11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Brave Review - A Magical Film that Hits the Bullseye!
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*This review is largely spoiler free, but read cautiously if you haven’t seen the film yet*
Brave is the thirteenth feature film from Pixar Animation Studios, the studio most notable for having produced critical and commercial hits such as Toy Story, Up and Monsters, Inc. The common denominator between these films (aside from their obvious brilliance) is that none of them have a female main character. Brave is therefore notable for being the first Pixar feature to have a female as its lead, and also for being Pixar’s first fairytale. Hearing those two statements however might give you entirely the wrong impression about Brave; it is neither a feministic rant nor a traditional, princess-prince-stepmother-villain type fairytale. The common denominator with Brave and previous Pixar films, is that it’s brilliant.
Brave has received decent reviews, but, at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, nothing near what we’re used to from the studio. It seems Cars 2 acted to, unjustly in my opinion, make people doubt Pixar, the studio they once revered above all else, and look for flaws. Well, they must be looking pretty damn hard to find things to gripe about here, as Brave was phenomenal. Touching, powerful, immersive, funny and gorgeous – all in equal measure – Brave is yet another winner from Pixar, and has the feel of a grand epic, and an instant classic.
Brave opens on a wide shot of lush, green Scotland, a shot that immediately instils a sense of awe and immersion in you – the quality of Pixar’s animation is truly astounding compared to even a year ago. We focus in on a young Merida, as a child, learning to shoot her bow and arrow, before the demon bear Mor’du rears his ugly head and we arrive at the fateful event where King Fergus (Billy Connolly), Merida’s father, loses his leg to the bear. Forward to the time in which the film is set and we see a teenage Merida (Kelly Macdonald), struggling against her mother’s wishes to marry her to one of three suitors from the neighbouring clans. Here arises the major conflict of the film; in the same way that Finding Nemo was a father-son story, Brave is a mother-daughter one. Facing losing her freedom and seemingly unable to communicate effectively with her mum - Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) - Merida rides off into the forest, where the wisps lead her to a witch’s hut. Here, she bargains for a spell that will change her mum, and change her fate. This wish is taken a little too literally and soon Merida, the Queen and the Kingdom of DunBroch are all in grave danger.
Coming from a story from original director, Brenda Chapman, based on her own relationship with her daughter, Brave is a very relatable and touching film at its core. Of course, juxtaposed against this every-day, real-world relationship is the epic scale of the film, set in 10th century Scotland. The second Pixar film, after WALL-E, to not be set in present day, Brave is also as much about the land in which it’s set and the ferocities and legends of that as it’s about the relationships between the characters. The weather swirls and changes in the huge mountains and stormy locations, symbolic of the fluctuating tensions of the family and the mother-daughter dynamic at the centre of Brave. And that relationship is certainly a fantastic one. Brave was clearly a labour of love for Brenda Chapman, and its subsequent director, Mark Andrews, has also clearly done his best to not tamper with that; trying to shape the scope and the overall story arc of the film (a particular forte of Andrews, who previously worked on The Incredibles) and be diligent to keep everything clear and ensure it retains its heart. I think this is less of a case of the film being a mess and needing a new director to salvage it, as allegedly was the case with Ash Brannon on Toy Story 2 and Jan Pinkava on Ratatouille, than a case of, after Brenda had worked on the film for so long, a fresh pair of eyes, in Mark, were needed to add the finishing touches and guide it to where it had the potential to be. Personally I noticed no rift in the film due to the change in directors; in fact it flowed particularly smoothly.
The script, penned by directors Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, co-director Steve Purcell and Lion King co-scribe Irene Mecchi, is largely very sharp. The jokes are, more often than not, visual, but there were some fun lines from the characters. Some of the dialogue was at times a little stiff, but it would have grated if the 10th century characters had been speaking in slang or with a more modern spin. The back-and-forths between Merida and Elinor were very frantic, believable and contributed fantastically to the relatable family of the film – much like The Incredibles. I also found few flaws with the second and third acts of the film; I thought the plot-twists were genius!
The characters that populate the film are just as good as you’ve come to expect from the studio as well. Merida, Pixar’s first female protagonist, is truly one of their best characters yet. Stubborn and head-strong with youth, but never arrogant or unlikable; she just wants to choose her own fate. Another pothole that Pixar thankfully avoid is that they don’t make Merida a tomboy. An easy route to follow would’ve been ‘Merida doesn’t act like a traditional princess, so let’s make her act like a guy’; Merida is much more delightfully complex than that. She's every bit the female character Pixar’s detractors have been clamouring for, but she’s not a particular testament to good female characters or feminism, she’s a testament to great characters in general. Pixar have never focused on making a character based on a certain social group, race or, instead opting to make them fully realised, likable people. Merida isn’t a blatant attempt to please feminists; she is an attempt by Pixar to once again create a wonderful character; and a successful attempt. Edna, Dory and Ellie were all similarly great characters, but, for her prominence in and importance to the film, Merida may be Pixar’s strongest characters yet - female or otherwise.
Elinor is as important to the story as Merida herself, and therefore is similarly well rounded and realised. She's overbearing and a little stuffy, but it’s evident that this comes from a place of love. She’s not a wicked step-mother, she loves and cares for her daughter and only has her best interests – or what she sees as her best interests – at heart. The witch, also, who provides Merida the spell to change her fate, is a wonderful character. She was in the film for a much shorter time and more of a comic character, but was brilliant to watch. King Fergus is large and oafish, providing a bumbling comic relief to the film. Yet, when Mor’du threatens his family, he becomes ferocious; likewise showing a realistic family and his love and care are abundant. The most comedy however comes from Merida’s young and mainly silent triplet brothers: Harris, Hubert and Hamish. The trio were hilarious; almost pantomime in their execution, in many the same ways as Pascal and Maximus in Disney’s Tangled, and drew huge laughs from the audience with almost everything they did.
In fact, I was surprised at how funny Brave was. It looked, going in, to be a much darker and more intense film than the previous Pixar features, and indeed it was, but also blended deftly with that was a very natural sense of humour. Andrews and Chapman were very clever in balancing the very real, oft-seriously emotional pairing of Merida and Elinor with much broader, more comical characters like Fergus and the triplets. Other great sources of comedy throughout the film were the lords, Macintosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall, the leaders of the neighbouring clans and allies of the Fergus led DunBroch. Again very oafish and daft (as well as particularly Scottish, namely young MacGuffin) the constant competition and fighting for Merida’s hand provided some great moments and big laughs. It is a valid point that the male characters are a little less refined than the females, or indeed than others in Brave. But this works well to show a sense of chaos in the male led world of the times that never seems insulting; given how clued in the triplets are, it could also show how adults are far less sensible than they like to think – adding a certain childlike magic to the film.
Also, Mor'du, who is technically the villain of the film (although not in a typical fairytale sense) is absolutely terrifying. Brave wasn't rated PG for nothing, he has a huge intensity to him and the almost photo-realistic rendering meant even I was scared; some of the younger kids sounded terrified. He's called the demon bear for a reason and is one of Pixar's most primal and intimidating villains. Providing fear and huge set pieces, he's just another fantastic element to a fantastic film!
Talking about the animation, Brave is the first film to be created using Pixar's new animation software, and it shows. The very first shot of Brave literally made me mouth "wow", the detail and realism set against the more cartoonish characters was absolutely sublime. Brave is the most beautiful Pixar film to date, and possibly one of the best ever, narrowly trailing Rango. It's hard to describe how wonderful it was - it needs to be seen to be believed.
The music, also, was fantastic. The score, by Patrick Doyle (Thor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) is intense and immersive. It may be slightly less hummable than some previous Pixar scores, but I don't think it was intended to be, in much the same way as Hans Zimmer's Batman and Inception scores, it's powerful and brings you 110% into the film. The original songs in the film, though, I have to give special mention to, Julie Fowlis and Pixarian Alex Mandel's "Touch the Sky" and "Into the Open Air" are brilliant, same with Birdy and Mumford & Sons' "Learn Me Right". They, perhaps in contrast to the score, definitely were hummable. And singable. Incredibly catchy and moving, as well as being used to perfection in their respective scenes to enhance the story on screen, they contributed, along with Doyle's scores to one of Pixar's best and most immersive soundtracks yet!
I saw the film in 3D, and whilst the 3D was good, it wasn't great. Pixar and Disney 3D films are some of the only 3D films that don't annoy me, but they are often too subtle to make it worth paying extra for. The 3D in Brave was quite immersive, but, again, rather subtle. It certainly didn't spoil the film for me though - not even close. Normally I wouldn’t have bothered watching it in 3D, but I was fortunate and lucky enough to be invited to an early Disney press screening of the film at the EMPIRE Cinema in London, and this showing was presented in 3D. The massive cinema was also equipped with surround sound – I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have Dolby Atmos installed, especially since EMPIRE is the only cinema in the UK that has it, but I can hardly complain. I’d also like to thank Disney’s Grace Yee for the tickets to the film and Chris Wiggum and the Pixar publicity team for passing my details on to her.
