Every Saturday morning, I'd get up, grab my bowl of technicolor cereal and plop down in front of our living room TV (which still had knobs, actually!) and watch Pee-wee's Playhouse.




I loved screaming the Secret Word... all day. Much to my parents' chagrin. I thought Miss Yvonne was the prettiest woman on TV (sorry, Murphy Brown). I wanted my very own big blue talking chair. Life was good.

Thanks to my friends at Shout! Factory, Pee-wee showed up in my mailbox for review as they celebrate the first time the series is on DVD (Seasons 1 and 2, available at Wal-Mart) and Blu-ray (Complete Series), which both hit the shelves on October 21st, 2014. I got the DVD version. It took some convincing at first, but TV Boy agreed to let me watch it... and he is hooked. Neither of the Pee-wee movies appealed to him (Big Top Pee-wee is on Netflix right now!), but he is in love with Pee-wee's Playhouse. My 80's mom heart swells with pride!

In fact, he is so hooked on Pee-wee, TV Boy built Pee-wee's Playhouse in Minecraft. No lie. With about a thousand villager "Pee-wee's". Yeah, this is serious.

There were a few things I remembered well from the show:

©Shout! Factory.

• Pterri being afraid of the thunder and hiding under the bed
• Pee-wee's awesome scooter
• Shouting the Secret Word
• Jambi's "Mecha lecha hi, mecha hiney ho!"
• The Penny cartoons
• That the King of Cartoons had an announcer for the first season, Dixie
• That Pee-wee had a pretty obvious crush on Miss Yvonne
• Captain Carl was played by Phil Hartman
• Pee-wee had the coolest phone EVER
• Randy was a jerk
• Pee-wee married a fruit salad, like, for real. Because he loved it so much.

However, there were definitely a few things that slipped my mind, or that my young, naive self had no idea about:

This is a literal screen-shot... took a pic of the TV with my phone.

Aw, Reba! We love you! ©Shout! Factory.

• Randy smoked in an episode! The message was fantastic, but holy cow can you imagine trying to get that past parents today?
• Cowboy Curtis was actually Laurence Fishburne (billed as Larry, even)! And he was only in his mid-20's! How did I forget that?! Fishburne has some fantastic things to say about the cast and crew in the DVD special features (also available on the Blu-ray set).
• Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson) went on to be on Law & Order for pretty much ever.
• The theme song is sung by Cyndi Lauper! I didn't know this until watching the special features, but wow! It doesn't even sound like her. 
• The music for the show was done by Mark Mothersbaugh from DEVO, like all other great kids' shows of that era. Of course. The man is a legend. 
• 
  

Aw look, little Laurence Fishburne! ©Shout! Factory.

I'm happy to have such an influential piece of my childhood in my home that I can pop on whenever I want to. Especially since TV Boy looks at me sideways when I tell him about the plight that was having to wake up at a specific time to watch my favorite shows and how you could only record them if you had set up your VCR and had room on the tape-over tape that lived in it. I'm older than DVR, and that blows the boy's mind. We had it rough, you guys. ROUGH.

You can pre-order the Blu-ray set on Amazon!

*Disclosure: I received a copy of the Seasons 1 and 2 DVD for review purposes. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

More #DoctorWho fun at Media Medusa!

©MediaMedusa.com

This week I talk about Peter Harness' (yes, I keep trying to put a K in that... old habits and all!) writing debut with the popular BBC drama series. We get hit over the head with an ethical argument and Clara yells at the Doctor. Check it all out at MediaMedusa.com!

Teaser Trailer: Disney Pixar's Inside Out!

Disney released the new teaser trailer for the upcoming animated feature Inside Out today. Inside Out arrives in theatres June 19th, 2015!

Images © Disney Pixar.

EXCLUSIVE! 'The Haunting Hour' Featurette! #HubClubBloggers

Hey TV fans! Check out this super cool, exclusive featurette about Hub Network's acclaimed series 'The Haunting Hour'! It's a quick little interview with series Executive Producer Dan Angel and actress Margot Kidder! The Haunting Hour season four premieres on Hub Network Saturday, October 4th at 4pm Eastern/1pm Pacific! Be sure to check it out! Review of the first episode coming later this week!

I'm a #DoctorWho guest writer!

Guys! GUYS! I got to write a guest post for MediaMedusa.com! About Doctor Who! I'm really excited about it! Click the image below to read what I have to say about Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor, and please tell your friends!

©MediaMedusa.com 

#HubClubBloggers - Parents Just Don't Understand and #BarkWeek!

