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• “Ponyo” celebrates childhood, magic, the beauty of nature and … oh, yeah … ham

  Jim Hill reviews Hayao Miyazaki’s latest. Which Walt Disney Pictures has done a superb job of readying for its North American theatrical release Read More... Posted Friday, August 14, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Walt Disney Pictures, E.T., Fujimoto, film, movie, 2008, 2009, seas, animated feature, Hans Christian Andersen, Lily Tomlin, Betty White, Noah Cyrus, Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, goldfish, motion picture, North America , 1988, Sosuke, Ponyo, The Little Mermaid, Cloris Leachman, ocean, sea, Frankie Jonas, Melissa Mathison, ham, My Neighbor Totoro, Liam Neeson

• Monday Mouse Watch: Will "Bolt" 's box office rebound over the long Thanksgiving weekend?

  Jim Hill shares what he's heard about the somewhat underwhelming debut of this new Disney animated film. Which seems to have been overshadowed by the big screen version of Stephenie Meyer's best selling novel Read More... Posted Monday, November 24, 2008 12:00 AM | 20 Comments Filed under: Disney, John Lasseter, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Store, Miley Cyrus, Ed Catmull, Bolt, box office, film, movie, 2008, animated feature, tween, New York Times, tweens, tween demographic , plush, box office projections, box office estimates, Disney Stores, demographics

• "The Art of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" details how DreamWorks Animation's latest came together

  Jim Hill reviews Jerry Beck's new book, which takes a look at the artistic development at both "Madagascar" movies Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 05, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation, Glendale, Jerry Beck, 2008, October, behind-the-scenes stories , animated feature, feature film , coffee table book, 2005, animated features, Insight Editions, lion, African savanna, design team, director , Development , Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, behind-the-scenes , hippo, art of books, DW, art of book, feature-length cartoon, animation historian, artistic development, technological development, DWA, Little Golden Books, Henri Rousseau, stylization, Melman, Gloria, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Disney Photo Library, directors, Ben Stiller, Africa, artistic choices, storytelling, giraffe, zebra, Marty

• "Disney Dogs" showcases canine cartoon stars

  Jim Hill reviews this new hardcover from Disney Editions, which takes a detailed look at all of the dogs who have appeared in Disney animated shorts & features over the years Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney Pictures, Beauty and the Beast, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Hidden Mickey, Peter Pan, Walt Disney Productions, The Aristocats, Lady, concept art, Animation Research Library, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Bolt, 2008, Mouse House, animated feature, 2007, The Fox and the Hound, animated short, animated features, Goofy , visual development, model sheets, model sheet, butler, conceptual paintings, conceptual painting, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, The Art of Bolt, Disney Dogs, Disney Book Group, The Disney Book Group, Pluto, Perdita, Freckles, Lucky, Penny, Patch, Pepper, The Great Mouse Detective, thumbnails, rough animation, Nana, canine, canine cartoons, canine cartoon, canine cartoon star, canine cartoon stars, Hollywood Hound, Hollywood Hounds, Mouse House Hound, Mouse House Hounds, Rolly, Edgar, Ratigan, Basil, Dodger, The Dodger, Melissa Mathison, Tod, Max Azria, Basil of Baker Street, Percy, Ratcliffe, Governor Ratcliffe, Little Brother, Baker Street, Zero, footstool, dog

• A special "May the (Stephen) Schwartz Be With You" edition of Why For

  Jim Hill's back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he talks about "Enchanted" 's score evolves over the course of that motion picture, where Stephen drew his inspiration for "Out There" as well as talking up an event that's being held at Woodbury University this coming Monday night Read More... Posted Friday, October 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, music, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, Beauty and the Beast, Alan Menken, Kevin Lima, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, James Baxter, James Baxter Animation, Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Paris, Kiss the Girl, ASIFA-Hollywood, panel discussion, stage version, ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, 2008, October, animated feature, 2007, Happy Working Song, So Close, That's How You Know , animators , Mulan, Belle, Warner Bros. , 2010, Don Hahn , stage, Woodbury University, Pocahontas, Broadway-bound, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Disney Music , Carol de Giere, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Enchanted, The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age, Craig Lucas, James Lapine, Cathedral of Notre Dame, Out There, Quasimodo, Hunchback, Mike Belzer, Nik Ranieri, Fletcher Jones Foundation Library, Fletcher Jones, Ever After, Ever

• Toon Tuesday : Will Disney Animation's latest "Rapunzel" rescue attempt have a negative impact on "Bolt" 's debut ?

