Trailers Galore and Tons of Other News!

The logo for Epic

     Well we got three trailers today! We already knew that the Frankenweenie trailer was coming today, but we got a second trailer as well! The trailer for Blue Sky Studios "Epic" was released today and it look fantastic! The other one is a week or so old, but I just found it! It's a teaser for Escape From Planet Earth. Let's start with the trailer for Epic. Wow. The film looks absolutely beautiful; from the character designs to the amazingly animated world everything is stunning. Blue Sky has made such a magical world and I can't wait to see more from this film. 


     I love how the trailer was put together, with very little dialogue and only an amazing song to accompany it. With just the song playing we really got to enjoy the beautiful art work all the animators have crafted for us. The film looks to be action packed and full of suspense! The action scenes looked extremely awesome and well executed and I am already in love with the film. The humor at the end of the trailer didn't quite work, but the film is a year away, we haven't seen practically anything yet! I have extremely high hopes for this film! Check out the trailer below.

     The second trailer of the day was for Frankenweenie. This one is more or less the same as the previous trailer but shows off more of the other characters. It's really fun to see all of the characters that are based off of classic horror movie creatures. It looks like it is going to be a very fun film with lots of hilarious dark humor. The film feels as if it were an episode of "The Twilight Zone", which is great! The original short also had that sort of film and it's really fun to see it come to life in animation. All of the character models look superb, especially the Igor kid. 

     The climax of the film looks to be the best part of the film, even though we only got a glimpse of it in the trailer. The film appears to go from heartwarming tale of a boy wanting his dog back, to crazy antics of other kids bringing their animals back, and then finally ending with the boy and his dog tale again as Victor fights the town off to protect his dog. Check out the trailer for yourself and share your thoughts in the comments!

     Rainmaker Entertainment has a teaser from their first film, Escape From Planet Earth. It doesn't show off too much, but I am starting to like the character Scorch. The animation looks pretty good and this film has the potential of being funny. The character designs are okay to awful, and I wish they would have been a little more creative. Of course we have only seen one photo so I can't judge to harshly. Hopefully this film doesn't turn out to be more kiddie material that gives animation a bad name. This year and next look to be amazing for animation, so hopefully this isn't a stupid film. It's shaping up to be alright, so here's hoping! 

      

Merida from Brave

     In other news, Brave had a very strong opening weekend with $66,323,594 and has now earned $75,271,765 domestically. This surpasses the four day totals of both Wall-E and The Lorax. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted also pulled in a good $19,712,315 this past weekend. It's great to see both films doing so well even though they were released extremely close to one another. What does this mean for Ice Age: Continental Drift? We shall see! 


     Concerning the new Lego movie that is coming out, we have found out that Superman and Batman will be in the film. Will Arnett will voice Batman and the directors are trying to get Channing Tatum to voice Superman. Chris Pratt is also attached to the film as the "main character". The film, Lego: The Piece of Resistance, will apparently be a hybrid of live-action and Lego-based animation. Dirceted by the directors of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the animation will also presumbly be directed by Chris McKay. 

The Lego logo

     Speaking of the animation, it is being done by Animal Logic, who are well known for their Happy Feet and The Legend of the Guardians films. I personally am a bit disappointed that the film will feature live-action as well as animation. I was really hoping that we would be immersed in a wholly animated Lego world. At least we are getting Lego characters based off of actually properties! It should be interesting to see more from this film! It doesn't come out until February 28, 2014 so who knows what will happen by then!


     Colider also has an amazing behind the scenes set visit of ParaNorman with 30 beautiful screens and a wonderful in depth look at the making of ParaNorman. 

http://collider.com/paranorman-set-visit-laika-studios/166421/

Beautiful photo from ParaNorman

     Well that's about it for right now, perhaps we will get a new trailer for Rise of the Guardians? Here's hoping because that film looks great and I would love to see more of it! So far this has been an amazing year in animation and next year is shaping up to be great as well. I really hope that ParaNorman is successful because Laika is an animation studio that needs to survive. Otherwise we wouldn't be getting very many stop-motion films! What do you think of the upcoming films? I think "It's gonna be great, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be greeeeaatt!"

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted - Review

     The review of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is finally here! Released on June 8, 2012 by DreamWorks Animation Studios, Madagascar 3 has already earned $365,486,037 worldwide at the box office. With a reported production budget of $145,000,000, the film is still on it's way to a great financial success. The film also received mixed to positive reviews, but why should we care what critics say? 
     
