Would you like to visit the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida this Spring? It’s a great time to visit the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival as well as try out the brand new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train over at New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom! Now, there is a more affordable way to do that!
Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 30% off Walt Disney World room rates for select nights from Feb. 24, 2014-Jun. 15, 2014! PLUS add at least a 4-Day Base or 4-Day Park Hopper ticket to your Magic Your Way package and get 1 Park Day FREE! Blackout dates for this offer are Mar. 6-13, 2014 and Apr. 13-19, 2014.
The Disney Visa Spring 2014 Walt Disney World Room discount must be booked by Mar. 31, 2014. This offer opens to the general public on Monday Jan. 6, 2014. As with all Walt Disney World promotional offers, this offer is extremely limited so book early to secure the best rates. Deposit and package payment must be on the Disney Visa Card to book this offer prior to Jan. 6, 2014.
This offer excludes Little Mermaid Standard Rooms at Art of Animation Resort, the Campsites at Fort Wilderness, 3-Bedroom Villas and the Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
Disney Interactive has released the winners of the Disney Infinity “Toy Box North Pole Challenge.” To get into the holiday spirit, players were tasked with bringing the North Pole to life in creative and exciting Toy Boxes. The top global Toy Box of the week is “North Hole Mini Golf“– Santa’s private 18-hole Christmas themed miniature golf course.
Winning submissions include:
North Hole Mini Golf – Enjoy 18 holes of Christmas-themed miniature golf on Santa’s private course!
Saving Christmas – Grumpy Elf has left Santa’s Village and is trying to sabotage Christmas. Find him and return him to the North Pole.
Winter Express – Take the Blinks Winter Express and travel to the North Pole for some frosty fun.
Santa’s Workshop – Ever wanted to visit Santa’s workshop at the North Pole? Now you can!
Christmas Town – Explore the Nightmare Before Christmas Christmas Town! Visit Santa’s workshop, race the Christmas train and more!
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As a refresher, directions on how to download new user-generated Toy Box worlds, as well as how to submit Toy Box creations are below.
When you’re ready to submit your Toy Box for consideration, follow these directions:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Online/Multiplayer.”
· Then select “Toy Box Share” > “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
· Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured.
iPad
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Toy Box Share.”
· Then select “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
· Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured
How to download new Toy Boxes:
· Select “Toy Box” from the Disney Infinity Main Menu
· Select “Toy Box Share” and “Disney’s Toy Boxes.”
· There will be a list of all the featured Toy Boxes for players to download.
Paick www.paick.com, the company creating new digital fashion ideas for life, launched today Noble, the ultra-thin ½ inch portable 6000mAh power bank for business professionals. Fashionably styled with a streamlined wallet-sized aluminium alloy high performance casing, Noble is much thinner than other power banks, which are usually over 1 inch thick. Noble easily fits in a back pocket or bag for easy portability and is low cost with a promotional pricing of only $49.99 from now until March 23, 2013 (normally priced at $64.99). Noble features an intelligent dustproof pop-up interface with two USB slots and 1 Micro USB slot that lets you pop-up for access to the USB charging slots or pop-down to keep it extra slim and free of dust.
Charges iPhone Three Times, Galaxy Twice and iPad Once – One Touch Screen Activation
A Li-polymer battery charger, Noble is more stable and safer than Li-ion batteries. Noble charges iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Android phones, tablets & most USB devices, fully charging an iPhone three times, a Galaxy phone twice, or an iPad once. Noble also features an Advanced Odin Circuit System with efficient synchronous rectifier output, an intelligent on/off touch sensor with one-touch screen activation, Smart Safety Protection and LEDs that show remaining power: 1 LED indicates less than 25%, 2 LEDs: 25%-50%, 3 LEDs: 50%-75%, 4 LEDs: 75%-100%.
Noble Features:
• 6000mAh portable charger.
• Charges iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Android phones, tablets & most USB devices.
• Unique pop-up interface provides the best dustproofing and a slim design.
• LED lighting design displays remaining battery life.
• Intelligent on/off touch sensor with one-touch screen activation.
