'Cars 2' track listing

Briefly: Below you'll find the official track listing for Cars 2, (courtesy of Amazon) featuring Weezer, Brad Paisley, and, of course, Michael Giacchino.

The soundtrack will be released on both CD and digital download this June 14. Unless otherwise noted, the tracks below are instrumental and by everyone's favorite composer (or at least mine) Michael Giacchino.

1. You Might Think—Performed by Weezer
2. Collision Of Worlds—Performed by Brad Paisley and Robbie Williams
3. Mon Caeur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom)—Performed by Bénabar
4. Nobody's Fool—Performed by Brad Paisley
5. Polyrhythm—Performed by Perfume
6. Turbo Transmission
7. It's Finn McMissile!
8. Mater The Waiter
9. Radiator Reunion
10. Cranking Up The Heat
11. Towkyo Takeout
12. Tarmac The Magnificent
13. Whose Engine Is This?
14. History's Biggest Loser Cars
15. Mater Of Disguise
16. Porto Corsa
17. The Lemon Pledge
18. Mater's Getaway
19. Mater Warns McQueen
20. Going To The Backup Plan
21. Mater's The Bomb
22. Blunder And Lightning
23. The Other Shoot
24. Axlerod Exposed
25. The Radiator Springs Gran Prix
26. The Turbomater

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'Monsters University' logo and synopsis

Disney/Pixar has just released the above hi-res logo (desktop wallpaper, anyone?) and the following title treatment/synopsis:

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn't stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

The film will be a prequel to Monsters, Inc., and will feature Billy Crystal and John Goodman reprising their roles.

Very exciting! Monsters, Inc. has always been my favorite Pixar film, and I can't wait to see what they do with the prequel...

It will be released on June 21, 2013, and be directed by Dan Scanlon (story artist and writer on Cars) and produced by Kori Rae (The Incredibles, Toy Story 2, Up, Monsters, Inc., A Bug's Life).

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'TS3' auctions to support Japan

Briefly: Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich is having another set of charity auctions on eBay, this time to help the earthquake victims of Japan. There are only two items this time around, as opposed to the smorgasbord of items he offered for Haitian relief.

The items include an awesome, limited edition print (pictured to the left) from the film's story artist Adrian Molina and the complete TS3 soundtrack on a two-disc set, exclusive to Pixar employees.

The bid amounts are really getting up there, but if you love Pixar and want to support a good cause, get bidding!

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'Little Mermaid' animators tour upcoming DCA attraction

In the above video just released by the official Disney Parks blog, animation veterans Andreas Deja, Glen Keane, and Mark Henn walk through the upcoming California Adventure attraction Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

In addition to showcasing the awesome effects and audio-animatronics of the ride as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the Imagineers' magical work, the video features the film's three animators discussing what the classic movie meant for the rebirth of Disney's fairytales and also how amazingly the Imagineers translated the film to theme park ride.

The attraction opens on June 3 in just under a month . . . So exciting! I'll be there later in August and I'll tell you all about it.

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Lasseter talks 'Cars 2,' 'Brave' and 'Incredibles 2'

Moviefone just posted a great interview with John Lasseter. Not only does it go into great detail about Lasseter's inspirations for Cars 2 and how excited he is for Brave, but the interviewer also gives the reader a short tour of Pixar and John's office.

During the interview, Mr. Lasseter restates what we all know as the Pixar credo, if you will:

Part of the magic of what is Pixar is, of course, number one is the story. It's the humour, the characters, the emotion ... of course all that is in there, but the look of our films. I feel like I could reach up and touch it but I know it doesn't exist. It's the believability. Instead of the word 'realistic,' I use the word 'believability.' The goal I have as a director and a film maker and Creative Officer here is, I want people to come in to our movies ... I always think of the audience every day with everything I do ... I want them to sit down, the lights go down and I want right away to suck them into our movies. And they don't think about a thing until our movie is over.

Brilliantly said. John also discusses how he isn't against an Incredibles sequel, as long as there's a good story to be told. At the moment, however, an Incredibles 2 is not in the works.

He also discusses another pillar of Pixar rule, involving the likability of their characters:

Imagine going to lunch or dinner with someone you've never met before. That's the characters in our movies. You don't want to sit with a jerk, you know? Someone you don't like?

It's a great interview that you should check out to stay excited for Cars 2 and Brave!

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Pixar Short: 'La Luna'

The Pixar Blog has just revealed the above title card and the below still from Pixar's upcoming short La Luna. The short's supposed producer Kevin Reher (who also produced Day & Night and Partly Cloudy) said that "the new short we're finishing production on now... it's beautiful, it's lyrical, it's very different from all the other ones. It's amazing how easy it can be when you just have three characters and two sets."


Here is the synposis for La Luna, which means the moon in both Spanish and Italian:

La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait.

A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

The short is being directed by Enrico Casarosa, storyboard artist on Ratatouille and Up, with music by, of course, Michael Giacchino.

The short, which will most likely be attached to Brave next year, is Pixar's lengthiest at almost 7 minutes.

It sounds very simple and beautiful, and I can hardly wait to see it! . . .

To see more about the director, visit his website here, his blog here, or read a fairly dated (but still interesting) interview with GhibliWorld here.

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Arrgh-dman!: Details on Aardman Studios' Upcoming Pirate Film

Big news! The geniuses behind Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run are developing a brand new, clay adventure all about pirates!

It is based on Gideon Defoe's book The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists (which will also be the film's title in the UK), and will be titled The Pirates! Band of Misfits for it's US release. The film is being headed by Chicken Run director and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord. It will feature the voice talents of Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek, and Brendan Gleeson.

No word on a release date for the film yet, but I can't wait to see it. I grew up loving Wallace and Gromit, and there's just something about Aardman's style, and clay stop-motion altogether that just gets to me--it is so stylized and awesome! Expect more news about this in the coming months . . .

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