Fans of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, and pretty much anyone that hasn’t been under a rock for over a year now, know all about the Child (or Baby Yoda, or The Asset, or whatever you might call it). It’s also safe to say that people either really love or really hate the little guy. Buffalo Games created a game based around one of the Child’s most famous moments in the Disney+ series: Frog eating.
The game is very simple to play: Set up the giant cardboard head on its stand, attach the cardboard ears, grab some frogs, and then flip them through the Child’s mouth onto your opponent’s side of the table until there are absolutely no frogs left on your side.
The game comes with six frogs (three orange and three blue) and two flippers that allow you to launch the frogs through the Child’s mouth. The game is fast, simple, and can be played multiple times without becoming a bore. My only complaint about this game is that the cardboard ears, despite being pretty thick, don’t appear to be very strong. I imagine that sooner or later they will be torn to shreds or lost.
In any case, this is a fun game that myself and the kids love to play. If you have children of any age (even fifty years old), I’m sure that they’ll enjoy this game as well.
Thanks for reading this quick post. I hope that you have a great week!
The 3rd Annual Calcasieu Parish Short Film Festival is happening this Saturday at the Brimstone Museum in Sulphur, LA. I’ve attended this festival every year and I really enjoy all of the wonderful short films created by independent artists. Shorts from all over the world are shown at the festival and this year’s batch will be no different.
The festival will begin at 10 AM. A lunch break will be taken from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. More shorts will be shown after the lunch break culminating with an awards ceremony at 5 PM. At the midpoint of the morning session, Louisiana Entertainment will give a special presentation.
The slideshow above is just a small sample of the many shorts that will be presented at the festival. The Brimstone Museum has taken special precautions to make sure that the event will be safe for all of those in attendance. Masks are required and social distancing must be practiced at all times. This is a FREE event that is open to all ages, but please be aware that these shorts are not rated. The genres covered in this festival range from horror to romance and documentaries will be presented as well. They may contain adult language, sexual content, violence, or terrifying images. Parental guidance is suggested.
A complete list of film selections for the festival can be found at the Calcasieu Parish Short Film Festival website. I will be in attendance all day and would love to meet any and all of my readers that attend as well!
As always, thanks for checking out my post. I’ve got another toy review coming up this weekend and who knows what else I might have up my sleeve???
“You’re not warriors. You’re pigs! You’re all pigs!”
While the work of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg commanded most of my attention as a child, a third person who doesn’t get enough recognition from fandom in my opinion also took up a lot of my time. Ron Howard may not be one of the first names to register with science fiction and fantasy fans, but he has directed or produced a number of very popular genre films including Cocoon, Splash, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. He’s also responsible for directing massive hits like Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Backdraft.
Howard teamed up with George Lucas in 1988 to give the world Willow. The film starred Warwick Davis (multiple Leprechaun, Star Wars, and Harry Potter films) as Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn farmer with dreams of becoming a wizard. He’s given the daunting task of protecting Elora Danan from the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh, Upstairs Downstairs, Cleopatra, The Changeling). With the help of a skilled swordsman turned criminal named Mad Martigan (Val Kilmer, Tombstone, The Saint, Batman Forever) and a number of other unlikely heroes, Willow does everything he can to stop the evil Bavmorda from murdering young Elora.
As far as fantasy films go, Willow is a very straightforward tale. With winks and nods to everything from the Bible and Star Wars to The Lord of the Rings and Gulliver’s Travels, the story by George Lucas (screenplay by Bob Dolman) doesn’t stray very far from the basic formula of a fantasy. Willow is an unlikely hero given an impossible task with all of the odds stacked against him. He gathers a ragtag bunch of heroes and rebels to help him defeat the evil queen and her army of black armored warriors who are led by the monstrous General Kael (Pat Roach). He faces off against trolls, a two-headed dragon, and a master sorceress. A forbidden love story is even thrown into the mix whenever the queen’s daughter, Sorsha (Joanne Whalley), falls for Mad Martigan and joins Willow’s forces against the Nockmaar army. It’s fantasy by the numbers, but it works very well.