• Dual USB ports: One 5V-2.1A and one 5V-1A USB output.
• 1 Micro USB port.
• Odin Circuit System: Synchronous Rectifier Output.
• Intelligent fast charging.
• Smart Safety Protection ensures safe charging.
• Dimensions: 4.6” length x 2.8” wide x ½” thick (118.2 x 2.2 x 13.6mm).
• Low-cost.
Promotional Pricing until March 20, 2013
Noble includes the power bank, USB/Micro USB cable, and skid-resistance rubber belt. Normally priced at $64.99, with promotional pricing of $49.99 from now until March 20, 2013, Noble is available immediately from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GRSD37G.
Melody’s omni-directional 360° 8–speaker design delivers high-quality sound perfection with deep bass and touts 20-hours+ of uninterrupted use with its internal rechargeable battery system making it the perfect portable outdoor entertainment companion. The compact and highly stylish weather-resistant system is equipped with the latest v3.0 Bluetooth® and AAC / Apt-X® codecs allow users to stream high performance CD Quality audio from their music library, or from apps like Pandora®, Spotify™, Rhapsody®, iTunes®, TuneIn® and others, from Apple or PC devices alike.
Soundcast’s president Mike Weaver states, “The entire Soundcast team is honored beyond measure to receive the prestigious 2014 Innovations Honoree Award for our new Melody portable Bluetooth speaker system.”
Melody has quickly earned its spot as the Best Sounding Portable Bluetooth Audio System on the market today by winning six distinguished consumer electronics awards since its U.S. debut at CE WEEK in New York City.
The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES, the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology, and have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976.
Audio-Technica will be expanding its SonicFuel over-ear headphones lineup with five new models designed to take musical enjoyment to greater sonic heights. Details on the new headphones will be announced at the show.
Audio-Technica is now shipping its SonicFuel in-ear headphones, six models with ergonomic stay-in-place designs, exclusive 360-degree rotating ear tips, call-answering and music-playback capabilities and more. The new ATH-CKX9iS, ATH-CKX9, ATH-CKX7iS, ATH-CKX7, ATH-CKX5iS and ATH-CKX5 are available in a choice of vibrant colors and styles.
Game on! At CES 2014, Audio-Technica will be introducing its first-ever gaming headphones. The premium-quality ATH-AG1 and ATH-ADG1 deliver a powerful, immersive sonic experience that draws listeners completely into the gaming environment. Both include a built-in microphone and detachable USB D/A converter/headphone amplifier and offer additional gaming-specific features.
The ATH-ANC70 is the newest member of Audio-Technica’s acclaimed QuietPoint® active noise-cancelling headphones lineup. It offers a host of improvements for superior noise-cancellation performance, sound quality, comfort and portable device control.
Audio-Technica will be expanding its SonicSport fitness-oriented headphones lineup with the ATH-CKP200iS ear hook style headphones with mic, volume and control functionality.
The new ATR7000 wireless microphone systems are ideal for consumer and prosumer users, whether they’re a singer who wants freedom of movement, a guitarist tired of tripping on his or her cord or anyone seeking a high-value wireless microphone system. Four handheld, lavalier, headworn and guitar models will make their CES 2014 debut. In addition, Audio-Technica will introduce its ATR3350iS lavalier mic with smartphone compatibility.
Knott’s Berry Farm has launched the sale of its 2014 Season Passes, at the best price of the season. The season passes, which boast unlimited visits in 2014, can be purchased online for as low as $78.00, or with six easy payments of $13.00, for a limited time. Knott’s Season Pass offers its members wonderful discounts, special events and more.
Season Pass Holders who want to add in a summer of fun can purchase or upgrade to a Gold Season Pass, which offers unlimited admission to Knott’s Soak City Water Park and Knott’s Berry Farm. Knott’s Gold Passes can be purchased online for $96.00 or with six easy payments of $16.00 until January 5.
