Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #8: Make Mine Music (1946)

By Munir Abedrabbo.

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #7: The Three Caballeros (1945)

With the War over but the financial difficulties not, Walt continued with the anthology films for the remainder of the 40s. The first non-Latin American anthology film was Make Mine Music, and unfortunately it's one of the weakest of the six. Narrating the shorts with different musical rhythms and popular singers of the time, Make Mine Music is a mixed bag of good shorts (The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met, Peter and the Wolf, All the Cats Join In) and dull ones (Without You, Casey at the Bat) that ultimately fails to impress and creates an unsatisfying experience for the viewer. It doesn't help that an entire segment (The Martins and the Coys) was completely removed from later home video releases. Rating: 3/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #9 Review: Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

Possible Plot For Brad Bird's Tomorrowland Revealed

Brad Bird is churning away on his super-secret project for Disney. Previously titled 1952 and based on a collection of bits-and-bobs stored away in a box within the walls of Disney, the film is being written by Prometheus/Star Trek Into Darkness scribe, Damon Lindelof; Bird and Lindelof are both producing. Towards the end of January, we found out that the film is now officially called Tomorrowland, and speculation ran rampant over what that might entail. Well, provided these new rumours are moderately accurate, the film just became a lot less mysterious...

Aardman News 12 - No Pirates! Sequel in "The Foreseeable Future"

Briefly, some disheartening news for Aardman fans from mid-January that I just noticed now: Peter Lord, the director of the Oscar-nominated The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists, said that the planned sequel is not happening.

Munir Reviews Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men: The Flipbooks

By Munir Abedrabbo.

The Nine Old Men are arguably the most revered group of people in all of Disney Animation, and one of the most famous in animation history. They have been responsible for creating many of the most indelible characters in the Disney canon. From Tinker Bell to Aurora, from Maleficent to Shere Khan, their animated creations are nothing short of spectacular. Their legacy has not only enchanted moviegoers throughout the years, but also influenced many animators that are now considered legends in their own right. It's also very important to remember that not only were they exceptionally talented animators, but they excelled at innovation too, creating many techniques that are now standard in the medium. With all these accolades, an homage was long overdue and, fortunately, the Walt Disney's Nine Old Men: The Flipbooks collection is a wonderful way to celebrate their beautiful art.

Rich Moore Talks Wreck-It Ralph 2

Late in January, Rich Moore spoke to The Huffington Post about all things Wreck-It Ralph: the production of the film, his reaction to its Oscar nomination and a few more teases about the possible sequel.