Disney Consumer Products Unwraps its #DisneyDozen Gift List for the 2013 Holiday Season

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October 16, 2013

It’s the holiday season and Disney Consumer Products has magical gifts for all ages and budgets in its #DisneyDozen gift list inspired by favorite Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters and stories. This award-winning assortment includes 12 entertaining and innovative holiday gifts – plus some additional “must-have” items – that tap into The Walt Disney Company’s rich history of storytelling, while offering enduring play value and transforming playtime into a truly magical experience that Disney is known for.

With products inspired by popular Disney properties such as Disney Junior’s Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins along with Disney’s Planes and Disney Infinity, the #DisneyDozen products are being recognized by more national retailers, toy experts, industry organizations and media outlets than ever before, including: Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Kmart, TimetoPlayMag.com, The Toy Insider, Parents magazine and more. There’s something for every budget with toys ranging from $5.99 to $189.99, and digital apps ranging from FREE to $4.99.

The #DisneyDozen gift list includes:

Angry Birds Star Wars TELEPODS (Hasbro)
—Toy Insider’s Top Tech 12 for 2013

Cheerin’ Minnie (Fisher-Price)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List

Disney Infinity (Disney Interactive)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—TimetoPlayMag.com’s “Most Wanted” toys for 2013 and “People’s Play Award” nominee
—Toy Insider’s “Hot 20” toys and Top Tech 12 for 2013
—Toys “R” Us 2013 Holiday Hot Toy list

Disney’s It’s A Small World Animator’s Collection (Disney Store)
—Family Choice Awards 2013 Holiday Gift Guide Winner
—Parents magazine “Top 10 Favorite” for November 2013
—TimetoPlayMag.com’s “People’s Play Award” nominee

Disney’s Planes Wing Control Dusty Crophopper RC Plane (Mattel)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—National Parenting Publications Awards 2013 Children’s Products Honors Winner in the Toys category
—TimetoPlayMag.com “People’s Play Award” nominee
—Toy Insider’s “Hot 20” toys for 2013
—Toys “R” Us, Walmart and Kmart’s top holiday toys lists

Disney Princess Palace Pets (Blip) and Palace Pets app (Disney Publishing Worldwide)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—TimetoPlayMag.com’s “Most Wanted” toys for 2013 and “People’s Play Award” nominee

Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle (Mattel) and Magic Mirror App (Disney Publishing Worldwide)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—Parents magazine “Virtual Reality” Top Toy Pick 2013
—Toy Insider’s Top Tech 12 for 2013

Doc McStuffins Get Better Check Up Center (Just Play)
—TimetoPlayMag.com’s “Most Wanted” toys for 2013 and “People’s Play Award” nominee
—Toy Insider’s “Hot 20” toys for 2013
—Toys “R” Us, Walmart and Kmart’s top holiday toy lists

LEGO® DUPLO®-brand Jake and the Never Land Pirates™ construction sets (LEGO)

Iron Man Flying RC Extreme Hero (EB Brands)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—TimetoPlayMag.com “People’s Play Award” nominee

Sofia the First Magical Talking Doll with Animal Friends (Mattel)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—Kohl’s Top 25 Dream Toys list
—TimetoPlayMag.com’s “Most Wanted” toys for 2013
—Toy Insider’s “Hot 20” toys for 2013

Under the Sea Surprise Ariel (JAKKS Pacific)
—Toy Insider’s 2013 Holiday Guide, Ages 3-5

Additional “must-haves” items:

Disney Baby The Lion King Simba Drop N’ Roar (Fisher-Price)
—Amazon’s 2013 Holiday Toy List
—Parents magazine “Best for Babies” Top Toy Pick 2013

Disney’s Frozen Anna & Elsa dolls (Disney Store)

Marvel Creativity Studio Deluxe Stylus and App (eKids)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Paint & Play App (Disney Publishing Worldwide)
—National Parenting Publications Awards 2013 Children’s Products Gold Winner in the Virtual Products category

Winnie the Pooh Interactive Story Book Buddy (Hallmark)

From the loveable characters of hit Disney Junior shows and new characters discovered on the big screen, to soaring Super Heroes and angry Darth Vader birds (and pigs), the best-of-the-best products from the world’s leading entertainment company are available now at national retailers including Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Kmart along with other mass and specialty retailers, as well as Disney Store retail locations and DisneyStore.com, and the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Best for Baby

Disney Baby The Lion King Simba Drop N’ Roar (MSRP $34.99; Amazon.com, Target.com and Walmart.com)
Surprise baby with different reactions via drop-through ball play with The Lion King Simba Drop ‘n Roar, which includes sound effects and an original song, ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.’

Winnie the Pooh Interactive Story Buddy (MSRP: $34.95, available exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores starting November)
Bring story time to life with Hallmark’s Winnie the Pooh Interactive Story Buddy that uses Hallmark’s I Reply® Technology – the plush Winnie the Pooh Story Buddy chimes in when key phrases from the book are read aloud.

Preschool Picks

Cheerin’ Minnie (MSRP: $44.99; available at mass retailers)
Watch every girl’s friend, Minnie, raise her pom poms high while she cheers for her favorite mouse, singing and dancing to the hit song “Hey Mickey”!

Doc McStuffins Get Better Check Up Center (MSRP: $79.99; available at mass retailers)
The Doc McStuffins Get Better Checkup Center has everything kids need – from the Big Book of Boo Boos to other doctor “tools” and accessories – so they can imagine they are healing toys and giving healthy checkups right along with Doc McStuffins!

