A Disney Artist Mashed Up Calvin and Hobbes With The Force Awakens

A Disney Artist Mashed Up Calvin and Hobbes With The Force Awakens 

The Force Awakens fan art is everywhere. But none can top Brian Kesinger’s mashup of the film’s characters with the wonderful stylings of Bill Watterson.None of it.

Over the past few days Kesinger, a storyboard artist for Disney, has been posting snaps of his artwork to Instagram. The pairings are perfect: Rey and BB-8, Poe and Finn, Kylo Ren and his favorite, Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Kesinger has posted one final piece to Instagram—but it’s got spoilers for The Force Awakens. If you’ve seen the movie (or don’t mind knowing what happens) we highly recommend heading over to his page to see it.

Kesinger said he won’t be selling prints of the art, because he doesn’t own the characters—but you can check out some of his other work on Etsy (two words: Steampunk Octopus).

SOURCE

We just got a big hint about how cool Disneyland’s ‘Star Wars’ rides will be

Jon Snoddy, Disney EVP of Imagineering — the House of Mouse’s artist-scientist genius division — dropped some big hints about just how cool the rides at Disneyland’s forthcoming “Star Wars” area will be on stage at a CES 2016 panel.

Thanks to the involvement of Industrial Lights and Magic, the legendary special-effects firm that Disney acquired in its big 2013 purchase of “Star Wars” studio Lucasfilm, Snoddy says that one of the rides will be “unprecedented, in a way.”

While Snoddy didn’t share any details on exactly which ride this was in reference to, the description lines up with the previous announcement of an attraction that takes riders through a battle between the evil First Order and the heroic Resistance — inspired by the record-smashing movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

In fairness, it could also refer to the Disney Parks’ forthcoming “Avatar Land” areas, based on the 2009 smash hit, and which we already knew would have a boat ride — but from the context of the conversation, it certainly sounded like a “Star Wars” attraction. We’ll have to wait for more official details on Disney’s “Star Wars” plans for the parks to know for sure.

Snoddy hinted that one of the rides that Disney Imagineering is working on with ILM is a “boat ride,” with boats moving alongside a track, kind of like Disney park crowd-pleaser “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Where ILM comes in, Snoddy says, is in helping Disney mix super-high-resolution projections with real-life physical sets and characters to create an immersive mix.

hyperspace mountainDisney/LucasfilmConcept art for Hyperspace Mountain, Disney’s “Star Wars” takeover of Space Mountain.

Thanks to Disney Imagineering’s robotics and ride know-how, they’ll know where the boats will be at any moment, down to the millimeter, meaning that they can predict with almost guaranteed accuracy where a rider’s attention will be.

Indeed, Snoddy says that having ILM’s expertise on tap has made a huge difference in the already-complicated business of building a new Disney park attraction, let alone one that’s this immersive.

“When you build a theme-park attraction, you’re building a building, you’re building a massive device,” Snoddy says.

In order to make way for its new “Star Wars”-themed land, Disneyland will close several attractions later in January, including Big Thunder Ranch, the Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo, and Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. Eatery Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue will also close.

SOURCE

Disney’s Runaway Success

Marathons are big business. The New York City marathon alone has revenue of $73 million and generated economic impact of $415 million in 2014, including $22 million in sales and occupancy tax, according to a study by research firm AECOM. So it’s no surprise that a global tourism powerhouse like Disney is in on the action.

What is surprising is that Disney is using endurance races to drive guests to its resorts including Walt Disney World in Florida which is already the world’s most-visited theme park complex. It may sound like a strange strategy but it works.

Disney is renowned for innovating. The media company has won Oscars for its films which broke new ground in cinema whilst it created the theme park industry as we know it with the début of Disneyland in California in 1955. It even pioneered in less obvious sectors such as theatre by bringing its classic fairy-tales to Broadway and London’s West End. Disney’s marathons are equally innovative.

The company’s race organising division is known as runDisney and the magic touch to its marathons is that they wind through its world famous theme parks.

