For the better part of a year, I subscribed to Loot Crate, which is a curated monthly subscription box filled with nerdy memorabilia, with each month having its own theme. For twenty bucks a month, it gets sent right to your door, enabling you to bask in the glow of geeky trinkets. Eventually, the themes and the cheapness of most of the items became a problem for me, and I cancelled my subscription. Continue reading
The confluence of popular demand and fandom can be an inscrutably powerful thing. When two such forces come together, the decision-makers act, and the loyal get what they want. Anybody who grew up in the 1990’s and was even remotely nerdy remembers drinking and loving Ecto Cooler, the Ghostbusters-themed citrus drink made by the juice company Hi-C. The green-colored mixture of water and high-fructose corn syrup came in those ever-so-convenient juice boxes that you could throw in your lunch box, as well as in those large, not-so-convenient cans , the tops of which you had to puncture with one of those old-timey can openers. Continue reading
Back in the fall of 2011, Dan Aykroyd, Dr. Raymond Stanz himself, came to the Sam’s Club in Freehold, New Jersey to promote Crystal Head, his new vodka line. I knew of the promotion shortly before it was to occur, but alas, I was stuck going to work that fateful Sunday. To get a chance to meet Dan Aykroyd would have been a dream come true, and looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t fake some sort of violent illness in order to call out of work. Ultimately, I resigned myself to my miserable retail duties. Continue reading
Remember when Jay-Z said “ladies is pimps too”? Well, now ladies is Ghostbusters too. For the first time in 27 years, a full-length Ghostbusters film is in theaters, and the foursome of paranormal investigators and eliminators is played by an all-female cast, and the world is better for it. While I want to spend the majority of this review discussing the actual movie, I feel obliged to address the obnoxious political tantrum that has been thrown over this film’s existence. No, not liking or even wanting to see the new Ghostbusters because of your allegiance to the original two films, or because you harbor some illegitimate fear that your childhood will be “ruined” does not make you a misogynist. Conversely, not liking or wanting to even see the new Ghostbusters because you feel that women should not be Ghostbusters, or that they are incapable of being scientists (even just on film) or are similarly unable to be funny, then indeed, that makes you a sexist asshole. Moving on. Continue reading
Welcome to the first post for Ghostbusters Week here at The No Seatbelt Blog! Due to my love for all things Ghostbusters, I have decided to dedicate an entire week to the franchise here in my little corner of the Internet – you’ll read about the movies, the toys and memorabilia, and more! I’m kicking off the week with the story behind one of my favorite action figures, the 12″, fully-articulated figure of Egon Spengler, everybody’s favorite nerdy Ghostbuster. Continue reading
This week, I present another edition of Funko Friday, showcasing none other than the popular toy company’s version of “the heart of the Ghostbusters,” Dr. Raymond Stantz. Played with a signature “aww, shucks” charm by Dan Aykroyd in both movies of the franchise, Ray Stantz was a thoroughly lovable character. Built with equal parts childlike wonder and real world smarts, poor Ray was conned by his partner Pete Venkman into selling the house his parents left him so that the future foursome of paranormal investigators and eliminators could purchase a dilapidated firehouse where they would store the supernatural baddies they snared. Continue reading
“It’s the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man,” said Ghostbuster Ray Stanz, in a statement that was both matter-of-fact and loaded with dismay, after he inadvertently conjured up the embodiment of one of his favorite childhood mascots. Towards the end of the classic comedy, the Ghostbusters were asked to choose the form of “the destructor”, which would descend upon New York City to destroy them, along with the rest of the world. While the other three cleared their heads, poor Ray had a fleeting thought about a childhood memory, and it immediately came back to life. Continue reading
As far as cinema is concerned, 2016 will be The Year of the Nerd. The Marvel and DC Comics universes will be heavy hitters, an Independence Day sequel nearly twenty years in the making will hit theaters, the long-awaited and debated female-fronted Ghostbusters film will arrive, and we’ll also see another appearance by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In this look into next year’s movie schedule, I’ll offer brief discussions of eight movies that I cannot wait to see, and I’m sure I’m in good company. Continue reading
Welcome to the first post of what will be an ongoing series involving my favorite new toy company, Funko. The toy maker is known for its line of vinyl Pop! dolls, which now exist for just about every movie and television show ever (except for Indiana Jones, much to the chagrin of my friend and toy consultant Jack), with more properties being released all the time. Each week, I will post a picture of one of the many in my collection, with a blurb, quotes, a story or some other bit of information about these fun, highly collectible (and affordable) toys. Continue reading
Last Saturday, in celebration of my friend Jack’s 30th birthday, we embarked upon the most glorious part of our mission to reclaim our childhoods, one toy at a time. With our friends and fellow nerds Andrew and Cory in tow, we took the long trip up to Westwood, New Jersey, to visit Hollywood Heroes, a vintage collectibles shop owned by Jordan Hembrough of TV’s Toy Hunter. The store is only open for a handful of hours on Fridays and Saturdays, as Hembrough travels around the world looking for vintage toys of untold value. On Toy Hunter, which was the highest-rated show on the Travel Channel before the network inexplicably cancelled it, he would raid the basements and attics of other toy collectors, searching for rare toys to resell at his store, at conventions such as Comic-Con, or to his celebrity clients like Gene Simmons from KISS, or Kirk Hammett from Metallica. Continue reading
The No Seatbelt Blog 