https://www.scmp.com/rss/21554/feed Founded in 1979, Pixar Animation Studios (Pixar) was spun-off in 1986 with funding from Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple. Walt Disney Co bought Pixar in 2006 in a transaction valuing the company at US$7.4 billion. Pixar has produced thirteen feature films, beginning with Toy Story (1995). Pixar has produced a string of critical and commercial successes: Toy Story (1995), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Cars (2006),... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com David Dodwell David Dodwell Last week, on April 1 to be exact, Apple reached the grand old age of 50 (almost exactly a year younger than Microsoft), one of a tiny proportion of S&P-listed companies that have stayed the course for half a century. It is a company with which I have had a special connection and a love-hate relationship for most of my adult life. Not that I have ever owned an Apple product (I have always been a loyal Android man) nor any Apple shares; heavens, I wish I had. No. My special connection is more... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349541/my-love-hate-relationship-apple-android-user?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349541/my-love-hate-relationship-apple-android-user?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Cinema box office takings in Hong Kong over the first four days of the Easter break more than doubled year on year, reaching HK$25.93 million (US$3.31 million) compared with HK$12.75 million over the same period in 2025, despite a holiday exodus. According to the Immigration Department, residents made around 2.13 million outbound and 1.81 million inbound trips between Good Friday and Monday, resulting in a net outflow of 319,173. For the five-day break to Tuesday, Hongkongers made 2.56 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349404/easter-box-office-takings-twice-2025-break-despite-exodus-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349404/easter-box-office-takings-twice-2025-break-despite-exodus-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:06:01 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu In the densely populated metropolis of Hong Kong, with its relentless pace and vertical architecture, the concept of community can often get lost in it all. But Hongkongers are always creating new ways to offer a sense of collective belonging while providing much-needed respite from the daily grind. Even seemingly contrasting and irreconcilable activities can somehow be merged into a unique and multipurpose event in Hong Kong. Here are five things to do this weekend in Hong Kong. 1. Tea Rave A... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346373/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-march-13-15?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346373/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-march-13-15?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:58:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh The future of Hollywood has never looked more uncertain, with the encroachment of artificial intelligence threatening to eradicate jobs across the industry, while the impending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery casts doubt over the studio system itself. Nevertheless, for the everyday movie-goer, there remains – for now, at least – a steady stream of enticing prospects to lure us out of our homes and into the nearest multiplex. Below are 12 of the most exciting new releases coming to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346088/12-new-hollywood-films-watch-march-june-2026-including-toy-story-5-and-michael?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346088/12-new-hollywood-films-watch-march-june-2026-including-toy-story-5-and-michael?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters For Piper Curda, who voices the animal-loving college student ⁠Mabel Tanaka in Hoppers, caring about the planet does not necessarily make the character an activist. “I think Mabel presents as an activist. I don’t know if she’d call herself one,” Curda says. “She’s just like, ‘I care. Why does that need a label?’” With that said, Curda does hope Mabel’s determination rubs off on audiences. “I do hope her drive to make the world a better place inspires people, whether that’s little girls or... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346062/how-hoppers-star-piper-curda-hopes-inspire-people-pixars-new-film?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346062/how-hoppers-star-piper-curda-hopes-inspire-people-pixars-new-film?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:11:43 +0000 dpa dpa In 2020, We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong came to Pixar leaders with an idea. He had seen documentaries in which robotic animals with eyeball cameras captured footage of natural habitats. But what if that technology was so good that no one could tell the difference? And to make it even more zany, what if someone went undercover in that animal body? That idea became the basis of Walt Disney and Pixar’s new animated movie, Hoppers, now showing in cinemas. The film is Pixar’s latest attempt to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345941/hoppers-pixar-tests-appetite-original-stories-will-audiences-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345941/hoppers-pixar-tests-appetite-original-stories-will-audiences-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:15:09 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 4/5 stars Bounding into cinemas just in time for spring, the latest Pixar animation is a pleasingly charming tale of man vs nature, with a bit of crazy robot tech thrown in. The star of Hoppers is Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda), a young animal-lover leading a one-girl protest over a freeway being built through the tranquil countryside near her hometown