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When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
The unpredictable Minions returned to New York to ride on the Despicable Me 2 float in the 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Before the big day, they were seen around the city doing what tourists love to do in the Big Apple – sightseeing, shopping and sampling goodies.
Also touring with the Minions is the Minion Mobile, which will distribute free giveaways at various stops along its route.
Despicable Me 2 arrives just in time for families to enjoy this year’s biggest comedy for the holiday season. Despicable Me 2 arrives on Digital HD November 26 and Blu-ray™ on December 10 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
The Queen Mary in Long Beach, has been overtaken by a deep freeze for the second annual CHILL, a experience that will bring holiday cheer, enchantment and North Pole temperatures to families across sunny Southern California.
An event like no other, CHILL offers an unforgettable holiday experience. Two million pounds of sparkling ice are used to create larger than life, hand carved ice sculptures that will fill a 14,000 square-foot “igloo” called The Ice Kingdom (housed in The Queen Mary’s Dome). The Ice Kingdom will feature scenes from The Nutcracker including life sized reproductions of Clara, the evil Mouse King, the battle scene, sugar plum fairies and The Nutcracker himself, plus a walk-through castle, and three ice slides off a 30’ high replica of The Queen Mary. Each ice exhibit is meticulously hand carved and created by an international team of ice sculpture experts from Harbin, China and enhanced with LED lighting to create a visually spectacular experience like no other. The Ice Kingdom is kept at a frosty nine degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the ice and event goers will receive parkas to help protect against the Artic-like climate.
CHILL also brings ice tubing to the Queen Mary waterfront. Grab an oversized tube and race down one of the six ice slides standing two stories tall and 100-feet long. A 6,000 square-foot ice skating rink makes for the perfect winter tradition for all to enjoy. Skate rentals are available on- site for $2.95. A holiday village presents gingerbread houses, holiday carolers, the decoration adorned Candy Lane and a visit with Santa Claus. The world’s largest rocking horse and snowman bouncy are ready for holiday merriment by guests both young and young at heart.
CHILL will also feature live entertainment, food and beverages. Pricing starts at $29.95 for adults and $14.95 for kids, and includes The Ice Kingdom and choice of Ice Skating or Ice Tubing. Additional tickets for either Ice Skating or Ice Tubing are available for purchase and start at $12.95. Ice Skating Season Pass is available for $29.95. Lodging packages are also available. CHILL will be open Tuesdays through Sundays beginning Nov. 22 through Jan. 5. For more information, including hours or to purchase tickets online, visit http://queenmary.com/chill/.
Universal Studios Hollywood celebrated the start of the “Grinchmas” holiday “who-bilation” by honoring veteran stage and screen actor, Florence Henderson with the “Who-Manitarian of the Year” Award in support of her charitable work for the City of Hope research and treatment hospital.
The Grinch and his faithful dog Max bestowed the honor in front of an energetic audience from L.A. Family Housing, a non-profit group dedicated to assisting residents transition out of homelessness and poverty through supportive services and a beneficiary organization of Universal Studios Hollywood’s Discover a Star Foundation.
“Grinchmas” begins Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013 and continues on weekends through December 15, then daily from December 20 through December 31. “Grinchmas” is included in the price of theme park admission.
Ms. Henderson, best known as matriarch “Carol Brady” from the television classic, “The Brady Bunch,” is a long-time supporter and advocate for City of Hope, a recognized world leader in compassionate patient care, innovative medical science and groundbreaking research.
This year, the Universal Plaza, an elaborate grand piazza at the heart of the theme park, will serve as the new venue for the towering “Grinchmas” tree – a whimsical centerpiece twisting and spiraling 60 feet above visitors below. It will provide the ideal location for warm, holiday memory-making while the Grinch and his adorable dog Max entertain guests nearby with fun-filled photo opportunities.
Aboard the world-famous behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, fans of the blockbuster film, “Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” will have the chance to enjoy a close-up view of the original Who-ville film sets with a one-of-a-kind performance by a Who’s Who of Who-ville re-enacting memorable scenes and songs from the family favorite.
