UPDATED - Selick in Talks to Take Shademaker to Laika (Or Not)

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Director Henry Selick (left) and Laika CEO Travis Knigt (right)
IndieWire is reporting that The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick is in talks to take his, previously tentatively titled, Shademaker, to Laika!
The project was being produced by Selick's Cinderbiter/ShadeMaker Productions, alongside Brain Trust members from Pixar, until news recently broke that Disney had pulled the plug. Claims were that the film's story wasn't where Disney wanted it to be and that production was lagging. The rumours emerging today though claims that Selick is shopping the idea to Laika, whom he previously worked with on 2009's Oscar nominated Coraline.
IndieWire also offers up some rumoured details about the film's plot and style:

I'm told that the once-titled "ShadeMaker" is the story of two brothers, and that it takes Selick's special brand of surrealism into a new direction. The sets are spectacular (especially Central Park) and they've been and they've been making use of a similar Rapid Prototype 3D printer for replacement heads that Laika introduced on "ParaNorman."
It's a shame that Selick's deal with Disney fell through - it might lead to awkwardness if/when he returns to make the planned adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book - but the film certainly seems a good fit for Laika and we know they work well together! Be sure also to check out our review of Laika's latest film, ParaNorman!

Via Craig Good and HitFix.
UPDATE: 27/09/2012 - 00:07 (GMT)
Times look dark Selick fans, and not good, Coraline, dark. /Film reports that whilst Henry Selick did meet with Laika, the talks "went nowhere and Laika will not fund its former director’s project." First Showing also reports that the film, apparently now titled The Shadow King, is not being taken on by Laika, and is seemingly done for.
Selick supposedly sent a memo to the team at Cinderbiter, saying that Laika chief Travis Knight couldn't figure out a financially sound way to continue production on the film. Selick could shop the film around some more, but following knock-backs from his two biggest options, it might be time, sadly, to move on.
Sad news for sure, especially so short after hearing that Digital Domain's closure meant the end of The Legend of Tembo. But here's hoping it gets picked up somewhere else in the near future, and we here at A113Animation wish the very talented Mr. Selick and all on the Cinderbiter crew all the best in whatever they go on to next!

New Wreck-It Ralph Poster and TV Spots

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A couple of weeks ago we got a concoction of fantastic new posters for Disney's Wreck-It Ralph, showing the film's characters alongside classic video game icons. Today, via Disney Movies UK's Twitter feed, we get another wicked new poster for Disney's 52nd animated feature.

The poster combines the classic characters that we've seen previously, such as Sonic and Q*bert, and the film's leading original quartet of Ralph, Vanellope, Felix and Sergeant Calhoun. Another great poster in the great advertising campaign of the great looking Wreck-It Ralph. Why yes, I am looking forward to it!


To further whet our ever more insatiable appetites, we also get two great new TV spots for the film! The spots, while funny, highlight the film's emotional core surprisingly well. They show Sarah Silverman's character, Vanellope von Schweetz, as rather sweet and helpless, as opposed to how annoying she's came across as in the trailers - we also get the first proper look at Vanellope's car from "Sugar Rush"! Not forgetting our first real look at Jane Lynch's Sergeant Calhoun.

Check out the Jane Lynch introduced TV spot below, and head here to watch the "Game Changer" spot, which helpfully has embedding disabled.



The TV spots also finally give us Wreck-It Ralph's rating: PG, unsurprisingly. Directed by Futurama and The Simpsons veteran, Rich Moore, Wreck-It Ralph is due out in America on 2nd November, and the UK on 15th February, 2013.

Vibrant Poster for The Croods

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Moments ago we shared the new Wreck-It Ralph poster with you, and now we've got another poster for you. Via ComingSoon.net, check out the bright, vibrant and stylised poster for DreamWorks' The Croods!

The Croods was originally in production at Aardman, during their deal with DreamWorks, as Crood Awakening, and directed by Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps), but DreamWorks and Aardman's parting of ways ended that incarnation of the project. Now directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon), and featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone, The Croods will be the first picture in DreamWorks' 5-year distribution with 20th Century Fox when it hits cinemas on 22nd March, 2013 

Best of the Last Ten Years A113Animation Awards - Final Nominees

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For the past month and a half, we've been running our very interactive "Best of the Last Ten Years (2001 - 2011)" A113Animation Awards. I'll be handing out the official A113Animation Award for that, but we've also been running polls to decide "The People's Favourite" too! Now, we've arrived at the final list of nominees for the two awards.

Check out the final lists after the jump break!


Ranked in order of most votes received, the finalists for "The People's Favourite Animated Film of the Last Ten Years (2001 - 2011)" are:

• Finding Nemo (2003)
• WALL-E (2008)
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
• Toy Story 3 (2010)
• Up (2009)
• The Incredibles (2004)

Group 3 was won by The Incredibles, with no real competition, while Group 4 was dominated by How to Train Your Dragon, making it the only non-Pixar film in the final. In fact, one thing these polls have highlighted is how highly Pixar films are valued - and also that most of the highest rated films were released in the last 5 years.
My longlist has also been whittled down into a, not dissimilar, list of 6 films, from which I will announce my winner at the same time as the interactive poll closes. Check out our final list of nominees below, ordered by year:

• The Incredibles (2004)
• Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
• WALL-E (2008)
• Up (2009)
• Toy Story 3 (2010)
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

The final "People's Favourite" poll will be up in a few minutes, and will run for 3 weeks, until Friday 20th October. We're so close to crowning our "Best Animated Film of the Last Ten Years" and "People's Favourite Animated Film of the Last Ten Years", so, please, keep voting!

