Pixar

Director and Co-Writer Andrew Stanton JOHN CARTER Set Visit Interview

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2012 at 9:06 am

Making the move from directing animation to live-action was the big question facing Andrew Stanton when I visited the set of John Carter in April 2010.  Stanton had already delivered two amazing Pixar movies with Finding Nemo and WALL-E, but he headed to Mars with John Carter and Mars was a mix of live-action and CG.  Stanton was refreshingly honest about the transition and how the two mediums compare.  He also talked about his frustrations with the live-action process, how the film isn’t in post-production but “Principal Digital Photography”, the process of adapting the book, trying to flesh out the main characters, where they’re at with the planned sequels, and more.

Hit the jump to check out the interview.  John Carter opens in 3D on March 9th.

New Images from PROMETHEUS, BRAVE, and THE HOBBIT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 5th, 2012 at 5:44 pm

Hot on the heels of the first image from The Bourne Legacy, we’ve got new images from Ridley Scott’s sci-fi pic Prometheus, the next James Bond entry Skyfall, Pixar’s upcoming fairy tale Brave, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. While nothing’s too groundbreaking, we do get our first official look at Daniel Craig in Skyfall (Correction: the image is actually from Casino Royale, so we’re still lacking an official image of Craig in Skyfall), and you can’t really get enough of Martin Freeman as Bilbo in The Hobbit. The Twilight image seems familiar so I’m not entirely sure it’s new , but I figured Twilight fans wouldn’t mind another gander if they’ve seen it before (Correction: it’s from Breaking Dawn: Part 1, but I still included it because, you know, Bella and Edward).

Hit the jump to check out the images.

Christopher Plummer Talks THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Pixar’s UP, BEGINNERS, Michael Powell, and a Lot More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 29th, 2011 at 12:08 pm

It’s not too often you get to interview a living legend, but sitting across from Christopher Plummer in a hotel room in New York City a few weeks ago, I was smiling like a kid on Christmas.  That’s because before I understood what a movie was, I had already seen his work, as I grew up watching The Sound of Music with my family every holiday season.  And while most eighty year olds might slow down, Plummer has delivered some of his best work these past few years.  If you haven’t seen Mike Mills‘ Beginners, Michael Hoffman‘s The Last Station, Terry Gilliam‘s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus or Pixar’s Up (he voices Charles Muntz), I strongly suggest checking them out.  I’ll be shocked if Plummer doesn’t get nominated for an Oscar for Beginners.

The reason I got to speak with this great actor is for David Fincher‘s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Plummer plays Henrik Vanger, a wealthy old man who’s been haunted by the disappearance of his beloved niece for the past forty years.  As most of you know, Dragon Tattoo is the first in Stieg Larson’s Millennium trilogy and it centers on a disgraced journalist (Daniel Craig) who’s hired by Vanger to investigate the mysterious disappearance.  Rooney Mara plays Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant young hacker who teams up with Craig.  During the interview, Plummer talked about the last few years, acting in films and in the theater, working with Fincher, voicing Charles Muntz in Up, how he almost played Prospero in Michael Powell‘s unrealized adaptation of The Tempest, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to read or listen to the interview.

Disney Confirms THE AVENGERS Will Be 3D, Moves Untitled Marvel Film to April 2014; Disney Animation’s THE SNOW QUEEN Now Titled FROZEN [UPDATED]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 22nd, 2011 at 12:36 pm

bits of news about some highly anticipated projects. First up, and to the surprise of no one, the studio confirms that The Avengers will be in 3D. This was already assumed, given that all of Marvel’s recent movies have been post-converted to the format. In other Marvel news, the studio has shifted an untitled project from June 2014 to April 4th, 2014, a month before the opening of another untitled Marvel project that’s scheduled for May 16th.

The nature of the untitled Marvel projects is currently unknown. They could include a Captain America or The Avengers sequel, but the studio is also working on spinoffs for Hawkeye, Black Widow, and S.H.I.E.L.D. so those are other possibilities as well. Hopefully the studio will announce their full development slate soon, but for now it looks like this: The Avengers in May 2012, Iron Man 3 in May 2013, Thor 2 in November 2013, Untitled Marvel 1 in April 2014, and Untitled Marvel 2 in May 2014. Hit the jump for info on Pixar’s now-titled movie about dinosaurs.  [Update: It appears Frozen is the new title of The Snow Queen and has nothing to do with Pixar. More after the jump.]

CARS 2 Blu-ray Review

by Scott Wampler    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 7:47 am

John Lasseter—he of the illustrious, awe-inspiring career with Pixar Animation Studios—has produced some truly great films for that studio over the years, not least of which were the Toy Story films.  This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, of course, seeing as how Pixar’s the gold-standard as far as cinematic animation goes these days, but it’s also not to say that Lasseter’s above making missteps.  Prior to seeing Cars 2 (recently out on Blu-ray), I wasn’t convinced that this was a sequel worth making, as the original Cars—beloved as it is by kids and Larry The Cable Guy enthusiasts everywhere—simply wasn’t my cup of tea.  So, is Cars 2 a misstep, or is it another fine addition to the Lasseter canon?  Hit the jump for my review of Cars 2 on Blu-ray.

