2014 Anniversaries

2014 is here...and with it will bring a whole slew of new things celebrating an anniversary, some of which may shock you since you remember them happening like it was yesterday.

It's been a decade since Usher hit us with his song "Yeah!" featuring Lil' Jon in 2004. Also known as the song that even people who hate dancing couldn't help but want to dance to, regardless of what they say. That song is now 10 years old. It's also been 10 years since U2's "Vertigo" helped launch the iPod into even more households. Tina Fey also brought us 'Mean Girls' 10 years ago, going on to be quoted by pretty much everyone to this day. It all seems like it was just yesterday. 

Happy 20th, Lion King!

And believe it or not, Disney's 1994 smash hit "The Lion King" will turn 20 this year. Two full decades of Hakuna Matata. As if "Jurassic Park" turning 20 last year wasn't enough to make you feel a bit old for remembering when they were in theaters for the first time...and then when they came out on VHS finally. 1994 also saw Friends premiere on TV. 

As we gear up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we must remember its been 20 years since the United States hosted the record breaking 1994 World Cup, and 15 years since hosting & winning the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Both events helped make Soccer a much bigger sport in America now than it was in the previous few decades. 

The Simpsons will become 25 years old, and the series shows no signs of slowing down. I would be shocked if they didn't have a 30th Season at least.

It will also be the 50th Anniversary of when The Beatles first landed in America at JFK Airport in February 1964, performing to an estimated 34 percent of the US population on The Ed Sullivan Show. It launched a wave of Beatlemania that is still going on now, as they have continued to sell albums in the millions from their breakup in 1970 through to today.

The Beatles, February 1964

'Maleficent' & 'Noah' Trailers Debut

Two trailers were recently released for big 2014 fantasy films this week - 'Maleficent' and 'Noah'.

Disney brings us 'Maleficent', starring Angelina Jolie as the evil title character we all know from 'Sleeping Beauty'. We don't often see a villain get their own film & origin story focused on them, so this should be a refreshing change of pace. Elle Fanning will also star as Aurora/Sleeping Beauty. Jolie's daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt will make an appearance as the younger version of Aurora as well. 'Maleficent' hits theaters on May 30, 2014. It marks Jolie's return to live action films, her last being 'The Tourist' in 2010.



'Noah', loosely based on the story of Noah's Ark, is one of the more talked about films of 2014, hitting screens on March 28. The film stars Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, & Logan Lerman. Its the first big budget fantasy film for Emma Watson since the Harry Potter series, between which she starred in numerous drama and comedy films.

Best Quotes From 'Hocus Pocus'

Its been 20 years since 'Hocus Pocus' entered our lives and became one of the greatest Halloween themed movies of all time. It didn't break any records at the box office, though it was released in July. Whose genius decision was that? Regardless, it became a monster hit on VHS, then DVD and eventually Blu Ray as well as a Television staple that gets shown multiple times every fall (and even sometimes throughout the year). This cult classic will forever be a Halloween staple now, even if those damn critics gave it mediocre reviews. They missed just how quotable and endearing this whimsical film is. Here are some of the best quotes:

1. Jay and Ernie aka ICE are possibly the greatest high school bullies of all time, and here is one scene chock full of their quotes when they run into Max (Omri Katz) in the graveyard.
                       
"Got any cash...Hollywoooooood?" "They're very health conscious in Los Angeles." "Check out the new cross trainers."

2. "I don't have any, what do you call them Max, yabbos? Max likes your yabbos. In fact, he loves them." -Dani (Thora Birch) to Allison (Vinessa Shaw)

3. "What are you supposed to be? A new kid on the block?" "For your information he's a Little Leaguer!" - Jay & Dani

4. "Thank you Max, for that mahhhhvelous introduction." -Winifred (Better Midler), because it is exactly how you'd imagine Bette Midler as a 17th century witch would say that.

5. "Aw man, how come it's the ugly chicks that always stay out late?" - Jay to Winifred, Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) & Mary (Kathy Najimy).

6. "We desire...Children." "Hey it may take me a couple tries but I don't think that would be a problem." - Winifred to the bus driver. Disney just loves to slip sexual innuendo's into family movies.

7. "Why was I cursed with such idiot sisters!" "Just lucky I guess." - Winifred & Sarah.

8. "Sisters look, it's the chocolate covered finger of a man named Clark." - Mary, about a Clark Bar.

9. Sarah yelling "Amok!" over and over before Winifred hits her.

10. "You wanna look in windows and watch babes undress?" "It's 3AM, they're undressed already." Ice & Jay before getting caught by the Sanderson Sisters.

Crazy Rhubarb Lady

This video has to be seen to be believed. An unknown woman was caught stealing rhubarbs from under a fence, and then confronted by the lady who owns the rhubarbs that grew under her fence. She also has a voice that can only be described as a cross between Roz from Disney/Pixar's "Monsters Inc." and Linda Blair while she was possessed in "The Exorcist". Crazy Rhubarb Lady's response while confronted? "This is alley property bitch!" She also took a shot at the "pigs who stole her lawn mower". I love that as she keeps cursing and arguing, she goes about continuing to pick the rhubarbs. Enjoy!

