Planes: Fire and Rescue to the....RESCUE!!

by Al Kessel


Well...yet another sequel. Seems as if that's a given these days. If a movie does semi well, it's pretty much guaranteed that they WILL make a sequel, which, unfortunately, typically turns out to be leagues short of the original. Luckily for us, Disney Planes * Fire & Rescue isn't a typical sequel!! This one ROCKED!

I must admit, when we first heard about the sequel to Disney Planes, both Joyce and I were...skeptical. They actually announced it right away, during D23 if I'm not mistaken. I thought, wow, how about letting us figure out if Planes is any good before you go making a follow up. But, yep...I was pleasantly surprised. I think that Fire & Rescue is every bit as good as Planes, and to be honest, if this were the first movie put out, I feel it would have been equally as successful as the first. It's THAT good. 

This outing starts after Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook) has successfully defended his crown of air race champ. Seems Dusty has pushed himself a bit too hard and has to back it off a tad, or else.....well, we don't even want to THINK of that!! So, while trying to prove to himself that he's still got it, certain mishaps...well, happen that set up the Fire & Rescue storyline. Now, Dusty finds himself learning to be one of the elite fire and rescue members, and some pretty funny stuff crops up (yep, pun intended). In a plot that is similar to the original, Planes Fire & Rescue introduces us to a new set of characters that are just as endearing and heroic as the originals. 

“PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE” is fueled by a star-studded voice cast that includes Dane Cook (“Planes”) as Dusty, Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”) as Dipper, Ed Harris (“Gravity” and "Apollo 13") as Blade Ranger, Captain Dale Dye (“Saving Private Ryan”) as Cabbie, Cedric the Entertainer (“Ice Age”) as Leadbottom, Erik Estrada (“CHiPs”) as Nick “Loopin” Lopez, Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) as Chug,     Teri Hatcher (“Desperate Housewives”) as Dottie, John Michael Higgins (“Pitch Perfect”) as Cad, Hal Holbrook (“Into the Wild”) as Mayday, Stacy Keach (“Planes”) as Skipper, Regina King (“Ray”) as Dynamite, Anne Meara (“Night at the Museum) as Winnie, Jerry Stiller (“The King of Queens”) as Harvey and Wes Studi (“Avatar”) as Windlifter. 

Disney's Shout-Out to CHiPs!!

And what Disney movie on Blu Ray/DVD would be complete without a plethora of bonus features?

Blu-Ray Combo Pack, Digital HD/SD & Disney Movies Anywhere:

• Exclusive Animated Short - "Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular"
• "Welcome to Piston Peak!" - This mock-umentary promotional piece shows off all the highlights of the acclaimed Piston Peak National Park and it's aerial firefighting team
• "CHoPs" TV Promo - An in-world TV promo (you've got to see the movie to understand this. It's AWESOME)
• Air Attack: Firefighters From The Sky - This high-energy, music-driven behind-the-scenes piece takes an inside look at the real smoke jumpers and firefighters who attack wildfires from the air as Director Roberts Gannaway and Producer Ferrell Barron take us through their journey in making the film
• Spencer Lee Music Video - Still I Fly
• Deleted Scenes
• Animated Shorts - 
• Dipper
• Smokejumpers
• On the DVD:
• Spencer Lee Music Video Still I Fly
• Exclusive DMA Discover Content
• Animated Shorts:
• Blade Ranger
• Piston Peak

Planes-Fire & Rescue

So, yes, if you insist on a rating system, let's say....1 to 5 Pistons, with 1 being stay away and 4 being "GO GET YOUR COPY TODAY!". Joyce and I both give Disney Planes * Fire & Rescue a 5! Honestly, this is one of the best animated movies we've seen in awhile. There are plenty of great things about this movie, and I'm sure a LOT that you'll pick out that we didn't notice. There's humor for all ages as well. And some nods to previous Disney project (see how many you can spot). 