I have very few gripes with the film to be honest, another reason I don't understand a large proportion of Brave reviews. Some of the humour was a little crude maybe, perhaps a little Disney-ish for Pixar, it felt a little bit too short but, who cares? It was fantastic! But in terms of the reviews that have said it's too Disney like, and unoriginal, I feverishly disagree. I'd say, in fact, that it's a quintessentially Pixar-esque story, and the magic and fairytale elements are a million miles from anything the studio have done before, so in being maybe more traditional in its choice of film, Pixar have again been supremely original. The lack of fairytale conventions, also, means it's not really a fairytale at all, it's just another Pixar classic. Don't compare; enjoy.
9.5/10
Brave is released here in the UK on 13th August in some cinemas, and 17th August in all (or all that will show it). Outside of the UK and seen it already? Let us know your thoughts here or on Twitter (@A113Animation)
*
Also, some brief (as I'm aware this review's getting quite lengthy) thoughts on the other aspects of the showing:
Almost equal to the viewing pleasure of seeing a new Pixar film now, is searching for the Easter Eggs and references. I noticed John Ratzenberger, Pixar's lucky charm, as a Scottish guard announcing the arrival of the lords and their sons. I also noticed the Pizza Planet Truck - I won't say where in case you want to find it yourself, but click here if you want to see it - and the newt reference. I missed the Sully from Monsters University's cameo (here), and I haven't the foggiest where A113 was hidden. I also found the post-credits dedication to Steve Jobs very touching and moving - I was a little teary eyed - RIP Steve, you're still missed.
As it was an official Disney screening, we only got trailers for Disney released movies: the latest trailer for Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and the fantastic Wreck-It Ralph trailer - which drew big laughs from the teenage and adult members of the audience. Alas, and surprisingly, the Monsters University trailer(s) didn't show. It's a shame, as the audience would've lapped it up!
And finally, La Luna. The short film that we've heard so much about, Oscar nominated and packing significant hype, the Enrico Casarosa directed La Luna is every bit as wonderful as it's been claimed to be. The "different feel" and painterly watercolour look Enrico told us about in our interview a while back are there in abundance. Beautiful, touching and certainly one (if not the very best) of Pixar's short films, La Luna is wonderfully calm and serene, and so, so touching. Great job, Enrico and co.!
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*This review is largely spoiler free, but read cautiously if you haven’t seen the film yet*
Brave is the thirteenth feature film from Pixar Animation Studios, the studio most notable for having produced critical and commercial hits such as Toy Story, Up and Monsters, Inc. The common denominator between these films (aside from their obvious brilliance) is that none of them have a female main character. Brave is therefore notable for being the first Pixar feature to have a female as its lead, and also for being Pixar’s first fairytale. Hearing those two statements however might give you entirely the wrong impression about Brave; it is neither a feministic rant nor a traditional, princess-prince-stepmother-villain type fairytale. The common denominator with Brave and previous Pixar films, is that it’s brilliant.
Brave has received decent reviews, but, at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, nothing near what we’re used to from the studio. It seems Cars 2 acted to, unjustly in my opinion, make people doubt Pixar, the studio they once revered above all else, and look for flaws. Well, they must be looking pretty damn hard to find things to gripe about here, as Brave was phenomenal. Touching, powerful, immersive, funny and gorgeous – all in equal measure – Brave is yet another winner from Pixar, and has the feel of a grand epic, and an instant classic.
Brave opens on a wide shot of lush, green Scotland, a shot that immediately instils a sense of awe and immersion in you – the quality of Pixar’s animation is truly astounding compared to even a year ago. We focus in on a young Merida, as a child, learning to shoot her bow and arrow, before the demon bear Mor’du rears his ugly head and we arrive at the fateful event where King Fergus (Billy Connolly), Merida’s father, loses his leg to the bear. Forward to the time in which the film is set and we see a teenage Merida (Kelly Macdonald), struggling against her mother’s wishes to marry her to one of three suitors from the neighbouring clans. Here arises the major conflict of the film; in the same way that Finding Nemo was a father-son story, Brave is a mother-daughter one. Facing losing her freedom and seemingly unable to communicate effectively with her mum - Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) - Merida rides off into the forest, where the wisps lead her to a witch’s hut. Here, she bargains for a spell that will change her mum, and change her fate. This wish is taken a little too literally and soon Merida, the Queen and the Kingdom of DunBroch are all in grave danger.
Coming from a story from original director, Brenda Chapman, based on her own relationship with her daughter, Brave is a very relatable and touching film at its core. Of course, juxtaposed against this every-day, real-world relationship is the epic scale of the film, set in 10th century Scotland. The second Pixar film, after WALL-E, to not be set in present day, Brave is also as much about the land in which it’s set and the ferocities and legends of that as it’s about the relationships between the characters. The weather swirls and changes in the huge mountains and stormy locations, symbolic of the fluctuating tensions of the family and the mother-daughter dynamic at the centre of Brave. And that relationship is certainly a fantastic one. Brave was clearly a labour of love for Brenda Chapman, and its subsequent director, Mark Andrews, has also clearly done his best to not tamper with that; trying to shape the scope and the overall story arc of the film (a particular forte of Andrews, who previously worked on The Incredibles) and be diligent to keep everything clear and ensure it retains its heart. I think this is less of a case of the film being a mess and needing a new director to salvage it, as allegedly was the case with Ash Brannon on Toy Story 2 and Jan Pinkava on Ratatouille, than a case of, after Brenda had worked on the film for so long, a fresh pair of eyes, in Mark, were needed to add the finishing touches and guide it to where it had the potential to be. Personally I noticed no rift in the film due to the change in directors; in fact it flowed particularly smoothly.
The script, penned by directors Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, co-director Steve Purcell and Lion King co-scribe Irene Mecchi, is largely very sharp. The jokes are, more often than not, visual, but there were some fun lines from the characters. Some of the dialogue was at times a little stiff, but it would have grated if the 10th century characters had been speaking in slang or with a more modern spin. The back-and-forths between Merida and Elinor were very frantic, believable and contributed fantastically to the relatable family of the film – much like The Incredibles. I also found few flaws with the second and third acts of the film; I thought the plot-twists were genius!
The characters that populate the film are just as good as you’ve come to expect from the studio as well. Merida, Pixar’s first female protagonist, is truly one of their best characters yet. Stubborn and head-strong with youth, but never arrogant or unlikable; she just wants to choose her own fate. Another pothole that Pixar thankfully avoid is that they don’t make Merida a tomboy. An easy route to follow would’ve been ‘Merida doesn’t act like a traditional princess, so let’s make her act like a guy’; Merida is much more delightfully complex than that. She's every bit the female character Pixar’s detractors have been clamouring for, but she’s not a particular testament to good female characters or feminism, she’s a testament to great characters in general. Pixar have never focused on making a character based on a certain social group, race or, instead opting to make them fully realised, likable people. Merida isn’t a blatant attempt to please feminists; she is an attempt by Pixar to once again create a wonderful character; and a successful attempt. Edna, Dory and Ellie were all similarly great characters, but, for her prominence in and importance to the film, Merida may be Pixar’s strongest characters yet - female or otherwise.
Elinor is as important to the story as Merida herself, and therefore is similarly well rounded and realised. She's overbearing and a little stuffy, but it’s evident that this comes from a place of love. She’s not a wicked step-mother, she loves and cares for her daughter and only has her best interests – or what she sees as her best interests – at heart. The witch, also, who provides Merida the spell to change her fate, is a wonderful character. She was in the film for a much shorter time and more of a comic character, but was brilliant to watch. King Fergus is large and oafish, providing a bumbling comic relief to the film. Yet, when Mor’du threatens his family, he becomes ferocious; likewise showing a realistic family and his love and care are abundant. The most comedy however comes from Merida’s young and mainly silent triplet brothers: Harris, Hubert and Hamish. The trio were hilarious; almost pantomime in their execution, in many the same ways as Pascal and Maximus in Disney’s Tangled, and drew huge laughs from the audience with almost everything they did.
In fact, I was surprised at how funny Brave was. It looked, going in, to be a much darker and more intense film than the previous Pixar features, and indeed it was, but also blended deftly with that was a very natural sense of humour. Andrews and Chapman were very clever in balancing the very real, oft-seriously emotional pairing of Merida and Elinor with much broader, more comical characters like Fergus and the triplets. Other great sources of comedy throughout the film were the lords, Macintosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall, the leaders of the neighbouring clans and allies of the Fergus led DunBroch. Again very oafish and daft (as well as particularly Scottish, namely young MacGuffin) the constant competition and fighting for Merida’s hand provided some great moments and big laughs. It is a valid point that the male characters are a little less refined than the females, or indeed than others in Brave. But this works well to show a sense of chaos in the male led world of the times that never seems insulting; given how clued in the triplets are, it could also show how adults are far less sensible than they like to think – adding a certain childlike magic to the film.
Also, Mor'du, who is technically the villain of the film (although not in a typical fairytale sense) is absolutely terrifying. Brave wasn't rated PG for nothing, he has a huge intensity to him and the almost photo-realistic rendering meant even I was scared; some of the younger kids sounded terrified. He's called the demon bear for a reason and is one of Pixar's most primal and intimidating villains. Providing fear and huge set pieces, he's just another fantastic element to a fantastic film!
Talking about the animation, Brave is the first film to be created using Pixar's new animation software, and it shows. The very first shot of Brave literally made me mouth "wow", the detail and realism set against the more cartoonish characters was absolutely sublime. Brave is the most beautiful Pixar film to date, and possibly one of the best ever, narrowly trailing Rango. It's hard to describe how wonderful it was - it needs to be seen to be believed.
