The Raccoons: Canada’s Evergreen Anniversary!

Celebrate 40 years of The Raccoons! Relive Evergreen Forest adventures with Bert, Melissa, and Cyril Sneer in this Canadian animation classic. We for a bit of info on what’s happening Canada-wide.

The Racoon's PosterBefore the age of streaming and endless animated options, Canadian viewers were treated to a forest full of heart, humour, and environmental messages in The Raccoons. Created by Kevin Gillis, the series began with four television specials in 1980 before blossoming into a full series that aired from 1985 to 1991. This iconic piece of Canadiana was a trailblazer, since few animated series were made in the country back then. I even tuned in to see what Bert, Ralph, and Melissa were up to—their adventures were wholesome family fun.

Set in the picturesque Evergreen Forest, The Raccoons blended adventure, comedy, and a touch of drama, making it stand out in the landscape of 80s animation.

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A Guide to Fixing Everything Hasbro’s Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Action Figures Got Wrong

As much as I love owning these toys from the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, there’s problems in the manufacturing. Some of the issues can be fixed by doing what I didn’t get right the during my first attempt.

Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Classics - Eric Packaging ProblemsThe two most problematic figures in Hasbro’s action figure line for the 40th anniversary of the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon are Hank the Ranger and Eric the Cavalier. With the first toy, the arms are not fully posable. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get him to look like he’s in a comfortable pose to fire his energy bow.

For Eric, the colour on his chain mail armour is wrong. As a result, I had to laugh at the packaging since it shows the inconsistency of the product box art to the figure. It’s easy to add some oomph to the energy with either fluorescent or UV reactive paint, but if it can’t glow in daylight, it’s not worth the extra effort. Instead, I recommend using enamel (like Testors) over acrylic paint for improving both.

To be honest, neither holds onto the plastic very well, even after priming. Repainting them comes with a warning: touch-ups may be required. This. issue is especially true for Hank holding his electrified bow.

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Remembering the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon 40 Years Later, and a Full Review of the Action Figure Release

The 80s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon is beloved by many, and it’s about time there’s toys for it! But are they worth the price?

Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon ClassicsAvailable to purchase on Hasbro Pulse

It’s tough to say if Hasbro release of the action figures for the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon was produced out of full respect for its anniversary or to say thank you for the fish. This series debuted Sept 17th, 1983 and back then, it was credited to TSR Inc. as the proprietary owners. Eventually, that company was sold to Wizards of the Coast in 1999, which in turn would later become part of this mega toy manufacturer’s family.

Just how well either company markets material that isn’t part of the game is worth researching. Here, instead of releasing these figures closer to the day of, they have been out since April 2023 with very little advertisement. I never saw anything on network television or in the pop culture online magazines I read. I knew of this product only because of industry news. As a result, the likelihood to see further products is very slim.

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E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is 40-Years Old and Regarding Its Anniversary Re-Release!

In what shines are the two new featurettes. We have “40 Years of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” an all new retrospective of the film, and “TCM Classic Film Festival’s An Evening with Steven Spielberg.”

The Extra-Terrestrial is 40-Years OldAlso playing at Victoria IMAX Oct 27-31.

It’s hard to believe E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is 40-years old. This movie was developed hot after Close Encounters of a Third Kind, and to say it belongs in the same universe is a feasible fan theory. To say this has been confirmed isn’t in the new featurettes in this celebratory re-release, but I get the sense that Spielberg would be okay with it. He interest in UFOlogy may have been limited to these two films, but when we consider his War of the Worlds adaptation, the idea does fall apart.

Anyone who didn’t purchase the prior versions isn’t missing much. I could have picked up the 35th anniversary release, which had a 4K restoration, but I don’t always count this year as a seminal milestone. This latest release does one better, and it’s all in the two new featurettes made for this release. In terms of collectables, the ultimate set (available on Amazon USA) offers a collectible tin tote, thermos, booklet and Certificate of Authenticity for the die-hard collector to proudly display. Another release adds a Bendy Figs figurine for Walmart, and the Steelbook updates the art (Target). Anyone wanting either just needs to ask a friend in the States to buy or one can order online.

All the material from prior releases (deleted scenes, the evolution, and creation of E.T., and 20th anniversary premiere) are offered in this collection. The old content are:

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Disney’s TRON Celebrates 40 Years! So Where is Flynn Hiding Now?

Disney’s TRON is celebrating 40 years! So what can we expect from this franchise now?

TRON Original Movie PosterOn July 9, Disney’s TRON turns 40! Yes, the granddaddy of cyberpunk cinema is officially middle-aged—but still running at lightcycle speed. It’s not just the neon aesthetic or arcade-era charm that keeps fans hooked. At its heart, TRON asks a big, tantalizing question: could the digital world be truly alive? Pair that with a rebellion inside The Grid—avatars fighting to break free from an oppressive overlord—and you’ve got a premise that still feels fresh in an age of AI headlines.

Remember—this was before the Internet! Back then, “crossing into another system” meant hacking one machine at a time. No cloud. No Google. No “Did you try turning it off and on again?” This idea of breaching walled-off systems to reach a bigger world would go on to inspire everything from Mainframe’s Reboot to The Matrix. And yes, we see you, MCP—still making HAL 9000 look polite. If you want to know which real arcade games inspired these digital duels, check out Remembering TRON the Movie, LEGO News & On Reboot.

We’ve only had two movies, but the first set the tone. Flynn (Jeff Bridges) gets zapped into The Grid, discovers programs aren’t just code—they’ve got personalities, beliefs, even souls. Writer/director Steven Lisberger planted more philosophy than some viewers realized, especially in this exchange between Dr. Walter Gibbs and Ed Dillinger:

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Celebrating 40 Years of BMW Japan’s Brand with Yoshiki!

Yoshiki (musician) - WikipediaFriday, October 22nd, 2021
7:00 PM JST / 6:00 AM EDT / 3:00 AM PDT
FREE on BMW Arena website 

Legendary Japanese rock star and composer Yoshiki will be joining BMW Japan for a very special performance to celebrate their 40th Anniversary this year. To commemorate the occasion, the iconic automotive brand will be hosting an online event titled “BMW Arena: Living With What’s Important To The Next Generation” on Friday, October 22nd (Japan Time).

Fans can tune in to watch at 7 PM JST / 6 AM EST via the BMW Arena’s official website.

“I feel grateful to be invited to perform for the 40th anniversary of BMW Japan, as we look toward the next generation of automobiles. Please join me,” shares Yoshiki.

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