DR. DOLITTLE: TAIL TO THE CHIEF
(G)
MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
STARRING
Kyla Pratt as MAYA DOLITTLE
Peter Coyote as THE PRESIDENT
Elise Gatien as COURTNEY
Niall Matter as COLE FLETCHER
Developed by: Craig Shapiro
Studio: Fox
Continue reading
MR. MAGORIUM’S WONDER EMPORIUM
(G)
MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
STARRING
Dustin Hoffman as MR. EDWARD MAGORIUM
Natalie Portman as MOLLY MAHONEY
Zach Mills as ERIC APPLEBAUM
Jason Bateman as HENRY WESTON
Developed by: Zach Helm
Studio: Fox/Walden
Continue reading
MRS. DOUBTFIRE: BEHIND-THE-SEAMS EDITION
(PG-13)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
STARRING
Robin Williams as DANIEL HILLARD/MRS. DOUBTFIRE
Sally Field as MIRANDA HILLARD
Pierce Brosnan as STU DUNMEYER
Harvey Fierstein as UNCLE FRANK
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Continue reading
AWAKE
(R)
MOVIE: *1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
STARRING
Hayden Christensen as CLAY BERESFORD
Jessica Alba as SAM LOCKWOOD
Terrence Howard as DR. JACK HARPER
Lena Olin as LILITH BERESFORD
Christopher McDonald as DR. LARRY LUPIN
Directed by: Joby Harold
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Continue reading
BY KEVIN CARR
On a visit to the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, I had a chance to see – and touch – a part of Disney history. Resident Disney historian David Smith gave the press a peek at some of the correspondence between Walt Disney and Dodie Smith, the author of the original book “The One Hundred and One Dalmatians.”
While the letters from Walt Disney were carbon copies from 1961 (as the originals are with Mrs. Smith’s estate in England), the letters to Disney are the originals.
Continue reading
A look into Disney history with never-before-seen cells of Cruella De Vil.”
BY KEVIN CARR
During an interview with Alice Davis, the widow of legendary Disney animator Marc Davis, she was kind enough to pull out a piece of Disney history. In addition to designing characters like Maleficent and Tinkerbell, Marc Davis was also in charge of designing the classic Disney villain Cruella De Vil for “101 Dalmatians.”
Due to the fact that “101 Dalmatians” used a new, innovative technology to strike the cells from the original artists’ renderings, Davis was in charge of animated the entire character for the film. Because of this, Davis did not need to create reference sheets of Cruella De Vil for other animators. However, he did a number of sketches and drawings for his own reference.
Continue reading
BY KEVIN CARR
Kevin Carr takes an art class at Walt Disney Studios in preparation for the Platinum Edition DVD release of “101 Dalmatians.”
A childhood dream of mine came true this month at the Walt Disney Studios. I had a chance to sit in with an art class at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim and at the Animation Studios in Burbank, California. Master animator Andreas Deja, who is responsible for designing such classic villains as Scar from “The Lion King” and Jafar from “Aladdin,” led a class of journalists from around the world.
We got a chance to follow a piece of art from a pencil sketch, through the Xerox photographic process, onto an animated cell and through the ink-and-paint department.
Continue reading
SEMI-PROFebruary 29, 2008
STARRING
Will Ferrell as JACKIE MOON
Woody Harrelson as MONIX
Andre Benjamin as CLARENCE “COFFEE” BLACK
Maura Tierney as LYNN
Andrew Daly as DICK PEPPERFIELD
Will Arnett as LOU REDWOOD
Andy Richter as BOBBY DEE
Studio: New Line Cinema
Directed by: Kent Alterman
Continue reading
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRLFebruary 29, 2008
STARRING
Natalie Portman as ANNE BOYLEYN
Scarlett Johansson as MARY BOLEYN
Eric Bana as HENRY TUDOR
Jim Sturgess as GEORGE BOLEYN
Mark Rylance as SIR THOMAS BOLEYN
Kristin Scott Thomas as LADY ELIZABETH BOLEYN
David Morrissey as THE DUKE OF NORFOLK
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Directed by: Justin Chadwick
Continue reading
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
On This Week’s Show: We are without guest, but not without some things to say. From the Jerry Springer-esque Other Boleyn Girl to Will Ferrell’s ridiculous basketball comedy Semi-Pro, we break down all the weekend’s releases. We also stray from talking about Miley Cyrus, but somehow find a way to be offensive. Look out Barack Obama, we are coming for you! We also run through our Oscar reactions, including how we felt about David Bowie winning Best Supporting Actress. And… Diablo Cody naked.
