One Year On: iMiss Steve

One year ago today, the world lost a truly special man. The man who helped create two of the biggest and most revered companies on the planet, the man without whom we wouldn't have Toy Story or the iPod, Steve Jobs truly was a genius.

Pixar existed (as the Lucasfilm Graphics Group) before Steve, but without his immense faith and funds, the studio would've gone under long before a deal was reached with Disney, in 1991, to make Toy Story. A man who saw what few else could, a visionary, and a man we all owe so much to. It's been a year since he tragically lost his battle to cancer at the unjustly young age of 56, but we're far from forgetting Steve Jobs. With two films about his life in the works, we're not done celebrating his achievements yet.

I'll leave you with Pixar CCO John Lasseter's comments from the tragic time last year:

"Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time."

RIP Steve, we still miss you, and we always will.

Despicable Me 2 Teaser Trailer

Ahead of the US release of The Lorax later this week, Illumination Entertainment have released a short teaser trailer for another of their upcoming films: the sequel to their first, immensely popular, animated film, 2010's Despicable Me.

The short teaser trailer (above) reveals no plot points, or really anything new, instead offering us up arguably the biggest hit in the original, the Minions, singing a Beach Boys song. Nonetheless, it does a good job of slowly building the hype, after all 2013 is a long way off yet, and if it's anything like the original, Despicable Me 2 promises to be great!

We also get the first new, also Minion focuses, poster the sequel (below).

Via Empire.

I Called It - Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots

Well, kind of saw something like this coming... following on from a recent string of iPod game/animated film mashups such as Angry Birds Rio and Doodle Jump Hop, we know get Halfbrick and DreamWorks' contribution: Fruit Ninja Puss in Boots.

Personally, I guessed at Fruit Ninja Kung Fu Panda, but I was kind of right, it was a predictable move, but nonetheless, it looks pretty good.

Halfbrick never do anything half way, their games are always brilliant, wonderfully thought through and a pleasure to play; in addition to Fruit Ninja, Halfbrick is also the studio behind Monster Dash, Age of Zombies and, recently, Jetpack Joyride. All brilliant and well reviewed games that frequent the 'Top Paid Apps' section of the iTunes App Store and this game looks set to continue that tradition.

The new game is due to be released on October 20 and to promote it we have the above video, introducing us to some of the new features in the game, including all new 'Bandito' mode, consisting of several challenge levels, including the MONUMENTAL addition of the tomato. In addition to 'Desperado' mode - a rehash of Classic mode.

The game, redesigned to help promote DreamWorks' next feature film, hits the App Store in 10 days.

RIP Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011): Visionary, Genius and The Apple of our i

Today, the tragic news broke that Pixar and Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56.

Steve added so much to the world, in terms of electronics, home computers and, due to his financing of Pixar from 1986 until the Disney merger, animation. But, alas, Steve, who had been ill for a while, after recently stepping down as Apple CEO, passed away late last night.

The world has been abuzz with condolences and well wishes to the family of Steve and messages remembering the visionary. The Apple website features a tribute to the late, great Steve Jobs, as well as a message on the Disney/Pixar Facebook page, from CCO of Disney and Pixar Animation, John Lasseter:

"Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time."

In addition, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, said the following of Jobs:

"Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. 

"Steve was such an 'original,' with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original."

The world truly has lost a true visionary and our deep condolences and thoughts go out to all of Steve's family and friends and everyone whose lives were enriched by him.

Pixar Head Honcho John Lasseter on Vanity Fair New Establishment List

John Lasseter, the creative genius behind Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, has been honoured by Vanity Fair as one of the most influential people in the world. The Pixar CCO is ranked at number 8 on the Vanity Fair New Establishment List, one above Lady GaGa.

Sharing the top ten spots with Lasseter are Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerbeg (#1), Google co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin (#2) and representetives of Amazon (#3),  Apple (#4), Twitter (#5) and more.

Ranked above such huge public figures as J.K. Rowling and Tim Burton, this is certainly a huge honour for the director of Toy Story.

Via The Pixar Blog and The Pixar Times.

Cars 2: The App Review - A High Speed, High Octane Blast

Cars 2, Pixar's latest feature film, has been received to very mixed reviews from critics, however, it's holding it's own on the Box Office front. Cars merchandise has always sold like wildfire, as such games dedicated to it are inevitable, however, film tie-in games are notoriously shoddy and poor quality. However, Cars 2 - The App, released by Disney Mobile, is a surprisingly good and fun game.

Angry Birds Rio

I've just found some of the strangest animation new in a while, Angry Birds Rio! The above trailer was just posted on the official YouTube channel for Blue Sky Studios' Rio as well as on the Rovio Mobile page, announcing a cross over game between iPhone smash hit game, Angry Birds, and upcoming animated film, Rio.

The trailer looks great, I don't know what they can do to make this game specifically Rio-ish, short of making Blu an Angry Bird.

Well, let's just wait and see, meanwhile let me know if you see Fruit Ninja Kung Fu Panda anywhere!