2016 (of the Purple Age) adventures

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2016 (of the Purple Age)
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year
Since the release of Legend of the NeverBeast in spring 2015, Disney has announced the closure of the Tinker Bell film series (October 28, 2008 – March 3, 2015) due to declining DVD sales, disappointing merchandise sales, and story problems. This year, after the incident of Melissa and Brian's illegal marriage and the death of the legendary Han Solo character (incident by Kylo Ren) in The Force Awakens, I will learn to let the Fairies trilogy being locked into the vault and deal with the other things (including The Three Caballeros, Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio).
At this point, most people, myself included, probably no longer care about this Ice Age franchise. It started out fine, but with each entry it became worse and worse and people, besides small children, simply no longer care. Blue Sky Studios just came out of a creative home run with The Peanuts Movie. This film introduced us to a completely new way to use computer animation and told a simple yet classic story that people of all ages could enjoy, so it's sad to see the studio return to the Ice Age franchise with a film, Ice Age: Collision Course, that looks even worse than anything it has made before that will cause me to become so powerful like what I almost did since Han Solo's death in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film, the Star Wars-inspired event, will be released on July 22nd, 2016.
People incidents
Richard Libertini (Fletch, All of Me, Popeye) died at the age of 82 in Venice, California on January 7th, 2016, from cancer, which was diagnosed two years prior.
On January 10th, 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of the album Blackstar, David Bowie (Labyrinth, The Prestige) died from liver cancer in his New York City apartment.
Brian Bedford (Robin Hood, Nixon, Much Ado About Nothing) died from cancer on January 13th, 2016 in Santa Barbara, California, at the age of 80.
On January 14th, 2016, Alan Rickman (Harry Potter, Die Hard, Love Actually) died in a London hospital, after suffering a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)
However, on January 14th, 2016, I confirmed the idea on how to find more peace and make the Disney Fairies film series survive and escape criticism and the extinction by Ice Age: Collision Course and wanting the Secret of the Wings Intrada Records soundtrack to come (due for 2017) and wanting the Frozen sequel to have the release date. I decided to make another vacation since my sister's decision during my second visit to Eugene last year: the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, to commentate the 45th anniversary of Roy O. Disney's (1893-1971) theme park and celebrate the opening of a new flume attraction based on Disney's newest masterpiece, Frozen and its new short, Frozen Fever – Frozen Ever After in Epcot's Norway pavilion.
I kept patience until next month with Kung Fu Panda 3, the first animated film we will get this year, but it's also one of the biggest animated releases of the year. The film originally prevent competition with The Force Awakens, which probably was the best thing DreamWorks could have done for this property. Kung Fu Panda is one of DreamWorks' biggest and most successful franchises at the moment and, after that Kung Fu Panda 2 cliffhanger, we're eager to see what new adventures Po and the Furious Five have in store for us. The film will include an awesome new villain, Po's long lost family, and lots and lots of awesomeness; Bring it on!
Kung Fu Panda 3 (January 29, 2016 – June 28, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for martial arts action and some mild rude humor)
Critic Score: 87% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 6.8/10
Consensus: Kung Fu Panda 3 boasts the requisite visual splendor, but like its rotund protagonist, this sequel's narrative is also surprisingly nimble, adding up to animated fun for the whole family.
Grade: B+
Box office: $519.9 million
Plot
In the Chinese Spirit Realm, Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) fights against an adversary named Kai (J.K. Simmons), who has defeated other kung fu masters in the realm and taken their chi, turning them into small jade charms. Oogway willingly gives in and also has his chi stolen, but not before warning Kai that the Dragon Warrior, Po (Jack Black), will stop him. Kai takes this as a challenge to steal the chi from the Dragon Warrior and returns to the mortal world using the masters' chi. Meanwhile, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) announces his retirement from teaching to begin his 30 years training to master chi and passes the role of teacher to Po. Po is excited at first, but discovers that teaching kung fu is not as easy as he expected, as the Furious Five members Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Monkey (Jackie Chan) are injured as a result. Po is demoralized as a teacher, which makes him question who he really is and whether he is the Dragon Warrior. In response, Shifu advises Po that instead of trying to be a teacher, he should try to be himself.
Po heads home to his adoptive father, Mr. Ping (James Hong), at his noodle shop, where a panda named Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) breaks Po's dumpling-eating record. They both soon learn that Li is Po’s biological father and they bond with each other, much to Ping's jealousy. After introducing Li to Shifu and his friends, the valley is suddenly attacked by jade statues controlled by Kai. Po notices that some of the statues resemble past Kung Fu masters, several of whom had been dead for hundreds of years. The team then learns through research that Kai was Oogway's old friend who fought with him as brothers-in-arms long ago. When Oogway was injured, Kai carried him until they reached a secret village of pandas, who healed Oogway using their chi. The pandas taught Oogway how to give chi, but when the power-hungry Kai decided to drain it from them to increase his power, Oogway defeated him and banished to the spirit realm. To defeat Kai, Po must learn to channel chi himself, which Li offers to teach him by going to a secret panda village. Po and Li, along with Mr. Ping, travel to the village while Shifu and the Furious Five stay behind. Although Po is eager to learn chi, he first learns the relaxed life of a panda in the village, which he feels grateful to be a part of.
After learning that many Kung Fu masters are missing, Shifu sends Crane and Mantis, along with Master Bear (Fred Tatasciore), Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and Master Chicken (Stephen Kearin), to find Kai but they all have their chi stolen by Kai. Kai then arrives at the Jade Palace and destroys it, but not before capturing Monkey, Viper and Shifu, while Tigress escapes to warn Po. Afraid, Li and the pandas prepare to run away. When Po demands that Li teach him how to use chi, he confesses that he does not know how, and that he lied so he would not lose his son again. Hurt over his father's misdirection, Po isolates himself and trains vigorously to confront Kai. Mr. Ping admits to Li that he was initially worried Po would be taken away from him, but realized that Li being a part of Po's life simply added to his happiness, and that they must stay by his side. Master Tigress confronts Po and tells him that he cannot defeat Kai without continuing to discover the secret of chi, during which Po confesses that the experience has him once more doubting his potential. Li and the villagers, having decided to stay, ask Po to train them so they can fight back. Po agrees and teaches them using their everyday activities as their assets and begins their plan to save their village.

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Kai arrives and confronts Po, who had been waiting for him. Kai sends his jade statue minions to capture Po, but they are held off by the pandas and Tigress, distracting Kai. The plan works in holding off the army, but when Po tries to use the Wuxi finger hold on Kai to send him back to the Spirit Realm, he reveals that it can only work on mortals, not a spirit warrior. Kai gains the upper hand in their fight, but Po uses the Wuxi finger hold again on himself while gripping Kai, transporting them both. They fight again, with Kai regaining the advantage to subdue, and he begins petrifying Po. Using what they learned from Po and about who they are, Li, Tigress, Mr. Ping and the pandas are able to use their chi to save him. Po is able to use his chi to create a giant dragon figure which he uses to overload Kai, destroying him.
In an ethereal golden pond, Grand Master Oogway appears to Po, and informs him his journey has come full circle, revealing his role by selecting Po as Dragon Warrior because of his descent from the ancient pandas, and his embodiment of the yin-yang. He also reveals his role in alerting Li to Po's survival, and declares Po his true successor. By choice, Po wields a mystic green yin-yang staff bestowed by Oogway to return to the mortal world. He and his extended family all return to the Valley, where they continue practicing their chi, as Po proudly gazes upon his legacy in the spot where his journey began.
People incidents
Joe Alaskey (Looney Tunes, Rugrats, Casper) died in Green Island, New York, from cancer on February 3rd, 2016, aged 63.
Daniel Gerson (Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, Big Hero 6, Chicken Little) died in Los Angeles at the age of 49 on February 6th, 2016 due to brain cancer. At the time of his death, it was reported that he would be a co-writer of the upcoming Cars 3, again with Baird.
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)
In February 2016, Melissa and Karen delivered great news: For The First Time In Forever, Benjamin Walker Is Joining Walt Disney World! That made me feel tearfully joyful. The event was officially announced for June. Thanks to my idea!
After Zootopia (the new Walt Disney Animation Studios film and a CGI buddy-comedy film set in a modern world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals) is successful enough, I will deliver the Disney Fairies characters (if it's not the end of the era) to the film-themed project like the recent Disney Revival-themed projects, The NeverZootropolis Legend (the final film of the Disney Revival starring Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies); which will feature characters from Dr. Seuss' classic book Horton Hears a Who! (since the success of the G-rated The Peanuts Movie).
During that time in February, I collected the stuff from the film (Fawn, Judy Hopps the rabbit officer, Gruff the NeverBeast, Nick Wilde the fox con artist, Horton the elephant, Mayor Ned of Who-ville, Clawhauser the cheetah officer, Nyx the scout fairy, the Sour Kangaroo, Bellwether the sheep, Morton the blue mouse, Yax the laid-back yak, Mayor Lionheart the lion, Vlad Vladikoff the vulture, Tommy the tiger, JoJo the Mayor's son, Flash the sloth, Mr. Big the shrew, and Finnick the fennec fox)
People incidents
Alethea McGrath (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Prisoner, Knowing) died in Australia on February 9th, 2016, aged 95.
Events
(February 15, 2016) – Intrada tackles Disney world of animation soundtracks with expanded premiere of rousing, tuneful Bruce Broughton score for The Rescuers Down Under, sequel to famed studio's 1977 cartoon feature The Rescuers. Mike Gabriel, Hendel Butoy direct, Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, George C. Scott, John Candy, Adam Ryen provide voices, Bruce Broughton scores. His first animation movie music is robust, melodic, exciting, powerful. Aerial adventures of Bernard and Bianca as they travel to Australia on rescue mission inspire Broughton to create not one but two major themes in soaring fashion. One is winding idea in sunny major key that moves up and down in equal doses, the other is forward-leaping idea in lydian mode that propels much of the action. But Broughton has so much more to say, with moments for romance, humor, color, down under locale… and dynamic, wildly profuse action. The excitement never stops until the event-filled journey is over! Disney released 35 minutes of highlights on CD at time of movie's release. Intrada CD offers everything from that 1990 album but now expands entire presentation to 63 minutes plus an additional 10 minutes of alternates. Highlights of previously unreleased material are many but deserving special spotlight are several dynamic, aggressive sequences for evil poacher McLeach (George C. Scott) - almost all of them absent from earlier album. Aggressive ideas for villainous character feature dynamic, chopping figures for trombone, slashing responses from upper brass. Entire recording benefits from unusually crisp performances, captured in sizzling manner by Robert Fernandez at Warner Bros.Studios with additional recording done by Armin Steiner at 20th Century Fox Studios. Entire CD mastered from digital two-track scoring session mixes courtesy Disney. One of legendary composer Bruce Broughton's most dynamic soundtracks ever! Informative notes by Tim Greiving, flipper-style booklet cover design by Joe Sikoryak gives listeners choice of new artwork taken from exciting theatrical poster campaign or dramatic 1990 album cover. Bruce Broughton composes, conducts. Intrada Special Collection CD available while quantities and interest remain!
People incidents
George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke, The Naked Gun, Airport) died on the morning of Sunday, February 28th, 2016 of a heart ailment at an assisted living facility in Middleton, Idaho, at the age of 91. He had a history of heart disease.
Zootopia & The NeverZootropolis Legend (March 4, 2016 – June 7, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for some thematic elements, rude humor and action)
Critic Score: 98% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 8.1/10
Consensus: Whimsical, heartwarming and uproariously powerful enough as king of the box office jungle, the brilliantly well-rounded NeverZootropolis Legend offers a thoughtful, inclusive message that's as rich and timely as its sumptuously state-of-the-art animation – while remaining fast and funny enough to keep younger viewers entertained.
Grade: A-
Box office: $1.023 billion
Plot
In a world populated by anthropomorphic mammals, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit from rural Bunnyburrow, fulfills her dream of becoming the first rabbit officer in the police department of nearby city Zootopia. A dust speck is dislodged from its obscure place and sent adrift through the Jungle of Nool.
After graduating valedictorian upon being presented as the new Zootopia Police Department member by Mayor Lionheart (J.K. Simmons), an African lion; she is assigned parking duty by Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), an African buffalo, who doubts her potential due to her diminutive size. Fawn (Ginnifer Goodwin) runs into Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman) while taking Hannah, a baby hawk, to the forest. Fairies are not allowed to keep hawks as pets, for hawks eat fairies. So, Fawn uses blueberries to cover the cart and conceal Hannah.
At the same time, Horton (Jim Carrey) the elephant, the jungle's eccentric nature teacher, takes a dip in the pool. The dust speck floats past Horton in the air, and he hears a tiny yelp coming from it. Believing that an entire society of microscopic creatures are living on that speck, he places it atop a clover. Horton finds out the speck harbors the city of Who-ville and its inhabitants, the Whos, led by Mayor Ned McDodd (Steve Carell). He has a wife, Sally (Amy Poehler), 96 daughters (whose names all begin with the letter H), and one teenage son named JoJo (Jesse McCartney). Despite being the oldest and next in line for the mayoral position, JoJo doesn’t want to be mayor, and because he’s so scared of disappointing his father, never speaks.
During one of Judy's shifts, she meets Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a con artist fox, and his fennec fox partner Finnick (Tom Lister), who disguises himself as an elephant. As Fawn and Tinker Bell pass by the animal nursery, they meet Rosetta (Megan Hilty), Iridessa (Raven-Symoné), Silvermist (Lucy Liu) and Vidia (Pamela Adlon) who question why they are taking berries to the forest, as berries usually come from the forest. Rosetta attempts to help by sprinkling pixie dust on the berries to make them fly, but Hannah is revealed. She chirps, frightening off all the animals and fairies in the area. Three other hawks hear her and start to chase the fairies and animals. Fortunately, the hawks are dispelled by Nyx (Rosario Dawson) and the scout fairies, who then capture Hannah. Queen Clarion (Anjelica Huston) shows up and advises Fawn to listen with her head as well as her heart, which Fawn promises to do just before releasing Hannah.
The next day, Fawn becomes more conservative while training rabbits to hop. Suddenly, she hears a great roar. Choosing to listen with her heart, she follows the animal's tracks to a cave, where she encounters the NeverBeast. Fawn attempts to pull a thorn out of the NeverBeast's paw and accidentally awakens him. He scares Fawn out of the cave with a roar that all of Pixie Hollow hears. Nyx becomes convinced that Fawn caused the mysterious beast to roar. As Fawn observes the NeverBeast, she successfully removes the thorn from his paw by making him rear up so she can reach it. Once Horton begins carrying the speck with him, the city starts experiencing strange phenomena (earthquakes and changes in the weather), and the Mayor finds his attempts to caution Who-ville challenged by the Town Council, led by the opportunistic yet condescending Chairman (Dan Fogler). After Horton makes contact with Ned, The Mayor finds out from Dr. Mary Lou Larue (Isla Fisher) that Who-ville will be destroyed if Horton does not find a "safer, more stable home." Fawn continues to observe Gruff, but is discovered by Nyx. Nyx firmly tells Fawn to report the animal that made the roar if she finds it. If Nyx finds it, she will do her job. Horton resolves to place the speck atop Mt. Nool, the safest place in the jungle. Fawn continues to do her job as she forms a bond with the NeverBeast.
The head of the jungle, the Sour Kangaroo (Carol Burnett), disbelieving Horton's beliefs, and resenting him for overshadowing her authority attempts several times to demand that Horton give up the speck, but Horton ignores her demands. Also taking force toward Horton are the Wickersham Brothers, a group of monkeys who love making misery. Fawn wakes up and sees that the NeverBeast has built a tower of rocks. She repeatedly asks him why he has built it, but he is gruff in his response, inspiring Fawn to name him Gruff. Fawn and Gruff build another tower with help from Fawn's pixie dust. Unfortunately, Gruff sends some of the rocks flying into Sunflower Meadow and destroying it. Nyx and the scout fairies follow Gruff's tracks until they see him. They chase him, but Fawn hides Gruff in the roots of trees on the beach, turning Nyx away.
Judy abandons her shift to arrest a thief named Duke Weaselton (Alan Tudyk) who stole what appear only to be moldy onion bulbs. She is reprimanded by Bogo and nearly fired until Mrs. Otterton (Octavia Spencer), an otter; arrives pleading for help locating her missing husband – one of many animals recently missing in Zootopia. Assistant Mayor Bellwether (Jenny Slate), a sheep; informs Lionheart of the news. To Bogo's dismay, Judy volunteers and agrees to resign if she cannot solve the case within 48 hours. She sees Nick in the last known photo of Mr. Otterton and tracks him down, coercing him into to assisting her with the investigation by covertly recording his confession to tax evasion. After acquiring Mr. Otterton's license plate number from Yax (Tommy Chong) the yak at Mystic Oasis Springs, Judy and Nick track the vehicle from Flash (Raymond S. Persi) the sloth in the Department of Mammal Vehicles to Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche), an Arctic shrew crime boss in Tundratown. Initially, he orders them "iced," but his daughter Fru Fru (Leah Latham), spares them. Nyx later visits Scribble (Thomas Lennon) at the library and finds a piece of a pictogram with the NeverBeast.
Fawn introduces Gruff to Rosetta, Iridessa, Silvermist, Vidia and Tinker Bell. The girls become wary of Gruff, and Fawn informs them of her plan to introduce Gruff to Clarion. Fawn goes to see Clarion and Nyx in the Pixie Dust Tree. Nyx has gathered all the pieces of the pictogram and deciphered them. Each time the green comet passes, it awakens the NeverBeast. Once it comes out of hibernation, it builds four rock towers, one in each season of Pixie Hollow. Green clouds will fill the sky and the NeverBeast will transform, causing a lightning storm so powerful that it consumes all of Pixie Hollow. While distracting Nyx and Clarion from the disturbances caused by Gruff, Tinker Bell and the rest of the friends take Gruff back to the forest. Clarion trusts Nyx to do the right thing, which means that the scout fairies will go after the NeverBeast at dawn. Once Fawn catches up to her friends, she informs them on the "hairbrained legend" that Nyx learned. She bids them goodnight and spends the rest of the night stargazing with Gruff, reminding him that she does not see a monster in him.
Eventually, the Sour Kangaroo enlists a vulture named Vlad Vladikoff (Will Arnett) to get rid of the speck by force. Mr. Big informs the pair that his florist Mr. Otterton had gone savage and attacked his chauffeur Manchas (Jesse Corti), a black jaguar. Judy and Nick locate Manchas at his home in the Rainforest District, who mentions "night howlers" were responsible for attacking him before he goes savage and chases the pair out of his home. When Bogo and his reinforcements arrive, Manchas disappears. Bogo demands Judy resign, but Nick takes a stand, insisting they have 10 more hours to solve the case. As the pair leaves, Judy learns from Nick that he was bullied by prey animals as a pup and became a criminal, believing he would be stereotyped as one no matter what due to being a fox. Nick realizes that the city's traffic camera system may have captured Manchas's disappearance. The ominous green clouds mentioned in the legend appear on the horizon.
The next morning, all of Pixie Hollow notices the green clouds as Nyx and the scout fairies gear up and hunt for the NeverBeast. Fawn fails to find Gruff. Tink finds her and warns her that the legend is coming true. Gruff has two more towers to build: one in Autumn and one in Winter. Tinker Bell takes Winter, and Fawn thanks her for defending Gruff, who is building the towers faster than before. Vlad manages to steal the clover away from Horton. Judy and Nick consults Bellwether, who is told to clear Lionheart's afternoon. They identify the captors as wolves, hence "night howlers". Fawn sees that Gruff has just built the Autumn tower, and so do the scouts. Judy and Nick locate the missing mammals (including Mr. Otterton) at Cliffside Asylum. All are predators, and all have gone savage like Manchas. The two discover Lionheart, consulting with Dr. Honey Badger (Katie Lowes) about the predators' condition and Judy records their conversation on her phone. The two pair escape with the evidence. Meanwhile, Tinker Bell looks in the Winter Woods for Gruff and is almost struck by lightning. Just then, she finds Gruff, who charges toward her. She warns him that the scouts are coming to get him, but he knocks her unconscious. Fawn finds Tink just as Gruff grows horns and runs off. He is confronted by Nyx, who also sees Fawn and an unconscious Tink. Nyx chooses to help Fawn and Tink rather than chase Gruff. Horton tries to get the clover back but Vlad drops it into a massive field of identical pink clovers, causing an apocalyptic tremor in Who-ville. Tinker Bell is hospitalized and Fawn feels ashamed. Judy and Nick delivered the evidence to Bogo and the police swarm the area, arresting Lionheart and Dr. Badger. Bellwether is sworn in as the new Mayor.
Having developed a friendship with Nick throughout the case, Judy requests that he joins the Zootopia Police Department and become her partner, which Nick happily considers. However, during a press conference, Judy mentions that the savage animals are predators and argues they have gone back to their "natural state," hurting Nick, who angrily walks out. Fawn finds Gruff and is relieved to know he is still kind to her. Nyx and the scout fairies suddenly capture Gruff, knock him out with nightshade powder, and move him out as Fawn burst into tears. Fear and discrimination against predators spreads across Zootopia and a guilt-ridden Judy resigns. During this time, pop singer Gazelle (Shakira) holds a peaceful protest and publicly asks for the harmonious Zootopia she loves to be restored.
Back in Bunnyburrow, Judy learns from her former childhood bully Gideon Grey (Phil Johnston) that "night howlers" are flowers that have a severe psychotropic effect on mammals. Judy returns to Zootopia and tearfully apologizes and reconciles with Nick after being told where he is by Finnick. After unsuccessfully picking nearly 3,000,000 clovers, Horton eventually recovers the clover (exactly the 3,000,000th clover). Judy and Nick locate Weaselton and catch him. With help from Mr. Big, Judy learns that Weaselton has been collecting night howlers for a ram named Doug (Rich Moore). The Sour Kangaroo eventually finds out that Horton still has the speck, and decides to rally the jungle community into fighting Horton, saying that Horton's goal will lead to anarchy.
All of the fairies and animals in Pixie Hollow take cover from the approaching storm. Despite Gruff being immobilized, the storm has not stopped. A pinecone watchtower is hit by lightning and falls, and Nyx tells its occupants to take cover as lightning hits all four of the towers in Pixie Hollow simultaneously. Fawn soon finds Tink and admits that Nyx was right: Gruff is a monster. However, Tinker Bell says that Gruff was her hero. He was acting strange when she found him in Winter, but he saved her from a falling tree by knocking her aside with his tail. Convinced that Gruff is truly good, Fawn goes to help Gruff escape. Upon cornering Horton, the Sour Kangaroo offers Horton an escape from punishment by renouncing Who-ville's existence. The pair discover a secret laboratory hidden in the subway tunnels and find ram scientists creating a night howler serum which has been injected into predators via dart guns. When Horton refuses, in spite of his heartfelt speech, she order the animals to rope and cage him, and to have the speck and the Whos destroyed in a pot of boling Beezlenut oil. Soon after being freed, Gruff grows wings and completely transforms into the mythical monster described by Nyx. Just then, Fawn realizes that Nyx got the story backwards: Gruff will not destroy Pixie Hollow. He built the towers to draw in the lightning so he can collect it.
Following both her head and her heart, Fawn decides they are going to the towers. Using the subway train car, Judy and Nick race to the ZPD with the evidence, but the rams pursue them. The Mayor enlists all of his people to make noise by shouting "We are here!", as well as playing a variety of instruments, so the animals may hear them, assisted by Jojo's "Symphonophone", an invention which creates a huge musical contribution, but still fails to penetrate the surface of the speck. Gruff, whose vision is blurry due to remaining effects of the nightshade, follows Fawn's glow to the towers, collecting lightning between his horns. As Horton lies beaten and captured, the Sour Kangaroo easily takes the clover. But before Gruff can reach the final one, he is shot down by Nyx. Nyx realizes the error of her ways as she sees trees being struck by lightning and causing a fire. She is almost hit by a bolt of lightning, but Gruff catches it and saves her. Now she realizes that Gruff has good intentions. The fire is spreading fast, so Nyx goes to save the rest of the fairies. Just short of the ZPD, the pair encounters Bellwether at the Natural History Museum who tries to take the evidence. Realizing Bellwether is the mastermind of a species-supremacist conspiracy, Judy and Nick try to flee, but are knocked into a pit by her ram henchmen after Nick refuses to abandon Judy when she is injured. Bellwether shoots a dart at Nick and calls the ZPD for help. Nick becomes savage and corners Judy, but it turns out the pair were acting and had swapped out Bellwether's darts for blueberries.
Seeking an end to the storm, Gruff follows Fawn into the eye of the storm. Gruff's horns catch all the lightning that threatens to strike Pixie Hollow. He flies straight through the eye of the storm and successfully ends it. Meanwhile, after the Sour Kangaroo released the clover over the oil, JoJo grabs the horn used to project Horton's voice, runs up the highest tower and screams "YOPP!", breaking through the sound barrier just seconds before the speck hits the oil. The Sour Kangaroo's son, Rudy (Josh Flitter) grabs the clover and returns it to Horton. With Bellwether's confession recorded on Judy's carrot pen, the two have enough evidence to unravel the conspiracy. Bellwether is then arrested for her crimes alongside her accomplices. The animals finally hear the Who's and realize the truth and isolate the Sour Kangaroo for tricking them. Fawn and Gruff fall from the sky, but they are saved by a great many fairies. Tinker Bell and friends gather around Fawn, believing she is dead. Fortunately, Gruff revives Fawn with his electricity. All of Pixie Hollow is overjoyed to know that Fawn is still alive. When informed and interviewed on the matter, Lionheart explains that he had no knowledge of Bellwether's plot, but fully confesses his crime of illegally imprisoning the savaged predators during his confidential mission by stating that it was done for the "right reasons."
Some months later, Judy is reinstated into the ZPD. The savaged mammals, including Mr. Otterton and Manchas, are cured by an antidote. Gruff is considered a hero to Pixie Hollow. While being praised for his integrity by his neighbors, Horton even forgives the devastated Sour Kangaroo, and she befriends him with a makeshift umbrella for Who-ville. As he helps its denizens, Fawn learns that it is time for Gruff to go back into hibernation for a thousand years. A long ceremonial procession leads him back to his cave, at the end of which Tinker Bell, Rosetta, Silvermist, Iridessa, Vidia, Fawn and even Nyx all pay their final respects. Fawn will always be there for Gruff when he needs her. Here, the people of Who-ville and the animals of Nool gather in song and recite the chorus from "Can't Fight This Feeling". The film ends with the narrator (Charles Osgood) revealing that the Jungle of Nool, or rather Earth, is just one speck, like Who-ville, among numerous others, floating in outer space. Inspired by his friend's faith in him, Nick joins the ZPD as the first fox police officer and Judy's new partner, where they catch Flash street racing.
During the credits, all of Zootopia, Pixie Hollow, and the Jungle of Nool (especially Who-ville) enjoys a performance by Gazelle while Bellwether angrily watches the live streaming from prison.
People incidents
David Smyrl (Sesame Street, The Preacher's Wife, The Cosby Show) died from lung cancer at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, on March 22nd, 2016 at the age of 80.
On March 24th, 2016, Garry Shandling (The Larry Sanders Show, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Over the Hedge) suddenly collapsed in his home in Los Angeles, California and was rushed to a hospital, suffering from an apparent medical emergency. He later died in the hospital at age 66.
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)
My most important and bittersweet thing to do is pass the test in PCC and decided to take spring and summer off since the incidents happened last year so I can focus on task for my adventures in Walt Disney World and Florida (imagining Melissa and Brian's honeymoon).
People incidents
Erik Bauersfeld (Star Wars, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Crimson Peak) died at his home in Berkeley, California, on April 3rd, 2016 at the age of 93.
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)
In April, I wrote a note about the criticism (Planes, Rio 2, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Minions, and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Han Solo's death)). I had a huge meltdown about the return of the Ice Age franchise and the upcoming doomsday of the asteroid about to hit my life on July 22nd. If the film looks bad like the other installments, I wanted more vacations to make myself feel better and to go to Hollywood and get the Disney Fairies franchise back on track. However, my mother told me I was never in trouble if films are poor. She believes that I hold myself back with my fear of whether a movie is good or not. She will not discuss any vacations other than Walt Disney World in June.
To prevent myself from being concerned about the impending release of the upcoming Ice Age sequel and to make the best of Walt Disney World, the most thing I had to do is enjoy the hilarious antics in the slapstick comedies Cats & Dogs (celebrating its 15th anniversary) and MouseHunt as my mind medicines to help me feel better and move on.

