Cars 2: Nigel Gearsley with Flames

The cars just keep on coming! Here is another relatively new 2014 Mattel Cars 2 release...Nigel Gearsley with flames! This is a 1:55 scale diecast metal car with added plastic "flames" to give the appearance of Nigel being damaged by the electromagnetic pulse fired from the evil "lemon" cars  during the Porto Corsa, Italy race. That moment from the film can be seen in the screen shot above.

This is yet another car I had a hard time finding in stores. At one point, I resorted to buying it on eBay only to receive the wrong car! I had to return that one and never got the Nigel with Flames that I had ordered.

Weeks passed and to this very day, I still have not seen this guy at the store. However, thanks to my great friends T.J. and Julie over at PixarPost.com who found an extra one in their area, I'm finally the proud owner of one. They are such great friends and a huge help to me often. Thanks again guys! I'm thrilled to finally have this one.

If you're an avid Pixar Cars collector who has also had a hard time tracking this one down, you can pick him up on Amazon or on eBay using the link below:
Pixar Cars: Nigel with Flames

Thanks for stopping by the blog and be sure to check back daily for more! Stay tuned. 

Cars 2: Towin' Eoin (Deluxe)

Here we have another brand new Disney/Pixar Cars 2 release from Mattel...Towin' Eoin! This is a "deluxe" size 1:55 scale diecast car based on one the emergency tow truck vehicles seen during the Porto Corsa, Italy race. As seen in the screen shot above, these trucks tow Carla and Nigel off the track after being damaged by Professor Z's minions.

Eoin was just released last month in a case featuring two other deluxe cars: Grem with camera and Wild Miles Axlerod. He is part of the 2014 "Allinol Blowout" sub-line (number 7/9).

 This is a fun car that I'm glad was released. Even though his appearance in the film was very brief, I've always enjoyed the more obscure background characters. Believe it or not, when I've watched Cars 2 in the past, I've actually hoped one of these guys would be made! My wife Brita still laughs at that, since I originally declared that I would only collect the main characters when I started buying these diecasts...oops! That definitely didn't work out. Oh well.

You can find these in stores now, so go check your local Target, Walmart or Toys R Us to see if you can track it down! If you're more of an online shopper, you can pick up Eoin on Amazon or on eBay using the link below:
Cars 2: Towin' Eoin

I actually had a hard time finding this character myself, but with help from my very good friends T.J. and Julie over at PixarPost.com, I'm now lucky enough to have him! A huge thanks and shout out to them for always being such great friends to my wife and I.

If you're a Pixar Cars fan, you'll be happy to know that they'll be many more posted right here during the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Toy Story 2: "There's a Snake in my Boot" Gift Pack

Following the recent release of Mattel's similar Toy Story of Terror Gift Pack, here we have the Toy Story 2 "There's a Snake in my Boot" Gift Pack! This pack includes figures of Woody and Bullseye in addition to the accessory that prompted this purchase...the Woody's Roundup snake firing boot as seen in the film. 

In Toy Story 2, as you all know, Woody discovers he's a rare and famous collectible based on an old TV show called Woody's Roundup. During his time captured in Al's apartment, he's introduced to a whole array of additional merchandise featuring him and the rest of his "roundup gang." One of the products seen during this scene is a Woody's boot toy that fires a plastic green snake, of course based on Woody's classic line "There's a snake in my boot." Screen shots from this moment can be seen below on the back of the package.

These figures are about five-six inches tall and have some great detail to them. They're very well made, including great paint jobs and some pretty good articulation. This line of figures from Mattel has been around for some time now with many characters released in single packs, gift packs and, over the years, have had a few packaging style changes. I was never too interested in collecting them only because I have so many other similar Toy Story figures, but between this one featuring such a cool movie accurate, never before released accessory and the Toy Story of Terror one featuring an exclusive Combat Carl figure, I couldn't resist. This set sells for around $17.00.

Of course, the boot accessory is not the size seen in the movie, since this one is scaled to a six inch Woody figure rather than the full sized one...but it's still a very cool piece to have nonetheless! Just like in the film, the snake launches out of the boot by pressing down on the boot's spur.

I've been really impressed with the 3D cardboard background images included in these more recent gift packs. This one includes an image of the Woody's Roundup display of collectibles as seen in Al's apartment.

 As mentioned, the articulation on these figures is "pretty good", not great. Woody's arms move up and down, but both arms are stuck in the position for holding the boot. Additionally, his legs move back and forth and sided to side, but he does not have knee articulation (which is probably a good thing, or else it might be hard to have him stand on his own). His hat is removable.
 

As far as Bullseye, you can turn his head and his tale side to side with additional articulation in his legs and his knees. Also, yes, Woody can ride Bullseye (even though someone on Amazon who reviewed this set said that he can't).

 By the way, the rattlesnake in this set is pretty angry looking, ha! Just thought I throw that out there.

For your viewing pleasure, I've included a brief video of the boot launching in action below. Check it out!

I've seen this set at Walmart and Toys R Us so check yours to see if this is in stock. If you'd rather just snag it online, you can pick it up on Amazon or eBay using the link below:
Toy Story 2: There's a Snake in my Boot Gift Pack

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back daily. Many more cool items to come! 

