Fat Guys at the Movies » Up

Video: Kevin Picks the Top 5 Films of 2009 on FOX 28 – December 30, 2009

Kevin Carr — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:13:12 +0000

Right before the New Year, Fat Guy Kevin Carr rolled into the FOX 28 studios in Columbus, Ohio for a weekly movie review segment. This week, he picked his Top 5 films of 2009.

Check out Kevin’s TV appearance here:

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The Online Film Critics Society Picks Best of the Year

Kevin Carr — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:34:04 +0000

The Online Film Critics Society chose its picks for the best of the year with The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds winning big. Also, rebel documentary Anvil!: The Story of Anvil was named best documentary.

The awards are as follows:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Best Actress: Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Best Adapted Screenplay: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on a book by Roald Dahl
Best Documentary: Anvil!: The Story of Anvil
Best Picture Not in the English Language: The White Ribbon
Best Animated Feature: Up
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson, Inglourious Basterds
Best Score: Michael Giacchino, Up
Best Editing: Chris Innis and Bob Murawski, The Hurt Locker

Check out the complete press release here.

Editor’s Note: Fat Guy Kevin Carr is a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

Kevin Carr’s Best of 2009

Kevin Carr — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:13:30 +0000

It’s been a long year with both good and bad movies throughout. Fat Guy Kevin Carr lays down his picks for the best films of 2009.

10. Paranormal Activity
The theme for this year in my moviegoing adoration was the return of the theatrical experience, and Paranormal Activity was a tiny little film that made it big because of this. If you didn’t see this movie in a dark theater with 250 of your closest friends, you were really missing out.
[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Paranormal Activity here.

9. Anvil: The Story of Anvil
Each year, a special documentary seems to make it on my list. This year’s pick is Anvil: The Story of Anvil. It’s a tender story of a real-life Spinal Tap with a bit of American Movie mixed in. I dare you to watch it and not root for the guys in the greatest metal band that never was.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Anvil: The Story of Anvil here.

8. Watchmen
The theatrical cut was good enough, but when the Ultimate Cut arrived on DVD, it broke new ground. While not all fans (as well as Alan Moore) were entirely pleased, Watchmen is one of the best adapted graphic novels ever.
[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Watchmen here.

7. Avatar
In line with the return of the theatrical experience, Avatar gave us something completely unique. The story and characters are nothing new, but the photorealistic CGI and the brilliant IMAX 3D presentation were beyond awesome. Again, it was one of those movies you had to see in the theaters to fully appreciate.
[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Avatar here.

6. Brüno
People called it crass. I watched some event sponsors walk out en masse with this film. It offended people who thought they couldn’t be offended. Yeah, it was a lot of cheap shots, but it was a bold move for Sacha Baron Cohen. It wasn’t as brilliant as Borat, but it pushed a lot of the same buttons, and it made me laugh the hardest in the theater this year.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Brüno here.

5. Star Trek
Whether you are a Trekker, a Trekkie or someone who never watched a single episode of the original series, you could totally get swept away in this movie. It brought the space adventure back to the big screen and updated a tired franchise while keeping in line with the original mythology. Live long and prosper, franchise.
[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Star Trek here.

4. District 9
This is the closest I’ll get to putting an art house piece on my best of list. District 9 was a brilliant made, allegorical film that put a mirror up to ourselves and dared us to look at what we are.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of District 9 here.

3. Fantastic Mr. Fox
As a fan of both Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl, I adored this movie. It brought to life the classic book and gave it Anderson’s quirky spin to the whole thing. Add to the mix some nostalgic stop-motion animation and a charming voice cast, and you’ll have one of the friendliest movies of the year.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Fantastic Mr. Fox here.

2. Coraline
Yep, it’s another stop-motion animated pick. It’s been lost in the shuffle since it came out last February, but it stayed in my mind as one of the best of the year. A brilliant adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s story by Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick, a true genius filmmaker.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Coraline here.

1. Up
I know it seems too easy to put a Pixar movie atop the list, but I can’t blame them for continuing to make awesoem movies. Up is so many things – from a coming of age story to a jungle adventure. It has the most tender love story ever commited to film, and that all happens in the first ten minutes. You can’t help but watch this movie and feel inspired.[See post to listen to audio]
Download the original radio review
Read Kevin’s full review of Up here.

