Movie Review: Toy Story 5

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good message; nice to see old friends again

Cons: Missing the charm of the first three

The Bottom Line:

It’s toys vs. tech

Tackles subject thoughtfully

But lacking the fun

Surprisingly Nuanced

It’s been several years since I watched any Disney or Pixar animated movie.  And my feelings on Toy Story 4 have changed over the years (I don’t like it as much as I tried to convince myself I did when I first saw it.)  But I have seen all the Toy Story films in the theater (not counting the Buzz Lightyear movie), and I knew I’d kick myself if I didn’t go see Toy Story 5 while it was still in the theater.

After letting Andy grow up in real time, Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) has stayed a young girl.  And, as we rejoin her and her toys, she is too shy to make any friends, even with her neighbors.  Of course, soon Sheriff Jessie (Joan Cusack) learns that a plague is sweeping through the world, technology.  It is turning all the kids into mindless zombies who just stare at their screens.

To Jessie’s horror, Bonnie’s parents get her Lilypad (Greta Lee), Lily for short.  This device connects Bonnie with some girls from her dance class.  Will they be good friends for Bonnie?  Or is there someone better out there?

Yes, this is Jessie’s movie.  Honestly, I’m okay with that.  They do give Woody and Buzz (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) a substantive subplot, while many of the familiar toys are reduced to extended cameos.  I do miss them, but I get it.  If you are going to tell new stories, you can’t keep all these toys in the story, too.  It just gets too cluttered.

This movie really plays on Jessie’s background, first introduced in Toy Story 2.  Again, I’m not sure we needed to go there, but I did feel like it worked, and I appreciated it.  And I especially appreciated the growth Jessie got as a result.  I feel like it’s something that has been missing from the franchise, but maybe I just need to rewatch the original trilogy.

Which brings us to something I especially appreciated.  In the discussion about devices and technology, it starts out fairly black and white, but it becomes gray as the movie goes on.  After all, like almost anything else, technology can be good or bad.  I also appreciated that it clearly showed adults just as addicted to technology as the kids because it is true.  (Admits the guy who spends so much time working on internet reviews.  And thanks for reading them!)

Having said all of this, the movie was missing that spark that made the original trilogy so special.  I’m not sure what they had to say about technology was worth a new entry in the franchise.  I still would have been okay if they had stopped at the original trilogy with the occasional special.

Then there’s Buzz’s storyline.  I’ve always appreciated his romance with Jessie, but I felt like they were trying too hard for laughs with him.  He’s never been the sharpest, but he felt especially clueless here.

On the other hand, there are a couple of running gags with Woody that I enjoyed.

I guess part of the problem is the things that made the originals feel so special, all those little details, are now such a familiar part of the world these characters live with, they’ve lost the special feeling and they’ve lost the ability to make us laugh and smile.  Instead, the majority of the humor came from a new potty-training device.  Yeah, you can guess where those jokes are going.  I wasn’t a big fan.

There is a mid-credits scene you’ll want to watch.  And there is something at the end of the credits as well, but I didn’t think it was worth sticking around for.

I’m glad I saw Toy Story 5, but I’m glad I went on a discounted night to see it.  It’s fun to see old friends again, but the spark that made the original trilogy so special is still missing.

Ornament Review: Gardener Mickey - All About Mickey #4 - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Mickey representing gardeners

Cons: I can’t garden as well as Mickey

The Bottom Line:

Highlighting hobby

Mickey shows off his green thumb

Its appeal grows

I Hope Mickey Has a Greener Thumb Than I Do 

I was planning to only buy the ornaments in the All About Mickey series that I really connected with. Yet, somehow, I wound up with Gardener Mickey after Christmas. And I’m glad I got it. 

Each ornament in this series features Mickey enjoying a hobby or interest outside of his movie career. And this year, he’s showing off his gardening skills. He’s dressed in blue overalls with a hat on his head. In one hand, he has a trowel. In the other, he’s holding a potted plant. There aren’t any flowers on it, but it is green and looks healthy. 

And I’m sure all the gardening Disney fans were anxious to get it. Why did I hesitate? Because my attempts at gardening end in a dead plant. Usually, I forget to water, but sometimes I water too much. And the planters I had on my balcony were killed off by a squirrel and I couldn’t get him to leave my planters alone. I wish I could grow some flowers. But I just can’t get them to stay alive. 

But this is about Mickey and not me. 

As I was saying, gardeners will love this one. It’s a cute homage to an important skill and rewarding hobby. 

Mickey is standing for this ornament, but his feet are position such that he is balanced precariously if you set him out. He will likely fall over easily, but it’s best to plan to hang him from your tree.

When you do that, you’ll find he hangs a little to the right, but not enough to be a big issue.  Tree branches will easily hide it.

You’ll find the series marker on the bottom of his feet. 

Gardener Mickey really is a cute ornament. Which is why I am glad it wound up being added to my collection. 

You know it’s All About Mickey, so get more of the ornaments. 

Ornament Review: From Sketch to Screen - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun ornament of Mickey as an animator

Cons: Significant tip

The Bottom Line:

Mickey is drawing

In creative ornament

But really does lean

Mickey Tries His Hand at Animation

I really liked last year’s From Sketch to Screen ornament from Hallmark, but with the price increases, it was hard to justify getting it.  But I jumped on it when it went on sale after Christmas, and I’m glad I did.