10 Things You Never Knew about Planes: Fire & Rescue:

MOVIE SECRET #1…  

THERE ARE HIDDEN MEANINGS BEHIND THE NUMBERS IN THE MOVIE!

“We love to hide fun numbers in the animation,” reveals Planes: Fire & Rescue art director Toby Wilson. “The ‘301’ you see on the side of Blade is actually the number from the CalFire’s air-attack helicopter at Hemet-Ryan air base. We used that as a thank you because we spent so much time there researching the movie. Watch out for national identification numbers on the planes and helicopters, too. They often hide things like birthdays or special dates for the filmmakers. The birthday of Bobs Gannaway, our director, is one of the national identification numbers in the movie!” 

MOVIE SECRET #2…  

A SCENE IN THE MOVIE IS BASED ON A FIREFIGHTER’S TRUE ACT OF BRAVERY!

“In the movie, there’s a scene where a new character named Blade takes Dusty Crophopper into a mine to protect him from a fire,” explains Planes: Fire & Rescue director Bobs Gannaway. “Well, that sequence is based on a true story. A firefighter named Pulaski saved his crew by taking them into a mine in Idaho during 1910’s Great Idaho Fire. In honor of the famous firefighter, we named our yellow fire truck in the movie Pulaski. It’s an absolute honor to have him represented in the film.” 

MOVIE SECRET #3…  

PISTON PEAK NATIONAL PARK IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF NATIONAL PARKS!

“We wanted to take audiences somewhere they’ve never been before,” reveals Bobs Gannaway. “The film has a little bit of Americana woven into a mash-up of Yellowstone, Yosemite and a few other national parks – all with our own distinctive spin.” Keep your eyes peeled when the action of the movie heads to the Grand Fusel Lodge of Piston Peak. The quirky building was directly inspired by Yellowstone’s iconic Old Faithful Inn!

MOVIE SECRET #4…  

JULIE BOWEN SIGNED UP FOR THE SEQUEL BEFORE THE FIRST PLANES  FILM WAS EVEN RELEASED!

“I have no idea how I ended up in an amazing Disney animation like this,” giggles actress Julie Bowen. “Out of the blue, I got a call from Disney offering me the role – but I’ve since discovered that John Lasseter [the head of Walt Disney Animation Studios] is a huge fan of my show, Modern Family. When they offered me the role of Dipper in Planes: Fire & Rescue, the first Planes movie hadn’t been released – but I knew I was in safe hands. My kids love the fact that I’m in a Planes movie. This whole experience has been an absolute blast!” 

MOVIE SECRET #5…  

IT TOOK A TEAM OF 900 PEOPLE TO CREATE THE MOVIE!

A lot of time and effort goes into the creation of an epic animation like Planes: Fire & Rescue. “In total, a team of 900 people spent four years creating the ambitious animated movie,” admits producer Ferrell Barron. “That includes everyone from animators and voice artists to writers and musicians.” 

MOVIE SECRET #6…  

REAL VEHICLES OFTEN INSPIRE THE CHARACTER DESIGN!

Most of the high-flying vehicles in the movie are fictional, but their design is usually inspired by real aircraft. The look of Dusty Crophopper was inspired by three planes: the Air Tractor 502, the Cessna and the Air Dromader. The design of Windlifter was inspired by three helicopters: the Sikorsky Skycrane, the Kamov KA-26 and the Mil MI-10. Many of the land-based vehicles are also based on real automobiles. The design of Mayday – Propwash Junction’s feisty fire truck – was based on the 1940s Fordson Tender.

MOVIE SECRET #7…  

ACTRESS JULIE BOWEN PANICKED IN THE RECORDING BOOTH!