To avoid disruption to guests the races tend to take place before the parks open or after they have closed so runners have them all to themselves. Disney’s first foray in this field came in 1994 with the launch of the Walt Disney World Marathon. It is now presented by health services organisation Cigna and will take place for the 23rd time on Sunday. Since 1994, Disney has expanded to races through its resort in California and later this year the first will be held at Disneyland Paris.

Each race has a different course, different pre and post-race entertainment and usually a name based on blockbuster Disney franchises. For example, there’s the Princess Half Marathon weekend at Disney World and the Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland. The light-hearted names are a nod to another crucial difference which separate runDisney races from their rivals as there is no required qualifying time for them. It explains why Runner’s World magazine identified them as the perfect races for new runners. They vote with their feet.

“In 2014, approximately 209,000 runners signed up for our races with another approximately 251,000 spectators,” says Maribeth Bisienere, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises. “The Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, which happens every January is considered to be among the largest race weekends in the country. More than 50,000 runners participate, bringing with them some 50,000 plus spectators for a total attendance of more than 100,000 coming into the central Florida area.”

Bisienere explains that “these runDisney events appeal to families and groups of friends because we offer events for runners of all levels (kids races, 5Ks, 10Ks, post-race parties, etc) and we make the running experience fun by lining our race courses with Disney character encounters, legendary Disney entertainment and spectacular fireworks to start the race. Plus, unlike some races in other areas, runDisney races place an emphasis on having fun more so than intense competition.”

The average runner is aged between 25 and 54 years old and about 70% are women according to Disney Sports. Indeed, the Princess Half Marathon is considered to be the second largest women-focused race weekend in the United States with approximately 40,000 participants.

“All of our runDisney events are hugely popular and often sell out in a matter of days, sometimes even hours,” says Bisienere. It is no exaggeration. The inaugural Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon in 2014 and the Star Wars Half Marathon in 2015 each sold out in about two hours. They don’t just attract recreational runners.

In January 2010 former Ferrari Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello competed in the Disney World half marathon from the science-themed Epcot park to the fairytale-themed Magic Kingdom. “I did it for pleasure and fitness,” says Barrichello adding “it was my first one.” He finished in 1,671st place out of 17,143 runners showing that runDisney events aren’t Mickey Mouse races as they will even challenge professional athletes.

The marathon complemented Barrichello’s usual training regime and he explains that “I had never run such a long distance. I had to alter my training a little but at the end it was good fun and it was good for me.”

Former Ferrari test driver Luciano Burti ran with Barrichello and was ranked 1,383rd. They had an unexpected factor hampering progress as the weather in Orlando was far from what would usually be expected of the sunshine state. Instead, temperatures hovered around zero during the race as the runners were pelted with snow and rain.

“It was really cold and I started too far back so had to overtake a lot of people,” says Barrichello. It didn’t put him off and he ran again the following year finishing in an improved 1,208th place. By January last year his finishing position had accelerared to 1,076th and he will be back this weekend.

The unique appeal of running through Disney’s theme parks is part of the draw. As is visiting them after the race. Bisienere says that “runDisney events are all weekend-long events and runners often sign up for our races with the aim of also making it a family vacation, so runners will stay between two to three nights and as long as a week, particularly if they coming from international destinations.” Given that runners from 65 countries compete in the Disney World marathon it translates to a lot of long stays in the 27,000 on-site hotel rooms.

The big question is why Disney would want so many runners and their families to descend on their resort when it is already the world’s busiest theme park complex with an estimated 55.7 million visitors last year according to industry monitor AECOM.

The answer to this question is the real secret to the success of runDisney races as they are held at slower times of the year so they make an ideal way to top-up attendance.

“With thousands of guests flocking to Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts for each of our runDisney race weekends, hotel availability is a key component, so we look to schedule our runDisney race weekends during those times of the year when we have the greatest resort availability,” says Bisienere.

The more guests Disney has in its hotels, the higher attendance is likely to be in its parks. In turn that is likely to increase the sales of high-margin food and beverage which boosts Disney’s profits.

In contrast, the runDisney races themselves come with significant costs as it takes more than the wave of a magic wand to pull them off. On average between 2,000 and 7,000 workers alone are required for each race to go ahead.

