It can be really difficult to identify that fine line in every film that separates earned emotion from simple manipulation. By it’s very nature, My Sister’s Keeper is designed as a tear-jerker. The premise alone is designed to provoke a reaction, and while director/co-writer Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook) successfully mines the material for all that it’s worth, I’m not entirely sure the film itself deserves the emotions that it is going for.

The setup is relatively intriguing. Kate Fitzgerald is dying of leukemia, so her parents have another child, genetically manipulated to be a perfect match for Kate. But what happens when this daughter, Anna, sues for medical emancipation, and in essence decides to let her sister die? And what exactly is Anna’s motivation? This is powerful material, and as the film got underway I found myself genuinely interested in the legal aspects of the case, and the way that the characters would undoubtedly unravel in this situation.

Unfortunately, Cassavetes lets the film run away from him, and tangles up what could have been a fascinating, albeit straightforward, narrative with clumsy flashbacks of the family and their struggles to deal with the cancer itself. I can appreciate his attempts to flesh out the dynamics of the family, and to give us the conflicting points of view, but this is where I felt the manipulation coming in. At any given moment, everybody is happy, then sad, then angry, etc. It all seems predetermined to the point of distraction, designed for maximum emotional reaction.

That being said, every single actor in this film shines. Cameron Diaz gives a career-best performance as the mother forced to deal with not only a dying daughter, but also a daughter that she feels is betraying her family. I’ve always admired Diaz, but I’ve never been this impressed with her. You can feel her character’s desperation as she struggles to retain control of her situation. Also impressive is Jason Patric, in a fantastically subtle performance as the father. And I can’t say enough good things about the performances from Abigail Breslin as Anna, and Sofia Vassilieva as Kate. Their characters go through so much in this film that it’s unbelievable when you realize these actors are just kids. I completely bought their performances; they made these characters real. Other standouts include Alec Baldwin as Anna’s attorney, and a fantastic performance from Joan Cusack as the judge dealing with the loss of her own daughter.

Cassavetes may have let the story run away from him, but he has a great eye for visuals. He knows how to frame and light a scene to visually convey the emotions he wants us to feel. Some of this work is very subtle, especially in regards to the background lighting. There are moments when you don’t even realize what he is doing, but when you pull yourself back and actually look at the scene, there is a lot of fantastic imagery occurring.

The newly released Blu-Ray is, as expected, the best way to view these images. While this isn’t the type of movie that needs to be seen with the best picture and sound, the disc still looks and sounds great. However, there aren’t a lot of extras in this set. This isn’t really the type of film that would need a lot of bonus features, so I didn’t really feel shortchanged with the limited material. There are over 15 minutes of deleted scenes, but beyond that, the only extra is a featurette on Jodi Picoult, the author of the book on which the film is based. It’s moderately interesting to see the author discuss her process and what it took to get her material adapted for the screen, but overall it’s a short little piece that isn’t really necessary viewing.

There was a lot of potential in this story. Everytime the story got away from the lawsuit, I found myself waiting for them to go back there. While the flashbacks do provide insight into these characters, I found most of these sequences excessive, and detracting from the actual focus of the film. I really did find myself drawn into the story and these characters. I just wish Cassavetes let us form our own emotions, and that he didn’t feel the need to essentially instruct the audience as to what to feel, and when to feel it. This is almost a great movie, but by not letting us feel for ourselves, it just misses the mark.

Unbelievably, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro had never worked together before 1995. Their names were almost always associated with each other, having created some of the greatest film characters of all time. Their combined works included masterpieces such as The Godfather, Scarface, Goodfellas, etc., and at last, writer/director Michael Mann was bringing these two acting legends together for a new crime epic called Heat.

Finally out on Blu-Ray, Heat tells the story of master thief Neil McCauley and the cop, Vincent Hanna, determined to lock him away. DeNiro plays McCauley with an unsettling calm, a focused determination that makes him the best at what he does. On the flip side, Pacino plays Hanna as always on-edge, obsessing with McCauley’s capture to the point where he begins to sacrifice the wellbeing of his own family.

This is a thoroughly entertaining saga. The story is epic in scope and filled with a fascinating ensemble of characters, played by a who’s who of recognizable talent including Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, and many more. And yet what makes everything work so well is the relationship between the two main characters. They bring an introspective, personalized feel to a story that is much larger than the two of them.

