Watching the Oscars last night, I found myself really enjoying not only the production but also the commercials. I think the ads this year were far better than the Super Bowl ads that get so much hype every year. But my favorite moment of pretty much the entire evening came from this simple ad for Google. It highlighted a TED Talk from Pixar writer/director/producer Andrew Stanton, which I should have guessed because I actually recognized his voice. Take a look. [youtube … [Read more...] about “We’re All Storytellers”
pixar
An Epiphany About Bambi’s Mother (and Other Notable Deaths by Disney)
I think I've finally answered that nagging question that runs through my brain from time to time, namely: why is it that so many Disney characters have dead family members? If these are fairy tales created for children, why is there so darned much death? I suppose the first and most obvious answer to the question would be that Disney based his movies on fairy tales, which themselves were at times quite dark and had plenty of death in them, but it's not as though those stories were followed … [Read more...] about An Epiphany About Bambi’s Mother (and Other Notable Deaths by Disney)
Cars 2 and the Future of Movie Reviews
Over the past week, I have read two absolutely scathing reviews of Cars 2: one of which claimed the movie was setting Mater up as a terrible role model for children, and another which went so far as to say that Pixar was now in a free-fall due to the "critical failure" of this movie. Seriously? I just saw Cars 2 with my family, and we unanimously enjoyed it. Obviously a continuing story doesn't have the same kind of feel as when you meet new characters for the first time. The bloom is a bit … [Read more...] about Cars 2 and the Future of Movie Reviews
Cars
Ever since The Little Mermaid gave me permission to enjoy cartoon movies as an adult, I've been impressed by the sheer beauty of Disney animation. From the classics to (most) current films, they are simply gorgeous to watch. It was my husband who told me the history of the multiplane camera -- invented by Walt Disney himself, and used to open nearly every Disney film since Snow White. It's due to my exposure to so many Disney films that I study their opening scenes so carefully. With the … [Read more...] about Cars