Month: February 2009 – page 2

WALL-E wins Ace Eddie Award

THR reports that Pixar’s WALL-E made history by becoming the first animated feature film to win an Eddie, when its editor Stephen Schaffer claimed the prize for “Best Edited Feature Comedy/Musical” award Sunday night.

The return of Ariel and the Super Friends!

Reviews of The All-New Super Friends Hour: Season One, Volume Two; and The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea.

The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea – Special Edition

Disney’s direct to video sequel to their 1989 theatrical classic isn’t actually as bad as Ariel’s Beginning but this re-tread lacks any real magic of its own.

The All-New Super Friends Hour: Season One, Volume Two

More goofy greatness lies within, as the 1970s kiddie version of Justice League tackles bad guys and such tough issues as peer pressure and scraping your elbow.

Video interview with Up Producer and Director

SlashFilm has posted a video interview with director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera about Pixar’s new film Up. The duo talk about their inspirations for making the film, and more. Up hits theatres on May 29.

Peter Gabriel pulls out of Oscars

Peter Gabriel has withdrawn from performing at the Oscars after the Academy Award nominated singer was told he would perform his nominated track “Down to Earth” from Wall-E for only 65 seconds in a medley of the nominated songs, reports Variety. In a video on his website, Gabriel said, “It’s a bit unfortunate. The songwriters […]

Partly Cloudy to accompany Up

Partly Cloudy is the name of Pixar’s latest short that will be showing in front of Up starting May 29, reports UpcomingPixar. The short is directed by Peter Sohn who voiced Emile in Pixar’s Ratatouille.

New twists on Oliver, Poppins, Peanuts and Bugs' Looney Movie!

Oliver & Company, Mary Poppins anniversary editions reviewed, plus new Charlie Brown and Looney Bugs Movie details!

Oliver & Company: 20th Anniversary Edition

Disney’s vastly entertaining 1988 animated feature returns to disc in a 20th Anniversary repackaging of the previous Special Edition: the only new extras being a game and glossy slipcase.

Mary Poppins: 45th Anniversary Edition

Walt Disney’s exuberant musical’s new DVD is a re-hash of the wonderful 40th Anniversary package, but drops some of the relevant bonus features for nothing more than commercials for the new stage show version.

You’re A Good Sport, Charlie Brown: Remastered Deluxe Edition

Two sporting television specials appear on this disc, and both are winners.

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death UK DVD in March

DVDTimes reports that Nick Park’s BAFTA winning short Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray in UK on 23rd March. Extras on this release will include “When Wallace Met Harvey, A Day In The Life of Nick Park”, “Tell Tale Games” and “Making Of A Matter Of […]

Giveaway winners, plus our Academy Award contest!

Hey all…I’m still battling a cold, but reviews for Oliver & Company and Mary Poppins are on the way. Our recent contests to win copies of Oliver plus other recent Disney releases of Space Buddies and The Secret Of The Magic Gourd have now ended, so check out to see if you won! Yesterday also […]

Tons more on Coraline: character designs, podcast and more

As promotions for director Henry Selick’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline continue, the Character Design page has an interview with artist Damon Bard, while the W+K agency doing all that promoting has a number of interesting posts up on their blog, including photos from the Portland premiere, a fascinating Coraline campaign video, marketing materials and […]

Scott Pilgrim Vs. animation?

Superman Returns actor Brandon Routh has revealed that his next film Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World will be “a mix of real people with some drawn animation”. Collider.com has a video interview on the project with Routh.

Rocket Jo is coming!

