Ok, so I know this was to reaveal Arcade Fire's version of "Baby Mine". Which is great, but I took out tow different things from this. The first was the absolute cute fest that was Dumbo playing with his mom. The second was a first real look at Michael Keaton's quick shift to villain. Both of these things has me screaming, "Just take my money already!" Really though, I've had Captain Marvel tickets for what? Like a month or two now? This film is at the end of this month, & I need to see no more. Take my money please. I officially can't wait. Anyway, prepare yourself for absolute cuteness, & check this out while we impatiently wait for tickets to finally go on sale.
Dumbo Behind The Scenes Video
I loved this behind the scenes video. Mainly because it gave me a whole new outlook on this film. The first thing besides all the new glimpses was the blue between whYs actually real & what's CGI. I couldn't believe all the actual set pieces & extras I was seeing. Looking like they might've found a great blend of CGI & real elements to create that perfect realistic fantasy. The other thing that hit me is when they were talking about how Tim Burton really understands this element & these characters. The sort of abnormal characters that they are. It immediately made me think of another Burton circus in the form of Big Top PeeWee . Love or hate the film, he captured the reality of circus life so well. It made me for the first time think he might have been the perfect pick for this. We won't know for sure until March 29th, but with this I'm more excited for this one than I was before watching. What do y'all think? Is Dumbo on your must-see list? Do you have faith in Tim Burton with this one? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Meet Steve In Ed Helms Special Announcement For "Penguins"
This announces Ed Helm's as the narrator of Disneynature's upcoming Penguins . He wants to introduce you to the adorable star of the film, Steve. This announcement also comes with this synopsis, "..... a coming-of-age story about an Adélie penguin named Steve who joins millions of fellow males in the icy Antarctic spring on a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner and start a family. None of it comes easily for him, especially considering he's targeted by everything from killer whales to leopard seals, who unapologetically threaten his happily ever after." I'm. So. All. In. I not only love penguins, but I'm sure Ed Helms is going to keep the documentary style pretty entertaining. I can't wait for this. Don't forget to see this April 17th, opening weekend by the way. The proceeds from these films on opening weekend go to help protect their subject matter. So, see this & save some little birds in tuxes at the same tine.
Academy Awards Thoughts
So the big night for all things motion picture was last night, & the Disney Empire only took home a small fraction of the 17 awards they were up for. In their defense in a lot of the categories they were nominated, they were up against themselves in one form or fashion. Even in those they came up just short. Nothing surprising though this year's list of nominees were so stacked, a lot of things were hard to call, & just as hard to argue with the winners. I knew Black Panther stood no chance at Best Picture. So, that was no surprise. In fact I've seen most of the films nominated, & Green Book was an amazing film. My choice to win for that matter. Black Panther did take home 3 trophies though, Best Costume, Best Production Design, & Best Original Score. A well deserved, great win for Marvel that was bound to cut into the 17 nominations no matter how it was sliced. Due to Mary Poppins Returns also being nominated in those categories. Some more that had double bookings with Best Original Song, Best Animated Feature, & the Disney loaded Best Special Effects categories, they weren't so fortunate in. However, I cannot disagree with any of the winners at all. It was just that right of a race. All the original songs were great, I've heard Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse wouldn't have surprised some in the actual Best Picture category. The closest race in my head for the night though, was Special Effects. Disney had three examples of very different types of Effects showcased in Solo, Infinity War, & Christopher Robin, but once again, no arguements can be made. First Man had effects so good you'd have one keen eye if you could even spot them all versus actual documentary footage. Other than that Bao was a shoe in for Animated Short as it was pretty much the only one everyone has seen. Great awards race, I've never agreed with more picks in one show than this one. Might've even restored a little of my faith in the Academy Awards. Your thoughts though? Put 'em in the comments, like, & share.
