Wreck-It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph was released in theatres on November 2, 2012 earning 471,222,889 at the box office (imdb.com). The film was produced through Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Wreck-It Ralph has been recognized for the variety of cameos the film contains (to see a list of the cameos here). The producers of the film were about use these characters "without consideration if they would legally be able to use the characters" (disney.wikia.com) but "then sought out the copyright holders' permissions to use the characters, as well as working with these companies to assure their character were being represented authentically" (disney.wikia.com). The majority of these companies responded positively to the use of these characters in the movie, and were only used if the role fit in the film. Other companies, however, negotiated prices that were quite high regarding the licensing fee. The original release date for the film was March 22, 2013, and it was then changed to November 2, 2012. Sneak peeks of the film were shown on June 6, 2012 (in theatres while Madagascar 3 was screening) and September 12, 2012 (when Finding Nemo in 3D was released). Wreck-It Ralph is available for purchase in Blu-ray format for both 2D and 3D.  The film created a video game "produced in collaboration between Disney Interactive and Activision and serves as a "story extension" to the film"(disney.wikia.com).
The film's collaboration with well-known characters from other video games was an extremely cool idea. It was nice to see the different roles they played, and recognizing them throughout the film. Not going to lie, I got quite excited whenever I noticed a character I knew. This movie definitely brought in an audience that consisted of gamers because the movie was created in a collaborative manner with some of the most popular video game characters. The film was a success, and is on my list of favorites.

References

Cdn collider. (n.d.). Wreck-It Ralph Poster. Retrieved from http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/wreck-it-ralph-poster-main-characters.jpg

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Wreck-It Ralph - DisneyWiki. Retrieved January 29, 2015, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Wreck-It_Ralph

IMDb. (n.d.). Wreck-It Ralph (2012) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772341/

Cars 2

Cars 2 was released on June 24, 2011, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is available in formats such as digital 3-D, IMAX 3D, and 2-D. The film's original release date was 2012, but the producers decided to release it one year earlier. For promotion of the film, sneak peek trailers were issued several times; the first sneak peek was on November 2, 2010. The film's official trailer was released through YouTube on November 15th, 2010, and also through a variety of movie screenings in theatres. While trying to gain attention for the film, "life-sized remote-controlled models of Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Finn McMissile were created for Cars 2 as part of the "Agents on a Mission" tour, presented by State Farm, to promote the film" (disney.wikia.com). These life-sized cars were shown in huge cities, like Miami and New York City. Cars 2 also made an appearance at the 2011 WonderCon, having a vehicle parked outside with inscriptions  that contained secret codes that gave access to another sneak peek of the film. At the box office, a total of $559,852,396 (imdb.com) was earned worldwide creating a huge success.
The film was overall good, not my favorite, the reason being that it was more reared towards a male audience. I do give credit though to their great promotion plans, raising awareness of the film. Creators of the film got quite creative in their marketing methods, using the life size cars and secret codes. Sneak peeks are always great teasers also, making the audience more excited for the film to premiere.

References

Cdn collider. (n.d.). Cars 2 Movie Poster. Retrieved from http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/cars-2-movie-poster-cast-hi-res-01.jpg

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Cars 2 - DisneyWiki. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Cars_2

IMDb. (n.d.). Cars 2 (2011) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216475/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Tangled

Tangled was released on November 24, 2010, and the film was produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. At the Box Office, the film earned $200,807,262 in the U.S. and Canada, with a budget of $260,000,000. The budget is said to be "the most expensive animated film ever made and the second most expensive film of all time" (disney.wikia.com) around the time in which the movie was released. The movie was originally entitled Rapunzel, and then later changed to what people know now as Tangled. The title change was one of the film's marketing methods, trying to make the film appealing to both boys and girls, that resulted in a larger audience. To bring awareness to the film, in Disney Parks the characters were brought to life, meeting and greeting children and families as they strolled around the park. Tangled is a successful film, that has expanded from the screen to toys, dolls, and video games (released a day before Tangled premiered). The movie is available for purchase on a DVD and Blu-ray format. Over $95 million dollars of DVDs, and Blu-ray were old, making it "the highest grossing DVD of the year to date" (disney.wikia.com).
Tangled is a great addition to my favorite princesses. The film's music is beautifully made, having catchy lyrics to sing along to. The film's original plot has a cool spin on the Rapunzel story. The idea of changing the title from a girly tone to a more neutral one was a clever idea in wanting to gain a more diverse audience. By creating DVDs and other formats, the film was made more accessible for consumers to purchase, with the movie gaining a profit. The film was successful with its delivery, and it should definitely be seen.

