Movie Review "Thor: The Dark World"

November 7, 2013

Fans can rejoice…Marvel Studios has done it again. While many anxiously awaited the return of Tony Stark earlier this year in “Iron Man 3,” the storyline that may be more important to follow is the one that started in 2011’s “Thor.” Here we were introduced to the God of Thunder himself, along with his brother-turned-villain Loki, the main antagonist of that film and “Marvel’s The Avengers” the following year. When we last saw them, Thor was taking the now captured Loki back to their home world of Asgard, which is one of the Nine Realms. Loki had attacked New York City with the help of a powerful weapon called the Tesseract and an extraterrestrial army of Chitauri. But the Avengers defeated him, closing the wormhole into space that allowed the invaders into our atmosphere and seizing Loki in the process. While many on Earth wanted to bring Loki to justice, his brother Thor promised that he would be punished under Asgardian laws for his treasonous acts. They were transported off planet, back to their own realm with the Tesseract in hand. And we, the audience, waited patiently to learn what would happen next.

The release of “Thor: The Dark World” is significant for many different reasons. For starters, it is the first non Iron Man sequel to be released under the Marvel multiphase tentpole. Why is this important you may ask? While “Iron Man 3” was hugely successful earlier this year (currently the highest grossing film of 2013 and #13 all time domestically), it did not do much to advance the overall story arc of the Avengers. Do not get me wrong, I greatly enjoyed the movie. But other than Tony Stark grappling with anxiety issues after the events of New York, I feel as though that film did not do much to build upon the existing plot. Secondly, the settings in which “Thor: The Dark World” and its predecessor take place open up countless opportunities for other Marvel franchises. The scene in the middle of the credits is our first glimpse at 2014’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy,” which many consider to be Marvel’s most ambitious film yet.

Most importantly though, this film brings back the villainous trickster Loki. While everyone roots for the hero in a typical comic book film, it is really the villain we enjoy watching most. Played brilliantly for the third time by Tom Hiddleston, Loki’s personality and motives are even more difficult to pin down this time around. After Asgard is attacked by the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim and their leader Malekith, Thor (played again by Chris Hemsworth) must turn to his recently enslaved brother for help. Although he is hesitant to do so, fearing his brother may betray him again, he is left with no choice. The relationship between Thor and Loki is what makes this franchise work. Hemsworth’s attempts to display his power over others is constantly overshadowed when Hiddleston uses sarcasm and deceit to mess with his plans. It makes it difficult to tell just which side he plays for and what his motive truly is. You can tell that Hiddleston truly enjoys playing the character, as his own natural comedic ability shines with every snarky retort. And Hemsworth really seems to come into his own in this film more so than before, bringing emotion to the title character that many felt was missing.

Thor and Loki are not the only familiar faces returning to the screen in the sequel. Many of the characters that we came to barely know in “Thor,” on both Earth and Asgard, get the chance to grow and develop. In our realm, we get the return of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) as Thor’s love interest, along with her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). Back on Asgard, we are reintroduced to the Allfather Odin and his wife Frigga (Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo), both of which were very strong in their roles. Idris Elba was also given a significantly bigger role as Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost entry to Asgard. I was glad to see his character have more than just a few lines, but be an active part in the plot. Also returning were Jaimie Alexander, Ray Stevenson and Tadanobu Asano as Thor’s crew of warriors. New to the cast was Zachary Levi, who replaced the previous actor Josh Dallas. And playing the Dark Elves Malekith and Algrim are Christopher Eccleston and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

“Thor: The Dark World” was not devoid of faults, but I felt the strengths far outweighed the weaknesses. For instance, director Alan Taylor took the experience he gained on HBO’s “Game Of Thrones” to greatly expand the world of Asgard, and this was something I really enjoyed about the film. It looked as though many influences were drawn from that show, as well as the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, “Lord Of The Rings” and J.J. Abram’s “Star Trek.” The story introduces new environments and locales, expands upon the Asgardian mythology, and places the audience in the middle of some fantastic aerial battle and destruction sequences. However, I feel the film takes a misstep in its overly complex plot. While the Dark Elves’ attempt to bring all Nine Realms together in an effort to destroy them sounds exciting, it did not translate well at the end of the film. I found myself struggling to keep up with what was happening rather than being engrossed in the scene. It was a great idea, but not visually executed well. But this semi-lackluster finale is completely redeemed with the final scene of the movie, a cliffhanger ending that will keep the fan base thirsty for more. Overall, “Thor: The Dark World” is another satisfying entry in the ever-growing Marvel universe. For fans of the previous film as well as “Marvel’s The Avengers,” do not miss it.

