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Disney movies

Pete’s Dragon Live Action Movie Poster Revealed

19 February 2016 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Disney recently released the first teaser poster for the upcoming live action remake of Pete’s Dragon, along with a teaser trailer of the film:

Pete's Dragon teaser poster

 

A “motion poster” below was also released:

Here is the first teaser trailer:

Reaction has been mixed from the start from die-hard Disney fans about remaking a classic like this – what are your thoughts on this new Pete’s Dragon? And if you haven’t seen the original (other than the Elliott float in the Main Street Electrical Parade?) or know the story, here’s the official synopsis:

A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon. “Pete’s Dragon” stars Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World”), Oakes Fegley (“This is Where I Leave You”), Wes Bentley (“The Hunger Games”), Karl Urban (“Star Trek”), Oona Laurence (“Southpaw”) and Oscar® winner Robert Redford (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”). The film, which is directed by David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”), is written by Lowery & Toby Halbrooks based on a story by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field and produced by Jim Whitaker, p.g.a. (“The Finest Hours,” “Friday Night Lights”), with Barrie M. Osborne (“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Great Gatsby”) serving as executive producer.

For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon. Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” opens in U.S. theaters on August 12, 2016.

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Top Stories Tagged With: Disney movies, Disney pictures, pete's dragon, Pete's Dragon motion poster, Pete's Dragon remake, Pete's Dragon teaser trailer, Walt Disney Pictures

First Look: Into the Woods Trailer and Preview Images

31 July 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Into The Woods I fondly remember when “Into the Woods” came out on Broadway, and though I’ve never seen it, it was always a favorite among my theatre-nerd pals and it does contain one of my very favorite songs, “Children Will Listen”. Now Disney is making it into a full-length feature film and from the looks of the trailer below, it will be epic-ly beautiful. I can’t wait for Christmas to see the whole movie!

Some notes about Into the Woods:

  • “Into the Woods” premiered on Broadway on Nov. 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre. The production, which ran for 764 performances, won Tony® Awards for best score, best book and best actress in a musical. Among other awards, the musical received five Drama Desk awards, including best musical. “Into the Woods” has been produced around the world, including a 1988 U.S. tour, a 1990 West End production, Broadway and London revivals, in addition to a television production, DVD recording and a 10-year-anniversary concert.
  • The big-screen adaptation welcomes songs from the stage musical, including “Children Will Listen,” “Giants in the Sky,” “On the Steps of the Palace,” “No One Is Alone” and “Agony,” among others.
  • The award-winning production team includes Dion Beebe (“Collateral,” “Chicago,” “Nine”), Oscar® winner for the Marshall-helmed “Memoirs of a Geisha,” as director of photography. Dennis Gassner (“Skyfall,” “Quantum of Solace”), who won his own Oscar for “Bugsy,” serves as production designer, and three-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Chicago,” “Alice In Wonderland”) is costume designer.

Official trailer for Into the Woods:

 

For those unfamiliar, here is the official info about the story:

“Into the Woods” is a modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)—all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife (James Corden & Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep) who has put a curse on them.

Rob Marshall, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Academy Award®-winning musical “Chicago” and Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” directs the film, which is based on the Tony®-winning original musical by James Lapine, who also penned the screenplay, and legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who provides the music and lyrics. Produced by Marshall, John DeLuca, “Wicked” producer Marc Platt and Callum McDougall, “Into the Woods” will be released in theaters Dec. 25, 2014.

Into The Woods
Here are more images from the filming (click to enlarge to a slideshow):

 

Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
Into The Woods
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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney, Top Stories Tagged With: Disney movies, Into the Woods, Into the Woods film, Into the Woods images, Into the Woods movie, Into the Woods trailer

Disney’s Maleficent Offers a Twist on Sleeping Beauty

30 May 2014 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Maleficent Like many others, I was completely on board and excited for Disney’s live-action Maleficent, a new look at the “real story” of the dark fairy who we first meet in the classic Sleeping Beauty tale. I had previously fallen in love with the Wicked book series by Gregory Maguire, and thought the way in which it totally turned our thoughts and ideas of “good” and “evil” upside-down and gave us a whole new anti-hero to love. I had high hopes that Maleficent would do something similar and we would find a new appreciation and understanding of this mistress of evil. Unfortunately this was not exactly the case.

