UPDATED: Pete Docter AMA, Monsters, Inc. 3D Featurette and New Monsters U Images

The fantastic Pete Docter took to Reddit today, for an AMA (Ask Me Anything), answering questions about Pixar, his work past and present (including The Inside Out and Monsters, Inc. 3D), and some somewhat off-topic stuff. The Monsters, Inc. and Up director was cut off in mid-stream though, by an impromptu fire alarm at Pixar - which he reassuringly posted about upon his return:

Brave Blu-ray Review

Pixar have had a rough deal of it as of late. It seems as though people were determined to hate Cars 2 no matter what, so it never really stood a chance - despite being an actually really fun film. That attitude has led many to foreseeing the, entirely fictionalised and false, fall of Pixar, which ultimately led to some unnecessarily harsh reviews of Brave. Saying "if this was a DreamWorks or Disney film, it'd be great. But it's Pixar, and we expect better" and giving it a harsh score is stupid; if it's a good film, it's a good film. And Brave is a good film. Rant over, for more, read my review of the film.

Robert Zemeckis Updates Us On Roger Rabbit Sequel

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is fantastic. There are very few who would argue with that statement. There should be a Roger Rabbit sequel. I'd hazard a guess that there aren't all too many people who would argue with that either, and director Robert Zemeckis clearly wouldn't.

Brave Out Now on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK!

Fortunately, the wait for Pixar's thirteenth feature film to arrive on home video here in the UK hasn't been nearly as long as the wait we had for its arrival in cinemas, because Brave was released today on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK!

The film is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D - I got the 3D package, despite not having a 3D Blu-ray player, because it includes the normal 2D Blu-ray disc, and an extra 2D Blu-ray bonus disc (as well as the 3D disc) for only an extra £5! We'll have a full review up of the Blu-ray package later in the week.

After the less than stellar array of extras on the Cars 2 release, Brave is packed full of everything from behind the scenes featurettes, an alternate opening, filmmakers' commentary and a brand new short, The Legend of Mor'du. Be sure to check it out, it's great!

Related posts: Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Review

An Open Letter to The Walt Disney Company

Cc: Hollywood

To Mr. Rober Iger, Mr. Alan Horn and whomever else it may concern,

Let me preface this by saying I am a huge Disney fan, it formed my childhood, and it and its subsidiaries continue to shape my present and, hopefully, my future. That said, there is one particular area of Disney that I am not a fan of: excessively delayed 'foreign' release dates.

Monsters, Inc. 3D Review - See it With Your Own Eye!

*This review assumes you’ve seen Monsters, Inc. – if not, it contains spoilers.*

The latest Hollywood craze is 3D re-releases. Re-releases are nothing new, Walt Disney would frequently re-release his films – largely to recoup productions costs for films in production – but as 3D has become more and more a fixture in cinemas, studios increasingly opt to re-release their expansive libraries with an extra dimension. Titanic, Star Wars and The Lion King are just some of the big-name films to undergo this redubbing, with plans to release films like Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in 3D too. Fans don’t mind, not so much because they like 3D as because they love seeing these classic films back on the big screen. Of course, it’s always a benefit when the 3D is good as well.

Monsters, Inc. 3D Trailer

Finding Nemo 3D hits theatres (in the US) in 9 days, so advertising has begun to slowly turn towards Pixar's next 3D re-release: Monsters, Inc. 3D! The stereoscopic re-release of Pixar's 2001, Oscar-nominated classic arrives in theatres (again, in the US) on 19th December, and today iTunes Movie Trailers brings us the first trailer for it!

You can check out the trailer, highlighting the hilarious comedy of the Pete Docter-directed hit, embedded above, courtesy of Walt Disney Studios UK's YouTube channel.

With Nemo and this in 3D, and Brave recently out, this is going to be a very lucrative year for Pixar!

Monsters, Inc. 3D is due for a UK release on 18th January, 2013 - oddly before Nemo's due.

Also, if you're a big Monsters, Inc.fan, why not vote for it in our "Best of the Last Ten Years A113Animation Awards": Round Two, Group 2 poll to the right? Please also vote in our Group 1 poll on Facebook. Every vote matters!

Finding Nemo 3D Featurette

A new featurette for Finding Nemo 3D has appeared on the Walt Disney Studios New Zealand YouTube channel. The video (above) features Pixar head honcho, John Lasseter, Nemo director, Andrew Stanton, co-director, Lee Unkrich, and some of Pixar's 3D experts, Josh Hollander and Bob Whitehill, talking about the supposedly brilliant 3D on the re-release.