     Characters and Story: Let's keep this simple and spoiler free shall we? As you know from the trailers, our main cast of characters has found their way to Europe and use a circus to get back to America, all while attracting the attention of the world's best Animal Control Officer, Captain DuBois. The film actually starts out in Africa and shows how badly Alex misses New York and the fame that came with it. It was nice to finally see our cast of characters actually express sadness over there lost home; although I wish we could have seen a bit more sadness from Alex because he had to leave his parents. 


     How on earth did they get to Europe you ask? I have no idea. One moment they are in Africa, the next they pop out of the water in Monte Carlo. However, as discussed in the second film's review, that's just the kind of quirky humor Madagascar has and you just have to learn to laugh at. After a bit shaky start, the story finally picks up when our characters join the circus. Here we are introduced to many new characters that are extremely loveable. Overall, the entire film is your basic Madagascar fun with unrealistic antics that are funny if you choose to laugh. 

The new circus characters

     The biggest problem of the entire film's arc is that our characters don't really grow in this film at all. And outside of Alex, the other main characters hardly even speak that much. Although Alex is normally the center character in the series, the second film proved that equal amounts of time can be given to other characters and allow them to grow. The problem with the third film is that it does give time to other characters, just not Marty, Melman, or Gloria. The new circus animals get the bulk of the attention and it's all about how meeting Alex and the gang changes their lives. They all go through character developments, but no one else really does. 


     While seeing these new characters change was necessary and welcome, the film needed much more screen time from the original four main characters. Far too much time was spent in Monte Carlo when DuBois was chasing them. In fact, I feel like there was too much DuBois in general. While watching her avoid everything the penguins throw at her was really funny, it was unnecessary. There were so many scenes with her in it that it became a little too much. 

The ever hilarious and evil, Captain Chantel DuBois

     Not only did DuBois get too much screen time, but so did King Julien and his new love interest, Sonya the bear. While it was fun to watch them on their date, it just took too much time. If DreamWorks Animation were to have trimmed some of the scenes with DuBois and Sonya, we could have seen more time with Marty, Melman and Gloria. However these are just small wishes because in the end, everything did end up flowing well and it's not as if these characters were completely ignored. The film still managed to tell a story about discovering your talents all while managing some very crazy situations in a very humorous way.


Visuals and Soundtrack: The Madagascar films have always had an amazing soundtrack, and when the film opens it plays the title theme we all know so well. This made me very excited for the soundtrack, but in the end the film has a soundtrack that disappears in the background. Not to say that it was a bad soundtrack, it was actually great! It just wasn't featured as heavily and I wanted to hear more striking pieces from Hans Zimmer. Instead we got a great soundtrack that blended into the background perfectly. Not only that but an entire sequence used Katy Perry's "Firework" rather than orchestration. However, this scene was my favorite scene in the whole film and the song did compliment it rather nicely. 

A small glimpse of the beautiful
Cirque Du Soleil type performance

     The scene was also the most beautiful sequence in the entire film. With the help of Alex, the circus animals finally put together an amazing show after the likes of Cirque Du Soleil and boy was it fantastic. The rest of the film, while beautiful, didn't have a very striking art style. The previous films were absolutely beautiful, using African influences in the art style. However this film doesn't use any African art styles and instead goes for the typical photo realistic look. 


     Monte Carlo, although beautiful, is just Monte Carlo, Rome is just Rome, and New York is just New York. It was really disappointing to see the previous films bold and beautiful art style disappear. The Cirque Du Soleil scene changes all of that though, and offers a few minutes of visual eye candy. From neon lights and rings to the painted circus animals the entire thing was bold and beautiful. We do get to see some of it in the other circus scenes as well, which was an extremely nice addition. Also, all of the character animation for the new characters were perfect and amazing; each had their own circus look to them. I really loved every scene of the circus, performing and otherwise, that we got because it added a colorful and fun flare to the visual style.

The crazy characters we know and love are back
and better than ever

Conclusion: In the end, the film is still amazing; rivaling the second film as the best in the series. Although it had its small faults, these really are just minor complaints. The entire film was absolutely wonderful and a joy to watch. All of the humor and loveable characters are back, with plenty of new and fun additions! 