The film features some fairly decent special effects for 1988, although earlier films from the decade like Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi, which featured the same effects company (Industrial Light & Magic), looked much better. That being said, the digital morphing effects used in Willow are directly responsible for massive advancements in CGI.
James Horner’s score is pretty good, but this isn’t his best work in my opinion. For someone who has composed music for films such as Titanic and The Rocketeer, this film’s score was lackluster. Horner was known for borrowing and/or tweaking the work of other composers in many of his films, and it’s extremely evident in Willow.
The film featured a number of actors that genre fans recognize. Davis has had an outstanding career in science fiction, horror, and fantasy. He’s one of the most easily recognizable faces in fandom. Val Kilmer was riding a building wave of success when he portrayed Mad Martigan. He would go on to become a massive star in his own right. Patricia Hayes (Fin Raziel) appeared in many fantasy films including The Neverending Story and The Terrornauts. Joanne Whalley was recently a part of the Netflix/Marvel series Daredevil. The legendary Billy Barty had a small role as The High Aldwin, the village wizard, and had plenty of other genre roles in films like Legend and Masters of the Universe. Tony Cox, Malcolm Dixon, Phil Fondacaro, Mark Northover, and David J. Steinberg, all Nelwyns in the film, have portrayed multiple memorable characters in fantasy and science fiction films. Of special note is Pat Roach as General Kael. Known for portraying multiple characters in the same films, Roach is probably best known for his role as the ill-fated Nazi mechanic that Indiana Jones battles in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He also portrayed a Sherpa in that film and had the rare opportunity to die twice in the same movie.
In the toy world, the film’s accompanying toyline is considered to be one of the worst in film history. Made by Tonka, the line featured stationary figurines of many of the film’s key players. The figures were trapped in an eternal pose and in actuality looked more like mini statues or game pieces than action figures. That being said, I owned a few of them as a child. I remember having Willow, one of the rebel soldiers, and General Kael. In all honesty, the Kael figure looked awesome. I loved his skull mask and his black armor. He looked like Skeletor on steroids!
Was Willow a great film? Nah, but it was a surprisingly fun formulaic movie. It triggered my imagination and has managed to hold my attention every time that I watch it. It doesn’t get as much recognition as a lot of other fantasy genre films, but I wouldn’t say that it deserves it, either. There’s talk of a new film and/or a television series coming in the near future and I’ll probably watch it for nostalgia’s sake, but the original film will always be my favorite.
Thanks for reading. If there are any films, books, TV shows, music, or other things that you’d like to see featured in Throwback Thursday, let me know in the comments!
Halloween will be here before we know it, so with that in mind I decided to give my readers a sneak peek at what’s to come in October’s month long celebration, Thirty-One Days O’Horror! Last year I focused on thirty-two Universal Monsters classic films (I threw in the Spanish version of Dracula for kicks). This year will look a little bit different. I’ve decided to post on every single day like I did last year, but not all of the posts will be about films.
Instead, I’ll be posting a minimum of two movie reviews per week and the rest of the reviews will cover everything from music to books to collectibles! Like last year, I’ll be focusing on one specific company’s horror releases. Since 2020 is doing a pretty good job of scaring the crap out of people on its own, I decided to lighten things up a bit this year….but just a little bit!
This year’s films will all be Disney releases. I’ll cover the mainstream hits like Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I’ll also toss in a few Disney channel movies and some classic gems that don’t get the attention that their more popular counterparts receive.
There are a few films that I’ve never watched before like Mr. Boogedy that I’ll be reviewing, but I’ll also cover a few personal favorites like The Haunted Mansion and Halloweentown. For some of the films like The Haunted Mansion and The Nightmare Before Christmas, which I’ve already reviewed in previous posts, I’ll be taking a look at different aspects of the film instead of reviewing it in general.
I’ll also be digging into a film that I haven’t seen since 1980, Disney’s oft-forgotten and hidden from tender eyes classic, The Watcher In The Woods. I’ve always been mesmerized by the look of this film and have only recently manged to snag a copy of the film!