Director Angus MacLane Talks New TOY STORY Short SMALL FRY Which Plays in Front of THE MUPPETS

by Christina Radish    Posted: November 21st, 2011 at 8:32 pm

In the new Toy Story short Small Fry, playing in theaters with The Muppets, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids’ meal toy version takes his place. While the three-inch-tall Buzz impersonator incessantly annoys Woody (Tom Hanks) and all of the other toys, the real Buzz is trapped at a support group for discarded toys, run by narcissistic group leader, Neptuna (Jane Lynch). As Woody and the gang plan to rescue their friend, Buzz attempts his own escape.

At the press day for The Muppets, Small Fry director Angus MacLane talked about his work at Pixar Animation Studios, how the story was a combination of ideas that started with his psychologists mother and sister and his love of fast food toys, what it was like to get the voice cast together for this, that there were various kids’ meal toys that didn’t make the final cut, that there will be versions of some of the toys available for sale, and how he hopes to direct full-length features, at some point. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Short Clip from New Pixar Short Film, TOY STORY: SMALL FRY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 12:20 pm

Last week we showed you the first images from the new Toy Story short film, Toy: Story: Small Fry.  The movie focuses on Buzz Lightyear getting left at a fast food restaurant and requiring the help of Happy Meal-like toys in order to get back home and stop a diminutive Buzz imposter.  In the clip, we see Buzz trying to escape but landing right in the middle of a support group for discarded Fun Meal toys (you’ll briefly hear Jane Lynch as the group’s narcissistic leader, Neptuna).

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  The short film also features the voices of Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, John Ratzenberger, and Joan Cusack. Toy Story: Small Fry will play in front of The Muppets, which opens November 23rd.

New Image from Pixar’s BRAVE plus Character Details [Updated with 2 More Images]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 9:14 am

Pixar has released a new image from their upcoming film, Brave.  The movie revolves around a young and rebellious princess (voiced my Kelly Macdonald) who defies a sacred custom of the land, inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom, and then makes an ill-fated wish in order to set things right.  While the movie features Pixar’s first female protagonist, co-director Mark Andrews tells Yahoo! the movie is “less about girl power” (yeah, because who wants that?) and “more about the oppositional relationship between mother Elinor and daughter Merida, likening the defiant red-haired princess to a scrutinized teenager who is forced to attend the same high school where her mother serves as the principal.”  YAWN.  Pixar whiffed in a big way with Cars 2 and it looked like Brave was a chance for the studio to get back on track.  Let’s hope that’s still the case.

Hit the jump to check out the new image.  The film also features the voices of Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, and Julie Walters.  Brave opens in 3D on June 22, 2012.  Pixar will be releasing a new trailer in the near future. [Update: We've added two more images to the story, which you can check out after the jump.]

TOP 5: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, IMMORTALS, CARS 2, THE EXPENDABLES 2, Billy Crystal and Brian Grazer Take on 2012 Oscars

by Jason Barr    Posted: November 12th, 2011 at 12:49 pm

I’m going to bypass my usual opening paragraph musings this week and simply wish everyone a Happy Veterans Day weekend. Given that I don’t have any immediate family or friends who serve, I won’t claim to know the first thing about the sacrifices that each serviceman/woman and their respective families and friends are continually asked to make. I reap all of the benefits of their service without any of the concessions. As a result, I owe a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them.

In this week’s “Top 5″ installment you can find the first trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman, a cornucopia of interviews for Immortals and Cars 2, new set images from the set of The Expendables 2 featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, and a look at the road that led Billy Crystal and Brian Grazer to the top of the 2012 Oscars. Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

First Look at New TOY STORY Short, SMALL FRY [Updated]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 11th, 2011 at 7:19 am

The first image from the new Toy Story short, Small Fry, has popped up online.  We reported in August that short film would have Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) getting left behind at a fast-food restaurant and trying to find his way back home with the help of less popular, Happy Meal-like toys.  It turns out there’s a bit more to it because one of the Happy Meal-toys kidnaps Buzz and tries to take over his play-filled existence.  Jane Lynch (Glee) will make her Pixar debut as the Happy Meal toys’ narcissistic support-group leader Neptuna.

