This Week on A113Animation (24th - 30th June, 2013)

While news wasn't particularly heavy this week, we did have a lot of cool blog content for you. As well as the 24th week of Munir's Disney Retrospective, we had the 2nd week of Damien's final Futurama countdown; Mayra reviewed My Neighbor Totoro on Blu-ray; I posted an list of 5 animated sequels that should get made; not to mention that episode 2 of the A113Animation Podcast finally came online. That, in addition to a trailer, some clips and featurettes, more release date news and some good ole Pixar stuff, mean this was still a pretty fun week here on A113Animation.

5 Animated Films That Should Have Sequels

Animated sequels have long been in effect - some for good, some for bad. Here's the five that should
 get made.

We live in a world where sequels are an inevitability; if a film does quite well at the box office, it's general practice that it'll get a sequel, hence why we're at the stage where we hear chatter about 22 Jump Street, Independence Day sequels and more (you know Warner Bros. begged Christopher Nolan for an Inception sequel). More topically, we have animated sequels, prequels and spin-offs coming out the wahzoo: Monsters University, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Despicable Me 2 and the Cars spin-off Planes are all due this year alone, with films like How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hotel Transylvania 2, Rio 2 and Finding Dory in the pipeline for the next few years.

Things don't always pan out exactly as we'd like them to, though, and we end up with The Smurfs 2 and Shrek 4, while films like The Pirates! languish alone. As such, I've compiled a list. A list of the animated films that should have a follow up, but in which the studios just don't seem interested. And yes, The Incredibles 2 is unsurprisingly on there.

So, in no particular order...

Ed Catmull Promises Fewer Pixar Sequels, "An Original Film a Year"

Pixar have been getting quite the reputation as sequel-mongers as of late; the bad rep comes from the fact that for 14 years they produced only one sequel, but have released a subsequent three follow-ups in the last 3 years. And of course Cars 2 didn't help matters (I very much liked the film, but it is unquestionably not as stellar as the studio's classics like WALL-E or Toy Story - a sign to many that quality was slipping over in Emeryville). While Brave has been the lone original film sandwiched between a sequel and a prequel in recent years, Pixar president Ed Catmull promises - as if their almost entirely original upcoming slate wasn't indication enough - that the studio is reining back on sequels again, but that they are still part of the plan going forward.

Futurama, A Swan Song - Week 2

Previously on Futurama, A Swan Song: Week 1. And now, another mini-review.

T.: The Terrestrial
One of the 7⁷ Wonders of the Future World

Plot
This week's episode, as made obvious by its title, is a full E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial parody. But this time around, it's Fry who gets abandoned on Omicron Persei 8. He befriends a young inhabitant of the planet; not Elliot, but Jrrr. Meanwhile, Bender tries to convince everyone on the Planet Express crew that Fry is back on Earth.
Review
The E.T. allusions were really fun to look for, and generally pretty funny. But the highlight of this episode for me was Bender using all sort of tricks to prevent the Planet Express crew from finding out about Fry's disappearance. That being said, I didn't think this episode was one of the show's best. I found the story not surprising enough; some moments were weird; and the ending wasn't very strong. But average Futurama is still better than most other animated TV shows.
Rating
7/10
Favourite Quote
Hermes: "It's up to everyone to get their partner back alive. Fry, you go with Bender. Amy, with Leela. And I'll go with… Uh…"
Zoidberg: "Screwed again, my friend!"

10 episodes left…

New Turbo Clips Show DreamWorks' Snail Pit Crew

DreamWorks have released a couple of new clips from their next feature film, Tubro, over the last couple of weeks, focussing on the team of snails that rally around the titular racer. They're both fun and well animated, but the "Pit Stop" one in particular is far too close to Pixar's Cars for my liking: a slightly odd group of strangers who become friends with a racer and then help him out, complete with pep talk, on the day of the big race... Sounding a little too familiar.

New Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Featurette Introduces Foodimals

A new featurette (via USA Today) for Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 introduces us to some of the many punnily-named food-animals - or, foodimals - that populate the succulent sequel.

Watch: Behind the Sound of Monsters University

SoundWorks Collection has got a great behind-the-scenes look at some of the unsung heroes of animated film; namely, the sound designers behind Pixar's Monsters University. The video breaks down one of the Scare Games challenges that the fraternities undertake in the film, and shows the complex, multi-layered process used to making the film sound as good as it looks.