“I had a lot of fun in the recording booth,” admits Julie Bowen. “You have to repeat the same lines a million times, but it never gets boring. The director and his team sit behind a big glass window. They have to press a button for me to hear what they are saying, but I’d always see them chatting away whenever their fingers left the button. It made me panic. I’d think, ‘Oh no! Am I doing this wrong?’ Eventually, I asked them to keep their finger on the button so that I could hear everything. That’s when I discovered they were talking about the most boring things in the world! They would turn to each other and say things like, “Um… Did anybody change the toner in the fax machine?” They weren’t talking about me at all!”

MOVIE SECRET #8… 

AN AEROBATIC HELICOPTER PILOT ASSISTED THE ANIMATION TEAM!

Blade Ranger and Windlifter are two exciting new helicopter characters in the movie. In order to research how they fly, the filmmakers turned to a world-renowned aerobatic helicopter pilot named Chuck Aaron. Aaron has more than 42 years and 20,000 flight hours under his belt! “They asked me if I would watch the movie and look at the storyboards to determine if the helicopter movements were factual and feasible,” says Aaron. “It brings authenticity and realism to the movie.”

MOVIE SECRET #9… 

PISTON PEAK’S MECHANIC TUG IS NAMED AFTER A REAL MECHANIC! 

“Maru is the name of the friendly mechanic tug at Piston Peak Air Attack base, but his history dates back to the first movie,” explains Toby Wilson. “On one of the research trips for the first movie, the team went to Wisconsin where they met a mechanic with one hand. Outside his garage, it said ‘Maru’s Garage’ written in big letters. Our creative executive, Paul Gerard, went inside and asked him, ‘So, where’s Maru?’ The mechanic replied, ‘The name’s Marv!’ It turns out he had really bad handwriting on his sign. Marv is the real-life inspiration behind Maru in the movie.” 

MOVIE SECRET #10!

DANE COOK WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MUSICAL PLANES MOVIE!

“I’ve always been a fan of all Disney movies when I was growing up, especially the musicals,” admits Dane Cook. “I used to love Bedknobs And Broomsticks, which was live action and animation combined. I just loved it, and I always wanted to be a part of it. I’d love to see a Planes musical. After Frozen was released, I said to everyone, ‘We need music in Planes.’ Maybe next time?” 

MOVIE SECRET EXTRA!

MORE THAN 2 MILLION TREES POPULATE PISTON PEAK NATIONAL PARK!

One of the many difficult tasks that the filmmakers tackled was the creation of Piston Peak National Park. “It was a huge challenge for the art team,” explains Bobs Gannaway. “And more than 2 million trees were incorporated into its design.” The animation team ensured that just the right trees were incorporated into the scenery – including lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, red woods and giant sequoia!

Planes: Fire & Rescue On The WAY!!

ATTENTION!!!!! 

Ok, now that you're paying attention, guess what? Remember that awesome DisneyToon Studios movie last year, Planes? Yeah, you know, about Dusty Crophopper's adventures in the Wings Across The Globe race? Sure you do! In fact, we reviewed it!! Well, anyway, you may have heard, Disney's done it again! They brought back all of our favorite planes and added a few more, AND, launched Dusty on a new, and even more dangerous adventure!

Disney’s Planes are back in the high-flying comedy adventure “PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE,” landing on Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand platforms Nov. 4, 2014. In this heart-pumping, laugh-filled follow-up to last year’s smash hit “PLANES,” world famous racer Dusty Crophopper joins an elite fire and rescue unit and learns what it takes to be a true hero. Featuring non-stop action, memorable characters and never-before-seen bonus features, “PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE” is this fall’s must-own animated family film! 

After flying to the top of the box office this summer as the #1 animated movie in America three weeks in a row, “PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE” soars to spectacular new heights on Blu-ray and Digital HD, featuring wondrous high definition picture and sound, plus thrilling bonus features, including the all-new exclusive short “Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular;” the mock-umentary promotional piece "Welcome to Piston Peak;” “CHoPs” TV Promo and “Air Attack:  Firefighters From The Sky,” an exciting inside look at the making of the film featuring real-life smoke jumpers and firefighters. Additional bonus features include Spencer Lee’s "Still I Fly" music video, deleted scenes with filmmaker introductions, and two “PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE” shorts: “Dipper” and “Smokejumpers.” Exclusively available on Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) are the bonus shorts “Blade Ranger” and “Piston Peak.” 

“PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE” is fueled by a star-studded voice cast that includes Dane Cook (“Planes”) as Dusty, Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”) as Dipper, Ed Harris (“Gravity”) as Blade Ranger, Captain Dale Dye (“Saving Private Ryan”) as Cabbie, Cedric the Entertainer (“Ice Age”) as Leadbottom,           Erik Estrada (“CHiPs”) as Nick “Loopin” Lopez, Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) as Chug,     Teri Hatcher (“Desperate Housewives”) as Dottie, John Michael Higgins (“Pitch Perfect”) as Cad,  Hal Holbrook (“Into the Wild”) as Mayday, Stacy Keach (“Planes”) as Skipper, Regina King (“Ray”) as Dynamite, Anne Meara (“Night at the Museum) as Winnie, Jerry Stiller (“The King of Queens”) as 

Harvey and Wes Studi (“Avatar”) as Windlifter. It was directed by Roberts Gannaway (“Secret of the Wings”) and produced by Ferrell Barron (“The Fox and the Hound 2”).

Bonus Features:
Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD/SD & Disney Movies Anywhere
• Exclusive Animated Short - “Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular” 
• "Welcome to Piston Peak! - This mock-umentary promotional piece shows off all the highlights of the acclaimed Piston Peak National Park and its aerial firefighting team.
• "CHoPs” TV Promo - An in-world TV promo with announce.
• Air Attack:  Firefighters From The Sky - This high-energy, music-driven behind-the-scenes piece takes an inside look at the real smoke jumpers and firefighters who attack wildfires from the air as Director Roberts Gannaway and Producer Ferrell Barron take us through their journey in making the film.
• Spencer Lee Music Video "Still I Fly"
• Deleted Scenes with Filmmaker Introductions:
o “Honkers”
o “Dusty's Dream No More”
• Animated Shorts:
o “Dipper”
o “Smokejumpers”

*Digital bonus offerings will vary per retailer

DVD  
• Spencer Lee Music Video "Still I Fly"

Exclusive DMA Discover Content:
• Animated Shorts:
o “Blade Ranger” 

o “Piston Peak” 

I don't know about YOU, but WE'RE eagerly awaiting the release of this awesome new addition to the Must Have Disney Movie collection!

Planes...Planes...and MORE PLANES!!

Look, up in the sky...it's a bird...it's a plane...it's a...no, it IS a PLANE! Dusty Crophopper to be exact! 

Well, let me tell you, WAY back in 2011 when we went to the Disney D23 Expo, we saw some (very) preliminary footage of an upcoming Disney/Pixar movie that was part of the Cars world, called Planes. At that time, what we saw was pretty much the storyboard ideas, but we were pretty excited about it. To think: expanding on the universe created by Pixar in Cars! Awesome! Then, the movie came out...and yep...it was AWESOME! There was that newness of a...well, new world, yet, the familiarity of a world that we all know and loved. The best of both worlds here! 

Dusty Crophopper

So, without (of course) spoiling too much, Planes is the story of a little crop dusting plane by the name of Dusty Crophopper (perfectly voiced by Dane Cook), who just knows, deep down in his cockpit that he was meant for something more. He has this dream of being a famous and winning racer...only problem is, well, he's afraid of heights! Making the tough decision to set aside his life of crop-dusting, Dusty asks Propwash Junctions legendary citizen Skipper (a Navy Corsair Skipper World War II veteran - voiced by veteran actor Stacy Keach) to train him on how to fly....FAST!

Skipper

Supporting Dusty in his flighty goal are his good friend Dottie the mechanic (a very familiar forklift vehicle - voiced by Teri Hatcher) and his fuel tanker best bud Chug (voiced by Brad Garrett).