2014 Season Passes Include:
• Easy pay payment program (for a limited time)
• One FREE visit during the 2013 season
• Additional visits for just $9.99 each through December 31, 2013*
• Unlimited visits for the entire 2014 season with no blackout dates
• Access to Knott’s great seasonal offerings, including Knott’s Merry Farm, Knott’s Berry Bloom, and Camp Spooky
• Discounts at select food and merchandise locations
• Discounts on Knott’s Scary Farm Tickets
• Early Ride Time on select rides during summer season
• Other great Season Pass perks and surprises throughout the year!
*Per Pass Holder/non-transferrable ** Per Pass Holder /per day/ non-transferrable.
To purchase passes and find additional information on all Knott’s Berry Farm has to offer, visit www.knotts.com.
Walt Disney World® Resort
● Ends Soon! Play Stay and Dine…and Save up to $600 at the Walt Disney World® Resorts: Here is a great offer for your next family vacation. For most stays from January 5th through March 5th, 2014 when booked by December 31st, 2013 you can save $600.00 (based on a family of four) on a five night stay at selected Disney Resort hotels with the Play Stay and Dine promotion. Take advantage of some huge saving by booking now.
● Ends Soon! Save Up To 35% on Stays at Select Walt Disney World® Resort Hotels: If you are planning a Winter-Spring vacation in 2014, now is the time to book. You can save up to 35% off select Disney Resorts from January 5-April 12, 2014. These savings are based on availability. This sale ends December 31, so book today!
● Florida Resident Rates: Florida Residents can take advantage of great rates on rooms at select Disney Resorts hotels for stays through April 8, 2014. For example, save up to 37% on rooms at select Disney Deluxe Resorts and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts from January 4- January 18 and March 14- March 29, 2014. Book December 2, 2013 – April 8, 2014. Plan a winter getaway to Disney or a Spring Break trip to the Disney Water Parks. Book today with this incredible deal, just for Florida Residents.
● Military Discount: Active duty and retired members of the US military can get specially discounted rooms at Disney Resort most nights through September 27th, 2014. Thank you for serving our country.
● Ends Soon! Intro to Disney: For first time guests or guests looking to save money, the Intro to Disney package is perfect. This package includes at least a 3-Night package with your Disney Resort, 2-Day tickets, and the Quick Service Dining Plan. You can add additional nights and days at the parks, for an extra cost. This price starts from $999 plus tax for a family of 3. This price is subject to change based on availability. This discount is available for most visits from January 5-February 12, 2014. Hurry, this discount ends on December 31, 2013.
Disneyland® Resort
● Save Up to 25% on Rooms at a Disneyland® Resort Hotel: Save up to 25% on rooms at a Disneyland Hotel most Sunday through Thursday nights from January 5th through April 10, 2014. Book through January 28, 2014.
Disney Cruise Line®
● Two Disney Vacations in One for Less than $800: Combine the magic of a cruise and all of the wonder of Disney World into one amazing deal! Packages are a 3 night’s stay at a value resort plus a 3 night cruise. Sailings are from January 17, 2014 through February 7, 2014. Book now to be part of this great adventure.
● Special Rates for Cruises from Port Canaveral: You can escape on your own carefree, tropical getaway with Disney Cruise Line® and save 20% off prevailing rates on select 3- and 4-Night Bahamian Cruises sailing from Port Canaveral in January 2014. All voyages include a visit to Nassau and an unforgettable day at Disney’s private island paradise, Disney’s Castaway Cay, with its sparkling turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Available sail dates: 3-Night Bahamian Sailings on the Disney Magic®: January 10 and January 31, 2014 and 4-Night Bahamian Sailings on the Disney Dream®: January 12 and January 26, 2014.
● Canadian Resident Offer: Canadian residents save 20% off prevailing rates on 3 and 4 night Bahamian sailings aboard the Disney Magic® for most sailings from January 10 – February 28, 2014 (excluding January 17, 20, February 14, 17, 2014) for categories 4A – 11B.
Aulani Hawaii
● Get a Free Night and Free Breakfast: For a limited time, when you purchase a minimum 4-night stay at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, you’ll get the 4th night free – including breakfast daily for two adults at the new Ulu Cafe. Book this offer by January 15, 2014, for stays most nights January 5 – April 7, 2014.
