Martians invade Earth!
Mars Attacks! is a 1996 comic science fiction film directed by Tim Burton.
It makes fun of the B-grade science fiction movies of old and has elements of black comedy and political satire mixed in.
Trademark Tim Burton's movie!
I personally love the movie even though it had mixed reviews.

When Hot Toys announced that they got the licence for Mars Attack!, I was excited. I got even more excited when I saw the pictures of the Martian Soldier & Martian Ambassador.
However I got a funny feeling that these figures will be slow moving off the shelves hence I only picked up the Martian Soldier and hope to pick up the Martian Ambassador at a discounted price. My long term goal is to display the Martian Ambassador flanked by 2 Martian Soldiers!

Hot Toys not only do excellent sculpting and painting but they also do excellent packaging (of course there are misses like the Terminator Salvation Packaging). The packaging gives you a very retro feel which is in line with the feel of the movie.
Great and vibrant colours used together with eye catching design!
Very well done!

The overall sculpt is very good, expecting nothing less from Hot Toys and the price you will be paying. The painting is clean and the overall feel and material quality is high.

Unlike your normal 12" figures, this figure only have 13 points of articulation! I guess to make up for the lack of articulation, they made the eyes, jaw and tongue movable...LOL. Even though articulation is weak, you can still get a few decent poses out of him but don't overdo it!

Even at a lower price point as compared to other Hot Toys offering, this guy seriously lacks accessories! Ok...in the movie the Martian Soldiers does not carry much but we get only 3 pairs of hands, his ray gun and helmet with removable shield.
However I have to admit the ray gun and helmet are pretty cool accessories.

As for scale, the Martian Soldier is smaller as compared to other 12" figures. It stands roughly at the shoulder of a 12" figure. (around 10" tall)
This makes displaying the figure with your other 12" figures better as I think a Martian who is the same height as your John Connor or Marcus Wright is just wrong.

My only concern is the rubber at the elbows, thighs and knees which might disintegrate over time.

Overall a great figure for display but a bit over-priced!

Great packaging!








Ack! Ack!






























Rubber at the elbows


Rubber at the thighs and knees


The lever to move the eyes


The accessories




Ray Gun

Check out my motorised Action Man!
No batteries required!

My first paper toy for 2010 is Gundam.
A rather surprising choice as I don't follow or know anything about Gundam!
However with Shaun blogging about it, it kinda sparked my interest in it.
Hence I present my paper version of Gundam.
Enjoy!

You can view related paper toys news and my paper toys here.

Gundam

Yes we are almost there...to capping off a terrible season! We just need to finish this season out of the top 4! Can't be that hard based on what I am seeing.

We have crashed out of the league cup, Champions League and now the FA cup (and by Reading...OMG). PLUS we are way off the league! Really makes for confidence reading.

They say a true fan will stand by their team in their darkest hour and I will continue to support Liverpool no matter what. As our motto goes...You Will Never Walk Alone.

But please beat Stoke today...please.

The Silence of the Lambs movie is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris.
In the movie, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an FBI trainee, seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter (played by the outstanding Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer, on catching another serial killer called Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb.
This movie has become a classic and Dr. Hannibal Lecter a pop culture icon.

When NECA announced that they were doing this version of Hannibal Lecter, I knew that this figure will be part of my toy collection!
NECA does produce excellent figures in terms of sculpting for the 6" market. It has also gotten pretty solid licences (they seem to have overtaken Mcfarlane in this area).
The sculpting is good here, you can immediately recognise Anthony Hopkins. I like the way they scultped the expression of the face. A very classic Hannibal Lecter's look. That cold dagger stare! It just brings chill to my spine!
The details on the face and clothes are also impressive. I especially like the way they sculpted the creases on his jacket and prision overall.
If I have to nit pick, it would be the hair. I have looked at pictures of Hannibal Lecter as in this version of the figure and I don't remember his hair being combed nicely. It was more messy as compared to how NECA sculpted his hair.

The painting here is excellent especially on the stray jacket. The wash effect is done just right. The only complaint I have is that the painting of the eyebrows are way too thick. I don't recall Anthony Hopkins having such thick eyebrows!
What I really like about this figure are the accessories. He comes with his leather mask and handcart. On yeah! The iconic leather mask! It is very well done and fits nicely onto the face of the figure. The handcart is also well made with good detailing.

Overall, a very well-made figure with a decent price. In my case, a pop culture icon which deserves to be part of my toy collection.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter, pretty tied up!








Good evening, Clarice






















Dr. Hannibal Lecter's fave food...brains!

Managed to catch Avatar in 3D last week. Brilliant special effects & cinematography but medicore story line.
While watching the movie, I could not help but wonder which characters Hot Toys are going to do. Jake Sully as his Avatar? Neytiri ? Colonel Quaritch (hoping)? or the AMP in 12" scale...which I will most probably not get due to lack of $$ and space!

Any opinion on what characters Hot Toys should do?

*************SPOILERS AHEAD****************

Anyway during one scene when Jake betrays Neytiri's trust, she tells Jake to leave but once he comes riding on the Leonopteryx, without hesitation she runs into his arms and all is forgiven. Heck even the whole tribe forgives him and he is elevated to leader status...LOL
Hence one of the morale of this movie is:

"You ain't getting any respect or action unless you have the meanest and baddest ride!"

One red bad-ass ride! - Leonopteryx

Figures which could have ended up in my Top 10 Fave Toy list 2009 but were not, because of limited $$, waiting for pre-order to come or just pure procrastination on my part.
Just a special mention to those that got away!