Did you know that Hub Network is a Discovery Network? On the heels of their sister station Discovery Channel's famed Shark Week, Hub Network is airing all kinds of Dog Themed Fun for #BarkWeek! Tune in Sunday August 17th and running for the entire week, catch tons of poochy programming, featuring Animal Planet programs and Hub Family Movies starring some of your favorite pups (like Snow Buddies, Scooby-Doo, and Cats & Dogs).




Following all the Bark Week excitement, Hub prepares to air it's newest reality series, Parents Just Don't Understand hosted by former N'Sync singer Joey Fatone. Parents and kids are given the opportunity to swap lives "Freaky Friday" style for an entire day to see who really has the harder life!

Image © Hub Network

While parents are faced with foreboding tasks like sports practices and schoolwork for subjects they may not remember so well...

Images © Hub Network

... the kids are given a rude awakening of their own dealing with family obligations, caring for their siblings, running errands, and going to work!

Images © Hub Network

As a Hub Club Blogger, I was given the opportunity to preview the first two episodes of the series. The idea of the show is adorable, and what kid doesn't think their parents have the easier day? However, I think Hub is missing the mark a bit with a couple very minor things. First of all, they definitely missed an opportunity to capitalize on parent nostalgia by not featuring the famous Fresh Prince rap by the same title. That's right, no Will Smith here folks. Sorry. The other thing is that a lot of the in-between banter is obviously filmed later. Logistically, I see why they had to do it, but a lot of it feels forced. I would much rather hear more from the participants as they experience everything in their day versus them sitting in front of a green screen. Hopefully the series relaxes a bit as it continues and settles into a smoother presentation, but still I think for sure kids and parents will be given a meaningful dialog and co-viewing experience as they watch the program. Tune in to see the premiere episode "The Touchdown Maker and the Cupcake Baker" on Saturday, August 23 at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific. Pop over to my Facebook Page or leave a comment here telling me your family's thoughts on the new series!


Disclosure: I was provided a screener of the new series Parents Just Don't Understand as part of my membership in the Hub Club Blogger program. Views expressed are purely my own and are not in any way influenced by nor representative of Hub Network. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

#MLPmegaMareathon! Plus, I've been NOMINATED for something!

SO MUCH GOOD STUFF TODAY YOU GUYS! KERMIT FLAIL!

First and foremost, I want to make sure my Brony community fans know about the amazingness that is about to happen on Hub Network next week! Starting on Monday, August 4th, Hub Network is going to be airing 50 HOURS of back-to-back My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. That is *EVERY SINGLE EPISODE* of MLP:FIM, plus My Little Pony: Equestria Girls and three My Little Pony Specials airing for the first time! (Phew! That's a lot of emphasis for one sentence!) So be sure to tune in to Hub Network starting at 9am Eastern/6am Pacific to catch more ponies than your eyeballs can handle!

Image © Hub Network.

Finally, I've been nominated for a Liebster Award! My new blogger buddy Kristen over at Ready, Set, Parenthood! nominated me! Thank you Kristen! I'd like to thank the academy.... wait, wrong nomination.

The way the award works is as follows: 1. Each person who is nominated must post 11 things about themselves. 2. You must also answer the questions that the tagger set for you in addition to creating 11 questions for the people you nominate to answer. 3. Nominate 5 – 11 of your favorite bloggers and link them in your post. 4. Go to your nominees’ pages and tell them. 5. Thank and link back to the person’s blog who nominated you.
Okay, so eleven things about myself... this ought to be interesting!   1. My eyes are two different colors. Like a husky. Well, one is all blue-gray and the other is half-blue-gray, half brown.  2. When I was an older kid (think 9, 10, 11), I wanted to race motorcycles like my dad. I wanted to be the youngest and first female street racer.  3. I have the early stages of Rhumatoid Arthritis. I don't have the titers in my blood yet, but everything else points to me having it.  4. I met TV Dad when I was just 13. I was a freshman in high school and didn't turn 14 until after the first quarter.  5. I used to speak German fluently. Now it's kind of Germanglish in my head, but I'm sure if you dropped me from a plane in Germany with nothing but my wits about me, I could survive just fine.  6. I've already done every single job I "wanted to be" as a kid... morning radio host (my senior year in college), teacher (the four years between college and having TV Boy), working in a brokerage firm (yes, I was a dorky kid, and I've done it several times), professional writer (About.com). I'm running out of dream jobs! 7. (Blank stare... this is how unexciting I am, haha!) I'm working at opening a pinball bar here in Columbus. Yes, for real! I'm aiming for a first of the year opening. Fingers crossed! 8. I've only ever lived in Columbus, Ohio. Even for college.  9. I'm an honors level Thespian in the International Thespian Society. However, the last time I did anything theatrical, I was 8 weeks pregnant. It's been a while.
10. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in three years and one quarter.
11. I've never had a roommate aside from TV Dad. Didn't live in a dorm or have a roommate in college, I lived alone my senior year.