Universal Orlando Resort Discounts
● Save up to 30% on Universal Resorts: Discounts begin at 3 nights at any of the three Universal Orlando® Resort deluxe hotels during the best days to vacation. Plus take advantage of $150 in hotel savings including discounts on food, drinks, spa treatments and more! Vacation dates include: December 15-December 19th, 2013.
● Save up to 25% at Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Discounts begin at 4 nights at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, opening early 2014. Travel back to the 1950’s and 60’s for endless family fun at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. With its ideal location and fun retro atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy everything Universal Orlando® Resort has to offer. The value and moderate accommodations feature family suites (sleeping up to 6) with kitchenettes, and standard rooms (sleeping up to 4). Rates valid for travel September 1st, 2014 through October 2nd, 2014 and November 30th, 2014 through December 11th, 2014.
● Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort: This new resort is opening in early 2014 with an incredible preview discount. This resort is inspired by iconic beach resorts of the 1950’s and 60’s. For a limited time, the whole family can experience Cabana Bay Beach Resort’s new family suites with rates starting at $104 per night for a seven-night stay to $134 per night for a three-night stay. Offering up to 47% savings off regular prices, this introductory offer is available now for purchase for stays from March 31 to June 14, 2014. Package is available for purchase now through January 31, 2014.
● Universal 1-Day or 2-Day Pass with Shuttle Transportation: Take a day away from the Disney World Parks to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Book a 1-Day or 2-Day Pass to Universal Studios with shuttle transportation included in the ticket. This special ticket is only available with select companies including Destinations in Florida.
Sea World Discounts
● Expedition Antarctica at SeaWorld®: Experience the Freeze! Package includes free Quick Queue (front-of-the-line) at SeaWorld’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin™, dining at the Expedition Café, a free photo and a third hotel night FREE!
● SeaWorld + Aquatica Add Aquatica for just $40: Enjoy unlimited access to the sights and splashes of SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark™ during your vacation.
● Kids Free, PLUS 2nd Visit Free, through December 25th, 2014: SeaWorld is the place for families this holiday season. And now, enjoy one free kid’s admission (ages 3-9) with each full-paid adult admission ticket.
● 5 Incredible Parks, 1 Ticket, Orlando’s Best Vacation Value: See more for less! This package features the Orlando FlexTicket, offering unlimited admissions to SeaWorld, Aquatica, Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure and Wet ’n Wild during your stay. Perfect for your Orlando vacation. Stay at least 5 nights and enjoy the best of Orlando! Plus, free transportation and other great benefits available when you choose an Official Hotel of SeaWorld. Package requires a 10-day advance purchase. Stay a minimum of 5 nights and as an added value, your 5th night is FREE!
The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy returns to the fantastical world of the heroic Viking Hiccup and his faithful dragon Toothless. The inseparable duo must protect the peace – and save the future of men and dragons from the power-hungry Dragon.
Did you enjoy the new movie “Frozen” or are you still singing the showstopper “Let It Go” in your head? Now you can also experience the movie Frozen at the Disney Parks as well. Here is a quick look at some of the exciting ways to experience “Frozen” at the Disney Parks this holiday season!
Walt Disney World Resort:
Meet Anna and Elsa over at the Norway Pavilion at Epcot
Also at the Norway Pavilion, view a new gallery exhibit showing how the culture and beauty of Norway inspired the movie “Frozen”
At the Magic Kingdom, “Frozen” joins the Celebrate the Magic show at Cinderella Castle each night
Get a “Frozen” inspired makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Downtown Disney or Cinderella Castle locations
Disneyland Resort:
Meet Anna and Elsa in Fantasyland at Disneyland Park
Celebrate the upcoming Sochi Olympics by performing a twizzle at Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink at Downtown Disney District
Catch an evening performance of World of Color – Winter Dreams hosted by Olaf and featuring a “Let It Go” sequence at Disney California Adventure
Get a “Frozen” inspired makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Sleeping Beauty Castle
Don’t forget to pick up a “Frozen” themed souvenir or two while at the Disney Parks this holiday season!
