Two Years Of The Same Crap: Hallmark Strikes Out With The Lego Darth Vader Ornament!

The Good: Looks like it is supposed to
The Bad: Overpriced, Ridiculous subject, Poor balance, Terrible collectible/investment value.
The Basics: For two years, Hallmark Keepsake has tried to sell of its stock of Lego Darth Vader ornaments, with decidedly mediocre results!


Even as someone who enjoyed the Lego Star Wars video game, I think some of the merchandising around it is ridiculous. After all, fans of Star Wars hardly need Star Wars Lego’s, though they have been quite the cash cow, as I understand it. But, it seemed pretty ridiculous to me when Hallmark Keepsake released the Lego Darth Vader ornament in 2011. It was even worse when they re-released it in 2012 . . . the exact same ornament. Having, before now, only reviewed the Lego Stormtrooper ornament (here!), I was somewhat unsurprised that the Lego Darth Vader ornament suffered from many of the same issues. Even worse; because it was so vastly overproduced and released for two years running, the Lego Darth Vader ornament has managed to decline in value because it could not hold its collectible value!

From the Star Wars line comes the Lego Darth Vader ornament, the first in the series of character ornaments from Lego Star Wars. Fans of the Star Wars Legos and, perhaps as important, the Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga video game (reviewed here!), will easily recognize the Lego variation on the villainous Darth Vader. Hallmark captures the Darth Vader, in Lego form, with his little Lego lightsaber in his hand, marching boldly forward!

This is a very typical, very average Star Wars ornament with no bells and whistles, but given that it is based on a video game, based on a toy, based on the movies, it seems far too many degrees of separation to be worthwhile.

Basics

The Lego Darth Vader ornament recreates the Lego Sith Lord in solid plastic on a black and gray plastic Lego block base. The ornament, released in 2011 and again in 2012, is the leader holding a glowing red lightsaber in his right hand, or socket given how rounded the hands on Lego characters are. Hallmark managed to get $14.95 originally for this ornament and it was one of the ornaments I could find after the holidays both years! This character ornament is 3 1/4" tall, 2” wide and 2 1/8” deep. Given that the ornament was designed for fans, this is an ornament that appeals to collectors, though I suspect it is not nailing it with either of its target demographics. It is not detailed and realistic the way most Star Wars fans like their collectibles and it is not small enough or versatile enough to actually appeal to fans of Lego block toys.

The Hallmark Lego Darth Vader ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him holding a lightsaber in his right hand. His feet are arranged in a dynamic-looking stance, with one leg behind the body, though both are attached to a Lego block base. This is a very simplified sculpt of a Lego Darth Vader, but the essential parts are there: the helmet, the cape, the Lego-style open hands.

The Lego Darth Vader ornament is also detailed with the coloring to back up the sculpt. The front panel is made to look like a classic Lego toy sticker, but it is painted on, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the Lego Darth Vader is a pretty basic character and so there is not much that can be done in terms of detailing, so Hallmark does not need to try to add depth, shading or anything else to the color palate to get this ornament right. It is a bland character and a pretty bland ornament! The fact that the lightsaber is made of translucent red plastic, like the ones in the Lego toys, is pretty cool, though.

Unfortunately, the ornament does not have any articulation to it, so fans who want to turn the helmet or move the arms will be disappointed.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Lego Darth Vader could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the ship or diorama series' of Star Wars ornaments. This Lego Darth Vader simply hangs.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Lego Darth Vader ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, the Lego Darth Vader is very much a luxury; this whole concept is more ridiculous than realistic, so this is very much a “luxury” ornament for the serious die-hard fans. The ornament has a metal hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's helmet. From that hook, the Lego Darth Vader ornament is front heavy, from the way it is holding its lightsaver out. As a result, it leans constantly forward, further diminishing its coolness (especially given that the forward pitch is made more obvious by how the block base does not hang level as a result!).

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Lego Darth Vader ornament is very common and locally sold more on clearance than at full price, largely due to lack of consumer interest.

This is not a great investment piece and it is unlikely to appreciate for quite some time, if ever.

Overview

The Lego Darth Vader ornament is a bad idea, executed well on the sculpt, but without the balance, collectible value, or fan interest to make it a success. One hopes that Hallmark Keepsake will not release it again for a third year in a row and perhaps learn their lesson: the Lego Star Wars ornaments are not worth producing because collectors do not find them to be worth buying!

For other Hallmark ornaments of Star Wars characters, please check out my reviews of:
2012 Sith Apprentice Darth Maul
2012 General Grievous
2012 Momaw Nadon Limited Edition
2011 Jedi Master Yoda
2011 Bossk Limited Edition ornament
2010 Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament
2010 Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot
2010 Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite mini-ornament set
2009 Greedo Limited Edition ornament
2009 Han Solo As Stormtrooper
2008 Emperor Palpatine ornament
2005 Slave Leia ornament
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set

3/10

For other ornament reviews, please be sure to visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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An Average Execution Of Spider-Man, Hallmark’s 2011 Spider-Man Ornament Is Okay.

The Good: Good casting of the character, Decent coloring detail.
The Bad: No special features, Slight bias in balance, Seems expensive for the simplicity of the ornament.
The Basics: A very simple ornament, the 2011 Spider-Man Hallmark ornament is underwhelming, but all right.


I’m not a Spider-Man fan, in general. The Spider-Man films (reviewed here!) did not grab me. That said, with its amazing cast and decent first trailer, I am excited about The Amazing Spider-Man coming out later this year. But, I try to review all sorts of ornaments, so when Hallmark released a Spider-Man ornament in 2011, I decided to give it a fair shake.

The verdict, for a change, is remarkably simple. This is a good ornament, but it is in no way great. Instead, as small as it is, it made me feel it was overpriced. It is hard to complain that the ornament is underdetailed as it is based on the classic comic book appearance of Spider-Man, so it looks pretty much like it is supposed to. This is a solidly average ornament.

Basics

The Spider-Man ornament recreates the young hero in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2011, is a fair recreation of the popular character as he appears in the comic books, not the cinematic rendition of Spider-Man. That said, because the ornament features no fleshtones, it is colored vibrantly and well.

