I Miss U all my Blog

For quite awhile now, Andrew Bell has suffered from an empty stomach as he drew creatures surrounded by scrumptious food over and over. Now, his cravings have spilled over into his newest toy – the oh-so clever O-No Sushi based on his ‘Never Look Back’ print series. A Bento set like no other, Chef Bell’s course includes a nervous limb-challenged squid figure with articulated arms/legs (well… stumps), two sets of interchangeable eyes, a bowl of tentacles and a slice of tentacle sushi.

Limited to 150 sets, the blue edition will be available at SDCC in both the Dumbrella (#1335/1337) and DKE Toys booths (#4732). The standard red edition will be available shortly after the ‘con from your favorite retailer.

We’ve been excited about these for awhile – one of Mr. Bell’s best figures in recent memory. It offers not just an isolated character but a quirky, humorous experience/world that will be immediately familiar to most. Though, we’re still super partial towards Groob – remember him ?

Margaret is an executive at a high powered publishing company and is known for being ruthless. Andrew is her handsome, adorable assistant that she tortures daily while he waits patiently for a promotion to editor and possibly a chance to have his manuscript published. However, Margaret is Canadian and unexpectedly she has her visa revoked and is told she will be removed from her job while in Canada reapplying for her visa. In desperation Margaret tells the partners that she and Andrew are engaged and the two being to engage in deceiving an immigration officer in the hopes that Margaret and Andrew can marry long enough for her to be granted citizenship. What Margaret doesn’t count on is meeting Andrew’s family in Alaska and what that will change in her grand plans.

The Proposal was a cute movie; it wasn’t worth buying, or seeing twice, but it also didn’t bore me – that’s actually pretty good for a romantic comedy. I laughed when I was supposed to laugh, and fell a little in love with the characters, the only thing I never really saw was the relationship. Most of the time this would be a killer for a review of a romantic comedy, but Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds brought a lot of chemistry and were incredibly personable characters, and this is what made the film work, even though I did not see the romance in their relationship.

I have to say that the more I see him in the more I adore Ryan Reynolds. The man has a personality, charisma and humor that radiates from any character he plays and somehow doesn’t detract from his portrayal. The closest thing I can equate him to is a classic star like Clark Gable – you watch him perform and you are aware you are watching an actor, but you still see the mastery of the role.

As a date movie, or a distraction The Proposal is a movie to see. I don’t know if it will have much in the way of legs on DVD, but it’s definitely worth seeing at least once.

Director: Anne Fletcher
Writer: Pete Chiarelli
Margaret Tate: Sandra bullock
Andrew Paxton: Ryan Reynolds
Grace Paxton: Mary Steenburgen
Joe Paxton: Craig T. Nelson
Grandma Annie: Betty White
Gertrude: Malin Akerman

Margaret Tate: What am I allergic to?
Andrew Paxton: Pine nuts, and the full spectrum of human emotion.

If you’ve David Horvath’s Bossy Bear series, Toy2R is going to make your summer with four separate releases spread across TTF and SDCC. First, TTF will see the debut of the new 5” Just Bossy Bear assortment (assuming this means blind-boxed) featuring all Bossy Bear, all the time – different colorways and expressions. Next up, the Lemony Fresh Special Edition Bossy Bear and Friends (previously referred to as ‘yellow' edition)of Bossy Bear, Turtle, and Crocadoca (300 each, numbered).

Finally, the newest member of the BB family, Crocadoca will be available in two extremely limited two tone GID editions each featuring five figures (eds. of 50). For TTF there’s the GID Primary edition and for SDCC there’s the GID DIY edition (unpainted). See pics after the jump – don’t let the product names on the fliers confuse you – apparently they were changed at some point.

Hi Everyone,

UPPER PLAYGROUND
FIFTY/24 SEA Gallery
4730 University Way NE
SEATTLE, WA

Presents: Friday - July, 17th 2009
An Exhibit with Artist - Jim Koch
Opening reception 5 - 10
New Custom toys, Illustrations and Paintings
- with Skate board release.
Featuring - DJ SWERVWON

www.upperplayground.com
www.jimkoch.com

I enjoyed Bottle Shock so much I went out and bought it so I could enjoy it for a second time. I really did not expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did.

Watching the movie again I have to give credit to the actors, this is a movie that has a great cast supporting it and is a textbook example of how a good script turns into a highly enjoyable movie when given to a capable director and a talented cast. There is not one performance in this film that bothers me in the slightest – even in the bit parts. I watch Bottle Shock and believe that these characters could physically and emotionally exist in the time period in which the movie is set.

Also, I must give credit to Randall Miller. The setting of Bottle Shock is spectacular and beautiful and instead of letting this overrun the films visuals. I would love to find out if any of the film was shot in sets or if it was entirely on location because this is a Napa that I want to visit badly and I am not an outdoors kind of person.

I will be watching this movie again before too long because it’s the kind of film that is infectious. Watching it puts you in a good mood, makes you root for the underdog and cheer at any victory no matter how small. Bottle Shock is definitely an accomplishment.

Bo Barrett: It wasn't always like this. Before Paris, people didn't drink our wine. I mean, my friends did. But you could hardly consider their palates discerning... Hell, we were farmers... sort of...