Review "Diana Vishneva: On the Edge"

Aubrey Lao - Media Correspondent

November 6, 2013

Art is an expression, not only that of the heart and mind, but also of the body. In Diana Vishneva: On the Edge, two beautifully choreographed programs takes the stage and leaves the art loving audience member’s hearts pumping with exhilaration.

In “Switch” choreographed by Jean-Christophe Malliot, with music by Danny Elfman, it’s hard to miss the passion that dancers Diana Vishneva, Bernice Coppieters, and Gaetan Morlotti paint on stage. The expression of art bleeds through the stage’s canvas, while the heroine in this act is caught between love, envy, and art. An obvious rift leaves her caught in a struggle of desire and passion. The synergy of Danny Elfman’s scores, the set’s ambiance, along with the choreography illustrates the struggle by the heroine. Her artful dance combined with the symphony of sounds leaves you breathless, an experience that must be had.

After the intermission, you get to experience the wonder of solitude and introspection in “Women in a Room” choreographed by Carolyn Carlson, with music by Giovanni Sollima and Rene Aubry. This act feels very familiar, as no matter who you are, the emotion of the performer is raw and real. Everyone in life has had moments of contemplation, thought and wonder, and Diana Vishneva gives you that feeling in dance. Without words, she expresses that of regret, hope, excitement and sadness. The marriage between the music and dance is definitely on par with what you would expect in those moments of solitude.

Many argue that the complexity of these performances can give the viewer a free range of interpretation allowing the art to depict whatever form they choose, and I must agree. These performances are one for the viewer to interpret, the emotion felt can leave one breathless and wanting more. If you’re ready to have your mind blown full of thought and wonder, while enjoying a night out appreciating art, come and see Diana Vishneva On the Edge.

Diana Vishneva: On the Edge is playing at Segerstrom Center for a world premier dance event 11/6/2013 – 11/10/2013. Get your tickets now by calling the Center’s box office at 714.556.2787 or by visiting the Box Office. Running time (approximate): 1 hour and 36 minutes

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Worldwide Fan Event Recap

Robbie Bulus

November 5, 2013

Gearing up for the December 13, 2013, release of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), fans got the chance to meet new cast members joining the highly anticipated second film in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, including Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace and Luke Evans, as part of a global fan celebration that was held on Monday, November 4, at 5:00 pm EST, and simultaneous times around the world. At each of the satellite-linked cinemas in four host cities—Los Angeles, New York, London and Wellington—Jackson and members of his cast and filmmaking team gathered with fans to show exclusive footage from “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and answer questions in front of a live audience, as well as offer a few surprises.

CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper, who served as special host for the entire event, was based in New York, where he welcomed Richard Armitage, the film’s Thorin Oakenshield, and Orlando Bloom, who returns to the role of Legolas from “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. Evangeline Lilly, who joins the cast as a new Elf warrior, Tauriel, will be based in Los Angeles. London hosted new cast member Lee Pace, the film’s Elf King Thranduil; Luke Evans, who joins the cast as Bard the Bowman; and Andy Serkis, a member of Jackson’s filmmaking team and the first film’s Gollum. Peter Jackson joined the celebration from Wellington, New Zealand.

Each cinema was connected by satellite, allowing audiences to participate in a simultaneous Q&A among participants in all four host locations. Additionally, in cities across the globe—including Brussels, Belgium; Hamburg, Germany; Madrid, Spain; Mexico City, Mexico; Miami, Florida, USA; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; Sydney, Australia; and Toronto, Canada—fans were invited to gather at select cinemas to be among the first to see the extended footage debut and watch the festivities unfold live.