New "Lion King" Trailer, Still No Talking Animals
I feel like we just keep seeing the same thing out of July 19th's upcoming Lion King remake. The closer the not-so-live-action live action remake of the beloved classic animated film comes, I'm really starting to wonder when we're gonna see some talking animals. We're once again covering the "coronation" scene. In fact I'm pretty sure this is now pretty close to the whole scene now. What I'd really like to see is even a sentence actually coming from an animals mouth. We've heard some lines out of Mufasa in one of the trailers, but not with the visual of him saying it. I don't know why this troubles me so much, but it does. Honestly, that said, this trailer was a real letdown. I get it, the first minutes of the original are there. And even though I don't wanna see too much more, I wanna see something new. Just a little of what to expect out of more than just the beginning. In all honesty, I'm more excited about the absolutely beautiful poster that came out. At least it doesn't take place in the opening scene. Still close though, as if I had to guess this is the "all the land the light touches" scene. For that matter, I'd have took that in the trailer. I mean, what do y'all think though? Is this pretty much exactly what we've seen already minus some more species? Am I the only one that would like some talkin', singin', animals form this thing? Let me know in the comments, like, & share.
SparkShorts' "Kitbull" Is Hard To Watch Greatness
The third in the lineup of Pixar's SparkShorts has debuted, & it's unique in many ways. Titled Kitbull, it's animation is not the normal fare you'd expect from Pixar. Using gorgeous 2D animation, it gives off more of a Disney Animated Short vibe. If it wasn't for the intensely heavy story attached to it, I would think that's where it belonged. However, this very tastefully, & nonchalantly dealt with heavy subject matter that literally brought tears to my eyes. I'm a big animal person, & I've always said the bad rap pitbulls get are do to humans more than the dog itself. This shirt hits that nail right on the head. When they reveal where this is going I lost it. Angry & in tears at the same time I watched as this went on to prove everything I've always said. However, it was once again the subtlety that was used to convey this gruesomeness that impressed me the most. This could've been overwhelmingly in our face, but was, in glorious Pixar fashion, somehow toned down. Making it a somewhat innocent approach to an absolutely horrible subject matter. Loving & missing my own pitbull, this was a very hard watch. However, the cuteness factor, & pure love involved in this story revolving around the implied hate made this pure greatness. I loved this cartoon short. It made me go through every emotion possible in about 8 minutes, & that itself is a tall feat. Animal Welfare agencies should make this there new mascot of sorts. Curious, did this hot anyone else as hard as it hit me? And like me, did you still thoroughly enjoy it as much as myself?
RIP Dave Smith
It's always sad to write these. If you haven't heard already, we lost Dave Smith on February 15th at the age of 78. Four decades he's been with The Walt Disney Company, & chances are a good portion of anything you know about Disney's past came from him. Founder of the Walt Disney Archives, & dubbed an official Legend in 2007, he's been gathering & preserving historical treasures of film, TV, theme parks are more since his hiring by Roy Disney in 1970. With his first job cataloguing everything in Walt's untouched suite after his death, later being responsible for it's full restoration in 2015. He's wrote numerous books on the subject, some of which I own myself, such as Disney A to Z, Disney: The First 100 Years, The Quotable Walt Disney, Disney Trivia from the Vault, and The Ultimate Disney Trivia Books 1, 2, 3, and 4. He also appeared in many publications throughout the years as well. Even after his retirement in 2010, he kept going as a consultant for 9 years. Truly devoted in every way to all the things of Disney's past. He will be missed by all. CEO Bob Iger stated it best, “He was the unsung hero of Disney’s history who, as our first archivist, spent 40 years rescuing countless documents and artifacts from obscurity, investing endless hours restoring and preserving these priceless pieces of our legacy, and putting them in context to tell our story. Dave was a true Disney Legend, and we are indebted to him for building such an enduring, tangible connection to our past that continues to inspire our future.” Condolences to his friends & family. I'm sure Walt has a place for him.
"Frozen II" To Totally Deliver On Some Action
This is a lot more than I expected from a Frozen II trailer. Heavy on the action whether it be Elsa trying g to scale massive waves, whole fleets of reindeer, or Anna drawing her sword for battle in the end, this looks like it's gonna be intense. I didn't know what to expect from this sequel at all, but I definitely wasn't expecting action/adventure at all. I can't believe it, but this little teaser actually has me super excited for the return of Frozen . For what it was, this quick look was absolutely amazing. I really didn't care whether this went forward or not until now. With this, bring it on! Take my money now! I know it's not much, but what'd y'all think of this apparent new direction for Frozen? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Second Pixar SparkShort "Smash And Grab" Was Everything I Hoped For!
