In this newest featurette, see the actual real life locations that were used to film the amazing new worlds of Canto Bight, Crait and Ahch-Too that will be seen in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” opens Thursday night!
Source: Star Wars
That didn’t take long! Looks like “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure’ has found a new home. “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” will make it’s television debut this Thursday at 8PM on ABC.
Just yesterday, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” was removed as the animated short before all theatrical showings of “Coco”. There had been rumors of complaints that the 22 minute length of the short was just too long for some that were there to just see the main feature, “Coco”. Disney’s official response was “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” always meant to be a limited engagement in theaters and that there was no issue.
But there is some good news for Olaf fans.
From ABC Action News:
“Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” is coming straight to your living room. The featurette is making its broadcast television debut Thursday, December 14 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
The special is a part of ABC’s “25 Days of Christmas” festivities.
“Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” just completed a limited theatrical run in front of Disney Pixar’s hit feature “Coco.”
Following the special, you can catch Disney Animation’s Emmy Award-winning holiday special “Prep & Landing” from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on ABC.
So what do you think? Did disgruntle audiences cause the demise of “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” in theaters or did Disney always have plans to premier the animated short on the small screen as part of “ABC’s 25 Days Of Christmas”?
Source: ABC Action News
China has released new individual character posters for Luke, Leia, Rey, Kylo Ren, BB-8, Poe and Finn from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”.
Source: Milners Blog
I can’t believe we are already in the last few weeks of 2017, where did the year go? If you had been on the fence about picking up a tee shirt this is the last chance to catch a sale before the end of the year. All tees in the store are just $14 so hurry over and pick out your favorites. The following are some of the biggest shirts from throughout the year!
Save Figment!
Make the Movie Ride Great Again Tee $14
Seven?!?
Tom Corless Mean Tweets
Watch this brand new trailer for Disney’s “A Wrinkle In Time”.
https://youtu.be/UhZ56rcWwRQ
From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” an epic adventure based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light.
Directed by Emmy(R) winner and Oscar(R) and Golden Globe(R) nominee Ava DuVernay from a screenplay by Oscar winner Jennifer Lee based upon the beloved novel by Madeleine L’Engle, “A Wrinkle in Time” stars: two-time Academy Award(R) nominee Oprah Winfrey, Oscar and Emmy winner Reese Witherspoon, Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peňa and introducing Storm Reid, with two-time Emmy winner Zach Galifianakis and Emmy nominee Chris Pine.
“A Wrinkle in Time” opens nationwide on March 9, 2018.
Source: Disney Movie Trailers
The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly explores the untold story behind “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”. EW has also released 4 different covers highlighting the duality and new alliances formed.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Luke really seems like the worst teacher ever in this new TV spot for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”. Yup. Something not right with Luke.
Source: Star Wars
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Disney Animation head John Lasseter is taking a leave of absence from Pixar after acknowledging “painful” conversations and unspecified “missteps”.
The following memo was sent out by Lasseter to employees at PIXAR:
I have always wanted our animation studios to be places where creators can explore their vision with the support and collaboration of other gifted animators and storytellers. This kind of creative culture takes constant vigilance to maintain. It’s built on trust and respect, and it becomes fragile if any members of the team don’t feel valued. As a leader, it’s my responsibility to ensure that doesn’t happen; and I now believe I have been falling short in this regard.
I’ve recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me. It’s never easy to face your missteps, but it’s the only way to learn from them. As a result, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the leader I am today compared to the mentor, advocate and champion I want to be. It’s been brought to my attention that I have made some of you feel disrespected or uncomfortable. That was never my intent. Collectively, you mean the world to me, and I deeply apologize if I have let you down. I especially want to apologize to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form. No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.
In my conversations with Disney, we are united in our commitment to always treat any concerns you have with the seriousness they deserve, and to address them in an appropriate manner. We also share a desire to reinforce the vibrant, respectful culture that has been the foundation of our studios’ success since the beginning. And we agree the first step in that direction is for me to take some time away to reflect on how to move forward from here. As hard as it is for me to step away from a job I am so passionate about and a team I hold in the highest regard, not just as artists but as people, I know it’s the best thing for all of us right now. My hope is that a six-month sabbatical will give me the opportunity to start taking better care of myself, to recharge and be inspired, and ultimately return with the insight and perspective I need to be the leader you deserve.
I’m immensely proud of this team, and I know you will continue to wow the world in my absence. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and look forward to working together again in the new year.
John
Rashida Jones is still credited as a writer on Toy Story 4, the next installment of the film series, but the actress and her writing partner at the time, Will McCormack, left the project early on after Lasseter made an unwanted advance. Jones and McCormack did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Disney declined to comment on the alleged incident, though a studio source said the departure was over “creative differences.”
Based on the accounts of former Pixar insiders as well as sources in the animation community, the alleged incident was not an isolated occurrence. One longtime Pixar employee says Lasseter, who is well-known for hugging employees and others in the entertainment community, was also known by insiders for “grabbing, kissing, making comments about physical attributes.” Multiple sources say Lasseter is known to drink heavily at company social events such as premiere parties but this source says the behavior was not always confined to such settings.
