Tag Archives: Disney Movies

Spoiler-Free Avengers Age of Ultron Review

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RM-Avengers-Age-of-Ultron-Ticket-StubI am pretty much the geekiest Marvel-loving-50-year-old-female person I know.  I’ve enjoyed every Marvel movie that’s been produced.  I’ve liked them all on different levels, though.  I did not like all the Iron Man movies the same.  Thor? The second was better than the first to me.  Captain America? – Loved ’em both equally.  I thought the first Avengers movie was about as good as it gets, super-hero-entertainment-wise.  I also loved Guardians of the Galaxy for many of the same reasons.  In fact, I’ve probably watched Guardians more times than all the other Marvel movies combined.  “We ARE Groot!”  The original Avengers movie and Guardians had much in common:  unique, likable characters who learn to work as a team, a great storyline, well placed humor, and excellent villains.

So…Avengers Age of Ultron.  I had high expectations.  Which was probably the problemRM-Avengers-Age-of-Ultron-Poster to begin with.  I wanted my expectations fulfilled:  all the laughs, the fighting, the egotistical world-domination-obsessed villain, the good versus evil excitement…and it was there.  Sort of.  No spoilers, but there were a bunch of holes in the action scenes that begged for a little comic relief (HA! See what I did there?) – or at least some humorous one-liners or funny situations that never materialized.  Some of the action felt forced, as did some of the character interactions – like everyone was going through the motions without any real passion.  Twice during the film I checked my watch, which never happened during the original Avengers.  The elements of a great film were there, but…

I missed Loki.  Not just because he’s easy on the eyes.  I missed him because he brought the fun, the mischief, the charming bad-boy spark.  Yes, Age of Ultron had a good – actually, GREAT villain, but still there were holes.  I can’t tell you precisely how those gaps could have been filled with a good, bad-boy character, but I do know that unexpected laughs and endearing bits of charm were in short supply during Age of Ultron.  There were some gems, but not as many as I wanted there to be.

Summary:  Decent, but slightly convoluted plot, diabolically evil bad guy, strong heroes with lovable human weaknesses and vulnerabilities, excellent new characters.  Lacking:  The sparkle, the humor, the rapier-edged, perfectly placed wit that would have saved much of this film.  There was too much reliance on fancy special effects instead of a strong script.  I wanted more than humdrum, but that’s all there was.  I liked the movie, but left the theater feeling less than wowed.

 

Cinderella Tea Set & Movie Comments

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RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-BoxBack in February, long before the live action Cinderella movie opened, Raymond and I were very typically spending an evening at home watching TV and working on our respective computers; sharing companionable silence with an occasional comment on this or that.  I noticed something in my Facebook news feed that caught my eye and I turned my screen around to show Raymond the beautiful blue and white Cinderella Tea Set for sale through the Disney Store online.

Raymond, in his usual way, managed to convey volumes in as few words as possible.  His comment, as he studied the picture through his reading glasses was, “You need one.”  Haha, I thought.  Very funny.  I did then notice that the production number was 3000 and mentioned that it was a limited edition set and that it came with a steep price tag.  This time he looked at me over those reading glasses, one eyebrow raised, and said, “Get it.”

We have a few tea pots, but I wouldn’t really call them a collection.  Teapot 1I have two that are Disney, like this Dalmatian, and three others that were given to me as gifts and are all very beautiful.  I enjoy hot tea very much, but I certainly didn’t need this pricy Cinderella tea set.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it though.  It’s hard to hold out against temptation when I have Raymond’s encouragement to cave!

The box arrived a day before we left for Walt Disney World, so I didn’t have time to do anything but check to make sure the pieces were unbroken.  When we got home, I took the time to appreciate the beauty of both the box and its fragile contents more completely.RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Certificate-of-Authenticity2 RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Certificate-of-Authenticity1  RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-BoxedI have to say, Raymond was right – this was a great purchase.  The certificate of authenticity is written in French on one side and English on the other.  The shape of the teapot is elegant, the cups and saucers dainty and beautiful.  Sadly, there are no cream and sugar servers in this set, but the gold design on a blue and white background is gorgeous and depicts many of the Cinderella movie’s best moments.RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Teapot RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Saucer RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Detail RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set-Cup