Spider-Man is the masked hero of New York City, crouching on his web with one hand raised ready to sling a new web and swing off to stop crime! The ornament, like the character, is dominated by red, black and blue and the ornament also has white for the web beneath Spider-Man’s feet. The detailing is as good as one might expect with the vibrant colors broken up well by the finer detailing of the webbing on the costume. Inscrutable and ready-for-action, this Spider-Man looks pretty good.

It is almost enough to make it worth the $14.95 original issue price. For an ornament without any sound chip or light function, this still seems a little high for me, especially for the size. The Hallmark Spider-Man ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him in an action pose, so those inclined to set the ornament on a desk can use it that way well beyond the holiday season. This Spider-Man ornament measures out at 3" tall, 2" wide and deep.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Spider-Man could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the more expensive ornaments. This Spider-Man simply hangs.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Spider-Man ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Marvel Universe Christmas Tree, a Spider-Man ornament is essential, though maybe not this one. Spider-Man has been around for decades and the Spider-Man comic books remain one of the most popular. The ornament has a brass hook loop embedded in it. From that hook, the Spider-Man ornament hangs with an unfortunate bias toward the back. Because the web and feet are so heavy – compared to the front of the character – the ornament pitches up slightly. It is not the worst-balanced ornament ever, but it is noticeably off.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review of that!). Since then, Hallmark has gotten into every major franchise from Disney to Twilight to the Marvel Comics universe. The Spider-Man ornament was not at all limited and it is one of the ornaments I can find very easily now that the holiday has passed. Given how the other Marvel ornaments have met demand without leaving a lot of people wanting, this is not likely to be an incredible investment piece.

Overview

I wanted to like the Spider-Man ornament, but it just didn’t thrill me and with the slight balance issue, it just seemed a little pricy for what one gets. On the plus side, those shopping the post-Christmas clearance sales might be happy to get one of these for their collection.

For other Marvel or genre Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2011 Thor ornament
2010 Defender Of Justice Iron Man 2 ornament
2011 Golden Snitch Harry Potter ornament

5/10

For other ornament and toy reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Balance Issues Kill The Snoopy Claus Ornament!

The Good: Good sculpt, Reasonable price, Decent coloring
The Bad: Terrible balance issues, Not a terribly interesting ornament
The Basics: The 2011 Snoopy Claus ornament suffers from severe balance issues, which make it impossible to recommend.


Sometimes, I find I have ridiculously little to write about an ornament. In the case of the Snoopy Clause ornament, I found myself very surprised that such an unbalanced ornament was released to the market. The balance issues rob a brightly colored, interesting sculpt of being worth buying. After that, there is hardly anything to say about the ornament.

Basics

The Snoopy Claus ornament features Snoopy from Peanuts wearing a Santa outfit. Snoopy is seated on a throne with Woodstock and his friends waiting in line with their list. The four birds are waiting in front of Snoopy as Santa Clause who has a candy cane to present to Woodstock. As a pretty cool detail, Snoopy also has an obviously fake beard molded onto the front of his face!

Hallmark made a decent effort on Snoopy Claus by molded details like wood grain on the plastic for the throne. Measuring two and three-eighths inches tall, one and three quarters inches wide and two and five-eighths inches deep, the Snoopy Claus ornament is a pretty average-sized Peanuts ornament. At $14.95, it is actually one of the least expensive Peanuts ornaments produced for the 2011 holiday season.

The Hallmark Snoopy Claus ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the characters cast in very bright plastic. The figures look exceptional and are vibrantly colored.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Snoopy Claus could have a sound or light function, but it does not. This is a very basic ornament intended to be one of the more affordable options without flair. In that regard, it is fine; it does not need a light or sound function.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Snoopy Claus ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Peanuts Christmas Tree, the Snoopy Claus ornament could have been great, but the balance kills it. Hallmark has the standard brass hook at the logical point, the top of Snoopy's red cap. The problem with this is that there is so much of the ornament in front of snoopy, that this is basically a seesaw, with Snoopy as the fulcrum. As a result, the ornament pitches downward almost sixty degrees! The poor balance makes this ornament look absolutely ridiculous.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of virtually everything that has ever had collectibles associated with it (and some that Hallmark has pioneered). The Snoopy Claus ornament had very broad appeal as A Charlie Brown Christmas was almost universally popular from the first time it aired through contemporary times. Unfortunately, the balance issue appears to have been noticed because I can find this exceptionally easily, at severe discounts now. I think that it ought to be a terrible investment, because no matter how inexpensively it is purchased, the balance is still terrible.

Overview

Despite having a decent sculpt with great coloring, the nauseating pitch of the Snoopy Claus ornament makes it impossible to recommend even to Peanuts fans. While it might be fine as a decoration on a flat surface, it makes for a truly poor ornament.

For other Peanuts holiday ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2011 Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!
2010 "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!"
2009 Just The Right Tree

4.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Hallmark Makes A Perfect Batman Ornament With The 2011 Batman Takes Flight Ornament!

The Good: Good sculpt, Decent balance, Decent detailing, Proportionally inexpensive, Very cool.
The Bad: None that I can find.
The Basics: For bargain hunters in 2011 and 2012, Hallmark Keepsake has a great, enduring superhero ornament winner with the Batman Takes Flight ornament!


Batman may be the most popular superhero – is there a distinction between superhero and vigilante billionaire? – of all time. The Batman film franchises have brought in billions of dollars worldwide, the Batman books and television shows remain popular through all of the various reboots DC Comics subjects them to. Sure, I may not be a huge fan of Batman graphic novels like Batman: R.I.P. (reviewed here!), but even I think Batman is pretty freakin’ cool. So, when I was going through Hallmark’s remaining ornaments at one of the local stores, the more I considered the Batman Takes Flight ornament, the more confused I was that there were any left after the Christmas season.

Hallmark and DC created an ornament that is evocative of the comic persona of Bruce Wayne as Batman for the Batman Takes Flight ornament and it is, quite simply, a perfect ornament. This is a pretty rare category for a character ornament to fall in from my ratings, so Hallmark truly has a winner with this one!