I haven’t finalized my list yet, but rest assured that I’ll have all of my ghouls in a row before October 1st! If you have any Disney film suggestions, let me know and I’ll see if I can review them!
I’ll have plenty of other posts dropping before October, so if Halloween isn’t your thing, there will be plenty of other content for you to check out. As always, thanks for reading. See all of you boys and ghouls very soon!
“I became He-man, the most powerful man in the universe!”
Available exclusively through Matty Collector prior to 2020, Masters of the Universe Eternia Minis by Mattel are hitting brick-and-mortar store shelves now! I recently saw one of the cool Castle Grayskull display boxes at a local WalMart and had to snag a few of these awesome little figures.
Each figure comes in their own mini Castle Grayskull case that features two pegs on the top to display your minis. I nabbed He-Man, Skeletor, and Man-At-Arms. These little guys are so fun to look at that I’ll probably get the entire set!
Each figure is a stylized miniature version of our Eternia heroes and villains that we all know and love so well. The figures come with one accessory and feature three points of articulaton (head and both arms). There’s a peg hole on both feet that allows you to display your figures on top of the mini Grayskulls as well.
The Skeletor figure is my favorite so far, but I really like the look of all of the figures.
Based on a little online research, this is only the first set of figures to be released this year. Apparently more figures will be released later this year and will be packaged in a Snake Mountain case! I can’t wait for those figures to be released!
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking about those Grayskull (and eventually Snake Mountain) clamshell cases. These figures are going to be in blind boxes. Well, you are correct, but a quick trip over to he-man.org (and a tip from a good friend) reveals that there’s a very simple method to all of this madness. Simply look on the bottom of the Grayskull clamshell and you’ll see a number followed by a single letter, A through H. Each letter represents which figure is inside of the case. Here’s a breakdown of the current list. Once I get the Snake Mountain list, I’ll list it in another post.
A = He-Man B = Skeletor C = Man-At-Arms D – Trap Jaw E – Ram Man F – Jitsu G – Buzz-Off H – Horde Zombie He-Man (original post from he-man.org lists this figure as Slime Pit He-Man)
In the image above, you’ll notice that Stinkor and Faker are pictured. I’m assuming that they will be in the second wave of figures released this year. According to a number of sources including the recent Power-Con 2020 event, future waves will feature Slime Pit and Anti-Eternia figures. Vehicles and multi-packs are also coming soon.
Along with the continuing Mega Construx line (which I love) and the newest wave of throwback action figures with modern design and articulation, it’s a great time to be a Masters of the Universe fan!
Let me know in the comments if you are picking up any of these figures or playsets. Do you have a favorite figure? Are you a collector of the classic figures? Let me know!
As always, thanks for reading my post. See you all again real soon!
“Ah, no wonder you’re extinct. I’m gonna run you over when I come back down.”
Those were the wrong words for Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) to say in 1993’s Jurassic Park. If you’ve seen that film, you know that Nedry’s fateful line was directed at a curious Dilophosaurus. Thanks to the most recent Jurassic Park Amber Collection release, that moment in the film will be immortalized in plastic.
I had the opportunity to review the latest Amber Collection release, the Dilophosaurus. The packaging is the same as all of the other figures in this line. It features a photo on the back of the figure and raised images on the package. I received my package damaged, but the figure was in perfect condition.
“A beautiful, but deadly, addition to Jurassic Park.”
The figure comes with at least twenty points of articulation. The jaw opens and closes and the head, neck, arms, hands, knees, shoulders, hips, legs, and tail all move. I said that there were at least twenty points of articulation as I haven’t determined exactly how many points there are in the tail. Much like the knees of a Barbie doll, the hinges are hidden under the plastic. Just know that the tail has some decent articulation.
The head of the dilophosaurus can be removed. This allows you to swap out the neck fringe. The fringe comes in an opened and closed position. Both fringe pieces can be slid over the neck of the dinosaur after removing the head. Both positions, as well as the figure in its entirety, are pretty screen accurate. I do believe that this dilophosaurus is a tad larger than the ones featured in Jurassic Park, but I’m not entirely sure. I only have the Owen Grady figure from this line to compare the dilophosaurus to, but a Dennis Nedry figure (pictured above) was released at the same time as the dilophosaurus.
