Monsters Inc. Sulley "Interactables" 7" Scale Talking Action Figure (from Mattel)

A couple weeks back I shared my review of the Mike Wazowski and Frozone "Interactables" figures from Mattel and mentioned that Sulley was also being released at the end of this month... well what do you know! He's here right on time and looks so, so great.

Again, for those who may not have heard of these before, the Pixar Interactables line is an offshoot/extension of Mattel's basic/core Pixar 7" action figure collection. They're the same size, make and style as the basic figures, but these ones talk and, as the name suggests, even interact with each other! Besides the aforementioned Mike and Frozone, there are five other Interactables figures out there as of this post: Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Mr. Incredible and Syndrome. There's even more coming later in 2021, including Zurg!

Though I've decided that I'm not purchasing all of the Pixar Interactables figures (at least for now; most of them are just too similar to the original basic/core figures that I already have and I just don't feel the need to get them again), I am picking up the ones I feel are the most unique. Sulley here made the cut since I love his brand new "scaring face" facial expression! It's a totally new look compared to last year's basic/core Sulley figure and this year's "Getting to know Boo" Sulley.

As far as the talking feature, I counted 16 sayings total (you can hear them all in my YouTube video below). Just like with the other Interactables, press the button on Sulley's tummy to cycle through all his phrases and hold down his button for two seconds to hear additional phrases. Stand/hold him near other Interactables figures (I demonstrate this feature with Mike in my video below), press their buttons and that will activate the interactive feature (the conversation goes back and forth typically three times). The conversations aren't super coherent (seems like it's more like they say a random selection of phrases to each other), but it's fun either way. I will also also note that once again Sulley's voice is not done by the original actor John Goodman (which is my only main gripe with this figure; the voice is very off), but at least the sound works loud and clear.

This is a fantastic looking figure overall and he fits in with the rest of the line perfectly! The sculpt is really solid and he stands up really good on his own. Sulley measures 8" tall and there's some nice articulation as well, like usual (9 points—head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, legs). Take a closer look at Sulley out of the packaging below!

 

Each Interactables figure retails for $14.99. They're mainly available on Amazon (some Nordstrom Racks have them too), so I'll link those below for your convenience. For all you Pixar collectors out there, I highly suggest picking up some of your favorites of these—especially if you already collect Mattel's 7" line of action figures!

See Sulley in action in my YouTube video and please feel free to like and subscribe to my channel for more content like this! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments.

 

 

Disney+ Monsters at Work Toys & Books Revealed—SNEAK PEEK!

 

Now available from Mattel, check out the brand new line of Disney's Monsters at Work toys as part of Mattel's ongoing Disney/Pixar 7" action figure collection! The series premieres exclusively on Disney+ next Wednesday (a week from tomorrow, July 7th) and it looks like we're gonna have some amazing merch to go with it.

Pictured above, so far as part of this line we have 7" core figures of the show's star Tylor Tuskmon, Mike Wazowski with Gary Gibbs (Mike's workplace rival and his doppelgänger), Sulley, Val Little, Katherine "Cutter" Sterns and—last but not least—a deluxe Tylor Tuskmon "The Jokester" electronic talking figure (who tells 20+ jokes) with 8 comedy prop accessories (seen below in the package)!

You may have noticed a couple of the M.I.F.T. team members are missing in the lineup above and on Mattel's site. Have no fear! They're coming. As seen below, Duncan Anderson (with his little pet Roto) can be spotted in these photo that I found on Amazon and Fritz will be coming soon as well as a Target exclusive. 

Also coming from Mattel is this really cute "Monsters Mealtime" lunchbox role-play toy! How fun?

Lastly there are five books for kids inspired by Monsters at Work up for pre-order right now on Amazon (two of them don't have cover art yet). They look super cute! They'll be releasing in September—I'll include links below if you'd like to reserve them for your collection.

Well that covers it for now everyone! Unfortunately, for all you Mattel Minis fans out there, I was told that Minis have not been developed for Monsters at Work. I'm not sure if there will be plush, but as of right now, it seems the main toys coming out (at least from Mattel) are the 7" figures and the lunchbox. It's a small line, so that may be it for the time being. Maybe if the show and the toys do well, there will be more later on. 

Let me know all your thoughts down below! Are you as excited for the series and toys as I am?

 

 

 

Pixar Animation Studios Luxo Jr. 1.5 oz "Mini Glass" (Boxlunch Exclusive)

Hey all! Tonight I just wanted to quickly share this really cool Pixar Animation Studios 1.5 oz "Mini Glass" (in other words, a shot glass) featuring the famed Luxo Jr. and Pixar ball! I picked this up from BoxLunch last month on sale for just $4.83 (original retail $6.90). Even though I don't drink, I had to snag this strictly for display in my Pixar home office. Some other fans I've talked to let me know that they get some practical use out of this and use it to hold paper clips or other small office items like that (not bad ideas). The sketch-style design here is so cute and simple—I just couldn't pass it up. You know I can never resist any Luxo Jr. merch! 

