Disney’s 48th animated feature, Bolt, opens today in 3,651 theaters across the US, and the critics think you should check this one out. The CGI family film from Walt Disney Animation Studios is currently scoring an 85% at RottenTomatoes.com (which would place it in the top 50 animated films all-time), but healthy competition from red-hot Twilight and hold-overs Madagascar 2 and Quantum of Solace may put a choker-chain on Bolt’s box office bark. Below, LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan weighs in on this 96-minute film, which was co-directed by Chris Williams and Byron Howard.

Disney releases the Wall-E DVD tomorrow, and aside from deleted scenes and a viewing of Presto, you’ll be treated to Burn-E, a new CGI-animated short. The 7-minute film tells the story of a repair robot named Burn-E, who is sent out to fix a broken light on the Axiom. His adventures take place during the timeline of the original Andrew Stanton film, but this short was directed by Angus MacLane. Watch the short below, and then go read an interview with MacLane over at movieweb.com.

The trailer for Pixar’s newest film Up is up!  The visuals in this new assembly are rich and beautiful, but it’s not very clear what the movie is about (IMDB says it’s a “coming of old age” story with a seventysomething hero, alongside his clueless wilderness ranger sidekick). Pixar has taken many gambles in the past that have paid off well and having a 70 year old star in this next CGI yarn seems like their latest risk.  But Up, which is directed by Pete Doctor (Monsters, Inc), will probably be like every other Pixar film – and that’s GREAT!  As we await the Summer 2009 release, we’ll be watching closely for more trailers and sneak peeks – so keep your eyes aimed at Lineboil.

Jennifer Guthrie, a SCAD graduate in Kentucky, went above and beyond the parental obligation this year to create a WALL•E costume for her youngest. The year before, Guthrie’s oldest got to go as a Mechwarrior, a costume that was also elaborately designed. Don’t worry, this year the oldest got a good costume too. He went as another WALL•E character: a passenger from The Axiom.

The WALL-E DVD comes out November 18th.

What do you get when you cross Homeward Bound with the Three Amigos? Why, Bolt, of course! Walt Disney Pictures recently released four minutes of new footage from their upcoming canine caper, and an eye-popping four minutes at that. The film follows the exploits of the titular dog, a showbiz Superpup unaware that his powers no longer exist once the cameras stop rolling. Watch the clip below of an extended chase sequence from the movie’s show within a show, or in HD, here.

Directed by Chris Williams and Byron Howard (who is also working on Disney’s upcoming Rapunzel), Bolt is set to release on Nov. 21.

Disney/Pixar’s feature film Cars has made the leap to TV. Tonight on Toon Disney at 5:00pm/4:00pm central, a new series of animated shorts will premiere, starting with an episode titled Rescue Squad Mater. The shorts were directed by John Lasseter, who also directed the 2006 feature along with the late Joe Ranft. Lasseter is joined by co-directors Victor Navone and Rob Gibbs. Disney Channel and ABC Family will also carry the shorts later on down the road. Get it? Road… cars. Ugg. Below you can see a clip from an upcoming episode titled El Materdor.

And here’s some images from the new series:

Walt Disney Pictures has been collaborating with Yash Raj Films on a new CGI animated film titled Roadside Romeo. In the Bollywood tradition, the film offers plenty of a music, singing and dancing. It opens today in limited theaters across the US, UK, Canada and UAE.