Here is the new One-Sheet for you to enjoy:

Mary Poppins takes flight in the winter issue of Disney Twenty-Three

Robbie Bulus

November 4, 2013

To celebrate the release of Saving Mr. Banks and the upcoming 50th anniversary of Mary Poppins, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has dedicated the entire winter issue of its flagship magazine, Disney twenty-three, to our beloved nanny. The publication, available exclusively to Gold Members of D23, includes exclusive interviews with Saving Mr. Banks stars Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, and Bradley Whitford, as well as director John Lee Hancock. It takes readers behind the scenes of the making of this spectacular new film, which opens this Christmas and looks at the creation of Disney’s Mary Poppins and the sometimes combative but respectful relationship between the character’s creator, P.L. Travers (Thompson), and Walt Disney (Hanks).

Disney twenty-three’s Winter issue also offers a look inside the fascinating life of P.L. Travers, with a personal reminiscence by her friend, author Brian Sibley, whom she once told, “I don’t feel for a moment that I invented her. I feel visited by her.” And original film composer Richard M. Sherman, visual consultant Tony Walton, and choreographers Marc Beaux and Dee Dee Wood offer exclusive insight into the creation of the 1964 Disney classic, which will officially celebrate its 50th anniversary next August.

Also included in the Winter issue of Disney twenty-three:[unordered_list style=”bullet”]

A first-person account of the creation of the stage musical Mary Poppins from Disney Theatrical Productions president Thomas Schumacher
“Elements of Fun,” looking at 50 years of unique “Mary merchandise”
An in-depth look at the film’s groundbreaking special effects
A walk down the red carpet for the Mary Poppins premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

[/unordered_list]

All D23 Members are invited to visit www.D23.com, where the fan club is kicking off its year-long celebration of Mary Poppins’ 50th anniversary with a unique video reconstruction of the Mary Poppins world premiere, containing five minutes of never-before-released material. Although the original telecast of the event appears to have been lost forever, this 22-minute segment includes audio from the premiere’s two separate interview locations, combined with all the surviving color film and black-and-white newsreel footage—re-creating the excitement and glamour of this stellar premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 27, 1964.

Other features planned for D23.com’s online celebration include:[unordered_list style=”bullet”]

Extensive Mary Poppins galleries, including a look at the film’s breathtaking matte paintings.
An interactive map of the Walt Disney Studios with photo locations from Saving Mr. Banks
Rarely heard audio files from the making of Mary Poppins
An in-depth Mary Poppins production timeline
A look at the sodium screen/traveling matte process, which gave the film its unique visual look
An exclusive interview with Mary Poppins visual consultant Tony Walton

[/unordered_list]

Also in the Winter issue, D23 Gold Members will receive a reproduction of the ticket mailed to invitees for the Mary Poppins premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Disney twenty-three, which is delivered directly to fans’ doorsteps, is offered exclusively to D23 Gold Members as a benefit of their membership.

Meet the Filmmakers of Disney's Animated Film "Frozen"

Robbie Bulus

November 1, 2013

We had the opportunity to sit down with Directors Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee as well as Producer Peter Del Vecho during a press conference to learn more about Disney’s newest Animated film “Frozen,” coming to Theaters in 3D on November 27.

Chris Buck made his directing debut on the 1999 Disney animated blockbuster “Tarzan,” and is back at the helm for this new production. Buck began his career with Disney in 1978, and has made important contributions as an animator, supervising animator, character designer and director. He also worked on a Sony Pictures Animated film “Surf’s Up” in 2007, which garnered an Oscar Nomination.

Jennifer Lee, joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in March 2011 as one of the screenplay writers of this year’s hit arcade adventure “Wreck-It Ralph,” is also a writer of the “Frozen” screenplay and co-directs the comedy adventure. Lee’s screen adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “The Acts of King Arthur and His Nobel Knights” is being produced by Troika Pictures. Lee was excited to work on “Frozen” with such talented Cast and Crew.

