Toy Story of Terror Review

PIXAR'S FIRST TELEVISION SPECIAL

Disney's Toy Story movies have been hugely successful both in terms of sales and with the critics and the public. In 2013, Disney-Pixar presented the whole gang again in the first Pixar television special, Toy Story of Terror. It was a Halloween television special that aired on ABC on October 16, 2013. Fans of the Toy Story movies embraced the spooky special that featured their favorite friends from the movie franchise. On this page, learn a bit more about the special. Be sure to let us know what you thought of it once you have watched it.

OFFICIAL PLOT SYNOPSIS

An ordinary road trip with all of our favorite friends from Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story Franchise takes an unexpected turn in the road when it checks into a motel and a toy disappears. Sorry, we’re not saying which one. The remaining cast becomes entwined in a series of events, which must be unraveled before they occur again.

CAST OF CHARACTERS (OR VOICE ACTORS)

Jessie: Joan Cusack
Woody: Tom Hanks
Buzz Lightyear: Tim Allen
Rex: Wallace Shawn:
Mr. Pricklepants: Timothy Dalton
Trixie: Kristen Schaal
Combat Carl and Combat Carl Jr.: Carl Weathers
My Thoughts About Toy Story of Terror

I was suitably impressed with the special other than the fact that I disliked the product placement. It was a fun show and it was intense. Jessie never gave up and that is what Combat Carl would advise you if you are ever in a difficult situation. If I had to complain, I would say only that it was too short. It was over before before we were ready for it to be over!

Find the Mr. Pricklepants plush toy here on Amazon.

DVD AND BLU-RAY RELEASE

The Blu-ray disc and the DVD were on August 19, 2014. Toy Story fans will want this television special in their home collection! Find Toy Story of Terror here on Amazon in your choice of formats including Amazon Prime.

What do you think? Did you see Toy Story of Terror? Did you like it?

See you

at the movies!

Brenda

MORE DISNEY MOVIES:

The Peanut Butter Solution Movie Review
Bald is beautiful...unless you are a young boy who suffers a bad fright and has all of his hair suddenly fall out. That is the story in The Peanut Butter Solution, a rare movie from 1985, which is currently only available on VHS videotape and not on.

Under Wraps Movie Review
Under Wraps: A Disney Channel Original and a Hallmark Movie As an eBay seller, I seek out unusual, out-of-the-ordinary movies to sell. Recently, I came across a move called Under Wraps and I carried it home, curious about it for two reasons....

Moana Movie Review (2016)

Moana was the movie of choice, my choice that is, on our recent Friday Movie Night. My husband traveled with me to Polynesia willingly I must say. Armchair travel. Who would have thought there would be a day when this was the only way to travel?

Anyway, Moana was a movie that I wanted to see when it came out because it felt Hawaiian and I love everything about Hawaii. However, being empty nesters with no little people around, we tend now to miss animated movies when they arrive at the movie theatre and then, well, there are just so many great movies and programs to watch that Moana slipped out of sight for awhile. I am happy to say that I have finally seen it and that I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed our trip. It was a great escape from the virus and pandemic that is gripping the world as I write this post on March 23, 2020.  

STORYLINE

A fictional mythological story done with computer-generated animation, Moana tells the tale of a teenage princess who stands up to protect her people when a fiery demon threatens them. She loves the ocean and sets out upon it learning navigational skills as she goes. Helping here is the demi-god Maui who was the original creator of the Pacific Islands. Together they sail onward, fighting difficulties as they look for the particular island she will conclude her mission.

Moana is a princess, the daughter of a Chieftain. However, she does not think of herself as a princess. She certainly does not fit the stereotype and definitely does not need rescuing. She is a strong, curvy girl with a mission. The Guardian aptly puts it when they say that "Moana is the story of a female leader-in-waiting who is independent and progressive, who cares about the environment and who looks beyond the borders of her homeland to face the challenges of the future." I say don't get in Moana's way!

