Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection

by Al Kessel 

What's better than a Disney Animated flick? TWELVE DISNEY ANIMATED FLICKS!!! Ok, well, TECHNICALLY, twelve Disney Animated Short Films, to be exact.  Today, August 18, 2015,Walt Disney Animation Studios released a collection of twelve animated shorts, in an extraordinary new collection of award winning and beloved short films. These shorts range from a continuation of the hit films Frozen and Tangled, to some original shorts, destined to be classics. 

Ok, here's the scoop: These animated shorts aren't new, with the exception of Frozen Fever, which was shown in front of the 2015 live action version of Cinderella. But that doesn't mean they're not worth watching. The great thing about this collection is that Disney has compiled several fan favorite animated shorts into one pretty great presentation. However...out of the twelve, there were a few that, although cute, well drawn and interesting, were not shorts that we would watch over and over. Ok, on with the review...

Now, if you've ever read any of our reviews, you know that we don't like to add anything that would spoil the movie for you. So, with that in mind, here we go:

Here are the twelve animated shorts, in order as they appear on the Blu-Ray, with a short (yeah, pun) synopsis and my (our) thoughts on it.

 * John Henry

    Originally released on October 30, 2000, John Henry is a musical short that celebrates the life and legend of a great African-American folk hero. As viewed through the eyes of his widow, Polly, the film explores Henry's tall tale adventures as he challenges a powerful steam drill in a climactic confrontation of man versus machine. We really did enjoy this short, even the musical numbers didn't bother me too much! The only odd thing was that in a lot of the scenes, the animation style was kind of strange, they left in some of the guide lines in the characters, like it was almost an unfinished piece. 

* Lorenzo 

   Well, THIS one was strange. Originally released on May 28, 2004, this very colorful short centers around a pompous, pampered cat named Lorenzo who teases the neighborhood felines, until he faces cat-astrophic consequences when he's hexed by a rival cat. Ok, when I say strange, I mean, kind of like someone on a drug trip strange. Really don't know how else to say it! You'll have to see this one for yourself. 

* The Little Matchgirl 

  Originally released on September 7, 2006, The Little Matchgirl is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen classic tale about a poor homeless young girl whose burning desire to find comfort and happiness. Very richly animated, and honestly beautifully scored with some great classical music, this one is a tad depressing. If you know the story, then you know what I mean. Although we enjoyed it for it's style, it was kind of a bummer. 

*How To Hook Up Your Home Theater 

   Originally released December 21, 2007 in front of National Treasure: Book of Secrets, this is probably one of our favorite shorts in the collection. Disney's beloved animated "everyman," Goofy, returned to the big screen for the first time in 42 years to entertain and educate viewers about the challenges of modern technology and following directions when it comes to hooking up a home entertainment system.  The enthusiastic but clueless Goofy is confronted by a huge instruction "manual," and has to deal with a gargantuan universal remote as he tries to install a new home theater in time to enjoy the big game. Voiced by the very talented Bill Farmer, Goofy once again proves his name! This is without a doubt an instant classic, as far as I'm concerned! I've always loved these Disney shorts. 

* Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa 

   Yeah, we LOVE the Prep & Landing movies!! Originally released December 7, 2010, "Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa” follows the further comic adventures of Santa’s stealthiest elves, Lanny and Wayne (who debuted the previous year in the Emmy® Award-winning ABC-TV special).  With Christmas only a few short days away, Mrs. Claus (voiced by Betty White) and Magee (Sarah Chalke) enlist Wayne (Dave Foley) and Lanny (Derek Richardson) on a secret mission to retrieve a mysterious item hidden deep within the office of Santa Claus!  Can the intrepid duo acquire the target in time, or will they be discovered by the Big Guy (Morgan Sheppard) and doomed to placement on the Naughty List? How can you NOT love this?! This will be a welcome addition to our Holiday traditions. 

* Tick Tock Tale 

   Originally released on June 8, 2010, Tick Tock Tale is a Walt Disney Animation Studio's computer animated short film that transports audiences to the foggy streets of Victorian era London, when, after the shop closes, the clocks all come to life, and one discarded old clock has to save the day from a burglar!! We liked this one a lot as well. Great animation and a great story. 

* The Ballad Of Nessie 

    Originally released on July 15, 2011 in front of Winnie The Pooh. Have you ever wondered where the Loch Ness Monster came from? Well, wonder no more! Set in the 'bonny blue highlands' of Scotland, this is a cute, whimsical and very colorful (literally) tall tale about how the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie to her friends, came to be in the Loch Ness! Narrated by the wonderfully talented Billy Connolly, The Ballad Of Nessie is another short for the entire family! 