Chug and Dottie

Against all odds, Dusty finds himself qualified for the big annual air-race, Wings Around The World - and pitted against some of the worlds very best (and some very underhanded) race planes ever seen. Dusty makes some new friends during the first leg of the race, like  a Mexican plane called El Chupacabra (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui), Rochelle (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) the French-Canadian beauty who El Chupacabra instantly falls for, the Indian beauty Ishani (voiced by Priyanka Chopra) who DUSTY instantly falls for, and Bulldog, the British champion (voiced by John Cleese) who at first, is dead set against a 'common plane' like Dusty joining the elite racers.

Ishani, Dusty's Love Interest 

 Of course, not everyone admires Dusty for his heart and skill - three time champion Ripslinger (voiced by Roger Craig Smith) refuses to allow a nobody-hick-farm plane like Dusty win...and will do anything, ANYTHING to make sure of it! With the help of his dim-witted henchplanes Ned and Zed (voiced by Gabriel Inglesias), Ripslinger does his very best (or is that worst) to steer Dusty off course. 

Dusty Meets Ripslinger, his nemesis 

Of course, there is a lot more to the story than that, but I'm not going to do ALL the work for you! You need to watch Planes for yourself to find out! 

As is the case with all Disney animated movies, Planes does have a point. Dusty is a plane who has a gift - he can fly fast and has heart - and, he is an underdog in every sense of the word. He has a dream, and wants nothing more than to achieve that dream, even when everyone around him tries to talk him out of it, and, even his own fear of heights is seemingly a hurdle that is insurmountable.  But, he stays true to himself and pushes through. Although it may be hard to see in an animated movie, this is a message that everyone needs to hear, from the smallest child to the most 'mature' adult. Don't. Give. Up. In the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, it's all too easy to forget about our dreams, and blame them drifting away on our fears, or perceived obstacles. But, as Disney usually does very well, that message is here. Dusty is faced with some pretty insane obstacles, including himself, but he does not give up. He perseveres no matter the cost. Yes, I know...'it's only a cartoon'. Well, not really. It's a message. And a fun one at that! 

Dusty and his new Friends

There are a lot of good laughs in Planes as well. Some geared toward the little ones, and some geared toward the adults. The great thing about it is that the kids gags aren't too silly and the adult gags are somewhat subtle. So, the adults won't mind the kid stuff and the kids won't even recognize the adult stuff! Win/Win for everyone! The animation has grown leaps and bounds since Cars. Planes showcases some of the most impressive animation I've ever seen, and like Monsters University, at times takes you out of the fact that it IS animation. I found myself a few times thinking how beautiful these locations were...then I realized they were animation! 

Now, at the time of this writing, the sequel to Disney's Planes has already been announced. Planes: Fire and Rescue which features a quirky crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from a raging wildfire. When world famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of wildfire air attack. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his courageous air attack team, including spirited super scooper Lil Dipper, heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter, ex-military transport Cabbie and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero. Planes: Fire and Rescue is set to open in theaters July 18, 2014. 

Disney's Planes is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD and Select Digital Retailers. 
     Bonus Features Include: 
      *Exclusive Franz's Song - Produced exclusively for Blu-ray  
         and HD Digital, this never-before-seen completely 
         finished animated song features the German mini-car, 
        Franz Fliegenhosen, who encourages Dusty on his flight
      *Klay's Flight Plan - Follow director Klay Hall's journey  
        during the making of Planes and discover why his family 
        connection to aviation made Planes his perfect project. 
      *Deleted Scenes
      *Meet The Racers

Disney's Planes is approximately 91 minutes long and is rated PG in the U.S., and G in Canada. 

All in all, Disney's Planes is a wonderful addition to the world Pixar created in the Cars movies, and a must have for Disney fans of all ages. On my scale of 1 - 5 Corn Dogs, (5 being GREAT), I would give Disney's Planes a solid 4.5! - Al

Take To The Air in PLANES!