The music, also, was fantastic. The score, by Patrick Doyle (Thor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) is intense and immersive. It may be slightly less hummable than some previous Pixar scores, but I don't think it was intended to be, in much the same way as Hans Zimmer's Batman and Inception scores, it's powerful and brings you 110% into the film. The original songs in the film, though, I have to give special mention to, Julie Fowlis and Pixarian Alex Mandel's "Touch the Sky" and "Into the Open Air" are brilliant, same with Birdy and Mumford & Sons' "Learn Me Right". They, perhaps in contrast to the score, definitely were hummable. And singable. Incredibly catchy and moving, as well as being used to perfection in their respective scenes to enhance the story on screen, they contributed, along with Doyle's scores to one of Pixar's best and most immersive soundtracks yet!
I saw the film in 3D, and whilst the 3D was good, it wasn't great. Pixar and Disney 3D films are some of the only 3D films that don't annoy me, but they are often too subtle to make it worth paying extra for. The 3D in Brave was quite immersive, but, again, rather subtle. It certainly didn't spoil the film for me though - not even close. Normally I wouldn’t have bothered watching it in 3D, but I was fortunate and lucky enough to be invited to an early Disney press screening of the film at the EMPIRE Cinema in London, and this showing was presented in 3D. The massive cinema was also equipped with surround sound – I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have Dolby Atmos installed, especially since EMPIRE is the only cinema in the UK that has it, but I can hardly complain. I’d also like to thank Disney’s Grace Yee for the tickets to the film and Chris Wiggum and the Pixar publicity team for passing my details on to her.
I have very few gripes with the film to be honest, another reason I don't understand a large proportion of Brave reviews. Some of the humour was a little crude maybe, perhaps a little Disney-ish for Pixar, it felt a little bit too short but, who cares? It was fantastic! But in terms of the reviews that have said it's too Disney like, and unoriginal, I feverishly disagree. I'd say, in fact, that it's a quintessentially Pixar-esque story, and the magic and fairytale elements are a million miles from anything the studio have done before, so in being maybe more traditional in its choice of film, Pixar have again been supremely original. The lack of fairytale conventions, also, means it's not really a fairytale at all, it's just another Pixar classic. Don't compare; enjoy.
9.5/10
Brave is released here in the UK on 13th August in some cinemas, and 17th August in all (or all that will show it). Outside of the UK and seen it already? Let us know your thoughts here or on Twitter (@A113Animation)
*
Also, some brief (as I'm aware this review's getting quite lengthy) thoughts on the other aspects of the showing:
Almost equal to the viewing pleasure of seeing a new Pixar film now, is searching for the Easter Eggs and references. I noticed John Ratzenberger, Pixar's lucky charm, as a Scottish guard announcing the arrival of the lords and their sons. I also noticed the Pizza Planet Truck - I won't say where in case you want to find it yourself, but click here if you want to see it - and the newt reference. I missed the Sully from Monsters University's cameo (here), and I haven't the foggiest where A113 was hidden. I also found the post-credits dedication to Steve Jobs very touching and moving - I was a little teary eyed - RIP Steve, you're still missed.
As it was an official Disney screening, we only got trailers for Disney released movies: the latest trailer for Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and the fantastic Wreck-It Ralph trailer - which drew big laughs from the teenage and adult members of the audience. Alas, and surprisingly, the Monsters University trailer(s) didn't show. It's a shame, as the audience would've lapped it up!
And finally, La Luna. The short film that we've heard so much about, Oscar nominated and packing significant hype, the Enrico Casarosa directed La Luna is every bit as wonderful as it's been claimed to be. The "different feel" and painterly watercolour look Enrico told us about in our interview a while back are there in abundance. Beautiful, touching and certainly one (if not the very best) of Pixar's short films, La Luna is wonderfully calm and serene, and so, so touching. Great job, Enrico and co.!
'Monsters University' Teaser Coming Wednesday!
To contact us Click HERE
With Brave coming out this Friday, many fans were also eagerly anticipating the teaser trailer for Pixar's following film, Monsters University, to arrive in theaters on that same day. Now, Pixar has announced that we won't have to wait until Friday for this teaser, as it will arrive online this Wednesday!
Scheduled for release on June 21, 2013, Monsters University is the prequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films, Monsters, Inc., and follows Mike and Sulley during their days in college, when they weren't exactly the best of friends.
On Friday, the following message was posted on the official MU Facebook page:
"You’re about to discover a bit more about Mike and Sulley’s days at Monsters University."
It was accompanied by a picture with the text "5 Days" written in the iconic Monsters, Inc. lettering. Five days from Friday would be June 20, which is this coming Wednesday. I think the best guess at as to what is being released on Wednesday is the teaser trailer, don't you? After all, what else could it be?
This is actually quite an exciting event for Pixar fans around the globe, as it marks the first time we see Mike and Sulley since 2001 when the original Monsters, Inc. debuted. The teaser was screened a couple of months ago at CinemaCon, and there were reports that the whole audience had been laughing. We've heard that this teaser revolves around Sulley pulling some sort of prank on Mike, so the results ought to be hilarious.
Check back here on Wednesday (that's June 20) for the new teaser!
With Brave coming out this Friday, many fans were also eagerly anticipating the teaser trailer for Pixar's following film, Monsters University, to arrive in theaters on that same day. Now, Pixar has announced that we won't have to wait until Friday for this teaser, as it will arrive online this Wednesday!
Scheduled for release on June 21, 2013, Monsters University is the prequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films, Monsters, Inc., and follows Mike and Sulley during their days in college, when they weren't exactly the best of friends.
On Friday, the following message was posted on the official MU Facebook page:
"You’re about to discover a bit more about Mike and Sulley’s days at Monsters University."
It was accompanied by a picture with the text "5 Days" written in the iconic Monsters, Inc. lettering. Five days from Friday would be June 20, which is this coming Wednesday. I think the best guess at as to what is being released on Wednesday is the teaser trailer, don't you? After all, what else could it be?
This is actually quite an exciting event for Pixar fans around the globe, as it marks the first time we see Mike and Sulley since 2001 when the original Monsters, Inc. debuted. The teaser was screened a couple of months ago at CinemaCon, and there were reports that the whole audience had been laughing. We've heard that this teaser revolves around Sulley pulling some sort of prank on Mike, so the results ought to be hilarious.
Check back here on Wednesday (that's June 20) for the new teaser!
Sneak Peek at 'Finding Nemo' Blu-ray!
To contact us Click HERE
The Pixar Times has nabbed some photos of the cover for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the Pixar classic, Finding Nemo. The film remains the only movie from the studio to not yet be available on the Blu-ray format, but that will change in December.
With the photos, we get a look at what super-awesome bonus features the new release of the film will have. If you decide to go for the 3D Blu-ray version (which includes a 3D Blu-ray, two regular Blu-rays, a DVD, and a digital copy), then you'll get the chance to enjoy the immersive HD Aquariums in 3D. I remember the virtual aquariums from the original DVD edition, and back then they blew my mind, so I can only imagine how spectacular they'll be in gorgeous high-definition and 3D!
Other special features include:
CineExplore Reinventing The Submarine Voyage Deleted Scene: Alternate Opening A Lesson In Flashbacks Filmmakers’ Roundtable Discussion Knick Knack Theatrical Short HD Art Review Outtakes and Deleted Scenes
Pixar extras are always very exciting to watch, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing all these new additions. Also, the original bonus features from the DVD will likely also be included on the Blu-ray; the DVD was also jam-packed with fabulous bonus material.
Nemo swims onto Blu-ray on December 4 with a whole ocean of new special features! (Please excuse the puns, they're irresistable.)
The Pixar Times has nabbed some photos of the cover for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the Pixar classic, Finding Nemo. The film remains the only movie from the studio to not yet be available on the Blu-ray format, but that will change in December.
With the photos, we get a look at what super-awesome bonus features the new release of the film will have. If you decide to go for the 3D Blu-ray version (which includes a 3D Blu-ray, two regular Blu-rays, a DVD, and a digital copy), then you'll get the chance to enjoy the immersive HD Aquariums in 3D. I remember the virtual aquariums from the original DVD edition, and back then they blew my mind, so I can only imagine how spectacular they'll be in gorgeous high-definition and 3D!
Other special features include:
Pixar extras are always very exciting to watch, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing all these new additions. Also, the original bonus features from the DVD will likely also be included on the Blu-ray; the DVD was also jam-packed with fabulous bonus material.
Nemo swims onto Blu-ray on December 4 with a whole ocean of new special features! (Please excuse the puns, they're irresistable.)
'Brave' Easter Eggs: Where Were They Hidden?
To contact us Click HERE
Over the years, fans of Pixar have grown quite fond of the little "Easter eggs" that the studio hides in their films, which can make watching one of their films all the more exciting.
Some of these hidden surprises occur in maybe just one film, but others have grown to become traditional, legendary Pixar Easter eggs. These include some sort of reference to an upcoming film from the studio, and the famed Pizza Planet truck, which made its first appearance in 1995 with Toy Story and has appeared in every Pixar film since (excluding The Incredibles).