Monsters University is out now in the US and hits UK cinemas on 12th July.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #24: The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Make Sure You've Read: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Dark Era (1981-1988) Introduction

The Fox and the Hound was released in one of the most troubled times in Disney history. The 'Nine Old Men' retired and a new guard of animators (many of whom have since become legends in their own right) took charge of the studio, but that change didn't come easily. Don Bluth, one of the animators, frustrated with the lack of ambition and the way the studio was managed, quit and took a large number of the animation staff with him to form his own studio, which became Disney's main competitor during the decade. As a result, The Fox and the Hound was delayed, and, after spending more than five years in production, was released in 1981 without much fanfare. Since then, it hasn't become an undisputed classic but also hasn't been completely forgotten. The film is in the middle of the canon, neither revered nor hated, and it's likely it will stay that way. The story of Tod (a fox) and Copper (a hound), who became friends when they were supposed to be enemies, has some issues - mainly in the supporting characters, and a pointless side-story involving two birds and a caterpillar - but the emotional core of the central story is very well handled. Also, while the animation is not spectacular, some scenes are very powerful (including the Bear Fight, showcasing early work from the legendary animator Glen Keane) and will leave you satisfied. Like some of the films from the previous decade, The Fox and the Hound may not be a masterpiece, but it still has enough emotional depth to charm viewers of all ages. Rating: 3.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #25 Review: The Black Cauldron (1985)

Pictures of the Day: Infographics Break Down Prequels and Power

Today we've got two cool (and massive) infographics for you. To save on the length of this post, I'll just link you.

The first is in honour of Pixar's Monsters University and explores the ups and downs of previous Hollywood prequels, including The Phantom menace, The Godfather Part II and The Hobbit. Check out that mammoth infographic here.

The second explores "The Power Behind Your Favorite Films" and highlights the feasibility (or infeasibility, actually) of some of the big screen's most famous outings. Alongside Superman and Back to the Future, this includes three Pixar films' rather outlandish premises: WALL-E, Monsters, Inc. and Up (pictured at the top). Check that one out here.

Disney's Cinderella and Untitled Marvel Film Get Release Dates

It seems Disney are rolling out release dates for films that haven't been made yet, every week! Their live-action Cinderella has now been slated for a 13th March, 2015 release while another Marvel film has a date for 2016.

Studio Ghibli Releases Trailer for The Wind Rises

Finally! With one month to go until the Japanese premiere of The Wind Rises, Studio Ghibli has finally released a teaser trailer for the film. Unfortunately, because the trailer was released by Japanese TV networks, there are talking heads, and a lot of script around the edges clouding the screen. Below you will find two versions of the trailer, and hopefully one of them works for you.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Dark Era (1981-1988) Introduction

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective--Animated Classic #23: The Rescuers (1977)

After the legendary team known as the 'Nine Old Men' retired, a period of transition began at the studio, which unfortunately brought some problems to the struggling new team and to the films they were working on. While some historians and fans state that the 'Dark Ages' started after Walt's death, it was in most of the 80s that the problems were felt, not only by the animation department, but by the entire company. Many of the films released in this decade threatened the very existence of animation at Disney, and you can tell that most of them had troubled productions, as it shows in the final product. Still, problems and all, there are some bright spots in this era and the films were a prelude for greater things and times that would return the studio to its former glory.

My Neighbor Totoro Blu-ray Review

My Neighbor Totoro, while being one of Studio Ghibli's most important films, is also director Hayao Miyazaki's most universally iconic. Riding off the success of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Castle in the Sky (1986), Miyazaki decided to take a leap of faith and do something that would hit a little closer to home for him. Studio Ghibli's two previous films had garnered their success by playing to the public desires of animation at the time; magic, fantasy and futuristic plots and themes were extremely popular in Japan, and it was thought that anything else would prove to be a failure. But My Neighbor Totoro proved to be everything but a failure, eventually becoming a globally recognized figure, and being adopted by Studio Ghibli as their logo/mascot.

The A113Animation Podcast Episode 2 - Epic

Damien's absent this week, so Munir and I discuss Epic alone. There's some varied opinion on the film as I quite liked it and Munir... well, he didn't. We've also got a far more stacked news schedule than we had last time round, so, alongside a range of topics including Disney, Pixar, Brad Bird, Star Wars and WWE, we review Blue Sky Studios' Epic! Fans of Arrested Development won't be disappointed either, as we discuss season 4 of the show. Listen to the podcast for rants galore and to hear me utter the phrase "yolo and so forth".