TRAILER

Here's a peek into the movie via the official movie trailer:

LOVE INTEREST

This princess movie does not feature a love interest. The New York Times says, the Disney princess tradition continues to be charming (in this movie) but also widens "its cultural frame of reference and allows heroines to travel down paths other than the one leading straight to matrimony." There are important men in Moana's story but they are family and friend and one of the strongest characters is most fittingly, the ocean.

HEI HEI

Another, ah, interesting character is the ridiculous chicken sidekick named Hei Hei. He stuck out to me in the beginning as totally over the top but, in the end, he was definitely part of the fun.  (Find your plush Hei Hei on Amazon by clicking right here.)

REVIEWS

As Roger Ebert says, this Disney movie has "dazzling visuals, catchy tunes, enjoyable performances, clever running gags and overall sense of fun." I agree. If you did not already want to go to Polynesia or Hawaii, this movie will make you want to go. It was beautifully done and a lot of fun. As always, I particularly loved the humorous moments.

The Verge says, "After 80 years of experiments, Disney has made the perfect Disney movie." That will give you a pretty good idea of the reception that this movie had. Moana follows the Disney formula but it is brilliantly executed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Moana is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by all of the reviewers on this page and by me.

Have you seen Moana? What did you think? Will you be adding it to your movie list? You can buy your copy of Moana on Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Find your copy of Moana on Amazon.
Check out all the fabulous Moana merchandise on eBay!

The Muppets 2019 Calendar

I would definitely call the Muppets calendar for 2019 trippy. I Love, LOVE, love the bright, bold and beautiful backgrounds and the images of our favorite characters.  You will find Kermit the Frog singing "Life's A Happy Song", Miss Piggy getting ready for Christmas and proclaiming "Got Mistletoe" and the Swedish Chef greeting us with his signature expression "Bork Bork Bork."

You can find this calendar on Amazon by clicking right here. If you love the Muppets, you will find lots more reading here on my blog.  Soon you will be able to find and enjoy the pictures of Muppets calendars from past years as well as other Muppets movie and merchandise information. Just use the search box or follow the link shown below.

UPDATED 2024:

Now that this calendar has been out of production for a few years, it is harder to find. In addition to the Amazon links shared above, you might also try looking for Muppets 2019 calendars here on eBay.

See you

at the movies!

Brenda

Quick Links:

More Muppets reading on my blog.
Check out ALL of the Muppets calendars on Amazon.

The Muppets Exclusive Deluxe Plush Toys

Love The Muppets? Check Out These Amazing Muppet Plush Figures

In 2011 Disney brought The Muppets back in a very successful way with The Muppets Movie and The Muppets achieved their goal of TOTAL DOMINATION. Because of this comeback, characters from The Muppet gang have been seen here, there and everywhere and they have been welcomed back with open arms.

I particularly enjoyed the new character, Walter, since he pulled off his role of a quiet, kind, twenty-something young man so well and had us all rooting for him. He turned out to be a very nice young man in real life interviews with the media.

To celebrate the return of The Muppets, I created this page with as beautiful assortment of official Disney Store Muppets plush figures. I love them all and, as a matter of fact, I had a very hard time deciding who to feature here at the top of the page. In the end, I created a collage with them all. They all deserve equal billing.

If you love the Muppets as much as I do, you will also love this collection of brand-new plush figures starring The Muppets. They are all available online on sale from Amazon. Picking just one of them might prove to be very difficult.

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EDITED 2021:  These plush toys are retired and generally no longer available on Amazon. As a matter of fact, I could not find any of them today. You can, however, follow this link to check for yourself if Amazon has any available today or you can follow the links below.

Kermit The Frog 

Kermit measures in at 16 inches. He is the star of The Muppets and of the 2011 Muppets movie, although I would say in the 2011 Muppet movie, he really shared the limelight with Walter, Amy Adams and Jason Segal. He certainly could not have pulled off this story without them.

Fozzie 

What's not to love about this wise-cracking, furry bear? This plush toy version of Fozzie is slightly shorter (and rounder) than Kermit at 15 inches.

