THE INCREDIBLES

Written and directed by Brad Bird

Craig T. Nelson
Holly Hunter
Sarah Vowell
Samuel L. Jackson
Jason Lee

Premiere date: November 5, 2004
PG for action violence.

It takes a will of steel to hide your superhero talents from a world that still needs you, yet no longer appreciates what you can do. Battling a bulging belly and boring job, Mr. Incredible longs for the glory days of upholding law and order while his superhuman family tries to fit in and find their place in "normal" life. Relief from quiet suburbia finally comes years later, when the family uncovers a diabolical plan and must bring together their respective strengths to save the day.

National Board of Review
Best Animated Feature

4 Academy Award Nominations, 2 Wins
Best Animated Feature
Best Original Screenplay
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing

Sing Sweet Nightingale

MARY AND MAX

Written and directed by Adam Elliot
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Toni Collette
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Barry Humphries
Eric Bana
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Premiere date: January 15, 2009 (Sundance Film Festival)
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Mary and Max is a simple tale of pen-friendship between two very different people: Mary Dinkle, a chubby, lonely eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max Horovitz, a 44-year-old, severely obese, Jewish man with Asperger's Syndrome living in the chaos of New York. Spanning twenty years and two continents, Mary and Max's friendship survives much more than the average diet of life's ups and downs.

Mary and Max Trailer

There is something about stop-motion animation that is enormously endearing. I'm fascinated by the process and I love the results.

Mary and Max is a claymation feature by Adam Elliot that has somehow slipped under my radar until now. It's the story of two lonely people - 8-year-old Mary and 44-year-old Max - who become unlikely penpals and friends. Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Eric Bana make up the voice cast, and the film is currently sitting at a solid 94% over at RT.

Adam Elliot also wrote and directed the Oscar-winning short film Harvie Krumpet. I'm not at all sure if Mary and Max is supposed to get a release here in the U.S., but I hope it does well. It looks charming and poetic and vaguely sad.

Best Animated Film Contenders

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Lots of competition in the animation field this year. If the expansion to 10 in the Best Picture category indeed makes room for an animated film, I think Up is the best bet for a nomination. As far as the Animated Feature category, it's going to be crowded. Which ones are your favorites for nods, and which do you think will win?

Poll: Besides the Toy Story movies, which Pixar film would you most like to see get a 3D theatrical re-release?

If there are movies worthy of a second viewing on the big screen, Pixar's collection is certainly among them. With this Friday's release of the Toy Story double feature in 3D, I'm wondering which other films in the Pixar cannon you think are worthy of a theatrical re-release. Pixar is known for using 3D as a device to service the story, and not just a cheap gimmick. Let me know which one you'd line up to see in the sidebar poll.

(NOTE: Up is excluded, as it's the only one presented in 3D at the time of its original release earlier this year).

(POLL RESULTS: Last week we talked about Matt Damon and his best performances. It was a tie. His performances as Jason Bourne from the Bourne franchise and Mark Whitacre in The Informant! both drew 37% of the vote, while his turn as the title character in Good Will Hunting took third with 25%. Thanks for voting!)

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Based on a story and characters by Tim Burton
Adaptation by Michael McDowell
Screenplay by Caroline Thompson
Directed by Henry Selick

Danny Elfman
Chris Sarandon
Catherine O'Hara
Ken Page

Premiere date: October 9, 1993
PG for some scary images.

Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, is popular but bored in his spooky home. Deciding he likes Christmastown better, he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally, a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters – Lock, Shock, and Barrel – to help him kidnap Santa Claus. Jack eventually realizes his mistake but has to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can make things right and restore Christmas.

1 Academy Award Nomination
Best Visual Effects

The Toys Are Back To Make Bank

I have to say, one of the most genius marketing strategies I've seen this year is the 3D re-release of Toy Story and Toy Story 2.

We all know that Pixar has some smart folks behind the desks, but this has to be the smartest move I've seen from them yet. Sure, 3D is all the rage right now, the Toy Story flicks are classics and definitely deserving of another watch on the big screen, but make no mistake, this was a financial decision.

While a lot of adults appreciate Pixar's films, animation is still seen as a family-friendly medium and kids love cartoons. A kids-appropriate movie in the summertime is a bonafide hit, typically, and there's not much in Pixar's history to suggest that Toy Story 3 would be any different.