Second Reel Episode 4 – The Best of 2009

Kevin Carr — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:24:10 +0000

On This Episode: Kevin welcomes a slate of ten guests for a completely random, unscientific yet totally awesome list of the ten best films of 2009.

[See post to listen to audio]

Download this Episode

Films Discussed in this Episode:
District 9
(500) Days of Summer
Up
Where the Wild Things Are
Up in the Air
Away We Go
A Serious Man
Black Dynamite
Star Trek
The Hurt Locker

A special thanks goes out to the following guests:
Andrew Robinson, aka @gmanreviews on Twitter, from GManReviews.com
David Medsker from Bullz-Eye.com
Emily McFadden, aka @EmilyFromOhio on Twitter, from The Cue the Film Podcast
Jack Giroux, aka @JackGi on Twitter
Jason, aka @FozzieBare on Twitter
Mel Valentin, aka @FyodorFish on Twitter
Merrill Barr, aka @sonic4 on Twitter, from TheFilmStage.com
Rachelle, aka @Stellar143 on Twitter
Robby, aka @MrPookieBlack on Twitter
Robert Fure, aka @RejectRobert on Twitter, from FilmSchoolRejects.com

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Follow Kevin on Twitter (@kevincarr)

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Kevin Carr’s DVD Rundown for 11/10/09

Kevin Carr — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:16:23 +0000

Kevin’s picks on DVD this week: Up, Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut, Monsters Inc. on Blu-ray, Justice League Unlimited: The Complete Series and The Ugly Truth.

Stinkers of the week: Spread.

[See post to listen to audio]

Download this DVD Rundown

Click to purchase the DVDs below…

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Ronnie del Carmen talks ‘Up’

Kevin Carr — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Ronnie del Carmen, head of story for Up and director of the short film Dug’s Special Mission, sat down to answer some questions about Up, available on DVD and Blu-ray on November 10.

Q: What interested you the most about Dug’s character ?

Ronnie del Carmen: Dug is such a sweet dog and his heart is out there. Because of that he also gets taken advantage of. In a pack of soldier dogs he is definitely out of place as the cuddly lovable one. You empathize with him right away. That and the voice characterization of Bob Peterson gives us that Dug persona that instantly makes you love the character.

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Q: With “Dug’s Special Mission” included with the upcoming video release, would you like to see a sequel or some sort of storyline with Dug or perhaps even Russell and Dug, or Russell and the other dogs in the future?

Ronnie del Carmen: I definitely would love to do the continuing stories of Dug. I had a scene in the original storyboard to Dug’s Special Mission that had him flying an airplane. We cut it because of the length and it seemed out of place with other gags. But I still want to see him in a plane some day. There are stories in my head that tell of how he got into Muntz’ pack. Dug in that pack looks like a mistake–an oversight. I would love to tell that earlier story of how he got there. Certainly Muntz and Dug, and Russell and Dug. Carl and Dug too! But all that is up to the fates if any of it happens. Maybe you can put together a petition.

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Q: What was your favorite part of directing “Dug’s Special Mission”? What was the toughest part of the gig?

Ronnie del Carmen: Well, I get to tell a story that was intriguing me while making the movie. Dug is such a great character to the workshop that people involved in the short film loved working on it. Hey, I get to work with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson on the story–while we were still finishing the movie. John Lasseter weighed in and gave me awesome advice. I got to work with a great cadre of people who were there to find creative solutions to the story I was trying to tell. And as for the tough part, well, it’s always the story that’s tough but also working with the time constraint of making a short that’s only 4.5 minutes.

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Q: When did you start working on the new short, and how long did it take to finish?

Ronnie del Carmen: I think that I had the idea for the short as soon as the movie was in production, right around the layout phase. I storyboarded a rough version quickly and pitched it to Jonas Rivera and Pete Docter around late spring 2008. I figured that I would be finished with story duties and could jump on a short. But the third act lingered on our plate for a while and I had to do double duty (I also took on illustrating the book, “My Name is Dug.” I am a glutton for punishment). We got approval from Disney by January 2009 and got into production right away. We finished in June this year.

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Q: Did you work on Dug’s Special Mission with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson ?