“Staging a runDisney race weekend is a huge undertaking that requires close collaboration between multiple departments as well as local officials. The planning starts months in advance with a focus on delivering the unique running experience that runners have come to expect from a runDisney race weekend while also ensuring our non-running guests have a magical experience in our theme parks,” says Bisienere.

At around $195 per runner, Disney’s half marathon registration fees are comparable to other major half marathon weekends in the US and include complimentary transportation to and from a Disney hotel, a commemorative race shirt, a virtual gift bag, a personalised race bib, on-course refreshments, live runner tracking for friends and family and a one-of-a-kind finishers’ medal that has become one of the most popular in the sport.

The benefits don’t stop at Disney. For example, research has shown that the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend drives approximately $20 million to $30 million in additional economic activity locally attracting thousands of out-of-area runners to Southern California.

“Our goal is to continue to grow the sport around the world by bringing new runners into the sport through unique runDisney events that provide a broader variety of runners the opportunity to run in one of our events and live a healthier and more active lifestyle,” says Bisienere.

This year nine runDisney races are scheduled to take place including four which have been added in the last two years. Paris is one of them and it will be held over three days starting on 23 September. It will include kids’ races for children of all ages, a 5K course through Disneyland Paris and a scenic half-marathon course which also takes in the neighbouring Walt Disney Studios as well as the surrounding villages.

It will be the first runDisney race at a Disney park outside the US but there may be more to come. Although the marathons are labour intensive, there is no need to build new facilities to host them which makes them easy to export. This year Disney will open a new theme park complex in Shanghai and whilst it has yet to announce any sports events it’s not hard to imagine them coming there in future.

Another no-brainer would be for cities around the world to ask Disney Sports to take charge of their own marathons. Whether it would agree is a different question as its focus is only on races on Disney property. However, if the cities want to guarantee a happy ending from their races they could do a lot worse than ask.

SOURCE

Disney Unveils 2016 Limited Edition Shoes

The coveted Disney-inspired trainers were unveiled this week ahead of the Walt Disney World Marathon. The limited edition runDisney collection from New Balance includes the Dumbo Vazee Pace, Ariel Vazee Pace and the Red Carpet Mickey and Minnie 860v6s. All shoes will be available at the Walt Disney World Marathon Expo starting today. Each shoe features colors, designs and elements from their respective characters, such as Dumbo’s signature inside, the color of Ariel’s fin, and Mickey and Minnie’s classy look of black, red, yellow and white.

New Balance and Disney partnered to create a “virtual queue” to help eager runners reserve a spot in line to try on a pair of their magical sneaks. The shoes are available first to registered participants, who can enter the queue with their bib number, followed by the general public who will attend the expo.

Read more at http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2016/01/news/disney-releases-2016-running-shoes_52346#ATthDXJBjbW8XuWK.99

Emma Stone In Talks To Play One Of Disney’s Most Notorious Villains

You know what they say about Emma Stone: To see her is to take a sudden chill. If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will.

Well… OK, no one says that yet. But they will soon, if reports about Stone being cast in Disney’s upcoming “Cruella” are any indication.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress is in negotiations to star as Cruella de Vil in the upcoming live-action origin story of the “101 Dalmatians” villainess.

Cruella de Vil first appeared in Dodie Smith’s 1956 book “The Hundred and One Dalmatians,” before appearing in Disney’s 1961 animated classic. She was then brought to life by Glenn close in the 1996 live-action film “101 Dalmatians,” as well as the 2000 sequel “102 Dalmatians.”

Cruella’s about as evil as they come: a snarling woman sporting two-toned hair, drowning in an oversized fur coat and shrouded in a cloud of green smoke, who hatches a plan to steal dalmatian pups and skin them for their fur. Hopefully this origin story will hint at what in the world makes murdering dogs so appealing to her, because that definitely needs some convincing context.

Disney first announced plans for “Cruella” a couple years ago, but the success of 2014’s similarly villain-centric “Maleficent” — the tale of the “Sleeping Beauty” baddie, starring Angelina Jolie — has reportedly put it on the studio’s priority list. Kelly Marcel (“Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Saving Mr. Banks”) is penning the film’s script, and though there’s no director attached to it yet, Disney is reportedly hoping to begin shooting this year. Stone’s involvement should help that along.