In a masterstroke of screenwriting, Mann manages to make their relationship the centerpiece of the film, but DeNiro and Pacino have barely more than a scene together. They don’t even meet until an hour and half into the film (the movie runs about two hours and fifty minutes). Mann spends the first half of the movie establishing the story and the characters. And then, instead of giving the audience the anticipated big blowout confrontation you’d expect, he has them share a conversation over coffee. It is a powerfully intense sequence, smartly written and expertly performed.

Having been filmed in real locations all over Los Angeles, the film has a very naturalistic feel to it, grounded in a reality that makes the audience feel truly immersed in the world. Even the requisite shoot-outs have an authenticity to them that is rare in action sequences such as this. The Blu-Ray contains some terrific documentaries, including one which showcases the location scouts and what made each particular location stand out for them in deciding to film there. They revisit these locations today, and it’s fascinating to see how little things have changed.

There are also features focusing on the real-life people who inspired these characters and this story. Of particular interest is Chuck Adamson, from the Chicago Police Department. He basically is Vincent Hanna, and much of what happens in the film happened to him in real life. It’s pretty surreal to hear him tell stories from his life that are straight out of the movie.

One of the documentaries discusses how this story was initially being developed as a TV pilot called “LA Takedown.” I’m extremely grateful that they decided to turn this into a film instead. This is a powerhouse movie, and definitely a story that is more suited for the cinema rather than television. Having not seen the movie since the nineties, I loved getting to revisit the film on Blu-Ray. Warner Bros. did a great job with this disc. The picture looks fantastic, and there is a shoot-out that contains some of the best sound work I’ve heard in a long time. There is also a commentary track with Mann, trailers, and deleted scenes.

Overall, this is a great set for a great movie. The acting is so unbelievably good that it’s almost impossible not to get swept up in the film. Pacino and DeNiro have worked together since this movie, but they have never been able to recreate the magic from this first film. This is a great story with great characters, and this is a movie that deserves to be seen in the best format possible. I highly recommend Heat on Blu-Ray.

Single Disc DVD Special Features:

Special features include everything on “Disc One” of “Monkey Mischief Edition” above.

About fifteen years ago, I saw a film on VHS called Logan’s Run.  It was exciting science-fiction, compelling and visually dynamic.  Fifteen-year-old me loved this movie.  A couple of days ago, I saw the same film on Blu-Ray.  And I kind of hated it. 

As I re-watched the film, I just sat there, stunned.  I couldn’t believe this was the same film I saw all those years ago.  Having completely built this up in my mind, I was so excited to revisit this post-apocalyptic world.  I mean, Logan’s Run is a 70’s classic.  Everybody is familiar with the story of Logan 5, a Sandman (the hunter) turned Runner (the hunted) in a futuristic domed world where nobody is allowed to live past the age of 30.  But for some reason, it just doesn’t hold up.  Why?

For starters, this is a really ugly movie.  Logan’s Run wasn’t just released in the 70’s, it looks like it took place there as well.  It’s supposed to be the future, and yet everything about the film feels as if it would have been current at the time of release.  The clothes, the hair, and every visual cue in the film just screams seventies.  I suppose that this isn’t necessarily a valid critique as it is a seventies film, but for some reason, it proves distracting.

However, being shot in the seventies is no excuse for their horrible attempts at action sequences.  This film contains some of the most awkwardly staged shootouts I have ever seen.  The characters just stand in one place while everything around them briefly catches fire.  It’s uncomfortable to witness.  Which brings me to the acting.  I couldn’t believe how bad everybody was in this film.  Michael York is a highly regarded actor, but I never once believed his performance in this situation.  Everything about his portrayal of Logan felt desperate and uneven.  He was the best in the group, however.  Almost everybody felt lifeless, as if they were just going through the motions.  This was a huge movie when it was released.  I really expected more enthusiasm from the performers.  I guess they sensed the biggest problem with the film.  Simply put, the story just isn’t that good.

Set in 2274, Logan finds himself in his predicament by happenstance.  He just happens to find a clue, which inadvertantly sets him up for a secret computerized assignment to run.  As the story progresses, he does learn more and more about the truth and deception occuring in their world, but his way of coming to these truths feel forced.  Having teamed up with another runner, Jessica 6, they find themselves in what essentially boils down to “The Fugitive” in the future.  There’s a simplicity to the story that clashes with the complexity of their world.  The deeper they get, the richer the world seems.  But the story of fugitives on the run get in the way of some potentially intriguing concepts.  This is definitely a movie with big ideas.  I just wish they could have given these ideas some depth.

