Pixar news. All the time.
On Sunday night, Brave returned Pixar to the Oscar podium once more, as the film won the Best Animated Feature award. While director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian were present at the show, most of those who worked on the film were not in attendance. Andrews and Sarafian returned to Pixar on Monday, carrying the golden statuette, ready to celebrate with their co-workers. Watch a news clip showing their celebrated return after the break!
Last year was a solid year for animation, consisting of several popular hits including Wreck-It Ralph and Brave, along with less-seen but still quality films such as ParaNorman, Frankenweenie, and The Pirates! Band of Misfits. All of the above were deservedly nominees in the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars, but no clear winner was in sight. Pixar’s Brave had picked up momentum in recent months, taking the top animation prize at the Golden Globes. After sitting out the category at last year’s Academy Awards, Pixar was looking to reclaim the spot that it had all but claimed ownership over in recent years.
A few weeks ago, Brave won best animated film at the Golden Globes, the Pixar film’s first major award of the season. With the Academy Awards just two weeks away, the question was whether Brave would be able to maintain momentum. The BAFTAs, often referred to as the overseas version of the Oscars, were held earlier tonight in London, and it looks like good fortune remains on the film’s side as it took home the prize for Best Animated Film. Watch the acceptance speech after the break!
Last year, Pixar received awards and nominations for its short film, La Luna, which was beautifully directed by Enrico Casarosa. However, the divisive Cars 2 largely remained on the sidelines, making last year the first time Pixar’s feature film had not been a factor in awards season. Brave received far more favorable reviews in 2012, and last night captured the Golden Globe in the Best Animated Feature Film category. Find more details and watch the acceptance speech after the break!
With most reviews written today for Pixar films, there is this innate drive to compare the studio’s latest with its fantastic catalog. The Pixar name has become synonymous with more than just great animated films – a story that is layered so that both children and adults can enjoy it, characters that you can relate to, smart and creative humor, beautiful visuals – over the last decade, Pixar has become a brand that brings in droves of people expecting another great film. The challenge that arises from that expectation is that instead of weighing the films on their own merits, they are endlessly compared to the films that came before. Brave arrives in theaters tomorrow with much hype about whether it makes for a film worthy of the Pixar name – Pixar film or not, Brave is first and foremost an impressive feature, with a compelling mother-daughter relationship that sits at its core. After the break, you can find my full spoiler-free thoughts on the film. [Read more...]
The world premiere of Brave, Pixar’s latest feature-length film, was held last night in Hollywood, California. Members of the Pixar production staff turned out to celebrate the imminent release of the film. The premiere was held at the Dolby Theatre, which had its grand re-opening, after the sound company took over the naming rights from Kodak. The Kodak Theatre name may sound familiar, as it has been the home for the Academy Awards. Take a look at photos from the animated film’s world premiere after the break! [Read more...]
Back in April, I was invited to Pixar to preview the first half-hour of Brave, and speak in-depth with several of the filmmakers. I had the opportunity to sit down with the film’s production designer, Steve Pilcher, who worked on the film for almost seven years. That may sound like a frustrating amount of time on one film, but Pilcher loves what he does. After the jump, read my exclusive interview with him, where he talks about the job of a production designer, the change in directors that Brave went through, the mythical aspects of Scotland, the importance of mystery to the film’s look, and more! [Read more...]
Pixar has an attachment to the composers that it works with, only hiring three to work on its eleven released feature films. However, director Mark Andrews and his team wanted something different for Brave, which is why the Scotland-born Patrick Doyle (Composer for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Thor) was given the job. Doyle, Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, British folk rock group Mumford & Sons, singer Birdy and Pixar’s own songwriter Alex Mandel contributed to a soundtrack which houses three original songs. Find some images and more details after the break! [Read more...]
I was one of a lucky few invited to learn more about Brave at Pixar last week. We were shown 30 minutes from the film and were able to speak to director Mark Andrews, producer Katherine Sarafian, and several more of the employees who are now working to finish up the film soon. Additionally, we were able to see some of the pre-production art created to give the artists a visual perspective of the film. The art was so stunning and full of personality that I could stand and look at the pieces all day. We now have the chance to do that with a gorgeous piece that Disney/Pixar revealed through their Facebook page. Check it out after the jump! [Read more...]