As families prepare for holiday gift giving, Universal Studios Hollywood’s popular “Buy A Day, Get 2014 Free” annual pass returns, offering tremendous value and visits throughout 2014 for the price of a single day’s admission. Guests who purchase the “Buy A Day, Get 2014 Free” pass can return to experience Universal Studios Hollywood‘s award-winning thrill rides, including “TransformersTM: The Ride-3D” and the new “Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem” attraction opening in spring 2014. The pass will also invite guests to receive savings on tickets purchased for visiting friends and family.
Ben Stiller directs and stars in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, James Thurber’s classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action.
When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
Director: Ben Stiller Screen Story and Screenplay by: Steve Conrad; Based upon the short story by James Thurber Producers: Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., John Goldwyn, Stuart Cornfeld, Ben Stiller Cast: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, and Sean Penn
Disney’s newest film, Frozen, is such a strong film, it would have worked without any musical numbers at all. Fortunately, the soundtrack is as terrific as the film and helps elevate what would have been just a terrific movie into the realm of classic. With Broadway-caliber musical numbers by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the geniuses behind Avenue Q, as well as the Book of Mormon, this is a soundtrack that stands completely on it’s own as a great set of music, independent of the film.
In total, the new CD release contains 10 “songs,” and 12 tracks of the film’s score by Christophe Beck. Of the 10 songs, one is a cover of the film’s most powerful song, “Let it Go,” by Demi Lovato. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely not better than the track in the film itself. One of the tracks is also a reprise, so that leaves 8 completely original songs.
This collection of songs runs the gamut of styles, whether it be the previously mentioned Let It go, or the hilarious “In Summer,” an ode to the sun as sung by Olaf, a snowman. Some of the songs are just catchy and fun, and others completely emotional. A standout is “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” a devastating song in it’s simplicity, capturing the anguish of two sisters and the emotional rift that has formed between them.
Of course, they aren’t all masterpieces, nor are they meant to be. There is a track called “Reindeer(s) are Better than People,” which is a quick, silly little song that works in the context of the film, but isn’t really a track that deserves much play on it’s own. I also wasn’t crazy about Fixer Upper, as it was a little generic for my tastes.
As mentioned above, “Let It Go” is the big power number of the soundtrack, and the one that is destined for the Oscars. It comes at an incredibly powerful moment in the film, and as performed by Idina Menzel, perfectly encapsulates the magnitude of what is happening. It’s beautiful, epic, propulsive, and one of the best things the Lopez’s have written.
Listen to the full song “Let It Go” Now, click the Play button below.
Rounding out the actual songs are the captivating opening, “Frozen Heart,” and the Broadway style numbers “For the First Time in Forever” and “Love is an Open Door.” These last two are probably the catchiest of the set, and seem like the type of songs that would have appeared in the Disney classics from the 90’s. This is very much a throwback film to those earlier styles of Disney storytelling, and the soundtrack follows that concept perfectly.
As for Beck’s score, he more than lives up to the work of the Lopez’s. Both adapting their songs into his work as well as coming up with some of his own themes, there are several tracks that are fun to listen to isolated from the film. He also does some beautiful work incorporating a sort of rhythmic chanting that captures the majesty and power of the film. It’s strong work from a strong composer.
Overall, there is a lot of variety in this set, and it’s a soundtrack definitely worth owning. Everything about this film is amongst the strongest work Disney has done in years, and that includes the music. With incredible voice-work from Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and others, this is a soundtrack that kids will be able to instantly identify years from now. Much like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc., these songs are destined to be timeless in such a way that they become part of the pop culture musical lexicon. It’s a great soundtrack and I can’t recommend it enough.
There’s been a lot of prophesying about the future of Disney animation since the shuttering of their traditional animation unit. It was primarily discussed as the beginning of the end, a final straw spelling the end of quality animated films. Well, Disney Animation had a secret weapon to combat this negativity, and it’s name is Frozen. Proving that a CGI film can be just as effective as anything traditionally animated, this is a film that will proudly stand next to the best of the Disney name, maybe not surpassing them, but equal to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and even the Lion King.