Here are the questions Kristen gave me to answer:

1. Why did you start your blog? Honestly, I was bored. Yep, really. And watching a lot of kids' television shows. I figured I'd put my skills to good use and review them. Then I got hired at About.com, and it blossomed from there. Now, About is gone, and here I am!
2. What is your blog about? Kids' entertainment and geeky stuff. Because that's my life!
3. What is your theme song? Me personally? For most of my life it was "November Rain" by Guns n' Roses, so I guess I'll stick with that because I can't think of anything better haha!
4. What actor/actress would be cast to play you in the movie of your life? Natalie Portman, hands down.
5. What is your most prized possession? Tough call... I still have my loveys from my childhood, they're pretty special and irreplaceable. Aside from that, I'd have to say my autographed Star Wars t-shirt with Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)'s signatures on it. Which reminds me, I need to pack that for Fandom Fest in Kentucky this weekend! 
6. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? Well, I already met Bill Nye (although I'd have loved to have more time with him and say something not stupid like "I'm a huge fan" repeatedly like I did... derp.) and I met Neil DeGrasse Tyson back when I taught at a STEM school and before I knew who he was (d'oh!)... I think I'd like to say Zach Braff or Chris Hardwick for now. But not because I have huge crushes on them or anything.... (whistles and walks away)
7. What is your favorite post you have written? My Uncle Grandpa post. It was the only one that inspired actual hate mail. That was when I knew I'd made the big time!
8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? California, somewhere near or around L.A. After having been out there three times in the past year, I'd give anything to move there. 
9. If you found a magic lamp with a genie, what would be your 3 wishes? 1, The money of someone making $250K a year (don't feel like dealing with taxes higher than that). 2, a second car for TV Dad so I don't have to drive him everyday I want the car. 3, A vacation home near some body of water with free flood insurance. 
10. What is the last book you read? Uh, it was a comic book... the new Doctor Who 10 and 11 comics and the 6th issue of Serenity. If we're going actual books... Charlotte's Web with TV Boy.
11. If you could give your 18-year old self one piece of advice, what would it be? If you really want to have a career, don't major in anything liberal arts. Also, you know that picture you think you look fat in? Yeah, you don't know jack sweetie. Enjoy your speedy metabolism and single digit pant sizes while you can!

On to the nominations! I would like to nominate the following amazing bloggers for a Liebster Award!

Nickida at NickisRandomMusings.com
Lynsey at MoscatoMom.com

Meredith at SanityInSurburbia.com

Becky at WhatUTalkingBoutWillis.info

Tonia at WhyNotMom.com

Misty at The-Top-Shelf.com

Amber at MeMyShelfandI.com

Claire at FastForwardGirl.blogspot.com

And now I have to come up with questions for you to answer... hmm...

1. What's your favorite cartoon and why?

2. If you had a million dollars, and you *had* to spend it, what would you spend it on?

3. What famous person would you love to sit down with for an afternoon?

4. What was your favorite subject in school?

5. What was your "dream job" as a kid?

6. What is your favorite fictional book?

7. Who is your hero?

8. Why do you write/blog?

9. What is one feature you love about yourself?

10. What is your biggest pet peeve?

11. What is the coolest thing you've gotten to do for/with your blog?

Phew! Lots of work, but be sure to check out all my amazing bloggy buddies! Thanks again for the nomination Kristen! 

*Stay tuned to my Instagram this weekend for shots from Fandom Fest in Kentucky! Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy is going to be there! Squee!*

MOVIE REVIEW: Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy #GuardiansoftheGalaxy

First things first, if you do not already have tickets for this movie, go get some. I mean right now. Buy tickets. Go on, I'll wait. Because seriously, you do not want to be the only person who hasn't seen Guardians of the Galaxy.

Image © Marvel.