Hit the jump to check out the full image and adorably tiny Lightyear feet.  The seven-minute short will be attached to The Muppets, which opens November 23rd.  Toy Story: Small Fry also features the voices of Tom Hanks, John Ratzenberger, and Joan Cusack. [We have added a new image, and updated the story with a hi-res version of the previously-released image]

Producer Denise Ream Talks CARS 2

by Tommy Cook    Posted: November 7th, 2011 at 10:08 am

Judging by the comments on the previous Cars 2 DVD/Blu-ray coverage, the film seems rather divisive with a lot of you – most bemoaning its failure to live up to previous heights of Pixar yore. I’m not sure the comparisons are necessarily fair – as Cars 2 doesn’t intend to have the same gravitas as other Pixar films. It’s the lightest of the studio’s fare and the most freewheeling narratively. The movie’s not afraid to go off on silly tangents – like the extended wasabi joke or the master of disguise jet plane sequence. Do all the jokes land? No. Does the movie feel like it could lose twenty or so minutes. Sure, it does. But  the thing that really irks me – those that use Cars 2 as a sign of the Pixar-Apocalypse, waving their pitchforks proclaiming ‘Hear ye, hear ye – this be the moment Ol’ Glorious Pixar sold out. Now The End is Nigh”. It’s one film. ONE. Let’s hold off on the judgment at least until Brave…

In the fifth and final interview (taken part at Pixar headquarters in Emeryville, CA), Cars 2 producer Denise Ream discusses how to budget/schedule an animated feature, what inspired her to get into the animation field and the differences between producing live action (as she previously worked at ILM on the Star Wars prequels) versus animation. For all this and more, hit the jump.

Pixar Supervising Animators Dave Mullins and Shawn Krause Talk CARS 2

by Tommy Cook    Posted: November 5th, 2011 at 1:44 pm

Last week in conjunction with the release of Cars 2 on DVD/Blu-ray, I was able to travel up to Pixar headquarters (Emeryville, CA), to tour the grounds and speak with the team behind the sequel. In today’s installment (the fourth of five interviews): I speak with supervising animators Dave Mullins and Shawn Krause. Mullins has been working with Pixar since 2000 on projects as varied as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Cars; whereas Krause dates back to 1994 having served as animator and layout artist on Pixar’s first film – Toy Story. Both bring an experienced and well-learned perspective to how the animation process has changed over time and Pixar’s role in it.

In the following interview with the two, they also discuss what separates a “good” animated mouth from a “bad” one, who their favorite character to design in Cars 2 was and how to imbue inanimate talking cars with human characteristics. For the full interview, hit the jump.

John Lasseter CARS 2 Interview

by Tommy Cook    Posted: November 1st, 2011 at 10:47 am

John Lasseter has a firm handshake. You see a guy in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts and your first thought is this must be one of those free thinking who cares what the world thinks? I’m gonna wear what I want and dance to my own drum type people. But the handshake says differently. It sizes you up, puts you in your place. Tells you it belongs to a man who knows what he wants, who’s in complete and total control. This is what makes John Lasseter such a compelling figure: at once one of the leading creative minds in animation (Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Cars, Luxo Jr.), whilst at the same time the shrewdest of businessmen (Lasseter is the largest shareholder in Disney; Pixar is valued upward of 7.4 billion).

In the third of five interviews running this week (in conjunction with the release of Cars 2 on Blu-ray/DVD today), I speak ever so briefly with the big man himself – John Lasseter (I was only allotted two questions). Click through to watch as Lasseter explicates on the fish-out-of-water dynamics of the Cars series and what he finds so darn fascinating about inanimate talking objects.

Pixar FX Technical Director John Reisch and Effects Supervisor Gary Bruins Talk CARS 2

by Tommy Cook    Posted: October 31st, 2011 at 10:17 am

In all honesty, one of the more striking aspects of Cars 2 is the simple rising of an ocean wave in its opening moments.  It’s weird to think that animated water could leave such a mark – but the water in this little toon was more “real” and majestic than many an ocean I’ve seen in so-called live action films or, you know, in person. It’s one of those strange moments when fiction overtakes reality. I almost forgot I was watching an animated film – that was until the talking cars showed up.

So it was serendipitous that my interview with FX Technical Director John Reisch and Effects Supervisor Gary Bruins began simply enough with them showing me through the process of creating ripples in a wave. In the second of five interviews conducted at Pixar headquarters in Emeryville, California, the twosome also discuss their favorite segments from the film, the development of the animation process over time and why FX work isn’t just EXPLOSIONS!!!  The Cars 2 Blu-ray/DVD hits shelves tomorrow.

Pixar Character Designer Jay Shuster Talks CARS 2

by Tommy Cook    Posted: October 29th, 2011 at 7:12 pm

Last week I was invited up to Pixar Studios in Emeryville , CA to interview the animation team behind Cars 2. Upon leaving the confines of the studio, one journalist said to another: “You know that Jay Shuster – he’s a cartoon character in and of himself”. With long sideburns and a trademark grey cap, Shuster is an (ahem) animated conversationalist. He may be the only person I’ve met who gesticulates more often than I do. It’s really not much of a stretch to picture Shuster in cartoon form. More importantly though, Shuster is one of the main character-designers for Pixar – specializing in (as I would learn) robotic and environmental designs. He’s the guy responsible for Wall-E and Lightening McQueen – which makes him just about the most talented cartoon-character-come-to-life I’ve yet encountered.

In the first of five interviews conducted in conjunction with the Blu-ray/DVD release of Cars 2 (which gets released Tuesday), Shuster discusses when he first comes into the animation/development process, characters that didn’t make the final cut of Cars 2 and the very first thing he ever designed as a boy. For the full interview, hit the jump.

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