Apologies for the background noise, we had some recording issues and sadly our limited recording equipment is showing, but we've done our best to edit most of it out. Hence the long wait. The episode is available on Podomatic now, and will be appearing in our iTunes feed and Stitcher playlist soon. Full show notes for the episode are below.

This Week on A113Animation (17th - 23rd June, 2013)

This week has brought some cool stuff. Pun intended. Disney finally thawed the ice on Frozen, their winter animated release by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, releasing some new stills and the first trailer for the film. We also got trailers for The Lego Movie and Free Birds. As well as some Marvel news, Pixar's Monsters University opened this week, so there's unsurprisingly some posts about that. For all that, your usual features (and a new one) and more, check out our weekly recap below.

Monsters University Becomes Pixar's Second Biggest Opener With $82 Million

Although it's not quite dazzling critics as previous, pre-Cars 2 Pixar films are accustomed to doing, Monsters University has got solid word of mouth and audiences seem to be loving it. So much so that Box Office Mojo predicts the film to have taken an impressive $82 million at the North American box office this past weekend. This ranks it as Pixar's second best opening weekend ever, behind only Toy Story 3's mammoth $110 million opening in 2010.

In addition, although the film is still to open in several international territories (here in the UK, for example), Monsters U did open in some (including Australia and South America), where it took another $54 million. This puts the film's worldwide total at an estimated $136.5 million after just a weekend. The monstrous prequel certainly looks set to be another huge hit for the studio, who opened at the American box office in the number 1 position for the fourteenth time.

Monsters University, directed by Dan Scanlon, hits UK cinemas on 12th July.

Robert Downey, Jr. Signed on For The Avengers 2 and 3

There has been an official update on Tony Stark's attachment to future Marvel films. We can all breathe now because... Robert Downey, Jr. has finally signed a new contract with Marvel!

The two-picture contract means that Downey Jr. will again play Tony Stark/Iron Man in The Avengers 2 and The Avengers 3.

The Avengers 2, which is being written and directed by Joss Whedon, is due to start production in March 2014, with a release date of May 2015.

Via Marvel.com

Futurama, A Swan Song - Week 1

Foreword
As you probably know, Futurama is nearing its end - possibly forever, this time. But we at A113Animation won't just let this brilliant animated sci-fi show go. Not that easily. Not without a proper goodbye. This is why we will be mini-reviewing each new Futurama episode in the upcoming weeks. Until it's all over.
The last season debuted this Wednesday on Comedy Central, with two new episodes. Here is what we have to say about those (mild spoilers ahead).

New Story Details on The Good Dinosaur, Big Hero 6, Captain America 2 and More!

JoBlo recently exclusively announced, via "a trusted and reliable source from a recent marketing event", a horde of Disney film news directly concerning at least four projects that we here at A113Animation are very excited about.

Watch: Free Birds Trailer

This is the first time we've mentioned Free Birds (formerly Turkeys) on A113Animation, and likely the last. The film occurs from the flawed thought that American audiences want to feel guilty about eating Turkey on Thanksgiving, and achieves that by sending time-travellin' turkeys Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson back in time 400 years to the first Thanksgiving.

Monsters University Stars In the Focus

Although the stars of Monsters University are really the creative and animation forces behind the film's production, the famous faces who lend their voices to it give the film quite a lot of clout too. As such, Billy Crystal and John Goodman, the voices of the scaring duo of Mike and Sulley, have been making their rounds doing promotion for Monsters University too.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #23: The Rescuers (1977)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #22: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

The best film of its decade, The Rescuers is also an underrated classic and one which deserves far more attention than it currently receives. Not only is the animation better and more inspired than in previous offerings, but the story packs much more heart and the characters are strongly characterized by a wonderful voice cast (led by Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor) and great character animation from veteran animators like Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. This is also the last film the “Nine Old Men” worked on before retirement (they helped a little in the transition with The Fox and the Hound but this was their last full job) and like The Jungle Book was Walt’s swan song, this wonderful little film is the proper goodbye from the studios’ top artists. Not only do you care about these little mice and their quest to rescue a young orphan, but you will also be very entertained by action-packed scenes, humorous moments and touching scenes. The 70s may not have been the brightest decade in the studios’ history, but The Rescuers is certainly one of the brighter spots from this era. Rating: 4.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #24 Review: The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Watch: "Block"-buster Trailer for The Lego Movie

Warner Bros. unveiled the teaser trailer for the first film in its rejuvenated animation plan today. Directed by Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs's Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, The LEGO Movie focuses on an average-joe Lego by the name of Emmet (voice of Park and Recreation's Chris Pratt) fighting to save the world from bad guys Will Ferrell and Liam Neeson.