This is how you hand over heavy handed material & still keep it innocent & entertaining! The second of the SparkShorts, Smash and Grab , is everything I've grown to expect from Pixar. It keeps its message disguised under a highly entertaining short about to robot friends just trying to get away. While at the same time covering over the struggle of mundane, everyday real life work that never seems to payoff. These robots just want to reach an unreachable goal of ascending to the ranks of the ones they work for everyday. Literally tied to their underling positions, for without then they'll die. Never experiencing the true freedom of not needing to keep working. I'm sure there's a higher percentage of people that can relate to this than can't. The real beauty here though, besides the animation, is how well its material is hidden. That's the real Pixar trick. From a child's eyes this will be read as two friends that just want to get away & be free together. While the rest is left up to an adult's view to decipher. I love how this was pulled off, & will definitely be sharing this one with my loved ones. This actually felt like it deserved the Pixar name. What did y'all think? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Mixed Feels When It Comes To First Real Look At "Aladdin"
I'm battling with myself on this one. I absolutely love the original animated Aladdin to the point one of my daughters are named Jasmine. It's probably my personal favorite of all the classics. That said, I knew I'd be particularly hard on the live action version coming this year. While the first pics were a pleasant surprise, I've been impatiently waiting for an actual trailer to give this some real contrast. In comes this special look from last night. Now there's a lot more pluses for me here than minuses. The backdrops are amazing. From the deserts, to Agrabah, all the way to the Cave of Wonders, I was awestruck. Aladdin himself totally looks the part. Jasmine is absolutely gorgeous. Even the quick look at the flying carpet was amazingly on point. The bad part is the minuses here are really big minuses. Jafar didn't come off half as menacing as his animated counterpart, & that's a really big thing. To me your hero's story is only as powerful as the portrayal of its villain, & even though it was just a small piece, I wasn't buying in at all. Even worse though was the long awaited reveal of the often imitated, never duplicated Genie of the lamp. I have my fingers & toes crossed that this feeling will go away, but big blue Will Smith just took me right out of this. I've never had a major actor's appearance pull me out of something like this did. The bad part, is I'm not sure if even a recast would fix this problem. The more I thought about it, I'd almost say we needed a full CGI character just voiced. Maybe it's the fact that personalizing him doesn't really work. I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it's just not working with me. Sad it falls short for me in two of its biggest, most pivotal roles. What do y'all think though? Put it in the comments, like, & share
New Sneak Peek For "Dumbo" Has Me Super Pumped
For me this sneak peek has been the best look we've got so far for Disney's upcoming live action Dumbo . It gives a real look at how they're blending things from the original animation with this new original take. I actually can't pinpoint one thing I didn't just thoroughly enjoy from this trailer. Keaton looks like he's going to be absolutely amazing as a wolf in sheeps clothing villain. While Devito also came off as just the epitome of his character as it's been explained, just trying to keep his failing circus afloat. You can see in these short takes that Colin Farrell & the kids are totally going to supply the heart to this film. And I really feel much like 80s Superman we will believe an elephant can fly. My excitement level has jumped 100 times with this peek, & I'm now counting down the days until we get to see this film. Check it out though, & by all means I'd love to hear your thoughts as well. Put 'em in the comments, like, & share.
Really Letdown By The First Pixar SparkShort "Purl"
So, I noticed last night I had missed the first SparkShort from Pixar, Purl. I was really excited to sit down & watch it. However, upon doing so I was not only totally let down, but also glad I chose to watch this before watching it with my littlest child. I've always applauded Pixar for adding adult themes in disguise to their amazing animated movies, but this attempt pretty much totally abandoned the disguise. What you get instead is a very heavy handed short dealing with women equality in the workplace. Nothing I'm against at all by the way, I'm known for mainly hiring teams of women myself. I'm just not a fan of how this was pulled off in this short. One cute character overlay does not work to disguise the approach, containing an adult joke, & a curse word. Which in my spare time I'm pretty sailor mouthed myself, but I don't need my littlest jumping up saying, "You bet your ass!" just because the cartoon says it. Over the years I've seen Pixar hide very mature themes of love, growing old, death, self worth, & more, & I feel like to their standards this was a complete fail. While I appreciate its message, I'm just highly let down by its execution. I hope to get more from the next SparkShorts. At least something I can share with my kids. Until then check it out, & let me know your thoughts. Put 'em in the comments, like, & share.