of Beaverton. Because the freeway is the pet project of the town’s popular mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm), who is vying for re-election, Mabel’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345126/hoppers-movie-review-pixars-new-animation-hilarious-heartfelt-animal-avatar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345126/hoppers-movie-review-pixars-new-animation-hilarious-heartfelt-animal-avatar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Walt Disney Company can ill afford another succession implosion. The last time CEO Bob Iger handed over the reins, the plan backfired, executives revolted, his replacement got bounced, and Iger returned to lead the storied entertainment giant for another four years. Iger will close out his two-decade tenure at Disney at the end of this year when his contract expires. The board is preparing to make a pivotal leadership move at a perilous time for the industry. This time, Disney has entrusted... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3341798/who-will-succeed-bob-iger-disney-ceo-4-candidates-tipped-take-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3341798/who-will-succeed-bob-iger-disney-ceo-4-candidates-tipped-take-over?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh The onset of the holidays means it is awards season in Hollywood. While plenty of this year’s contenders, including Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good, have already opened in Hong Kong cinemas, the likes of Marty Supreme, starring best actor hopeful Timothée Chalamet, have yet to secure a release date. Similarly, the Hong Kong release of the season’s biggest blockbuster, James Cameron’s eagerly awaited Avatar: Fire and Ash, has been indefinitely... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3336602/12-new-hollywood-movies-watch-winter-2025-hamnet-song-sung-blue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3336602/12-new-hollywood-movies-watch-winter-2025-hamnet-song-sung-blue?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh A visually ravishing journey into the afterlife is proving a hit in Hong Kong this week, as the animated feature Another World, an adaptation of Naka Saijo’s novel Sennenki: Thousand-Year Journey of an Oni, is generating plenty of discussion about its unusual subject matter. The film tells the dark, absorbing story of a deceased young girl (voiced by Christy Choi Hiu-tung) who is escorted through the afterlife by the spirit guide Gudo (Chung Suet-ying) as she searches for her little brother. Its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3331421/10-best-animated-films-set-afterlife-grave-fireflies-soul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3331421/10-best-animated-films-set-afterlife-grave-fireflies-soul?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:15:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Japanese manga adaptation Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle has become the highest-grossing animated film in Hong Kong’s history, surpassing Toy Story 3’s record set in 2010, according to a firm that tracks cinema bookings. The movie broke the animated film record as of 2pm with accumulated earnings of HK$89.42 million, Hong Kong Box Office said on Monday. It surpassed Pixar’s Toy Story 3, which raked in HK$89.36 million 15 years ago. Released in Hong Kong on August 14, the film is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3327228/new-demon-slayer-film-sets-record-hk89-million-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3327228/new-demon-slayer-film-sets-record-hk89-million-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:38:48 +0000 Reuters,Nancy Wang Reuters,Nancy Wang Chinese social media reacted positively to yesterday’s announcement that there will be an English version of the globally successful Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2, to be released in North America, Australia and New Zealand later this year. Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh will be voicing one of the characters. “We’re looking forward to seeing Zha er [as Ne zha is affectionately known in the Chinese online community] speaking English on the screen,” said one Weibo user. “Zha er secretly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3317680/chinese-social-media-reacts-news-ne-zha-2s-english-version?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3317680/chinese-social-media-reacts-news-ne-zha-2s-english-version?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service For decades, Pixar could hardly miss with its original animated films. Whether the subject was toys, fish or a cantankerous old man, the California-based computer animation studio churned out hit after hit. But since the Covid-19 pandemic, Walt Disney-owned Pixar and other animation studios have struggled to break through at the box office with the same kinds of original films that defined the industry. Instead, sequels such as Inside Out 2 have ruled the genre. The weekend release of Elio, an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315430/does-elio-pixars-worst-box-office-opener-show-people-only-want-animated-film-sequels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315430/does-elio-pixars-worst-box-office-opener-show-people-only-want-animated-film-sequels?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:15:07 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 2.5/5 stars In an industry where originality is becoming an increasing rarity, Pixar is one company that prides itself on carving out unique stories. But not every story lands perfectly, a thought that strikes when it comes to the animation giant’s latest feature, Elio. The tale of an orphaned boy who desperately wants to discover life in outer space, it’s maybe the closest we’ve come to seeing Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rendered in cartoon form – despite having far less of an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3314694/elio-movie-review-pixars-take-et-rare-misfire-animation-studio?