Finding Nemo: 3D Foam Puzzle

Here we have a really cool item from a few years back...a Disney Store exclusive Finding Nemo 3D Foam Board Puzzle! I found this just recently by just searching for "Finding Nemo Rare" on eBay. I was pretty excited about it since it was a really fun looking item that I had never come across before. I knew it would make a great display piece and it doesn't disappoint!

This "puzzle" (although, I'd consider more of a "playset") is based on the classic aquarium"Tank Gang" seen in the film.

I don't know exactly when this was available at the Disney Store, but I'm assuming it dates back to 2003 when the film was released? Or could it have come out near the film's 3D re-release? I haven't been able to find any additional info on this anywhere online, aside from the eBay listing I purchased it from. There isn't even a copyright date on the box or directions, so I guess you could say this is a pretty elusive item! If you know any other details about it, definitely let me know by posting a comment below or by shooting me an email. 

This playset comes with one fold-out backdrop, three sheets of punch-out 3D characters/props (that you assemble) and one sheet of reusable character stickers.

Although this product is for ages 3+, I wouldn't recommend it for kids that young. Every piece of this set is made from a very fragile foam material and the characters and props are quite precarious once assembled. You have to be especially careful when punching them out of the boards prior to initially assembling. Even I had a couple close calls with some of the pieces almost tearing, but luckily none of them did. That would have been unfortunate since there are no replacement pieces. Don't get me wrong though, this is a very awesome, quality product. It's just that I wouldn't have young kids assemble it without an adult.

Ultimately, this is a pretty easy thing to assemble. The directions are simple to follow, with no words even needed. It took just about ten minutes to put the whole playset together, but again, be careful!

The re-usable stickers included are: Peach, Gurgle, Jacques, Deb's reflection Flo, a "Didn't Brush!" sign and a trio of tiki heads. They can be placed wherever you'd like on the backdrop.

The 3D foam characters/props included are: Bubbles, Gill, Nemo, Deb, Bloat, the "Mount Wannahockaloogie" volcano, a treasure chest and a diving helmet/seaweed decoration. Between the stickers and the foam characters, every member of the tank gang is represented here.

The treasure chest opens and closes...and of course I had to put Bubbles staring into it! "My Bubbles."
 

 "Kid, if there's anything you need just ask your Auntie Deb, that's me, or if I'm not around you can always talk to my sister Flo. Hi, how are you? Don't listen to anything my sister says, she NUTS!"- Deb

If you're a Finding Nemo fan with a love for collecting cool playsets to display (I know I can't be the only one out there), then this is for you! Like mentioned though, it's pretty difficult to find these days. If you're interested in buying this, keep checking eBay to see if a listing shows up.

As usual, thanks so much for dropping by the blog today. The support really means a lot and keeps me going. Be sure to check back daily for more!

Cars 2: Grem with Camera

Here is yet another brand new Disney/Pixar Cars 2 release from Mattel...Grem with Camera! This is a "deluxe" size 1:55 scale diecast car with an added plastic camera accessory.

As seen in Cars 2 (screen shot above), Grem is one of Professor Z's minions who uses this electromagnetic pulse "camera" in attempt to destroy the cars participating in the World Grand Prix race. I'm excited that Mattel finally went ahead and made this camera accessory because, as random as it might sound, I actually hoped it would show up at some point! I really just love added accessories that can be used to recreate scenes from the film.

I love the detail that Mattel puts into these cars, including the scene accurate headset that this Grem comes attached with. This is the first time Grem has had a release with a headset, following the release of Acer with headset from earlier this year.

This car is part of the 2014 "Lemons" sub-line.

He has been appearing at stores for a few weeks now. I was lucky enough to snag him at Walmart a few days ago. If you're trying to hunt this one down, be sure to check out your local Walmart, Target or Toys R Us stores or, to save gas and time, pick him up on eBay using the link below:
Cars 2: Deluxe Grem with Camera

If you're a Pixar Cars fan and/or collector, you'll enjoy my posts for the next few weeks. Many more to come! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and be sure to check back daily for more.

Cars 2: Geartrude

From Cars 2, here's another brand new Mattel 2014 release...Geartrude! In the film, she is briefly seen being painted by a french street artist during the arrival to Paris montage (as seen in the screen shot above). She is part of this year's "Paris Tour" sub-line.

Geartrude is available in stores now or you can pick her up on eBay using the link below:
Cars 2: Geartrude

Cars 2: Wild Miles Axlerod (Deluxe)

When I heard that a Mattel "Jungle Miles" was to be released this year, I was excited to see how that design would be implemented as a diecast. After months of waiting, he has just been released as a deluxe size vehicle under the name "Wild Miles Axlerod." He doesn't disappoint! I'm thrilled to have this as a part of my Cars 2 collection.

This is a 1:55 scale diecast metal car with added plastic leaf accessories, which are not removable. Additionally, he has some other fantastic scene accurate details such as a dirty/muddy paint job, off-road roof lights and an exhausted facial expression. He is part of the 2014 "Mel Dorado Show" sub-category.

