Minion Mania

Illumination Entertainment... It's only been two years since they've released their first film in theaters. The three films they've produced all cost much less than what most animated films cost these days, they do very well at the box office and they're backed by incredibly aggressive marketing that pushes cutesy and candy-coated visuals down your throat. Kids love them, big time. Adults and teenagers found joy in Despicable Me, but Hop was for kids and Dr. Seuss' The Lorax was no different than Despicable Me with its paint-by-numbers writing and again, zany antics and visuals. Despicable Me 2 comes out next summer. That will probably be no different as well. What's next?

A Despicable Me spin-off film about the minions...

Slated for release in 2014, this is yet again another safe bet for Illumination. With Despicable Me 2 locked to do extremely well overseas and domestically, it's obvious that the little yellow creatures will be another money pot for the studio. Sure, the minions are cute and they certainly made Despicable Me a lot of fun, but having a whole film about them? That probably won't work well, but Universal and Illumination don't care. The kids will eat it up. Illumination is clearly the candy factory of the feature animation world, pumping out cheap, silly entertainment that aims at children first unlike the Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks films. Even Blue Sky and Sony to some extent.

That said, this will do it's job. Illumination is the most business-oriented studio of all the big guns, and boy do they reel in the dough each time out. The fact that their upcoming films are based on things we grew up with (minus the adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's Pluto, who knows what they'll do with that) or pre-existing source material for children proves this. All three of their films are no different from each other, despite the fact that Despicable Me was at least fresh and fun when it first came out.

Anyways, are you looking forward to a Minions spin-off? Or do you think it's a pointless cash grab?

"Monsters, Inc." 3D Moved Up, "Peabody" Pushed Back

Disney has moved the 3D re-release of Pixar's Monsters, Inc. up a month. Originally slated to open on January 14, 2013, the re-release is now opening on December 19, 2012.

This move is certainly interesting. While it's nice to have the film re-released in time for the holidays, it'll also have to compete with Rise of the Guardians and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Perhaps it could've had more room to breathe in January, but I'm glad we're getting it sooner. It's also coincidental how the film first opened in late 2001, around the same time The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring came out. How time flies...

Yesterday, DreamWorks Animation moved the release date for Mr. Peabody & Sherman back a month. It is set to debut on Christmas Day 2013, which was an incredibly smart decision on DreamWorks' part. The previous date, November 8th, would've been a mistake. The film would be in a whirlpool with Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Disney's Frozen. It would've had to put up a good fight, so with a Christmas Day release, it has more room to breathe plus it can do well.

What do you think of these release date changes?

First Look: "Me and My Shadow"

Looks nice, doesn't it?

Ever since DreamWorks announced this hand-drawn/computer animation hybrid in 2010, I was looking forward to seeing how it would be pulled off. The poster doesn't really show much, but it gives you a good idea of how the shadows will be animated. I'm getting a Paperman vibe from this already, though unlike that short film, it's not a combination of the two mediums. Still, the use of hand-drawn for the shadows will give it a surreal effect in this computer animated setting.

The film opens on March 14, 2014. The first trailer should show up sometime around summer or fall 2013. Out of all the upcoming DreamWorks films, I'm looking forward to this one the most, though the fact that scribes Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (Failure to Launch, Get Smart) are writing this makes me worry, as I've said before. Having only written two comedy films (one that was a critical dud and one that got mixed reviews), should they've been picked for an animated film like this? They could turn out gold, but I remain skeptical at this point. A potentially bad screenplay could throw everything off.

In other news, DreamWorks acquired Classic Media yesterday for $155 million. Now we'll see what their upcoming slate will look like months from now.

DreamWorks and Classic Media

DreamWorks Animation is in talks of acquiring Classic Media, a New York-based production company that holds the rights to several classic cartoons, characters and several other things. Since DreamWorks tends to make films based off of pre-existing source material (How to Train Your Dragon and upcoming projects like Rise of the Guardians, Pig Scrolls and Happy Smekday!), this would seem like a perfect move for them to expand their roster.

Among the things Classic Media owns is the rights to all of Jay Wards cartoons: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, George of the Jungle and Dudley Do-Right. DreamWorks is already working on a feature film based on the Mr. Peabody and Sherman segments of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, which is slated to open on November 8, 2013.

