Disney's The Pirate Fairy SWAG!

While I was in LA this past month, I had the opportunity to see some of the amazing product lineup that is being released along with The Pirate Fairy! Of course, you know all about the fun I had with Crocky already, but there's plenty more where he came from! We got to see the whole upcoming line of new fairy gear, much of which is already available at your local Disney Store.

There are some great kids' outfits, costumes, and super cute jammies...

Images courtesy Disney.

Random side note... I totally wish the Zarina dress--bottom purple one--came in grown up size! There WILL be cosplay involved from this gal, even if I have to figure out how to sew it myself! Although, mine will likely be closer to her brown outfit she wears in the film.

They didn't forget about the grown up fairy lovers though...

Images courtesy Disney.

Also coming soon is a line of LeSportSac bags featuring our favorite fairy friend!

Images courtesy Disney.

The one on the bottom right unzips into a huge tote bag! How cool is that?

And, of course, a whole line of awesome toys, books, and plushies ready to swoop into the hearts and bedrooms of fans!

Images courtesy Disney.

We bloggers got to take home some books!

Obviously, we bloggers in attendance were given a sampling of cool gear to take home with us. I don't have a daughter, so I instantly claimed the toys since TV Boy isn't huge into dolls (unless it's a Rainbow Dash Equestria Girl doll, which is on his wishlist for his Easter basket this year... go figure). However, not having a daughter apparently also hinders my ability to free the poor things from their plastic prisons! It took me fifteen minutes and a pair of scissors to get my awesome Zarina (the main character) fairy doll out of her box while TV Dad laughed hysterically at me from the other side of the room.

From plastic prison to freedom!

Of course, as soon as I got her out, I had to play with her. And, being a dork, I took her around and posed her in various places in the house...

Crocky was not amused.

Here Obi-Wan, I've got this.

Yes. I totally have a time-anomaly battle going on between Darth Vader in the suit and young Obi-Wan Kenobi on top of our lizard's tank. This is normal for me, I swear! I could totally see Zarina telling a Jedi he's "doing it wrong" when it comes to swordfighting. She's my kind of gal like that.


Be sure to watch out for more posts about Disney's The Pirate Fairy, due out April 1st on Blu-ray combo pack! I have some fun Q&A with the creators to share with you! Stay tuned, TV fans!



Disclosure: The TV Mom received review items in compensation for this post, along with a trip to Los Angeles and a preview of the film. Views and opinions expressed are solely those of The TV Mom and TheTVMom.com and are not in any way influenced by receipt of the items pictured. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

Yes, I've finally watched Bravest Warriors!

Thanks to our awesome Loot Crate this month, the TV Household decided to take the dive into the world of Bravest Warriors. I have seen Catbug pretty much everywhere at this point--and I LOVE him!--and wanted to add to my geek-lore background and finally know what he's all about.

Image copyright Frederator Studios.

It's for SURE not a "kids show", that much is certain. I knew that going into it. However, I was surprised in the fact that it's definitely not as bad as I was expecting it to be. Since we don't have viewing limits on TV Boy (yes, we're unschoolers, it's a thing here...), he watched along with us and loved it. Most parents are probably not so lenient with their kids' viewing habits, and I understand that. Chances are, though, if they have a fan of Adventure Time, they may have noticed the animation is pretty much identical (being that it's another Pendleton Ward creation, that's not surprising). While the visual similarities abound, the differences do even moreso. I will say that Bravest Warriors has more continuity and more of a storyline than Adventure Time does, and it's not quite as strange.

That said, it's definitely worth watching first before you let your kids dive into it whole hog. If you have teens who are interested, let them have at it. There isn't anything on there that they wouldn't see in a primetime sitcom, really. Be sure to pop over to my article on About.com to see more about the show!

Pinky, Elmyra & The Brain on DVD

After my whirlwind trip to LA earlier this month, I'm playing catch up on all of my DVD reviews. I have a huge pile to get through, and this one was on the top: Pinky, Elmyra & The Brain.

Image courtesy Warner Home Video.

Is it terrible that I didn't even know this existed? For as big of a fan as I was of Tiny Toons and Animaniacs, I had never even heard of this series. This could be because I was in high school before it even existed and cartoons weren't entirely on my radar at that point, or it could be due to the fact it only aired for one season. However, now I know about it and it's hilarious, just as one would expect from the brains that brought you the other Warner Brothers great toons. Plus, it features some of my favorite voice actors (two of whom I got to actually interview last year!). You can't beat it!

Read more about the series and the DVD over at the Kids' Cartoons page on About.com!

Is Breadwinners a WINNER?

Nick has rolled out a new cartoon for 2014 and paired it up with an already successful cartoon on their Saturday morning lineup, Sanjay and Craig. It's called Breadwinners, and it's a show featuring animated green ducks who deliver bread in a rocket-powered bread truck.