Animal 

Some will relate to this crazy fun-loving, drum playing Muppet character. Disney's Animal plush toy measures in just slightly taller than Kermit, at 17 inches.  

Miss Piggy

Miss Piggy measures in at 19 inches. However, please note that she's offended at the thought of sharing any more personal statistics.

Miss Piggy is a high maintenance, self pronounced Diva. In this authentic Disney plush figure, she is ready for a night on the town. Who knows, maybe even a night at the Academy Awards picking up an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress?  Miss Piggy is also retired, like the rest on this page, so you may have to try eBay. You can do so by clicking here.

Walter

At 12 inches, Walter shares the title of shortest Muppet figure on this page with Rizzo. Walter is the newest Muppet. Disney introduced us to this quiet, sweet young man in the new Muppets movie in 2011. Walter struggled for his whole life to be happy in the human world. It is nice that in the new movie, he finally comes to the conclusion that he is a MUPPET not a MAN. If you want to learn more about Walter, you can visit my page about Walter by clicking here.

Gonzo, Rizzo, Beaker and Pepe

Rizzo is 12 inches tall. making him, quite appropriately, one of the shortest of The Muppet gang featured on this page. He's adorable as a plush and one of my favorites. Unfortunately, he is a bit rare, which translates directly into a bit expensive.  

Beaker is the same height as Animal, measuring 17 inches tall.  

Gonzo is another hugely popular Muppet character. This plus version stands at 17 Inches tall.  

Finally, Pepe is 15 inches tall.  

You can check for any and all of these Deluxe Most Wanted Plush Muppets toys on eBay by clicking here.

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How is that for a wonderful collection of plush Muppets? Which of The Muppets Plush is your favorite?

See you

at the movies!

Brenda

MORE READING:

The Muppets Most Wanted Coffee Mugs

This page originally published by me elsewhere.

Beauty and the Beast Swarovski Crystal Figurines

Either one of these magnificent Swarovski Crystal figurines will live on to become treasured Disney Beauty and the Beast memories whether your fan prefers the animated or the live action 2017 versions of the movie. Having seen and enjoyed the recent movie, I would guess that most fans love both versions.

The first piece showcases Belle dressed in her glorious yellow gown and measures 11 inches tall. This Youtube video does a great job of showcasing the piece:

The second piece represents the enchanted rose and comes showcased beneath a beautiful blown-glass dome.

Swarovski makes some truly beautiful crystal pieces. Here are two more for your collection! You could find them on Amazon by clicking here but I think they are retired and becoming harder to find, which means your best option to find either of these Beauty and the Beast Swarovski figurines may be eBay by clicking here. 

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Beauty and the Beast (Animated) Blu-ray Movie Review

Disney's Halloween Treat (1982)

Disney's Halloween Treat is a compilation of Walt Disney shorts that includes clips from The Skeleton Dance, The Sword in the Stone, Fantasia, Peter Pan, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Donald Duck and the Gorilla, Pluto's Judgement Day and the Haunted Mansion ride.  It is a 47-minute film that first aired on The Wonderful World of Disney in 1982 and continued to do so until the middle of the 1990s. Narration was provided by a jack o'lantern puppet that also gave an educational talk about Halloween safety.

Disney released this film on VHS in 1984 but it has not been released on DVD, which means that the copies that are available are on VHS and are expensive. If you would like to own a copy and you still have the capability to view it on videotape, you can check for a copy on  on eBay by clicking right here. Be warned though, this is a rarely found VHS tape and the few copies that are available tend to sell. Today, I see just one for sale and five sold at prices from $50 to $180.

Have you seen Disney's Halloween Treat? Did you like it?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

More Reading:

Orson Welles' Ghost Story (1951)
Disney's Under Wraps Movie Review (1997)
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
Not Too Scary Movies for Tweens

The Great American Cowboy (1973) Documentary Film

THE GREAT AMERICAN COWBOY TAGLINE: 

"The exciting true story of a vanishing American and his special kind of freedom."