“Frozen” fans can now sing along with one of the newest songs from Arendelle. “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” a new 21-minute featurette, features four original songs written by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson. A lyric version of the featurette’s culminating song, “When We’re Together,” is now available on DisneyMusicVevo:
Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) teams up with Sven on a merry mission in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 21-minute featurette “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.” It’s the first holiday season since the gates reopened and Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realize they have no family traditions of their own. So, Olaf sets out to comb the kingdom to bring home the best traditions and save this first Christmas for his friends. Directed by Emmy®-winning filmmakers Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton (“Prep & Landing”), produced by Oscar® winner Roy Conli (“Big Hero 6”), and featuring a screenplay by Jac Schaeffer and four original songs by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” opens in front of Disney•Pixar’s original feature “Coco” in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017.
Source: DisneyMusicVEVO
I remember a time when Pixar made it known to the public that they were only interested in making animated films based on new and original stories. Pixar was adamantly against sequels. So, what happened? It just seems that Pixar has gotten lazy and gone for an easy buck with a built-in audience instead of taking risks and giving us the possibility of new classics. I can’t say anything bad about the “Toy Story” franchise, but did we really need two sequels to “Cars”, a prequel to “Monsters Inc.”, and a spinoff to “Finding Nemo”? Pixar’s biggest strength has always been finding great stories to tell and have their talent work their magic to make those stories come to life and create animated movies that are so memorable to us all, and that is why I am so glad that Pixar has given us “Coco”, a definite return to form for Pixar.
Going into “Coco”, I was concerned that this was going to be too similar to Fox’s animated movie, “The Book Of Life”. Although both of these movies focus on Día de los Muertos and the characters that inhabit the after life, they are both two entirely different movies and without question, “Coco” is by far the superior animated movie. There are some similarities to other films as well, and the one that came to mind right away for me was “Footloose”, but I definitely saw some of “The Corpse Bride” and maybe a little bit of “Back To The Future” in there too. But “Coco” is it’s own story and a very good one at that.
“Coco” tells the story of a young Mexican boy named Miguel, voiced by Anthony Gonzalez, who has a love and passion for music but his family has been opposed to music for generations. Music is banned in Miguel’s household and he must practice his guitar playing in secret. Without getting into spoilers, Miguel enters the world of the dead and meets a shady character, voiced by Gael García Bernal, who promises to help Miguel find his musical idol Ernesto de la Cruz, voiced by Benjamin Bratt in hopes that he can reunite him with his family in the world of the living.
“Coco” is a wonderful heartfelt story that follows in the traditions of other Pixar classics like “Finding Nemo” and “Up” in which it makes you genuinely feel many emotions by the end of the movie. I haven’t been choked up over a Pixar movie in a long time and I’m glad to see that feeling finally return. The best animated movies are ones that do not dumb down the story for children and in no way does “Coco” do that. This is a movie that both children and adults can enjoy, and I think that adults may enjoy it even more. There is a definite journey that occurs and it keeps you very interested throughout because clues start to emerge and you begin to realize that things might not be what they seem.
“Coco” just feels so authentic and the Mexican culture is very well represented. The world of the dead is so beautiful, with a mixture of impressive colors and designs, and wonderful traditional Mexican music. After watching the festival of Día de los Muertos, I did start to think that maybe we should celebrate the The Day Of The Dead. It seems like a wonderful way to remember our loved ones and to honor them in a very positive way. Death for most can be a morbid subject but I love that that this festival turns it into a celebration for both the living and the dead.
The voice acting was wonderful, especially by newcomer Anthony Gonzalez. You become very interested in his story from the very beginning and a lot has to do with his passion and enthusiasm that he displays voicing the character. And I loved Benjamin Bratt voicing the musical superstar, Ernesto de la Cruz. If there is one song that stands out in this movie it is his rendition of “Remember Me”, kind of like how My Way is tied to Frank Sinatra.
There are some minor parts that do drag at times, but by no means does it take away from the movie. This movie definitely has a lot of heart that is surely lacking in so many animated films. Just wait until you see the coming attractions before the movie for “Ferdinand”, “Sherlock Gnomes”, and “Duck, Duck Goose”. When you get a glimpse at what’s coming, it’s a bit of a relief knowing that you are about to watch a movie that is leagues above them when it comes to class and storytelling.
Which reminds me, I almost forgot the “short” before the film. “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” is a mini sequel to the animated Disney blockbuster, “Frozen”. Since I have been fairly positive for a change, I’m going to stick with that and say, if you love Olaf, you will like this short. But for 21 minutes, it’s kind of a long short. It’s basically Olaf being Olaf and trying to find a Christmas tradition for Anna and Elsa. One thing it has going for it is it brings back Kristen Bell and and Indina Menzel as Anna and Elsa. Being positive, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” is not a train wreck. It’s OK.
If you are looking for an original animated film that is fun for the whole family, with dazzling colors and wonderful authentic Mexican music, take them to see “Coco”.
I give “Coco” a 9/10.