According to the official description on the website, just as a heads up, this should be hand washed only. Other than that, there really isn't much to go into here other than that it's awesome and you should get it! Snag it for your collection before it's gone on BoxLunch's site HERE and let me know your thoughts down below. 

Cars 3: Team 95 And 51 Mater

Another day, another Mattel 1:55 scale Disney·Pixar Cars diecast review! This one will be real quick, since this version of Mater didn't even actually appear in Cars 3. When I purchased this, I thought he was in the film (or at least in the end credits), but I found out after that "Team 95 and 51 Mater" never appears on screen whatsoever. In fact, he's was totally made up by Mattel and was originally suppose to be released as part of the 2019 Target exclusive "Fan Favorites" side-series. Who knew? 

This Deluxe size Mater was released back in March in Deluxe Case M. All in all, he looks great (love the expression), but yah— just wish this appearance was canon to the film. There are still some other really fun versions of Mater in his different fan hats seen in Cars 3 that Mattel still hasn't made into diecasts, so why make one up?

Well, that's really all my thoughts on this. Told you it'd be short and sweet! If you're still looking to add this one to your Disney·Pixar Cars collection, you can pick it up on Amazon using the direct link below.

Toy Story 4 Gabby Gabby Full-Scale Doll (by Baby Brink)—REVIEW!

Straight out of Toy Story 4, here we have this fantastic [officially licensed] full-scale replica doll of Gabby Gabby! This was an interesting release as it was made by Brazilian toy company Baby Brink—a company I had never heard of before—and was only ever released in Brazil. Pretty random actually, but hey, it's cool that Gabby Gabby was at least made regardless. Since this was never released in the US (not sure why), I had to resort to eBay for it and paid around $60. I purchased this a long while back, so I'm excited to finally get this review up for you all. 

I'm happy to say that the final version of the doll is much more screen accurate compared to the prototype image shown on the back of the box. I'm so glad Baby Brink recognized the issues and went ahead and improved the design. She ended up looking great and has a very impressive likeness to the character! She stands at about 16.5" tall (with 5 points of articulation: head, arms and legs), has her signature yellow polka dot dress that's very accurate to the film and feels quality made overall. Of course the Gabby Gabby in the film is an actual antique doll, so this isn't 100% accurate (no weighted glass/acrylic eyes and no pull string/phrases), but it comes very close and is a must have addition to any Toy Story collector's full-scale collection. Since I'm not confident Thinkway Toys will ever release a "Signature Collection" version, this is probably the best we'll ever get (at least for the foreseeable future). I'd go ahead and secure this while you can.

Right out of the box, the very first thing you'll notice (I think) is the strong smell of baby powder. I'm not sure why, ha! Was it intentional because it's kind of in character for Gabby Gabby or is the smell just a result of however the doll was produced and packaged at the factory? Not sure! I definitely had to make a note of it though. 

My Gabby Gabby's hair came a little crazy and lopsided, but fixing the pigtails is something that can certainly be done so I'm not too worried about it. Other than that, it's all pretty spot on. They even got the lace detail that hangs below the dress accurate!

Ultimately I'm very satisfied with this release and I have no regrets getting it. Obviously I do wish she spoke phrases and had a pull string (or at least a pull string just for show even if it wasn't functional) and some weighted acrylic eyes would have really put this doll over the top. Those are really my only two main criticisms though—other than that, she's super well-made and will look awesome on display.  

What are your thoughts? Have you ordered this Gabby Gabby doll from Brazil? What do you think of her? I'd love to read any comments and/or questions you might have down below. If you're interested in ordering her from eBay, check out current listings RIGHT HERE.

Catch you in the next post!

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Finding Nemo "I Have the Best Dad Ever" Baby Onesie (by Jumping Beans)

Happy Father's Day, everyone! I just wanted to jump on here real quick tonight and share this adorable Disney/Pixar Finding Nemo inspired "I have the best dad ever" onesie/bodysuit we picked up from Kohl's a while back— specifically for our son Aidan to wear today. I'm actually surprised it's still available...and on sale for just $6.99! You can pick it up from Kohl's website HERE.

This onesie is made by Jumping Beans, who did a fantastic job. It's soft, super cute, a great price and true to size (this one we purchased is size 18 months and that's exactly how old Aidan is). You can't beat it! Here are the official details from the website:

His daddy will love when he wears this boys' Jumping Beans "I have the best dad ever" graphic bodysuit, featuring Disney's Finding Nemo. In gray/blue.