The actress already has the Ryan Gosling-costarring musical comedy “La La Land” in the works, so at least we know her voice is all primed and ready to go if Disney decides to give her a theme song to work with.

In the meantime, here’s some mood music to match the excitement of this news:

Officials: Broken toothbrush, luggage mishap at Disney resort led to tourist’s arrest

A luggage mix-up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas led to a couple locking themselves in their room and refusing to come out without compensation for a broken Hello Kitty toothbrush, reports say.

Hotel staff called deputies early Monday morning after unsuccessfully trying for more than two hours to get 14 bags of luggage that had mistakenly been delivered to the couple’s room, according to an Orange County arrest report.

The couple – Setia Kurniawan, 49, of Australia, and his wife, Vonni Gustimego 44 – were staying in room 7845, according to the report. The bags were supposed to be delivered to room 7854.

When the hotel realized the mix-up, a manager went to the couple’s room and tried to get the bags.

The couple was upset, though, about a Hello Kitty toothbrush that broke while at the hotel, according to the report. It’s unclear how the toothbrush was broken. They demanded compensation, and when the hotel manager refused to immediately help, they escorted her out of the room and held the luggage hostage.

The manager told deputies the couple was “aggressive” and “confrontational when she contacted them about the mishap,” the report states.

When deputies arrived shortly after midnight, they announced themselves as law enforcement and knocked on the couple’s door for more than 10 minutes. Deputies said the couple refused to open it, though, despite being threatened with arrest if they didn’t give up the bags.

Deputies said Gustimego eventually opened the door “abruptly,” letting them inside to see the mixed-up luggage sitting in the foyer area.

As they walked in, she stuck her finger in one of their faces and started yelling, according to the report. The deputy said he pushed Gustimego’s hand down and then saw Kurniawan lunge toward him.

He got Kurniawan on the ground, as Gustimego grabbed the hotel manager and pulled her into the room by her jacket, the report states. Deputies said she then hit a hotel security officer’s ear.

The deputies eventually secured the couple and arrested Kurniawan on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, grand theft and resisting and officer without violence.

He was taken to the Orange County Jail and released a short while later on bail.

Deputies released Gustimego at the hotel to care for the couple’s children, according to the report.

It’s unclear if they were ever compensated for the toothbrush.

SOURCE

Fans rally to say goodbye to popular Disney, Universal rides in Orlando

wqewe324sadads4324.jpg

Universal’s “Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue” will run through Jan. 5 after fans asked for more time to say goodbye. (Universal Orlando)

Out with the old, in with the new.

In Orlando, theme park fans are taking one last spin on of some of their favorite rides before they shut down for good to make way to flashier attractions. According to the Orlando Sentinel, some of these rides are so beloved by fans that their closings have turned into “unofficial celebratory gatherings.”

At the closing of the Twister ride—based off of the 1996 film starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt– at Universal Studios Orlando in November, dozens of fans dressed up as characters from the tornado-themed attraction which featured winds and a flying cow.

 

“I think someone made the comment that, ‘I’m going to dress as Bill,’ and it spread from there,” Matt Roseboom, editor and owner of Orlando Attractions magazine told the Orlando Sentinel. “We promoted that: Come dress as Bill and Helen and get a group photo.”

And fans responded in full force, with men donning blue shirts and pants and women in white tanks. Workers who opened the original attraction in 1998 even came out to pose with fans.

Twister is set to be replaced by Ride Through New York with Jimmy Fallon attraction, slated to open in 2017.

“Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue,” a musical show featuring classic monsters was originally scheduled to close in December but after a high volume of demand for tickets,  Universal extended the show’s run until Tuesday. It will be replaced by the Fast & Furious: Supercharged ride, which will also open in 2017.

Orlando resident Patrick Jeffers, a longtime fan of Disaster said the ride closings are bittersweet but acknowledges that it is fun to have an excuse to get excited about something.

“You know how there’s always a grand opening for an attraction … but when it’s closing all those crazy fans come back,” Jeffers said. “It’s the cult fans. … so everyone is saying the punch lines. They’re just overacting, and it’s really fun.”