  Jim Hill wonders if Glen Keane's exit will result in more reporters asking about why Chris Sanders was taken off of "American Dog" Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 14, 2008 12:00 AM | 10 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, DreamWorks, John Lasseter, Ratatouille, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, marketing, WDAS, Ed Catmull, Bolt, Glen Keane, Rapunzel, Dean Wellins, film, movie, 2008, animated feature, Disney Feature Animation, The Fox and the Hound, The Emperor's New Groove, Kingdom of the Sun, American Dog, Chris Sanders, Jan Pinkava, Roger Allers, animated features, Disney Publicity , webmasters, webmaster, 2010, PR team , storyline , co-director, films, Byron Howard, Nathan Greno, Dean DeBlois, Crood Awakening, 2002, Woolie Reitherman, Wolfgang Reitherman, How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch, story, head of story, story problems, plot, plotline, reporter, reporters, entertainment writer, entertainment writers, marketing staff, PR Department, Lilo and Stitch, jewelry, Lilo, Stitch

• "Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland" showcases Mary Blair's concept art

  Jim Hill reviews a brand-new picture book which is built around the amazing artwork that this Disney Legend created for that 1951 animated feature Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Walt Disney, Disney Press, Peter Pan, Disney Legend, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Blair, concept art, Walt Disney Studios, 2008, 2009, animated feature, 2007, picture book, artists , 1951, bookshelf

• Universal Studios Hollywood freshens up for the Fall

  During a recent trip to Southern California, Jim dropped by USH and discovered that lots of changes have been made to both the Upper & Lower Lot Read More... Posted Friday, September 12, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: movies, musical, Universal Studios, Visual Effects, attraction, Brad Bird, Labor Day, Lucille Ball, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Halloween Horror Nights, Southern California, Audio Animatronics, Steven Spielberg, movie, 1974, Universal, tourists, studio theme park, 1976, 2008, 2009, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, October, animated feature, attractions, shows, rides, ride, show, 2005, 1975, soundstage , November, 1955, blueprints , 2006, March, June , interactive, 1986, screenplay, Summer, attendance levels, Universal Studios Hollywood , USH, Upper Lot , Lower Lot , The Simpsons Ride, slow season, theme parks, special event, special events, park, newish, guest experience, fire, New York Street, King Kong , tram , ride-thru attraction , Bob Gurr , Tram Tour, remake, original, 1933, Peter Jackson, V-Rex, ride designer, ride designers , battle sequence , Naomi Watts , animatronic , replacement, Collapsing Bridge, studio insiders , Lucy: A Tribute, exhibit, Lucy, walk-through attraction , The Universal Experience, archives , poster , Carl Laemmle, Universal City, 1915 , Robert A Mattey , blockbuster, Jaws, Curious George, 1999, maquette , Imagine Entertainment , Nickelodeon Blast Zone, The Adventures of Curious George, kiddie play area, cartoon series, PBS Kids, full-length animated feature, Creature from the Black Lagoon -- The Musical, press release , storyline , horror film , stagecraft, choreography, source material , Little Shop of Horrors, Spring , Autumn , Fall, Castle Theatre, Fear Factor Live, audience participation, Universal City Plaza, The Simpsons, Simpsons

• The Towers live on ... in movies & television, that is

  On the seventh anniversary of 9/11, Jim Hill looks at some cinematic depictions of the World Trade Center from the past 30+ years Read More... Posted Thursday, September 11, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, TV, New York City, television, Manhattan, 9/11, NYC, Steven Spielberg, DVD, movie, 1976, 2008, animated feature, television program, television programs, 2001, New Hampshire, action sequence, New York, motion picture, 1981, King Kong , remake, Jay Sherman, The Critic, New York skyline, The Towers, Towers, Twin Towers, standing tall, still standing tall, The World Trade Center , television show , media maven , World Trade Center, 1988, Oliver & Company, Woody Allen , old New York, montage , principal location, Dino De Laurentiis, Escape from New York, Snake Plissken, glider, sacrilege, John Carpenter, Ronald Neame, Meteor, national tragedy, 911, Deep Impact, tsunami , Tommy Emmanuel, imposing structure, A.I., next Ice Age, the test of time, natural lives, reality intrudes, the real world, piece of entertainment , Sosuke, still standing

• Tune Tuesday : "Shrek the Musical" gets off to a great start in Seattle

  WARNING !! There be spoilers ahead in this preview piece about DreamWorks Theatrical's Broadway-bound production. Which is a musical adaptation of DW's Academy Award-winning animated feature Read More... Posted Tuesday, September 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 8 Comments Filed under: Disney, music, theater, DreamWorks, Broadway, musical, Walt Disney, The Lion King, The Walt Disney Company, New York City, YouTube, Mickey Mouse, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Julie Taymor, NYC, LA, Academy Award, movie, Broadway musical, stage version, 2008, animated feature, 2001, Donkey, ogre, Shrek, Fiona, opening night, Broadway production, Big Green Ogre , Great White Way, Jeanine Tesori , David Lindsay-Abaire , Jason Moore , Seattle, 5th Avenue Theater , Lord Farquaad , Academy Award winner, December , November, childhood, stage show , design team, August, director , stage, audience, Big Apple , New York, creative team , DreamWorks Theatricals, Broadway-bound, musical adaptation, DW, Academy Award-winning, movie-based musical, theater community, Ponyo, playset, Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, 9 to 5 : The Musical, world premiere, Ahmanson Theater, Shrek the Musical, out-of-town, opening, librettist, composer, designer, Tim Hatley, swamp, spoilers, Momma Ogre, Poppa Ogre, Big Bright Beautiful World, opening number, title character, introductory number, I Know It's Today, Cloris Leachman, Brian D'Arcy James, outhouse, backstory, second act, challenge song, I Think I Got You Beat, choreographer, Rob Ashford, New York audiences, Broadway Theatre, playhouse, Walt Disney Company, 1928, movie theater, strategy, the Colony Theater, Colony Theater, Steamboat Willie, Fantasia, Snow White, diecast