Peter Del Vecho (Producer) joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1995 and came to the studio with a wealth of production experience in theater. As the production manager of “Hercules,” Del Vecho was responsible for guiding a production team of 300 artists. He also served as the associate producer of the 2002 animated film “Treasure Planet,” which received an Oscar nomination for best animated feature. In addition, he was the associate producer of the 2005 animation adventure “Chicken Little.”

Q: Tell us the origin of the story behind Frozen. Has it changed?
The Original Pitch was about a snow queen type person and is still inspired by Hans Christian Anderson. It’s about character that has a frozen heart and some other person would warm that heart up. It was also about two women but they were not sisters, after making them sisters they had that emotional bond between them in the story and everything, everybody go it. They can understand how these two sisters if they break apart, they want them to get back together.

Q: When you were voice Casting, did you look for people who can sing as well as act?
Yes. Part of it was that when you hear those voices you knew that they just belonged. Even the male parts are all great singers.

Q: Can you talk about the tone of the film?
We always wanted the film to be entertaining. People are funny and do awkward things. You care about their journey which feels like real life. The humor helps you get through it, which makes it big and epic. As Filmmakers its always difficult to find the tone. It’s usually all over the place. It’s our job to find the balance to keep the audience entertained.

Q: Can you talk about your challenges?
Some of the challenges was that we originally had a later release date, and was asked if we can release the film in 2013 which made it a compressed schedule. The greatest challenge was that we kept pushing on the story even it that meant holding up on production. And we found that balance. We owe a lot to the story and production crew. We also had to re-animate scenes and the animators had to push themselves to meet the deadline. A challenge on every movie, is to always to give the rest of the artists a good story. Because everyone was working well together, to make this movie come to life.

Q: How do you deal with upholding the pressure of Disney Princesses? By the same time making them different?
We didn’t have any pressure to make them a Disney Princess or Queens. We were free on this film. When people see the whole film, them being princesses has to do with those responsibilities. It makes Disney happy to make them princesses. In the whole development of the story, we never thought of them that way.

Q: Was the film originally going to be hand-drawn vs. CG?
Yes, it was going to be hand-drawn, but that was years ago. But as time went on and the success of Tangled and the CG of the characters was incredible we went that route. It was more of the environment of the Ice and Snow that made our decision. To do that in CG it would be make it look amazing.

Q: Can you talk about Olaf? What was the idea in creating him?
Olaf has changed a lot, he was originally a guard, the first one that was created. Olaf become a little more integral to the plot he also represents innocent love. He has a lot of personality of little Anna as well.

We want to thank the Directors and Producer for taking the time to chat with us. We had a great time at the Disney Animation Studios learning about this amazing film. And don’t forget to catch “Frozen” coming to theaters November 27!

TOY BOX THURSDAY: Disney Infinity Announces Five Winning User-Generated “Disney Movie Challenge”

Robbie Bulus

November 1, 2013

Disney Interactive is releasing the winners of the “Disney Movie Challenge” for Toy Box creations that best capture the look of some of Disney’s most iconic films. Check out the latest episode of the new web series, “The Disney Infinity Top 5 Toy Box Countdown,” for a look at the winning submissions.

Winning submissions include:
– Swiss Family: Explore the treehouse, swim in the grotto and fend off the pirate invasion on the beach.
– 100 Acre Wood: Find 10 hidden Winnie the Poohs in the 100 acre wood.
– The Pride Lands: Inspired by Disney’s classic The Lion King, explore the wild Pride Lands and climb the Tree of Life.
– Fantasia: Visit Yensid’s magic work shop. Fetch water and prove your magic prowess against 100 enchanted brooms!
– Tangled Hunt: The queen has fallen ill! Players will need to find the Golden Flower in time to save the day.

When you’re ready to submit your Toy Box for consideration, follow these directions:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Online/Multiplayer.”
· Then select “Toy Box Share” > “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
· Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured.

iPad
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Toy Box Share.”
· Then select “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”
· Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured

How to download new Toy Boxes:
· Select “Toy Box” from the Disney Infinity Main Menu
· Select “Toy Box Share” and “Disney’s Toy Boxes.”
· There will be a list of all the featured Toy Boxes for players to download.

