The two hour animated ABC Family block of Pixar shorts will include such Pixar greats as "Geri’s Game", "For the Birds", "Tin Toy", "Burn*E", "Luxo Jr.", "Mike’s New Car", "One Man Band", "Lifted", and "Presto". Also featured heavily in the Pixar Short Films special is the lovable tow truck character, Mater, from Cars, with "Mater and the Ghostlight" and "Mater the Grater".
Here's a look at the official Walt Disney Pictures Presents Pixar Short Films press release from ABC Family ahead of the December 2 debut.
Burbank, CA (November 20, 2009) - For the first
time on television, ABC Family will air a two-hour
presentation of Walt Disney Pictures Presents
"Pixar Short Films," featuring twenty animated
Pixar shorts, as part of the network’s annual
25 Days of Christmas programming event (December
1-25). The critically-acclaimed short films
include the Academy Award®-winning (Best Animated
Short Film) "Geri’s Game," "For the Birds,"
"Tin Toy" and the Academy Award®-nominated (Best
Animated Short Film) "Luxo Jr.," "Mike’s New
Car," "One Man Band," "Lifted" and "Presto."
"Pixar Short Films" premieres on ABC Family
on Wednesday, December 2 from 7:00-9:00PM ET/PT
(and again from 9:00PM-11:00PM ET/PT). Two encore
presentations will air on the network on Friday,
December 18 at 10:00PM ET/PT and Saturday, December
19 at 6:00PM ET/PT.
The short films included in the two-hour presentation
include:
"ADVENTURES OF ANDRE AND WALLY B."
There's nothing like a restful nap in a pleasant
wooded valley. But when Andre awakens and is
greeted by a pesky yellow-and-black striped
insect with a nasty stinger, he ends up taking
a quick (and painful) hike. Andre thinks he's
a clever guy, able to outsmart and outrun a
bee. But like all stinging insects, Wally B.
knows better, and can chase down any target
in a matter of seconds.
"BOUNDIN’"
"Boundin'" features a freshly shorn lamb and
a jackalope -- the mythical horn-adorned rabbit
of American western folklore. For the high-stepping
lamb, life is an upbeat western waltz until
his prairie friends tease him about his freshly
sheared look. He gets down in the dumps after
losing his lustrous coat. The only one who can
see things right is the giant jackalope, who
brings sunshine and optimism with him wherever
he bounds. Irrepressibly optimistic, the jackalope
comes on to the scene to cheer him up and put
a dance back into his step. (2003 Academy Award®
nominee for Best Animated Short Film)
"FOR THE BIRDS"
One
by one, a flock of small birds perches on a
telephone wire. Sitting close together creates
problems enough, and then comes along a large
dopey bird who tries to join them. The birds
of a feather can't help but make fun of him,
and their clique mentality proves embarrassing
in the end. (2001 Academy Award® winner for
Best Animated Short Film)
"GERI’S GAME"
An aging codger named Geri plays a daylong
game of chess against himself in the park. Somehow
he begins losing to his livelier opponent. But
just when the game's nearly over, Geri manages
to turn the tables. There's Geri. And then there's
the other Geri. You'd swear they were twins
who didn't get along since birth. In reality,
it's only one very old man who is young at heart
and having a little fun with himself by faking
a heart attack and finding new uses for his
dentures. (1997 Academy Award® winner for Best
Animated Short Film)
"JACK-JACK ATTACK"
From Disney·Pixar’s 2004 Academy Award®-winning
"The Incredibles" (Best Animated Feature Film)
- this short finds Kari believing she's in for
a night of routine babysitting. Kari is prepared
to provide neurological stimulation with some
soothing musical accompaniment for little Jack-Jack,
the smallest member of the Parr family. Little
does she know that Jack-Jack will teach her
a thing or two about babies with "special needs."
True to her word, Kari proves that she can handle
anything that Jack-Jack can dish out - but barely.
And Jack-Jack proves that listening to Mozart
truly does make babies smarter... or in this
case, discover their super powers.
"KNICK KNACK"
Life
on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snowglobe
blizzard can become wearing, especially when
you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier
locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks
free of his glass house, his vacation plans
are cut short. The touristy souvenirs on this
shelf are true to life in their kitsch-ness:
a disproportionate blonde from Miami beckons
from a pool, a Death Valley skeleton invites
people to surf the desert, and an Egyptian pyramid
dons large sunglasses.
"LIFTED"
A young alien student bungles his first lesson
in elementary abduction as an increasingly weary
instructor looks on. (2006 Academy Award® nominee
for Best Animated Short Film)
"LUXO JR."
A baby lamp finds a ball to play with, and
it's all fun and games until the ball bursts.
Just when the elder Luxo thinks his kid will
settle down for a bit, Luxo Jr. finds another
ball -- ten times larger! Luxo Jr. has a great
dad in the larger lamp. Even though he is a
bit unpredictable, the elder Luxo gives him
room to grow and explore. And the tiny light
has no problem with that. (1986 Academy Award®
nominee for Best Animated Short Film)
"MATER AND THE GHOSTLIGHT"
A companion piece to Disney·Pixar’s 2006 Academy
Award®-nominated "Cars" (Best Animated Feature
Film), this short finds Mater "haunted" by a
mysterious blue light that teaches him not to
play pranks on the other cars in radiator springs.
