Project Hail Mary Review

All images: Amazon

Have you seen Project Hail Mary yet? If not, then I highly recommend that you do. I was not sure what to expect when I went to the drive-in to watch this movie, but I ended up loving it. I thought it was going to be just another "it's the end of the world so we're going to send one guy into space to save us" movie. It does have elements of that trope, but it's so much more.

When middleschool teacher Ryland Grace wakes up, alone, aboard the spaceship Hail Mary, he has no idea how he got there, or even who he is. As his memory slowly returns, he realizes that he has been sent into space to save our sun from a microscopic organism called an astrophage. He is headed for a planet whose sun does not appear to be affected by the astrophage to hopefully find a solution that saves the Earth.

It's there, in space, that he meets Rocky, an Eridian scientist, who happens to resemble a spider made of stone, sent by his planet to save them from the astrophage. This is where the movie becomes fantastic. Rocky and Grace discover how to communicate and decide to work together to solve the astrophage problem. In the process, they also become best friends. I know it sounds a little trite, but honestly, this is the best buddy movie I've seen in years.

Overall, Project Hail Mary is an incredible story of unexpected friendship and what working together can accomplish.

Project Hail Mary is available now on Amazon Prime Video.

The Country Bear Musical Jamboree

The new Country Bear Musical Jamboree is just as delightful as the original. I love the Bears' new songs and outfits. As before, each bear, or small group of bears, sings their own songs, but now the songs are all country spins on Disney songs. And their outfits are very reminiscent of the sparkly Nudie suits worn at the Grand Ole Opry.

The show begins, as it always did, with Henry introducing the Five Bear Rugs, who sing "Country Bear Musical Jamboree."

Next up is Trixie, who is now accompanied by the Sun Bonnet Trio: Bunny, Bubbles, and Beulah.

They sing "Try Everything" from Zootopia.

Romeo McGrowl appears to sing "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid.

And Ernest plays a speedy fiddle version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins.

Wendell and Teddi Barra sing "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, accompanied by Gomer.

Terrence arrives to sing "Fixer Upper" from Frozen, with a little help from Henry, Melvin, Max, and Buff.

In a hilarious nod to the original, Big Al sings "Remember Me" from Coco. He's followed by Henry and Sammy singing "You've Got A Friend In Me" from Toy Story. 

And finally, the bears come together to sing "Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book.

Honestly, I found the new version to be even more entertaining than the original, with just enough nods to keep long time fans happy. The Country Bear Musical Jamboree can be found in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at at Disney World.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Is The Perfect Reboot

Sony

I wasn't sure what to expect from Ghostbusters: Afterlife. I loved watching the original Ghostbusters movies when I was a kid, and even more so as an adult, so I was really hoping that this reboot would be worthy of those films. I wasn't disappointed. This story is a worthy successor to those delightfully wild and campy tales of four crazy guys who just wanted to catch a ghost. There were so many nods to the original movie, some subtle and some overt, but all were fantastic. I haven't laughed that much in ages. I can't wait to watch it again! 

If you haven't seen Ghostbusters: Afterlife yet, I highly recommend that you do, and just to pique your interest, here's a sneak peek of the first 10 minutes of the film.

In the Heights Is Incredible!

All images: Warner Brothers

I had the chance to watch In The Heights yesterday and all I can say is WOW! The movie is incredible: the music, the story, everything was fantastic. I will definitely be adding it to my collection. 

In The Heights, with music and lyrics by the fabulous Lin-Manuel Miranda, takes place in Washington Heights, New York. 

It's the story of a community, a family, and the events of one intense week that just happened to fall during a heatwave. 

Above all, it's a story about chasing your dreams. Each of the main characters has a dream they are hoping to fulfill. Usnavi wants to return home to the Dominican Republic. 

Vanessa dreams of being a fashion designer. Nina just wants to figure out her place in the world and her father wants her to get a good education. 

But as everyone discovers, the path to fulfilling your dreams may lead to something unexpected. The cast is incredible, and incredibly talented. The musical numbers are simply fantastic. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and might just discover we're all more alike than we admit. And be sure to keep a look out for a familiar face or two or three from Hamilton.

Here's the official synopsis from Warner Brothers: 

The hydrants are open(ing). This summer, we’ll be back to dancing in the street together with #InTheHeightsMovie​. In theaters and streaming exclusively on @HBOMax June 11. 

The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big... “In the Heights.” 

Lights up on Washington Heights...The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life. 

“In the Heights” fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.

I really enjoyed this movie and look forward to seeing it again and again. In The Heights arrives in theaters on June 11.

Chicken Guy At Disney Springs Is Fantastic

I've been wanting to try Chicken Guy, Guy Fieri's restaurant in Disney Springs, for some time. I finally had the chance to eat there a few weeks ago, and I'm glad I did. It was so good!