As with all of the other figures in this line, the dilophosaurus comes with an amber base that features the Jurassic Park logo. It also comes with venom that can be inserted and attached to the interior of the dilophosaurus’ mouth. What really sets this figure apart from others in the Amber Collection is the included sign for the East Dock. Just like the sign in the movie (after Dennis Nedry knocks it over), the arrow that points the way to the dock can spin. I find this to be hilarious and a perfect accessory for this dinosaur.
I have a feeling that this figure will be a big seller for Mattel. It’s a unique figure that featured in one of the most memorable moments from the original film. I’ve included a side-by-side comparison of the dino to Owen below to give you an idea of the figure’s size. If and when I pick up the Dennis Nedry figure, I’ll definitely include him and the dilophosaurus in a photo together.
Oh, one last thing. The dilophosaurus has a Jurassic Park logo imprinted on the bottom of its right foot. I thought that this was a nice touch. I don’t own any of the other dinos in this line, but I’m betting that they have this imprint as well.
Thanks for checking out my review of the Jurassic Park Amber Collection Dilophosaurus. If you’re a fan of the films or the books, the dilophosaurus will definitely be “a beautiful, but deadly, addition” to your collection!
“Right now being alive is more important than being found.”
Disney’s 1960 family film release, Swiss Family Robinson, is one of the company’s most beloved live action films. Loosely based on the book (published in 1812) of the same name by Johann David Wyss, the film tells the story of the shipwrecked Robinson family and how they adapt to life on an uninhabited island.
The main cast: In front, Kevin Corcoran, Second row L to R: Janet Munro, Dorothy McGuire, and Tommy Kirk. Third Row L to R: Sir John Mills, James MacArthur.
On their way to New Guinea, the ship that the Robinson family is aboard is attacked by pirates and forced into a deadly storm. The crew, believing that all hope is lost, abandons the ship and the family, leaving them to the mercy of the sea. The ship finally settles just off of the coast of an uninhabited island. Thankful to be alive, the family scraps the ship and brings all of the animals on the ship with them to the island where they set up a home and begin life as castaways.
Using a disease flag, the family scares away the pirates that had attacked the ship at the beginning of the film. Soon after, the family uses what is left of the ship to build a massive tree house. They establish a home on the island and take on any challenges that come their way.
Soon enough the mother, Elizabeth (Dorothy McGuire), begins to wonder what life will be like for her boys on the island. With no other women around, she speculates on how her sons will grow up without someone to love. After talking with their father, William (Sir John Mills), it is agreed that the two eldest boys Fritz (James MacArthur) and Ernst (Tommy Kirk) should build a boat and map out the rest of the island in the hopes of finding other settlements or possibly finding someone that can rescue them.
The boys end up discovering the pirates that attacked their ship. The duo rescue a captain and his son, but in the ensuing chase, the captain surrenders to the pirates and promises to return to save the boys and his son. Eventually the boys discover that the captain’s son is actually his daughter, Roberta (Janet Munro), in disguise, and after a long and dangerous trek across the island, they return to the Robinson settlement just in time for Christmas.
Enamored by Roberta’s beauty, Fritz and Ernst battle against one another for her affections. Desperate to calm his sons down and to drive out some of their aggression, William plans a day of fun. This includes a number of games that culminate with a race between the family on the backs of ostriches, zebras, and a young elephant.
The family’s loud fun attracts the attention of the pirates. Thankfully William and Elizabeth had their boys and Roberta prepare numerous traps and fortifications to fight off the pirates should they ever return. One of the traps includes a tiger that was captured by the youngest Robinson, Francis (Kevin Corcoran).
The pirates attack. The family does a solid job off holding them off but eventually start losing ground to the pirates. Do they survive the attack? Does the tiger trap come in handy? What happened to Roberta’s father (Cecil Parker)? You’ll have to watch Swiss Family Robinson to find out!
