'Kung Fu Panda 2' and This Summer's Other Animated Sequels and Remakes

While the summer movie season seems to have kicked off with "Fast Five" there hasn't been much out for the younger members of the family yet. That changed with the release of "Kung Fu Panda 2." The follow up to the hit original film brought in plenty of young movie goers and their families over the Memorial Day weekend. However this is only the beginning of the animated sequels and remakes coming out this summer.

"Cars 2" (June 24th)
There are few film studios with a reputation and history as solid as that of Pixar. However if one were to ask fans which is their least accomplished film, odds are the answer would be "Cars." So that would make a sequel to this film look like an odd choice, that is until one looks at revenue beyond the movie itself. Despite being only a moderate hit at the box office the original "Cars" has generated more money with various associated products, such as toys and games, than any other Pixar movie. So here's the sequel! Interestingly this is a heavy departure from the fairly laid back original, which told the story of a race car who learned small town values. This time Lightning McQueen and his friend Mater are traveling the world so Lightning can race in the newly established World Grand Prix. Somehow along the way Mater is mistaken for a spy and this launches the pair on a high flying adventure that looks to be far more action packed that the original film was.

"Winnie the Pooh" (July 15th)
While there have been a number of Winnie the Pooh films released in theaters over the years this is only the second that will use material taken directly from the A. A. Milne stories. This is also a return to traditional hand drawn animation for the Disney Animation studio. The studio had abandoned hand drawn films for a time but recently as returned to the art form that made the studio a household name for family entertainment. This film tackles a number of story lines ranging from a group competition to create the best new tail for Eyore and Pooh being unable to read a note left to him by Christopher Robin. This promises a return to the simple playful joys and delightful humor of the earlier Pooh films. Highly appropriate for very young viewers since Pooh movies, by their nature, deal in fairly mundane conflict and never even have a proper villain.

"The Smurfs" (July 29th)
Rather than being a sequel this is a remake of the classic cartoon show about diminuative blue creatures trying to live in peace while being pursued by a wicked man named Gargamel. While not an entirely animated film the titular Smurfs themselves are entirely computer animation creations, though they're interacting with live actors and in real environments, in the vein of "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Earlier trailers seem to point to the film borrowing it's level of humor from that same film series, with a few low brow jokes thrown into the mix. The story goes in a new direction from anything that was done in the cartoon show by having the Smurfs be transported to modern day New York where they take up residence in Central Park. Such actors as Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria will be interacting with the displaced Smurfs in this film.