As a way of warning, I will note that while I usually keep my movie reviews spoiler-free or with a huge warning ahead of the spoiler parts, I am going to forego that this time, in favor of informing everyone exactly what to expect. If you’d prefer a spoiler-free review, I will not be offended if you leave now and find your information elsewhere. That said, there be spoilers ahead!

To summarize Maleficent, it is the tale of two lands, one is ruled by kings and men and we can understand it instantly as a generic European kingdom. The other is the Moor, a marshy forest full of magical and fantastical creatures of varying size and ability. Maleficent has sort of made herself the protector of the Moor and all who dwell within, who only want peace and to be undisturbed by humans. But a small boy appears, trying to steal a jewel. In pardoning him, Maleficent and the boy, Stephan, form a friendship that grows over the years until, on Maleficent’s 16th birthday, it blossoms into love in the form of a kiss. After that, Stephan disappears and is left to the kingdom of men and its corruption. What follows then is the familiar story with a few twists thrown in. She saves a raven, by transforming him into a man, who then becomes her servant as he owes her a life debt. It isn’t until after Maleficent’s spell is cast on the baby Aurora that the story begins to change and Maleficent’s hardened and betrayed heart soon grows again as she watches over Aurora. I’ll leave it at that, saying that it may not end the way you are expecting and it will certainly challenge your views of good and evil. And now on to my thoughts on Maleficent…

First, the Pros:

Angelina Jolie. She is a perfect, perfect choice for this role, as if she were born to play it, and I’d be happy if she walked around the rest of her life in her Maleficent attire saying “Well, well” whenever it seems to fit. I think, given the story she had to work with, she brought Maleficent to life in a charming, beguiling way and she truly makes the movie worth seeing, if nothing else.

The Special Effects. They are top notch, and definitely fun to watch…they don’t necessarily always make sense or get explained and sometimes seem to be used just for the sake of “look at this cool creature we can make!” but they should be appreciated nonetheless.

Maleficent’s Redemption. I’m all about redemption and second chances and understanding the misunderstood. I love that Maleficent is redeemed and isn’t labeled a villain and evil by movie’s end. I think the audience will be able to identify with most of her story and feel for her.

The Cons:

Character Development. This saddens me the most about this film, and is what dashed my hopes more than anything else. There was such an amazing chance to retell this story well, giving each character a solid backstory and enough development to be understood and appreciated. That simply didn’t happen. We get brief glimpses of a young Maleficent as well as a young Stephan, but there are still so many questions left unanswered. What happened to Maleficent’s parents? What happened to Stephan’s? Why is Maleficent the only fairy of her kind? What are the other kinds of creatures in the Moor all about? Why is Stephan so easily swayed to betray Maleficent and forget about their childhood experiences?

In addition, I think the use of Diavel as the raven we all know from Sleeping Beauty as Diablo, was almost a crutch to allow Maleficent to do anything she needed to do. If she had infinite magic, she could’ve done anything, but instead she used Diavle almost to the point of him wanting to leave. That said, I almost feel as though his character is the most solid. He has the conscience and keeps Maleficent in check when her anger or irresponsibility goes too far, before she sees the error of her ways.

The Special Effects. I know, I just put them in the “pros” section. But really, there are so many cool effects and creatures created for this film that we just can’t appreciate because we know nothing about them. I was reminded of Oz the Great and Powerful and the random creatures that first appear when Oz lands. I was definitely left with a “what was the point of that?” with many of the effects, both Maleficent’s powers and the creatures we see. I’m not saying taking the time to explain each creature and give it a backstory would’ve been the answer, but perhaps most of them just weren’t even necessary…focus on the characters and let the power of the story carry the film.