This ornament features Mickey as an animator.  He’s wearing a cap and sitting at a large desk.  He’s holding a pad of paper in one hand, and you can tell he is concentrating at drawing Chip.

There are so many great details to this ornament, like the reference drawings or the cup of coffee.  I just love those details.

Since the biggest part of this ornament is a desk, it’s no surprise to me that it could easily be set out to be displayed.  In fact, since there is nothing truly Christmassy about it, you could enjoy it year-round.  I’ve had mine out for the last couple of weeks, and I’m really enjoying it.

However, when you go to hang it, you’ll find it tips significantly to the left.  Yes, you could use tree branches to disguise or support it, but it is rather surprising just how much it leans if you can’t do that.

But that’s the only flaw in this ornament for me.  Disney fans will love having From Sketch to Screen in their collection.

Ornament Review: Ride Around the Kingdom - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun piece for Disneyland’s carrousel

Cons: Doesn’t stand, tips slightly

The Bottom Line:

Trip on carrousel

Mickey enjoying magic

Fun for fans of ride

Mickey is Enjoying a Royal Trip

Being the DisNerd that I am, I really do enjoy this unofficial series of Mickey Mouse on various rides around the Disney theme parks.  For 2025, he took a ride on King Arthur Carrousel with Ride Around the Kingdom.

Yes, this ornament is pretty much what you’d expect.  Mickey is sitting on a highly decorated carrousel horse.  It’s a mostly white horse, but it’s got multiple colors painted on it to represent saddle, bridle, and various other ribbons and decorations.  It looks very nice and festive, which is always good.  Mickey is turned so he is waving and smiling at us.

I learned a couple of years ago that the carrousels in the two parks here in the US have different names.  Yes, I know that this ornament is for Disneyland’s King Arthur Carrousel because it is right there on the box.  Unless Hallmark printed different boxes for the Eastern part of the country, which I don’t think happened in this case.

I don’t tend to ride the carrousel when I’m in the park, so this isn’t quite the draw for me that some of the others have been.  But I do still like it.  It’s a fun reminder of Disney’s take on a classic theme park attraction.

Given the nature of the ornament, I’m sure it’s no surprise to say it doesn’t stand on its own.  The pole is actually sticking out at the bottom, and it’s too narrow to balance the ornament.  Even if it weren’t there, the horse’s hooves aren’t positioned in a way that would allow the ornament to stand.

Which means you have to hang the ornament.  The loop is at the top of the pole, and when you slip a hook through it, you’ll find that the ornament tips back slightly.  It is noticeable if you are looking for it, but it isn’t too bad.  The ornament still looks good, and you’ll never notice once you get some tree branches around it.

This may not be my favorite ride, but I know others who do enjoy it.  They will love Ride Around the Kingdom even more than I do.  And yes, I am still glad to have it in my collection.

TV Show Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good episodic version of the second Percy Jackson book

Cons: Nothing major for me

The Bottom Line:

Hunting for the fleece

Trying to save friend as well

Fun and adventure

“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.  Usually There’s More S’mores and Less Ground Assaults.”

I was looking forward to revisiting the Percy Jackson characters for season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. In the time between seasons one and two, I’d read the recent books, so I was a bit more connected to the characters. And I enjoyed the ride. 

Based on the second of the original novels, The Sea of Monsters, it’s been a year for Percy (Walker Scobell) since we last visited him. During that time, he’s made a new friend, Tyson (Daniel Diemer). Well, friend may be too strong a word for how Percy feels about the cyclops, but Tyson definitely appreciates their relationship. Unfortunately, Percy is taking Tyson to Camp Half-Blood with him this year, something that isn’t going to make him very popular. 

When Percy arrives at camp, he finds things are in chaos. The tree that has protected the camp is weakening, leading to increased attacks from monsters. Rumor has it that the famed Golden Fleece has been found, and it might help restore the camp’s protection. But Percy’s nemesis Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), is chosen to lead the quest. Even weirder, Percy’s good friends, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) doesn’t seem to want Percy to go. Yet somehow, Percy and Tyson wind up on the quest, too. As they travel to the Sea of Monsters, will they find the fleece? And can they rescue Grover (Aryan Simhadri), who is being held in the area as well?

It’s been a long time since I read the book and watched the movie version, so I didn’t remember much of this story at all. That meant, I found the cliffhangers at the end of the episodes suspenseful and couldn’t wait for the next episode. 

Like with the first season, this show really highlights just how episodic the books are. Percy and the rest face a fun series of obstacles along the way, and many of them fit perfectly in a TV episode. Then, next week, we are off to a new complication as we get closer to the ultimate climax. It’s not my favorite storytelling method, but it works pretty well here. 

Along with the adventure of the week, we do get some nice character development for Percy and Annabeth. Grover doesn’t have quite enough screen time to feel like he’s grown as much as the other two. I also appreciated how Percy’s relationship with Clarisse grew. I don’t remember that happening at this point in the books, but maybe that’s just my faulty memory. 

Speaking of which, the show differs from the book in a pretty major way in the final episode. Okay, so I had to read up on it since I didn’t remember, but it will be interesting to see how that plays out going forward. 

Once again, the cast was excellent. We have some bigger names popping up in some of the episodes, but the leads hold their own when acting with them. 

And the special effects are good as well, although I did find myself creeped out by Tyson’s one eye. Good effect, but unsettling. 