Basics

The Batman Takes Flight ornament faithfully presents Bruce Wayne in his classic comic book costume for Batman. This is the Batman in his classic gray tights, yellow utility belt and blue cowl and cape. The ornament, released in 2011, is exceptional for an ornament based upon a two-dimensional character (literally, not a comment on the Bruce Wayne character! . . . . though he is something of an absolutist!) featuring decent surface details and coloring. Measuring five and one-half inches long from the back of the cape to the front of his grappling gun, three and three quarters inches high to the top of his cowl and three and one-half inches wide, the Batman Takes Flight ornament is one of the few DC super hero-based ornaments released by Hallmark in 2011 and it is easily the best. Batman Takes Flight came with an original retail price of $14.95 and with the post-Christmas sales going on now at most every Hallmark, he can often be found for half that, making him an exceptional deal this year!

The Hallmark Batman Takes Flight ornament is made of durable plastic and a little bit of wire. Batman’s costume is colored in muted gray and bright yellow and blue. He is ripped, including detailing on the stomach area and his arms, which are molded to look like the muscles there are straining slightly. Batman Takes Flight has the traditional Batman bat symbol on his chest and none of the ones I loked at had any chipping. He is wearing his cowl, cape and spiked gloves which contrast nicely with the muted colors of the rest of his outfit.

Batman Takes Flight looks like an animated character. His face is sculpted with sharp angles for the face, but not so severe as to look unrealistic. Instead, the real sculpting gem comes from the curves of his muscles and the dynamic pose he is in. Batman, in this incarnation, has his left arm raised and is holding his grappling gun even as his legs are folded mid-leap. This makes it look like Batman is shooting his grappling gun off while leaping off the edge of a building and that looks pretty awesome! This is a perfect sculpt to capture the action of Batman as a superhero!

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Batman Takes Flight could have a sound chip or a light-up function. He has neither, but frankly, this is a cool-enough ornament on its own to be well worth the money without any function or gimmick!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Batman Takes Flight ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate superhero Christmas Tree, the Batman Takes Flight ornament is a great piece with exceptional balance. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top of Batman’s cape at a surprisingly unobtrusive position. From there, the ornament, when affixed to a tree with a hook, hangs perfectly with his grappling gun slightly raised. The pose and balance make this ornament look especially dynamic.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all major franchises like DC comics, The Wizard Of Oz and Harry Potter. The Batman Takes Flight ornament was not an exceptional commercial draw, which surprised me considering how cool the ornament actually is. While this one is currently available easily at many Hallmark stores, I suspect it will explode in value after it is finally sold out of the primary market. It is too cool of an ornament not to be bought up. I believe that time will bear this out as one of the best Batman mass-produced releases.

Overview

Fans of Batman and DC comics characters are likely to be find the Batman Takes Flight ornament to be one of the best ornaments in years and one well worth picking up!

For other DC Universe superhero Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2011 Green Lantern
2010 Limited Edition Harley Quinn
2009 Wonder Woman ornament

10/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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I’m Not Sure Why The Black Celebration Barbie Is Selling Worse Than The White, But The 2011 Black Celebration Barbie Is A Better Ornament!

The Good: Good sculpt, Cool metallic accents, No cloth, Vibrant eyes and good-looking hair.
The Bad: No flexibility, Poor balance.
The Basics: Ironically, the Christmas-edition Barbie with the darker skin looks more natural and better than the Caucasian version, despite faring poorer in the marketplace!


As bargain hunters like me scour every last Hallmark in their area (or go online hoping for deals there), there is a good chance that some of the real gems of Hallmark’s 2011 Christmas season will be overlooked as buyers snatch up the more flashy or expensive ornaments. Arguably at the top of the list of most likely to be overlooked ornaments this year is the black Celebration Barbie ornament. The Caucasian version of the Celebration Barbie ornament did not fare terribly well in my review (that is here), but the Celebration Barbie presented as a person of color actually solves several of the issues I had with the other one. So, despite the two being cast from the same mold, the black Celebration Barbie is the one to buy!

For those unfamiliar with them, Barbie dolls have been a leading trademarked doll (and model for unrealistic female bodytypes!) from Mattel for over sixty years. Hallmark Keepsake picked up the Barbie license in order to produce Christmas ornaments and Celebration Barbie is one of twelve Barbie ornaments produced for 2011! It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Celebration Barbie, the black and white versions. After Christmas, I started finding the black version popping up more and more, which surprised me because several stores near me were sold out of it before the holiday.

Basics

The Celebration Barbie ornament recreates the Celebration Barbie doll with Barbie in her rich green Christmas dress. The ornament features the black version of the Celebration Barbie with her long brown hair cascading down over her right shoulder. She looks like a glamour model and is pretty much exactly what one expects when they think of Barbie; thin waist, busty and a neutral smile on her face. The Celebration Barbie is the latest in the series that replicates the popular doll in ornament form.

The ornament has Barbie wearing a flowing green Christmas gown with beautiful gold accents to it. This Barbie ornament is 4" tall by 3" wide and 2 3/4” deep because of the solid bell form to the dress. The Hallmark Celebration Barbie ornament is made entirely of durable plastic and has the feminine icon standing alone, with her right hand on her hip and her left arm straight. Her dress is colored deep green and has a gold front panel on the skirt as well as gold accents all around the stomach and chest area. She does not have feet molded on, so the bottom of the ornament is a single, flat piece.

