Month: October 2007 – page 4

Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law: Volume Three

The final volume of the Hanna-Barbera spoof delivers lots of yucks for adult viewers who can handle the desecrating of old favorites.

Titmouse, Inc. Taps DR Consulting for HD Upgrade On Hit Series Metalocalypse

“Final Cut Pro facility design experts, The DR Group, announced today that its DR Consulting division was tapped by edgy animation studio, Titmouse, Inc. to deliver Metalocalypse, its ongoing series for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, in High Definition.” Read on for the full press release:

Good g-Reef! The latest fishy tale reviewed…

The Reef reviewed…and more on the way!

The Reef

This melding of Finding Nemo and Shark Tale sensibilities is a fishy one to place, being totally derivative of those films but no-where near as bad as it could or indeed was expected to be. Younger audiences might well be hooked!

Top 20 Pixar characters named

Empire Magazine lists its choices for “The Top 20 Pixar Characters.” At the peak of the countdown is Buzz Lightyear (the Toy Story franchise), followed by Mike Wazowski (Monsters, Inc.) and Dory (Finding Nemo).

More Enchanted award buzz

Ain’t It Cool News features a brand-new positive review of Enchanted, calling the Disney picture “an oddly satisfying film that I really wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did.” Interestingly, the reviewer proposes that the film could receive award attention for its makeup, which is described as “truly astonishing.”

Ratatouille lithographs with pre-order

Upcoming Pixar notes that at one’s nearest Disney Store, four lithographs are available with a pre-order of the Ratatouille DVD. As the column reminds, the lithographs are only provided with a DVD pre-order, not a purchase after the disc’s release date.

TV to DVD: Cryptkeeper, Highlander, Mario, Sonic, Pound Puppies

TV Shows on DVD reminds readers about the current availability of Tales from the Cryptkeeper: Pleasant Screams – The Complete 1st Season and the recent Pound Puppies toy/DVD packages. In addition, the site highlights the upcoming four-disc Highlander: The Complete Animated Series, while also reporting of a seven-disc DVD set containing both The Adventures of […]

Pixar battling "brand fatigue"?

Jim Hill Media ponders why Ratatouille did not reach the domestic box office heights that other Pixar films have met, pointing out thoughts on the matter from Director Brad Bird. Furthermore, the site suggests that in order to face what it refers to as “brand fatigue,” Pixar may be preparing a string of live-action films.

Fireflies, Wind named "Too Painful To Watch Twice"

A.V. Club presents “Not Again: 24 Great Films Too Painful To Watch Twice”. Animated entries in the countdown include Isao Takahata’s Grave Of The Fireflies (#15) and Jimmy T. Murakami’s When The Wind Blows (#16).

Posters: Bee Movie, Kung Fu Panda

The Internet Movie Poster Awards introduces the teaser poster for DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda, coming to theaters on June 6, 2008. Concurrently, a new Bee Movie banner, featuring Barry B. Benson and Vanessa, is showcased at eBay. Bee Movie will open in theaters nationwide, on November 2nd.

Positive buzz for Enchanted

“Amy Adams and her new Disney movie, Enchanted, are appearing as a pleasant November bombshell in the awards season race,” writes a new review of the film at MSN Movies. The editorial likewise praises the music of Enchanted, calling the songs “memorable tunes that provide sly winks to previous Disney songs while standing strong as […]

Images: Mermaid on Broadway, Robinsons DVD

The Ultimate Disney Forum hosts some unique images from the latest Disney projects. The pictures include packaging artwork and menus for the Meet the Robinsons DVD, as well as photos taken of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre’s preparation for the Broadway adaptation of The Little Mermaid.

Baloo fights Fantastic Four on DVD chart

IMDB.com’s Studio Briefing indicates that according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert DVD data, The Jungle Book Platinum Edition topped the sales chart, for the week ended October 7. However, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment retorts that Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer truly took the #1 position, since the title was released in two […]

Rat's entertainment! Pixar's latest hits the UK!

Ratatouille has been munching its way across Europe over the past couple of weeks and today Disney/Pixar’s latest meal arrives in the UK. Xan Brooks in The Guardian has written an enthusiastic review, giving it a full five stars and making it the paper’s Film Of The Week, that adds to the generally positive comments […]

Nightmare in Disney's Hollywood Studios?

