Newt...Cancelled?

Newt, which was scheduled as Pixar's 2012 release, might very well be scrapped. This is, of course, just a rumor. I certainly hope it isn't true. Newt sounded like it had the potential to be so wonderfully different, as Pixar films usually are.

The rumor arises from the fact that Pixar's recent announcement regarding new releases as well as name and date changes to future projects failed to include Newt.

Here's hoping that Newt makes the final cut. I honestly think it's the one future Pixar film that most people are so excited about.

Newt - It's What I'm Excited For!

While I'm very excited for the upcoming Pixar film, Toy Story 3, I can't help but train my thoughts on another upcoming Pixar project called Newt.


Not much is known yet about Newt, but the story is basically as follows: Two endangered newts, whose species is on the very brink of extinction (they being the only two left), find themselves stuck in a college biology lab together in hopes that they will mate and preserve their species. The two, however, are polar opposites. The male, Newt, was presumably raised in captivity and has been pampered, while the female, Brooke, is more wild and street-smart.

Though I personally can't think of any other specific instance of this kind of story being told before, something about it seems to ring a bell. It's not a totally new concept, after all - two complete opposites meet, and after a series of events fall for eachother.

Still, we have to remember that this is Pixar. It's never that cut and dry with them. I'm expecting a lot of humor coupled with many small, tender moments. Suckers for love stories might just find themselves reaching for the tissues on this one, I predict. But, then again, who knows? Thanks to Pixar's nifty habit of keeping a plot under wraps until a movie's release, none of us will actually know the whole story until the movie premieres in 2012.

Here's hoping 2012 is another great year for Pixar Animation Studios, the best darn animators and storytellers out there!

Toy Story - The Trilogy's End

As we're all aware, the beloved Toy Story trilogy will be coming to an end this summer. I think it'd be nice to take a look back at the two previous films, the first of which sparked my intense affection for Pixar Animation Studios and, I think, helped rekindle a little bit of the kid in us all.

Toy Story tells the story of a cowboy doll named Woody. He holds the privileged position of Andy's (his owner) favorite toy, which pretty much puts him on top of the world, and he couldn't be happier. His careless lifestyle is rocked severely, however, when a delusional Space Ranger action figure named Buzz Lightyear shows up and steals his spotlight. After some tense moments and a wild adventure which takes the two into the bowels of what could be considered toy-hell (ruled by a toy-torturing boy), Woody sees that Buzz isn't such a bad guy after all. Realizing they're more similar than they first thought, the two reconcile, make their way back to Andy, and resume their lives - only, now as best friends.

Toy Story 2 opens with a damaged Woody's toy-napping by a greedy collector named Al. While Andy's toys - led by Buzz - rush to save their friend, Woody realizes he's not just a run-of-the-mill cowboy doll. He's a collector's item, and his presence will allow him and the other toys in the set to be displayed in a Japanese toy museum. Thinking that Andy is going to grow out of him soon anyway, Woody agrees to leave it all behind and "last forever." When Buzz and the others arrive, however, Woody comes to his senses and realizes you have to cherish every moment life gives you. He decides to go back to Andy, and after a struggle with a slightly psychotic member of his "roundup gang", he finally returns to the life he loves.

If Toy Story and Toy Story 2 teach an audience anything, it's that friends and family are the best things that life can offer us. Will there be speedbumps and even a few roadblocks? Sure - but, at the end of day, you just have to take stock of what really matters and enjoy what you've got for as long as you've got it. It's these morals, coupled with non-stop, laugh-out-loud humor and memorable characters that make me love the Toy Story films more than any other Pixar film. There's just a special something that unfolds on screen when the toys who revamped Disney animation strut their stuff.

Toy Story 3 will undoubtedly continue this trend. If previews and trailers are any indication, this installment looks to be just as funny and tear-jerking as its predecessors. Andy's all grown up. He's heading off to college, meaning Woody's, Buzz's, and everyone else's worst fears are now coming to fruition. What Toy Story 2 hinted at is the major plot point in this final installment. Folks, get ready to shed some tears. I'm predicting this one's going to make all us sensitive fans reach for our tissues.

But, who said crying is a bad thing? It goes to show how real Pixar has made these characters to us all. Woody, Buzz, Slinky, Rex, Potatoe Head, Jessie, and all the rest - they aren't just toys or characters on a screen. It's like they've become real people with real problems, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish.

Not a day goes by that this blogger doesn't whisper a little thanks to Pixar for making such magical films that tickle our imaginations while saying, "It's all right to never really grow up."