• "Kung Fu Panda" 's opening weekend grosses really kicked butt ... but here comes "WALL-E"

  Jim Hill shares what he's heard about this new Andrew Stanton film. Which looks ready to reverse the domestic box office trends that tripped up Pixar's last three pictures Read More... Posted Monday, June 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 21 Comments Filed under: Disney, DreamWorks, CG, Walt Disney Pictures, Cars, Ratatouille, Shrek the Third, DreamWorks Animation, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Labor Day, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Shrek 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, box office, 2008, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, opening weekend grosses, opening weekend, TV show, franchise, Andrew Stanton, Cloverfield, animated features, animated series , CG feature, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Kung Fu Panda, John Stevenson , Mark Osborne , WALL-E, Iron Man, Kung Fu Panda TV series, Kung Fu Panda animated series, Sex and the City, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Ice Age: The Meltdown , Ice Age , box office projections, box office estimates, research, Camp Rock 2: Final Jam, 2004, Summer

• Disney Consumer Products isn't getting its hopes up for "Up"

  Jim Hill takes a close look at the retail side of the Mouse House. In particular why Disney Consumer Products is now taking a much more pragmatic approach toward the licensing of Pixar's next few pictures Read More... Posted Tuesday, April 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 21 Comments Filed under: Disney, Pixar, toys, Disney Consumer Products, John Lasseter, Disney's California Adventure, Cars, Ratatouille, Brad Bird, Disney Store, Pixar Animation Studios, The Walt Disney Company, WDI, DCA, 2008, 2009, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, Cars Land, Pete Docter, 2006, retail chain , 2010, Up

• Toon Tuesday : How Pixar fixed "Finding Nemo"

  Been hearing disappointing things about those "WALL*E" test screenings? Jim Hill reminds us what happened when Michael Eisner predicted that Andrew Stanton's last film would flop Read More... Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:00 AM | 29 Comments Filed under: Pixar, Michael Eisner, Roy E. Disney, Finding Nemo, Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville, The Walt Disney Company, Shrek 2, Steve Jobs, movie, 2008, animated feature, Andrew Stanton, 2003, Academy Award winner

• Oscar Watch '08: Miramax maxes out while the Mouse gets skunked

  Was today a good day or a bad day at Walt Disney Studios? Well, as Jim Hill points out, it all depends on whether you work at Miramax Films or on the Walt Disney Pictures side of the house Read More... Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2008 12:00 PM | 37 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, movies, Pixar, ABC, NBC, Brad Bird, Pixar Animation Studios, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Amy Adams, How to Hook-Up Your Home Theater, Academy Award, film, movie, actress, 2008, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, 2007, feature film , Best Picture nominee, Disney Feature Animation, animated short, picket line, Jan Pinkava, animated features, Oscar-winning , Norman Jewison , The Man I Love, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, good news day, Amy Ryan, nomination , Wicked Queen, Gone Baby Gone, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, ABC Inc, Best Actress , Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Achievement in Music – Original Song, Original Song , nominee, nominations , Happy Working Song, So Close, That's How You Know , Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, Jim Capobianco, Best Original Screenplay, Captain Nemo: 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, Achievement in Sound Editing, Laurence Juber, Randall Wallace, Oscar, Oscars, Best Animated Short Film, Academy Award winner, Academy voters , school year, Virginia Davis McGhee, actors , picket lines, Academy Award nominations , Academy Award nominees, Academy Award winners, Miramax Films , No Country for Old Men , Paramount Vantage, Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role , Theodore Thomas, Poppin' Guitars: A Tuneful of Sherman, The Black Cauldron , Adapted Screenplay, There Will Be Blood, Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role , Ted Thomas , The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Pathé Renn , co-production, Michael Giacchino , Achievement in Music – Original Score, Original Score, Oscar broadcast, Golden Globes, hand-drawn animation

• Animation fans prematurely shoot off their mouths about "Bolt"

  Jim Hill points out the parallels between what WDAS's next release is now going through and "Beauty & the Beast" & "The Lion King" 's troubled productions Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2008 12:00 AM | 18 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, movies, Pixar, DreamWorks, computer animation, John Lasseter, Walt Disney Pictures, Beauty and the Beast, John Musker, Ratatouille, Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Toy Story, WDAS, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, WDI, Ed Catmull, Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Studios, Bolt, Academy Award, film, movie, 2008, animated feature, Richard Purdum , Cranium Command, Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale, award, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, The Emperor's New Groove, Kingdom of the Sun, Kiskaloo, blind men and the elephant, Indian fable, pre-release image, teaser poster, November 2008, gadget tray, Mittens the cat, Rhino the hamster, Chris Williams, American Dog, Chris Sanders, quirkiness, Jan Pinkava, George Scribner, Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers, S Gross, lemons into lemonade, November 28