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3314694/elio-movie-review-pixars-take-et-rare-misfire-animation-studio?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:00:11 +0000 When Kung Fu Panda clawed its way to box office glory in 2008, it sent shock waves through China. Nationalists were bitter that a smash hit banking on Chinese culture was made by Americans, and calls for a government ban ensued. However, the success of DreamWorks’ film in China also lit a fire under China’s film industry. Sure, there were missteps, including a 2011 knock-off film called Legend that failed to win over audiences like the rotund and punchy panda named Po. But the years of intense... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301513/chinas-ne-zha-2-still-flying-high-highest-grossing-animated-movie-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301513/chinas-ne-zha-2-still-flying-high-highest-grossing-animated-movie-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 13:00:08 +0000 It’s not often that a business turnaround stuns the public, but the recent announcement from Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is nothing short of extraordinary. After nearly a decade of losses, the theme park has reported a record net profit and all-time high visitor numbers. How did it turn its fortunes around? What seems magical was a carefully crafted strategy of investing in Disney’s intellectual property (IP) – such as with the launch of World of Frozen – and a bold move towards higher pricing.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300416/what-hong-kong-tourism-can-learn-disneylands-magical-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300416/what-hong-kong-tourism-can-learn-disneylands-magical-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 As the animated Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 gains widespread attention domestically and internationally, hopes are high that it will be a prime example of a Chinese cultural export. This showcase of Eastern aesthetics embodies the maturity of China’s cultural industry and against this backdrop, Hong Kong, once known as the Eastern Hollywood, has a historic opportunity to redefine its cultural soft power. Hong Kong cinema has made progress in visual effects, with films like Warriors of Future... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300003/what-hong-kong-can-take-away-ne-zha-2s-creative-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300003/what-hong-kong-can-take-away-ne-zha-2s-creative-success?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Mainland Chinese box-office smash Ne Zha 2 will hit Hong Kong cinema screens on Saturday following a delay caused by a dispute among distributors, with some shopping centres rolling out perks to attract visitors. The Hong Kong premiere of Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea was held at CineArt House in Causeway Bay on Tuesday night and was attended by Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui and Peter Lam Kin-ngok, whose return as Tourism Board chairman was announced on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299324/mainland-blockbuster-ne-zha-2-hit-hong-kong-macau-screens-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299324/mainland-blockbuster-ne-zha-2-hit-hong-kong-macau-screens-saturday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:50:06 +0000 Lynn Farah Lynn Farah When it comes to showbiz, much credit goes to the stars on stage or in front of the camera. But a lot happens behind the scenes and acclaim must also go to many others, including the creators of some of the entertainment industry’s most memorable film scores. Responsible for some of the best-known music from film, television and stage, these composers have earned fortunes during their illustrious careers. With the Academy Awards just around the corner, here are the seven richest composers in the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3298519/7-richest-composers-world-2025-net-worths-ranked-disney-go-alan-menken-and-interstellar-star-hans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3298519/7-richest-composers-world-2025-net-worths-ranked-disney-go-alan-menken-and-interstellar-star-hans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:00:19 +0000 As soon as we booked the Eurostar train from London to Paris, my two friends and I began scouting the most important element of our trip: where to eat. The place we were especially interested in is an incredibly popular spot that serves classic French food with a twist. Unlike many Parisian restaurants, it takes few walk-ins because demand is so high. In fact, two months out, every seat was already fully booked for dinner; the only reservation we could get was for a weekday lunch. Was this a hot... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3291671/why-one-paris-hardest-book-restaurants-theme-park-far-city-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3291671/why-one-paris-hardest-book-restaurants-theme-park-far-city-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:08 +0000 Kelsey Mann was scanning some old photos when he came to a series of pictures from his childhood birthdays – and was struck by what he saw. “I was five, and it’s my birthday, and I’m sitting there in front of my cake … I think it was the smile and the joy on my face that made me stop,” says the director of Inside Out 2. “I’m like, ‘Wow, I am really enjoying the hell out of this moment’. Then I turned eight, and my smile went down. I turned 11; it went down even further. Then 13, and I’m just... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3287666/how-did-inside-out-2-get-puberty-so-spot-director-and-writers-looked-their-pasts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3287666/how-did-inside-out-2-get-puberty-so-spot-director-and-writers-looked-their-pasts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 09:15:07 +0000 Sequels are rarely better than their originals, but a South Korean blockbuster that bucks the trend, and tackles pressing social issues in thrilling fashion, is in Hong Kong cinemas this weekend. So, too, is a passionate homage to the city’s filmmaking tradition. Another solid sequel, this time animated, can be streamed, as can a Hollywood comedy thriller with two big-name male stars. For K-drama fans there is an enjoyable legal show that mixes fantasy and comedy. 1. I, the Executioner In an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3279993/5-movies-and-tv-shows-watch-hong-kong-weekend-september-27-29?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3279993/5-movies-and-tv-shows-watch-hong-kong-weekend-september-27-29?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Sep 2024 03:12:50 +0000 3.5/5 stars With apologies to Soul and Turning Red, 2015’s Inside Out was arguably the last Pixar masterpiece. Masterminded by the magician that is director Pete Docter, the film took you inside the inner landscape of a young girl, personifying her emotions. Now it’s time for Round 2. Riley (voiced by Kensington Tallman) is 13 and about to be beset by a whole new set of emotions as adolescence hits her like the proverbial avalanche of bricks. Inside, trying to steer her personality, is the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3266263/inside-out-2-movie-review-pixar-adds-new-teenage-emotions-coming-age-sequel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3266263/inside-out-2-movie-review-pixar-adds-new-teenage-emotions-coming-age-sequel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jun 2024 19:00:09 +0000 Mary Poppins’ age rating has been raised from U to PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) almost 60 years after its release. The age rating was changed because of “discriminatory language”, the BBFC said. The 1964 film, starring Dame Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, uses the colonial term Hottentots, a derogatory word historically used by white Europeans to refer to the Khoikhoi people in South Africa. Actor Reginald Owen’s character, Admiral Boom, uses the term twice in the film,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3253304/mary-poppins-1964-film-rating-raised-pg-due-discriminatory-language?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3253304/mary-poppins-1964-film-rating-raised-pg-due-discriminatory-language?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:55:22 +0000 3.5/5 stars The bright sparks at animation house Pixar certainly know how to establish a world and so it goes with Elemental, a frothy fantasy where characters made from fire, water, earth and air mingle. The setting is Element City, and the family at the centre of this story are the Lumens. Bernie (voiced by Ronnie Del Carmen) and Cinder (Shila Ommi) and their daughter Ember (Leah Lewis, The Half of It) run a store called “Fireplace” on the outskirts of this thriving metropolis. “This shop is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3221944/cannes-2023-elemental-film-review-pixar-animated-fantasy-voiced-leah-lewis-and-mamoudou-athie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3221944/cannes-2023-elemental-film-review-pixar-animated-fantasy-voiced-leah-lewis-and-mamoudou-athie?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 May 2023 21:30:18 +0000 Elemental director Peter Sohn says his parents ignited the spark for the upcoming Disney and Pixar animated film. Sohn invited his parents – who had emigrated from Korea to the United States – to an event. Seeing them from the stage filled him with a deep appreciation for all they had done for their family. “I saw them, and I was very emotional thanking them for all the sacrifices,” Sohn says. Elemental is a film about a family of fire elements who migrate to Element City, a place where there... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3217073/how-elemental-upcoming-disney-and-pixar-animated-movie-combats-xenophobia-and-how-production-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3217073/how-elemental-upcoming-disney-and-pixar-animated-movie-combats-xenophobia-and-how-production-team?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Apr 2023 20:15:18 +0000 Of late the summer blockbuster season has become a year-round event, and never has this been more obvious than in the line-up of potential box office hits expected to hit the big screen this spring. From high-octane sequels to big-budget remakes and more video-game and comic- book adaptations than you can shake a bag of popcorn at, 2023 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for cinema-goers. These are our picks for the 11 biggest films opening between now and the start of summer... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3212501/11-best-new-hollywood-movies-spring-2023-fast-furious-and-guardians-galaxy-sequels-little-mermaid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3212501/11-best-new-hollywood-movies-spring-2023-fast-furious-and-guardians-galaxy-sequels-little-mermaid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Mar 2023 20:15:10 +0000 By Lee Gyu-lee Kim Hye-sook, who grew up in the small town of Hongseong – about 150 kilometres (93 miles) southeast of the South Korean capital, Seoul – once saw herself as just an ordinary girl who loved to draw. But when her middle-school teacher, after seeing her drawings, told her about the animation industry, she began to dream of making a career out of her drawings. Twenty-five years on, Kim has realised this dream. In 2021, she came to work for Pixar Animation Studios as a senior animator... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3205786/spider-man-and-lightyear-animator-achieving-her-childhood-dream-pixar-disney-and-sony-pictures-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3205786/spider-man-and-lightyear-animator-achieving-her-childhood-dream-pixar-disney-and-sony-pictures-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jan 2023 09:15:09 +0000 Musician Jon Batiste is to perform at US President Joe Biden’s first White House state dinner on Thursday that will highlight long-standing ties between the United States and France and honour French President Emmanuel Macron. “An artist who transcends generations, Jon Batiste’s music inspires and brings people together,” said Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden, whose office is overseeing dinner preparations. “We’re thrilled to have him perform at the White House for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3201203/musician-jon-batiste-perform-emmanuel-macron-joe-bidens-first-state-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3201203/musician-jon-batiste-perform-emmanuel-macron-joe-bidens-first-state-dinner?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Nov 2022 20:08:18 +0000 Walt Disney Co has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie Lightyear in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries, a source said on Monday, and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world’s largest movie market. A Lightyear producer said that authorities in China had asked for cuts to the movie, which Disney declined to make, and she assumed the movie would not open there either. The animated film depicts a same-sex couple who share a brief kiss, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3181572/pixars-lightyear-wont-show-some-countries-over-same?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3181572/pixars-lightyear-wont-show-some-countries-over-same?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jun 2022 23:32:16 +0000 3/5 stars Pixar’s latest animated film begins with a very meta caption. In 1995, “Andy” bought a toy inspired by his favourite movie: “This is that movie.” The toy is Buzz Lightyear, the Space Ranger who shouts “to infinity and beyond” – and one of the stars of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise. Those films truly put Pixar on the map, and while those nostalgia-packed CG animations were all about toys belonging to young Andy that came alive whenever he or any other human weren’t about, the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3181238/lightyear-movie-review-pixars-toy-story-spin-featuring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3181238/lightyear-movie-review-pixars-toy-story-spin-featuring?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jun 2022 21:00:18 +0000 Done binge watching all your favourite shows? Then it’s time you caught up with all the latest films with a plethora of major releases this month. Here are the five new films premiering in June that we’re most excited about. Spiderhead – on Netflix June 17 Netflix summarises the plot as: “A prisoner in a state-of-the-art penitentiary begins to question the purpose of the emotion-controlling drugs he’s testing for a pharmaceutical genius.” Elvis – in cinemas June 24 According to Warner Bros: “A... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3180576/5-most-exciting-films-premiering-june-third-jurassic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3180576/5-most-exciting-films-premiering-june-third-jurassic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:00:16 +0000 Early on in the 2022 Pixar animated fantasy Turning Red, 13-year-old Mei Lee is subjected to a ghastly public humiliation when her mother, Ming (superbly voiced by Sandra Oh), goes leafing through her notebook and finds lusty drawings of Devon, the cute older boy Mei’s been crushing on. Convinced that this “degenerate” must have taken advantage of her daughter in some way, Ming furiously confronts the poor, unsuspecting Devon at the convenience store where he works, demanding, in full view of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3177297/how-michelle-yeoh-and-sandra-oh-took-asian-american-moms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3177297/how-michelle-yeoh-and-sandra-oh-took-asian-american-moms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 May 2022 23:15:19 +0000 Adolescence is a difficult time for everyone, but most of us didn’t have to suffer the ignominy of turning into a giant red panda every time we felt emotional or embarrassed. That’s what happens to Meilin, the 13-year-old heroine of Pixar’s Turning Red, a lively animation that sets the trials and tribulations of growing up inside a colourful rendition of Toronto’s Chinatown. Made by an all-female key creative team, Turning Red charts Meilin’s growing conflict with her loving mother as she deals... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169814/animes-influence-pixars-turning-red-spirited-away-director?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169814/animes-influence-pixars-turning-red-spirited-away-director?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 09:15:15 +0000 4/5 stars A precocious teenager discovers, much to her horror, that she can transform into a giant red panda in Turning Red, the latest animated offering from Pixar Studios. The film marks the feature directing debut of Chinese-Canadian Domee Shi, who won an Academy Award in 2019 for her animated short film, Bao. Set in Toronto’s Chinatown circa 2002, Shi’s bright and fluffy coming-of-age caper is an often hilarious and commendably frank appreciation of the awkwardness of adolescence. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169591/turning-red-movie-review-bao-directors-pixar-coming-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3169591/turning-red-movie-review-bao-directors-pixar-coming-age?