EXCEPT: Toy Story 3 hits theaters June 18, 2010, more than a decade after the largely successful second film and 15 years behind the original. Today's kids weren't around to experience that magical introduction to Pixar and its greatest characters, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Not that they haven't caught the films on video a few times, but they're probably more likely to have a connection to Shrek or the gang from Ice Age.

But this Friday, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 will be released in a 3D double feature, and after Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs had two very successful weekends in a row, it may be the only family film tots and toddlers haven't seen yet. It's a brilliant move. Not only will it make HUGE dollars from nostalgic moviegoers and the family film market, but it's ushering in a whole new generation of fans who will be begging their parents to take them to the third film next summer. And it's a perfect opportunity to put the franchise back on everyone else's minds before next June.

Disney and Pixar marketing execs should throw themselves a huge party for thinking this one up. They certainly aren't taking any chances with Pixar's perfect record.

Drawing Inspiration

Yesterday I decided to take a break from all the heavy films I'd been watching of late. After 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, I just did not have the energy for any more thematic elements. I curled up last night to watch The Rescuers, a vastly underappreciated Disney gem.
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If you've seen it, you remember Madame Medusa, one of the most hysterical Disney villains ever. For some reason last night when I saw her I was strongly reminded of someone. I thought perhaps I was just remembering her from all the times I watched this movie growing up, and so I tried to put it out of my mind.
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But the feeling that I knew someone like her was persistent. And then it hit me:

It's uncanny. The vibrant red hair and green eyes, the floppy, sagging anatomy and ill-fitting dresses, the drunken manner in which they stumble about, the get-rich-quick schemes that involve kidnapping youngsters, the bossy, inconsiderate attitudes toward the men in their lives. Julia and Medusa could be sisters.
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If Tilda Swinton announced that Madame Medusa was an inspiration in tackling the role of Julia, I would not be surprised.

THE RESCUERS

Based on the series of books by Margery Sharp
Story by Larry Clemmons, Ken Anderson, Frank Thomas, Vance Gerry, David Michener, Ted Berman, Fred Lucky, Burny Mattinson and Dick Sebast
Directed by John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman and Art Stevens

Bob Newhart
Eva Gabor
Geraldine Page

Premiere date: June 22, 1977
G

Shy but brave mouse Bernard and his glamorous partner Miss Bianca are two tiny heroes on a big mission to save Penny, a young girl who has sent an urgent call for help! Taking off on the wings of the albatross Orville, together they soar to the marshy swamp of Devil's Bayou. There, they find themselves on the riverboat hideout of the hilariously evil Madame Medusa, who wants to use Penny to steal the world's largest diamond!

National Board of Review
Special Citation

1 Academy Award Nomination
Best Original Song - "Someone's Waiting For You"

News from the Mouse House

A Disney Animation Showcase took place in London this morning and several big announcements were made. Some spoilers, of course, so take heed.
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First we have the cast and story outline of the new CGI Rapunzel, which is scheduled for release on Christmas Eve 2010. Rapunzel will be voiced by singer-actress (actress-singer, actress?) Mandy Moore, while Zachary Levi will voice a dashing bandit who rescues her. According to Empire magazine, which had some representation at the showcase his morning, Rapunzel uses her long hair as an ''Indiana Jones-style whip." Interesting. Apparently Rapunzel is a musical feature, with Alan Menken and Glenn Slater providing the songs.
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Next was the announcement that Timothy Dalton - a former 007 for those of you who don't know - has joined the cast of Toy Story 3. He'll be voicing a character named Mr. Pricklepants, a toy porcupine who considers himself quite the thespian. Accompanying this news was a clip from the movie. The clip had its debut at the Venice Film Festival a few days ago. Empire has a description up at their site, so check it out there.
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Pixar also revealed the plot and a new character from Cars 2. Lightning McQueen and Mater the Towtruck are back as the leads, and a new character named Finn McMissile will be along for the ride. Apparently Finn McMissile is an Aston Martin with a secret agent vibe, though casting for the character was not discussed. The film involves Mater getting sucked into a "Hitchcockian case of mistaken identity," but no one believes him. Cars 2 is being directed by Cars producer Brad Lewis and is slated for release in summer 2011.
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Some concept art was shown for Pixar's fairy tale The Bear and the Bow, the first film from the studio with a female protagonist and also the first directed by a woman. Brenda Chapman is on board to helm the project. You may remember Chapman's stunning The Prince of Egypt, which was, as it happens, the first feature-length animated film directed by a woman. Chapman is breaking barriers left and right, it seems.
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The Bear and the Bow centers on the mother-daughter relationship between a 10th-century Scottish princess, Merida (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), and her mother (Emma Thompson). Merida gives up her family name for her dream of becoming an archer, resulting in peril for her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida then struggles to set things right. Other cast members include Billy Connolly and Julie Walters as an evil witch.
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The last bit of news pertained to Disney's new Winnie the Pooh film. Some production art was shown and the story is said to include five stories from A.A. Milne's library that have not yet been filmed. No news on which ones, though. That film is looking at a spring 2011 release date.
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And that's it. As a Pixar fangirl I'm anxiously awaiting Toy Story 3 and The Bear and the Bow. Cars 2 is leaving me just a little bit cold at this point, but who knows? Any news you're partcularly excited about?

