Thirty Days of Disney Movies, Day Twenty-Three - Movie That Inspires Me

It's a simple inspiring notion, really.

"Adventure is out there."

We all know it's true, but how many of us ever really act on it?

Carl (r.) and his reluctant
stowaway Russell

In Pixar's Up, it becomes the mantra of Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), a quiet, nerdy kid who idolizes Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), a famous adventurer and explorer who travels the globe in his well-appointed dirigible. Carl shares his dream of seeing the world--just like his hero--with Ellie, an equally nerdy girl who eventually becomes Carl's wife and the love of his life. Together, they hope to one day have a home overlooking exotic Paradise Falls at the remote edge of a South American jungle. That would be their ultimate adventure.

But, as the saying goes, life is what happens while you're making other plans. As much as Carl and Ellie try to make it to their jungle paradise, it never quite works out for them. Still, they manage to carve out a comfortable and loving life together. When Ellie dies and Carl is left alone (a touching scene that still brings tears on repeated viewings), the dream dies with her.

Or does it?

(l. to r.) Kevin, Russell, Dug and Carl

Now old, grouchy and misanthropic, Carl faces an uncertain and unfulfilling future in a retirement home. Refusing to give up without a fight, however, he draws upon his experience and resources as a lifelong balloon salesman to attach thousands of helium balloons to his house and set it aloft in search of the adventure that has always been out there.

With one complication: Russell, the young, earnest and clumsy Wilderness Explorer who's gotten trapped on Carl's front porch.

With Russell on board, Carl somehow finds his way to South America, where he encounters exotic birds, talking dogs, cones of shame and the elusive hero of his youth, Charles Muntz--who turns out to be not nearly as noble as young Carl thought he was. In the end, Carl and Russell must fight to save a rare bird (which Russell has named Kevin) from the evil clutches of Muntz. And Carl still never quite makes it to Paradise Falls, at least not the way he and Ellie intended. That bittersweet conclusion forms the core of Up's inspirational message. Life is not about the destination, it's about the journey. And the greatest adventure of all is the one that happens right outside your doorstep.

This is the latest installment of my 30-Day Disney Movie Challenge. Next up, my favorite movie soundtrack.

http://www.blogger.com/www.disneynewsarchive.com
http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/disneynewsarchive
http://www.blogger.com/www.twitter.com/disneytim
http://www.blogger.com/www.youtube.com/disneytim

'Cars 2' Rules the Road

John Lasseter's wall of toys at Pixar

John Lasseter really likes to play with his toys.

You can see them in his office at Pixar. On the wall behind his desk and scattered throughout the room are toys, mostly from the Toy Story franchise, but plenty from Cars as well. It's an explosion of Woody and Buzz, McQueen and Mater, and it's a reminder not only of the power of Disney/Pixar merchandising, but also of the kid that still lives in Lasseter.

That kind of sums up how I feel about Cars 2, which was directed by Lasseter. It's going to sell a lot of merchandise, but it sure is fun when John shares his toys with us.

Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen on Pit Row

The critics have not been kind to Cars 2. After seeing a fairly dismal consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, I was having my doubts about the movie myself. Some reviews were pretty scathing. Was Pixar losing its touch?

Not the way I saw it. Cars 2 is an entertaining and fast-paced romp around the race track. Is it among Pixar's best? No, it isn't. It lacks the emotional depth of Up and Wall-E, but it still accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, and that's to rev up the action and be nothing more than a fun time at the movies. It won't tug on your heartstrings like Toy Story 3 or Monsters, Inc., but who says every Pixar film has to? The first Cars movie tried to be about something, evoking the nostalgia of Route 66 culture while reminding us how important it is to stop and smell the roses every now and then. Unfortunately, it put too much emphasis on the laid-back ways of Radiator Springs and slammed the brakes on the story. When it wasn't about Lightning McQueen ka-chowing around the oval, Cars dragged.

Cars 2 has no time for introspection, instead going pedal to the metal with a spy caper tale that puts Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) in a World Grand Prix racing competition while his slow-witted, tow truck buddy Mater gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity and international espionage. There's nothing about this premise that says subtlety or pathos, so if that's what you're expecting from Pixar this time around, you best move on down the road.

Secret agent cars Holly Shiftwell, Finn McMissile and...Mater?

What Cars 2 does offer is non-stop action and the same love of spy thrillers that The Incredibles had for super heroes. There's joy to be found in the details, from the clever guns and gadgets packed inside super spy car Finn McMissile (an insouciant Michael Caine, perfectly cast) to the extraordinary architectural elements found throughout Cars 2's auto-fied venues (London's Big Ben becomes Big Bentley, complete with grille work; the bottom arch of Paris's Eiffel Tower has wheel spokes). It's a feast for the eyes that makes you want to watch it again if only to see what other fleeting details you missed the first time.

It's pure entertainment, from flying cars to intentionally lame puns ("You da bomb!") to a bad guy who wears a monocle. You can see Lasseter and his creative crew gleefully letting their imaginations run wild ("We'll put magnets on Finn's tires so he can climb!" "Let's trick out Mater with spy weapons--won't that be cool?!"). Cars was held back when it kept its characters in the friendly confines of Carburetor County. Like with any fine vehicle, Cars 2 proves that it's way more fun when you let it run on the open road.

Thanks for sharing, John.

John Lasseter's Job is Way More Interesting Than Yours

Cars 2 is opening today to less than stellar reviews (currently 37% on Rotten Tomatoes--OUCH!), but even if the movie is a clunker (I'll post my review later this weekend), it will do little to tarnish Pixar's image as a haven of cutting edge animation and, well, a really cool place to work.

