In Just a few days, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog will hit Blu-ray and DVD, making it’s official launch on March 16th. As we gear up for the home welcoming of Disney’s latest animated blockbuster, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some fun clips and a sneak peek at the discs’ bonus materials. And all in an effort to properly introduce Disney’s newest princess, as Tiana joins Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Pocahontas, Jasmine, and Mulan. (more… )

While it didn’t win the award for Best Picture (losing out to “The Hurt Locker”) Disney and Pixar’s summer blockbuster of 2009, UP, did get to take home the night’s most prestigious animated award, Best Animated Feature Film. The flick appeared in a group of some really amazing nominees; Coraline, The Princess and the Frog, The Secret of Kells, and the Fantastic Mr. Fox each represented toons in an amazing fashion. But, at the end of the night, it was Up that took the Oscar – and not just for the animation! Composer Michael Giacchino also grabbed the trophy for providing UP with a phenomenal musical score. Absolutely well deserved awards, we think Oscar was spot-on this time around And for kicks, check out this behind-the-scenes clip of the film, starring Ed Asner, aka Carl Fredricksen (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… )

February 6th saw the 37th Annual Annie Awards ceremony in LA, a celebration of animated talent. We learned of the nominations a few weeks ago, and now the results are in. The big winners of the night: Up was named Best Animated Feature. The holiday special Prep and Landing took the award for Best Animated Television Production. The award for Best Home Entertainment Production went to Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder, and Robot Chicken: Star Wars 2.5 was picked as Best Animated Short Subject. The Nickelodeon and DreamWorks series, Penguins of Madagascar, was named Best Animated Television Production for Children. Check out the full list of winners (more… )

We’ve talked about the Golden Globes. We’ve talked about the Annie Awards. Now, it’s time to talk about animation’s presence at the 82nd Academy Awards. Five animated films were selected for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category, including; Pixar and Disney’s Up, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, the Fantastic Mr. Fox, Coraline, and The Secret of Kells. Of special notice is the fact that Up was also included in the Best Picture category, becoming the second animated feature film to appear in that grouping, after Disney’s Beauty and the Beast did the same in 1991. Be sure to TOON in to see who wins on Sunday, March 7th, at 8PM on ABC. (more… )

Tiana, the ninth and newest enchanting addition to the legendary lineage of Disney Princesses, makes her home entertainment debut in a rollicking Big Easy-style fairy tale when The Princess and the Frog arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on March 16, 2010 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. A timeless heroine in the tradition of Snow White, Ariel, Jasmine and the rest of the beloved royal sisterhood, Tiana comes to life with classic hand-drawn Disney animation. The discs include a royal procession of exclusive bonus features, including games and specially- created featurettes, taking viewers on a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the storied French Quarter of New Orleans and into the magic-steeped bayou for hours of can’t-miss family entertainment. Did you see the movie in theaters? And how soon will you own the DVD? (more… )

On this Saturday, February 6th, UCLA’s Royce Hall will be the home of the 37th Annual Annie Awards ceremony in LA. During this event, animation is put front and center on everyone’s attention, dubbed “animation’s highest honor”. Disney Animation Studio leads the way with 17 nominations, including eight for the recent box office hit The Princess and the Frog, and nine for the holiday special Prep and Landing. Nickelodeon leads the TV arena with 12 nods, and DreamWorks Animation received 11 nominations, including the holiday special Merry Madagascar. Laika received 10 nominations for its feature film Coraline, and Pixar Animation Studios received 9 for its movie Up. Such a great year for animation!! Check out some more of the categories and nominees (more… )

Well, the deal we’ve been talking about since last August is now official. Disney and Marvel have become BFFs, linked forever. …or at least before a newer, larger, seemingly-impossible deal takes over them both. However, until that happens, the two will be getting awfully comfy with one another. The $4.3 billion dollar acquisition brings Marvel into the Disney family, adding the comic giant’s catalog of over 5,000 characters to the Disney lineup. That includes the potentital of mixing-and-matching Wolverine and the rest of the X-men, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man with the likes of Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Buzz Lightyear, Bolt, the Princess and the Frog, and Snow White. Imagine how fun their family reunions will be!