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.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s EVITA has finally made it to Orange County with the first new American production since the musical debuted more than 30 years ago! With seven Tony Awards to the Broadway classic in 1980 along with three 2012 Tony Award Nominations including Best Revival of a Musical, I thought for sure that I was walking in to something special. However, mind you I am not too familiar with EVITA and I feel my reviews are best for the common theater goer that’s looking for a good time, not a critic that knows everything there is to know about the stage.
I am not even familiar with the movie therefore making my review a raw and virgin opinion of the experience. This is quite possibly the only review like this for EVITA, and I hope it finds an audience. Usually, I prefer experiencing new shows and events like this because I’m looking at it with unbiased, open eyes. Sadly, I believe EVITA may have been slightly more enjoyable if I was more familiar with the music and maybe even the movie.
Comparing movies to musicals or the like is never a good idea. Let’s face it, a musical is its own entity and has a completely different experience needing a much different approach to storytelling. I was intently watching every scene, every moment, but as much as I tried to get into it I never felt an emotion toward the characters or Eva’s story. Whoa, wait… I am not saying the show isn’t enjoyable though.
In case you were unaware, EVITA is an operetta with moments of a rock opera. All words spoken are in recitative form meaning there is no break from the music. When done right you are immersed in the show and encapsulated by every word. Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera are a couple of the most popular musicals in this form. EVITA, however, never gets to that level of powerfulness.
EVITA starts with a morbidly creepy requiem opening filled with dense fog, people dressed in black holding their memorial candles allowing for a small flicker of light to shine on their face. We are morning Eva Peron’s death and then comes Che. The music oddly changes quickly with an upbeat Spanish flair introducing Che as our Greek Chorus-like storyteller. He roars in with his deep projected voice with an epic nature having the audience quickly understand why he is top billed over Eva.
Eva Peron is played by CAROLINE BOWMAN (Kinky Boots) and DESI OAKLEY (Annie, Wicked) at Sat. matinee and Sun. even performances. Caroline portrays the “rags to riches” First Lady of Argentina whom used her sexiness to rise from the slums to presidential royalty helping the poor as she gains power.
Caroline is joined by JOSH YOUNG (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Che as the narrator if you will, and is there for practically the entire performance. Josh plays the role of Che as it was originally written as an ‘everyman’ of the lower/working class as a voice of the people and not Che Guevara as seen before. Hal Prince, the original producer, did not have the benefits of a more open world that we live in today. Much less was known about Eva when the musical was originally created, which has now lead new producer Hal Luftig to make a few changes to better represent Eva and Argentina.
EVITA still encompasses all the memorable songs many are accustomed to including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, “Buenos Aires”, “Another Suitcase in Another Hall”, together with the Oscar-winning hit from the film EVITA, “You Must Love Me”.
Whilst strong and wonderful songs, EVITA does not emulate those strong immensely powerful ballads you have seen in many other musicals. “Buenos Aires” while well-known and fun, isn’t an epic top-of-your-lungs type number nor is even “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”. Caroline has a very strong performance in every aspect, but the song does not allow for her to belt those words we are so familiar with. I kept waiting for it to go up one notch, but I never got it. This is perhaps my fault for not being familiar with the music.
Joshua however gets many chances as Che to get loud and powerful. In fact it is “And the Money Kept Rollin In” sung by Joshua that really got me going. His range is so phenomenal from super low deeps to extremely high pitches that had the audience finally erupt in a roar. Not to mention Eva’s eventual husband Juan Peron played by SEAN MACLAUGHLIN Woman in White) who is also providing of some great vocal talent.
The story of Eva’s life could allow for a lot more emotion than I felt the musical puts forth. Eva must overcome her history being practically a slut to gain the trust and love of the people, and while it is mentioned, you never really see Eva going through much of a challenge. I never ended up really feeling for Eva. I missed the connection piece to her somewhere.
In what is a very sad story that leaves you with only a short reprise and no big company spectacular, there was truly a chance to make an incredibly emotional experience and yet I never felt the sorrow. My apologies as I must use this; I never felt a reason to cry for Eva. Okay, the reasons were there, but not told in a way to truly feel for her. The lack of any hardships and troubles made me feel that everything was moving along just fine until the end.
Above all else, the music is still good. They are sung well and still beautiful, but was still lacking those big moments. Producer Luftig wanted a more Argentinian sound in this revival bringing more tango in the music and choreography. Even the choreography seemed a bit lackluster and a little out of sync, which is odd as it was choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford.
