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By Michael Lopez

Yes, we know there are a lot of purists who are upset that Disney fudged with their classic feature, Beauty and the Beast. But if you ask us, the studio did a fantastic job adding an extra 3D layer to the movie and we're thrilled it's getting a chance to be rediscovered by a brand new audience.

Believe it or not, Beauty was actually nominated for a Best Picture Oscar when it first came out in 1991. After watching it again, it's easy to see why. Beyond the charming songs and engaging characters, there is actually a very touching love story buried beneath the ink and paint.

The plot, in case you need a refresher, involves a beautiful young maiden named Belle and her yearning for adventure. Though every guy in her small town would love to walk her down the aisle, Belle prefers a life filled with independence (and enchanting storybooks).

But her world is changed forever the day her father goes missing. On her quest to rescue dear old dad, Belle finds herself in a creepy castle on the outskirts of town. It's there where we first encounter the Beast, a terrifying wolf-like creature who, at one time, had been a handsome prince.

Soon we find out that the ferocious Beast has a heart of gold and he actually helps Belle bring her father back to town. Along the way, these two strike up an engaging romance and get treated to a host of memorable tunes (courtesy of Beast's singing furniture).

Though it may be hard to believe, Beauty actually works like a modern day rom com. But with its well-polished dialogue and uplifting story, it actually surpasses a lot of the feel good fluff we've been seeing in theaters. Disney also did a fantastic job of accentuating the backgrounds with 3D elements, offering an even more engaging experience for moviegoers. You'd have to be a real Beast not to have a soft spot for this film.

Bottom line: Even though the latest batch of Pixar movies have far surpassed Disney's old school animation standards, it's hard to top a classic like Beauty and the Beast. Each character is lovingly drawn and the Beast is a magnificent big screen creation. Fang-faced and ferocious, yet soft and tender, he represents a great modern-day fairy tale that film fans of all ages can enjoy.

Did you catch Beauty and the Beast 3D last weekend? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Animation, Beauty and the Beast, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Disney, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Rom Coms

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Disney has put a first time director in charge of the live action production of Maleficent, the Sleeping Beauty story!

Production designer Robert Stromberg is putting on his director's hat for the first time with Sleeping Beauty! Even though he may be new to the director’s chair, he is no stranger to dealing with big fantasy films. He was production designer on Avatar and Alice In Wonderland, and Disney’s upcoming Oz The Great And Powerful. He also worked on visual effects for films such as 2012, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End and Master And Commander.

Maleficent is the live-action movie about the wicked dark fairy and main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. The film is a modern take on the classic fairy tale, the fantasy is told from the viewpoint of Beauty's fairy godmother, Maleficent, to be played by Angelina Jolie.

Maleficent is written by Linda Woolverton, who also wrote the script for Disney's Beauty and the Beast and co-wrote the script for The Lion King. Don Hahn, Joe Roth and Richard D. Zanuck are the producers of the film.

Are you excited to see Angelina play Maleficent?

Tags 2012, Beauty and the Beast, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Disney, Don Hahn, Joe Roth, Linda Woolverton, Master And Commander, Oz The Great And Powerful, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End, Richard D. Zanuck, Robert Stromberg, The Lion King

By Michael Lopez

It seems like audiences just can't get enough of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The animated film became a huge smash when it was first released in 1991. Then it transitioned into a Broadway musical and now it's hitting theaters once again in stunning 3D. Original voice actor Jesse Corti has been a part of the experience the whole way through and recently spoke to us about Beast’s long lasting charm.

"I feel really blessed to be a part of this movie," Jesse explained. "It's been a phenomenal experience and I can’t wait to see how it transitions into 3D!"

Corti became famous for voicing Beast's villainous sidekick Le Fou. A trained Broadway actor, Jesse told us that his theatrical training played a big part in helping him score the role.

"I was doing Les Miserables on Broadway when the auditions took place," he said. "We heard that Disney was looking for actors who could sing really well. I got the audition and actually read for Le Fou, as well as Lumiere the candle and Cogsworth the clock."

Corti's singing chops definitely got put to good use in the movie. Le Fou famously belted out the bad guy anthem "Gaston" and its stirring reprise. Interestingly, Jesse told us that he got to sing it in both English and Spanish when he recorded tracks en español for the film.

"I was born in Venezuela and grew up speaking Spanish," Corti told us. "When the producers found out, they had me come in and record all of Le Fou's Spanish dialogue for the international version. I believe I was the first actor ever to record both the English and Spanish versions in the same Disney movie."