*Tangled Ever After 

   Originally released on January 13, 2012 in front of Beauty And The Beast 3D, Tangled Ever After picks up where Tangled left off, and we see Rapunzel and Flynn tying the knot...but, when Pascal and Maximus are in charge of delivering the wedding rings, well, suffice it to say, a very funny and raucous time ensues! We LOVED this animated short and are sure most will as well.  

* Paperman 

   Originally released on November 2, 2012 in front of Wreck-It-Ralph, Paperman is one that we've seen before. This one introduces a groundbreaking technique that seamlessly merges computer generated and hand drawn animation techniques. Presented in a minimalist black and white style, this short follows the story of a lonely young man in mid-century New York, whose destiny takes an unexpected turn after a chance meeting with a beautiful young woman. The animation in Paperman is truly spectacular, and, although it IS animation, it's kind of easy to get caught up in it! 

*Get A Horse! 

  Originally released on November 27, 2013 in front of Frozen, this is another one we've seen previously, BUT, will gladly watch over and over. Get A Horse !” follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical hay wagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. With both classic black-and-white, hand-drawn animation and up-to-the-minute technical wizardry (often in the same frame), this groundbreaking short takes a sharp turn when Mickey finds himself separated from Minnie and must use every trick up his sleeve to find his way back to her. THIS is a MUST SEE! It starts off as all classic Walt Disney Mickey Mouse cartoons did, and in fact, truly looks like one. A very groundbreaking and unique short, and the coolest thing about this one? Walt Disney was the voice for Mickey Mouse!!

* Feast 

   Originally released on November 7, 2014 in front of Big Hero 6, Feast is the story of one man's love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share. Ok, cute doesn't even begin to describe Feast. The animators got the actions, expressions and well, everything PERFECT on Winston that it looks and sounds so lifelike. In fact, our dog Kate got so excited when we watched Feast, she actually thought Winston was a real dog! Seriously! She jumped off the couch, ran up to the TV and started barking and wagging her tail!! An instant classic. 

* Frozen Fever 

   Originally released on March 13, 2015 in front of the live action Disney movie Cinderella, it's Anna's birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but when Elsa catches a cold, her powers may put more than just the party at risk. This original continuation of Frozen is 100% pure cute and fun. All the original voice actors return for this short, and honestly, it may even be better than Frozen. Yes, there is a musical number through it, and yes, Elsa does sing, but not Let It Go!! And they even poke a little fun at Frozen! 

Like I said, all of these shorts have been around awhile, and odds are you've seen at least a few of them. But the cool thing is that now they're all in one easy to view collection. Without a doubt, Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection is a must have addition for any Disney fan, or, for anyone who loves a great short animated film! Two Thumbs Up from us!!!!

Each short runs at about 5-9 minutes, so it's simple to watch all at one sitting, or watch a few and continue later. 

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection is available everywhere now, on Blu-Ray and Digital HD/Disney Movies Anywhere.

Teen Beach Movie 2

by Joyce Kessel

TEEN BEACH 2 Washed Ashore on Disney DVD on June 26th

Teen Beach 2 begins on the last day of summer vacation with Brady taking Mack on a date to celebrate where they first met, three months ago, but during a late night surf she loses the necklace Lela gave her in the first Teen Beach movie.

On the first day of school, Brady and Mack quickly discover that summer and school “me” are different and they have different goals. Will Mack and Brady's relationship have  a happy ending now that summer is over and school is starting? 

As they continue to head down different paths, the necklace washes up on shore in the world of Tanner and Lela.  Lela shares with Tanner that she wants to be more like Mack and the necklace transports them to Mack and Brady. Lela discovers that she loves the modern world, and as Brady and Mack did in the first movie, begins to lose her 1960 character traits. I won’t spoil it for you, so if you want to know the ending check out the movie.   

I thought it was a good movie, and as with all Disney movies it has a message. That message is twofold: Don’t lose yourself and be sure to follow your dreams. There were a number of dance numbers and the bonus features shows the cast learning the dance numbers choreographed by Christopher Scott. 

I give the movie two of out of five stars, mainly because they left it open for Teen Beach Movie 3 and I don’t think it was necessary.  Another reason I gave the movie 2 stars is because I found the Tanner character to be a little over the top with his acting.  