This Barbie has the doll’s usual make-up coloring to her face and eyes, so she looks made-up for a Christmas party. On this version of the Celebration Barbie, her bright gold earrings stand out in front of her dark brown hair. As important, her bright red lips and luminous eyes are accented. One of the major defects of the blonde version of this ornament was the hair looking particularly fake. But on this version of the Celebration Barbie, the hair looks wonderful and nicely detailed.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Celebration Barbie could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for fans of Barbie. I think it's disappointing that Celebration Barbie does not have any articulation to her limbs. It was well within the abilities of Hallmark to make the ornament articulated at least at the shoulders or neck, but they opted for a boring statue look for the ornament and that disappoints some.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Celebration Barbie ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Celebration Barbie ornament is a mediocre addition. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top back of the character's head. From there, one hangs the ornament and this Barbie ornament is unfortunately backheavy. The weight of the dress, the way it is molded, pulls the back of the ornament down some. As a result, the Celebration Barbie ornament has about a fifteen degree pitch, that is somewhat awkward.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to Twilight. The Celebration Barbie ornament is selling surprisingly coldly, which might have something to do with the sheer number of Barbie ornaments that Hallmark flooded the market with this year. This one is one of the easier Barbie ornaments to find on the secondary market, especially now. I have no explanation for why the black version of Barbie is a pegwarmer, but its collectible value does appear lower.

Overview

Fans of the Barbie franchise might overlook the season’s lone black Barbie offering, but the 2011 Celebration Barbie is a worthwhile addition for any Barbie ornament collection!

For other Barbie ornament reviews, please check out:
2011 Campus Sweetheart Barbie
2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament
1996 Enchanted Evening Barbie ornament
1994 Barbie Debut ornament

6/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Not As Cool As It Ought To Be, The 2011 Cyclon Centurion Battlestar Galactica Hallmark Ornament Is A Tough Sell!

The Good: Good sculpt, Decent sound effect
The Bad: No light effect, Very weak sound effect, Backheavy, Seems expensive.
The Basics: While Battlestar Galactica fans may flock to Hallmark to buy up the Cylon Centurion ornaments, general ornament enthusiasts are likely to be a little less wowed by this one.


Right off the bat, it is worth noting that I have yet to get into the new Battlestar Galactica craze. I know that it is out there, but I am one of those people who will not buy an entire series on DVD or Blu-Ray without seeing it first. Given that I do not have cable, I doubt this will change in the foreseeable future. So, my memories of Battlestar Galactica come mostly from my childhood when the show was more campy than cool. It was, however, enough for me to recall the basics and know enough to recognize the classic Cylons. So, when Hallmark released their Cylon Centurion ornament for the 2011 holiday season, I was excited to provide a pretty objective analysis of it.

For those unfamiliar with Cylon Centurion, this is a silver and black mechanized warrior who is out to destroy humanity in the Battlestar Galactica franchise. Reminiscent of the Star Wars stormtroopers, save in silver shiny armor, the Cylons were armed and deadly and they hounded the surviving humans in Battlestar Galactica. The Cylon Centurion is the squad leader of the Cylons.

Hallmark released the Cylon Centurion ornament with little fanfare in October 2011 and features the Cylon Centurion on a base that allows it to have a sound function.

Basics

The Cylon Centurion ornament faithfully recreates the black and silver soldier on a black base. The Cylon Centurion is well-molded and looks like the robot it is supposed to. The Hallmark Cylon Centurion ornament is made of solid black and silver plastic that features the silver soldier with its black skirt-like cape and a blaster which the Centurion is holding in a two-handed grip. This ornament does not have the date stamped or painted on it. Instead, the date is faintly molded into the very bottom of the platform the Cylon Centurion is standing on as part of the copyright information. This ornament is powered by very small watch batteries (included!) which allow the sound effect to be activated.

The Cylon Centurion is detailed very well, which makes some sense because the Cylon Centurion is supposed to have a very manufactured look to it. The robot soldier is 4 1/2” tall, 2 3/4“ wide and 2 1/16” deep. This makes it one of the bigger ornaments this season from Hallmark and it is fairly reasonably priced at $19.95 (less now that the holiday has passed!).

The Cylon Centurion stands upon a base that has the Battlestar Galactica title in the appropriate typeface across the front. I found myself a little less impressed by this detail. Hallmark could have molded the name in and accented it with paint, but it appears to basically be silkscreened on and that seems like it might wear off much easier than other ornaments.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Cylon Centurion could have a light and sound function. Fans of the Cylons are likely to be disappointed that the Cylon Centurion only has a sound function. I’m not usually one to gripe about this sort of thing, but the Cylon Centurion’s eyes are supposed to be lasers or something that glows red and it looks at an angle like Hallmark did get the visor red colored. Unfortunately, it does not light up.

However, a button on the front left side of the Cylon Centurion’s base does activate the sound function. When pressed, the battery-operated ornament begins to speak. The voice chip plays one of four soundclips from the television show wherein the Cylon menaces humanity. I’m fine with the sound clip not featuring anything about Christmas. However, the volume on this ornament was uncharacteristically low, making it less impressive than it ought to be, even with four quotes. The Cylon Centurion ornament is powered by watch-sized batteries, which are included with the ornament!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Cylon Centurion ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate science fiction Christmas Tree, the Cylon Centurion ornament is a fair addition. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the Cylon Centurion’s head, which is the most stable point on the ornament. Unfortunately, because of the way the Centurion is cast with the skirt and legs (and presumably some of the electronics for the sound clips) the ornament is a little backheavy. I found I could not adjust it in any way that did not have a fifteen to twenty degree pitch from the back up. Fortunately, this works better as a desk ornament because of the stable base, for those who want a Cylon Centurion the whole year round!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas from virtually every major franchise, including retro television shows like Battlestar Galactica, Cheers (but not Frasier!), and Star Trek. The Cylon Centurion ornament appears to have been slightly overproduced as I have found several since the after-Christmas sales began. I suspect either demand was low because the television series has been off the air or that Battlestar Galactica fans are more discriminating about their swag. Either way, this may be found now comparatively inexpensively and I suspect it will take a while before it appreciates in value.

Overview

Fans of the Battlestar Galactica franchise, Cylons and Hallmark ornaments in general might want to get this ornament on the cheap while they can find it. It is not a bad ornament, but it feels like it could have been so much more.

For other 2011 Hallmark genre ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
CLU’s Light Cycle Tron: Legacy ornament
Green Lantern ornament
Slave I Star Wars ornament

6.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Perfect Peanuts Ornament? The Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow! Ornament Is THE Peanuts Ornament To Buy!