And Jesse's commanding voice has suited him well since then. Following Beast, Corti dove into a ton of animated roles on series like The Batman, Gargoyles, and Handy Manny. He's also recorded dialogue for multiple video games, including Call of Juarez on Playstation.

But, as Jesse explained, it is Le Fou that seems to bring him the most recognition.

"The most letters I've ever received for a role have come from Beauty and the Beast," he explained. "But I love it and I’m especially glad that new generations will be able to experience it when it comes out again in 3D."

You can catch the enhanced 3D version of Beauty and the Beast in theaters this Friday.

Are you looking forward to the re-release of Disney's Beauty and the Beast? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 3D, Beauty and the Beast, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Broadway, Disney, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jesse Corti, Le Fou, Movies & CineMás, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

As much as we'd love to see a Latina Disney Princess introduced to the public, for now we're going to have to settle for the next best thing. Namely, a new Mouse House series called Sofia the First, which features the voice of Sara Ramirez.

The animated Disney Channel show follows the exploits of a young girl (voiced by Modern Family’s Ariel Winter) who soon gets thrust into a life of royalty. Sara will be voicing her mom and the new wife of the posh king.

Dealing with issues like blended families, peer pressure, and inner strength, Disney execs feel Sofia will be a positive influence for young female viewers.

"In Sofia, we have a 'peer to peer princess,' a relatable girl experiencing the same social issues as our young viewers ,” Nancy Kanter, senior vice president of Disney Junior Worldwide said. “Learning how to fit in, making new friends, conquering new skills and building sibling relationships."

Of course, the show will also feature plenty of Disney trademarks too. Expect to see cameos from Cinderella and a host of famous Princesses from years past.

Who’s your favorite Disney Princess? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Ariel Winter, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Disney, Disney Channel, Disney Princesses, Sara Ramirez, Sofia the First, Television

Tags Christina Aguilera, Disney, Harry Pagancoss, Holidays, lights

By Astrid Rivera

Attention all monster and ghouls, it's that time of the year again! I can already smell the piles and piles of candy... hmmm. But before any of us can go out and party the night away, what are you going to wear?

Don't worry, I got you covered with this year's hottest Halloween costumes and some cool do it yourself tips that won't break the bank. This year it's all about standing out, so please put that old witch hat and bumblebee costume to rest.

Thinking about being a vampire this year? Sorry Twilight fans, but the hottest trend to re-appear this year are blood thirsty zombies thanks to the hit show The Walking Dead. This is a great costume that anyone can do with little to no effort, depending on how bloody you want to get.

Many stores like Ricky's NYC and Hot Topic carry fake blood that you can smear onto a shredded white T-shirt and tattered jeans. If you want to go all out, why not try a Lady Gaga-esque Born This Way zombie look? With a simple suit and outrageous face make-up you can transform yourself to this. If you want to be a zombie killer, you can dress up as one of the cops on The Walking Dead.

Any barbies out there? Of course, I'm referring to Nicki Minaj, who's crazy outfits have inspired a number of insane costumes this year. All you need is a brightly colored wig, preferably with blunt cut bangs, and the most colorful outrageous outfit you can put together (no giant trasero included). One look that we'll definitely be seeing this weekend is her controversial VMA outfit.

Speaking of controversial celebrities, what better way to remember Amy Winehouse than to be her? The buzz surrounding the premature death of the troubled singer earlier this year will definitely resurrect many Amy's this weekend. Unless you can do your own beehive and have long black hair, this costume requires the purchase of a beehive wig but that's about it. Pair this wig with a white tank, skinny jeans and exaggerated black eyeliner and you're good to go! You can even purchase temporary tattoos designed like Amy's very own, check these out from Amazon.

But who wants to be a dead person when you can be a wild animal? The hottest trend this year are furry animal hoods! Celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, Pink and Vanessa Hudgens have all been caught sporting the trend. You can really test your DIY skills by pairing the hood with other animal inspired clothing and boots or dressing it down like Pink.

If you want to go the royal route this year there are a ton of options. Princess Kate Middleton is a popular choice and for those of you have can't afford the royal price tag, there are many websites like Modern Mrs.Darcy that give excellent DIY tips on how to transform yourself into the royal beauty.

If you're not feeling particularly royal, how about an evil Black Swan? Natalie Portman's Oscar-winning role has given everyone ballerina fever. This look is easy to pull off with a black tutu, a black body suit and ballet flats. Beauty blogger extraordinaire, Michelle Phan, provides an amazing Black Swan make-up tutorial. Phan also gives equally great make-up tutorials for classics such as Catwoman, Disney Princesses and Lady Gaga!