UPDATED - 23:35 (GMT)
The poll's now up, on the right sidebar of the blog. Have your final say, now!

Hotel Transylvania Takes a Vampire-Sized Bite out of the Weekend Box-Office

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The critics may not be loving it, but US audiences clearly are; Sony Pictures Animation's Genndy Tartakovsky-directed Hotel Transylvania has done the studio proud on its tenth anniversary, opening to an astonishing (estimated) $43 million!

The studio's seventh film (including two Aardman releases, Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! in an Adventures with Scientists) sits at a lukewarm 42% on Rotten Tomatoes, but has raked in over a million dollars for every one of those percent at the US box office, placing it in the number 1 spot this weekend. Hotel T is the studio's strongest opener (far surpassing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' previous record of $30.3 million), and, if it proves to have reasonable legs, it could be the studio's highest grossing film yet! The film has also raked in $8.1 million from foreign territories.

Second place this weekend goes to another Sony pic, Rian Johnson's acclaimed sci-fi actioner, Looper, with $21.2 million (again, estimated). Looper boasts a cast including Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt, while Hotel T has the more youth-friendly line-up of Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez.

In spite of the negative reviews, it seems audiences are really taking to Sony's monster-flick (of course, the timing isn't bad either, with Halloween just around the corner). Speaking from an outside perspective, having not seen the film yet (it doesn't open here until 12th October), I think what's resonating with audiences is exactly what's putting critics off: it doesn't take itself too seriously. Hotel T looks like fun for the sake of fun, with not too much focus on emotional twists - the 'Art of' book stated that they repeatedly chose to forego solemn moments in favour of comedy. Jerry Beck says it best, that Hotel T is a "full “cartoon” feature"; just look how perfectly poised and considered the animation is! Genndy Tartakovsky's stylised cartoon style is here in abundance!

Seen Hotel Transylvania? What did you think? Let us know below!

Stats via Box Office Mojo.

Shutterfly Yearbooks giveaway

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Another school year has started, and new memories are about to be made!  Thank goodness for that school yearbook!  Sure, those yearbook photos don't always come out the way your child wants them to, but parents cherish those photo memories, flyaway hair and all.

If you're on your school's yearbook committee, be sure to check out Shutterfly Yearbooks, as a great way to preserve those school year memories. It doesn't even matter what your school size is!  Whether your child goes to a school with hundreds of other students, or even if you belong to a homeschool group, you can Shutterfly yearbooks of any order size.  You can even order single copies!  Of course, if you order 10 or more books, you get a volume discount, and for big school-wide orders, yearbooks can go as low as $6 per yearbook.

When it comes time to create your yearbook, Shutterfly has you covered.  With their online Photo Book tool, the layouts practically create themselves, and you end up with a yearbook just as beautiful as the Shutterfly Photo Books you create for your own family.  They even have a section with yearbook photo suggestions, timelines, and other tips to create an A+ yearbook.  

Even if you're not on the yearbook committee, you can use Shutterfly to preserve your child's school year memories.  Here are 3 ways I came up with:

1)  Skip the other classrooms and grades, and make a yearbook just for your child's classroom!  That way, your child and his friends will be featured front and center, and every page will be chock full of people he knows and loves.

2)  Make a Shutterfly "artbook" featuring the best art projects your child created throughout the school year.  My kids always want to save their artwork, but all of that paper takes up way too much space.  A Shutterfly "artbook" saves their best work in a single book that your child can proudly show off (and avoids the big fight about throwing their artwork away!).

3) For a long-range project, collect First-Day-of-School photos of your child throughout the years, from preschool through high school.  Many parents even have their child stand in front of the same background, year after year, and hold up a sign saying which grade they are entering!  Then compile of those special photos into a single Shutterfly yearbook that you give to your child when he graduates from high school.  Don't forget to make a second yearbook for yourself!


Win a Shutterfly Photo Book
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a code fora free 8x8 hard cover, 20-page Photo Book from Shutterfly, including free shipping to the US or Canada!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share your favorite school year memory.

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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)

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4) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

5) Follow Shutterfly on Pinterest (1 entry)

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7) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Shutterfly yearbook giveaway http://bit.ly/S6UTMv

8) "Like" Shutterfly on Facebook and write this on their wall (1 entry):
I entered to win a free 8x8 Shutterfly Photo Book on Bonggamom Finds!  Giveaway ends 9/26 at http://bit.ly/S6UTMv 

9) Follow @Shutterfly on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds: Enter to win an 8x8 Photo Book from @Shutterfly!  Giveaway ends 9/26 at http://bit.ly/S6UTMv #giveaways #backtoschool


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 26, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on September 27 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US and Canada residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. 