     This film does take these characters on the journey they have been waiting for since the first film. We see them all come together and help others to accomplish their goals. They realize that friendship is everything and they learn to appreciate the adventures they have had. It was really great to see the film come full circle, with plenty of nods to the first film. Although it doesn't have the most bold visual style or soundtrack, and three of our four main characters don't get as much attention as I would like, the film is still amazing and is in no way inferior to the others.  I loved almost everything about the film and was entertained every second! This film is most definitely "Crackalackin!"

The Legend of Korra: Book One - Review

Poster art for The Legend of Korra

     I know I said I was going to post the Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted review today, but I got distracted by another project, The Legend of Korra! Having finally been able to watch the season finale, I can't keep my mind off it! I can absolutely promise you that the Madagascar 3 review will be here tomorrow and Brave's shortly after that! If you think I am on review overload, I'm sorry. After the Brave review it should calm down until Ice Age: Continental Drift comes out. But as for right now, on to The Legend of Korra!
     
     The Legend of Korra premiered on April 14, 2012 on Nickelodeon to critical acclaim. For those of you that don't know, The Legend of Korra is actually a sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender. If you only know that name from the M. Night Shyamalan film, forget everything. That movie does not even begin to do the show justice. It is a phenomenal show with amazing artwork, hilarious jokes, beautiful action sequences, and characters you'll love. The original series starts out aiming at a more childish audience, but fear not; the show quickly matures. 
Characters and Story: As for The Legend of Korra, the show starts out at an amazingly mature level. The show focuses primarily on an equalist revolution led by a man Amon. He wants to rid the world of all benders and make everyone "equal", so he rallies the support of non-benders around Republic City. Korra, the new Avatar, has to cope with this uprising while trying to learn Air Bending and dealing with her complicated love life. The idea of all being equal and a city revolting are some pretty mature themes for a "kids" TV show, however this is what makes The Legend of Korra so great. Animation on television is normally made really cheap, or done for a very young audience, but The Legend of Korra changes all of that. Just like how the original series was beautifully animated and kept a mature storyline, The Legend of Korra improves on both of those fronts, making this one of the best TV shows around.

Korra is more than just an amazing fighter

     Of course all of this is made possible because of our characters. Korra is an amazing lead character who almost all viewers can identify with. She's a teenager who now has to grow up, and struggles with the responsibilities of not only becoming an adult, but by being the Avatar as well. She struggles with love and has a problem following her heart because people keep telling her no. All of these things make for a very identifiable character and not some unrealistic ruler over everything. 


     However it's not just the lead that is amazing, Korra is surrounded by many more amazing characters, heroes and villains alike. Tenzin, who is Avatar Aang and Katara's son, is also Korra's Airbending trainer. He is very wise and calm, unlike the headstrong Korra. Tenzin is a councilmember for Republic City and is constantly trying to do what is best, which isn't always what the other councilmembers think. 

Tenzin and his family

     Tenzin also has a family, his wife, Pema, and three children, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo. For most of the season, Pema is pregnant with a fourth child. The entire family adds a lot of laugh into the mix with the innocent kids always having fun. They make for a great comic relief, but also give Tenzin the responsibility to protect them. There is a lot of interesting plot twists with Tenzin's character as a little bit of his previous love life is revealed with non-other than Chief Lin Beifong! I really like Tenzin and his family; the characters add a lot of fun to a show that can use all the comic relief it can get.


     Speaking of Chief Beifong, what an amazing character! Toph's daughter, Lin is one of the coolest characters on the show. When it comes to action sequences, Lin has some of the best moments on the show.  She is a Metal Bender, like her mother, but is a bit cold to Korra at first. Tenzin and Lin used to have quite the relationship until Pema told Tenzin how she felt about him. 
     

Chief Lin Beifong

     Ever since, Lin has closed all emotions towards Tenzin and anything to do with him, including Korra. All of that soon changes as Tenzin and Lin make amends, to the point where Lin gives everything to protect his family. It was so great to see here character change from being a rude cop to a sweet heart who sacrifices everything to protect those she loves. In the end, Lin is a character we are deeply emotionally attached to, which is proved in the end when tragedy befalls our beloved hero.