The crew however has done a great job with staging, sound and lighting. The set is definitely ‘grandesque’, but it really comes down to only two main sets. Being a fan of many set changes and creative staging, it was missed. The show was beautiful throughout though and there was definitely some creativity with showing actual footage from Eva’s appearances and funeral.
Even though I have shared some dislikes, it is still an enjoyable show. This was clearly not something that is my style and I don’t see many people leaving the theater in ‘awe’, however I see the value in this show. The performances were still solid and the music still beautiful. I unfortunately did not take much home from it. Fans of the music as well as even the movie should surly love this production and would a must-see for them. If you’re a fan of the high energy, flashy and loud stage spectaculars this may not be the show for you, but those that just love the theater and great performances, there is no reason to miss.
EVITA is now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall
December 10 – 22, 2013 Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 21 will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.
There is no question that Mary Poppins is a modern masterpiece, perfectly encapsulating the best of all that is Disney. Part of the film’s appeal is it’s infectious soundtrack. Haunting, whimsical, and always memorable, it is one of the great film scores of all time. So it is that I began listening to the soundtrack of Saving Mr. Banks with unrealistic expectations, expecting a film about the making of Mary Poppins to convey the artistry of the soundtrack that inspired it. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to have been composer Thomas Newman’s intent. This is a soundtrack of enjoyable moments, with a lot of forgettable filler providing what I’m sure is perfectly appropriate mood, but never standing on it’s own.
It’s difficult to convey the feeling of listening to this soundtrack as it is, for the most part, so generic. It’s a very laid back, simple score. There is a simplicity that is prevalent throughout, pushing things forward, but never drawing attention to itself. I have to give Newman credit for capturing the tone of an era, as the simplicity does lend itself to the feeling of the late 50s/early 60s.
While most of the tracks tend to blend together, there are a few standout moments. There are jazz interludes sprinkled throughout, with a highlight being a thoroughly entertaining rendition of Heigh-Ho, performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. It’s not long, but it’s an entertaining piece that captures the joy of the classic Snow White track in a new way. There are also a couple of tracks I really enjoyed that represent Walt Disney himself. One of these tracks is called “Mr. Disney,” and the other is “The Magic Kingdom.” These tracks are the closest the soundtrack gets to having a “hero theme,” creating appropriately upbeat, suitably enthusiastic moments for what I can only assume center around Walt himself.
Sprinkled throughout are VERY brief interludes from the film itself, featuring extremely short tastes of dialogue, and little snippets of the Sherman Brothers (as played by Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak) developing the classic tracks from Mary Poppins. There is also an interesting introduction to the soundtrack featuring dialogue from Colin Farrell as P.L. Travers mom, played over a lovely rendition of Chim Chim Cheree.
Overall, this isn’t really a soundtrack that you would listen to on it’s own. I’m sure within the context of the film, it’s perfect. It captures a tone, but is mostly redundant and devoid of any real themes. I enjoyed aspects, but found myself frequently bored. If you do choose to listen to the soundtrack independent of the film, just realize that this isn’t a new interpretation of Mary Poppins. The story of Saving Mr. Banks is it’s own thing, and this is a soundtrack designed for that purpose alone. Far from perfect, it’s practically average in every way.
No matter the generation, the iconic music of The Beach Boys have somehow been a part of our upbringing. You’ve undoubtedly heard a Beach Boys song that has impacted your life somewhere, somehow. The Beach Boys Christmas show was nothing less than spectacular, their one hour and forty minute set provided a soundtrack to some memorable moments in my life.
Most of those in the audience have followed the band from the beginning, from the start of the ’60’s to tonight by dancing, singing along, and grooving to their entire set! It was quite the sight to see Mike Love (lead vocals) one of the original members of the band, along with Grammy Award Winner Bruce Johnston (songwriter, keyboard, vocals) who joined the band in ’65, play along side each other and bring forth the magic of the Beach Boys.
The set was staged with a screen draped behind the members playing clips and photos from the band along their journey, along with clips from their music videos, and the ever appropriate then and now surfing B-roll. “California Girls”, “I Get Around”, “Surfer Girl”, “Help Me Rhonda”, Grammy nominated “Good Vibrations”, “Be True to Your School”, and “Barbara Ann” were among some of the songs they played in the holiday show. They left and came back for an encore, closing with the iconic song “Surfin’ USA”. They called the crowd to stand during some of the songs, getting people really into it, in one of the stand up songs, “Dance, Dance, Dance” got people up on their feet grooving to the music.
