“The Ghost and Molly McGee” Combines Music and Charm for a Worthy Successor to Classic Disney Channel Shows
If anything stands out in the first five episodes of new Disney Channel animated series “The Ghost and Molly McGee,” now streaming on Disney Plus, it’s that this show is absolutely in the style of beloved Disney Channel animated projects, while bringing its own style to the 2021 cartoon slate.
The first episode, Curses, is available free on YouTube as well!
Here are five reasons why we think “The Ghost and Molly McGee” should be mandatory screening this fall:
- So Many Jokes: The well-written comedy is enhanced by the delivery of incredible leads Ashly Burch (Enid from “OK K.O.!”) and Dana Snyder (Gazpacho from “Chowder”).
- Great Songs: These songs, in a variety of styles, are going to stick with you. If you’re not already a fan of Tally Hall band member and Internet sensation “Actual Cannibal Shia LeBeouf” creator Rob Cantor, who writes the original music for the show, you will be.
- Beloved Character Tropes with a New Spin: Molly’s manic positivity brings the Thai-American character a Star Butterfly — or even Amphibia’s Sprig as a teen girl — vibe. It’s all the better when combined with Scratch’s spoil-sport commitment, like Phineas & Ferb’s Candace Flynn, and the cheating, scheming, grump of Grunkle Stan.
- Binge-worthy: The episodes are a tight 11-minutes each and easy to watch one after another.
- Weird, Great Family: More than just a small family unit of Molly’s parents and brother, the show includes a vibrant, ridiculous community that fills out the heart of the stories.
“Ron’s Gone Wrong” Promises Charming Robot/Kid Hijinx for Female-Led Locksmith Animation’s First Feature
The film, which follows one middle school boy’s struggle to fit in when he seems to own the only flawed B-Bot, a friendship device that every kid has. Locksmith adds to its partnership with 20th Century Studios an impressive roster of animation and voice talent.
Directors Sarah Smith (co-founder of Locksmith) and Jean-Philippe Vine join co-director Octavio Rodriguez, with a script by Smith and “Borat” scribe Peter Baynham. Catch Ron in theaters on October 22.
One of the original Nicktoons returns as Paramount Plus previews CG “Rugrats” revival
Nickelodeon’s second show — released following “Doug” and prior to “Ren & Stimpy” (and Avatar, SpongeBob, Fairly Odd Parents, The Loud House… you get the idea!), “Rugrats” premiered in 1991 and saw new episodes through 2004. There were theatrical films; there were spin-offs, and yes, even a short-lived reboot in 2008.
Now, animation’s favorite babies are back, with original show runners Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain. Most of the voice cast returns as well, including the second voice of Chuckie Finster, Nancy Cartwright, who took over the role in the early 2000s. Cartwright and Angelica Pickles’ voice actress, Cheryl Chase, are both featured in the teaser above. Deadline reports that E.G. Daily (Tommy Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael) and Katy Soucie (Phil, Lil and Betty DeVille) also return.
The new show releases later this year on Nickelodeon partner Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+.
- Courtney ( @harmonicacave )
Sony Pictures’ “Connected” Arrives in First Trailer
Sony Pictures Animation demands family time — and screen time — in the first official trailer for “Connected.”
The film hits theaters on September 18.
- Courtney (harmonicacave)
Gravity Falls’ Mike Rianda directing Sony Animated Feature “Connected”
Produced by “Lego Movie” duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Sony gets viewers connected with previews through this exclusive Entertainment Weekly preview
The robot uprising is upon us, but so is the Great American family road trip, as the Mitchells — parents Rick (Danny McBride) and Linda (Maya Rudolph), Katie (Abbi Jacobson), Aaron (Rianda) and Monchi the pug — try for some family bonding moments while taking Katie to college. In the midst of travel chaos, appliances, phones and all kinds of tech “decide to take over.”
I can’t wait to see more of Monchi this film.