Ronnie del Carmen: I did work with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson on this. Their involvement was crucial since we three were always part of telling the large story of the movie. It made sense that I go to them for advice. Pete Docter can see other potentials to the idea and Bob Peterson can instantly give me the character of Dug– funny nuances I then use. It was a dream. I’m also so hooked on working together with these two guys. Hope to get together again on another project soon.

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Q: Why did you decide to provide Dug with his own special adventure in the short instead of the other main characters?

Ronnie del Carmen: Dug shows up in the movie talking about being on a special mission and we never talked about it again in the movie. I immediately wanted to find out what happened. “Dug’s Special Mission” is really about how Dug remembers these moments. Dug has such a fragmented attention span that his continuity is likely not very spot on. Dug is easily the most lovable character in the movie and you can’t help but want to see more of him. I would love to feature Alpha someday as well as Gamma, voiced by Jerome Ranft. Those two crack me up. Maybe someday I’ll get a shot at that.

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Q: Dug harkens back to classic comedians like Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Stan Laurel. How much of that was intentionally scripted and how much of it did Bob Peterson bring to the performance?

Ronnie del Carmen: We love Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Stan Laurel movies. As animators we gravitate to communicating visually and through behavior, so this is where we love to play. Bob Peterson, as the writer of the movie, created and wrote all of Dug throughout. We threw in other ideas from the crew here and there, but it was written by Bob Peterson mostly. And then during recording he would improv all manner of experiments and a lot of them we used because, well, that man is funny! For “Dug’s Special Mission” I wrote the story and dialogue and Bob Peterson came to the rescue, bringing his Dug performance and advice. I’m a lucky man.

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Q: What’s your favorite scene from Up?

Ronnie del Carmen: My favorite scenes were the silent ones, “Married Life,” where we tell the whole life story of Carl and Ellie, and the scene at the end of the second act where Carl sits in his empty house at Paradise Falls to leaf through Ellie’s adventure book. I tend to get all the dramatic scenes on most movies I’m part of. This was particularly special because I had to convey story and emotion without any dialogue. I remember drawing up Carl looking at the adventure book and getting emotional as I made it. I had to take breaks because I was too much in the moment, tearing up. When we watch our story reels I see people wipe tears from their eyes. You know you’ve got something when a bunch of lines on paper are making people cry.

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Q: In what way did your work as an artist help you with the work on the movie?

Ronnie del Carmen: I do production design, write and direct; all skills good to have for the job of being a story person. When we started we had no job demarcations, we just started trying to solve creative problems. That means I’d draw, design, do camera plans, write and illustrate. It helped all of us touch on all parts of the movie at once. Ricky Nierva and I would sit next door to each other and we’d discuss production design problems as well as complete story sequences in the movies. Throughout production I would draw up solutions and do designs on the fly, from editorial to layout, as well as provide help writing. It was a blast! I miss it.

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Thank you so much for the chance to talk about “Up” and “Dug’s Special Mission”! It was a blast to make both films. I really enjoyed reading and answering your questions. Talk to you next time! – Ronnie del Carmen

Up is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

For more information on Up, visit the official Up web site.

Pete Docter and Bob Peterson Talk ‘Up’

Kevin Carr — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:52:22 +0000

Pete Docter, director and writer of Up, sat down with co-director Bob Peterson to answer some questions about Up, available on DVD and Blu-ray on November 10.

Q: One of the most amazing things in “Up”, I think, it’s the treatment of the love story between Karl and Ellie, this is a true love beyond death. Could you explain us the development of this crucial storyline?

Bob Peterson: Great question. This love story was the spine of who movie. When we develop these films we look for themes that guide us in how we tell the story. As the process of writing progressed, we realized that our main theme was “How does a person define adventure?” Is adventure out there in great deeds, or can it also be between people in the small moments that make up a life. Karl and Ellie’s love story helped us tell that theme – that small moments lead to a life’s adventure.

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Q: Bob, Dug is definitely an interesting character. Do you have fun voicing him? His characterizations are very engaging and likable. Do you ever see a feature film around Dug?

Bob Peterson: Thanks!! It was a thrill for me to voice him, mainly because I have been a dog owner/lover for my entire life. This dog collar idea let us animate Dug with true dog behaviors. I crafted Dug’s voice around how I talk to me dogs. “Hiii you dawgs,” I’ll say with that Dug like voice. I also love how my dogs are interested in the simple things in life – balls, treats, SQUIRRELS!! Dogs to me have a soul – they’re very emotional and I’m happy to pay homage to dogs with this character!