There are several different chicken options on the menu, as well as a couple of sides and a few milk shakes. But the most difficult part is deciding which of the 22 sauces to try.

We settled on the Five Chicken Tenders with Sweet 'N' Sour Sauce and the Fried Pickle Chips with Buttermilk Ranch. It was plenty for the two of us to share. The chicken tenders were delicious, as was the sauce. The fried pickles were fantastic, although a little spicier than I expected, which made me grateful for ranch sauce.

In all, we really enjoyed eating at Chicken Guy. It's a great, inexpensive addition to Disney Springs. I look forward to eating there again.

The Regal Eagle Smokehouse Is Amazing

I finally had the chance to try the Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT yesterday and I really enjoyed it. At the moment, it looks like you have to use the Mobile Order system in the Disney World app, but its actually pretty easy. And you don't have to pay with a credit card, you can also use a Disney Giftcard or even  Dining Plan credits.

After ordering, head to the restaurant and check in so they'll start preparing your order. An alert will appear when your order is ready, telling you where to pick it up. Give your name to the cast member at the door, and they'll let you go in.

The menu has really changed from the years when this location was the Liberty Inn, as has the decor. Muppet Sam Eagle is now the proprietor and he's hosting a barbecue cook-off. The menu is made up of regional barbecue favorites, from chicken or pork butt, to mac and cheese or baked beans. The walls are covered in awards and artwork, some featuring various Muppets.

I tried the Kansas City Smoked Half-Chicken with Sizzlin' Pit sauce, garlic toast and mac and cheese as the side. At $13.99, it's not too pricey, and the portions are fairly large, so this is a great meal to share. The chicken was tender and well cooked and the mac and cheese was cheesy and delicious. And the sauce was a perfect blend of sweet and savory.

Here's the rest of the menu. I can't wait to try it all!

• Memphis Dry-Rub Pork Ribs $15.99
• BBQ Burger $13.49
• Cheeseburger $13.49
• Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich $12.99
• North Carolina Chopped Smoled Pork Butt Platter $12.49
• Power Greens Salad With Chicken $11.49
• Power Greens Salad $9.49
• BBQ Jackfruit Burger $12.99

All entrees, except the salads, come with or on Garlic Toast and include a side of your choice: 

• Beer-battered Onion Rings
• Baked Beans with Burnt Ends
• Creamy Coleslaw
• Seasoned French Fries
• Macaroni and Cheese 

Kids meals come with 2 side and choice of beverage.

• BBQ Rib $8.99
• Cheeseburger $7.79
• BBQ Chicken Leg $7.99
• Chicken Salad $7.49

Desserts and Beverages include:

• Banana Pudding $4.99
• Fresh Watermelon Cup $4.99
• Fountain Sodas $3.99
• Hot Coffee, Cocoa, or Tea $3.29
• Berry Punch, made up of white grape, strawberry, peach, and blackberry juices $4.49
• Assorted Beers and Wines, and a Tennessee Lemonade Cocktail

I've loved the various barbecue restaurants at Disney World for years. The Regal Eagle Smokehouse is definitely my new favorite. I can't wait to try it again.

Oga's Cantina Is Amazing!

Oga's Cantina has great atmosphere.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is an amazing land to experience. Everywhere you look, it's like you're actually a visitor to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu.

Oga's Cantina

There are several fascinating food and beverage items at the various dining locations throughout the land, but for the best atmosphere, you've got to stop by Oga's Cantina.

Seating is in niches around the edge of the room.

Oga's Cantina is very reminiscent of the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars: A New Hope. The bar is standing room only and there are a few tables around the edge of the room.

DJ R-3X

A droid, DJ R-3X, provides the music and entertainment, but the entire room is filled with little touches that make you feel like you're someplace rather alien. Even the ceiling is fascinating to look at.

Don't forget to look up.

When we were at Oga's, it was by reservation only. There's a limit of two drinks per guest, and the few food items count as a drink. Also, they enforce a time limit of 45 minutes per party and you have to stay in your assigned section of the bar, no wandering around. Honestly, it's so crowded, you wouldn't want to do much wandering.

Moogan Tea and Tarine Tea

We tried three of the drinks and one dessert. The Moogan Tea is unsweet tea, chocolate milk, whipped cream, and cinnamon toast crunch on top. It is surprisingly good, rather like an iced chai. The Tarine Tea is unsweet tea with peach, huckleberry, and mint. It is very refreshing.

