Author: Family Friendly Daddy Blog

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Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

5 years, 7 months.

Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

Dear Jack,

Two weekends ago, Mommy budgeted us $20 to spend on fireworks for 4th of July. However, Nonna had just visited and given you one of my old Lego moon rover vehicles (still intact from 1990), as well as a $2 bill that you were eager to spend along with the three dollars’ worth in quarters you already had in your wallet.

I decided to make a father-and-son afternoon out of the event. First, I made you go to Goodwill with me to pick up a couple $5 short sleeve shirts I needed for the summer.

Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

After I was all set, we drove down to the big tent and checked out the inventory. I explained to you that we would let all the neighbors spend the big bucks. As for us, we were just there to buy the fun stuff.

Of course, I was scheming with the budget, too. I let you pick out several items, which only totaled $13. That included a Poopy Puppy, a ladybug, a tank, smoke bombs, some Mega Snaps, and a sword.

Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

That left $7 from the fireworks budget, combined with your $2 bill and $3 in quarters, making a total of $12. I surprised you by taking you to Toys “R” Us.

The thing you wanted most was a Jurassic World Hero Mashers T-Rex set, which was on clearance for $15; it normally sold for about $23.

Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

I pitched in a few dollars to cover the small difference as well as tax. From there, we drove about 10 minutes down the Interstate to go see the new Ninja Turtles movie. Three times during that short drive, you proclaimed with much excitement:

“Daddy, I love this toy. It’s the coolest!”

That made me quite proud of my scheme.

Dear Jack: The Jurassic World Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

You ended up liking your Jurassic World Hero Mashers set so much like you actually sold some of your older toys you haven’t played with since we moved in our new house a year and a half ago.

With that money, you schemed with Mommy online and realized you basically could buy 4 more of the dinosaurs!

So next Tuesday, you’ll have a special package arriving. I will surely come home to see to see a T-Rex’s head on a pterodactyl’s body.

Sometimes it’s just good to scheme.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: The Jurassic Park Hero Mashers/Fireworks Scandal

Leave a comment Posted on movie reviews, Nostalgia, Uncategorized

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Boycott Vs. Free Market (Plus, Will Women Support This Movie By Actually Going to See It?)

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Boycott Vs. Free Market (Plus, Will Women Support This Movie?)

I’ve yet to hear one female express excitement over the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot movie, which is apparently a chick flick version of the classic. In fact, I’ve yet to hear one female even acknowledge the new Ghostbusters movie at all.

That’s problematic, since the upcoming movie features a female cast of Ghostbusters along with a good-looking yet dim-witted male secretary, played by Chris Hemsworth.

In theory, there should be some sincere, positive buzz occurring among females on social media. In theory, girls should see this new Ghostbusters movie as empowering to women. However, I’m not seeing a wave of #girlpower in association with the movie, other than from the movie’s main cast and crew, as they are likely forced to by Sony.

Girls aren’t talking about the movie. Guys are.

We are confused why we as males are being left out of the marketing. Clearly, we’re the demographic that actually cares about Ghostbusters.

I’ve read some muttering online about guys needing to boycott the movie, especially during opening weekend, in a conscious effort to send a message to Sony; that this is not the Ghostbusters movie we have been wanting since 1989.

Here’s my video I made about that topic:

This is a chick flick reboot which, based on the trailer, paints men as irrelevant, or petty at best.

We wanted a true sequel. Sony’s offering is a major disappointment.

As far as an official boycott, I say what’s the point? Without a sincere and passionate audience, the free market will likely create a problem even worse than a boycott: apathy.

With no true fans of the reboot, I predict the Ghostbusters reboot is in danger of being the biggest, most embarrassing flop of 2016.

And here’s my video on that:

The thing is, for those of us who are true Ghostbusters fans, we see this coming. I thought usually when a big budget flops that big, it’s typically somewhat of a surprise.

But in this case, the ghostly train wreck is being surveyed in real time on social media. I think that makes it worse, right?

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Boycott Vs. Free Market (Plus, Will Women Support This Movie By Actually Going to See It?)

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Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Chick Flick with No Audience? Men are Irrelevant?

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Chick Flick with No Audience? Men are Irrelevant?

For the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot out next Friday (July 15th), I’m curious to see if Sony’s marketing will be able to find an audience for the movie.

Here’s what I mean by that:

The Ghostbusters reboot, which is being nicknamed “Girlbusters” by us doubting Thomas’s, is apparently supposed to be a chick flick. I say that simply because I’ve seen the trailer at least half a dozen times (in hopes it would magically get better).

This the video I recently made on that subject:

The only male shown is Chris Hemsworth, whose character clearly has looks, but no brains. He doesn’t even know how to answer the phone, yet he is the only male character presented.

Meanwhile, the females are smart, heroic, and (apparently?) funny.

Take away the whole Ghostbusters façade of this movie and consider what is left…

This isn’t Ghostbusters. It’s an attempt at being a chick flick, as its director is Paul Feig; perhaps best known for directing the very successful R-rated chick flick, Bridesmaids, which features a female cast.