I really enjoyed this film. I remember watching it as a young child every time that it was shown on television. There are a number of familiar faces in the film, including Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran (who appeared in a total of six films together, five of which they played brothers) and Dorothy McGuire (who portrayed Kirk and Corcoran’s mother in Old Yeller in 1957). McGuire’s career spanned decades and included numerous popular roles in film, television and onstage. Fans of the original Hawaii Five-O will recognize James MacArthur, perhaps best known as Detective Danny “Danno” Williams. Sir John Mills, like McGuire, also had a long and successful career, especially in film. He was knighted in 1976. He’s also the father of Hayley Mills, another successful actress in her own right.
Many members of the supporting cast also had successful careers. Already a silent film star, Sessue Hayakawa (Kuala, the pirate captain), was an established “talkie” actor by the time he joined the cast of Swiss Family Robinson. He appeared in over eighty films including The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). Milton Reid (Big Pirate) was an established actor known for playing brutes, henchman, and other tough guys. He appeared in three James Bond films and a number of other popular films. He was also a professional wrestler.
Milton Reid (L) and Sessue Hayakawa (R) as Big Pirate and Captain Kuala.
The film was shot in Tobago and was constantly delayed due to heavy rains. According to IMDb, Tommy Kirk considered leaving the production due to homesickness. Sadly, all of the main cast have passed away with the exception of Kirk. Kirk, Sir John Mills, and Kevin Corcoran were all inducted as Disney Legends later in their careers. Mills’ daughter, Hayley, also holds this honor. The movie is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD, and the Disney+ streaming service.
I hope that you enjoyed this post. Thank you for reading it. If you’ve seen this film and want to leave a comment, please do so. Also feel free to share this post. I appreciate all of your support.
Professional wrestling tag teams don’t seem to get nearly as much emphasis these days as they did back in the 1970’s and 80’s. Even with electrifying performers such as the Hardy Boyz, the Young Bucks, and Edge and Christian making an impact in the 2000’s, most modern tag teams are packaged together for a brief stint and then busted up for individual runs at wrestling gold. There are very few teams that stand the test of time. For that reason, the majority of my favorite tag teams are from the 1980’s and 90’s, with just a few exceptions.
As with my previous list, the only criteria that I have for making this list is how much I personally enjoy the wrestlers and how much of an impact they had on my life. Here ya go…..
#10: Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss
Although it currently looks like this duo might be separating soon, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross have been a surprisingly enjoyable tag team to watch. I love the chemistry between them, with Cross becoming unhinged during matches and Bliss pushing all of the right buttons against their competitors. Bliss has had quite a bit of success on her own, and it looks like Cross might be about to get a singles push, hopefully for the Women’s title.
#9: The Fabulous Freebirds
Inventors of the “Freebird Rule,” which allowed any two members of the Freebird stable to defend the tag titles at any time, the trio of Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy, and Buddy “Jack” Roberts were definitely trailblazers in the world of tag team wrestling. Hayes loved running his mouth and excelled at agitating audiences and other wrestlers. Their feuds with other stables such as the Von Erichs are the stuff of legend. Other members rotated in and out, but the trio that I fell in love with was that of Hayes, Gordy, and Roberts.
#8: The New Age Outlaws
The “Road Dogg” Jesse James and the “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn formed the New Age Outlaws in the late 90’s as a part of the D-Generation X stable. They were an integral part of my jumping ship from WCW to WWF. James had a mouth on him that few wrestlers can match and Gunn provided the muscle for the duo. After exiting from WWF, the duo would find themselves either at odds with one another or reuniting as the James Gang or the Voodoo Kin Mafia. The pair had a solid run as tag team champions in multiple promotions and also had excellent careers as singles competitors and with other tag team members. They definitely deserve their spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.
#7: The Lucha Bros
One of the few modern tag teams that connects with the crowd on a level similar to legends like the Rock N’ Roll Express, the Lucha Bros (Pentagon, Jr. and Fenix) are simply amazing to watch. Whether it’s Fenix flying through the air or walking the ropes to execute a move or Pentagon locking up opponents in submissions, this team is a one-two punch of excitement. Both wrestlers have lengthy and successful singles careers, but their tag team success has been limited to single runs except for their AAA two-time (and current) reign. Hopefully AEW will put the belts on these guys soon!
