Ratatouille: Mattel Action Figure Collection (2007)

Today we're throwing it back to 2007 with these French-tastic Disney·Pixar Ratatouille action figures from Mattel! These were part of the original line of toys released just before the film hit theaters nearly 10 years ago (can you believe it?). I recently got these as a Christmas present (thanks to my parents and eBay) since I missed out on the original release all those years ago.

If you follow my blog pretty regularly, you might remember me posting on the Disney Store 2007 Ratatouille figure collection last May. Since I already had those, I wasn't planning on getting these ones (since I thought they were pretty similar). I ended up not being able to resist these though, mainly because of two characters here that weren't released at the Disney Store: Git and Django (not counting the mini Django that came with the Chef Skinner figure).

These figures actually ended up being quite a bit different than the Disney Store ones, so I'm super glad I got them. First of all these are smaller in size; not by a ton, but they're smaller. Secondly, these don't have as much detail or articulation and feel more "plasticky". Lastly these ones don't talk, but they do have some fun action features that the Disney Store ones don't have. Ultimately, both collections are fun for different reasons. The Disney Store figures feel geared more towards older kids/collectors and these Mattel ones are most definitely for younger kids (hence the cheaper feel and added play features). 

Let's take a closer look at the figures below— both in and out of their packages. In this collection we have four awesome characters: Git (the oversized, buff lab rat), Remy, Emile and Django (Remy's father). Each stands at around 4.5" tall.

Git

Git isn't in the film much, but he's subtly funny and memorable when he's on screen. I had to have him as part of my collection—this might even be my favorite of the four.

Action feature: press the button on his back repeatedly and watch as he lifts the "weights"!

Remy

Remy here is really cute and has a nice likeness to the character. He comes with a removable cheese piece accessory. 

Action feature: Remy is a classic "pull-back" style toy. Roll him back and forth on a hard surface several times to "wind" him up and watch as he scurries away with the cheese! He actually gets rolling really fast.

Emile 

Remy's brother Emile, voiced by Pixar's very own Peter Sohn, is one of my favorite characters in the film...I can't get enough of this guy! This is a pretty cute, very simple figure figure with no articulation. 

Action feature: Load the grape into Emile's mouth and press the button on his back to launch! 

 

Django  

Django here is a very cool figure and might be the most detailed of the bunch. He has a very solid sculpt (I love his fatherly, welcoming stance) and great paint application. He also comes with a neat accessory— an opened sardine can that he can attach to. 

Action feature: Once Django is attached to the can, roll him around to see him and his arms wobble about!

Overall, this is a fun, simple line of toys perfect for any young fan of Ratatouille. Heck, even if you're an adult collector such as myself, they make cool display pieces. They look awesome on my Ratatouille shelf currently! And with only four characters total, it makes it easy to track them all down.

Check out my video below to see them in action!



If you'd like to pick these up for your collection, be sure to check out this direct link to current eBay listings or Amazon using the links below. Amuse-toi bien!

"Best of Pixar" Tsum Tsum Collection Review

It's the first Tuesday of the month...you Tsum Tsum fans know what that means. It's "Tsum Tsum Tuesday" at the Disney Store! I was incredibly excited to see a few weeks back that this Pixar inspired Tsum Tsum release was on its way. This time around we have not one, but two film's represented in what they're calling the "Best of Pixar Collection": Wall·E and A Bug's Life. SO MUCH YES.

This has got to be one of the cutest Tsum sets ever right? I love the characters they chose here and I absolutely love how they look altogether. The colors mesh perfectly when the characters are stacked and their faces peeking out are just adorable. I'm also thrilled to see A Bug's Life and Wall·E represented again with new merchandise. It seems like they've been getting some love lately!

The six characters included here in this set are Wall·E, Eve, Flik, Princess Dot, Heimlich and Heimlich as a butterfly (absolutely hilarious). To be honest though, I do wish they made this a collection of eight and rounded it out with two more characters from Wall·E. That would have made it feel more balanced here, but that's a nitpick (I guess I'm just greedy). The characters we did get are awesome.

Once again, the creators here went all out with cuteness and fun little details for fans. For example, I love that Wall·E's cockroach friend is standing on his tread— that's my favorite little touch. Other details I wanted to give a shout out to include Eve's plant icon, Dot's cute wings (and freckles) and Heimlich's tiny feet.

These plushies are part of the Tsum Tsum "mini" collection and are only about 3 1/3" in size. Like usual, they're soft with embroidered features and retail for $5.95 each. Let's take a closer look at each one, shall we?

Wall·E

 Eve

 Flik

 Princess Dot

 Heimlich

 Heimlich (Butterfly)

So far Toy Story (1, 2 & 3), A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Wall·E, Inside Out and Finding Dory  have all been represented in the overall Tsum Tsum plush collection over the years. I cannot WAIT for more. Who could be next? I can totally picture The Incredibles characters in this style as well as a select few characters from Up (Carl, Russel, Dug and Kevin— can't you just see it now?). Of course I'd also love to see Cars Tsum Tsums, which very well could be on their way this year because of Cars 3.