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Q: Where did the character of Dug come from? What inspired that character?

Bob Peterson: The reason for Dug being in the film is that we wanted to give Carl a new family after his wife passes on. We essentially gave him a family dog, a grandson…and a 12 foot flightless bird. You know, a family! It is up to Carl to accept this new family in the body of the film, thus doing what his wife would have wanted – to move on and forge new relationships. Originally Dug and Kevin were with Carl alone (before Russell was created). Carl had no one to talk with so we invented the talking dog collars!

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Q: Which character from UP do you find that you most relate to?

Pete Docter: I relate most to Carl. I find myself griping about how they changed this or that, or how music these days is a bunch of noise. I’m going to make an excellent old man.

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Q: What was your favorite sequence in the film, and why?

Pete Docter: I personally like the part we call “Married Life” — the wordless section showing Carl and Ellie’s life together. I think it plays to the strengths of film and animation in general, letting the visuals tell the story. And it seems to hit home for people. The bookend to this sequence is also one of my favorites — where Carl looks through Ellie’s adventure book (towards the end of the film).

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Q: Of all the exotic locales in the world, why did you choose South America as the place of Carl and Russell’s big adventure?

Bob Peterson: We wanted our locale to reflect and resonate with Carl’s emotional state in the film. The Tepuis, or table top mountains, of South America are old, isolated, rugged, dangerous but with a soulful beauty – a pretty good description of Carl! Going there gave us a good sense of what it would be like for Carl and his friends to be up there. In the film, we used a great many plants and rock shapes that we saw from the Tepui.

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Q: I’ve read a lot about the character of Carl as inspired by actor Spencer Tracy, but not so much about the source of Charles Muntz. Could you confirm if, in some way, it is inspired by actors as Errol Flynn or Clark Gable, funny adventurers?

Pete Docter: Yeah, we looked at Spencer Tracy, Walter Matthau, James Whitmore… as well as our own grandparents. For Muntz we modeled him on strong, 30′s era adventurous types — Errol Flynn and Walt Disney were two inspirations, as well as real life adventurers like Roald Amundsen and Percy Faucett.

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Q: Is there anything about the movie that you’re still not satisfied with? If you could go back and change one thing about the movie after the fact, what would it be?

Pete Docter: Hey Folks, Pete here. We’ve trained ourselves to look for ways to improve our films at every turn. As John Lasseter says, we never actually finish our films, we just release them. So yes, every time I watch UP I see things I would change… cut out two frames here for better timing, add another gag there… but overall I am happy with it. (I’d better be after 5 years of work).

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Q: Watching one of the special features titled “Adventure Is Out There”, I was surprised to find out that six of the crew were left behind until a helicopter could return after weather conditions cleared up. Curious, were you guys scared out of your wits having to stay huddled inside the “Lou” during the storm, or did you all embrace the weather conditions and think “how are we going to incorporate this into our film”?

Pete Docter: Bob and I were lucky enough to be in the first two helicopter trips, so we were already down when the storm closed in. I was in the last copter shuttle, and when we flew out we saw huge storm clouds closing in. The pilot said, “That’s going to be the last trip up here for today.” Uh oh… Once down, someone got us food, but we felt too guilty to eat, knowing our pals were still up there. I had stood in the Lou during an earlier downpour and it was pretty cramped quarters. I can’t imagine anyone would have slept at all had they been stuck there — neither the group on the mountain nor the group back on the ground! All part of the adventure I guess.

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Q: With “Up” being a film that is so adventurous and exciting, if there was a ride or attraction for “Up” at Disneyland or Disneyworld, what would you both like to see?

Bob Peterson: Pete Docter is so tall, that I think we could build a ride around him! Just string a gondola or ski lift up over his head, and you’ve got a great ride!! So far no plans for an UP ride, but of all of our films, with its adventurous flying and travel, UP seems like it would be a natural. As the voice of Dug, I’d love to have Dug appear in the theme parks somehow!

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Q: What’s the most rewarding thing you’ve learned or taken from making this movie?

Pete Docter: Hmm, tough question. Overall I’d have to say that the best thing was the experience of making it — the research, the work, and most of all the amazing people we got to work with. Bob is a swell chap and an amazingly talented fellow.