The Good: Good sound chip, Decent light effect, Good sculpt, Reasonable price, Good balance
The Bad: Not the most iconic moment of A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Basics: A perfect ornament, the "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" from the Peanuts line is an unmemorable moment immortalized as a pretty wonderful collectible.


For the first time in years, it looked like I might not actually get in a review of a Peanuts Christmas ornament! The last few years, I have made a point of checking out ornaments like “Just The Right Tree” (reviewed here!) and the "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown" ornament (reviewed here! ). While some might think I have been overly critical of them in the past, I am proud to say that even with my high standards, the 2011 Peanuts "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament is perfect!

For those unfamiliar with the concept, "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" takes a moment from A Charlie Brown Christmas and immortalizes it as a Hallmark Keepsake ornament. Honestly, though, I have not seen the Charlie Brown Christmas special in years, so I do not remember this specific moment in it. I suspect it is at the end of the show, though, as Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus are standing outside as the snow begins to fall, tasting the falling snow.

It is Linus, Lucy and Charlie Brown standing in the snow looking giddy that is the subject of the "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" Hallmark Ornament. To add extra value to this one, Hallmark provided this ornament with a decent light-up function and a great sound chip.

Basics

The "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament recreates the moment Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy walk outside and find it snowing. When that happens, they begin to catch snowflakes on their tongues and talk about what a fun activity that is. The ornament features all three characters standing on a mound of snow in front of a brick wall. The ornament also features a half-dome background with a light up screen. The ornament, released in 2011, is a perfect ornament, despite the initial price (which, comparatively is low this year!). This Peanuts ornament features both a sound and light function and is well-balanced. Hallmark was able to get this ornament absolutely correct because the characters in it are animated and as a result, do not require much in the way of shading detail. Hallmark did an amazing job with adding value to "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" by including the whole diorama feel to it.

Hallmark made a clear effort on "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" by including glitter on the snowy ground and surprisingly bright light screen function on the dome. Measuring three and a half inches tall, three and a half inches wide and 2 7/16” deep, the "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament is one of the largest and most animated Peanuts ornaments. Hallmark does not have any other pricy Peanuts ornaments this year, so the $24.95 initial price tag is less likely to invoke sticker shock than what fans of Star Wars or Star Trek are going through!

The Hallmark "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the three children looking out at the person looking at the ornament, with the bundled up Charlie Brown with his eyes closed and tongue out to catch snowflakes. Linus also has his tongue out, though neither actually has a snowflake painted on their tongue! The dome gives this ornament a very clear front and back. The snow and characters are colored properly, with the bright colors used on their clothing to offset the white of the snow and these look like little three-dimensional models of the two characters. Hallmark similarly gets away with not having proper flesh tones because this ornament is based upon a cartoon where the fleshtones are not realistic at all.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" has both a light effect and a sound effect. Plugging the cord into a light socket – using the new Hallmark Magic Cord technology - on a non-blinking light strand on the dome above and behind the children lights up and virtual snow begins falling on the screen! This might be a simple special effect, but it looks absolutely awesome. The light screen with the falling snow illuminates the ornament brightly and makes the “Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!” ornament truly stand out, even in a darkened room! The light effect further accents the glitter in the snow on the ground, which help reflect the light and light the characters from below.

The button to activate the effects - the lights stay on when the ornament is plugged in - is in front of the children in the snow on the ornament. I’m unsure why Hallmark did not put the button on the thick base, but this is not enough to rob the ornament of perfection. When the button is pressed, Linus, Lucy and Charlie Brown speak. They talk about catching snowflakes on the tongue and the clip is neat, even if it is not an iconic moment from the program. The sound chip plays a clip clip that lasts several seconds from the Christmas special and it is clear, even though the speaker is on the bottom of the ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Peanuts Christmas Tree, the "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament is a must-have addition. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the dome backdrop. This is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. Hanging plugged or unplugged, the ornament has great balance. The Magic Cord, unlike some of the earliest connectors for Hallmark ornaments, seems very supple, allowing the ornament to hang in a well-balanced way!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of virtually everything that has ever had collectibles associated with it (and some that Hallmark has pioneered). The "Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament had very broad appeal as A Charlie Brown Christmas was almost universally popular from the first time it aired through contemporary times. As a result, this very cool ornament is likely to be coveted by fans and general consumers alike. If the Magic Cord is successfully adopted for subsequent Hallmark releases, this ornament will likely be sought after as one of the pioneers of the new technology. I’m betting on it being a great investment piece and I know I’ll be going out trying to get any I can find half off after Christmas this year!

Overview

While the moment embodied by the “Ho! Ho! Ho! Tasty Snow!" ornament might not be the most iconic, it is hard to argue with results. The sound function and lights are great making this one of the must-buy ornaments from Hallmark’s 2011 line!

For other 2011 holiday ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
Campus Sweetheart Barbie
New York Comic Con Exclusive U.S.S. Defiant Star Trek ornament
The Golden Snitch Harry Potter ornament

10/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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More Listless Than Extraordinary, The 2011 Campus Sweetheart Barbie Ornament

The Good: Fair sculpt, Vivid coloring, Decent balance
The Bad: Not an exciting sculpt, No flexibility
The Basics: In the continuing series of classic Barbie dolls made into ornaments, the 2011 Campus Sweetheart Barbie arrives as a well-crafted but uninteresting ornament.


As we race toward Christmas, I am trying very hard to get in a few last ornament reviews! This year, it seems I am actually paying attention to the Barbie line of Hallmark ornaments. So, it makes sense that I would look into their main-line run of Barbie ornaments. For the past eighteen years, Hallmark has been making Barbie ornaments and for 2011, the eighteenth collectible Barbie ornament is the Campus Sweetheart ornament. And . . .

. . . it’s fine. This is one of those ornaments that is all right, but it is not going to light the world on fire, so it is hard to write much about.

For those unfamiliar with them, Barbie dolls have been a leading trademarked doll (and model for unrealistic female bodytypes!) from Mattel for over sixty years. Hallmark Keepsake picked up the Barbie license in order to produce Christmas ornaments and Campus Sweetheart Barbie is one of twelve Barbie ornaments produced for 2011!