Although I'm very much in favour of re-releasing classic films in 3D - because it means we get to see them on the big screen again! - sometimes the transition doesn't work that well, particularly if it's a hand-drawn film; not a problem seemingly with Nemo. Finding Nemo really does seem the perfect film for the 3D treatment, the immensely detailed, luscious ocean and the vibrant characters will, literally, just leap off the screen; John Lasseter speaks enthusiastically, also, about the brilliant stereoscopic effect of the particulate matter.

For me though, the most exciting prospect is one stated by Andrew Stanton: "The biggest thrill of Nemo going 3D, is it's an opportunity to get a whole new generation of kids to see it like it was originally seen."

Finding Nemo 3D hits US cinemas on 14th September with the Toy Story Toon, Partysaurus Rex, and arrives in the UK on 29th March, 2013.

Related news: Ellen DeGeneres in Talks to Return for Finding Nemo 2.

Brave Blu-ray Special Features Listings

Disney issued a press release today, giving a breakdown of the exciting special features that will appear on the various edition Blu-ray releases of Pixar's latest feature film, Brave. Included amongst the director's commentary, deleted and extended scenes, and some other exciting bonus features, is the Brave-based short film we heard about a couple of days ago!

Check out the colossal list of special features for the Brave Ultimate Collector's Edition after the jump break!

Monsters, Inc. 3D Release Moved Up

With the release of its first prequel, Monsters University, fast approaching, Disney and Pixar have a tactical re-release of the 2001 original planned, Monsters, Inc. 3D. Originally intended for an 18th January, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter now informs us that the re-release has been shunted up to 19th December.

Though it's a bold move to move Monsters, Inc. 3D into the packed Christmas Holiday season - meaning it'll be competing against The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, part one of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings prequel - it is a smart move on behalf of Disney. It'll be competing against DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians, due on 18th November (30th November in the UK), but aside from that, Monsters, Inc. 3D would have the animation category entirely to itself. And following from Disney's Wreck-It Ralph at the start of November (15th February, 2013 in the UK), this promises to bring in huge Christmas Season receipts for Disney, and the beloved Pixar classic is sure to be a huge hit... again!

Finding Nemo 3D is due on 14th September (in the US, but much later - on 29th March, 2013 - here in the UK), so this means US fans get 3 Pixar films in cinemas this year - with Brave still out (just passing $200 million domestically) in the US and opening here in the UK on 17th August. Who knows when Monsters, Inc. 3D will arrive here in the UK though...

Monsters University is then is due on 21st June, 2013 in the US and 12th July, 2013 in the UK.

New Pixar Videos: Finding Nemo 3D Trailer and Brave TV Spot

Disney and Pixar continue to roll out the promotional videos for their 2012 releases: their latest feature Brave, and Finding Nemo 3D. Following on from the teaser trailer we got a few months back, Pixar have now unveiled the full-length theatrical trailer for the 3D re-release of Andrew Stanton's Academy Award winning 2003 release, Finding Nemo (above).

Well edited to focus on the parts of the movie that are sure to look great in Disney's solid 3D, as well as highlighting the beautiful, visceral animation that'll feel even more immersive, the trailer comes via Yahoo! Movies.



We're also treated to, yet another, video from Brave. The new TV spot (above), entitled "One Family", showcases the great family dynamic that is at the heart of Pixar's thirteenth feature film.

Brave hits US theatres on 22nd June, and UK theatres on 13th August. Finding Nemo 3D arrives in US theatres on 14th September (the day after my birthday) although who knows when it'll be released here in the UK; Beauty and the Beast 3D is only being released here now.

UPDATED: New 3D Simpsons Short to Precede Ice Age 4!

It was just announced last night that Maggie Simpson will star in her very own short film, "The Longest Daycare"! The short will show before Blue Sky Studios' (who're also owned by Fox) Ice Age 4 later this year. You can view a short promo for the short film above.

"The Longest Daycare" is touted as being in 3D, and hopefully this just means it will have stereoscopic 3D effects, and not that it's animated using CGI - it would just not look right for The Simpsons.

This is very exciting news for several reasons: it's Maggie's first starring role, it's the first Simpsons theatrical short film, and indeed the first Simpsons short film since 1989! If you weren't planning on seeing Ice Age 4 before, it's just became a must see.

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift hits cinemas on 13th July.

Via Cartoon Brew.

Update:

Entertainment Weekly's site sports a mini-interview with Simpsons Exec. Producer, Al Jean, about "The Longest Daycare", which gives us a sizeable about of information about the short.