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Q: Was there a draft of the script before you took this research trip, or was it more of a treatment/outline, which was shaped by the locations?

Bob Peterson: We had a few drafts under our belt before we headed South. We workshop all of our stories until right before the film comes out, so we had some key elements of the story that were still in flux – mainly Charles Muntz. We hadn’t figured out why he would go to South America and stay there for so long – the idea of Kevin the bird therefore was still being developed. We wondered about making Kevin more magical – the bird who lays golden eggs, or contained the secret to eternal life. In the end, we went with a more “conventional” primitive bird who’s bones cause Muntz’ Geographic society to doubt his credibility.

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Q: It isn’t the first time Pixar chooses an old man as first character in a plot, I remember the wonderful short “Geri’s Game”. But could you talk us about the challenge of the conception of a character like Carl, an lonely old man, in this film?

Pete Docter: Yeah, Geri’s Game was great — I got to animate a shot on it and was surprised by the challenge of animating an older guy. One of the biggest problems was to break habits we have as animators; we generally try to loosen up movement with things like overlapping action and nice fluid movements. Watching real old men, we noticed there is a stiffness that comes with age — your bones fuse and you tend to be less flexible. So we came up with some rules for ourselves: Carl can’t turn his head beyond 15-20 degrees without turning his upper torso, for example. He can’t raise his arms too high. Then we also wanted to have him grow more flexible at the end, so he transforms into an action hero and rejoins life.

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Q: Did you consider using other animals than dogs as companions for Muntz?

Bob Peterson: Not really. We felt that dogs could play a wide variety of roles in the film just as dogs do in our lives – from loveable companion to enforcers. Ultimately a dog’s unquestioning love fit well with what Carl needed in the film – to accept new relationships in his life. And simply…DOGS ARE THE BEST!!!

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Q: In an earlier interview, Pete Docter said he modeled Russell after Pixar’s Pete Sohn and a boy in his son’s Boy Scout troop. Has the “real” Russell seen the movie, and if so, what does he think of it?

Pete Docter: Hey Edward. Russell’s namesake, my son’s friend, was happy with the film but told me we should add dinosaurs and a spy subplot to the story. (This is why I didn’t show it to him until we were finished.) Jordan seemed to like it as well, though said he didn’t really recognize his own voice.

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Q: In the Up Blu-Ray, you talk about being inspired by a drawing of a grumpy old man holding balloons. At what point did you realize you had a movie, and not just a premise?

Bob Peterson: I think the first pitch to John Lasseter when we made him cry (with no visuals!) did we think we had the emotional underpinnings of the story!! Story-wise we had finally cracked Carl’s motivation for escaping life – that he had lived an amazing relationship with his life that ended in something not quite completed. It’s a good feeling when you find that nugget of truth in your story. Humor and characters will come in and out of a story, but that nugget will remain.

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Q: In conversations with Ronnie del Carmen and Peter Sohn, they both talked about the advantages of collaboration: animators adding stuff you wouldn’t have thought of. Are there any scenes in particular where somebody gave you an idea that was better than you originally intended?

Pete Docter: ALL of the scenes got better in animation! But there were certain parts that really came to life once we started in animation — like where Russell climbs up Carl in an attempt to scramble up to the house. All the business of him stepping on Carl’s nose and stomach was stuff we added in animation. The Bird was another one that was fun to animate. Tony Rosenast was the story board artist, and he came up with really funny stuff for that scene where they meet Kevin, but pantomime characters like Kevin just come to life once you get them moving.

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Q: What do you think it is the most important adventure in life?

Bob Peterson: The great thing about this film and any film we work on is that it contains truths taken from our lives. Pixar lets the directors create an “autobiography.” in other words, things that are important to us make it into the film. I do believe that the greatest adventures happen between me and my kids, my wife, and in small moments. A morning around the kitchen table eating breakfast is an adventure in my house!!!!

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Q: Hello! I’d like to know, from both of you, how does your children feel about your job…I believe they think it’s great to have a father animator.

