In all the hustle and bustle of the D23 Expo, Pixar quietly screened La Luna during a panel celebrating 25 years of shorts. For me personally, this was a highlight of the entire expo. The short, directed by Enrico Casarosa, has been playing in animation festivals around the world. It premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in June of this year and will make its theatrical debut in front of Pixar’s Brave next summer. Expo goers were lucky to catch this special screening of the film amid some of the studio’s most popular short subjects. [Read more…]
Pixar Times Reviews
Short Review: Toy Story Hawaiian Vacation
When the credits rolled at the end of Toy Story 3, after composing myself, I began to think that I had just watched one of the greatest endings to a film trilogy. I was happy when Pixar and director Lee Unkrich said that they viewed the third film as the final feature film with Andy. However, the toys have found a way to continue on, in the hands of adorable new owner Bonnie. Continuing the saga of these toys in the medium of shorts sounded like a great idea, as it allowed the feature films to stand on their own as one cohesive animal without the possibility of damage from a sequel. After watching the short a few times, it is clear that we have another great Pixar short on our hands. Check out my spoiler-free review here! [Read more…]
Game Review: Cars 2 Video Game
Hearing that there would be a Cars 2 video game, it was not difficult to imagine where developer Avalanche Software would take it. They could have simply churned out a little racing game and walked away with some easy money in their pockets. However, sitting down and playing thoroughly through it, it is apparent that Avalanche put in a good deal of work to make this not only a creative racing game, but one that has huge replay value due to its awesome multiplayer modes and just how much damn fun it is. Read on for my review of “Cars 2: The Video Game.” [Read more…]
Film Review: Cars 2
I have to say that I was surprised when Pixar greenlit a sequel to Cars. Why would the studio set out to make another Cars, when the original is often referred to as their weakest film? Personally, I enjoyed the first film. Yes, it is not my favorite project to come out of Emeryville, but it was not a bad film by any means. I was intrigued when I found out that Cars 2 would be a spy film – not a parody of a spy film, but a bona fide spy adventure. On those grounds, it succeeds in a big way, as the action sequences are pretty fantastic and it moves at almost a breathtaking pace. It is an enjoyable adventure film, but if you come in looking for much more than that, you may not walk out of the theater completely satisfied. Read on for a spoiler-free review! [Read more…]
Book Review: The Art of Cars 2 HC
Last week, I received a review copy of “The Art of Cars 2,” the newest in a long line of beautiful art books that Chronicle Books has released in collaboration with Pixar. The 160-page hardcover is packed with sketches, lighting studies, and storyboards that were created throughout the film’s production, which is essentially the reason why film fans love these types of books. It is like taking a trip with the film’s creative team and going on an in-depth visual journey through the development process. In “The Art of Cars 2,” art fans and movie buffs get the definitive behind-the-scenes look at Pixar’s latest, and boy, is it glorious. [Read more…]
Reader Review: La Luna
La Luna, Pixar’s newest short, made its public debut last week at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, which gave lucky attendees a sneak peek at the short before the rest of the world. In recent years, new Pixar shorts have premiered with the studio’s feature films, but La Luna will take some time to hit theaters (likely with Brave). Reader Ingrid Mengdehl was one of those lucky few who got a chance to view the short film at Annecy and she was kind enough to send along a report. Read on to check out her spoiler-free review, along with a recap of the entire presentation! [Read more…]
Review: 2-Disc Cars Blu-ray/DVD Set
Sequels are a great time for audiences to revisit characters they have grown fond of over the years, but they are also a nice time for studios to re-release previous films in the series on Blu-ray. Moviegoers who have not had the chance to see the preceding films, as well as those who have not yet upgraded their disc collection to Blu-ray are those who are most likely to make the purchase. If you do not own Cars on Blu-ray and you were even mildly interested in making the plunge, then this really is the perfect time to jump on. [Read more…]
Review: Toy Story Ultimate Toy Box Collection
I am a big fan of box sets that collect several years worth of content, usually seasons of television shows or collections of film trilogies. It is a great feeling to hold that much content in a nicely designed box. When the Ultimate Toy Box Collection for the Toy Story films was announced, my mouth began to instantly water. Analyzing the content on the discs included on the set, this collection is second to none. However, the packaging inside has left me a bit underwhelmed. [Read more…]
Review: Toy Story 3 Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
Collaboration – It has always been much easier to appreciate those who work on live-action films, with the actor’s work on display, the production designer’s influence shown in the background, and the director’s manipulation of the camera clearly visible. However, animated films are meticulously put together by hundreds of people throughout the production process, and they don’t usually receive the same notoriety as the project leaders. The Toy Story 3 Blu-ray/DVD sets allow some of the many unheralded heroes who put together this masterful film to speak directly to the audience and describe the collaborative process of bringing the film to the big screen. Fans of special features, your definitive window into the Toy Story 3 process has arrived. [Read more…]
Book Review: The Pixar Treasures
There have been many Pixar books that have been published in the past: the great art books that accompany each feature film and books that cover the history of the acclaimed studio. Never has there been one like The Pixar Treasures.