Movie details: 

DVD Includes Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features and an Exclusive Friendship Necklace!

Synopsis: Dive in and rock out with the hottest surf sequel under the sun! Now that summer ‘s over and school has begun, Brady (Ross Lynch) and Mack’s (Maia Mitchell) relationship seems headed for a wipeout – until Lela, Tanner and the “Wet Side Story” kids show up! Dazzled by the novelty and variety of the modern world, Lela wants to stay, but the real world and the “reel” world just don’t mix. Can Mack and Brady find the magic to get the kids home and get their own romance back on track before it’s too late? Packed with electrifying song & dance numbers and hilarious fish-out-of-water wackiness, Teen Beach 2 is “wow-abunga” fun for everyone.

Director: Jeffrey Hornaday (“Teen Beach Movie,” TV Movie “Geek Charming,” Carlito’s Way)

Writers: Teleplay by Billy Eddy, Matt Eddy and Story by Dan Berendsen, Robert Horn

Cast: Ross Lynch (Muppets Most Wanted, Disney Channel’s “Austin & Ally”) as Brady; Maia Mitchell (ABC Family’s “The Fosters”) as Mack;; Grace Phipps (Fright Night, TV’s “The Nine Lives of Chloe King”) as Lela; Garrett Clayton (ABC Family’s “The Fosters,” Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up”) as Tanner.

Choreography: Christopher Scott (TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With The Stars,” Step Up franchise)

Release Date:   June 26, 2015 (Distributor Pre-Book: 5/15; Direct Pre-Book: 5/1)

Release Formats:  DVD

Bonus Features: Exclusive: Cast Dance Rehearsals  - Exciting new contemporary and retro music with dance numbers choreographed by Christopher Scott. Join Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell and the rest of cast as they learn some of the crazy steps for the movie.  See how they put the moves into the songs Best Summer Ever, Gotta Be Me, Falling For Ya, and That’s How We Do.

Ratings:                            TV-G (US); G (Canada)

Aspect Ratio:                   1.78:1 Widescreen (Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions)

Audio:                               2.0 Dolby Digital

Languages:                       English, French & Spanish

McFarland, U.S.A.

by Al Kessel

Disney makes a LOT of true life movies. Movies about real stories that inspire, uplift and just make you feel good. Sometimes though, they put one out that REALLY delivers on all of those things. McFarland, USA is one of those movies that delivers, and in a big way!

A little synopsis before I go much farther: McFarland USA is the story of Jim White, a high school teacher and (at first) football coach. Seems Mr. White can't hold on to a teaching job long enough to get tenure - he's passion and no-nonsense attitude tend to get him...well, replaced, often. It's 1986-87, and now Mr. White is making one last move (hopefully) to a small town in Southern California called McFarland. A VERY small town, with a very large and rich Latino culture.

Kevin Costner as Jim White

As Coach White attempts to fit in as a football coach, he butts heads with the head coach and winds up being asked to step down from the assistant coaches position. However, as he's watching some of the mis-assigned players, he notices something: they're fast. VERY fast. So he hatches a plan to create a cross-country running team and pits his runners against some of California's best. Of course, it's not an easy task at first. He encounters a great many obstacles - teens who need to prioritize family needs above the needs of an ambitious track coach. Of course, there's a GREAT deal more to this movie, but you get the picture. We URGE you to see it for yourself.

McFarland Cross-Country's 1st Competition

Like I said, this movie is based on a true story. A very inspirational story of underdogs triumphing over tremendous obstacles. Underdogs who refuse to quit, even in the face of very bad odds. A veritable David and Goliath story. This heartwarming drama follows (very) novice runners in a predominantly Latino high school, who learn as much from their new coach as he does from them. In true Disney fashion, McFarland, USA tells the story through both sets of eyes, and everyone learns about the power of family, commitment and compromise. 

Academy Award Winner Kevin Costner (Dances With

Maria Bello and Kevin Costner

Wolves, The Untouchables) stars as Coach Jim White and does a fantastic job of bringing White's passion for his team to the screen. Maria Bello (Prisoners, Duets), plays Cheryl White, Jim's wife, Morgan Saylor (Homeland) plays Julie White, their teenaged daughter, and Carlos Pratts (Paranormal Activity) plays team captain Tommy Valles. The cast all seemed to mesh together quite well, and it's kind of easy to visualize them as the actual people they portray. 