The Great American Cowboy is a 1973 documentary film narrated by  Joel Mc Crea, a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame. It looks inside the rodeo with then modern day cowboys telling the story of rivals Larry Mahan and Phil Lyne as they compete for the National Finals Rodeo Championship title.   It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (1974).

The film is shown here in Walt Disney packaging though I did read that Disney acquired the rights to the film rather than actually making it.  One original movie poster that I saw reads "A Rainbow Adventure Films release" while IMDB says that the production companies are American National Enterprises and Merrill-Rodeo Film Productions.

If you are searching for a copy of this film on DVD or VHS, you can try the Amazon listings here and you can try eBay here but be warned, this appears to be another one of those films that has not made the transition from VHS to DVD. Good luck with your search and be sure to report back and let us know if and when this movie becomes widely available.

Have you seen The Great American Cowboy? Is it a documentary film that you have been wanting to see or is this the first time you have heard of it?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

More Rare Films:

Orson Welles' Ghost Story (1951)
The Cheaters (1945)
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

Pete's Dragon: Elliot Gets Lost Children's Book

From the Disney movie, Pete's Dragon comes the children's picture book Elliot Gets Lost by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks. In the movie, this book is one of Pete's prized possessions and with the release of the book, it can be yours, too.

It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 though of course anyone can enjoy the story and pictures in a wonderful children's picture book.  Pete's Dragon and dog lovers alike will love the tale of this puppy's adventure.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order Elliot Gets Lots from Amazon.

Disney Frozen A Pop-Up Adventure by Matthew Reinhart

Author. Illustrator. Pop-up guru. Matthew Reinhart wears all of those hats and he has just released a new book that retells Disney’s Frozen story. Released on October 4, 2016, this beautiful book is sure to become a collector’s item especially if you buy one and you handle it with care. Of course, you could buy one and leave it unopened but that hardly seems like any fun! This book would make another great gift idea for a Frozen fan, child or adult.

To coincide with the release of the new book, Disney and Reinhart also created this video, which shows you how to create your own paper version of Olaf:

If you are interested, you can find Frozen: A Pop-Up Adventure on Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your copy of Frozen: A Pop-Up Adventure from Amazon.
More Frozen gift ideas.
Find the pop-up Olaf template here.

Disneyana: A Brief History

The word Disneyana has been used casually since the 1960s and was probably first used in Malcom Willits' collector's book store mail order catalog. However, it was in 1974 with the release of a book called Disneyana: Walt Disney Collectibles by Cecil Munsey that the term really came into use.

In 1976, Disney opened the Disneyana Shop at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It sold all types of Disneyana including vintage items. The store was closed between 1986 and 1998 and when it reopened, it no longer sold vintage items.

In 1979 a meeting of twelve Disney collectors formed a club in Anaheim to celebrate Walt Disney. It was called the Mouse Club. In 1982, they held the first unofficial Disneyana Convention at the Jolly Roger Inn across the road from Disneyland.

The number of Disney fans grew rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s and today you can find Disneyana items everywhere including at your local mall, online, at auction and at antique shows. Disney increased the amount of collector merchandise it was releasing throughout the 1980s and in 1992 held the first Official Disneyana Convention at the Contemporary Resort, Walt Disney World.

Today there is a lot of Disney merchandise available in a wide variety of quality and desirability. The items produced during Walt Disney's lifespan between 1901 and 1966 are generally more valuable but many people collect new as well as used and vintage Disney pieces.

If you are interested, you will find a few books about Disneyana including the one shown above on Amazon by clicking right here. Meanwhile, here is a selection of new, used and vintage Disney items from my eBay store:

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See you
at the movies!
Brenda

More Disney Reading:

Disney Gift Ideas
American Experience: Walt Disney Documentary Film
Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu-ray Movie Review

Best Frozen Gift Ideas

If you are a parent of a little girl, you are likely aware that Disney's Frozen movie is hugely popular with that age group. It may be a while before Disney releases another female-focused movie that surpasses the success of this film.