If I had to choose an overall favorite here in this assortment, I'd no doubt have to go with Heimlich. He literally was meant to be a Tsum Tsum, since they're all caterpillar shaped anyway. His face and rosy cheeks are just too cute, not to mention Heimlich has been one of my all time favorite Pixar characters since I was a kid.

You can purchase these right now at your local Disney Store or online (HERE for the Wall·E Tsums and HERE for the A Bug's Life Tsums). Also released today was a medium sized Wall·E Tsum (which you can pick up HERE) as well as a new blind box Tsum Tsum vinyl figure series (Pixar themed— right HERE). Get them as soon as you can...these will sell out quick!

My questions for you: Who is YOUR favorite here and which Pixar characters would YOU like to see in a future Tsum Tsum set? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and thanks so much for dropping by!

Toy Story: Buzz & Woody Deluxe Light-Up Figurine Sculpture

 To Infinity and Beyond!

Here we have a very, very special piece in my collection that I've been looking forward to posting about for some time now. This amazing deluxe figurine [statue] of Buzz and Woody blasting off was released a couple years back. I first saw this at the 2015 D23 Expo in the Disney Dream Store (seen in my post HERE, just scroll down a bit) and I was in awe. I was super tempted to buy it, but I could not justify the high price tag.

This is a very large (about 14"H x 12"W x 13"D), hand painted, highly collectible piece made of a poly-resin material. Original retail was $175.00. It wasn't until last year (with the help of an extremely good discount) that I was able to get it. This showed up on the disneystore.com last winter and I ended up paying around $70.00 for it– a price I could not say no to. I then waited and received it as a gift for my birthday last May.

And the coolest part? This lights up! Just hit the switch on the back and the lights on Buzz's wings glow vibrantly, while his jet pack contrail on the back glows softly and changes colors (from blue, to green, to yellow, etc.). It's soothing like a night light. Note: requires two AA batteries.

My connection with this statue goes even beyond the fact that I'm a mega Toy Story fan. This was designed by one of my favorite Disney artists, Ron Cohee, who I actually had the opportunity to interview back in 2014 (which you can read HERE).

Just look at the details! Even down to "Andy" on Woody's boot. The design of this figurine is out of this world. The look, the make, the paint app...everything about this was crafted to perfection.  

As you can see on the bottom here, this is an official "Art of Disney" product made exclusively for Disney theme parks. It was part of the commemorative line of merchandise released in honor of Toy Story's 20th anniversary in 2015.

Here it is lit up! This photo does not do it justice in the slightest, but I wanted to give you an idea of what it looks like. I hope to get a brief video up soon as well.

And last but not least, I included the photo of me holding it below so that you could get a sense of this thing's pretty massive scale.

I also wanted to note that there was a limited edition bronze variant of this statue made as well (only 60 were distributed). You can view my photo of it HERE at the D23 Expo.

I believe this has since sold out at the US Disney Parks (correct me if I'm wrong), but it's still available on the Disney Store's UK site HERE. You can also find it on the "Your WDW Store" website HERE or on eBay using this direct link.

I seriously cannot recommend this piece enough to all you Toy Story mega fans out there. If you have the opportunity to snag this, do it! This sculpture would no doubt be a prized centerpiece in anyone's collection.

Cars 2: Grem with Helmet & Acer with Helmet

Hello friends and fellow Pixar fans! Since my schedule didn't permit me to post yesterday, I thought I'd make up for it by posting not one, but two cars today as featured in this 2-pack from last year...Grem with helmet and Acer with helmet from Cars 2! These are 1:55 scale diecasts from Mattel and are numbers 7/8 and 8/8 of the 2016 "Oil Rig Getaway" sub-series.

Though Acer with helmet was already released clear back in 2012 (in a movie moments 2-pack with Professor Z, as seen in my post HERE), this is the very first release of Grem with helmet. It's a tad annoying I had to pay for a 2-pack here to get only one car I needed, but I guess this isn't the first time that's happened. I'm used to it. ;) They sure know how to get ya! For those of you that missed Acer with helmet back in the day, this is a solid re-release for you.

As shown in the screen shot above, both of these characters can be seen wearing their helmets during the opening scene of the film; right as the lemons and combat ships pursue Finn Mcmissile after his daring oil rig escape.

Let's take a closer look!

Acer with helmet seems to be the exact same release as the 2012 version. If there are any differences, they're too small for me to tell.

These are still popping up at Target stores periodically, but they're definitely at the end of their run. Be sure to snag them if you see them! If you're having trouble tracking them down, you can always check out eBay HERE or Amazon using the direct link below.

Happy hunting!

Toy Story: Disney Parks Wind-up Figures

Available now exclusively at Disney Parks, here we have an adorably goofy set of four Toy Story inspired wind-up toys featuring Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Alien and Jessie! The designs are odd for sure, but they have a quirky charm to them. I enjoy collecting old school/retro tin toys and wind-ups (mostly for the simplicity) and these reminded me of that style. Since I'm nostalgic for old toys and Toy Story, I couldn't help but pick these up.