My favorite part of the concert was when they played “God Only Knows”, utilizing the screen to live play against an old recording of the late Carl Wilson, with Mike Love and Bruce Johnston providing live vocals as so on their original recording. It was a touching moment for another iconic and widely played Beach Boys slow song.
Lastly, we cannot forget the season we are in! Christmas is here and the Beach Boys celebrated as such with a few snippets from their Christmas album, originally recorded in 1965. Snow poured onto the stage as Bruce Johnston opened up the holiday portion with “Little Saint Nick” which Mike Love jokingly stated would be on the opening playlist at the local malls come the morning.
Definitely a performance not to have missed. The Beach Boys Christmas Show proved that the Beach Boys still have it! A true American band straight from sunny Southern California!
The Beach Boys, made their much anticipated Center debut on Saturday December 7.
Disney Store is a must-stop destination for gift-givers featuring an impressive selection of high quality toys, plush, apparel and more, inspired by everyone’s favorite Disney stories and characters. From Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins, to Buzz Lightyear and Mickey Mouse, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com offer an exclusive assortment of products to delight the young and young at heart. With the holidays fast approaching, Disney Store is unwrapping its Top-10 Wish List, a visual guide to help make last-minute shopping a snap.
Disney Store’s Wish List features some of the hottest toys of the season, including Toy Story Talking Action Figures; Disney Animators’ Collection Dolls; “it’s a small world” Singing Dolls; toys from hit Disney Junior series Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates; character sleepwear sets for kids and toys inspired by Disney’s newest animated feature, Frozen.
To #SharetheMagic through the holidays, this weekend only DisneyStore.com is offering free shipping on any purchase that includes an item from the Frozen assortment. Disney Store features exclusive Frozen dolls (including Classic, Singing and Limited Edition Dolls), play sets, Anna and Elsa costumes for girls and more, all inspired by the film from Walt Disney Animation Studios with the top Thanksgiving debut of all time. Additionally, the celebration continues with Disney Store’s “Magical Mondays” leading up to December 25, where exclusive deals will be released on December 9 and December 16.
For more than 25 years, Disney Store has been a favorite retailer for some of the best holiday gifts to bring magic to the season. From classic Mickey Mouse plush to limited edition costumes and dolls, guests looking for extra special gifts will find everything they need at Disney Store and DisneyStore.com.
To find a local Disney Store, guests can visit www.DisneyStore.com/storelocator or call (866) 902-2798. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com. Guests can also sign up for email alerts at www.DisneyStore.com/Updates, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to stay connected to your favorite destination.
‘Share the Magic’ Wish Gifts:
As part of its commitment to local communities, Disney Store is helping support the Boys & Girls Clubs of America through its Wish Gift program. Now through December 21, for every purchase of a select Holiday Wish Gift plush toy, ornament or snow globe, Disney Store will donate $1 to the organization, up to $100,000 (minimum donation, $50,000). By the end of 2013, The Walt Disney Company will have donated more than $1.5 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Actress Elizabeth Banks took time out of her busy schedule to help Santa light the world’s largest LEGO® Christmas tree at LEGOLAND® California Resort at the 11th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Carlsbad, California.
Banks, a mother of two, stars as the voice of “Wildstyle” in “The LEGO® Movie” being released on February 7, 2014, and currently stars as Effie Trinket in the hit movie, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” At the ceremony, Banks presented a check from LEGOLAND California Resort for $10,000 to LA’s BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) which provides a safe and supervised after school education, enrichment and recreation program for elementary school children ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
“Thank you to LEGOLAND California Resort for having me here today, I’m really excited to light this tree for you all and get the holiday season started,” said Banks. “I am so excited about ‘The LEGO Movie’ coming out February 7 and I loved being able to bring Wildstyle to life! She’s a kick-butt, really empowering, super cool, action heroine.”
Fireworks lit up the sky, snow fell from the rooftops of Fun Town and more than 11,000 LED lights illuminated the 30-foot tall Christmas tree after Banks and Santa pulled the switch to light the tree. President and CEO of LA’s BEST Carla Sanger and her two granddaughters, Zada Sanger (8) and Liliana Sanger (4) , were also on stage to help light the tree that is created out of more than 245,000 forest green DUPLO® bricks and is adorned with more than 400 LEGO® ornaments.