Loosely based on The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, Frozen has translated the source material into a timelessly contemporary epic of brilliant characterization, music that alternates between powerful and hilarious while always staying memorable, and perhaps most importantly, thematically dense characterization. While there is a love story (albeit not quite what you’re expecting), this is actually a film about a powerful sibling bond shattered by circumstance, and the shackles this moment places upon their psyches.
Elsa and Anna open the film as sisters and best friends. They are royalty in the fictional city of Arendelle, and love the life they share together. Elsa, the older sister, was born with the ability to control snow and ice. It’s a power that is used for joy while she is young, but as she ages, it becomes more and more difficult to control. After an incident involving her powers almost kills Anna, it is decided to remove Anna’s memories of Elsa’s powers and to begin training Elsa to repress all of her abilities. Flash forward several years, and Elsa and Anna are barely speaking to each other, and have been forced into isolation.
I don’t want to get too specific, especially as the film’s marketing has been extremely vague itself. I will just say that Arendelle ends up trapped in perpetual winter, which doesn’t sit too well with the inhabitants of the city. As a result, Elsa ends up on the run, and the crux of the film revolves around Anna’s quest to find her, save the city, and maybe resolve some long-standing emotional conflicts between the two. What’s particularly fascinating about this entire setup is that Elsa is not a villain in any way. I loved the structure of this story in that Elsa has done something horrible as a realistic psychological reaction, and in the process liberated herself in a way that allows her to embrace the person she has hidden away for most of her life.
This moment of liberation leads to one of Disney’s best musical numbers in many years. Entitled Let It Go (expect to see this performed at the Oscars), this is a showstopper of a number in which Elsa comes to terms with everything she is leaving behind, and embraces all that is ahead for her. It is amazing that they were able to pack so much character work into a song that barely runs over 3 minutes.
Which leads me to the soundtrack. Yes, Frozen is a full-blown musical. I would not be surprised in the slightest to see Disney attempt to translate this to the Broadway stage someday, as this material would be a perfect fit. With songs are by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the incredibly talented song-writers of Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon, I just can’t stop listening to the soundtrack. It’s completely infectious, and fits in perfectly with the Disney pantheon of animated films.
The only thing that really separates this film from the classics that came before is the CGI. However, while definitely different, that doesn’t make this style of animation worse. I love traditional animation, and like everyone else, was devastated when Disney shut those doors. However, this is a beautifully animated film, with jawdropping set-pieces mixed with intimately detailed artistry. Just in terms of the snow and ice alone, I’ve never seen animation capture the natural elements with such perfection. As for the people, sure, they look a little more “bobble-head” than Disney characters used to, but it works in the context of this world. The designs are still perfect for the world they have created, and honestly, I think the CGI actually works in the film’s favor.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Olaf, the comedy-relief snowman that is the center of the entire marketing campaign. I was really worried about this film going in, thinking it was going to be the Olaf comedy show. I am thrilled to report that not only is Olaf very funny, he doesn’t overstay his welcome. Showing up late in the film, he is not there strictly to sell toys and provide cheap laughs. He is a literal symbol of what was lost between Elsa and Anna. He may be cracking jokes, but every moment he’s on screen is a reminder of the emotional stakes of the film.
This is one of those films where everything just comes together perfectly. Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel are terrific as Anna and Elsa respectively. Their musical and voice-over abilities bring so much extra depth to the proceedings. I dare you not to get choked up as Anna is singing to Elsa early in the film, asking her “do you want to build a snowman?” This is acting, pure and simple, and even if it’s just their voices, they give two of the year’s best performances.
This is a film that demands to be seen on the big screen. The world is so expansive, and the detail so perfect, this is a film you want to lose yourself in. I don’t usually care for 3D, but I found the 3D enhanced the film even more than I was expecting. In fact, the film needs to be seen in 3D so the short before the film can be seen in 3D. Entitled Get a Horse, it’s a new Mickey Mouse cartoon that is just genius on every level. I’m not going to say anything more about this masterpiece other than I was not expecting to love it as much as I did, and I can’t imagine it working as well in 2D. This alone makes the upgrade worth it. Just trust me on this one.