Disclosure: Thanks to Shutterfly for providing the giveway prize, as well as a gift card and free photobook for me. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Clean Out Your Garage giveaway

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Did you know that National Clean Out Your Garage Day is celebrated on September 8?  Even though that date has come and gone, there's still time to clean up your garage before winter hits -- don't wait until the Spring Cleaning urge hits!  We do a big garage clean-out every 1-2 years, regardless of the season.  It's amazing how much JUNK our family of 5 can accumulate in just 2 years!  Whenever it gets too difficult to park Alfie's motorcycle, we know it's time to clean out.  It's not just a clean-freak issue, it's a safety issue.  Check out some statistics from a recent home safety survey conducted by The Lehigh Group, manufacturer of Crawford branded garage organization products:

* Nearly four in 10 (39 percent) have tripped over an item in their garage

* More than a quarter (27 percent) have hit an object when opening a vehicle door

* 22 percent have accidentally hit something when parking

Yikes!

Win a Clean Out Your Garage Day prize pack
To help people prevent accidents like these, Crawford, Ace Hardware and Quickie are giving away some essential tools for garage organization to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!  The Clean Out Your Garage Day prize pack (ARV $83.16) includes:

Crawford 16” Adjustable Storage Organizer: Designed for use anywhere in your home, garage, workshop, tool shed or basement, this system is great for hanging brooms, rakes and other lawn supplies.

Crawford Sliding Spring Grip Organizer: Grips slide into position anywhere along the bar for maximum use. Guaranteed to never lose tension, the grips can hold hardware, garden tools, shovels and more.

Quickie 2-in-1 Squeegee Pushbroom: This 2-in-1 pushbroom is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Effortlessly sweep away dirt and debris or use the built-in professional-grade squeegee to push away excess water.

ACE Multi-surface Pushbroom: This durable pushbroom is perfect for sweeping heavy debris, including caked-on dirt, gravel and construction materials.

Lysol Sponges: Super absorbent and safe on most surfaces, these sponges can help tackle any tough mess.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me the last time you organized your garage (or main storage space).

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) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Clean Out Your Garage giveaway http://bit.ly/QmWcVD

6) Follow @bonnggafinds  on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds: Enter to win a Clean Out Your Garage prize pack worth $80!  Giveaway ends 9/30 at http://bit.ly/QmWcVD #giveaways


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 30, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on October 1 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. 


Disclosure: Thanks to Ace, Quickie & Crawford for providing the giveaway prize pack, as well a second prize pack for me.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.


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Crafty fun with Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape

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I love duct tape.  I'm no handyman, so duct tape is my go-to solution for all minor household problems.  Broken storage bin? Fix it with duct tape!  Did my kid's toy golf club snap in two? Duct tape!  Need to prop up the Halloween skeletons against the side of the house? Duct tape!  The Pea and her friends love duct tape too, but for a different reason:  Duct tape is all the rage, and people are using it to create everything from pillows to phone cases to prom dresses.  These days, duct tape isn't limited to the ugly silver kind.  There's such a wide range of colors and patterns for duct tape, so you can make something you'd be happy to use and show off to your friends.

The Pea has been begging me to buy her patterned duct tape for months now, but I've never gotten around to it.  So she's really happy that Scotch sent us several rolls of colored and patterned duct tape recently --   because now I'm hooked!  It's so easy to create cool stuff that you can actually use.  There are tons of duct tape how-to videos on YouTube, and Scotch even has their own gallery of projects using Scotch Colors and Patterns duct tape, complete with photos and instructions.

The Pea made her own little foldover purse -- so chic with the black plaid pattern and green piping! See the bow accent? She likes to make those into hair ribbons by gluing the bow onto a hairpin.  She and her friends love it!   I'm going to make one of those purses (minus the bow, probably!) to store our van's insurance and registration cards, and store it in the glove compartment.

By the way, the green and black plaid are sold together as a combo pack, which The Pea loves.  The rolls of duct tape in the combo packs are just 1" thick, so you can do more intricate patterns and projects without having to cut the standard 2' width tape in half.  One roll in the combo pack is a solid color and the second roll is a complimentary pattern (i.e. blue solid + rainbow, purple solid + multicolored hearts, black solid + black and white lace pattern, etc...), which makes it easy to create perfectly color-coordinated projects.


I made a larger version of The Pea's purse, this time using a Halloween-themed pattern.  It has a wrist strap, so I can carry it around with me when we go trick-or-treating on Halloween night.  The Scotch Duct Tape website has instructions on how to make a variation of this clutch purse -- but frankly, the instructions are pretty vague, so I've decided to write up a set of instructions of my own, with more detailed step-by-step descriptions and photos.  Stay tuned, I'll be posting those soon!


I designed this Halloween treat bag all by myself!  It's made with 3 kinds of Scotch brand duct tape: orange, black, and monster-patterned duct tape.  Isn't it cute? You can find instructions on how to make my Duct Tape Halloween Treat Bag here.  I've even come up with a tiny version for The Pea's American Girl dolls!  Watch out for the instructions, I'll be posting those soon!

I'm definitely going to be buying more of this....


Disclosure:  I received product samples from Scotch/3M to facilitate my reviewThe views and opinions expressed here are my own.