Like with the first season, we got eight episodes, each roughly in the 35-to-40-minute range. 

And the season ramped up the larger story of the Titans, which fans of the books know is going to be more and more important. 

I’m glad to hear that season three is coming later this year. Season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians was another fun adventure. 

Ornament Review: Kronk and the Squirrel - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Captures Kronk and a squirrel friend perfectly

Cons: You owe me no cons

The Bottom Line:

Kronk and a squirrel

Movie fans will love this pose

It’s making me smile

This Ornament is so Squeaky!

Hallmark released two ornaments this year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Emperor’s New Groove. While the ornament of the emperor was a regular line release, they also released this limited-edition ornament of Kronk and the Squirrel. 

Any fan of the series will recognize him right off the bat since he looks exactly like he does in the movie. He’s standing with his arms crossed under his chest. He’s looking out of the corner of his eye at the squirrel on his shoulder. The squirrel is looking at him, obviously engaged in conversation. 

While I did cut back on ornaments this year, I had to get this one. Kronk and his talking to squirrels is such a funny part of the movie, and the ornament captures that perfectly. 

And my review title is playing on those moments as well. This is not a magic ornament in any way. There are no sound clips. But I couldn’t pass up the reference for my title. 

While Kronk is standing on his feet, he’s top heavy. If you set him out to be displayed, you’ll find he tips over easily. I’d recommend you hang him on your tree. And when you do, you’ll find he tips forward slightly, but nothing that will be obvious when you have him surrounded by branches. 

Kronk would not have been at the top of the list of characters I would have expected to represent this movie, but I’m glad Hallmark selected him. Any fan of the movie will agree with me - he’s perfect. 

Ornament Review: Emperor Kuzco

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: A lessor known character captured from the beginning of his movie

Cons: A bit on the big size for my taste

The Bottom Line:

Kuzco and his throne

Annivers’ry ornament

Bit big but still good

No Touchy This Ornament!

2025 marks the 25th anniversary for The Emperor’s New Groove. While I admit I didn’t quite get it the first time I watched it, the has since grown into a favorite of mine. Naturally, that meant I was going to snag the two ornaments Hallmark released to honor the anniversary. 

The first, and bigger, is of Emperor Kuzco himself. He’s sitting on his massive gold throne from the beginning of the movie although it’s not quite as big as it was in the movie. He’s sitting on his blue cushion on the throne with an unhappy look on his face. 

I’ve been disappointed in Hallmark’s recent trend to make their ornaments bigger, especially the pop culture ornaments. And this ornament follows the trend. Fortunately, it’s not as big as it could be, but still, a little smaller would have helped me fit more ornaments on my tree. 

That’s my only complaint with the ornament. It expertly captures Kuzco and his attitude at the beginning of the movie. I had no hesitation in adding this ornament to my collection. 

Since the ornament is really a throne, it’s no surprise to me that it sits just fine, so if you want to display it, you can. Also, I wasn’t surprised to see that it hangs straight. 

The Emperor’s New Groove doesn’t get as much love in merchandise as many of Disney’s other movies, so I was thrilled to see this ornament of Emperor Kuzco in this year’s Hallmark ornament line up. Fans of the movie will be glad to add it to their collection. 

Ornament Review: Let's Get Dangerous! - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Perfectly captures Darkwing

Cons: A little big for my taste, but not too bad; hat hides his face

The Bottom Line:

A pop character

Loyal fans will thrill to have

Protecting your tree

Let’s Get Decorative

I’m not quite sure why I got hooked on the Disney cartoon series Darkwing Duck, but I am a huge fan. So when I saw Hallmark was releasing an ornament of him this year, I jumped on it. 

If you missed the show, it’s essentially a superhero spoof with Darkwing being modeled most closely on Batman. However, it’s a lighter, funny take on that kind of character. If you want to know more, here are my reviews of the two DVD sets that Disney released. (Sadly, they stopped short of releasing the entire series. 

The ornament captures the character perfectly. He’s wearing his purple costume including his hat and mask. He’s holding his cape out with one hand and his gas/gadget gun with the other. I can picture him just about ready to jump into action. 

And I love it! Seeing that character on my tree is making me smile. It’s a very specific character, but Darkwing has his loyal fans, and we are all going to be happy having him in our collection. The brim of his hat does make his face a little hard to see, especially when he’s hanging on your tree, but I’m not sure how you’d get around that since it is accurate to the design of the character.

I will say, the ornament is a little big for my taste, but I was expecting that given Hallmark’s trend toward larger ornaments in recent years. It’s not as big as it could be, so I’m not complaining too much. 

Because of Darkwing Duck’s stance, you can set the ornament out to be displayed. However, the cape is a little back heavy, so he isn’t super steady on his feet. 

However, when you go to hang the ornament, you’ll find that he hangs perfectly straight. Since I plan to hang him on my tree, that’s fine with me. 

Fans of the series are going to be delighted with this ornament. Now’s the time to snag it so you can make sure Darkwing Duck spends years on your tree. After all, he’s the ornament your tree has been missing. He’s Darkwing Duck.