Carlos Pratts as Tommy Valles

When we first heard about McFarland, USA, I'll admit I didn't think it would be very good. Yeah...another sports movie about underdogs...but, about RUNNING?! I'm VERY pleased to admit that I was wrong. Very wrong. McFarland, USA is one of the more underrated movies of the year, and (in our opinion) well worth a watch. Of course, some facts were changed a bit for the movie, but the overall theme of the story, and the actual event outcomes remained the same. It really is a 'feel good' movie. In fact, you could even call it the Rocky for runners! :) 

McFarland, USA is available on Digital HD, Blu-Ray + Digital HD and DVD. Bonus Features include:

• Digital HD, Blu-Ray and Digital HD combo:
• McFarland Reflections (a nice featurette that takes us on a visit to the real town of McFarland)
• "Juntos" Music Video
• Inspiring McFarland (meet the REAL 1987 McFarland team)
• Deleted and Extended Scenes
• DVD
• "Juntos" Music Video
• Inspiring McFarland

Although the movie is long, (129 minutes), it moves pretty fast and there's really no 'filler' scenes. Throughout the movie, we felt like we got to know the characters well enough to actually care about them. But, that's kind of what Disney does best, right?

The real Jim White and his winning team

All in all, McFarland, USA is a surprise hit, and a truly heartwarming, inspiring film. Joyce and I both loved it a great deal, and, on the 're-watch' meter, it's a definite YEP! We BOTH give McFarland, USA TWO thumbs up!! 

We'd love to know YOUR thoughts on the movie. How about sending us your review/thoughts to talespodcast@cox.net. 

 - Al 

2015 Phoenix ComiCon

by Al Kessel

WAY back in the dark ages of 1970, comic store owner Richard Alf and publisher Ken Krueger organized a three day celebration of comic books they called San Diego's Golden State Comic-Con. What started in a basement with a mere 300 people attending has turned in to a world wide phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of attendees dressing up to look like their favorite comic book/sci-fi/fantasy character.

Ok, enough of the history lesson. Over the weekend of May 28-31, 2015, Phoenix, Arizona played host to the 14th annual Phoenix Comicon, and Joyce and I were lucky enough to get our hot little hands on a couple of media credentials for this wild, crazy and geeky extravaganza!  Let me tell ya'....it was a different kind of experience for us.

Now, before I go any further, I need to tell you that although I am a self-proclaimed Sci-Fi geek, I've never, ever been to a ComiCon in my life. Ever. I'd always been curious, but never went to one. So, on a whim, we decided to apply for media credentials earlier this year and to our amazement...we were accepted. 

Being our first year and all, we decided to go slowly. With that said, we only covered two days (May 28-29), because of various reasons. So, we decided to take the first day and check in, get our credentials and then just kind of scope things out. Being the first day, things were kind of slow, not a great deal going on, not too many attendees (which was kind of nice really), but still enough to see to give us a taste of what was to come. 

So, after checking in and kind of looking around a bit, the first panel we attended was 'The Dark Side of Doctor Who', which I thought was to be about, you know, the dark side of our favorite Time Lord. And it sort of was...sort of. The panel consisted of five 'Whovian's' (Dwayne Plain, Jesse Canfield, Mack Duncan, Matt Duncan [no relation] and Sean Mushro), all of who are 'experts' in one form or another on Doctor Who. The topic was actually the top 10 darkest episodes of the series according to the panel. Which was still pretty interesting. They covered Doctors from the original run and the newer version. The presenters were actually pretty fun and humorous, and all in all, it was a good way to start our ComiCon experience. 

Doctor Who Panel of Experts...

The next panel we saw (and the last actually on Thursday) was Star Trek: The Ongoing Comic and Book Adventures, hosted by David Williams and Ted House. This was a bit more 'out of my league' as I've never really read any of the Star Trek comics, but have read a few of the older novels, and poor Joyce was completely in the dark. She likes Star Trek, but isn't one for comic books, or sci-fi novels. This panel covered the interconnecting story lines between the comics-movies-series-books, and was really interesting. I even won a comic book! Yep, an IDW Star Trek The Q Gambit issue 6, for answering a trivia question correctly. (Let's see if you can too: In the movie Star Trek: Into Darkness, Kirk, Spock, and Uhura take a shuttle craft down to Qo'nos to look for John Harrison (a.k.a. KHAN). From who did Kirk mention he got the shuttlecraft? I'll put the answer on our Facebook page.) There were some pretty interesting things discussed in this panel, like WHY Khan looked so 'white' in Into Darkness, when he's supposed to be Asian; some backstory on Spock, etc. All in all this was another fun panel. 