What else? The Where's Wally?/Where's Waldo? books. A live-action film is currently in development at MGM. Maybe the rights may revert to DreamWorks and they may pick up the Waldo project. Who knows. They'll also get Felix the Cat, whose recent spin-offs last appeared nearly over a decade ago. Interesting thing is that there was a feature-length film (Felix the Cat: The Movie), so it's possible that DreamWorks could try to make a Felix the Cat film and give the classic cat a film he deserves, unlike the one that first appeared in 1989. Most of Rankin-Bass' pre-1974 films are also owned by Classic Media, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Classic Media also owns the rights to Filmation's cartoons, such as He-Man and the Master of the Universe. They also have the rights to the Little Golden Books, the UPA's animated library (Mr. Magoo), Big Idea (VeggieTales), Harvey Comics (Casper, Richie Rich) and catalogues that own the rights to Dick Tracy, Voltron, Lassie and several others.

So if DreamWorks were to acquire them, they would have a lot of potential projects for their upcoming slate, which is usually massive compared to other animation studios. The only problem is though, they'll probably follow the route that other studios are taking by updating classic characters. Sony Pictures Animation already did it with The Smurfs and they're doing the same for Popeye, Illumination's got Clifford the Big Red Dog and Woody Woodpecker in the works. Fox has the awful Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and Warner Bros. did Yogi Bear. Knowing DreamWorks' recent string of critical successes, they may actually do the classic characters some justice. We may never know.

Do you think DreamWorks will acquire Classic Media? Do you it's a good move? Or would you rather see DreamWorks sticking to their own upcoming projects and not add more to the roster?

Finding Nemo 2? (FALSE ALARM)

Apparently Andrew Stanton has a good idea for a Finding Nemo sequel.

A Finding Nemo sequel? Why??

First of all, I'm not going to jump the gun and say Pixar is selling out. No, I'm not going to do that. The studio supposedly loves the idea Stanton has. Again, it isn't officially confirmed.

According to the article, Andrew Stanton might be doing this to get a pass for John Carter failing at the box office so he can move on and do another live action project. If that's true, then that's just disgusting. John Carter failed because of bad marketing and an awful title! It isn't rocket science! Also, Disney recouped from it. Shouldn't they be happy that The Avengers and Brave more than made up for that? If he has to do this to satisfy Disney and gain their trust again, then something is truly wrong with Disney management. Why should he have to prove himself? Andrew Stanton was involved in several Pixar films from the very start that did boffo business at the box office, directed two films that did great business and got stellar reception, and his Finding Nemo is one of the most successful franchises for Disney.

Then again, Stanton might have a good idea, but a second Finding Nemo does not need to be made. Stanton talked about sequels at the LA Hero Complex Film festival, and mentioned that they would be like "comfort food". But why a sequel to Finding Nemo? Can't Andrew Stanton do an original film for Pixar? One that will be a huge success and make Disney proud?

"I’m sure you’ll see some other sequels of things as they grow because now we are not so blinded. It’s the originals that keep us really going and it’s the sequels that are like comfort food, and I think it’s the same way for the audience."

While he does make a point about the sequels, they don't have to be made, especially for just pleasing audiences. I understand that Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 were both fantastic, but that was a rare moment where two sequels were excellent. Cars 2 didn't equal its predecessor, and left a lot of people very unsatisfied. We can only imagine how Monsters University will turn out next summer, but they should stop there. I personally believe that Finding Nemo "2" does not need to be made. If it turns out to be amazing, I'll gladly admit I was wrong, but at the moment, I just don't want a sequel to it.

Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts? Mere speculation? Or do you think it's actually going to happen? If they go ahead and start working on it, how would you feel?

UPDATE: Here's what Andrew Stanton himself had to say...

Didn't you all learn from Chicken Little? Everyone calm down. Don't believe everything you read. Nothing to see here now. #skyisnotfalling
— andrew stanton (@andrewstanton) July 18, 2012

There you have it...

DreamWorks To Team Up with Sony?

We all know that DreamWorks Animation's distribution deal with Paramount ends with the release of Rise of the Guardians in November, and we've all been wondering, who would DreamWorks turn to for distribution? Would they self-distribute? Or would they turn to someone like Warner Bros.? According to a newspaper article found by The Animation Guild, they might join forces with Sony.

For a while, I thought DreamWorks would team up with Warner Bros. since that studio always had a hard time with animated films, only scoring a few commercial successes (Space Jam, Pokemon: The First Movie, The Polar Express and Happy Feet) over the course of twenty years. The whole idea of DreamWorks going with Sony just doesn't seem right.

