The First Trailer For Peanuts

So, the first trailer for Peanuts, by Blue Sky Studios, is out. I gotta say, I feel pretty excited. I have to mention the look of the movie first, it's incredible! They really went in a hundred percent to make it look like the old cartoons, something that seems quite impossible with 3D. But they somehow succeed. It looks like a mix of 2D, stop motion/claymation and 3D animation, it's just wonderful to look at and it feels fresh. I think a lot of 3D-animated movies nowadays tend to have a sort of similar style, you know that "3D-style", especially if it's not from the big three. It's so refreshing to see something different, something new.

The classic Peanuts music is of course there and really sets the mood, but the other song I'm not crazy about. I don't think it fits the mood or action that is going on. If they wanted to go with the happy song, they could have gone more out with it. The few voices (okay there are only two) we hear sounds like the old cartoons, indicating that they have done a good job with finding voices.

As for the story... Well, they're not telling any of the story yet, which I thinks works fine for the trailer. I feel like most people going to see this are going because of the old cartoons, to relive that magical time. Though I am very curios of how they will fill up 90 minutes of runtime (I'm guessing, no runtime released yet.) But I do have a lot of confidence in Blue Sky succeeding in that. They have worked so hard to make it look and feel like the old cartoons, so my guess is that the story will take the same approach, to just be very close to the original. I'm very excited for this, is it 2015 soon?

Review: Simpsorama

I watched the Simpsons/Futurama crossover episode "Simpsorama", and I thought it was really good. It felt a bit short, but many of The Simpsons episodes lately feel that way, I don't know if it has to do with the shortened runtime. And obviously it will feel shorter the more characters you have to focus on, and with a crossover episode there's quite a few.

The story is a pretty good one, simple but gives most of the characters something to do and let them interact with each other. It was very funny with good jokes, and only a few of them was a wink to the audience, wich was nice.

The characters interacting with each other works really well. How the characters react to each other is very believable and I think it suits both shows. The Futurama part I feel is slightly too far out for a Simpsons episode, but it's not enough that it bothers me. I still considered this an in canon episode, though it's sort of a mix between the regular episodes and a Halloween episode. The characters feel true to themselves, which is the most important part of a crossover.

It's hard not to compare this episode to the Family Guy/Simpsons crossover, seeing as they premiered so close to each other. Simpsorama is a much better crossover, mostly because The Simpsons and Futurama could be in the same universe, they are not that far away from each other (unless you count a 1000 years as far) in terms of comedy and how the shows approach subjects. I think Family Guy would do a better crossover with South Park, they feel closer to each other than Family Guy does to The Simpsons.

Simpsorama was a very fun episode, a nice send off to a show that ended to soon, and just a good crossover, so check it out if you haven't yet.

Image: Fox

Fearing The Four:Toy Story 4

When I woke up and read through Twitter I couldn't believe how many tweets had been written during the night. I didn't have to feel confused for long, as I read through the tweets. Pixar had released the news that they are making Toy Story 4, and everyone on Twitter was highly opinionated. I have landed a bit after the (though mild) chock, so I can now tell you how I feel about this news.

First of all, I do not think that Pixar is "dying". I do not think that they are running out of ideas. I do not think that they are just after money. I do not think Pixar is losing it's touch. With that out of the way, I really don't like the idea of them making a fourth movie. Pixar's track record with sequels is pretty good so far, the sequels have, in my opinion, always been as good or possibly better than the original. (I don't like Cars or Cars 2, but in my opinion they are equally not-so-good.) So my reasoning for not being excited about the new movie is not that I'm scared that they will do a bad job. And I'm not that against sequels, well okay a little, but I have faith in that Pixar has a story before they decide to make a sequel, not just because the original is popular and making a lot of money.

The problem I have with them making a fourth movie, is that the third one was so good at closing the series. They say goodbye to Andy, he moves out and they are left in the care of Bonnie. Unless they're going to make three more movies where we see Bonnie grow up, it's going to stick out like a sore thumb. I also wonder what more they can do with the characters. Woody and Buzz have already fought and had their differences and have come to like and respect each other. And Jessie already had her movie. This series, to me, is a finished chapter, and it feels very unnecessary that they are opening it up again.

With that said, I'm very curious about this movie. How can they progress the story and characters after such a good ending? But as for me, I would rather they'd just leave this series as it is, one of the best movie series.

Image: Disney