"MIKE’S NEW CAR"
From Disney·Pixar’s 2001 Academy Award®-nominated
"Monsters, Inc." (Best Animated Feature Film)
- this short film finds Mike discovering that
being the top-ranking laugh collector at Monsters,
Inc. has its advantages -- in particular earning
enough money to buy a six-wheel-drive car that's
loaded with gadgets. That new car smell doesn't
last long enough, however, as Sulley jump-starts
an ill-fated road test that teaches Mike the
true meaning of buyer's remorse. Since ending
the energy crisis in Monstropolis, this pair
can still get into quite a predicament. Mike's
pride in his new wheels is only surpassed by
Sulley's lack of skills at the control panel.
The two eventually agree on one thing -- walking
to work might be best, at least today. (2002
Academy Award® nominee for Best Animated Short
Film)
"ONE MAN BAND"
With
one coin to make a wish at the piazza fountain,
Tippy, a peasant girl, encounters two competing
street performers who'd prefer the coin find
its way into their tip jars. Tippy is caught
in the middle as a musical duel ensues between
the one-man-bands. (2005 Academy Award® nominee
for Best Animated Short Film)
"RED’S DREAM"
Life as the sole sale item in the clearance
corner of Eben's Bikes can get lonely. So Red,
a unicycle, dreams up a clown corner and his
own juggling act that steals the show. But all
too soon, the applause turns into the sound
of rainfall as reality rushes back. Red must
resign himself to sitting in the corner and
await his fate. Don't let Red's sale tag fool
you. He's really a priceless unicycle with a
big heart that could help out juggling performers
like lumpy the clown - if only someone would
give him a chance.
"TIN TOY"
Babies are hardly monster-like, unless you're
a toy. After escaping a drooling baby, Tinny
realizes that he wants to be played with after
all, but in the amount of time it takes him
to discover this, the baby's attention moves
on to other things only an infant could find
interesting. The secret's out: curious crawling
babies are what cause toys to become "lost"
beneath furniture and behind dressers. But the
tin musical toy, Tinny, isn't like the other
scared toys under the sofa. He knows his job
is to make children laugh, not cry. (1988 Academy
Award® for Best Animated Short Film)
"YOUR FRIEND THE RAT"
From Disney·Pixar’s 2007 Academy Award®-winning
"Ratatouille" (Best Animated Feature Film) -
this short film finds Remy and his less than
enthusiastic brother Emile presenting their
case as to why humans and rats should just get
along. Remy guides us through the shared history
of man and the rat. Emile then provides many
fun rat facts to help explain why the rat should
be better appreciated. The two pull out all
the stops and end with a song describing a rat
and human Utopia.
"BURN*E"
A
companion piece from Disney·Pixar’s 2008 Academy-Award®-winning
"WALL*E" (Best Animated Feature Film), this
short features a welding bot on the Axiom Starliner
named BURN*E, who, while repairing a light bulb,
is locked out of the Starliner by WALL*E and
Eve. He attempts to open the locked door, but
finally realizes he cannot.
"PRESTO"
Dignity. Poise. Mystery. We expect nothing
less from the great turn-of-the century magician,
Presto. But when Presto neglects to feed his
rabbit one too many times, the magician finds
he isn’t the only one with a few tricks up his
sleeves! Alec is a simple bunny. He doesn’t
want fame or fortune. He just wants a humble
dinner. Presto, the magician, however, lives
for fame and fortune and is spiteful to anyone
- or any rabbit - that stands in his way. Is
there anything that could make Presto appreciate
his poor, suffering bunny and give him the carrot
he deserves? (2008 Academy Award® nominee for
Best Animated Short Film)
"RESCUE SQUAD MATER"
A companion piece to Disney·Pixar’s 2006 Academy
Award®-nominated "Cars" (Best Animated Feature
Film), this short finds Mater part of a rescue
squad that has to put out a blaze at the local
Gasoline & Match factory. Unfortunately, Lightning
McQueen is injured at this inferno and then
has to be rushed to the hospital. But not to
worry, Mater's not just a fire truck, he's also
an MD.
"MATER THE GREATER"
A companion piece to Disney·Pixar’s 2006 Academy
Award®-nominated "Cars" (Best Animated Feature
Film), this short finds Mater as a famous daredevil
car who does all kinds of stunts. And Lightning
McQueen, a famous race car, becomes an unwilling
participant in Mater's greatest stunt ever.
"EL-MATERDOR"
A companion piece to Disney·Pixar’s 2006 Academy
Award®-nominated "Cars" (Best Animated Feature
Film), this short finds Mater as a famous bulldozer
fighter in Spain. He's so good, he's able to
fend off multiple bulldozers at once. Lightning
McQueen joins mater in this tall tale just as
things are at their worst.
"UNIDENTIFIED FLYING MATER"
A companion piece to Disney·Pixar’s 2006 Academy
Award®-nominated "Cars" (Best Animated Feature
Film), this short finds Mater meeting a cute
little bucktoothed UFO named "Mator." Mater
takes him out for a night of fun and they quickly
become best friends. But when Mator is captured
by the military, Mater and Lightning McQueen
come to the rescue.