2015 Anniversaries

How has it been 20 Years since 'Toy Story'?

Can you believe we are already halfway through the 2010's? 2015 unbelievably kicks off the second half of this decade, even though many of those Back To The Future II predictions didn't come true (although some did, like big flat screen TV's and video chatting).  There are also some hard to believe anniversaries this year.

2010, 5 Years Since... Lebron James joined the Miami Heat and oddly became a media "villain". Cavs fans burned his jersey, but now that he's made his return to Cleveland, love him again. Funny how sports work. The Chilean miners were freed and one famously kissed his mistress. The double rainbow also became a hit viral video, and now everyone searches for one.

2005, 10 Years Since... YouTube debuted. Before 2005 it was harder to find shareable videos where you can watch people make fools of themselves. You could still find them, though you had to search a bit more depending on which site people used. YouTube made it easy for everyone to use one site. Xbox 360 was launched, and its still going strong today despite the updated generation of video game consoles being released recently. August will see the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history.

2000, 15 Years Since... The last Subway Series. I mean the real Subway Series, during the World Series, not that interleague stuff. The Mets and Yankees squared off in the first Subway(All New York) World Series since the 1950's. Looking back, this was also New York in the final year before 9/11, and America as a whole was a different place in 2000. People also said "The Year..." before 2000. Why did so many people say "The Year 2000" again?

1995: 20 Years Since... Toy Story. That's right, this fall will mark 20 years since Toy Story hit theaters and launched Pixar into the huge studio it is today. Feels like yesterday when it came out and jaws dropped at the sight of the first fully computer animated movie. Clueless also came out, and perfectly encapsulates the style and lingo of the time. It was also the year of the OJ Simpson trial, one of the first times a trial became a television phenomenon thanks to cable news, and people are still obsessed with these today.

1990: 25 Years Since... Home Alone. The Christmas favorite will be a quarter of a century old. I wonder what Buzz's girlfriend looks like now? East & West Germany finally reunited. And now we get Angela Merkel pantsuits. "U Can't Touch This" was released and popularized parachute pants. Thankfully those have not stood the test of time.

1985: 30 Years Since... Live Aid took place on July 13, 1985, simultaneously from London and Philadelphia, becoming one of the biggest TV broadcasts and satellite link-ups ever. Bono sported quite the show stealing mullet when he moved down to the crowd during U2's 14-minute performance of "Bad".  The Breakfast Club and The Goonies came out. It has really been 30 years since the Truffle Shuffle.

1980: 35 Years Since... John Lennon was sadly shot in December 1980, but his timeless music and memory live on today. The Empire Strikes Back took over the world and had people waiting in long lines for tickets, which is a rare thing now thanks to the internet and apps.

1975: 40 Years Since... Saturday Night Live began, launching many careers and providing some late night laughs. Sonny and Cher divorced, which made "I Got You Babe" a bit awkward. Jaws started the summer blockbuster movie craze and scared tons of people from going in the water.

1970: 45 Years Since... The Beatles broke up and released their final album, Let It Be. I'm sure lots of people were sad, but they all went on to have successful solo careers anyway. Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin both dies at age 27, which gave rise to the "27 Club" of famous musicians who tragically passed away at the same young age.

1965: 50 Years Since... The Beatles performed at Shea Stadium and the New York World's Fair took place in Queens. The NY World's Fair was not a money maker, but still has become quite a famous event which is still talked about.

'Toy Story of TERROR!' Thrills

Pixar is known for their outstanding feature films and award winning shorts, but they finally hit the realm of TV with 'Toy Story of TERROR' on ABC. The Halloween special, Pixar's first, was a nice Television debut for the studio and a great supplement to the 'Toy Story' film series. There were plenty of callbacks to the films throughout the half hour special to please fans, which helped form the basis of the story rather than just be throwaway moments.

The biggest of these callbacks was the addition of Combat Carl (voiced by Carl Weathers), who showed up to help Jessie save the day. If you forgot, a Combat Carl was blown up by that douche Sid in the first 'Toy Story' movie back in 1995. He was missing his hand for most of this special. Poor guy can't catch a break (until the end, of course!) 

Jessie (Joan Cusack) was the star here, facing her fear of being trapped inside an enclosed space in order to save Woody (Tom Hanks). The origin of her fear is referenced by Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) from when she was abandoned in a box of old things by her original owner Emily in 'Toy Story 2'. No depressing Sarah McLachlan song this time around. 

Other characters featured were Rex (Wallace Shawn), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Trixie (Kristen Schaal), and Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton). The group get stuck at a motel after Bonnie's mom's car breaks down. They are then picked off one by one courtesy of an iguana, who brings them back to the motel owners office. He apparently is a creep who steals toys and sells them online. It seemed like a variation of the 'Toy Story 2' plot, but it works for this as well. My favorite scene was when the cat shaped Pex dispenser threw up a pez when Jessie stuck her hand in the Iguana's mouth to retrieve Potato Head's missing arm.

Here's to hoping Pixar gives us a Thanksgiving and/or Christmas special! And you can expect 'Toy Story of Terror' to air every year around Halloween just like 'It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'. 

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!

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.

Tips For Winter Storm Nemo

Winter Storm Nemo is approaching the Northeast with a ton of snow ready to be dumped, then some strong wind to blow it all around for good measure to mess up your car or sidewalk should you try and clean them halfway through the storm.

Here are some tips for staying busy during the storm before eventually heading out for some winter snow fun.

1 - Watch Finding Nemo. This one is a no-brainer. Remember just how much you love Nemo when you feel like cursing the name that locked you in the house on a Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) will help provide some comic relief to your night. And don't forget that they are making a Finding Nemo 2! Maybe they should name more storms after our favorite Pixar characters? Certainly makes them seem less intimidating. Plus, we should all understand where Nemo is coming from. I would be incredibly pissed if Pixar made Cars 2 before Finding Nemo 2 also.

2 - AMC will be airing a marathon of The Walking Dead seasons 2 and 3 this weekend leading up to the return of the show on Sunday night. What better way to spend stuck inside than with our favorite zombies and zombie killers? Seeing Michonne (Danai Gurira) slice of some zombie heads with her sword and giving The Governor (David Morrissey) an eye full of glass is a nice way to spend an afternoon.

3 - Break out the Super Nintendo, Sega Dreamcast, N64 or any video game console from the 90s. Was there anything better than playing "Mario Party" or "Sonic" during a Snow Day? Or the classic 90s Disney games?

4 - Dust off those Frosty the Snowman DVD's and remember just how much you love the snow. Okay maybe not Blizzard level snow...but when its all said and done it will make for some great sledding, football, igloo and snowman building.

5 - HOT COCOA!

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).