LEGO® DUPLO®-brand Jake and the Never Land Pirates™ construction sets (MSRP: $14.99, $24.99 and $39.99; available at mass and specialty retailers)
Build your own pirate fun – from Jake’s Treasure Hunt, to the Never Land Hideout, to Jake’s Pirate Ship Buckey; a swashbuckling adventure awaits young Jake and the Never Land Pirates fans!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Paint & Play app by Disney Publishing Worldwide (app is $4.99; available on iTunes and Google Play)
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Paint & Play is a magical 3D coloring book that lets kids create the Clubhouse world. With unlimited combinations of tools, colors, patterns, stickers, and more, kids paint everything they see – even Mickey and Minnie! A magic wand brings the Clubhouse to life as a fully-animated 3D world.

Sofia the First Magical Talking Doll with Animal Friends (MSRP: $39.99; available at mass retailers)
Dressed in her signature princess gown and very special amulet from the King, Sofia can recognize and talk with three of her best animal friends. With multiple character-specific phrases, it’s endless interactive friendship fun with everyone’s favorite princess-in-training!

Boys Toys

Angry Birds Star Wars TELEPODS (MSRP: $14.99 – $39.99, available at mass retailers; app is $0.99 available on iTunes and Google Play)
For the first time ever, TELEPODS lets you teleport your Rebel Bird and Imperial Pig figures into the new Angry Birds Star Wars II app so you can choose who you launch. You can also launch your Rebel Bird figures in real life to destroy iconic Angry Birds Star Wars structures and topple the evil Pig Empire!

Disney’s Planes Wing Control Dusty Crophopper RC Plane (MSRP: $39.99; available as mass retailers)
Kids can have fun recreating the action seen in Disney’s Planes with this RC vehicle that offers role-play remote control, which means the plane moves when they do!

Iron Man Flying RC Extreme Hero (MSRP: $79.99; available at mass retailers)
Experience the thrill of controlling the world’s first flying Iron Man. The Extreme Hero banks, soars dives and climbs, just like the real Iron Man and offers high performance yet easy enough for a beginner as it soars up to 300 feet in the air.

Marvel Creativity Studio Deluxe Smart Stylus and App (MSRP: $34.99, available at Apple Stores; app is FREE, available on iTunes)
A truly creative gift for any Marvel fan or budding artist, the Marvel Creativity Studio features a “smart” stylus that magically transforms into a pencil, marker, crayon, brush or stamper, for an immersive art experience on iPad devices. Through engaging activities and assembling your own action stories, kids of all ages can draw, color and activate their favorite Marvel Super Heroes to create their own customized artwork and storytelling.

Gifts for Girls

Disney’s Frozen Anna & Elsa dolls ($39.95 each; available at Disney Store locations and disneystore.com)
From Disney’s Frozen, these beautiful dolls begin to sing their own signature songs triggered by motion-activation – Anna (“For the First Time”) and Elsa (“Let It Go”).

Disney Princess Palace Pets and Palace Pets app (MSRP: $5.99 – $29.99, available at mass retailers; FREE app, available on iTunes)
Inspired by the love for animals the Disney Princess characters display in their classic stories, the Disney Princess Palace Pets app and product collection enable children to play with, nurture and love their Palace Pets, just like their favorite Disney Princess characters. The product line includes figures, “plush” stuffed animals and playsets.

Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle and Magic Mirror App (MSRP: $189.99, available at mass retailers; $3.99 for app or FREE with Castle purchase, available on iTunes)
The Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle and Magic Mirror app merge physical and digital to create magical interactive experiences both in and around the castle themed to girls’ favorite Disney Princess characters. Special spots in each room trigger activities including baking with Snow White, popping bubbles with Ariel, sewing beautiful dresses with Cinderella, and singing songs with Aurora. With so many areas of play, more than 30 accessory pieces, and the new augmented reality app, it’s the ultimate castle for any little princess to call home.

Under the Sea Surprise Ariel (MSRP: $29.99, available at mass retailers)
When is placed in water, Ariel’s fin lights up, creating a magical rainbow of color; she also sings and says phrases from favorite movie moments in both English and Spanish.

Family Fun

Disney Infinity (MSRP: $74.99 starter pack, available at mass and specialty retailers)
Disney Infinity is an all-new video game starring the beloved characters from Walt Disney Studios’ and Pixar’s most popular franchises. Players can place real-world toy versions of their favorite Disney characters onto a device called the Infinity Base and transport them into the virtual game worlds of Monsters University, The Incredibles, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lone Ranger and Toy Story in Space as well as into a giant Toy Box where they can create their own adventures.

Disney’s It’s A Small World Animator’s Collection ($29.95 each, available at Disney Store locations and disneystore.com)
Celebrate our “small world” with a new collection of dolls inspired by the original Fantasyland attraction, “it’s a small world,” and one of the best-known Disney tunes of all time. Each doll is dressed in traditional costume and sings in its native language.

ABC Family’s 15th Annual "13 Nights of Halloween" Full TV Schedule

By

Robbie Bulus

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October 15, 2013

ABC Family scares up the 2013 13 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN celebration, with programming filled with scares and frights as you countdown to Halloween. The popular programming event, now in its 15th year, starting Saturday, October 19th, and concludes on Thursday, October 31st, features a brand new episode of “Pretty Little Liars” and the highly anticipated premiere of spinoff series “Ravenswood.” The stunt will also include the ABC Family feature film premiere of “Men in Black,” the network premiere of “Disney Pixar’s Toy Story OF TERROR!,” and a ghoulish mix of Halloween-themed programming airing for the 13 nights leading up to Halloween.