Well, for those of you who listen to our podcast, Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast, you'll remember us chatting about the 2011 Disney D23 Expo and all of the awesome movies Disney would be putting out. One of those movies we reviewed was Disney Planes, by Disney Toon Studios. Although Planes takes place in the same 'world' as Cars, it wasn't produced by Disney/Pixar.

From what we were shown at the 2011 D23 Expo, Planes looked to be just as fun and adventurous as Cars, and we had really wanted to see this one in the theater, but...well, we didn't! But fret not young crop duster! If you, like us, did not get a chance to see this heartwarming comedy in the theaters, you'll have another opportunity to see it on November 19, 2013, when it's released on Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital HD AND...On-Demand! Just in time for the Holiday Season!

After spreading its wings in theaters, “PLANES” soars to glorious new heights on Blu-ray, featuring wondrous high definition picture and sound and never-before-seen bonus features, including musical number “Franz’s Song,” deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette that follows Director Klay Hall’s personal journey during the making of the film, a look at the ten greatest aviators in history hosted by ESPN’s Colin Cowherd, and more. 

Directed by Klay Hall (“King of the Hill,” “The Simpsons”), produced by Traci Balthazor-Flynn (“Return to Never Land,” “Bambi II,” “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning”) and written by Jeffrey M. Howard (“Tinker Bell,” “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue”), “PLANES” flew to the top of the U.S. box office this summer, holding altitude as the #1 family movie in America four weekends in a row.

“PLANES” is propelled by a star-studded voice cast that includes Dane Cook (“Louie,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Dan in Real Life”) as Dusty, Stacy Keach (“The Bourne Legacy,” “Nebraska”) as Navy Corsair Skipper, Teri Hatcher (ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” “Coraline”) as say-it-like-it-is mechanic Dottie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Seinfeld”) as Rochelle, Priyanka Chopra (“Barfi!”) as Ishani, John Cleese (Monty Python, “A Fish Called Wanda”) as Bulldog, Carlos Alazraqui (James Garcia on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911”) as El Chupacabra, Roger Craig Smith (Captain America in Disney XD’s “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble,” voice of Sonic The Hedgehog in “Wreck-It Ralph”) as the world champion racer Ripslinger, Val Kilmer (“Batman Forever,” “Top Gun”) as Bravo and Anthony Edwards (TV’s “ER,” “Top Gun”) as Echo.

BONUS FEATURES:

(Blu-ray, DVD and Select Digital Retailers)

• Exclusive Franz’s Song (approx. 1:40) - Blu-ray & Select Digital Retailers

Produced exclusively for Blu-ray and HD Digital, this never-before-seen completely finished animated song features the German mini-car, Franz Fliegenhosen, who encourages Dusty on his flight.

• Klay’s Flight Plan (approx. 15:00) Blu-ray, DVD & Select Digital Retailers

Follow Director Klay Hall’s personal journey during the making of “Planes” and discover why his family connection to aviation made “Planes” his perfect project.  Fly along with Klay as he lands on a working aircraft carrier to get first-hand experience on the flight deck.

• Deleted Scenes (approx.. 3:46) Blu-ray & Select Digital Retailers

Director Klay Hall and Producer Traci Balthazor-Flynn introduce deleted scenes from the movie.

1. Training Montage (approx. 2:38)

2. Taj Mahal (approx. 1:08)

• Meet the Racers (approx.. 5:50) Blu-ray, DVD & Select Digital Retailers

Featurettes introducing racers El Chupacabra (1:15), Ripslinger (1:15), Dusty (:90), and Ishani (:90). 

• Top 10 Flyers (approx. 8:00) Blu-ray & Select Digital Retailers

ESPN’s Colin Cowherd hosts a fun, fast-paced countdown of the greatest aviators in history.