 

 

References

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Tangled - DisneyWiki. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Tangled

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Tangled Poster. Retrieved from http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110929034113/disney/images/c/ca/Tangled_rapunzel_poster_20.jpg

IMDb. (n.d.). Tangled (2010) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398286/



Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 was released on June 18, 2010, and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. There was a conflict regarding the rights to a sequel, and the ownership of the characters in the film. Eventually Disney bought Pixar, and that gave Disney full rights, allowing them to produce a third Toy Story.  The plot of the movie was created in a time frame of one weekend. The process of creating the movie’s great animation quality was quite difficult, being that problems were occurring when trying to transform it into 3D. Toy story is known to “be the first film that will feature 7.1 surround sound” (disney.wikia.com) In order to gain an audience, Disney started marketing the film in 2009, releasing the first sneak peek in May. In October, Toy Story and Toy story 2, were released again in 3D format, and with these DVDs came the official trailer of Toy Story 3. In 2010, a second trailer was shown in February giving viewers another sneak peek of the movie. The movie was also exposed in viewings of other movies in theatres. Toys were created by several companies like Lego for example, and this method was used to help promote the film. A game entitled “Toy Story 3: The Video game was released on June 15, 2010. Many of the film’s advertisements were shown through Disney channel, getting kids excited for the movie to premiere. The film was very successful, earning “2 Oscars, another 56 wins, and 72 nominations” (IMDb.com) and having a gross of $414, 984, 497.

                Toy Story 3 is personally one of my favorite childhood movies ever. I love the Toy Story series a lot, and the movies always tend to put me in a happy mood, bringing out my inner child. Although the movie had a rough start with production, Disney resolved the conflict, creating yet another successful film. They had a lot of exposure before the premiere date of the movie, whether that’d be creating a video game, teasing viewers with sneak peeks, or showing trailers through methods like TV or in theatres. Making the movie 3D with the amazing sound quality, really makes it feel like I’m there in the movie, living the life of a toy myself. Disney’s marketing strategy definitely pulled through in bringing awareness to the film, and as an outcome Toy Story 3 thrived in the film world.

 

References

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Toy Story 3 - DisneyWiki. Retrieved January 7, 2015, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Toy_Story_3

IMDb. (2010). Toy Story 3 Images. Retrieved from http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxOTY4Mjc0MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTA4MDQyMw@@._V1_SX640_SY720_.jpg

IMDb. (2010). Toy Story 3 (2010) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435761/

 

 

 

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol was released on November 6, 2009, and was produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is adapted from a book entitled A Christmas Carol, and is said to be “one of the most faithful adaptations of A Christmas Carol brought to the screen” (wikia.com). However there are some differences between the book and the film that viewers noticed during the film, but no spoilers will be revealed here. The film used similar features, regarding the process of capturing motion, as used in other films, like The Polar Express for example. The film was directed by Zemeckis, and its leading actor, Jim Carrey, took several roles within this production. The film’s success was due to its interested marketing platform. The film went to New Orleans in August, and traveled around the country in a themed train that displayed exhibits informing visitors of the film. Walt Disney Studios “is also pulling out all the new-media stops is can” (nytimes.com). There are apps, online quizzes, and a website that are all available for people to access. The film also used TV and billboard advertisements to spread the word of the production. A Christmas Carol earned $30,051,075 at the box office. The film has been available in DVD and Blur-ray format since November 16, 2010.

I have a great amount of respect for films that are book adaptations when they closely resemble because those types of films bring the book to life. I find it cool when films don’t always follow the book’s story completely because then the audience goes to the theatre to see the movie, and they end up being surprised. I am a huge fan of Jim Carrey’s work, and it’s exciting to see him play so many roles in one production, due to his ability to transform as an actor to play different characters. As an actress myself, it’s an awesome experience to be a part of. Although I was not able to witness the train promoting the movie, I bet it was cool to interact with the film in that unique manner.