Winner of the 12 and Under Brain Eating Contest

After the Star Trek panel, we rushed over to the OTHER side of the world...err, of the Convention Center to sit in on some Zombie action. The Brain Eating Contest to be more accurate. To be honest, we weren't sure WHAT this was about, but we figured it would be a lot of fun. And it was. It was a brain eating contest. Well, maybe not REAL brains, but it did look kind of creepy. There were two rounds to the event: Round One consisted of the qualifier. Contestants had to eat dirt as fast as they could - with their hands behind their backs - and the winner would go on to Round Two. The graveyard dirt was actually mashed up Oreo Cookies with some gummy worms mixed in. Round Two was the actual 'meat' of the competition: BRAINS (or Jello with some red food coloring

Winner of the OVER 12 Brain Eating Contest

mixed in and on). First up were 12 years old and younger, and there were three qualifier rounds for this. Once the three winners were chosen, they went head to head (yeah, pun intended) with the Jello. There were pretty cool prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd, all Walking Dead related. Then came the adults, 13 years old and older. This is where the fun started! Same as before, there were three qualifier rounds with the graveyard dirt. But, when it came to the brain eating...they decided to give the contestants a grown-up portion, which looked to be about 2-3 POUNDS of Jello! As with the young'uns, prizes were awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd, again, Walking Dead related. 

After watching all that brain eating, we decided to grab a quick lunch, so we headed outside. Yeah, Phoenix. Remember? HOT!! It was about 103º. Anyway, out in front of the Convention Center there were a few Food Trucks set up, and boy howdy were they busy! And nothing like I remembered Food Trucks to be. I'm used to the veritable greasy spoon, where they served hot dogs, hamburgers and chips. THESE bad boys are all gourmet now. We decided on a truck called Rock-A-Belly, which served soft tacos...excuse me, GOURMET soft tacos. And honestly, they were awesome. Joyce and I both got the 'CASH' plate, which was shredded chicken (white meat...they only serve white meat), with some really tasty sauce and veggies, with a side of homemade tortilla chips. On a scale of 1-5 (1 being that greasy spoon I mentioned, and 5 being CORN DOG'S!), Joyce and I both gave Rock-A-Belly a 5. Awesome soft tacos for sure. However, the price was a little shocking. $10 each. Which, I suppose isn't all that bad, but when you think you're paying for a taco, you're expecting a little....well, less cost. But well worth it. 

Ariel and Eric from Little Mermaid

After lunch, we strolled around the 'Con' a bit more then called it a day. We wanted to make sure we were fresh for Friday....when the REAL ComiCon started! 

Friday. 9:00 am
So...this was the day I'd REALLY been looking forward to. Four panels, back to back, that I was really amped up for. Now, let me pause a moment here. Joyce and I'd been to the Disney D23 Expo (not with Media Credentials, but as fans), and every panel we attended encouraged the use of video and photography. But (and I was told this was the first year for Phoenix to do this), not at the 'Con'. All the 'premium' panels (movie/TV stars) were held on the third floor, in a HUGE room. But they did NOT allow filming of ANY kind. In fact, if you were caught filming, they'd kick you out of the 'Con'. What's more, as far as the Media Credentials were concerned, they gave us absolutely ZERO privileges. None. There were no roped off sections for us, no reserved seating, no special dispensations on filming for our media outlets. Nothing. In fact, IF we happened to be in a spot that the 'official' ComiCon photographers wanted to be in, we had to move. So, this was the one thing that really irked me. (Soap Box Time) If you're going to give out Media Credentials and ask your event be covered in order to help with marketing, publicity, etc, perhaps you should consider allowing them to, you know, COVER the event?! I mean, how can one cover an event adequately from the back of a room? In the future, I'd like to see those awarded Media Credentials just a LITTLE professional courtesy. 

Jim Beaver

Anyway, I asked nicely and was permitted to take my photos from the stage area, which was awesome. It also allowed me to make a new friend. A professional photographer by the name of Robert Cunningham. This guy had all the coolest photography toys! He had one lens that was about 3 feet long! And he asked me if I wanted to use it on my Nikon! Uh...YEAH! Some of the photos of Jason Isaac that I took were with this lens. So Robert, if you're reading this, thanks man!! Super nice guy.

