The D23 Live Action Report

Today was a cluster of many obsessions combined into one day: my love of Disney (having never lived more than 20 miles away from the great and powerful Mouse House), my love of movies, and more specifically, my love of Star Wars.  Unfortunately, while my attendance of the “Let the Adventures Begin: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios” at D23 seriously lacked the excitement of receiving news-worthy Star Wars tidbits, it truly was an adventure that begs to be shared with those who were not present.  But before I begin, let me just add that Disney does know how to put on a show.  I’ve been to many panels at Comic-Con, Wonder-Con, E3, etc., but none have compared to the showmanship, density of entertainment, and mounting surprises to appease even the most demanding fan (again, excluding Star Wars).

The 10:30am presentation began with a “sizzle reel” of film clips that were on the slate for the next 2-hours, including some quick clips of what would not be included (ie. Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur and Frozen).  Animation projects assigned, if one were paying close attention, one would begin to become extremely excited, as did I.  Then Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn, came on stage and moderated the rest of the event—who was surprisingly very funny.  He spoke a little about the influence “Bambi” had when he proposed to his wife, and then about Disney acquiring the company’s Pixar in 2006, Marvel in 2009, and Lucasfilm in 2012 (now owning half the world).  Then, Alan dropped the one and only bombshell of the panel by teasing about Star Wars then stating that there would be no information about the upcoming “Star Wars” films and subsequent “Star Wars” projects, further stating “dark forces are watching”.  This was, of course, met with boo’s and jeers, but the audience soon forgot about their discontent once he introduced Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President and Producer, who introduced “phase 2” of Marvel’s slate:

 Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)

-          - Extended look which began with a battle sequence in the forest when a beam of light suddenly strikes the ground followed by Thor’s hammer flying out and doing damage.  The hammer flies back into the light and is captured by Thor.

-          - Then they show a different cut of the theatrical trailer which shows Loki getting the better of Thor at the end (I won’t reveal what he does because it’s a spoiler)

-          - Then a second extended look at Jane Foster’s (Natalie Portman) first day in Asgard (Thor’s world) as she’s being medically examined.

-          - Kevin introduced Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins to the stage for a quick interview.

Personally, I was not a fan of the first Thor movie, and while I believe people who did like the first will love what’s in store, I remain skeptical.

Then came:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)

-          - Extended first look with Captain America fighting about 15 military men in an enclosed elevator.

-          - Followed by what will most likely be the official trailer once released

-          - Then Kevin introduced Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), and Chris Evans (Captain America)

-          - Then a second (very rough) extended clip where Captain America skulks around a cargo ship.

Now, the first Captain America movie I did really like (see my post here) and I am extremely excited for the next installment, which by the way, has a completely different feel than the first since they have moved out of the 1940’s and to modern day.

Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)

-          - First look 2 minute trailer

Being that they are only 4-weeks into principal photography, there was not much to show, but for what they did present to the audience, you could tell the special effects department worked HARD to impress, and their hard work paid off.  We are introduced to all five Guardians - a pathetic bunch

The Avengers:  Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)

-          - Teaser trailer

And it teased perfectly; showing nothing from the film (I don’t think they’ve started filming yet), just an extremely close-up of Iron Man’s helmet while you hear each of the Avengers speak a line.

Then, Alan Horn came back to the stage to introduce:

Disneynature’s Bears (Earth Day 2014)

          - First look trailer

Being a huge lover of animal’s, I thought the trailer looked incredible.  Alan also announced that Disney has partnered with the National Park Foundation to give a percentage of proceeds from the first week of ticket sales to the NPF.

Alan then introduced Sean Bailey, Disney Live Action Production President who, in turn, introduced one of the biggest shocks of the event from:

Muppets Most Wanted (March 21, 2014)

The reason I say “biggest shocks” is because they showed an entire musical number, and then also:

-           

       - Full trailer

-          - Ty Burrell driving out in his Interpol car for a quick interview then driving off stage in the pea-sized electric auto (hysterical!)