     Along the way, Korra also encounters two Pro-Bending champions, Mako and Bolin. Not only does Korra join there Pro-Bending team and help lead them to the finals, they become her best friends. Mako is a more quiet and reserved character. At first he doesn't like Korra joining the team out of nowhere, but soon gains respect for her. Bolin on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He loves the spot light and is always trying to show off; he also loves Korra and is constantly trying to impress her. 

Mako and Bolin

     Bolin offers most of the series comedic relief, and he does an excellent job at it. It's great to see these characters grow so much, Mako becoming more relaxed, yet still protective, and Bolin a bit more responsible and willing to help. Not only do these characters offer so extremely cool bending, each of them serves as love interests to Korra. Bolin has always like Korra, but from the moment she saw Mako, she knew that he was for her. As if the brother rivalry wasn't enough, Mako gets into a relationship with another girl named Asami.


     Mako and Asami meet in a chance encounter on the street when she crashes into him. Asami is a beautiful young girl who is also the daughter of Hiroshi Sato, the inventor of the Satomobile (cars). Mako and Asami quickly hit it off and before you know it they are dating, but of course this makes Korra jealous and drama ensues. I really like all of the love triangles that were going on, and it was nice to concentrate on romance for a while. Asami's charcter is extremely likable. She is sweet and kind, even though she has some of the biggest problems in the series. 

Asami

     Her mother died when she was young and because of benders and because of this her father becomes an equalists. Then while Asami has to deal with fighting against her own father, she finds out Mako and Korra not only kissed a while ago, but that he still has feelings for Korra. Asami stays strong to the end through all of these problems. A character that we were originally unsure and suspicious of becomes one of the most liked character in the series. 


     No series would be complete without a memorable villain, and boy does The Legend of Korra deliver. Amon is not only terrifying in looks, but his power is beyond that of anyone we have ever seen. He has a strong political influence on the people of Republic City, and he has an army of Chi Blockers who can fight benders with ease. Not only that, but Amon is an amazing Chi Blocker himself and can then take away people's ability to bend. 

Amon

     Amon has everything under control, and no matter what happens it appears that it was all part of his plan. Amon is one of the best villains I have seen in animation; his motive is actually a good idea but he is an extremist, and he also has immense power. There are many people and situations in our world today that are just like that, making him even more terrifying. He is smart, mysterious, and clever, not just a guy who has a maniacal laugh. 


     We don't find out who Amon really is until the season finale, but it was perfectly executed. At the end of the season we also got another character, General Iroh. While we didn't get to see much of him, I am in love with his character. From his fighting styles to his similarities to Zuko, he is a great addition to the show. I just hope we get to see a lot more of him next season. Everything that had happened in the show led up to that episode and it paid off. All of the characters grew over the course of the season and earned a place in our hearts. The story for season one was fantastic and never stopped amazing me. It introduced to all of the characters perfectly and I can't wait to see the show take them even further in the next season. It was really fun to see the descendants of characters from the original series, and I love how mature this show really became.
     
Visuals and Soundtrack: Following in Avatar: The Last Airbender's footsteps, The Legend of Korra has both amazing visuals, and one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. The soundtrack to The Legend of Korra is so great, that I specifically want to listen to the entire thing on my iPod. The orchestration fits perfectly for each scene and the Asian influence goes perfectly with the art style. Jeremy Zuckerman really out did himself with the soundtrack and I cannot compliment it enough. 

Concept image of Republic City

     Besides the story, the biggest improvement over the original series is the visuals. The Legend of Korra is absolutely beautiful to look at. From the design of Republic City to the characters, you never want to take your eyes off of such great artwork. Not only is the character design unique for each character, watching them in action is so flawless its jaw dropping. The action in this series really was executed so well and the animation on it is great. I particularly love the design for Amon, powerful and extremely creepy. 

Four of the main characters from The Legend of Korra

Conclusion: The Legend of Korra is an amazing series. Even if you haven't seen Avatar: The Last Airbender, you should most definitely watch The Legend of Korra and check out the original series as well. I can't recommend this series enough; from its amazing characters to its phenomenal plot and art style this show has it all. Love triangles, action, adventure, what more could you want? 


     With only one more season of The Legend of Korra announced, it is my deepest wish that we get more. I don't want this series to end! We are just getting to know the characters and now you can take them where ever you want! This season's plot was concise yet epic. We had great character development from everyone and if anything the show is just beautiful to look at. This is the best animated TV show that I have ever seen. After all, "Only the Avatar can master all four elements and bring balance to the world."
     