These plastic figures are just under 4.5" tall and include a traditional wind-up key on the back. Twist the key a few times for some fun, dance-like motions! Each character moves their hips, arms and head back and forth repeatedly. It's pretty cute—my four year old nephew had a huge smile on his face when I showed him these.

Check them out in more detail below!

Woody Wind-Up

 Alien Wind-Up

 Buzz Wind-Up

 Jessie Wind-Up

The best part of these is seeing them in action; so I included a brief YouTube video below! If you're thinkin' these are pretty cute and would like to add them to your collection, look out for them during your next Disney Parks visit. OR you can call the Disney Parks Merchandise Guest Services/Mail Order Hotline at 877-560-6477. They should be able to help you out. Retail for each character is $9.99.

Note- Though not available currently, these do show up every now and then on the Disney Store's website (that's where I got them) as well as the Shop Disney Parks app. Keep your eyes peeled!



What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to come back daily for more from my every expanding Pixar collection.

Toy Story: Mattel "Minis" Blind Packs (Series 3)

Continuing on from last night's Mattel Toy Story "Minis" blind packs series 1 post (be sure to first catch up with that one HERE), today we have series 3! Since several of these characters are repeats from series 1 though (namely Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Alien and Rex), I will only be addressing the new characters.

Note: If you missed it in my post last night, I mentioned that series 2 was harder to come by and had a much smaller distribution. For some reason, it skipped right to a third series in my area— however a second series was available some places and can be seen in this photo HERE. I'm still looking to add that black and white Jessie to my collection (which was the only new/unique character in series 2).

I was so thrilled to stumble upon this set at Walmart about a month ago and was excited to see that so many awesome new characters were added to this collection! This series adds seven previously unreleased characters to the lineup: Slinky, Wheezy, Green Army Man, Hamm as Evil Dr. Porkchop, Buttercup, Bo Peep and [the"special edition"] black and white Woody's Roundup Bullseye (which follows the special edition black and white Woody from series 1)!

Once again, these are MINI figures; like seriously mini. They stand just over an inch tall, are made of hard plastic and have very limited articulation (as in most of their heads and turn, but that's about it). Retail price for each figure is $2.88.

Let's take a closer look at the cuteness!

Slinky

Wheezy

Green Army Man

Hamm as Evil Dr. Porkchop

Buttercup

Bo Peep

Black & White Woody's Roundup Bullseye (Special Edition)

I can't say it enough—these are extremely adorable figures. I hope they keep on comin'! The sculpts are great, the paint jobs are extremely decent and they're a blast to collect. If you're trying to get them all without any repeats, I have a few hints. Hint #1: there are little holes under the bag's flap on the back where you can see colors if you look close enough. From there it's pretty easy to determine the character. Hint #2: Each character has a specific code on the back unique to that character. Find all the different codes and you'll have all the different characters! Pretty simple.

These have been showing up at Walmart stores nationwide since the beginning of the year. If these interest you, head to your local store soon to check for availability. Snag them while you can! All you Toy Story fans out there will love these.

Which character are you hoping to see made in a future series (assuming this line will continue on)? Shout it out in the comments below and be sure to check out my video unbagging below! Feel free to like and subscribe :)

UPDATE: See my post on SERIES 4 HERE! 

Toy Story: Mattel "Minis" Blind Packs (Series 1)

The Toy Story "Minis" collection from Mattel began last Summer with the Toys R Us exclusive 10-pack which I wrote all about HERE. Right around the same time (maybe a little after), the same exact figures started showing up at Walmart stores in blind bags beginning with/dubbed as "series 1".

Though series 1 mostly just consists of repackaged figures from the Toys R Us set (as seen on the back of the package below), there is one awesome addition: a "special edition" black and white (Woody's Roundup) Woody figure! Of course that was the only one I needed from this initial blind bags series since I had all the others. And here he is! I was able to track him down a few months back.

Again with these, when they say mini, they mean mini. Woody here, like the rest of the characters in this line, is just over an inch tall. His head can move slightly from side to side (his waist can also be twisted) and his hat is removable.

Now over the last month or so, series 3 of these blind bag figures started showing up at Walmarts around the country (which I'll be showing off in tomorrow's post). But wait...what happened to series 2? A second series did in fact happen (you can see an image of the package online HERE—notice that it includes a special edition black and white Woody's Roundup Jessie), but the series had a much smaller distribution for whatever reason and was much harder to come by. I still need to find that black and white Jessie (some do pop up on eBay every now and then), which was the only new character unique to series 2.

Anyway—be sure to stay tuned for tomorrow's series 3 post, featuring a bunch of awesome new characters to collect. A video unbagging will be up soon as well. Until next time!

UPDATE: Here's a link to my series 3 post! I've also added a video unbagging below.