I couldn’t have been more satisfied with Frozen. The future of the company is looking very bright if this is the output they are capable of right now. It feels like when Little Mermaid was unleashed upon the world, ushering in a new renaissance of animation. While Tangled and the Princess and the Frog were fun, they didn’t come close to the levels of Frozen. Having set a pretty high bar for themselves, I’m very excited to experience their attempts to reach that bar again, even if that bar is animated in a computer.
The Candlelight Processional returns to Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort on November 29. This Epcot holiday tradition features a retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator combined with holiday music by a massed choir and 50-piece orchestra. The show takes place nightly from November 29-December 30 at the America Gardens Theater stage right outside the American Adventure in the World Showcase. Nightly shows take place at 5pm, 6:45pm and 8:15pm.
This year’s Epcot Candlelight Processional narrators are:
[unordered_list style=”bullet”]
Nov. 29 – Dec. 1: Gary Sinise
Dec. 2-3: Neil Patrick Harris
Dec. 4-5: Ashley Judd
Dec. 6-7: Whoopi Goldberg
Dec. 8-10: Sigourney Weaver
Dec. 11-13: Dennis Haysbert
Dec. 14-16: James Denton
Dec. 17-19: Edward James Olmos
Dec. 20-22: Trace Adkins
Dec. 23-25: Steven Curtis Chapman
Dec. 26-28: Blair Underwood
Dec. 29-30: Amy Grant
[/unordered_list]
Consider upgrading to the Candlelight Dining Package for even more enjoyment. Each Dining Package includes dinner at an Epcot restaurant of your choice, reserved seating for the Candlelight Processional show and VIP viewing of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. This is Epcot‘s nightly spectacular featuring fireworks, video and dancing fountains. It is not to be missed!
If you’re planning to visit the Walt Disney World Resort this holiday, the Epcot Candlelight Processional is a Must-Do event!
When Heather isn’t busy sharing Planning tips about Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort, and more, you can find her planning Disney and Universal Orlando vacations. Contact her on Facebook at Heather Abbott-Agent with Destinations in Florida. For more info and to book your travel, use the Price Your Vacation Form in the Sidebar or click here. You can also call 877-918-8941 and ask for Heather to book. Make sure to mention that you were referred by Socalthrills.com! Safe travels everyone!
In 2011, director Ken Scott debuted the French-Canadian film “Starbuck” at the Toronto International Film Festival. That film went on to earn nine awards from various film festivals and international award shows. Fast forward two years, and the same director has decided to redo the film in English for US audiences. It is the story of an early-40s man named David Wozniak, a lifetime underachiever who currently works as a truck driver for his father’s butcher shop. David is the type that coasts through life without putting much effort forward. His girlfriend discovers she is pregnant, but wants David out of the picture. He makes promises to his family, but can never live up to his word. And bad luck seems to follow him everywhere. On top of that, David owes upwards of $100k to unknown sources from failed business ventures and pyramid schemes. To sum it up nicely, David’s life is a disaster.
In the midst of all this, David is paid a visit by a lawyer who is representing a fertility clinic. In the early 1990s, David frequently donated sperm to the clinic in an effort to make money. Look it up, it actually pays well! In fact, he made nearly 700 donations, all signed anonymously under the alias “Starbuck.” Due to a clerical error, one doctor used only David’s sperm for fertilization during a two year period, leading to 533 children of which David is the biological father. Now, 142 of these children are suing the the fertility clinic to learn the identity of their father “Starbuck.” David is given an envelope containing the identities of these children, left with the choice of whether to remain anonymous or reveal his identity. After seeking advice from his own lawyer, a close friend named Brett, he decides to interact with some of his children to learn who they are without identifying his relationship to them. David begins to act as a “guardian angel” to several of his kids, overseeing their lives as though meeting them by accident or happenstance. He also makes an effort to clean up his own act and become a more responsible person. Meanwhile, the story of the lawsuit begins to reach the media, and the identity of “Starbuck” becomes a national inquiry. Can David continue his anonymity or will he face the truth publicly and privately about who he really is?