The Story. I could lump this together with character development but I think it needs its own section. I loved Maleficent’s story. I even loved Aurora’s story, though she doesn’t have much to do with it herself. But everything else happening around it, just left me disappointed. The three fairies who “care” for Aurora are so unlikable and annoying, I began to cringe every time they came on screen. The same with King Stephan. We don’t know enough about him to warrant his decent into a mad king who will stop at nothing to “protect” his daughter, though when confronted with her toward the end, shows absolutely no fatherly love whatsoever. Everyone but Maleficent was very frustrating to watch, and even then, there are many unanswered questions with her as well.

Maleficent dragon

 

PARENTS GUIDE: In my opinion, this is NOT a young-family-friendly Disney film. It is not bloody or full of gore, but as a mom of a pretty tough 5 year-old, I know I’d be dealing with nightmares from the tree and root creatures alone, not to mention some pretty tough scenes to watch like Maleficent waking up to discover her wings gone and the various fight scenes. It is definitely not a film for younger fans of Sleeping Beauty. I would place it on par with Lord of the Rings-type of action minus the gore. I’d compare it to Harry Potter, but the focus is not on children and their experiences, so I can’t say it would be received the same way to kids as the first few Potter films. Obviously each parent knows their kids the best and can decide with their children what they can handle, but I think some research should be done before blindly going in because it is based on a Disney princess movie.

 

 

 

 

So overall, I was sadly disappointed with Maleficent. I wish it could’ve been done better and been a film which would stand the test of time and offer a new sort of fairy tale and inspire kids and adults alike to look at things from a different point of view. As it stands, I can’t in good conscience recommend the film. Even if I’d read this review myself before seeing the film, I would’ve still seen it because I am a fan of Angelina Jolie and I would’ve wanted to see the story myself, but keep your expectations low if you choose to go to Maleficent this summer.

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Reviews, Top Stories Tagged With: Angelina Jolie, Disney Maleficent, Disney movie reviews, Disney movies, Disney's Maleficent, Maleficent, Maleficent review, Walt Disney Pictures

NEW Disney “Oz: The Great and Powerful” Merchandise

10 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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The new Disney movie Oz: The Great and Powerful had its big premiere yesterday. I had the chance to see the movie during a Disney Parks Blog event and the movie is a real feast for the eyes! The visual effects and costumes are amazing while the story gives you both laughs and tender moments. With a new movie, we luckily always get some new merchandise! Oz merchandise started to pop up at the Disney Parks in the recent weeks and offer something for both older and younger fans!

Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise

I found these things at Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom, Mouse Gear in Epcot and World of Disney and Tren-D at Downtown Disney.

Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
“Things Are Not Always As They Seem” Adult T-shirt
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Oz Good vs. Evil Adult T-shirt, Front
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Oz Good vs. Evil Adult T-shirt, Back
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
“Welcome to Oz” Adult T-shirt
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
“Wicked Witch of the West” Adult T-shirt
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
“Fragile but Feisty” KIds T-shirt
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Glinda Doll
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Oz Doll
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Evanora Doll
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
China Girl Doll
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Doll
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Hat
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
OPI Oz Mini Nail Lacquers Set includes four astonishing colors. I Theodora You, Don’t Burst My Bubble, Glints Of Glinda and What Wizardry Is This?
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
Oz: The Great and Powerful Movie Storybook
Disney Oz The great and powerful merchandise
“The Art of Oz: The Great And Powerful

This week I also made a trip to the Disney Store and found even more Oz merchandise. The best thing is that most of the merchandise you find there is unique to the Disney Store. The adult Limited Edition Costumes of Glinda and The Wicked Witch of The West were really impressing as you usually can’t find adult costumes in the Disney Store.

disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Costume Description LE 300
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Costume for Adults LE 300 $399.50
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Glinda Costume Description LE 300
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Glinda Costume for Adults LE 300 $349.50
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
“Things are Not Always As They Seem” Adult T-shirt
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Adult T-shirt
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Glinda Adult T-shirt
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
China Girl Adult T-shirt
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Oz Tote Bag
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Wicked Witch of the West Mug
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Witches of Oz Mug Back
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Witches of Oz Mug Front
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Oz Water Bottle
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Oz Notecard Set
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Inside of the Oz Notecard set. Comes with envelopes.
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Mastering Magic Journal
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
China Girl Doll Small
disney store oz great and powerful merchandise
Finley Plush

So for you guys who have seen the movie, what did you think? Anybody thinking about dressing up as Glinda or the Wicked Witch of the West for next Halloween?

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Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Top Stories Tagged With: china girl, Disney, Disney Merchandise, Disney movies, evanora, finley, glinda, Merchandise, movie, Oz, Oz the Great and Powerful, shopping, Theodora, wicked witch of the west

Top 5 Oz-tacular Moments in Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful

8 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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I was recently treated to two screenings of the highly anticipated Oz the Great and Powerful (one through the Disney Parks Blog’s Oz Meet-Up and a media screening). When deciding how I would put my thoughts about the movie into words, some things kept popping out at me. Eye Candy.

Oz the Great and Powerful
Rainbow Sparkle Clouds!

Here are the 5 pieces of eye-candy I enjoyed while watching Oz the Great and Powerful: {there will be spoilers in the review below, proceed at your own risk!}

  1. Rainbows
  2. Sparkly Rainbow Cloud Fog
  3. Rainbow Horses
  4. Giant Shimmery Bubbles
  5. Sparkly Giant Emeralds

Did I mention rainbows? I’m only sort of joking with the above list; after seeing Oz the Great and Powerful twice, I realized that what I enjoyed most about the film was how pretty it was in parts. The way the opening scenes are handled, in black and white and in a smaller screen, are of course a nod to the original Wizard of Oz, and a nice contrast to the vibrant colors of the land of Oz. That’s not to say there isn’t more to the movie than its pretty looks (although I couldn’t stop staring at Theodora and Glinda’s eye make-up and wondering if they used Urban Decay…) but overall I think the visuals are what carry the film.

We know the story of the Wizard of Oz; now with Oz the Great and Powerful we are sort of deconstructing exactly what made The Wizard who he is, and how the Wicked Witch came to be. While the first quarter of the movie is necessary to establish just the kind of selfish, greedy, self-serving cad Oscar Diggs is, it does drag a bit. Even when he first arrives in Oz and is exposed to the wondrous sites and sounds of such an unusual universe, the whole scene really serves no purpose other than to show off some cool effects.

When we pass the reeds in the river and they bend to make a sound, I instantly thought of the sound of the carnival organ that had flown past Oscar in the balloon, which would go along with the whole “it’s just a dream…” theme that the Wizard of Oz used. Combined with Finley the monkey being Oscar’s assistant from the carnival, the China Doll being the girl in the wheelchair, and of course Glinda, it would make sense that this fantastical world was all in Oscar’s head as he was knocked out from the effects of the twister. But it is never established or confirmed that Oz is just a dream. Perhaps because of the possibility of future sequels…either way, it was odd to have those elements and then not to explain them or develop them further. The river fairies were another example of this. Cute, somewhat funny, but they really have no point in the film as we see them for 30 seconds. It just felt a little forced, as if we were supposed to view Oz as a Wonderland sort of place, but nothing was ever really delved into more than a very cursory visual. Another thing that was never really established or explained in the film was where these witches came from and why Evanora is evil, as well as what makes Theodora evil, even before she changes, though she doesn’t realize it. Perhaps these are questions which will be answered in future films…

Oz the Great and Powerful
I loved this homage to the Wizard of Oz with the iconic first viewing of the Emerald City.

Once Oz gets his quest, and repairs China Doll (why doesn’t she get a name?!) and Finley joins them as they find Glinda, then the story really gets moving and I enjoyed the film a lot more. Up until that point, Oscar Diggs is not a very likeable guy, which is the point. Once he finds his passion, he leaves his selfish ways behind and finally does the right thing.

