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Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2008 > July > 31 > Entry
Disney goes down south, Pixar goes up
New trailers for Disney and Pixar’s coming attractions have arrived on the ‘net, and both look very promising.
The one I was most excited to see was the one for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, now scheduled for Dec. 25, 2009. This is the studio’s first theatrical foray into hand-drawn animation since 2004, and that alone is enough to thrill me. The trailer is a delight, with the kind of sweet-natured, zany vibe that’s the trademark of directors John Musker and Ron Clements, who sparked the Disney renaissance with The Little Mermaid. Now they get another chance to bring Disney animation back to life. Take a look:
This project should be caused for celebration, but wouldn’t you know it, some people have already found something to gripe about. Folks are complaining that the firely character at the end is a black caricature, a la Song of the South. Spare me. A commenter on EW’s Popwatch blog put it very well: “Sigh. Score one more for the whiney, thin-skinned, on-the-hunt-for-something-to-be-offended-about masses.”
As much as I love and adore Pixar, their movies have a completely different feel from Disney’s. For me, it’s not a question of one vs. the other; I want both, and I believe there’s room for both. (There once was, if anyone can remember 1995 to 2003.) This is the only 2D film on the slate for now, but I’m hoping its successful enough for Disney to make more.
Now, just to balance the scales, here’s what Pixar is Up to.
I know, it doesn’t tell you much, but it’s the very definition of a teaser. It’s meant to make you say “What the heck was THAT? More please!” Works for me.
Here’s a plot description: Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life.
It’s directed by Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.) and is due out May 29, 2009.
If you’re curious about what else Disney/Pixar has in the pipeline, here’s my old post on that subject. What do you think of these?
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Comments
By SRCputt
August 1, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
I don’t know what to think of Up, but Pixar hasn’t failed me yet, so I’ll take it on faith. But The Princess and the Frog requires no faith, because that trailer is a delight. That firefly character clearly has a cajun accent, entirely appropriate for a film set in Louisiana.