The Jungle Book (April 15, 2016 – August 30, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for some sequences of scary action and peril)
Critic Score: 94% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 7.7/10
Consensus: As lovely to behold as it is engrossing to watch, The Jungle Book is the rare remake that actually improves upon its predecessors – all while setting a new standard for CGI.
Grade: B+
Box office: $964.0 million
Plot
Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a "man cub" raised by the Indian wolf Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o) and her pack, led by Akela (Giancario Esposito), ever since he was brought to them as a baby by the black panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). Bagheera trains Mowgli to learn the ways of the wolves, but the boy faces certain challenges and falls behind his wolf siblings, and Akela berates him for using human tricks like building tools instead of learning the ways of the pack.
One day, during the dry season, the jungle animals gather to drink water that remains as part of a truce called during a drought that enables the jungle’s wildlife to drink without fear of being eaten by larger, more predatory beasts. The truce is disrupted, however, when a vicious scarred Bengal tiger, Shere Khan (Idris Elba), arrives, detecting Mowgli’s scent in the crowd. Resentful against man for scarring him, he issues a warning that he will kill Mowgli at the end of the drought. As the wolf pack debates whether they should keep Mowgli or not, Mowgli voluntarily decides to leave the jungle for the safety of his pack. Bagheera agrees with the decision and volunteers to guide him to the nearby man village.
En route, Shere Khan ambushes them and injures Bagheera, but Mowgli manages to escape thanks to a herd of water buffalo. Shere Khan later confronts the pack and learns from Akela that Mowgli has left the pack and that the two no longer have a quarrel between each other, as Shere Khan begins to leave, he pounces on Akela and throws him off a cliff killing him. He then takes temporary control over the wolf pack until Mowgli returns. While waiting for Bagheera, Mowgli meets Kaa (Scarlett Johansson), an enormous Indian python, who hypnotizes him. While under Kaa’s hypnosis, Mowgli sees a vision of his father protecting him from Shere Khan, who kills him. The vision also warns of the destructive power of the "red flower". Kaa attempts to devour Mowgli, but he is rescued by a sloth bear named Baloo (Bill Murray). Baloo asks Mowgli to grab him some honey as payment for saving his life, but Baloo is impressed with the complex machines Mowgli can make, and criticises the wolves’ banning these tricks. Together, they form a close bond after realizing their teamwork allows them to get honey easily, and Mowgli agrees to stay with Baloo until the winter season arrives.
Bagheera eventually finds them, and is angered by Mowgli’s usage of tricks to get Baloo his honey. A debate flares between Mowgli and Bagheera, but Baloo calms them down and persuades both of them to sleep on it. During the night, Mowgli finds a herd of elephants, who are considered to be the sacred creators of the jungle, and uses his vines to save a baby elephant from a tar pit. Although Baloo and Bagheera are both impressed, Baloo realizes he cannot guarantee Mowgli’s safety after Bagheera tells him that Shere Khan is hunting for Mowgli. Baloo agrees to push Mowgli away in an effort to get him to continue onward to the man village.
However, Mowgli is kidnapped by a gang of monkeys known as the Bandar Log, who present him to their leader, King Louie (Christopher Walken), Gigantopithecus. Louie, assuming that all humans can summon the red flower, offers Mowgli food, treasure, and guarantees him protection from Shere Khan, in exchange for the red flower. Baloo distracts Louie while Bagheera tries to sneak out with Mowgli, but their plan is discovered by one of Louie’s henchmen. As Louie chases Mowgli though his temple, he informs Mowgli of Akela’s death. His rampage eventually causes his temple to crumble on top of him, which causes the Bandar Log to search for their king. Furious that Baloo and Bagheera never told him about Akela’s death, Mowgli goes to confront Shere Khan alone.

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Finding the man village, Mowgli steals a lit torch to use as a weapon and heads back to the jungle, accidentally starting a wildfire in the process. He confronts Shere Khan, who states that Mowgli has made himself the enemy of the jungle by causing the wildfire. Mowgli throws the torch into the water, giving Shere Khan the advantage. Baloo, Bagheera and the wolf pack hold Shere Khan off, giving Mowgli enough time to set a trap. He lures Shere Khan up a dying tree and onto a fragile branch. Shere Khan leaps to the end of the branch which breaks under the tiger’s weight, and the tiger falls to his death into the fire below. The elephants, who respect Mowgli for saving the baby, use an irrigation system to put out the wildfire.

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In the aftermath, Raksha becomes the new alpha of the wolf pack. Mowgli decides to utilize his equipment and tricks for his own use, having found his true home and calling with his wolf family, Baloo, and Bagheera.

People incidents

Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond, Remington Steele, Christmas Vacation) died in Los Angeles, California, on April 17th, 2016 at age 90 in her sleep, due to natural causes.

April 26, 2016 (65th anniversary)
APRIL 26, 2016 (65TH ANNIVERSARY)

April 26, 2016 (75th anniversary)
APRIL 26, 2016 (75TH ANNIVERSARY)

The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)

Luckily, the schedule changed in May; the actual dates of the trip to Walt Disney World was confirmed for July. I’m so excited with relief that I’m leaving on a day before Ice Age: Collision Course comes out and I should thank Blue Sky Studios for trying.

People incidents

Alan Young (Mister Ed, The Time Machine, DuckTales) lived in Woodland Hills, California at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, a retirement community, where he died on May 19th, 2016 at the age of 96 of natural causes.

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Roswell, New Mexico

On May 19th, 2016 (a day before the release of The Angry Birds Movie), I departed the apartment and flew down to Roswell, New Mexico with my family. I stayed at the Residence Inn Marriot hotel. I brought a few of the DVDs (The Good Dinosaur, Finding Nemo (in honor of the sequel next month), Cats & Dogs (in honor of its 15th anniversary), MouseHunt, and Back to the Future).

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I had visits to the Roswell locations; The UFO Alien Museum! I watched our cousin Walker graduate. Melissa graduated in 2011, I graduated in 2013, and Isabella graduated in 2015.

At May 23rd, 2016, we flew back to Portland.

The Angry Birds Movie (May 20, 2016 – August 16, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for rude humor and action)

Critic Score: rotten43%.

Average Rating: 4.9/10

Consensus: The Angry Birds Movie is substantially more entertaining than any film adapted from an app has any right to be – which may or may not be much of an endorsement.

Grade: B

Box office: $347.1 million

Plot

On an island inhabited by flightless birds, Red (Jason Sudeikis) begins telling a group of fledglings a story. The story flashes back into the past, where Red was revealed to be a reclusive, cruel violent but grumpy red bird outcast prone to hissy fits. He is a clown whose job is to entertain newly hatched birds. After bombing his latest client because of his temper, he is sent to bird court, where the honorable Judge Peckinpah (Keegan-Michael Key), who stands on another bird named Cyrus (Tony Hale) and covers him with a robe, sentences Red to anger management class, much to his reluctance. The class is taught by Matilda (Maya Rudolph), who was an angry bird herself. Among the birds in the class are Chuck (Josh Gad), a fast yellow bird who caused problems with a bird cop, Bomb (Danny McBride), a gentle black bird who literally explodes whenever he gets upset, and Terence (Sean Penn), a giant red bird who only growls. The class fails to improve Red’s attitude and he attacks a sign made by Chuck.

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One day, while taking the class, Red and the other birds on the island discover a boat coming to the island. The anchor of the boat crashes on Red’s house and soon, the boat door opens up and reveals a giant, fat, bearded pig named Leonard (Bill Hader) and his tiny assistant, Ross (Tony Hale). Leonard claims to be peaceful and brings offerings of friendship. They are immediately accepted on the island and later that night, they put on a show and eventually, more pigs are revealed to be on the island with them, which contradicts Leonard’s earlier claim that it was only him and Ross. The pigs introduce a giant slingshot to the birds and uses Red as a subject for it, to which he lands on the beach. Red, who is upset at the pigs for wrecking his house and becomes suspicious of the pigs, decides to search their boat for something odd and Chuck and Bomb join him. They eventually find lots of pigs on the ship. Thinking he’s got something on them, he reveals the additional pack to the birds, but Peckinpah is more concerned that he snuck on-board their boat and Leonard claims that he wanted to surprise the birds with a cowboy show with his "cousins". Red, now even more of a misfit, sulks off to his house.
After Red discovers that even more pigs have shown up, Peckinpah tells him to steer clear of them, refusing to believe his bad vibes about the pigs. Undeterred, he recruits Chuck and Bomb to help him find Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage), a giant eagle who is said to be the protector of the island. They find him in his cave, but he is seemingly revealed to be a lazy guy who can’t even fly. Angered over the Eagle, Red and his friends leave and they discover that Red’s suspicion of the pigs was correct as they are stealing the eggs of the birds while the residents are distracted by a party. Red and Bomb fail to retrieve the eggs from the pigs when they leave in their boat and Chuck alerts the birds of the theft. When they arrive on the beach, Peckinpah apologizes to Red for not listening to him and asks him on what to do. Seeing the depressed birds, Red rallies them to be angry and set sail for the pigs’ island in order to steal back the eggs. The birds make a boat, set sail and eventually land on the pigs’ island. The pigs’ island. The pigs’ island reveals to be slightly messy as they live in unstable houses and spend their days goofing off. They discover a giant castle in the center and estimate that the eggs are there.

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Using the slingshot from earlier, the birds attack the pigs when they are shot at them, but fail to reach the castle. Red, Chuck, and Bomb make it to the castle and eventually find the eggs in a boiler room but before they can save them, they are picked up in a giant net. Red makes it onto the net and climbs to the egg pile. Leonard, who is dressed as a king (hence his leadership to the pigs), decides to boil him too. However, Mighty Eagle shows up and tries to carry the eggs out, but Leonard holds Red’s leg when he’s hanging onto the net. It starts to tear and a blue egg falls out. Deciding to risk his life, Red lets go of the nest to save the egg from Leonard and eventually floods the castle with the boiling liquid the pigs were using to heat up the eggs. Red outsmarts Leonard and takes back the egg, leaving the head pig blew up by TNT that the pigs used during their heist. After the explosion, the birds mourn the loss of the seemingly dead Red, but he emerges with the egg and is hailed a hero. When approached by Mighty Eagle, the giant bird states that by losing faith in him, Red gained faith in himself.

The birds give Mighty Eagle all the credit for the egg rescue, but Red humbly takes it in stride. He discovers that the birds have rebuilt his house as a sign of gratitude and Red decides that it would be better in life to be part of a community. We cut back to the present day where Red bids farewell to the hatchling and goes back to his house and watches the sunset on the beach, where he swats a fly when it disturbs him, but Red accepts the fact that he is still an angry bird.

