toy reviews

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 Pregnancy, Storytelling, toy reviews, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Your Due Date is Exactly 3 Months from Today!

27 weeks.

Dear Holly: Your Due Date is Exactly 3 Months from Today!

Dear Holly,

Today I visited Brilliant Sky Toys and Books and bought you your first official stuffed animal from Mommy and me.

For a few months now, we’ve had our eyes on this particular Jelly Cat bunny with a flower design for its ears: Blossom Bunny Posey.

It instantly made us think you; not overly dainty and princess-essy, but instead; sweet, eclectic, and understated.

I could be wrong, but that’s how I see you: sweet, eclectic, and understated.

The question: What kind of little girl will you be?

It’s something I think about constantly. Here’s my thought process so far…

Mommy is obviously beautiful, classy, and diligent in all she does. I know you will be like her in those ways.

Your brother Jack is creative, intelligent, and independent.

As for me, I am innovative, good at communication but horrible at math, and charming in an old-world sort of way.

We are the family you are being born into.

Over the next couple of years, you will develop your personality based on and around us.

I see you as artsy. I don’t see you as someone who demands attention. People will be drawn to you because you will be confident in who you are.

Something I assure you of as your Daddy is that I will instill that confidence in you, every day.

You will know you are beautiful. You will know you are loved. You will hear these things from me every day.

That’s one of my roles as your Daddy. I take pride in that job.

Granted, I will also brainwash you into believe that Frozen is an asinine movie because the parents locked their daughters in the rooms, not allowing them to communicate just because they were different.

Therefore, I will celebrate with you the better Disney girl movie choice, Inside Out. It demonstrates how good parents raise their daughters; from an emotionally intelligent perspective.

Yeah, your Daddy’s going to be a little bit different… maybe even a little bit kooky. But you’ll never have to wonder about my love for you.

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling, toy reviews, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: The Worst Gift We Gave You for Your 5th Birthday

5 years.

Dear Jack: The Worst Gift We Gave You for Your 5th Birthday

Dear Jack,

Mommy and I bought your birthday and Christmas gifts months ahead of time. It’s funny because I had actually completely forgotten what your birthday gifts were, since they’ve been wrapped and in storage for so long.

So when you opened them a month ago on your 5th birthday, they were just as much as a surprise to me as they were to you.

While you truly loved your gifts, there was one dud; though fortunately, you didn’t really seem to notice. You were very excited to open it, as it was your first one we let you open:

A couple of months ago, Mommy bought a “3D Pirate Ship” kite from Zoolilly; knowing that we would be celebrating your birthday on the beaches of Destin, Florida. We had never considered the assembly process, though.

Granted, I’m not good about figuring out how to put things together, but this kite barely come with any instructions; in addition to being quite complicated to begin with.

Dear Jack: The Worst Gift We Gave You for Your 5th Birthday

The instructions were very cryptic and minimal. (Without surprise, the kite was made in China.) Mommy and I spent an hour figuring out how to assemble the thing; and we barely got the job done.

On my own, I would have just given up and immediately thrown it in the garbage. Mommy’s help is what saved the kite from instant destruction.

Once we finally got the thing built, I had preconceived ideas on how it would fly: Amazing, but short-lived.

I was accurate in my prediction.

By the time I got the kite flying high enough for you to hold on to the string, it began self-destructing in the air.

Dear Jack: The Worst Gift We Gave You for Your 5th Birthday

Its life lasted about 2 minutes. You never got to fly it.

Fortunately, you were too distracted by running in the sand and waves to realize that I snuck in the kite into the garbage can.

Yes, it was the worst present you gave you for your birthday, but it fortunately was also the most forgettable; especially in a beach setting.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: The Worst Gift We Gave You for Your 5th Birthday

1 Comment Posted on Nostalgia, parenting, Storytelling, toy reviews, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You’re Not Growing Up Way Too Fast

4 years, 8 months.

The Reason You’re Not Growing Up Too Fast

Dear Jack,

I’ve never felt that you are growing up too quickly. I think you’re growing up at exactly the right speed.

The metronome in my head works just fine as it measures at what rate you should graduate across the sliding scale of baby to boy.

Maybe a good reason I feel this way is that I’ve written at least one blog post and/or letter to or about you since before you were born. That’s more than 5 years now!

There are now hundreds of stories and pictures of your life story that I have preserved in time. (And they all can be retrieved by clicking on the Blog Archives tab on the left side of the screen.)

So maybe I am the exception to the rule of feeling my kid is growing up too fast. I never find myself missing any younger version of you. I have warm nostalgic thoughts about those days, but I don’t miss them.

Because I so appreciate who you are now.

You’re perfect. You’re exactly everything I could possibly hope for in a son.

You are a beautiful, intelligent, and creative young boy.

It is a gift each day that I get to see who you are becoming.

Maybe I’m being too pragmatic here, but if I really wanted to relive the “baby days”, I should focus getting you a brother or sister…

That seems like the best way to relive that time period, but at the same time be able to appreciate the nearly 5 year-old boy you are.

But no, you’re not growing up too quickly for me.

You’re my genius son who just entered his Lego creations into the upcoming county fair. But you’re also down-to-Earth enough that you fully appreciated the “pooping moose” key chain I brought back from Grand Rapids this week as a souvenir.

Love,

Daddy

j1

Leave a comment Posted on Storytelling, toy reviews, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

4 years.

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

Dear Jack,

Back in August, while reviewing the 2015 Cadillac Escalade on a road trip back to Nonna and Papa’s house, I let you inherit one of my old Transformers from 1985; his name is Blitzwing.

Turns out, I was 4 years old back in 1985, and you just turned 4 a few weeks ago. It was simply inevitable you would spend some of your birthday money on your very own Transformer.

It sweetened the deal that in addition to receiving a gift card to Toys “R” Us, the store also sent you a $5 off coupon. A few days before the purchase, I even used my lunch break to make sure they had in stock the one you wanted…

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

So after a weekend of you diligently helping Mommy and I finalize moving the rest of our stuff out of our townhome and moving it into storage, and spending our last night in our townhome this past weekend, we decided to let you buy your very first Transformer.

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

For weeks now, you’ve had your eye on a blue and green Dinobot named Slash.

Immediately once we walked into the Transformer aisle at Toys “R” Us, you screamed, “That’s him!”

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

I happened to notice they had a reissue of Blitzwing (the one I gave you from my childhood), as well as Bumblebee, who you also are crazy about.

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

But you didn’t flinch, Slash the Dinobot it was!

You practiced transforming him all the next day, even in the dark. By the next day at school, you were able to instantly transform Slash for your teacher Ms. Michelle.

I was also proud of you for so willingly sharing him with your friends at school. I could tell you were happy to show him off.

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

Something tells me this is the first of many Transformers to come. After all, this is your 1985; the year that Transformers became extremely relevant for me.

Now, as for our family moving out of our townhome, and why so quickly, I’ve got more to tell you, but not today.

Dear Jack: Your Very 1st Transformer/We’ve Now Moved Out Of Our Townhome

Maybe next week…

Love,

Daddy