Following is a listing of chill-tastic programming taking place October 19th-31st during ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween.

Night One – Saturday, October 19th

The 15th annual 13 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN launches an all day scarefest with a mini marathon of comedy series “The Middle,” featuring all of the Heck family’s Halloween hijinks (7:00 – 8:30 AM ET/PT). New York’s only hope in the midst of a crime wave is the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (8:30 – 10:30 AM ET/PT). Gotham City is under attack by The Joker in “Batman” at 10:30 AM– 1:30 PM ET/PT, then “Batman Returns” (1:30 – 4:30 PM ET/PT) to thwart The Penguin’s evil plans. “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (4:30 – 6:25 PM ET/PT) continues a Tim Burton marathon, with “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (6:25 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) doubling your frights. Catch the network premiere of “Disney Pixar’s Toy Story OF TERROR!” (8:00 – 8:30 PM ET/PT), where Buzz, Woody and all your favorite toys must work together to track down their missing friend. Then meet us down on the Scare Floor for “Disney Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.” (8:30 – 10:30 PM ET/PT). We wrap up our night with how Batman came to be in “Batman Begins” at 10:30 PM – 12:30 AM ET/PT.

Night Two – Sunday, October 20th

Spend the day with the master of Halloween entertainment Tim Burton, starting with a trip down the rabbit hole with “Alice in Wonderland” (7:00 – 9:30 AM ET/PT), then collect your golden ticket to the world of Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET/PT). Then visit with “Coraline” (12:00 – 2:00 PM ET/PT), a little girl who realizes an idealized version of her unhappy home comes with its own secrets. Then it’s back to Burton with “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (2:00 – 3:55 PM ET/PT) and the creepiest wedding of the year, followed by a haunting holiday in “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (3:55 – 5:30 PM ET/PT). Join Mike Wazowski and Sulley for some premium scares in “Disney Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), then take another ride on “Disney Pixar’s Toy Story OF TERROR!” (7:30 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) if you dare. “The Addams Family” (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT) invites you to spend the evening with them and learn some “Addams Family Values” (10:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Three – Monday, October 21st

Watch out for the Red Queen as you revisit the fantastical Wonderland in “Alice in Wonderland” (6:00 – 8:30 PM ET/PT), then it’s the tale of immortal love in “Twilight” (8:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). Stay up late for extra chills with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), where someone is watching, and they know your secret!

Night Four – Tuesday, October 22nd

Relive your favorite moments from this season’s search for Red Coat in a ”Pretty Little Liars” marathon (11:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET/PT), featuring 9 back to back episodes filled with creepy text messages and even creepier gifts from “A”. Then break out your Halloween finery as the Liars attend a very unusual costume party on a special brand new Halloween episode of “Pretty Little Liars” at 8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT. Watch Pretty Little Liars’ Caleb as he steps into a new town where things are stranger than even he’s ever seen in the highly anticipated premiere of new series “Ravenswood” (9:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). Additionally you can catch encores of the “Ravenswood” premiere at 10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT and 1:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT, with the “Pretty Little Liars” Halloween episode airing in between at 12:00 -1:00 AM ET/PT.

Night Five – Wednesday, October 23rd

Tag along with the “Pretty Little Liars” (5:30 – 6:30 PM ET/PT) as they search for the truth about Ali, in an encore of the Halloween special, followed by another visit to the supernatural town of “Ravenswood” (6:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT). Harry prepares for his final epic battle with He Who Must Not Be Named in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1” at 7:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT. The night ends with another teen who discovers her magical powers in “Teen Witch” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Six – Thursday, October 24th

You have another chance to attend the Ravenswood Founder’s Day party in the “Pretty Little Liars” Halloween special (12:00 – 1:00 PM ET/PT), then get to know the town even better in the series premiere of “Ravenswood” (1:00 – 2:00 PM ET/PT). Join the M.I.B. on the search for aliens in the ABC Family premiere of “Men in Black” (6:30 – 8:45 PM ET/PT), with a bonus airing immediately after (8:45 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). And end your night with Michael J. Fox’s hairy high school adventures of “Teen Wolf” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Seven – Friday, October 25th

Two women make a pact with the devil for eternal youth in “Death Becomes Her” (7:00 – 9:00 PM, ET/PT). Then watch out for Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, “Beetlejuice” (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). They’re HEEEEEEERE, the ghosts of Poltergeist II: The Other Side (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Eight – Saturday, October 26th

It’s back to back supernatural high school hijinks starting with “Teen Wolf Too” (7:30 – 9:30 AM ET/PT), followed by “Teen Wolf” (9:30 – 11:30 AM ET/PT), “Teen Witch” (11:30 AM – 1:30 PM ET/PT), and “The Goonies” (1:30 – 3:30 PM ET/PT). Then it’s another chance to partake in the wacky shenanigans of “Beetlejuice” (4:00 – 6:00 PM ET/PT), and spend some more time with the kookiest, spookiest family on the block in “The Addams Family” (6:00 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) and “Addams Family Values” (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). It becomes a witchy late night starting with the Sanderson sisters in “Hocus Pocus” (10:00 PM– 12:00 AM ET/PT), followed by four teenage witches in “The Craft” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Nine – Sunday, October 27th