PRODUCT FEATURES

• Crewneck
• Snap-back closure
• Raglan short sleeves
• Inseam snaps
• Finding Nemo graphic

FABRIC & CARE

• Cotton, polyester
• Machine wash
• Imported

I can't wrap up this Father's Day post without sharing my love for Aidan. I'm so grateful for him and feel so blessed to be his dad! He truly is the best son any dad could ask for and is everything I dreamed of. And of course I'm so, so grateful for my own dad and grandad and everything they've done for me. Words can't even express.

Anyway, thanks for dropping in and taking the time to read! Be sure to let me know your comments down below and stay tuned right here each week for more from my every expanding Pixar collection.

Cars 3: Racing Start Luigi & Guido

How's it going Cars fans?! Hope you're all having a great weekend so far. Tonight I'm taking a quick look at another Mattel 1:55 scale Cars 3 release from this year—Racing Start Luigi & Guido! This 2-pack was in one of the first cases of 2021 (Case B) and was actually released in late 2020. It's pretty much your standard Luigi and Guido diecasts, but this is the first time Luigi has ever held a green flag. 

As shown in the screen shots above, Luigi can be seen holding a green flag during a couple of scenes in Cars 3: during McQueen's training at Fireball Beach and at the very end of the film when McQueen and Cruz race around Willy's Butte.

This is a simple release, but a prefect variant for building out scenes with your diecasts! I love new scene-specific versions of already existing characters/diecasts, though I may be in the minority. 

Chances are you won't find this one at stores at this point, so definitely check out current eBay HERE if you're interested in adding this pack to your collection. Let me know your thoughts below! 

Disney·Pixar Luca Little Golden Book—Review and a Look Inside!

Happy Luca release day everyone! In case somehow you weren't aware, Pixar's latest (and 24th) feature film—helmed by La Luna director, Enrico Casarosa—debuted today exclusively on Disney+! To celebrate here on the blog, tonight I wanted to share my review (and exclusive peek inside) of the Little Golden Book based on the film. If you've followed by blog for a while, you might know already that I'm a big fan of Pixar inspired Little Golden Books and look forward to/collect every release there is. I was really excited for this one since I felt the story and style of Luca would translate to this format especially well—and I was right! 

The story of Luca is quite simple when it comes down to it, so it was already a natural fit for a Little Golden Book adaptation. The director of the film intentionally wanted to give off a storybook vibe and so I guess you could say things have come full circle here. This book was once again brilliantly adapted here by Courtney Carbone (who did another fabulous job condensing and simplifying the film's main story points for little ones; just as she did with Onward and Soul), designed by Tony Fejeran and illustrated by the talented Francesca Risoldi. The art is honestly the main reason I love collecting and look forward to these books and it doesn't disappoint here. Risoldi's work fits in super well with all the previously released Little Golden Books. I just can't help but love the vintage flair that's always present with these! 

The first Little Golden Books were published back in 1942, so needless to say, this collection has really stood the test of time. Hundreds of titles later and it's still going strong! I love how even the modern Little Golden Books (like this one here) tap into the nostalgia of their old time publications and are still created in a similar, [now considered] "retro", fashion.

Now let's continue your exclusive sneak peek inside... don't worry, no spoilers here! I purposely only included a select few pages from scenes that were already featured in the film's trailers. 

This hardcover book is the standard Little Golden Book size of 8" tall x 6.5" wide, is 24 pages long and retails for $4.99. Original release date was May 4th, 2021. If you and/or your little ones at home enjoyed Luca like I did (SO very much), you'll certainly want to pick this up for your collection. It's perfection—sure to be a hit at story time! I picked mine up on Amazon (direct link below), but you can also find it at Barnes & Noble or where ever Little Golden Books are sold. It's also available digitally, but I'm all about hard copies.

What are your thoughts? Shout it all out down in the comments and hopefully we can get a conversation going. I'd love to hear your review as well.

Final note: You can explore my entire Pixar Little Golden Book collection HERE! There's one for every single Pixar film so far except A Bug's Life (I know, sad but true). Hopefully we'll get that one someday!

Finding Nemo Personalized Beach Towel (Pottery Barn Kids)

Hey all! Welcome back to the blog, I appreciate you dropping by. Tonight I'm taking a quick look at this adorable Finding Nemo inspired kid's beach towel from Pottery Barn Kids—and it's personalized with my son Aidan's name on it! How cool right? My wife Brita spotted this all on her own and thought it was too cute to pass up; ultimately she couldn't resist and actually took the initiative to order this! Aidan isn't old enough to totally understand that it has his name on it, but he will soon enough and totally love this. 

Check it out in more detail below (and Aidan in his Nemo onesie during our recent beach day; more info on that soon, but I couldn't help but post some pics here today)! I absolutely love the stylized screen art featuring Nemo, Marlin, Dory, Crush, Squirt and Sheldon and the overall colors. Plus it's from Pottery Barn, so you know it's quality!