-          - Miss Piggy video promoting “P23” with Kermit and Tina Fey

-          - The aforementioned musical number sung by evil Kermit look-alike and Ricky Gervais (yes, he can sing!) that would probably be called either “Number 1, Number 2” or “Dance, Monkey, Dance”) – this was even more hysterical!

This was truly a highlight for me and reminded of “The Great Muppet Caper” which, at least for now, is my all-time favorite Muppet movie.  And I love the Muppets as you can be reminded here.

Into the Woods (Christmas Day 2014)

They only presented the logo which, as you can tell, looks fairly similar to the design used for Broadway.  The only other thing they did was name the cast who were already previously announced (ie Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, etc.)  I was kind of disappointed they didn’t show more as “Into the Woods” is in my top 3 favorite musicals of all-time.  C’est la vie!

Cinderella (March 13, 2015)

-          - Introduction by director Kenneth Branaugh who narrated concept art and cast members.  Clips also included a portion of Lily James’ screen test and the announcement of Cate Blanchett portraying the Stepmother and Helena Bohnam Carter playing The Fairy Godmother

This was very smart, and though I would have seen the more regardless, now I am exceptionally excited to see this film.  The concept art was amazing, and well, I’m a sucker for Cate Blanchett.

Next was what I had hoped for most (well, except for Star Wars – Yes! I’m still beating that dead horse)

Maleficent (July 2, 2014)

-          - Sean introduced Angelina Jolie to the stage who spoke about Maleficent being one of her favorite characters since childhood, how her brother heard about the project and urged her to put her name in for it, then how Disney contacted her before she could contact them.

 -         - A full clip from the film – Maleficent casting the spell on infant Aurora

-          - Then what looked to be the official first trailer once released

All I can say is… I have a new obsession.  Angelina Jolie was flawless—beyond exceptional in the clip they showed.  She was uncanny in both mannerisms and voice.  I cannot boast enough about this film. WOW!!!  Sean did describe that this film will be about how Maleficent came to be and how she had been deceived.

Tomorrowland (December 12, 2014)

-          - Director Brad Bird and Producer Damon Lindleoff were introduced by Sean

-          - They showed a brief documentary about the archives at Walt Disney Studios (nicknamed the “morgue”) where they discovered a box labeled “1952”.  Brad and Damon brought the box with them on stage and explained what they found

The main item they presented was a large disc (like a vinyl record or laserdisc) that was wildly scratched.  Brad and Damon stated that they were able to recover some of what was on the disc, which was a short animated film approved by Walt Disney.  They showed the film.  It was especially grim for Disney, showing progression which led to the atomic bomb dropping and a mushroom cloud.  It also didn’t help that the narrator sounded like Vincent Price.  However, what the film was leading to was world after the dropping of the bomb… and the “tomorrowland” that would come after.  This was the inspiration behind the creation of the film that will be released next December.  Both men further explained that the film would be a mystery/adventure.

And lastly:

Saving Mr. Banks (December 20, 2013)

-          - First Extended clip of P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson), writer of Mary Poppins, first meeting with Walt Disney

-          - Second Extended clip of P.L. Travers being escorted by Disney (Tom Hanks) through Disneyland

-          - Then Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak were introduced to the stage (portraying the Sherman brothers)

-          - Third Extended clip of P.L. Travers at the writing table with the rest of the creative staff as they conduct a reading of the script and hear a song

Then, in true Disney fashion, Jason and BJ leave then roll out with a piano and begin singing “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” WITH RICHARD SHERMAN!  (Unfortunately, the only living Sherman brother).  They were accompanied by Disney dancers with prop kites, as well as kites flying high in the arena.  And once the song ended, confetti cannons blasted their shreds of paper into the air.

The whole of my day at D23 was magical, but the highlight was definitely the first event of the day for me.  Sure, I’m bitterly disappointed about not receiving new news about “Star Wars Episode VII”, but how can one stay disappointed after the Muppet clip, Maleficent overload, and live musical number from one of the legends of music that is a part of one’s childhood?  D23 did have its problems, but ultimately, I have never walked out of a convention panel feeling so fulfilled.

I can’t wait until the next D23 in 2015!