“Delivery Man” stars Vince Vaughn, who takes a break from his usual roles, where he is usually sarcastic and yelling loudly, to play a slightly comedic but more grounded character. The film co-stars Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”) as his girlfriend Emma and Chris Pratt (“Parks And Recreation”) as his best friend Brett. It also co-stars Andrzej Blumenfeld (in his American debut) as his father Mikolaj and Bobby Moynihan (“SNL”) as one of his brothers, Aleksy. The film also features a variety of fresh, young talent to play David’s various kids. The ones with more prominent roles are Jack Reynor, David Patten, Adam Chanler-Berat, Britt Robertson and Amos VanderPoel.
WHAT WORKED: I went into the movie not knowing whether it was going to be purely comedic or take a serious tone. I was pleasantly surprised when I got more of the latter. In fact, there are several moments in the film that are quite emotional. Given that David’s kids are around 20 years old, they are grappling with every day life issues. Whether it be financial troubles, job related, or even substance abuse, these are coupled with the current circumstances of not knowing who their father is. What made these children strong is their connection to each other. All of them are siblings, and it has brought them together as one large support group. The kids really steal the show. The most dramatic moment by far is when David meets one of his sons who is severely mentally handicapped and unable to speak. The scenes in which they interact together were not only emotional to watch, but felt genuinely real. This was Vince Vaughn’s strongest role, and one of the first times I have seen him show such a large and diverse range of feelings.
WHAT DID NOT WORK: While the rest of the plot is taking place, the small backstory of David being nearly $100k in debt comes in the form of “hitmen-like” characters that wreck his apartment and interrogate his father (although this is not seen). While I understand that this situation is necessary as a reminder of what a disappointment David has been all his life, and as a conflict of whether to file a counter-suit against the fertility clinic, I feel as though it was handled poorly. Making the situation more intense and threatening would have conflicted with the overall lighthearted feeling of the movie. It would have been better served if David was in debt to a bank or with creditors, rather than with an ominous gang of men (for which we are never even told what the debt was for). Also, the relationship between David and Emma was not developed enough. At the beginning when she learns of her pregnancy, she is quick to dismiss him from her life. But a short time later, she is accepting his involvement with no discussion of why her feelings have changed. It seemed unusual that given his effort to be more active in her life whilst also trying to secretly interact with his kids, she suspected nothing.
THE WRAP-UP: Going into “Delivery Man” with low expectations and without having seen the original film “Starbuck” beforehand left me surprised when the movie was over. Given the type of raunchy comedies that Vince Vaughn typically involves himself with, it was a nice change to see him take on a more serious role. While the film is not completely devoid of humor, most of the jokes are quick one liners and dry retorts. The film does tackle some serious issues with the kids’ lives, and gives some great advice on family unity. I actually wish the movie would have been even more of a drama, rather than a dramatic comedy. SCORE: 6.5/10 – Recommended, but not urgent to see it in theaters.
“World of Color − Winter Dreams,” the new version of the after-dark spectacular, adds humor, inspirational music and merriment to Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Presented on Paradise Bay in Disney California Adventure Park, the show features a new story, new characters from the Walt Disney Pictures animated motion picture “Frozen,” and new, advanced technology.
Musical Wonderland
“World of Color-Winter Dreams” unfolds in seven sequences, each one a dreamlike adventure:
1. The Pre-Show: Glow Honor Choir Wonder – Season’s Greetings: features the “World of Color” Honor Choir singing “Glow,” written especially for this new show. Then Tinker Bell’s traditional greeting from “Wonderful World of Color” summons Old Man Winter and the skating Frost Fairies.
2. Snow – A Winter Wonderland: Olaf takes guests on a breathtaking winter sleigh ride, encountering Bambi, Thumper and, from “Frozen,” sisters Anna and Elsa.
3. Glow – A Season of Light: The holidays are celebrated with images of holiday cards created by Disneyland Resort guests and cast members.