That Grinch doesn’t like any holiday in the ABC Family premiere of “Dr. Seuss’ Halloween is Grinch Night” (8:00 –8:30 AM ET/PT. Join Gutsy Smurf on a trip to spooky Smurfy Hollow in the television premiere of “The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow” (8:30 – 9:00 AM ET/PT). Then grab the Scooby snacks for back to back airings of “Scooby Doo” (9:00 – 11:00 AM ET/PT) and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET/PT). Trick-or-Treat at “Monster House” (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET/PT) if you dare, then visit with the most charming and magical “Matilda” (3:00 – 5:00 PM ET/PT). Spend some more time with the kookiest, ookiest family on the block in “The Addams Family” (5:00 – 7:00 PM ET/PT) and “Addams Family Values” (7:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT). Don’t drink these witches’ brew as the Sanderson sisters wreak havoc in “Hocus Pocus” (9:00– 11:00 PM ET/PT)! Then it’s another chance to uncover the mysteries in “Ravenswood” (11:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Ten – Monday, October 28th

It’s back to the scariest house on the block, “Monster House” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the creepiest wedding you’ve ever seen in “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (7:30 – 9:25 PM ET/PT). Then join Jack Skellington in Halloweentown in “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (9:25 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). And finally, revisit “Coraline” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), a little girl who discovers the world she thought she wanted is more sinister than she thought.

Night Eleven – Tuesday, October 29th

The night kicks off with a bonus airing of the special Halloween episode of “Pretty Little Liars” (6:00 – 7:00 PM ET/PT) and the “Ravenswood” (7:00 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) premiere episode that introduces the unexplained phenomena of this creepy town. “Ravenswood” (8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT) makes its time period debut with a new episode that finds Caleb trying to explain the supernatural happenings he’s witnessed. Close out your night with the scares and thrills of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT), then be kept up at night by back to back airings of the first two episodes of chilling series “Ravenswood” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Twelve – Wednesday, October 30th

A day of truly spine-tingling frights starts with Mikey, Chunk and the rest of “The Goonies” (11:00 AM – 1:30 PM ET/PT) where Goonies never say die! Make a deal with the devil in “Death Becomes Her” (1:30 – 3:30 PM ET/PT). Watch the witchy teens of “The Craft” (3:30 – 5:30 PM ET/PT), then the terrorized teens of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), and stay for the supernatural teens of “Twilight” (7:30 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). And if you haven’t gotten enough terrorizing teen moments, stick around for an encore of the second episode of “Ravenswood” at 10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT. Your evening of thrills ends with an encore of “Death Becomes Her” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Thirteen – Thursday, October 31st

All Hallows Eve is upon us and promises to bring with it a treat bag full of fun, starting with back to back doses of the mutant crime fighters “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET/PT), and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze” (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET/PT). Stay tuned for those meddling kids of “Scooby Doo” (3:00 – 5:00 PM ET/PT) and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” (5:00 – 7:00 PM ET/PT) and watch the Scooby gang defeat evil doers’ dastardly plans. It’s your last chance to hang out with Gomez, Morticia and their kooky crew in “The Addams Family” (7:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT) and learn some “Addams Family Values” (9:00 -11:00 PM ET/PT) of the frightening kind! The Halloween evening wraps up it’s spooktacularness with the ABC Family premiere of “The Others” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), where Nicole Kidman fears she is living with ghosts, and not the friendly kind.

Play Stay Dine and Save up to $600 at Walt Disney World this Winter

By

Heather Abbott - Travel Correspondent

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October 14, 2013

New Walt Disney World Discount Offer for Stays Most Nights January 5 – March 5, 2014 at select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels.

Experience the wonders of the Walt Disney World Resort when you take advantage of this special offer! Save up to $600 for a family of 4 on a 5-night/6-day room, ticket and dining plan package at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights January 5, 2014 through March 5, 2014.

This offer is a great opportunity to save on your resort room, dining plan and theme park tickets! You receive discounted pricing on all 3 components of your vacation package when you book at least a 3-night stay! In addition, you get to experience the parks during some of the least crowded times of the year!

Example pricing: Purchase this 5-night/6-day package for a family of 4 ( 2 adults, one junior and one child) that includes tickets, the Disney Dining Plan and a standard room at a Disney Moderate Resort hotel—valid for stays most nights January 5 through January 8, 2014, January 12 through January 16, 2014 and January 20 through February 12, 2014—for just $2,606. That’s a savings of $600!

Offer Restrictions:

Advance reservations required.
No group rates or other discounts apply.
Offer excludes campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Dining plans exclude alcoholic beverages and gratuities.
Children ages 3-9 must choose from children’s menu, if available.

Book now through December 31, 2013! Hurry! As with all Walt Disney World Resort offers, availability is limited. Be sure to book today before your favorite hotel is sold out.

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!

Movie Review: "The Fifth Estate" Tries To Break The Mold

By

Joel Covey

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October 11, 2013

As soon as the movie gets rolling you will quickly get the sense you have seen this all before. To summarize quickly, The Fifth Estate is The Social Network with a more political agenda and serious undertone. Tuned off already? Don’t be. This may be a formula Hollywood has tested and found success over the years, but the film doesn’t necessarily feel entirely old and tired. It remains thought provoking whilst going from drama to suspense to a story we have all seen told before.