Basics

The Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament recreates the Campus Sweetheart Barbie doll with Barbie looking like she has just won a beauty contest. The ornament features Barbie with a very 1960s look to her. She has a bubble cut haircut and is a brunette version of the popular doll. This Barbie ornament is 4 1/4" tall by 2 1/2" wide and 2 3/8”deep because of the skirt on her dress.

The Hallmark Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament is made of a durable plastic entirely. The ornament features the beauty queen holding a trophy in her hand and a bouquet of roses in the crook of her arm. Her facial expression is not one of pride, but rather the same expression virtually every Barbie doll has. Perhaps that is why I am unenthusiastic about this ornament that is objectively pretty cool. Everything looks different and distinct, but that face that says the same thing every other Barbie doll says, “I’m happy to be pretty!”

The Campus Sweetheart Barbie features a bright pink dress and a solid base, so this Barbie ornament stands as well as it hangs from a tree. The silver of the trophy actually looks metallic as opposed to gray, so Hallmark paid a lot of attention to the detailing on this ornament. The white gloves on the ornament lend it a very classic beauty queen look.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Campus Sweetheart Barbie could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for fans of Barbie. I think it's disappointing that Campus Sweetheart Barbie does not have any articulation to her limbs. It was well within the abilities of Hallmark to make the ornament articulated at least at the shoulders or neck, but they opted for a boring statue look for the ornament and that disappoints some.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament is a great addition. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top of the character's head. From there, one hangs the ornament and this Barbie ornament is perfectly balanced! Unlike the doll itself, which is almost impossible to get to stand up, the Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament has great balance and hangs perfectly!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to Twilight. The Campus Sweetheart Barbie ornament is selling surprisingly coldly, despite the fact thay it is one of the better in the Barbie ornament line. I imagine this one will be one of the easier Barbie ornaments to find on the secondary market, especially after the Christmas holiday.

Overview

Despite flooding the Barbie ornament market in 2011, the Campus Sweetheart Barbie is not a bad ornament for collectors of ornaments or Barbie fans. For investors, though, there are better ones!

For other Barbie ornament, please check out my reviews of:
2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament
2011 Christmas Celebration Barbie ornament
1996 Enchanted Evening Barbie ornament
1994 Barbie Debut ornament

7/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The 2011 Up Ornament Is As Mediocre As The Movie.

The Good: Good sculpt, Generally good coloring.
The Bad: Balance bias, Comparatively expensive
The Basics: The 2011 Up ornament has some neat features, but underwhelms for the price.


I am not exactly sure why I have steered away from reviewing most of the Disney ornaments this year. I really liked the Rapunzel ornament from Tangled that was released this year (reviewed here!). So, as I prepare for the final holiday push, I have been getting more ornaments to review and I decided to take a look at the Up ornament. The Up ornament is the first in a series of Disney/Pixar ornaments, which implies that Hallmark will continue making ornaments of popular Disney/Pixar ornaments in the future. Hopefully, they will be ornaments that I can more enthusiastically recommend than the Up ornament.

For those unfamiliar with Up (reviewed here!), it is a travel story of Carl Fredericksen who is attempting to get away from the world after his wife dies. Unfortunately for him, Russell, a young Scout, is trying to get his merit badge for helping the elderly and he tags along with Carl against the old man's wishes.

Carl and Russell looking at one another as Russell gets his new merit badge is how Hallmark captures the pair for the 2011 ornament.

Basics

The Up ornament recreates Carl Fredericksen and Russell as they appeared at the very end of Up. Carl looks less grumpy than he does through most of the movie and Russell is beaming at the old man with his trademark goofy look on his face. The ornament, released in 2011, is a very cool and accurate sculpt of both the man and the boy. Carl has a somewhat blockish cut to his head and features, while Russell is very ovular.

Hallmark clearly made quite an effort on Carl as the glasses are nicely molded on his squarish face. Carl is molded with very cool other details, like his bowtie and belt buckle molded to look exactly like the digital model of Carl Fredericksen. Russell looks good as well, but because his appearance is less detailed in many ways, it is not as impressive on the sculpting. Russell looks like a boy who might have once been a jelly bean. The Up ornament measures three inches tall, two and one half inches wide and two and one sixteenth inches deep, the Up ornament is a very solid ornament and it has a bit of heft to it. At that size, it seems a bit expensive at the original issue price of $17.95.

The Hallmark Up ornament is made of a durable plastic and features the proud kid and grumpy adult. Some of the detailing is absolutely extraordinary. Carl Fredericksen's jacket, for example is molded with a zigzag pattern that mimicks tweed as closely as an animated ornament ever could expect to. But the truly immaculate detailing element is not in Carl's glasses, jacket or busy eyebrows, it is actually on Russell. The boy's merit badge sash is exceptionally detailed with each one looking like it is an individual badge. This is impressive as each badge on the sash is only about 1/8" in diameter! So, generally, this ornament looks good.


Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Up could have a sound effect, but it does not. Instead, this is a less-expensive option that is just the two principle characters.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Up ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Disney or Pixar movie Christmas Tree, the Up ornament is a very expensive option with a serious balance problem. There is a slight bias toward Russell, so the ornament does not hang straight. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top back of Carl's head. This is fairly obvious and necessary for the ornament. Unfortunately, because the entirety of Russell is attached to the left of that, the ornament hands slightly lopsided (about fifteen degrees down and a little down in the back). This is not a serious impediment, but no matter how I adjusted the ornament, I could not get it to hang perfectly flat.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, every major franchise from Star Wars to A Nightmare Before Christmas to Indiana Jones started making Hallmark ornaments. Up is one of only a few Disney ornaments on the market this year and this is the first in a series, which promises more Pixar-themed ornaments.

Unfortunately, I think Hallmark might have an underwhelming ornament with this release. Up was not a hugely successful Disney/Pixar film, at least in the U.S. The ornament seems expensive and it is unlikely to appreciate in value as a result.

