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First review of Pixar’s short "Partysaurus Rex’

2012/08/22 at 12:00am

First review of Pixar’s short "Partysaurus Rex’

08.22.2012 | By Karen Posada |

We had the opportunity to be the first to see Pixar’s short- 3D film ‘Partysaurus Rex’ which will premiere in theaters along with ‘Finding Nemo 3D’ on September 14th. What’s even better is that we got to see it at Pixar Studios in San Francisco, California where gigantic Lego statues of ‘Toy Story’ characters stood along with other statues from ‘Monsters Inc.’ and other cool things like the drape from ‘Brave’ among others and of course their trademark desk lamp and circus ball. We were taken to their own in house movie theater, where we had a short presentation by the director of the film Mark Walsh and producer Kim Adams. The constellations shone brightly in the movie theater’s ceiling before the red velvet curtain opened to reveal the screen.

‘Partysaurus Rex’ brings to life one of the most memorable characters from ‘Toy Story’, Rex (Wallace Shawn). We get to spend some time with another one of Pixar’s most famous movies and its characters: Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato head, etc, but most of all Rex; who shows us another side of him where we get to meet a bunch of new, fun and wild bath time toys. Rex has always been portrayed as a nervous dinosaur, which is very cautious, but here Bonnie, his owner, takes him to her bath time where he gets to re-invent himself.

Pixar has done quite a lot of short-films; the latest one premiered with ‘Brave’ and was called ‘La Luna’ which was also made in 3D. I must highlight these are two very different short-films. ‘La Luna’ has a melancholic and soft tone to it, its characters mainly mumble and point. Pixar has a knack for being in tune with everything, and as ‘La Luna’ worked with ‘Brave’ and its theme so does ‘Partysaurus Rex’ with Nemo. This latest short-film is a rave party, that’s quite the opposite of ‘La Luna’ as it is loud, extravagant and extremely colorful.

This isn’t the first Pixar short-film on ‘Toy Story’ either, Pixar has a series of shorts called Toy Story Toons and this is actually the third episode in the series; the other shorts are: ‘Small Fry’ which was released in 2011 with ‘The Muppets’ when it was in theaters and made Buzz its main character. Another short was ‘Hawaiian Vacation’ which featured Ken and Barbie and was released in 2011 when ‘Cars 2’ hit theaters.

‘Partysaurus Rex’ left me wishing it were a full-length movie, because it was so much fun! It has upbeat music and wonderful animation accompanied by florescent colors. All of these elements are brought to an even higher level because of the 3D effects, which really takes full use of them. This short is a great way to get the audience in a water environment, ready and excited to watch ‘Finding Nemo 3D’.

Check out a preview clip:

‘Hotel Transylvania’ new trailer with Selena Gomez

By Karen Posada

2012/06/22 at 12:00am

Movies Trailers

‘Hotel Transylvania’ new trailer with Selena Gomez

06.22.2012 | By Karen Posada |

The new animated film by director Genndy Tartakovsky ‘Hotel Transylvania’ starts Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez.

Synopsis: Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Draculaâ€™s (Adam Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them.Â On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of the worldâ€™s most famous monsters â€“ Frankenstein and his wife, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more â€“ to celebrate his daughter Mavisâ€™s 118th birthday.Â For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem â€“ but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis. Read More

‘Madagascar 3’ stays at #1 at box office!

By Karen Posada

2012/06/18 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Madagascar 3’ stays at #1 at box office!

06.18.2012 | By Karen Posada |

Once again ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ rules the box office with $35.5 million dollars, earning a total of $120.5 million dollars. The animated film has continued to surprise everyone holding on to the number one spot.

‘Prometheus’ also stays strong at number two with $20.2 million dollars; the sci-fi movie tried to win the number one spot but failed. This film was suspected to become a summer blockbuster; it’s a wonder what made the public turn away.

The Broadway musical turned film ‘Rock of Ages’ landed on the third spot with $15.1 million dollars. This amount is far below of other musicals adapted to the big screen, such as ‘Mamma Mia!’ or Shankman’s own ‘Hairspray’, which opened with $27.5 million dollars in 2007.

The Top 10 Movies in the Box Office:

1. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted – $35.5 mil

2. Prometheus – $20.2 mil

3. Rock of Ages – $15.1 mil

4. Snow White and the Huntsman – $13.8 mil

5. That’s my Boy – $13 mil

6. Men in Black 3 – $10 mil

7. The Avengers – $8.8 mil

8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – $2.2 mil

9. Moonrise Kingdom – $2.2 mil

10. What to Expect When You’re Expecting – $1.3 mil

‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ continues in 1st place

By Karen Posada

2012/03/12 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ continues in 1st place

03.12.2012 | By Karen Posada |

The animated film ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ continues to hold on to the number one spot in the box office with $39 million dollars. The story of the adorable orange chubby creature keeps on doing far better than the rest.