Pixar has not forgotten their little traditions in this year's Brave, although that's what you might think during your first time watching the film. After all, how are you supposed to put a pizza delivery truck into a story set in medieval Scotland? The Easter eggs in Brave are hidden very well, so Pixar has released official images and descriptions revealing to us where both the Pizza Planet truck and Sulley from next year's Monsters University appear in the movie.
ANCIENT DELIVERYThe Witch, an eccentric crone disguised as a woodcarver specializing in whittling wooden bear figurines and conjuring haphazard spells, showcases her mysterious and inexplicable knowledge of the future with a carved figurine of the infamous Pizza Planet truck, an iconic delivery vehicle that’s appeared in nearly every full-length feature film from Pixar Animation Studios since 1995’s Toy Story. Disney•Pixar’s Brave is in theaters now.
NO MONSTERS IN THE CLOSETA carving of Sulley, the lovable blue monster slated to return to the big screen in 2013’s Monsters University, appears on a piece of wood in the home of the Witch, an eccentric crone and woodcarver in Disney•Pixar’s epic action adventure Brave, in theaters now.
Still no word on where A113 shows up in the film, but we know it is there, as director Mark Andrews confirmed so a few months ago. If you found it, let us know in the comments!
Which of the Easter eggs did you catch when you saw Brave?
Over the years, fans of Pixar have grown quite fond of the little "Easter eggs" that the studio hides in their films, which can make watching one of their films all the more exciting.
Some of these hidden surprises occur in maybe just one film, but others have grown to become traditional, legendary Pixar Easter eggs. These include some sort of reference to an upcoming film from the studio, and the famed Pizza Planet truck, which made its first appearance in 1995 with Toy Story and has appeared in every Pixar film since (excluding The Incredibles).
Pixar has not forgotten their little traditions in this year's Brave, although that's what you might think during your first time watching the film. After all, how are you supposed to put a pizza delivery truck into a story set in medieval Scotland? The Easter eggs in Brave are hidden very well, so Pixar has released official images and descriptions revealing to us where both the Pizza Planet truck and Sulley from next year's Monsters University appear in the movie.
ANCIENT DELIVERYThe Witch, an eccentric crone disguised as a woodcarver specializing in whittling wooden bear figurines and conjuring haphazard spells, showcases her mysterious and inexplicable knowledge of the future with a carved figurine of the infamous Pizza Planet truck, an iconic delivery vehicle that’s appeared in nearly every full-length feature film from Pixar Animation Studios since 1995’s Toy Story. Disney•Pixar’s Brave is in theaters now.
NO MONSTERS IN THE CLOSETA carving of Sulley, the lovable blue monster slated to return to the big screen in 2013’s Monsters University, appears on a piece of wood in the home of the Witch, an eccentric crone and woodcarver in Disney•Pixar’s epic action adventure Brave, in theaters now.
Still no word on where A113 shows up in the film, but we know it is there, as director Mark Andrews confirmed so a few months ago. If you found it, let us know in the comments!
Which of the Easter eggs did you catch when you saw Brave?
Pixar Corner Welcomes the Summer!
To contact us Click HERE
The time of year for sunny days and beach trips has once again arrived, and to celebrate, Pixar Corner has a new header logo honoring the sunny season.
Once again, the artwork is provided by the incredibly talented artist Paul Robin, who has also designed all previous Pixar Corner logos. Be sure to check out Paul's blog, where you can suggest your own adventure for Paul Robin to go on!
In the new logo, the iconic Luxo ball enjoys the summer sunshine while sporting some sweet sunglasses.
Enjoy your summer, and we hope you like the new seasonal logo!
Once again, the artwork is provided by the incredibly talented artist Paul Robin, who has also designed all previous Pixar Corner logos. Be sure to check out Paul's blog, where you can suggest your own adventure for Paul Robin to go on!
In the new logo, the iconic Luxo ball enjoys the summer sunshine while sporting some sweet sunglasses.
Enjoy your summer, and we hope you like the new seasonal logo!
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Where's my Perry?
To contact us Click HERE
A couple of weeks back, Where's My Water? was the free app of the week at the Apple App Store, so I downloaded it onto our iPad, thinking it would be a nice way to pass the time. Little did I realize what an obsession it would become! The concept is so simple -- just swipe your finger across the screen to move dirt around and create channels for water to flow into Swampy the alligator's bath tub -- but with constantly changing obstacles like acid, mold and walls, that's easier said than done. Where's my Water is one of the most popular apps for iOs; Swampy has become so popular that Disney is actually creating a web series and merchandise for him!
And now, Disney has created a new kind of Where's My Water app for fans of Perry the Platypus, aka Agent P, the semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal of action who stars in Disney's Phineas and Ferb. I got the chance to review the new app -- Where's My Perry? -- recently, and it has become an even bigger hit in our household than Where's My Water?. My kids are huge fans of the show, and they love Where's My Water? , so I was pretty sure they'd love Where's My Perry? -- and I wasn't wrong.
Just like with the original app, players have to swipe the screen to move dirt around to create channels for water to flow -- but now everything is themed to the Phineas & Ferb show. This time, the water acts as an escape route for Agent P to get back to headquarters, so the goal is to direct the water to enter Perry's chamber, so he can float to safety.
Unlike the original app, there are a few additional challenges to thwart Perry's escape:
* Water now comes in 3 states (ice, steam and liquid) and mimics that state's physical properties
* Dr. Doofenshmirtz has left a bunch of lasers to change the water's state (melt ice, condense steam, freeze water, etc.., so that can be good or bad depending on where you want to guide Perry), and vacuums that turn water into confetti (that's bad).
* Bombs are scattered throughout the area; when water touches the bombs they explode (bad because you lose water, but can be good if you have to blast through rock).
* Gnomes are scattered throughout the area; collecting them increases your score and gives you access to higher levels.
There are also bonus levels featuring Balloony, Dr. Doofenshmirtz's childhood friend, but none of my kids have reached those levels yet. I guess they'll be playing Where's My Perry? until they do.
Disclosure: I received a free download of the app to review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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A couple of weeks back, Where's My Water? was the free app of the week at the Apple App Store, so I downloaded it onto our iPad, thinking it would be a nice way to pass the time. Little did I realize what an obsession it would become! The concept is so simple -- just swipe your finger across the screen to move dirt around and create channels for water to flow into Swampy the alligator's bath tub -- but with constantly changing obstacles like acid, mold and walls, that's easier said than done. Where's my Water is one of the most popular apps for iOs; Swampy has become so popular that Disney is actually creating a web series and merchandise for him!
And now, Disney has created a new kind of Where's My Water app for fans of Perry the Platypus, aka Agent P, the semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal of action who stars in Disney's Phineas and Ferb. I got the chance to review the new app -- Where's My Perry? -- recently, and it has become an even bigger hit in our household than Where's My Water?. My kids are huge fans of the show, and they love Where's My Water? , so I was pretty sure they'd love Where's My Perry? -- and I wasn't wrong.
Just like with the original app, players have to swipe the screen to move dirt around to create channels for water to flow -- but now everything is themed to the Phineas & Ferb show. This time, the water acts as an escape route for Agent P to get back to headquarters, so the goal is to direct the water to enter Perry's chamber, so he can float to safety.
Unlike the original app, there are a few additional challenges to thwart Perry's escape:
* Water now comes in 3 states (ice, steam and liquid) and mimics that state's physical properties
* Dr. Doofenshmirtz has left a bunch of lasers to change the water's state (melt ice, condense steam, freeze water, etc.., so that can be good or bad depending on where you want to guide Perry), and vacuums that turn water into confetti (that's bad).
* Bombs are scattered throughout the area; when water touches the bombs they explode (bad because you lose water, but can be good if you have to blast through rock).
* Gnomes are scattered throughout the area; collecting them increases your score and gives you access to higher levels.
There are also bonus levels featuring Balloony, Dr. Doofenshmirtz's childhood friend, but none of my kids have reached those levels yet. I guess they'll be playing Where's My Perry? until they do.
Disclosure: I received a free download of the app to review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Ways to save on international airfare
To contact us Click HERE
I love the fact that we are a global family: I'm from the Philippines, Alfie is from the UK, we both migrated to the US (with Alfie stopping over Australia first!) to live and raise our family. Our kids are American, with relatives from all over the world. As a result, all the kids love visiting new countries and learning about their unique cultures. International travel is truly one of the most enjoyable and eye-opening activities any family can do, and I highly recommend it!
The downside of all this is our travel budget; Alfie and I try to alternate visiting our folks every year. One year we'll fly to the UK to spend the summer, and the next year we'll spend the holidays in the Philippines. With 3 kids all and that distance to go, our holiday and leisure budget is completely consumed by international airfare! I'm always on the lookout for ways to save on our plane tickets, so this article sent to me by Vayama, an online travel agency focused on international travel, really caught my attention. They list seven ways families can save on international airfare:
1) Travel Midweek
International travel deals are entirely based on availability and since most people travel over the weekend (Friday & Saturday); you will find the cheapest international airfare deals if you travel midweek, usually departing and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
2) Spend Saturday Night
Business travelers fly home on the weekend, so most discounted international airfare deals require a Saturday night stay. So be prepared to spend Saturday at your destination.