According to Jim Hill Media, a new attraction based on Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas could be in store for Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Interestingly, it is described as being conceived by Imagineers as a “deliberately cheesy-looking dark ride,” with the design allegedly pleasing Burton.

Bite-size TV clips for Bee Movie

The first three “TV Jrs.” for DreamWorks Animation’s Bee Movie have now been posted at NBC.com. Watch Jerry Seinfeld hunt down animators, spy on others watching Bee Movie on all sorts of devices, and . . . call for Super Chicken?

Superheroes to premiere Chained Lightning; DVD news

With a press release and five images, Comics 2 Film has the lowdown on the latest installment of Legion of Superheroes. Titled Chained Lightning, the episode tells the backstory of Lightning Lad. Directed by Brandon Vietti and written by Matt Wayne, Lightning will strike this Saturday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT, as part of […]

Letter observes end of Disney Adventures

Upcoming Pixar contains a letter from Great American Opportunities that details the conclusion of Disney Adventures, which will end with its November 2007 issue. Once the magazine has ceased publication, its subscribers will be treated to Disney’s popular FamilyFun magazine.

Introducing Persepolis poster

The one-sheet for Persepolis has arrived at the Internet Movie Poster Awards. Distributed domestically by Sony Pictures Classics, the critically acclaimed feature will be screened at the New York Film Festival this Sunday, October 14.

WGA expanding strike to include animation?

The Studio Briefing side of IMDB.com writes that the Writers Guild of America has confirmed if a strike is called next month, the WGA will bar writers from performing animation-related work, although that area is not featured under the current contract. In response, Steven Hulett, representative for the Animation Guild, commented, “Any union can discipline […]

BCI brings Iron King to DVD

No, it’s not a cross between The Lion King and Iron Giant. It’s not even actually animated. Nevertheless, many of our readers may be curous about this particular November 6 DVD release from BCI, courtesy of their Ronin label. Iron King is one of those gloriously loopy Japanese television shows (this one hails from 1972-73) […]

Aniboom Partners With Joost

Today Aniboom, a multi-platform animation network, announced a partnership with Joost, the world’s first broadcast-quality Internet television service. Aniboom will have a channel on Joost featuring many genres and styles of animation. The full press release follows:

Happy 70th, Daffy

The Orange County Register today features an interview with Linda Clough of Costa Mesa, daughter of Daffy Duck creator and Warner Bros. animation luminary Chuck Jones, in honor of the 70th birthday of Daffy Duck. The article also mentions a celebration being held today at the Orange Main Public Library.

Disney Legends 20th Anniversary 2007

“Yesterday, 20 years after Fred MacMurray became the very first Disney Legend, the Walt Disney Company honored 12 more individuals whose body of work ‘has made a significant impact on the Disney Legacy.’ From film, television, animation, Imagineering, and the Disney Archive, this year’s inductees join a long line of truly legendary Disney cast members.” […]

Stay Tooned!

Yo gang…we’re still here but I’ve been battling the big bad flu, which has put the dampener on my filling this here front page with anything worthwhile since last week. I did manage to post a review for Ray Pointer’s terrific Inkwell Images compilation of The Legendary Laugh-O-Grams: Fairy Tales by Walt Disney though, which […]

O'Flaherty to direct CGI Thundercats

Variety indicates that Warner Bros. has hired Jerry O’Flaherty to make his feature directorial debut with the computer animated adaptation of Thundercats. Previous credits for O’Flaherty include serving as an art director on such bestselling video games as Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3 and Command and Conquer.

Pixar Story to be told at Alamo Drafthouse

Ain’t It Cool News writes that a special screening of The Pixar Story will be shown at the Alamo Drafthouse this Sunday, October 14 at 7 p.m. Director Leslie Iwerks will be present at the event. Meanwhile, Reuters examines the documentary, awarding it a healthy amount of praise.

Free American Dad episode at iTunes

The premiere for Season 3 of American Dad may be downloaded for free at iTunes. The episode’s synopsis is, “When Francine discovers that all their family vacations have been artificial memories created by CIA so that Stan could ditch the family, she is fuming and demands a real vacation. However, when the vacation seems too […]

Spielberg talks Tintin direction

IGN reports that Steven Spielberg recently added further information on the upcoming Tintin motion-captured trilogy. According to Spielberg, he and Peter Jackson will each helm one installment of the franchise, although both directors will remain involved with all the series’ chapters. Spielberg will film his footage in the USA, while Jackson will shoot in New […]