James T. Kirk is an admiral in Starfleet, and when an anomaly that appears to be very dangerous is headed toward Earth he convinces the brass to let him take control of the Enterprise back so that he can intercept the alien force. Along the way Kirk manages to pull Spock and McCoy back into service as well. Once they catch up with the anomaly they become trapped and begin to learn about the entity now known as V-ger. As V-ger gets closer to Earth Kirk and crew must figure out how to stop it before it kills every living being on the planet.

Star Trek: the Motion Picture did give birth to the Star Trek franchise, so it does deserve some credit. However, there is a reason that the nickname for this movie is Star Trek: the Motionless Picture. NOTHING happens in this entire movie. They talk, they philosophize, they look at one another, they watch things, they listen to reports from eye witnesses…and that is it. Even the climax is just them walking into the center of V-ger and talking about what they discovered. Seriously.

I think Robert Wise is amazing, but if I had to see one more shot of the Enterprise flying through space something was going to die.

The worst part of this film is that everything is drawn out ten times longer than it should be. An example? Kirk is being shuttled back to the Enterprise by Scotty. They board the little ship and you see space, then they exchange a few lines of dialogue and Scotty starts the journey, now we have a shot of the Enterprise, then a shot of the shuttle flying, then a shot of Kirk looking, next another shot of the Enterprise, and another shot of earth and maybe the shuttle, then back to Kirk looking, then the Enterprise; after about three to five minutes of this the shuttle finally docks, Kirk & Scotty exchange another few lines of dialogue and then we are into the ship. If you cut out the shots of the ship flying through space you may have a thirty minute movie.

I am a big lover of the original series Star Trek movies because I grew up with them. But if I ever have to watch Star Trek: the Motion Picture again it will be too soon. Personally, I find it amazing that they were able to get Wrath of Khan off the ground.

Director: Robert Wise
Writer: Harold Livingston
Kirk: William Shatner
Spokc: Leonard Nimoy
Bones: DeForest Kelley
Scotty: James Doohan
Sulu: George Takei
Checkov: Walter Koenig
Uhura: Nichelle Nichols
Decker: Stephen Collins

Bones: Well Jim... I hear Chapel's an M.D. now. Well I'm gonna need a top nurse... not a doctor who'll argue every little diagnosis with me. And they probably redesigned the whole sickbay, too! I know engineers, they LOVE to change things.

1. Thought I’d start by asking some personal questions - Besides your work, what are the things you do for enjoyment, relaxation, and Fun???

Golf, attempting to work out, and family stuff like going to my daughters gymnastics and ballet classes.

2. How many hours a day do you work and has there ever been a day when you wished that you could be doing something else?

I work a lot..Much more than my family prefers, but they understand. The travel is extensive as well. As far as being at Funko..only golf tempts me to get out of the office.

3. What are you looking forward to doing in your life (other than funko related)?

Retiring in Maui, while I surf and play golf every day....

4. What does your wife think about your collection and owning a toy company?

She's not much into toys..my daughter is...Both love Funko though.

5. Now onto the Funko questions - What single piece been the biggest seller for Funko? Which are close to the top?

Darth Vader is #1, then Iron Man, then Yoda, Boba.....

6. Funko Force, Nodniks and the USB Drives are poised to put Funko on a whole new level. Where do you see these lines taking the company as a whole?

They provide us a new avenue or new customer to potentially sell our product to. This helps in theory, to grow our company. The electronics especially can bring us to new stores who would not normally carry toys or Funko products.

7. Why you physically have to go to China?

To find new factories, to check on our factory, look at new potential products lines..I go about 3-4 times per year.

What do you like to eat when you’re down there?

not much! Ugggh..I bring beef jerky and starve to death mostly.

8. Big Headz looked cool, but it seems that Funko Force replaced them, and that's not a bad thing at all. What about the lost product lines? the Star Wars Wind Ups? The Seinfeld line? The Operation Guy?

The big headz cost too much to produce versus the perceived value of the toy. Windups are the same issue. Burger King put a line of Star Wars windups out they were quite good, and gave them away...Seinfeld is still a looong and slow process, but I have hope. Operation guy was a Becker thing with Hasbro that never got off the ground due to licensing issues.

9. Have licenses with big-name companies such as Lucasfilms and Marvel made it easier to negotiation smaller licenses and have they made the Funko name more recognizable in the toy market?

Yes..absolutely. Star Wars opened the door to Wal Mart, Target and TRU..and in turn opened more licensing opportunities.

10. Any chance we might see our favorite cereal monsters get the Funko Force vinyl treatment? USB Drives? Maybe regular wobblers metallic or otherwise?

maybe..we will see the initial sales to evaluate.

11. How much does Funatic suggestion play into licenses and variations that we see?

We certainly take views into the overall evaluation process. And of course Funatics idea do make a big splash come Comic Con time.

12. Can you give us any scoop on new lines/Franchises coming out for Funko? At least to keep us satisfied until Funday?

We'll the secret has been leaked a bit, but we are doing a HUGE Music line of Nodniks, Funko Force(Non bobbles) and Wobblers of Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Bob Marley. Really cool stuff and the likenesses are super cool but Funko-ized of course. And keep an eye out for Bruce Lee and Che Guevara!
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A big thanks to Brian for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions! Take it from me, there are some awesome top secret things on the way that will make you poo your pants! Stock up on Depends or a comparable store bought brand NOW!

Hopefully this will keep everyone satisfied until Comic Con and Funday!'

-swobobafett