Frozen Takes the Top Spot

Frozen is now the highest grossing animated feature film of all time surprise Toy Story 3. Frozen's final release in Japan made $50.5 million so far adding up a total of $1.072 billion surpassing $1.063 billion earned Toy Story 3.

Frozen, 2013

Frozen had success in a very broad range of things. It's soundtrack is being loved by people all around the world. It won Best Animated Feature and Best Song at the Oscars. Notably it is the all time highest grossing film of South Korea which made $76.7 million.

Review #20 | The Road to El Dorado

You might disagree with me but I enjoyed the movie The Road to Eldorado and think it has great comedy.

The Road to El Dorado, 2000

Tulio (Kevin Kline) and Miguel (Kenneth Branagh), a pair of two-bit con men, believe they have found their path to fortune and glory when they win a map to El Dorado, the legendary City of Gold. There’s only one problem—they’ve wound up locked in the brig on a ship of the Spanish explorer Cortes. After a daring escape, with the help of a clever war horse named Altivo, they manage to stumble onto El Dorado…only to find their troubles are just beginning.

The High Priest Tzekel-Kan (Armand Assante) proclaims them to be gods, plotting to use their fortuitous arrival to take power from the Chief (Edward James Olmos). To sustain the ruse and get the gold, Tulio and Miguel must enlist the aid of the beautiful native Chel (Rosie Perez), who matches them con-for-con. But time is running out, and even as they fulfill their dreams of gold, their friendship—and the very fate of El Dorado—hang in the balance.

 A wacky duo with energetic characteristics makes a good team and they are that very heart of the film. They bring comedy and the climax of the story. This movie is about those two men. I would say this is the movie that the characters were more appealing than the story.

It was fun watching how two individuals react when made ‘gods’ of El Dorado and what kind of character development they go through. The movie has its own distinctive mood and the music play a big role in it.

I have to say that I felt a little uncomfortable of the relation between Tulio and Chel. I thought it did was not appropriate for kids. Other than that, it is an enjoyable satisfying movie that shows the good comedy that can only be done by the richness of a traditional animated film.

Inside Outside Rating: 74%

Review #19 | Finding Nemo

It seems I haven't review any Pixar movies lately even though I am such huge fan of the studio. So I decided to watch Finding Nemo and give my review on the masterpiece.

Finding Nemo, 2003

In this stunning underwater adventure, with memorable characters, humor and heartfelt emotion, Finding Nemo follows the comedic and momentous journey of an overly protective clownfish named Marlin (voice by Albert Brooks) and his son Nemo (voice by Alexander Gould) -- who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef when Nemo is unexpectedly taken far from his ocean home and dumped into a fish tank in a dentist's office. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory (voice by Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly-but-forgetful Pacific regal blue tang, Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son -- who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.

What I like about Pixar movies is the quality of storytelling. Finding Nemo is a clever written story that must has been polished multiple of times. The rest just follows into the story. The movie has its climax and it becomes very emotional and shows great truth that we all can learn from.

It captures the perfect father to son relationship in a massive scale. The scale of this movie is so big, the team just pushed and pushed. Although it lacks humor and sometimes gets a little tiresome, it is all together so wonderful and makes you want to cry.

This is one of the examples of how a masterpiece should look like, a complete well written story with memorable characters. Pixar does what it does and we as audiences appreciate it.

Inside Outside Rating: 86%

No Nuts No Glory

Lets take a look at The Nut Job which arrives on Digital HD April 8, and on DVD & Blu-Ray April 15.

The Nut Job, 2014

In animated 3D, “The Nut Job” is an action-packed comedy that follows Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), a mischievous squirrel, who must plan a heist to get into his town’s biggest nut shop in order to help his pals in the park gather food to survive the winter. Together with his sidekick, Buddy, he will assemble a ragtag crew to help him get inside – and take them on a fun-filled adventure they’ll never forget.