Of course it’s too late by then and he has incurred the wrath of the true Wicked Witch and her sister. The final battle scenes against the wicked sisters are really fun and well-played. Plus we get to see more rainbow cloud fog! It was a relief to see Oscar become The Wizard and do right by the citizens of Oz, though we have to wonder, did he really learn his lesson with women? He seems to have been humbled elsewhere and learned important lessons about friendship and family, and true magic, and that was lovely.

The 3-D effects within the film were really wonderful. Usually I leave a 3-D film not even realizing what I just watched was in 3-D, because it’s just sort of there. But in Oz, you definitely experience the 3-D and it makes it all the more exciting and adventurous when those scenes happen.

Oz the Great and Powerful
Some of the beautiful visuals in the land of Oz

Another star of the movie was the soundtrack. When the film opens, the very detailed, animated title sequence has a beautiful song behind it, which is then interwoven throughout the film. Danny Elfman really does a great job of giving Oz the Great and Powerful
a unique soundtrack, while instilling his signature sound too. I would definitely purchase the soundtrack to listen to. {For those visiting Epcot any time during the Flower and Garden Festival, you can hear the soundtrack playing in the Oz garden on the walkway from World Showcase to the East side of Future World. It’s worth a listen!}

Overall, I enjoyed the movie, despite its slow or underdeveloped parts. We were definitely left with an open enough ending to allow for a sequel or two, so I do hope it is successful enough to warrant that, so we can see the growth of all the characters. Oz the Great and Powerful opens today in theatres everywhere. I’d love to hear what you think when you see the film!

Disclosure: I attended a media screening of Oz the Great and Powerful. My opinions are my own.

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Top Stories Tagged With: Danny Elfman, Disney movies, Disney Oz, giant bubbles, james franco, Joey King, land of oz, Michelle Williams, mila kunis, Movie Reviews, movies, oscar diggs, Oz, Oz movie, Oz movie review, Oz review, Oz the Great and Powerful, Oz the Great and Powerful soundtrack, rachel leigh, rainbow cloud, The Wizard, wizard of oz, Zach Braff

5 Parenting Lessons From Disney Pixar’s Brave

19 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

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This companion piece to my initial spoiler-free Brave review will contain some references to plot points or ideas within the film which may spoil it for those wishing to be surprised. If you’d like to be prepared for bringing your children to the movie, or are looking for some discussion topics either before or after seeing Brave, I wanted to put this list together. If you do not want any elements of Brave spoiled, do not continue reading below, and head over to my review, which contains no spoilers. Thanks!

 

 

 

1. It is rated PG.

When I think of PG-rated Disney animated films, I instantly think of The Black Cauldron. I’m not sure Brave is quite at that level, but I did jump out of my seat one time and the bear scenes are pretty suspenseful and loud. Certainly the under-7 set may be shaken. In addition, there is a scene where the clans are being rousted by Merida’s dad, Fergus, as he tells tales of finding and killing Mor’du, the bear that took his leg so many years ago. In the midst of his story-telling, he and others throw their weapons at an already stuffed bear standing within the castle hall. It’s was pretty disturbing to me to see a once-living bear getting an axe stuck in its head as it stared blankly ahead. That said, I don’t feel the violence in any way exceeds other Disney animated features. The battle with Maleficent is pretty scary, as are most of the villain battles throughout the years.

There are also few ‘risque’ scenes – one where the clansmen must parade kilt-less back into the castle and you see quite a few derrieres, in the dark. The housemaid, Maudie, also has quite a bit of cleavage showing, which is a running gag as the triplet brothers are constantly hanging above her trying to steal cookies or retrieve keys, etc. Definitely not on the level of the Judge Frollo/Esmeralda scenes in Hunchback of Notre Dame, but a departure from the norm, I suppose.