Now, I know what you're thinking: this can't be a good formula for a cartoon. Initially, I was inclined to agree with you. Even after having seen it, I am still slightly in the same thought camp. However, I think this cartoon has the potential to turn into something amusing.

Image courtesy Nick Press.

Breadwinners "Stank Breath" Clip from Jessica Wilson on Vimeo.

Click over to the Kids' Cartoons page at About.com to see what I think of the series! 

The Jungle Book on Blu-ray - A look at the Special Features!

While I was in Los Angeles, Disney released the classic animated feature The Jungle Book on Blu-ray Diamond Edition. While the movie is impressively remastered for today's HDTVs, there is also a plethora of special feature fun included! If you're a behind-the-scenes geek like I am, you will be head over heels in love with this disc!

Image courtesy Disney Home Entertainment.

Pop over to the Kids' Cartoons page at About.com to see more about these special features! 

And don't forget to click on my interview with Floyd Norman that is linked the article! When I was touring the Disney Animation Studios last week, they have their own courtyard of fame complete with bronze handprints. And who did I happen upon?

Image copyright (c) 2014 TheTVMom.com.

Yeah, how cool is THAT? It was amazing to see someone I've interviewed with their name and handprints in bronze on the Disney lot! I put my hands up there too after I took the picture. It was probably the closest I'll get to shaking Mr. Norman's hand personally, haha!

I know you're also itching for more photos and information from my trip to L.A. last week, and I promise, they're coming soon! In fact, the entire month of March will be "TV Mom's L.A. Trip" month here at TheTVMom.com! So much to share with you all! Stay tuned!

Radio Silence ENDED!

Hey TV Mom readers! Sorry about my absence from the world of blogging... I was on the other side of the country! Remember that awesome Disney trip I told you about? Well, that was this past week. I'm still recovering from a lack of sleep and a surplus of walking, haha!

I will have lots of super fun stuff to share with you about my trip over the coming weeks. However, you can catch a sneak peek by visiting my Instagram feed and The TV Mom Facebook page (widgets over there--> on the side of the blog!).

Also, you might notice a second Facebook page thingie... Crocky's Adventures. That's because.... (drumroll please!)....... I have a new mascot!

Meet Crocky!

Crocky there is a character in the new movie The Pirate Fairy, which I got to see and fall in love with while I was in L.A., and releases on April 1st! More on that later, I just needed that for exposition. I got Crocky while I was there and, being slaphappy waiting for my 12:50am flight home, I decided to have a little fun with the guy. I thought it'd be hilarious to take pictures of him traipsing through the hotel lobby where we were hanging out and through LAX airport while we awaited my flight (the last out for the night of the group). One thing led to another, and the awesome hashtag #CrockysAdventures was born in my sleep-deprived brain. And it was incredible. As I posted the pictures and the likes poured in both on my Facebook and my Instagram account, it was requested several times that Crocky get a forum of his very own.

And the Facebook page was born!

So, while you're waiting with baited breath to hear about *MY* adventures in Los Angeles on the various Disney lots and studios, you can check out Crocky's Adventures on Facebook, which I'll be posting to continually because I'm a dork like that, HA! Pop over and give him a like, you won't regret it!

*Disclaimer: The "Crocky" plushie was received as a gift from DisneyToon studios in return for my participation in the #PirateFairyBloggers group. "Crocky's Adventures" in no way represents the views or opinions of DisneyToon studios or any affiliates thereof, and all uses of him in this manner are for entertainment purposes only. All views and opinions expressed are those solely of TheTVMom.com, and are in no way influenced by receipt of the plushie. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

CLUE: The Movie, Airs Tonight on Hub Network!

When I mentioned to TV Dad that I have yet to see Clue: The Movie, the conversation went something like this:

Me: "Yeah, so Clue airs tomorrow night."
Him: "Awesome."
Me: "You know, I've never actually SEEN it."
Him: (Silence, then) "I don't know you."

So, yeah. I never actually got to see the movie. It first premiered in 1985, and it wasn't my parents' cup of tea at the time, and I just... never got around to it. Same thing for Nightmare Before Christmas (GASP! Don't throw things!)

Honestly, the first Tim Curry movie I saw was Rocky Horror Picture Show... Funny story about that. My parents took me to a theatre to see RHPS. I was six (yeah, my parents were laid back, so what.) When my mom told me what we were going to see, I heard Rocky and Bullwinkle. I put on my "moose and squirrel" socks and decked my acid washed jean jacket out in my finest Rocky and Bullwinkle buttons, of which I had a rather impressive collection. The whole time, even with the live actors in front of the screen on the floor, I kept wondering where the moose was. (And don't worry, I was well asleep before the "Toucha, Toucha, Toucha" number. I was one of those kids that could sleep pretty much anywhere... and I never asked a lot of questions haha!)

Image courtesy Hub Network.
I still see him in a corset.

