Inhumans Trailer and Poster

A new trailer and poster for Marvel's Inhumans was released yesterday. Inhumans follows the adventures of the Royal Family of Attilan, a race of advanced humans with extraordinary powers.

The Inhumans TV series is set to debut this fall. The first two episodes will be shown at IMAX theaters on September 1. They will then be broadcast on ABC on September 29 at 8 PM. The rest of the series, which is only eight episodes total, will then air over the following weeks on ABC.

Here's the official description from Marvel and Disney:

After the Royal Family of Inhumans is splintered by a military coup, they barely escape to Hawaii where their surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them may prove to not only save them, but Earth itself.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny Trailer

All images: Disney/Lucasfilm

Star Wars: Forces of Destiny is a series of animated shorts which tell the stories that helped shape the destinies of

 Jyn Erso, Ahsoka Tano,  and Leia Organa,

Sabine Wren, Rey, Padmè Amidala, and others. 

Star Wars: Forces of Destiny debuts on Disney's YouTube channel on July 3rd, and on the Disney Channel on July 9th.

The Music of Pixar Live!

Photo courtesy of Disney

The latest show to arrive at Hollywood Studios is "The Music of Pixar Live! A Symphony of Characters." This 40 minute show celebrates over 20 years of Pixar movie music and takes place nightly in the Theater of the Stars.

The show features a selection of unforgettable music from Cars, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, and UP, performed by a live orchestra. Giant screens show clips from the movies, outtakes, and interviews with the music's creators. And a few special guests may stop in to steal the spotlight and delight the whole family. The finale is a Toy Story sing-along of Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me."

On Thursday, June 29, the Disney Parks Blog will be streaming a performance live at 7:55 PM EST. The broadcast will start with a behind-the-scenes look you won't want to miss.

Tsum Tsum Short: Western

It's time to get ready, aim, fire for the cutest little Tsum Tsum Sherriff and his loyal Deputies.

*Unfortunately, Disney has removed this video from YouTube.

Funko's Disney Treasures Boxes Subscription

Funko

When Funko announced that they were adding a Disney Treasures box to their subsciption lineup, I was excited. I've been thinking about ordering one of the Marvel or Star Wars boxes because they sounded pretty cool, but I didn't want a million t-shirts. The Disney Treaures boxes seemed like the perfect choice: Disney POPVinyls and few, if any, t-shirts.

When I saw a sneak peek of a character from the first box, Pirate's Cove, I knew I had to have it. I wanted the Mr. Smee POPVinyl to go with the Captain Hook I've had for years. Since the boxes contain exclusive collectibles, it made a subscription very appealing. I will admit, I did watch the spoiler video, which showed another item from the first box, a Dorbz Ridez of the Wicked Wench complete with a captain sporting a beribboned, braided beard. I ordered the six box plan, one every other month for a year, and began waiting for it to arrive.

Several weeks later, a box arrived, printed to look like a chest with a Mickey padlock. I couldn't wait to see what other treasures would be inside. When I opened the lid, I found a Captain Hook patch, a pirate Mickey pin, and a Disney Treasures Pioneer pin. The inside of the lid showed a map with all of the themed lands marked on it. Under the flap was a paper with more information about the collectibles on one side, and a fold-out map with a dotted line from Pirate's Cove to the next destination, Festival of Friends, on the other. There was also a Pirate's Cove sticker.

Finally, the moment I'd been waiting for, the collectibles. First up was Mr. Smee, looking absolutely adorable from his stocking cap to his toes, with his belly peeking out in between. Next up was the Wicked Wench, a highly detailed vessel with a removable captain. The final item came in a tin decorated with scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Inside was the cutest little Captain Jack Sparrow Mystery Mini. He even has his compass.

I was very happy with the first box, but had two months to wait for the second one. When June arrived, I received an email with tracking information for the next box from Funko. I waited for it, and waited, and waited, and waited, all the while trying not to see any of the unboxing videos cropping up everywhere. Somewhere between DHL and USPS, the tracking stopped. After several very annoying days, I had to file a missing package claim just to get USPS to actually deliver my package. It arrived the next day. So far, the shipping method is my only real complaint about the subscription.