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Toyota goes to Eat Real Oakland

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Yesterday I attended the Eat Real Oakland festival in Jack London Square.   I was in foodie heaven, sampling all the amazing dishes and wandering through rows and rows of artisanal cheese, chocolate, bread, spices and more.  The place was packed with people enjoying good food -- but it must have been a nightmare for parents navigating through the crowds with a stroller, and it must have been pretty boring for kids who wanted something to do other than look at jars of jams and bottles of microbrew.


Fortunately one of the presenting sponsors, Toyota, had a great booth -- the Creation Station -- at a less crowded section of the festival where families could stretch out and enjoy family-friendly activities between courses.  Since I'm a member of Toyota's TWIN (Women's Influencer Network) group, of course I had to check it out!



Since this summer, Toyota has been using the Creation Station as a way to showcase their family-friendly vehicles like the 2013 Avalon, the Highlander, Highlander Hybrid Limited, Landcruiser, RAV4 EV, Prius v, Prius Plug-in, Prius c, Sienna and Yaris models.  It's a great way to see how these models can fit into families' lifestyles -- without the annoying sales pressure that you have to endure at an auto showroom.  The Toyota Creation Station team did a great job of getting attendees to check out the vehicles via some fun activities:

Toyota Entune Demo
Attendees could ask Toyota personnel at the booth about Entune, Toyota's revolutionary in-car technology featuring popular mobile applications and data services.

Toyota Cargo Challenge
Attendees could form teams of up to four people and pack a bunch of items into the back of a Prius V.  The quicker you can do it, the better, because you could win prizes!

Toyota 3D Photo Booth
You could get your photo taken while sitting inside a Toyota Prius.  Actually, they snapped 2 photos of you, then combined the 2 photos into a singular lenticular 3D photo that "moves" as you tilt the photo in 2 directions.  It was such a cool souvenir!

After completing each activity, you get a stamp on your card.  When you get at least 1 stamp on your card, you can play their Giant Dice Game, where you roll a giant (beach-ball sized!) pair of dice, and win a prize corresponding to the number you roll.  You get as many rolls as you have stamps on your card (so if you did all 3 activities, you got 3 dice rolls and 3 prizes).


At the Kids' Craft area, kids could create Spin Art Cards....


.. and make Shrinky Dinks.  Remember those?  Toyota had a bunch of cute designs for kids (and grownups!) to color in, then they punched a hole in them, baked them in a toaster oven and hung them on a string.

 Everyone likes having activities and freebies, and there was no sales pitch,  so I think Toyota did a good job combining brand promotion with entertainment.   I guess I'm not the only one with that opinion, because there was a good-sized crowd at the Creation Station -- big enough to attract the interest of passers-by, but not overbearing.  Just the right combination for a festival!


You can check out Toyota's Creation Station at these upcoming family-friendly festivals:
Sept. 28-30: Brooklyn, NY at Dumbo Arts Festival
Oct. 26-28: Denver, CO at Boo at the Zoo
Nov. 23-25: Rancho Cucamonga, CA at Bass Pro Shops
Dec. 1: San Diego, CA at Miramar Children's Christmas Carnival


Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota.


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VTech Switch and Go Dinos

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Kids love dinosaurs and kids love vehicles -- so why not combine them?  That's the idea behind VTech's new Switch and Go Dinos transforming toys.  Each Switch and Go Dino transforms from a vehicle to a dinosaur in just a few moves.  Each one has an LCD screen with customizable dino eyes and vehicle drivers, and each one gives off unique sounds and dinosaur facts.  There are seven Switch and Go Dinos:


Race Car / Sliver the T-Rex
Sports Car / Horns the Triceratops
Rally Car /  Tonn the Stegasaurus
Zip Car / T-Don the Pteranodon
Tow Truck / Attila the Ankylosaurus
Jet Plane / Span the Spinosaurus
Car Carrier / Brok the Brachiosaurus

VTech and Mom Central sent us Attila, Span and Brok to review, and even though 3Po and Jammy are at the top of the age range (3-8 yrs), I was pleasantly surprised by how much they are enjoying all three! Here's what they love about Switch and Go Dinos:

When in auto mode...
* Each dino has its own cool auto feature.  When Attila the Ankylosaurus is in tow truck mode, it can tow any vehicle.  When Brok the Brachiosaurus is in auto mode, the boys love launching the race car and the pterodactyl into the air!
* They think it's really cool that the toy knows when it is in auto mode, and the LCD screen on the windshield shows a graphic of a truck driver. They also enjoy toggling through the different kinds of drivers.

When in dino mode...
* They like how wheels beneath the dino's feet make it really easy to glide him around
* They think it's really cool that the toy knows when it is in dino mode, and the LCD screen on the windshield (now the face of the dinosaur) shows the dinosaur's eyes. They also enjoy toggling through the different kinds of dino eyes!

Best of all, it is really easy to transform from auto to dino mode, and back again. They figured out how to do it on their own, without having to read the instructions. Younger boys will probably need a parent's help, but the transformation process is really simple, so after you teach your son how to do it, he will be able to do it on his own. The parts are quite chunky, and there aren't too many complicated moves, so it won't be too frustrating, even for a 4 year old.

