Maximum Appeal...

A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless he's...





One of the great things about watching a film from Pixar is enjoying the great secondary characters...

With John Lasseter taking over Walt Disney Animation Studios a few years ago this little trait has entered the Mouse's films as well. While in "Bolt" it was Rhino and in "TP&TF" it was Louis, in "Tangled" there are a couple of interesting characters that stand out like the chameleon, Pascal, but it's Maximus the horse that steals the show. Both in terms of character and animation, he's absolutely hysterical and totally genuine. The trusty horse never says a word, but like Pluto with his pantomime many years before him, there is no mistaking what his intent is. No voice is needed to make this wonderful Disney character seem so fully dimensional and 3D, even without the glasses. Like the article I posted years ago about the Lamp's sidekick, Maximus will join a great list of entertaining cast members that go down as beloved creations for families to talk about. Not to mention buy all those nice merchandise that Disney will want to make based on him. Wouldn't it be nice to see a Disney Short staring him on the DVD release? Hmmm.

If you haven't seen the film yet then see it and you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about...

Theft By Design...

I'm starting to hear a lot of people complaining about the design of the characters of the new WDAS "Bolt" and although I agree that they're not as quirky as the ones designed by Sanders, they are very appealing characters. Just so you know, I've seen about two minutes of finished animation of this upcoming film that a Bothan let me look at and it looks far better than what we've been presented with so far. I also got to see enough structured, unfinished work to tell you that if you like well thought out characters then you have nothing to fear. And those of you that are worried about Disney's return to animation glory have no need to worry. It's a truly beautiful film.

That said, I'll tell you out front that there's one character that will steal the show...

Rhino, the ADD Hamster is going to be a fan favorite after this film is released.

If you read my article about Pixar's Secondary Characters that tend to steal the show you'll understand what I mean... the little Hamster in the ball is this film's scene stealer... he's got true heart.

Just like the film itself...

Pixar's Side Show...

We all know that Pixar films are known for their stories...

The characters that populate them have universal appeal, but one of the things that goes overlooked is how interesting some of the minor characters are. Several of the secondary roles in their films are as interesting if not more so than the main characters. So let's look at what I believe are the most interesting minor actors in the entire Pixar collection of films...


Wall-E: Mo

The little cleaning robot in "Wall-E" has more personality that most lead characters in live-action films. Without being able to say a word you can tell what this cute little fella is trying to say.



Ratatouille: Emile

My favorite character from "Ratatouille" wasn't Remy, but his sweet, naive brother. The one he took along with him when he knew he was doing something he shouldn't. The only one he trusted with his secret. Emile was an adorable light brown (large)hairball.


Cars: Guido

The quiet and shy helper of Luigi was a sweet example of how a character can convey emotion without words pre-Wall-E.


Incredibles: Edna Mode

My favorite character in "The Incredibles" wasn't the family or the villain, but this pint-sized powerhouse designer voiced by Brad Bird himself. I wish they'd make a short staring her... now that would be interesting.


Finding Nemo: Fish School

John Ratzenberg got more than a cameo in "Finding Nemo" with this role... like a thousand times more roles than he probably expected. Funny and totally enjoyable watching how the animators added personality to these fish.



Monster's Inc.: The Abominable Snowman

Another Ratzenber contribution. Who would have thought the Snowman could be so nice?


Toy Story 2: Wheezy

Played so well by the voice of the Joe Ranft, this penguin could belt out a toon, eh? I wonder if he'll be returning in "Toy Story 3"? Without Joe's voice I don't know if I wanna see him. I was tempted to say Emperor Zurg, but he's more of a primary character in the story.


A Bug's Life: P.T. Flea

John Ratzenberg made this carnival barker all the more interesting with his portrayal of the leader of a motley crew of circus performers.


Toy Story: Rex

Perhaps the greatest contribution to the script by Joss Whedon, this toy Tyrannosaur Rex is anything but frightening. He's a dinosaur that is a hypochondriac and shows you why they went extinct.