People incidents

Janet Waldo (The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Wacky Races) died on June 12th, 2016 at her home in Eucino, Los Angeles after suffering from a brain tumor, aged 96.

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Finding Dory (June 17, 2016 – November 15, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for mild thematic elements)

Critic Score: cf-lg94% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 7.7/10

Consensus: Funny, poignant, and thought-provoking, Finding Dory delivers a beautifully animated adventure that adds another entertaining chapter to its predecessor’s classic story.

Grade: B

Box office: $1.001 billion

Plot
The film begins with Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) a Pacific regal blue tang, as a young fry, whose mother Jenny (Diane Keaton) and father Charlie (Eugene Levy) try to teach her to cope with her short-term memory loss. One day, she finds herself lost in the ocean, and spends the rest of her life looking for her parents despite the refusal of help from other fish until she crosses path with Marlin (Albert Brooks) the clownfish, and helps him look for his son, Nemo (Hayden Rolence).
One year has passed since then, and Dory has been living with Marlin and Nemo in the same coral reef, though has not been able to fully blend in with Marlin and Nemo’s friends. While on a field trip with Nemo’s school to watch a sting-ray migration, a memory of Dory’s is triggered upon hearing the word "undertow" (which Dory’s parent had told her to beware of as a child). Dory remembers her parents and a location known only as "the jewel of Morro Bay, California" and convinces Marlin and Nemo to help her find them. They make it there quickly after traveling with Crush (Andrew Stanton), the sea turtle on an ocean current, and upon leaving it, Dory searches through a sunken cargo ship remembering looking for her parents there. Dory’s commotion leads to the three being attacked by a predatory giant squid, nearly getting Nemo eaten and causing Dory to get caught in six pack rings. As a result, Marlin angrily sends Dory away, and she looks for her parents alone. After following the voice of Sigourney Weaver (Sigourney Weaver) from the intercom of the nearby Monterey Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium, she is suddenly scooped up by two employees, and Marlin and Nemo horrifyingly watch on.
Upon entering the facility and being tagged for quarantine, she comes into the acquaintance of Hank (Ed O’Neill), an ill-tempered, seven-legged octopus who wishes to be placed in quarantine so that he may be sent to an aquarium in Cleveland to live a more comfortable life. He agrees to help Dory find the exhibit where her parents might be in exchange for her quarantine tag. Their escape is foiled when Dory sends herself into a bucket marked "Destiny," and she, along with the dead feed inside, are carried and tossed into a pool where a severely near-sighted whale shark and long-lost friend of Dory’s, Destiny (Kaitlin Olson), resides. In the adjacent pool is Bailey (Ty Burrell), a beluga whale who is deficient with echolocation.
Hank follows her in and tries to convince her to take the pipes connecting the park to the Ocean Life exhibit, but Dory, afraid she won’t remember the way, convinces Hank to carry her there in a vacant baby’s carriage, with Destiny and Bailey assisting. However, due to another triggered memory, Dory and Hank wind up inside the facility’s "touch pool" where the children there attempt to grab and fondle the terrified Dory and traumatized Hank. However, Hank realizes that the Ocean Life exhibit is only feet away, and with his help, she enters, immediately looking for her parents. Meanwhile, outside, Marlin and Nemo, with the help to two sea lions, Fluke (Idris Elba) and Rudder (Dominic West), and a loon, Becky (Torbin Xan Bullock) they are flown into the park. They are shortly after stranded by Becky, but they manage to make it into a tide pool, inspired by Dory’s characteristically sudden determination.
Dory manages to find her old home, but is dismayed to learn that both her parents are gone. However, she suddenly remembers how she was separated from her parents: upon swimming close towards one of the pipes, she was carried by its current and is swept into the ocean. With the help of two nearby crabs (John Ratzenberger), who says their parents are in quarantine and are soon to be shipped to Cleveland, she heads there, guided by Destiny and Bailey, who suddenly learns echolocation, reuniting with Marlin and Nemo along the way. After making their way into the tank of tangs with added help by Hank, the other fish are gladdened by Dory’s return, but sadly relay that Jenny and Charlie have long since left. Dory, dazed in her crestfallen state, is scooped out of the tank in a glass by Hank, who accidentally leaves Marlin and Dory behind and get himself caught, causing him to drop Dory, where she slips into a drain and finds herself back in the ocean.

Dory desperately tries to find help, her panic making her forget her friends and leaving no nearby fish able to assist her. She calmly retraces her steps, finding a line of sea-shells (with Jenny had trained her to follow if she was ever lost) on the sand. Following them, she finds a web of seashell lines, and soon after, Charlie and Jenny return, resulting in a joyous reunion, which is cut short when she remembers Marlin and Nemo. With the truck for Cleveland departing the Institude, Dory and her parents set off to find them, with Destiny and Bailey jumping from their enclosures to assist. Through the help of some nearby sea otters, they manage to stop the truck on the freeway, allowing Marlin to call Becky, who carries Dory into the truck and Marlin and Nemo out. After convincing Hank, who managed to stow away inside, to live in the ocean with her, the truck drivers shoo the otters away and close the truck back up, continuing their drive. Hank manages to climb out of the truck and frightens the drivers out, allowing him to drive it and nearly cause countless accidents, alerting the police, who set up a blockade. Dory directs Hank to drive the truck off the road and off a cliff, hijacking it and sending it, along with every fish inside (and Becky as well) into the sea, where everyone reunites safely.

Returning home, Dory lives a far more comfortable and confident life with her friends and family, Hank, Destiny, and Bailey teach in Nemo’s school, and with the pieces of their lives back together, Dory and Marlin calmly observe the view beyond the drop of their coral reef.

In an after credits scene, Nemo’s Tank Gang from the first film (still trapped in their now algae-covered bags) arrive outside the Morro Bay Marine Life Institute and are promptly picked up by two employees while Fluke and Rudder relax nearby.

People incidents

Early in the morning of June 19th, 2016, Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Alpha Dog, Fright Night) was found by friends pinned between his Jeep Grand Cherokee and a brick pillar outside his home in Studio City, California, in what was described as a "freak accident." He was pronounced dead later that day at the age of 27.