Now lets look at some of the character from The Not Job:

The Nut Job, 2014

SURLY:  Underneath the “fluff” exterior is a sarcastic rogue squirrel who distrusts everything that breathes. With a no-holds-barred attitude, it is every rodent for himself. From an early age, Surly has constantly been searching for opportunities and dishonest methods to pull off his schemes. His jaded past has made this “tough nut to crack” an outcast, but nonetheless the ultimate survivor. Despite his deceitfulness and lies, Surly does demonstrate that he has a bit of a conscience. Quick as a whip and quick on his paws, this stubborn rodent rises above the rules, outrages his community and believes love is for chumps … that is until he meets the heroine Andie.

The Nut Job, 2014

BUDDY: Buddy is Surly’s little rat “brother”, partner in crime and endearing side-kick. With his innate innocence, Buddy eagerly performs any stunt demanded of him without objecting or considering the consequences. He is accustomed to the unbridled surliness of Surly and Buddy’s acceptance and tolerance levels are exceeded only by his dimwittedness. Although he is a little naïve and too trusting, his heart is always in the right place even when he gets repeatedly duped into Surly's schemes – which continuously go awry. This gentle, quiet and grubby rat is the only gullible partner Surly can rely upon. Buddy is as “nutty as a fruitcake” but is the friend that saves Surly from Surly.

The Nut Job, 2014

ANDIE: With her compassionate heart, radiating warmth, intelligence and nurturing disposition, it’s easy to see why the entire park has faith, trust and confidence in Andie. Everyone that is, except for Surly. The amount of care she puts into her work is commendable. Whether it’s saving lives, solving riddles or lending a helping hand, this red squirrel excels at everything she takes on. The trouble is Andie is becoming a workaholic. Although she is content as one of Raccoon’s key delegates, her deepest desire is for everyone to get along. The paths that Andie chooses to take could leave her in peril, or it could lead this beloved auburn squirrel to be in charge of the park that she’s already “nuts about”.

The Nut Job, 2014

PRECIOUS: King’s mutt that looks intimidating but can’t hurt a fly. She has a lot of licks to spare, and wants nothing but to be accepted and loved. Loyal to whomever has the dog whistle, Precious will do whatever it takes to never set her paw back into the pound.

The Nut Job, 2014

BRUISERS: A groundhog team of twins, Jimmy and Johnny, and an older sister Jamie. She is the shortest of the trio, yet maintains leadership ranking. Jimmy and Johnny are sort of meat-heads, requiring the control of their sister or they would end up squabbling endlessly.

The Nut Job, 2014

RACCOON: Raccoon is the self-proclaimed leader of all Liberty Park. His ruling over the community appears to be noble, however, underneath the façade is a self-serving ulterior motive. A master of manipulation with a lust for control and fortune, he will do just about anything to satiate his incredible appetite for greed. Despite his delusion of grandeur, he is unable to do much on his own and enlists the help of the unshakeable Cardinal. Raccoon has also had it with Surly’s unwillingness to comply with the park rules and will find any opportunity to get rid of this arrogant rodent. However, Raccoon has been investing a little too much time with the exile of Surly when his biggest feat might just be his next in command, Andie.

For more information visit The Nut Job Official Site.

'I will Survive' Music Video

To promote Rio 2, Blue Sky Studios has released a music video featuring Nigel singing 'I will Survive'. Watch_

Rio 2 will have handful of new songs, and 'I will Survive' seems to be a great song! Rio 2 flies into theaters on April 11.

Review #18 | Dumbo

There was a movie that was made after an unsatisfying performance of previous films; it was 'Dumbo'. Here is my review for Dumbo.

Dumbo, 1941

The shortest of Disney's major animated features Dumbo involves a baby elephant with unusually large ears. Ostracized from the rest of the circus animals, poor Dumbo is even separated from his mother, who is chained up in a separate cage after trying to defend her child. Only brash-but-lovable Timothy Mouse offers the hand of friendship to Dumbo, encouraging the pouty pachyderm to exploit his "different" qualities for fame and fortune. After trepidatiously indulging in a vat of booze, Dumbo awakens in a tall tree. Goaded by a group of jive-talking crows, Dumbo discovers that his outsized ears have given him the ability to fly. The musical score by Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace won Oscars for them both.