But as I said, fifteen-year-old me was much more forgiving.  Maybe I just hadn’t been exposed to some of the really great science-fiction out there and didn’t know what I was missing.  Or maybe I just liked it because I thought I was supposed to.  Either way, I find myself very disappointed with the film upon it’s current release.  In terms of the Blu-Ray itself, the picture looks fantastic.  I remember the scratches all over my VHS copy, and the image now is nearly flawless.  The details really shine, but so do the flaws in the production design.  There was so much source material, it’s a shame they designed such an ugly world.  To their credit, this is the first film to use laser holography, winning them a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.  Beyond that effect however, I’m not impressed.

The Blu-Ray contains the original theatrical trailer, as well as a commentary track by Michael York, the director and the cosume designer.  More interesting is the inclusion of  a”vintage featurette,” a behind-the-scenes documentary shot at the time much like what we get on all of our movies today.  I found it fascinating to see everybody making the film at the time it was being filmed, and not a modern look-back at the production.  Running just short of 10 minutes, it’s a small segment, but a lot of fun.

Overall, I can’t recommend this Blu-Ray.  While the film has somehow achieved classic status, it just doesn’t feel earned.  There is a potentially great story in their somewhere, but this isn’t it.  Usually, I grow to appreciate films over time, but somehow this worked the other way around.  It makes me wonder what other movies I loved at a younger age that I would end up disliking today.  Hopefully, that list begins and ends here.

Everyone who knows me is aware that I love science-fiction.  I always have, and I always will.  I guess I was just more forgiving fifteen years ago.

New on Blu-Ray, Up is the story of a grumpy old man and a stowaway child fleeing to South America via balloons tied to his house.  Plain and simple, this premise would not have worked at any other studio.  And yet Pixar uses this ridiculous setup to craft one of their richest and most compelling character studies to date.    Now don’t get me wrong, the film is far from flawless, especially around the third act.  But before we get to that, I have to discuss the first ten minutes. 

Absolute perfection.  A superbly crafted short film, this opening sequence introduces us to our lead, Carl Fredricksen, as a child.  It then takes us through all of his dizzying highs and devestating lows, encapsulating an entire lifetime, and leaving the audience emotionally wrung out by the end.  This sequence not only works perfectly as a stand-alone short film, but it also lays the groundwork for the story to come.  It is in this sequence that we explore Carl and his wife’s love of adventure, as well as their specific goal to go to Paradise Falls in South America. Ending with the death of his wife, it is at this point that the story technically begins.

This sequence ranks as one of my favorite moments from any Pixar film to date, and that is really saying something.  Interestingly, one of the features on the disc is an alternate version of this entire scene, demonstrated with storyboards.  It’s completely different, and yet ends up getting the characters to the exact same places.  Personally, I didn’t find the alternate version nearly as compelling, but I still found it fascinating to see a demonstration of how Pixar is able to manipulate story so effectively.

The end of this sequence finds Carl bitter and alienated from the world.  He lives alone, clinging to his past; literally surrounded by an expanding world he is incapable of being a part of.  Having just sent Russell, an overeager “Wilderness Explorer” seeking his badge for “assisting the elderly,” on a Wild-Goose chase, Carl ends up putting himself in the worst position imaginable.  Through an unfortunate case of accidental violence, he finds himself being forced into a retirement home.  Unwilling to comply, he decides to fulfil his dreams by tying thousands of balloons to his house and flying away to Paradise Falls, little realizing that Russell is trapped on the front porch. 

Once in South America, the film dramatically changes tone.  It becomes more of a comedic action-adventure, but one that never forgets character and motivation. There are chases, villains, and even talking dogs.  One of these, Dug, is absolutely hilarious.  While these dogs are able to communicate, they are still dogs, and Dug’s simplistic determinations become comedic highpoints of the film.  Unfortunately, it is at this point where the film becomes much safer and more mainstream.  This is also when I noticed how episodic the film had become.  While there is constant character progression, the film begins to focus more on setpieces and sequences rather than on ideas. 

As the film progresses, it also gets sillier and sillier.  The villain of the film is Charles Munz, once Carl’s idol, and now his antagonist thanks to a fight over a rare bird (that Russell names Kevin).  The talking dogs also really stretch credulity, and by the time we see them piloting planes for an aerial dogfight, I was really wishing they hadn’t taken the humor that extreme.  While all of these moments could have worked as isolated bits, I found myself bothered by the inconsistency in tone.