Surprisingly the sci-fi adventure ‘John Carter’, only accumulated $30.6 million dollars. It could be because of the fact that it didn’t get good reviews because many believe that the money invested in it ($250 million dollars) didn’t deliver what it should have.

The craziest party of the year, ‘Project X’ fell to third place collecting $11.5 million dollars, which gives the top leading films a good mix in the box office. The horror film that premiered this weekend, ‘Silent House’ with $7 million, follows it.

The Top 10 Movies in the Box Office are:

1.Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax – $39 mil

2. John Carter – $30.6 mil

3. Project X – $11.5 mil

4. Silent House – $7 mil

5. Act of Valor – $7 mil

6. A Thousand Words – $6.3 mil

7. Safe House -$5 mil

8. The Vow – $4 mil

9. This Means War – $3.7 mil

10 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – $ 3.7 mil

Javier Bardem says no to ‘Despicable Me 2’

By Mack Chico

2012/01/25 at 12:00am

Movies

Javier Bardem says no to ‘Despicable Me 2’

01.25.2012 | By Mack Chico |

There were some early rumors last year that Oscar winner Javier Bardem was going to have a role in Universal Studio’s sequel to Despicable Me. But looks as if he is no longer interested in the role.

He was reported to be in negotiations about voicing a villain called El Macho who is a larger than life luchador and the baddest Mexican to walk the Earth, but looks like commitments to ‘Skyfall‘, the new James Bond film releasing 2013, as well as Terrence Malick’s currently untitled project with Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams.

So who is replacing Bardem in the movie? The word is that Universal Studios is doing a wide search for Latino and non-Latino actors. I’m sure they’ll audition the usual suspects. Kudos to Universal though for actually creating a Latino animated character which are rarely seen these days, even though WB’s ‘Happy Feet 2′ went towards that direction as well. It’s in Universal’s best interest since the original ‘Despicable Me‘, which was in 3D, had 25% of the box office coming in from Latino audiences.

Leave your comments below of whom you’d like to see replace Javier Bardem as the Mexican villain ‘El Macho’.

‘Despicable Me 2’ has a release date for 2013.

Steven Spielberg: In-depth interview about ‘Tintin’

By Karen Posada

2011/12/14 at 12:00am

Interviews Movies

Steven Spielberg: In-depth interview about ‘Tintin’

12.14.2011 | By Karen Posada |

ShowBizCafe.com had the amazing opportunity to listen to Steven Spielberg as he talked about his new 3D movie â€˜The Adventures of Tintinâ€™ during the press conference. This is the story of a journalist invented by HergÃ©, a Belgian comic writer that created endless adventures of the boy reporter from 1929-1983. This was a story in the making for 20 years, Spielberg told us how that came about and what we should expect from it.Â Read More

Disney announces 3D releases for converted classics

By Mack Chico

2011/10/04 at 12:00am

Movies

Disney announces 3D releases for converted classics

10.4.2011 | By Mack Chico |

BURBANK, Calif. – October 4, 2011 – On the heels of the phenomenal success of The Lion King 3D – which will cross the $80 million mark at the domestic box office today – The Walt Disney Studios has announced limited theatrical engagements for four of its classic films for the first time in 3D. The following titles from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios will be released in 2012 and 2013:

· Beauty and the Beast – January 13, 2012

· Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo – September 14, 2012

· Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – January 18, 2013 (Monsters University, a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 21, 2013)

· The Little Mermaid – September 13, 2013

“Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “We’re thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D – and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen.”

Originally released in 1991, Beauty and the Beast is a classic “tale as old as time” that follows the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman imprisoned in the castle of a mysterious beast and his enchanted staff, who must learn the most important lesson of all – that true beauty comes from within. Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film ever nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture, earning an additional five Oscar® nominations and winning two. It has grossed $380.4 million worldwide.

First released in 2003, Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo takes audiences into a whole new world in this undersea adventure about family, courage and challenges. When Marlin, an overly cautious clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef, helplessly watches his son get scooped up by a diver, he must put aside his fears of the ocean and leave the safety of his coral enclave to find Nemo. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory, a forgetful but relentlessly optimistic fish, Marlin finds himself the unlikely hero in a seemingly impossible land-and-sea rescue. Finding Nemo won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature and was nominated for three others. With a total of $867.6 million worldwide, it was the second highest-grossing film of 2003.

In 2001, Disney•Pixar released Monsters, Inc. Lovable Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. But when a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home. Monsters, Inc. shattered every DVD-era home entertainment sales record when 11 million DVD/VHS copies were sold during its first week of release. It won an Academy Award® for Best Song and has grossed $526.9 million worldwide.