3) Don’t book too Early or Too Late
When it comes to cheap international airfares, you have to follow the Goldilocks rule: Don’t book too early or too late. We all know that an international ticket booked with less than 3 days notice will be very expensive, but it will also be pricy if you book too far in advance. Most airlines start competing for passengers around three to four months before departure; this is known as the “Goldilocks Zone”. Search for your international airfare about three to five months out and you will be in the best position to hit the international airfare deal jackpot.
4) Fly Through the Side Door
If your desired destination is sold out or too expensive, try flying out of a secondary international airport (Boston vs JFK or San Francisco vs Los Angeles). The same works with your destination airports; If London is sold out or too expensive, try Brussels, Amsterdam or even Stuttgart. You can use the savings to book a low cost inter Europe flight to London or you can jump on the Eurostar train from Paris or Brussels.
5) Fly Seasonally
Most budget travelers never fly during high season. They take advantage of the lower airfares and decent weather during the ‘shoulder season’. Europe’s fall shoulder season starts around September 15th and extends until the middle of November. It’s spring shoulder season starts in mid February and extends until the end of April. For the cheapest deals to New Zealand and Australia, fly in mid August, their fall and winters are quite mild and still allow you to enjoy the many outdoor adventures available Down Under. For Asia, fly from late September through November to get the lowest airfare deals. South America’s low season is anytime it’s not Christmas, New Year’s, Carnival or a school holiday.
6) Use the Multiple Flights Function
Vayama has a ‘multiple flights’ function on it’s ‘find a flight’ box. It’s a good idea to use it because it may be cheaper to fly into one city and return from another (for example; New York to London, returning from Amsterdam). Play around with different combinations and save.
7) Add a Stopover and Save
Direct flights (those with one stop) are also cheaper than nonstop flights, particularly when you fly long haul. For example the fares for a New York to Johannesburg flight will be cheaper on airlines that add a stopover (usually in Europe, Africa or the Middle East) versus the nonstop option from New York. The same applies to long haul flights to Asia. One stop in Seoul or Taipei could shave hundreds of dollars off an India trip when compared to nonstop flights.
I can personally vouch for tip #1, 2, 3 and 5. Flying off-season is probably your biggest way to save -- it can mean a 40% reduction in price versus peak season fares! Bottom line: it never hurts to be flexible with dates and total travel time.
Thanks to Vayama for the tips -- and have a happy international trip!
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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I love the fact that we are a global family: I'm from the Philippines, Alfie is from the UK, we both migrated to the US (with Alfie stopping over Australia first!) to live and raise our family. Our kids are American, with relatives from all over the world. As a result, all the kids love visiting new countries and learning about their unique cultures. International travel is truly one of the most enjoyable and eye-opening activities any family can do, and I highly recommend it!
The downside of all this is our travel budget; Alfie and I try to alternate visiting our folks every year. One year we'll fly to the UK to spend the summer, and the next year we'll spend the holidays in the Philippines. With 3 kids all and that distance to go, our holiday and leisure budget is completely consumed by international airfare! I'm always on the lookout for ways to save on our plane tickets, so this article sent to me by Vayama, an online travel agency focused on international travel, really caught my attention. They list seven ways families can save on international airfare:
1) Travel Midweek
International travel deals are entirely based on availability and since most people travel over the weekend (Friday & Saturday); you will find the cheapest international airfare deals if you travel midweek, usually departing and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
2) Spend Saturday Night
Business travelers fly home on the weekend, so most discounted international airfare deals require a Saturday night stay. So be prepared to spend Saturday at your destination.
3) Don’t book too Early or Too Late
When it comes to cheap international airfares, you have to follow the Goldilocks rule: Don’t book too early or too late. We all know that an international ticket booked with less than 3 days notice will be very expensive, but it will also be pricy if you book too far in advance. Most airlines start competing for passengers around three to four months before departure; this is known as the “Goldilocks Zone”. Search for your international airfare about three to five months out and you will be in the best position to hit the international airfare deal jackpot.
4) Fly Through the Side Door
If your desired destination is sold out or too expensive, try flying out of a secondary international airport (Boston vs JFK or San Francisco vs Los Angeles). The same works with your destination airports; If London is sold out or too expensive, try Brussels, Amsterdam or even Stuttgart. You can use the savings to book a low cost inter Europe flight to London or you can jump on the Eurostar train from Paris or Brussels.
5) Fly Seasonally
Most budget travelers never fly during high season. They take advantage of the lower airfares and decent weather during the ‘shoulder season’. Europe’s fall shoulder season starts around September 15th and extends until the middle of November. It’s spring shoulder season starts in mid February and extends until the end of April. For the cheapest deals to New Zealand and Australia, fly in mid August, their fall and winters are quite mild and still allow you to enjoy the many outdoor adventures available Down Under. For Asia, fly from late September through November to get the lowest airfare deals. South America’s low season is anytime it’s not Christmas, New Year’s, Carnival or a school holiday.
6) Use the Multiple Flights Function
Vayama has a ‘multiple flights’ function on it’s ‘find a flight’ box. It’s a good idea to use it because it may be cheaper to fly into one city and return from another (for example; New York to London, returning from Amsterdam). Play around with different combinations and save.
7) Add a Stopover and Save
Direct flights (those with one stop) are also cheaper than nonstop flights, particularly when you fly long haul. For example the fares for a New York to Johannesburg flight will be cheaper on airlines that add a stopover (usually in Europe, Africa or the Middle East) versus the nonstop option from New York. The same applies to long haul flights to Asia. One stop in Seoul or Taipei could shave hundreds of dollars off an India trip when compared to nonstop flights.
I can personally vouch for tip #1, 2, 3 and 5. Flying off-season is probably your biggest way to save -- it can mean a 40% reduction in price versus peak season fares! Bottom line: it never hurts to be flexible with dates and total travel time.
Thanks to Vayama for the tips -- and have a happy international trip!
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Alljoyn -- connecting devices, connecting people
To contact us Click HERE
Remember those days when the PalmPilot was every geek's wet dream? We all though it was soooo cool how we could point our Palm Pilots at each other and "beam" our contact information across! The PalmPilot had its day in the sun, but these days, even children's games are more high-tech than that! Companies like Qualcomm have taken inter-device connectivity to unheard-of heights, and the best is yet to come.
To illustrate: a few weeks ago, Qualcomm introduced me to a couple of high-tech mobile apps using a new technology called Alljoyn. The first app, Spudball, is a game that lets you toss a virtual hot potato from your phone or tablet, onto your friends' device, back and forth, until the potato explodes. It's amazing -- you swipe your finger on your screen to make the potato disappear, only to see it appear on your friend's phone! The second game, QwikDraw, lets two players work on a drawing together, passing the drawing back and forth over their phones or other devices. Both games are super fun (and I plan to feature each of them in a separate review), and they're a great way to get my kids playing a game together instead of withdrawing into their own little worlds whenever they pick up a device.
Cool as these games are, what's really cool is the technology behind them: AllJoyn, an application development framework that enables peer-to-peer connectivity across multiple devices and operating systems.
In plain English, AllJoyn is a tool that developers can use to write apps that allow devices -- smartphones, tablets, PC's, wifi-enabled set top boxes, smart tv's -- to talk to each other over WiFi, Bluetooth, WiFi direct, or a mobile hotspot. Imagine the seamless connectivity that Apple devices enjoy with each other, but not limited to Apple devices, and you've got a sense of what AllJoyn can do.
A few key features of Alljoyn:
* It's open source
* It's non-OS specific; it's supported on Android, v2.2.x (Eclair), Windows, and up.
* Easy to use: developers can create an app with AllJoyn in as little as 1 week.
* The AllJoyn SDK (software development kit) is free for developers to download and use.
The best thing about AllJoyn? All the connectivity work is done, so app and game developers don't need to learn the complexities of device discovery, pairing, message routing, etc... They can use the AllJoyn API for all that stuff, and focus entirely on creating a kickass app or game.
AllJoyn isn't just for kid's games: the Bizzabo event networking app uses AllJoyn to let conference goers see which attendees are close by, and set up face-to-face meetings (this would be awesome for BlogHer!). And there's even a grown-up version of QuikDraw, Chalkboard, which lets co-workers use their own devices to collaborate and brainstorm together.
Since AllJoyn is all about enabling different devices to connect and interact with each other, you can imagine the possibilities. Here are two examples of app prototypes that use Alljoyn:
* Use smartphones as a remote control for games on a laptop -- imagine hooking your laptop onto your HD flatscreen and playing the game with your friends at a party!
* Play music on a smartphone using playlists and music from other smartphones -- perfect for road trips where everyone wants a turn playing their favorite songs! (Qualcomm engineer Brian Spencer actually created this app, JamJoyn, in his spare time, in just 10 days).
Cool, huh? Once you get the idea, the sky's the limit! Imagine being able to control your smart refrigerator with your smartphone, or take a photo of friends at a party and immediately have the photo added to a slideshow that's playing on your living room tv. I'll bet homeschooling parents would love an app that lets them load up a lesson plan on their tv screens, then enable their kids' devices to solve math problems, with the solution showing up on the tv screen for everyone to see. Personally, I think someone ought to develop a Where's My Stuff? app, which uses Alljoyn technology to help me locate my car keys, no matter where I leave them in the house.
I can't wait to see what kinds of AllJoyn apps developers come up with next!