Pete Docter: My kids don’t seem to think it’s unusual or unique. They probably think EVERYBODY works at a company where they ride scooters and eat candy. They’re going to have a rude awakening when they graduate…

Bob Peterson: I have 3 kids who each feel differently about my job. My 14 year old has now grown up with 10 Pixar films. She loves what I do but doesn’t want to brag to her friends – she wants to keep it “cool.” At the same time she is taken by the glamour of Cannes, and the Oscars and wants to go with me to these events! My 7 year old is a good story sounding board for what is funny to kids. He loves to analyze the humor in our films. My 4 year old is confused when she hears my voice coming out of dogs and monster slugs!!!

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Q: To Bob Peterson – did you model Dug’s character after any real dogs you know?

Bob Peterson: Of course! I’ve owned a lot of dogs in my life – Marcela, Rusty, Petey Pup, Precious, Rosy and Ava. Each were in love with life’s simple pleasures, but being people in dog suits, as they seem to be, they each had a defined personality! Rosy, my present dog is very interested in squirrels!!

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Q: What was your experience like taking the film to Cannes?

Bob Peterson: It was like Alice going through the looking glass! Or another metaphor, it was like Pixar is a space administration and they sent us as astronauts to another planet. We kept pinching ourselves that it was real. Cannes after all welcomes amazing live action films with unique content. To be the first animated film to open the festival was an honor! The standing ovation after the film ended will be a memory I will always cherish.

Pete Docter: Cannes was amazing. It was overwhelming, like something out of a fever dream. Here we are, a bunch of geeks who draw cartoons, being mobbed by reporters and fans, at one of the most prestigious international film festivals in the world… I kept thinking, “You’ve got the wrong guys!” But we think of what we do as filmmaking — not anything more or less. We don’t think we should get any special “free pass,” or be seated at the little kids’ table, just because we use animation to tell our stories. And being selected to open the Cannes Film Festival showed us that the film community feels the same way. It was very gratifying.

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Q: Can you give some advice to young people who would like to work in animation ?

Bob Peterson: Several things. First of all, just start animating! Don’t wait for someone to say it’s ok. When I was younger I drew a comic strip that appeared everyday in my college newspaper – I got to draw a lot and get a ton of feedback from readers. This was invaluable to me as a story teller today. Always carry a notebook to do sketches. Watch and analyze animation. Go to conferences and get to know people – it is who you know sometimes that does get you the job. The best advice is to make sure to get good life experiences – we draw from our experiences every day in story and animation!

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Q: Can you give some advice to young people who would like to work in animation ?

Pete Docter: I get a lot of people telling me, “I’m thinking of making an animated film.” Well don’t think about it… DO IT! Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to create films right in your home. I had a teacher tell me, “You’ve got 10 thousand bad drawings in you before you get to the good ones. So get drawing.” The same goes for films (though as you’re making them they’re all works of genius).

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Well folks, it looks like it’s time for me to get back to work. I’m back over in the development department, working on another original film. It’s due out in 2014 and I’m already behind schedule. (Just kidding.) Nice talking to you all — see you soon! –Pete Docter

Thanks everyone! Great questions! Talk to you soon. -Bob Peterson

Up is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

For more information on Up, visit the official Up web site.

Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera Talk ‘Up’

fatguy — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:07:17 +0000

What’s this, kiddies? Another video about Pixar’s new masterpiece Up? You bet! Last week, director Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera rolled into the University of Cincinnati to talk to some animation students about their new film. Kevin Carr squeezed himself into a seat and got the whole thing on tape. Here are some highlights of the Pixar guys’ insights. Enjoy!

Up opens in Disney Digital 3D nationwide on May 29.

For more information on Up, visit the official Up web site.

Movie Review: ‘Up’

fatguy — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:25:28 +0000

Rated PG
Opens: May 29, 2009
Studio: Disney/Pixar
Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Delroy Lindo and Jordan Nagai
Directed by: Pete Docter

Neil says Up ROCKS!
Read Neil’s review of Up here.

Kevin says Up ROCKS!
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Download this Review
Read Kevin’s review of Up here.

Episode 117 – Drag My Fat Butt Up to Hell

fatguy — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:04:04 +0000

Fat Guys at the Movies is the official podcast of Film School Rejects

On This Week’s Show: The unprecedented has happened in the Magical Studio in the Sky. Not only has Neil seen as many movies this week as Kevin, but they also seem to agree on everything. Surely, this is a sign of the apocalypse. In celebration of this blue moon event, Kevin and Neil provide not one, but two Fat Guy Fives, also in honor of two vastly different films in the theaters this week. But have no fear. Kevin and Neil will be back with fighting words next week.