Setting sail on Disney Cruise Line instead? Princess Anna will be making meet/greet appearances on Disney Cruise Line throughout the holiday season!
Looking for a completely different way to experience the movie “Frozen”? Check out the brand new Adventures by Disney guided tour of Norway in 2014. This brand new family friendly experience takes guests behind the scenes of all the Norwegian spots that inspired the movie! An Adventures by Disney trip is a great way to experience history, culture, adventure, VIP experiences and Disney magic all in one amazing vacation.
When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
In 1961, author P.L. Travers came to Los Angeles for two weeks at the request of Walt Disney to discuss selling the rights to her best-selling book, Mary Poppins. It took 20 years of wooing and offers (and the final advisement of her agent to stave off financial woes) before the author finally decided to make the trip. But P.L. Travers had absolutely no interest in selling the rights for Mary Poppins to Walt, fearing that he would turn a character very dear to her heart into a “Disney-fied” joke. And more importantly, that the meaning behind the story would be lost between the songs, dance numbers and animated sequences. Yes, P.L. Travers came to Los Angeles with one goal in mind: to stop Walt’s relentless efforts to obtain the rights by saying no whenever possible.
To many, “Saving Mr. Banks” looks like a making-of story about 1964’s “Mary Poppins.” But in all truthfulness, this story does not follow the film’s production process at all. Instead it covers two different story lines: the 1961 pre-production meetings for “Mary Poppins” at Disney Studios in Burbank, CA; and the childhood struggles of P.L. Travers and her family in 1906 Australia. As the production team of screenwriter Don DaGradi and songwriting duo The Sherman Brothers make their attempts to appease Mrs. Travers, we are shown moments from her childhood. Many of these moments are the interactions with her father, Travers Robert Goff, a banker in a small countryside town. Travers has a special connection with his daughter, always encouraging her to use her imagination. But he also has his own demons, battling alcoholism that affects his productivity at work and relationship with his wife. At age 7, P.L. was blindly indifferent to what was really going on with her father. As his health deteriorates and he is unable to work any longer, the environment at home takes a turn for the worse. These experiences molded Mrs. Travers into a very stubborn and guarded woman. She wrote Mary Poppins as an homage to what she wished could have happened in her own childhood. Even Walt Disney failed to recognize what the story was really about, believing that Mary Poppins came there to save the children. When actually, she came to save Mr. Banks himself.
“Saving Mr. Banks” stars two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers and two-time Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. The film co-stars Colin Farrell as the author’s father, Travers Robert Goff; Jason Schwartzman & B.J. Novak as songwriters Richard & Robert Sherman; Bradley Whitford as screenwriter Don DaGradi; Paul Giamatti as limo driver Ralph; Ruth Wilson as Margaret Goff; Rachel Griffiths as Aunt Ellie; and lastly, newcomer Annie Rose Buckley as Ginty. The film was directed by John Lee Hancock (“The Blind Side.”)
WHAT WORKED: In a film like “Saving Mr. Banks,” one that is full of so much emotion and nostalgia (especially if you are a fan of Disney or “Mary Poppins”), everything worked well. The performances by all of the actors were fantastic, and nobody felt out of place. Emma Thompson’s portrayal of P.L. Travers was very heartfelt and genuine. She really embraced the character’s backstory and made it feel personal. Given that this was the first time Walt Disney had ever been portrayed in a motion picture, Tom Hanks made a smart move in not trying to impersonate or make a caricature of Walt. Instead, he worked on capturing his essence and charm, throwing in small details like his cough. And Colin Farrell, who never appears on screen with the rest of the main actors given his role, carried the 1906 storyline through. The love for his daughter that is displayed on screen is convincing, as is his regret upon realizing his failures.