- Courtney (harmonicacave)
ALT
ALTJim Henson Company to adapt animated series for Rachel Smythe’s beloved WEBTOON comic, “Lore Olympus”
With more than 2.5 million followers on the South Korean online comic publisher, “Lore Olympus” is a staple of WEBTOON’s romance section, and soon, it will be a young adult animated series from the company that gave us the Muppets, “Labyrinth” and most recently, a sequel to its Dark Crystal film for Netflix.
Every week on Saturday evenings, at least for the Eastern time zone, the comic tells stories from Greek mythology with a modern aesthetic, with a particular interest in Hades and Persephone. The YA show should follow modernized mythology as well, although more details will come out later in the show’s development.
ALTThis is the first WEBTOON comic to be adapted for screen, Deadline reports.
- Courtney ( @harmonicacave )
The *SPOILER-FILLED* full trailer of Disney-Pixar’s ONWARD arrives
Meet Ian (Tom Holland), Barley (Chris Pratt) and most of the fam in the first full-length trailer of Monster University director Dan Scanlon’s “Onward.”
Scanlon teams up again with producer Kori Rae to kick off Pixar’s upcoming slate of original films; “Onward” begins its quest in theaters on March 6, 2020.
- Courtney (harmonicacave)
Carmen Sandiego Season 2 Trailer Released
Wednesday afternoon, Netflix released the first look at where its excellent animated adaptation of “Carmen Sandiego” is heading next.
The show, whose first season is available on the streaming service already, follows Carmen and her team as she faces down former mentors and classmates in races to steal or protect items of significance around the world.
The last season ended with one of the most brilliant episodes of animated television I’ve seen in some time, so definitely catch up if you can! Season two hits Netflix on October 1.
- Courtney ( @harmonicacave )
Follow two elf brothers (Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) on a quest “really fast and strange errand” to discover if the suburban area they live in still contains any magic in director Dan Scanlon’s “Onward,” coming in March 2020 for Disney Pixar.
In addition to upcoming Marvel films for both Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy 3, release tbd) and Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home, July), Holland also lends his voice to now-Disney-owned Fox/Blue Sky animated feature “Spies in Disguise,” arriving in theaters this December.
Pratt recently appeared as multiple characters in February’s “The Lego Movie 2.”
- Courtney (harmonicacave)
*Snap, snap* — Your first look at The Addams Family in their new (animated) look by MGM/Cinesite creeps on to your screen today with this teaser trailer.
Featuring Oscar Isaac as Gomez, Charlize Theron as Morticia, and Chloë Grace Moretz and Finn Wolfhard as their children Wednesday and Pugsley, “The Addams Family” arrives in theater this Halloween.
While this is their first animated theaterical appearance, it’s almost a return to form for the family, as the Addams Family first appeared in a series of comics for The New Yorker in the late 1930s. Morticia, Gomez and family later starred in:
- two live-action TV shows (1964-66, 1998-99),
- one Scooby-Doo cameo (1972),
- two animated TV shows (1973-75; 1992-93),
- a couple of live-action TV specials (1964, ’77),
- two live-action features — “The Addams Family” (1991) and “Addams Family Values” (1993) — directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (“Men in Black,” Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events”) and
- “Addams Family Reunion,” a feature-length sitcom pilot turned direct-to-home-video in 1998.
A Tim Burton-led revival was pitched to Illumination Entertainment in 2010, but this MGM film is the first Addams Family film this millenium. The plot of this revival remains largely under wraps, with the film website stating:
The Addams Family is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish, and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbor.
UPDATE: Paste Magazine reports that the plot involves the Addams facing off against a reality TV host (Allison Janney) while preparing for a visit from their extended family.
Director Conrad Vernon, arguably best known as The Gingerbread Man in the Shrek series, teams back up with Greg Tiernan in their second feature (2016′s “Sausage Party”).
The script was penned by Matt Lieberman (Netflix’s “The Christmas Chronicles”).
- Courtney (harmonicacave)