EW's Best Animated Movies Ever

Entertainment Weekly has posted a revised version of their top 20 Best Animated Movies Ever (in typical pain-in-the-ass, multi-page fashion), and I have it for you here.

20. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
19. Waltz with Bashir (2008)
18. Pinocchio (1940)
17. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
16. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
15. The Iron Giant (1999)
14. Akira (1988)
13. Chicken Run (2000)
12. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
11. Dumbo (1941)
10. Coraline (2009)
9. Bambi (1942)
8. Toy Story 2 (1999)
7. The Incredibles (2004)
6. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
5. Persepolis (2007)
4. The Lion King (1994)
3. Up (2009)
2. Spirited Away (2002)
1. WALL-E (2008)

I have mixed feelings here. I'm pleased with the mix of old and new, stop-motion, hand-drawn and CG. Thank goodness they had the good sense to leave off Shrek, the most overrated piece of crap to win an Oscar in the past ten years, and amen to the inclusion of Persepolis, the charming and original gem from 2007.

But on the other hand, how could not one, but three landmark animated films be missing? No Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first ever feature-length animated film? No Nightmare Before Christmas, Henry Selick's hauntingly fun collaboration with Tim Burton? No Toy Story, Pixar's mind-blowing, perfect debut that changed the landscape of the medium forever? What on earth?

Up is just as brilliant as the rest of the features in the Pixar cannon, but I don't think it's better than The Lion King, which would have been my pick for #1. WALL-E isn't an offensive choice, though. It was my favorite of last year.

I'll be tackling all the films on this list (the few that I don't already know by heart) as soon as I'm done tearing through acclaimed British flicks. Until then, are there any not here that should be? What would you have picked for #1?

The Princess and the Frog

Another trailer for The Princess and the Frog has hit the web. This time we get a bigger taste of the new music by Randy Newman. I have very high hopes for this one.

Making Mr. Fox Fantastic

Here's a nifty little featurette I found over at /Film of the making of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson's stop-motion adaptation of the book by Roald Dahl. Stop-motion animation is truly a fascinating process.

For some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I'm not really digging the look of this one. Not to say it isn't well-done, I just for some reason don't find myself drawn in by this animation. I feel like it will distract rather than engage. Who knows, though. It may pleasantly surprise me when I get around to seeing it.

This reminds me, if you haven't yet picked up Henry Selick's Coraline on Blu-ray, you should seriously consider doing so. I spent hours watching the making-of footage and now think it might be the most impressive animated film this year (even if my heart is still with Up).

Meet the Next Disney Villain

The Princess and the Frog certainly has a lot riding on it. As Disney's return to the hand-drawn musical, its reception will probably determine whether or not animation will ever go the 2-D route again. I grew up during Disney's second Golden Age, so for the sake of my childhood traditions I'm hoping this film a) is great, and b) makes money.

Below is a featurette about the movie's villain, Dr. Facilier. I had no idea Keith David was providing voice work here, but I am beyond thrilled to hear it. If you've seen Coraline, you've heard David's voice before. He did excellent work there as the Cat.