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - Review

Original Theatrical Poster

     The final film review before Madagascar 3's, which arrives on Sunday. Will that film be able to top the amazing original sequel? Only time will tell! Released on November 7, 2008 by DreamWorks Animation with a production budget of $150 Million, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa earned $603, 900, 354. Reviews for the film were mixed as were the original, however this time they were more positive than negative! I really feel like critics are a bit to harsh on the Madagascar films, but luckily these films are a success regardless! With good reason too, as these films really are great hilarious adventures. Like any good review, let's delve in and dissect the characters and plot!
Characters and Story: All of our favorite characters from the first film are back, which is great because DreamWorks Animation created some of the best characters in modern animation! Each character is full of their own unique personality, and each add great elements to the film. Alex most certainly takes center stage this time around as he finds his long lost parents. 
    

Melman as a Witch Doctor

    Just because the film's plot mostly revolves around Alex, fear not! Unlike the first film, Melman and Gloria get so much more time to develop as characters. Early on in the film, Melman confesses his love for Gloria, unfortunately she was asleep. As Melman finds the other giraffes, he discovers they just go to hole to die when any little disease effects them. It was fun to see that other giraffes have the same out look on sickness as Melman did. Now we get to see Melman come full circle, finally having over come his fear of getting sick, he becomes the Witch Doctor for the other giraffes.
     
     It was really nice to see his character finally grow, not only adding many more laughs as the Witch Doctor, but finally adding more depth to this character. Along with him being the doctor, they film makers added even more depth to his character by adding his love for Gloria. This was a great plot device that help Melman's character grow as well as Gloria's. We find out that Gloria wants to sign up for the breeding program when the return to the Zoo, causing jealousy in Melman. Later when they are in Africa, Gloria meets Moto Moto while hanging out with the other hippos. 

Gloria and Moto Moto on a date

     Gloria is extremely attracted to Moto Moto as is super excited when he asks her out. Of course when she tells Melman and the others, Melman gets so jealous that he leaves in a hurry. All of this drama creates such a great plot for Melman and Gloria and really helped their characters grow so much. I'm really happy that we got a lot of more screen time with both of these amazing characters; it really helped add to the film. 
    
     However, like I said earlier, the bulk of the plot is actually centered on Alex. He was originally born in Africa, but when some poachers take him he ends up in New York, thus landing in the Central Park Zoo. Finding his family is extremely exciting for Alex, especially since he has vauge memories of his old life. Alex wants to rejoin the tribe and make his father proud, who thinks he is a King. The evil Makunga doesn't want this to happen because he wants to be Alpha Lion, so he takes advantage of Alex being new and naive. All of this causes Alex to make a fool of him self when he starts dancing during a fight with the biggest lion in the tribe, Teetsi. It doesn't end well with Alex being banished from the tribe and his disappointed father and mother leaving with him, making Makunga Alpha Lion. 

Alex meeting his parents

     
     As you can see, all of these things happening to Alex creates so much more character for him. Where as before his character growth involved him having to overcoming his selfishness and be there for his friend, Alex now has a family and has to emotionally grow and try to become a responsible lion like his parents always wanted for him. It really turns Alex into a more believable character with more adult problems and it's great to see him mature. 


     Of course Marty gets the least amount of time on screen, but he still has some growth. Marty doesn't fell special in Africa because all of the zebras are just like him! It doesn't help when Alex talks to a zebra thinking it's Marty, and Marty listens in shock. It adds a little growth for Alex and Marty, giving them another trial to test their friendship. It's a nice little addition that helps us see some of Marty's emotional concerns as well.

Which one is Marty?

     Our other ensemble characters have their own little adventures as well. King Julien and Maurice parade around as Julien claims himself as the African King. Julien also helps Melman pull himself together and go after Gloria, which was fun to watch, however he also makes Melman believe that if he jumps into the volcano as a sacrifice, the Gods will bring the water back. Mort is trying his hardest to catch up to King Julien and Maurice, but keeps getting chased by a shark. The penguins are up to their usual spy shenanigans, this time stealing tour jeeps to get parts for the construction of the airplane. Of course this causes the people of the tour bus to fend for themselves in the wild, my only problem with this film.

