His New Year's Resolution involves a LOT of Ice Cream...
Now available in my eBay store!
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home
NO SPOILERS AHEAD:
I have typed and trashed many versions of my thoughts on this one, but anything I could say would never live up to the hype the world has already built for the latest Spider-Man adventure...
So I'll say this: As much as I love Disney+ and their Premiere Access steaming, this movie needs to be experienced in theatres and I'm glad I didn't wait to see it.
It's as fun as it is heartbreaking, and you WANT to go in Spoiler-Free.
All players involved are at the top of their game and I doubt there will ever be another chapter in the MCU like this one.
I've talked before about how I HATE the internet crying and arguing about blatant "Fan Service" in recent films; and 'No Way Home' is the ULTIMATE fan service, but I don't think anyone will complain about it.
Sunday, December 12, 2021
Monday, December 6, 2021
Sunday, December 5, 2021
Snowman on eBay!
Please don't ask him to sing...
Now available in my eBay store!
Professional "Silly Snowman" Muppet-Style Ventriloquist Puppet
Thursday, December 2, 2021
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review!
SPOILERS AHEAD:
After reading reviews online calling out this movie for its blatant "fan service", it's clear the internet can't agree on what fan service actually is...
Unlike most of the world, I didn't grow up on the OG Ghostbusters movies, so I didn't get to know the guys until a few years ago. But, like the rest of the world, I fell fast and hard for the characters and their brand of humor.
And yes, I even enjoy the 2016 Paul Feig film for what it's worth....
So with all the hype, and in an attempt to dodge spoilers, 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' was a no-brainer for my first time back inside a movie theatre since Pixar's 'Onward' in early 2020.
Afterlife's kids are wonderful, and have such great chemistry.
McKenna Grace's Phoebe is adorkable, and her friendship with Podcast (Logan Kim) is such a fun dynamic I hope we get to see more of in the Ghostbusters universe; I'm not ready for their story to be done just yet.
And Paul Rudd is charming as heck, but we all know that already...
Of course we get to see Janine and the boys again, jumpsuits and all, but we were all expecting that... What I wasn't expecting was (ironically) the return of Gozer (an uncredited Olivia Wilde) and those BEAUTIFUL Terror Dog puppets.
Which brings us to THAT MOMENT:
I think a lot of us had speculated about something similar happening in the finale, but the execution was as close to perfect as I've seen. It is clear that our moments with Egon were designed with love and the utmost respect. And the similarities to an unused 90s Ramis/Akroyd script, in which Venkman is the Buster no longer with us (to accommodate Murray's availability) makes it all the sweeter.
If this movie is the "definition of fan service", like the internet warned me about, I'm all in.
I like Ghostbusters.
I got more Ghostbusters.
As a fan I have been happily served.
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Monday, October 25, 2021
Friday, October 22, 2021
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Saturday, October 16, 2021
Slappy Anniversary!
How could I forget that October 16th (a date I said LITERALLY thousands of times in publicity) is the day 'Goosebumps' was released into the world!
I was SO green to movie-making, and probably asked TOO MANY questions along the way, but I'm (still) incredibly grateful for everyone's patience and support.
It's a weird time to look back on because even though it was a happy time in my life, it also ties to some of my worst moments because of who I was dating... BUT I don't want to dwell on that, I want to talk some highlights of where I got to go because of this wonderful project:
Like San Diego, where I got to walk the floor of Comic Con with Jack Black, and Slappy was revealed to the world at an unbelievable panel!
Or New York City where I had a very brief cameo on Neil Patrick Harris' LIVE 'Best Time Ever'; filmed at Kaufman Astoria Studios (where they shoot Sesame Street!), and where I was assigned Carol Spinney's dressing room, a door down from The B-52s
And LA, where I got to play at YouTube Space, and Slappy got to rap in a music video with JB & Nerdist AND (my personal favorite) a wonderful video with vSauce3!
And of course the HOURS I got to spend on the Sony lot, doing some first-of-its-kind publicity, mere feet away from where 'The Wizard of Oz' was filmed (and having our trailer's TV debut alongside Muppets on ABC was also kind of mind-blowing!)