With simple animation and comparatively short running time, Dumbo manages to entertain with its story but has a long sequence that has not much value. ‘The Pink Elephant’ sequence was longer than needed. Although it was relatively a short film and didn't feel short.

The ending of the film was satisfying because of his sorrowful past it made more joyful to watch. It will make the audience cheer for Dumbo at the climax. I loved the character Dumbo and Timothy Mouse who helps Dumbo find his way into the world and who later becomes Dumbo’s manager.

Dumbo has a good story but it feels dull and it will not entertain today’s audience very much. But I love going back to the early times of animation and feel the nostalgia of my childhood.

Inside Outside Rating: 49%

More Footage from 'Inside Out' Revealed

The most anticipated Pixar film has revealed some extra footage for the film at CinemaCon.

Inside Out, 2015

From writer-director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera, the film revolves around an 11-year-old girl who is having trouble coping with her family's move across the country. But it's no ordinary story -- the film takes place inside the girl's mind with her emotions as the main characters. Each character represents a different emotion: fear, sadness, joy, disgust and anger.

'The clip showed the young girl sitting at dinner with her parents. As her mother questions her on her day, we see that her inner emotions are wreaking havoc on her responses. As the conversation escalates, we are shown what the inner emotions of her parents are up to as well (for example, her father's inner characters are too busy watching a hockey game to notice what's going on at the dinner table). The clip played very well with the crowd, who laughed along with many of the jokes.'_The Hollywood Reporter.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (Official Trailer)

Dorothy will return to Oz this May. Check out the Official Trailer for Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return. 

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return opens in theaters on May 9, 2014.

Fantasound

Ever wondered how sound works? I still don't know how it works, but this is what I learned reading.

Fantasia, 1940

The soundtrack was recorded using multiple audio channels and reproduced with Fantasound, a pioneering sound reproduction system that made Fantasia the first commercial film shown in stereophonic sound.

So...before Fantasia all sounds where 'mono' sounds meaning that the audio is coming from one channel. To make the sound in the film more diverse,

The Disney brothers contacted David Sarnoff of RCA regarding the manufacture of a new system that would "create the illusion that the actual symphony orchestra is playing in the theater." Sarnoff backed out at first due to financial reasons, but agreed in July 1939 to make the equipment so long as the Disneys could hold down the estimated $200,000 in costs.

The collaboration led to the development of Fantasound, a pioneering stereophonic surround sound system which innovated some processes widely used today, including simultaneous multi-track recording, overdubbing, and noise reduction.

Fantasound employed two projectors running at the same time. With one containing the picture film with a mono soundtrack for backup purposes, the other ran a sound film that was mixed from the eight tracks recorded at the Academy to four: three of which contained the audio for the left, center, and right stage speakers respectively, while the fourth became a control track with amplitude and frequency tones that drove variable-gain amplifiers to control the volume of the three audio tracks.

 In addition were three "house" speakers placed on the left, right, and center of the auditorium that derived from the left and right stage channels which acted as surround channels.

 As the original recording was captured at almost peak modulation to increase signal-to-noise ratio, the control track was used to restore the dynamics to where Stokowski thought they should be. For this, a tone-operated gain-adjusting device was built to control the levels of each of the three audio tracks through the amplifiers.

The illusion of sound traveling across the speakers was achieved with a device named the "pan pot", which directed the predetermined movement of each audio channel with the control track. Mixing of the soundtrack required six people to operate the various pan pots in real time, while Stokowski directed each level and pan change which was marked on his musical score. To monitor the recording levels at lower frequencies, Disney ordered eight three-color oscillators from the newly established Hewlett-Packard company,  a predecessor from VU meters used today. Between the individual takes, prints, and remakes, approximately three million feet of sound film was used in the production of Fantasia. Almost a fifth of the film's budget was spent on its recording techniques.

To think of how much input this Disney spent his time effort I can't but respect the film.

Source: Wikipedia

First Poster for 'Planes: Fire & Rescue'

Dusty Crophopper returns to the big screen to rescue those in need!