Not to make light over such a serious subject or a very current news event in our world, but there is something that The Fifth Estate doesn’t shy away from. Director and producer Bill Condon (Kinsley, Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Break Dawn, Parts 1 and 2) admittedly explained that he and the producers wanted to create more of a sensationalized drama to really captivate the audience and bring a story focused on the larger themes, and a better narrative, to life.

The Fifth Estate is not a docudrama. Much of the film IS based off of two main books: “Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange and the World’s Most Dangerous Website” by one of the men the film is about, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, and the Guardian book “WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War on Secrecy” by David Leigh and Luke Harding. These are books that are based off of direct relations with the WikiLeaks guru and creator Julian Assange, but they are just that; one side of the story.

The producers and writer Josh Singer (Fringe, The West Wing) knew just that and make no hidden agendas that this was all based off of true events. Instead they created something that is based more upon the greater theme of the relationships between WikiLeaks creator Julian Arrange and his volunteer and only friend Daniel Domscheit-Berg.

After a brief explanation of how these two came together, The Fifth Estate stays with a narrative more geared toward Daniel’s point of view while maintaining a little empathy toward Julian and his purpose of the site. They both care about privacy for the individual and transparency for organizations and government, but it is Julian’s lack of concern for the livelihood of the names mentioned in these documents that set Julian apart from Daniel and the rest of his recruits.

A wonderful aspect of this film is that I felt I was watching the real characters opposed to actors playing the role. This is supported by using people not heavily known by the masses and/or actors that portray a character that is far removed from themself. Julian Assange is portrayed by Star Trek’s Benedict Cumberbatch; an actor that I think many want to know more about, but really don’t know that much of as of yet. His near puppet at times, Daniel Domscheit-Berg is played by near-nominee Daniel Bruhl (Inglorious Bastards, Rush) and was a perfect choice for me.

First of all, Daniel is actually German therefore truly fitting the part. Secondly, I don’t think many will recognize him much allowing for the viewer to forget completely that it is indeed an actor portraying Berg. This was by far the best aspect of the film. Cumberbatch’s performance was more than stellar even with his fake Australian accent. Of course he being English does help a little. However, his sense of immense passion for his project brings this character to fruition. Every monologue and poetic statement he makes brings you closer to him whether or not you disagree in what he stands for, but it’s important that you can understand why he feels that way.

This may be a fault in this film though because it’s not necessarily a true portrayal of any of the characters. The trick will be if audience can separate what could be the truth from the story the filmmakers wanted to tell.

Many reviews will probably focus on the story of WikiLeaks and classified documents that were revealed along with creation of the software that came to be. While this is a vital part to the story, THIS story is really about their relationships and moral challenges they will face with the content that is submitted to them. I could go on and write my own novel just based off the productions notes, but I want to allow the movie to do this. Plus, I’m just not as savvy with the history of WikiLeaks that I’m sure many of you are.

The film does follow a timeline of events and deals with the consequences put forth by revealing these confidential documents that may cause harm or death to names involved. It really asks so many questions and dives deep into what is morally right. Luckily it really leaves the audience to decide what is right even though at times it appears to be heading down a very bias path, but then later catches back up telling a story from different points of views.

This brings other characters into play from other volunteers of WikiLeaks to the men and women trying to take the unstoppable site down. It brings into play how different news and information is spread in the world today and how the spread of news and information is nothing like it used to be. Julian created a submission platform where the contributor was protected bringing into play the quote “give a man a mask and he’ll tell you the truth”.

The U.S. response team was based on several U.S. government insiders: White House Deputy National Security Advisor Sam Coulson, played by Anthony Mackie; Under Secretary of State Sarah Shaw, played by three-time Academy Award nominee Laura Linney; and James Boswell, Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, played by none other than Stanley Tucci.

The chemistry between Linney and Tucci is incredible and both seem believable yet relatable based off of the side of the story we have all seen from the American mass media. They even bring a bit comedy and light hearted subject matter to the movie with their little badgering.

No doubt The Fifth Estate brings phenomenal acting to the table and some powerful moments. The story is fascinating even though the relationship story is something we have seen portrayed in The Social Network, the creation of Apple, or the like. If you couldn’t care less about the story of WIkiLeaks and the people behind it, then this may not be the film for you. In fact, if you care more about the actual documents that were released, this film is not for that either. This film brings to attention the moral questions raised by the mission of WikiLeaks and focuses on how it got to where it is today.

There are many underlining concerns that come into play that really take hold of the last quarter of the film. I’m not even going to attempt to try to go through them all. However, there are many questions that are important even more so today with recent current events. The largest question remains who should be judge of which secrets we need to know and which are too dangerous to share? Bill Condon directs it well leaving these answers more or less up to the view rather than taking a political agenda and telling us what to think.

I was pleased with the The Fifth Estate and the story it told while not pretending to be something it’s not. The story flows even though many timespans are condensed or expanded. The art direction with the challenging task of making messaging on the screen intense and captivating is creative and smart. Even each shot is made more gorilla style with no blocking creating a more documentary feel to it while still having a look of a big-budget film. It was an enjoyable time at the movies and is subject matter that is quite intriguing. Just remember that this is just that, a film, a fictional film at that. Well, for the most part.