I hope this doesn't come across as too braggy, but even now I don't want to take a second of these wonderful experiences for granted.
Thanks, Slappy.
Friday, October 8, 2021
'Muppets Haunted Mansion' Review
I was up at 3am when 'Muppets Haunted Mansion' went live on Disney+ because I didn't want to wait until daylight to sink my teeth into some new Muppet content... and it did NOT disappoint!
This new special, directed by veteran Muppets writer Kirk Thatcher (who's been trying to get a Muppet Halloween special made for 30+ years!) has Gonzo and Pepe on their way to the famous mansion, and all they have to do is survive until morning...
Of course, spooks and silliness abound, along with more than a handful of ghostly cameos (Will Arnett, Taraji P. Henson, and more...)
To me Gonzo and Pepe seemed like an unusual pairing, but it really works; I can't think of a better duo for this story. In fact, the special's limited use of the usual Muppet MVPs (Kermit, Piggy, and Fozzie) make their appearances all the more entertaining.
And don't get me started on the cameos from Muppets (and performers) we haven't heard from in YEARS (Johnny & Sal, Gaffer, both Nigels?!)
The puppets and costumes are BEAUTIFUL; including a crazy look at one of the special's stars like we've never seen them before!
Also... ARM RODS?! For the last 20 years or so Disney has digitally removed any evidence of the Muppets being puppets, so I was surprised to see rods and even puppeteers (!!) in the special's credits, accompanied by a KILLER Electric Mayhem cover of 'Dancing in the Moonlight'.
'Muppets Haunted Mansion' highlights what the Muppets do best but haven't been in quite a while: chaos. Every scene is PACKED with wall-to-wall Muppets, music, heart, and even some legit scares (I'm looking at you, John Stamos!)
This show is definitely required viewing for Spooky Season, and will probably go down in Muppet History alongside the likes of other post-Henson era greats like 'Muppet Christmas Carol'.
Thursday, October 7, 2021
Friday, October 1, 2021
Happy 50th Disney World!
I intended to make a long and eloquent post for Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary...
What the parks have meant to me and Audrey over the past few years, but I wasn't happy with anything I typed up; so I spent a few hours (much more than I would have spent writing even the most elaborate of posts...) and put this little thing together.
I hope we'll be back soon.
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Monday, September 20, 2021
Emotions in Puppetry (Beginners Tutorial)
My previous Puppetry Tutorial video has recently experienced a HUGE influx of views, so here's another!
Want to see more videos like this? Let me know!
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Friday, September 10, 2021
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Monday, September 6, 2021
Saturday, September 4, 2021
Dug Days Review
I'm a few days behind, but it would be a shame not to write up something about the simple sweetness of Dug Days on Disney Plus!
These 5 new shorts showcase Carl and Dug's life after their adventures in Paradise Falls. The episodes are short and sweet, and feel reminiscent of Disney's 40s-era 'Pluto' shorts in the very best way.
All of the character's original voice actors reprise their roles, including Bob Peterson, who in addition to voicing Dug, also serves as Director and Writer for the series.
The show also features the return of Ed Asner as Carl, in one of his final performances, and even Russel is back, with the help of reused audio of Jordan Nagai from the film.
Clearly I really enjoyed these shorts, the animation is beautiful, and it was lovely to revisit the world of Up and see some old friends again.
Thursday, September 2, 2021
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Friday, August 20, 2021
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Friday, August 13, 2021
RECYCLED! | Driving Me Crazy Podcast
One man's trash is another man's Podcast... This week's (kind of) NEW EPISODE of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast has landed!
More soon!
Avery
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Monday, August 9, 2021
Saturday, July 31, 2021
Jungle Cruise Review
For their last Summer movie of the year, Disney+ has finally released the long-awaited 'Jungle Cruise' and even with the additional Premiere Access fee, it's definitely worth your attention.
Basing a film on a theme park attraction isn't new, and this easily feels like Disney's follow up to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and I can already smell a sequel on the horizon...
The chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt is incredibly authentic, and there's no doubt as to why Disney keeps calling on them.
Johnson, who is himself a HUGE fan of Disney and their parks, is charming and witty as Frank, and is the only actor in the film who could get away with those terrible (wonderful!) Jungle Cruise puns.
Emily Blunt's Lily is the type of heroine we all need to see on screen right now, and kicks all kind of butt (literally and figuratively) in every scene.
The rest of the cast deserves their dues as well, with Paul Giamatti, Jesse Piemons, and Édgar RamÃrez as the story's villains, but Jack Whitehall as Lily's brother McGregor has both the funniest and most sincere moments in the movie, as well as making a bit of history along the way.
As expected, references and nods to the ride (and even other Adventureland offerings) pop up, but I found them sprinkled into the story in a way that seemed genuine, and not just for the fan-service. Since the original Jungle Cruise attraction has recently received a facelift to eliminate some of the rather racist themes, I was curious to see what would be held over from the ride's show scenes, and what IS still there seemed to be handled with a lot of sensitivity and care.
Of course if you're still hesitant, the movie will be available to all Disney+ subscribers without the extra fees soon enough. But if you're a fan of Disney's brand of family action films or the park attraction itself, this movie is one heck of a ride!
Friday, July 30, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | Guess the Movie!
It's GAME ON in this week's new Driving Me Crazy Podcast!
More soon!
Avery
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
MAKING MAGIC VLOG!
The last few weeks have been a mess, so my uploads have been kind of pitiful... but here's a bit of the happy among the craziness!
More soon!
Avery
Friday, July 16, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | More Stupid Criminals, TV, and Clowns
Finally someone dumber than us!
New episode of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast available now!
More soon!
Avery
Thursday, July 8, 2021
Monsters at Work Review
The first two episodes of the new Disney+ series 'Monsters at Work' have arrived!
The spin-off picks up the day after the first 'Monsters' film, as Mike & Sulley (Billy Crystal & John Goodman) are now put in charge of running Monsters Incorporated.
To be honest, as exciting as seeing Mike & Sulley again is, for me the most thrilling part is being back inside the Monsters Inc factory again, something we didn't really get in the prequel...
The new guy, Tylor Tuskman (Ben Feldman) has just graduated MU and finds himself in a business that no longer needs Scarers and is re-assigned to the Monsters Inc. Facilities Team; MIFT, for short. There he meets Val (Mindy Kaling), Fritz (Henry Winkler), Cutter, (Alanna Ubach), and Duncan (Lucas Neff) and, very reluctantly, joins their weird family.
Other favorite characters return: Celia Mae (Jennifer Tilly), Prof. Knight (Alfred Molina), Roz (Bob Peterson), Mrs. Flint (Bonnie Hunt), and even the "extras" that fill in the corners of the factory are familiar faces from either 'Monsters, Inc.' or 'Monsters University'.
My ONLY criticism (if you could even call it that) is that Goodman and Crystal did not record together like they did for the original film. Separating the actors (which is standard Voice-Over practice, I know...) seems to affect their character's dynamic in ways that stand out to someone like me who ABSORBED every second of the original movie 20 (GULP!) years ago...
Pixar stories, especially the ones I grew up on, still have the ability to make me completely forget my surroundings, and mentally regress to a time where all I had to worry about were characters like Mike & Sulley or Woody & Buzz and their troubles; and this series absolutely did that for me again, these two new twenty-five minute episodes really flew by. There are plenty of references and cameos from the OG film to keep those of us who grew up on 'Monsters' more than happy, and with new episodes dropping every Wednesday for the next few weeks, I'm happy to be visiting Monstropolis again for a little while...
More soon,
Avery
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Friday, July 2, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | D&D, Stupid Criminals, and a Giant Pigeon
Chase is getting into some WEIRD stuff this week on a new episode of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast!
More soon!
Avery
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Pixar's Luca Review
Disney & Pixar's Luca, available now to all subscribers on Disney+, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Of course every Pixar venture is, but this is one for the books.