For starters, Sony has two animation studios: Their own (Sony Pictures Animation) and Aardman Animations. They haven't handled Aardman's films that well in the United States, as they aren't easy sells to begin with. Also, Sony Pictures Animation has a big upcoming slate with films like The Familiars, two more Smurfs films, Popeye and a slew of other original projects. DreamWorks has a ton of films in the works too, as they usually try to release two or three films in one year. That'll be quite a lot for Sony to distribute, that's for sure. I just can't see it happening though.

The studio that DreamWorks will ultimately go to will be revealed sometime before Labor Day, but if they're eying down Sony, then it's possible that Sony will be that studio. Certainly an interesting move coming from DreamWorks, and I can only imagine how the two studios will work together. If they don't go with Sony, then who else can they go with? Out of the big guns, only Warner Bros. is available. They obviously won't go to someone like Summit or Lionsgate (who have an awful track record with animation, need I say more?), so who knows. Self-distribution would be an interesting move, as DreamWorks' Animation's CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg was reportedly looking into it. Remember how Disney set up Buena Vista in 1953 to distribute their films after things fell through with the longtime distributor RKO Radio Pictures? Self-distribution is very possible.

Well, we'll find out soon. Who do you think they will team up with? Who would you like them to team up with and why? Do you think they should just distribute their own films? Sound off!

"Brave" Blu-ray up for Pre-Order

The Blu-ray of Pixar's Brave is finally up for pre-order on Amazon. Two versions are going to be released, as usual for most Disney and Pixar releases on Blu-ray: A 5-disc "Ultimate Collector's Edition" with the 3D Blu-ray and a 3-disc collector's edition without the 3D Blu-ray and Digital Copy. The release date has not been set, but you can pre-order the Ultimate Collector's Edition and get $8 off with a coupon, similar to what Disney did for the 3D Blu-ray release of Tangled and other titles.

The cover artwork for the Ultimate Collector's Edition is what I hoped it would be, the film's beautiful theatrical poster. The other one is the usual Disney cover art mess, with too much going on and things all over the place. I'll be getting the Ultimate Collector's Edition of course, and it seems as if Disney isn't pulling the 3D thing like they did with Blu-ray releases of Cars 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides last autumn, where you had to get the 3D pack in order to get the second Blu-ray disc of bonus features.

Anyways, I have a feeling that this Blu-ray release will be released the same day as Finding Nemo, December 4th. It could be earlier though, since Pixar Blu-rays are usually released before the holiday rush. What do you think? Which version will you get? The 5-disc pack or the 3-disc pack? Sound off!

Disney Releases "Fix-It Felix, Jr." App

For Walt Disney Animation Studios' upcoming film Wreck-It Ralph, Disney gave 8-bit fans their fix a month ago with a playable version of Fix-It Felix, Jr., the fictional game where the title character is from, on the film's website. Now they've released the game as an app.

I've already downloaded it and gave it a shot, and it does not disappoint. People looking forward to this film will like it, and so will fans of 8-bit games. It's a lot of fun. Also, Disney is actually really marketing this film. What a shocker...

"Rise of the Guardians" Trailer #2

Well it's about time, we got the second trailer for DreamWorks' upcoming film Rise of the Guardians. While I wasn't as impressed with this trailer, I am still looking forward to the film and it does look like it could be DreamWorks' best film.



Anyways, this trailer does show that this film is going to have a very colorful and elaborate visual style. The writing? I didn't think it was all that great, but it definitely does not annoy. I can't say the same about most of the previous DreamWorks' films and some other animated films, namely Epic. Some of the jokes here are funny, while others are the take-it-or-leave-it variety.

I also like how the trailer tells us a little bit more about Jack Frost himself, and how big of a threat Pitch is. Even though I wasn't too crazy about his design, as seen on his character poster, he does come off as a pretty good menace. The character designs are great, like I've said before, but I found it funny how Frost mistakes the Easter Bunny for a kangaroo because he does have an interesting design to say the least.

Everything else looks good: The set design, the lighting, the colors. It looks very pretty, and quite frankly, this will probably be the most beautiful-looking DreamWorks film to date. The marketing is at least playing up Guillermo del Toro and William Joyce, but at the same time, Paramount's kind of going an Avengers-esque route with some of the posters and banners. That said, they're trying to make something seemingly silly like this concept come off as something epic. I'm certainly looking forward to it, how about you?

Disney Animation Eyes Down "Big Hero 6"

I never thought this would happen, even though Disney owns Marvel and all, but Blue Sky Disney reported that Walt Disney Animation Studios is currently planning on doing an animated film adaptation of Marvel's Big Hero 6.