Movie Review: Freakier Friday

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Laughs and heart with strong performances from the four leads

Cons: While fun, definitely not as good as the original

The Bottom Line:

Switching characters

Not nearly as good as first

But entertaining

Flawed But Ultimately Entertaining Sequel

As much as I might roll my eyes at the number of reboots and sequels we are getting at the movies these days, it worked on me. I’ve been in the theater three times this summer for sequels. The third of those was Freakier Friday. I must say, this one made me really nervous since I love the 2003 version so much. While it has its flaws, I found myself enjoying it by the end.

Before we go further, I want to call out the inaccuracy I’ll be making in the rest of the review. Yes, I know the 2003 Freaky Friday movie is actually the third time Disney has adapted that novel by Mary Rodgers for the screen. However, since this movie is a sequel to that version, which starred Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, I’ll be referring to that one as the original and this as the sequel from here on out. It’s just easier that way. 

This movie picks up 22 years after the original.  Anna (Lindsay Lohan) is now a single mother (by choice) raising her teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters).  Anna’s mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) is living nearby and happy to help Anna raise Harper, whether Anna wants it or not.

Harper is annoyed by her new lab partner, Lily (Sophia Hammons).  When the two of them cause an accident in the lab, Anna is called to the principal’s office, as is Lily’s dad, Eric (Manny Jacinto).  The sparks between the two adults are immediate, and they leave the meeting with plans for a date.

Fast forward six months, and the two are getting married, much to their daughters’ dismay.  Nope, they haven’t found a way to get along, and now the daughters are worrying about where the new family will live, since Eric and Lily were only supposed to be in LA for a year before moving back to London.

But on the night of Anna’s bachelorette party, something happens.  The next morning, Friday, Lily and Tess and Harper and Anna have switched bodies.  The girls think this is their chance to break up their parents.  But what might they learn along the way?

I rewatched the original last week, and I’d forgotten just how good it really is.  Every time I watch it, I am impressed again with how it balances quite a few plot lines and creates such great laughs and tender moment.  But that’s a review for a different movie (which I posted here).  This movie isn’t as good.  It tries.  It really does.

One area where this movie falls short is that it just doesn’t have enough for Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons to do after the switch takes place.  The original had several things that Tess and Anna needed to learn while they lived in each other’s lives.  This one focused on Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as the kids and the antics they get up to.

And, this movie was pretty much solely focused on the wedding and how everyone was feeling about it.  Yes, as wedding was an important part of the original, but it wasn’t all that was going on.  I wish there had been some other storylines as well.

Now, I’m going to contradict myself.  One thing that I’ve felt a lot of recent movies have done is try to cram too much into the run time, leaving what we do get feeling rushed and underdeveloped.  I didn’t feel that way with this movie at all.  Yes, introducing anything else might have led to just this problem, so it was nice they didn’t fall into that trap.  I enjoyed watching a film that didn’t try to take on too much and felt like it was allowed time to fully explore what it did set out to talk about.

While I’ve been reading about this movie, I was impressed seeing that they were going to bring back almost all of the original cast.  Granted, most of them are just there for cameos.  But it felt good to see them again, and I felt their presence did add something to this film.  I wasn’t a fan of what they did with Jake, Chad Michael Murray’s character, but I get the jokes they were going for (and one of those jokes definitely worked for me).

As a comedy, this movie is pretty good.  Some scenes went on too long, but there were lots of places where I was laughing right along with the rest of the theater.

And as we reached the climax, I found myself tearing up, just like with the first one.  Those moments were very much earned.  Maybe these moments were a little too easy, but I’m being picky here. 

I also appreciated the message about the importance of family.  It didn’t feel forced.  It also wasn’t that surprising given the first one or the premise of this movie to begin with.  But it was still very well handled.  I also appreciated that Eric and Ryan, Tess's husband played again by Mark Harmon, are both good men.

I’ve got to give all the actors credit for their work.  All four of the leads were great.  It’s one reason why I wish Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons had more to do since they were fantastic when they were on screen.  And you can tell that Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are having fun.  Everyone else is just as good.

As expected, Freakier Friday is a step down from the original.  But that’s the case with most sequels.  Still, this one was entertaining.  I’m glad I saw it, and I would watch it again.  As long as you go into this one not expecting the brilliance of the original, you’ll enjoy this one, too.

Ornament Review: Syndrome - 2024 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great representation of Syndrome

Cons: Only if you wanted to display him without putting him on your tree.

The Bottom Line:

Another villain

Piece for anniversary

Will look good on tree

A Villainous Anniversary Ornament

Hallmark released a couple of ornaments to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Incredibles. One of those was a limited edition piece of Syndrome, the villain of the film. While I was tempted to get him earlier, I didn’t break down and buy him until the after Christmas sales. 

Any fan of the movies will recognize him right away. He’s dressed in his super villain outfit from the end of the movie. His outfit is mostly black with silver gloves and boots and a giant silver “S” on the front. His red hair is shooting off the top of his head like flames. And his blue cape is behind him. 

My hesitation to buy the ornament had nothing to do with whether I liked him or not. I’m not the biggest Disney/Pixar villain collector, but I do have a nice collection of the villains ornaments going. No, it was only a space issue. I really need to clean out my condo of some of my collections. But on sale, I couldn’t resist. 

Any fans of the movie that didn’t get this ornament will want to give it a second look as well. He looks just like you’d expect him to look, and it’s a great piece to have if you are a fan of the movie. 

Since Syndrome is standing on his feet, you might be tempted to set him out to be displayed.  But his feet are so small my guess is he will tip over just about any time anyone walks by him, so I don’t recommend it.