Our third drink is called a Carbon Freeze. It comes in a special glass that has dry ice trapped in the bottom. It's made up of lemon lime powerade with strawberry, blueberry, and green apple popping pearls. The dry ice makes the pearls dance in the drink. The drink is somewhat sweet but the popping pearls are fairly tart. It isn't my favorite drink, but it is fun to watch.

Oga's Obsession

Finally, we tried the Oga's Obsession. Oga's Obsession is a delightful concoction. It's a lemonade and cotton candy flavored gelatin with blueberry popping pearls suspended throughout, topped with cotton candy, dried strawberries and blueberries, and popping candy. It is so good!

Oga's Cantina is a very fun and interesting place to have a few drinks. I would highly recommend making a reservation for your next trip to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. I know I will!

The Edison Review

I recently had the chance to try lunch at The Edison and I must say, I was fairly impressed. The food is good and the atmosphere is excellent.

A giant clock in the lobby.

Although I didn't have a reservation, it was easy to get a seat around 11 am.

Gears and machinery surround the main staircase.

The hostess, who was dressed as a flapper, guided us down the grand staircase to the main dining room.

The leather wrapped bar is quite stylish.

We were seated at a table near the bar, which is very Art Deco. The dining room has two separate bars and is broken up into several different spaces within the room.

The dining room has a stage for a live band.

On special weekend nights, this part of the dining room becomes a dance floor with a live band. The rest of the time, it's a dining room and scenes from old movies and cartoons are projected on the wall.

DB 'Clothesline Candied Bacon'

After looking over a decent sized menu, we decided to try the DB 'Clothesline Candied Bacon'. The maple and black pepper bacon arrives clipped to a clothesline with actual wooden clothespins. It's accompanied by sweet and spicy pickle and fruit mustarda. The bacon is crisp, slightly sweet, and very peppered. The pickles were a little too spicy for me, but the mustarda was delicious.

The dining room is very 1920s, which I loved.

Next up, the entrees. We ordered three: The Edison Burger, Organic Tomsto Soup and Gooey Grilled Cheese, and Unibroue Beer-battered Fish & Chips. They were all delicious.

The Edison Burger

The Edison Burger is a blend of sirloin, short rib, and brisket with Cabot cheddar, crispy onions, smoked bacon, house-made pickles, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce. The burger, which comes with a ridiculous amount of fries, is absolutely huge! It was also absolutely fantastic.

Organic Tomato Soup and Gooey Grilled Cheese

The Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese are also generous portions. The soup is wonderfully tomatoey and the grilled cheese is made up of fontina, muenster, gruyere, and Alpine swiss on buttered sourdough. I'm not a big tomato soup fan, but the sandwich was a big hit.

Unibroue Beer-battered Fish and Chips

Finally, the Unibroue Beer-battered Fish and Chips. The battered cod filets are delightfully flaky and perfectly fried. The tartar sauce is wonderful and the fish is accompanied by a large amount of crispy house-made fries.

The second bar is very classy as well.

The Edison is a little on the pricey side, but the portion sizes make the prices seem more appropriate. The portions are large enough that we didn't even consider dessert, although there are a few I would love to try next time. I would definitely recommend trying The Edison on your next trip to Disney Springs.

Ant-Man and the Wasp on Bluray

Ant-Man and the Wasp arrives on Blu-ray today. The movie was a fun adventure, much lighter than Avengers: Infinity War. Caution: Spoilers Ahead 

After the events in Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang made a deal that landed him under house arrest. Luckily for him, his time is nearly up. Unluckily, Dr. Hank Pym and Hope VanDyne are about to break him out. Hank and Hope need Scott's help to try and rescue Janet VanDyne, Hope's mother, from the quantum realm. Along the way, they have to seek advice from Hank's old partner, evade an underworld criminal and his goons, and try to stop a mysterious figure called the Ghost. Ant-Man and the Wasp is by turns hilarious and action packed, a great addition to Marvel's First 10 Years.

There are a ton of bonus features on the Blu-ray:

• Director's Intro by Peyton Reed
• Making of Featurette
• Back in the Ant Suit: Scott Lang - the hero and dad keeps everyone laughing
• A Suit of Her Own: The Wasp - a behind the scenes look at Hope's craziest stunts
• Subatomic Super Heroes - Hank and Janet's legacy
• Quantum Perspective: The VFX and Production Design of Ant-Man and the Wasp
• Gag Reel and Outtakes
• Gag Reel
• Stan Lee Outtakes - Stan Lee's hilarious one-liners from his cameo
• Tim Heidecker Outtakes - Whale Boat Captain Daniel Goobler and his improvisations
• Deleted Scenes (with commentary by Director Peyton Reed)
• World's Upon World's
• Sonny's on the Trail

And a few are Digital Exclusives:

• 10 Years of Marvel Studios: The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe 
• Online Close-Up Magic University