Movies
Guest Post
by Suzie Boluarte
Happy Mess Moments
Recently Sony Animation Pictures celebrated #SonyAnimationDay at the Sony Studios Lot in Culver City, CA. During the event, we were introduced to some very exciting animated feature films coming out in the next couple of years.
Here's the breakdown and inside scoop of the films that the whole family will enjoy!
2017
If you grew-up watching The Smurfs, you're gonna want to take your kids to the fully animated, Smurfs: The Lost Village movie, in theaters April 7, 2017. The all-new take of the beloved cartoon may even leave you feeling nostalgic. Director Kelly Asbury made the Smurfs classic and contemporary by capturing the 1958 original comic book drawings from creator, Peyo.
In this film, a mysterious map sets Smurfette (Demi Lovato) and her best friends Brainy (Danny Pudi), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Hefty (Joe Manganiello) on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!
The all-star voice cast also includes: Mandy Patinkin (Papa Smurf), Michelle Rodriguez (Smurf Storm), Ellie Kemper (Smurf Blossom), Ariel Winter (Smurf Lily) and Julia Roberts (Smurf Willow) And special voice cameos by: Gordon Ramsay (Baker), Gabriel Iglesias (Jokey), Tituss Burgess (Vanity), Jeff Dunham (Farmer), Jake Johnson (Grouchy), and director Kelly Asbury (Nosey).
Director Kelly Asbury, along with two of the film's stars, Demi Lovato and Joe Manganiello were there for a Q & A with Access Hollywood. During the interview, we learned that Demi Lovato didn't grow-up watching the Smurfs, so she did her research by watching YouTube videos of the 80s cartoon.
If your kids are huge fans of the Emoji franchise, like mine are, they're gonna want you to take them to watch The Emoji Movie, in theaters August 4, 2017. The film unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user, a 15 year-old boy named Alex.
In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak.
Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.
In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak.
Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.
Voice cast includes T.J. Miller (Gene), James Corden (Hi-5), Ilana Glazer (Jailbreak), Steven Wright (Gene’s father, Mel Meh), Jennifer Coolidge (Gene’s mother, Mary Meh), Maya Rudolph (Smiler), Jake T. Austin (Alex), and Sir Patrick Stewart (Poop).
Director Tony Leondis gave us insight about the film's theme of self actualization and being able to express yourself without the need to change who you really are inside. This movie looks fun and as a great message!
The inspirational Holiday movie, The Star arrives in theaters November 10, 2017. It's a film inspired by the Nativity of Jesus, from the animal perspective.
A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas.
Academy Award® nominated writer/director Timothy Reckart and executive-producer DeVon Franklin talked about their wish-list cast and couldn't be happier to have them on-board.
And rightfully so, because the voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anthony Anderson (Zach the goat), Gabriel Iglesias (Rufus the dog), Ving Rhames (Thaddeus the dog), Delilah Rene (Elizabeth), Kris Kristofferson (Old Donkey), Gina Rodriguez (Mary), Zachary Levi (Joseph), with Oprah Winfrey (Deborah), Tyler Perry (Cyrus) and Tracy Morgan (Felix) as the three camels, and Christopher Plummer(King Herod).
2018-2020
Next year, look forward to another installment of Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania 3, set to release September 21, 2018. Director Genndy Tartakovsky shared with us that his family vacation cruise was the inspiration for this third installment.
Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist going along and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain Ericka. Now it’s Mavis’ turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his “too good to be true” love interest is actually a descendent of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!
The voice ensemble of favorites returns, including Adam Sandler (Dracula), Selena Gomez (Mavis) and Andy Samberg (Johnny).
Can't wait till 2018 to see your favorite monsters? You can find a new animated short, Puppy, debuting in theaters attached to The Emoji Movie in August 2017. In the short, the residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet!
From Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, the geniuses behind The Lego Movie, comes an animated SPIDER-MAN feature starring Miles Morales. The untitled animated film is set to release December 21, 2018. I got to see a conceptual teaser and I personally, cannot wait for this to come out!
When you see that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the award-winning (Emmy, Tony, Grammy, Olivier, Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient) creative force behind the groundbreaking Broadway musical HAMILTON, is involved in a movie, you know it's gonna be more than amazing! The musical animated feature, Vivo will be released December 18, 2020 with all new songs written by Miranda. Stay tuned for more info!
So much to look forward to this year and next from Sony Animation, for sure!
So much to look forward to this year and next from Sony Animation, for sure!
FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert was invited to a special event on the Sony lot to facilitate this story. However, no compensation was exchanged in association with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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