2008 National Toy Hall of Fame finalists named

The 2008 National Toy Hall of Fame nominees were announced yesterday. Each year, the Strong National Museum of Play names a group of finalists for induction, of which only two will be selected for the Hall of Fame this year.

This year's nominees are:

Hot Wheels
Magic 8 Ball
Rubik’s Cube
Clue
The Game of Life
Yahtzee
The Flexible Flyer Sled
Thomas the Tank Engine
Wiffle Ball
The skateboard
The baby doll
The dollhouse

Personally, I'd vote for Hot Wheels, and the Rubik's Cube (though the Magic 8 Ball would be a close third). I really don't understand the nomination of generic toys like "the skateboard" or "the baby doll" -- do these belong in the same category as name-brand toys? When I was a kid, we used to play with "water" and "dirt" alot too, why not nominate those? Obviously generic toys like "balls" and "dolls" need to be recognized in some way too, but putting them up against name-brand toys seems a bit unfair if you ask me. For the complete list of the 39 toys in the Hall of Fame, visit this link.

Behind the Scenes at McFarlane Toys

MLB.com has posted a video showing a behind the scenes look at the toy making process at McFarlane toys in regards to their Major League Baseball line of action figures. McFarlane fans, as well as anyone with an interest in the design, fabrication, and overall production of toys and action figures, should check it out. It runs about 4 minutes.


Behind the Scenes at McFarlane Toys [MLB.com]

Toys Are Us - The Movie

No, it's not a film about the giant toy store. "Toys Are Us" is billed as the world's first documentary on designer vinyl toys. It was shown last month at the San Diego Comic Con, but now a special "Director's Cut" DVD has been released, which includes two new mini-documentaries titled "Toymaking 101", which showcases the process of sculpting and marketing toys, and "An Ancient Vinyl History," which looks at vintage Japanese vinyl character toys. If you have any interest in designer Do-It-Yourself toymaking, you should check it out. Watch the trailer above, and then visit the producer's website, X-Ray Films, for more information including where to purchase a copy for yourself.