As I mentioned a few days ago in my post, Ghostbusters Reboot Movie Toys: Boys Aren’t Buying Them, I present a video I shot which demonstrates all the nearly all female cast of characters are actually located in the boys’ section of stories. In fact, no one is buying these toys: I show how the toys are already on 30% clearance though the movie isn’t even out yet.

Based on the trailer, it appears as if men are now irrelevant in the Ghostbusters universe.

And here’s the video I made on that issue:

It’s confusing, because as a non-Donald Trump supporter who is married with kids and who doesn’t live in his parents’ basement, I feel like Sony’s marketing team doesn’t feel I’m necessary as part of the equation of making this movie successful.

So if men are irrelevant, and if women are the target audience, yet the major lack of sale of toys indicated females are not interested in this movie, then who is the audience?

[Insert sound of crickets here.]

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie: Chick Flick with No Audience? Men are Irrelevant?

13 Comments Posted on movie reviews, toy reviews, Uncategorized

Ghostbusters Reboot Movie Toys: Boys Aren’t Buying Them?

Ghostbusters Reboot Actions Figures Already on 30% Clearance at Target, 2 Weeks before Movie’s Release

This week while perusing through Target during my lunch break, because apparently that’s what I do for fun, I discovered a curious thing:

The action figures for the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot movie are already on 30% clearance, even though the movie doesn’t come out for another 2 weeks, on July 15th.

(This took place at the Franklin, TN, location.)

It presents a theory about the free market:

Could it be that boys aren’t interested in buying action figures

in which females are the protagonists?

I invite you to watch the video I shot, on the scene, which clearly shows that the Ghostbusters reboot movie is clearly being marketed to boys, as these toys are in the same isle as Star Wars and Ninja Turtles, which primarily consist of male characters.

Even though the new Ninja Turtles movie has been out for a month already, none of those toys are on clearance, which implies boys are still asking their parents for them.

ghostbusters-2016-movie-cast

Obviously, there has been a lot of skepticism about the upcoming movie by Ghostbusters fans; especially to make the four Ghostbusters female; as opposed to male, which is the gender they been identified as since 1984.

Ghostbusters Reboot Actions Figures Already on 30% Clearance at Target, 2 Weeks before Movie’s Release

Sure, I admit: If they couldn’t get the original cast to do an actual sequel (especially since Harold Ramis passed away two years ago in 2014), I would have at least liked to have seen brand-new characters to carry on the torch, in the likeness of the original cast:

Maybe Paul Rudd, Steve Carrel, Seth Rogen, and Donald Glover. I think that would have been awesome to see!

Ghostbusters Reboot Actions Figures Already on 30% Clearance at Target, 2 Weeks before Movie’s Release

In that version of reality, I could imagine that much more action figures would have been sold and prevented this 30% clearance situation at Target. Not to mention, I think fans would be much more excited about going out and seeing the new movie.

Again, these toys are purposely placed in the boys’ aisle, not with Barbies. The Ghostbusters toys are clearly intended to be purchased mainly by boys, not girls; which is why they are stocked on the shelves the way they are.

Yet boys aren’t buying them.

This is the free market at work; in which politically correctness is evidently being ignored by very young consumers.

With all that being said, I will be seeing the Ghostbusters reboot movie in a few weeks and will be doing a movie review on it; comparing it to the original, from a family friendly perspective.

So if you if this post has entertained you, check back in a few weeks for more on the Ghostbusters reboot.

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: I am Your Fitness Instructor and Speech Pathologist

9 weeks.

Dear Holly: I am Your Fitness Instructor and Speech Pathologist

Dear Holly,

One of my exclusive daily responsibilities as your Daddy is to make sure you’re being physically challenged in your exercises. So when I’m home, I do exercise time with you after each feeding.

You curiously love to stand up while I hold your hands. This seems peculiar to me, in that you’re only 2 months old. But yes, you stand on your feet for several minutes at a time before you need a break.

It’s funny because you always stand with your feet perfectly together; never in a regular stance.

Sometimes I pretend we are having a father-daughter dance, jokingly signing “Cinderella” by Steven Curtis Chapman. You totally go along with it, not knowing any better.

But while it is a joke, I look forward a lifetime of dancing you with as your father.

After you get tired of that, I turn you over on your stomach, which forces you to attempt to crawl. You have every reason to cry within in a few seconds, yet you never do.

Instead, you are always inspired to keep trying to crawl until I finally flip you back over due to your puddle of drool.

In addition to you having an obsession with maintaining mobility, you also are getting very serious about learning to talk.

During our exercise training, you also will smile at me and starting talking:

“Grrrr-ooowww-ahhh…”

I’ve learned that as I make random sounds back, you try to imitate them.

You’re also fixated on trying to roll all the way over from your back to your stomach.

Rolling over from your back to your side is easy for you at this point. My favorite time was last weekend when you were laying down on your play mat, smiled at me real big, then just threw your whole body into immediately rolling over.

It was as if to say, “Hi Daddy, bye Daddy!”

We have fun together! I am your fitness instructor and speech pathologist.

Love,

Daddy