In Oct. 2014, Disney shuttered the long running Maelstrom dark ride at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. Fan Ivonne Ramos rode the water ride seven or eight times on the last day.

“For me it was very sad. I think a lot of people thought the way it was going to be replaced was very depressing, considering that Epcot was always about real-world cultures,” Ramos told the Sentinel. “And now they were kind of shoehorning in this ‘Frozen’ attraction, kind of unceremoniously replaced with something that no one felt belonged there.”

The Frozen Ever After ride, based on the animated blockbuster, is scheduled to open this spring in the space formerly occupied by Maelstrom.

Though fans may mourn the loss of classic theme park rides, Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services Inc, says replacing older attractions is nothing new

“Everything has its life and its cycle,” he said. “There are people who are in love with certain attractions. That’s their baby, if you will… But when a new attraction comes in a year later, everyone is enthralled and happy with it.”

But Roseboom says social media has boosted the profile of certain rides—and allowed fans, and millions of others, to connect to theme parks in new ways.

Said the magazine editor, “I think the Internet has helped change that, so people now are more interested in seeing attractions go away whether they were their favorites or not.”

SOURCE

Disney Vacation Club Celebrates 25 Years

Disney Vacation Club, a leader in vacation ownership, celebrates its 25thAnniversary this year. Since its debut in 1991, Disney Vacation club has offered a flexible, points-based vacation system rather than the traditional fixed-week timeshare model. Today, Disney Vacation Club has more than 200,000 member families, from all 50 states and approximately 100 countries, who have discovered the joys of membership.

Members are able to choose from a variety of exciting vacation destinations, including a stay at any of the 13 Disney Vacation Club resorts or at thousands of other resort destinations around the world. Vacations at a Disney Vacation Club resort can last anywhere from one night to several weeks. When purchasing directly from Disney, members can also use their membership points to take trips on Disney Cruise Line or guided vacations with Adventures by Disney.

In 2016, Disney Vacation Club will debut new special member events and offers at Disney theme parks and resorts as part of its anniversary, plus new exclusive membership enhancements that make vacation planning even easier. These new offerings complement an already exciting and extensive lineup of offerings for members called Membership Magic.

“Membership Magic gives families even more to love about Disney Vacation Club,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Vacation Club. “Now, for our 25th Anniversary, we’re introducing even more amazing membership extras, exclusive experiences and other enhancements that only members and their guests can access. It’s our special way of thanking our members for being such a valued part of the Disney Vacation Club family throughout these past two and a half decades.”

For the 25th Anniversary, Disney Vacation Club is creating a new, exclusive Member Lounge at Epcot, opening Spring 2016. Included with paid admission to Epcot, this space gives members and their guests a place to relax, access device charging stations, enjoy complimentary refreshments and other offerings, and mingle with other members.

To further celebrate this milestone anniversary, members will also be offered complimentary theme park and water park events throughout the year, discounts on multi-day theme park tickets at Walt Disney World Resort, quarterly giveaways, fun surprises throughout the year and new memorable experiences at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, at Aulani and onboard Disney Cruise Line. A new personalized Disney Vacation Club Membership Card will make it possible for members to enjoy all these new benefits, and recognition programs, such as special anniversary buttons, photos opportunities, unique merchandise and more, allowing members to display their pride.

Disney Cast Members will also show their appreciation to members throughout the year, starting with the launch of new services to help simplify the vacation planning process for members. This includes a reimagined website, accessible on any device, that provides members with personalized vacation advice, as well as the brand-new “Last-Minute Magic” webpage designed to help members explore last-minute vacation possibilities at select Disney Vacation Club Resorts.

Over the past 25 years, Disney Vacation Club has been a leader in the vacation ownership business. From opening its first property, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, to its 13th resort, Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, which debuted in 2015, Disney Vacation Club continues to explore new ways to grow and evolve. Plans for a proposed 14th resort are already underway at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort. Current plans call for the resort to feature deluxe accommodations, including cabins. More information and project details will be shared at a later date.

www.disneyvacationclub.com

SOURCE

Disney’s 2016 Slate: 13 Titles Include ‘Alice’ Sequel, ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff

Disney scooped up giant hunks of the world’s movie audience in 2015, concluding the year with the record-busting “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The studio’s Disney’s complete movie calendar for 2016, released with synopses and artwork Tuesday, is highlighted by “Star Wars” spinoff “Rogue One,” along with potential powerhouses from its Pixar and Marvel subsidiaries.