When world famous air racer Dusty Crophopper (voice of Dane Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger (voice of Ed Harris) and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil' Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter (voice of Wes Studi), ex-military transport Cabbie (voice of Dale Dye) and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

Planes: Fire & Rescue, 2014

 DisneyToon Studios' Planes: Fire & Rescue flies to the theaters on July 18, 2014.

Review #17 | Bee Movie

I think good or bad weather we liked the movie or not, every piece of work is worth learning. We learn from our mistakes and become better. Here's my small review on Bee Movie.

Bee Movie, 2007

Barry B. Benson (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) is your average honeybee. Despite having recently received his diploma from bee college and being virtually guaranteed a bright future in honey, Barry feels he has the skills to pursue a number of different career paths and resents the fact that his employment opportunities are strictly limited to producing the sweet nectar. Upon breaking away from the hive and developing a friendship with an insect-loving New York florist (voice of Renée Zellweger), Barry makes the shocking discovery that human beings eat honey in mass quantities. Having finally found his calling in life, the infuriated Barry decides to sue the human race for stealing all of the honey that his fellow bees work so hard to produce.

The story of Bee Movie is so naïve and not good enough to be thought intelligent even to a kid. While I praise for the imagination put on this film the story is too absurd to think about. The first act of the film introducing the bee society was well done. The animation done during the first part of the movie was impressive.

As the movie was going on, it took the slope downward to the end. At last, it felt boring. The characters were losing their charms and were under-developing. The whole point of the story was not needed. The bees lived happily and ‘Barry’ had to find out the hard way making the whole world in danger just to realize that it was okay for people to have honey.

It was all about Barry’s adventure of finding why things turn out to be like they were. The story can’t explain itself and probably was a tough theme to explain. Bee Movie could have been done better if it were more critical to its story. Rewriting and rewriting until it makes sense.

I think Bee Movie was a lesson DreamWorks Animation learned and their movies got better from then on.

Inside Outside Rating: 50%

Behind the Scenes: Effects Animation

Sixty more years has passed since Pinocchio was on the big screen and yet the animation still looks beautiful. What makes Pinocchio such a beautiful film?

Pinocchio, 1940

Pinocchio was a groundbreaking achievement in the area of effects animation. In contrast to the character animators who concentrate on the acting of the characters, effects animators create everything that moves other than the characters. This includes vehicles, machinery and natural effects such as rain, lightning, snow, smoke, shadows and water, as well as the fantasy or science-fiction type effects like Fairy Dust. 

 The effects animators would created all that was happening in the background put a lot of contribution to make the water believable.

 Effects animator Sandy Strother kept a diary about his year-long animation of the water effects, which included splashes, ripples, bubbles, waves and the illusion of being underwater. To help give depth to the ocean, the animators put more detail into the waves on the water surface in the foreground, and put in less detail as the surface moved further back. After the animation was traced onto cels, the animators would trace it once more with blue and black pencil leads to give the waves a sculptured look. To save time and money, the splashes were kept impressionistic. These techniques enabled Pinocchio to be one of the first animated films to have highly realistic effects animation. Ollie Johnston remarked "I think that's one of the finest things the studio's ever done, as Frank [Thomas] said, 'The water looks so real a person can drown in it, and they do.'"

Source: Wikipedia

Review #16 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

I have wanted to revisit the world of clay animation and have watched this movie. There is something special in this art form. It gives different effects than CG animation. Revisiting the world of Wallace & Gromit was magical.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, 2005

