2011 should be a big year for children’s movies. There’s an impressive selection of animated movies scheduled to be released in cinemas during 2011. Although I’m excited for my kids to see some of these films, other choices prove that animation doesn’t mean a movie will just appeal to children.
Here’s a sneak peak at the animated movies planned that will be on the big screen in 2011.
“Winnie the Pooh”
Most animated movies now are done by computer graphics, and many of this year’s choices will be in 3-D. If, like me, you are nostalgic for the hand-drawn cartoons of your childhood, then this new ” Winnie the Pooh ” movie is for you. It has the look of the “Winnie the Pooh” that I knew as a child (rather than the computer animation of the Disney channel’s TV show “My Friends Tigger and Pooh” that my daughters are familiar with) with all of the familiar characters, and the storyline is based on original A.A. Milne stories that haven’t made it into a Disney movie yet.
This “Winnie the Pooh” will probably appeal more to parents and grandparents than children, but they’re the ones buying the tickets anyway. It is scheduled for release in July.
“Gnomeo and Juliet”
I have to admit that the first time that I saw a preview for ” Gnomeo & Juliet “, I thought that it was a joke rather than a real movie. However, it is funny and it is real. There’s a lot of humor for teenagers and grown-ups in this, so I think ” Gnomeo & Juliet ” will be a really popular family choice.
Loosely based on “Romeo & Juliet”, in this version the star-crossed lovers are garden gnomes. Yes, the love story is about tacky yard decorations. The cast includes James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, and Michael Caine, so in my book it’s almost guaranteed to be entertaining. You can see it in theaters in February 2011.
“Rango”
Let’s face it, every Johnny Depp movie is worth of attention whether you love it or hate it. In ” Rango “, Johnny Depp does the voice for the main character (a chameleon described as having “an identity crisis”). ” Rango ” looks like it’s for probably 5+ kids, with a lot of entertainment value for the parents as well. I think Depp’s quirkiness will be perfect in this offbeat children’s Western movie.
Other animated movies scheduled for release in 2011 include:
” The Lion of Judah ” (an Easter movie);
” Mars Needs Moms!” (Aliens kidnap Milo’s mom, and so he sets off on adventure to rescue her. 3-D sci-fi with a cast including Seth Green and Joan Cusack–what more could a family want?);
” Rio ” (The cast is led by Anne Hathaway in a story about a pet macaw who heads on an adventure South.);
Kung Fu Panda 2 ” (I love the first “Kung Fu Panda”, and with a sequel cast including Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, and the other original stars, how can this not be entertaining?);
” Cars 2 ” (Disney is pretty much guaranteed a hit with this 3-D sequel to “Cars”.);
The Smurfs ” (I watched the original “Smurfs” TV show as a kid; the cute little blue things are back in this 2011 3-D movie.);
” Happy Feet 2 ” (The popular penguins are back in “Happy Feet 2”, and this time you can enjoy the dancing in 3-D).
Sources
http://www.themovieinsider.com/movies/animation/2011/
http://winnie-the-pooh.movie-trailer.com/2010/06/winnie-pooh-movie-in-2011.html