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Santa Rosa, Arizona

On June 24th, 2016, I departed the apartment and flew down to Santa Rosa, Arizona with my parents. I stayed at the apartment where I had a couch bed. I brought a few of the apps (Zootopia & The NeverZootropolis Legend, The Good Dinosaur, Cars & Cars 2 (in honor of its 10th and 5th anniversaries and next year's third entry, Cars 3), Finding Nemo (in honor of Finding Dory), the Ice Age trilogy (Ice Age, The Meltdown, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Continental Drift) (to honor the franchise's return with Collision Course), Cats & Dogs (in honor of its 15th anniversary), MouseHunt, Back to the Future).
I had a visit to a house with a pool where the grandparents moved from Salt Lake City, Utah. I went to see Finding Dory (a Pixar film and long awaited sequel to Finding Nemo, which was released 13 years ago) and had visits to the Rosa Mall (where I collect its extras (Dory, Marlin, Nemo, Hank the octopus, Destiny the whale shark, Bailey the beluga whale, Jenny and Charlie, Dory's Regal Tang parents, Fluke and Rudder, two sea lions, and Gerald the sea lion with a bucket on his head)).
At June 27th, 2016, we flew back to Portland.
The Secret Life of Pets (July 8, 2016 – December 6, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for action and some rude humor)
Critic Score: 74% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Consensus: Fast-paced, funny, and blessed with a talented voice cast, The Secret Life of Pets offers a beautifully animated, cheerfully undemanding family-friendly diversion.
Grade: C
Box office: $821.8 million
Plot
Inside of a Manhattan apartment building, a terrier named Max (Louis C.K.) lives a spoiled life with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) and hangs out with other pets like Chloe (Lake Bell), Mel (Bobby Moynihan), Buddy (Hannibal Buress), and Sweet Pea (Tara Strong). One day, Katie adopts a giant dog called Duke (Eric Stonestreet) who is very sloppy and careless. Max becomes upset about how Duke is treating him. One day when they are being walked by a caretaker while Katie is away, Duke tricks Max into being dragged far into the city. They are attacked by a gang of cats including Ozone (Steve Coogan), but are both caught by Animal Control and are being brought to the pound. Duke reveals to Max that Katie adopted him from the pound and will now be put down. However, they are rescued by a white rabbit called Snowball (Kevin Hart) who tells them to work for him.
He brings Max and Duke down into the sewers where they meet his cult of abandoned pets called "The Flushed Pets" who despise humans. They believe Max and Duke hate humans and try to make them join through the initiation which involves being bitten by a poisonous snake. When Max and Duke kill the snake and Snowball finds out they're domesticated, the Flushed Pets chase them out and Max and Duke escape to Brooklyn. Snowball vows to find them and kill them.
Gidget (Jenny Slate), a white Pomeranian that has a crush on Max, finds out that he went missing. She recruits a hawk called Tiberius (Albert Brooks) and they find out that Max and Duke are being brought to the sewer. Gidget, Mel, Buddy, Chloe, Norman (Chris Renaud), Sweet Pea and Tiberius team up to find Max and Duke. They also find a paralyzed elderly dog called Pops (Dana Carvey) to help them through the city. They find Snowball and learn his plan to kill Max and Duke, in which they are discovered but escape and continue to try and find them. However, Pops's hamster friend, Myron, accidentally makes his way back into their lair and is captured.
After raiding a sausage factory, Duke reveals to Max that he once had an owner who adopted him back when he was a puppy. One day, Duke chased a butterfly and was taken by Animal Control to the pound and his owner never returned. Max decides that Duke should reunite with his owner. Once they get to the old house, a cat tells them that Duke's owner had died. A depressed Duke accuses Max of trying to get rid of him and starts barking at the new house owners. However, Duke is once again caught by Animal Control.
Max is chased down by Snowball and some of his minions. When those minions are also take by Animal Control, Max and Snowball decide to join forces. They chase down the Animal Control Van using a bus, but Snowball's other minions appear and try to kill Max on the Brooklyn Bridge. Snowball also breaks out his minions that were captured. When Max seems doomed, Gidget and the other pets show up and fight the Flushed Pets. The destroyed Animal Control Van falls off the Brooklyn Bridge into the river with Duke still trapped inside and Max hanging onto it. Max tries to break out Duke with the keys, but they float away. Snowball decides to save Duke by jumping into the water and bringing the keys to Max. He breaks Duke out as he's about to die and they get back to the surface.
Using a taxi, all the pets go back to the apartment block. Snowball and the other Flushed Pets return to their plans. The pets return to their owners and Max and Duke finally reunite with Katie, sparking a new friendship.
People incidents
On July 19th, 2016, Garry Marshall (Happy Days, Pretty Woman, Murphy Brown) died at a hospital in Burbank, California at the age of 81 due to complications of pneumonia after suffering a stroke.
Ice Age: Collision Course (July 22, 2016 – October 11, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for mild rude humor and some action/peril)
Critic Score: rotten12%.
Average Rating: 3.9/10
Consensus: Unoriginal and unfunny, Ice Age: Collision Course offers further proof that not even the healthiest box office receipts can keep a franchise from slouching toward creative extinction.
Grade: D
Box office: $403.4 million
Plot
While trying to bury his acorn, Scrat (Chris Wedge) accidentally activates an abandoned alien ship that takes him into deep space, where he unwillingly sends several asteroids en route of collision with Earth.
Meanwhile, Manny (Ray Romano) is worried about the imminent marriage between Peaches (Keke Palmer) and her fiancé, Julian (Adam DeVine), while Diego (Denis Leary) and his wife Shira (Jennifer Lopez) want to start a family but their fierce appearance tend to scare kids, and Sid (John Leguizamo) is dumped by his girlfriend, Francine (Melissa Rauch), just as he is about to propose to her. To make matters worse, during Manny's wedding anniversary party, some of the asteroids strike the place and the herd barely escape with their lives. Meanwhile at the underground, Buck (Simon Pegg) fights a trio of Dromaeosaurs named Gavin (Nick Offerman), Gertie (Stephanie Beatriz), and Roger (Max Greenfield) to return a dinosaur egg to its mother and later discovers an ancient stone monument, which he takes to the surface, where he meets Manny and the others.
Buck explains that the asteroids were responsible for several extintions in the past and upon seeing that there is still a massive one incoming, he claims that the only place they can find a clue to stop it is in the impact point of the previous ones, which according to the stone monument, are in the same place. However, the three Dromaeosaurs, having listened their conversation, decide to stop them, believing that they could be safe from the impact, as they can fly, thus not ony getting their revenge on Buck, but also destroying all mammals and securing Earth for their species.
As the herd travels to the crash site, Buck discovers that the asteroids have magnetic properies, thus the main asteroid could be stopped if a huge quantity of smaller asteroids were gathered and launched into orbit in order to change its trajectory. After facing several obstacles and the interference of the Dromaeosaurs, the herd arrives at "Geotopia", a community of animals formed inside one of the asteroids that have fallen long ago, where Sid meets Brooke (Jessie J), a ground sloth who falls in love with him. However, Shangri Llama (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), the leader of Geotopia, refuses to cooperate with Buck's plan to send the city's crystals into space in order to diverge the incoming asteroid, as they are the key to the residents' outstanding longevity until Sid accidentally destroys the entire city when he attempts to remove one of the stones to present Brooke with, making all the Geotopians grow old, including Brooke herself.
One Brooke convinces the Geotopians that preventing the asteroid's fall is more important then their lost youth, they and the herd help with Buck's plan, which is to throw all the crystals they find into a geyser so that the pressure throws into space and attract the asteroid away. But the Dromaeosaurs attempt to intervene until one of them, realizing that they will not survive as well if the asteroid falls, convinces the others to also help. The plan works, and the asteroid is sent back into space. The herd then departs back home, including Sid, who parts ways from Brooke, but just after they leave, an asteroid piece falls inside a hot spring, giving it rejuvenating properties, helping the Geotopians and Sid's granny (Wanda Sykes), who stayed behind with them to regain their lost youth. After the herd returns, Peaches and Julian celebrate their wedding, and a rejuvenated Brooke appears during the ceremony to reunite with Sid.
Meanwhile, Scrat keeps struggling to take control of the alien ship and accidentally crashes on Mars, destroying all life there.
In a mid-credits, Scrat find his acorn and get beaten by some doors.
People incidents
Marni Nixon (The Sound of Music) died on July 24th, 2016 in Manhattan, New York from the effects of breast cancer, aged 86.
Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (2016)
The most surprising and even more thrilling event of the summer was finally here! The 22-year wait was over and my dreams of going to, for the first time in forever, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, are finally coming true!
On July 21st, 2016 (a day just before Ice Age: Collision Course is released and since Frozen Ever After is kicked off in Epcot last month), I left the apartment with Melissa and Brian and we went to the Portland International Airport where our mother-in-law Karen was waiting. Overjoyed with tears, I and my team, Melissa, Brian, and Karen board the plane heading for Florida in the south. We finally arrived at the Vacation Village in Parkway, which is miles from Walt Disney World Resort (celebrating its 45th anniversary), SeaWorld, and Universal Studios in Orlando and stayed in this deluxe room. I brought a few DVDs (Inside Out, Zootopia & The NeverZootropolis Legend, Beauty and the Beast (in honor of its 25th anniversary), Winnie the Pooh & Tinker Bell's Midsummer Rescue (in honor of its 5th anniversary) and the downloaded Intrada Records soundtrack of Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (in honor of its 6th birthday), Frozen & Muppets & Fairies' Wintery Secret & Never Muppetational Pirate w/ Frozen Fever (in honor of its new attraction in Epcot), Finding Nemo, The Lion King, The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, and WALL-E). Vacation Village at Parkway offers the best of Florida in one great location. Minutes from Orlando's theme parks like Disney's Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios and SeaWorld, the resort offers lovely spacious accommodations. Perfect for couples and families alike the 2,516 guest rooms are surrounded by six pools, along with hot tubs, barbecue grills, and a children's playground. All within short driving distance you can explore historic St. Augustine, Kennedy Space Center, Busch Gardens, and Silver Springs. Or you may find you'll never want to leave the resort after seeing the fully staffed activities center with weekly planned activities that enhance our guest's vacation experience.
Around Downtown Disney AMC Theatre, we see Finding Dory, plus more shopping for more birthday gifts (including the order of the vintage Cinderella music box since childhood (the plays "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" beautifully) at eBay, some of the Norwegian artwork and choir albums, Young Anna and Young Elsa in their nightgowns and the troll from Frozen, promoting the Frozen Ever After attraction in the Norway pavilion at Epcot. In Frozen Ever After at Epcot, riders arrive in Arendelle during its summer season, when the residents celebrate the Winter Festival. After passing Wandering Oaken's (Chris Williams) Trading Post, riders board their boats and encounter Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven as they prepare for the festival. Grand Pabbie (Ciarán Hinds) tells the story of how Anna and Kristoff met, then the boats ascend to find Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven and Olaf together and enjoying the winter weather. Riders next see Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) in her ice palace, then Marshmallow (Paul Briggs) and his mini-snowman friends that were first seen in Frozen Fever. Riders return to Arendelle through a cloud of mist and experience a fireworks finale and a send-off from Elsa, Anna and their friends.
The property covers 27,258 acres (11,031 ha; 43 sq mi), housing twenty-seven themed resort hotels, nine non–Disney hotels, four theme parks; Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, two water parks; Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, four golf courses, one nine-hole walking golf course for young golfers (no electric carts allowed), two themed miniature golf courses, one camping resort, a downtown-like shopping district; Disney Springs (being renamed in 2015), and other entertainment venues. Magic Kingdom was the first and original theme park to open in the complex followed by Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, which opened later throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
At the Magic Kingdom: Cinderella Castle, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, the Swiss Family Treehouse, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain (to honor the 70th anniversary of Song of the South, featuring Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear), the Haunted Mansion, the Liberty Belle Riverboat, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey's PhilharMagic, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid (as well as attractions themed to Beauty and the Beast and Tangled), Space Mountain, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, Astro Orbiter, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and the Tomorrowland Speedway, Stitch's Great Escape!, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
At Epcot: Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, Mission: Space, Test Track, Innoventions East and West, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, The Land, Imagination!, and the World Showcase is a large area reminiscent of a permanent world's fair containing 11 pavilions, each themed and dedicated to represent a specific country. The pavilions surround the World Showcase Lagoon, a large manmade lake located in the center of World Showcase with a perimeter of 1.2 miles (1.9 km). In clockwise order, the 11 pavilions are: Mexico (Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros), Norway (Frozen Ever After), China (Reflections of China), Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, Canada).
At Animal Kingdom: The Oasis, Discovery Island, Africa, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Asia, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, Finding Nemo – The Musical, Dinosaur in DinoLand.
At Hollywood Studios: The Great Movie Ride, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Jedi Training, Muppet*Vision 3D, Toy Story Midway Mania!, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
At July 28th, 2016, we departed Florida and flew back to Portland.
The Most Toughest But More Excited Time of the Year (cont.)
On August 5th, 2016 (eight days after my adventures in Florida), I went to the Naturalpathic Doctor named Renee Schwartz to have my blood tested to need any vitamin or mineral. Getting the right mix is important for my body. It will help with your anxiety. Make me calmer naturally. Doing this vitamin treatment has helped my mother so much in managing her mood and anxiety. She feels very strongly about you getting the tests, because we share these same genes. Genes live in the blood, and that's another reason they need to test my blood. To see if I share the anxiety gene. Schwartz will test my urine and blood. These test will tell Schwartz where my blood is at. My family has funny tummies. Our guts need a little extra care. What we put into our bodies matters. Our bodies get vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. When the food we put into our bodies don't have the vitamins or minerals, our body and brain get crabby. It starts to get hard for the brain to think clearly. We get inattention and anxious. Because our brain relies on the gut to feed it. If the gut can't (for whatever reason, another topic for another day) get the vitamins and minerals from the food, the body and brain don't work as well. That's why we go to Schwartz to find out how well our bodies function. Like a baseline goal. Then we add the vitamins and minerals your body needs from the tests we will run from your urine and blood. And the shot hurts a little. Won't lie. It is part of the new goal for my Disney vacation for my Disney Fairies collection. To deal with taking charge of your health in a mature, adult way.
Sausage Party (August 12, 2016 – November 8, 2016)
MPAA Rating: R (for strong crude sexual content, pervasive language, and drug use)
Critic Score: 82% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 7/10
Consensus: Sausage Party is definitely offensive, but backs up its enthusiastic profanity with an impressively high gag-to-laugh ratio — and a surprisingly thought-provoking storyline.
Grade: B-
Box office: $120.8 million
Plot
In a supermarket called "Shopwell's", the foods and other grocery items who live there worship the humans as gods who take them to the "Great Beyond" when they are purchased. Among the groceries in the store is a sausage named Frank (Seth Rogen), who has dreams of living with his hot dog bun girlfriend, Brenda (Kristen Wiig), in the Great Beyond, where they can finally consummate their relationship. Frank lives in a package with his best friends Barry (Michael Cera) and Carl (Jonah Hill), who also look forward to life in the Great Beyond.
Frank and Brenda's package are chosen by a woman named Camille Toh (Lauren Miller) to leave Shopwell's, but their celebrations are cut short when a returned jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride), who has also been chosen, claims to other groceries in the shopping cart that the Great Beyond is not what they were led to believe. Before committing suicide, Honey Mustard tells Frank to visit a bottle of liquor named Firewater (Bill Hader), who is purportedly knowledgeable about the Great Beyond, so he can can learn the truth. His death causes an accidental collision during their trip to the registers which causes several groceries, including Frank, Brenda, a lavash named Kareem (David Krumholtz), a bagel named Sammy (Edward Norton), and an aggressive Douche (Nick Kroll), to fall out of Camille's shopping cart. Douche's nozzle is badly damaged and he blames Frank for it. When he is discarded by a store employee named Darren (Paul Rudd), he escapes from the store's backroom dumpster and swears revenge after he discovered a wounded juice box (Vincent Tong) and consumed its contents, giving him strength.
With the rest of the groceries purchased, Frank, in an attempt to verify Honey Mustard's warning, leads them to the liquor aisle under the guise of taking a shortcut to their aisles, with Douche secretly in pursuit. While the others meet a tequila bottle (Bill Hader) and a lesbian taco named Teresa (Salma Hayek), who expresses a lustful passion for Brenda, Frank learns from Firewater and the 'Non-Perishables'; Mr. Grits (Craig Robinson) and Twink (Scott Underwood) about how foods are eaten after being purchased, and Firewater reveals that he invented the story of the Great Beyond to assuage the fears of past groceries who once knew their fate when being purchased. Frank is encouraged to visit the store's freezer section to find proof.
Meanwhile, Barry, Carl, and the rest of the groceries who were purchased by Camille are horrified to watch many of them being killed, cooked, and eaten. Barry and Carl attempt to escape, but Carl is killed, leaving Barry to escape and wander into the outside world alone. He stumbles across a human junkie (James Franco) with a Shopwell's bag. In hope of returning to Shopwell's, Barry stows away and is taken to the junkie's house. After injecting himself with bath salts, the junkie becomes intoxicated and finds himself able to see and communicate with Barry and his other groceries, and descends into a panic. After sobering up, the druggie believes this experience to have been a dream. He opens the bag of chips (Scott Underwood) and attempts to toss Barry into a pot of boiling water but misses, leading to an accident which results in his decapitation. Barry and the rest of the groceries escape, taking the junkie's head with them.
Back at the store, Frank reunites with his friends and tells them he intends to travel to the freezer to learn more about the humans and the Great Beyond. Brenda disapproves of his skepticism and heads back to her aisle without him, while rejecting Teresa's advances due to the gods' "rules" that require her to only be with a sausage. After reading a cookbook behind the freezer section, Frank discovers the truth. He reveals the cookbook to the rest of Shopwell's and they initially panic, but choose not to believe him, fearing they will lose their sense of purpose. Frank is reunited with Barry who has returned to Shopwell's with his new friends. Barry reveals, by showing Frank the druggie's severed head, that the humans can be killed and that they can be communicated with when they are high on bath salts.
The foods devise a plan to shoot the human shoppers with toothpicks laced with bath salts so the humans will be able to see the foods for what they are. When the drugged humans began to panic and kill off foods, Frank gives an inspiring speech to the store and apologizes for not respecting their beliefs, giving them a sense of hope. A store-wide battle ensures. Douche arrives and attacks Darren, taking control of him by inserting his nozzle into Darren's anus. The foods overpower and kill him along with the rest of the humans. Finally free, all the foods in the store partake in a massive orgy in celebration.
Later, they are informed by Firewater and Gum (Scott Underwood), a Stephen Hawking–esque wad of chewing gum, that they have discovered that they do not exist and are merely cartoon characters, manipulated by human animators and voiced by celebraties in another dimension. Gum reveals a portal that he made that will allow them to travel to this dimension and the foods decide to go there to meet their creators.
People incidents
Kenny Baker (Star Wars, Time Bandits, Flash Gordon) died on August 13th, 2016, eleven days before his 82nd birthday, following a long illness. He had been invited to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Los Angeles in December 2015, but was too ill to travel to the US.
Jack Riley (The Bob Newhart Show, Rugrats, Spaceballs) died on August 19th, 2016, aged 80 in Los Angeles, due to pneumonia.
Kubo and the Two Strings (August 19, 2016 – November 23, 2016)
MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic elements, scary images, action and peril)
Critic Score: 97% Certified Fresh
Average Rating: 8.3/10
Consensus: Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing — and bravely melancholy — story that has something to offer audiences of all ages.
Grade: A
Box office: $4.1 million
Plot
In ancient Japan, Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a young boy who lives with his ill mother (Charlize Theron) in a cave on top of a mountain. Every day he goes out to a nearby village to tell stories using pieces of paper that form into origami that moves under music played from Kubo's shamisen. He tells tales of great warriors seeking revenge while battling monsters, primarily of a samurai warrior named Hanzo (Matthew McConaughey) who is Kubo's missing father. Every day he quickly returns to his mother when the town bell chimes signaling sunset, as she instructs him not to stay outside after dark or her sisters (Rooney Mara) (his aunts) and his grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), will come to take his remaining eye, as he took one of his eyes as a baby.
The next day Kubo arrives to a cemetery where late loved ones are honored and spoken to from family members, but he leaves in anger when his father does not respond to him. Because he has stayed outside after the sun sets, his mother's Sisters find him and try to take Kubo's eye. After they destroy the village, his mother arrives to fend off her sisters. His mother sends Kubo away by touching a beetle crest on his robe which gives him wings, forcing him to fly away from his mother. She tells him to find his father's armor in order to protect Kubo from his grandfather's evil spirits. He takes a piece of her hair before she is seemingly killed by her sisters.
Kubo wakes up in a snowy blizzard, and meets Monkey (Charlize Theron), who had been a little wooden monkey charm for Kubo before she was brought to life by his mother's magic. Monkey tells Kubo that she is going to help him find his armor. Kubo and Monkey are greeted by "Little Hanzo", one of Kubo's origami that is modeled after his father. The origami shows Kubo and Monkey the way to his father’s armor, where they are greeted by Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), a samurai who claims to have been an apprentice of Kubo's father. Beetle was cursed to take the body form of a beetle-like man, despite not having any memories of his past. He discovers that Kubo is the son of his master and vows to help him in his quest.
The origami shows them the way to an underground cave where they can find Hanzo's sword. They are soon attacked by a humongous skeleton as they try to reclaim the sword buried on the top of his skull. They do so, and the skeleton collapses to the ground where Beetle flies them out of the cave. They arrive at a beach where Kubo uses his magic to create a boat out of fallen leaves, and they set sail. The trio arrive above the next peice of Hanzo's armor, the breastplate lies below the sea in the Garden of Eyes, where intruders are entranced and paralyzed before they are eaten by a toothed monster. Beetle and Kubo dive in to retrieve the breastplate. Kubo recovers the breastplace, but is immediately entranced. In his entranced state, Kubo has a revelation: Monkey is in fact his mother, reincarnated into physical form. Beetle rescues Kubo before he is eaten, as Monkey encounters one of the Sisters who destroys Kubo's boat. Monkey kills the Sister but is badly wounded in the process.
After arriving ashore on a nearby island, the trio rest in a cave as Monkey tells a story to Kubo with his shamisen and origami. She explains that before she met Kubo's father, she and her Sisters were sent to kill Hanzo. Instead, she fell in love with him, and they gave birth to Kubo. He Sisters and Kubo's grandfather felt betrayed and have since branded her as an enemy. After Kubo is sent to sleep by Monkey, she tells Beetle that she will be gone soon and feels that Kubo will be alone when she leaves, but Beetle promises that he will protect him. Kubo has a dream in which he is greeted by a ghost who shows Kubo the last piece remaining of his father's armor, which is his samurai helmet.
Kubo tells Monkey and Beetle of his dream and they head to his father's damaged fortress to reclaim the armor. However, it is a trap and the trio is greeted by the remaining Sister who reveals that Beetle is Kubo's father, Hanzo. The Sister destroys the origami and attacks Kubo's mother and father. Beetle is killed, and Monkey sacrifices her life to allow Kubo to obtain his shamisen and kill the remaining sister with it. Kubo emerges from hiding and mourns the loss of his mother and father. Using the beetle crest, he flies away to his village to retrieve the helmet, the final armor piece.
At the village, he is able to reclaim the helmet and puts it on. He is greeted by Raiden (), the ghost that appeared to Kubo in his dream. Raiden is revealed to be his grandfather, the Moon King. The Moon King tells Kubo that he needs his eye to raid Kubo of all of his powers and memories. Kubo refuses and the Moon King in anger transforms into a monster and fights Kubo. Kubo is defeated and tossed into the cemetery where the Moon King corners him as well as the surviving villagers. Kubo retaliates by taking off the armor and using his shamisen to recruit the spirits of the villagers' deceased, showing that memories are the strongest form of magic and can never be destroyed. The Moon King is defeated and becomes mortal, and in his human form has no recollection of who or what he was. The villagers make him believe that he is a good man. After the villagers set their lanterns near a lake, Kubo is able to speak with his parents and make peace with them, saying that he is happy he was able to go on a journey with them. They then appear beside him in the form of spirits.
People incidents
Charmian Carr (The Sound of Music) died in Los Angeles on September 17th, 2016 from complications related to dementia.
Storks (September 23, 2016 –)
MPAA Rating: PG (for mild action and some thematic elements)
Critic Score: 62%.
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Consensus: Colorful animation and a charming cast help Storks achieve a limited liftoff, but scattershot gags and a confused, hyperactively unspooled plot keep it from truly soaring.
Grade: C
Box office: $82.4 million
Plot
Cornerstore is a place known for delivering babies and its employees are storks, along with other birds. The current CEO of Cornerstore, a stork named Hunter (Kelsey Grammer), discontinues the baby delivering business, seeing more profit by converting the company to a postal service. However, the last baby that was made before the baby production shut down is taken in by the company and they name her Tulip (Katie Crown).
Eighteen years later, Tulip, now a teenager, is working to promote new ideas for Cornerstore, but they always backfire. Meanwhile, Junior (Andy Samberg), Cornerstore's top delivery stork, is about to be given his much coveted position as boss of Cornerstore while Hunter is about to be promoted as Chairman. In order to be promoted, Hunter demands that Junior discharge Tulip from the company, due to her antics causing Cornerstore to suffer losses. Despite wanting his promotion very badly, Junior cannot find the heart to fire Tulip due to her kindness and hard work, therefore distracting her into believing that she is being transferred to the mail room as a kind of promotion, and ordering her to never leave it, to which she hesitantly obeys.
Meanwhile on Earth, a young boy named Nate Gardner (Anton Starkman) feels lonely because his parents, Henry (Ty Burrell) and Sarah (Jennifer Aniston), are too busy to spend time with him, and yearns for a younger brother. When his parents scoff at the idea, and he learns from an old brochure about Cornerstore and their former baby-making reputation, he writes a letter asking for a baby brother and sends it to Cornerstore. The letter makes its way to Tulip, who got so bored of waiting, disobeys Junior's orders and puts the letter in a slot just outside the room, which is revealed to be the shut down baby factory (as she was supposed to put it in a containment of letters right next to her). Junior tries to intervene and stop the machine, but dislocates his wing in the process, and to their surprise, a baby girl is created inside a metal container, whom they later name Diamond Destiny.
Knowing that Hunter will cease his future position of becoming boss for creating an unauthorized infant and for not firing Tulip as he was supposed to do, Junior agrees to secretly help deliver Diamond Destiny. As Junior's wing is broken, they use Tulip's flying machine for transportation. When Tulip taunts Junior why he wants to become boss, he sees red, making Tulip become concerned for the safety of Diamond Destiny, and they crash into a frozen tundra. After a brief argument, Junior takes Diamond Destiny in the hopes of getting back to Cornerstore but is ambushed by two wolf leaders named Alpha (Keegan-Michael Key) and Beta (Jordan Peele) and their pack and taken to their cave, where Tulip  was also captured. The two manage to save Diamond Destiny, whom the wolves have fallen in love with, and escape.
Back at Cornerstore, an employee named Pigeon Toady (Stephen Kramer Glickman) learns of Diamond Destiny's existence. He goes after Junior and Tulip to get Diamond Destiny, in the hope that Hunter will fire Junior and he will get the promotion instead. Upon returning back to Hunter, Toady and Hunter scramble the coordinates Junior and Tulip have been following to mislead them to a different location. After another brief encounter with the wolves, Junior and Tulip run into Jasper (Danny Trejo), an old stork that was ultimately responsible for Tulip being orphaned and the shut down of baby delivery after he broke her address beacon and wanted to keep her to himself. Jasper reveals that he had searched all of Tulip's lifetime attempting to fix the beacon that would show Tulip's home and that he needed the final piece which Tulip had on her the whole time. At this point, Junior reveals that he was supposed to fire Tulip, leaving her in tears. But, now knowing where her family is, Jasper decides to take her to be reunited with them while Junior sadly continues to deliver Diamond Destiny by himself.
Junior is captured and tied up by Hunter and his cronies at the false location and they kidnap Diamond Destiny. Tulip comes to rescue Junior without having met her family and the two resend themselves back to Cornerstore. After fighting an army of penguins, Junior and Tulip are chased into the abandoned baby making room and start up the machine as a distraction. As thousands of babies are being made, Hunter angrily comes at Junior and Tulip with a large body armor, but with the playful help of Diamond Destiny, Junior and Tulip cause the Cornerstore package factory to fall, taking Hunter with it and seemingly killing him.
Junior rallies the storks, as well as the other birds, to help deliver the babies to the families who wanted them including the Gardners, and upon delivering Diamond Destiny, Junior sees through a vision of what the infant will become to be: a woman that will love her family, take ninja class, and get married. At first, Nate is disappointed that he didn't receive a brother, but when he goes to feed Diamond Destiny, she flings the bottle across the street, therefore changing Nate's mind. The storks and former employees of Cornerstore reunite Tulip with her family, and she and Junior continue their job of delivering babies as co-bosses of Stork Mountain. In the end, every family now knows that storks deliver babies once again.
People incidents
Gary Dubin (The AristoCats) died in Burbank, California on October 8th, 2016 from bone cancer, a sibling of his revealed.

2015 (of the Blue Age) adventures

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2015 (of the Blue Age)

People incidents

Lance Percival (That Was the Week That Was, The Beatles) died in January 6th, 2015.

Rod Taylor (The Time Machine, The Birds) suffered a fatal heart attack on January 7th, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 84, four days shy of his 85th birthday.

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The Legacy Collection: Fantasia was released as a four-disc album on January 13, 2015, to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Fantasia. The album features the original recordings conducted by Leopold Stokowski and performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as the 1982 digital re-recordings conducted by Irwin Kostal, two bonus tracks narrated by Sterling Holloway, and the previously unreleased recording of Clair de Lune for a segment that was cut from the final running order.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: FANTASIA WAS RELEASED AS A FOUR-DISC ALBUM ON JANUARY 13, 2015, TO COINCIDE WITH THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF FANTASIA. THE ALBUM FEATURES THE ORIGINAL RECORDINGS CONDUCTED BY LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI AND PERFORMED BY THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, AS WELL AS THE 1982 DIGITAL RE-RECORDINGS CONDUCTED BY IRWIN KOSTAL, TWO BONUS TRACKS NARRATED BY STERLING HOLLOWAY, AND THE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RECORDING OF CLAIR DE LUNE FOR A SEGMENT THAT WAS CUT FROM THE FINAL RUNNING ORDER.

On January 23rd, 2015, Barrie Ingham (The Great Mouse Detective, Doctor Who, A Challenge for Robin Hood) died, 18 days shy of his 83rd birthday, at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

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February 3, 2015 (5th anniversary) – Our second "Disney Fairies" soundtrack release premieres Joel McNeely's sensational orchestral tour-de-force for Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure. A song album appeared in 2009 albeit offering none of McNeely's score. New Disney/Intrada co-brand now zeroes in on McNeely's music as well as spotlighting several key songs including wondrous, important "If You Believe". McNeely works with large orchestra, chorus, Celtic violin, ethnic woodwinds, creates richly textured environment for Tinker Bell's second adventure in Pixie Hollow, primarily involving breakage of moonstone that generates their precious pixie dust. Highlights literally abound: haunting, major-key chorus & orchestra envelopes "Hall Of Scepters", rousing, powerful "Tink Sails Away" with surging themes coming to fore, tender Celtic overtones of "Tink Tries For More", dramatic, imposing "The Ship That Sunk", aggressive, ferocious "Rat Attack" just a handful. Special attention due magnificent, fanfare-regal "Our Finest Revelry Ever" with its spectacular outbursts for brass as well as oft-requested entire "Fairy Tale Theater" sequence which melds dynamic storytelling with combination of Celtic opening, choral & orchestral development leading to fortissimo minor-key coda for entire ensemble. McNeely provides a stirring, melodically soaring and vibrant score throughout. An hour of musical riches! Joel McNeely conducts.
FEBRUARY 3, 2015 (5TH ANNIVERSARY) – OUR SECOND “DISNEY FAIRIES” SOUNDTRACK RELEASE PREMIERES JOEL MCNEELY’S SENSATIONAL ORCHESTRAL TOUR-DE-FORCE FOR TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE. A SONG ALBUM APPEARED IN 2009 ALBEIT OFFERING NONE OF MCNEELY’S SCORE. NEW DISNEY/INTRADA CO-BRAND NOW ZEROES IN ON MCNEELY’S MUSIC AS WELL AS SPOTLIGHTING SEVERAL KEY SONGS INCLUDING WONDROUS, IMPORTANT “IF YOU BELIEVE”. MCNEELY WORKS WITH LARGE ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, CELTIC VIOLIN, ETHNIC WOODWINDS, CREATES RICHLY TEXTURED ENVIRONMENT FOR TINKER BELL’S SECOND ADVENTURE IN PIXIE HOLLOW, PRIMARILY INVOLVING BREAKAGE OF MOONSTONE THAT GENERATES THEIR PRECIOUS PIXIE DUST. HIGHLIGHTS LITERALLY ABOUND: HAUNTING, MAJOR-KEY CHORUS & ORCHESTRA ENVELOPES “HALL OF SCEPTERS”, ROUSING, POWERFUL “TINK SAILS AWAY” WITH SURGING THEMES COMING TO FORE, TENDER CELTIC OVERTONES OF “TINK TRIES FOR MORE”, DRAMATIC, IMPOSING “THE SHIP THAT SUNK”, AGGRESSIVE, FEROCIOUS “RAT ATTACK” JUST A HANDFUL. SPECIAL ATTENTION DUE MAGNIFICENT, FANFARE-REGAL “OUR FINEST REVELRY EVER” WITH ITS SPECTACULAR OUTBURSTS FOR BRASS AS WELL AS OFT-REQUESTED ENTIRE “FAIRY TALE THEATER” SEQUENCE WHICH MELDS DYNAMIC STORYTELLING WITH COMBINATION OF CELTIC OPENING, CHORAL & ORCHESTRAL DEVELOPMENT LEADING TO FORTISSIMO MINOR-KEY CODA FOR ENTIRE ENSEMBLE. MCNEELY PROVIDES A STIRRING, MELODICALLY SOARING AND VIBRANT SCORE THROUGHOUT. AN HOUR OF MUSICAL RICHES! JOEL MCNEELY CONDUCTS.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (February 6, 2015 – June 2, 2015)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for mild action and rude humor)

Critic Score: cf-lg80% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 6.5/10

Consensus: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water won’t win over many viewers who aren’t fans of the show, but for the converted, it’s another colorful burst of manic fun.