Jean says:

"Jim Brooks thought we should do an animated short — a la the ones Pixar does before their features, a la the cartoons you used to see in the theater years ago — as a fun thing to give our fans. We just wanted to do this as a way of saying, ‘We appreciate how much people have stayed with the show and watched it for 25 years."

The EW article also tells us that the short sees Maggie returning to the Ayn Rand School for Tots (need reminded?) and that it'll be 4 minutes long and directed by David Silverman. It also seems that in the short (rather than as hoped above) the "3D" doesn't mean the film will be in 3D, rather that it will be animated using CGI. Meh, I'd rather see it animated in the normal Simpsons mould, but I suppose it will give it a different feel and it worked rather well for Looney Tunes.

Also, of note, Al Jean spoke briefly about the long speculated The Simpsons Movie 2:

“There are no immediate plans for a feature, although as you see with this, you never know. It certainly made us excited to think that if we did another feature, maybe 3-D would be the way to go.”

Be sure to read the full article here!

Update 2:

Pardon my misreading, the director of The Simpsons Movie and "The Longest Daycare", David Silverman, told us on Twitter "Nope! - its 3D not CG. Drawn like the show, but several levels of cleanup, using After Effects to create 3D."

Phew. Like I said, I'm sure it would've been good as CG, but it'll be so much better without!

Tangled Ever After Stills and Clips

Although there's still no UK release date in sight, Beauty and the Beast 3D is currently playing on limited release in North America, and the newly revitalised Tale As Old As Time is being preceded by an all new animated short, Tangled Ever After.

As such, to promote both the short film and, therein, Beauty and the Beast 3D, Disney has released a couple of stills (above and below) and a video clip (top) from the short. These all give us a glimpse at the story, in which Maximus and Pascal attempt to capture the ringsd in time for Flynn and Rapunzel's wedding; horses don't make great ringbearers.

Via Big Screen Animation.

Finding Nemo 3D Trailer

Disney's animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, returns to theatres stateside this Friday, now in 3D, as the next in a long lineup of Disney 3D re-releases. The film will be preceded by the trailer for the following Disney 3D re-release, that of Pixar's Finding Nemo.

The Academy Award winning tale of clown fish father and son, Marlin and Nemo, returns to theatres on September 14 (America, no sign of UK release dates yet) and the newest trailer (above) will premiere in awe-inspiring 3D from Friday onwards with Beauty and the Beast 3D.

Via The Pixar Times.

Tangled Ever After Clip

Disney have unveiled the first clip (above) from their upcoming short film, Tangled Ever After. The short, which is set to precede Beauty and the Beast 3D, is set after the events of Tangled and shows us Rapunzel and Flynn's wedding day.

The story of the short revolves around the hilarious animal sidekicks, Maximus and Pascal, losing the wedding rings and chasing them all over the kingdom, leaving "a trail of comical chaos" behind them. The short looks very funny and seems to focus more on the beloved animal sidekicks from Tangled.

You can catch Tangled Ever After in cinemas with Beauty and the Beast 3D from January 13 onwards (North America, UK release date not known yet).

Via Big Screen Animation.

The Tale as Old As Time is New Again - Beauty and the Beast 3D Trailer

A few weeks ago, we got a look at Disney's upcoming 3D re-release schedule, of Disney and Pixar classics that will be soon making their grand returns to theatres everywhere with an added dimension. The first of the four films to receive the 3D treatment is arguably Disney's most acclaimed classic, the only one of its films to be nominated for Best Picture, Beauty and the Beast.

The tale as old as time is due to return to cinemas, accompanied by the brand new Tangled short film, Tangled Ever After, this January (creepily, it's released on Friday the 13th, so I guess Disney aren't superstitious) in 3D. To help promote this, Disney rolled out the trailer (above) for the film's 3D re-release yesterday.

Although there are many critics of 3D, I'm sure we can all agree, that it doesn't matter the format, so long as we can watch Disney films, where they belong, on the big screen, once more.

The Lion King 3D Review - Adds an Extra Dimension to a Fantastic Film

The Lion King is really the jewel in Disney's cap. Though, in recent years, Pixar has overshadowed its parent company's animation division; Disney always lay claim to being the home of animation, to providing us with some of the greatest, most emotional, most popular and most widely beloved animated films of all time and, arguably, the greatest of the great is The Lion King.