To show how easy the transformation is, 3Po and Jammy made an entire series of videos for all the Switch & Go Dinos we own!  Check them out:
How to transform Span the Spinosaurus into a jet plane...



.. and how to transform the jet plane back into Span the Spinosaurus



How to transform Attila the Ankylosaurus into a tow truck...



... and how to transform the tow truck back into Attila the Anyklosaurus



How to transform Brok the Brachiosaurus into a car carrier...



... and how to transform the car carrier back into Brok the Brachiosaurus


The sound effects and moving parts (when in dino mode, you can press a button and will swing his neck to and fro) will probably appeal more to the younger kids.  In my opinion, it's not VTech's most educational toy (yes, the dino does spout some dino facts, but I'm not sure if the kids are listening), but it's certainly one of their most entertaining! The more inexpensive models (Sliver, Horns, Ton and T-Don go for around $15) are a no-brainer top purchase.  The bigger models like Span ($30) and Brok ($50) are more expensive, but if you have a younger child, I think it is well worth the price since he will get many years of play from it.

Check out VTech's Facebook page for the chance to win a lifetime supply of VTech Toys including the Switch and Go Dinos, and the chance for your child to appear in a VTech commercial! Aside from the grand prize, 25 winners will each receive Switch and Go Dinos for their very own!  You don't even need to own a VTech Switch and Go Dino to enter!  The Show and Tell with Switch and Go Dinos video contest ends October 1.  

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received VTech Switch & Go Dinos product samples to facilitate my review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Partysaurus Rex: New High-Res Stills

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Two pics from the upcoming Pixar short film, Partysaurus Rex, were released online the other day, and were brought to us in good ol' high-resolution. Everyone loves a great image that you can zoom in on without it getting pixelated, am I right?
The first of the two new stills (pictured above) showcases a handful of Bonnie's bathtub toys, surrounded by heaps of foamy bubbles. These new toys fit right in the vibrant and colorful Toy Story universe.

The second features the majority of Bonnie's toys all in a circle formation, excluding Mr. Potato Head and Rex, the star of the short, who are both in the middle. Maybe Potato Head is giving the timid tyrannosaurus a little talking-to. After all, the walking tater does have quite a mouth on him - but luckily it's removable.
This second image has been my desktop wallpaper for the past couple of days.
See the new Toy Story Toon, Partysaurus Rex, in theaters September 14 when it plays in front of Finding Nemo 3D.

Finding Nemo Set To Be Spectacular In 3D

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This Finding Nemo 3D featurette was recently posted online, and after watching it, I am probably ten times more excited to see the classic animated film in cinemas next month.
Watch as Andrew Stanton, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, and other Pixarians talk about how Nemo is "the perfect film in 3D".


When I first heard about the Finding Nemo 3D re-release, I knew right from the start that the entire film would look breathtaking in the 3D format. But the thought about the "particulate matter" found in the ocean that John Lasseter talks about in the video had never crossed my mind. Nemo was a beautiful-looking film before being converted to 3D, so expect to be blown away by it when it returns to theaters in the third dimension.
"Sea it like never before" on September 14.

Monsters, Inc. 3D: First Trailer

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Just a couple of days after the first one-sheet for Monsters, Inc. 3D arrived, the very first trailer for the upcoming re-release has hit the web. Check it out below.


While I must admit that I am a tad more excited about Finding Nemo's 3D re-release than I am for this (Nemo is more of a 3D kind of movie, in my opinion), I will no doubt go see the Pixar classic in theaters once again this December. I was two years old when it originally hit theaters in 2001, hence I don't remember it very well, so this is a wonderful opportunity to relive the experience of watching the film I know and love on the big screen, this time in fabulous 3D. Plus, it also serves as good preparation for the prequel, which will premiere just six months after MI 3D. And the door chase sequence in the film will without a doubt look stunning in the third dimension.
Look for Monsters, Inc. 3D in theaters December 19 (or January 18, 2013 if you're in the UK)!

Must Watch: Paths to Pixar

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Occasionally, when I find myself bored, I visit Pixar's official website (which was recently updated) just for the heck of it, and quite often accidentally end up stumbling upon something that really grabs me.
If you're a fan of the bonus features on Pixar's home video releases, chances are that you've seen one or two episodes from the fantastic "Paths to Pixar" series. Each episode focuses on a different type of occupation at the Pixar studios, and includes interviews with several Pixarians who have that particular job. They explain what they do for a living, and what lead them to what they do at the studio for a living, and also often give you some expert advice. It really is fascinating to hear each individual's story, and you'll also likely pick up some inspiration while listening to these Pixarian's wise words.
You can check out a bunch of "Paths to Pixar" episodes over at Pixar's official website.

Sweet 'Partysaurus Rex' Poster!