#6: The Brain Busters
Quite possibly the two toughest guys on this list, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson were essentially a pair of powerhouses that pummeled their opponents into submission. Originating in the NWA and founding members of the legendary Four Horsemen stable, Blanchard and Anderson only held championships on three occasions (twice in the NWA and once in the WWF) but were extremely popular and had feuds with other legendary tag teams like the Midnight Express. Anderson would win numerous tag titles with other wrestlers as wold Blanchard, with Blanchard having more success as a singles competitor. Simply put, when you talk about legends, these two guys should come to mind.
#5 Edge and Christian
With seven WWE Tag Team title reigns and numerous singles championships across multiple promotions, Edge and Christian are two of the most decorated guys on this list. Along with the New Age Outlaws, the Hardy Boyz, and Harlem Heat, E&C were one of the final duos to find major success as an established tag team and not just as a couple of wrestlers thrown together to have a title run. With their “Five Second Poses” and the Con-Chair-To, the duo entertained crowds for many years. They also achieved legendary status with the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz in mulitple TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) matches.
#4: Harlem Heat
Although Booker T is probably best known for his singles success, he and Stevie Ray ruled WCW as Harlem Heat. With a record ten WCW Tag Title reigns under their belts, it’s hard to argue that they weren’t the promotion’s greatest tag team. Stevie Ray was the enforcer and Booker T would hit the high spots. They worked in perfect unison and the crowd loved them.
#3: The Hardy Boyz
One of the last pure tag teams in professional wrestling in my opinion, the Hardy Boyz (collectively known as Team Xtreme with Lita), have held no less than twelve tag team titles across multiple promotions. Jeff was the flyer and the innovator while Matt was the stronger wrestler on the ground. They’ve broken up and reunited multiple times over the years and both Matt and Jeff have had massive success as singles competitors, but I’ll always prefer them as a tag team. Lita has also had multiple successful runs as a singles competitor, with four women’s title reigns under her belt.
#2: The Midnight Express
The only reason that these guys are number two on my list is because the number one team were such awesome faces against them. The Midnight Express was the first heel team that I ever loved to hate. There have been numerous members on the team over the years, but the duo of “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey and “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton were my favorites. Their feud with the Rock N’ Roll Express is my favorite feud of all time. With their manager, the legendary Jim Cornette, singing their praises and often interfering in matches, these guys were simply amazing. I really hated these guys, but they were so much fun to watch!
#1: The Rock N’ Roll Express
No team in the history of professional wrestling had as much of an impact on my childhood as the Rock N’ Roll Express did. Sure, other teams might have won more titles, but none of them ever triggered waves of excitement in me like Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton did. I watched their matches religiously and cheered them on as they battled teams like the Midnight Express and the Fantastics. They were literally legends fighting legends in their heyday. The duo are still active on the wrestling circuit, most recently being a part of the new Billy Corgan version of the NWA (and winning the tag titles for a ninth time). They were innovators, high flyers, and the precursor to future flyers like The Rockers, the Hardy Boyz, Edge & Christian, and the Young Bucks. Modern tag team wrestling owes these guys everything!
Honorable mentions:
Like my previous list, there are plenty of other tag teams that I could have listed in this ranking. Honorable mentions go out to the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane), the Road Warriors, the Fantastics, the Dudley Boyz, the Motor City Machine Guns, and the Rock n’ Sock Connection.
Let me know who you’re favorite tag teams are in the comments section. There’s no wrong answer, so don’t be afraid to list any teams that might not be that well known. Heck, I could have listed a few independent teams such as the Pump Patrol and Hawkx Aerie, so feel free to list all of your favorites.
As always, thanks for reading my post. I’ll have another one coming up real soon!