8/13/13 UPDATE!!! - You can follow this link to additional details about the event, as well as pictures - http://thedisneyblog.com/2013/08/11/d23-expo-live-action-movies-from-marvel-and-disney/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDisneyBlog+%28The+Disney+Blog%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

ROLLERCOASTER!!!

Just the other day, I was browsing around Yahoo and out of the corner of my eye caught a news headline that read, "Dad Makes Backyard Rollercoaster". A surge of excitement rushed through me and I immediately clicked on the link as if this were my dad building my biggest childhood dream in my own backyard. I am not a thrill-seeker by any means but I have always LOVED roller coasters. They are probably one of my earliest and longest obsessions. So after clicking the link, this is what I saw:

Now even more intrigued, I wondered if this was the first person who had the gumption to create their own backyard rollercoaster. Seeing as I had this same childhood dream, which dates back to the '70's, I figured I was probably not the only one, so I went to YouTube and this is what I found…

WOW!!! I'm beginning to see the signs of a crazy craze here, and I emphasize "crazy" because there is not only a lot of math and science that goes into building rollercoasters but construction safety and knowhow, as well. Unfortunately, there are bound to be some accidents, but in the meantime, I think rollercoaster enthusiasts will continue trying to create their own.

As for myself, I'll let the professionals whip me around and turn me upside-down, and go to either Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, or Six Flag's Magic Mountain; however, after having an unnerving experience with a seatbelt incident on Batman: The Ride at Magic Mountain a couple years back, I have become a little more cautious. Alas, even that terrifying two and a half minutes did not deter my love for roller coasters; however, I have noticed that ever since then, I have become prone to motion sickness. Ah well, that's what drugs are for.

And if I ever need a rollercoaster fix, I can always return to playing RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 from Frontier and Atari. I have to say, hands down, one of the best games I ever obsessed over. And not just me, there was a whole community that dedicated their lives to this game. You would not believe what people were capable of creating without seeing it for yourself, and this was way back in 2005. There are a ton of RCT3 videos but here are two of my favorites:



I did pretty well creating a few theme parks of my own, though I never recorded any of them. And now, I'm waiting for RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 to come out... some day... sigh.... and if that day ever does comes, you can bet it will consume my life for at least a good year.

I could continue talking about rollercoasters all day, everything from my favorite coaster, which is the now defunct Déjà Vu from Six Flags Magic Mountain to "Rollercoaster!" the movie. But if you're a rollercoaster enthusiast too, and don't already know about the website called the Roller Coaster Database, you should check it out: www.rcdb.com

Oh, Fudge!!!



I like fudge for the most.  My favorite is the creamy kind, not the pure sugar, hard as a brick kind that is popular with a particular someone whom I live with.  However, there is one flavor of fudge that stands out above all others, especially this time of year.

I like pumpkin for the most too, but I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, not even enough to call it a 'little obsession', but put the fudge and the pumpkin together, THEN it becomes my obsession.  Yes, I love pumpkin fudge, but I want to particularly point out the pumpkin fudge made by the Disney Corporation is the one I love.  Long have the jokes of amusement park food stopped with me once Disney decided to take care and improve what they offered in their parks by bringing in five-star chefs and bakers.  Though they have not done away with all their sketchy food, their offerings have immensely improved and one of these choice items is their pumpkin fudge.  I also need to give props to my friend Steve for introducing me to the candy delight because I never would have tried it on my own without his recommendation.  Like I said before, pumpkin is not a flavor I jump for.  When ordering fudge, I usually opt for chocolate/peanut butter, which still is my favorite when not at Disneyland.

So, there you have it:  pumpkin fudge, a dark horse flavor that stands out above all others.  I've even recently tried to replicate the recipe on my own and did come close; I had the flavor but the consistency was not up to par.  Maybe with a little more practice I'll be able to nail it, but in the meantime, if I want a piece, I can always hop in my car and drive 3 miles to the Disneyland Resort.  I don't even need to purchase $100 ticket to get my $5 piece of fudge either!  I've recently discovered, thanks another friend Casey, Disney sells their holiday treat at the Marceline's Confectionery in Downtown Disney.