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Pixar's new short, Partysaurus Rex (the latest and probably wildest of the Toy Story Toons) is now playing in theaters before Finding Nemo 3D, and if you haven't already, I highly suggest you go check it out, because not only is it insanely fun, but it looks spectacular in 3D.
This colorful and vibrant poster for the short was released online this week. Mark Walsh, the director of the short also posted it onto Twitter. It does an excellent job of capturing the wackiness and craziness of the short film. It's a very creative poster, and even has a teeny Easter egg in the text at the bottom. Emeryville, as you may have heard, is the town in which Pixar's main campus is located. You can also the the Pixar Canada logo there at the bottom.
I'll have my reviews for both Partysaurus Rex and Finding Nemo 3D up soon, but for now, go check out both in theaters!
(via A113Animation)

6 Brand New Hotel Transylvania Clips

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Moments ago we posted six brand spanking new clips from Disney and Tim Burton's black and white stop-motion film, Frankenweenie. Now, at the other end of the spectrum, the hilarious, lively and colourful end, we have six equally new clips from Sony Picture Animation's Hotel Transylvania!

Collider has our back again and brings us the six, almost continuous, clips as one video, which you can check out above! The clips focus on the comedy, and while it's hard to glean much emotional resonance or depth from these clips, it sure looks like fun! The voice acting and chemistry is top-notch, and the comic timing is strong. However, the highlight of all of the clips for me is the animation.


When I say animation, I mean it in the literal sense - as opposed to when it's often used interchangeably to describe graphics. When reviewing The Art and Making of Hotel Transylvania, I said how much thought had clearly gone into poise and movement, and it definitely shows here. Look at Dracula, look at his fluid movements and how the cape is almost an extension of him: it's spectacular! Director Genndy Tartakovsky's stylised traditional-animation experience has clearly translated well!

Hotel T is released a week today, on 28th, in the US, and on 12th October in the UK, and stars the voices of Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Selena Gomez.

Check out the clips above, and let us know what you think! What do you make of Hotel Transylvania so far?

Chuck Jones' 100th Birthday!

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We're a day late, but the sentiment remains just as strong.

Yesterday would've marked the 100th birthday of the animation legend, Chuck Jones. The revered Looney Tunes director, though, tragically passed away just over a decade ago at the ripe old age of 89. The world lost an animation legend that day; Chuck Jones was, and still is, one of the most respected men in animation.


The director of some of the most famous Looney Tunes shorts, including many Bugs Bunny ones; the creator of the fantastic pairing of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, and oh so much more: Chuck Jones is to Looney Tunes, as John Lasseter is to Pixar. In a world of filmmakers ever trying to distance their animated work from its comical origins, eager to push boundaries to the sophisticated and the complex, here was a man whose work had all of the above, yet was proud to call them cartoons.

The animation community is bursting with celebrations of the great man's life and work. Chuck's daughter Linda hosted a "Chuck Jones Centennial Celebration Film Festival" yesterday, which included screenings of some of Chuck's best and most beloved work, and guests like Disney legend Eric Goldberg (co-director, Pocahontas) and Cartoon Brew's Jerry Beck. Later tonight, the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity is hosting a fundraiser, called "Creativity Season", hosted by film critic Leonard Maltin and with guests including Eric Goldberg, Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2) and Rob Minkoff (The Lion King) - at the time of writing there's one ticket left, going for $100. And finally, this coming Wednesday (26th) CalArts will host "Chuck Jones at 100", again screening Chuck's films, with words from Toy Story director John Lasseter, and proceeds to "benefit the Joe Ranft CalArts Alumni Scholarship Fund and the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity." (Event listings via Cartoon Brew.)


Chuck Jones is, and always will be, a legend, and we'll leave you with his most self-aware, and of his best, Looney Tunes cartoons, Duck Amuck. Because, what this short does is it shows how timeless and indestructible a good character, like the ones Chuck crafted, is, how legendary Looney Tunes is, and it gets you thinking about who's behind the ink and the lines, and that's Chuck Jones.



"Animation isn't the illusion of life; it is life!" - Chuck Jones
To read more about Chuck's legendary life and career, check out our Bitesized Biography of him.

Jake's Takes Interview with the Cast and Crew of Frankenweenie

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The most original interviewer around, Jake Hamilton, the host of the self-titled Jake's Takes is back with more great interviews. Last month Jake interviewed the cast of Laika's ParaNorman, and today he brings us interviews with the cast and crew of the similarly spooky Frankenweenie.

Questions fielded to director Tim Burton included asking what the key differences between Frankenweenie now, and the original short film from 28 years ago that famously lost Burton his job at Disney, are, to which he responded:

"I love stop-motion animation, so the idea of doing it black and white, 3D, stop-motion, and adding the other kids, the other monsters, and teachers, things that I was thinking about, the kind of memories that are all sort of based on this thing: it felt like a whole new project for me."
Burton also spoke about the emotional heart of the film and the importance of friendships with pets - both for him and for Victor in the film. Jake also spoke to cast members Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Landau, Atticus Shaffer and Charlie Tahan who spoke very passionately about the project, touching on the importance of doing the film in stop-motion, and working with Tim Burton. And Martin Landau's Mr. Rzykruski promises to be powerful and hilarious!

Jake's great at asking curve-ball questions and really coaxing his interviewees into expressing their passion for the project - nice touch having the video in black and white too! And jeez, from watching The Middle, who would've guessed Atticus Shaffer was so smart?

Frankenweenie promises to be a great addition to a great year for animation when it opens on 5th October in the US and 17th October in the UK. Check out the 21-minute video interview compilation above!