PONYO

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Cate Blanchett
Noah Cyrus
Frankie Jonas
Matt Damon
Tina Fey
Liam Neeson

Premiere date: July 19, 2008 (Japan)
G

In a small town by the sea lives five-year-old Sosuke, high on a cliff overlooking the Inland Sea. One morning while playing on a rocky beach below his house, he discovers a goldfish named Ponyo, her head stuck in a jam jar. Sosuke rescues Ponyo and keeps her in a green plastic pail.

Both Sosuke and Ponyo are fascinated by each other and promise to stay firm friends until Ponyo's father, a sorcerer who lives deep under the sea, forces her to return with him to the ocean depths. What follows is an amzing underwater adventure for all ages...

AWARDS INFO COMING WHEN AVAILABLE

Animation Deliberation

I just got home from seeing Ponyo. I don't need to tell you it was wonderous. Hayao Miyazaki always promises adventure and magic, which is exactly what you get with Ponyo, a little fish who longs to be human after befriending a young human boy named Sosuke. The plot is very loosely based on the classic 1989 Disney film The Little Mermaid.

It's turning out to be one hell of a year for animation. With the wonderful stop-motion picture Coraline, Pixar's fantastical Up, and now Ponyo, we may already have the Best Animated Feature category's three nominees.

But there's a wealth of animated features still to come in the next few months, too. There's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Robert Zemeckis' new take on the classic A Christmas Carol, the hotly anticipated 9 from Tim Burton, and Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox, to name a few.

And don't count out Disney's return to hand-drawn animation, The Princess and the Frog, the classic fairytale with a twist.

With all these promising projects, I'm thinking this could be a year for five nominees instead of three. My guess at how it will all line up is there at the top. I think we may be on the verge of another golden age for animation, and with ten Best Picture slots, I no longer think the question is whether or not an animated film will be among them. Now it's just a question of which one it is. My money's on Up, which definitely deserves it, but could also benefit from voter's remorse after WALL-E's unthinkable snub last year.

Another big question. Is it possible that TWO animated films could make the Academy's top ten? How much do those extra spots really open the members' minds? Ponyo and Up are two of the best-reviewed films of the year thus far, but stubborn voters still may not recognize them as important works.

I'm not the biggest champion of having 10 nominees, but if it helps people take animation more seriously, I'll be all for it. Animation truly knows no bounds, and I hope more and more adults start embracing it as a valid art.

CORALINE

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman
Written and directed by Henry Selick

Dakota Fanning
Teri Hatcher
Keith David
Robert Bailey, Jr.
John Hodgman

Premiere date: February 6, 2009
PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor.

Coraline Jones is bored in her new home until she finds a secret door that leads her into a world that's just like her own...but better! But when this fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her 'other' Mother tries to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness and bravery to get home.

AWARDS INFO COMING WHEN AVAILABLE

UP

Screenplay by Bob Peterson and Pete Docter
Directed by Pete Docter

Ed Asner
Christopher Plummer
Jordan Nagal
Bob Peterson
Delroy Lindo

Premiere date: May 13, 2009 (Cannes Film Festival)
PG for some peril and action.

Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old curmudgeonly balloon salesman, is not your average hero. When he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America, he finally fulfills his lifelong dream of adventure. But after discovering an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell on his front porch, this unlikely duo soon find themselves on a hilarious journey in a lost world filled with danger and surprises.

AWARDS INFO COMING WHEN AVAILABLE

Cannes Looking Up

Some news out of Cannes, for you all. I'm not in a position to get to attend, but I hope to someday! For now I'll have to just link ya to all the buzz. Enjoy!

The festival starts tonight, so not much news yet. Refresh your memory on the line-up here.

"Up" is the first animated film and the first film in 3-D ever to open the festival, and people are in L.O.V.E. with it. Take a moment to read some of the raving reviews!

Roger Ebert compliments the film (and rags on the use of 3-D in cinema) at his blog.
Todd McCarthy's review at Variety.
The Hollywood Reporter's take.
USAToday reports Pixarians feelings on their film being chosen as the Cannes opener.
Another glowing response, this one from the Chicago Tribune.