French Animation, Chapitre 5 - The Illusionist

Previously: Ernest & Celestine

What is it? 
Helmed by Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets of Belleville), The Illusionist is based on a script written by French filmmaker/actor Jacques Tati. The famous director allegedly wrote the screenplay in an attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter, and intended to shoot a live-action film out of it. But he never did, and the script ended up many years later in Sylvain Chomet's hands, who chose to do it as an animated film, because the very idea of someone stepping into Tati's shoes for the role of the main character was absurd to him.
The story, set in Scotland, focuses on the relationship between an illusionist and a girl who thinks he really is a magician.

John C. Reilly for Guardians of the Galaxy!

This news is late to appear on A113, but it's still very relevant to post. John C. Reilly has joined Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy!

[UPDATED] Watch: First Frozen Teaser Trailer

Disney have finally thawed the ice on their winter animated release, and the first trailer for Frozen is now online. Following directly on the back of the stills we saw from the film yesterday, this first trailer (just a teaser, actually) shows reindeer Sven and snowman Olaf competing for Olaf's carrot nose.

The animation is stunning, the music is fun and the teaser is generally very funny, but, this late in the game, I really would have rather saw a full length theatrical trailer from Disney. Hopefully they'll be quicker off the mark getting that out than they have been with the teaser.

Disney Release 5 New Frozen Stills

Hallelujah! It's the day we've all been waiting for: Disney are marketing Frozen! Strangely, admittedly, the studio has taken to weather.com, with the tagline "Feeling hot? Think Frozen." But who cares about the unconventionalness of the advertising, because the Mouse House rolled out five stunning new images from their 53rd animated feature film!

Editorial: "Kiddie-Fare": Why Animated Films Need to Be More Than Just 'Fun'

With the recent releases of The Croods and Epic, I think it's time to reflect on a nagging question that keeps bothering animation enthusiasts around the world: Why isn't animation taken more seriously? After all, animated films are almost guaranteed moneymakers for studios. One animated film can expand into sequels and endless merchandise that turn into billions in profits. Gone are the days when we had one animated films every three years or when we just have one or two animation studios in the world. No, now almost every major studio has an animation division and they're not releasing one animated film per year but two or even three. We are saturated with animated films and yet, when awards season comes, animation almost never receives the recognition it deserves. I mean sure, we have a Best Animated Feature Category and a Best Animated Short category; we also have the Annies and other awards, but animated films get shut out in other categories like Best Director and, until recently, Best Picture.

This Week on A113Animation (10th - 16th June 2013)

Here we are, another week, another batch of animation news. Apologies for forgetting about last week's, but we've got a lot more this week to tide you over. We've got your usual fix of inexorable hordes of Monsters University clips, as well as the first reviews for the film, some heroes and Muppets thrown in, and a little bit about a budding animation war. Check out that, and more, here!

Turbo-tastic New Clips for DreamWorks' Snail-Racing Comedy

No, not that Turbo-tastic. DreamWorks have released 5 new TV spots for Turbo, their Ryan Reynolds-starring, kinda-like-Cars-and-Ratatouille, raicin' snail comedy. And, should this apply to you, you can watch the previous trailer in 3D too (here).

New Marvel Movies Announced

Disney have been on a roll this week with lots of news; it now appears that two new Marvel films have been scheduled for Phase 3.

Downey, Jr. with Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige.

The Muppets Sequel Renamed!

The Muppets sequel, previously titled The Muppets… Again! and currently in post-production, a has new title.

New Monsters University Clips Highlight Friendships and Characters

Here's two more new clips from Pixar's upcoming prequel, Monsters University. It's pre-established that Monsters U starts off with Sulley and Mike as rivals, obviously we know that they'll eventually become best buds, but this film tells the story of how they arrive at that state. The first new clip seems to show the first stage of that, at first reluctant, friendship.