On the technical aspects, “Saving Mr. Banks” truly excels. The Cinematography by John Schwartzman (“Seabiscuit”) is stunning, covering sweeping Australian landscapes, intimate offices at Disney Studios, and a grand premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. The segment shot at Disneyland was particularly noteworthy, with vibrant colors and shine that makes the location look truly magical. The Art Direction by Lauren Polizzi (“Star Trek Into Darkness”) and Costume Design by Daniel Orlandi (“Cinderella Man”) did an excellent job of immersing the viewers in the early 1900s outback as well as 1960s Los Angeles. Everything was meticulously detailed and accurate. But what stood out the most for me was the Score, written by eleven-time Oscar® nominee Thomas Newman (“WALL-E,” “Finding Nemo”). Newman has a very distinct style, but he has covered a number of different genres including drama, action, animated and fantasy. He heavily uses string instruments and slow piano melodies to evoke a flood of emotion over a scene. As my all-time favorite composer, I feel this is his best work yet.
WHAT DID NOT WORK: Honestly, I can hardly find anything to complain about in this film. Obviously, whenever a story is based on true events, it is hard to know what was really said or might have actually happened, and what is simply the work of dramatic fiction. I suppose my only complaint is the introduction of Aunt Ellie, played by Rachel Griffiths, felt rushed and almost overlooked. Her character is the direct inspiration for the “Mary Poppins” character, and I felt as though her presence in the story was not significant enough.
THE WRAP-UP: The film is excellent, and should not be missed. While it is a Disney movie, it is rated PG-13 and there are many adult themes addressed. I would not recommend it for young children, but there is no reason that anyone in their teens up to their elderly years could not enjoy it. The tone and feeling of the movie reminds me of 2004’s “Finding Neverland,” and like that film, “Saving Mr. Banks” inspires wonder and also brings you to tears. Although the Golden Globes® overlooked the film (besides the nomination for Emma Thompson), I expect the film to garner several Oscar® nominations.
SCORE: 9/10 – Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed.
I imagine that one of the great things about writing for Marvel is getting to play in the epic sandbox of characters and locations they have created over the last several years. They have provided a multitude of heroes and villains, characters that one would never expect to populate the same film. As everybody knows, The Avengers brought this all to the forefront with Iron Man, Hulk , Thor, etc. all populating the screen at the same time. Now that this group has been firmly established, Disney has started creating animated films that experiment with different pairings from this group.
New to Blu-Ray and DVD comes Iron Man and Hulk in Heroes United. There is a lot of potential with these various mash-ups, but I have to say that this particular pairing doesn’t work at all. It’s one of those concepts that sounds great in theory, but the execution is disastrous. It’s hard to identify whether it’s the complete lack of chemistry between these two characters, or whether it’s the generic story. Making matters worse, this film advertises it’s “groundbreaking Marvel CG Animation” which is amongst the ugliest animation I have seen in a long time.
Looking like a subpar video game cut scene, the animation is blocky, overly textured, and completely unable to support the material. There aren’t many locations in the film, but for the most part, they appear very crudely animated as well. Unfortunately, the Blu-Ray picture is so pristine, it really draws attention to just how unpleasant this film is visually.
What little story the film has revolves around Zzzax, an energy creature that comes about because of Hydra, the organization from Captain America, and their attempts at harnessing energy. In battling Zzzax, Hulk and Iron Man must team up on Tony Stark’s Helicarrier where they talk, things get smashed, and audiences get bored. One of the biggest weaknesses of the film is the complete betrayal of the Hulk as a character. There is no “Hulk smash” type dialogue in this project. For some reason, they decided that the Hulk should talk in complete sentences, and he never once becomes Bruce Banner. Nothing more than a giant green character with incredible strength, everything that makes Hulk what he is is negated.
Bonus Clip: Iron Man and Hulk’s Relationship
The voiceover work is relatively weak as well. Adrian Pasdar plays Tony Stark/Iron Man almost as a child. After several films of Robert Downey, Jr’s brilliant portrayal, it’s disheartening to hear the character reduced to such Saturday morning cartoon style line deliveries. I get that this is a film for kids, but they are building upon a world that has already been created, and in doing so, are not doing the source material justice.