It really took guts for Pixar to create a lead character that is a crotchety old man, but by putting the audience into his head at the very beginning, we are able to identify and see him as a person rather than a type.  The second disc in the set contains several documentaries, and one of them explores this very concept.  Entitled “Geriatric Hero,” this segment explores the ideas behind this creation, both mentally and physically.  Other documentaries include looks at the vast array of talking dogs in the film, the creation of Russell and the constant evolution that his character went through, the development of Kevin the bird, the design of Carl’s house, the theme of flight found in the film, and a segment on Michael Giacchino’s brilliant soundtrack.  It’s a solid set of documentaries, all compelling and creating an even greater appreciation for the finished film.  All of these are relatively short, with none of them running longer than 10 minutes.

(Bonus clip from the DVD)

The longest extra feature is actually found on the first disc.  Running just over 20 minutes, it’s a look at a trip to South America taken by several Pixar employees.  This trip was the visual inspiration for the world Carl and Russell find themselves, and it’s absolutely fascinating to compare the real footage with the material they created.  It’s a gorgeous location, and fascinating to see in reality.

Also included are two short films.  One of these is “Partly Cloudy,” seen before the film in theaters.  The other one is “Dug’s Special Mission.”  This isn’t as funny as Dug’s scenes in the film, but the kids will still really enjoy it.  Overall, Pixar has put together a great set for what is a great film.  It’s not their best (that would be Ratatouille, in my opinion), but this comes really close.  Pixar has set their own bar impossibly high, and I really hope that they keep their streak going.  They have a lot to live up to.

This November, get ready for monster laughs and monster fun as Disney•Pixar’s Academy Award® winning classic Monsters, Inc. roars to life as you’ve never seen or heard it before on Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def! For the first time ever, this blockbuster hit will be presented in the pristine manner the Pixar animation team always dreamed it would be – with scarily clear high definition picture and monstrously good sound that’ll have audiences screaming with delight. This all new Blu-ray also comes packed with exclusive new bonus features and a DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie.

Now go behind-the-scenes of the this hilarious and visually groundbreaking film like never before with Blu-ray exclusive bonus features including a “Filmmakers Round Table,” in which the film’s creators discuss bringing Monsters to life; “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Tokyo,” a sneak-peek at the new Monsters attraction at Tokyo Disneyland; and the all new interactive game “Roz’s 100 Door Challenge,” in which viewers can solve a series of puzzles, trivia questions and more in order to become the latest Monsters Inc. employees! Open your door to the magic of Monsters, Inc. on Blu- ray for a movie viewing experience so funny it’s scary!

Monsters, Inc. features revolutionary, eye-popping animation and inspired vocal performances by John Goodman, as the lumbering and lovable Sulley, and Billy Crystal, as the wisecracking Mike Wazowski, two monsters employed by Monsters, Inc., the biggest scream processing plant in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it’s the monsters who are scared silly. Thinking she is dangerous and toxic, Sulley and Mike do their best to return Boo to her bedroom, but there are some monstrous hurdles in their way. Also featuring the delightful voice talents of Bonnie Hunt, Frank Oz, John Ratzenberger and Jennifer Tilly, Monsters, Inc. is frightfully fun entertainment families will want to enjoy over and over in Blu-ray Hi-Def.

Monsters, Inc. is a must-see family film that will appeal to audiences of all ages. With sharp writing, strong voicework, inspired animation, and an ingenious concept, it’s sure to be a go-to favorite in your household. Disney’s Blu-ray edition is another high definition winner. With a gorgeous video transfer, mind-blowing DTS-HD Master Audio track, and a generous collection of special features, Monsters, Inc. joins a growing catalog of high-quality high definition Pixar releases. Don’t miss the opportunity to add this one to your collection.