“Rogue One” is a stand-alone in the Star Wars universe, depicting events prior to “Star Wars: A New Hope.” The Christmas-season film tells the story of resistance fighters out to steal plans to the malevolent Death Star.

The 13-film Disney list includes blockbusters-in-waiting like “Rogue One” and Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” but also lesser known offerings, such as “The Finest Hours” and a remake of a much-loved piece from the studio’s library in “Jungle Book,” the Jon Favreau retelling of the Rudyard Kipling story, employing an amalgamation of live action with animated elements.

Disney finished 2015 with a company record with $5.85 billion in worldwide grosses. Little is left to chance for most of the 2016 followups in the Mouse House, with the majority of its films spun off from previous films or classic stories that will be released on the following dates:

Jan. 29: “The Finest Hours” — Chris Pine stars in the story of a daring Coast Guard rescue mission.

March 4: “Zootopia,” is the 55th feature from Disney Animation Studios and features a bunny who is a rookie cop on the Zootopia police force, teaming with a conniving fox to solve a mystery. The starring roles are voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin as officer Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as the fox, Nick Wilde.

April 15: “Jungle Book,” centered on man-cub Mowgli, returns to the screen April 15, with newcomer Neel Sethi in the title role and an array of name actors as the animated jungle characters, including the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), the free-spirited Bear Baloo (Bill Murray) and the mother wolf Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o.)

May 16: “Captain America: Civil War” — Chris Evans’ Captain America squares off against Robert Downey Jr.’s Ironman in the May 16 Marvel release, dividing the rest of the hero universe into warring camps.

May 27: “Alice Through the Looking Glass” has Alice back in Underland on a mission to save the Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp. Director James Bobin will imagine a new take on Lewis Carroll’s story, as Tim Burton did with 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

June 17: “Finding Dory” is a sequel to 2003’s “Finding Nemo,” which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. The blue tang Dory goes looking for answers about her past, with an assist from Nemo and others.

July 1: “The BFG” has director Steven Spielberg reinventing the classic Roald Dahl story of a little girl who befriends a Big Friendly Giant and others in Giant Country. It’s the final DreamWorks film released by Disney before Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners enters a new distribution deal with Universal.

August 12: “Pete’s Dragon” re-imagines an earlier Disney family film of the same name, about a boy named Pete and his best friend, a dragon named Elliott. Among the stars are Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley and Wes Bentley.

Fall: “Queen of Katwe” marks an exception to the Disney formula: It’s an original story. Starring Lupita Nyong’o, the film tells the story of a girl whose world expands from the streets of Uganda to a larger world when she becomes a chess whiz. Along with her voice work in “The Force Awakens” and “Jungle Book” and her live action turn here, Nyong’o is fast becoming a Disney mainstay.

Nov. 4: Doctor Strange features Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, as a doctor who discovers magic and alternative realities after suffering a terrible accident. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams also star in the second film of the year from the world of Marvel.

Nov. 23: “Moana” is Disney animation’s story about a girl who sets out on a mission to prove herself, with the aide of a demi-god, Maui. The title role goes to newcomer Auli’i Cravalho, who emerged from a casting call that spanned the Pacific and involved hundreds of young women. Dwayne Johnson voices Maui.

Dec. 16: “Rogue One” — Director Gareth Edwards leads a cast that includes Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn and Forest Whitaker.

Unknown: “The Light Between Oceans” from DreamWorks Pictures has been looking for a release window for some time. It still doesn’t have one for the film, starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander that the studio says is about “fate, love, moral dilemmas and the lengths to which one couple will go to see their dreams realized.”

SOURCE

The holiday movie leaving scores of kids in tears

WARNING: This article contains spoilers to The Good Dinosaur.

MY kids and I often head to the movies in the holidays and the last couple of movies have seen us all leave the cinemas laughing and discussing the movie and its issues in great depth.