Movie Review: Ender's Game

Marc Dorris - Contributing Writer

October 31, 2013

Most teenage students at some point were afforded the chance to read Orson Scott Card’s critically acclaimed world-wide best seller, Ender’s Game. I for one had elected to read it while studying literature in middle school and although at the time, may not have been in a position to appreciate fine literature like Ender’s Game (I skimmed most of the chapters and read just enough to pass the weekly tests) I still remember from what I read that it was a fantastic story. Since then I have picked up a hobby for reading, and this title is among those on my list to sit down and read through thoroughly. That all being said, I was pleasantly surprised with the film adaptation.

The movie picks up the action right from the opening scene where we see the first attack on earth from a formidable enemy known simply as “the formics”, an insect-like alien race bent on colonizing and consuming earths water supply.

After a long war, the earth and the human race are victorious in taking the formics down but at great cost. In an attempt to defend the earth from future attacks, an academy is created to train young children through rigorous tasks in zero-gravity, virtual simulations, and physical and mental competitions against one another. Among those newly accepted is Andrew Ender Wiggin, a child unlike any other with a genius intellect and unparalleled strategical tactics that nearly always make him victorious against his typically much larger opponents.

Ender’s confidence and brilliance move him forward in the ranks, but at the cost of being despised by his fellow cadets. He is soon isolated away from them only to realize he is a tool in a much larger set of schemes and games than he had realized.

Asa Butterfield (Ender) is immediately likable as the title character. It took only a few scenes for the young actor to show his skills on screen and truly step into the role of Ender Wiggin and establish a strong connection with the audience. Asa is accompanied by the likes of Harrison Ford who plays Colonel Graff, the officer responsible for enlisting Ender into battle school, and Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham, a legend and war hero. The latter of which does not make an appearance until late into the second half of the film, but rest assured, Ford and Kingsley both carry their weight in the movie. Adding to the more well known names, the movie has a few familiar faces in lesser roles such as Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld among others, all of whom really solidify the movie into a strongly cohesive and well-rounded group of characters that fit nicely into the movies premises.

This may sound somewhat crazy, but this may very well have been the first time I was quite literally on the edge of my seat for the entire duration of a film. Not since Marvel’s Avenger’s have I had this much fun going to the theater. In questioning myself if I was the only one who felt this way, I looked around to notice my fellow theater patrons all covering their mouths during intense moments and biting their knuckles in anticipation with what would come next in following scenes.

A few of the more impressive pieces to take note of in the movie were the battle rooms and usage of zero-gravity. Most of the characters competed in a wide-open room where they were tested in combat against teams in the absence of gravity. It was absolutely stunning to watch these scenes play out and Asa’s execution of his character in each and every one of these scenes could quite possibly put him on the hot list for future movies to come. Having not heard of the young actor prior to the announcement of his casting, his fine work in Ender’s Game will surely not be the last we see of him.

With all the above said and done, my final note is that if you do get around to seeing this film, see it in IMAX if possible. You’ll be glad you did. This could be the perfect movie-going experience complete with fun, excitement, suspense, well-written dialogue, and just the right amount of humor.

Here is the Official Trailer in case you missed it:

Disney Infinity Rolls Out Jack Skellington To Retailers Nationwide

Robbie Bulus

October 30, 2013

Disney Interactive is bringing Disney Infinity’s Jack Skellington to retailers everywhere following an exclusive run at GameStop stores nationwide. Just in time for Halloween, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town is ready to show off his unique charm to Disney Infinity players just days before All Hallow’s Eve.

In order to celebrate the character’s wide availability, Disney Interactive has also released a special video (above) showing Jack Skellington attempting to scare his fellow Toy Box inhabitants including Mr. Incredible, Buzz Lightyear and Sulley before seemingly meeting his match with Vanellope Von Schweetz.

Jack Skellington is now available for an MSRP of $13.99 at all participating retailers. Or get yours now in our Online Store!

Marvel Characters Join the Re-imagined Disney Magic Setting Sail from Miami

Robbie Bulus

October 29, 2013

Marvel’s Avengers Academy is now accepting new recruits for training onboard the Disney Magic for a multi-day experience that transports kids to an elite facility for super hero training.