When little girls started falling in love with the two new Disney princesses in this film, Elsa and Anna, the merchandise sold quickly and retailers did not have enough Frozen merchandise on hand. Fortunately, those days are past and now there are lots of great Frozen-themed gift ideas readily available.

If you have someone young or young at heart in your world who is in love with Frozen, you will enjoy these fabulous, officially licensed Disney gift ideas.

Which Frozen Items Did I Pick?

I start with a copy of the movie, which is definitely an essential for fans of Disney's Frozen. (Find your copy of Frozen on Amazon by clicking right here.)

In the toy category, I have included Anna and Elsa dolls, a wonderful Lego set and a great jigsaw puzzle. All are gifts that are fun to play with.

I have included items that can be used in everyday life including a t-shirt, a coffee mug and a calendar. They are fun as well as practical and affordable gift ideas.

I chose one expensive, really nice item that will be treasured by the recipient forever. It is a beautiful musical snow globe.

Frozen Lego Sets

Elsa's Sparkling Ice Castle, set 41062, was the first Frozen-themed Lego set. It is not an overly big set, having 292 pieces but features what you need to recreate the ice castle as well as the minifigures of Elsa, Anna and Olaf. It is rated for children aged 6 and up and I think that it is a great choice for the little girl who loves building and Frozen.

Click here to see all of Lego's Frozen themed sets on Amazon.

Frozen Coffee Mugs

In our opinion, the Disney Store makes some of the nicest coffee mugs out there. In the case of the Frozen mugs shown here, you can choose either the blue or the pink one or you can choose both. You can check out all of eBay's Frozen Anna and Elsa mugs by clicking here.

Frozen Jigsaw Puzzles

My family loves puzzles. We have always enjoyed working puzzles together and, when our guys were little, I particularly appreciated the fact that working a jigsaw puzzle is a fun and affordable family activity with a bonus educational benefit. Don't tell your children!

The puzzle shown here has three small 49 piece puzzles in one box and is recommended for children aged 5 and up. You will find one image of Anna, one of Elsa and one of everybody's favourite snowman, Olaf.  You can see all of Amazon's Frozen themed jigsaw puzzles by clicking right here.

Frozen T-Shirts

A t-shirt is definitely an affordable and practical gift idea, one that can be used all year. I Love, LOVE, love this pretty pink Olaf t-shirt. What Frozen fan would not want to add a t-shirt like this one to his or her collection? This one is a girl's shirt available in sizes 2T to 6X. You can find this t-shirt on Amazon by clicking here. You can find a Frozen-themed t-shirt for everyone on your gift buying list on Amazon by clicking here.

Frozen Calendars

You can celebrate Frozen all year long with a wall calendar. A calendar is yet another affordable and practical gift idea and a Frozen-themed calendar makes a great gift idea for a slightly older fan, one who can put a wall calendar to good use and who will enjoy decorating a room with it. Find all of the current Frozen calendars here on Amazon. Unfortunately, Disney will not continue producing Frozen calendars after the movie

Frozen Dolls

You and, more importantly, your little girl will recognise Elsa and Anna, dressed as they are in these beautiful outfits from the movie. These dolls are Disney's Deluxe Toddler Elsa and Anna and suitable for Frozen fans as young as three years old. Find them on eBay by clicking right here since they are a retired set. 

Frozen Snow Globes

If you are looking for something really, really special you might want to consider this beautiful Disney Store Anna, Elsa and Olaf 'Let It Go' musical snow globe. Another now-retired item, you can look for it on eBay by clicking right here. When I looked today on eBay, I did see some of this particular snow globe available in a wide range of price points. You can also see all of the Frozen-themed snow globes that are available on eBay by clicking right here.

Will you be giving someone a Frozen themed gift this year?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

More Frozen Reading:

The original Disney Limited Edition Frozen dresses are amongst the highly sought after merchandise from this movie. Learn where you can find one...and at what price.

A page full of Walt Disney collectibles and gift ideas!