So, I will check a movie off my bucket list tonight at 8pm Eastern/5pm Central on the Hub Network. And, they were kind enough to send me this fun little movie watching box as a treat!* Hot cocoa, Junior Mints, Popcorn (in two flavors!), Peanut M&Ms (my favorite!), and a blanket to snuggle up underneath with our treats to watch the movie, which is perfect for the O-hoth-io weather!

Let's all go to the lobby...

Also, be sure to catch an encore of Stan Lee's Mighty 7 (which they sent me a DVD version of as well) right before the movie airs at 3pm Eastern/Noon Pacific!

*This is a sponsored post as part of my membership with HubClub. Please see the Disclosure tab for more information.

"I'm going on a trip and I'm taking an apple, a basket, a cucumber..."

Who remembers that horrible game? Or, perhaps you're like me and you know that's actually a line from a very funny play by Larry Shue called The Nerd... in which I starred as Mrs. Waldgrave my senior year in high school, thankyouverymuch. (I found a link online to a different, probably more recent production from a different high school... there was no youtube when I was in school... there was hardly internet. I'm old. Anway, link HERE where you can see the whole show, but video number five has the scene I mentioned.)  However, the sentiment in that title is what I'm REALLY here to talk about...

I'm heading to Los Angeles/Hollywood next week! Where it's WARM! And not SNOWING!!!

Image courtesy Disney.

The reason I get to go is even more awesome. I'm getting a sponsored* trip to go check out Disney Animation Studios and some awesome Disney films with a group of new blogger pals (and a few I met back in October at the Hub Halloween Bash event!) in anticipation of the release of Disney's Frozen and The Pirate Fairy on Blu-ray!

I get to board a plane and head for sunny California (BUH-BYE cold Ohio winter weather!) next Monday at stupid-o'clock in the morning, which I'm okay with, actually, because it's a direct flight and I'll have the whole day on Monday when I get there to do some sightseeing for a change! Walk of Fame, here I come! I also managed to score a ticket on my own to a taping of the Comedy Central hit "@Midnight" for Monday evening since the studio isn't far from the hotel I'll be staying at, and I'm secretly hoping I can meet the one and only Chris Hardwick (Geek Squee!). You'd better believe I'll have a Sharpie in my pocket in hopes of an autograph!

Image courtesy Disney.

On Tuesday, I get to head to the famous Disney Animation Studios to meet Frozen's Director, Chris Buck, and producers Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho, and participate in a Q&A session. Then, we get a cool hands-on demo of the rigging process used in the film with Character TC Supervisor, Gregory Smith. And, if that wasn't enough awesome behind-the-scenes fun, which you all know I *love*, I get to do a voiceover recording session with the Audio Engineer Gabe Guy! I am seriously hoping there is video involved that I get to post. Voiceover actors are among my favorite interviews I've done, and I'll finally get a look at what they all do every day! There is also a SUPER SECRET event after all of that, which I'll get to post more about later this month!

On Wednesday, I get to truck over to the DisneyToon Studios for an advance screening of the new animated feature The Pirate Fairy, and then have a chat with Director Peggy Holmes and Producer Jennifer Magee-Cook. Finally, we'll all get a walk through of the creation of one of the characters, seeing the character evolve from design to animation. (An About.com review of the film will follow as well!)

I also get to fly home on my first ever "red eye" flight Wednesday night, not arriving back home until Thursday morning. I will then hibernate most of Thursday, haha! I'm glad TV Dad had the foresight to take that day off too!

In anticipation of my trip, I hit up my favorite BIG RED LOGO store (you know, the one you can't go into for two things and come out having not spent over $50?) and picked up some new Disney-appropriate wardrobe...

Geek chic!

I plan on bringing the Sharpie with me when I wear that Mickey shirt on Tuesday, because I want some Disney Animation autographs on that sucker! And Marvel is now owned by Disney. (Because. Yeah. I didn't buy that thanks to my huge geekness or anything...) I still have to find a plain shirt to wear to the @Midnight taping though, they have a policy about that.

Post any questions you have for the Directors or Producers in the comments section! I will have a six hour plane ride on the way there to think of some, but you know I love reader-sourced questions! Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and on The TV Mom Facebook page, all of which have buttons or widgets on the right sidebar, for all the up-to-the-minute coverage of my whirlwind adventure! Keep an eye out for the hashtags #‎FrozenBluray‬ and  #‎PirateFairyBloggers‬, which all of the bloggers will be using during the entire trip (those links go specifically to Facebook, but they will be used on all social media outlets).

In the meantime, check out this awesome video featuring The Pirate Fairy and singer/songwriter Natasha Bedingfield!





*Disclaimer: I am receiving an all-expense paid trip to LA in exchange for my coverage of these titles and this event. Views expressed in this post and all those related are solely those of The TV Mom and TheTVMom.com and are not in any way influenced by receipt of this trip, nor are they representative of Disney Studios or subsidiaries thereof. Please see the "Disclosure" tab for more information.