“Star Wars: Rebels”

OK, I tend to be pretty generous where Star Wars is concerned. I worshipped the original trilogy as a kid, I loved the second two prequel films (Revenge of the Sith actually made me cry at the end!) and I thought the various iterations of the animated Clone Wars series were pretty solid with a few moments of true greatness peppered throughout. But, the latest addition to the Star Wars universe, the DisneyXD animated series, Star Wars: Rebels is straight up amazing!

I never thought I would say it, but, selling Star Wars to Disney a few years back just might be the smartest thing George Lucas has done in decades! Rather than water down and Disney-fy the franchise, the influx of new ideas and behind-the-scenes talent like Clone Wars veteran Dave Filoni and Star Wars über fan, director/producer Simon Kinberg has injected new life into what many fans once saw as a creatively bankrupt franchise, at best.

I mean, sure, I've watched just about everything that's been churned out over the past decade, but that doesn't mean it's always been good. But if the rest of the season lives up to Star Wars: Rebels' thrilling, action-packed pilot “movie,” then sign my Jedi ass up!

Seriously, this is top-notch Star Wars storytelling here! Cool, beautifully crafted characters with actual backstories and emotions, awesome action set pieces and best of all, one of the coolest storylines since the original trilogy. Set five years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Rebels follows the adventures of the ragtag crew of the Ghost as they sow the seeds of rebellion in a galaxy that has begun to grow weary of the galactic empire.

I know that sounds impossibly geeky, and it is, but it's also one hell of a ride. Centered around the adventures of the newest member of the Ghost crew, a Force sensitive orphan named Ezra, Rebels really went into overdrive when they revealed that the leader of the Ghost team, Kanan Jarrus, is actually one of the last surviving Jedi knights. Cooler still is the fact that Jarrus offers to train Ezra in the ways of the Force is he joins them. Does it get any cooler than that? Seriously, Greta and I were cheering out loud when Jarrus whipped out his lightsaber for the first time. So rad!

Of course, we're only on the third episode, so, the series could totally fall apart at any minute, but for now, I'm basking in Star Wars perfection. It's been a long time since there was anything this good in the new Star Wars universe and I'm gonna enjoy it!

Posted with Blogsy

Disney Princess Leia

I know I’m a little late on the bandwagon here, but, it suddenly occurred to me today that because of the gazillion dollar deal George Lucas made with Disney that Princess Leia is now officially a Disney Princess! How cool is that? In other totally rad Star Wars news, Disney has hired a writer (Little Miss Sunshine Oscar-winner Michael Arndt) to script Episode Seven, so, they are really hitting the ground running with this next trilogy of movies! Awe-some, huh?

Anyway, back to Princess Leia. Greta was so thrilled to hear about Leia’s ascension to the ranks of the Disney Princesses that she actually dug out her old Princess Leia doll (one of the first Barbie-sized dolls we gave her when she was born) and started playing with her again. Man, talk about the power of Disney marketing!

And while her Princess Leia doll did not score an invite to what looked to be the Barbie wedding of the century in Greta’s bedroom this afternoon, she is floating around near the top of the Barbie bin, so, there’s always hope (or…A New Hope…get it?) that Leia will get played with a lot more now that she’s part Disney. So, yay for her!

The Disney Princesses win again

Grrr…I know it’s lame, especially considering the fact that just about everything in the town where we live (Burbank) is either named after or somehow affiliated with Walt Disney — hell, we live within walking distance of the Disney studios! — but we have been trying really hard NOT to let Greta get sucked into the Disney Princesses sinkhole.

It’s not that either Mrs. Yeti or myself have anything against the princesses themelves. On their own, in their own worlds and time periods in their movies, they are a very charming group of strong, empowered, forward-thinking young women. Um, except Ariel. I mean, she’s gorgeous, with all that flowing hair and that voice and everything, but, I’m sorry, she’s about as deep as a bathtub.

The real problem we have is with all that shameless Disney marketing. I mean, come on, these Princesses were not friends, they didn’t hang out and they sure as hell didn’t spend the holidays together singing Christmas songs. It’s all so…calculated and marketing-y, you know?

Anyway, despite our best efforts to the contrary, tonight, we finally lost the battle with the Disney Princesses. That’s right, Daddy took back the perfectly good pink bunny sleeping bag from Target and returned home with a painfully-pink sleeping bag emblazoned with the faces of Cinderella, Belle, and sweet, stupid Ariel.

And you know what, Greta loved her new sleeping bag so much that she’s sleeping in it (on her bed) right now. And since we are totally in favor of anything that gets that girl to sleep this week…tonight, and only tonight, I am feeling some serious love for those Disney Princesses. Thanks, gals…