Writer-director Julien Charles has revealed details on his new animated series Rocket Jo, being produced in Paris by Millimages and 2d3danimations. Exploring the difficulties the title character and the jetpack he made himself (half the problem right there!) have getting off the ground, each of the 52 one-minute episodes will present a new flying test. […]

Paul And The Dragon completed in Holland

Paco Vink, who together with Albert ’t Hooft founded the animation studio AniKey in Holland, has announced that the company has recently finished the 25 minute traditionally animated film Paultje en de Draak (Paul And The Dragon). Intended for children aged 5-13 years old who are suffering with cancer, the film, which is based on […]

Coraline reviews with Q&A extras

Barry A. Sanders’ Canadian Animation Resources has posted some comments on Henry Selick’s Coraline, but what makes them unique is that the reviewer saw the film at a Q&A session with author Neil Gaiman. Elsewhere, Sanders’ friend Dominic von Riedemann has added a two-part interview with Gaiman at his Suite 101 page.

New Up poster goes…up!

The Trailer Addict site gives us a look at the new poster for Disney/Pixar’s Up, which develops what was shown in the initial teaser. Up will float onto screens May 29, 2009.

Lost And Found completed by Studio Aka

London’s Studio Aka has announced completion of their 25-minute animated film adaptation of Oliver Jeffers’ award winning children’s book Lost And Found. A co-production between Studio Aka and Contender Entertainment Group, Lost And Found was adapted and directed by the studio’s Philip Hunt, with narration by Jim Broadbent, soon to be seen in this summer’s […]

More on Disney and DreamWorks: 30 pictures over seven years

The Hollywood Reporter has more on yesterday’s announcement that DreamWorks’ live-action motion pictures will begin to be distributed by the Walt Disney Studios under their Touchstone Pictures banner from 2010. The deal calls for approximately 30 films to be released over seven years, with Disney providing $250 million in contingency funding to the company in […]

X-Men animated DVD volumes details released

Buena Vista Home Entertainment have revealed details on the April 28 2009 release of the X-Men animated series which comes to disc in two volumes. Fans will be pleased that the two-disc sets will present the episodes in chronological order, with none of the programs missing in the first run of 32 shows. For a […]

Disney and DreamWorks deal is done and dusted

Ever since Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg left Paramount Studios to run The Walt Disney Company in 1984, the Mouse House has wanted to break into the Steven Spielberg business. Today, after talks for the re-launched DreamWorks faltered between the producer-director and his traditional cinematic home Universal, the Disney Studio has confirmed their recent talks […]

Polar Bears, WALL-E's BAFTA win, plus the return of our Oscar Contest!

I’m afraid we’ve just a short post today as I attempt to battle off a return bout of a cold that I don’t want to spread back into the flu I just shook off while also trying to finish off our reviews on Oliver & Company and the 45th Anniversary Edition of Mary Poppins. Those […]

Britain’s Biggest Red Carpet Rolled Out To Celebrate The BAFTA Awards 2009

It was awards night yesterday evening at the Royal Opera House in London as the British Academy of Film and Television presented their annual awards in recognition of exceptional achievement in film. Although the awards are often further pointers to the Oscars a couple of weeks later, this year was a very British event with […]

WALL-E a winner at Grammy Awards

Despite not even being nominated for music at animation’s premier awards show, WALL-E has won two Grammy Awards. Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman picked up trophies for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media (Down To Earth) and Best Instrumental Arrangement (Define Dancing). WALL-E lost the Best Score Soundtrack Album to […]

Disney, DreamWorks distribution deal developing?

Several media outlets are reporting that DreamWorks may have to make a deal with Disney to secure some much needed quick cash along with distribution of their films. The L.A. Times reports that Universal today has dropped out of an already announced multi-year distribution deal with DreamWorks, a deal which was born after the DreamWorks/Paramount […]

The Great Polar Bear Adventure

A Polar Bear tries to teach her two cubs about life in the Arctic and the new challenges they face due to the interference of man.

London Film Critics honor Waltz with Bashir

Ari Folman’s animated war documentary Waltz with Bashir has won best foreign language film award at London Film Critics’ Circle, reports Variety. In the best picture category, Pixar’s WALL-E lost out to The Wrestler.

Interview with Brad Bird

Brad Bird talks to LatinoReview about his upcoming live-action feature 1906, Toy Story 3, chances of Iron Giant seeing a theatrical re-release, and more.