This morning, Entertainment Weekly posted four exclusive Brave character posters, featuring several of the main players from Pixar’s highly anticipated new film. The four hi-res posters feature Princess Merida, her parents Queen Elinor and King Fergus, her similarly red-haired brothers, and Lords of the Kingdom. Additionally, in an interview with director Mark Andrews, several new details about the film were revealed. Check out the images and the full (spoiler-free) scoop after the jump! [Read more...]
Perhaps timed to show the world that Pixar has its own heroine badass who is mighty good with a bow and arrow, a new Brave TV spot has been unleashed. Along with a few glimpses of new scenes, this new spot is set to a rocking soundtrack. Most will recognize the music, Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” which is used here due to the song’s Scottish influence. Check out the new TV spot after the jump! [Read more...]
With about three months until the release of Brave, the marketing for the film is now starting to push into the halls of movie theaters. Sure, trailers and posters for the Pixar film have been a mainstay in theaters over the past several months, but now standees have also started to pop up. Now, standees don’t sound all that cool, but the design of these cardboard cutouts is actually quite creative. Take a look at the great Brave theater standees after the jump! [Read more...]
Ever wonder how one gets their hands on an original sketch from a Pixar artist or a signed book from a director at the studio? Of course you have! Dice Tsutsumi, Art Director of Toy Story 3, has set up an auction to benefit Japan after the catastrophic events the country faced one year ago. With 100% of the proceeds going to the Mercy Corps Japan Recovery Fund, taking a look at the auction of these rare items is a no-brainer. Check out some of the awesome collectibles after the jump! [Read more...]
A few days ago, Disney Japan released a new trailer for Brave, and as it normally goes, it showed off a lot (and I mean, a lot) more of the film than the American trailers have. It seems to be more in line with the gorgeous and ominous teaser trailer that was shown in theatres with Cars 2. You can watch the trailer after the jump, but be warned, while the trailer is beautiful and epic, it shows much more footage from Brave. It is packed with more spoilers, especially if you speak Japanese. If you weren’t convinced by the previous trailers, then you will be convinced by this one. Check it out after the jump! [Read more...]
This past week has been a big one for Brave, with us getting character descriptions and a new trailer (more like a clip) from the film. Just when you thought you would not hear from Pixar for the next few weeks at least, a new TV spot made a surprise debut during the Oscars last night. Accompanied with a beautiful song in the Scottish Gaelic language, the commercial gives us a haunting look into the film. Check out the great new TV spot after the jump! [Read more...]
The publicity train for Brave keeps on chugging, which is a good thing for those who cannot wait to find out more about Pixar’s latest animated film. Yesterday, Disney/Pixar released a 2 1/2 minute clip from Brave, which showed us how fierce Merida can be with her bow and her attitude. Today, TIME has published an article going behind the scenes of the film, with pictures of the research process and a storyboard that goes along with the clip unveiled yesterday. Check out the images after the jump! [Read more...]
The official website for Brave was updated today with new images and downloads. Along with the stunning images which will likely be the wallpapers for many desktops and smartphones now, the site also gives us the first descriptions for the various characters in the film. The film’s plot and characters have been shrouded in secrecy, with the teaser and trailer focusing on mostly first-act details. Now, we can understand the characters just a little more. Check out descriptions and beautiful wallpapers for the accompanying characters after the jump! [Read more...]
On the heels of a new trailer release in less than 2 days, the official website for Brave has received a major update. Included in the overhaul are new images and downloads of beautifully crafted wallpapers. With the film arriving in almost exactly four months, the marketing is just beginning to ramp up, so expect things to get more exciting as the June release date approaches. After the jump, check out some of the great new additions to the official website! [Read more...]
It is that time of year again – when Pixar employees are scrambling to finish their summer film. Considering the fact that Pixar films are developed over the course of four years or more, the finish line must loom over the studio for the final few months. With production approaching the end, the marketing begins to ramp up with the release of new trailers and images sharing more information in the span of three months than we have seen in the past three years! Brave is at this stage now and it looks like we will be seeing a brand spankin’ new trailer on Thursday. Find out more details after the jump! [Read more...]
Aside from Brave‘s main character, Merida, we have not learned much about the characters in the upcoming film. Glimpses of them have been seen in stills and trailers released by Disney/Pixar, but the various personalities still remain quite mysterious. Bleeding Cool has published some images of a Brave card game that is to be released later this year, and what do you know, it gives us a closer look at some of the supporting characters. Take a look at the images after the jump! (No need to worry – no spoilers.) [Read more...]