Blu-Ray Review: The Little Mermaid

By

Shaun Beckerman

-

October 11, 2013

In 1989, Disney Animation unleashed The Little Mermaid upon the world, ushering in another Golden Age of animation for the long struggling company. This was the exact right film at the exact right time, and without it, we might never have been blessed with films such as Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin. Having come off of a string of box-office failures, this film came at a critical moment for the company. With an instantly iconic soundtrack, breathtakingly beautiful underwater animation, a healthy dose of humor and instantly compelling story of heroes, villains, and of course, true love, this film rightfully went on to dominate the box office, and eventually secured it’s place as a timeless classic that is still beloved almost 25 years later.

The newest addition to Disney’s Diamond Edition Collection, this is a must-own for all families. No matter which viewing method you choose, the film has never looked better, thanks to a remarkable digital restoration. It’s as sharp as the film has ever looked, and really enhances the artistry behind the animation. There are 3 discs in this set, and all are fantastic ways to view the film. If you have a 3D tv, the 3-D Blu-Ray is included. While the film was obviously not initially designed for 3D, the underwater landscape of the film lends itself to a spectacular conversation process. However, if you don’t have a 3D TV, you can also view via Blu-Ray or DVD. Also included is a Digital Copy of the film, and a 10 music track download.

Included in that download is Part of Your World, as performed by Carly Rae Jepsen. The music video to this track is one of the many extra features on the set. Other features include a look inside Disney Animation today, including interviews with several animators who tell their stories of being inspired by The Little Mermaid as children. This feature includes a tour of the facilities, a segment featuring their annual April Fools’ Caricature competition, and provides an overall feeling of what it would be like to work for and create art for such a historic company.

There’s also a fascinating documentary about the live-action reference footage shot for the film. From the beginning, Disney Animation has brought in actors to perform the roles in their animated films. The animators watch this footage, and use this as a guide in order to create movements as realistic as possible. Their is a great deal of classic footage from films such as Alice In Wonderland and Snow White, as well as a significant amount of footage from the live-action reference footage from The Little Mermaid. It’s a fascinating insight into the process.

Other features include a lecture given by composer Howard Ashman, a tour of the new Fantasyland in Disneyworld by the voice of Ariel herself, Jodi Benson, a deleted scene featuring a nerdy Merman named Herman, and Crab-E-Oke, which as you can probably guess, is karaoke hosted by Sebastian.

Overall, Disney has provided another terrific addition to their Diamond Collection. Even with no extras at all, this would be a terrific release thanks to the beautiful restoration they performed on the film. The film looks as if it just came out this year. However, the features are a terrific bonus, both insightful and informative. It doesn’t matter how old you were when it was released, The Little Mermaid holds a special place in the hearts of all those who have seen it, and will continue to do so for generations to come. This is a great release for a timeless film.

DVD Review "Phineas & Ferb: Mission Marvel"

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 11, 2013

What happens when two worlds collide? You are about to find out in Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel. Now available on Disney DVD.

For the first time, Phineas and Ferb team up with Marvel Super Heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor and Hulk).

After Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s latest “-inator” scheme accidentally removes the powers of our very well-known Marvel Super Heroes, the heroes enter the world of Danville and team up with Phineas and Ferb to relocate their powers, defeat the Marvel Super Villains (Red Skull, MODOK, Whiplash and Venom) – who have also shown up to steal Doofenshmirtz’s power-draining technology – and save Danville from ultimate destruction!

Helping Phineas and Ferb are fan favorites, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D along with top agent, Perry the Platypus. Will they be able to divert disaster and help the Marvel Super Heroes restore their powers while saving the earth?

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel includes an all star voice cast. Vincent Martella (“Everybody Hates Chris”) as Phineas Flynn; Ashley Tisdale (Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure) as Candace Flynn; Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“Game of Thrones”) as Ferb Fletcher; Caroline Rhea (“The Suite Life of Zach and Cody”) as Mom Linda Flynn-Fletcher; Richard O’Brien (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Ever After: A Cinderella Story) as dad Lawrence Fletcher; Alyson Stoner (Step Up 3D, Camp Rock 1 & 2) as Isabella; Dee Bradley Baker (“American Dad!,” Star Wars:The Clone Wars”) as Perry the Platypus; Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (“Phineas and Ferb,” Rocko’s Modern Life) as Major Monogram; Dan Povenmire (“James Bond Jr.,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) as Dr. Doofenshmirtz; Tyler Mann (“Modern Family” “Weeds”) as Carl; John Viener (Ted, “Family Guy”) as Norm; Maulik Pancholy (“30 Rock,” Hitch, 27 Dresses) as Baljeet; Bobby Gaylor (“The Bernie Mac Show,” “Phineas and Ferb”) as Buford; Jack McBrayer (Wreck It Ralph, Despicable Me) as Irving; Drake Bell (“Ultimate Spiderman,” High Fidelity) as Spider-Man; Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes,” “Ultimate Spider-Man”) as Iron Man; Travis Willingham (The Guardian, Secondhand Lions) as Thor; Fred Tatasciore (“Ultimate Spider-Man,” “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”) as Hulk; Liam O’Brien (“Marvel’s Avengers Assemble”, “Sofia the First”) as Red Skull; Charlie Adler (Aladdin, “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble”) as M.O.D.O.K.; Peter Stormare (Fargo, Armageddon) as Whiplash; Danny Trejo (Machete, Heat) as Venom; Chi McBride (I, Robot, Gone in Sixty Seconds) as Nick Fury & Stan Lee also guest stars as himself.