2. The setting is REAL! Unlike most Disney animated films, either from Walt Disney Animation or Pixar, the world of the story is a surreal or non-existent place. Even when we know Ratatouille or Little Mermaid take place in France, in Brave, the setting itself is one of the stars of the film. The sweeping mountains, the sparkling lakes, the foreboding forests and ancient stone formations – really exist. With those facts, Brave is a wonderful stepping off point for exploring other lands, cultures and history. As with most ancient cultures, there are elements of mythology and a suspension of reality {in Brave’s case, in the form of the “Wisps” which guide Merida and the witch}, but the history is there to share with your children.

3. The Importance of family. As mentioned in my Brave review, we are treated to a strong family relationship here. Two solid, loving parents, and family members who put each other above all else. Sure, not every family is like that, and that’s okay, but it’s a refreshing change to see family love rather than plotting and evil. Merida may briefly forget these bonds and their importance, but therein lies one of the lessons of the film. When Merida’s mother is helpless and at her mercy, Merida also realizes she needs her mother and appreciates all she had done for her up to that point.

 

4. Children can be independent. So often parents are guilty of hovering, sheltering our children from every possible misstep or danger. As with The Little Mermaid or Jasmine in Aladdin, the parents in Brave start out demanding that their child act a certain way or live out a pre-determined future. With Merida’s spell, she is given no option but to act on her own, make her own choices and learn a great deal in the process. In the end, her parents support her making a wise decision rather than dismissing her because she is only a child. Merida doesn’t end up happily ever after with a prince charming. She ends up happy, with her own life. That was something I loved in the film. It would’ve been so easy for the creators to have Merida fall in love with one of her suitors at the last minute for a nicely tied-up ending. Instead, the story showcases Merida’s strength of character as well as that of her parents for letting her choose her own happiness.

5. Honor. The above points regarding family all lead to the important lesson of honor found throughout the film. Merida wanted to change her fate but ended up changing more than just hers. When her mother was turned into a bear, it became a way to bond as mother and daughter. Merida had grown up favoring her father’s archery and battle lessons vs. her mother’s etiquette and princess training. Seeing how important Merida’s skills were in her time of need was an eye-opener for Merida’s mother, Elinor, as it was for Merida to realize how much she needed her mom. It’s not just Merida who must honor her parents, but Elinor and Fergus who must honor their daughter and her future fate. The lesson is honor, among every family member.

To recap, Brave offers some wonderful parenting moments to share with your child and the storyline certainly helps to appreciate the bonds we have with our children. Though the violence and action are there, the rest of the movie more than overshadows any brief scare little ones may experience. The characters are strong, especially Merida and Elinor, and their strengths are not diminished for a typical happy ending.

Brave opens everywhere June 22 and I cannot wait until I can see it again, I know it will become a classic in our family.

Disclaimer: I was provided free passes to see a screening of Brave with my family but as with all reviews, my opinions were my own and not affected.

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: 5 things, 5 things parents should know about Brave, Brave, Brave review, disney animated features, disney animated films, Disney movies, Disney Pixar's Brave, Merida, parenting, parenting lessons, parents review of Brave, Pixar, Pixar animation, spoiler, Top 5, Walt Disney Animation

FIRST IMAGE: Production Begins With Angelina Jolie as “Maleficent”

19 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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We brought you the news back in April as Walt Disney Pictures officially announced it’s plans for Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie. Now the Walt Disney Studios have released the first image from production along with a press release revealing more details:

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent
What do you think? Photo ©Disney (click to enlarge)

 

 

Burbank, CA  (June 19, 2012) – The Walt Disney Studios announced today that production began Wednesday, June 13th, on “Maleficent,” starring Academy Award®–winning actress Angelina Jolie.

Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (“Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland”), in his directorial debut, and produced by Joe Roth, “Maleficent” is written by Linda Woolverton (“The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”) and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smith and Palak Patel.