Released in 1989, The Little Mermaid, stars Ariel, a fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true and save her father’s beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula. One of the most celebrated animated films of all time, The Little Mermaid was nominated for three Academy Awards®, winning two. It has grossed $228.9 million worldwide.

By Mack Chico

2011/04/11 at 12:00am

Movies

‘HOP’ is #1 at the box office, again!

04.11.2011 | By Mack Chico |

Many did not imagine that a story based on the popular Easter Bunny who brings chocolate eggs, could be so fruitful.

“Hop,” the film that chronicles the adventures of the successor of the Easter rabbit, again led the box office this weekend to add 21.7 million in its favor. The film also was the most watched last week from the day of its release.

The actor Russell Brand, husband of singer Katy Perry, is also among the top box office earnings, as well as lending his voice to the character bunny, the film starring comedy called “Arthur“ took second place with profit of 12.6 million dollars.

The thriller “Hanna“ managed to steal third after adding $ 12.3 million, the film “Soul Surfer“ with 11.1 million and fourth after the movie “Insidious“ in fifth with 9.7 million.

Estimated box office receipts of films for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canada.

1. ”Hop”, 21.7 millon.
2. ”Arthur”, 12.6 millon.
3. ”Hanna”, 12.3 millon.
4. ”Soul Surfer”, 11.1 millon.
5. ”Insidious”, 9.7 millon.
6. ”Your Highness”, 9.5 millon.
7. ”Source Code”, 9.1 millon.
8. ”Limitless”, 5.7 millon.
9. ”Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules”, 4.9 millon.
10. ”The Lincoln Lawyer”, 4.6 millon.

‘El méxicano’ Guillermo Del Toro to do ‘Pinocchio 3D’

By Jack Rico

2011/02/17 at 12:00am

Movies

‘El méxicano’ Guillermo Del Toro to do ‘Pinocchio 3D’

02.17.2011 | By Jack Rico |

'El mÃ©xicano' Guillermo Del Toro to do 'Pinocchio 3D'

2011 seems to be the year of Hispanics in Hollywood. With so many new Spaniard and Latin American directors, actors and screenwriters getting play in Hollywood, it’s a good time to speak Spanish in the movie business.

One of the first, and perhaps most revered Mexican directors in the US movie space, Guillermo del Toro, is teaming up with The Jim Henson Company and Pathe to do a 3D stop motion animated adaptation of Pinocchio, according to Deadline.com.

Gris Grimly is set to co-direct with Mark Gustafson, and production will begin later this year. The concept was conceived by Del Toro, but Matthew Robbins wrote the script.

According to the site, this new version of Pinocchio, made famous by Disney, is aimed at an audience 10 years and up, though it will be a bit scarier.

“There has to be darkness in any fairy tale or children’s narrative work, something the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney understood,” del Toro said. “We tend to call something Disney-fied, but a lot of people forget how powerfully disturbing the best animated Disney movies are, including those kids being turned into donkeys in Pinocchio. What we’re trying to do is present a Pinocchio that is more faithful to the take that Colodi wrote. That is more surreal and slightly darker than what we’ve seen before.”

For instance: “the Blue Fairy is really a dead girl’s spirit,” del Toro said. “Pinocchio has strange moments of lucid dreaming bordering on hallucinations, with black rabbits. The sperm whale that swallows Pinocchio was actually a giant dogfish, which allows for more classical scale and design. The many mishaps Pinocchio goes through include several near-death close calls, a lot more harrowing moments. The key with this is not making any of it feel gratuitous, because the story is integrated with moments of comedy and beauty. He’s one of the great characters, whose purity and innocence allows him to survive in this bleak landscape of robbers and thugs, emerging from the darkness with his soul intact.”

This isn’t the only thing the gifted Mexican director/producer is working on. Del Toro is about to embark on a project with James Cameron called At the Mountains of Madness, the R-rated $125 million 3D live action adaptation of the HP Lovecraft tale about the discovery by scientists of horrific aliens thawing in Antarctica. The film has Tom Cruise as the star and Del Toro expects to start this by May.

Del Toro has long been a stop motion fan. “I’ve had a special effects house for a decade in Mexico, and we were one of the first stop motion animated houses where a lot of influential animators trained,” he said.

Here are some concept pictures from the new Pinocchio film that Del Toro submitted to the site.

By Jack Rico

2010/10/18 at 12:00am

Movies Reviews

How To Train Your Dragon Movie Review

10.18.2010 | By Jack Rico |

How to Train Your Dragon is a moving, charismatic 3D animated film that is sure to draw smiles, wonderment and a few tears from most of you. The voices couldn’t have been better cast, the story’s family and friendship themes are on mark and the 3D flight experiences are to applaud. Kids are going to love this film and parents will too, but they’ll be doing most of the sobbing. Read More