Home had us throwing our hands in the air like we just did not care, Minions had us speaking hilarious gibberish for weeks and Inside Out gave us all of the feels and plenty of gold happy memory balls.

I assumed our trip to The Good Dinosaur would end similarly. My god was I wrong.

“I never want to see that again,” exclaimed my six-year-old.

“That was the saddest thing I’ve ever seen,” my seven-year-old said.

Even I turned to my friend who brought along her kids and said: “I was not prepared for those emotions. Disney has some explaining to do.”

You see, I’d spent the last hour and forty minutes on an emotional rollercoaster that I was immensely unprepared for. I hadn’t felt such intense emotions from a cartoon movie since Mufusa’s death in The Lion King in 1994 and it seems I wasn’t alone.

Never forget.

Never forget.Source:Supplied

I put a status up online after getting home offering a much-needed warning to all my friends who planned to take their kids to see it this holidays, and got similar feedback from friends who had.

“My niece was uncontrollably crying through the whole film,” one of my friends told me.

I don’t blame the poor kid, so was I.

(Spoiler Alert: Don’t read on if you don’t want to know what happens.)

The movie is about Arlo, an Apatosaurus dinosaur who lives in a time where humans and dinosaurs coexist (although we don’t see that many humans, or development, or many other dinosaurs either for that matter). After a series of unfortunate and distressing events, Arlo ends up lost in the mountains with no way to find his way home.

Along the way he meets Spot, a Neanderthal child, and they become friends. Then you know it’s normal Disney stuff; journeys, friends and family and finding yourself, you’ve head it all before no doubt.

For me the turning point in the film was as the storm hit and Arlo’s dad turned to see the incoming flood waters.

My thoughts instantly turned to The Lion King. They can’t do this to me AGAIN. No Disney, it’s not allowed. Disney. No. Don’t do it. Don’t. I’m warning you.

They did it.

“Mum, is his dad dead?” whispered my six-year-old.

“Yes, honey,” I whimpered through my tears.

* Cue five-year-olds in the cinema simultaneously bursting into tears *

Disney, you suck!

I turned to my friend and said I hoped it got better from there. It didn’t.

I’m not sure what went on in the writing room at Disney HQ but apparently ‘death of parent’ wasn’t enough of a storyline. They thought why not bring in an apparently lost orphaned Neanderthal child, some scavenger vultures that want to eat the Neanderthal child, endless weird and scary forest creatures, oh and some MORE flood waters (because that’s not going to remind us of the horrible way a main character died less than half an hour ago).

A dinosaur and a Neanderthal baby make for a less than inspiring lead duo.

A dinosaur and a Neanderthal baby make for a less than inspiring lead duo.

In one review, it is said Arlo has “good fortune” meeting Spot the Neanderthal child.

I don’t know about you, but if I was lost in the mountains I could think of a hell of a lot of other things that would be more fortunate than bumping into the Neanderthal baby who played a major part in me getting lost in the first place and was basically the sole reason my father died.

I guess Spot does bring Arlo food and one point, so that’s a plus.

Despite the ups and downs (with the downs majorly outnumbering the ups) throughout the film, it does end on a happy(ish) note.

After some drama-filled adventures in the mountains (read: death, barely surviving in the wilderness, major storms and the pressure of saving a child’s life) Arlo eventually makes his way home. But not before finding Spot’s family and making sure he goes home with them. (Weren’t they dead? What happened there? Was that his grandparents? Siblings? Still confused by that.)

I think you’re meant to leave knowing the moral of the story is: family. This probably would have been easier to accept if the whole plot didn’t revolve around the child failing to impress his dad, the dad trying to teach him a lesson and then dying in the process.

But, you know, family. Gives us all the feels. Right?

Go Disney Pixar. Not.

If you’re happy to go see a revamp of The Lion King, mixed with The Land Before Time, by all means go ahead. Just be sure to bring the tissues.

I give this three double tear crying emoji, two feel good smiley emoji because Arlo does eventually make it home, and one screwed up “WTF” emoji face — because WTF was Disney Pixar thinking? Bring back Bing Bong!

SOURCE

1 237 238 239 240 241 361