So, if you like or love pumpkin and the sweet, richness of fudge, go to your nearest Disney destination and try a piece.  If you haven't guessed by now, I highly recommend it.

Ryan Gosling: Actor, Dancer... Referee?



Just yesterday, I was sitting in front of the TV, watching Hell's Kitchen (love that show!), thinking it had been a week since my last post and what would I blog about next?  I didn't want to do another song so soon, even though I had had many stuck in my head these last few days, but there wasn't anything I was currently obsessing about other than my chupacabra series, until this morning when I was watching Good Morning, America!, where they did a news report on Ryan Gosling breaking up a fight between two men in New York.  I have to say, I am not at all surprised and here's why...

A few years back, while I was working as a publicist, I had the pleasure of talent handling Mr. Gosling for a Japanese-only junket day for his film "Lars and the Real Girl".  At that time, I admired Ryan a lot and thought he was a very talented actor, though not particularly one of my favorites; however Ryan, and his then actress girlfriend Rachel McAdams (whom I've already blogged my obsession about and you can read about it here), do star in one of the three Rom-Com movies I actually love, The Notebook.  For this alone, you know I've got to admire the guy to some degree. 

That day of work with Mr. Gosling actually turned into a great day because of him, and it is still one of the most memorable experiences I had as a publicist, because Mr. Gosling is not only very pleasant and humorous, but very laid back and fun to hang around.

Between roundtable and phone interviews, we spent our downtime talking.  At that time, I had yet to meet another celebrity who was so genuine and down-to-earth.  (Later, I did meet Channing Tatum who could rival Ryan in the nicety department).  During our discussions we talked about everything from The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland (this former mouseketeers' favorite ride) to his band 'Dead Man's Bones' to the importance of dressing up for Halloween: Don't let your outer adult get the better of your inner child people!  Ryan also insisted I eat with him even though it was not in the distributor's budget, although I'm sure he just did not want to eat alone or thought it rude to eat in front of me.  Finally, at the end of day, Ryan handed me the gift he received from the Japanese distributors, an imported bottle of sake.  Granted, Ryan confessed he did not like sake, although you would never be able to tell when he humbly accepted the gift.  He gave it to me later, not wanting to just rudely leave it behind in his holding suite even though the Japanese distributors would never know.

Basically, the picture I am trying to paint here is that in my short time in Mr. Gosling's company, much like most of the personas he portrays in the movies, is just a mild-mannered guy who exudes peace and happiness; there isn't a better way to explain him.  So when I heard what he did in New York yesterday, I knew why he stepped in and did something about it instead of ignoring the situtation... and I knew I found my next blog post and now feel guilty for not blogging about him sooner.  I wish I had more to say about Ryan, but it was only one day; a half a day at that.

So, thank you Good Morning, America! for finding my story and reminding me about my little obsession with Ryan, it could not have come at a better time.  And we should all be thrilled to have a talented celebrity who is a positive role-model.

By the way, I still have that sake...



A Not-So-Warm Welcome

Hello! Well, here we go. My first post did not come with a lot of thought. As you can tell by the picture, I am currently obsessed with ice cream. But not just any ol' ice cream! This is a special ice cream once only found at the Disney theme parks. It was a tri-flavored feast of marachino cherry, pistachio and banana called Fantasia Ice Cream.

"Wait a minute! Was?" - Yes, "was".
"Where did it go?" - "I don't know."
"What happened to it?" - "Haven't a clue."

All of a sudden it was just gone. Back when I used to have an annual pass to the Disneyland Resort, in my neighboring city of Anaheim, California, I used to order a cone (or two) every time I visited the park, which was quite frequent. And then, without warning... POOF! Gone.

My obessions runs deep and long with this one. Not only do I long for one last taste so that I may properly say "good-bye" to my life-long, flavorful friend, I want to know who killed it! Vengence will be sweet.

If there is anybody who can help in either of these two requests, please speak up. If you did not personally know Fantasia <tear drop>, it was probably for the best.