An Afternoon with the Tomorrowland Team!

An Afternoon with the Tomorrowland Team!

By Mary Lansing & Erin

The place to be on May 8th was definitely The Montage Hotel of Beverly Hills. There, I was extremely fortunate to be in attendance of the Tomorrowland USA press junket, where I got to learn more behind the making of this fabulous new film, snap a selfie with Director/Writer/Producer, Brad Bird….& be within 5 feet of the one & only, George Clooney! Also there to get the party started were stars Britt Robertson, Tim McGraw & Raffey Cassidy, as well as Writer/Producer, Damon Lindelof & Jeff Jensen.

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I was very interested to learn more about how this futuristic film came about; having heard it was born from a various group of discussions, I was also intrigued that Jensen, who is known for his work as an Entertainment Weekly critic, got involved.

“I was having a meeting, a lunch, with Sean Bailey, who is the president of production at Disney.” explains Lindelof, “We were talking about the Marvel movies, of which we’re both fans. He said they had a number of fantasy princess movies in the pipeline at Disney, but just sort of wondered what else a Disney movie should be. I said to him, I don’t know what it’s about, but I would see a movie called Tomorrowland.  And that was the beginning of this whole adventure. I was really interested in the history of Disney, the Imagineers, and the theme parks, particularly as it related to the World’s Fairs, and Jeff Jensen, who wrote about Lost extensively and had crazy theories that were much more imaginative than anything we as writers were coming up with. And also, I just felt like tactically speaking, you should just hire critics and turn them over to your side. And I was able to kind of recruit him and we then went after Mr. Bird, who came on and joined the party.”

Having read & admired Jensen’s work for quite some time now, I was impressed at what he had to add,  “It was definitely a little crazy and humbling too.” he says, “It was a lot of fun to work with someone whose storytelling you really admire, and to get in a room with them. And the idea that he pitched to me was just really engaging. Yeah, we groove on the same stuff, but the whole idea of a movie that kind of riffed on and looked at the different ways that we looked at the future then and now, to research the history of futurism and science fiction, and let that inform a story, that was super-fun, and to really kind of build out the story. But also, I thought I knew a lot about how movies are made and TV shows are made. And this was a real learning experience in how much I didn’t know.” Always room to learn something new, no?! 😉

Photo: Mary Lansing

Photo: Mary Lansing

I will admit, my boyfriend gave me a huge crash course with Brad Bird; some of my favorite films are The Iron Giant & Ratatouille, yet little did I know that these were indeed from the genius world of Bird. Having not seen The Incredibles (I know, I know!) we watched that pronto & of course, I loved it. So, it was such an honor to be in the same room as Bird, & hear what he had to add to the table,  “I was just happy to be asked to join” he begins, ” I was inspired by the idea and I was an admirer of Damon’s work. Damon was really smart. So I asked what he was doing next during that time, and he mentioned this idea. And I was immediately hooked.”

Photo: Mary Lansing

Photo: Mary Lansing

I also loved hearing his own personal story about watching Armstrong land on the moon, “I remember how that felt. I was actually in the air when they were about to get out on the surface. We were flying in from Denver, and [when we landed], We ran to the nearest TV monitor and there were, like, 400 people just packed in, watching when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. And everybody just went, “Whoo!” That feeling has never left me. And when we were first planning the movie, Damon and I were at Disney and the space shuttle took its last sort of circle over LA. And everybody came out and watched it, and there was this weird feeling of pride mixed with great sadness, like we’re not doing that anymore, and why aren’t we? So a chance to shoot at NASA was fantastic, and to be on this launchpad where so many really noble journeys started. And we got to watch a launch from the launchpad, which was one of the coolest moments on the film. So it was great to be at NASA. And if this, in any way, encourages NASA people to do more, then I think that would be a great thing.”