I've read reviews of the movie already (which lowly bloggers like myself were embargoed until today, so these are the "pros") and some are calling it the Star Wars of this generation. And they would be right. I have been sitting on my hands waiting to gush over just how amazing this movie is. In fact, it is SO amazing, that I didn't even get tickets to the press screener! That's right, I had to win my tickets off the morning news like a chump! (But THANKS NBC4! I appreciated it!)

Image © Marvel.

I will be honest, I went into this movie with no knowledge of the Guardians, although I did get a Rocket Raccoon comic on Free Comic Book Day this year. I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. Honestly, you don't need any knowledge of the team going in. You will still have an enjoyable movie-going experience without background. But be forewarned, especially moms: you will probably cry in the first ten minutes. I did. I'm not going to post any spoilers, but save it to say, it's got a well-known Marvel origin story (and Disney too, for that matter).

Images © Marvel.

The visuals are absolutely stunning. We had the chance to see it in 3D and unless you're toting little kids along, I highly recommend it. They did a fantastic job with it. Speaking of kids, yes the film is rated PG-13, and there is some language and obviously violence, as well as some peril that might upset kids. TV Boy loves a good action superhero flick, so we will be taking him along with my mother to see it. If your kids made it through Avengers or any other Marvel film, they're probably going to be okay. Rocket has a mouth on him, but no F-bombs or anything like that.

Image © Marvel.

The soundtrack is a rockin' good time as well, and it's not normal that we say that for a Marvel flick. The music plays an important role in the film, and the main character Peter Quill aka Star Lord, even risks his life for it. Fans of pop music in the 80's will be delighted.

Image © Marvel.

Random geeky thing: Hey look! It's Karen Gillian! Or, if you're a Whovian, you might know her better as Amy Pond. She plays kind-of-nemesis Nebula, the daughter of Thanos and half-sister to Gamora, one of the eventual Guardians. This is the reason she cut off all her beautiful red hair. Her performance is seriously hardcore, but I have to say I wish she didn't play it with an American accent. It just felt... wrong. Let the brogue go free, Ms. Gillian! (And while you're at it, pass the message on to David Tennant in Gracepoint... yeesh!)

Image © Marvel.

The characters are all incredibly well-written. Even Groot (seen above) who only says five different words throughout the film, manages to hit you right in the feels a few times. Bautista (as wrestling fans know him best) playing Drax squeaks in a few laughs. Bradley Cooper as Rocket steals the show in every scene in which he appears. Chris Pratt as Star Lord, honestly I couldn't have picked a better person to play it. He has that aloof but sweet quality that makes the character worth rooting for. Zoe Saldana's fight scene with Karen Gillian... so much "I am woman, hear me roar" action I can't even begin to tell you. The writing is snappy and hilarious. All around, it's a spectacular movie!

Images © Marvel.

Everyone has asked me about the after-the-credits scene Marvel always throws in... I really couldn't tell you. Because I did not get to see it! The folks who put the screeners together made absolutely certain that the secret is kept until launch day and had it removed. I've never seen an entire theatre full of people's hopes and dreams dashed all at once before, so I guess in a way it was worth it, but we're definitely planning a second, paying trip to the movies to catch it for real. Points Marvel. Points.

Image © Marvel.

Do yourself a favor and make sure you get out to see this movie early. Thanks to SDCC, we know there is already a sequel in the works. This is a franchise you're going to want to be a part of. You will not regret having seen it. I can absolutely guarantee that. If I gave ratings, this would have received the highest one from me. It's that good. I want to RATE IT. You know that has to mean something! Seriously. See this movie!


Disclosure: Yes, I saw this movie for free, but it was a freak chance win from NBC4i.com, not my usual outlets. See my Disclosure tab for more information about how I usually see movies like this one. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Disney Planes Fire and Rescue #FireAndRescue

Last night, the TV Family went to the sneak peek of the new Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue movie. I either haven't been paying enough attention or what, but I was surprised to see a 3D film from my friends at DisneyToon Studios (where I saw all my cool Pirate Fairy stuff!)... these folks are mega talented!

Image © Disney.

The 3D (we saw the "RealD" version) was stunning. TV Boy has never seen a 3D movie before, so this was a big deal to him. I was surprised he kept the glasses on for the whole film too, but that could have been my big speech at the beginning about having to have them on so it wouldn't hurt his eyes (a bit of a bent truth, but I guess it worked). However, remember that 3D isn't great for really small children's eyes, so keep that in mind.