Disney's Frozen Begins to Thaw: First Trailer in 5 Days!

Finally. Disney have finally turned their eyes towards marketing their winter animated release; they tweeted the above countdown earlier, promising the first trailer (although they bill it as just a "new" one) for Frozen in 5 days' time! Oh look at that, it'll be out just in time for Monsters University, it seems everything is coming together. Finally.

But is it too little, too late? This isn't only the first trailer, it's more or less the first non-leaked promotion material that we've seen for the film. Cynicism aside though, I can't wait! Frozen, which seems to follow in the fantastic footsteps of Tangled, is directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, scored by Christophe Beck and features music from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Disney's icy princess story hits on 27th November (US)/6th December (UK).

Fox Announces Colossal List of Animated Releases Up to 2018 - What's the Fallout?

Fox are gearing up for war, it seems. After Disney's ambitious 2016 - 2018 release schedule a couple of weeks ago, the studio, which distributes both DreamWorks' and Blue Sky's films, have announced an equally competitive release schedule, directly plonking down on the release dates on a rather high-profile Pixar films.

Kung Fu Panda Director Helming The Little Prince

Apologies for the latency of this post, but news broke earlier this week that Kung Fu Panda director Mark Osborne is directing an animated adaptation of the beloved, 70 year-old, children's book, The Little Prince.

Former Pixarian Gary Rydstrom Heads to Lucasfilm Animation; Brenda Chapman Talks

Word just broke today that longtime Pixarian, Gary Rydstrom, who was a sound designer on multiple Pixar films, directed Pixar shorts Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian and the wonderful Lifted, and was directing the hotly anticipated newt (so that's still a no then?) is now directing an animated feature film for Lucasfilm Animation! You may recall that was where Brenda Chapman headed after her Pixar exit last year (although she now works for DreamWorks), and it was from said Brave co-director that the news emerged.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #22: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #21: Robin Hood (1973)

Not really a full-length film, The Many Adventures is one of the most charming and sweet films that has come from the studio. Merging three Pooh shorts (some made during Walt’s lifetime) “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree”, “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day” and “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too” into one film (additional animation was added to help the story flow smoothly), the Disney animators created a unique film with wonderful minimalistic animation and endearing stories. Due to the fact that these were shorts, the story feels episodic with Pooh jumping from one adventure to another, but that's hardly a distraction and your enjoyment won’t be tampered. The voices are top-notch and the Sherman Brothers songs only add to the film’s enchantment. The Hundred Acre Wood had never been so magical. Rating: 4.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classics #23 Review: The Rescuers (1977)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson for Quicksilver in The Avengers 2?

We've posted before about news of brother-sister act Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch joining The Avengers 2, it now appears that Marvel are looking to cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) as Quicksilver.

This news comes quite soon after Bryan Singer announced Evan Peters (also from Kick-Ass) will play Quicksilver in X-Men Days of Future Past, where the cast list seems to be forever growing, despite the fact the film should be finished production soon.

Early Monsters University Reviews Are Really Rather Positive

Pixar have had a rather rough time of it as of late. Cars 2 was what it was, I think it was very fun and entertaining, but, as people frequently cited, not quite up to the level of films like Toy Story or Ratatoulle; Brave had some directorial trouble, (but was still great) the critical problems it faced were critics still bitter over Cars 2. It's ironic, then, that the film which seems to have restored most critics' griping is in fact another sequel. Well, prequel.

DreamWorks' The Croods Pulled from China for Making Too Much Money

We here at A113Animation liked The Croods, it was fun, it was meaningful and it looked fan-bloody-tastic. Apparently the Chinese liked it too, so much in fact that the Chinese government didn't. The Hollywood Reporter says that government authorities pulled the animated family romp two weeks ahead of its previously scheduled end of the film's run.

DreamWorks Heading Down Under to Make Larrikins

DreamWorks have a heck of a schedule at the moment: sequels including How to Train your Dragon 2, Kung Fu Panda 3 and Puss in Boots 2, original films like B.O.O. and Trolls, and musicals like Mumbai Musical, are all on the way. And a few days ago, they announced another film on the horizon, Larrikins.

