Visiting the Disney MGM Studios used to be an animation fan's dream. In one behind-the-scenes tour you could watch animators sketch scenes and characters from the next great Disney film, then wander into the inking and painting departments to see the sketches come to colorful life. Gradually those pen-and-paper stations gave way to PC terminals, but not long after that, they were blocked-off entirely for fear of competitors stealing trade secrets and/or ideas. When I last toured the Studios, in August 2005, Disney was … [Read more...]

I?m consistently the first person to complain when holiday decorations start going up before Halloween, so you must understand that when Disney released two holiday-themed DVDs a few weeks ago, I was exasperated, to say the least. The two disks, Volumes 8 and 9 in Disney?s Classic Cartoon Favorites collection, came out at just the right time from a retailer?s standpoint, but as a consumer, Disney seemed to be jumping the gun. And before you feed the Mass Holiday Purchases machine, you should make sure that you don?t … [Read more...]

There?s a group of people in the videogame world known as "graphics whores." You know immediately if you?re one of them. Symptoms include uncontrolled drooling when new screenshots are released, a desire to evaluate the merits of particle effects and normal mapping, and the unabashed defending of a videogame as being "Best. Game. Ever." if it looks good...even if the gameplay itself is incredibly tedious. If Sin City were a game, graphics whores everywhere would most certainly call it "Best. Game. Ever." The art … [Read more...]

One of the many reasons I play videogames is because most modern TV shows stink. Honestly, if it?s not a courtroom or crime-solving drama, it?s a so-called reality show. With such arguably unoriginal network shows, videogames are among the most entertaining after-work activities. Running the risk of sounding old, things were different in the 1970s. Sure, videogames were in their infancy, so they weren?t as much of a home-entertainment option, but TV shows also seemed more clever. You doubt me? Just watch The Muppet … [Read more...]

There exist three basic reasons to see a movie in the theater: because the special effects warrant it, because you have an appreciation for the art of moviemaking, or because the film itself just looks too good to pass up. Likewise, there are three basic reasons to rent or buy a DVD: because you missed the film the first time around, because you have an appreciation for the art of moviemaking, or because you fell in love with the theater version and absolutely need to own the film for yourself. Tuesday?s release of … [Read more...]

Bill Murray has tackled some interesting films in the past four years, from The Royal Tenenbaums to Lost in Translation to his most recent adventure, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. True to Murray?s Saturday Night Live background, these films are all sprinkled with comedy (at times rather dark), but it?s the characters that make the films what they are. Life Aquatic, which just released on DVD, is a perfect example, so while fans of Murray?s slapstick shtick will be left disappointed, those who have appreciated his … [Read more...]

Treasure hunting never gets old. Just ask George Lucas, who released the Indiana Jones trilogy on DVD last year, or Jerry Bruckheimer, who was responsible for Pirates of the Caribbean and, now, National Treasure. Indiana Jones is the penultimate adventurer, and if you ask anyone in Generations X, Y or Z to name a treasure hunter, his is the name most likely to come up. With Pirates of the Caribbean, the ?treasure? was quite literal, although the movie?s charm relied as much on the original swashbuckling yarn as it did … [Read more...]

Say what you will about Johnny Depp?s eclectic roles, his abandonment of Hollywood life for the well-steeped streets of Paris or his distinct fashion sense, but one thing is certain: he?s on a hot streak. Since Pirates of the Caribbean (read DailyGame?s review), Depp has ridden a wave of good fortune, the most recent being his outstanding performance as James M. Barrie in Finding Neverland. Barrie, as you may recall, is the author of the children?s classic Peter Pan. Hollywood has had its fair share of Pan productions, … [Read more...]

It?s fair to say Pixar is one of the best computer-animation houses around, if not the best, and The Incredibles is the latest film to show why the Midas-like studio has that reputation. From animation and sound to story and character development, The Incredibles definitely deserved the Oscar for Best Animated Feature this year. Some, including director/writer Brad Bird, would argue that the movie should?ve been a contender for overall film of the year, and I wouldn?t disagree. Some will also argue that tomorrow?s DVD … [Read more...]