Box number two was similar to the first. It contained a Piglet patch and a Thumper pin in the top. Under the flap was a flying Dumbo with Timothy on his hat. It has a clear acrylic stand attached to the bottom so Dumbo can "fly". The second figure was a POPVinyl Pluto, who.was very cute. The last figure was in a tin decorated with scenes from Toy Story Mania. Inside was the most adorable Sherriff Woody, Mystery Mini. He really is too cute, from his plaid shirt to the tiny pull string loop on his back.

So far, I'm very happy with the additions to my Funko Disney collection. And if you can avoid all the spoiler videos, it's a lot of fun to open up a new surprise every other month. If you've considered purchasing one of Funko's subscription boxes, try the Disney Treasures. It's perfect for Disney collectors. The next box's theme is Tiny Town. So far, the box will contain a Flying Tinker Bell POPVinyl. It will ship out sometime around the first week of August.

Quote of the Week

Artwork courtesy of Disney/Pixar

Life's a beach

And then you drive.

- Lightning McQueen, Cars 3

Muppets Sing Along - Cabin Fever

Disney/Jim Henson Studios

Is the summer heat giving you Cabin Fever? Well, here's a song from Muppet Treasure Island that may help. And it even has the words so you can sing along.

Photo of the Week

After watching Cars 3, 

I wish I could go back to Cars Land.

Cars 3 Review

Disney/Pixar

This has been quite the summer for Disney movies. All of them have been sequels. All of them have been good. But, quite surprisingly to me, the best one was Cars 3. Now, don't get me wrong, I'll always love Pirates and Guardians, but at least Cars 3 didn't make me cry. And while the first two were a bit slow to start, Cars 3 hit the track running and never let off the gas. It also had what I thought was a very satisfying ending. Caution: Spoilers Ahead! 

Disney/Pixar

The film starts with Lightning McQueen doing what he loves: racing and competing with his friends, Bobby Swift and Cal Weathers. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he doesn't, but he and the other racers truly enjoy the sport.

Disney/Pixar

All too soon, Lightning discovers that there's a new type of rookie in the race, Jackson Storm (voiced by Armie Hammer). He is the ultimate in automotive technology, and boy, does he know it! Pretty soon, nearly all of Lightning's friends have been forced into retirement by Jackson and cars like him, and Lightning is struggling to find his place in a strange new world.

Disney/Pixar

And that's when it happens. Lightning pushes himself to the limit and suffers a major crash. He goes home to Radiator Springs and locks himself in Doc's old garage. He's worried that his racing days are over, just like Doc's were after his big crash. With a little encouragement from his friends, he decides to try again, but with some help from the technology that helps Jackson Storm to win.

Disney/Pixar

The Rusteze guys want to make sure Lightning has everything he needs, so they sell their company to Sterling (voiced by Nathan Fillion), the owner of a mudflap company, and super fan of Lightning McQueen and Doc Hudson. Sterling has built a new training center for rookie racecars where Lightning can train with Cruz Ramirez (voiced by Cristela Alonzo). Cruz knows everything about motivation and the latest racing technology, but very little about actual racing. Lightning makes a deal with Sterling that if he wins the next race, he can keep racing, but if he loses, he'll become a spokesman for all the products Sterling wants him to sell.

Disney/Pixar

With so much riding on a single race, Lightning must do everything he can to beat Jackson Storm. He decides to revisit the famous racetracks from Doc Hudson's past. First up, Fireball Beach, which nearly defeats Cruz as she attempts to keep up with Lightning. Then, it's on to the Thunder Hollow Speedway, which has unexpectedly become a hilarious demolition derby. Finally, Lightning decides to seek out Doc's old Crew Chief, Smokey, at his hometown, the Thomasville Speedway. Along the way, Lightning learns a lot about his mentor, which leads up to a fabulous twist during what may be his final race.