This is certainly an interesting move made by the studio, as I think this might be the first time Disney's feature animation studio is teaming up with another studio to produce a film. There were rumors going around early on that Pixar might do an animated film with Marvel, but since Pixar sticks with original stories, that seemed unlikely. It's perfect for Walt Disney Animation Studios.

It seems like this will be their big release for 2014, as Ron Clements and John Musker are hard at work on their upcoming project. The film will be directed by Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh), and who knows, this might be the first WDAS film to carry a PG-13 rating since it's a film based on a comic book. Also, being a Marvel film, it's sure to catch on at the box office. Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen look like they're going to continue the success that Tangled brought them. Also, it will probably be a computer animated film, but you never know.

What are your thoughts on this? Are you excited or are you skeptical? What do you think of Disney's animation studio doing a Marvel film? Sound off!

Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct "Popeye"

When Sony Pictures Animation first announced that one of their upcoming animated films was going to be a computer animated update of Elzie Crisler Segar's classic comic strip Popeye (though many people remember the original short subjects that were made by the Fleischer brothers), I was rather unhappy. There has been a rather unhealthy trend of updating classic comic strip or cartoon characters for modern audiences, but in CGI. Of course, the dreadful Alvin and the Chipmunks films kicked this off, then we got Yogi Bear and The Smurfs.

I thought that this would be more of the same, since the Popeye cartoon short subjects were pure brilliance (some of which were rather groundbreaking for their time, too). However, Genndy Tartakovsky is going to direct the film, which gives me some hope. However, I can't really say much more until a trailer for this film actually premieres, whenever Sony plans on releasing this film. They've already got two films planned for release in 2014, so maybe 2015 at the earliest.

Genndy Tartakovsky, in case you did not know, created Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars. He also worked on several other Cartoon Network shows in the 1990s such as Cow & Chicken and The Powerpuff Girls. He directed Sony Pictures Animation's upcoming fall release, Hotel Transylvania, which is looking better than before thanks to the recent trailer. The writers (David Ronn and Jay Scherick), however, also helped write the script for The Smurfs. That makes me a wee bit worried, but we don't know yet. The film will also be a co-production with Arad Productions (formed by Avi Arad, the well-known Marvel producer).

What do you think? Are you satisfied with Genndy Tartakovsky being the director? Do you think a CGI Popeye film was necessary? Or not? Sound off!

"Frankenweenie" Trailer #2

Alongside the trailer for Blue Sky's Epic, the second trailer for Disney and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie has been unveiled today.



I'm not too sure about this trailer. I really liked the previous trailer, which was rather emotional at the beginning while still blending comedy into the mix. This trailer reveals more about the story, but it seems rather zippy and fast. The humor doesn't really work here, but the animation is still very good. Again, it's a trailer. Trailers for animated films from Disney tend to make the things look a bit jumpy and such, so this one could've just been a rush-job.

That said, I'm still looking forward to this film: Stop-motion, Tim Burton, filmed in black-and-white, cool plot. That's all I need. What do you think?

"Epic" Trailer is Epic... Sort Of...

Here it is, the first trailer for Blue Sky's Epic (based on William Joyce's The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs), which is hitting theaters on May 24, 2013.

Personally, I was satisfied, but this trailer didn't necessarily blow me away. I did like the animation, the character designs and the well-staged action scenes. The use of music instead of constant jokes and talking was also a plus, as it isn't like most trailers for animated films. They saved some dialogue for the end, some rather unspectacular dialogue. Even though it's just mere seconds, I just hope the rest of the script isn't like that. Maybe I'm just being too nitpicky, but we'll see whenever the next trailer appears.

That said, this looks like a very pretty film. I was expecting a bit more from the trailer, but it does look like something I'd see. At least it isn't another Ice Age-like comedy. What do you think? Are you looking forward to this? Sound off!

Another Home Run

As usual, Pixar topped the box office for the weekend. Brave took in $66.3 million, itching past Cars 2's $66.1 million opening last year. This makes it the fifth biggest opening weekend for a Pixar film, although it should've gone a little higher because of its big opening day. Still, $66 million is not too bad. Now, we have to see what its legs will be like. With an "A" on CinemaScore, it looks as if audiences really enjoyed this new Pixar film. I know my audience did, so good word of mouth is definitely going to carry this past $200 million.

Worst case scenario, it scores a 3.5x multiplier (much like WALL-E) and grosses a little over $230 million, which would still be pretty damn good. A 4.0x multiplier is also very possible, but $300 million does seem out of reach. Also, don't forget the family friendly competition from Ice Age: Continental Drift. The Amazing Spider-Man may also affect Brave.