Grade: C

Box office: $323.4 million

Plot

A pirate named Burger-Beard (Antonio Banderas) travels to the island of Bikini Atoll to obtain a magical book that makes any text written upon it come true. The book tells the story of SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny), a childlike sea sponge who loves his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab fast food restaurant and faithfully guards the secret Krabby Patty formula from Plankton (Mr. Lawrence), owner of the Chum Bucket and business rival to Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), SpongeBob and Squidward’s boss.

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The Krusty Krab is attacked by Plankton; after a military battle with giant foods and condiments, Plankton feigns surrender: he uses a decoy of himself to offer the greedy Mr. Krabs a fake penny, which he hides inside to gain access to Krabs’ vault. The Plankton decoy distracts Mr. Krabs by crying outside the restaurant so he can gloat about his victory. Plankton steals the formula, leaving a fake in its place; however, just as he is about to escape, SpongeBob catches him and they both have a tug of war over the formula, but it magically vanishes before either can claim it.

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With the secret formula gone, SpongeBob is unable to make Krabby Patties, and the customers become ravenous. Only SpongeBob knows Plankton is innocent of stealing the formula, and when all of Bikini Bottom turns on them, SpongeBob rescues Plankton with a giant soap bubble that he and Plankton fly away in, leaving Krabs in a state of confusion. Bikini Bottom is soon reduced to a post-apocalyptic wasteland because of the absence of the much-relied-on Krabby Patty. SpongeBob proposes that he and Plankton team up to get the formula back; he attempts to show Plankton the meaning of teamwork, but he does not quite understand. Eventually, the duo decides to go to the Chum Bucket and rescue Karen (Jill Talley) so they can use her as a power source for a time machine that will take them to the moment before the formula disappeared. They assemble the machine at an abandoned taco restaurant, but accidentally travel far into the future, where they meet Bubbles (Matt Berry). They eventually succeed in retrieving the formula, but it turns out to be the fake Plankton has left.

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Burger-Beard, along with his seagull minions, converts his ship into a food truck to sell Krabby Patties at a beach community named Salty Shoals. The final page, which has been discarded in the ocean, lands on Sandy’s treedome. Crazed by the lack of Krabby Patties, Sandy thinks the page is a sign from the “sandwich gods”, and suggests a sacrifice be made to appease them. The town attempts to sacrifice SpongeBob, but he and Mr. Krabs smell Krabby Patties, and the crowd follows the scent, which leads to the surface. Bubbles returns because SpongeBob cost him his job as overseer of the universe. In reality, Bubbles hated the job and thanks SpongeBob by allowing him, Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), Mr. Krabs, Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence), and Squidward (Rodger Bumpass) the ability to breathe on land; Plankton joins also, stowed away in SpongeBob’s sock. Bubbles shoots them out of his blowhole to the surface, and they land on a beach.

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The team locates Burger-Beard, who, using a book, banishes them to Pelican Island. Using Squidward’s ink and the final page, SpongeBob transforms himself and the others into superheroes with special powers — The Invincibubble (SpongeBob), Mr. Superawesomeness (Patrick), Sour Note (Squidward), The Rodent (Sandy), and Sir Pinch-a-Lot (Mr. Krabs). They return and encounter Burger-Beard, who drives off with the formula, which forces the team to give chase. During the ensuing battle, the book is destroyed and the team attempts to apprehend Burger-Beard, who picks the team off one by one.

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Plankton, who has been left on Pelican Island, becomes a muscle-bound hero named Plank-Ton and comes to assist them. After retrieving the formula, Plank-Ton and Invincibubble work together to create one final attack that sends Burger-Beard all the way to Bikini Atoll. Plankton, who has learned the values of teamwork, returns the secret formula to Mr. Krabs, and the gang uses the final page’s magic to return home to Bikini Bottom. With Krabby Patties back, Bikini Bottom returns to order, and Plankton re-assumes his role as business rival, bringing things back to the status quo.

February 10, 2015
FEBRUARY 10, 2015

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The Legacy Collection: Pinocchio was released as a two-disc album on February 10, 2015, to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Pinocchio.[9] The album includes the film's complete soundtrack, three "Lost Chords" recordings, and five bonus tracks from The Mickey Mouse Club.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: PINOCCHIO WAS RELEASED AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM ON FEBRUARY 10, 2015, TO COINCIDE WITH THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF PINOCCHIO. THE ALBUM INCLUDES THE FILM’S COMPLETE SOUNDTRACK, THREE “LOST CHORDS” RECORDINGS, AND FIVE BONUS TRACKS FROM THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB.

February 16, 2015 (5th anniversary) – Tinker Bell's third film adventure featuring Joel McNeely music gets premiere CD soundtrack release on Disney/Intrada co-brand! "The majestic countryside of England meets the magical world of Pixie Hollow" is vivid description of score in booklet introduction by director Bradley Raymond. As with two previous Tinker Bell scores, McNeely creates magical, magnificent musical portrait of Tink's world of wonder, adventure with full orchestral assist courtesy finest musicians in Los Angeles. Moments of magical melody trade with powerful episodes of action. In between are rich bars of sentiment, warmth, wonder. This time Tinker Bell attends English fairy camp, befriends human child Lizzie, gets trapped in fairy house. Rescue plans are soon underway. McNeely keeps pace with every moment of action and adventure with his array of orchestral color ranging from delicate celeste, flute and shimmering strings to pulse-racing flourishes for his entire orchestra. Dazzling music! Just two of many highlights: Rousing action of "We're Going To Build A Boat", gentle Vaughn Williams-style modality of "Tink And Lizzie Meet". Deserving extra spotlight is masterful "Tink Wants To Leave/Launching The Boat", which melds vernacular of above two highlights in one great sequence. In addition to McNeely score, CD also offers key songs "Summer's Just Begun", "How To Believe", "Come Flying With Me". Third Disney/Intrada co-brand in "Disney Fairies" series. Joel McNeely conducts.
FEBRUARY 16, 2015 (5TH ANNIVERSARY) – TINKER BELL’S THIRD FILM ADVENTURE FEATURING JOEL MCNEELY MUSIC GETS PREMIERE CD SOUNDTRACK RELEASE ON DISNEY/INTRADA CO-BRAND! “THE MAJESTIC COUNTRYSIDE OF ENGLAND MEETS THE MAGICAL WORLD OF PIXIE HOLLOW” IS VIVID DESCRIPTION OF SCORE IN BOOKLET INTRODUCTION BY DIRECTOR BRADLEY RAYMOND. AS WITH TWO PREVIOUS TINKER BELL SCORES, MCNEELY CREATES MAGICAL, MAGNIFICENT MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF TINK’S WORLD OF WONDER, ADVENTURE WITH FULL ORCHESTRAL ASSIST COURTESY FINEST MUSICIANS IN LOS ANGELES. MOMENTS OF MAGICAL MELODY TRADE WITH POWERFUL EPISODES OF ACTION. IN BETWEEN ARE RICH BARS OF SENTIMENT, WARMTH, WONDER. THIS TIME TINKER BELL ATTENDS ENGLISH FAIRY CAMP, BEFRIENDS HUMAN CHILD LIZZIE, GETS TRAPPED IN FAIRY HOUSE. RESCUE PLANS ARE SOON UNDERWAY. MCNEELY KEEPS PACE WITH EVERY MOMENT OF ACTION AND ADVENTURE WITH HIS ARRAY OF ORCHESTRAL COLOR RANGING FROM DELICATE CELESTE, FLUTE AND SHIMMERING STRINGS TO PULSE-RACING FLOURISHES FOR HIS ENTIRE ORCHESTRA. DAZZLING MUSIC! JUST TWO OF MANY HIGHLIGHTS: ROUSING ACTION OF “WE’RE GOING TO BUILD A BOAT”, GENTLE VAUGHN WILLIAMS-STYLE MODALITY OF “TINK AND LIZZIE MEET”. DESERVING EXTRA SPOTLIGHT IS MASTERFUL “TINK WANTS TO LEAVE/LAUNCHING THE BOAT”, WHICH MELDS VERNACULAR OF ABOVE TWO HIGHLIGHTS IN ONE GREAT SEQUENCE. IN ADDITION TO MCNEELY SCORE, CD ALSO OFFERS KEY SONGS “SUMMER’S JUST BEGUN”, “HOW TO BELIEVE”, “COME FLYING WITH ME”. THIRD DISNEY/INTRADA CO-BRAND IN “DISNEY FAIRIES” SERIES. JOEL MCNEELY CONDUCTS.

People incidents

Richard Bakalyan (Batman, Chinatown, The Fox and the Hound) died suddenly on February 27th, 2015 at the Arnot Ogden Medical Center, in Elmira, New York, aged 84. Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Fringe) died of complications from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) on February 27th, 2015 (the same day as Bakalyan), at the age of 83, in his Bel Air home at Los Angeles.

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Eugene

To celebrate Bugs Bunny’s 75th birthday and the Looney Tunes’ 85th anniversary, I brought the Bugs Bunny classics and reminiscing about my childhood memory of the Warner Bros./Looney Tunes Studio Store at Washington Square (1991-2001) (It was incredible for the giant statue of Bugs Bunny and the other Looney Tunes gang (Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, the Tasmanian Devil, Tweety, Sylvester, the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn, and Speedy Gonzales), the tapestries of Bugs and Taz at the river, and of course the Marvin the Martian spaceship, with those buttons that would play Looney Tunes’ sounds and catchphrases and the “Duck Dodgers in the 24th and 1/2 century!” button).

At February 27th, 2015, I departed from the apartment and head on to visit Melissa at Eugene with my mom. We went to visit Hirxons gift shop and visit the University of Oregon. I brought a portable DVD player and a few DVDs (101 Dalmatians, Big Hero 6, Frozen & Muppets & Fairies’ Wintery Secret, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, The Book of Life, and The Sound of Music (in honor of its 50th anniversary). I and my sister rode our bikes to the mall and see The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and shop for new stuff from Never Muppetational Pirate (a Walt Disney Animation Studios film based on J.M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy and Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island, featuring Tinker Bell, Kermit the Frog, and the characters from the Disney Fairies and Muppets franchises. The characters will include Tinker Bell in her water-talent uniform and Kermit as Captain Smollet, while they introduce a new characters, Zarina and Baby Croc).

At March 1st, 2015, I took the train home to Portland all by myself.

The Shamrock Run (2015)

At March 15th, 2014 (two days before St. Patrick’s Day, the day of celebrations that generally involve public parades and festivals, ceilidh, and the wearing of green attire or leprechauns or shamrocks), the Shamrock Run starts in the morning and I run the 5K around downtown Portland with Emily, Ryan and Roscoe.

Before the run, Ryan asked me to go see the R-rated film, since he is past 17. When we go see The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, he agrees that they will go next week. Maybe I had a wager: If Ben beats the record in the Shamrock Run, he will chose to go see Cinderella (and Frozen Fever) (twice in Clackamas Town Center, just in case I’m worn out from the run), plus get goaled in for the Disney extras (The Dalmatian figurine set from 101 Dalmatians, Anna and Elsa in her new uniforms and the Snowgies from Frozen Fever (showing before Cinderella) in Clackamas Town Center and the home video release of The Penguins of Madagascar this Tuesday March 17th (the day of St. Patrick’s Day). But if he doesn’t, Ryan will make me go see the R-rated film. The following week shows Home in Friday.

Cinderella & Frozen Fever (March 13, 2015 – September 15, 2015)

Elsa (Idina Menzel) plans to give Anna (Kristen Bell) a surprise birthday party with the help of Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven, and Olaf (Josh Gad); but while Anna is led on a “party treasure hunt” by a string that winds through the kingdom, Elsa has caught a cold, and unknowingly produces a group of small animated snowmen with each sneeze, who begin to dismantle the birthday party’s decorations while Kristoff tries to stop them. While Elsa takes Anna on the hunt, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf try to control the ‘Snowgies‘ and fix the decorations in time for Anna and Elsa’s return. After Elsa nearly falls off a clock tower, Anna convinces her to take rest. While Anna enjoys the party, Elsa sneezes a giant snowball through an alphorn, and stuns Hans (Santino Fontana) overseas; whereupon Elsa rests in bed under Anna’s care. Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven escort the ‘Snowgies’ to Elsa’s ice palace, where they stay with her snow-giant doorkeeper ‘Marshmallow‘ (Paul Briggs).

Ella (Lily James) lives with her loving parents on a beautiful estate in a peaceful kingdom. From a young age, she is taught by her mother (Hayley Atwell) to believe in magic, allowing Ella to befriend many animals on the estate, especially the mice. Everything is perfect until her mother falls ill. On her deathbed, she asks Ella to promise that she will always have courage and be kind. Ella’s father (Ben Chaplin) eventually remarries Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett), the widow of an old friend, who has two daughters of her own: Drisella (Sophie McShera) and Anastasia (Holiday Grainger). Ella welcomes her new step-family, despite the stepsisters’ unpleasant attitudes.

When Ella’s father goes abroad for business, Lady Tremaine gradually reveals her cruel and jealous nature, as she pushes Ella to give up her room to the stepsisters for the attic. Sadly, Ella’s father dies during the trip, causing Lady Tremaine to dismiss all servants to save money and place all the chores on Ella. On one cold evening, Ella sleeps by the fireplace for warmth but wakes up next morning covered in cinders. Her step-family consequently mock Ella as “Cinderella”, and forbid her from eating with the family.

Crushed by their cruelty, Ella rides off into the woods, where she meets Kit (Richard Madden), an apprentice from the palace, who is part of a hunting party chasing a stag. Not knowing Kit is actually the prince of the kingdom, Ella admonishes him for hunting the stag, and pleads for the stag’s freedom, which Kit agrees. Touched by his kindness, Ella takes a liking of Kit. Kit is likewise enchanted by Ella’s charm, kindness, and unique outlook on life. The two part without Kit learning of Ella’s name, but not before both express the wish to see each other again. The king (Derek Jacobi), upon learning he has little time left, insists Kit takes a bride, who should be a princess for the advantage of the kingdom, at the upcoming royal ball. Kit persuades his father to invite every eligible maiden in the land to the ball, in hope of seeing Ella.

When the ball is announced, the Tremaine family is ecstatic at the prospect of marrying into royalty. Ella is also excited to attend the ball for the chance to see Kit. She fixes up her mother’s old pink dress when Lady Tremaine refuses to buy her a new one. On the night of the ball, Ella tries to join her step-family on the way out, but Lady Tremaine, together with her daughters, ridicule and tear up Ella’s dress, and leave without her. Losing courage, Ella runs into the garden in tears and meets an old beggar woman, who reveals herself to be Ella’s fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter). Changed into her true form, the fairy godmother magically transform a pumpkin into a magnificent carriage, four mice into white horses, two lizards into footmen, a goose into a coachman, and finally Ella’s ripped dress into a gorgeous blue gown, complete with a pair of magical glass slippers. Before sending Ella on her way to the ball, the fairy godmother warns the magic will be broken at the last stroke of midnight.

At the ball, the entire court is entranced by Ella, especially Kit. Nervous but happy to see each other, Ella and Kit have a perfect first dance, as if the two have been partners their entire lives. This irritates the Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård), as he has promised Kit to Princess Chelina of Zaragoza (Jana Perez), a fact that Lady Tremaine overhears.

While surprised by Kit’s true identity, Ella nonetheless has a marvelous time with Kit, touring the palace grounds and Kit’s secret garden. But before Ella can tell Kit her name, the clock begins striking as midnight approaches, forcing Ella to flee and accidentally drop one of her glass slippers on the palace steps. She manages to get away at the final stroke of midnight, but the spell wears off and causes the animals and Ella’s dress to revert back. Ella hides the one glass slipper she has under the floorboards of her room as a keepsake, reasonably content that her one night will become a beautiful memory.

The king dies soon after, but not before giving his son permission to marry Ella if he wishes. Not knowing Ella’s identity and whereabouts, Kit, once become king, declares his love and intend to marry the “mystery princess” who wears glass slippers to the ball, if she is willing. Excited at the news, Ella hurries to retrieve the glass slipper in her possession, only to find her stepmother holding it. Having deduced that Ella is the mystery princess, Lady Tremaine demands to be made the head of the royal household in exchange for allowing Ella to come forth and marry Kit, and once queen, Ella is to ensure Drisella and Anastasia be married off to wealthy husbands. Ella refuses, and Lady Tremaine smashes the slipper and locks Ella in the attic. Lady Tremaine then takes the shattered slipper and identity of the mystery princess to the Grand Duke in exchange for the title of countess and advantageous marriages for her daughters. The Grand Duke tries to convince Kit to forget the mystery princess with the shattered slipper, but this only makes Kit even more determined to find her.

The Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guards (Nonso Anozie) lead the mission to find the mystery princess by trying the remaining slipper on all of the maidens in the land, but the magical slipper refuses to fit. When they arrive at Ella’s estate, the shoe fits neither of the stepsisters. As they turn to leave, Ella’s singing of “Lavender’s Blue” is heard through a window that the mice have opened. The Grand Duke tries to ignore this, but Kit reveals himself to be one of the guards. Kit asks the Captain to investigate the source of the singing. Once Ella is found, Lady Tremaine attempts to forbid her from trying on the shoe on the grounds that she is Ella’s mother, but she is overruled by the Captain, as Ella curtly tells Lady Tremaine that she has not been, and never will be, her mother.

Ella and Kit are thereby reunited, and Kit recognizes Ella even without the shoe, which fits her perfectly. Promising to take each other as they are, Ella and Kit leave the house as Ella offers forgiveness to her stepmother. Afterward, Ella’s step-family, along with the Grand Duke, leave the kingdom never to return.

At last, Ella and Kit are married. The Fairy Godmother narrates that they become the land’s most beloved monarchs, ruling with the courage and kindness that Ella has promised her mother, and that they live happily ever after.



Home (March 27, 2015 – July 28, 2015)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for mild thematic elements)

Critic Score: rotten47%.

Average Rating: 5.3/10

Consensus: Colorful, silly, and utterly benign, Home is a passable diversion, but there’s no shortage of superior animated alternatives.