Eccentric inventor Wallace (voice of Peter Sallis) and his faithful if often perplexed dog Gromit are back in their first feature-length adventure from animator Nick Park. Wallace and Gromit have launched a new business venture just in time for a major gardening competition in their neighborhood of West Wallaby. "Anti-Pesto" is a humane pest-relocation service in which Wallace and Gromit capture rabbits and other critters who have been eating the produce from local gardens and give them new homes somewhere else. Business has been going well, and when the woman hosting the garden show, Lady Tottington (voice of Helena Bonham Carter), discovers a massive tribe of rabbits has been making a mess of her garden, she calls in Wallace and Gromit to move the bunnies elsewhere. Wallace is quite taken with Lady Tottington, but he's not the only one -- Victor Quartermaine (voice of Ralph Fiennes) is a slick but arrogant upper-class type who wants to win Lady Tottington's hand (and fortune) and is convinced he can do a better job capturing the rabbits than Wallace. However, Wallace's attempts to brainwash the rabbits away from veggies using his latest invention has disastrous results, and soon Wallace has to deal with a beastly bunny as well as a heavily-armed Quartermaine. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit followed Park's previous film with the duo, A Close Shave, by ten years, and was produced after Park broke through to mainstream success with the feature Chicken Run.

I loved how the movie was set up. Everything was handmade and looked cozy. They creators really built a strong story. Maybe it’s just me, but the running time was a little bit longer than it needed to be. I don’t know why, but I always dose off last fifteen minutes of the movie.

Even though they have same qualities Aardman Animation and LIAKA have different styles of animation. I'm more into LIAKA but Aardman Animation is the studio that is perfect for everyone to watch. Comedy and suspicion was a good approach to dressing this movie.

All in all Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was enjoyable, family-friendly animated film.

Inside Outside Rating: 69%

Pixar Announces Sequels!

All eyes on you! Pixar announces their future plans. This is Big News!

It’s official: we’re currently working on new films featuring your favorite characters from The Incredibles and Cars! pic.twitter.com/HzdvF0rvpA
— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) March 18, 2014

Let us pray it would turn out to be movies that all audiences enjoy.

Teaser Trailer for 'Peanuts'

Blue Sky Studios presents Peanuts in the recently added teaser trailer.

Peanuts, 2015

The animation is bright, simple, and colorful. It was interesting to see a 2D cartoon blend into a CG animated film. It had a similar style as Disney's Paperman short. Peanuts is Blue Sky Studios 10th animated feature film coming to theaters on 2015.

Peanuts Gets a First Look

I've been wandering how an animated film based on a comic strip looks like? The Adventures of Tintin: Secrets of the Unicorn is one of them and it turned out to be outstanding in the visual perspective.

Peanuts, 2015

USA Today gave us a first glimpse to Blue Sky Studios upcoming film, Peanuts. Although it opens on November 6, 2015, the Peanuts producer Craig Schulz has a lot of confidence and trust in it. It looks good, and lets get excited for the new creative project from Blue Sky Studios.

New Dragons from 'How to Train Your Dragon 2'

DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon 2 is giving audience loads of images to get excited. I love how the movie is shaping out to be. Visit the How to Train Your Dragon website for full exploration.

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2, 2014

Get Hyped! How to Train Your Dragon 2 opens on June 13, 2014.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman Rises to the Top

After unexpected first week of box office performance, Mr. Peabody & Sherman manages to rise 1st Place in the box office 2nd week.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman, 2014

Mr. Peabody & Sherman  grosses $21.1 million (estimated) in its second week. To date, Mr. Peabody & Sherman earned $63.2 million.

Review #15 | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea

I guess we missed exploring 'under the sea' even though Ariel lived happily ever after that we demanded for a sequel.

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, 2000

Here's my review of The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.

In this direct-to-video sequel to Disney's animated hit The Little Mermaid, Ariel (Jodi Benson) and Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes) are the proud parents of a little girl named Melody (Tara Charendoff), who has begun to hear the call of the sea she has inherited from her mother. But wicked Morgana (Pat Carroll), the sister of Ursula, seeks revenge against Ariel, and has devised a scheme to take control of the oceans. As Melody goes to the waters in dreams of becoming a mermaid like her mother once was, he is drawn into Morgana's plot, and now Ariel must reunite with her childhood friend Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright) to save her daughter. Buddy Hackett and Kenneth Mars also lend their voices to this animated feature.

