{{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117894180&cs=1 Variety}} reports that plans for the stage musical \\Mary Poppins\\ are firming up, and the show is on track for its premiere 14 months from now. Veteran broadway producer Cameron Mackintosh (\\Miss Saigon\\, \\Les Misérables\\, \\The Phantom of the Opera\\) and Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatricals, plan to have the show in […]

Animated News moderator ‘Ben’ describes the April 2004 film’s trailer, included on the upcoming \\Finding Nemo\\ DVD: “\\Home On The Range\\ looks like it absolutely re-captures the magic of the 1990s features, complete with Alan Menken’s music, irreverent comedy and stunning, 1950s styled animation similar to \\The Emperor’s New Groove\\.” \\**Stay tuned later today for […]

According to first reviews, 24 minutes into \\Brother Bear\\ not only does the the main character go through a transformation, the film itself transforms. In Kenai’s human world, colors are earthen and muted. But as he transforms and becomes part of the animal world the palette shifts to rich, saturated colors. But what might be […]

{{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2006016 The Hollywood Reporter}} reviews \\Brother Bear\\, calling it “a playful movie that celebrates nature and the spirit world with striking imagery and a smooth blend of drama and comedy”. The film features “solid laughs”, “terrific” voice actors, and “startling” beauty. They conclude that \\Brother Bear\\ will “attract solid family business at the boxoffice”.

{{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_review&reviewID=VE1117922169&cs=1 Variety}} calls \\Brother Bear\\ an “underwhelming” and “mild animated entry from Disney with a distinctly recycled feel”. While the dialogue is “generally uninspired”, the mysticism “arbitrary”, and the native characters “rote and unvaried”, there are some bright spots. The film is “notable for its colorful animation, particularly of the scenic backgrounds, reasonably catchy […]

Check out these pics from the upcoming live action movie \\The Cat in the Hat\\ posted at {{link http://www.cinecon.com/gallery/album73 Cinema Confidential}}.

{{link http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film_review.asp?ID=868 Slant Magazine}} takes an almost Freudian viewpoint in its review of \\Brother Bear\\. Besides suggesting that the “film’s sexism goes largely unaddressed” in this “terrible Disney toon”, they believe the main character’s transformation into a bear is a “transsexual transformation” and that the natives resemble “fallen Catholics living out patriarchal sex fantasies”!

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