Here are the official details from the PB Kids site:

• Made of 100% cotton velour. A cotton weave is a tightly woven weave, which gives the fabric a soft finish while providing durability and ultimate breathability.
• Oeko-Tex® Certified: tested in a third-party lab and verified to be safe from over 300 harmful substances.
• Rated UPF 50+ for UV protection. Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is an indicator of the protection a fabric provides against ultraviolet rays. UPF 50+ is the highest possible rating.
• The beach towels block UV rays without any chemicals or treatments, just tightly knit cotton.

We got the "baby" size version, which measures 25"wide and 50" long. Original retail price was $19.50, but it's currently on sale for just $12.99! Order it HERE on the PB Kids website if you're interested in getting this for your little one this summer. 

Have a great night, everyone! Be sure to let me know any thoughts or questions you might have in the comments below.

The Incredibles "Glory Days Suit" Mr. Incredible—Mattel's Pixar 7" Scale Action Figure Collection

Welcome back to the blog! Today I'm taking a look at the brand new The Incredibles "Glory Days Suit" Mr. Incredible, as part of Mattel's ever-expanding 7" scale line of Pixar action figures! So far this one has only been released on Amazon in Amazon's exclusive closed-box style packaging, but I'm sure it will get an in-store release at Target in the near future on the standard open-blister style cardback. I'll update this post when that happens. 

I'm so happy this figure finally got released and it looks so, so cool—certainly doesn't disappoint! I saw the reveal of this one clear back in January/February this year and have been looking forward to it ever since. Of course as usual with these types of character variants, this Mr. Incredible uses the exact same mold/sculpt as last year's red suit version. Literally the only difference with this one is the costume change. Like I typically say, my only little nitpick is I do wish Mattel could have at least changed up the facial expression and/or pose to make this one a little more unique, but it's not a huge biggie. I totally understand that it's a cost saving thing and it still totally works.

 

And here he is out of the box in all his GLORY! Once again, the figure is solid (stands really well on his own which is great for both play and us collectors who display), includes 12 points of articulation and stands right around 8" tall. Retail price on Amazon is $12.99 (direct link below).

All in all, I'm thrilled that this Mr. Incredible joins so many other The Incredibles characters in this line including: Mr. Incredible (red suit), Elastigirl, Dash, Violet, several versions of Jack-Jack, Syndrome, and Frozone (if we're counting the Interactables figures here which I am ;). I'd love to see Edna released in this scale as well!

What are your thoughts? Will you be picking this one up for you collection? If you're already a collector of Mattel's 7" scale Pixar figures, I'd say this is a must have. Let me know down in the comments! 

 

Toy Story Buzz & Woody Hanna Anderson Organic Cotton Long John PJs

In late August of just this past year, Hanna Anderson (known for their hand-me-down quality children's clothing) released an incredibly cute line of Disney·Pixar organic cotton pajamas for little ones. Included in the collection are designs inspired by literally all my top favorite Pixar films—it's like it was made with me and my little Pixar trainee in mind! Toy Story (seen here in this post), Monsters. Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and Coco are all represented, with the addition of one pattern featuring a whole bunch of colorful, adorably stylized characters from across all of Pixar's golden age films. We seriously loved them all and couldn't choose which ones to get, so my parents were generous enough to buy us each design and we couldn't be more thrilled!

Each pair of pajamas originally came in many sizes, ranging from 3-6 months all the way up to size 12. Retail price for this particular pair, I believe, was $42. This is size 18-24 months and they fit my 18 month year old son perfectly right now. How amazing is this Toy Story inspired design featuring the unstoppable duo of Woody and Buzz Lightyear? I seriously love the art so much.

 

And below are all the official details from Hanna's website:

 

"Our legendary organic pajamas are combed for extra softness, and finished with smooth seaming to surround them in comfort all night (and all day!). Hand-me-down quality means that 50 washes from now they'll come from the dryer bright and happy as ever."

• Organic combed cotton rib knit
• Super-smooth flatlock seams
• Encased stretch waist
• Ready-to-grow cuffs keep the fit
• STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® | 03.U.9375 HOHENSTEIN HTTI | Tested for Harmful Substances | www.oeko-tex.com/standard100
• Prewashed
• Wear snug fitting; not flame resistant.

Care:

• Machine wash warm inside out with like colors only 
• Non-Chlorine bleach when needed
• Tumble dry low
• Cool Iron on reverse side minimal

This line has unfortunately since sold out, but you may be able to find them through third party sellers if you do a little searching online. These are high quality, super cozy jammies that I can't recommend enough if you're able to get your hands on them. I'm looking forward to sharing the others we got as soon as well! What do you think? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more from my Pixar collection right here soon.