4. Enchantment – The Toy Story Nutcracker: This familiar ballet is danced in some delightful, offbeat renditions by favorite “Toy Story” characters.
5. Spirit-Holiday Sing-Along: Snowman Olaf has always loved the idea of a warm summer. He innocently imagines himself enjoying the sunshine, then leads the audience in a holiday sing-along.
6. Finale – Merry & Bright Holiday Lights”: Olaf welcomes a surprising Santa as 700 newly installed lights blaze to life for a colorful finale around the lagoon.
7. After Glow: Finale (Honor Choir)
“World of Color – Winter Dreams” features more than a dozen songs, ranging from familiar holiday tunes such as “Jingle Bells,” “Feliz Navidad” and “The Dreidel Song” to musical numbers from “Frozen” and original compositions such as “Glow.
The voices of more than 500 singers representing all 50 United States appear in the pre-show carol, “Glow.” Participants signed up on a “World of Color” Honor Choir website and performed “virtually,” in front of their computer webcams. Disneyland Resort teamed with Grammy®-winning composer Eric Whitacre, who has joined hundreds of voices online in similar “virtual choirs.”
More than 1,400 submissions from around the country were received for the “World of Color” Honor Choir.
Other Disney fans designed holiday cards and submitted them online to appear in the “Glow-A Season of Light” sequence.
Technology
Programming for the new “Winter Dreams” show took three months.
Visual projections are now created with an ultra high definition image playback system with more than four times the resolution of the original “World of Color” system.
There are more than 17 million pixels in the “World of Color – Winter Dreams” screen. A High Definition television image uses 2,073,600 pixels.
For the dazzling finale of “World of Color – Winter Dreams,” 700 high-power, color, LED strobe lights were installed along the side of the California Screamin’ roller coaster. Each light has four individual control channels.
Adding new brilliance are 16 narrow-beam moving lights within the sun-ray sculpture on Mickey’s Fun Wheel, plus 21 narrow-beam movie lights within the viewing area.
Six snowflake generators within the viewing area produce giant snowflakes in six different shapes.
Ten mirror balls, installed on the speaker and lighting towers, produce dazzling sparkle effects for the show.
All of the new technological effects enhance the existing “World of Color” “stage: a platform composed of nearly 1 full acre of engineered superstructure, longer than a football field and capable of settling on three levels – one for the performance, one under the water surface and one for maintenance. There are nearly 1,200 powerful and programmable fountains, and a vast underwater grid with more than 18,000 points of control. Each fountain has multiple points of control for lighting, color intensity, water angle and height.
‘World of Color’ Evolution
Since its premiere on June 11, 2010, “World of Color” has been performed more than 2,100 times and been viewed by more than eight million guests at Disney California Adventure.
The show’s flexibility has made it possible to add and subtract special sequences since its 2010 debut: a July 4 Independence Day pre-show, a New Year’s Eve pre-show, and scenes focusing on “TRON: LEGACY,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Brave.”
From 2011 to 2012, “World of Color” featured a special holiday season pre-show with characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Prep & Landing.”
The “World of Color” fountains also have played parts in daytime shows on Paradise Bay: “Disney Channel Rocks” and “Instant Concert … Just Add Water.”
The fountains in “World of Color” can send water to heights ranging from 30 feet to 200 feet (by way of comparison, Mickey’s Fun Wheel reaches a height of 150 feet, some of it below the edge of the lagoon).
While I tend to over-analyze almost every movie I see, there are some films that are just immune to this sort of critical viewing. This isn’t meant as a slight on these films, but rather a perspective on the film’s intentions. For instance, take the new Disney film, Planes. As the marketing makes abundantly clear, this is a film “from above the world of Cars,” despite the fact that this is NOT a Pixar film. While Pixar tends to dig deep under it’s narratives to explore detailed thematic material, Planes exists simply to entertain. The characters all fulfill stereotypical “types,” the story follows every plot beat you would expect, and everybody gets their “happily ever after.” This is a film that kids will want to watch again and again, and that parents won’t hate. That may not be the most glowing endorsement, but I don’t think it aspires to much more than that.
