Animated 'Cat in the Hat' in Development

"After topping the box office the past two weeks with Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri, and Audrey Geisel will... begin developing a 3D CG-animated feature based on The Cat in the Hat," reports Deadline.

Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, served as executive producer on The Lorax. (Ted and Audrey in the movie were named after the couple.)

This animated Cat in the Hat would come about a decade after Universal/Imagine Entertainment's critically reviled 2003 live action adaptation.

(via /Film)

Exclusive Pixar Items in Auction for Toronto Wildlife Centre [UPDATE]

Over the years, I’ve posted stories on some of the many charitable endeavors supported by Pixar artists. One thing I had never done is organize one myself. That’s why I’m incredibly excited today.

A few of Pixar’s top talents have generously agreed to contribute some unique items which are up for bidding right now on eBay, 100% of proceeds going to the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC).

TWC does some amazing work with wildlife rescue and rehab here in the Toronto area. I like them because they’re super-local (although they have been known to treat stowaways from as far away as Costa Rica) and have built an excellent reputation as a federally registered charity since opening nearly twenty years ago.

As the only place of its kind in Southern Ontario (an area teaming with wildlife, I can attest), the TWC is one of the busiest wildlife centres in North America. The Centre admits about 5,000 sick, injured, or orphaned “patients” ever year, and fields about 30,000 phone calls.

Here is the cool stuff you can get (click for auction pages):

• Original La Luna Sketch by Enrico Casarosa

• Autographed Toy Story 3 One-Sheet Poster

• La Luna Posters (1, 2, Studio Store Exclusive)

• Pixar Logo T-Shirts (S, M, L, XL, Studio Store Exclusives)

• Pixar Logo Men’s Cap (Studio Store Exclusive)

• Pixar Logo Women’s Cap (Studio Store Exclusive)

Update (Mar. 15): With $1000 raised so far, I've added to more exciting items to the auction. First another limited edition La Luna poster, this one signed by Enrico Casarosa. Second, a tour of Pixar's campus in Emeryville for up to six people!

Shout out to Pixar publicity for helping to set it up!

The Lorax Keeps Winning at the Box Office

It seems that North America shares my taste in movies. Universal/Illumination's The Lorax was No. 1 at the box office for the second weekend in the row, taking in an estimated $39.1 million.

The Chris Renaud-directed film beat Andrew Stanton's live action directorial debut, Disney's John Carter, by nearly $9 million. (Final figures will be released tomorrow.)

The Lorax's opening last weekend ($70.2 million) was one of the biggest ever for a non-sequel animated film. With total earnings approaching $122 million, it's already the highest grossing picture of 2012 so far.

Can The Lorax sustain its winning streak over the next week? We shall see. One thing is for certain: Disney is very disappointed with John Carter's performance.

As much as I hate agreeing with the prevailing industry viewpoint (which has foamed at the mouth over Carter's reported $250 million production budget), it's clear that weak marketing added to the movie's problems.

Example: Despite all the interplanetary romance, women comprised only 37 percent of John Carter's audience. Nobody can blame Disney for selling the action, but did no one think to spend a few ad dollars targeting the other half of the population?

Of course, it's easy to criticize from the sidelines. But, even for a big Disney supporter like me, this looks like a clear cut case of audiences following the trail of bright orange posters all the way to the stronger film.

(Numbers via Box Office Mojo)

Review: Andrew Stanton's 'John Carter' Doesn't Impress

Andrew Stanton (foreground) and Taylor Kitsch during filming on John Carter. Frank Connor / Disney

Warning: Contains "spoilers"

Let me start off by saying, I have nothing but respect for Andrew Stanton. The animated films he directed at Pixar are some of the best ever. That's not to say I was thrilled by Disney's John Carter, Stanton's live action directorial debut opening on Friday.

Aside from the pulpy nature of the source material, John Carter didn't live up to my expectations on a number of levels, beginning with the screenplay. Written by Stanton, Brave co-director Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon, it would never have left the door at Pixar.

You know things aren't going in the right direction when two characters borrow Harrison Ford's and Tommy Lee Jones' "I thought you didn't care" repartee from The Fugitive.

Taylor Kitsch's kitschy (the pun was irresistible) portrayal of the title character makes matters worse. After being right on target in the earthbound scenes, as soon as he arrives in Barsoom, the corn starts coming out of his ears.

How much of the overacting from Kitsch and others in the cast is to blame on the script they were given, their own acting abilities, or Stanton's direction, I don't know.

Even the visual effects are nothing special—not post-Avatar, at least. How is it possible that the CG creatures here are less realistic than the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, a movie two decades old?

By now you may be asking, is there anything good about John Carter? There is, starting with Carter's jumping, surprisingly enough, which the camera follows with a fluid energy.

The action sequences, despite the lackluster effects, are well executed. The same goes for cinematography and music. A battle juxtaposed with painful memories of Earth conveys the character's trauma better than anything else.

Strongest of all are the closing moments—Carter choosing to return to the red planet to be with the (Martian) woman he loves.

Would Andrew Stanton please do the same with Pixar?

Shreveport Parade for 'Morris Lessmore' Team

Moonbot Studios float in today's parade. Credit: Shreveport-Bossier / Flickr

The artists at Moonbot Studios were treated to a good old-fashioned ticker tape parade in their home base of Shreveport, Louisiana today, in celebration of their Oscar win just over a week ago for The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

After the parade, which saw hundreds of people lined up to watch, Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover honored the short's directors by declaring March 5, 2012 to be "William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg Day" in the city.

Head over to Flickr to see more photos of the event.