Overview

Fans of Up, Disney, Edward Asner, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be neutral to the Up ornament. It has its merit in the detailing, but it is very expensive for the price, making it a very tough sell.

For other 2011 Hallmark character ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2011 Fleeing The Fiendfyre Harry Potter ornament
2011 Prima Ballerina ornament
2011 CLU's Light Cycle Tron: Legacy ornament

5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Not A Lot To Celebrate (Even With Two Variations), The 2011 Celebration Barbie (Caucasian) Ornament Underwhelms

The Good: Good sculpt, Cool metallic accents, No cloth
The Bad: Dull, No flexibility, Hair looks fake, Poor balance.
The Basics: For 2011, Hallmark Keepsake presented the Celebration Barbie Hallmark ornament and left a lot of Barbie enthusiasts unimpressed.


With Christmas rapidly approaching, I continue to sort through the various Hallmark ornaments that have come my way for review and I am trying to prioritize them some. In the case of the 2011 Celebration Barbie, I was woefully unimpressed. The annual Barbie tradition of releasing a limited edition Christmas doll has yielded some great and interesting dolls. Some of their ornament counterparts, however, are less than impressive. In the case of the 2011 Celebration Barbie, I found it impossible to recommend.

For those unfamiliar with them, Barbie dolls have been a leading trademarked doll (and model for unrealistic female bodytypes!) from Mattel for over sixty years. Hallmark Keepsake picked up the Barbie license in order to produce Christmas ornaments and Celebration Barbie is one of twelve Barbie ornaments produced for 2011! It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Celebration Barbie, a Caucasian and a black Barbie. Locally, I could only find the Caucasian one, so this review is exclusively for her.

Basics

The Celebration Barbie ornament recreates the Celebration Barbie doll with Barbie in her rich green Christmas dress. The ornament features the recognizable visage of Barbie with her long blonde hair cascading down over her right shoulder. She looks like a glamour model and is pretty much exactly what one expects when they think of Barbie; thin waist, busty and a neutral smile on her face. The Celebration Barbie is the latest in the series that replicates the popular doll in ornament form.

The ornament has Barbie wearing a flowing green Christmas gown with beautiful gold accents to it. This Barbie ornament is 4" tall by 3" wide and 2 3/4” deep because of the solid bell form to the dress. The Hallmark Celebration Barbie ornament is made entirely of durable plastic and has the feminine icon standing alone, with her right hand on her hip and her left arm straight. Her dress is colored deep green and has a gold front panel on the skirt as well as gold accents all around the stomach and chest area. She does not have feet molded on, so the bottom of the ornament is a single, flat piece.

This Barbie has the doll’s usual make-up coloring to her face and eyes, so she looks made-up for a Christmas party. Her hair is unfortunately presented, though. It almost looks like part was molded on and another portion was attached or the paint for the lower half of Barbie’s hair was different. Either way, the hair looks unfortunately fake.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Celebration Barbie could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for fans of Barbie. I think it's disappointing that Celebration Barbie does not have any articulation to her limbs. It was well within the abilities of Hallmark to make the ornament articulated at least at the shoulders or neck, but they opted for a boring statue look for the ornament and that disappoints some.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Celebration Barbie ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Celebration Barbie ornament is a mediocre addition. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top back of the character's head. From there, one hangs the ornament and this Barbie ornament is unfortunately backheavy. The weight of the dress, the way it is molded, pulls the back of the ornament down some. As a result, the Celebration Barbie ornament has about a fifteen degree pitch, that is somewhat awkward.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to Twilight. The Celebration Barbie ornament is selling surprisingly coldly, which might have something to do with the sheer number of Barbie ornaments that Hallmark flooded the market with this year. I imagine this one will be one of the easier Barbie ornaments to find on the secondary market, especially after the Christmas holiday.

Overview

Fans of the Barbie franchise are likely to initially like the look of the 2011 Celebration Barbie ornament, but a closer inspection reveals an unfortunately flawed ornament.

For other Barbie ornament reviews, please check out:
2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament
1996 Enchanted Evening Barbie ornament
1994 Barbie Debut ornament

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The 2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie Hallmark Ornament Is A Decent Christmas Ornament!

The Good: Good sculpt, Vivid coloring, Decent balance
The Bad: Dull, No flexibility, Hair coloring is a little off.
The Basics: For 2011, Hallmark Keepsake presented the Prima Ballerina Barbie Hallmark ornament and had a fairly decent Barbie ornament.


As we move ever-closer toward Christmas, I thought that I would continue reviewing Hallmark Christmas ornaments, especially ones outside my usual ballywick. That brought me back to Barbie Christmas ornaments and the Prima Ballerina Barbie Ornament. Barbie Christmas ornaments are nothing new to me. I have reviewed the Barbie Debut Ornament (reviewed here!) and the Enchanted Evening Barbie Hallmark Ornament (reviewed here!) and neither were impressive to me. The Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament from 2011 changes my feelings about Hallmark's Barbie ornament line!

For those unfamiliar with them, Barbie dolls have been a leading trademarked doll (and model for unrealistic female bodytypes!) from Mattel for over sixty years. Hallmark Keepsake picked up the Barbie license in order to produce Christmas ornaments and Prima Ballerina Barbie is one of twelve Barbie ornaments produced for 2011!

Basics

The Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament recreates the Prima Ballerina Barbie doll with Barbie up on her toes in toeshoes. The ornament features the recognizable visage of Barbie with her blonde hair pulled back in a bun, much like Cinderella. This Barbie is uncharacteristically not wearing make-up! The ornament has Barbie wearing a simple white tutu with flared skirt. The skirt is webbed, white and made of nylon. This Barbie ornament is 4 1/2" tall by 2 1/4" wide and deep because of the skirt.