There is 137 minutes of action and excitement with one fully-length adventure and six additional bonus adventures including Fly on The Wall, Sidetracked, Parts 1 & 2, Primal Perry, Parts 1&2, Backyard Hodge Podge, Knot My Problem and Mind Share.

Each DVD comes with a FREE collectible comic book inside with an Exclusive Mission Marvel poster.

ABC to Air "Toy Story OF TERROR!" on Wednesday, October 16, 2013

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 9, 2013

Disney/Pixar’s first special for television, “Toy Story OF TERROR!,” a spooky new tale featuring all of your favorite characters from the “Toy Story” films, airs WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET).

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen Reprise Their Roles as Woody and Buzz

What starts out as a fun road trip for the “Toy Story” gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate in this “Toy Story OF TERROR!”

The cast of “Toy Story OF TERROR!” includes Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Carl Weathers as Combat Carl/Combat Carl Jr., Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex and Kristen Schaal as Trixie.

“Toy Story OF TERROR!” is produced by Galyn Susman and directed by Angus MacLane. The special is from Disney/Pixar.

Check-out these clips from the show:

(Stay Here All Night)

(Combat Carl)

Jack Skellington to Reign as The Pumpkin King of Disney Infinity Newest Character Exclusively at GameStop

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 9, 2013

One of the most celebrated characters to be added into Disney Infinity, Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” is now available for purchase Exclusively at GameStop. Just in time for Halloween, fans can play as Jack Skellington and be the “Scare Master,” throw explosive jack-o-lanterns at other characters and build their very own “Halloween Town” in the Toy Box mode.

The Jack Skellington figure is available for an MSRP of $13.99, exclusively at GameStop starting on October 5 and at all participating retailers starting October 29.

About Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity is an all-new video game initiative starring the beloved characters from Walt Disney and Pixar Studios’ most popular franchises. Players can place real-world toy versions of favorite Disney characters onto a device called the Disney Infinity Base and transport them into the virtual game worlds of Monsters University, The Incredibles, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lone Ranger, as well as into a giant Toy Box.

Disney Interactive Tunes Up The Ultimate Disney Music Portal Featuring Best of Radio Disney, Hollywood Records and Vevo

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 9, 2013

Disney Interactive, Hollywood Records, Radio Disney and Vevo, the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, have teamed up to launch the premier family-friendly music portal on Disney.com and across Vevo’s online, mobile/tablet and connected TV platforms.

Featuring Disney curated videos from Vevo’s catalog of 50,000 music videos and exclusive content from Walt Disney Records, Radio Disney and Hollywood Records, Disney.com/music is a family-friendly gateway for children and families to access behind-the-scenes content, interviews and videos from both established and on-the-rise artists.

As the final content portal to launch on the new Disney.com platform, the site lets fans access the best of Disney music across all of their favorite digital devices through an elegant and consistent interface. Disney.com/music integrates all content from across Disney’s music network into a comprehensive user experience:

– Radio Disney– Listen to Radio Disney live across the site, request songs and ask questions to in-studio artists.
– Hollywood Records– Watch exclusive interviews and webisodes from the hottest Hollywood Records artists like Selena Gomez, R5 and Zendaya.
– Vevo- For the first time ever, catch music videos from Vevo’s top artists like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and One Direction directly on Disney.com.

With regular content updates including music-focused original programming, coverage of exclusive events and premieres and live music experiences with the hottest recording artists of today, Disney.com/music will continue to expand into the definitive music site for families, kids and tweens.

2013 CHOC “Walk In The Park,” at Disneyland Resort is Sunday Oct 13.

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 7, 2013

Before the sun rises on Sunday, October 13, Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, will be filled with thousands of people coming together in support of the health and well-being of children. CHOC “Walk in the Park,” presented by Disneyland Resort, is the largest and most unique single pediatric walk event in the U.S.

Now in its 23rd year, the popular event benefits CHOC Children’s, a regional pediatric healthcare system serving children and families in Southern California and beyond. The 2013 walk covers three miles through Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park where “CHOC Walkers” get a special peek behind the magic before the parks open to the general public. At the end of the 5K walk, the event continues in the resort’s Downtown Disney District where event sponsors, hospital support groups, shops and restaurants have special offers for Walk participants.

Among the event’s estimated 15,000 walkers are participants from across the U.S. and around the world, including walkers from Canada, Mexico, Australia and South Korea.
Nearly 800 teams are expected, and include current and former patients and families, as well as doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. Walkers come together to celebrate the lives of children saved by CHOC Children’s, and to honor the memory of those children who bravely lost their battle against serious disease or illness.

It’s the biggest yearly fundraising effort for CHOC. Monies raised by the event support a variety of patient and family programs, including education, research and the adoption and utilization of the latest technologies to advance the health of children.

Last year’s event raised more than $2 million, and since its inception in 1990, the Walk has raised more than $21 million.

In order to help CHOC reach its goal of providing quality healthcare to the region’s two million children, each CHOC Walker must raise a minimum of $50 to participate in the Walk. Everyone can register at http://www.chocwalk.org and receive up-to-date event information at CHOC Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.

For the past 12 years, CHOC “Walk in the Park” has been held at the Disneyland Resort but the Resort’s commitment to CHOC began more than 50 years ago when Walt Disney himself championed the need for a children’s hospital in Orange County. Since then, the Disneyland Resort – executives, Cast Members, VoluntEARS and beloved characters – have contributed funds, time and tenderness to enhance CHOC’s environment of healing.