If your plan is to hang him on your tree, you’ll be delighted to learn that he hangs straight. 

Syndrome was a fun villain in The Incredibles, so it was nice to see Hallmark add him to their ornament line. If you are a fan, you’ll be glad to have him in your collection. 

TV Show Review: The Right Stuff - Season 1

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Period details, acting, fun nostalgia

Cons: None of the men are likable by the end; sudden stop

The Bottom Line:

History, drama

An eight-episode mixed bag

Wanted to like more

“Every School Kid is Going to Know the Name of the First American in Space.  That’s Not Glory.  That’s History.”

Another series that captured my interest right away when I first got Disney+ several years ago was The Right Stuff.  Since I already knew two of the leads from their work on other shows and love American history, I figured I’d enjoy it.  Sadly, it’s wasn’t nearly as good as I expected it to be.

The show looks at the early days of the US space program, specifically the 7 fighter pilots chosen to be the first astronauts as part of the Mercery program.  Even among those characters, the show really focuses on three of them, John Glenn (played by Patrick J. Adams), Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman), and Gordon Cooper (Colin O’Donoghue).  The show follows the almost two-year period in which the men trained and the scientists worked on the rockets that would successfully and safely get them into space and back.  Who will get the historic first flight into space?

The show works in some ways.  The period detail is fantastic.  The acting from the entire cast is wonderful.  I got sucked into the story and enjoyed the episodes.  Considering there are only eight episodes in the first season, they cover a lot of ground, and focusing on the three astronauts makes sense, although I do wonder why they chose to focus on Gordon Cooper.

Maybe that is because the show is also part soap opera.  This is especially true for Gordon, who is trying to revive his shaky marriage while all this is going on.  The men in general don’t come across as heroes, which may be historically accurate, but is a bit of a disappointment.  Even John Glenn winds up coming across as sanctimonious by the time the season is over.  It’s frustrating because I found I didn’t like any of the men when I was done watching, and I wanted to like all of them.

And then the show just stops.  When I was watching it, I thought it was supposed to be an eight-episode mini-series.  I wasn’t aware they were planning on more seasons of the show.  But the show has now been cancelled, so that’s irrelevant.  My point is, none of the story arcs are wrapped up satisfactorily.  I get that real life doesn’t wrap itself up neatly at the end of a certain period of time, but I felt like almost everything, was left open.

This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the show.  I was caught up in the late 50’s and early 60’s.  The show does a good job of tapping into nostalgia and an important part of American history.  And maybe that’s what made my disappointment so much greater – I wanted to like this show more than I did.

If you are interested in a dramatization of this time period, you will want to check out The Right Stuff for yourself.  But unfortunately, this isn’t must watch television.

Book Review: The Final Draw by Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers Inheritance #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Magical adventures in the Kingdom Keepers universe

Cons: Characters thin as always

The Bottom Line:

A final battle?

If so, fans will enjoy it

Lots of adventure

The Kingdom Kids Face Their Final Battle

It’s come down to this.  After countless adventures as the Kingdom Keepers, and now their kids, face off against the Overtakers, there will be one final batter for control of the Disney parks.  Fans will want to pick up and see where things go in The Final Draw.

If that last paragraph made no sense to you, then this book isn’t for you…yet.  This is the final adventure in a saga that has spanned three series and over a dozen books.  There is lots of backstory and mythology that you are not going to follow if you jump in here.

But, so you’ll have some context here, the series has followed five ordinary kids who were the model for interactive holographic hosts in the Disney parks.  They discovered that it came with an unexpected ability, to cross over to the parks as their holograms in their sleep.  Sounds sweet, right?  It might be except for their other discovery.  All the characters in the movies we love?  They are real, and the villains have formed a group called the Overtakers who are trying to take over the magic in the parks and use it for evil.  And these teens, known as the Kingdom Keepers, are the only defense against this happening.

This is the third book in the Inheritance spin off series that focuses on the kids of the original Keepers as they find themselves fighting the villains 20 years in the future.

This book opens with Eli Finn and his friends, who have dubbed themselves the Kingdom Kids, are in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the fireworks on Friday night.  But the fireworks all go off at once.  And then the kids make another discovery – all the villains and henchmen have vanished from the various rides in the parks.  Can they figure out the riddle they got from Tiana in time to save the magic?  Or will it be lost for good?

As I said earlier, if you’ve read the series this far, you’ll definitely want to pick up this book to see how things turn out for our characters.  While the original Kingdom Keepers have much smaller roles in this book than they had in the first two books in this trilogy, I really liked the scenes that Eli got with his parents.  In fact, I found a couple scenes with them to be better than much of what we get in a typical middle grade book.  They are very well done.

As is always the case with these books, I find the characters to be fairly thin.  But I wouldn’t have minded as a kid, and I’m sure today’s kids won’t mind either.

The plot allows for plenty of tense scenes in deserted Disney theme parks, which is always a highlight.  We get some time in various attractions as well.  As a Disnerd, these are the reasons I pick up and enjoy the books.

The story itself holds up fairly well.  Honestly, with these books, it is easier to go along for the ride than try to keep track of all the logic and plot twists.  Internally, the stories are consistent, but it’s the logic when you try to incorporate this into the rest of the world that doesn’t quite work for me.  As a kid, I wouldn’t have tried to be that logical about things, so just sit back and enjoy.