Discover Disney's Keep Calm and Let it Go coffee mug.

Beauty And The Beast Vinyl Record Wall Clock

I love the fact that these Beauty And The Beast clocks are crafted from old vinyl records and that they feature scenes from Disney's animated movie Beauty and the Beast. While the clock is new, the record is used meaning your clock is a piece of art and an upcycled piece of history.

These clocks are crafted by a number of companies and fortunately available directly from Amazon by clicking on any of the pictures on this page or by clicking right here. Of note is the fact that it does take a while for one of them to be made for you and to be delivered so be sure to read the details about delivery time carefully and because old vinyl records are used, your clock may have little marks on the surface.

Also, if you love the idea of a movie-themed clock but want to pick another movie, there are many movies to choose from including but not limited to The Nightmare Before Christmas, the Game of Thrones, Star Wars and the Lion King. There are also clocks representing some of your favorite bands, car brands, cities and baseball teams. You can see a large selection of the clocks available on Amazon by clicking here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Beauty and the Beast (2017) Official Movie Trailer 

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Movie (2016)

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition Release Date

Of course, with the upcoming live animated version, Disney will be re-releasing Beauty and the Beast. It will come to us in the form of a 25th Anniversary Edition and I know that it will be met with open arms because of the enduring popularity of this Disney classic.

Beauty and the Beast, first released in 1991, was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1992 and the animation department won a Scientific and Technical Academy Award for designing the Computer Animated Production System used in the making of the film.

Here is a sneak peek at the advance Blu-ray release:

   

The release date for the Blu-ray and DVD is September 20 though the movie will be available on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on September 6. The Blu-ray release shown above will include Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD versions. Run time for the movie is 92 minutes but there appear to be hours of special features. You can find a list of special features and read more about this re-release on Amazon by clicking right here.

Beauty and the Beast was a beautifully made movie. I cannot wait to see what Disney does with the the 25th Anniversary Edition this fall and then the live action version in 2017. You?

See you at the movies!
Brenda

More Reading:

Beauty and the Beast (2017) Official Movie Trailer
Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu-ray Movie Review

American Experience: Walt Disney Documentary Film

We have long been enthralled by the man that was Walt Disney. It was then with interest that we learned about the PBS television program American Experience: Walt Disney that aired in September, 2015. I just discovered that this program is readily available on DVD for individuals who are interested in learning more about Disney.

The program contains four hours of information about Disney. Lots of information plus lots of rarely seen historic footage of the man in action taken from directly from Disney's vaults.  Here's a peek at the program via the Youtube video trailer:

Watching the video will inform you, if you did not know, that all was not sweetness and light with Walt Disney. As The Hollywood Reporter says, Disney was part "visionary genius and part union-busting ego-maniac." No one would have accomplished what this man accomplished if he had been a simple, easy going man.

American Experience: Walt Disney would make a wonderful gift idea for any adult Disney enthusiast.  It is an affordable look into one of the men who shaped the culture of America as we know it today.  Will you be adding it to your collection?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy American Experience: Walt Disney from Amazon.
More Disney Gift Ideas.
What is Disney's Vault?

How to Draw Zootopia

I went in search of books about drawing the characters in Zootopia but alas, I expect I was too early. What I did find was a series of Walt Disney videos devoted to drawing the characters of Judy Hopps, Nicke Wilde, Benjamin Clawhauser and Flash as well as a beautiful book about the art of Zootopia by Jessica Julius. I hope these resources will help you with your interest in drawing Zootopia.

HOW TO DRAW ZOOTOPIA VIDEOS BY DISNEY 

The Art of Zootopia Book

If you are interested in animation and Zootopia, you might also want to check out this book, The Art of Zootopia. This beautifully illustrated volume by Jessica Julius details the work behind the scenes that went into creating the movie. Amazon customers praise the hardcover version of the book but caution against buying the Kindle version. You can learn more about or buy your copy of  The Art of Zootopia by clicking right here to Amazon.

Happy drawing!
Brenda