Below is a photo essay chronicling a day in the life of Pixar's chief creative officer and Cars 2 director John Lasseter. As much as I would have liked to follow Mr. Lasseter around all day and take pictures (now there's something to put on my bucket list), all the words and images are from Walt Disney Studios public relations and photographer Deborah Coleman. It's pure studio fluff, but anytime you can get a glimpse behind closed doors at Pixar, it's a good thing. Enjoy.

A SWEET START (7:48 a.m.) -- Kissing wife Nancy goodbye, "Cars 2" director John Lasseter hits the road for the 60-minute ride from his Sonoma County home to Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif.

A WORKING COMMUTE (8:13 a.m.) – Lasseter rides instead of driving to work, allowing precious minutes to review "Cars 2" materials on an iPad. Supervising technical director Apurva Shah created a special application for Lasseter that allows the director to record notes verbally and email his feedback to the appropriate department.

A GRAND ENTRANCE (8:52 a.m.) – Lasseter chats with fellow Pixarian A.J. Riebli, a Sonoma County neighbor, upon arrival at Pixar Animation Studios.

WHAT’S THE SCOOP? (9:38 a.m.) – Executive manager Heather Feng downloads Lasseter on the day ahead in his office.

BEHIND THE DESK (9:43 a.m.) – With hundreds of "Toy Story" toys looking on, Lasseter reviews a "Cars 2" trailer on his office computer.

BREAKFAST WITH A SIDE OF “CARS 2” (10:09 a.m.) – Jim Murphy, director of creative artists, stops to chat while "Cars 2" producer Denise Ream and assistant Heather Feng review materials—and breakfast—with Lasseter at Pixar’s Luxo Café.

IN UNIFORM (10:27 a.m.) – Producer Denise Ream joins Lasseter en route to a meeting. The "Cars 2" director dons his daily uniform, a Hawaiian shirt themed to his current project (this one features "Cars" characters). Lasseter currently has 350 Hawaiian shirts in rotation.

BECOMING A TOY (10:47 a.m.) – Lasseter discusses product details of the John Lassetire toy car with Jay Shuster, character art director; Ben Butcher, manager of art, consumer products; Andy Dreyfus, marketing creative director; and producer Denise Ream. The character, John Lassetire, makes a brief appearance in "Cars 2" as World Grand Prix contender Jeff Gorvette’s pit crew chief.

PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAILS (11:14 a.m.) – Lasseter joins various teams, including animation and effects, in the East Screening room to review "Cars 2" shots during back-to-back meetings.

READY FOR HIS CLOSE-UP (11:50 a.m.) – Lasseter takes an up-close view of a shot in the East Screening room during back-to-back meetings. The director gives the team verbal notes, recorded by a production coordinator.

LUNCH “BREAK” (12:50 p.m.) – Producer Denise Ream, production manager Jake Martin and executive manager Heather Feng join Lasseter for a bite to eat at Pixar’s Luxo Café. Though the group shares lunch every day, today’s topic of conversation is Pixar’s museum exhibit that is traveling the world.

WE’RE WALKING (1:15 p.m.) – Lasseter walks with production manager Jake Martin to his next meeting, passing by a stunning and heartwarming piece of concept art from "Toy Story 3" that measures 11 feet by 22 feet.

MAKIN’ THE ROUNDS (1:22 p.m.) – Lasseter begins a regular animation walk-through in animator Jean Claude Tran’s office, reviewing shots and giving notes like only he can. Animation coordinator Max Sachar and supervising animator Shawn Krause look on and record the feedback.

NEXT! (2:04 p.m.) – Lasseter continues his animation walk-through in animator Tim Hittle’s office with supervising animators Dave Mullins and Shawn Krause looking on.

PARTY! (2:43 p.m.) – Lasseter breaks from his duties to share a toast in the Pixar atrium with character art director Jay Shuster, celebrating his last day on the "Cars 2" production with several crew members. Shuster officially moves on to another film.

THE RIGHT EFFECT (3:13 p.m.) – Lasseter touches base with "Cars 2" effects lead Gary Bruins in the East Screening room. Bruins and his team are behind the film’s more explosive moments.

DETAILS, DETAILS (4:40 p.m.) – Lasseter joins film editor Stephen Shaffer in Shaffer’s edit bay office to tighten up select "Cars 2" sequences.

EDITORIAL REVIEW CONTINUES (5:03 p.m.) – Lasseter’s editorial review with film editor Steve Schaffer and animator Michal Makarewicz continues late into the afternoon.

MORE THAN A MOVIE (5:26 p.m.) – As director and chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lasseter’s role includes approving items like poster designs and consumer products. Assistant Michelle Moretta walks him through the day’s materials.

NIGHT LIGHT (5:57 p.m.) – Lasseter makes his way to his car at the end of a busy day, passing by two of Pixar’s most recognizable icons—the lamp and the red, yellow and blue ball that pay homage to the studio’s pioneering and Oscar®-nominated short, "Luxo, Jr." (1986). The ball later bounced around 1995’s "Toy Story," and has made appearances in several of Pixar’s feature films through the years, including "Monsters, Inc." and "Up."

EVERY MINUTE COUNTS (6:04 p.m.) – Though Lasseter makes an effort to head for home by 6 p.m. each evening, the director does spend his commute reviewing shots from the film on his iPad. He should hit home by 7 p.m.—a home that is wired directly to Pixar with his own telephone extension, but the director tries to leave his work in the office (and car).

It was announced this week that Lasseter will be among the well known names to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. Congratulations, John, on a well-deserved honor.

www.disneynewsarchive.com
www.facebook.com/disneynewsarchive
www.twitter.com/disneytim
www.youtube.com/disneytim