Features Include:

• Audio Commentary (Disc 1): Director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, writer Andrew Stanton, and executive producer John Lasseter dig into Monsters, Inc., its genesis, characters, storyline, and cultural relevance. Along with the requisite technical details, they briskly plow through the film’s themes and finer narrative points, making their analysis particularly engrossing and their informative discussion a welcome addition to this release.
• Director’s Introduction (Disc 1, HD, 2 minutes): Docter also appears before the disc reaches the main menu, giving viewers a quick overview of everything they’ll find in the Blu-ray release of Monsters, Inc.
• Filmmakers Round Table (Disc 1, HD, 22 minutes): Filmed at the Hidden City Cafe, the fabled Pixar hotspot, Docter, Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, and story supervisor Bob Peterson laugh their way through an amiable chat about their work at Pixar Studios, their contributions to Monsters, Inc., and the development and eventual release of the film. Both thoughtful and informative (and peppered with concept art, sketches, and early renders), this newly produced Blu-ray exclusive is well worth any fan’s time as it offers a personable introduction to the clever minds responsible for one of Pixar’s finest.
• Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan (Disc 1, HD, 12 minutes): A semi-promotional tour of the Monsters, Inc. attraction at the Disneyland Theme Park in Tokyo.
• For the Birds (Disc 1, HD, 3 minutes): Still one of my favorite Pixar shorts, this amusing animated gem involves a group of mean-spirited birds getting their much-deserved comeuppance.
• Mike’s New Car (Disc 1, HD, 4 minutes): Mike gives Sulley a tour of his brand new car in this fun short culled from the original DVD release of Monsters, Inc.
• Roz’s 100 Door Challenge (Disc 2, HD): An exclusive, interactive employee placement exam that finds the perfect role for applicants at the Monsters, Inc. facility. However, it’s more of a trivia game than a personality quiz, so the setup is a bit misleading.
• Story Featurettes (Disc 2, SD, 22 minutes): A quartet of pre-production featurettes. “Story is King” showcases the Pixar Story Department, “Monsters Are Real” gives the cast and crew a brief opportunity to discuss the monsters and their world, “Original Treatment” focuses on an early pitch for the film (one that features a version of the tale that pales in comparison to the final film), and “Back to Work” sees Peterson pitching a scene to the production team.
• Pixar Fun Factory Tour (Disc 2, SD, 4 minutes): John Lasseter hosts a tour of the “new” (now eight-year-old) Pixar Studios offices. It’s a bit bizarre and borders on random, but kids will probably get a kick out of it.
• Banished Concepts (Disc 2, HD, 10 minutes): A collection of five abandoned scenes that open with an introduction by co-directer Lee Unkrich. Some of the deletions feature finalized animation, but most are comprised of animated storyboards and early pre-viz inserts.
• Storyboard to Film Comparison (Disc 2, HD, 16 minutes): Watch a single scene’s original storyreel, its finalized rendering, or in a split-screen comparison of the two.
• Designing Monstropolis (Disc 2, SD, 5 minutes): Another initially awkward featurette with co-director David Silverman (on a scooter, no less) that nevertheless manages to effectively explore the efforts and ideas that produced Mike and Sulley’s city.
• Set Dressing (Disc 2, SD, 3 minutes): A dry look at the virtual props and cameras used to bring several Monsters, Inc. locales to animated life.
• Location Flyaround (Disc 2, SD, 7 minutes): This series of extended environment pans and 360 degree interior spins show off some of the film’s streets, rooms, and locations. The quick tours would have been great had they been presented in high definition, but the animators’ finer textures and more minute details are lost in the featurette’s standard definition haze.
• Monster File (Disc 2, SD, 7 minutes): A two-part EPK that introduces the film’s monsters, delivers interviews with the voice actors, and looks at the animators’ character designs.
• Animation (Disc 2, SD, 26 minutes): Six segments are included. “Animation Process” explains how Pixar produces its films, “Early Tests” finds Mike and Sulley models being run through their paces, “Opening Title Animation” touches on award-winning illustrator Geefwee Boedoe’s title sequence, “Hard Parts” reveals the challenges the filmmakers faced, “Shots Department” shows how the animators spot-checked tricky hair and fabric shots, and “Production Demonstration” allows viewers to watch a scene develop through four stages of animation: storyreel, layout, animation, and final color.
• Music & Sound (Disc 2, SD, 7 minutes): A pair of featurettes that examine the film’s sound design and Billy Crystal and John Goodman’s rendition of “If I Didn’t Have You.”
• Release (Disc 2, SD, 17 minutes): This section includes footage from the film’s premiere, two theatrical trailers, four TV spots, an overview of the changes made to accommodate international releases, a multi-language clip reel, a merchandising featurette, and the outtakes that appeared during the theatrical release’s credit sequence (thankfully presented in high definition). Of note, the HD outtakes are actually about five-and-a-half minutes long, not seven as it states in the features menu.
• Monsters Only Section (Disc 2, SD, 12 minutes): A few additional featurettes from the standard DVD round out the main package. “New Monster Adventures” offers a collection of TV vignettes, two non-interactive animated activities produced for a Japanese television show, and a “If I Didn’t Have You” music video; “Behind the Screams” is an interview with Mike and Sully about their work for the company; and “Orientation” serves up a trio of animated videos — “Your First Day,” “History of the Monster World” (drawn and narrated by animation legend Bud Luckey), and “Welcome to Monsters, Inc.” — created for new Monsters, Inc. employees.
• Wrap-Up (Disc 2, SD, 1 minutes): A farewell from the filmmakers.
• Art Gallery (Disc 2, HD): Nearly 900 pieces of concept art — including character designs, color tests, early renders, and more — make this a thoroughly extensive art gallery.
• Video and Audio Calibration Tools (Disc 1, HD)
• Standard DVD Version of the Film (Disc 3, SD)
• Digital Copy of the Film (Disc 4, SD)
• BD-Live Functionality