Want to get inspired? Check out American Apparel's DIY Halloween Contest and as Lady Gaga would say, please be safe out there little monsters because you never know what tricks the night has up its sleeve...

What will you dress up as this Halloween?

Tags Amazon, American Apparel, Amy Winehouse, Astrid Rivera, Black Swan, Catwoman, Disney, Kate Middleton, Khloe Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Michelle Phan, Natalie Portman, Nicki Minaj, Pink, popnews, The Walking Dead, Twilight, Vanessa Hudgens

By Harry Pagancoss

Halloween is upon us and so are the coolest and most terrifying parties around. If you have not made any plans yet or, if you have, here are some options you may still want to consider. After all, they are the best and meanest as they promise to scare you a little or a lot. Beware!

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, The Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and at and Disneyland both have a family-friendly after-hours event called "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party".  The Mickey's "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade includes Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction and begins with a spook-tacular ride by the Headless Horseman. There's also Happy HalloWishes, a fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky, and visitors can see many favorite Disney Characters and Disney Villains in special Halloween costumes. Special lighting, music and theming effects transforms special areas of Magic Kingdom theme park into happy haunted hollows. Dates remaining for Walt Disney World’s celebration are October 27, 28, 30, and 31, and November 1.

Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios in Hollywood & Orlando

Lady Luck is the force behind this year's event, and she awaits those brave enough to challenge her and take a chance.  Her main weapon is choice, and her desire is for you to make yours.  But no matter what you decide, you can't escape the terror she has in store at Halloween Horror Nights. Remaining days are October 27-31.

Forest of Fun and Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens Williamsburg

The Williamsburg theme park celebrates its 13th anniversary of Howl-O-Scream with resurrected fan favorites from years past and new haunted houses, scare zones and shows built around the theme The Dark Side of the Gardens. The motto is "Not for the faint-hearted" with parental guidance strongly encouraged. Howl-O-Scream's evil clowns are back and they have taken over Festa Italia in the Fear Fair haunted house and the Grin and Scare It scare zone. New haunted houses like Dead Line offer a modern spin on some classic scares while 13: Your Number's Up, which is returning after a 13-year hiatus, forces guests to face their darkest fears. Remaining days are October 28-30.

Thrills by Day and Fright by Night Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey

Just 90 minutes from New York City, Six Flags offers Fright Fest, one of the most terrifying Halloween events in the world! With numerous horrifyingly delightful haunted terror trails, shows and rides, you and your friends will have the fright of your life. Remaining dates: October 28-30.

So, which one are you going to attend? Send me your coolest Halloween custom pictures to: hpagancoss@facebook.com

Tags Disney, Halloween, Halloween Horror Nights, Harry Pagancoss, Mickey, Six Flags, Universal Studios

By Larry Yepez Jr.

20th Century Fox just snatched up what they're hoping will be Shawn Levy’s next directorial effort once he finishes filming Frankenstein. Levi is taken on another project within Hollywood’s favorite new sub-genre: the fairy tale revamped! The four-quadrant saga will  be based on the life of Pinocchio and is aiming to be a big hit!

Deadline reported that writer Michael Vukadinovich sold the spec for the prequel to the classic tale  Pinocchio -titled The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto- to 20th Century Fox and Levy’s production company 21 Laps.  The script is being compared to Tim Burton's Big Fish or Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride, which suggests a mix of swashbuckling action and humor.

The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto will follow Geppetto, the creator of the wooden puppet who wanted to be a real boy, across a hard life as he tries to be with his one true love, a woman named Julia Moon. Everyone's favorite character in the story was this elderly father figure. So it will be great to get the insight to many unanswered questions we have about Geppetto!

Shawn Levy’s on a roll. His latest, the robot-boxing drama Real Steel, is contending at the box office. He's producing Neighborhood Watch with Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, and preparing a Frankenstein feature from a Max Landis screenplay. Then comes Geppetto and after that the director has been teasing with a Reel Steel sequel.

But Geppetto is not the only Pinocchio-themed project in the works,  Disney has a live action version with Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) writing the script; while Guillermo Del Toro is in production on a stop-motion take of the wooden puppet story, with music by Nick Cave.

Levy's probably busy with Frankenstein for the next couple of years, so we wouldn't expect to see Geppetto for quite a while!

Are you excited to see Levy's version take on Pinocchio & Gepetto?

