Burton, DeVito and possibly Keaton to reteam on 'Dumbo'

[johnnygobbs]

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/michael-keaton-dumbo-tim-burton-1202022958/

Michael Keaton is in negotiations to play the villain in the live-action "Dumbo" movie for Disney.

The film would mark a reunion with Tim Burton — their first project together since 1992's "Batman Returns."

Colin Farrell is currently in talks to star alongside Eva Green and Danny DeVito.

So we might see Keaton and DeVito do a reversal of the good guy and bad guy parts.

[Silver Nemesis]

I've wanted Burton and Keaton to reteam for ages, but I just can't get excited about these live-action Disney remakes. They're symptomatic of the same lack of originality that's polluting modern American cinema in general.

I watched the 1992 animated Beauty and the Beast with my nephew and niece a few weeks ago, and it still holds up beautifully. It's got gorgeous animation, unforgettable characters, catchy songs and a genuinely moving storyline. By contrast, the new film looks like a hollow effects-driven rehash, recycling the same storyline and songs, but replacing the classic hand-drawn animation with soulless CG. What's the point? When I saw the trailer for the new film, I was surprised by how much emotion it stirred in me. But then I realised the emotions it evoked were merely my feelings of nostalgia for the original film.

I was fortunate that my childhood coincided with the so-called 'Disney Renaissance' that began in 1989. I saw all those classic films on the big screen as a kid: The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Aladdin, The Lion King, Toy Story, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Pocahontas, Mulan, etc. Why isn't Disney making films like those in 2017? Their only animated output these days appear to be Pixar films. Don't get me wrong, I like Pixar. But I also miss traditional cell shaded animation.

The best animated movie I've seen in recent years was The Tale of the Princess Kaguya from Studio Ghibli. That's one of only a handful of films from the past decade that I'd rate a perfect 10/10. It seems like Japan is the only country producing quality hand-drawn animation these days. Here in the West, it's a lost art.

Anyway, sorry for going off on a tangent. While I'm glad to hear Keaton and Burton might be working together again, I just wish it was on a more original project.