Growing up as a kid in the 1980’s meant that I was exposed to a number of awesome toys. From Star Wars to G.I. Joe and from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Thundercats, I tried to get my hands on all of them. In the early part of the decade, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe dominated my collection. My parents hooked me up with a ton of the figures and a few of the playsets and vehicles as well. One of the vehicles that I really loved was Roton. I was also a massive fan of Battle Cat. When I saw that Mega Construx was releasing a set featuring both of those iconic creations AND Merman and Battle Armor He-Man, I had to get it!
With 173 pieces to put together, this kit was fast and easy to assemble. Battle Cat came relatively complete, as I only had to slap his armor on him. He-Man and Merman were easy enough to assemble as well. The “challenge” was Roton. Consisting of the most pieces, Roton was still relatively easy to put together. The cool part was putting the teeth on the giant red wheel.
Better yet, Roton worked exactly like the classic toy when it came to the spinning wheel! One tire was slightly bigger than the other on the vehicle, and that larger tire propels the teeth on the red wheel. The two guns also fire. Tons of memories came flooding into my brain while assembling and playing (yes, playing) with this toy.
If you’re a fan of Masters of the Universe, and I know you are, grab this Mega Construx set before it sells out! MOTU is enjoying a growing revival at the moment, so it’s a great time to be a fan of the classic line. I had a great time assembling and playing with this kit. I know that you will, too!
Thanks for checking out my post. I’ll have another awesome toy review for my readers very soon!
This is one of the toughest lists that I’ve ever had to put together. I grew up with professional wrestling on the family television every Sunday morning and/or afternoon and watched it religiously. Mid-South Wrestling introduced me to some of the greatest heels and faces in professional wrestling. Ric Flair, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Junkyard Dog, One Man Gang, Kamala, Eddie Gilbert, and Koko B. Ware are just a few of the wrestlers that stepped into the ring for Mid-South.
In college, the Monday Night Wars were at their peak, and myself and a number of friends were firmly in the WCW Monday Nitro camp, only flipping over to WWF during commercial breaks or during dull moments on Nitro. Eventually, WWF Monday Night Raw won me over and I began watching that program regularly. My interest in WWE has waned over the years (although I still enjoy it from time to time) and I often find myself watching other wrestling programs such as NWA Powerrr, Impact, and Reality Of Wrestling.
Throughout my life I have attended live professional wrestling events. From independent shows in high school gyms to WCW house shows and even a few live Raw events, I’ve seen wrestling on every level in person. I’ve met a few wrestlers over the years as well including Lita, Brutus Beefcake, Thunder Rosa, the Bushwhackers, Public Enemy, and multiple independent wrestlers. I’ve also read numerous issues of wrestling publications such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the now defunct WOW (World Of Wrestling).
Basically, I love professional wrestling and everything good and bad about it. With that being said, I struggled to figure out exactly who I should put on this list. I decided that I wouldn’t establish any specific criteria for putting wrestlers on my list. Instead, I’d go with how much I personally love each wrestler and their impact on me. This means that my list will include wrestlers from the independent circuit all the way up to the major league stars of WWE, WCW, NWA, etc. and most people will not agree with my list. This isn’t a popularity list. It’s a personal list and a love letter to all of my favorite wrestlers over the years.
The List:
#10: Isaiah “Izzy” James
Along with his valet, the Insidious One (more on her later), Isaiah James has ripped his way through a number of independent wrestling promotions. I was first introduced to him and “Sid” at a Hurricane Pro Wrestling show in Beaumont, TX. At the time he was billed as The Unholy One, and I bought his gimmick completely. I’ve been a fan ever since and see nothing but good things ahead for him and Sid.
#9: Diamond Dallas Page
Diamond Dallas Page’s rise to fame is an inspirational story. He fought tooth and nail to make it to the top and never let any setbacks, including destroying his back, stop him. Today he is the face and founder of DDP Yoga, an exercise program that I am currently using to better myself. Say what you want about Randy Orton’s RKO, but the Diamond Cutter will always be one of the greatest finishers in the business!