Big Game TV Spot For "Toy Story 4"
Proving how expensive Superbowl ads have become Disney went for before with their Marvel ads, & after the game for this "Toy Story 4" ad. This clip totally made me laugh out loud too. Woody & Bo Peep get to a carnival, when Bo Peep asks where's Buzz. When Woody tells her he'll probably catch up, you skip to Buzz getting attached to a fence as a carney game prize. This gives us what I'm betting us the first actual scene with Ducky & Bunny, & it's great. I myself, don't think the intro scene for them we got earlier is actually in the film. This however, I'm guessing definitely is. Not wanting to loose their spot as top prize to Buzz, they fight back. Hilarity ensues. I really liked this, once again short, 30 second, trailer. Just enough to get a laugh, & showcase one of the set pieces for the film. Yet, at the same time, not really give away anything. That's 3 short trailers for the big game, & I dug everyone of them. In fact, it might be time to hang up the long super trailer, go back to these. Less to speculate on might help overall results of people being let down due to drawing their own conclusions. What did y'all think though? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
The Magic Behind The "Mary Poppins Returns" Bathtub Scene
This is why I love practical special effects so much! If you don't like knowing how the magic happens, don't watch this behind the scenes footage for the Mary Poppins Returns bathtub scene. For those as intrigued as myself in how they pull this stuff off without computers, this is definitely for you. I know you've at least seen this scene in the many trailers if you haven't seen the film yet. And if you're like me you just wrote it off to modern CGI effects. That said, I was ecstatic to find out I was wrong. This is what I used to love most about pre-CGI movie making. You had to just figure it out, & usually go through some pretty extensive means to pull things off. I'm not going to go into the house, you'll have to watch the short video for that. However, I will say I want this setup. This scene all the sudden looks like it was a blast to shoot. Not only that I can't wait for the BluRay release, just to see how much of this film was shot like this. Amazing! Or, practically perfect in every way, case being. What do y'all think though? Were you as blown away by this as I was? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Cuteness Overload In Trailer For Disneynature's "Penguins"
Before I start know I have a total bias on this subject. I Absolutely Love me some penguins. Even though they've been done on film to death, I am still excited for yet another. Especially beings its Disneynature's Penguins . I love these Disneynature films, and not just because they're amazing, interesting, & beyond beautifully shot. I love the fact that they make donations in the opening weekend to the foundations that protect the animals involved. This trailer comes with a synopsis that sounds familiar, "a coming-of-age story about an Adélie penguin named Steve who joins millions of fellow males in the icy Antarctic spring on a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner and start a family. None of it comes easily for him, especially considering he's targeted by everything from killer whales to leopard seals, who unapologetically threaten his happily ever after." Once again though, it's penguins, & I could probably watch a days worth of different families doing the exact same things. Totally excited for this years Disneynature film, & if you're going to see it, make it count. See it opening weekend so the penguins get a piece of the action! I'll be there, will you? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Live Action "Hunchback of Notre Dame" Is In The Works At Disney
Disney's live action remakes are taking a turn to th darkside with Hunchback of Notre Dame reportedly in the works. This came from Deadline Hollywood via Variety. The film has Tony Award winnig playwright David Henry Hwang attached to write the script with well known Alan Menkin & Stephen Schwartz tackling the music. Mandeville Films is set to produce, along with Josh Gad who is also heavily rumored for the main role. I'm very excited about this one. Throughout the years Hunchback of Notre Dame has become one of my favorite animated films. One that, much like The Black Cauldron , I think it's popularity suffers from it's rather dark material more than anything. I however absolutely loved the pull no punches storytelling it displayed. It's reported this isn't a major priority for Disney right now as they're gearing up for Aladdin, Lion King, & Dumbo . It's definitely one for me though. I'll be waiting impatiently for any more in this as it develops. What do y'all think though? Are y'all excited about live action Quasimodo? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
Pixar Introduces "SparkShorts"
This is a really awesome concept! Disney*Pixar is opening up the studio to every department to create their own shorts. With a limited budget Pixar's looking for the next big thing in animation, that might just happen to be right under their nose the whole time. I can't wait to see these. In the wake of Lasseter's departure they're desperately going to need some new creative spark. Which is exactly what they're looking for here. Hence the name, SparkShorts. I'm already more interested in this than I was with the announcement of Onward . Their next big film, supposed to come next year. I love it the "little guys" get a chance to shine. You usually find some real magic there. Anyway, what's your thoughts on this new project? Put 'em in the comments, like, & share.
