Disney announced D23.com was featuring never-before-released photos of Walt Disney from his personal camera.
Blu-Ray Review: Lilo & Stitch / Lilo & Stitch 2
Having just finished negatively reviewing the 3-Disc set of The Emperor’s New Groove and it’s direct-to-video sequel Kronk’s New Groove, I now find myself having to figure out how to express the same frustrations with the 3-Disc set of Lilo and Stitch and it’s direct-to-video sequel Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. I have the exact same concerns with this set as I did the other, namely the pairing of an amazing film with a lackluster direct-to-video sequel, and a complete lack of extras.
It really is a shame that these are the releases of these great films that kid’s are getting these days. Yes, the picture quality is stellar, but the pairing of the two films negates the quality of the originals and will always force that association with children who view the films for the first time through these sets.
I highly doubt that anybody would be reading this who isn’t familiar with Lilo & Stitch, so let me just say that the watercolor backdrops look beautiful on Blu-Ray, and the story is as emotional and compelling as ever. I remember being shocked the first time I saw the film at not only how gorgeous the film looked, but the emotional maturity behind the story itself. There are some pretty heavy elements mixed in with the hilarious humor Stitch brings to the film. Overall, it’s a superb example of “Disney storytelling” and one of my favorites of their modern collection.
As for the sequel, it’s really not as bad as Kronk’s New Groove, but it’s not exactly great, either. This isn’t actually the direct sequel to Lilo and Stitch, but rather a follow-up to a Lilo & Stitch television show that was based on another direct-to-video sequel that came out in 2003. This film was released to video in 2005, and tells a pretty decent story about Stitch reverting to his destructive tendencies and his desire to overcome his original programming. There’s at least an attempt to tell an emotionally resonant story, and I believe kids will find something to enjoy in this film.
Again though, there are no extras at all in this set. With a banner across the top of the box that reads “3-Disc Special Edition,” I would expect there to be something “special” beyond just the two films. Unfortunately, that isn’t what we get, and just like the Emperor and Kronk, Stitch is relegated to a disappointing release that doesn’t do justice to his terrific film.
D:23 The Official Disney Fan Club Relaunches Website With Member Exclusive Content and More!
The Official Disney Fan Club relaunches their website with member-exclusive content and a new free level of membership.
Back to School with Monsters University. An Interview with John Goodman and Billy Crystal.
Go back to school with us as we celebrate Monsters University. This prequel to the 2001 successful film, Monster’s Inc. introduces us to a whole new set of characters and how James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) became friends.
We had the opportunity to sit and chat with John Goodman and Billy Crystal at a recent Press Conference to discuss their new film. If you’re interested in hearing the full audio of the conference Click Here to jump down. To read the full Spoiler Free movie review Click Here.
Since he was a little monster, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has always dreamed of becoming a Scarer, a prestige role in the Monsters world. After being accepted into Monsters University (MU) Wazowski might finally have that chance, well so he thought. That’s when he met James P. Sullivan “Sulley” (John Goodman) and things took a turn for the worse. Directing this prequel is Dan Scanlon (Cars, Mater and the Ghostlight, Tracy) who joined Pixar in 2001 as a storyboard artist. He makes his animated feature directorial debut with Monsters University. Both Goodmand and Crystal were asked what it was like working with Dan. “Dan is a hipster.” “Dan is like – he had totally different energy than Pete Docter” commented Crystal. Goodman added that “he had great sensibility and he would read with you.” He continued by saying that “if the other characters weren’t there he reads with you. He’s got a good energy to feed off of.”
Billy Crystal is known worldwide for his film roles in “When Harry Met Sally,” “City Slickers,” “The Princess Bride” and “Analyze This.” The Emmy Award sinning comedian was also seen starring alongside Bette Midler in the 2012 film “Parental Guidance.”
John Goodman is no stranger to film. He can be seen in Ben Affleck’s drama “Argo,” “Flight” and “Trouble with the Curve.” He has also lent his voice talents to many animated films including “The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Tales of the Rat Fink” and “The Jungle Book 2.”
So what would set Sully and Wazowski apart from each other? And how did they ever get along? “The fact that he’s a blowhard. No, I think the reason they work so well together is that they complete each other, in a way. I think Sulley really, really needs Mike Wazowski.” added Goodman. Crystal went on to say “For me, Mike is fearless. He’s really the favorite character I’ve ever played in anything I’ve done.” Both Goodman and Crystal demonstrated to have a good working relationship with each other and since they both did the first Monsters Inc. movie, they knew of one another’s strengths and weaknesses. This also makes for a great on-screen presence for both characters. Crystal continued by adding “I love this guy, and playing it with John is phenomenal because we work together in the studio, and we can act together. We’re not just reading lines; we are performing them, and we’re playing them, and we feel them. I think that’s why their relationship on screen is really great because it’s a real thing.”