#8: Rick Steiner
The Dog-Faced Gremlin, Rick Steiner, was and always will be my favorite Steiner brother. Much like DDP, Rick Steiner comes across as a workhorse. It always seemed that Rick was in his brother’s shadow despite, at least in my opinion, being a better worker and a more interesting personality. I wish that Rick Steiner could have achieved bigger and better things, but he’s tops in my heart.
#7: Lance Storm
Much like a number of other wrestlers on this list, Lance Storm never seemed to get the push that he deserved. Definitely one of the most technically proficient wrestlers in the business, Storm found success in ECW and eventually some solid recognition in WCW. He started off the WCW takeover of WWE whenever Vince bought out WCW, and he was put on the backburner for pretty much the rest of his in-ring career. Lance Storm definitely deserved better, no matter how serious he might be in the ring.
#6: Shawn Michaels
Say what you want about the Heartbreak Kid’s attitude and his behind-the-scenes politics, you cannot deny that he knew how to fire up a crowd. Controversial, cocky, and seemingly having too much fun in the ring, HBK’s Sweet Chin Music was nothing more than a superkick, but it got a pop every single time he applied it to his opponents. Along with Triple H, HBK ignited the Monday Night Wars with D-Generation X, a faction that continued to flourish even after his exit from the ring.
#5: Triple H
Whether it was the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy Orton, or whoever else was at the top of the WWE charts, Triple H managed to be a massive thorn in their side. Like DDP, Triple H has come back more than once from career-ending injuries. Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny how much work the guy put in night after night to get to the top of the WWE roster. Triple H was and still is a beast, and his wrestling pedigree is definitely not in question.
#4: Thunder Rosa
The NWA’s current women’s champion has a special place in my heart. I found her on the independent circuit as Thunder Rosa, but she also found success in the ring for Lucha Underground as Kobra Moon and as Serpentine. I’ve met Thunder Rosa on a couple of occasions and she is not only one of the friendliest professional wrestlers that you’ll ever meet, she’s also very interactive with her fans on social media. Her match with Mercedes Martinez at the second Hurricane Pro Ladies Night Out event is one of the greatest matches that I’ve ever witnessed live or on television. She’s going places, and I wish her the best of luck.
#3: Junkyard Dog
This is where things start to get tough. JYD could be number one on this list any day of the week, but there are a couple of other wrestlers that he has to compete with for that top spot in my heart. I used to imitate JYD as a child while wrestling with my father in the living room (much to my mother’s dismay). From what I’ve learned over the years, JYD had a massive heart to go along with all of those muscles, and he’ll always be one of my favorite faces.
#2: Sting
I grew up watching the multi-colored face of Sting every Sunday. He was the young upstart that grabbed the attention of the audience. Established stars battled him day in and day out but had a hard time winning over the fans against him. In his later years with WCW, Sting would take on the Crow paint and hang out in the rafters. This version of Sting was still great, but my favorite version will always be the one with the loud paint and brightly colored tights.
#1: Hacksaw Jim Duggan
I met this “Tough Guy” when I was eight years old. I shook Hacksaw’s massive hand and walked back to my chair starstruck. Hacksaw always came across as the regular guy who became a massive star. He looked like the fellows that my dad worked with every day. He’s an every man and I love that fact. Hacksaw is my champion and he always will be my champion. Even when he joined up with Team Canada, I loved the guy. Hacksaw could do no wrong, and I hope to meet him again soon in order to get a photo and an autograph.
Honorable mentions:
Like I said, this list was tough to create, and I left a few people out of my list that definitely deserve a spot in my Top Twenty. The Insidious One, Izzy James’ valet, has one of the coolest entrances in the business, crawling around like a spider into the ring. I’ve never witnessed her in a match live, but I’ve watched plenty of her matches on the web.
Other honorable mentions include Lita, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Kane, Willie Mack, and Terry Taylor.
I could list more, but I would never be able to find a stopping point. Let me know some of your favorite wrestlers in the comments section!
I’m thinking about creating another list featuring my favorite tag teams. That one should be a lot easier to build as there have only been a few tag teams that really had any impact on me.
As always, thanks for reading. I’ve got a couple of toy reviews coming up soon and maybe a comic review as well.
Ken's Alternate Universe! 