First Trailer for Disney’s The Princess and the Frog

The first trailer for Disney’s "The Princess and the Frog" aired during Friday’s episode of "Wizards of Waverly Place." The animated fairy tale centers on a young princess named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose – love her in HBO’s "The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency") who lives in the French Quarters of New Orleans during the Jazz Age.

Directed by Ron Clements, the Disney romance features the voices of Terrence Howard, John Goodman, Keith David, and Oprah Winfrey. It’ll hit theaters just in time for Christmas, on Dec. 11, 2009.

Up – Newest Trailer

Here’s the most recent trailer for "Up," an animated movie from Pixar that looks beautiful and creative and full of interesting characters. It’s from the same people who created "Finding Nemo," "Monsters, Inc.," and "Toy Story," and tells the story of an old man (Ed Asner) who ties a bunch of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilderness with a 9-year-old stowaway (Jordan Nagai). Directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, "Up" sails into theaters May 29, 2009.

Monsters vs. Aliens Review – Awesome 3D Animation

Movie: Monsters vs. Aliens * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: March 27, 2009
Runtime: 94 minutes	Directed by: Rob Letterman / Conrad Vernon
MPAA Rating: PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor, and mild language	Gecko Rating:

There’s really only so much you can do with a kids’ movie these days. There’s usually an evil guy, a main character with issues, some kooky supporting characters, and a big crisis that needs to be stopped.

"Monsters vs. Aliens" has all of these elements, but what puts it a notch above most kids’ movies is the animation. The movie is offered in both 3D and regular versions. I saw the 3D version, and while most 3D movies don’t measure up, this one did. The filmmakers really made good use of the 3D, with balls (and sometimes slime) being thrown at the audience, planets swirling about, and an alien spacecraft filled with all manner of cool techie stuff.

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Monsters vs. Aliens Red Carpet Premiere - VIDEO

The stars came out in force, including Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon, Keifer Sutherland and Judd Apatow, hitting the red carpet for the premiere of "Monsters vs. Aliens," blasting into theaters this Friday, March 27, 2009. Are you taking the kids to this movie? Heck, just go see it yourself. It looks really cute!

Punisher, Barbie are new on DVD – March 17, 2009

Not a whole lot new on DVD this week, unless you’re a fan of Barbie or the "Punisher" series. Then you’re in luck! Read on…

Punisher: War Zone (2-Disc Special Edition and Widescreen/Full Screen Edition). This sequel to 2004’s "The Punisher" brings back Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson), a vigilante-hero who goes after a mob boss out for vengeance. [Official Site]

Barbie Presents: Thumbelina. A sweet story about a little Twillerbee named Thumbelina and Barbie’s efforts to save their habitat. [Amazon]

Elegy. Penelope Cruz and Ben Kingsley star in this film about a college professor and a beautiful young woman – and their relationship of romance, lust, jealousy, and betrayal. Based on Philip Roth’s short novel, "The Dying Animal." [Official Site]

Image: Amazon.com

Sneak Peek: Pinocchio Deleted Scene – VIDEO

I always love seeing the Disney classics get a fresh makeover. With all the chaos in the world, it’s a joy to go back and watch these innocent films.

“Pinocchio” is newly restored after being in the Disney vault for eight years. It will be released on Platinum DVD and Blu-ray on March 10, just in time to celebrate the film’s 70th anniversary. “When you wish upon a star…”

Here’s a deleted scene that will be available on DVD/Blu-ray called “The Story of the Grandfather Tree.” If you have kids or grandkids, now is a great time to pick up this lovely classic.

Coraline Review – Too Scary for Kids?

Movie: Coraline in 3D * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: Feb. 6, 2009
Runtime: 100 minutes	Directed by: Henry Selick
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor	Gecko Rating:

"Coraline" is one of those movies that’s probably a great piece of filmmaking, but it’s not really appropriate for kids. The stop-motion animation, the cinematography, and the storyline are all beautifully done. But it’s just too darn scary for little kids. Even though it’s rated PG, I don’t recommend it for kids younger than 12, which, in my mind, means it should have been rated PG-13.

The story follows a girl named Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning), who moves with her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) to a creepy old inn also inhabited by some other quirky people, including Mr. Bobinsky (Ian McShane) and two older ladies (Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French). Living nearby with his grandma is a boy named Wybie (Robert Bailey, Jr.). There’s also a cat skulking around, voiced by Keith David.

Coraline’s parents are busy with their work – writing a seed catalogue – so they basically tell Coraline to go away and amuse herself so they can work. The dad is nice enough, but totally distracted. The mom is borderline abusive emotionally. Really great parents we’ve got there.

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Rhino the Hamster, I mean Mark Walton, talks "Bolt"

Paul Byrne of Movies.ie caught up with Mark Walton, who voices the pivotal role of Rhino the hamster in "Bolt," coming to DVD on March 24, 2009. Really, that little guy was probably my favorite character in the animated movie. See what he has to say about being a rodent (are hamsters rodents? well, if they are, they’re cute rodents):

"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" – Trailer

"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" was released on Blu-ray last week. Here’s a little reminder trailer of how fun this movie is. That part about the hippo just cracks me up every time. Read my review of the movie here. After the jump, check out the Blu-ray bonus features.

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Fey, Stiller, Downey Jr. in Talks for "Master Mind"

Wow, what a cast! I got pretty excited when I saw that Robert Downey Jr., Tina Fey and Ben Stiller were in talks to star in a movie together. Then a little let down to find out their VOICES would be in an animated movie together. But still a little excited at the prospect.

They’re in negotiations for DreamWorks’ "Master Mind," about a superhero villain who loses his reason to live after accidentally killing his good-guy nemesis.

They’re looking at a Nov. 5, 2010 release date. Stiller is also producing via his Red Hour Films.

Eh, maybe I’ll get more excited as the movie gets closer. I imagine doing voice work is a lot less work than doing live-action. Maybe that’s why so many actors end up doing animated movies. Or maybe they’re just fun to do.

Image: Tropic Thunder, Dreamworks SKG, 2008