The landscapes and setting is breathtaking (and NOT stock footage?) and is contrasted by an animation style that I've never seen from Pixar before.
Luca, a sea monster voiced by Jacob Tremblay (who will also voice Flounder in the upcoming Live-Action Little Mermaid) meets fellow sea creature Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer; Shazam!, It), and the human Giulia (newcomer Emma Berman) and the three team up for triathlon in the Italian city of Portorossso. They have some tough competition as well as avoiding Luca's parents (Maya Rudolph & Jim Gaffigan) who come into town to find their son.
How Pixar can continuously re-invent the wheel, with every new story standing completely on its own, with original characters and designs, is always astounding to me. This could have easily been The Little Mermaid for boys, but the depth of the world and the culture the boys step into will blow away any comparisons between the two.
All that being said, Luca is well worth your time, and will very likely be getting a second (and third) viewing from me this weekend!
Friday, June 18, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | ASMR, Theatre Talk, and VHS
We're living in the past in this week's Driving Me Crazy Podcast!
More soon!
Avery
Monday, June 14, 2021
Friday, June 4, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | Vacation Bible School Extravaganza!
Relive the joys and dangers of working with children in stories from Vacation Bible Schools past in this week's new episode of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast!
More soon!
Avery
Friday, May 28, 2021
Cruella Review!
Disney's Cruella, now streaming with Premiere Access on Disney+, truly exceeded all of my expectations. The story is intriguing and original, the visuals are unique, the soundtrack is fantastic, and you don't end the film feeling sympathy for a "Puppy Killer" like I had feared.
Emma Stone's commitment to the role of Estella/Cruella really made me wonder how much she brought to the script herself; not once did I think of her as Stone, her performance was transformative and just as big as you want Cruella to be.
As for the rest of the cast: Joel Fry (Jasper) and Paul Walter Houser (Horace) bring the comic relief and (shockingly) the humanity out of Cruella. Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Kyvan Novak play small roles as Anita and Roger who were a lovely surprise (for me at least).
And of course, Emma Thompson, who has been a wonderful fit for Disney in the last decade or so (Saving Mr. Banks, Brave, Beauty and the Beast) of course REALLY brings it again as the stone-cold Baroness.
Cruella should not be looked at as a true prequel to the 1961 film or the 1996 film starring Glenn Close; the stories are their own separate animals (pun definitely intended). The small nods and references to the original animated film are very welcome and a fun extra something for Disney Geeks like me to to keep an eye out for.
For us at least, the film is EASILY worth the extra cost, it will, however be available to everyone at no cost on Disney+ in a few months... if you're the patient type...
Monday, May 24, 2021
Friday, May 21, 2021
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | Willy's Wonderland
LOOK OUT!
Episode 2 of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast is RIGHT BEHIND YOU!
More soon!
Avery
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Monday, April 26, 2021
Friday, April 23, 2021
Driving Me Crazy Podcast | Soccer, Ballet, and Billboards
Episode 1 of the Driving Me Crazy Podcast is LIVE!
My latest creative venture with my buddy Chase Golden, and something we've been talking about for several years now!
I hope you'll listen... and maybe even enjoy it?
New episodes will be dropping every two weeks
More soon!
Avery
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
COMING SOON: Driving Me Crazy Podcast!
Coming APRIL 23rd to YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts!
More soon!
Avery
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Sunday, April 4, 2021
Saturday, April 3, 2021
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Silly Rabbit on eBay!
No really, the Easter Bunny is his cousin!
Now in my eBay store!
More soon!
Avery
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Friday, March 12, 2021
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Friday, February 26, 2021
Monday, February 22, 2021
Pink Girl on eBay!
She thinks your dog could use a little more glitter!
Now in my eBay store!
More soon!
Avery
Monday, February 15, 2021
Friday, February 12, 2021
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Monday, January 18, 2021
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Puppet HACK Mini-Vlog!
Trying out something kind of different in the form of a MINI-Vlog today!
Videos have been sparse lately for a number of reasons, but I'm TRYING to get back at it!
More soon,
Avery
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