Tags 21 Laps, Disney, Geppetto, Guillermo del Toro, Max Landis, Michael Vukadinovich20th Century Fox Frankenstein Pinoc, Neighborhood Watch. Ben Stiller, Nick Cave, Real Steel, Shawn Levy, Vince Vaughn

By Michael Lopez

What's the first thing you thought of after watching the movie Avatar? For us, it was the concept of entering the world of Pandora and living the life of the Na'vis. Well believe it or not, that may actually become a reality thanks to the folks at Walt Disney Imagineering.

It was announced this week that plans are underway to develop an Avatar-themed land at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom park. Set to begin construction in 2013, the massive project would take over five years to complete and literally recreate the entire universe you saw on the big screen.

Avatar mastermind James Cameron will be heavily involved with the attraction and seemed very excited by the concept.

"Through this incredible partnership with Disney, we'll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before," Cameron said. "With two new Avatar films currently in development, we'll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore. I'm chomping at the bit to start work with Disney's legendary Imagineers to bring our Avatar universe to life!"

The Avatar attraction was reportedly the idea of Disney Parks Chairman, Thomas Staggs. When observing the success of Disneyland's revamped Star Tours ride, he felt the strong desire to bring another piece of cinema to life. And what better franchise to tap into than Avatar? (Which grossed over $2 billion at the box office.)

Now the real question is, what can fans expect at the new "Avatar Land?" So far, gossip blogs have run wild with speculations. There have been rumors about flying animatronic dragons, interactive AMP Suits, and even the possibility of entering a Na'vi "Avatar" yourself!

The finished product will reportedly incorporate ton of technology, so you never know. Though the Disney team is keeping an extremely tight lip, Staggs did reveal some hints about what to expect when the Na'vis invade Orlando.

"One of the things that we found when we screened Avatar was that the scenes that people liked best were not the obvious things, like the big battle scenes, and that sort of thing. It was the creatures. It was learning to fly. It was being in the forest at night," he said. "So here's an opportunity to use [our] animatronic technology and possibly rolling in mixed-media, 3D projections, holography. Whatever makes sense to build, bring this world to life and actually get to wander in it and explore it, and see things you didn't see either in the first film or in the subsequent two."

Let's hope that includes an animatronic version of Zoe Saldana too! Look for the Avatar attractions to start popping up in 2018!

What movies would you to see get turned into Disney attractions? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Avatar, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Disney, Disneyland, Hot Stuff, James Cameron, Movies & CineMás, Theme Parks, Thomas Staggs

By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, there are millions of people around the world who worship at the altar of Disney. Whether it's die-hard park lovers, Mickey Mouse collectors, or classic animation buffs, the 87-year-old conglomerate has built a huge fan base. And this past weekend, the Walt Disney Company celebrated "itself" with a massive D23 Expo in Anaheim California.

Sometimes it's hard to fathom how many well-known brands are part of the Disney family. Marvel Comics was acquired by the company back in 2009, the Pixar division has been going strong for years, and don't get us started on the Disneyland and Disney World fan base.

All of most famous properties were on display at the three-day event and each one showed off some pretty unique stuff. On the Marvel side, fans got a taste of the highly-anticipated 2012 film, The Avengers. Stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johansson were on hand to introduce exclusive new footage from the movie, which wowed the crowd.

Other Disney flick sneak peeks included footage from next March's sci fi epic John Carter and the new Muppet film. Fans also got treated to concept art from Sam Raimi's Wizard of Oz update, Oz The Great and Powerful.

On the Pixar front, head honcho John Lasseter arrived to huge cheers and announced two exciting projects. One happens to be an animated dinosaur movie, set to hit theaters in late 2013. The other was called The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside The Mind, which we're sure has endless potential. You can look for that one in 2014.

But don't think movies were the only attraction at D23. Disney lovers also got treated to quite a few goodies from the company's theme parks. Concept art was revealed for the new Disneyland Shanghai resort and fans got to participate in live panels with the "Imagineers" who design the rides.

As expected, there was a TON of merchandise on hand. Characters from attractions like The Haunted Mansion graced floor and rare Mickey Mouse collectables were displayed. There were also original animation cels, movie props, and one-of-a-kind sculptures sold at a D23 auction.

The attendees of the event were also a sight to be seen. Truly an affair for the hardcore fans, the D23 guests put the Comic-Con crowd to shame. Throughout the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center, cameras caught Jack Sparrows, Buzz Lightyears, and tons of Mouseketeer hats roaming gleefully and posing for pictures.

Would you classify yourself as a massive Disney fan? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Comics, D23, D23 Expo, Disney, Disneyland, John Lasseter, Marvel, Mickey Mouse, Movies & CineMás, Pixar, The Avengers