New Despicable Me 2 TV Spots Online

Just over a week ago, three new, genuinely interesting and actually exciting clips for Illumination's to their 2010 original, Despicable Me. These twenty second, quick-cutting clips focus on Gru, three girls in his care, a lot of action, and a budding romance with Kristen Wiig's Agent Lucy Wilde. One such spot is above and the other two are just below.

Disney Reveals Poster for Get a Horse; Release Date and Plot Synopsis Announced

As we've heard previously, Disney are set to release a new Mickey Mouse short, Get a Horse!. Today, the House of the Mouse revealed a nice new poster for the film (above). More details below.

New Character Images for Studio Ghibli's The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises is due to debut in Japan on July 20th, and all we've had to go on are four beautiful posters, but no trailer, or even stills. Until now. No, we still don't have a trailer but now we have snapshots of the cast of characters... as well as those providing the voices. This last part is very interesting as we now can see where the animators have gotten their inspiration for the character designs.

Monsters U Bits: Nathan Fillion, Clips and Concept Art

Here's a shocker: Once again, Disney and Pixar are besieging us with endless Monsters University bric-à-bra. Be warned when watching and reading things here; if you don't want to indulge in any spoilers, then run while you still can. Okay? Then let's proceed.

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #21: Robin Hood (1973)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #20: The Aristocats (1970)

Perhaps the weakest film of the entire decade, Robin Hood nonetheless succeeds thanks to a strong cast of characters and the charm of the film’s hero. Due to economic difficulties, most of the animation in the movie is recycled from previous Disney movies. Little John is a cardboard copy of Baloo (including the voice, provided by Phil Harris), Sir Hiss is a shorter version of Kaa (with the same hypnotic powers) and the dance sequence in the forest is a mixture of Snow White, The Jungle Book and The Aristocats. However, if you can see past that, the movie offers plenty of charm and action to entertain the whole family. The voice cast is superb, especially Peter Ustinov in the role of the villainous Prince John, which is easily the best character in the movie. Robin Hood himself is also a charming lead and Maid Marian is a suitable ‘damsel in distress’. The animation, as most of it is recycled, is one of the most uninspired efforts from the studio, but even that has some unique charm. There are many gags, but the humour is a tad uneven and not nearly as funny as The Aristocats. Robin Hood is not one of the studio’s top offerings, but is charming enough to at least warrant a look. Rating: 3.5/5.

Next Week: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Munir's Epic Review: Not So 'Epic' After All

*This review contains mild spoilers*

Blue Sky Studios have been making films for over a decade now, but they've never have truly created a truly great great film. I mean, sure the first Ice Age is funny, has heart and some great characters but after their promising start they they've been going downhill ever since. Robots is as cold as the metal that the characters wear, the Ice Age sequels are derivative and less and less funny which each passing, Horton has its moments and a valuable lesson but the main character is obnoxious (among other problems), and Rio is colourful and has some catchy songs but it feels overly long and the plot is a tad familiar.

(Another) New Monsters University Clip Teaches that "Drool is a Tool"

Unsurprisingly, Pixar are once again blitzing us with great trailers, promos and clips; today, another of the latter has popped up online, via The Wall Street Journal. The clip features Mike and Sulley in the class environment, setting up their feud, and being assessed by Alfred Molina's Professor Knight.

Great animation, vivid colours, funny jokes, and presumably only one of many; expect to see a lot more Monsters U promotional material in the near future, with the film officially opening in the US in about a week and a half.

The Little Mermaid to Hit UK Blu-ray Players Two Months Before US; Jungle Book Arrives in September

US cover art for the Blu-ray Diamond Edition Double Play;
no UK cover art as of yet.

Anyone out there outside of America knows the pain of Disney irritating staggered release dates. Disney's 28th animated feature, The Little Mermaid, is scheduled in the US for a 1st October release, and I'd long been under the assumption that Britons and Europeans wouldn't get a sniff of the now HD classic until at least early 2014. I'm happy to be proven wrong.

This Week on A113Animation (27th May - 2nd June 2013)

As you can tell from below, this week has been jam-packed with Monsters University clips, promos and even a new trailer; with about three weeks until the film hits the States, anticipation levels are rising quickly! We've also got Disney news out the wazoo, posters, stupid straight-to-DVD films, your weekly features and more! Check it all out after the jump.

Karen Gillan and Glenn Close for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has been busy adding new cast in the last few weeks, with Doctor Who's Karen Gillian and six-time Academy Award nominee, Glenn Close joining the team.