Films Reviewed this Week: The Other Boleyn Girl, Diary of the Dead, Penelope and Semi-Pro.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
A Q&A with “TinkerBell” Filmmakers
BY KEVIN CARR
After being shut down in June of 2007, the “TinkerBell” movie is back in gear. After showing advanced clips of the film to press in February 2008, producer Jeannine Russo and director Brad Raymond were on hand to answer some questions about the film.
Q: What was it like bringing TinkerBell alive in 3D?
BRADLEY RAYMOND: Well, it was definitely a challenge because Tinker Bell is such great character, her design. Marc Davis designed her in such a perfect design. And to be able to capture the essence of Tinker Bell to put her into a 3-D believable world was a challenge. We wanted to capture the essence but there’s all kinds of things like the hair and making sure her hair looks like that same silhouette that you see in Marc’s great drawings and interpret it.
Continue reading
The press gets a sneak peek at the new “TinkerBell” movie, and some explanation of what happened behind the scenes
BY KEVIN CARR
Anyone who follows movie news – and particularly what’s been going on with Disney and Pixar – has heard the story of John Lasseter shutting down production of the direct-to-DVD “The TinkerBell Movie” last June. Recently, I was fortunate enough to get an inside peek at what has happened to the TinkerBell property.
The “TinkerBell” movie was in full swing, and the studio was even dropping ads on the head of some of their DVDs. However, when Disney acquired Pixar, “Toy Story” director John Lasseter was put in charge of the new animation department. After looking at the already in-progress project, Lasseter shut it down. The official word is that he didn’t feel the story was up to snuff.
Continue reading
The press gets a sneak peek at the new “TinkerBell” movie, and some explanation of what happened behind the scenes
BY KEVIN CARR
Anyone who follows movie news – and particularly what’s been going on with Disney and Pixar – has heard the story of John Lasseter shutting down production of the direct-to-DVD “The TinkerBell Movie” last June. Recently, I was fortunate enough to get an inside peek at what has happened to the TinkerBell property.
The “TinkerBell” movie was in full swing, and the studio was even dropping ads on the head of some of their DVDs. However, when Disney acquired Pixar, “Toy Story” director John Lasseter was put in charge of the new animation department. After looking at the already in-progress project, Lasseter shut it down. The official word is that he didn’t feel the story was up to snuff.
Continue reading
HIGHLANDER: THE SOURCE
(R)
MOVIE: ** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5)
STARRING
Adrian Paul as DUNCAN MACLEOD
Thekla Reuten as ANNA TESHEMKA
Cristian Solimeno as THE GUARDIAN
Peter Wingfield as METHOS
Jim Byrnes as JOE DAWSON
Stephen Rahmnan Hughes as ZAI JIE
Stephen Wight as REGGIE WELLER
Directed by: Brett Leonard
Studio: Lionsgate
Continue reading
JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER
(PG-13)
MOVIE: **** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5)
STARRING
David Boreanaz as HAL JORDAN
Miguel Ferrer as J’ONN J’ONZZ
Neil Patrick Harris as THE FLASH
Keith David as THE CENTRE
Lucy Lawless as WONDER WOMAN
Kyle MacLachlan as SUPERMAN
Jeremy Sisto as BATMAN
Studio: Warner Bros.
Continue reading