‘Well, now that we've made a great hit with The Little Mermaid wouldn't it be fun to do a sequel. Wouldn't it be fun to approach this a little differently, but this time, let us make Ariel’s daughter want to go back to the sea.’ I can imagine what the story writers where thinking. I think it was a good approach to the sequel, but unfortunately it seemed like re-telling of the story rather than giving us a new perspective.

Not to go too deep, it just wasn't Disney’s biggest efforts. If only they'd got more than money to think about, this would have been a great piece of work. But still, this movie is fun to watch and I assure parents that it will be a pleasing treat for young girls.

I can see that it was a secondary project that DisneyToon Studios were working for, and so it is mildly entertaining but never rubbish. This movie is not a bad movie, it has just enough laughs to keep our eyes watching.

Inside Outside Rating: 52%

Lightning McQueen is back for 'The Radiator Springs 500 ½'

Entertainment Weekly reported that a new short from Pixar is coming later this spring exclusively on Disney Movies Anywhere. While we might have been disappointed for the delay of The Good Dinosaur we sure can cope and wait while enjoying treats like this.

The Radiator Springs 500 ½, 2014

Here is the synopsis for Tales from Radiator Springs a six minutes short that will be the first short from Tales from Radiator Springs series:

The gang is enjoying a Founders Day celebration to honor the late Stanley when a gang of Baja racers descend on the town and challenge Lightning to a race.

This short comes from Rob Gibbs, who previously directed Moon Mater and Air Mater says, “We kind of played it up like a western,  These off-road racers come to town, like gunslingers looking for the hottest gunslinger in Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen. They challenge him to a race, like someone would challenge someone to a duel.”

I am pretty excited about this film, I loved the first Cars, and Pixar proved cars can be entertaining. The second Tales from Radiator Springs is in works for 2015.

Review #14 | Coraline

I had to watch Coraline again at home and wanted to share my review on the movie.

Coraline, 2009

A young girl walks through a secret door and discovers a parallel reality that is eerily similar to the life she already knows, yet deeply unsettling in a number of ways, in director Henry Selick's animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman's international best-seller. Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones (voice of Dakota Fanning) is fearlessly courageous, and perhaps far too adventurous for her own good. Coraline and her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) have recently relocated to Oregon from Michigan. Bored in her new home since her parents are distracted by work and she has yet to make any new friends, Coraline passes the time by exploring her new neighborhood with an annoying local boy named Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.). But after paying a visit to her eccentric neighbors Miss Spink (Jennifer Saunders) and Miss Forcible (Dawn French), a pair of aging British actresses, and crossing paths with the outright weird Mr. Bobinsky (Ian McShane), the precocious young girl becomes convinced that her new surroundings are just as dull as she'd initially suspected. Shortly thereafter, Coraline discovers a hidden door in her new house, and decides to investigate. Venturing into the eerie passageway inside, Coraline emerges into an alternate version of her own reality. At first glance, this strange new world seems even better than the real thing; there her parents aren't distracted by work, and Coraline is always the center of attention. There's even a mysterious Cat (Keith David) that's fascinated by her every move. But when Coraline's button-eyed Other Mother (also Hatcher) attempts to make her stay permanent, the frightened young girl must summon her resourcefulness and bravery in order to find her way back home and save her real family.

It is the most creative and spooky animated film I have ever watched. I loved the characters, the world of Coraline and the well written story. The expressions shown on Coraline’s face are plain and you don’t need words to know how she is feeling. Each character like Coraline’s mom, dad, the other mother, Wybie and the cat, they all have their own characteristics.

This film is so unique in terms of the creative story, stunning visual world, amazing screenplay, character design, character animation, and a deep theme. Yes, this is the new Toy Story. Coraline takes most of the advantages a stop-motion animation film have. It proves that stop-motion animation can entertain people.

This film shows a strong message not in words but through the character, and that is something we accept.

Inside Outside Rating: 88%

All Animated Smurfs is Coming

The company that brought Boog and Eliet to life in Open Season has grown into a major animation studios since. It's biggest yet, is The Smurfs. So why not make a sequel? So they did.

We as audience want to see good movies. Surf's Up and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs delivered great and creative stories. But as for The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, they were a major disappointment.