Pixar on Blu-Ray

It's no secret by now that Blu-ray is the new DVD. Many probably wonder if it is truly worth the upgrade, though. Simply put - yes, it is. Pixar films in particular look spectacular, of course.

I wasn't so sure abut Blu-ray, myself. I doubted that the format would prove to be much better than the already great DVD. So, one day I decided to compare two Pixar films, one on DVD, and another one on Blu-ray.

I began watching Finding Nemo on DVD, and noticed the picture was a little grainy on an HDTV. So, I popped in my Blu-ray copy of Cars, and boy, was I surprised. What graininess that was present in Nemo was completely gone in Cars. To make it the whole experiment a little more consistent, I then compared the DVD and Blu-ray versions of Cars, and once again there was a massive improvement.

Now that every Pixar film with the exception of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles is on Blu-ray, I don't see how I could ever go back to watching them on DVD. Add in the fact that Pixar is amazing and includes DVD copies of their films with every Blu-ray set, then there is truly no reason to upgrade if you have the right equipment.

All this said, an upgrade is only necessary if one has an HDTV. DVD's just can't scale up to the standards of new technology. So, if you've been thinking about upgrading your Pixar DVD's do it! Again, since a DVD copy of almost every movie is included with every Blu-ray set (allowing you to watch it anywhere in your house, not just on the TV with a Blu-ray player), there's no reason not to.

Check 'em out on Facebook

Greetings, again, Pixar fans. For those of you who are unaware, Pixar also has a Facebook page, which can be found here. Any fan who's also on Facebook would do well to become a fan. Heck, I'd even suggest to those who aren't on Facebook yet to join for the sole purpose of becoming a fan of the Pixar page.

Why the hype? Well, their page posts a lot of cool things, that's why. They post concept art from the films, exclusive videos, and are the first to report any new Disney/Pixar news. It's a great way to become closer to the best animation studio in the business.

Pixar's Top 5 Baddies

Pixar has a rich history of creating successful films. There's a special kind of magic that happens on screen when one of their masterpieces is playing. One of the greatest things about these films is, of course, the characters they bring to life on screen. Few are more memorable or lovable than Woody and Buzz, Marlin and Dory, or Flik and Dot.

But, these characters would have little going for them if not for the villains that push them to do great things. Pixar villains are a special brand and are as diverse as they come. From a psychopathic adolescent, all the way to an evil Frenchman, Pixar bad guys steal the show. Let's take a look at the top 5, shall we?


5. Darla (Finding Nemo) - You're probably thinking, "How can an innocent little girl possibly be a villain?" Well, as the fish in the dentist's office will tell you, she is indeed a fish-killer. Sounds pretty villainous to me. We can only hope that Gill's brave leap from the tank to her head finally set her straight.

4. Sid (Toy Story ) - Sid is the complete opposite of Woody, Buzz, and gang's Andy. While Andy is imaginative, loving, and gentle with his toys, Sid is all about torture. Dark, I know. He created numerous toy monstrosities by mixing and matching parts and blew up who knows how many Combat Carls before Woody put him in his place. His fate is unclear, but he'll probably never be able to be in the same room as a toy again.

3. Hopper (A Bug's Life) - He's definitely a grasshopper you don't want to mess with. For untold years, he and his gang of thieves bullied an ant colony into giving them most of their food. He suppressed the colony through fear, for he knew at any given moment they could rise up and use their sheer numbers to ruin his easy way of life. The actions of one brave ant, however, finally enlightened the colony and urged them to fight back. They did, and Hopper became, well, bird food.

2. Mr. Waternoose (Monsters, Inc.) - We're treading into much darker territory, now. If you thought torturing toys or robbing ants of their food was bad, then what about kidnapping children? That's right. Mr. Waternoose sought to kidnap innocent kids and extract their screams through a painful, unnatural process for the sole purpose of preserving his failing company. Luckily, his evil plot was thwarted by our monster heroes and a little girl dubbed "Boo" and now finds himself in monster prison.

1. Syndrome (The Incredibles) - Why wouldn't a supervillain take the top spot? He's evil by default, after all, right? Well, not exactly. Syndrome deserves the number one spot not because he's a supervillain, but because his ascension to evil and as his actions once at the top of his game are truly tragic and sinister.

"It tore me apart. But, I learned an important lesson. You can't count on anyone, especially your heroes." That line signifies Buddy Pine's twisted transformation from an energetic, happy-go-lucky child to a cold-blooded superhero murderer. He killed countless people, all with the goals of getting revenge and completely eradicating superheroes once and for all.