Grade: B

Box office: $386.0 million

Plot

On the run from their enemy, the planet-destroying Gorg, the Boov find Earth a suitable place to call “home”. Led by Captain Smek (Steve Martin), they commence their “friendly” invasion of the planet, relocating the humans, whom the Boov deem as simple and backwards, to other parts of the planet while the Boov inhabit their homes in a quick and bloodless conquest. One of the Boov, named Oh (Jim Parsons), is a more excitable, freethinking member of the species, who decides to invite the Boov to his apartment for a housewarming party, despite the race’s antipathy towards him. Not far from Oh is a fourteen year old girl named Tip (Rihanna), who drives away through her home city to find her mother Lucy (Jennifer Lopez) after being separated from her during the invasion, leaving her with only her calico cat Pig and fueling her hatred for the Boov.

Oh runs into the street to meet up with a Boov cop named Kyle (Matt Jones), who, like the rest of the Boov, refuse to befriend him. Oh invites him to the party but accidentally sends a mass invite to every Boov on Earth. However, the “send all” button he pressed actually sends the invite to absolutely every alien race in the entire galaxy including the Gorg. Everyone, aggravated with Oh for revealing their location to the enemy, starts chasing him down. Oh runs into a convenience store to hide just as Tip and Pig enter the same store to grab supplies. They come across each other, and after Tip’s car fails to start, Oh transforms it into a fantastical, hovering craft to continue transportation. Oh hitches a ride with Tip when he promises to help her find Lucy, but unfortunately, they must to go to the Boov Command Center in Paris and locate her from there.

After reaching the Boov Command Center, which is in the now-floating Eiffel Tower, Oh manages to get into his account, and deletes the message just a second before it reaches the Gorg. He then plugs in Tip’s brain to help her find Lucy. They eventually trace her location to Australia, where she is also looking for her daughter. The other Boov then find the two and try to “erase” Oh, while Tip grabs the gravity manipulation system and flips it over, causing the whole Tower to tilt upside down.

As Oh and Tip head off to Australia, they see other Boov riding by them in fear, and realize that a Gorg ship is close behind them. Tip and Oh manage to knock it down, but in the process a chunk of it hits them and they lose their slushie fuel. They come across the fallen Gorg ship and find out that it is actually a drone. Oh recovers a special chip and uses it to get their car up and running.

Tip and Oh make it to Australia and see the Boov evacuating to their mothership. When they land the car, Tip starts to run for her mother, but Oh insists on evacuating with the other Boov instead. Tip gets angry at him for trying to break the promise again, and she declares that they were never friends. Heartbroken, Oh returns to the ship. The Gorg mothership comes close to the Boov ship, but Oh pulls out the Gorg chip and uses it to fly the ship further away from the Gorg. The Boov become astonished at Oh’s plan, but Smek becomes upset and reminds everyone that he is the captain. However, after Oh tells the Boov what he learned from Tip, Kyle grabs Smek’s “shusher” (a scepter with a rock on top of it) and gives it to Oh, declaring him the new captain.

Tip rushes aimlessly around the city to find Lucy, but no one can help her. Oh returns to her side and helps her track down Lucy. The mother and daughter finally reunite and thank Oh. The Gorg mothership descends upon the planet, and Oh realizes that they want the rock on the shusher, since Smek had previously stolen it from them. Oh runs to the ship to try and get its attention, locking Tip and Lucy in the car for safety. Tip breaks out of the car and shines a light in the Gorg Commander’s face to bring his attention to Oh as he holds the rock up. The Gorg Commander (Brian Stepanek) halts the ship as it crunches down on the ground, with Oh in its path. Tip rushes to rescue him, but Oh is seemingly crushed beneath the machine. It backs up and Oh is revealed to be unharmed. The Gorg Commander emerges from his armor to show that he is actually a harmless starfish-like creature. Oh returns the rock to him, which turns out to be an egg for millions of developing Gorg larvae; the next generation of Gorg, revealing that the Gorg Commander had been the last of his kind, alone and almost extinct. He thanks Oh and departs.

Two weeks later, the humans have returned to their original homes, and Oh finally gets to have his party at his apartment, with both humans and Boov in attendance. Tip plays her music and gets the rest of the Boov to experience dancing for the first time, while other Boov, including a reformed Smek, party on the moon, and thousands of ships from other planets, including the Gorg, head to Earth for Oh’s party upon receiving his invite.

During the mid-credits scene, a pack of chimpanzees climes in the broken Gorg ship.

The Tough and Busiest Year

Our prize is the Disneyland trip (in honor of its 60th diamond anniversary) at Anaheim with Emily (starting teamwork on June 2nd, 2015) when the Christmas/holiday season starts in November 2015. To make Ben’s dream come true, starting March 26th, his mission is to take his iPad on vacation until the end of October. He needs to go see a few PG-13 films and compete in a 5K, the Wipeout Run (due in Summer 2015, canceled). Due to the SpongeBob Movie‘s average grade, if I see another animated film get a C grade, I want to bring it back.

Never Muppetational Pirate & Frozen Fever (April 3, 2015 – August 18, 2015)

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Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Nominee

MPAA Rating: G

Critic Score: cf-lg87% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 7.8/10

Critic Consensus: Wonderfully animated, packed with exciting energy, and full of fun references to the world of Peter Pan, Never Muppetational Pirate is a lively swashbuckling pirate-themed adventure with another example of how new ideas can help keep a trilogy fresh.

Grade: B

Box office: $543.5 million

Plot

Jim Hawkins (Walter) (Peter Linz) is a young orphan who lives in the Admiral Benbow in England with his friends Gonzo (Dave Goelz) and Rizzo (Steve Whitmire). Jim listens to the tales of Billy Bones (Billy Connolly), who tells of his former captain, Captain Flint, who buried his treasure trove on a remote island and executed all of his crew so only he would own the island’s map. Zarina (Christina Hendricks), a very smart and inquisitive pixie dust-keeper fairy, is amazed by the magic behind pixie dust and is determined to find out all that it is capable of. After her secretly experimenting with some blue pixie dust and causing an accident in Pixie Hollow, her supervisor Fairy Gary (Jeff Bennett) prohibits her from being a dust-keeper. In sorrow, Zarina takes her experiments and runs away from Pixie Hollow. One night, one of Bones’ crewmates Blind Pew (Matt Vogel) arrives, giving Bones the black spot. Bones gives Jim the treasure map and reveals that he had been Flint’s first mate. Just before dying of a heart attack, he begs Jim to go after the treasure and keep both it and the map safe from pirate hands. An army of pirates attack the inn, destroying it, but the boys escape with the map.

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One year later, Pixie Hollow celebrates the Four Seasons Festival, with performances from fairies of all the seasons. During the show, Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman), Silvermist (Lucy Liu), Iridessa (Raven-Symoné), Rosetta (Megan Hilty), Fawn (Angela Bartys), and Vidia (Pamela Adlon) spot Zarina flying around the audience and using some strange pixie dust to summon several poppies that cause everyone to fall asleep, except Tink and her friends who take cover. After Zarina is gone, they realize that she stole all of the blue pixie dust, the only way to make the yellow dust that the fairies use to fly, so they go after her to return it to its rightful place. They follow Zarina to the coast, where it is revealed that she became the captain of a pirate crew, including the cabin boy, James Hook (Tom Hiddleston). The fairies manage to retrieve the blue dust for a moment, but Zarina gets it back after throwing at them some multicolored pixie dust that magically switches their innate fairy abilities and talents. Tinker Bell becomes a water fairy, Silvermist becomes a fast-flying fairy, Fawn becomes a light fairy, Iridessa becomes a garden fairy, Rosetta becomes an animal fairy, and Vidia becomes a tinker fairy, much to her horror and disgust.

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The trio take the map to the half-wit Squire Trelawney (Fozzie Bear) (Eric Jacobson), who arranges a voyage to find the treasure. The orphans are enlisted aboard the Hispaniola as the cabin children, accompanied by Trelawney, Dr. Livesey (Bunsen Honeydew) (Dave Goelz), and his assistant Beaker (Steve Whitmire). The ship is commanded by Captain Abraham Smollett (Kermit the Frog) (Steve Whitmire) and his overly strict first mate Mr. Arrow (Sam Eagle) (Eric Jacobson). The orphans meet the cook Long John Silver (Ralph Fiennes), a one-legged man who Bones warned them of, but Jim and Silver become good friends. The ship sets sail, but Smollett is suspicious of the crew, believing them to be of shady character. They struggle with their swapped talents as they search for Zarina and the pirate ship, in the process meeting a baby crocodile which takes a liking to Rosetta. They find the ship and sneak in, where they hear James saying how the pirates met Zarina after drifting off course, and she became the captain with the promise of making the ship fly so that they could plunder anything without getting caught. After Gonzo and Rizzo are kidnapped and tortured by three of the crew, who have turned out to be pirates, he has the treasure map locked up for safe keeping. It is revealed that Silver and all the secret pirates in the crew had been part of Flint’s crew and want the treasure for themselves. Silver fools Mr. Arrow into leaving the ship to test out a rowboat, claims he drowned, and has his minions steal the map during Arrow’s memorial service. Jim, Gonzo, and Rizzo discover Silver’s treachery and inform Smollett.

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The ship arrives at Skull Rock, where the fairies discover the pirates’ camp and a mysterious Pixie Dust Tree, which Zarina had grown using pink-colored pixie dust of the garden talent. Arriving at Treasure Island, Smollett orders the entire crew save the officers to go ashore, planning to keep himself and all non-pirate crew aboard the ship and abandon the pirates on the island. However, his plan falls through when it is discovered that Silver has kidnapped Jim to have leverage against the captain. The fairies attempt to retrieve the blue pixie dust but are caught when Iridessa loses control over her nature/earth-based talent and reveals their location. Tink tries to convince Zarina to return home to Pixie Hollow, but she refuses as no one appreciates her unusual talents in dust-keeping, which eventually led her to leave. With the fairies now captured, the pirates begin making pixie dust which becomes successful.

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On the island, Silver invites Jim to join them in the treasure hunt using his late father’s compass. When Jim refuses, Silver forcibly takes the compass from him. Smollett, Gonzo, and Rizzo land on the island in an effort to rescue Jim. However, unbeknownst to them, Silver had hidden a squad of pirates aboard the Hispaniola before leaving, and they capture the ship in Smollett’s absence. On the island, Smollett and the rest of the landing party are captured by the native tribe of pigs, where Smollett reunites with his jilted lover Benjamina Gunn (Miss Piggy) (Eric Jacobson), the tribe’s queen. Hook, curious about what it’s like to fly, convinces Zarina to use some on him, with the result that he begins to fly. After joyfully flying around the cave, Hook double-crosses Zarina and traps her in a lantern, revealing he is the real captain of the pirate crew and that he has merely been using her all along to get the pixie dust for his own purposes of getting to the second star to plunder around the seven seas of Neverland.

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The pirates find the cave in which Flint hid the treasure is empty, leading to a brief mutiny against Silver. Silver reveals that, even though he is a pirate, he cares for Jim and allows him to escape. Smollett and Benjamina are captured by Silver, and Smollett is hung from a cliff to fall to his death. In an effort to save Smollett, Benjamina reveals the treasure is hidden in her house, but when she spits out a kiss from Silver, he hangs her off the cliff as well. Tinker Bell and the others attempt to escape their prison without any success, until the baby crocodile Rosetta befriended arrives and releases them. The fairies attempt once more to retrieve the blue pixie dust and almost succeed, before being confronted by Hook, who threatens to throw Zarina into the sea unless they hand the blue pixie dust over. Tink willingly gives the pixie dust up, and Hook sprinkles it over the ship before throwing Zarina into the water, leaving the fairies to rescue her. Jim rescues his friends and with Mr. Arrow (who is revealed to be alive), the group regains control of the Hispaniola, and rescue Smollett and Benjamina. The group engages the pirates in a sword fight, until only Silver is left standing, but he surrenders when he finds himself outnumbered.

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As the pirates sail towards the Second Star, the fairies return and use their switched talents to defeat the pirates and turn the ship away from the Second Star. Zarina attempts to retrieve the blue pixie dust from Hook, who chases after her. Zarina manages to gain a speck of blue pixie dust which she then throws at Hook, who starts flying crazily as the two kinds of pixie dust react to each other. As the fairies fly away, Hook angrily swears revenge on them until he is attacked by the baby crocodile, leaving his crew members to laugh at him, much to his dismay. Zarina returns the blue pixie dust to Tink and her friends, before preparing to leave. While all the pirates are imprisoned, Silver discovers he still has Mr. Arrow’s keys and tries to escape with the treasure. Jim confronts him but allows him to leave as long as they never cross paths again, much to Silver’s disappointment. Silver rows away, but not before returning Jim’s compass to him. However, Mr. Arrow informs Jim and Smollett that the boat Silver used was not seaworthy, and Silver is stranded on the island with no gold.

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However, she is offered the chance to return to Pixie Hollow and this time accepts, and helps her friends to sail the ship back to Pixie Hollow where the others are waking up with no recollection of what had happened. Zarina promises not to tamper and experiment with pixie dust again, but is convinced by Tink to show off her astoundingly profound pixie dust abilities one last time. Zarina does so, and in the process, gives Tink and her friends back their original fairy talents, allowing them to put on a beautiful performance to the audience at the Four Seasons Festival. Everyone rushes over to congratulate them, particularly Zarina whose unusually strong and rare talent of pixie dust alchemy is finally accepted and can be who she is.

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The epilogue program starts with Elsa (Idina Menzel) planning to give Anna (Kristen Bell) a surprise birthday party with the help of Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven, and Olaf (Josh Gad); but while Anna is led on a “party treasure hunt” by a string that winds through the kingdom, Elsa has caught a cold, and unknowingly produces a group of small animated snowmen with each sneeze, who begin to dismantle the birthday party’s decorations while Kristoff tries to stop them. While Elsa takes Anna on the hunt, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf try to control the ‘Snowgies’ and fix the decorations in time for Anna and Elsa’s return. After Elsa nearly falls off a clock tower, Anna convinces her to take rest. While Anna enjoys the party, Elsa sneezes a giant snowball through an alphorn, and stuns Hans (Santino Fontana) overseas; whereupon Elsa rests in bed under Anna’s care. Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven escort the ‘Snowgies’ to Elsa’s ice palace, where they stay with her snow-giant doorkeeper ‘Marshmallow‘ (Paul Briggs).

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With Jim promoted as the ship’s new captain, the crew of the Hispaniola sail away, while Silver is left marooned with only a wisecracking Moai head for company.

Upon an extra scene during the end credits of the film, a drifting Hook comes across an unknown ship at sea. One of the crew members, Mr. Smee, comes to greet him. Taking no notice of Smee’s words, Hook orders to be pulled up into the ship.

People incidents

Richard Dysart (L.A. Law, Wall Street, The Thing) died at home in Santa Monica, California on April 5th, 2015, after a long illness. He was 86.

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Stan Freberg (Looney Tunes, Lady and the Tramp) died on April 7th, 2015, aged 88, at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica in Santa Monica, California from pneumonia.

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The Legacy Collection: Lady and the Tramp was released exclusively, in association with Intrada Records, on April 28, 2015, as a two-disc album to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Lady and the Tramp. The album includes the film's complete original soundtrack, one demo recording, three "Lost Chords" recordings, and six bonus tracks. The album was released in traditional retail forms on August 21, 2015. Continuing in Walt Disney Records celebrated "Legacy Collection" is their latest deluxe 2-CD release for Lady And The Tramp, 1955's animation masterpiece about warm, funny romance between pampered female cocker spaniel and male stray mutt. With robust, tuneful Oliver Wallace symphonic score surrounded by delightful songs authored by Sonny Burke, sung by Peggy Lee, this delightful movie ushered in Disney's foray into CinemaScope animation storytelling. As new process proved challenging for animation as well as theater presentation, Disney prepared both widescreen versions, "standard" versions with optical sound. This new 2-CD set, presented from flawless original optical mono scoring session elements (as originally recorded), plus stereo imaging of vocals (also as originally presented), captures rousing musical odyssey with crystal clarity! CD 1 offers score, songs from actual soundtrack. CD 2 offers compact disc premiere of original fifties Disneyland Records album of studio re-recorded songs from movie plus "Home Sweet Home" which premiered on Disney's 1997 single disc release. Finally under one roof are all the beloved songs and scoring sequences from an equally beloved animation film icon! As with previous Legacy Collection titles, packaging is "Deluxe" collectable book style with full color illustrations, concept art, notes and more. A fabulous piece of Disney history! Available exclusively from Intrada plus select dealers and Amazon until wide release slated for August 2015.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: LADY AND THE TRAMP WAS RELEASED EXCLUSIVELY, IN ASSOCIATION WITH INTRADA RECORDS, ON APRIL 28, 2015, AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM TO COINCIDE WITH THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF LADY AND THE TRAMP. THE ALBUM INCLUDES THE FILM’S COMPLETE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK, ONE DEMO RECORDING, THREE “LOST CHORDS” RECORDINGS, AND SIX BONUS TRACKS. THE ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN TRADITIONAL RETAIL FORMS ON AUGUST 21, 2015.
CONTINUING IN WALT DISNEY RECORDS CELEBRATED “LEGACY COLLECTION” IS THEIR LATEST DELUXE 2-CD RELEASE FOR LADY AND THE TRAMP, 1955’S ANIMATION MASTERPIECE ABOUT WARM, FUNNY ROMANCE BETWEEN PAMPERED FEMALE COCKER SPANIEL AND MALE STRAY MUTT. WITH ROBUST, TUNEFUL OLIVER WALLACE SYMPHONIC SCORE SURROUNDED BY DELIGHTFUL SONGS AUTHORED BY SONNY BURKE, SUNG BY PEGGY LEE, THIS DELIGHTFUL MOVIE USHERED IN DISNEY’S FORAY INTO CINEMASCOPE ANIMATION STORYTELLING. AS NEW PROCESS PROVED CHALLENGING FOR ANIMATION AS WELL AS THEATER PRESENTATION, DISNEY PREPARED BOTH WIDESCREEN VERSIONS, “STANDARD” VERSIONS WITH OPTICAL SOUND. THIS NEW 2-CD SET, PRESENTED FROM FLAWLESS ORIGINAL OPTICAL MONO SCORING SESSION ELEMENTS (AS ORIGINALLY RECORDED), PLUS STEREO IMAGING OF VOCALS (ALSO AS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED), CAPTURES ROUSING MUSICAL ODYSSEY WITH CRYSTAL CLARITY! CD 1 OFFERS SCORE, SONGS FROM ACTUAL SOUNDTRACK. CD 2 OFFERS COMPACT DISC PREMIERE OF ORIGINAL FIFTIES DISNEYLAND RECORDS ALBUM OF STUDIO RE-RECORDED SONGS FROM MOVIE PLUS “HOME SWEET HOME” WHICH PREMIERED ON DISNEY’S 1997 SINGLE DISC RELEASE. FINALLY UNDER ONE ROOF ARE ALL THE BELOVED SONGS AND SCORING SEQUENCES FROM AN EQUALLY BELOVED ANIMATION FILM ICON! AS WITH PREVIOUS LEGACY COLLECTION TITLES, PACKAGING IS “DELUXE” COLLECTABLE BOOK STYLE WITH FULL COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS, CONCEPT ART, NOTES AND MORE. A FABULOUS PIECE OF DISNEY HISTORY! AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM INTRADA PLUS SELECT DEALERS AND AMAZON UNTIL WIDE RELEASE SLATED FOR AUGUST 2015.

John Stephenson (The Flintstones, Dragnet, Jonny Quest) died of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 91 on May 15th, 2015.