Learn more about AllJoyn on their website and their YouTube channel.
Disclosure: Qualcomm sent me a T-Mobile Springboard and a Galaxy SII, both of which run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip, in order to try out Alljoyn apps like SpudBall, QuikDraw and 3D Rollercoaster Rush. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!
Remember those days when the PalmPilot was every geek's wet dream? We all though it was soooo cool how we could point our Palm Pilots at each other and "beam" our contact information across! The PalmPilot had its day in the sun, but these days, even children's games are more high-tech than that! Companies like Qualcomm have taken inter-device connectivity to unheard-of heights, and the best is yet to come.
To illustrate: a few weeks ago, Qualcomm introduced me to a couple of high-tech mobile apps using a new technology called Alljoyn. The first app, Spudball, is a game that lets you toss a virtual hot potato from your phone or tablet, onto your friends' device, back and forth, until the potato explodes. It's amazing -- you swipe your finger on your screen to make the potato disappear, only to see it appear on your friend's phone! The second game, QwikDraw, lets two players work on a drawing together, passing the drawing back and forth over their phones or other devices. Both games are super fun (and I plan to feature each of them in a separate review), and they're a great way to get my kids playing a game together instead of withdrawing into their own little worlds whenever they pick up a device.
Cool as these games are, what's really cool is the technology behind them: AllJoyn, an application development framework that enables peer-to-peer connectivity across multiple devices and operating systems.
In plain English, AllJoyn is a tool that developers can use to write apps that allow devices -- smartphones, tablets, PC's, wifi-enabled set top boxes, smart tv's -- to talk to each other over WiFi, Bluetooth, WiFi direct, or a mobile hotspot. Imagine the seamless connectivity that Apple devices enjoy with each other, but not limited to Apple devices, and you've got a sense of what AllJoyn can do.
A few key features of Alljoyn:
* It's open source
* It's non-OS specific; it's supported on Android, v2.2.x (Eclair), Windows, and up.
* Easy to use: developers can create an app with AllJoyn in as little as 1 week.
* The AllJoyn SDK (software development kit) is free for developers to download and use.
The best thing about AllJoyn? All the connectivity work is done, so app and game developers don't need to learn the complexities of device discovery, pairing, message routing, etc... They can use the AllJoyn API for all that stuff, and focus entirely on creating a kickass app or game.
AllJoyn isn't just for kid's games: the Bizzabo event networking app uses AllJoyn to let conference goers see which attendees are close by, and set up face-to-face meetings (this would be awesome for BlogHer!). And there's even a grown-up version of QuikDraw, Chalkboard, which lets co-workers use their own devices to collaborate and brainstorm together.
Since AllJoyn is all about enabling different devices to connect and interact with each other, you can imagine the possibilities. Here are two examples of app prototypes that use Alljoyn:
* Use smartphones as a remote control for games on a laptop -- imagine hooking your laptop onto your HD flatscreen and playing the game with your friends at a party!
* Play music on a smartphone using playlists and music from other smartphones -- perfect for road trips where everyone wants a turn playing their favorite songs! (Qualcomm engineer Brian Spencer actually created this app, JamJoyn, in his spare time, in just 10 days).
Cool, huh? Once you get the idea, the sky's the limit! Imagine being able to control your smart refrigerator with your smartphone, or take a photo of friends at a party and immediately have the photo added to a slideshow that's playing on your living room tv. I'll bet homeschooling parents would love an app that lets them load up a lesson plan on their tv screens, then enable their kids' devices to solve math problems, with the solution showing up on the tv screen for everyone to see. Personally, I think someone ought to develop a Where's My Stuff? app, which uses Alljoyn technology to help me locate my car keys, no matter where I leave them in the house.
I can't wait to see what kinds of AllJoyn apps developers come up with next!
Learn more about AllJoyn on their website and their YouTube channel.
Disclosure: Qualcomm sent me a T-Mobile Springboard and a Galaxy SII, both of which run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip, in order to try out Alljoyn apps like SpudBall, QuikDraw and 3D Rollercoaster Rush. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here
To contact us Click HERE
Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.
So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!
Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.
So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!
Tweet this!
American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app for iOS
To contact us Click HERE
Here's a girly twist on Tetris -- American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app has players scrambling to catch falling clothes and accessories and dragging them to their matching boxes. In this app, American Girl historical characters Marie-Grace and Cecile need help getting dressed for the masquerade ball. As the game begins, all the pieces the girls need for their costumes are lined up in boxes on either side of the screen, and a variety of pieces begin falling from the top of the screen. Players have to drag the correct pieces into the correct boxes.
Unlike Tetris, no points are deducted if a costume piece falls onto the floor, but if you drag a costume piece into the wrong box, you'll get a big red X. After 3 mistakes, the game is over. After you've dragged all the costume pieces necessary to complete Marie-Grace and Cecile's costumes, you move on to the next level. All your mistakes are erased, and you start fresh, so it's easy to rack up points. It's lighthearted fun, good for a couple of minutes of girly play.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Here's a girly twist on Tetris -- American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app has players scrambling to catch falling clothes and accessories and dragging them to their matching boxes. In this app, American Girl historical characters Marie-Grace and Cecile need help getting dressed for the masquerade ball. As the game begins, all the pieces the girls need for their costumes are lined up in boxes on either side of the screen, and a variety of pieces begin falling from the top of the screen. Players have to drag the correct pieces into the correct boxes.
Unlike Tetris, no points are deducted if a costume piece falls onto the floor, but if you drag a costume piece into the wrong box, you'll get a big red X. After 3 mistakes, the game is over. After you've dragged all the costume pieces necessary to complete Marie-Grace and Cecile's costumes, you move on to the next level. All your mistakes are erased, and you start fresh, so it's easy to rack up points. It's lighthearted fun, good for a couple of minutes of girly play.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here
To contact us Click HERE
Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.
So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!
Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.
So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!
Tweet this!
Kid-Friendly Touches at Disney's Grand Californian
To contact us Click HERE
Out of the 3 hotels of the Disneyland Resort, the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is considered the luxury property, and it's easy to see why. Just enter the lobby, and it will take your breath away. Throughout the hotel, the luxurious Arts & Crafts-inspired fittings and furniture really make you feel like a pampered guest.
The Grand Californian reminds me of the stately Ahwahnee in Yosemite Park, where I always feel like kids have to tiptoe around in fear of disturbing some grand old dame -- but as you'd expect from Disney, kids are more than welcome here. Here are some of the kid-friendly touches around the Grand Californian:
* There's a kid-sized lounging area in the lobby, where kids can wait while their parents check in at the hotel. Kid-sized armchairs and rocking chairs surround a giant tv screen playing Disney cartoons, so there's little worry they'll be wandering off.
* Kid-friendly dining options are available right in the hotel. The Storyteller's Cafe features a daily Character Breakfast hosted by Chip 'n Dale, and kids' menus for lunch and dinner. The White Water Snacks eatery has a kids' menu and lots of family favorites. Even the swanky Napa Rose Cafe has a truffled mac & cheese dish , as well as ice creams and sorbets for dinner.
* Need some time away from the kids? Pinocchio's Workshop is located provides group child care seven days a week from 5 p.m. to midnight. The center accepts children ages 5 to 12 and the hours of this special babysitting service are also 5:00pm to 12:00 Midnight. My friend Beth left her 9 year-old twins there while she attended the Cars Land opening with the other bloggers, and she said they had a blast.
* Family rooms have a queen bed plus twin bunk beds, with an extra trundle bed, so up to three kids can sleep in the room with mom and dad!
* You get Chip 'n Dale chocolate coins on your pillow every night, one for each registered hotel guest.
* The pool area has 3 huge pools and 2 hot tubs, so families with kids don't have to disturb couples or adults looking for some kid-free time.
* The kids really enjoyed the pool slide, and a few game adults (including Alfie) took a turn on the slide as well.
On the afternoon that Cars Land opened (Friday, June 15), cast members hosted a Cars-themed poolside party, with a DJ, conga line dancing, hula hoops, coloring activities and goodie bags filled with candy. It was so much fun! I'm not sure if this was a one-off event to celebrate the Cars Land opening, or whether they do this every weekend, but we certainly made the most of it.
Thanks to the Disney magic, everyone -- kids and grand old dames included -- can have a great time!
Disclosure: The Disneyland Resort provided accommodations for me and my family for part of our stay. Additional days stay were incurred at my expense. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Out of the 3 hotels of the Disneyland Resort, the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is considered the luxury property, and it's easy to see why. Just enter the lobby, and it will take your breath away. Throughout the hotel, the luxurious Arts & Crafts-inspired fittings and furniture really make you feel like a pampered guest.
The Grand Californian reminds me of the stately Ahwahnee in Yosemite Park, where I always feel like kids have to tiptoe around in fear of disturbing some grand old dame -- but as you'd expect from Disney, kids are more than welcome here. Here are some of the kid-friendly touches around the Grand Californian:
* There's a kid-sized lounging area in the lobby, where kids can wait while their parents check in at the hotel. Kid-sized armchairs and rocking chairs surround a giant tv screen playing Disney cartoons, so there's little worry they'll be wandering off.