Author Ridley Pearson has stated that this will be his last story in the Kingdom Keepers universe.  But I feel like he said that several years ago before he started this trilogy.  So we’ll see if that stays true or not.

Whether this turns out to be our last adventure or not, The Final Draw is a fun one.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Kingdom Keepers saga.

Ornament Review: Timon's Dancing Diversion

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Captures a funny moment from The Lion King

Cons: Sound would have made this great ornament even better

The Bottom Line:

Timon starts hula

A funny movie moment

Captured for your tree

Timon Dances onto Your Tree

In honor of The Lion King’s 30th anniversary in 2024, Hallmark released a couple of ornaments. While I didn’t get the regular line ornament, I did wind up getting the limited-edition ornament, Timon’s Dancing Diversion, after Christmas. 

This ornament captures the moment that Timon distracts the hyenas so Simba and Nala can sneak in and rally the lionesses. Yes, Pumba was part of the distraction as well, but this ornament focuses on Timon. 

And it’s such a funny moment. Timon is dressed up in a grass skit and a lei. He's even got a flower in his hair. Where he got them in the desert the pride lands have turned into I have no idea. But let’s not let logic get in the way of the laugh. His arms are out, and he’s ready to start dancing and singing to get everyone’s attention. 

No, this is not one of Hallmarks magic ornaments. There’s no sound or light or anything like that. It’s the only thing that would make this ornament better for me. 

It’s a very specific moment and any fan of the movie will recognize it immediately. And they will love this ornament. I’m a little surprised my store still had it after Christmas, in fact. I was very tempted to get it earlier, but I keep telling myself I’m cutting back on ornaments. That’s the only reason I didn’t pick it up before Christmas. 

Timon is standing on a circle of ground, so you can use this ornament as year-round decoration if you so desire. 

When you go to hang him on your tree, you’ll find that he hangs straight. 

Yes, I’m glad I added Timon’s Dancing Diversion to my collection. If you are a fan of the movie and didn’t snag this ornament, you’ll be glad you gave it a second chance. 

Ornament Review: Clear for Launch - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Mickey riding Space Mountain

Cons: Size and slight tip

The Bottom Line:

Mickey takes to space

Riding favorite attractions

Ornament fans love

Mickey is Ready for Takeoff

I’ve been loving Hallmark’s unofficial series featuring Mickey riding various Disney Parks attractions.  We headed to space for 2024’s addition to the series, Clear for Launch.

This year, Mickey’s in a rocket ready to ride Space Mountain.  He’s sitting in a representation of the classic rocket roller coaster vehicle.  Since Mickey is taking up the entire thing himself, it’s not completely accurate, but it’s real enough that DisNerds will immediately know what it is.  Of course, it does help that Mickey is extra ready for the ride.  You see, he’s wearing a space suit and a helmet.

I’ve loved that, for all these ornaments, he’s wearing a costume appropriate for the ride if not the costume the cast members wear for that ride.  It’s a fun touch.

And, another fun touch, is the 24 on the front of the rocket to tie in to the ornament’s original release year.

The only thing I don’t really like about the ornament is the size.  It’s the slightly larger size that Hallmark is using for some of their ornaments these days.  To me, it just feels a little too big.  But the others in this series have been the same, so it’s not a surprise.  Still, I wish they’d shrink it just a little bit.

The rocket presents a nice base for this ornament, so you can certainly put it out to enjoy all year long if you want.

When you go to hang the ornament, you’ll notice it tips forward a little bit.  While that’s not ideal, it’s not the end of the world.  It just looks like the ornament is flying down like it does on the roller coaster track.  And a few tree branches will help disguise it if you don’t want to see that.

My complaints with this ornament are minor.  Overall, DisNerds will be happy to have Clear for Launch in their collection.

Ornament Review: Santa Mickey - All About Mickey #3 - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Mickey looks good as Santa

Cons: We’ve gotten similar ornaments in the past

The Bottom Line:

Mickey plays Santa

Familiar ornament theme

Now part of series

Mickey’s Looking Merry This Year

I almost didn’t add the third All About Mickey ornament to my collection.  It’s not that I didn’t like the ornament, but I was sure I already had an ornament with Mickey dressed up as Santa in my collection.  But when I realized I didn’t, I was happy to get Santa Mickey.

Just as it sounds, Mickey is dressed up like Santa.  While he doesn’t have a fake beard over his face (it’s under his chin like he’s just pulled it down), he is decked out in Santa’s red outfit and hat.  He’s got a green bag of presents over one shoulder, and he’s got a present in his other hand.  In a nod to classic Mickey, his ears are sticking out of the hat, and he’s still wearing his white gloves and yellow shoes.

My initial hesitation in buying the ornament had nothing to do with whether I liked it or not.  It’s cute, and Mickey makes a great Santa.  I can just imagine him working hard to make Santa proud with his portrayal.

Because of how his feet are positioned, Mickey doesn’t stand on his own.  Or maybe it’s the bag throwing off the balance.  Either way, you’ll have to hang this ornament.  However, when you do hang it, you’ll find that Mickey hangs straight.

And you’ll find the series marker on his foot.

If you don’t already have Mickey dressed as Santa on your tree, you’ll enjoy adding Santa Mickey to your collection.  However, if you’ve got a similar ornament, this might be one to skip.

