Tag Archives: Dangerous

Visit the House from “Up” in Real Life

In further proof of the emotional resonance and technical mastery of Pixar’s “Up,” a building company in Utah has constructed a replica of Carl and Ellie’s home from the 2009 movie. The Salt Lake Tribune has the full story. As Blair Bangerter of Bangerter Homes watched “Up” one night with his family, he was struck by the “incredible lengths the masters at Disney/Pixar had gone to in creating such a wonderfully presented house and felt like a true to life version could be attempted,” according to a Bangerter Homes press release quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, … Continue reading →

“Toy Story 3” Both A Relief and A Letdown

In my very first blog for families.com I bemoaned Pixar’s current penchant for making sequels, a trend I blamed on Walt Disney Corp. CEO Bob Iger. I’ve expanded, or at least reiterated, my opinions on the matter since then. Some might say, however, that I should stop criticizing the making of all of Pixar’s recent sequels if I never bother to see them, something I just haven’t felt motivated to do. Nearly a year after it came out on in theaters, I finally decided to see “Toy Story 3.” Before I get into how I felt about the movie, however, … Continue reading →

Monsters, Marple, and Merida

Earlier this week saw the announcement of saw the announcement of two new Disney movies, one that was already rumored in production, and the first stills from another highly anticipated film. The first is Pixar’s next sequel, the previously titled “Monster’s Inc. 2.” NME Movie News revealed that Pixar didn’t say much about the film, merely that it would again star John Goodman as Sully and Billy Crystal as Mike. We do, however, have a title for the movie, and it is the most creative yet. Rather than just adding another number to the end, the new “Monster’s Inc.” film … Continue reading →

The Disney Toy Company

The LA Times has recently run a number of articles on the new philosophies of the Walt Disney Corporation, as determined by CEO Bob Iger. One of the latest summarizes Iger’s position the best: he’s all about the merchandising. Case in point: “The Proposal.” The Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy from last year grossed millions, making back the cost of its production in spades. So, inevitably, the suits behind the film suggested a sequel. But because the film comes from Touchstone Pictures, which is a subsidiary of Disney, Iger ultimately calls the shots (should he so choose) on this sort … Continue reading →

Too Many Princesses

When I was little I never dreamed of being a princess. I would sing and dance and play along to my favorite Disney films “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Aladdin,” but although I longed for the adventures of Belle and Ariel, I never wanted to be them, exactly. Ariel and Jasmine seemed to have too many boring responsibilities associated with their crowns, and aside from the gorgeous library, I preferred Belle’s original quaint cottage and village of residence to the echoing, impersonal castle she’d presumably inhabit as a princess. Yet everywhere I looked, the heroines of my … Continue reading →

Pushing “Up” into New Territory

On Tuesday, November 10th, Disney released “Up” on DVD, and I eagerly rushed to the store to add Pixar’s latest triumph to my collection. Each year I find myself blown away by the studio’s offerings, especially their original storytelling, sharp writing, and gorgeous graphics. “Up” holds a special place in my heart and mind, however, for its groundbreaking take on an important issue. One of the struggles facing modern families today is how to raise tolerant, discerning children. It can be difficult teaching children to overcome stereotypes. If all the heroes and leading characters they see on screen are young, … Continue reading →

Disney Pixar’s Up Soars High but with a Couple of Bumps

Disney Pixar’s Up, now playing in theaters, may be the best movie of the year so far. Still, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some room for improvement. Up is a wonderful tale that thrills in parts but has a few moments that could have been left out. Up is at once a perfectly bittersweet love story, a realized childhood action adventure, and a classic comedy in which grumpy old man meets an enthusiastically cute and innocent Dennis the Menace archetype. The animation is just amazing. But before Carl Frederickson can become the grouchy retired balloon salesman, he is first … Continue reading →

Pixar: Where Math Meets Reality

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I remember being in high school algebra class and wondering: “how am I really going to use this in the real world?” I don’t think I was the first math student to wonder such a thing, nor was I the last. It seems that there are even more reasons to take those math classes today than there were in the 1980’s. On Thursday, April 3rd, a scientist from Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios will talk to Hamilton College students about “Math in the Movies”. Tony DeRose heads the research group at Pixar. He has a bachelor’s degree in physics and … Continue reading →

What Behavior NOT to Ignore

Often times, ignoring unsavory and unappealing behavior in our children is the best way to get it to stop. It is an ancient and very effective tool to have in a parent’s tool bag if you are able just ignore some things—they will go away if the child doesn’t get the hoped-for response from mom or dad. However, ignoring is not always the best route to take and there are some things that should NOT be ignored… As a rule, any behavior that is dangerous or destructive should not be ignored. This goes for things a child does that are … Continue reading →

If You Like “Bad Boys” (or Girls) Read This

The dangerous type of guy seems so attractive. His rugged good looks and “who cares?” attitude seem so free and exciting. So, why is it that this is the kind of guy that always ends up breaking your heart? You may be sitting there thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” Well, there is probably not a thing wrong with you, except for the fact that you choose the wrong types of men. Trust me, you’re far from being alone. Many women think that they will find excitement and passion with the daring, devil may care, aloof man that looks so darned … Continue reading →