So, back to the story. The first presentation was from Jim Beaver. You may not recognize the name, but you've most likely seen him. He's been in everything from Deadwood to Breaking Bad to Supernatural. Great guy and a lot of fun. He chatted about his roles, (mostly Supernatural), his philosophy on acting, his relationships with his co-stars and took a lot of questions from the audience. While I enjoyed hearing Jim speak, it was really just the 'warm up' for me.

Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell

Nell Campbell 

Patricia Quinn

Barry Bostwick

Next up was the 'Celebrating 40 Years of Rocky Horror Picture Show', with three of the stars: Barry Bostwick (Brad), Nell Campbell (Columbia) and Patricia Quinn (Magenta). What a presentation THIS was! All three were very funny and chatted with the audience as if we were old friends. They reminisced about Rocky Horror (both the movie and stage production), about favorite roles from their careers and chatted with members of the audience about the 'Shadow Casts' where fans dress up and put on a performance of the movie while the movie is playing behind them. It was very apparent that all three appreciated the 'love' the audience was giving. 

Jason Isaacs

Although I like Jason Isaacs, I wasn't entirely jazzed about staying to see his talk. Don't get me wrong, I do think he's a VERY talented actor, but by this point, Joyce and I'd been in the room for about three hours and needed a bit of a break. Only problem was that they weren't clearing the room out between presentations, so odds were, if you left, you'd lose  your seat. But we decided to take a chance. After the Rocky Horror presentation, we decided to take a bio break and see what else was going on, then return and (hopefully) get good seats for the next presentation. But, after about 20 minutes we decided to head back in, and just head to the front of the auditorium to see if maybe we could get some primo seats. And we did. I had chatted with one of the event organizers and she let us sit in the front row, off to the right of the stage. That way, I was able to spend a LOT of time at the stage taking photos. And this is when Mr. Cunningham lent me his monster camera lens. We're both (Joyce and I), glad we decided to return, because Isaacs was actually a very interesting person. He chatted a LOT about his role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, how he truly enjoyed

Jason Isaacs with the MONSTER lens!

working with the 'kids', and even borrowed a Lucius Malfoy cane from someone in the audience, to use as a prop to tell his story about the filming of the end scene with Dobbie (the house elf) in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Seems that for this ending scene, he felt Lucius should have a memorable parting line, and the director agreed and allowed him to ad-lib as he departed. So, as he delivers his line and turns to walk away, he starts

Isaacs and Malfoy's cane

throwing his arm around, kicking at the air and swinging his cane. When asked what he was doing, he said that he kicked Dobbie, smacked him then thumped him with the cane. The director liked it so much, they kept it in the film! So, that ending scene was actually ad-libbed by Jason Isaacs! 

Then came the reason I was even interested in covering the Phoenix ComiCon! Edward James Olmos. I've been a fan of his for a long time, and was thrilled to get the chance to not only hear him speak, but to actually cover it! Once again, we stayed in the room so as to hold on to our great seats. Now, if you don't know who Edward is, you've probably heard of some of the stuff he's been in. He was (most notably)

Edward James Olmos

Commander William Adama in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica, his roles in Blade Runner, Miami Vice (the original series) and perhaps his most acclaimed role as Jaime Escalante in the biopic Stand and Deliver. Mr. Olmos took the stage for about 15 minutes solo, and instead of monologuing then opening up the floor for questions, he decided to start taking questions right away, then tell stories as he went along. His passion for acting and for Latino rights was very evident and not in a combative way. He's more about everyone being equal then about raising the level of one over another. He was also very supportive to the few fans who expressed the desire to get into acting and asked for advice. His best advice: 'Don't Quit. Ever' He was also asked about what he did before acting, and he replied with baseball! He wanted to be a baseball player, but soon gave that up in favor of 'rock and roll'. He was even in a fairly successful band, back in the day. He regaled the audience with stories of Jim Morrison (from the Doors), before he was the icon he became, and how he taught Morrison some of his more infamous dance moves. 

Mary McDonnell

After about 15 minutes, he was joined by his Battlestar co-star Mary McDonnell (who played President Roslyn and Adama's love interest) from many, many film and TV appearances, like Dances With Wolves, Independence Day, Donnie Darko, TNT networks Major Crimes and The Closer. Ms. McDonnell was just as entertaining as Mr. Olmos, and it was very easy to see that the two are very close friends. She also took questions from the audience about her roles, her acting career and her

McDonnell posing for me

political beliefs. She's a very opinionated (her word) woman and has the facts and confidence to back up her words. She, as well as Olmos, chatted about the incredible impact that working on Battlestar Galactica had on not only them, but everyone who worked on the show and watched the show. Both actors were very likable and extremely supportive and encouraging of the fans. In fact, several Latino fans told Edward how influential he was to them as a role model, and he was visibly moved by their words. 