“What a spectacular day and evening for LA’s BEST,” said Sanger. “I want to tell you all I think LEGOLAND California Resort is as much about learning as it is about fun.”
Guests at the ceremony were treated to a special trailer of “The LEGO Movie” and witnessed the unveiling of the theme park’s newest LEGO costume characters “Emmet” and “Wildstyle” based on the two lead characters from the movie. The first full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure, “The LEGO® Movie” is an original 3D computer animated story that follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, “The LEGO Movie” stars Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie and Charlie Day, with Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman. Lord and Miller also wrote the screenplay, from a story by Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, based on LEGO construction toys. “The LEGO Movie” is produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee. Executive producers are Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton, Kathleen Fleming, Allison Abbate, Zareh Nalbandian, Jon Burton, Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Seanne Winslow, Matt Skiena and Bruce Berman; and co-producer is John Powers Middleton. The filmmaking team includes cinematographer Pablo Plaisted, production designer Grant Freckelton, editors David Burrows and Chris McKay, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh. Chris McKay also serves as animation co-director.
The tree lighting ceremony is part of LEGOLAND California’s coolest holiday celebration ever, Holiday Snow Days and Winter Nights. During this time, Fun Town is transformed into a magical, winter wonderland where families throw snowballs at LEGO themed targets and build snowmen using LEGO accessories. New this year, children can enjoy their first snow-tubing experience gliding down 7-foot tall snow-covered tube runs! Park guests can also sing along with holiday entertainment including live music featuring LEGO Friends Live, Jingle Jammers, the Big Test Holiday show and the Holiday Character Dance Party. Holiday Snow Days concludes with San Diego’s biggest Kids’ New Year’s Eve Party on Dec. 31. All Holiday Snow Days and Winter Nights activities are included in the price of LEGOLAND California admission.
We’ve always known that Spider-Man’s most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.
It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 arrives in theaters May 2, 2014!
Just in time to celebrate the season, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has brought back “23 Days of Disney Christmas,” a gorgeous collection of work contributed by artists from nearly every corner of The Walt Disney Company, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ Disney Design Group, Disney Consumer Products, and more. Each day, starting today, December 3, D23.com will unveil a new piece of art that celebrates the holidays. The theme for 2013 is “The Ultimate Gift”—and D23 asked Disney artists what their favorite characters would most want for the holiday. The results are just as creative as the talents behind them, and 23 lucky D23 Members now have the chance win a lithograph of the work.
Disney Television Animation character designer Tara Billinger, who works on the new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, crafted a colorful holiday scene with the “fab six” (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, and Goofy—with a “hidden Oswald” thrown in) carting their sleigh through the snow, ready to unwrap some holiday delights. Disney Consumer Products principal artist Steven Thompson presents a delightful illustration of Beast giving Belle her “ultimate gift”: a library card! Other participating creative talents from around the world of Disney include producer Don Hahn (The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast), Disney Master Artist Dave Pacheco, Wander Over Yonder executive producer/creator Craig McCracken, Monsters University production designer Ricky Nierva, Disney Consumer Products lead artist Anthony Whitfield, Disney Television Animation’s Andy Suriano (Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts), Cris Bernabe-Sanchez of Disney Corporate Creative Resources, Monsters University character design art director Jason Deamer, and Gravity Falls storyboard artist Sabrina Cotugno—along with more than a dozen other Disney talents.
To add to the fun, D23 has launched the “23 Days of Disney Christmas Sweepstakes,” in which members of the Official Disney Fan Club can enter for a chance to win a lithograph of one of the pieces of artwork. D23 Members legally residing in and physically located within the 50 United States or the District of Columbia may enter the sweepstakes beginning today through 10:00 AM (PT), December 26 at D23.com. Winners will be chosen at random and will receive one (1) lithograph. Only one (1) entry allowed per D23 member. There are only twenty-three (23) prizes available to be won. For complete rules, prize details, and eligibility please visit D23.com. No purchase required. Fans can join D23 at Gold, Silver, and Free Membership levels at D23.com and at www.DisneyStore.com/D23. Void where prohibited.
Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel Xerxes and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. “300: Rise of an Empire” pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemisia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on March 7!
This film has been rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody
violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language.
Stereophonic, the highest Tony-nominated play of all time, has finally opened in Los Angeles. I went into this one entirely blind, only having heard...