 

References

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). A Christmas Carol - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol

IMDb. (n.d.). A Christmas Carol (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067106/

New York Times. (2009, October 25). Disney Hopes ‘Christmas Carol’ Lives Up to Its Blockbuster Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/business/media/26carol.html?_r=0

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Hannah Montana: The Movie came out on April 10^th, 2009. The movie was produced by It’s a Laugh Productions, Millar Gough Ink, and Walt Disney Pictures. At the Box Office, the movie gained a profit of $79, 566, 871, and it was said that the movie had a budget of $30 million. The film was adapted from the TV series Hannah Montana. The directors of the film, and cast members, like Miley Cyrus and her father, had a goal of creating a realistic atmosphere for the film. By using real sites, instead of sound stages, the film’s budget rose. An incident occurred, that caused some bumps on the road for the film. It was a windy day on June 3, 2008, and a screen flew towards a Ferris wheel, and some extras and others were harmed. Disney decided to make an announcement of the incident, and then continued filming since there were no serious injuries.  Hannah Montana: The Movie, marketed their first trailer on January 15, 2009, with a collaboration of showing the film’s poster online. To get fans more excited, a clip of the movie was shown in December, and New Year’s Eve. Some of the soundtrack from the movies was also released, like “The Climb”, and “Hoedown Throwdown”. Not only did they release sneak peeks, and part of the soundtrack, a video game was created based on the film before the date when the film would be released.  A few months later, the film came out with a DVD, and sold more than $61 million worth in DVDs.

Hannah Montana: The Movie has to be one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I’m in love with the soundtrack, and the inspirational lyrics. The movie seems so raw, so natural, and it gives off the sense that the audience will be able to relate to some of the situations that come across in the film. It’s a great movie to view with family, showcasing the message that one should always remember where they come from, and never lose that site of reality. I remember getting really excited when I saw sneak peeks of the film because it made me want the release date to approach faster, and I’d be the first one in line to view the movie. I purchased the DVD, and I still watch till this day at least twice a year because I enjoy it that much.

 

References

Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Hannah_Montana_The_Movie_soundtrack.png

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Hannah Montana: The Movie - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Hannah_Montana:_The_Movie

IMDb. (n.d.). Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1114677/

The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog was released on November 25, 2009, being directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is known for incorporating a musical style, and it “is also notable as Disney’s first African-American princess”. The Princess and the Frog is produced by Walk Disney Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The story was created by adapting parts from The Frog Princess, “in which the story’s heroine kisses a frog in hopes of becoming a princess, only to become a frog herself”. The images were created by hand and then transferred to a computer. TV channels were promoting the movie with commercials, and there were a lot of discussions of some changes occurring during the movie making process. The Princess and the Frog was supposed to be released on December 25^th but the producers wanted to avoid the other competition due to other major films being released the same day. This method was successful earning them more than $267 million at the box office. The movie went from the big screen to Broadway, Disneyland, and a wide variety of consumer products. The movie is now available in DVD, and there are video games, costumes, toys that can be purchased. Not only that Princess Tiana is now part of Disney on Ice. This film was and still is a huge success, winning several awards, such as Best Original Song, Animated Effects, Voice Acting, Best Voice Performance, and many more. The Princess and the Frog still creates a buzz within conversation about the movie, and started the movement again of a more musical-like aspect in Disney films.

The Princess and the Frog is one of my ultimate favorite Disney princess movies. The idea of finally having an African-American princess is definitely something special and new, instead of the common fair-skinned princesses. The plot of the movie has a sense of humor in somewhat changing up the tale of a girl kissing a frog in order to become a princess. The producers were smart, and meticulous with their decisions of releasing the movie, and as a result the film was successful with its timing. Fans of the movie are able to still stay connected with the movie, and purchase products of their favorite characters or own the movie itself.

 

References

Amazon.Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ziATjH%2BKL.jpg

IMDb. (2014, December 3). The Princess and the Frog (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780521/

Wikia.com. (n.d.). The Princess and the Frog - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Frog