The move picks up where Planes left off: Dusty Crophopper is a world class, high-win race plane. He's become famous for his speed and stunts. However, being an older model plane, when his gearbox fails and starts to disintegrate, a replacement part can't be found. I would say this is akin to the plane/car version of needing an organ transplant and being told you have a rare blood type. Dusty has to give up racing, but he is reluctant. When a fire occurs in Propwash Junction, and the old firetruck Mayday is slow to the rescue, Dusty volunteers to become a fire plane. He flies off to Piston Peak Park to train with an old friend of Mayday's, Blade Ranger. Dusty must overcome his new affliction and become a certified firefighter before the big corn festival back home.

We all thought the movie was pretty cute. There were a few good jokes for the parents, including a fire plane named Dipper who is the epitome of the "Overly Attached Girlfriend" meme in plane form, voiced by Modern Family's Julie Bowen.

Image © Disney.

*Actual Dipper line in movie.

Also, be on the look-out for references to CHiPS and Howard the Duck. In the same scene. And featuring guest voice Erik Estrada. So much epic in one five minute segment. 

Hint: This is the scene of awesome. Image © Disney.

If you've been reading for a while, you know I'm a sucker for an "all star cast", and Planes Fire and Rescue delivered there. We have Dane Cook returning to voice Dusty as well as Brad Garrett (Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond) as his sidekick fuel truck Chug, Teri Hatcher as fix-it truck Dottie, and Stacy Keach as mentor and coach plane Skipper, but we get voices from Cedric the Entertainer, Fred Willard, Jerry Stiller, Patrick Warburton, Kevin Michael Richardson, Regina King (aka human resources lady Mrs. Davis in Big Bang Theory), another brief cameo from Brent Mustburger, and of course John Ratzenberger has a minor character (because it wouldn't be a Disney film without him anymore). That's just to name a few.

My favorite, though, is new fix-it truck from the fire base, Maru, voiced by Curtis Armstrong (aka Booger from Revenge of the Nerds, host of King of the Nerds, voice of Snot from American Dad, and Robot from now-cancelled Nicktoon Robot and Monster). What I find funny is that no matter what character Armstrong voices, animators seem to have a similar face for every single one of them. And they all look like Curtis Armstrong.

Tell me you don't see his face in Maru. You do. Image © Disney.

Finally, I was a little teary to see the film not only dedicated to firefighters everywhere who put themselves in harms way for the good of others, but to see actual firefighters' names listed in the credits. That was a classy move on Disney's part. 

To celebrate the movie, which premieres in theatres everywhere tomorrow, July 18, click the image below to download a printable activity book for your kids to enjoy! The movie is rated PG. It's a fun, heartwarming (no pun intended!) movie and perfect summer fun for the whole family!

Image and files © Disney.

*Disclosure: I was provided a free screening of the film for review purposes. Please see the Disclosure tab for more information. 

What's The Hubbub? With Kid President! #HubClubBloggers

I've been horrible at blogging this month. I'm sorry about that. But I have some fun stuff to share with you, readers!

You may have noticed a new show on Hub Network, Kid President: Declaration of Awesome. It airs on Saturdays 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific! I did not get to actually e-attend the hangout this time, thanks to TV Boy deciding that the sty on his eye needed to be picked off (yes, there was blood and a doctor visit involved... sigh!). However, I did get some questions asked! Check out the session with my questions below and the second half, which happened later in the day, below that.






Man is this kid just the epitome of adorable (I hope TV Boy doesn't get any ideas though, I don't know if I could handle a whole YouTube channel haha)! Be sure to tune in on Saturdays on Hub Network!

COMING SOON: The Boxtrolls... EXCLUSIVE Official Trailer!

Check out the new trailer for the upcoming stop-motion animated film, The Boxtrolls, which premieres in theatres across the country on September 26th!

Image © Focus Features.

Happy 5th Birthday TV Boy!

In case you've been wondering where I've been, I've been in party planning mode for a certain TV Boy, who turns five today! Last night was his family Doctor Who theme party, and to celebrate, he debuted his new 10th Doctor David Tennant cosplay in front of our Tardis door.

You can't see very well in the image, but the suit is indeed pinstriped. And yes, he wore it the entire night, even playing outside in high 70 degree weather. Now I need to find a coat for him. Did you know that pretty much no one makes full length trenchcoats for kids? So I'm going to alter a juniors one for him. That's my plan anyway... we'll see if it works out the way I'm hoping. (As evidenced by my Instagram today, very little goes according to my plans...)

And in case you were wondering, here's the pose we were copying:

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the kid who made me a mom, my one and only, my TV Boy! Now on to the Minecraft theme party for his friends today... wish me luck!