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The Legacy Collection: Disneyland was released exclusively at the Disneyland Resort on May 20, 2015, to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Disneyland. The three-disc album consists entirely of music, songs and audio, featured across a variety of attractions at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The album was released in traditional retail forms on August 21, 2015.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: DISNEYLAND WAS RELEASED EXCLUSIVELY AT THE DISNEYLAND RESORT ON MAY 20, 2015, TO COINCIDE WITH THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DISNEYLAND. THE THREE-DISC ALBUM CONSISTS ENTIRELY OF MUSIC, SONGS AND AUDIO, FEATURED ACROSS A VARIETY OF ATTRACTIONS AT BOTH DISNEYLAND AND DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE. THE ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN TRADITIONAL RETAIL FORMS ON AUGUST 21, 2015.

Anne Meara (Archie Bunker’s Place, The King of Queens, Life Mike) died on May 23rd, 2015 at her home in Manhattan, at the age of 85.

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Salinas, California

On May 26th, 2015, I departed the new-moved apartment and headed down Interstate 5 with my parents and visit Melissa and her friend Brian in Eugene. Then we all headed down to central California. I stayed at the Residence Inn Marriot hotel. I brought a few of the DVDs (Big Hero 6, Frozen & Muppets & Fairies’ Wintery Secret Sing Along Edition, Cars, The Book of Life, Lady and the Tramp (in honor of its 60th anniversary), and The Three Caballeros (in honor of its 70th anniversary)).

I had visits to the childhood vacation places; Aunt Amy’s house and Dennis the Menace playground! I watched our cousin Isabella graduate. Melissa graduated in 2011 and I graduated in 2013. I went to the Northridge Mall to visit the Disney Store and collect the Disney extras (Joy, Sadness, Bing Bong, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and the figurine set from Inside Out (the returning studio’s newest blockbuster by Pixar, set in a mind of a young girl named Riley, due in June 19th, 2015).

At May 30th, 2015, we went home, staying at the motel during the long drive back to Portland.

People incidents

Christopher Lee (Dracula, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars) died at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on June 7th, 2015 at 8:30 AM after being admitted for respiratory problems and heart failure, shortly after celebrating his 93rd birthday.

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The Legacy Collection: Cinderella was released as a two-disc album on June 16, 2015, to coincide with the 65th anniversary of Cinderella. The album includes the film's original soundtrack, seven demo recordings, seven "Lost Chords", and nine bonus tracks.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: CINDERELLA WAS RELEASED AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM ON JUNE 16, 2015, TO COINCIDE WITH THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF CINDERELLA. THE ALBUM INCLUDES THE FILM’S ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK, SEVEN DEMO RECORDINGS, SEVEN “LOST CHORDS”, AND NINE BONUS TRACKS.

Inside Out (June 19, 2015 – November 3, 2015)

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Awards: Aacademy Award for Best Animated Feature Winner

MPAA Rating: PG (for mild thematic elements and some action)

Critic Score: cf-lg98% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 9/10

Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.

Grade: A-

Box office: $857.6 million

Plot

A girl named Riley Andersen (Kaitlyn Dias) is born in Minnesota and within her brain, five personifications of her basic emotions—Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black)—gradually come to life and influence her actions via a console in her mind’s Headquarters. As she grows up, her experiences become memories, stored in colored orbs, which are sent into long-term memory each night. Her five most important “core memories” (all of which are happy ones) are housed in a hub that power “islands,” each reflecting an aspect of her personality. In Headquarters, Joy acts as a de facto leader to maintain Riley’s cheerful childhood, but as she and the other emotions do not understand Sadness’ purpose (not even Sadness herself), she frequently tries to keep Sadness away from the console.

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At the age of eleven, Riley and her parents move to San Francisco for her father‘s (Kyle MacLachian) new business. Riley has poor first experiences: the new house is cramped and old, the moving van with all their belongings was misdirected, her father is under stress from his business, and a poor encounter at a pizza restaurant leaves her disheartened. When Sadness begins touching Riley’s happy memories, turning them sad, Joy tries to guard them. On Riley’s first day at her new school, Sadness accidentally causes Riley to cry in front of her class, creating a sad core memory. Joy, panicking, tries to dispose of it, but accidentally knocks the other core memories loose during a struggle with Sadness, deactivating the personality islands. Joy, Sadness, and the core memories are sucked out of Headquarters, and taken to the maze-like storage area of long-term memory.

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Anger, Fear, and Disgust try to maintain Riley’s emotional state in Joy’s absence with disastrous results, distancing her from her parents, friends and hobbies, resulting in her personality islands gradually beginning to crumble and fall, one by one, into the “Memory Dump,” an abyss where memories are forgotten. In desperation, Anger inserts an idea into the console prompting Riley to run away, believing that her return to Minnesota will enable her to make new happy core memories.

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Joy and Sadness encounter Bing Bong (Richard Kind), Riley’s childhood imaginary friend, who suggests riding the train of thought back to Headquarters. The three eventually catch the train, but it is derailed when the “Honesty Island” collapses (when Riley steals her mother‘s (Diane Lane) credit card and begins to run away). In desperation, Joy abandons Sadness and tries to ride a “recall tube” back to Headquarters, but the last personality island collapses, breaking the tube, plunging Joy and Bing Bong into the Memory Dump. At the bottom, Joy begins to lose hope, but discovers a sad memory of a hockey game that becomes happy when Riley’s parents and friends comfort her. Joy realizes that Sadness serves an important purpose: to create empathy in others when Riley is emotionally overwhelmed and needs help.

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Joy and Bing Bong try to use Bing Bong’s old wagon rocket to escape the Memory Dump, but after several tries, Bing Bong realizes their combined weight is too much and jumps out, sacrificing himself to allow Joy to escape. Joy reunites with a despondent Sadness and manage to get them to Headquarters, only to discover that Anger’s idea, of running away, has disabled the console, rendering Riley numb and apathetic. To the surprise of the others, Joy has Sadness take charge. Sadness unplugs the idea, reactivating the console, prompting Riley to return home.

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As Sadness reinstalls the (now sad) core memories, Riley arrives home to her parents and bursts into tears, confessing that she misses her old life. As her parents comfort her, Joy and Sadness work the console together, creating a new core memory that combines their emotions; an island forms representing Riley’s acceptance of her new life. A year later, Riley has adapted to her new home, made new friends, returned to her old hobbies, and adopted a few new ones (fueled by new, more nuanced core memories from combinations of her emotions). Inside Headquarters, her emotions all work together on a new expanded console with room for them all, enabling Riley to lead a more emotionally complex life.

People incidents

On June 22nd, 2015, James Horner (Titanic, Field of Dreams, Apollo 13) died at the age of 61 when his S312 Tucano turboprop aircraft crashed into the Los Padres National Forest near Ventucopa, California.

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Minions (July 10, 2015 – December 8, 2015)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for action and rude humor)

Critic Score: rotten56%.

Average Rating: 5.8/10

Consensus: The Minions‘ brightly colored brand of gibberish-fueled insanity stretches to feature length in their self-titled Despicable Me spinoff, with uneven but often hilarious results.

Grade: C+

Box office: $1.159 billion

Plot

Minions are small, yellow creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from single-celled organisms into beings who exist only to serve history’s most despicable masters. After serving a great deal of masters over the centuries (though they accidentally kill their masters most of the time), they find they enjoy serving humans the most. However, after a disastrous end to their service to Napoleon, the Minions are driven into isolation and decide to start a new life in a massive cave in Antarctica. All goes well at first, but after many years, the Minions become depressed, restless and unmotivated without a master to serve. To regain their dignity and sense of purpose, Kevin (Pierre Coffin), one fearless Minion, decides to set out to find a new master and asks for help. Stuart (Pierre Coffin), a musically inclined Minion who is blissfully unaware of what he has been chosen for, becomes a volunteer, and so does Bob (Pierre Coffin), a young and inexperienced but infectious Minion who tends to befriend anyone he meets and is the only one who knows what Kevin is doing.

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The trio journey to New York where the year is 1968. After spending the day attempting to blend in, the Minions end up in a department store for the night, where, after stacking a lot of random objects atop the TV, they see a hidden commercial broadcast for villains advertising Villain-Con; a convention for villains and supervillains in Orlando. The trio manage to hitchhike a ride with a family of villains called the Nelsons and impress them with their accidental villainy. Once at the convention, they see Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the first female supervillain, and they impress her enough for her to hire them. As Scarlet takes the Minions to her home in England, Kevin contacts the other Minions, who later find new boss, but accidentally kill him and are chased out of their cave. They make their way to England to find Kevin, Bob, and Stuart.

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At her home, Scarlet explains the plan to steal St. Edward’s Crown from Queen Elizabeth II (Jennifer Saunders) of England and promises to reward the Minions if they successfully steal it, but later shows through a bedtime story that she would kill them if they don’t. Her husband Herb (Jon Hamm) supplies them with inventions to aid in the heist, but they are nearly caught when they break into the Tower of London, which leads to a highly publicized chase that ends with Bob crashing into the Sword in the Stone and pulling it free, removing Elizabeth II from the throne and becoming King of England. Enraged by this, Scarlet confronts the Minions, who claim that their intention was to give her the crown; Bob changes the law to allow him to pass it to her. Undeterred because she feels betrayed, Scarlet imprisons the three in a dungeon to be tortured by Herb before her coronation, but afterwards, they are left alone and escape with the intention to apologize to Scarlet.

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Making their way to Westminster Abbey, the three of them interrupt the coronation by accidentally sending a chandelier down on Scarlet, who immediately orders their execution. Dozens of villains chase them and Bob and Stuart are caught while Kevin finds his way into a pub. He sees Scarlet on a television, promising that she will kill Stuart and Bob if Kevin doesn’t show up by dawn. Kevin sneaks into Scarlet’s home to steal weapons, but inadvertently triggers an untested machine Herb was building and grows over one hundred feet in height. He tramples through London, rescuing his friends just as the other Minions reunite with them. Scarlet tries to eradicate them, but Kevin defends them, swallowing a massive missile while being pulled through the air by Scarlet’s rocket-powered dress. The missile detonates, apparently killing Kevin and the Overkills. After the Minions briefly mourn him, Kevin reappears, having returned to his normal size.

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Queen Elizabeth receives her place on the throne and crown back and rewards Bob with a tiny crown for his teddy bear and Stuart an electric guitar that he calls a “Mega Ukulele”, and she knights Kevin for his heroism. She suddenly realizes that her crown is missing, and Kevin leads a chase after Scarlet and Herb, who are revealed to be alive and are fleeing through the crowd with the bejeweled crown until they are suddenly frozen in place by a young Gru (Steve Carell), who steals the crown from them and takes off in a rocket-powered motorbike while the Minions stare in awe. Bob gives his crown to the frozen Scarlet, who accepts the gift with joy, as the Minions see Gru as their new potential master and give chase to follow him home.

People incidents

Roger Rees (Cheers, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, The West Wing) died of brain cancer at age 71 at his home in New York on July 10th, 2015.

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The Legacy Collection: Toy Story was released as a two-disc album on July 10, 2015, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Toy Story. The album features the film's complete original soundtrack, four demo recordings, and three instrumental versions of the film's three songs, as well as liner notes by composer Randy Newman and director John Lasseter.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: TOY STORY WAS RELEASED AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM ON JULY 10, 2015, TO COINCIDE WITH THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF TOY STORY. THE ALBUM FEATURES THE FILM’S COMPLETE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK, FOUR DEMO RECORDINGS, AND THREE INSTRUMENTAL VERSIONS OF THE FILM’S THREE SONGS, AS WELL AS LINER NOTES BY COMPOSER RANDY NEWMAN AND DIRECTOR JOHN LASSETER.

Alex Rocco (The Godfather, The George Carlin Show, The Facts of Life) died on July 18th, 2015 from pancreatic cancer in Studio City, Los Angeles, at the age of 79.

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Shaun the Sheep Movie (August 7, 2015 – November 24, 2015)

Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Nominee

MPAA Rating: PG (for rude humor)

Critic Score: cf-lg99% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 8.1/10

Consensus: Warm, funny, and brilliantly animated, Shaun the Sheep is yet another stop-motion jewel in Aardman’s family-friendly.

Grade: B

Plot

Shaun (Justin Fletcher), a mischievous sheep living with his flock at Mossy Bottom Farm, is bored with the routine of life on the farm. One day, he concocts a plan to have a day away, by tricking the farmer (John Sparkes) into going back to sleep by counting his sheep repeatedly. However, the caravan in which they put the farmer to bed accidentally rolls away, taking him the entire way into the city. Bitzer (John Sparkes), the farmer’s dog, goes after him, ordering the sheep to stay on the farm until he returns.

The farmer receives a blow to the head and is hospitalized, where he is diagnosed with amnesia, and leaves the hospital. He wanders into a hair salon, where he cuts a celebrity’s hair as if he was shearing a sheep. The celebrity loves it, which leads the farmer to be known as the mysterious hair stylist “Mr. X”.

Meanwhile, the sheep find life impossible without the farmer, so Shaun sneaks on a bus to the city; the rest of the flock follow him on another bus. He manages to disguise them as people and they begin looking for the farmer, but Shaun is captured by Trumper (Omid Djalili), an over-zealous animal-control worker. Shaun is reunited with Bitzer in the animal lock-up, and with the help of a homeless dog named Slip, they escape. They find the farmer, but he does not recognize Shaun, who is heartbroken by his owner’s hostility.

Shaun learns about the farmer’s memory loss, and he and the flock devise a plan, which involves putting the farmer and everyone else to sleep with the sheep-counting trick, returning him to the trailer on a pantomime horse (really the sheep in an elaborate disguise), and hooking the trailer up to a bus returning to Mossy Bottom. The plan is initially successful, but they are pursued by Trumper who becomes insane and intent on killing them outright.

At the farm, the group hide in a shed, which Trumper tries to push into a nearby rock quarry. Fortunately, the farmer wakes up, regains his memory, and through teamwork, Trumper is defeated. The farmer and the animals have a renewed appreciation for each other, and the next day, the farmer cancels the day’s routine activities. Slip leaves, but is adopted by a bus driver who finds her on the road. The animal-control service is turned into animal-protection centre, and Trumper, no longer welcome there, finds work wearing a chicken suit to promote a restaurant.

In a mid-credits scene, the farmer witnesses the events caused by his oblivious self and the animals on the news, as the animals watch in horror.

The Legacy Collection: Pocahontas was released on August 7, 2015, as a two-disc album to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Pocahontas. The release includes the film's complete original soundtrack and five demo recordings.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: POCAHONTAS WAS RELEASED ON AUGUST 7, 2015, AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM TO COINCIDE WITH THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF POCAHONTAS. THE RELEASE INCLUDES THE FILM’S COMPLETE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK AND FIVE DEMO RECORDINGS.

People incidents

Susan Sheridan (The Black Cauldron, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Noddy’s Toyland Adventures) died on August 9th, 2015, from breast cancer, aged 68.

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D23 Expo (2015)

The fourth D23 Expo was held on August 14th-16th, 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios presented first looks of The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Zootopia & The NeverZootropolis Legend, Moana, Toy Story 4, and Coco. Marvel Studios presented footage from Captain America: Civil War and stills from Doctor Strange, while Lucasfilm presented a look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Walt Disney Pictures showcased Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Pete’s Dragon, The Finest Hours, and The Queen of Katwe. In addition, the logos for The Incredibles II and Cars 3 were revealed. Disney Interactive held presentation on several video games, namely Star Wars: Battlefront, Disney Infinity 3.0, and Kingdom Hearts III. The presentations featured new in-game footage, trailers, and reveals. The presentations also included surprise announcements and special guests. At the conclusion of the Walt Disney Studios presentation, Iger made a surprise announcement that Disney was developing a new Star Wars themed land for both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Legacy Collection: The Aristocats was released on August 21, 2015, as a two-disc album to coincide with the 45th anniversary of The Aristocats.[3] The album features the film's complete original soundtrack—released for the first time in its entirety—as well as, eight "Lost Chords" and five bonus tracks.
THE LEGACY COLLECTION: THE ARISTOCATS WAS RELEASED ON AUGUST 21, 2015, AS A TWO-DISC ALBUM TO COINCIDE WITH THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARISTOCATS. THE ALBUM FEATURES THE FILM’S COMPLETE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK—RELEASED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS ENTIRETY—AS WELL AS, EIGHT “LOST CHORDS” AND FIVE BONUS TRACKS.

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At August 19th, 2015 (the month of the D23 Expo), I departed from the new-moved apartment and head on to visit Melissa’s new apartment at Eugene with my mom. We went to visit Hirxons gift shop and visit the University of Oregon. I brought a portable DVD player and a few DVDs (Home, the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Film Collection (Frozen Fever, Feast, Get a Horse! with Mickey, Paperman, Tangled Ever After, The Ballad of Nessie, and How to Hook a Movie Theater with Goofy) (in honor of its upcoming projects announced in the D23 Expo, Zootopia & The NeverZootropolis Legend and Moana), The Black Cauldron (in honor of its 30th anniversary and the honor of Princess Eilonwy’s Susan Sheridan’s death in August 9th)). We went to the mall and see Minions.

Hotel Transylvania 2 (September 25, 2015 – January 12, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for some scary images, action and rude humor)

Critic Score: rotten54%.

Average Rating: 5.3/10

Consensus: Hotel Transylvania 2 is marginally better than the original, which may not be enough of a recommendation to watch 89 mintues of corny, colorfully animated gags from Adam Sandler and company.

Grade: B

Box office: $473.2 million

Plot

Some time after the first film, Mavis (Selena Gomez) and her new fiancé Johnny (Andy Samberg) are finally married, with the approval of her father Dracula (Adam Sandler), and the world becomes aware of (and unfazed by) the existence of monsters. Mavis later reveals to Drac that she is pregnant and a year later, she gives birth to a baby boy named Dennis (Asher Blinkoff), who later befriends Wayne’s daughter Winnie (Sadie Sandler). Nearing his fifth birthday, Dennis has yet to grow his fangs and Drac worries that his grandson might not gain vampire powers. Noticing the dangers of Transylvania, Mavis starts to consider raising Dennis where Johnny grew up, much to Drac’s disapproval.

Drac tells Johnny (who doesn’t want to leave the hotel either) to bring Mavis to California to visit the in-laws, Mike (Nick Offerman) and Linda (Megan Mullally), but to make sure to keep her distracted so that she will not move, leaving Drac to babysit Dennis. Drac enlists his friends, Frank (Kevin James), Wayne the Werewolf (Steve Buscemi), Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), Murray the Mummy (Keegan-Michael Key) and Blobby the Blob (Jonny Solomon) to help train Dennis to become a monster, to no avail. Drac takes Dennis to his childhood summer camp, Camp Winnepacaca, where he learned to hone his vampire abilities, and discovers that the camp is safer than it was when he went there. Drac stubbornly believes Dennis is a “late fanger”, so he hurls Dennis from a tall, unstable tower to pressure the boy’s transformation into a bat. Dennis does not transform, and Drac has to fly and rescue him at the last second. The stunt is filmed by the campers and uploaded to the internet, which eventually reaches Mavis and Johnny. Mavis transforms into a bat to fly her and Johnny back to Transylvania. Drac and his friends reach the hotel a couple of seconds after Mavis. She confronts her father for putting Dennis in grave danger and his inability to accept that he is human. She states she will move out of the hotel after Dennis’ fifth birthday the following Wednesday.