* Kid-friendly dining options are available right in the hotel. The Storyteller's Cafe features a daily Character Breakfast hosted by Chip 'n Dale, and kids' menus for lunch and dinner. The White Water Snacks eatery has a kids' menu and lots of family favorites. Even the swanky Napa Rose Cafe has a truffled mac & cheese dish , as well as ice creams and sorbets for dinner.
* Need some time away from the kids? Pinocchio's Workshop is located provides group child care seven days a week from 5 p.m. to midnight. The center accepts children ages 5 to 12 and the hours of this special babysitting service are also 5:00pm to 12:00 Midnight. My friend Beth left her 9 year-old twins there while she attended the Cars Land opening with the other bloggers, and she said they had a blast.
* Family rooms have a queen bed plus twin bunk beds, with an extra trundle bed, so up to three kids can sleep in the room with mom and dad!* You get Chip 'n Dale chocolate coins on your pillow every night, one for each registered hotel guest.
* The pool area has 3 huge pools and 2 hot tubs, so families with kids don't have to disturb couples or adults looking for some kid-free time.* The kids really enjoyed the pool slide, and a few game adults (including Alfie) took a turn on the slide as well.On the afternoon that Cars Land opened (Friday, June 15), cast members hosted a Cars-themed poolside party, with a DJ, conga line dancing, hula hoops, coloring activities and goodie bags filled with candy. It was so much fun! I'm not sure if this was a one-off event to celebrate the Cars Land opening, or whether they do this every weekend, but we certainly made the most of it.
Thanks to the Disney magic, everyone -- kids and grand old dames included -- can have a great time!
Disclosure: The Disneyland Resort provided accommodations for me and my family for part of our stay. Additional days stay were incurred at my expense. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Summer Fun with Coppertone Giveaway
To contact us Click HERE
Now that summer is here, we have lots of fun beach trips and picnics and park outings planned. There's nothing better than relaxing in the sun with an ice-cold drink while watching the kids play!
Spending so much time outdoors does come with a price, though: the increased exposure to the damaging rays of the sun. Sun safety is a Big Deal in our household. Alfie is English, and my kids are half-English, and we all know fair skin is particularly vulnerable in sunny places like California. Alfie lived in Australia for 5 years, and he saw first-hand how the strong Australian sun have sent melanoma incidence rates skyrocketing in the fair-skinned Australian population.
THIS is what happens after a day without sunscreen, and it's a very bad thing, both short-term (the pain, the redness, the peeling) and long-term (skin aging, the increased risk of skin cancer). I still feel pangs of parental guilt looking at it. Avoiding sunburn can be as simple as practicing a few sun safety tips, such as wearing a hat and sunscreen. For sunscreen options, check out 3 of Coppertone's latest products:
* For active adults, Coppertone Sport Pro Series 50+ sunscreens stay on strong and move with the skin in hot and humid weather as well as during intense exercise.
* For active kids, Coppertone Wet ‘n Clear Kids SPF 45+ simplifies reapplication. There’s no need to towel them off before reapplying and it sprays on clear.
* For the little ones, Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a hypoallergenic, oil and fragrance free lotion made specifically for babies’ delicate skin.
Coppertone sunscreens are a household staple, year-round, so we never have to give up a fun day outdoors!
Win a Coppertone Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Coppertone Summer Fun prize pack, which includes:
* one beach mat
* one beach mat
* one bottle of Coppertone Sport Pro Series 50+ sunscreen
* one bottle of Coppertone Wet 'n Clear Kids SPF 45+ sunscreen
* one tube of Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Required Entry
Come up with your own name using the Name It widget above, then leave a comment on this post and tell me your name. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.
Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).
1) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)
2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)
3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)
4) Repin any of my pins on Pinterest (1 entry per repin, maximum 5 repins/5 entries)
5) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).
6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Coppertone Summer Fun giveaway! http://bit.ly/NM9mFL
7) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a summer fun prize pack: beach bag, mat & Coppertone lotion! Enter by 7/25 at http://bit.ly/NM9mFL
8) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds.
The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on July 25, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on July 26 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here.
Disclosure: Coppertone provided the prize pack for the giveaway, as well as a second prize pack for me as a thank-you for hosting and administering the giveaway. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Now that summer is here, we have lots of fun beach trips and picnics and park outings planned. There's nothing better than relaxing in the sun with an ice-cold drink while watching the kids play!
Spending so much time outdoors does come with a price, though: the increased exposure to the damaging rays of the sun. Sun safety is a Big Deal in our household. Alfie is English, and my kids are half-English, and we all know fair skin is particularly vulnerable in sunny places like California. Alfie lived in Australia for 5 years, and he saw first-hand how the strong Australian sun have sent melanoma incidence rates skyrocketing in the fair-skinned Australian population.
THIS is what happens after a day without sunscreen, and it's a very bad thing, both short-term (the pain, the redness, the peeling) and long-term (skin aging, the increased risk of skin cancer). I still feel pangs of parental guilt looking at it. Avoiding sunburn can be as simple as practicing a few sun safety tips, such as wearing a hat and sunscreen. For sunscreen options, check out 3 of Coppertone's latest products:
* For active adults, Coppertone Sport Pro Series 50+ sunscreens stay on strong and move with the skin in hot and humid weather as well as during intense exercise.
* For active kids, Coppertone Wet ‘n Clear Kids SPF 45+ simplifies reapplication. There’s no need to towel them off before reapplying and it sprays on clear.
* For the little ones, Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a hypoallergenic, oil and fragrance free lotion made specifically for babies’ delicate skin.
Coppertone sunscreens are a household staple, year-round, so we never have to give up a fun day outdoors!
Win a Coppertone Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Coppertone Summer Fun prize pack, which includes:
* one beach mat* one beach mat
* one bottle of Coppertone Sport Pro Series 50+ sunscreen
* one bottle of Coppertone Wet 'n Clear Kids SPF 45+ sunscreen
* one tube of Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Required Entry
Come up with your own name using the Name It widget above, then leave a comment on this post and tell me your name. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.
Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).
1) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)
2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)
3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)
4) Repin any of my pins on Pinterest (1 entry per repin, maximum 5 repins/5 entries)
5) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).
6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Coppertone Summer Fun giveaway! http://bit.ly/NM9mFL
7) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a summer fun prize pack: beach bag, mat & Coppertone lotion! Enter by 7/25 at http://bit.ly/NM9mFL
8) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds.
The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on July 25, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on July 26 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here.
Disclosure: Coppertone provided the prize pack for the giveaway, as well as a second prize pack for me as a thank-you for hosting and administering the giveaway. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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My American Girl Dolls Without Hair
To contact us Click HERE
One of the highlights of The Pea's childhood has been playing with her My American Girl Doll. It was the very first American Girl doll she received, and even though now owns four, there will always be a special place in her heart for Natalia, the doll with green eyes and curly, honey-colored hair that looks so much like her.
However, not all little girls fit the "standard" mold, especially those suffering from a medical or physical condition. American Girl has long offered glasses, wheelchairs and crutches so girls can customize their American Girl dolls to reflect themselves -- and now they have gone one step further by offering a new line of dolls without hair, just for little girls who have lost their hair temporarily or permanently.
About Dolls Without Hair
American Girl has announced a new line of dolls without hair as part of the My American Girl® line for girls affected by cancer, alopecia, or any medical condition causing hair loss. This new product line provides even more possibilities for a girl to create a doll that's as unique as she is.
Customers can choose from a total of five different dolls in light, medium, and dark skin tones. In addition, girls can choose their dolls’ eye color from a selection of options.
Finally, because we know that not all hair loss conditions are permanent, American Girl is proud to offer one free doll head replacement should a girl’s need for a doll without hair ever change.
Availability:
Because of the special handling and customization associated with these dolls, orders are being taken exclusively through American Girl’s contact center at 1-800-628-5145.
Charitable Giving:
To help provide comfort to kids who may be affected by medical conditions that cause hair loss, American Girl is including the new dolls in its annual $100,000+ donation to the Children’s Hospital Association.
Now every little girl can find a special doll that looks like her! American Girl has definitely taken a step in the right direction. I applaud them for sending the message that every little girl is beautiful, and I couldn't be more proud to be a fan.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Product information (in italics) was provided by American Girl at my request. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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One of the highlights of The Pea's childhood has been playing with her My American Girl Doll. It was the very first American Girl doll she received, and even though now owns four, there will always be a special place in her heart for Natalia, the doll with green eyes and curly, honey-colored hair that looks so much like her.
However, not all little girls fit the "standard" mold, especially those suffering from a medical or physical condition. American Girl has long offered glasses, wheelchairs and crutches so girls can customize their American Girl dolls to reflect themselves -- and now they have gone one step further by offering a new line of dolls without hair, just for little girls who have lost their hair temporarily or permanently.
About Dolls Without Hair
American Girl has announced a new line of dolls without hair as part of the My American Girl® line for girls affected by cancer, alopecia, or any medical condition causing hair loss. This new product line provides even more possibilities for a girl to create a doll that's as unique as she is.
Customers can choose from a total of five different dolls in light, medium, and dark skin tones. In addition, girls can choose their dolls’ eye color from a selection of options.
Finally, because we know that not all hair loss conditions are permanent, American Girl is proud to offer one free doll head replacement should a girl’s need for a doll without hair ever change.