Crazy old Nana

     The grandma that beat Alex up in the first film is back, and she is still kicking. She leads the stranded group of tourists into the jungles of Africa where they build a fire, shelter, and a damn for water. Now, why would these characters go into the jungles of Africa at night? How on earth is that safer than staying on the road where people will find you! The grandma beating up Alex gag was never my favorite anyway and an old lady would never really beat up a lion. Alas, these are only small gripes as it is all just a funny cartoon anyway. That's the thing about the Madagascar films, they have more of a cartoon short feel to them. A shark can follow Mort on land all the way to the volcano and it's funny! Although I feel the tourists and the shark were a little much and kind of broke you out of this film, reminding you it was an animated cartoon film, they are all in good fun. 


     Overall this film is extremely funny, adding so much to each of our main characters. The plot was fantastic, and it was fun to see Alex's family. Aside from it's sillier moments, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa improves on it's predecessor in every way and is an amazing film. My only concern is that I am happy with them in Africa. I don't understand why they want to get back to New York so badly and I was glad they had stayed at the end. I guess we will see how the third film addresses this issue.

Concept art from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Visuals and Soundtrack: Yes, the soundtrack. I can't believe I forgot to comment on how wonderful the soundtrack on the original film was. Hans Zimmer created such an amazing soundtrack for the first film and this one. Every piece works perfectly and the title theme is fantastic. If you read my review for the the first film, there isn't much to add to this one as far as visuals go. Madagascar 2 did receive a beautiful update in it's visuals, and looks leaps and bounds better than the first film. Some of the shots of Africa are almost breath taking and everything looks fantastic. Character design is top notch, per usual, and the African inspired art style is spectacular. It separates this film from so many other computer generated films and is a blast to look at.

The ensemble of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Conclusion: All in all, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a much better film than the first. The film continues with the hilarious laughs from the first film, while managing to bring so much more depth to all of the main characters. The film is absolutely beautiful with an amazing soundtrack to compliment it. Even with it's quirkier moments, this film shines as some of DreamWorks Animation's best work. The film works as a cohesive whole and is definitely a must watch. Even if you haven't seen the first one, the film recaps for you at the beginning and is a great introduction to the film. A lot of people, and adults in particular, may find the film "unrealistic, but cute." That's the thing about animation, you just have to except that these films are trying to be fun and do things other films can't. If this movie still isn't for you and "In case of a loss of oxygen, please place your masks over your faces to hide your terrified expressions from the other passengers."

News Round-Up!

     Just a quick news round-up for you before I post the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa review! To start things off, let's look at what Disney has cooking up for us. Disney has a released a serious of Wreck-It Ralph character posters! I love the digital look surrounding each one and the characters just look beautiful. I love the character design and how you can tell Sergeant Calhoun is from a different game then Fix-It Felix! Speaking of the games, Disney has created the arcade game Fix-It Felix and it is so much fun! Play it here: http://disney.go.com/wreck-it-ralph/?cmp=wdsmp_wir_url_dcomwreckitralph#/fixitfelix 
     In the wake of all the Frankenweenie Madness, Disney still had one more trick up their sleeves and are releasing a new trailer for the film in 5 days! It's the cherry on top because now we finally get to see more of the characters and the bulk of the story. I can't wait! Pixar has released a few Brave posters as well, the interesting part? One of them has a nice close look at the witch! She looks amazing! Quirky and evil, perfect! Check them out at the bottom of this post! On to DreamWorks Animation. Yesterday they released a press release for their upcoming film "Happy Smekday!". Although it doesn't come out til the end of 2014, it's a nice look into their future line up of films! Rihanna and Jim Parsons are the voices of the main characters. Here's the press release: 

Emmy® And Golden Globe® Winner Jim Parsons And International Superstar Rihanna To Star In DreamWorks Animation's Happy Smekday! In 2014