UPDATED - Selick in Talks to Take Shademaker to Laika

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Director Henry Selick (left) and Laika CEO Travis Knigt (right)
IndieWire is reporting that The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick is in talks to take his, previously tentatively titled, Shademaker, to Laika!
The project was being produced by Selick's Cinderbiter/ShadeMaker Productions, alongside Brain Trust members from Pixar, until news recently broke that Disney had pulled the plug. Claims were that the film's story wasn't where Disney wanted it to be and that production was lagging. The rumours emerging today though claims that Selick is shopping the idea to Laika, whom he previously worked with on 2009's Oscar nominated Coraline.
IndieWire also offers up some rumoured details about the film's plot and style:

I'm told that the once-titled "ShadeMaker" is the story of two brothers, and that it takes Selick's special brand of surrealism into a new direction. The sets are spectacular (especially Central Park) and they've been and they've been making use of a similar Rapid Prototype 3D printer for replacement heads that Laika introduced on "ParaNorman."

It's a shame that Selick's deal with Disney fell through - it might lead to awkwardness if/when he returns to make the planned adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book - but the film certainly seems a good fit for Laika and we know they work well together! Be sure also to check out our review of Laika's latest film, ParaNorman!

Via Craig Good and HitFix.
UPDATE: 27/09/2012 - 00:07 (GMT)
Times look dark Selick fans, and not good, Coraline, dark. /Film reports that whilst Henry Selick did meet with Laika, the talks "went nowhere and Laika will not fund its former director’s project." First Showing also reports that the film, apparently now titled The Shadow King, is not being taken on by Laika, and is seemingly done for.
Selick supposedly sent a memo to the team at Cinderbiter, saying that Laika chief Travis Knight couldn't figure out a financially sound way to continue production on the film. Selick could shop the film around some more, but following knock-backs from his two biggest options, it might be time, sadly, to move on.
Sad news for sure, especially so short after hearing that Digital Domain's closure meant the end of The Legend of Tembo. But here's hoping it gets picked up somewhere else in the near future, and we here at A113Animation wish the very talented Mr. Selick and all on the Cinderbiter crew all the best in whatever they go on to next!

Review Round-Up - Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania

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Following precious few releases in the first half of the year, it's been a strong summer for animation, with great films like Brave and ParaNorman - oh, and there was The Lorax too I guess. Coming up in winter we have DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians and Disney's Wreck-It Ralph - as well as Pixar's 3D re-release of Monsters, Inc. But right now, as we turn towards autumn, we've got two big releases (and, finally, the UK release of Madagascar 3): Hotel Transylvania and Frankenweenie.
Check out our recaps, reviews coverage, and thoughts after the jump break!

Due on 28th September in the US, and at a more Halloweeny time of 12th October in the UK, Hotel Transylvania is the latest film from Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind the brilliant Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Smurfs? What Smurfs?). Directed by Samurai Jack and Dexter's Lab creator Genndy Tartakovsky, the film has undergone a lot of directorial changeovers (six to be exact), but if anyone can make it work, it's Genndy Tartakovsky. One thing we observed in the 'Art of' book and the six recent clips, is the considered and wonderfully stylised animation - it looks to be a visually wonderful film! 
The critical consensus, so far, though, isn't all too positive. About halfway between the glacial reception of The Smurfs and the enthusiastic one of Cloudy. It currently sits at 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, some of the critiques from top critics being:
"even after years of development, the studio still doesn't have much more than a concept to offer, enlisting TV toon maven Genndy Tartakovsky ("Samurai Jack") to direct a stale overprotective-dad story set within a location that could easily house a more inspired mix of characters and events." - Peter Debruge, Variety
"Despite the proven talents of first-time feature director Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory), writers Peter Baynham(Arthur Christmas) and SNL vet Robert Smigel, and a voice cast headed by Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, the collaboration falls flat virtually from the get-go, serving up half-hearted sight gags that have a habit of landing with an ominous thud." - Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
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Then, due on 5th October in the US, and 12th in the UK, another spooky film on the horizon is Tim Burton's Frankenweenie. One of my most anticipated animated films of the year, the black and white, stop-motion film promises to be touching, nostalgic and... well, awesome! The first animated film that Burton's directed since 2005's Corpse Bride, the film actually revives a 28 year old idea that once got the Alice in Wonderland director fired from Disney. And be sure to check out the six brand new clips for this too!
The response to Frankenweenie is definitely more positive, currently sitting at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. But it isn't without its criticisms; to look at the same publications, responses to Frankenweenie include:
"A black-and-white stop-motion toon that pays loving tribute to Hollywood creature features of yesteryear, this beautifully designed canine-resurrection saga feels, somewhat fittingly, stitched together from stray narrative parts, but nonetheless evinces a level of discipline and artistic coherence missing from the director's recent live-action efforts." - Justin Chang, Variety
"Although this nominally clever take-off of Frankenstein, about a boy's successful effort to “re-animate” his late pet dog, is distinctive as the first black-and-white 3D stop-motion animated production of this new three-dimensional era, it is nonetheless imaginative in a highly familiar and ultimately tedious way." - Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
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We're excited for both films though, so keep your eyes here for reviews of the films next month!