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Mar 2022 14:00:25 +0000 Every month, the app TV Time provides Insider a list of the most anticipated new films being released. There should always be something to look forward to in life, and that includes your viewing habits, of course. Fortunately, March does not disappoint, with a host of highly anticipated new shows and films hitting streaming services and cinemas worldwide. Here’s what’s worth getting excited about this month, according to an aggregator of US viewers. 14 new Korean movies to watch in 2022 – plus 2... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3169102/10-most-exciting-new-movies-and-tv-shows-march-robert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3169102/10-most-exciting-new-movies-and-tv-shows-march-robert?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Mar 2022 09:53:20 +0000 With Disney+ about to enter Hong Kong’s streaming market, the question is not whether it will be a major player, but whether it will Hulk smash the likes of Netflix, HBO and other entertainment platforms. Launched in North America and the Netherlands on November 12, 2019, the service has gradually rolled out across Asia this year and has made an impact wherever it has arrived. After being offered in Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, it officially starts in Hong Kong on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3151625/disney-hong-kong-star-wars-star-hub-regional-head-kerwin-lo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3151625/disney-hong-kong-star-wars-star-hub-regional-head-kerwin-lo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Oct 2021 01:15:19 +0000 Ed Asner, the burly and prolific character actor who became a star in middle age as the gruff but lovable newsman Lou Grant, first in the hit comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later in the drama Lou Grant, died on Sunday. He was 91. Asner’s official Twitter account included a note from his children: “We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.” Built like the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3146818/actor-ed-asner-televisions-lou-grant-mary-tyler?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3146818/actor-ed-asner-televisions-lou-grant-mary-tyler?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Aug 2021 19:13:14 +0000 Walt Disney Company is to launch its online streaming service Disney+ in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea in November. The announcement comes as the entertainment juggernaut grapples with how to release films with the Delta coronavirus variant driving viewers from cinemas across the globe. The arrival in Hong Kong of Disney+ – which boasts of a library of TV shows and movie franchises from Disney, Marvel and Pixar to Lucasfilm, as well as National Geographic and 20th Century Fox – will provide... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3144989/disney-start-streaming-hong-kong-and-two-other-asian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3144989/disney-start-streaming-hong-kong-and-two-other-asian?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:17:09 +0000 The search for Pixar’s perfect Luca sea monster started with ancient maps. When director Enrico Casarosa formulated the coming-of-age story, inspired by his childhood on the Italian Riviera, he zeroed in on the fearsome sea serpents on the edges of Renaissance maps waiting to gobble up ships that ventured too far. Then Casarosa ventured to the wildly colourful to make his teenage sea monsters for Luca (now streaming on Disney+). Shiloh Jolie-Pitt at 15 “The point of the story is the two... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3138255/luca-pixars-first-gay-movie-how-disney-films-deeper-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3138255/luca-pixars-first-gay-movie-how-disney-films-deeper-story?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jun 2021 04:20:44 +0000 The medieval town of Kilkenny in the southeast of Ireland is an unlikely home for a perennial Oscar contender. But there, among cathedral spires and castle parapets, the animation studio Cartoon Saloon has carved out a factory of hand-drawn artistry and local folklore that has persisted and flourished well beyond its creators’ expectations. When Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, directors of the enchanting Oscar-nominee Wolfwalkers, met growing up in Kilkenny – or even after they finished college and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3129350/irelands-answer-studio-ghibli-wolfwalkers-oscars-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3129350/irelands-answer-studio-ghibli-wolfwalkers-oscars-best?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:15:12 +0000 Just when the world could do with a little Pixar magic, Soul arrives. The studio’s new animated feature, directed by Pete Docter, is arguably even bolder than his last – 2015’s Oscar-winning Inside Out . While that film dramatised emotions like sadness and anger in a young girl’s body, Docter and his team are now tackling life’s Big Questions. Or as he explains: “What are we going through? What’s the world about? What am I supposed to be doing with my life?” Beyond exploring these age-old... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3114902/soul-jamie-foxx-tina-fey-and-crew-pixars-new-film-disney?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3114902/soul-jamie-foxx-tina-fey-and-crew-pixars-new-film-disney?