The Hallmark Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament is made of a durable plastic outside the nylon skirt and has the feminine icon standing alone, holding her left hand over her head. Her one-piece is colored bright white and silver-gray accents along her stomach and bust. She is wearing white toeshoes and a tiara. This Barbie is distinctive in that she has great depth and shading on her skin tones in her face. Her hair is a little less impressive, though Hallmark clearly tried to have ornament look more realistic with different colors to the hair. The Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament I picked up for review had yellow hair with odd mustard yellow and brown highlights that clashed with the main color.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Prima Ballerina Barbie could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for fans of Barbie. I think it's disappointing that Prima Ballerina Barbie does not have any articulation to her limbs. It was well within the abilities of Hallmark to make the ornament articulated at least at the shoulders or neck, but they opted for a boring statue look for the ornament and that disappoints some.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament is a great addition. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top back of the character's head, behind the tiara. From there, one hangs the ornament and this Barbie ornament is perfectly balanced! Unlike the doll itself, which is almost impossible to get to stand up, the Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament has great balance and hangs perfectly!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to Twilight. The Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament is selling surprisingly coldly, despite the fact thay it is one of the better in the Barbie ornament line. I imagine this one will be one of the easiest Barbie ornaments to find on the secondary market, especially after the Christmas holiday.

Overview

Fans of the Barbie franchise are likely to get a kick out of the Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament. The coloring on the hair may be a little off and the skirt looks a little goofy, but the sculpt and skin and costume coloring is pretty wonderful. This is a decent buy for anyone who likes Barbie dolls or Hallmark ornaments.

For other 2011 ornament reviews of characters, please check out my reviews of:
Bella, Edward And Jacob Twilight ornament
Rapunzel Tangled ornament
"Almost A Kiss" Gone With The Wind ornament

7/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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The 2011 Clu's Lightcycle Hallmark Ornament Is Even Less Inspired Than Last Year's . . .

The Good: Good sculpt, Neat light effect
The Bad: Light effect fades quickly, Frontheavy, Overproduced
The Basics: Hallmark Keepsake repeats its lackluster Tron: Legacy ornament history in 2011 with the CLU’s Light Cycle ornament.


Last year, I felt a little bad for Hallmark. The company clearly banked on Tron: Legacy being a much bigger hit for Disney than it was and Hallmark produced the Light Cycle ornament (reviewed here!). Unfortunately, the movie was not all that big and the merchandising that surrounded it was an absolute bust. As such, I am still able to find the 2010 Lightcycle ornaments locally. It also makes it even more of an oddity that Hallmark would bother to produce the CLU’s Light Cycle ornament for 2011.

For those unfamiliar with CLU’s Lightcycle, this is a black, computer-generated vehicle from the 2010 film Tron: Legacy (reviewed here!). It was driven by the main villain of the film for a scene or two and it did not exactly pass into the collective consciousness.

Because it is virtually the same ornament – there is a slight difference to the sculpt of the back of the light cycle, it suffers from many of the same problems as the original lightcycle from 2010. Oddly, Hallmark seems to have overproduced CLU’s lightcycle as well, which is the one problem they could have avoided easy enough.

Basics

CLU's Lightcycle ornament faithfully recreates the black and glowing yellow motorcycle that is computer code, not a physical prop. From the virtual world of the Grid comes a vehicle used to play gladiator sports in and in the film, the contest with the Lightcycles is exciting. As a physical ornament, the vehicle is somewhere between intriguing and baffling, as it has two wheels, but they do not turn. As a result, discerning collectors can easily wait and get this one after the Christmas season; it does not appear to be selling out anywhere.

The Hallmark CLU's Lightcycle ornament is made of a durable black and yellow plastic and has the sleek vehicle on its own, with a single driver, CLU. This one does not have the date stamped or painted on it. Instead, it is faintly molded into the very bottom of the vehicle as part of the copyright information. This ornament is powered by very small watch batteries (included!) which allow the light effect to be activated.

The Lightcycle is lightly detailed, with the lines of the vehicle being sharp where appropriate, but mostly very futuristic looking curves and strong lines. There is empty space in the center of the two tires, mimicking the motorcycle driven by James Kirk in that last Star Trek. It is cast almost entirely in solid black plastic which has a beautiful glossy sheen to it, making it look dangerous and compelling.

As for the pilot, he is basically a mildly molded lump of black plastic. Hallmark did not strive for a lot of detail on the Lightcycle driver and while it has the appropriate helmet and armor of one of the Lightcycle drivers, the exposed parts of the man’s face and neck are not appropriately colored and looks goofy as a result. As a result, we only know this is CLU by the product’s name.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Lightcycle has a light function. Fans of the ornaments might be easily impressed by the light function initially, even if they might be dismayed that there is no audio effect. So long as the batteries are in, pressing a button on the Lightcycle causes the wheels to light up and a panel on the center of the Lightcycle to do the same. The lights are a sickly yellow and make the lightcycle seem much more orange than yellow.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake CLU's Lightcycle ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate science fiction Christmas Tree, the CLU's Lightcycle ornament not at all an essential piece. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top center of the driver’s back, which is the most stable point on the ornament. Unfortunately, because of the way the driver is leaning (and possibly other elements having to do with the internal weight of the ornament), the LCLU's Lightcycle pitches forward when hung at an unfortunately abrupt angle.

The result is that no matter how I tried to hang the CLU's Lightcycle, it always looked like it was going down a twenty to thirty degree grade.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas from virtually every major franchise, including everything Disney. CLU's Lightcycle ornament appears to be a colossal failure commercially. Owing largely to the overproduction and lack of a huge fan base for Tron merchandise, the mass public appears to have largely passed this one by. The result was that it was overproduced and they are readily available currently at severely deflated prices. In other words, this is not an ideal investment piece!

Overview

Fans of the Tron franchise, Disney and Hallmark ornaments in general are likely to be largely unimpressed by the CLU's Lightcycle ornament; it is a mediocre recreation of an obscure vehicle from a film that did not quite reach expectations in the theaters. And, more than that, it is so common that the initial release price grossly overestimates interest in it. For those who want it, hold out; it will be cheaper after the holidays!

For other 2011 Hallmark genre ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2011 “Fleeing The Fiendfyre” Harry Potter ornament
2011 Green Lantern ornament
2011 Star Trek Limited Edition U.S.S. Defiant ornament

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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