·       “Up” is the 10th film from Pixar Animation Studios, and the first Disney•Pixar film to be presented in Disney Digital 3D™.

·       Nearly 70 animators worked on “Up” during the peak of production.  A crew of nearly 375 at Pixar had a hand in creating the film.

·       Supervising Technical Director Steve May and his team created a canopy of 10,297 balloons to float Carl’s house throughout much of the film.  That number more than doubles to 20,622 for the dramatic scene in which the house lifts off from its foundation for the first time. May and his team calculated that about 26.5 million balloons would be needed to lift a real house.

·       Paradise Falls, Carl’s dream destination in the film, is based on Angel Falls in Venezuela (the tallest waterfall on Earth at 3300 feet).  In the film, for artistic reasons, Paradise Falls is far taller at 9700 feet.

·       Director/Screenwriter Pete Docter, Co-Director/Screenwriter Bob Peterson, and other key members of the “Up” production team took a research trip to Venezuela to explore the “lost world” of the Tepui tabletop mountains.  The crew climbed one mile straight up to the top of Mount Roraima (the highest and most famous of the 115 mesas), and were then helicoptered to Kukenan.  The intrepid Pixar explorers encountered deadly ants, poisonous snakes, scorpions and miniature frogs during the trip.

·       John Ratzenberger is the only actor to voice a role in all 10 of the Disney•Pixar films. In addition to his latest role as Construction Foreman Tom in “Up,” he provided the voice of the charming and witty Hamm the piggy bank in “Toy Story” (reprised in “Toy Story 2” and the upcoming “Toy Story 3”), P.T. Flea in “A Bug’s Life,” Yeti the snow monster in “Monsters, Inc.,” a school of Moonfish in “Finding Nemo,” a philosophical character named Underminer in “The Incredibles,” a Mac-truck in “Cars,” Mustafa, the head waiter in “Ratatouille,” and John, a human living aboard the spaceship Axiom in “WALL•E.”

·       Carl is the most complex human character ever created by Pixar.  His design is symbolically and literally square, three heads high.  In contrast, Russell is basically egg-shaped and round. 

·       Russell has more layers of clothing than any other Pixar character — a shirt, a sash covered with badges, a neckerchief and a backpack.  

·       More than 450 kids read for the part of Russell. Jordan Nagai, the voice of Russell, had not planned on auditioning for the role.  He accompanied his brother, an actor with some commercial and TV credits, and was asked to try out on the spot. 

·       Kevin was the hardest character for Character Supervisor Thomas Jordan and his team to design.  This 13-foot flightless bird is covered with beautiful iridescent feathers, which required a new approach to hair technology.  The team approached feathers as hair growing on splines, which basically react much like hair itself. 

·       Pete Docter voices some of the bird noises for Kevin in “Up.”

·       Director Pete Docter’s daughter Elie Docter provides the voice of young Ellie in the movie.  At age 7, Elie was tapped to do the scratch recording for the character.  While many other voices were considered, filmmakers ultimately cast Elie in the role.

·       Ellie’s presence in the film remains constant throughout with a special musical theme (written by the film’s acclaimed composer Michael Giacchino), and the color magenta, which came to represent her.

·       When Russell and Carl are served dinner by Muntz, Carl is actually served the scallop dish from “Ratatouille.”