Speaking of the movie.  We didn’t see it on opening weekend due to prior commitments.  During the movie’s first week post-release, I read many ridiculous (to me) blog articles about this unexpectedly controversial film – one mother wrote an entire post on why she wouldn’t be taking her child to see Cinderella, basically because there are moments dealing with death and loss, moments dealing with unkind behavior, moments dealing with falling in love, moments dealing with people consuming (presumably) alcoholic beverages, playing card games, and so on and so forth.  When we finally got to see Cinderella this past Saturday morning, I had no idea what to expect!  All that drama over a fairytale?  Maybe Disney ruined the story!

Here’s my two cents:  This isn’t a movie for small children, but not because it deals with actual things that happen to people in real life or make-believe, magical things that don’t.  Small children may find the movie boring and the subtle parts of the film that I found touchingly beautiful might be outside a pre-school-aged child’s ability to understand.  One little one sitting near us in the theater (which was heavily packed with princesses under the age of 6), loudly exclaimed, “I hate this movie!” about halfway through.

Cinderella is visually stunning and true to the story I grew up with.  It also offers a modern touch that, while keeping the story timeless, allows us to see the characters in a deeper, more genuine way than the run-of-the-mill fairy tale usually offers.  The main lesson in the movie?  Be true to your convictions and your heart.  Love, kindness, and courage will help you prevail in the most difficult times, even when it’s impossible to understand what motivates others to be hurtful.  As far as a story’s moral goes, what could be wrong with that?RM-Cinderella-Tea-Set

 

 

Mary Poppins Collectibles – Book and Record

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This post for Saturday’s With Nick originally appeared on the Disney Musings Blog on December 20, 2013.  I continue to be in awe of Nick’s Disneyana collection and these particular items make me Goofy-Hat-Green with envy since Mary Poppins is so near and dear to my heart.  Enjoy!

Mary Poppins Collectibles – Book and Record

By: NickToday, Disney releases the film, Saving Mr. Banks, and to say I am excited to see this is an understatement.  Both Barbie and I have grown up with Mary Poppins.The film centers on the life of P. L. Travers, creator of Mary Poppins, shifting between her childhood, and the negotiations with Walt Disney in the making of the motion picture, Mary Poppins, in 1961

If you haven’t seen the trailer, it looks absolutely amazing. I just re-watched it, and have goosebumps, and, okay, a tear in my eye.

As much as we both love Mary Poppins, we actually only have 2 items from Mary Poppins, if you don’t include a VHS, DVD, and the just released Blu-ray copy of the film!

One is this record album Barbie has had since childhood.

It includes a very brief synopsis of the movie, and even a brief telling of how Disney came to discover Mary Poppins and produce this masterpiece.

And what more can I say about the music by the Sherman Brothers other than it is absolutely brilliant?

This 1964 Mary Poppins movie book from Golden Press was bought just a few months ago at our local flea market.

Originally priced at $.69, I paid $2.

Not in the best of shape, but, having just seen the trailer for the first time the day before, I felt it was fate that I came upon it, and had to buy it!

It tells a bit about the production, and the 2 primary stars, Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, on the inside cover, before going on to tell the story of the motion picture, with photos from the film.

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015

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RM-Happy-New-Year-2015Happy New Year!  Thanks for stopping by. Let me take this opportunity to tell you how much it means to me that you are taking time out of your day to visit.

Last year was the first time I ever made New Year’s resolutions.  Normally, I don’t believe in them.  I think if you want to make a change, you should just do it.  Why wait? Why ruin a perfectly good reason to celebrate with crazy plans for losing weight, getting in shape, or being nicer?  Life changes are best made when it’s time and individually, we all have to be ready and know when the time is right.  So, for my first foray into the world of resolutions, I made them based on my passion – Disney!  And you know what?  It was a brilliant idea for me.  I was able to follow the plan.  I did indeed do each and every thing I set out to do (read those resolutions here).  Except for one recipe and the fact that I expected to like #9 at least a little, they went really well!  On the heels of that success, I decided to use the exact same format for this year’s commitments.  Don’t mess with success – it’s a great motto!