The Avengers Get New Members

Comic Version of Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver

The Avengers 2 is slated for release on May 1, 2015, and the group will have at least two new members. The brother/sister duo of Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch will be in the film, most likely as new members of The Avengers. Although they could play around with the material and make them villains, but that seems unlikely.

Joss Whedon was at a premiere for Iron Man 3 when he said that his draft of the sequel to the 2012 blockbuster movie contained a "brother/sister act", which has turned out to be Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Those two characters were also used in the X-Men universe, so it has many wondering if there could at some point be a crossover between the X-Men films and The Avengers films. There would be some hurdles, since the X-Men films are produced by FOX and The Avengers is produced by Disney. However, a ton of money would obviously be made, so its certainly possible those hurdles could be cleared in the future.

Pixar Announces 'Finding Dory'

Finding Nemo 2 has a new name: Finding Dory. I remember joking that this would be the title, and now it actually is! It didn't take rocket science to figure that might be the idea of the sequel, since they have to find someone. The original Finding Nemo crew is back together. Andrew Stanton will once again direct the sequel, Ellen DeGeneres will be back as Dory, and Albert Brooks will return as Marlin. One can assume the plot will focus on Dory getting lost. Stanton also said the film will take place a year after the first and take place on the California coast. Our favorite characters are back, as well as new ones who are part of Dory's life.

"I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” said DeGeneres. “I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating ‘Toy Story 16.’ But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it’s really funny, and the best part is—it’s got a lot more Dory."

Finding Dory will hit theaters on November 25, 2015 in time for Thanksgiving. 

90s Family Movies You Shouldn't Forget

The 90s were a great time for G & PG-rated movies. The many animated Pixar and Disney films that came out in the 90s will never be forgotten, as well as other hits like Beethoven, Home Alone & Hocus Pocus. However, there were plenty more that you may not have seen in a long time, and you should remember. You don't have to line up your Beanie Babies and pop in the VHS anymore to watch them, but if they ever come on TV, don't change the channel.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993). If you've forgotten Chance, Shadow and Sassy, then you should turn in your 90s kid card. This is a remake of a 1963 original simply called The Incredible Journey, but this is one of the rare examples where the remake is better. The voice cast is pretty top notch as well. Michael J. Fox voiced Chance the American Bulldog, Sally Field was Sassy the cat, and Don Ameche was Shadow the Golden Retriever. Clearly the three pets go on an incredible journey (Duh!) when they think their family left them. When they finally return home, you probably cried when just Sassy & Chance came up the hill. And then a wave of happiness swept over you when the old Shadow finally showed up for a satisfyingly happy 90s ending.

We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993). This was produced by Steven Spielberg's animation studio  Amblimation, and came out in the fall after Spielberg's blockbuster Jurassic Park. Genius! It should be considered one of the top non-Disney/Pixar animated films of the 90s. Does it get better than watching lovable, friendly dinosaurs on an adventure to try and get into the Museum of Natural History? At one point, they get disguised as Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floats. And in real life, they created an actual balloon for the 1993 Thanksgiving parade, which is infamous for having the head of the Rex balloon get pierced by a street light. Now that's how you create some buzz.

The Land Before Time Series. The original Land Before Time actually came out in 1988, and was a big VHS hit during the 90s. It also spawned a ton of direct-to-video sequels throughout the 90s, that were probably only beaten in persistence by all those endless Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen movies. More on them later. Again, maybe the massive popularity of Jurassic Park had something to do with that. Here's to hoping that Jurassic Park 4 will once again spawn some more dinosaur hysteria in the entertainment world.

Jumanji (1995). Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt, David Alan Grier and Robin Williams, during the height of his popularity, brought this unique tale to life. Everyone wanted a real version of this jungle board game that comes to life after seeing the film. We're still patiently waiting. We also never got a sequel, even though the open-ended ending might have allowed for one. It probably would've sucked though. By the way, the two kids who hear the beating board game in the sand at the end were speaking French. I always thought it was Chinese, please tell me I'm not the only one?

It Takes Two (1995). Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen were 90s royalty. The Full House stars also became billionaires at a young age thanks to owning Dualstar, their video company, which made all their films from 1993-2004. The only one Dualstar didn't was 1992's Christmas classic To Grandmother's House We Go. The best of all their movies though, is It Takes Two, also starring Kirstie Alley, Steve Guttenberg and Jane Sibbett (Carol from Friends!). The film is pretty typical & predictable, but a fun one at that. Not to mention it does a solid job capturing day camp in the 90s.

The Rugrats Movie (1998). Nickelodeon did a very smart thing by starting their movie studio during the 90s, the greatest time for the network. Harriet the Spy, Good Burger (with Kenan Thompson pre-SNL) and Snow Day are all classics for 90s kids, but The Rugrats Movie was without a doubt the biggest of all. The show ran from 1991-2004 on Nickelodeon, and the film came out during the best years of the show. It was so big that the theme song for the film, "Take Me There" by Blackstreet & Mya reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song incorporates the actual theme song from the show.

Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel Join Girl Meets World

90s kids can all rejoice today. One of our favorite shows from our favorite decade, Boy Meets World is returning to TV in sequel form with Girl Meets World. Yesterday it was confirmed that Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel had signed on to reprise their roles as Cory and Topanga. The new series will air on the Disney Channel, so the jury is still out on if it will be any good, but let's hope! Original creator Michael Jacobs is developing it, so there is hope.

Girl Meets World is about their 13-year-old daughter Riley, and now Cory is a middle school teacher, exactly who he used to torment. No word on if Mr Feeny or any other original castmember besides Fishel & Savage will be back, but one can assume some might be. We all know the infamous Lauren from the Ski Lodge won't be.

Boy Meets World ran on ABC from 1993 to 2000, as part of the famous TGIF lineup. Because this new version is on the Disney Channel, does that mean it can't be as edgy as it should be? Hopefully they can find a good balance and make it more interesting than the corny kids shows currently on the Disney Channel. They're obviously going to attract a broader and older audience to this, at least initially.

Toy Story 4 & Finding Nemo 2

Ellen DeGeneres is getting her wish. Pixar & Disney will be releasing "Finding Nemo 2" and "Toy Story 4". Andrew Stanton will be back to direct "Finding Nemo 2", and Ellen DeGeneres will presumably be back to voice Dory considering she has been pushing for them to make a sequel on her hit talk show. Currently it is set to be released in 2016, which can always be changed.

"Toy Story 4" is also in the pipelines apparently. There was some doubt since the trilogy was wrapped up nicely with Toy Story 3, including two wins at the Academy Awards (Best Song, Best Animated Film) and a nomination for Best Picture. But the hit film made over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, and attained a ton of praise from critics and fans. Now "Toy Story 4" has not been officially confirmed by Pixar, but Tom Hanks recently said it is happening and now with the "Finding Nemo 2" news, many a speculating this will be announced next. So the "Toy Story" news might still be false, but I doubt Hanks would have said anything if it wasn't happening. So if it's false, then blame Mr Hanks.

So excuse my french here, but children must get the fuck out of my way when these films come out, they're mine (and yours, of course).

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent

Angelina Jolie will be starring as the title character in Disney's live action film Maleficent, based on the iconic villain from Sleeping Beauty. The film focuses on her and presumably how she becomes so evil. I love the idea of basing a film around a villain as opposed to a hero or anti-hero, an idea which will no doubt pay off for Disney.

The first official photo of Jolie in costume has been released to much praise. Those prosthetic cheekbones (inspired by the ones Lady GaGa wore?) are outstandingly creepy. This will probably have to tide you over for a while, because the film will not be released until March 2014. Though I'm sure we may get a teaser trailer by the end of the year.

Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959)

She looks like a badass and true to the original version. Its been a while since we've seen Jolie in a fantasy film, so this has many people excited. Maleficent is such a unique and iconic character that it would be hard to even compare the role to any others. The film will be directed by Robert Stromberg, production designer from Avatar and Alice in Wonderland.

Harry Potter DVD & Blu Ray Production Being Halted

For those of you looking to complete your collection of the Harry Potter films, or still want Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2, you have to hurry because WB has halted production of them. Once they run out, that is it! It's similar to what they do with the "Disney vault" where they stop producing DVD/Blu Ray's for a couple years and then re-release them with new packaging and features, presumably to make money and introduce them to new fans.

But fear not Potter fans, they will be re-released apparently before/during the 2012 Holiday season, so it won't be a couple years. Hopefully when they do this, the films will be released in extended versions with never before seen footage. There is plenty of it. I doubt they will have as much extra footage as the Lord of the Rings extended editions, but hopefully something that adds to the value. Otherwise, what is the point of pulling them from the shelves for a year?

Also, please vote for PopCultureSpin for a shorty award in the "other" category! I will love you. http://shortyawards.com/category/other/ It takes less than a minute!

Halloween Classic: Hocus Pocus

ABC Family's 13 Night of Halloween is back, and it kicked off with the 1993 Disney cult classic, Hocus Pocus! The movie stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters, the witches who have come back from being dead for 300 years thanks to a virgin lighting the black flame candle.

However, this is not to talk about the film itself. This is a plea to Disney to release a Special Edition Hocus Pocus on DVD. Currently the DVD is bare bones. No deleted scenes or special features like documentaries and such. The film is a cult classic and every Halloween people buy up the DVD and anticipate it being on TV. I'm surprised it hasn't been released with additional content. We know there are scenes that were in the trailer but not in the film. One such shows the sisters in a supermarket.

Maybe there will be something going on for 2013, which will be the 20th Anniversary. Yes, that will make everyone feel old. There have also been rumors of a sequel. Hopefully if there is one, it has the original cast. I don't think people would be excited about one of those direct-to-DVD films with new people playing the characters.

Show your support, E-Mail Disney and ask them to release a Special Edition of Hocus Pocus on DVD and Blu Ray! Hurry, go now, I put a spell on you.

Also, this site has pictures of the filming locations in Salem, Massachusetts as they look now. Some of them look the same!