This is a very different entity than that of the live-action films. The story in this film isn’t going to be taken as canon in the live-action films, and likewise, there doesn’t appear to be much correlation the other way around. I suppose if the mere presence of Iron Man and Hulk makes you happy, then you might enjoy this film. However, I was hoping for a more creative mix-and-match of the characters.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was an astounding and albeit masterpiece worthy of praise and every accolade for its time. Bearing that in mind, it would only make sense for the story of The Hobbit to make its way to the big screen. Curiously enough, also as a trilogy.
I’ve never actually sat down and read any of Tolkien’s books, but his works were subjects of study all the same in many literary classes I took. I had friends that read his stories, including the original Hobbit and found we shared a similar sense of surprise seeing that there would be a new trilogy based off of this one 400 page book.
At this time we are only 2/3, and I feel I must be just in saying that Peter Jackson is awfully fond of himself to stretch out such a story over the course of 3 separate nearly 3 hour films.
Most will enjoy and fewer still will criticize the movies if for nothing else, being too long. The enjoyment one feels revisiting Middle Earth is one rarely attained when going to the movies these days. But even the large pan out shots of New Zealand’s landscapes can’t save itself from suffering one seemingly simple misstep. These movies are too long.
The Lord of the Rings films were the punchline to many jokes remarking on how a seemingly simple tasked is made near impossible with little explanation as to why characters had to trek across such a treacherous land when many opportunities for flight came around. In “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,”, we see our merry band of countrymen pick up where they left off in the last movie, having just been dropped off by a large group of rather capable eagles, just short of 50 miles from their mountainous destination. While I am sure there was good reason having not brought our group closer to the inevitable battle with Smaug, one would think that it could have been brought to the audiences attention at some point or another within that 3 hours. Also, how long did Smaug sleep? Did he seek food occasionally? He must have left the dwarven castle at some point. Or did he just lay underneath a sea of gold coins for nearly 40 years? Perhaps these are arbitrary questions that need not been answered as there were far more pressing matters at hand that the director felt more important. Or maybe there was just a lot more walking.
Perhaps I am judging too harshly. There were moments of utmost joy to be had during the film. Sir Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman were at their best, as to be expected, and the visuals were absolutely stunning. I would even go so far as to say ‘breath-taking’ at times, especially in 3D (which is a must this time around). However, it did feel like the beautiful scenery was a ploy to take the viewers attention away from the lack of action and constant hiking through forest and mountains. But there was action, though. However, I could not help but think several times during my viewing that the fight choreography team must have been on vacation this go around, as most of the battles were with Legolas jumping across our dwarven heroes heads to tackle an orcish enemy and surf the body of that orc down into another patch of orcs. If nothing else, Legolas would certainly give Kelly Slater a run for his money.
Evangeline Lilly finally makes her appearance in the film, even if it was was with slight over-acting and a relationship that confused the audience on whether she was interested in the only dwarf that took pride in hygienics or Legolas himself. But it was lovely to see her on screen causing emotional tension with the dreamy Orlando Bloom. A match made in heaven, or simply one not at all. Assuming that she and Legolas wont work out on the basis she made not an appearance or even mentioned in any of the Lord of the Rings films.
Truth be told, fans with enjoy the movie as Peter Jackson is once again up to his usual antics of foolish bumbling about and fine attention to details, even if some are missed during long periods of nothing happening while the viewers marvel at the movies cinematography. Oh, and did we mention the dragon, Smaug? He is in the movie, for the last 30 minutes. Only most of the time he is off screen searching for Bilbo and his dwarven miscreants. With what little time we got to spend with Smaug (voice and mokap by Benedict Cumberbatch), he was clearly the star of the show. Oh, and Sauron is back. File that under ‘Obvious Foreshadowing’.
The movie may not be worth the money in the theater, as it tends to repeat itself over and over, almost an exact duplicate of the first Hobbit film, but if you do make your way to the theater to see it, spend the extra $$ on 3D, you will likely get all of your enjoyment out of that in and of itself.
Disney Legend, author and Cal State Fullerton alumna Martha Blanding will speak at a CSUF commencement ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social...