While filmmakers were certainly able to hit the ground running when it came to creating their cast of characters for “Monsters University”— they had three key returning characters and a blueprint for the monster world from “Monsters, Inc.—they still had their work cut out for them. Watch this short interview clip about the animation process:
We then asked both guys what it was like working with Helen Mirren, Crystal responded with “She is Dame Helen, and I wish we also had been around her when she was working. She’s just fantastic. She gets it. Helen Mirren plays Dean Hardscrabble who is the Dean of Monsters University.
We had a great time at the press conference and excited to see Monsters University on the big screen. Make sure to read our movie review and lets us know what you think when you see the movie. Monsters University opens in theaters Friday June 21.
Full Audio from Press Conference:
Check out disney.com/MonstersU, like us at facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/disneypixar. Rated G by the MPAA, the film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in 3D in select theaters.
Gadget Review: Tiffen Steadicam Smoothee for iPhone 5
Consumer cameras are becoming more and more popular every year and we are starting to see some really great professional settings and features on some of the cameras at our local electronics stores.
Blu-Ray Review: Emperor's New Groove / Kronk's New Groove
It’s hard to see the newly released 3-disc “Special Edition” containing The Emperor’s New Groove and Kronk’s New Groove as anything short of a cash grab. After all, they already released a pretty spectacular DVD set of the Emperor’s New Groove several years ago, and the less said about Kronk’s New Groove the better. Sure, it’s nice to have a copy of Emperor on Blu-Ray, but this set, with literally no extras at all, is a complete waste of a pretty great film.
The Emperor’s New Groove was an extremely troubled production, with a fascinating road to the big screen. Beginning life as a traditionally animated Disney epic that would be titled Kingdom of the Sun, the story went through massive changes in story and tone, with a great deal of negative behind-the-scenes activity. I’m not saying that they should have any sort of documentary or behind-the-scenes footage chronicling the drama in the Disney offices, but this backstory led to the production of a significant amount of artwork and story that the public has never seen. A great deal of this artwork is on the original DVD release, but now it appears to be swept under the rug, lost to the Disney vaults.
Again, I understand their attempts to shy away from a relatively dark period in the Disney studios (one which led to the original director quitting the film mid-production), but it’s depressing to see such a bare-bones release. As expected, the film looks and sounds great. In a way, it feels as if the finished product was slightly ahead of it’s time, with a style of humor that relies on sight-gags, cutaways, and random non-sequiturs that would be right at home in an episode of Family Guy. It’s very funny material, with terrific voice acting and highly stylized animation that demands attention.
Unfortunately, everything that goes right with Emperor’s New Groove is undercut by the sheer blandness of the direct-to-video sequel, Kronk’s New Groove. Everything from the generic title to the humor-by-committee style of writing feels designed as nothing more than an attempt to capitalize on the limited popularity of the original film. The animation feels like a Saturday morning cartoon, and they manage to take Kronk, the funniest character from the first film, and make him relatively unbearable. In small doses, the character is hysterical, but centering an entire film around him proved a huge mistake. There is a reason this sequel went direct-to-video, and I have no desire to ever watch it again.
While I did love the original, the sequel just seemed to negate my enthusiasm for the entire universe of the film. With no extras for either film, this 3-Disc set contains the Blu-Ray with both films, and then separate DVD’s for the films individually. The DVD’s themselves aren’t even redone for this set, containing previews for films that are supposedly coming soon to a theater near me, but have been on DVD for years. Overall, this is a massive disappointment of a set, and if you are an animation fan, you owe it to yourself to track down the original DVD box set. Even on DVD, that is the version I will always watch when I want to revisit this very funny film.
On-the-Set Featurettes with The Long Ranger Part 1 & 2
From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger,” a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.
“The Lone Ranger” also stars Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter.
A Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films presentation, “The Lone Ranger” is directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, with screen story by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Justin Haythe and screenplay by Justin Haythe and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. “The Lone Ranger” releases in U.S. theaters on July 3, 2013.
Check-out Part 1 and 2 of On-the-Set Featurettes!
Part 1: The Lone Ranger – “Spirit Platform”
Part 2: The Lone Ranger – “Cowboy Bootcamp”
Disney Announces Release Schedule Updates
The Walt Disney Studios announced a number of release schedule updates. Here is some additional information regarding these projects.
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