Cars DVD Review

The folks over at Upcoming Pixar (via Animated News) have put forth their review of the "Cars" DVD.



While I won't spoil the entire review (click the link below to read it), I will post the reviewer's take on "Mater and the Ghost Light," which is the short contained on the disc, starring the films towtruck, Mater:

Mater and the Ghost Light was absolutely fantastic! You are all in for a treat. I take my hat off to John Lasseter and the rest of the gang as this is short is up there in my favourite short films list. The storyline was great and the shots they used when cutting together was really cool. 10/10.

While the disc does seem short on bonus features, I'll have my copy in hand just as fast as the kid can stock it on the shelf of my local department store. Then he'll take me over and show me the brand new "washin' machines" they just got in, because apparently I live in the 1950s and still shop at something called a "department store."

Upcoming Pixar's Review of "Cars"

Animated News

Buzz Clips for YTV

Buzz has put up a collection of quick spots that they created for the channel YTV.



Frankly I have no idea what exactly YTV is, other than some kind of television station, and I'm too lazy to look up its origin. It really doesn't matter, as the spots are pretty neat one way or another, so I'm going to pretend that it stands for "Yam TV: All Yam All the Time!"

Buzz's YTV Commercials

RE-Animation Blog

Weekend Box Office

Well there's only one animated feature left in the top 50 spots at the box office, and it's "Open Season."



According to Box Office Mojo, the film took in an additional $6.1 million this weekend, bringing its five week total up to $77.4 million. This also moves it up to the #21 spot for all-time top grossing computer animated films, behind "Robots" (#18 with $128.2 million), "Antz" (#19 with $90.8 million), and "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" (#20 with $80.9 million).

It's nice to see it slowly move towards the golden $100 million mark domestically, and worldwide it's already hit that mark. It should do pretty well in DVD sales as well, meaning that Sony will more than recoup their $85 million production budget, though I'm not sure how much was spent on advertising.

It's a good film, and has way more life than Sony's mo-cap films. If you haven't checked it out yet, you really should.

Box Office Mojo's Weekend Box Office Chart

Official "Open Season" Website

Meet the Robinsons Poster

Via Coming Soon, is the brand new poster for "Meet the Robinsons."



Let's see... aliens, creepy goth girls, dinosaurs, talking (and singing animals), superheroes, and robots. I'm pretty sure they couldn't cram another overused movie device into this film if they tried.

It actually looks like it might work though.

Lots more info after the jump, and more exclusive images.

Coming Soon's "Meet the Robinsons" Article

Flused Away Voice Actor Interview

Coming Soon has an interview up with Hugh Jackman and Andy Serkis, two of the stars of the upcoming "Flushed Away."



"At the beginning, he was more upper class, almost royal -- that aristocratic attitude. He had two hamsters who were his servants," Jackman told ComingSoon.net. "So, the whole thing, going down into the sewer, was more, 'Oh, you people.' It was a little bit removed and snobbish, which actually made him not very likable. And so, we changed it from being that to being more sheltered, basically. He lives in this pampered life. He doesn't think of himself as a mouse, he thinks of himself as a James Bond character. He's having the time of his life. And, he sings occasionally."

Wait... so does this mean that having two hamsters servants doesn't entitle me to being snobbish? I most certainly think it does, and to you I say good day, sir.

I SAID GOOD DAY.

Coming Soon's "Flushed Away" Interview

Over the Hedge Concept Art

Though I know the movie just hit DVD and is long since gone from theaters, it's a slow news day, so I thought I'd throw up a link to some concept art over on Yahoo's site for "Over the Hedge."



For anyone who has ever read the comic strip that the film was based on, it's pretty amazing to see the transformation the characters went through to make it to the big screen. If you haven't read the comic strip, it's sort of like the difference between the way Ashley Simpson looked before, compared to after, she "didn't" get her nose job.

Yahoo's "Over the Hedge" Concept Art

Monster House on DVD

Forgot to mention yesterday that "Monster House" officially hit DVD shelves around the nation.



I liked the film, but I would say rent it before you buy it. Additionally, if you want to watch it with the little ones, be prepared, as it can be quite intense at times.

Not a bad choice for a flick to watch on Halloween this year, right after "Topless Carwash Massacre" and just before "Topless Pancake House of Blood."

Penguins and Pandas get Pilots

According to Variety, both the penguins from "Madagascar" and the... well... pandas from "Kung Fu Panda" will be getting their own TV shows via Nickelodeon.



Both projects are in the early stages of development. Tom Martin ("The Simpsons") will pen the pilot script for "Panda." Paul Rugg ("Freakazoid!") is aboard to write the "Madagascar" offshoot, centered on penguins Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private in a series of new adventures.

Teaming brings together two of the biggest brands in animation: Nick is still home to genre's top-rated "SpongeBob SquarePants" franchise, while DreamWorks Animation counts "Shrek," "Shark Tale" and "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" among its feature hits.