The Magic of Creating Snow for Disney's upcoming Animated Film "Frozen"

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 7, 2013

To celebrate the upcoming release of Disney’s animated feature film “Frozen,” the studio invited members of the press to see about 30 minutes of the film, which included the original song “Let it Go,” featuring Idina Menzel. The comedy-adventure follows Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), who sets off on an epic journey to find her sister, meeting Kristoff (voiced by Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven along the way. Elsa (voiced by Menzel) has used her powers to trap Arendelle in an eternal winter, and Anna and her new friends must battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

Throughout the day we had the opportunity to learn about the animation process and how the filmmakers used state of the art technology to create some amazing animation special effects.

One of the workshops we attended was The Character of Snow. We had the pleasure of meeting with Evan Goldberg (Animation Technology Manager), Dale Mayeda (Co-FX Supervisor), Marlon West (FX Supervisor) and Andy Selle (Principal Software Engineer), who were very excited to share their experience on working with “Frozen.” Walt Disney Animation has created some new tools for generating trees, adding snow, doing snow simulation, having characters walk in that snow and be able to behave in an art-directable fashion that they fit a certain aesthetic. Creating animated snow was a challenge since each snowflake is unique because it travels in different ways. So Disney decided to create their own snowflake generator which creates over 2000 snowflake shapes. The work they do at the Walt Disney Animation studios is not about realism but more about believability. Also there is a certain amount of homework done to create the magical worlds we see on screen with research trips to various locations.

The team at Disney was excited to work on a film like “Frozen” and using that new technology to make the film even better. So why is snow so hard to work with? Characters have to interact with the snow, digging into it, get covered with it and walk in the snow. It’s always difficult because this really gives the audience a chance to see it close up without seeing all the usual FX Tricks.

Some other technologies that were used in “Frozen” include special motion cameras that are equipped with LED Lights that can track motion. It can put the FX Animations in the virtual world. Using a camera rig setup with motion sensors, the animations can track movements and use various types of camera angles to follow the animation sequences. Instead of using traditional 3D Animation software like Maya, which are hard to navigate around with a mouse and keyboard, this system allows smooth movement frame by frame. This also creates natural movement.

Check-out this Snow Demo that was created by Walt Disney Animation Studios exclusively for Socalthrills! This will give you an idea how detailed and textured the snow is.

It was fun to see these animators use computer technologies to bring to life a movie that is sure to please all ages. “Frozen” hits theaters in 3D on Nov. 27, 2013. For more information, check out Disney.com/Frozen, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyFrozen and follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/DisneyAnimation.

We will be posting more behind-the-scenes of “Frozen” in the coming weeks. So be sure to come back and visit Socalthrills.com often!

New Update Brings Premium Animated Disney Themes, Music and More to Disney’s Story App

By

Robbie Bulus

-

October 5, 2013

Through an app update, Disney Interactive today introduced new premium animated Disney themes, music functionalities, an improved viewing experience and more robust sharing features to Story, a free digital storytelling platform for iPhone and iPod touch that turns photography and video into compelling personal narratives.

Using intuitive technology to access the photo and video library on your device and automatically organizes them into rich digital experiences which can be personalized, saved and shared. This empowers users to focus on the customization and personalization of their narratives rather than aggregation and organization of their content, which truly sets Story apart from other multi-media sharing apps. Disney has been telling stories for generations, and now Story can help you tell yours.

Download NOW from the APP Store, for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Story Feature Updates:
· Premium Animated Disney Themes: Exclusive to the Story app, now you can customize your stories with collectable animated Disney Themes available for in-app purchase ($1.99). These new Disney Themes include Disneyland Resort, “Cars,” “The Little Mermaid,” Mickey Paris (Free), and ESPN’s SportsCenter. The new Mickey Paris theme is complementary and can be downloaded for free.

· Music: Add a soundtrack to your Story with pre-installed songs from our Story music library, including Disney music classics from “Toy Story”, “Up”, “Finding Nemo” and more.

· More Immersive Viewing Experience: Our new video slideshow brings your storytelling to life with updated transitions dynamically tailored to your moments. And now, shared stories can be viewed directly in the Story app.

· Enhanced Sharing: Share your storytelling with our simple in-app tools that support today’s popular social networks like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter… as well as our streamlined e-mail service for sharing directly with friends and family.

· Better Facebook Compatibility: Our new Facebook integration lets you to tag photos, allow comments (web view) and invite others to download Story to join in the fun.

To celebrate this magical update, Disney Interactive will be giving away iTunes gift cards on the Disney Interactive Twitter account (@DisneyInteract) so a few lucky winners can download all the new premium Disney themes! Visit the Disney Interactive blog (disneyinteractive.tumblr.com) for more info about how to enter.

Socalthrills.com

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Blu-Ray Review: The Little Mermaid

DVD Review "Phineas & Ferb: Mission Marvel"

ABC to Air "Toy Story OF TERROR!" on Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Jack Skellington to Reign as The Pumpkin King of Disney Infinity Newest Character Exclusively at GameStop

Disney Interactive Tunes Up The Ultimate Disney Music Portal Featuring Best of Radio Disney, Hollywood Records and Vevo

2013 CHOC “Walk In The Park,” at Disneyland Resort is Sunday Oct 13.

The Magic of Creating Snow for Disney's upcoming Animated Film "Frozen"

New Update Brings Premium Animated Disney Themes, Music and More to Disney’s Story App

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