DisNerd?  You’ll want to check out more ornaments in the All About Mickey series.

Ornament Review: Merida and Snow White - 2024 Hallmark Release

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good mini ornaments of two princesses, especially Snow White

Cons: Merida’s face missing details; weird characters for set

The Bottom Line:

Merida, Snow White

Combined for this mini set

That’s good overall 

A Mismatched Pair of Miniature Ornaments

Over the last couple of years, Hallmark has been releasing miniature ornaments of the Disney princesses – two a year. This year, they decided to release the two ornaments for the year as a set. It makes for a different pairing since they released Merida and Snow White.

Fans of either Princess will be happy with how they look. Merida is wearing her green dress. She has her arms crossed and she is looking out at us. Her mouth is a thin line, so I will say I find her mouth a little hard to see. Given her size, I get it.

Snow White, on the other hand, looks fantastic. She’s wearing her classic dress. She’s got a slight smile on her face, and she has her dress in one hand to strike a classic pose. It looks like she is dancing a little.

I’ll admit, if Hallmark hadn’t bundled these two together, I probably would have only gotten Snow White. I know I’m in the minority, but I’m not a huge fan of Brave. But I couldn’t pass up Snow White. And neither ornament is bad, so I’m glad I didn’t pass up this set. 

I’ve mentioned these are miniature ornaments. I want to emphasize that again since it is important. The ornaments are each roughly an inch and a quarter tall. That’s it. So keep that in mind when you purchase the set. But given that size, the detail is pretty impressive. 

While the princesses are supposedly standing on their feet, they really aren’t big enough to hold them up if you set them out to be displayed. But when you go to hang them, you’ll be happy to see they hang straight. 

It’s fun to have more Disney characters to put on my miniature trees. I’m happy overall I added the Merida and Snow White mini ornament set to my collection. 

Movie Review: The Jungle Book (2016)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Mostly enjoyable; amazing visuals

Cons: Christopher Walken, darker tone

The Bottom Line:

New take on classic

Adds some interesting parts

Darker overall

Disney’s Newest Jungle Book Remake Offers a Slightly Different Take on the Tale

Near the beginning of Disney’s recent live action remake craze came The Jungle Book.  No, I’m not talking about the ones they released in the 1990’s (which I never have seen); I’m talking about the one from 2016.  Unlike the some of the other early ones, this one stuck close to the animated original, but made a few tweaks to the story.

The set up is definitely familiar.  Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a man cub raised by wolves.  Despite his best efforts, he has never been able to quite fit into his pack because, well, he’s human.  However, when Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) shows up planning to kill the boy, Mowgli gets off with Bagheera the panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley).  What will happen to them along the way?

As I said, if you think you know the story, be prepared for a few surprises along the way.  I appreciated many of them as they helped flesh out Mowgli and especially his relationship with the wolves a bit more.  Shere Khan is a much more fearsome and present villain in this take on the story, another change I appreciated.

Of course, there was the time I spent expecting certain events or characters from the animated film to pop up.  I kept having to remind myself that this was a different take on things and it was okay that it was different.  It’s not like Disney didn’t really change things around when they made the original animated movie based on some unconnected short stories.

I’ve fallen into Disney’s trap so far by referring to this as a live action movie.  It really isn’t.  Mowgli is real, but everything he is interacting with, including the sets, is computer generated.  They do a marvelous job.  It’s easy to turn off your brain and believe that everything you are seeing is real.  The animals do have just a hint of animation to them, making their speaking seem more natural than in the computer animated The Lion King remake.

And I have to give praise to Neel Sethi.  He was interacting with nothing as his part of the film was made, but I believed his performance completely.  It’s real and helps ground the movie for us.

The voice cast is good.  I enjoyed Bill Murray as Baloo.  Scarlett Johansson was fun as Kaa.  I’m realizing I’m not really a fan of Christopher Walken, and that didn’t help me enjoy his take on King Louie.

The movie does incorporate some of the songs from the original, but not all.  They aren’t a big feature of this film, and maybe that’s why a couple of them seemed out of place.  (See once again, King Louie.)  But it’s hard to go wrong with “The Bare Necessities,” and I certainly enjoyed that scene.

Parents of young kids should know that there are some intense scenes.  This movie is rated PG for a reason.  Most kids will probably be okay, but sensitive kids should still with the animated version from the 1960’s until they are ready for something more intense.  I’m sure parents will be able to judge that for their own kids.

I think that darker tone was what bothered me the most about this film.  It felt like they went needlessly dark, keeping some of the humor and fun from the original out.  That doesn’t make this film bad, but I think I prefer the animated original over this one.

I enjoyed most of what the new material added to the story, but overall, I found the newest version of The Jungle Book a little dark for my tastes.  I’m not sorry I finally watched it, but if you want a fun story, it’s best to stick with the original.

Book Review: Villains’ Realm by Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers Inheritance #2)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: The magic of the premise is always fun

Cons: Weak entry in the saga overall

The Bottom Line:

Trilogy middle

Weaker entry in saga

Still has some magic

Enchantment Creating New Lands

Last year, Ridley Pearson revisited his Kingdom Keepers fantasy world, and this middle-aged guy jumped in.  Yes, these are technically middle grade fantasy, but I love Disney, and the premise of these books has always intrigued me.  Villains’ Realm is the middle part of this new Inheritance trilogy.  Sadly, it needed a little work.