Availability:
Because of the special handling and customization associated with these dolls, orders are being taken exclusively through American Girl’s contact center at 1-800-628-5145.
Charitable Giving:
To help provide comfort to kids who may be affected by medical conditions that cause hair loss, American Girl is including the new dolls in its annual $100,000+ donation to the Children’s Hospital Association.
Now every little girl can find a special doll that looks like her! American Girl has definitely taken a step in the right direction. I applaud them for sending the message that every little girl is beautiful, and I couldn't be more proud to be a fan.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Product information (in italics) was provided by American Girl at my request. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app for iOS
To contact us Click HERE
Here's a girly twist on Tetris -- American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app has players scrambling to catch falling clothes and accessories and dragging them to their matching boxes. In this app, American Girl historical characters Marie-Grace and Cecile need help getting dressed for the masquerade ball. As the game begins, all the pieces the girls need for their costumes are lined up in boxes on either side of the screen, and a variety of pieces begin falling from the top of the screen. Players have to drag the correct pieces into the correct boxes.
Unlike Tetris, no points are deducted if a costume piece falls onto the floor, but if you drag a costume piece into the wrong box, you'll get a big red X. After 3 mistakes, the game is over. After you've dragged all the costume pieces necessary to complete Marie-Grace and Cecile's costumes, you move on to the next level. All your mistakes are erased, and you start fresh, so it's easy to rack up points. It's lighthearted fun, good for a couple of minutes of girly play.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Here's a girly twist on Tetris -- American Girl's Secret Wardrobe app has players scrambling to catch falling clothes and accessories and dragging them to their matching boxes. In this app, American Girl historical characters Marie-Grace and Cecile need help getting dressed for the masquerade ball. As the game begins, all the pieces the girls need for their costumes are lined up in boxes on either side of the screen, and a variety of pieces begin falling from the top of the screen. Players have to drag the correct pieces into the correct boxes.
Unlike Tetris, no points are deducted if a costume piece falls onto the floor, but if you drag a costume piece into the wrong box, you'll get a big red X. After 3 mistakes, the game is over. After you've dragged all the costume pieces necessary to complete Marie-Grace and Cecile's costumes, you move on to the next level. All your mistakes are erased, and you start fresh, so it's easy to rack up points. It's lighthearted fun, good for a couple of minutes of girly play.
Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Brave: Lords, Triplets, and Witches!
To contact us Click HERE
It's incredible the amount of Brave videos that Pixar and Disney have been uploading to the web lately. Here are some that you may have missed.
In another "Family Portrait", Merida talks about "the neighbors"; the Lords Dingwall, Macintosh, and MacGuffin and their sons.
In this featurette, Merida's mischievous little triplet brothers, Hamish, Hubert, and Harris, put up a little show for Fergus and the Lords as Elinor narrates. Watch as hilarity ensues.
Finally, in this new parody of a television commercial, we get our first glimpse at the Witch, who grants Merida a wish to "change her fate". Now, with Witch's Magical Mystery Brew, you no longer have to wish your problems away, you can witch them away. But beware some minor side effects.
With only 10 days to go until Brave, I am getting more excited than ever.
It's incredible the amount of Brave videos that Pixar and Disney have been uploading to the web lately. Here are some that you may have missed.
In another "Family Portrait", Merida talks about "the neighbors"; the Lords Dingwall, Macintosh, and MacGuffin and their sons.
In this featurette, Merida's mischievous little triplet brothers, Hamish, Hubert, and Harris, put up a little show for Fergus and the Lords as Elinor narrates. Watch as hilarity ensues.
Finally, in this new parody of a television commercial, we get our first glimpse at the Witch, who grants Merida a wish to "change her fate". Now, with Witch's Magical Mystery Brew, you no longer have to wish your problems away, you can witch them away. But beware some minor side effects.
With only 10 days to go until Brave, I am getting more excited than ever.
'Monsters University' Teaser Coming Wednesday!
To contact us Click HERE
With Brave coming out this Friday, many fans were also eagerly anticipating the teaser trailer for Pixar's following film, Monsters University, to arrive in theaters on that same day. Now, Pixar has announced that we won't have to wait until Friday for this teaser, as it will arrive online this Wednesday!
Scheduled for release on June 21, 2013, Monsters University is the prequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films, Monsters, Inc., and follows Mike and Sulley during their days in college, when they weren't exactly the best of friends.
On Friday, the following message was posted on the official MU Facebook page:
"You’re about to discover a bit more about Mike and Sulley’s days at Monsters University."
It was accompanied by a picture with the text "5 Days" written in the iconic Monsters, Inc. lettering. Five days from Friday would be June 20, which is this coming Wednesday. I think the best guess at as to what is being released on Wednesday is the teaser trailer, don't you? After all, what else could it be?
This is actually quite an exciting event for Pixar fans around the globe, as it marks the first time we see Mike and Sulley since 2001 when the original Monsters, Inc. debuted. The teaser was screened a couple of months ago at CinemaCon, and there were reports that the whole audience had been laughing. We've heard that this teaser revolves around Sulley pulling some sort of prank on Mike, so the results ought to be hilarious.
Check back here on Wednesday (that's June 20) for the new teaser!
With Brave coming out this Friday, many fans were also eagerly anticipating the teaser trailer for Pixar's following film, Monsters University, to arrive in theaters on that same day. Now, Pixar has announced that we won't have to wait until Friday for this teaser, as it will arrive online this Wednesday!
Scheduled for release on June 21, 2013, Monsters University is the prequel to one of Pixar's most beloved films, Monsters, Inc., and follows Mike and Sulley during their days in college, when they weren't exactly the best of friends.
On Friday, the following message was posted on the official MU Facebook page:
"You’re about to discover a bit more about Mike and Sulley’s days at Monsters University."
It was accompanied by a picture with the text "5 Days" written in the iconic Monsters, Inc. lettering. Five days from Friday would be June 20, which is this coming Wednesday. I think the best guess at as to what is being released on Wednesday is the teaser trailer, don't you? After all, what else could it be?
This is actually quite an exciting event for Pixar fans around the globe, as it marks the first time we see Mike and Sulley since 2001 when the original Monsters, Inc. debuted. The teaser was screened a couple of months ago at CinemaCon, and there were reports that the whole audience had been laughing. We've heard that this teaser revolves around Sulley pulling some sort of prank on Mike, so the results ought to be hilarious.
Check back here on Wednesday (that's June 20) for the new teaser!
Sneak Peek at 'Finding Nemo' Blu-ray!
To contact us Click HERE
The Pixar Times has nabbed some photos of the cover for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the Pixar classic, Finding Nemo. The film remains the only movie from the studio to not yet be available on the Blu-ray format, but that will change in December.
With the photos, we get a look at what super-awesome bonus features the new release of the film will have. If you decide to go for the 3D Blu-ray version (which includes a 3D Blu-ray, two regular Blu-rays, a DVD, and a digital copy), then you'll get the chance to enjoy the immersive HD Aquariums in 3D. I remember the virtual aquariums from the original DVD edition, and back then they blew my mind, so I can only imagine how spectacular they'll be in gorgeous high-definition and 3D!
Other special features include:
CineExplore Reinventing The Submarine Voyage Deleted Scene: Alternate Opening A Lesson In Flashbacks Filmmakers’ Roundtable Discussion Knick Knack Theatrical Short HD Art Review Outtakes and Deleted Scenes
Pixar extras are always very exciting to watch, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing all these new additions. Also, the original bonus features from the DVD will likely also be included on the Blu-ray; the DVD was also jam-packed with fabulous bonus material.
Nemo swims onto Blu-ray on December 4 with a whole ocean of new special features! (Please excuse the puns, they're irresistable.)
The Pixar Times has nabbed some photos of the cover for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the Pixar classic, Finding Nemo. The film remains the only movie from the studio to not yet be available on the Blu-ray format, but that will change in December.
With the photos, we get a look at what super-awesome bonus features the new release of the film will have. If you decide to go for the 3D Blu-ray version (which includes a 3D Blu-ray, two regular Blu-rays, a DVD, and a digital copy), then you'll get the chance to enjoy the immersive HD Aquariums in 3D. I remember the virtual aquariums from the original DVD edition, and back then they blew my mind, so I can only imagine how spectacular they'll be in gorgeous high-definition and 3D!
Other special features include:
Pixar extras are always very exciting to watch, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing all these new additions. Also, the original bonus features from the DVD will likely also be included on the Blu-ray; the DVD was also jam-packed with fabulous bonus material.
Nemo swims onto Blu-ray on December 4 with a whole ocean of new special features! (Please excuse the puns, they're irresistable.)
Gallery of High-Res 'Brave' Stills!
To contact us Click HERE
Brave has been playing in theaters for a little over a week now, and audiences seem to be quite enjoying Pixar's latest masterpiece. Here is a group of stills taken from the new film, all in gorgeous high-resolution. Which is your favorite?
I'll have my reviews for both Brave and La Luna up later this week. For now, be sure to catch both films in theaters if you haven't already!
Brave has been playing in theaters for a little over a week now, and audiences seem to be quite enjoying Pixar's latest masterpiece. Here is a group of stills taken from the new film, all in gorgeous high-resolution. Which is your favorite?
I'll have my reviews for both Brave and La Luna up later this week. For now, be sure to catch both films in theaters if you haven't already!
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