On March 30th, Fox Home Entertainment is bringing Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel home to Blu-ray and DVD. The hit CG animated film will also be available as part of a double DVD pack, offering a full set of options as to how you can bring the film, and the Chipettes, home with you. WIth over an hour of additional music and entertaining bonuses, including an all new “Squeak-Along”, we’ll have a lot of fun in our paws! …er, hands! Check out the box art and press full releases (more… )

The history of beautiful animated films is no perfect fairytale. Sure, now we have Finding Nemo, Coraline, Kung Fu Panda, and The Princess and the Frog. And yeah, it all stems from the rich heritage of golden age classics, like early Mickey Mouse reels, Snow White, Looney Tunes, and Sleeping Beauty. But the late 1970s brought a “dark age,” when animation studios were shut down, artists fired, projects canceled, and the medium itself was thought to be dead. That’s where the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty steps in, telling the true story of how animation, and the love for the art, was brought back to life by a group including Roy Disney (of Disney family fame), John Lasseter (Pixar, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Up, Wall-E, etc.) Tim Burton (Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Alice in Wonderland, etc.), and Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Land Before Time, The Secret of NIMH, etc.) and dozens of others. Together, they brought us the Disney Renaissance, revived the entire industry with new classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. On March 26th, in select theaters, you’ll get to see the story for yourself. But for now, check out the trailer! (more… )

Along with Ponyo, which will be available on both Blu-ray and DVD, Walt Disney Studios will ensure that three special edition DVDs line the store shelves on March 2nd: Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro. Like Ponyo, all three are from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Each has been released and reviewed in a variety of formats over the year, but this is your chance to own the truly remastered editions, in their highest quality. Plus, I’m sure all 4 DVDs would just look so nice sitting next to one another on your shelf Check out the box art and full press release (more… )

The imagination of Charles M. Schulz has spawned decades of animated hits and legions of fans. Every year, one of the key highlights in ToonBarn news reporting is announcing when the Peanuts will be celebrating the Christmas holiday on your TV, or visiting the Great Pumpkin. Now, we’re able to take a few more of these types of animated classics home with us, as the DVD world welcomes the Charlie Brown/Peanuts Specials 1970’s Collection, Volume 2 DVD Set. Volume 1 arrived in stores only this past October, and fans gobbled them up. On June 1st, you can get your hands on this two-disc set for about $30, with all 6 specials completely remastered. Read on to see what’s included (more… )

Folks in the US have been enjoying the new CG animated series Fanboy and Chum Chum for a few months now, which has made those in the UK a bit jealous. Hoping to even the score, Nickelodeon now promises they’ll be bringing the hit series over seas for all to enjoy! This gift comes along with the soon-to-debut new logo for Nick UK, as well as new episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, The Troop, and Penguins of Madagascar. (more… )

DC Entertainment, the booming, newly named segment of Warner Bros. that focuses on DC Comics characters leaving the comic book world for movies, series, and beyond, has established its management team. The group has selected from the finest of the comic world: Jim Lee, Dan DiDio, and Geoff Johns. You may recognize the names from their comic book works, credits in comic book movies and Smallville, or as those interviewed in the behind-the-scenes shots included with WB Premiere animated movies and Cartoon Network’s Justice League franchise. Jim Lee also created WildCats and Gen 13, which each had short-lived toons on CBS a few years back. Together, these three, and several other key new members, will craft how DC Entertainment moves forward – further cementing the world of comic books outside the world of comic books. (more… )

The classic Looney Tunes character, Speedy Gonzales, is headed to the big screen in his own feature film. The mouse speedster, notably smaller than Warner Bros.’ other fast-moving icon, RoadRunner, will dazzle his way into theaters, with comedian George Lopez providing the voice. New Line Cinema plans the movie as a mix of live-action and CG animation, creating a hybrid in style similar to the Chipmunks movies. Speedy debuted in the 1950s as a regular nemesis of Sylvester the Cat, and even won an Academy Award in 1955 for best short subject with a toon simply named “Speedy Gonzales”. He’s last been seen in the movies “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Space Jam”, and “Looney Tunes: Back in Action.” (more… )

I always thought it’d be cool to have a little dinosaur pal. And not the “I’m gonna eat you” kind of dinosaur, I’m talking about the type that fits into so many of the cartoons we love; Land Before Time, The Flintstones, etc. Thankfully, Armor Games has stepped up to offer us an adventure where we actually can have our own dinopal! In this free game, Prehistoric, you get to control your dinosaur creature through a prehistoric land, smashing enemies, collecting eggs, and, of course, racking up big points. Check it out now, and play this flash game! (more… )