CGI Animation on TV is a tough thing right now. People are used to what they see in theaters from Pixar, Dreamworks and the like, so when they see versions on the TV that were created on much tighter time and financial budgets, the shows just don't meet expectations. This is going to be the case even moreso with an established franchise, like "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," as people will be even more acustomed to the level of animation for those characters.

I understand that, like the videogame industry, companies would rather take a risk on established franchises than on brand new IPs, but it just seems that this could really backfire for Nick and DW.

Variety Article on "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda" TV Shows

Surf's Up Character Posters

IMP Awards has three new posters up for "Surf's Up," showing each of what are expected to be the main characters and their boards of choice.



My board of choice turns out to be the Michigan Board of Education, for their fine display of academic advancement in the field of badger research and preservation.

IMP Awards "Surf's Up" Posters

Sony's "Surf's Up" Website

"Igor" Set to Release in 2007

Those crazy rascals over at the Weinstein Company are at it again. This time with a CG animated film titled, "Igor."



According to the Film Company's website:

Our Igor isn't like other Igors. Our Igor has big dreams; dreams of becoming a Mad Scientist himself, of winning the Evil Science Fair, and the heart of GRETCHEN, the local village vixen. That's impossible, though, because he's just a lowly Igor. But when DR. GLICKENSTEIN, Igor's cruel master, dies just two weeks before the Evil Science Fair, that's exactly what Igor sets out to do.

The cast currently includes Christian Slater, as Igor, along with Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jeremy Piven, and Molly Shannon. Not only that, but it's being written by Chris McKenna, one of the writers behind "American Dad," though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. The film is also being directed by Anthony Leondis, who's directing credits include "Home On the Range," a film viewed by many to be one of Disney's most shallow offerings of all time.

So "Igor," has the makings of a hit, but also has the makings (including "The Weinstein Factor") of being a massive turd. It will be interesting to see what comes of this one.

Exodus Film Group

Pixar Storytelling

Kevin Koch, President of The Animation Guild, has written a nice summary about Andrew Stanton's keynote at the Pixar Storytelling portion of this year's Screenwriting Expo.



It's a great read and helps to shed some light on exactly what Pixar does that helps to differentiate their movies from the rest of the pack, especially the bullet points about why Andrew thinks their stories stand out.

Swing on over and check it out, and since this piece is called, "Pixar Storytelling 1," my hope is that there will be additional pieces written on the topic. Either that or this was just a typo, and Kevin was simply letting us know that Pixar Storytelling is number 1 in his book.

Pixar Storytelling 1

Bee Movie Preview

I was going to take some screen caps of the "Bee Movie" preview contained on the new "Over the Hedge" disc, but Animated News did the work for me.



I must say that the film looks like a winner. It's got a nice style, and the bees look really nice, as do the human characters. There isn't a ton of information offered up in the preview, but there is just enough to make me want to see more.

I love bees.

Take a look at lots of extra shots by following the link below.

Animated News' "Bee Movie" Preview Shots

Ah

Though it's not the usual slapstick poop-joke-filled comedy animations I normally love, I still found "Ah" to be quite enjoyable.

Of course, it's also another prime example of a film that was obviously created by someone who was high and staring down into a bowl of alphabet soup.

I think we've all been there a time or two.

RE-Animation Blog

Caveman Milk Commercials

These have been out for a while, but I forgot just how good they were:

DDB Canada

CG Society's Write Up on the Caveman Milk Commercials

Shrek the Third Plot Details Revealed

USA Today has posted a new article on "Shrek the Third," in which princesses must put aside their differences and help out Princess Fiona while Shrek is out of town.



"They are used to being rescued, not defending the kingdom themselves," says Chris Miller, director of the second sequel in the computer-animated franchise that has grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide. "Fiona has to convince them to shed that role and save their own happily ever after."

That's because Shrek (Mike Myers), who discovers he is ill-suited to rule the land himself, has gone off with sidekicks Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) to recruit the person who is next in line to the throne: high-schooler Artie (Justin Timberlake), who is destined to become King Arthur one day.

Boy, does this sound awesome! I can't wait to see... wait a minute... does that say Justin Timberlake? That really does say Justin Timberlake. Are you kidding me?

Oh well... I gave Ashton Kutcher a shot in "Open Season" and actually enjoyed his character a great deal, so maybe it'll be okay.

Tell me it will be okay.

Please?

USA Today's "Shrek the Third" Article

Hammy's Bommerang Adventure Review

A new "mini movie" called, "Hammy's Boomerang Adventure" was included with the release of "Over the Hedge" on DVD.



First let me say that by "mini," they really do mean mini. I didn't time the film, but I can't guess it's more than three or four minutes long at very most. I'm fine with a four minute short, as long as it's four quality minutes, which this one unfortunately is not.