GLENDALE, Calif., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Jim Parsons (Harvey on Broadway and The Big Bang Theory) and international superstar Rihanna (Battleship) will star in the leading roles in Happy Smekday!, a feature film based on the critically acclaimed book "The True Meaning of Smekday" by Adam Rex. The studio plans to release Happy Smekday! during the fourth quarter of 2014. 
Tim Johnson (Over the Hedge, Antz) will serve as the film's director. Chris Jenkins (Rio, Surf's Up) and Suzanne Buirgy (Kung Fu Panda 2) are serving as producers and DreamWorks Animation's Head of Development Gregg Taylor is overseeing the project. Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (Get Smart) are currently writing the screenplay.
"Adam's hilarious book is the perfect recipe for a compelling animated feature and we are ecstatic that Jim Parsons and Rihanna will contribute their immense talents to the production," said Bill Damaschke, DreamWorks Animation's Chief Creative Officer. "We're also thrilled that Tim Johnson is back to direct another DreamWorks Animation feature film and show the world just how fun an alien invasion can be!"
"When I read Adam Rex's remarkable book, I knew it would make an amazing film. I can't wait to introduce audiences to the unique world and characters of Happy Smekday!" added Tim Johnson.
In Happy Smekday! an alien race invades Earth and uses it as a hideout from their mortal enemy. When one lowly alien accidentally notifies the enemies of his whereabouts, he is forced to go on the run with a teenage girl. The two become unlikely buddies and embark on a comical globe-trotting adventure to right his wrongs, in which our alien hero learns what it really means to be human. 

Sergeant Calhoun

Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz

Fix-It Felix

     Blue Sky Studios has released a couple scenes from Ice Age: Continental Drift and boy do they look.... interesting. Check them out for yourselves! 

     So a musical number in Ice Age? I don't know how I feel about it. The song started out alright, but then it kind of turned into a song you might see on Disney Jr. or something. It's definitely growing on me and the animation is beautiful, but it feels a little out of place in Ice Age. I guess we shall see how it all turns out! As for "The Storm", I like what I see here. The moment where the crab is gone got a good chuckle out of me and it looks like good Ice Age fun.  

     Hotel Transylvania released a new trailer and it gave me some reservations about the film. Check it out below: 

  

       Well I think this film looks great for the most part. The characters look fun and lively, the animation looks great, and the story looks fun! I just have one concern, Jonathan, the human who stumbles upon the hotel. He looks really stupid, why would Dracula's daughter, Mavis, fall for someone so stupid! The filmmakers try to make his stupidity funny, but they just look annoying. Who knows if his character will be more likable in the final film? The rest looks great so here's hoping! 

Merida

     

The Triplets

The Witch
Well that's about it for the news lately! Check back for the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa review later tonight or tomorrow! This year is looking great for animated films and I am excited for all of them. Here's the Brave posters, enjoy! Notice the character model for Merida's horse. Beautiful! As for me, I plan on excepting the challenge Merida set when she said "If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?"

Frankenweenie Madness - A Preview

Frankenweenie Poster

     The past couple of days there has been a boat load of Frankenweenie news and I thought a blog post collecting all of it would be nice! For any of you that don't know, Frankenweenie is a black and white Stop-Motion film directed by Tim Burton. It is being distributed by Disney and is being released on October 5, 2012. Here is the official movie description:
     From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous. 
     Now I don't know about you, but I think this movie sounds to be incredible. I love seeing support for Stop-Motion films and I believe this is the perfect medium for this film. I also love that it was filmed in black and white which I think adds an eerily beautiful quality to the film that seems fitting for its off-beat story. Both of those combined will make up for the character designs, which look like they could have been pulled straight out of "The Corpse Bride".

The trailer for the film focuses on Victor and his love for his dog. One of my favorite things about it is how it shows the innocent, albeit creepy, idea of a boy just trying to bring his best friend back. The whole film looks to have a heart warming tale full of characters that are full of personality. I'm also really looking forward to the humor of this film. The part where Sparky loses his tail isn't the funniest thing you have ever seen, but it's a perfect example of the sort of dark humor Tim Burton and his team are bringing to this film. The film has the ability to be a great film, but it might also fall flat; it's walking a very fine line and can still go either way. I think that it will be an amazing film however, and I have high hopes for this movie. Now that we have gone over the story, let's take a closer look at the characters. Recently Disney released a number of character posters and descriptions which I have collected for you here. 

Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein

Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein

voiced by Catherine O'Hara & Martin Short

Mr. Frankenstein is a travel agent, friendly and social, who likes to dispense roundabout advice to his son. He is proud of Victor’s accomplishments, but is concerned he doesn’t have any friends other than Sparky. He would prefer his son be more social and encourages him to join the baseball team. Mr. Frankenstein has a playful and loving relationship with his wife, Victor’s mom.

Mrs. Frankenstein is a loving and supportive mother who encourages her son’s scientific pursuits, even when her kitchen appliances end up in his attic lab. She is an avid reader and loves to watch movies with her husband and enjoys the company of her family and her books. 