To me, live-action/animation hybrid just makes it restricted for super young audiences only. But as for all animated movie has the potential to reach much broader audience. The next Smurfs movie will be all animated, and is set to explore the origins of the beloved blue creatures.

The smurfs are getting ready for their next big shot in theaters on August 14, 2015. 

Story Development

What is it like making a story? Lets have a look how the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story has started.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

It is not easy to develop a story. It takes a lot of time and effort to make a story like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It goes through a lot of changes in the plot and character. Sometimes small changes and sometimes big.

It wasn't about Snow White when Walt Disney first started out making this film. He wanted it to be about dwarfs. But as time past by it slowly turned it focus to the relationship between Snow White and the Queen.

When it was decided that the focus of the story would be Snow White, some parts of story had to be rewritten and some sequences cut. It is a painful job but it has to be done for the sake of a good story.

There also was a time when the story seemed not be progressing. Disney had put it off for a while. But as time passed by, he was encouraged and went back to work again.

The process of story making might be toilsome and hard, if you keep on trying, you'll get a rewarding well written story that everyone will enjoy. This is what story makers do. They keep trying.

Almost Home

Mr. Peabody & Sherman has finally arrived in theaters a few days ago with a good welcome from the critics and fans. It was originally planned to accompany a Rocky & Bullwinkle short but was replaced by a promotional short film Almost Home for the their upcoming movie Home.

Almost Home, 2014

Now, about the short, I don't see the characters any more appealing than the aliens from Monsters vs. Aliens. However, no matter how bad looking it can be, you can't judge a book by its cover. Home is scheduled to be released on November 26, 2014.

The Pirate Fairy

While little girls will be delighted for another Tinker Bell movie, for others, this might not be the happiest news. The Pirate Fairy, which will be on Blu-Ray on April 1 and on selected theaters April 2, is the fifth installment to the Tinker Bell franchise. Here is the synopsis:

When a misunderstood dust-keeper fairy named Zarina steals Pixie Hollow's all-important Blue Pixie Dust and flies away to join forces with the pirates of Skull Rock, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to return it to its rightful place. However, in the midst of their pursuit of Zarina, Tink's world is turned upside down. She and her friends find that their respective talents have been switched and they have to race against time to retrieve the Blue Pixie Dust and return home to save Pixie Hollow.

The Pirate Fairy, 2014

DisneyToon Studios did a great job on making the title appealing and not naming it Tinker Bell 5. It is great to see them improve in animation and the story.

Green Party Poster for 'Party Central'

A Monsters University short Party Central has its own poster and will be played in theaters with Muppets Most Wanted. 

Party Central, 2014

I have never see a greener poster that this one. It has a dynamic feel in it. I would see it if I had the chance. Looks like it's a real party.

Teaser Trailer #3 for 'The BoxTrolls'

The third teaser trailer for LAIKA's The BoxTrolls has been released online. This trailer shows more footage with new music. It looks more lighter than the previous movies from LAIKA.

It is directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi. The film opens in September 26, 2014. Watch the previous trailers from The BoxTrolls_Teaser 1 and Teaser 2.

The World of Coraline

The world of Coraline is full of wonder and mystery. What makes the animated movies different from other fellow movies? We get introduced to unique worlds that only animated movies can do. There are worlds that don't give much of our attentions and there are worlds that we simply want to know more about. To be in that world.

Think about the first Ice Age. The world of Ice Age was something we never saw before. That is what made this film unique. We enjoyed watching Ice Age and all the adorable characters in that movie.

When I first watched How to Train Your Dragon I was captivated into the world of dragons and vikings. The atmosphere and the world where Hiccup lived was breathtaking. It was fresh and good that makes us want to live there and ride dragons.

In Coraline, we are in a world that is dark and scary. But at the same time it is a familiar place.

With amazing characters and an excellent story, Coraline is one of the best made stop-motion animated films so far.

Peter Pan from Scratch

All animated films start from scratch. I visited Disney Animation Archive to find some Peter Pan drawings. Check out these cool drawings from scratch.