Finding Nemo 3D Premire Pics

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As Finding Nemo returns to theaters (this time in 3D, of course) tomorrow, the premiere took place on Monday at the El Capitan theater. Check out some pictures from the event below.

John Lasseter (executive producer) and Andrew Stanton (writer/director)

Willem Dafoe (voice of Gill), Albert Brooks (voice of Marlin), and John Lasseter (executive producer)

Allison Janney (voice of Peach) and Andrew Stanton (writer/director)

As you can see, many of the voice actors from the film where present to see the classic undersea adventure in the new format, as well as director Andrew Stanton and the big boss himself, John Lasseter.
Don't miss out on Finding Nemo 3D during its short run in theaters! Even if you skipped Beauty and the Beast,  The Phantom Menace, and Titanic, this is one re-release that you must see (or should I say, sea)!

Finding Nemo 3D Now In Theaters!

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The wait is over folks. More than nine years after its original release in theaters, Pixar's classic Finding Nemo has returned to theaters after being converted to 3D. This marks the first Pixar 3D re-release after the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 double feature in 2009. Also, Partysaurus Rex, the third in the Toy Story Toons series, is now playing alongside Nemo 3D in theaters.
You might be wondering if it's worth paying to go see a film that you've likely seen many times before, with the only difference being that it's playing in 3D this time. You might even be one of those people that find 3D overrated and may see no point whatsoever in all these re-releases that we've been getting lately. However, this is Finding Nemo we're talking about, one of the most visually-stunning films to ever come from Pixar - and quite possibly one of the most visually-stunning films that have ever been made in general. There's nearly no doubt in my mind that this film, with all its aquatic settings and vibrant colors, would look absolutely breathtaking in 3D.
So my advice to you would simply be: go see it.

Sweet 'Partysaurus Rex' Poster!

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Pixar's new short, Partysaurus Rex (the latest and probably wildest of the Toy Story Toons) is now playing in theaters before Finding Nemo 3D, and if you haven't already, I highly suggest you go check it out, because not only is it insanely fun, but it looks spectacular in 3D.
This colorful and vibrant poster for the short was released online this week. Mark Walsh, the director of the short also posted it onto Twitter. It does an excellent job of capturing the wackiness and craziness of the short film. It's a very creative poster, and even has a teeny Easter egg in the text at the bottom. Emeryville, as you may have heard, is the town in which Pixar's main campus is located. You can also the the Pixar Canada logo there at the bottom.
I'll have my reviews for both Partysaurus Rex and Finding Nemo 3D up soon, but for now, go check out both in theaters!
(via A113Animation)

Review: Finding Nemo 3D Is Astonishing

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Well, it's been a week since I headed over to the theater to check out the latest Pixar 3D re-release, so I'd say it's time to post my review.
Where do I begin? I was very, very excited to see Finding Nemo 3D from the moment it was announced; the film remains to this day one of my favorite movies of all time, so getting the chance to experience it in theaters once again more than nine years after its initial release was a dream come true for me. If it hadn't been flawlessly converted into 3D, I would have paid the price of admission nonetheless. There's just something special about going to see a movie on the big screen. Especially when that movie is a true masterpiece.
The films remains the exact same classic that was released almost a decade ago; same story, characters, and touching message. One of the major highlights of Nemo has always been the characters that carry the story. Every single one of them in endearing and funny in their own way; you love them from the start and root for them immensely until the very end. They make for a very entertaining film, and you can't help but smile when you see them on screen. Finding Nemo also packs quite the emotional punch, as many of Pixar's films do. Despite the fact that I've seen the film countless times before, I found myself on the verge of tears watching it last week. This movie is more than just a cute little fish story, a lot more.

Finding Nemo truly is the perfect film for the 3D format. It really is. It has everything a 3D movie should have, and it uses 3D very effectively, without ever exaggerating it in a way that it becomes annoyingly distracting (Monsters vs. Aliens comes to mind). After ten minutes or so, you'll have become oblivious to everything around you because you'll be so ridiculously immersed in both the gorgeous underwater world of the film and its story. The characters are right there in front of you, and you follow them on this unbelievable journey that becomes even more more unbelievable after you encounter three vegan sharks, a vicious anglerfish, a school of impressionist moonfish, a forest of jellyfish, a surfer-dude sea turtle, and a majestic blue whale. There is a sense of depth throughout the entire film, giving the magnificent illusion that you really are in this beautiful aquatic world. You can see all these little particles peacefully floating around in the water, and it makes the experience all the more magical. Bottom line, Finding Nemo is the film to see in 3D. So if you haven't already gone and seen it, hurry up and get your butt to the theater.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you're hesitating on whether or not you should spend money on going to the theater to see a film that you've probably already seen a million times before, don't. Finding Nemo 3D is worth every penny, and I am dead serious. It is easily the best film I have ever seen in 3D, and heck, even without the 3D it's an insanely beautiful film with an insanely beautiful story. Plus, you'll even get to see the new short Partysaurus Rex, which is an absolute blast (stay tuned for a review).

So I'll leave it at this: go see Finding Nemo 3D, you will not regret it.