After the Olmos/McDonnell presentation, we decided to 'free style' for the rest of the day and just explore the Phoenix ComiCon. We ventured down to the 'lower level' of the Convention Center where the Exhibitor Hall was. THIS is where all the fun happens! All the vendors you could imagine were set up down here, and this is where most of the cosplay action took place. They also had a pretty cool Star Wars area set up, with sets where you could take some fun photos, a Zombie Containment area and lots and lots of Sci-Fi geekery for sale. We met Thor, Groot, Star Lord, quite a few Doctors and T.A.R.D.I.S.'s, Jedi's, Carl (from UP), Spidermen and many more. 

Doctor Who, T.A.R.D.I.S and Doctor Who

All in all, for our first ComiCon ever, it wasn't a bad experience at all. For all the chaos that was happening all around, the folks at the Phoenix ComiCon seemed to have a pretty good handle on everything. Things seemed to run pretty smoothly, and at least we didn't witness any rudeness or rowdy guests. In fact, I honestly have to say that for the most part, everyone there (event hosts and attendees alike) were all very pleasant and cordial. All the cosplay folks were great at posing for pictures and did so in an awesome way. The only thing that we weren't crazy about was the way those of us granted Media Credentials were treated. Like I said earlier, all we were basically, were folks who got in to the event for free. Although in the many emails sent to us prior, we were informed there would be an opportunity to request interviews, nothing ever developed from that. I'm sure that next year, we'll request credentials once again, only next time, we'll request one extra so we can cover as much as possible. So, before I wrap this up, I want to say thanks to the folks who run the Phoenix ComiCon for granting us Media Credentials, and for putting on a pretty great event. With well over 75,000 guests attending the 4 day event, they pulled it off pretty flawlessly. For our first venture into this unique and fun filled world, it wasn't too shabby! 
 Live Long and Prosper

Carl from Up

Check out the Flickr slideshow below, or visit our Flickr Page 

Strange Magic - The Review

by Al Kessel
Hmm. Well...Strange Magic is a LucasFilms animated movie. And by extension, a Disney film. But, NOT a Disney film. At. All. Although the previews, and most of the promotional materials make this look like a feature for kids, it's not. Not that it contains anything 'off color' or 'questionable', it just doesn't seem like something that would interest children. Or many adults to be honest. Oh, and it's a musical (more about THAT in a minute).

Based on the classic Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Strange Magic follows a feisty princess (voiced by Evan Rachael Wood) as she sets out to rescue her doofy sister (voiced by Meredith Anne Bull) from the evil Bog KING (voiced by Alan Cumming) after a breakdancing (yes, I said breakdancing...) dwarf misuses a magic love potion created by the Sugar Plum Fairy (oh for the love of...) voiced by Kristen Chenoweth. And that's about as good a synopsis as I can offer. Seriously. Oh, and there's a self-centered, cheating, self absorbed 'hero' named Roland (voiced by Sam Palladio). 

Ok, the music. Now, with most Disney animated films one would expect music and songs. Remember, earlier I said this ISN'T a Disney film. At. All. This film's ODD playlist of music offers everything from Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love, to Deep Purple's Mistreated, with some Doors, The Four Seasons and a GREAT deal more misplaced, acid induced music that most kids wouldn't even recognize let alone enjoy. In fact, I'd dare say the music would even annoy most kids. And there's a LOT of it. Every few minutes it seems. It seems to me that writer George Lucas popped his ear buds in and cranked up his favorite iTunes playlist called 'Tunes to open my mind to" and decided to randomly pop them into the production. And when I say this film has those old songs in them, I mean, not the originals. No...these classic songs were redone, and not in a great way either. 

Aesthetically, Strange Magic is a very colorfully rich animated feature. The CG is what one would expect from a LucasFilm, although some of the characters are kind of freaky looking. Unfortunately, the film falls WAY short of even the slightest bit of entertainment, mostly due to the misplaced music, and the fact that it's SO LONG (well, actually only about 99 minutes but it kind of feels like days). Getting a kid to sit through this film will be magic in itself. 

All this aside, I truly understand and encourage writers and filmmakers to try new things. To take the risk at doing something so far out of there typical wheelhouse that they often risk bombing. And I'm sorry to say, this is one of those instances. On a scale of 1-5 Mickey's, I'd have to give Strange Magic a 1.5 (the .5 is for taking a chance on something different). Just remember, this is my review, and my opinion. Yours may be different. 