Calling Disney’s Oceaneer Club its new seaward home, Marvel’s The Avengers make their presence known in an epic way. Young heroes are transported to a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division)—a technologically advanced remote command post used by The Avengers for special missions and operations training.

Throughout the base, displays featuring some of the equipment that helps to make The Avengers earth’s mightiest heroes—Iron Man’s high-tech suit of armor, Captain America’s shield and Thor’s hammer—inspire super hero “recruits” throughout their academy missions.

Become Iron Man

Inside Marvel’s Avengers Academy, young hero hopefuls will get to virtually wear one of Iron Man’s suits during a simulated training experience on a video screen display. With a little help from J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System), the simulation gives recruits the opportunity to test out the suit’s repulsor system and flight mode—just like Iron Man.

Trainees begin by virtually suiting up, piece-by-piece in the armor, and testing their agility in the suit. Then, recruits practice accuracy with the repulsor system blasting targets—this fully interactive experience is complete with lighting effects, immersing the young heroes in the experience. The training simulation concludes with a fast-paced flight test to get kids used to jetting around in the suit—a skill that they may find handy in the future.

Avengers Assemble!

The fun continues with Become a Hero. When the kids enter the high-tech S.H.I.E.L.D. base at Marvel’s Avengers Academy, they are briefed by Director Nick Fury on the constant presence of fearsome villains—and the need to train new recruits to keep the world safe from evil. The kids learn that Hydra continues to be a nefarious force that The Avengers continue to battle all over the world.

After Nick Fury signs off, kids are put to work building super-suits of their own by constructing masks, capes, chest plates and repulsor rays to reflect their own super powers. Once their hero suits are ready, the real work begins—skills training to learn telepathic powers and target practice with their repulsor rays.

By the end of their first day, recruits are well on their way to active duty hero work when the training is interrupted by a surprise appearance of one of their favorite Marvel super heroes—Captain America himself. Checking-in on the training, Captain America teaches the group the “Avengers Assemble” call sign so they can truly step into the role of The Avengers.

On Day Two of Marvel’s Avengers Academy, recruits report for more training of their super-skills, when S.H.I.E.L.D. intercepts an urgent transmission—Super-villain Red Skull has planned another elaborate diabolical plot to turn a “certain sea vessel” into a deadly weapon. With The Avengers on assignment on the other side of the globe, it becomes clear that it’s up to the newest recruits to formulate a plan to save the planet.

Recruits realize the task may be harder than they thought when things take a turn for the worse—they soon find that their own Youth Activities counselors have been put under an evil spell that the kids must break. With time running out quickly, kids will need to use their super hero powers and creative reasoning to work together to find a solution to thwart Red Skull’s evil plans so that they can save the Avengers and prevent the Disney Magic from takeover.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club, open to 3- to 12-year-old children, is a completely re-imagined area that transports little ones to the magical realms of brave super heroes, adventuresome toys, fanciful fairies and Mickey Mouse’s club for creativity and fun.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-DCL-2500 or contact your travel agent.

Blu-Ray Review: Monsters University

Shaun Beckerman

October 29, 2013

If my lifetime of movie watching has taught me anything, it’s that with enough dedication and hard work, you can be anything that you want to be. I was happy with that life view, having been successfully indoctrinated into the rah-rah feel good camp of self-worth. Leave it to Pixar and their newest film, Monsters University, to subvert this world view, reinforcing the notion that maybe, just maybe, you won’t end up achieving your dream, no matter how desperately motivated you may be.

I’ve come to expect some pretty heavy thematic material from Pixar, but this one felt particularly welcome at this moment in time. We live in a world in which children receive participation medals and are force-fed delusions of superiority in everything that they do. It’s refreshing to see a kid’s film teach that not everybody is cut out for everything, just because they want it. Of course, this material is wrapped in an incredibly entertaining story, one that is far more inviting than the wacky ad campaign would have you believe.

