Of Mice and Men (1939) . . .

Disney and Pixar have been busy recently, and will be over the upcoming several years. Combined the companies will be releasing quite a few films over the next four years, some are re-releases in Disney 3-D, some are sequels, and some are new altogether. I am intrigued by quite a few of these. I still can't imagine 3-D ever becoming mainstream, though. The following items are excerpts from AintItCoolNews, link: Disney's Upcoming Slate. I deleted out three or four direct-to-DVD features centering on Tinkerbell.

If you have children, or plan to have children in the next few years,, I just thought I'd give you a preview of the discs that will be wearing out your DVD player in the not too distant future.

As for my comments, I can't wait for WALL•E. Bolt has Travolta, that is enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth, but the story could have potential if done correctly. I don't even know how to conceptualize Up. That could the the coolest thing ever, or it could be Ratatouille. I'll leave it to you to decide my opinion on that film. Oh, wait, no I didn't. I guess The Princess and the Frog is Disney's nod to New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina? Oh, and another attempt to add to the evergrowing line of "Disney Princess" merchandise. Toy Story 3? Eh, I loved the first two but I can't imagine they could capture the charm a third time out. Of course, I said that about the second after the first. Rapunzel, see earlier comment about Disney Princess merchandise. Newt will be yet another talking animal movie, but it could have funny moments. Apparently one newt is bred in captivity while the second is wild. The sheltered newt can see a "newt mating ritual" poster on the board that includes nine steps, but the ninth image is covered with a coffee can so he can't figure out how to seal the deal. Is this Disney? The Bear and the Bow, a fairy tale set in Scotland? I'm there. Cars 2, well, the first one grew on me after repeated viewings. King of the Elves sounds fantastic. So, there you go.

2008:

WALL•E (Domestic Release Date: June 27th, 2008)Pixar Animation

What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot?
Academy Award®-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo”) and the inventive storytellers and technical geniuses at Pixar Animation Studios transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named WALL•E.After hundreds of lonely years doing what he was built for, WALL•E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet’s future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most incredible comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen.

BOLT (Domestic Release Date: November 26th, 2008, Disney Digital 3-D™)Walt Disney Animation Studios

For super-dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue – at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the canine star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City , he begins his biggest adventure yet – a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions – a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), and TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino – Bolt discovers he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.

2009:

UP (Domestic Release Date: May 29th, 2009, Disney Digital 3-D™)Pixar Animation

From the Academy Award®-nominated team of director Pete Docter (“Monsters, Inc.”) and co-director Bob Peterson comes “Up,” a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. “Up” takes audiences on a thrilling journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures. When seeking adventure next summer – look “Up.”

TOY STORY in 3-D (Domestic Release Date: October 2nd, 2009)Pixar Animation

Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, “Toy Story” was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar® nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) “for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film.” The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his acclaimed team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2009)Walt Disney Animation Studios

A musical set in the greatest city of them all, New Orleans , “The Princess and the Frog” marks Disney’s return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. The film teams Ron Clements and John Musker, creators of “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin,” with Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman to tell the most beautiful love story ever told…with frogs, voodoo, and a singing alligator.

2010:

TOY STORY 2 in 3-D (Domestic Release Date: February 12th, 2010)Pixar Animation

Originally released in 1999, “Toy Story 2” went on to become one of the most popular animated features of all time. The film picks up as Andy is heading off to Cowboy Camp and the toys are left to their own devices. When an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al’s Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody, and Woody learns that he’s a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called “Woody’s Roundup,” the stage is set for a daring rescue attempt by the gang from Andy’s room. The film introduced such other memorable characters from “Woody’s Roundup” as Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse, and the Prospector.

TOY STORY 3 (Domestic Release Date: June 18th, 2010, Disney Digital 3-D™)Pixar Animation

The creators of the beloved “Toy Story” films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in “Toy Story 3.” Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2” and “Finding Nemo”) directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine,” brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.

RAPUNZEL (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2010, Disney Digital 3-D™)Walt Disney Animation Studios

In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, “Rapunzel,” audiences will be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair…lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.

2011:

NEWT (Domestic Release Date: Summer 2011, Disney Digital 3-D™)Pixar Animation

What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can’t stand each other? That's the problem facing Newt and Brooke, heroes of ”newt,” the Pixar film by seven-time Academy Award® winner for sound Gary Rydstrom, and director of Pixar's Oscar nominated short, "Lifted." Newt and Brooke embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.

THE BEAR AND THE BOW (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2011, Disney Digital 3-D™)Pixar Animation Studios

A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar’s action-adventure "The Bear and the Bow.” The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida , though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father’s kingdom and her mother’s life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman (“The Prince of Egypt,” “The Lion King”) and the storytelling wizards of Pixar conjure humor, fantasy and excitement in this rich Highland tale.

2012:

CARS 2 (Domestic Release Date: Summer 2012, Disney Digital 3-D™)Pixar Animation

All the world’s a racetrack as racing superstar Lightning McQueen zooms back into action, with his best friend Mater in tow, to take on the globe’s fastest and finest in this thrilling high-octane new installment of the “Cars” saga. Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic escapades around the globe. “Cars 2” is being directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille.”

KING OF THE ELVES (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2012, Disney Digital 3-D™)Walt Disney Animation Studios

Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick’s short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king. Joining the innocent and endangered elves as they attempt to escape from an evil and menacing troll, their unlikely new leader finds himself caught on a journey filled with unimaginable dangers and a chance to bring real meaning back to his own life.

Remember Sammy Jankis!