D23 Expo 2013: Disney's Planes Screening

From left to right: Director Klay Hall, voice of Dusty Crophopper comedian Dane Cook, and Producer Traci Balthazor-Flynn.

The director, producer and star of the new animated film Planes came out to greet all of us to the screening!

Yes, the screening at the D23 Expo was in 3D!

Those are some stylish 3D glasses!

Time for the movie to begin!

One thing I want to make perfectly clear is that this movie, though inspired by the world of Cars is not a Pixar film but was created by the DisneyToons Studio. They have been making such films as the Tinkerbell series. I for one, am happy to see the DisneyToon Studios branching out and it seems like they have a direction to follow.

To compare this film to the first Cars is not a far stretch. This is not a bad thing at all and is a good starting point for us to get to know our characters.

Dusty Crophopper is our star and he has big dreams of becoming a racer. Some of his friends support him and other do not. But when Dusty goes out to try to qualify for the Wings Across The World race and gets in by default, everyone changes their tune and supports Dusty. Dusty heads out to race around the world. Along the way he makes friends and begins to impress those around him.

While the film is not groundbreaking, it is charming and heartwarming. This is the first of a planned trilogy with the second in the series coming out next year.

I met Director Klay Hall while out on the D23 Expo show floor.