STUDIO NEWS: DisneyToon Studios announces 'Planes'

For the straight-to-DVD release, the studio promises "an all-new, high-flying, feature-length comedy adventure with a fleet of fun new characters."

Compiled by R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic


PLANES: Comin' at ya in 2013.

The sky’s the limit as DisneyToon Studios proudly announces PLANES – a spectacular, full-length CG animated comedy action adventure movie for everyone set high above the world of CARS. PLANES will introduce an entirely original and hilarious crew of daredevils from every corner of the globe and draws inspiration from the immensely popular Disney•Pixar’s CARS world. PLANES will arrive on Blu-ray™ and DVD in Spring 2013.


CARS 2, in theaters this summer.

 “We had such a great time exploring the world of ‘Cars’ over the course of two films, so it seemed only natural for us to see where our imaginations would take us in a film where planes were the main characters. By expanding the Cars world, ‘Planes’ gave us a whole new set of fun-filled situations and a great opportunity to introduce some fantastic new characters,” commented John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. “The team at DisneyToon Studios has done such an amazing job creating a heartfelt story filled with great comedy, adventure, and emotion. I know audiences are going to love taking off into the wild blue yonder with these daredevil characters, as they experience a whole new kind of animated adventure.”

PLANES takes off with an international cast of the fastest air racers around, in a comedy packed with action and adventure starring Dusty, a small town dreamer who longs to enter the most epic around-the-world air race … despite his fear of heights. With the help and support of a fleet of new and hilarious characters, Dusty wings his way into the biggest challenge of his life.

Fasten your seatbelt as more information on PLANES will be arriving shortly.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (DIS: NYSE) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Touchstone Pictures; and Marvel. Through the Home Entertainment division, innovative distribution methods provide access to creative content across multiple platforms. Original music and motion-picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE! For more information, visit www.disney.com.

HOME VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: For Colored Girls, 127 Hours, Burlesque

Brief capsules of new movies worth renting.

By R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic


FOR COLORED GIRLS

Critics didn't get behind this Tyler Perry adaptation of Ntozake Shange's famous choreopoem, which is unfortunate, especially in light of all the recent "Hollywood Whiteout" talk. Perry may not be the cleanest storyteller, and he surely isn't the most subtle, but he draws an amazing collection of searing performances from his remarkable cast, which includes Kerry Washington, Loretta Devine, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose and the especially brilliant Kimberly Elise. Had the movie been better received, Oscar could have filled his Supporting Actress category with girls from "Girls." Any actress lover shouldn't dare miss it. (Avaialble Now)




127 HOURS

Oscar nominee and Oscar host delivers his very best performance in the now well-known dramatization of climber Aron Ralston's harrowing, limb-severing Utah-ravine ordeal. Franco gets to show off his equally formidable comedic and dramatic skills, but the talent who's showcased the most is director and co-writer Danny Boyle, who takes a lean and intensely isolated tale and expands it into a colorful and thrilling adventure. It's one of the year's more noteworthy filmmaking feats, and one that puts you acutely in tune with all that its hero experiences. (Available March 1)





BURLESQUE

Shame on the haters who bashed this hugely entertaining musical, which is well worth your time for the rousing numbers and pop-icon starpower alone. Cher and Christina Aquilera sadly never share a duet, but their sharing of the screen creates a whole lot of glittery, carefree, pseudo-campy sparks. Sure, Cher is more set decoration than actorly substance, and the plot and characterizations are bottom of the barrel, but the music and amusement are top-notch. (Available March 1)

TRAILER PARK: Bridesmaids, Win Win, X-Men: First Class

The latest trailers for some of the most noteworthy upcoming flicks.

By R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic


BRIDESMAIDS
The latest Judd Apatow-produced romp promises to be a female answer to "The Hangover," with a raunchy bachelorette party that unfolds in va-va-va-Vegas. The biggest draw here is of course the cast, which is led by awkward-deadpan queen Kristen Wiig, and also features Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Wendi McLendon-Covey ("Reno 911!"), Ellie Kemper ("The Office") and Melissa McCarthy ("Mike and Molly"). Wiig's reaction shots in the trailer are as priceless as ever, but much of this looks like the same old broad drivel, and it hardly seems like the treat that female comedy fans have been waiting for. Movies aren't often well-represented by their previews; let's hope this one has something else tucked under its pink ruffles.




WIN WIN
I'm so terribly smitten with the work of writer/director Tom McCarthy ("The Station Agent," "The Visitor"), that I'd get in line for his latest, "Win Win," sight unseen. I'm pleased to say that the film's trailer, though clearly made conventionally so as to pull in the largest possible audience, only strengthens my anticipation. McCarthy has again assembled an ace cast, with Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Melanie Lynskey and "Station" star Bobby Cannavale in this story of a broody attorney and part-time wrestling coach (Giamatti) who discovers and mentors a star athlete. Looks to be a toned-down sports movie with an indie slant, built up by McCarthy's ever-sharp human observations.




X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
Speaking of being smitten, I'm a bona-fide X-geek and have been since childhood, so any X-movie reels me in no matter how badly burned I've been by the franchise's lousy installments.This prequel from director Matthew Vaughn ("Kick-Ass") and producer/story developer Bryan Singer ("X-Men," "X2") looks primed to reinvogorate the X-universe on screen, returning it to a level of plausible, worldly authenticity, and bringing in the talented likes of actors James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence (to name a few) as younger versions of Professor X, Magneto and Mystique, respectively. This is definitely one of the more promising summer releases, even if its villains, Emma Frost (January Jones) and Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) seem a little snooze-worthy.

STAR TO WATCH: Jennifer Lawrence

By R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic



This time last year, 20-year-old Jennifer Lawrence was the talk of Sundance, where "Winter's Bone" (left), the Ozark-Mountainss thriller that sees her in the lead role of teenage spitfire Ree Dolly, ran away with the Grand Jury Prize and the hottest buzz of any title at the fest. Jump ahead 12 months, and Lawrence is a Best Actress Oscar nominee, a first-timer alongside the established, multi-nominated likes of Natalie Portman, Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams.

The moment "Winter's Bone" -- itself nominated for Picture and Screenplay -- began gaining an audience, there was really little question as to whether or not Lawrence would find herself in the Best Actress race. Her turn as Ree, who has to navigate the dark corners of her lawless extended family to find her missing father, is an almost shockingly superb breakthrough, rough, tough and revelatory. Though the Kentucky-born actress has been cast in redneck-esque roles in the past ("The Burning Plain," TV's "The Bill Engvall Show"), her glamorous offscreen look and demeanor give no indication of the rustic, no-nonsense, unrefined fire Ree emits. Thanks also to the script (co-written by Anne Rossellini and director Debra Granik), but mainly to Lawrence's unflinching embodiment, she's one of the great recent film heroines. 

And how will Lawrence be following her own tough act? In addition to starring in the Mel Gibson curio "The Beaver" and the relationship drama "Like Crazy" (which, incidentally, won the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance fest), the blonde phenom will be appearing as a young Mystique in this summer's superhero prequel, "X-Men: First Class" (left), opening June 3. After that she'll be seen opposite Elisabeth Shue in "The House at the End of the Street," a thriller directed by Mark Tonderai and based on a short story by Jonathan Mostow ("Breakdown"). First, of course, you can see her all decked out at the Oscars, opening Feb. 27.