"Disney Empire" Starts The New Year Off Right With "From Now On"!
If you haven't seen this video yet, drop what you're doing & take some time to watch it. This thing almost brought me to tears, & at some points made me shout with excitement. All while doing the dishes. I'm working on a Top 10 video for my most anticipated items this year, & this gives a small look at a lot of them. Normally this is where I'd talk about what I liked most in the video posted, but in all honesty, I don't want to spoil it. Plus, like I said, I'll be talking about a lot of this later on today or tomorrow. I will say, bravo Disney!! This is how you boldly go into a new year. I was already pumped, but this totally put me over. I hope ya'll enjoy this video as much as I did. This is gonna be a big year, filled with limitless possibilities.
EW's First Look At "Aladdin" Might Have Just Realized My Greatest Fears
We have our first look at Guy Ritchie's live-action Aladdin, & it's looking & sounding more street rat than prince. I'm gonna focus on the pluses first. Mena Massoud & Naomi Scott look absolutely amazing as Aladdin & Jasmine. Just like they were ripped straight out of the animated classic. Second, the proposed mixture of lands & culture to Agrabah, giving it a Middle Eastern & Asian feel really intrigues me. It sets it in a fully imagined place. For me that adds to the fantasy of it all. Third, is probably one of the strangest parts, Guy Ritchie. Even though I thought it was a very strange choice at first, Aladdin is a very fast paced, chase film. That's actually right in Guy's wheelhouse, & I think he can really knock this one out the park. Alright, now I'll address the big blue elephant in the room. I was very worried when they cast Will Smith in Robin William's iconic role as the Genie. Not because of Smith himself, I've actually loved this guy since his Fresh Prince of Bel-Air days, & even before them for that matter. Just knowing Smith's character, I had a feeling I knew where this was going to wind up. First strike was straight out of Ritchie's mouth with, “I like the fact that our Genie has an ego and is a little bit vain and he cares about how he’s presented because he’s been doing this for a very long time.” The words ego & vain just immediately suck the fun out the whole character for me. And if that didn't work, we're also going to get some tired hip-hop from Will Smith to go along. Who mentions there hasn't been a hip hop flavor in the Disney universe yet. Well, there hasn't been any heavy metal either, & there might just be a reason for that. The third strike came with the actual look of the Genie, but I'm putting a hold on that one for now. Only because I'm convinced there's a level of CGI that will be involved in post that doesn't make the EW pics. At least I'm hoping so. If I'm wrong it just looks like Will Smith with a funny top knot. So, all in all there's three wishes answered, & three thrown right back in my face. These are just still pics & a synopsis as well. My reserves could be wrong, & this could blow us all away. Here's hoping at least, as Aladdin is one of, if not my all time favorite of the classics. What do y'all think though? I'd love to hear it. Put it in the comments, like, & share.
"Lady and The Tramp" Will Really Be Live-Action, Using Real Dogs!
This'll be interesting. The debate for whether the upcoming live-action Lion King being actually live-action or still animated will not be crossing over to Lady & the Tramp. According to a Collider exclusive the remake of the animated classic, coming to the Disney+ streaming service, will be using actual live dogs. In an interview with one of the only human character actors in the film he dropped this little tidbit, along with the film itself being a period piece. He went on to describe the movie as an enhanced version of the original, with the humans a little more fleshed out. Also, mentioning it's a little more grown up & sophisticated, compared to its predecessor. I was actually pretty curious as to how this was going to go in the first place. Lady & the Tramp is one of those films that even though it works great animated, I know they'll have to take liberties to add some more substance. The most intriguing thing about all this though, is obviously the use of real live dogs. I'm guessing they'll talk like the animals in Babe did, with CGI mouths in post, but this actually gets me more curious for some behind the scenes more than anything. Not only just them getting these animals to work, that always amazes me, but even more so for the inevitable blooper reel. The film is currently in production by Charlie Bean of The Lego Ninjago Movie & will Star Tessa Thompson & Justin Theroux in the lead roles. All aside, what do y'all think about this awesome news of actual live-action dogs for the now totally actual live-action Lady & the Tramp? Put it in the comments, like, & share.