Photo: Mary Lansing

Photo: Mary Lansing

Clooney had similar memories he recalled,  “I actually grew up during the Cold War period. And I always found that although we always thought that the world would end in a nuclear holocaust at some point, everybody was pretty hopeful. There were an awful lot of things going on that you felt you could change. I grew up in an era where the voice, the power of the one, really did feel as if it mattered. You know, we had the riots that are reminiscent of the things we are looking at today, but we had the Civil Rights Movement and we had Vietnam. And we had the Women’s Rights Movements and all those things that you felt you could actually have some part of changing. And actually, if you look at the things that changed in the 1960s and early 1970s, individual voices did make a huge difference. It wasn’t governments doing it, necessarily. I didn’t ever have that great disappointment in mankind. I always felt like it was going to work out in the end. And I still feel that way. And so what I loved about the film was that it reminds you that, young people don’t wake up, they’re not born and start out their lives cynical, or angry, or bigoted. You have to be taught all of those things. And I watch the world now and think I see really good signs from young people out there. And I feel as if the world will get better. And I’ve always been an optimist. I’ve been a realist, but I’ve been an optimist about it. And I really related to the film because I thought, you know, Brad and Damon want to tell a story that’s an entertainment, because first and foremost, it has to be an entertainment. But it is hopeful, and I’ve always felt that way myself.”

Pretty awesome, heartfelt words from one of the best looking men in Hollywood!

Athena--(Raffey Cassidy)

Athena–(Raffey Cassidy)

With 2 of the most lovely young women in the industry today, right before me, it was sweet to hear more about the dynamics they felt their characters added to Tomorrowland, “I think Raffey played Mom a lot, especially with George and I, you know?” says Britt Robertson, who plays Casey, “She was constantly just trying to keep us focused and funny enough, that’s how she is in life too. I mean, not intentionally, but she’s so professional and so focused herself, But, we had such fun together and we had such a great time. We spent a lot of time together, just between stunt training and then obviously filming the movie. So I think our dynamic off-screen probably helped a lot of our chemistry on-screen as well.”

Raffey Cassidy is an absolute doll, & it was so sweet to see how much of a goofball George Clooney actually is; they were laughing & joking together half of the time during the junket! 

While all good things must come to an end, like this wonderful conference, rest assured, as you can catch-all the fun & thrills to be seen in Tomorrowland opening this Friday, May 22nd. See you there!

Avengers: Age of Ultron

The Avengers: Age of Ultron

By: Erin

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Entering the Marvel Universe today is Avengers: Age of Ultron, that builds on the events that took place after Earth’s Mightiest Super Heroes first met up for the Avengers in 2012.  Writer and director, Joss Whedon is faced with the most challenging task of following up such a box office hit with another blockbuster. In Age of Ultron, Joss strives to achieve this by diving deeper into each character, giving them their moment, having their mythologies deepened, and their chemistry and relationships with each other grow in new and interesting ways. Of course, then this must all tie in together in the same story line and must be structured into a screenplay that delivers a powerful compelling story while being filled with non-stop action scenes.

(Chris Hemsworth)..Ph: Jay Maidment..?Marvel 2015

 

With our Super Hero cast of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who are all stars and Super Heros in their own right. They feel like a close-knit family now, digging at each other with sly, saucy humor. There is also a new budding romance between Black Widow and another main character you might not have suspected, but I don’t want to spoil the fun, go see it for yourself if you want to know the details on that one. 😉

Marvel's Avengers: Age Of Ultron..L to R: Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)..Ph: Film Frame..?Marvel 2015

Be prepared to be propelled right into the action. If you aren’t familiar with the Avengers, you might be thrown off at first trying to figure out the storyline with so much action happening so soon as the team  is already assembled on a mission against a Hydra base. Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye are together again and they’re on a mission to take down Hydra’s top official, Baron von Strucker.