As everyone knows by now, the story is a prequel to Monster’s Inc., showcasing how Mike and Sully met, became friends and ended up where the first Monsters began. Hyped as Pixar’s answer to college movies such as Revenge of the Nerds, there is quite a bit more going on under the surface than we were led to believe. Mike’s passion to become a Scarer is the driving force of the film, with his determination juxtaposed against Sully’s lackadaisical attitude towards the entire Scare industry. Sully’s father is an infamous Scarer, and his plan is to coast on the family name. It was a masterstroke of storytelling to set the film up this way, playing off our prior knowledge that things don’t go the way Mike intends. Yet somehow, they still manage to create a rooting interest for Mike to end up where we know he never does.

In Mike’s attempts to dominate at the Monsters University scare school, he quickly finds himself kicked out of the program, aligned with the “nerds” of the school, and forced to compete in a series of competitions with his biggest threat, Sully. This is the narrative through-line of the film, and in bringing it to life, the filmmakers have expanded on the Monsters world in an incredible way. At the time, the first film felt revolutionary in their depictions of various Monsters, but we see now just how varied and incredible the world of Monstropolis really is. The design work alone is so immersive, the film truly feels like a real location. Whether slimy, furry, or whatever, all manner of creatures are on display. The film is an absolute visual treat.

Even the university is immaculately designed with visual cues throughout that we are in an alternate reality. It is easy to believe that this is a world designed for and by monsters, and there is no denying the artistic achievement that Pixar has accomplished here. I was really afraid that the film was going to feel like a cash-grab, but it is really anything but.

New to Blu-Ray, Disney has released a packed set of extras to flesh out the world of the film. In a creative nod to the film itself, all of the features are labeled as is they are various college curriculum. Campus Life is a fascinating insight into the day-to-day workings at Pixar, Story School is an analysis of breaking down the story, Monthropology is a fascinating look into the design process in regards to the various monsters, etc. I especially enjoyed this last one as it illuminated the developmental process that led to the creation of one of my newest Pixar favorites, Dean Hardscrabble. A cross between a centipede and a bat, this character is a perfect addition to the world, bringing just the right amount of fear to a kid’s film about monsters.

Other extras include a fascinating look at the recording of the score, a feature on color and lighting, deleted scenes, set flythroughs, an art gallery, and on and on. They have also included the gorgeous short film that screened before Monsters University in the theatres, the Blue Umbrella. The most photo-realistic animation Pixar has ever produced, this is a must-see film for anybody interested in just how far the medium has come. The story isn’t the most compelling thing they’ve ever done, but it’s a wonder to view.

I can’t recommend this set enough. I was hugely surprised by just how much emotion was packed into this film. The last third goes in directions I never expected, and the story is a perfect lead-in to Monsters, Inc. Having strongly disliked Cars 2 and only somewhat enjoyed Brave, I am thrilled to have liked this film as much as I did. Despite the technical jumps, this is old school Pixar and a perfect reminder that they really are the best at what they do.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER New Trailer!

Robbie Bulus

October 26, 2013

After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is produced by Kevin Feige, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp and Hayley Atwell, with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Alan Fine and Stan Lee.The film releases April 4, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Disney Interactive Brings the Facebook World of Words of Wonder to iOS and Soon Android Devices

Robbie Bulus

October 26, 2013

Words of Wonder, the exciting Facebook game where players need to match letters, complete words and overcome a variety of challenges, has launched today on the App Store and Google Play from Disney Interactive. With more than 9 Million people creating words in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish worldwide on Facebook, players can now download Words of Wonder on their iOS or Android device to begin a new game or continue the early levels from Facebook.

In Words of Wonder players journey to a storybook universe where they need to use the power of words in order to restore color and animation to the magical pages therein. With their trusted owl guide, Watson, travelers use their intelligence and dictionaries to create words, overcome obstacles and complete the story to reclaim the Words of Wonder.

Features:

· More than 70 levels at launch with regular content updates
· Play a single game across Facebook and mobile devices
· Players match words to overcome ever increasing challenges
· Unlock new power-ups and gameplay advantages to help defeat each level
· Play with friends to see how they progress and beat their high scores
· Help the magic owl Watson break the curse and save the storybook world

Enter Words of Wonder by downloading the game at http://bit.ly/1dmygvi for iOS and soon Android devices!