AFI Awards: Top 10 Movies of 2008
On Sunday, December 14, American Film Institute (AFI) have announced their selections for the top ten of most outstanding motion pictures in 2008. Among those making it on the list are two of the summer’s blockbuster comic book adaptations, “Iron Man“and “The Dark Knight“.
AFI’s Top 10 Movies of 2008:
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
- “The Dark Knight”
- “Frost/Nixon”
- “Frozen River”
- “Gran Torino”
- “Iron Man”
- “Milk”
- “Wall-E”
- “Wendy and Lucy”
- “The Wrestler”
Much buzzed-about movies like “Revolutionary Road“, “The Reader” and “Doubt” were noticeably absent, along with the National Board of Review and British Independent Film Award winner “Slumdog Millionaire.” Continue Reading…
WALL-E Concept Art And BURN-E Short Film
Here’s a new short film from Pixar - BURN-E or Basic Utility Repair Nano Engineer.
The seven and a half minute short film - which is including on the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray release of WALL-E is directed by Angus MacLane. WALL-E DVD/Blu-ray will be available on November 18th.
CinemaBlend has an interview with BURN-E director Angus MacLane:
Q: WALL-E stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth class. What does BURN-E stand for?
A.M.: BURN•E stands for: Basic Utility Repair Nano Engineer. I have since heard from some people that it actually be BURN•A because the “E” in WALL•E stands for “Earth-Class” and the “A” would be the appropriate “Axiom-Class”. Now I could argue that maybe BURN•E was a robot on earth that then was installed on the Axiom, but A: I would be lying and B: What is the point? If that is the biggest problem you have with the film, then I have done my job. Now put yourself in my shoes- you have to name this robot. The name BURN-E is funny and breaks the continuity of the film or BURN•A which is more accurate to the feature and is not funny at all. Which would you choose? I thought so. I do love that geeks pick up on this and I am happy to be creating this controversy. I’d probably do the same thing were I not involved.
Q: How hard was it to think of a name that sounded like a robot but was a pun for a human name (Bernie)?
A.M.: His name internally had been “Repair Bot” When I started the short, I envisioned him as being called WELD•R. About two days later Jim Reardon, the head of WALL•E Story handed me a drawing he had done of the word BURN•E burned into metal. After that there was no going back.
WALL-E For Best Picture Nomination!
Disney have started their campaign pushing “WALL - E” - the cutest robot ever - for a nomination in both Best Animated Feature and Best Picture Oscar, an award never won by an animated film, at the upcoming Academy Awards starting with a campaign this week.
Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook told the New York Times, “If we didn’t do it, I don’t think we’d be giving the movie its due.”
Only one animated film has ever had the honor to be nominated in the Best Picture category, Disney’s 1991 film “Beauty and the Beast,” before the Academy started the Best Animated Picture award in 2001.
Check out great images at our Wall - E Gallery and read more at PixarPlanet Blog
How Pixar team created Wall - E
Pixar’s “Wall - E,” had its premiere on 27 June 2008.
Before the movie hits the theaters we watched many “Wall - E” trailers and great photos from this animated movie.
Andrew Stanton with William Austin Lee (”WALL - E,” “Ratatouille,” “Ice Age”, “The Incredibles” - character modeling and additional animator), Doug Frankel (”Ratatouille”, “The Incredibles” - animator, “The Lion King” - “Scar” - animator), Keith Daniel Klohn (one of the Effects Sequence Leads - “Cars”, “The Incredibles”,”Finding Nemo”, “Ice Age”. Klohn is now working on the next Pixar film, ‘Up,’ due out in the summer of 2009) from Pixar were in charge of creating Wall - E from the start, beginning with primitive shapes to mock up the design.
Animator Angus MacLane (”Wall - E,” “Ratatouille,” “Cars,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo”) worked in Maya and Pixar proprietary software Menv to be sure Wall - E could hit the poses and expressions that MacLane wanted.
“Wall - E” is a story of a lonely robot meant for greater things. Spending his years on Earth cleaning up humanities garbage, the little trash compacter has more gizmos than a Swiss Army knife and more soul than his hollow chest can hold.
Wall - E was a character that didn’t actually speak or even have a nose or mouth, so his design had to allow for the ability to communicate through his body language, eye expressions, and a few mechanical sounds.
Learn how PIXAR team created the amazing robot Wall - E: CGsociety.org
New Posters From Cinema EXPO 2008. (updated)
Thanks to Film1, we now have a photos of the posters for the upcoming films listed below:
- Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (20th Century Fox - 02. July 2009)
- Monsters vs. Aliens (DreamWorks Pictures - 02 April 2009)
- G.I. Joe (Paramount Pictures - 20. August 2009)
- You Don’t Mess with the Zohan! (Sony Pictures - 14. August 2008)
- The Mummy 3 (Universal Pictures International - 07. August 2008)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still (20th Century Fox - 12. December 2008)
- WALL•E (Walt Disney Pictures - 25 September 2008)
- Watchmen (Warner Bros. - 05. March 2009)
The posters appeared at the Cinema EXPO in Amsterdam. [via dvd-forum]
Update:
- G.I. Joe - Baroness (Paramount Pictures - 20. August 2009)
- Dragonball (20th Century Fox - 8 April 2009)
- Ghost Town ( DreamWorks Pictures - September 19, 2008)
”Wall - E” Sweet Dance Clip
In this funny clip Wall-E shows off some dance moves to Eve.
”Wall-E” hits the theaters on June 27, 2008
Check out the clip below
“Wall-E - Lots of Bots” Featurette
Disney Pixar has been releasing many vignettes focusing on “Wall-E“, but vignettes with other robots of the movie would great! Featurette for “Wall-E” introduces other robotic characters we are expected to meet. Director Andrew Stanton handles the introductions by describing each bot.
New movie is scheduled to hit theaters on June 27th, 2008.
Watch “Wall-E - Lots of Bots” featurette after jump Continue Reading…