Dusty Crophopper is a cropduster with a fear of heights. However, he longs for more out of life than the repetitive crop-dusting that has defined who he is. So it is that he finds himself competing in a race across the world. Will he overcome the competition, along with his phobia, to win the big race? Of course he will, but as with so many things, it is all about the journey. As the underdog of the race, his good heart helps him endear himself to the world, along with most of his fellow racers. In telling a story with villains, comic relief, and of course, the good-hearted trainer with a secret, the screenwriter hits every cliché effectively, without it ever feeling forced. It’s a simple film, but it’s fun.
I have to admit, for almost going direct-to-video, there is some surprisingly strong animation in this film. Considering that the premise of the film involves a race across the world, we see a variety of different locations, ranging from Germany, to Mexico, the Himalayas, and even the Taj Mahal. Much like the Cars series, the world is completely fleshed out as if belonging solely to these anthropomorphic modes of transport without a human to be seen. Some of the design work is quite striking, and the environments are completely detailed as well. There are sequences in snow storms, under the ocean, and even a gripping flashback to a Naval war battle. I was never tempted to look away from the screen, as there was always some new detail or aspect of the world to see.
Bonus Clip: Franz’s Song
It’s just a shame that the film is so formulaic. However, kids won’t care, and this is what I mean by the film being “critic-proof.” It’s entertaining enough, and kids will really enjoy themselves. Having said that, it’s obvious that when putting together the Bonus Features, there wasn’t a great expectation that kids would want to sit through any substantial extras. There’s some deleted scenes, including a song featuring a German bipolar plane/car, Franz. There’s also a look at all the racers, and most interesting of all, a feature detailing the director’s history with aviation. We see him teaching his kids about their family lineage, and the connection they have to airplanes. They tour museums, fly in planes, and make it very clear that the concept of aviation is very important to their family. While not at all insightful about the film itself, it’s a beautiful look at the director’s passion for the subject material, and makes the film itself feel slightly more important than it really is.
Overall, this is a completely forgettable film that doesn’t aspire towards anything more than that. Despite a great cast including Dane Cook who voices Dusty with the sarcastic edge that he brings to his comedy, Terri Hatcher and Brad Garrett as his pit crew, Stacey Keach as the mentor with a secret, and even John Cleese as part of the competition, the film never amounts to much. It’s a solid cast for such an inconsequential film. Having said that, I was entertained for the 91 minutes it was on, and you could definitely do much worse. This is nowhere close to Pixar standards, but it gets the job done.
DreamWorks Pictures’ “Need for Speed” marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when the authenticity of the world brought a new level of intensity to the action on-screen. Tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing, the story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption. Based on the most successful racing video game franchise ever with over 140 million copies sold, “Need for Speed” captures the freedom and excitement of the game in a real-world setting, while bringing to life the passion for the road that has made our love of cars so timeless.
The film centers around Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), a blue-collar mechanic who races muscle cars on the side in an unsanctioned street-racing circuit. Struggling to keep his family-owned garage afloat, he reluctantly partners with the wealthy and arrogant ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper). But just as a major sale to car broker Julia Bonet (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save Tobey’s shop, a disastrous race allows Dino to frame Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit, and sending Tobey to prison while Dino expands his business out west.
Two years later, Tobey is released and set on revenge — but he knows his only chance to take down his rival Dino is to defeat him in the high-stakes race known as De Leon — the Super Bowl of underground racing. However to get there in time, Tobey will have to run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet that includes dodging pursuing cops coast-to-coast as well as contending with a dangerous bounty Dino has put out on his car. With the help of his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.
“Need for Speed” is presented by DreamWorks Pictures, produced by Patrick O’Brien, John Gatins and Mark Sourian, and directed by Scott Waugh. The screenplay is by George Gatins. The story is by George Gatins & John Gatins, and, based on the video game series created by Electronic Arts. The film releases in U.S. theaters on March 14, 2014.
Disney Legend, author and Cal State Fullerton alumna Martha Blanding will speak at a CSUF commencement ceremony for the College of Humanities and Social...