·       The average amount of time required to render a single frame of film for “Up” was between five and six hours.  Some complicated frames took up to 20 hours.  For every second of film, 24 frames are required.

·       The film’s production and character design called for “Simplexity,” a simplified approach to complicated caricatures.  For example, Carl has no nostrils, skin pores or holes in his ears. 

·       Co-Director/Screenwriter Bob Peterson provides the voice of Dug, Charles Muntz’s misfit dog who befriends Carl, Russell and Kevin.  He also is heard in the film as Alpha, the leader of the pack whose collar translates his thoughts into speech.  Peterson previously voiced Roz, the sluggish dispatcher in “Monsters, Inc.,” and Mr. Ray, the determined teacher in “Finding Nemo.”

·       Stereoscopic Supervisor Bob Whitehill, who oversaw the 3D aspects of “Up,” views the film as one of the greatest 3D films of all time.  Using a “depth budget,” the 3D team worked to match the filmmakers’ “point of interest” with the “point of convergence” to give the film another visual cue to tell the story, while adding excitement and dimension to the adventure.   The film’s climactic airship battle, complete with dogs in biplanes, is one of the most exciting uses of 3D.

·       The number A113, which refers to John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton’s former classroom at CalArts, makes an appearance in every Pixar film. In “Up,” A113 is the courtroom number where Carl makes his court appearance.

·       In the sequence where Carl’s house first lifts off, the ball from short film “Luxo Jr.” can be seen sitting on the floor of the girl’s bedroom as the house goes by her window.

·       The Pizza Planet Truck, which first made an appearance in “Toy Story,” has made a cameo in nearly every Pixar film.  In “Up,” the Pizza Planet truck can be seen at the intersection when Carl’s house flies over the town. It’s also in the Fentons Creamery parking lot at the end of the film.

·       Russell’s favorite ice cream parlor in the movie is named after the real Fentons Creamery in Oakland, Calif. Director Pete Docter and Producer Jonas Rivera live nearby and frequent the restaurant and ice cream parlor with their families.

·       Pete Docter, who began his career as an animator, managed to find time to animate the last scene of the film where Carl and Russell are sitting on the curb eating ice cream together.  Pete handled the animation of Carl.

·       Director Pete Docter named Disney storyman and writer Joe Grant in the film’s dedication to the “real life Carl and Ellie Fredricksens who inspired us to create our own Adventure Books.” Grant was part of the 1937 team that created “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and wrote “Dumbo” and “Fantasia.” The mentor, friend and source of inspiration to Docter and countless others continued to work at the Walt Disney Animation Studios up until his death in 2005, one week shy of his 97^th birthday. 

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In this full-length adventure, a huge snowstorm leaves Mickey, Minnie and many other friends stranded leading Mickey and his guests at the House of Mouse to whip up an impromptu party that includes instilling a “Humbug”-quacking Donald Duck with the holiday spirit. Everyone shares their home movies and even grumpy Donald starts to smile when they realize the “Best Christmas of All” is the one you share with friends and family.

Celebrate the season with Disney’s most popular holiday movie ever! Starring Mickey Mouse and 35 of the world’s most beloved characters, this one-of-a-kind adventure joyously captures the spirit of Christmas and is sure to delight the entire family. When a huge snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at The House Of Mouse, including Pooh, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel and many more of his old and new friends, break out the cookies and hot chocolate to help Donald mend his tattered Christmas spirit. The fun starts when Minnie pulls out their favorite holiday home movies and everyone starts to reminisce. Their magical memories soon put everyone in the Christmas mood — even grumpy Donald, who ultimately becomes the star of the evening. Featuring four unforgettable holiday tales, including The Nutcracker, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Donald On Ice and Pluto And The Christmas Tree, plus an epic finale of The Best Christmas Of All, this holiday treat is bound to become a tradition for you and your family.

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Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse is a fantastic holiday treat.  It has something for adult fans as well as younger audiences.  Just looking at the House of Mouse’s audience and trying to figure out where everyone is from is great fun in and of itself.  Additionally – and very importantly – the stories, new and old, are infused with the holiday spirit in a way Disney excels at.

Bonus Features Include: Premiere Episode Of HOUSE OF MOUSE, The Sounds Of Christmas — A Disney Sound Effects Featurette, Holiday Sing-Along Songs Deck The Halls and Sleigh Ride