In other animation news, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted held very well. Usually a 3D release in animation will significantly drop when a new animated release comes along, but Madagascar 3 wasn't affected. It took in $19 million, only dropping 42%. It's currently #2, which is great because we have two animated films in the top two. Amazing, isn't it? The film has now grossed $157 million domestically. It is destined to outgross both of its predecessors and take in $200 million.

With that, we'll have three $200 million animated films already. Box office is at an all-time high, and it looks as if this will be 2010 all over again. By the time Toy Story 3 opened in June, How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek Forever After had already cleared $200 million. Now if Wreck-It Ralph and Rise of the Guardians were to gross $200 million, then we'll be tied with 2010. 5 animated films grossing $200 million. On top of that, Ice Age: Continental Drift could surprise audiences and take in $200 million. This will all make 2011's animation box office grosses look like a bump in the road.

The only mishap so far this year, box office-wise, is Aardman's The Pirates! Band of Misfits. It should've been a small success, but Sony Pictures Animation and Columbia dropped the ball with the marketing and made it come off as a kiddie version of Pirates of the Carribean. It's only mustered up $29 million domestically, which is even less than what Arthur Christmas made. On a lighter note, it has made $114 million worldwide. It's a small success for Aardman, as usual for their films.

What do you think? How much do you think Brave can make in the long run? Do you think anything else has a shot at making $200 million this year? Sound off!

DreamWorks' "Happy Smekday!", Cast and Crew

Based on Adam Rex's novel The True Meaning of Smekday, DreamWorks' Happy Smekday! was on the list of upcoming projects. Now, it's slated to follow How to Train Your Dragon 2 for a late 2014 release.

Tim Johnson (the director of Antz and Over the Hedge) will direct, and Chris Jenkins and Suzanne Buirgy will produce. The Get Smart writers Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember will pen the screenplay, as they will with the March 2014 release Me and My Shadow.

Two members of the cast were announced, Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory and Rihanna. Hmmmm, not too sure about this. While I'm sure Parsons is fine for this story, but Rihanna... I mean, DreamWorks is essentially going back to their star-studded cast routine.

Anyways, the plot of the book involves an alien invasion where a young girl's mother is taken away by an alien race called the Boov. The aliens land on Christmas Day, renaming the holiday "Smekday". Sounds exciting. Hopefully it's not wasted on a mediocre script, and hopefully the entire cast make it good.

Are you looking forward to this? What do you think? Sound off!

"Brave" Takes In an Estimated $24.5 million

That's right, $24.5 million. This opening day, if the estimates line up, is the third biggest opening day for a Pixar film, behind Toy Story 3 ($41 million) and Cars 2 ($25 million).

With the word of mouth this is getting, it's possible that it will clear $70 million for the opening weekend, or maybe top $80 million, and have the biggest opening weekend for a non-sequel Pixar film. Overall, this is a great start for Pixar's new film. $300 million domestically is still not out of the question.

What are your thoughts?

Final Thoughts on the Marketing for "Brave"

Of course, today is the big day. After a long wait (being announced way back in 2008! Remember those days?), Pixar's Brave has opened in theaters nationwide!

Now that it's out, I felt I would comment on the film's pre-release marketing. It seems like Disney's marketing for Pixar's Brave was essentially the antithesis of the controversial and deservedly criticized marketing for Andrew Stanton's John Carter. It's amazing how two marketing campaigns for Disney releases in one year could be both the polar opposite.

John Carter had lazy marketing all around, three lackluster trailers that failed to sell the film, a terrible title, underwhelming TV spots (including a dreadful Super Bowl spot) and a surprising lack of merchandise. Brave on the other hand has had four trailers, one of which was a scene from the actual film much like The Lion King's "Circle of Life" trailer. The teaser was dark and devoid of humor, which is odd for a teaser for a Pixar film. The final trailer ("Family Legends") was a surprisingly good trailer that wasn't a mess like the usual trailers for Pixar films. There was also some cross-promotion with the NFL. Also, for the first time in years, Disney joined forces with a fast food chain (Subway) to do a promotional tie-in. AMC Theaters played four Pixar films (Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up and Toy Story 3) in theaters over Memorial Day weekend with an exclusive featurette attached to the screenings. Then you've got merchandising out the wazoo, and tons of TV spots and featurettes, some of which were considered silly (The "Kilt" and "Freedom Broch" featurettes, for instance).

