DVD Review: "The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure"

Article written by Danny Alves

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In a hidden village dwells a clan of magical creatures, living in mushroom houses and taking showers with dewdrops. They’re those international celebrities, known far and wide as the Smurfs  -- and they’re back on DVD.

This itty-bitty powder-blue crew, including Brainy, Lazy, Vanity, and Smurfette, is lead by the wise and gentle 542 year old Papa Smurf. Gargamel, the local evil wizard, is forever scheming against the tiny team but our little friends outsmurf him every time!

The Smurfsmay only be three apples high, but they life miles of smiles on the faces of Saturday morning cartoon fans from 1981-1989! Smurf it up again with this colorful collection of superior Smurftainment!

FILM: Coming off a weekend where the new film, based on this popular children’s show of the '80s actually tied, if not beat “Cowboys and Aliens” for the top of the box office, it’s safe to say that the lasting power of these little blue guys is really strong!

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Cool new image from Pixar's 'Brave'

Pixar's got "Brave" hitting theaters June 22, 2012, and with the teaser trailer making rounds already, the studio has just release another new image from the upcoming adventure. Check it out above; it feature the film's red-haired heroine.

The film is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus and Queen Elinor. An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom.

Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson are part of the voice cast. My first impressions are fantastic, and as this image further confirms, "Brave" introduces to a darker Pixar world.

Teaser trailer for Pixar's 'Brave'

Pixar's original new film "Brave" is not set for release until June 22, 2012, but here is a little sneak peek at the upcoming animated adventure. Check out the quick teaser after the jump. It introduces us to both a visually stunning world and quite an intriguing heroine.

"The film is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus and Queen Elinor. An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom.

Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson are part of the voice cast. As much as I loved "Toy Story 3," I feel it's about time for an exciting Pixar new film that is not a sequel. At this point, "Brave" sure looks fantastic!

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Tom Hanks says 'Toy Story 4' is coming

Tom Hanks is currently circling the world to promote this weekend's release of "Larry Crowne," but some reporters are also interested in finding out whether Pixar will pull the trigger on a fourth "Toy Story" flick. Well, according to Hanks, the shot has been fired already.

In an interview with BBC News, Hanks said he thinks Pixar is already working on "Toy Story 4." "I think there will be, yeah. Yeah, yeah, think they're working on it now," he said. Is it true? Or is it just a tease because he could possibly, maybe be fed up with it? Who knows...

Either way, I sure hope Pixar is not starting to run out of glorious original ideas. They have been diving into the risky land of sequels as of late, with "Cars 2" out now, and a sequel to "Monsters, Inc." coming soon. Then again, "Toy Story 3" was filled with magic, so this may be a good idea.

Watch this new clip from 'Cars 2'

Care for another clip from Pixar's upcoming animated sequel "Cars 2"? Go right ahead and check it out after the jump. This footage focuses on Lightning McQueen's first meeting with his new rival Francesco (John Turturro). Nothing too special going on here.

Helmed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis, the sequel to the aninmated hit flick follows McQueen as he teams up with his best friend Mater for an international adventure as they go up against the world's fastest cars. Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy star.

 "Cars 2" opens June 24, 2011, and while I loved the first film, I am not quite convinced of this sequel's potential. Pixar better hit us with a big surprise on the screen.

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Movie Review: "Rango"

Seen on: March 4, 2011

The players: Director: Gore Verbinski, Writer: John Logan, Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy

Facts of interest: Verbinski also helmed "The Ring" and "Pirates of the Caribbean."

The plot: Rango is a pretty insecure chameleon who gets lost in the desert and later stumbles across a small town in desperate need of water.

Our thoughts: Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” is a whole lot of fun to watch on the big screen; I can tell you that much. Loaded with eccentric characters and a solid amount of enjoyable action moments paired with fresh humor, this animated adventure easily goes down as one of the more memorable films of 2011. “Rango” sure has its imperfections, but in terms of fast-paced family fun, the movie definitely delivers on its commitment to entertain its audiences.

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Watch the first teaser for 'Kung Fu Panda 2'

Yes, "Kung Fu Panda 2" is happening, and it's coming closer fast. The release for the Jennifer Yuh-helmed sequel is set for May 26, 2011, and the folks at Yahoo! today unveiled the first teaser trailer.

Watch it below. Not much going on here, except for a staring contest. Jack Black returns to voice Po, and the voice cast also includes Gary Oldman, Seth Rogen, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan and David Cross.

I was not impressed with the first "Kung Fu Panda," but hey, I'm willing to give this one a shot anyway. It's opening in 3D, so get your glasses on. In the sequel, Po heads out to discover his mysterious origins.

Watch the first five minutes of 'Megamind'

Here is your chance to preview "Megamind," DreamWorks Animation's upcoming feature starring Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt. The movie opens Nov. 5, 2010. Watch the first five minutes right after the jump.

The film follows a supervillain (Will Ferrell) who slips into a deep crisis after he finally defeats his rival Metro Man (Brad Pitt). As a result, he creates a new hero (Jonah Hill) who has evil intentions himself.

Although filled with tons of narration, the intro below promises fast-paced goofy fun aimed specifically at a younger audience. I'm still not entirely sold on "Megamind," but I'll give it a fair shot anyway.

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Cute poster for Disney's 'Tangled' is online

I have not been impressed by what I have seen so far of Walt Disney's upcoming animated adventure "Tangled," but this new teaser poster is kind of cute. You can check it out right after the jump.

Essentially, this the story of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), who is locked in a hidden tower longing for a big adventure. One day, she takes off on a hilarious, hair-raising escapade with the help of a dashing bandit.

The film, helmed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, will open in theaters everywhere Nov. 24, 2010. The voice cast also includes Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman and Jeffrey Tambor.

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Movie Review: "Despicable Me"

Seen on: July 6, 2010

The players: Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Writer: Ken Daurio, Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: Gru is a villain who plans to steal the moon. But then he's faced with a new challenge: he must raise three orphan girls...

Our thoughts: Reviewing a movie is solely a subjective thing. It is the pure representation of one’s feelings and thoughts in written form, and nothing more. I decided to start off with this because many people out there still tend to verbally attack reviewers who hate a movie they love. Keep it cool folks, because we all like and dislike different things. Now, let me move on to my review…

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