Mavis invites Vlad (Mel Brooks), her grandfather and Drac’s father, to Dennis’ birthday party. As Vlad is much worse than he was when it comes to humans, Drac tells Johnny to have the human party-goers disguise themselves as monsters. Vlad receives the invitation and arrives with his monstrous bat-like servant Bela (Rob Riggle) to meet his great-grandson for the first time. Meeting him, he believes that fear will cause Dennis’ fangs to sprout and possesses a stage performer dressed as Dennis’s favorite television monster, “Kakie the Cake Monster,” to scare Dennis, but Drac shields his grandson at the last moment and exposes the deception to Vlad, who is outraged that Drac has accepted humans as guests in his hotel. Drac confronts his father about how humans are different now.

Mavis becomes upset with her grandfather’s behavior (regretting inviting him to Dennis’s birthday party) and while the family argues, Dennis sadly flees the hotel (followed by Bela) and enters the forest with Winnie in tow, hiding in her treehouse, but they are attacked by Bela, who mistakes Dennis for a human. When Bela injures Winnie and threatens to destroy the hotel, Dennis’ anger causes him to instantly grow his fangs and his vampire abilities manifest. He begins to fight Bela, who calls his giant-bat minions. Drac, Mavis, Dennis, Johnny, the rest of the monsters and (some of) Johnny’s family team up to defeat his minions. A livid Bela then attempts to kill Johnny himself with a stake, but Vlad appears, having been won over by what Drac had said to him, and shrinks him to a harmless size and allows the Werewolf Kids to lick him nonstop.

With Dennis having vampire abilities, Mavis and Johnny continue to raise him in Transylvania, and they resume the party with his friends.

People incidents

Diagnosed with colorectal cancer, Kevin Corcoran (Old Yeller, Pete’s Dragon, Sons of Anarchy) died of the illness aged 66 in October 6th, 2015.

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October 13, 2015
OCTOBER 13, 2015

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On October 24th, 2015, Maureen O’Hara (How Green Was My Valley, Miracle on 34th Street, The Quiet Man) died in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho from natural causes. She was 95 years old.

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The Peanuts Movie (November 6, 2015 – March 8, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: G

Critic Score: cf-lg87% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 7.1/10

Consensus: The Peanuts Movie offers a colorful gateway into the world of its classic characters and a sweetly nostalgic – if relatively unambitious – treat for the adults who grew up with them.

Grade: B

Box office: $246.2 million

Plot

When the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Capaldi) moves into his neighborhood, Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) becomes infatuated with her, though worries his long-running streak of failures will prevent her from noticing him. After Lucy (Hadley Belle Miller) tells him he should try being more confident, Charlie Brown decides to embark upon a series of new activities in hope of finding one that will get the Little Red-Haired Girl to notice him. His first attempt is to participate in the school’s talent show with a magic act and Snoopy (Bill Melendez) helps as well as Woodstock (Bill Melendez). However, when Sally‘s (Mariel Sheets) act goes wrong, Charlie Brown sacrifices his time for her, then rescues his sister from being humiliated, although he humiliates himself in return. Charlie Brown subsequently decides to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl with dance skills, so he signs up for the school dance and gets Snoopy to teach him all his best moves. At the dance, Charlie Brown starts to attract praise for his skills, but then he slips and sets off the sprinkler system, causing the dance to be cut short and all the other students to look down upon him once more.

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Later, Charlie Brown is partnered with the Little Red-Haired Girl to write a book report. At first, he is excited to have a chance to be with her, but she is called away for a week to deal with a family illness, leaving Charlie Brown to write the report all by himself. Hoping to impress both the Little Red-Haired Girl and his teacher, Charlie Brown writes his report on the collegiate-level novel War and Peace. At the same time, Charlie Brown finds he is the only student to get a perfect score on a standardized test. His friends and the other students congratulate him, and his popularity begins to climb. When he goes to accept a medal at a school assembly, however, he learns the test papers are accidentally mixed up and the perfect score actually belongs to Peppermint Patty (Venus Omega Schultheis); Charlie Brown declines the medal, losing all his new-found popularity. His book report is later destroyed by a Red Baron model plane, and he admits to the Little Red-Haired Girl he has caused them to both fail the assignment.

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Before leaving school for the summer, Charlie Brown is surprised when the Little Red-Haired Girl chooses him for a pen pal. Linus (Alex Garfin) convinces Charlie Brown he needs to tell the Little Red-Haired Girl how he feels about her before she leaves for the summer. Racing to her house, he discovers she is about to leave on a bus for summer camp. He tries to chase the bus, but is prevented from reaching it. Just as he is about to give up, thinking the whole world is against him, Charlie Brown sees a kite fall from the Kite-Eating Tree, and the string becomes entangled around his waist and sails away with him. Amazed to see Charlie Brown flying a kite, his friends follow.

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Upon reaching the bus, Charlie Brown finally asks the Little Red-Haired Girl why she has chosen him in spite of his failures. The Little Red-Haired Girl explains she admires his selflessness and his determination and praises him as an honest, caring, and compassionate person. The two promise to write to one another; Charlie Brown’s friends catch up to him and crowd around to congratulate him before picking him up on their shoulders and carrying him away at the end of the film, finally accepting him as a true friend.

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In a side story, Snoopy decides to write a novel about the World War I Flying Ace, trying to save Fifi (Kristin Chenoweth) from the Red Baron with Woodstock and his friends’ help. The story parallels Charlie Brown’s mishaps, as Snoopy runs into problems with Fifi along the way. He ends up acting out his adventure, coming across Charlie Brown and the gang several times along the way. He defeats the Red Baron and rescues Fifi from an airplane. Lucy narrates the story and when the story finishes, she throws the papers behind her and calls it the dumbest story she ever read just because it is about a flying dog, so Snoopy throws the typewriter at her as payback for insulting his story.

Disneyland Resort, Anaheim: The Holidays (2015)

The mission for hard work had been accomplished with our best teamwork ever and my dreams of going to Disneyland for the diamond 60th anniversary had finally came true! Waiting for the iPad to return since separation in March 2015, I reunited and got it back.

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On November 16th, 2015 (just three days after the holiday season in Disneyland kicks off this season), I left Emily’s apartment with her and we went to the Portland International Airport. As completed tee-am work, Emily and I joined Natalie board the plane heading for Santa Ana in southern California. We finally arrived at Disneyland Resort (now celebrating its 60th anniversary) in Anaheim and stayed in the Fantasy Tower in the Disneyland Hotel. I brought a few DVDs (Inside Out, Toy Story That Time Forget, Aladdin, Tangled & Muppets & Fairies Treasure Autumn (in honor of its 5th anniversary) and the downloaded Intrada Records soundtrack of Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (in honor of its 6th birthday), Frozen & Muppets & Fairies’ Wintery Secret & Never Muppetational Pirate w/ Frozen Fever, Finding Nemo (in honor of the sequel next year), the Toy Story trilogy (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3) (in honor of the first film’s 20th anniversary in November 22nd and the 5th anniversary of the third film), Up, Fantasia & Fantasia 2000 (in honor of the classical’s 75th anniversary), and Frosty the Snowman (in honor of its 45th anniversary)).

Since The Good Dinosaur (the new Pixar film about dinosaurs that never become extinct) is coming out in Thanksgiving, we watch the exclusive sneak peek at Disney’s California Adventure and the shops in Disneyland had just released its merchandise and I collected the soundtrack and some stuff (including Arlo the young Apatosaurus, the caveboy named Spot, the Tyrannosaurus rex Butch, Thunderclap the pterodactyl, Forrest Woodbush the Styracosaurus, and Bubbha the Velociraptor), plus the Frozen mega figure playset (Anna, Coronation Anna, Elsa, Coronation Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, Hans, the Duke of Weselton, Grand Pabbie, Oaken, Marshmallow, Bulda, Young Anna, Young Elsa, King Agnarr, Queen Iduna, Young Kristoff, and Young Sven). Around Downtown Disney AMC Theatre, we see The Peanuts Movie (in honor of its comic’s 65th anniversary and A Charlie Brown Christmas‘s 50th anniversary) and Pinocchio in 3D (in honor of the masterpiece’s 75th anniversary). To honor its anniversary, I collect some extras, including Figaro, Jiminy, the Blue Fairy, and Cleo. In honor of its final Diamond Edition release and the starting of the Walt Disney Signature Collection, I collect Snow White and stuff from Aladdin (Jasmine, Aladdin, Genie, Jafar, Abu, Iago, Rajah, and Elephant Abu). To honor the Disney Fairies film series, I will have the downloaded soundtracks of Legend of the NeverBeast and The Pirate Fairy and the very rare Disney Tinker Bell Never Land Music Jewelry Box (that plays “You Can Fly”) from eBay.

The first day started and we went to Disneyland Park and went on Indiana Jones Adventure, Tarzan’s Treehouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, the King Arthur Carrousel, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pinocchio’s Darling Journey, Alice in Wonderland, It’s a Small World Holiday (in honor of 18 years), Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Space Mountain, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (to honor its sequel next year), and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and went shopping at It’s a Small World Toy Shop and the Emporium at Main Street USA. The next day starts and we went to Disney’s California Adventure Park and went on Toy Story Midway Mania!, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Soarin’ Over California, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, Muppet*Vision 3D, Frozen Fun (even Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post), Disney Animation, and Radiator Springs Racers at Cars Land and we went shopping in the World of Disney at Downtown Disney. It’s beautifully amazing that make me feel more joyful and I finally found peace!

At November 20th, 2015 (before five days until The Good Dinosaur is released and six days until Thanksgiving), I and Emily departed Anaheim and flew back to Portland.

The Good Dinosaur (November 25, 2015 – February 23, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: PG (for peril, action and thematic elements)

Critic Score: cf-lg77% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 6.5/10

Consensus: The Good Dinosaur delivers thrillingly beautiful animation in service of a worthy story that, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty standards set by Pixar, still adds up to charming, family-friendly entertainment.

Grade: B

Box office: $332.2 million

Plot

In an alternate timeline, the asteroid that would have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago passes safely over Earth.

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Millions of years later, two Apatosaurus named Henry (Jeffrey Wright) and Ida (Frances McDormand), who are farmers, watch as their three eggs hatch into children: Libby (Maleah Padilla), Buck (Marcus Scribner), and the runt Arlo (Raymond Ochoa). Unlike his siblings, Arlo has trouble adjusting to farm life; while the others are successful and allowed to “make their mark” (a mud-print on the family’s corn silo), Arlo’s timid nature makes even his simple tasks difficult for him, so Henry attempts to give Arlo a sense of purpose by putting him in charge of guarding their silo from critters, and helps him set up a trap. The trap manages to capture a feral caveboy (Jack Bright), but Arlo doesn’t have the heart to kill him, and sets him free. Disappointed, Henry takes Arlo to track the caveboy, leading them into a ravine where it begins to rain. Arlo injures himself, and Henry decides to turn back, but a massive flash flood occurs, and Henry only manages to save Arlo before being swept away and killed.

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Without his father, Arlo must shoulder more of the workload. He spots the same caveboy inside the silo and, blaming him for his father’s death, chases him until both of them fall into a river. Arlo cannot swim, and is quickly swept downstream where he hits his head on a rock and is knocked unconscious. Waking up, he is dismayed to find himself far from home and tries to survive on his own with minimal success, becoming trapped when a boulder pins down his leg. Arlo awakes to find his leg has been freed, and the caveboy appears with food for him to eat. The caveboy then leads Arlo to a berry tree, where the caveboy fends off a large snake, amazing Arlo, and also impressing a nearby Styracosaurus (Peter Sohn), who wants to keep the boy. The eccentric older dinosaur forces Arlo to compete with him to give the boy a name he will respond to, which Arlo finally wins when he calls him “Spot”, and the Styracosaurus relents. Arlo and Spot bond, as Arlo laments his lost family, and Spot reveals that his own parents are dead. When a thunderstorm strikes, though, Arlo runs away in fear, and loses the riverbank he has been following home.

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The next morning, Arlo wakes up to find Spot at his side. They are noticed by a band of pterodactyls, consisting of their leader, Thunderclap (Steve Zahn), who appear to be conducting a rescue operation but turn out to be savagely carnivorous. When the pterodactyls try to take Spot, Arlo and Spot flee, happening upon a pair of Tyrannosaurus named Nash (A.J. Buckley) and Ramsey (Anna Paquin), who ward off the pterodactyls. Nash, Ramsey, and their father Butch (Sam Elliott) have lost their herd of longhorns, so Arlo offers Spot’s help in sniffing them out. They locate the herd, but Butch recognizes the work of cattle rustlers, and uses Arlo as a lure. Arlo and Spot attract the attention of the rustlers – a pack of Velociraptors – allowing Butch and his family to attack. During the fight, Arlo musters his courage and fends off two raptors who have overwhelmed Butch, helping to turn the fight in their favor. Having gained their respect, Arlo joins the T. Rexes in driving the cattle south when he sees the familiar mountain peaks of his homeland in the distance, and leaves with Spot to return home. Along the way, Arlo and Spot encounter an adult feral caveman in the distance, and though Spot shows interest, Arlo dissuades him and they continue on.

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As another storm approaches, the pterodactyls return and attack, this time managing to carry Spot away. Arlo becomes entangled in some vines, where he has a vision of Henry leading him back home. Arlo instead resolves to save Spot, making the vision of his father proud before he fades away. Arlo wakes up filled with determination, and finds and attacks the pterodactyls, who have cornered Spot at the river. Arlo and Spot manage to overpower the pterodactyls, plunging them one after another into the water where they are swept helplessly downstream. Another flash flood occurs, triggering a massive torrent to approach. Despite his fear, Arlo leaps into the water to rescue Spot as the two are swept away toward a waterfall. Arlo protects Spot as the two fall, and carries him to shore.

As they approach Arlo’s home, the two again hear the unknown caveman call, and are approached by an entire caveman family. With great reluctance, Arlo pushes Spot to join his kind, and the two of them share a tearful goodbye. Arlo finally arrives back home to his mother and siblings, and makes his mark on the silo between those of his mother and father.

People incidents

Robert Loggia (Jagged Edge, Scarface, Big) died on December 4th, 2015, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, at his home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, aged 85.

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Nicholas Smith (Are You Being Served?, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Doctor Who) died on December 6th, 2015 following seven weeks of hospitalization for a head injury from a fall at his home in Sutton, London.

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Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (December 18, 2015 – April 5, 2016)

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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence)

Critic Score: cf-lg92% Certified Fresh

Average Rating: 8.2/10

Consensus: Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series’ former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.

Grade: B

Box office: $2.068 billion

Plot

Approximately 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, the last remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker, has disappeared. The First Order has risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to eliminate the New Republic. The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by Luke’s twin sister, General Leia Organa, opposes them while searching for Luke to enlist his aid.

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Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) meets village elder Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow) on the planet Jakku to obtain a map to Luke’s location. Stormtroopers commanded by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) destroy the village and capture Poe. Poe’s droid BB-8 (Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz) escapes with the map, and encounters the scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) near a junkyard settlement. Ren tortures Poe using the Force, and learns of BB-8. Stormtrooper FN-2187, unable to bring himself to kill for the First Order, frees Poe, and they escape in a stolen TIE fighter; Poe dubs FN-2187 “Finn” (John Boyega). They crash on Jakku, and Finn survives, but is unable to determine if Poe did as well. He encounters Rey and BB-8, but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike. Finn, Rey, and BB-8 flee the planet in the Millennium Falcon, which they steal from a junkyard.

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The Falcon breaks down and is captured by a larger ship piloted by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), looking to reclaim their former vessel. Two rival gangs, seeking to settle debts with Han, board and attack, but Han and company manage to escape in the Falcon. The gangs inform the First Order of the events. At the First Order’s Starkiller Base – a planet converted into a superweapon that harnesses energy from stars – Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) orders General Hux (Donhnall Gleeson) to use the weapon for the first time. Snoke questions Ren’s ability to deal with emotions relating to his father, Han Solo; Ren replies that Solo means nothing to him.

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The Falcon crew views BB-8’s map and determines it is incomplete. Han explains that Luke attempted to rebuild the Jedi Order, but exiled himself when an apprentice turned to the dark side. The crew travels to the planet Takodana and meet with cantina owner Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o), who offers assistance in getting BB-8 to the Resistance. Rey is drawn to a vault on the lower level and finds the lightsaber that once belonged to Luke and his father Anakin Skywalker. She experiences disturbing visions and flees into the woods. Maz gives Finn the lightsaber for safekeeping.

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Starkiller Base fires and destroys the Republic capital and fleet. The First Order attacks Takodana in search of BB-8. Han, Chewbacca, and Finn are saved by Resistance X-wing fighters led by Poe, revealing that he survived the earlier crash. Leia (Carrie Fisher) arrives at Takodana with C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and reunites with Han and Chewbacca. Meanwhile, Ren captures Rey and takes her to Starkiller Base, but when he interrogates her about the map, she is able to resist his mind-reading attempts. Discovering she can use the Force, she escapes using a Jedi mind trick on a nearby guard.

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At the Resistance base on D’Qar, BB-8 finds R2-D2, who has been inactive since Luke’s disappearance. As Starkiller Base prepares to fire on D’Qar, the Resistance devises a plan to destroy the superweapon by attacking a critical facility. Leia urges Han to return their son alive. Using the Falcon, Han, Chewbacca, and Finn infiltrate the facility and plant explosives. Han confronts Ren, calling him by his birth name, Ben, and implores him to abandon the dark side. Ren kills Han, enraging Chewbacca, who fires and hits Ren. He sets off the explosives, allowing the Resistance to attack and destroy Starkiller Base.

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The injured Ren pursues Finn and Rey to the surface. A lightsaber battle between Ren and Finn ensues, leaving Finn badly wounded. Rey takes the lightsaber and uses the Force to defeat Ren, before they are separated by a fissure as the planet begins to disintegrate. Snoke orders Hux to evacuate and bring Ren to him. Rey and Chewbacca escape with Finn in the Falcon. On D’Qar, the Resistance celebrates while Leia, Chewbacca, and Rey mourn Han’s death. R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) awakens and reveals the rest of the map, which Rey follows with R2-D2 and Chewbacca to a distant planet. She finds Luke (Mark Hamill) and presents him with the lightsaber.

People incidents

On December 23rd, 2015, Michael Earl (Sesame Street, Dinosaurs, Team America: World Police) died at the age of 56 from colon cancer, which he had for three years.

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Redlands, California (2015)

I struggled after Melissa and Brian marries illegally on December 8th, and after Han Solo is killed by Kylo Ren when I saw The Force Awakens. I choose to go to Eugene to spend Christmas with her instead of spending with my family in Redlands.

At December 22nd, 2015, before three days until Christmas, I left 3705 NW Columbia Ave with my dad and went to Portland International Airport where I board the airplane heading for San Bernardino. I brought a few of DVDs (Inside Out, Minions, Spy (another R-rated film), Cars, The Three Caballeros (in honor of its 70th anniversary), A Charlie Brown Christmas (in honor of its 50th anniversary), The Little Drummer Boy, Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 (in honor of its sequel in January), and the Star Wars saga (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, in honor of its seventh episode, The Force Awakens)). I stay with my grandma Joan, my aunt Amy, my uncle Jaime, and Isabella at 972 Lolita Ave. We visited Joshua Tree National Park and see Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

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At December 27th, 2015, the trip ends and we head back to Portland.

Eugene

The next day, I departed on the train and head to Eugene and visit Melissa. I brought a few DVDs (Inside Out, WALL-E, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends, and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (in honor of its 45th anniversary). We celebrate our late Christmas party and early New Year’s Eve. We went to visit Hirxons gift shop and the mall and see The Good Dinosaur and went late gift shopping for the Precious Moments and Peanuts books and a music box and some of the Jedi workout gear from the Star Wars saga.

At December 30th, 2015, I took the bus back to Portland.