'Finding Dory' Review: On Why it's a Worthy 'Nemo' Sequel

Rarely is a sequel worthy of its predecessor. Sequels often disappoint us, because we enter them with big expectations and a pre-conceived idea of what this universe should be; of what the tone should be. The filmmakers are then faced with a dilemma:
- either stick to what has been done with the first film; that means keeping the same structure, tone, and facing the risk of repeating yourself; we'll call that the Home Alone 2 syndrome.
- or they do something completely different, unexpected, with the consequence of losing the fans of the first film. That's the Cars 2 syndrome.

Fortunately, there's also a third option. The one for the worthy sequel which finds the right balance between looking back and saying something new. On this spoiler-free review, I'll explain why I think Dory is a rare example of that kind of sequel.

Watch: The Two First 'Finding Dory' Clips are a Combination of Old and New

At less than a month of its US release, Disney is going all in with its Finding Dory promotion: a theme song last week, a trailer Tuesday, and the two first clips today. Watch "Totally Sick" and "Meet Hank" below.

Watch: The Hilarious Latest 'Finding Dory' Trailer is Here

Pixar released a new trailer for Finding Dory, the long awaited sequel to its 2003 masterpiece Finding Nemo. The new adventures of Dory, Marlin and Nemo are almost there, nearly 13 years after the first film; and you can get a taste of how hilarious, heart-warming and beautiful Finding Dory will be with the trailer below.

Listen to Sia Perform Finding Dory's 'Unforgettable'

Finding Dory is not out before 17 June (for the American audience at least), but you can listen to the theme song right now: Sia performed Unforgettable live it in the Ellen DeGeneres show. Watch it / listen to it below.

Watch: The First TV Spot for 'Finding Dory'

Finding Dory is almost there (it arrives on 17 June in the US - 29th July in the UK), and that's precisely how Disney named the first TV spot for the upcoming movie: She's Almost There; watch the 30-second promotional video - still featuring a good amount of new footage - after the break.

Meet New Characters from 'Finding Dory'

Some drawings of the new Finding Dory characters made their way to the internet before, but this is the first time we are seeing some of them as they'll appear in the finished movie. USA Today got some exclusive pictures for the otters (above), Becky the loon and Rudder & Fluke the sea lions.

The Latest 'Finding Dory' Poster Brings Back Memories

A few days after premiering a trailer for Finding Dory on her YouTube channel, Ellen DeGeneres, the voice behind the forgetful fish shared a poster for the upcoming Pixar film on her twitter account. See the full poster after the break.

Just Keep Watching This 'Finding Dory' Trailer

Here it is! The first full trailer for the Finding Nemo sequel was revealed on the YouTube channel of the Ellen DeGeneres show, and you can now have a glimpse at how Dory is going to get back to her long lost family. Watch the Finding Dory trailer below.

Six New Images From Toy Story of Terror! Show Off Combat Carl

We may not be getting a film from them in 2014, but Pixar are treating us this year. Last week we got a great trailer for the studio's first TV special, the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Disney stylise it as Toy Story of TERROR!), and this week we got six great new stills, showing off the half-hour special's array of characters old and new.

New Poster for Pixar's Toy Story of Terror TV Special

Pixar are voyaging into the realm of TV specials for the first time this Halloween, with the spooky Toy Story of Terror! (Ironic, of course, given that Toy Story itself started off as a planned half hour TV special continuation of their Tin Toy short film.) Entertainment Weekly have got a new poster for the special, which is set to premiere on ABC just before Halloween, on 16th October, at 8pm ET. Angus MacLane is directing.

"Heading to the small screen before Halloween, Toy Story of Terror features the gang taking a road trip to Bonnie’s grandmother’s house before everything takes an unexpected turn. On a detour leading them to a roadside motel, one of the toys goes missing, and the others find themselves caught in an eerie turn of events that must be stopped before they suffer the same fate," says EW's synopsis.

How are you feeling for Toy Story of Terror? Excited? Cautious? A little bit spooked?

Via Hypable

Michael Giacchino to Score Toy Story of Terror

Randy Newman has been the definitive Toy Story composer since the original feature film in 1995, but all of the Toy Story Toons have been scored by others: Mark Mothersbaugh scored Hawaiian Vacation; Henry Jackman, Small Fry; electronic artist BT, Partysaurus Rex; now, Film Music Reporter says, Pixar veteran Michael Giacchino is to score the upcoming Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror.

[UPDATED] First Look: Toy Story of Terror

In October of last year, Animation World Network announced that Pixar were working on a Toy Story Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror, that was due this October. Since then, we haven't heard a peep about the project. Until now.

New Small Fry Images and Interview With Director

Following on from the release of the first clip and look at Pixar's next voyage into the world of Toy Story, the Toy Story Toon, Small Fry, we get a couple more images courtesy of IGN. With The Muppets now hitting theatres in the US (although those of us in the UK will unfortunately have to wait until February 2012), audiences who go to see it will be treated to the 7 minute short, that sees Buzz left behind at a fast-food restaurant and the gang inadvertently taking home a happy-meal-like toy instead.

The images give us a sneak peak at the scaled down, toy characters and how they'll slot into the Angus Maclane directed short. Speaking of MacLane, IGN also managed to catch a few words from the Pixar veteran on the short, its voice cast (including Glee's Jane Lynch and Pixarian Teddy Newton) and its genesis, which is definitely worth a read.

Via The Pixar Times.

Short Fry Clip

With the release of Disney's The Muppets edging ever closer, after recently premiering, (although it, annoyingly, doesn't open until February over here in the UK), Disney and Pixar are looking to promote the Toy Story Toon that goes along with it.

Short Fry, the follow up to the Toy Story Toon, Hawaiian Vacation, (which showed with Cars 2) will be opening soon and, following on from some images and words from the short's director a few days ago, we now get a thirty-odd second clip. The short looks very funny and very good, as is to be expected from Toy Story and from Pixar; we also get our first proper look at Glee's Jane Lynch's character.

First Look at the Next Toy Story Toon

Disney's The Muppets, opening in cinemas very soon, is set to be preceded by the latest continuation of the Toy Story franchise, the Toy Story Toon, Short Fry. As such, Disney and Pixar have released a couple of images from the short film, giving us a flavour of its story, to promote Pixar Canada's first Toy Story short.

USA Today gives us one image (above), and Stitch Kingdom provides us with another (below). The plot of the short is a retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, when Buzz is accidentally swapped for his Happy Meal toy equivalent. The images also provide us with our first look at the pint-sized Buzz (voiced by Day & Night director, Teddy Newton, who also voiced Chatter Telephone in Toy Story 3) and Glee's Jane Lynch's character (the mermaid with her back to us below).

USA Today also has an interview with the short's director, Angus MacLane, who says, of the abandoned toys: "These toys' existence is about being really popular before the meal and then being totally forgotten about,".

MacLane also adds, of Buzz being Juxtaposed into the support group for these toys, that "There's something funny about having the action hero have to deal with something very mundane like escaping from an awkward social situation,". He also passes some comments on the short's voice cast and message.

Head on over there to read the whole interview. Thanks to The Pixar Times for the news.