Making an animated movie can be so hard. You have to come up with a story, design the characters – what a pain the ass! So why not just rip-off something that’s already worked? That’s what Erawan Edutainment has apparently done with their CG-version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Obviously the original 1700s tale of Beauty of the Beast isn’t owned by Disney, but you’ll see below that this Thai company has stolen the characters, environments and even the exact shots from the 1991 Disney smash hit. Rest assured that Disney’s lawyers are mobilizing as you read this.

via Slashfilm

A few days ago, Jimmy McMillan, who is running for NY Govenor by way of The Rent Is Too Damn High Party, delivered a speech you won’t soon forget. Today, it’s been paired with Pixar’s UP. Brilliant!

Nickelodeon recently revealed the first 5 minutes of DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming CG feature Megamind. It’s the entire prologue, which leads to the titles. We learn the entire backstory of the two leads, Metroman and Megamind, rivals since shortly after birth. The feature arrives in theaters on November 5th.

Une vie de chat (A Cat in Paris) is an upcoming animated French feature directed by Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli. We are witness to a series of crimes, as is a cat who accompanies the thief. But the cat leads a double-life, and his daytime hours with Zoe, the daughter of the police chief, will help put a stop to the crime spree. The 70-minute project was produced by Folimage, who have released 2 features in the past, including the 2008 film Mia et le Migou (Mia and the Migoo). It arrives in French cinemas on December 15th.

via fousdanim.org

Tonight at 8pm ET/PT, Cartoon Network will air a new CG short from the world of How To Train Your Dragon. Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon pits Hiccup and his Viking gang against a fearsome beast, which is only one of their worries after getting shipwrecked on a mysterious island. The DreamWorks Animation short is also available on the How to Train Your Dragon Double DVD Pack which is available tomorrow. Here’s a teaser:

Next year, the latest live-action film Conan will arrive in theaters, further perpetuating the tale of the muscle-bound barbarian. Theaters will also welcome another barbarian – Ronal. He’s the star of a new, Danish CG film from the creators of Terkel in Trouble, titled Ronal the Barbarian. Like Terkel, this film is not aimed at a family audience, and it’s billed with the tagline “Babes, Balls and Muscles – in 3D.” Directed by Thorbjørn Christoffersen and Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen, the 90 comedy doesn’t have a release date yet, but we now have our first trailer. [NSFW]

Bill Plympton’s latest feature, Idiots and Angels, is about to start theatrical runs in both New York and LA. This Wednesday the traditionally-drawn feature opens at the IFC Center in New York, and starting on October 29th Los Angelinos can see the film at the Laemmle Sunset 5. It’s a dark comedy about a morally bankrupt man’s battle for his soul. Here’s a teaser: [NSFW - nudity and language]