Hot Toys Tumbler


Hot Toys Mark 3


Hot Toys Mark 2


Hot Toys Mark 1


Sideshow Utapau Trooper


Sideshow Storm Shadow


Thinkway Woody the Sheriff


Thinkway Buzz Lightyear

What an exciting LPM Top 10 Fave Toys awards.
It was truly a great year for toy collectors as we got some excellent figures!
Keep them coming in 2010...but reduce the price...please.
Here's a recap of the 10 winners.

No 1 - Hot Toys DX Joker


No 2- Sideshow Snake-Eyes


No 3- Hot Toys Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer


No 4- Sideshow Imperial Shock Trooper


No 5- Takara Encore G1 Bruticus


No 6- DiD WWII 2nd Ranger Marksman "Private Daniel"


No 7- Little Plastic Man F.A.T.S (Future Advanced Tactical System)


No 8- Mattel 12" Ghostbusters Ray Stantz


No 9- Kit-bash Eugene "Doc" Roe


No 10- Designer chairs for 12" figures

And yes...we have finally reached the summit!
At number 1 is Hot Toys DX Joker!
This figure was supposed to stay in the packaging until I move house but because this is such an awesome figure I had to take him out to receive his Golden LPM.
This is truly one "HOT" toy!

Over to our roving report for more on the Joker.

LPM reporter : Hi everyone at the studio...it seems we have a situation here.
Studio : What happened? Please report.
LPM reporter : It seems that last year's No 1 does not want to give up his trophy.
LPM reporter : The bank robber Joker has pulled out his gun...oh no...it's a very tense situation indeed.
Studio : What a way to end the LPM Top 10 Fave Toys awards 2009! Until next year...cheers!

Joker and his LPM




The Stand-Off!

At number 2 is Sideshow Snake-Eyes.
There is a split between toy collectors over this figure...and I am on the "I love it!" camp.
This is Snake-Eyes man! The deadly silent killer.
Anyway I am so waiting for my pre-ordered Storm Shadow to arrive, so he can also take his rightful place beside Snake-Eyes.
You can read my review of Snake-Eyes here.

Over to our LPM reporter.

LPM reporter : Congrats on the win!
(after a long silence)
LPM reporter : Erh...he is just staring back at me.
LPM reporter : I think I better go. Ciao.

A proud Snake-Eyes with his Golden LPM




Snake-Eyes waiting to receive his Golden LPM
from 2008's No. 2 winner...

In at number 3 is Hot Toys Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer.
This is easily the best 1/6 Schwarzenegger sculpt I€™ve seen this year.
Everything you expect from Hot Toys.
You can read my review of Dutch here.

Now over to our roving reporter for an interview with the man.

LPM reporter : Congrats on getting into the list.
Dutch : Thanks, we from the Hot Toys party were getting a bit worried as up to the 4th position, none of the Hot Toys figures were nominated.
LPM reporter : Due to the high price tags of Hot Toys figures, LPM was not able to purchase so many Hot Toys figures hence you guys are unable to dominate the list.
Dutch : OIC, but credit to the other toy companies for their excellent work this year.
LPM : You know...you are the only toy which I had a decent interview with. Enjoy your win.
Dutch : Thanks...I'll be back!
LPM : Please don't spoil it.

Dutch with his LPM trophy




Last year's no 4 congratulating Dutch on his win

Coming in at number 4 is Sideshow Imperial Shock Trooper.
I was actually not going to start collecting 12" Star Wars troopers, but I simply could not resist this figure. The Imperial Shock Trooper has the best armor paint (a close second is the Utapau Clone Trooper) as compared to the rest of the other troopers.
Now that I have this, I am tempted to get the Utapau Clone Trooper and I have already pre-ordered the Sandtrooper...here we go again.

This is another figure that I won't be taking out of his packaging soon due to my moving house in March. Pity...

Over to LPM roving reporter for an update.

LPM reporter : Congrats! Were you "shocked" to get into the list?
Shock Trooper : Yes...
LPM reporter : Was it a "shock" to the system?...hehehe
Shock Trooper : Erh...not really
LPM reporter : Tell me more of your "shockery"...
Shock Trooper : Erh...another pun and I will blast you with my blaster!
LPM reporter : Shocking!

Imperial Shock Trooper with the golden LPM




Last year's No 4 posing with the Shock Trooper

We have reached the halfway mark.
At number 5 is Takara Encore G1 Bruticus!
Bruticus is not my most favourite Combiners (my all time favourite is Devastator), but gets into the list because I think all Combiners are super cool!
You can read my review of Bruticus here.

Over to our reporter for more update with the robot of the moment!

LPM reporter : Congrats on getting into the LPM Top 10 Fave Toys for 2009.
5 Combaticons (all talking at the same time) : Yeah...su...love...hey I am talking...Shu...Hey!
LPM reporter : I can't understand...you guys need to take turn to talk!
5 Combaticons (all talking at the same time) : No...I am talki...my turn...hey...get ou...shut....!!
LPM reporter : Sigh...

Bruticus with his LPM




Guess what!
Last year's No 5 is also Takara Encore Transformers!

At number 6 is DiD WWII 2nd Ranger Marksman "Private Daniel".
What is there not to like about this figure?
Great head sculpt, lots of great accessories, figure portraying Private Daniel in the movie Saving Private Ryan and a nice & reasonable price tag!
You can read my review of this figure here.

Over to LPM roving reporter for a few words with the sharp shooter.

LPM reporter : Congrats! You must be pleased getting into the list.
Private Daniel : Thanks. I am very happy.
Private Daniel : Oh...one thing, please don't tell my Captain about my win. He is pretty sensitive, if you know what I mean...
LPM reporter : Sure...enjoy your win.

Private Daniel and his Golden LPM






Private Daniel accepting his LPM from last
year's No. 6