Co-starring in the film are Sharlto Copley (“District 9”), Elle Fanning (“Super 8”), Sam Riley (“On the Road”), Imelda Staunton (“Vera Drake”), Miranda Richardson (“The Hours”), Juno Temple (“Atonement”) and Lesley Manville (“Secrets & Lies”).

This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora.

Behind-the-scenes talent includes Academy Award®–winning cinematographer Dean Semler (“Dances with Wolves,” “In the Land of Blood and Honey”), production designer Gary Freeman (“Saving Private Ryan,” “The Bourne Supremacy”), two-time Oscar® nominated costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (“Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist”) and seven-time Academy Award–winning makeup artist Rick Baker (“Planet of the Apes,” “Men in Black”).

“Maleficent” is scheduled for a March 14, 2014 release in 3D.

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: 2014 movies, Angelina Jolie, Coming attractions, dean semler, Disney movies, Don Hahn, gary freeman, imelda staunton, lesley manville, linda woolverton, Maleficent release date, Malficent, official Disney, vera drake, Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Studios

Maleficent Starring Angelina Jolie To Hit Theatres on March 14, 2014

9 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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20120409-182521.jpg

The Walt Disney Studios has announced a U.S. release date of March 14, 2014, for Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie in the title role as pDisney’s ultimate villain. The live-action film explores the origins of the evil fairy Maleficent and what led her to curse Princess Aurora in Disney’s animated classic Sleeping Beauty. Leading a team of visionary filmmakers known for creating and transporting audiences to new and exciting worlds, Academy Award®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful) will direct with a script by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Alice in Wonderland). Maleficent is produced by Joe Roth (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful).

{These are not official images, just ones I found on the interwebs. Stay tuned for official images from Disney}

Angelina Jolie Maleficent

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Filed Under: Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: 2014 movies, Angelina Jolie, Coming attractions, Disney movies, Maleficent release date, Malficent, official Disney, Walt Disney Studios

Disney Pixar BRAVE Trailer “The Prize” With Gorgeous New Poster

27 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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During the Pixar presentation at D23’s Expo in Anaheim last August, lucky attendees were shown this clip of Brave – opening in theatres June 22. We were unable to share it until now – and finally, the world can see it! Once again, it is simply stunning, and I do not have enough words to describe how excited I am for this film!

 

 

And here’s a bonus clip – the commercial that aired during Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremonies – the music was so lovely, I had to share it here: [the Gaelic song is Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird A’ Chuain by Julie Fowlis.]

 

 

Lastly, a brand new, even more vibrant poster for Brave: (click to see full-size)

 

Brave poster
Breathtaking!

 

See you at the movies on June 22!

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: "The Prize", Brave, Brave Oscars commercial, Brave poster, Brave preview, Brave trailer, Disney movies, Disney•Pixar, Disney|Pixar, DisneyPixar's Brave, Gaelic song, Julie Fowlis, movie trailers, official trailer, Pixar animation, Tha Mo Ghaol Air Àird A' Chuan

Finding Nemo 3D Trailer-Just Keep Swimming This Fall!

23 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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DUDE!  Finding Nemo 3D

The DisneyPixar instant classic that taught us to leave our comfort zone, explore our world, and just keep swimming is coming back to theatres in crystal-clear 3D. The beautiful undersea universe created by Pixar’s computer animation is perfect for the transformation to 3D.  This Fall, we’ll laugh, cry and remember that fish are friends, not food, once again. Enjoy the trailer below, or, in Whale, ennnnnjooooooooy theeeeeee traaaaaaaaaaaillllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr!!! 😉

 

“Like” FINDING NEMO 3D on Facebook

 

FINDING NEMO returns to theatres for the first time in 3D September 14th, 2012!
Finding Nemo 3D

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movies & Books Tagged With: 3D movies, Albert Brooks, Coming attractions, Disney, Disney movies, Disney•Pixar, Disney|Pixar, Ellen DeGeneres, Fall 2012, Finding Nemo, Finding Nemo 3D, Finding Nemo 3D trailer, movie trailers, Pixar, previews, re-release, trailers

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