This campaign has gotten some criticism, as some think it was a little too aggressive. It seems as if Disney was over marketing this one, but methinks they want another Finding Nemo-sized success since Up (Pixar's first film in 3D) came close. Toy Story 3 inevitably cleared it, being a sequel. Cars 2 didn't, but I'm guessing Disney wants an original Pixar film to top $300 million at the domestic box office.

Personally, I've liked everything I've seen of it so far. The trailer showing the two-minute sequence from the film's first act ("The Prize") was breathtaking, the "Family Legends" trailer is one of the best trailers for a Pixar film, and the Mother's Day clip is absolutely beautiful. The TV spots are the usual, a clustercuss of chaos. The more goofy featurettes ("Kilt", "Freedom Broch", "Witches Brew") were amusing. I've avoided most of the promo materials they've put out in the last few weeks since I don't want to see anymore things that could be spoilers.

As for the box office, early projections have it in the mid 60s for the opening weekend. Personally, I think it could go higher. Box Office Mojo's forecast predicted that Cars 2 would make $59 million, it made $66 million. You never know, but with all this marketing, there is no way this will make less than Dr. Seuss' The Lorax on its opening weekend. For a while, I've been saying it should gross around the mid-to-late 70s, but we'll see on Monday. As for the final domestic total, I'm going to say $300 million, something I've been predicting since 2010 or so. Yes, $300 million... According to those who have seen it and other non-critic reviews, this one is quite the crowd-pleaser that is sure to entertain nearly everyone. Up almost got there, this should clear it. Worldwide, it should explode given the setting and 3D.

What are your box office projections for Brave? What did you think of the marketing as a whole? Sound off!

"Hotel Transylvania" Theatrical Trailer

A new trailer for Sony Pictures Animation's upcoming film Hotel Transylvania (directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of Samurai Jack) has shown up today. Thankfully, it is far superior to the rather quick and ultimately disappointing teaser we got before it.

Anyways, aside from the nice, stylish animation, this actually looks like it could be very fun. Though I'm not all that crazy about the star-studded cast and some of the jokes here, I am actually looking forward to this now. Before I saw this trailer, I wrote the entire film off as a juvenile, silly comedy that would be one of this year's lesser animated features.

The trailer also tells us what the story is, and it seems okay, but I hope they pull off the "child wants to leave his/her protective parent and home" plot. However, like I said, some of the jokes in the trailer misfire completely. Other ones, such as Dracula singing to his daughter Mavis, are hilarious. Adam Sandler's Dracula voice is alright, the rest of the cast seems to be okay, but Adam Sandberg's character sounds very obnoxious. I don't know why, but his character seems like he's going to be annoying. The animation, like it was in the teaser, was good. I like the art direction, though it is reminiscent of Tim Burton's style and such, I still like it. It's actually a bit colorful too for a film like this.

What are your thoughts on this trailer? Do you think it looks good? Do you think it looks bad? What are your thoughts on the cast and the animation? Sound off!

"Monsters University" Teaser Trailers

It's finally here! The teaser trailer for Pixar's Monsters University! Oh wait, scratch that... Make that four teasers! They all have "slight" differences.

What can I say? Aside from the colorful animation and the usually great Pixar look, this is a pretty funny teaser. For starters, the young Mike and Sulley designs look fantastic. It also looks like some of the monsters in this teaser are younger versions of the other scarers in Monsters, Inc. While there isn't too much (the next trailer will probably show us the rest of the university), it's a teaser that does its job. It's funny and it will most likely get people geared up for this prequel, despite any skepticism towards it. It looks like a lot more is going to go into this than Cars 2, whose teaser probably annoyed a lot of people. This one most likely won't, and according to those who saw it with an audience, it will be a hit!

Also, here is some lovely concept art!

Anyways, I'm excited to see Mike and Sully return to the big screen. How about you?

"Monsters University" Trailer Coming Wednesday

Disney has announced that the short teaser trailer for Pixar's Monsters University will make its debut on Wednesday. I'm certainly looking forward to it.

Of course, early reports said that whenever Disney screened this trailer at certain events, it always got a big reaction. I'm curious to see what it is that's so funny (I didn't read too many descriptions, don't want to be spoiled!), and hopefully this will get people geared up for the film, regardless of whether it's a sequel/prequel/spin-off or not. What I'm more excited about is seeing Mike and Sulley in completed animation, since we got work-in-progress images and concept art of their younger selves.

What are you looking forward to seeing in this teaser?