If you are new to these stories, you really shouldn’t jump in here.  There is a lot of backstory you will have missed.  But a brief primer.  The Kingdom Keepers are a group of middle school kids who fought Disney villains in the parks at night in an effort to keep them from taking over and destroying the Disney magic.  There is so much to it than that, obviously; this is book twelve in the overall saga, after all.  The Inheritance trilogy picks up twenty years in the future as a new threat to the Disney legacy emerges and the kids of the original Keepers must now pick up the fight.

Which brings us to Eli, the focus of these new books.  The action here starts when Eli learns that Disney’s CEO has completely changed his mind about opening a Villains’ Realm in each park.  The man was opposing it because it was a clear threat, giving the villains a foothold.  But now, he’s greenlit them, and constructions has started immediately.  In order to stop them from being completed, Eli and his friend Blair are going to have to team up with Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.  Can they stop it in time?

When this series is on, there are a lot of fun and imagination in them that makes the magic come alive.  Sadly, this is the middle book in a trilogy, and it knows it.  The story moves along well, but we don’t have the epic battles against the villains and their henchmen that the series is best known for.  Instead, we get Eli and Blair moving from one area to another on their quest.  There are a few standoffs, but that’s really all they are.  And the ending is pretty abrupt, even if you are reading it as a cliffhanger for the next book in the series.

Of course, my complaint about the characters comes into play here as well.  They’ve always been thin, and that’s the case again.  I have a hard time connecting the kids to their parents, which doesn’t help.  Eli, as the main character, is a little better.

And the book needed a bit of an edit since I got confused a couple of times about what park the action was supposed to be taking place in.  I feel like some of the locations were changed, but not all of the edits were caught.

Not that I’m sorry I read the book.  There are some developments fans will need to know to follow what comes next.  And the fun of imaging all that is happening inside the parks is always great.  The idea of these characters interacting with classic Disney character still makes me smile.  The fact that much of the action takes place at the California parks added to the fun.

But I did have to laugh when the characters were dealing with the humidity when visiting California.  We rarely have humidity here.  Again, a minor thing that should have been caught in the edits.

Am I sorry I picked up Villain’s Realm?  No.  I’m looking forward to seeing how this is all going to play out in the final book.  But this could have been a much stronger entry in the series.

Enjoy the magic of the rest of the Kingdom Keepers saga.

Ornament Review: Off to Never Land!

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great ornament of a Disney attraction vehicle

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Mickey goes on ride

We’re going to Never Land

A fun ornament

“Come On, Everybody.  Here’s We Goooo!”

Even as an adult, one of my favorite rides at Disneyland is Peter Pan’s Flight.  Yes, I’m one of the reason you have to wait in such a long line.  I’ve always loved the story, and there is something about flying over and through the scenes of the ride that thrills me.  So I was glad to see Off to Never Land! be the 2023 entry in Hallmark’s unofficial Disney ride vehicles series.

Like the rest of these ornaments, Mickey is getting ready to enjoy the ride.  He’s sitting in the ride vehicle about to pull the lap bar down.  He’s looking out at us and smiling.  And he is wearing blue jeans and a white shirt instead of his more traditional outfit.

And the ride vehicle?  It’s a pirate ship.  This particular ship is teal, but the sails and seat are red.  There’s a skull and crossbones on the sail at the front of the ship.  And we’ve got white ropes/rigging in front.

And looking at it immediately brings back great memories of being on that ride over the years.  You can help but smile when you look at it.  The detail on the ship is great and it really does look like one of the ride vehicles.

In keeping with the ride vehicle look, the ship sticks out a little more at the bottom so it can slide into the groove for loading and unloading.  If you’ve been to the park, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  The fact that a ship might look like that anyway is beside the point.  As a result, the ornament won’t stand up on its own, but that’s okay.  I still like that detail.

Besides, this ride vehicle especially should be hung.  When you go to hang it, you’ll find that it hangs slightly forward.  Again, I like it because the ship does tip forward like that on the ride.  And it is so slight that you probably won’t notice when it is on your tree.

Off to Never Land! will immediately bring up warm memories and smiles for Disney fans.  It’s why I’m happy to have it in my collection.

Ornament Review: Jasmine - 2023 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great miniature ornament of Jasmine

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Jasmine goes mini

Character is captured well

Fans will enjoy it

Princess Jasmine Joins the Ranks of the Mini Princesses

The second princess that Hallmark released as a miniature ornament in 2023 was Jasmine.  As a fan of the movie Aladdin, I had to get it.

Unlike the other princesses who have gotten the miniature treatment, Jasmine is not wearing her ball gown.  Instead, she’s wearing the turquois pants she wears for most of the movie.  Her arms are crossed, and she has just a hint of a smile on her face.

Okay, so the smile is a bit hard to see because this is a mini ornament, but if you look closely, you can see it.  As always, I’m impressed since the entire ornament is just over an inch in size.  You can easily tell who she is and the detail on her face makes it that much better.

As is often the case for the miniature ornaments, you can’t set Jasmine out to be displayed because she doesn’t stand on her feet.  They are too small to balance the entire ornament.

However, that isn’t really an issue because the ornament hangs perfect straight.

While I don’t normally collect Princess ornaments, I do enjoy having these miniature ornaments.  If you are a fan of the movie or Jasmine in general, you’ll be glad you picked up this miniature ornament.