Disney/Pixar

Cars 3 was a fantastic movie, which I can't wait to watch again. Kids will love the familiar characters and jokes, while adults will appreciate a story about growing older and figuring out your ever changing place in the world. And there are some pretty funny jokes. Personally, I liked Lightning's offhand remark to Cruz early in the film "Life's a beach, and then you drive." And that one statement just about sums it up.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Lego Silent Mary

Photos courtesy of Lego

When I heard that they were making the latest Pirates movie, I really hoped that Lego would make a new ship. Boy did they ever! The Silent Mary, which can be yours for the low price of $199, is an incredible Lego creation.

The 2294 piece set includes eight minifigures: Captain Jack Sparrow, Henry Turner, Carina Smyth, Captain Salazar, Lieutenant Lesaro, Officers Magda and Santos, and the Silent Mary Masthead.

There are also two Ghost sharks. The ship can be opened to switch from sailing to attacking, just like in the movie. Accessories include a compass, sextant, ship-in-a-bottle, and Galileo Diary.

The set is amazing. While I could never spend so much on a single set, I do love it. It would be hours of piratey fun putting it together. The Silent Mary is available from the Lego store as well as online at shop.Lego.com.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Review

Images courtesy of Disney & Marvel

I finally had the chance to see Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 last week. I really enjoyed it. It was funny, and sad, and heartwarming, and all about family. In all, it was the perfect sequel. Caution: Spoilers Ahead!

The movie starts with the Guardians struggling to settle into their new life as heroes. (And a hilarious fight scene that heavily features a dancing Baby Groot.) Unfortunately, it seems like they are constantly bickering. When Rocket steals some batteries and offends the High Priestess of the Sovereign, Ayesha, the Guardians are forced to flee. The golden Sovereign chase them in drone ships (keep an eye out for Ben Browder from Farscape as the Sovereign Admiral!), but are stopped by someone unexpected.

Gamora, "A little one-inch man saved us?"
Rocket, "Well, if he got closer, I'm sure he'd be much larger."

The "little one-inch man" turns out to be Ego, a planet as well as a man, and also Peter Quill's father. He has been searching for Peter since he hired Yondu to deliver him years before. Peter is rather reluctant to warm up to, and yet completely in awe of, his father. And he has a million questions about Ego's past and his relationship with Meredith Quill, Peter's mother.

In another part of the galaxy, Ayesha has hired Yondu and the Ravagers to track down the Guardians and destroy them. When they find Rocket, Groot, and Nebula with the crashed Milano, the Ravagers figure they'll capture them easily. They're wrong of course, and Rocket manages to attack them with several hilarious traps, before finally being stopped by Yondu. Unfortunately for Yondu, his affection for Peter causes his crew to mutiny, replacing him as captain with the ridiculously named Taserface.

With everyone searching for the Guardians, we find ourselves in familiar territory. There are epic battles, moments of ridiculous comedy, and surprisingly, some deeply sad scenes as well. I won't give away the rest, but the end was the best part of the movie. And make sure you bring the tissues; I cried for most of the last twenty minutes.

The music in the film was fantastic. Every song just worked with the scene and added a fabulous sense of nostalgia for those of us of a certain age. And the choice of Cat Stevens "Father and Son" for the last big scene was absolutely perfect, although it almost made it sadder.

Like with previous Marvel films, make sure to stay all the way until the end of the credits. I've never seen so many extra scenes in my life! (I believe there were five in total.) Besides, you wouldn't want to miss the second Stan Lee cameo in the movie. It's even funnier than the first one, "That time I was the FedEx guy." (I love the reference to his appearance in Captain America: Civil War.)

In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 was about family, both the family you're born into and the one you choose for yourself. As Peter Quill said, "Sometimes, that thing you're searching for your whole life, is right there by your side all along, and you don't even know it." The Guardians are definitely a family, a bit dysfunctional perhaps, but a family nonetheless. 

Quote of the Week

Sometimes, that thing you're searching for your whole life, is right there by your side all along, and you don't even know it.

- Peter Quill, 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Pirates of the Caribbean Ride PhotoPass

Photo courtesy of Disney

Pirates of the Caribbean is probably my favorite rides at Disney World. Other rides may be flashier or fancier, but for me, it's a classic I can't resist. Disney has recently added a little more magic to Pirates with an on-ride photo (and possibly a certain talking skull, like in Disneyland.)