Without giving too much of the short away, I will say that the best part is simply watching the minute or so where Hammy interacts with the boomerang. Even this section of the short, while having it's moments, fails to deliver the solid punch of other 3D shorts of similar nature. It's sometimes good, but it's never great.

Yes, I know it's a short and it's not meant to be amazing. Yes, I know I should be happy with any additional content at all, and I am. It's not a bad short, and the animation and art, as with the full film are top notch. It just isn't a strong enough premise. I may revisit it again after I've watched the full feature a time or two, but otherwise this is a somewhat forgettable short that's bundled with an otherwise great film. It's solid, but not stupendous.

One additional gripe is that, the "First Flight" short was not included with the DVD, despite it showing before "Hedge" in various theaters at the time of release. This may have taken some of the sting away from a slightly sub-par Hammy mini.



I'd love to hear what those of you that have seen the short think about it in the comments section!

Blue Sky Studios Challenge

Cartoon Brew posted a link today to an art jam being done by the folks at Blue Sky Studios, when they aren't working on "Horton Hears a Who," among other things.



It's always neat to see the various 2D art styles that combine into one 3D film.

Some really good stuff on the blog, so check it out!

Blue Sky Studios Challenge,

Cartoon Brew

5 Fast with Ryan McDougal

We haven't done a 5 Fast interview in a little while (or any interview at all for that matter), but that all changes today!

Ryan McDougal has just completed his short film for the Vancouver Film School, and was gratious enough to not only share it with everyone here on Bleeding Pixels, but was also kind enough to answer 5 fast questions.

Take it away, Ryan!


1. Tell folks a bit about your reel. What are they going to see when they click that shiny "Play" button?

My reel is a short story about man named Wilt who faces a fork in the road (so to speak) and must make a decision as to whether or not to take a chance and move on with his life.


2. What's the one thing on the reel you're most proud of?

Though I have so much to learn, a smile comes to my face when I watch Wilt and actually believe that there are thoughts of doubt, nervousness and fear racing through his mind. I don't know that I accomplish this in every shot but feel that there are those moments when he seems so believable (at least in my biased eyes) that I feel he could easily be sitting next to me in a coffee shop reading a
newspaper.


3. What's the one thing on the reel you struggled the most with creating?

I think my answer to the previous question fits here as well. Making Wilt actually think in a believable (not necessarily real) fashion was the most difficult as I found it not simply a matter of mechanics, timing or proper posing. It came down to gobs and gobs (a technical term I use...) of reference and of acting out every scene, having others acting it out and paying random bums on the street to act it out (but that is a story for another time).


4. Why 3D Animation? What is it that appeals to you about this industry, and what made you head down this road in the first place?

When I was a kid and wore those full body spiderman pajamas with the plastic footy things that you could slide across the floor on, I was always up at 5:30 on Saturday mornings to watch any random cartooon. I guess I just never grew up since that time and throughout my life have had this passion for storytelling. Animating and 3d just fit right...


5. What would be your absolute dream job?

I'd love to work on features as I feel very enamored with storytelling and really want to be immersed in that experience so that I can continue to learn and grow. However, my advertising roots lure me to the variety and stylistic variance of places like Psyop, the MIll, and Studio AKA. I think what I admire most about these studios is that their artistic stye and animation spans such a large spectrum that I can't help but admire the talent and creativity that the artists there must posses. In the end, the idea of working somewhere where I am constantly pushed and challenged to become better than I ever thought possible is where I want to go.


Thanks for answering the questions, Ryan, and best of luck to you!

Below you'll find Ryan's short film, "Sonata," as well as a link to his website.

Ryan McDougal's Website

Moongirl

Swing on over to Laika Studio's website now to take a look at an extended clip from their short film, "Moongirl."



Based on the book of the same name, "Moongirl," looks to be a really nice piece of work. I'd also like to point out that the person who made the short clip did an excellent job of giving the viewer just enough of a taste to really make them want to see what happens next. I won't spoil the end of the clip, but as if the giant star catfish wasn't enough to make you think you're on an LSD trip, the whole moon thing will make you glance around to see if Hendrix and Joplin are standing close by.

The site also mentions a DVD/Book combo, with book illustrations by Peter Chan (Storyboard Artist for the Harry Potter films) and Courtney Booker (digital Storyboard Artist for Finding Nemo). I found it on Amazon for about $16 bucks.

Laika Studio's Website

Note: I could only get the Medium sized trailer to work, but it's still large enough to enjoy.

New Location, Same Crappy Blog

Sorry for the ol' switcharoo on the URL here at Bleeding Pixels, but with the recent name change, the old URL didn't make much sense. I hope this one is a bit easier for everyone to remember, since it's the title of the blog.

Please update your bookmarks and links accordingly.

Thank you!