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:15:08 +0000 4.5/5 stars Pixar’s latest film, Soul, takes us into a metaphysical world way beyond what most animations ever dare show. It is directed and co-written by Pete Docter, who must surely now be regarded as the crown jewel of American cinema’s finest animation studio. Docter was behind Up and Inside Out , which brilliantly found a way to express visually the thoughts and emotions of a young girl. Soul goes further, creating a universe where souls either prepare in “the great before” to plummet to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3105086/soul-movie-review-pixars-existential-masterpiece-takes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3105086/soul-movie-review-pixars-existential-masterpiece-takes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2020 02:32:09 +0000 After being closed for half a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s cinemas are finally reopening. The nation’s moviegoers are overjoyed despite the fact that they’ll mostly just be able to watch films that first released years ago. Among the anticipated re-releases are all eight Harry Potter films. Theatres in Shanghai will be showing the films remastered in 4K for the Shanghai International Film Festival, which starts July 25. Each instalment is getting two showings, but it seems... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3093945/harry-potter-4k-remaster-hits-shanghai-film-festival-cinemas-reopen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3093945/harry-potter-4k-remaster-hits-shanghai-film-festival-cinemas-reopen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2020 12:36:41 +0000 “I think doing a personal story is always a risk,” admits Dan Scanlon, the director and co-writer of Pixar’s latest sublime animated adventure, Onward . “You put your life out there, you put your story out there, you put the stories of your family out there and you don’t know if people will react to it or connect to it. That is its own risk.” In the case of Onward, it could not get more personal. “I lost my father when I was a year old,” the Michigan-born Scanlon explains. The year was 1977 and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3089115/director-pixars-onward-taking-his-own-childhood-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3089115/director-pixars-onward-taking-his-own-childhood-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jun 2020 02:45:13 +0000 So Cannes has been canned. Even the world’s most famous film festival is not immune to the impact of the coronavirus, and this week artistic director Thierry Frémaux admitted that “a physical edition” in 2020 will be nigh-on impossible. But what of the selected films? Frémaux has promised to publish a list of those chosen in June, but he is already revealed the titles of five, whose prospects are now uncertain without that all-important Cannes opening. 1. Da 5 Bloods Spike Lee would have been... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3084612/cannes-2020-five-films-pixar-spike-lee-wes-anderson-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3084612/cannes-2020-five-films-pixar-spike-lee-wes-anderson-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2020 23:30:14 +0000 Bob Iger isn’t called the “King of Hollywood” for nothing – but now, the “king” is retiring.  Iger has stepped down as Disney’s CEO after 15 years at the helm, and been replaced by Bob Chapek, formerly the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. Iger has assumed the role of executive chairman, and will help the company transition until the end of his contract on December 31, 2021. “With the successful launch of Disney’s direct-to-consumer businesses and the integration of 21st... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3074464/king-hollywood-bob-iger-steps-down-disneys-ceo-heres-how-he?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3074464/king-hollywood-bob-iger-steps-down-disneys-ceo-heres-how-he?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2020 02:00:09 +0000 4/5 stars As movie brands go, Pixar knows a thing or two about magic. In its latest animation adventure, Onward, which premiered out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival, magic is everywhere – as long as you believe. The story is set in New Mushroom, a modern-day world that looks like just like ours (well, America at any rate), except that it’s populated by elves, centaurs, pixies and dragons. Spells are no longer cast, with modern-day technology doing the job instead. A family tale... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3051857/berlin-2020-onward-film-review-pixars-magic-infused-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3051857/berlin-2020-onward-film-review-pixars-magic-infused-family?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2020 15:30:09 +0000 In this regular feature series on some of the most talked-about films, we examine the legacy of classics and re-evaluate modern blockbusters. We continue this week with the 2015 film Inside Out . From Toy Story to The Incredibles, Monsters Inc to Up, Pixar animated films take a high concept as far as it will go. In the case of Monsters Inc, that means running out of steam about halfway through; in the case of Up it means approaching the profound. Directed by Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen,... https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/3019303/classic-american-films-inside-out-pixars-take-human-mind-remains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/3019303/classic-american-films-inside-out-pixars-take-human-mind-remains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2019 19:00:16 +0000 Animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 film Spirited Away had a record opening weekend for a Japanese film in China, and has taken more than twice as much as another big animated film, Pixar’s Toy Story 4, which hit Chinese cinemas the same day. As of the afternoon of June 25, Spirited Away had box office takings of more than 230 million yuan (US$33 million) in China, compared with less than 110 million yuan for Toy Story 4. Spirited Away took 127.7 million yuan from Friday to Sunday,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3016033/studio-ghibli-film-spirited-away-sets-china-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3016033/studio-ghibli-film-spirited-away-sets-china-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:29:22 +0000