Starting June 19, a PhotoPass camera will capture your image shortly before the drop down to Barbossa's ship. The photo will only be added to your account if you have an active MagicBand. The photo can be viewed online at MyDisneyPhotoPass.com or with the My Disney Experience mobile app. And remember, Annual Passholders can download all of their PhotoPass photos for free, while all other guests can purchase Memory Maker to download them.

Cars Tsum Tsums

This week's Tsum Tsum Tuesday saw the release of a Cars 3 collection, just ahead the movie which arrives in theaters today. The Cars gang are well suited to the Tsum Tsum shape. The mini collection includes: Lightning McQueen, Cruz Ramirez, Sally, Doc Hudson, Smokey, Jackson Storm, and Tow Mater.

There are also two medium Tsums:

Miss Fritters, the demolition derby bus,

and Mack, Lightning's driver.

So cute! The Cars Tsum Tsum collection is available at the Disney Store. 

Tsum Tsum Short: Origami

Disney

The Tsums have folded their way to a perfect display of origami.

*Unfortunately, Disney has removed this video from YouTube.

Olaf's Frozen Adventure Trailer

The trailer for the latest Frozen adventure is here! Olaf, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff are back on the big screen with four new songs. The 21 minute featurette, Olaf's Frozen Adventure, will debut in front of Coco on November 22.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney and Pixar:

Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) teams up with Sven on a merry mission in “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.” It’s the first holiday season since the gates reopened and Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realize they have no family traditions of their own. So, Olaf sets out to comb the kingdom to bring home the best traditions and save this first Christmas for his friends.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Review

I saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean last week, and I absolutely loved it. It was crazy and funny, and at times incredibly sad, but overall it was a fantastic addition to the series. Caution: There Be Spoilers Ahead. Ye Be Warned.

Part of the ship. Part of the crew.

The film begins shortly after the post credit scene from At World's End. Young Henry Turner has vowed to save his father from his terrible curse. Like father, like son, right? To do so, he decides to seek help from the notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Although Will tells Henry to let him go and stay far away from Sparrow, he's too much of a Turner to simply give in.

Like father, like son. Henry is definitely a Turner.

Flash forward ten years. Henry is now a sailor in the King's Navy, although his penchant for legends seems to cause him no end of trouble. When Capitan Salazar and his crew attack Henry's ship, they kill everyone aboard, save Henry, who is tasked with taking a message to Jack Sparrow. When we finally see Jack, he's a down on his luck, landlocked drunkard who seems to be a bit lost. The Black Pearl is still trapped in a bottle and most of his crew have deserted him. To add insult to injury, he's scheduled to be executed, alongside one Carina Smyth, an astronomer and horologist who has been accused of witchcraft. (I love the scene on the way to the execution when Jack discovers his Uncle Jack, played by Paul McCartney, is also in jail. Too hilarious!)

"How bad could it be?"

The execution scene itself is full of hilarity and hijinks. And the dialogue is just too funny. Guard - "How would you like to die, Pirate? Hanging, firing squad, or a new invention, the guillotine?" Jack - "Guillotine? Sounds French. I love the French. Did you know that they invented mayonnaise? How bad could it be, it's French, eh?"

Eventually, Henry, Carina, and Captain Jack with his broken down ship and ragtag crew set sail in search of Poseidon's Trident. They are guided by a map no man can read, but fortunately, Carina is a woman. Soon, it's a race to see who will reach the Trident first, Jack, Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants (including two very familiar British guards from the first three movies), Capitan Salazar and his ghost crew, or the British Royal Navy, who'd like to see them all destroyed.

I won't reveal any more, but if you liked the first three films, you should definitely see Dead Men Tell No Tales. It is supposed to be the final film in the series and it provides a good stopping point for all the different characters' stories. And while I did cry through much of the end, I can't wait to see it again. Oh, and make sure to stay for the post credit scene. It made me wonder if there are more tales to tell afterall.

Photo of the Week

Summer Magic is one of my favorite classic Disney films, so I love seeing the posters and Hayley Mills' dress on display in One Man's Dream.