So without further ado, I give you…

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015:

1. See These Movies:RM-Cinderella-Movie-Poster

  • Cinderella (3/13)
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1)
  • Tomorrowland (5/22)
  • Inside Out (6/19)
  • Ant-Man (7/17)
  • The Jungle Book (10/9)
  • The Good Dinosaur (11/25)
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18)

Mural in Maelstrom / World Showcase / Epcot2. Take a Cruise – Last year’s #2 was “Book a Cruise”, so now it’s time to set sail!  In June, The Fam and I will fly to Copenhagen to board the Disney Magic for a cruise through the fjords of Norway.  Whatcha wanna bet there’s a bunch of Frozen tie-ins on that cruise? ‘S okay, we’ve braced ourselves.  Adventure is out there!  Stand by for more on this as the port excursions become available for booking. Of course, I’ll report back on all the deets!

3. Complete a runDisney Event or Three:  Glass Slipper Challenge, here I come.  In addition, based on my very own husband’s advice, I’m registered for the Disney Princess 5k.  Yes, I’m planning to run a 5k, 10k, and a half marathon over three days – sounds easy compared to the Dopey Challenge, doesn’t it?

4. Make More Disney Friends!  You guys are GREAT!  Many of you who regularly read this blog, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listen to…see #7, have become like family to me.  I know I’ll get the opportunity to meet some of you in February when I’m touring the World completing resolution #3.  If you are going to be at Walt Disney World during the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, holler!

5. Try These Restaurants:

  • Kona Café:  I’ve even stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort before, but have never eaten at the Kona Café.  I hear it’s not to be missed!
  • Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club Resort):  I’ve never been to the Yacht Club, but I’ve heard raving reviews about the Steakhouse.  I’d like to see how it compares to another popular steak place, Le Cellier (Epcot, Canada Pavilion).
  • Il Mulino (The Swan):  It’s Italian and I love Italian food.  Since the last time I ate at Tutto Italia in Epcot was a huge disappointment, I’m pining for some delicious Italian fare on Walt Disney World property.  I have high hopes.IMG_2320

6. Find and Trade for The Missing Pin:  It’s the Toy Story Midway Mania pin set and I’m missing the beaver pin.  I don’t know how realistic this goal is, but maybe if a few of you fellow pin fanatics are on the lookout, you could help me find my missing pin.

TheDisneyExchangeLogo7. Work on My Podcasting Skills:  As you may or may not be aware, just two short weeks ago, I became a podcast host!  Blogging and podcasting are often mutually exclusive, but I fancy myself a master of multi-tasking and hey, when you have as much to say about Disney as I do, it’s a lot easier to talk than to write.  Not only that, but my co-hosts, Nick and Dave, are just awesome guys who love Disney as much as I do!  Please give The Disney Exchange a listen and let me know what you think.  Too long?  Too short?  Too broad? Too specific?  What topics would you like to hear us discuss?

8. Try These Recipes:

  • Tonga Toast (Kona Café):  World famous breakfast food!  Found the recipe here.
  • Jiko’s Macaroni and Cheese:  We love Jiko!  I usually make risotto when Raymond grills his famously delicious steaks, but a bed of Mac & Cheese would be awesome and if it tastes like Jiko’s?  Perfection!  Here’s the recipe.
  • Irish Brown Bread with Guinness Reduction:  Whoa!  If I can pull this off, I will be a hero.  The Fam loves Raglan Road and the bread and dipping sauce are certainly part of why we love it!  Here’s the recipe.

9. Taste a Citrus Swirl – Last year’s #9 was to try a Dole Whip for the first time.  If you missed seeing how that turned out, watch the video here.  I’m not ruling out the chance that I may enjoy something Dole Whip-ish, so I’m going to give the Citrus Swirl a try.  We shall see.

10. Make More and Better Videos – Last year, this resolution was to take more and better pictures.  I’m pretty happy with the result of those efforts.  Now it’s time to work on my video skills.  Between my GoPro and iPhone, I’m pretty sure I’ll have at least a few new Disney vacation videos to share with you in 2015.

There they are!  Now it’s your turn!  Did any of these resolutions make it onto your list?  What Disney plans are on your 2015 calendar?