We are introduced to a new villan, Ultron (pictured above). Despite the ending sequence in Marvel’s “The Avengers,” which led movie goers to think the character of Thanos would be the next big villan, Whedon’s first choice was always Ultron. “For me, Thanos was always meant to be in the third Avengers movie because he really is a god,” explains Whedon. As the mysterious Ultron emerges, the team must reassemble in order to stop the terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction.  We are also introduced to two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff , as well as an old friend in a new form, named The Vision (below).

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Age of Ultron is two-plus hours of action- packed fun and special effects, humor, and more. As the story violently twists and turns, in true Marvel fashion, the characters Marvel has spent so much time creating and nurturing, hold it all together to create one wild adventure. So get on out there, and be ready for a crazy ride with all of  your favorite superhero friends.

Marvel's Avengers: Age Of Ultron..L to R: Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth)..Ph: Film Frame..©Marvel 2015

So go on and see the Avengers: Age of Ultron this weekend!


Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour: A Magical Place to Eat at & Celebrate!

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour: A Magical Place to Eat at & Celebrate!

By Erin

*Special thanks to Farrell’s of Buena Park for their hospitality and willingness to create this magical Disney experience for us!*

The other week, we were finally able to let the little person in on our big secret…. That we were going to DISNEY WORLD!! Back in March, I got the golden ticket from Disney Social Media Moms to attend their conference at Disney World that is happening next week. Now, we needed to come up with a magical way to make this announcement to a special little 7 year old girl. When I found out that her most FAVORITE place EVER to go to was to Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour I knew what I had to do. I just HAD to see if I could connect with Farrell’s and get something grand in the works with them.

Go BIG or GO HOME! Right? So we went to Farrell’s.

Farrells

I love the decor and energy at Farrell’s. If you aren’t in the mood to celebrate and have some fun, you will be once you enter the front doors. Even if you don’t have anything in particular to celebrate, you can just celebrate along with whatever everyone else dining around you is celebrating as you will hear a lot of singing throughout your visit.

Farrells-Sundaes

Just a tiny glance of the menu. They are made to look like old newspapers. They have a ton of choices to choose from. You can see what section caught my eye first! Gotta love the variety of ice cream sundaes to choose from!

Farrells-Fun

While you wait for your food and other goodies to arrive, there is plenty of entertainment around you for the kids, both young and old alike to enjoy. Since they were in on our Disney surprise, they made all kinds of Disney jokes and references throughout our visit. They even made a cool Minnie Mouse ears hat for Chey.

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Now, no one at our table ordered this… but someone else nearby us ordered a Quadruple Dare Burger! Four patties, oh my! They make a fun announcement anytime someone orders this, right before delivering it to its rightful owner who will attempt to devour it all in one sitting.

Farrells-Harvest-Salad

If you’re looking for something a lot lighter than that Quadruple Dare Burger…. there are plenty of salads to choose from, like the Harvest Salad. Fresh mixed greens, crisp sliced apples, sweet strawberries, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, and tossed with white balsamic vinaigrette. We had grilled chicken added onto ours. You can also order it with bleu cheese crumbles.

Farrells-Fried-Dill-Pickles

Now, if you have not had these before, you must try them. Fried Dill Pickles. These are Farrell’s famous pickles, lightly breaded and seasoned then deep fried to crispy tangy perfection. Served with creamy ranch dressing.

Farrells-Old-MacFarrell

One of Farrell’s most popular burgers is the Old Macfarrell’s Burger. Just like the name states, you pretty much have the whole farm here on your burger. Topped with two strips of crispy bacon, a freshly fried egg, melted American cheese and Farrell’s sauce. You get the whole barnyard. No produce comes with this burger. This is one big burger, but it is also very tasty and a bit messy. All part of the fun though, right? 😉

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This was the burger I enjoyed greatly. It’s called Talk of the Town, and with good reason. It is their most popular burger. Bacon, melted American cheese, fresh produce, pickles and Farrell’s sauce. I ordered my burger with some garlic fries, which I also highly recommend you do.

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