This diecast has been showing up at stores for about a month now, however, it still may be a bit hard to find. If you're looking to buy this without the hassle of driving from store to store, you can snag one on eBay using the link below:
Cars 2: Wild Miles Axlerod

As usual, thanks so much for dropping by the blog today and be sure to check back daily for more! In the mean time, you can check out more of my Cars collection by exploring the "Cars & Cars 2" label to the right.

Monsters University: Blu Ray/Film Review

Monsters University was released on DVD and Blu Ray on October 29th last year...and I'm just reviewing it now! Man, does time fly. Oh well, better late than never!

This was a Halloween present from my awesome wife last year, which I'm sure is what a lot of people ended up doing since we're talking about a film about monsters here. I'm sure that was the marketing tactic as well...and it worked.

First of all, I wanted to give some brief thoughts on the film itself. I absolutely love it. Sure, I know it's not known as one of Pixar's best, or better than the original Monsters Inc., but I related to it better than just about any of the other 13 films. To me, I feel this film deserved much better reviews and ratings than it actually got. It has heart, great humor, flawless animation/lighting, new memorable characters, a fun voice cast, catchy music and a story that ultimately goes in a way that you wouldn't expect it going, even though you know how Mike and Sulley end up. It really expands the character development of Mike and Sulley and sheds a whole new light on their relationship in Monsters Inc. I admit this one isn't quite the "tear jerker" that Monsters Inc. was, but it truly is a "heartwarming" and inspiring film with some fantastic messages that just about everyone can relate to.

The overall messages of failure, success, different life paths, hard work, honesty, pursuing dreams, discovering who we are, etc. are messages that mean a lot to me right now. As a college student myself, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what my career path/passion is. Like Mike, I've had to eventually be honest with myself and realize that the big dreams I once had are not for me. However, this movie reminded me that failure is ok (and necessary) and that there are other opportunities out there that are possibly even better than my original expectations. Sometimes no matter how hard we work, we still don't get what we want...and that's OK. The important thing is not to let the failure(s) in life bring us down to the point of giving up. If we keep at it, even if we don't achieve exactly what we hoped for, we can still be successful.

Director of the film, Dan Scanlon, stated: "Like Mike, a lot of times you have to look past you you thought you were gonna be in order to discover who you can be."

I feel like this message is very down to earth and I appreciate Dan Scanlon creating such an honest film. Most kids' films would tell you "you can accomplish ANYTHING you set your mind to", which is good, but realistically isn't always the case.

The film also reminded me to not compare myself with the "success" or talents of others. While I might not be great at everything or the best in a particular area, I shouldn't think of myself as just OK (which I tend to do). We all have greatness in us, we just have to recognize it and do our best to act on it.
 

Ok, moving onto the Blu Ray and features. First off, this film looks and sounds incredible in HD. The colors are so colorful and vibrant with a crystal clear image. Extremely well done!

 Here's a rundown on what you can expect from this release: 

Disc One-  

• The beautiful theatrical short film, The Blue Umbrella, directed by Saschka Unseld 
• A fun and very insightful audio commentary featuring director Dan Scanlon, Producer Kori Rae and Story Supervisor Kelsey Mann 
• And, of course, the film itself!

Disc Two-

• Campus Life (a day in the life of Dan Scanlon and crew during the production of Monsters University)  
• Story School (insights into the story department at Pixar and how the story of Monsters University was crafted into what we know today)
• Scare Games (a look into some of the fun that was had at Pixar during the making of the film)
• Monthropology (a look into what it took to create the hundreds of monsters seen in MU)
• Welcome to MU (We all know that Pixar does its research. Here we see some of the research that was done at real universities across the country for the film)
• Music Appreciation (a behind the scenes look at how Randy Newman's memorable score for the film was made)
• Scare Tactics (additional insights into the the animation process)
• Color and Light (this is exactly what it sounds like. This feature goes into more detail on the color and lighting that was done for the film)
• Paths to Pixar: MU Edition (here we have some Pixar animators, including director Dan Scanlon and Producer Kori Rae, relating to Mike and telling their story about some of their "failures" in life and how they ultimately ended up at the famed studio)
• Furry Monsters: A Technical Retrospective (a look into some of the technological advancements that been achieved since 2001, relating to creating fur and hair for the monsters)
• Four Deleted Scenes, including a director's intro 
• Promo Picks (a selection of promotional material)
• Set Flythroughs 
• Art Gallery

As you can see, this blu ray release has a great selection of bonus features and I was very impressed with the amount included. Of course, given how much of a fan I am of the film and the studio, I wish there was still a lot more!

There is, however, just a little bit more than what is listed. In additional to the standard bonus features, there is one more hidden gem that you can find. On Disc Two, there is a very brief  (two to three minutes long)"easter egg" about the making of the film's opening title sequence. You can find this hidden feature by going to the blu ray Disc Two menu and highlight "Bonus Features." From there, press down and then left on your remote control. In the top right hand corner of the menu, you will see the shadow of Dean Hardscrabble appear in the stained glass window. Press enter to view. Simple as that! Good luck on the hunt.

All in all, this is a great release and is sure to please Pixar fans of all ages.