Victor Frankenstein

Victor Frankenstein
voiced by Charlie Tahan

Victor Frankenstein is a clever and industrious 10-year-old boy who is inspired by science. He lives with his parents and dog, Sparky, in the town of New Holland. Victor immerses himself in making films and inventing in his attic workshop. When Sparky dies in a car accident, Victor uses scientific ingenuity to bring him  back to life.

Sparky

Sparky

Sparky is a devoted and playful bull terrier whose sense of curiosity is matched only by his beloved owner, Victor. Sparky enjoys chasing after balls and being the star of Victor’s homemade movies. He exudes tons of energy and enthusiasm, which even his untimely death doesn’t diminish.

Bob's Mom

Bob's Mom 

voiced by Conchata Ferrell

Bob’s Mom is a plump, suburban housewife who is prone to panic and hysteria when things go awry. She has very simple, stereotypical views on life, which she isn’t shy about sharing with the community. She dotes on her son Bob and believes her actions, though often misguided, are in his best interest.

Bob

Bob

voiced by Robert Capron

Bob is a momma’s boy who is the brawn to Toshiaki’s brains. He is agreeable and never mean-spirited, but on the flip side he’s easily led and gullible. Bob followsToshiaki everywhere, but is the first one to run to Victor for help when he gets in over his head. 

Persphone

Persphone

Persephone is a perfectly groomed black poodle with an enormously large poof of hair on her head. She is curious and flirtatious with Sparky and fiercely loyal to Elsa, her owner. When Persephone and Sparky first meet in the backyard, the attraction is instantaneous and electrifying. 

Elsa van Helsing

Elsa Van Helsing
voiced by Winona Ryder

Elsa Van Helsing is a soulful and somber classmate of Victor. She lives next door to him with her tyrant uncle, Mayor Burgemeister, who forces her to be this year’s “Little Dutch Girl” at the town’s celebration of Dutch Day. Elsa also has a beloved pet, her poodle Persephone, and truly empathizes with Victor when he loses Sparky.  

Toshiaki

Toshiaki

voiced by James Hiroyuki Liao

Toshiaki is over-achieving and mega-competitive. He delights in beating Victor at his own game and like a power-hungry, mad scientist, Toshiaki will stop at nothing to win the top prize in the school’s science fair—even if it means stealing Victor’s ideas to do it. 

The Art of Frankenweeni Exhibition Poster

     If that wasn't enough for you to take in, there's more! Disney is launching a touring art exhibit which will give audiences a behind the scenes look and the Stop-Motion animation process, early sketches from the film drawn by Burton, puppets, props, and sets. "The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition" will premiere in Barcelona, Spain, at CineEurope, June 18-21, and in the U.S. at Comic-Con 2012 in San Diego, California, July 11-15. When the tour is complete it will have visited seven countries, including Spain, France, England, Japan, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.A. Speaking of the U.S., it will also be showing in Anaheim, California, September 14-November 5. If you aren't lucky enough to live near either of those places, I have even more good news! Disney has set up a VIP Sweepstakes for us! The winner will win a trip to San Diego and two tickets to Comic-Con! It also comes with VIP passes to "The Art of Frankeenweenie Exhibition", which includes a chance to meet Tim Burton! Enter here: 

 http://disney.go.com/frankenweenie/sweepstakes.html

     But wait, there's more! It's hard to believe but the Frankenweenie Madness continues. Shock Till You Drop has visited 3 Mills Studios where Frankenweenie is being made and have an interview with the Producer and Art Director of the film. It gives some insight on the film that we haven't quite heard of yet such as each character being based of an old horror movie character, the difficulties of stop motion, and more!  It's really an interesting read! Head over and check it out for yourself at:  http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/164301-set-visit-tim-burtons-frankenweenie

     Shock Till You Drop also has a video featuring behind the scenes at 3 Mills Studios where we get to see more of the set and film making process, this time narrator by Tim Burton.

     Well everyone, that's all I have on Frankenweenie for you now! It looks like there has been a lot of hard work on this film and it appears to be paying off! This film seriously looks amazing, specifically the character design and animation. I can't wait to see a little more of the film in action for it is truly beautiful. Keep this one on your radars folks, it's going to be great! After all, "Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!"