Strange Magic is now available on DVD, Digital HD/SD and On-Demand.

Bonus Features Include:

• Magical Mash-Up
• Outtakes
• Test and Melodies
• Creating the Magic

Let us know what YOU think of Strange Magic!
 - Al 

To Stay or Not To Stay (Outside the Berm)...

by Joyce Kessel

Some say yes, while others say no way! It’s a matter of personal preference, but in my opinion, everyone needs to experience the magic of staying “on-property”, at least once. 

When Walt designed Disneyland, he wanted everyone to leave all their cares at the gate and enjoy family fun time.  He did everything he could to make the outside world invisible. He and the imagineers achieved this by adding the Disneyland berm.  

You may be asking, what is the Disneyland 'berm'.  Well, It’s the structures, tunnels, Main Street train platform, and the tall trees that give us the illusion that we are transported into the Happiest Place on Earth - miles away from the 'real world'. The physical things that keep the outside world from invading.

That being said, there are three hotels on Disneyland Resort property that are not technically inside the berm, but still give us the illusion that they ARE inside the most magical place on earth.  Currently, there are three resort hotels: the original Disneyland Hotel; the fun, beach-themed  Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel; and the elegant Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. Each of these hotels are unique in both price and atmosphere.  

Staying “inside the berm” is an experience that comes with many perks. Here are my top five:

• Exclusive entrance (located at Grand Californian Hotel) into Disney California Adventure for hotel guests. No need to search for a parking spot. 
• Magic Morning Monorail Entry
• Watch the Fireworks from your room
• Character Rise and Shine calls
• Cast Member interaction day and night

One of the disadvantages to staying inside the berm is cost, so we have to ask what is more important: being immersed in the 'Disney Magic' 24/7, or staying outside the berm in one of the Good Neighbor Hotel recommended by Disney, and spending more money inside the park.  

All Good Neighbor Hotels are within close proximity to Disneyland (most within walking distance) and there is sure to be one to fit any budget.  When staying off property, select one that is preferably within walking distance to the resort. If you are not familiar with the area, ask friends and family for their recommendation, check with your trusted travel expert or peer reviewed sites such as trip advisor, or listen to your favorite Disneyland podcast - Tales From The Mouse House!   If walking is not an option, Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) is an affordable option and convenient mode of transportation. 

If you'd like to book your Disneyland Resort Vacation, why not visit someone WE trust? Visit our good friend and fellow Disney Lover Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations at: randyc-mouseearvacations.com. Randy WILL get you THE best deal available! Trust him. We do!

So, To Stay Inside or Outside the Berm? We have stayed inside and outside the berm many times. My preference will always be inside. But, if staying outside the berm was the only option for our budget, I would not hesitate to experience the Disneyland Resort without the perks of the Disneyland Resort Hotels. I would not choose this option during the “off-peak” season when the Parks close early because when the hours are shorter, you obviously do not spend the majority of the time inside the Parks. 

So, what are your thoughts? Inside or Outside the Berm? Do you have a favorite hotel?  I would love to hear your thoughts. Send your thoughts to us at talespodcast@cox.net!

My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic: Adventures of the Cutie Mark Crusaders

by Joyce Kessel

Back in the 1980's, my nephew was addicted to everything My Little Pony, so when we were asked to review “My Little Pony-Friendship Is Magic: Adventures of the Cutie Mark Crusaders”,  I was flooded with thoughts of these special moments we shared.  

Available now on DVD. The newest My Little Pony DVD takes viewers on journey through Equestria where they can witness an important coming of age moment for a young Pony. After all, Ponies acquire their CUTIE MARK, but only after they discover something unique about themselves that sets them apart from others.  During this crusade,  the three main characters: Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom meet, become instant friends and set out on a journey to not only find themselves but their mark. 

There are 5 episodes on the DVD: The Cutie Mark Chronicles, the Cutie Pox, Flight to the Finish, Pinkie Pride, and Twilight Time.  Each colorful story ties into the previous one and make viewers want to keep watching so learn more about the ponies’ adventures.   There are many lessons learned throughout these adventures

The DVD is geared toward younger children but the bonus features are really cool and I loved the downloadable coloring sheets and sing-along.  

The running time is 110 minutes and is suitable for all children.  This affordable DVD can be purchased for around $10.00 at Walmart and Amazon.  

My Rating: 8 out of 10 ponies.