Films Reviewed this Week: Up and Drag Me to Hell.

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Download this Episode

Episode Schedule:

Segment 1 [8:50] – Review of Drag Me to Hell

Segment 2 [10:40] – Review of Up

Segment 3 [12:45] – Box office recap and predictions, and two Fat Guy Fives: Pixar’s Five Best Films & The Five Best Horror Movie Experiences

Segment 4 [6:35] – DVD Round-Up: Neil’s picks are the Blu-Ray of Children of Men and Powder Blue; Kevin’s picks include Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus and The Closer: Season Four with a spotlight on recent western classics, including Catlow, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, El Dorado and the Blu-Ray of The Good the Bad and the Ugly; Review Recap and a look ahead to next week.

Next Week’s Show:
Neil and Kevin travel to The Land of the Lost, see My Life in Ruins and deal with The Hangover

Show Links:

FSR’s Weekly Report Card for Up and Drag Me to Hell
Pixar Takes Kevin Carr Up, Up and Away!
Kevin’s complete audio interview with William Sanderson

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Digg the Fat Guys

Disney/Pixar Takes a Fat Guy UP, UP and Away

fatguy — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:12:54 +0000

To help promote their upcoming film Up, Disney/Pixar rolled into Cincinnati, Ohio with their “Up, Up and Away” tour. This 20-city tour gave select members of the press a chance to take a balloon ride in a replica of Carl Fredrickson’s living room chair. Fortunately, there were enough balloons to lift a Fat Guy in the air.

Check out the video of the balloon ride, courtesy of Film School Rejects…

Kevin wishes to thank Elizabeth Trupp (also seen riding the balloons in the video) for helping with videography and photography for the event.

Up opens in Disney Digital 3D nationwide on May 29.

For more information on Up, visit the official Up web site.

Video: Kevin’s Summer Movie Preview on ‘Good Day Columbus’

fatguy — Sat, 02 May 2009 01:02:15 +0000

Fat Guys Kevin Carr rolled into WTTE Fox 28 in Columbus, Ohio on Friday morning to preview some of the big movies in May. And like any good media whore, he made sure to get some awesome swag from the studio… notice his wicked-cool Star Trek hat and Wolverine claws (which he admits are pretty ineffective as a weapon).

Check out Kevin’s TV appearance here:

Episode 113 – Fat Guy Origins

fatguy — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:05:07 +0000

Fat Guys at the Movies is the official podcast of Film School Rejects

On This Week’s Show: Neil protests the late screenings of Wolverine by not seeing any movies this week. Kevin brings his son Liam on the show so he can actually talk to someone who has seen a film this week. Neil also sings praises for Kevin for moving into the Internet 2.0 generation with his newfound Twitter account. The Fat Guys ring in the summer movie season with a Fat Guy Five – The Most Anticipated Films of Summer, while Kevin risks a backlash of political correctness by explaining why he thinks Obsessed with Beyonkadonk did so well last week. Plus, Kevin gets a wicked-cool ride in the UP balloon chair.

Films Reviewed this Week: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Battle for Terra and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

[See post to listen to audio]

Download this Episode

Episode Schedule:

Segment 1 [8:50] – Review of Battle for Terra and Kevin’s introdution to the Twitterati

Segment 2 [10:40] – Review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine with special guest Liam Carr, plus a review of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Segment 3 [12:45] – Kevin’s politically incorrect analysis of the success of Obsessed plus other box office news, Kevin gets a ride in the UP balloon chair and the Fat Guy Five – The Most Anticipated Films of the Summer

Segment 4 [6:35] – DVD Round-Up: Neil’s picks areStar Trek: Season One on Blu Ray and Hotel for Dogs; Kevin’s picks include Bride Wars, The Uninvited, American Dad: Vol. 4 and The Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie; with the stinker of the week being Barbra Streisand: The Concerts; Review Recap and a look ahead to next week.

Next Week’s Show:

A look at XStar Trek and Next Day Air

Show Links:

FSR’s Weekly Report Card for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Battle for Terra and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Neil’s review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Subscribe in iTunes

Email the Fat Guys

Digg the Fat Guys

Fat Guys at the Movies » Up

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