The sweeping saga of Simba and his ascension to the throne and control over the pride lands encapsulates everything that is fantastic about Disney: brilliant characters, a great story, wonderful songs and real, genuine, nostalgic emotion, for a time in cinema where everything seemed that bit more magical. The Lion King was a substantial critical hit in 1994, which smashed records commercially - it still holds the place of highest-grossing traditionally animated feature film -, given that and the success of the straight to video sequels, it's no surprise that this 3D re-release has been smashing records and propelling it further up the totem pole, currently meaning it's worked its way up to the third highest grossing animated film of all time, behind only Toy Story 3 and Shrek 2. After a strong, box-office smashing, run in the US, The Lion King 3D is now open over here in the UK and if today was anything to go by, it's going to have a strong run here too, as the screen was packed.

The world is clearly happy to see one of Disney's most beloved classics back on the big screen in eye popping 3D, I, personally, was full of emotions and ecstatic during the entire film and I literally got goosebumps during The Cirlce of Life. Furthermore, there was a decidedly sizeable amount of singing along to all of the beloved songs throughout the film, rapturous laughter and emotional tears; showing, that this truly is one of the greatest animated films of all time!

Finding Nemo Blu Ray Trailer

Following on from the tragic news of Steve Jobs' passing, any Pixar news is going to have a melancholy tinge to it; however, this news is just jolly enough to cheer us all up a tad.

The long awaited Blu-Ray release of Finding Nemo is now approaching, and, as such, Disney have released the above teaser trailer for its first ever Blu Ray release.

Like Disney did with The Lion King, the Blu Ray release will perhaps follow the 3D re-release of the film next summer, and it's sure to look stunning.

Disney and Pixar 3D Re-Release Schedule

Disney have announced a slew of upcoming 3D re-releases on the horizon. Following the enormous success of The Lion King 3D over in the states, and, what I'm assuming will be a strong run over here in the UK when it opens on Friday, it's no surprise that Disney have chose to try and replicate this success with some of their most beloved classics.

As such, Disney announced in a press release yesterday that they will be re-releasing Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid as well as Pixar's Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. over the next few years, all in 3D.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast will hit theatres in 3D on January 13, 2012, Pixar's Finding Nemo will be released on September 14, 2012, with Monsters, Inc. coming back in 3D on January 18, 2013 - presumably to build hype for Monsters University later that year, in a similar vein to the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 double 3D feature to promote the release of 3 - and, finally, Disney's The Little Mermaid will open on September 13, 2013.

I've never been THAT big a fan of 3D in general, but love it in animated films, and, therefore, can't wait to see some of my favourite animated films back on the big screen in 3D.

Comic-Gone

Disney, Pixar and all other subsidiaries and affiliates will not be appearing at this year's Comic-Con. Instead, the companies major announcements will be made at this year's D23 expo.

D23, "the ultimate Disney fan event", is scheduled to take place in Anaheim, California, running from August 19 to 21, 2011. Major announcements from Disney, Pixar and Marvel will be made at Disney's own event, therefore they have opted out of this year's Comic-Con.

A floor schedule was recently released for the event, highlights of which (concerning Disney and Pixar animation, as well as Marvel) are below:


Saturday, August 20:

• The Walt Disney Studios —11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
  A fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse at the exciting roster of projects on the horizon at The Walt Disney Studios. From exclusive video clips and live performances to filmmaker discussions and star appearances, this session will be hosted by Rich Ross, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios; Sean Bailey, president, Production, The Walt Disney Studios; John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; and Kevin Feige, president, Production, Marvel Studios.
  
• The Lion King 3D Exclusive D23 Screening—6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
  Disney fans will have access to an exclusive advance screening of The Lion King in Disney Digital 3D™, ahead of the film's highly anticipated theatrical and home entertainment releases. "The Circle of Life" takes on a new dimension as Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa grace the screen once again, this time in breathtaking 3D.

Sunday, August 21:

• Marvel Comics —10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
  An exclusive and unprecedented experience that will take you through the evolution of Marvel from its first comic book in 1939 to its current position as one of the most important creative forces in the world. During this presentation, which will include interactive Q&A segments, you will not only get an inside glimpse of the history of Marvel and its iconic Super Heroes but also discover why Marvel truly is the House of Ideas. This session will be hosted by Joe Quesada, Marvel's chief creative officer and one of the most respected and sought after writers and artists in the entertainment industry.

The event promises to be amazing, highlights will surely be getting a glimpse at Disney and Pixar's upcoming animation slate (including the unknown 2013 Pixar project and Disney's Wreck-It Ralph), as well as an exclusive screening of the 3D conversion of The Lion King. You can apply for tickets on the D23 website.