Pixar's Next and Pope Francis Woos H'wood

Death as Subject for new Pixar Movie

'Coco', is the title of Disney/Pixar's next animated movie of which several details were recently divulged.  Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican national holiday which celebrates and honors deceased relatives and friends and coincides with the Catholic holiday, 'All Saints Day'.

According to Disney, 'Coco' is the celebration of a life, where the discovery of a generation-old mystery is uncovered and leads to a most extraordinary and surprising family reunion. 'Coco' centers on the adventures of a young boy named Miguel, who discovers a mystery on the eve of Dia de los Muertos.  Rumors have it that 'Coco' will be an animated musical and Pixar hopes that the movie will have the emotional impact of 'Toy Story 3' - which dealt with the emotion concept of passing time and saying farewell to loved ones.  'Coco' will deal with the issue of death and its emotional impact on the living. Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of life with dancing and music but includes imagery of death with skills and skeletons interlaced with the honoring of dead loved ones.

'Coco' is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2017.

Pope Francis Courts Tinseltown

Pope with Angelina Jolie and her children

The Pope has invited a number of entertainment celebrities to the Vatican this Fall in a effort at improving the Catholic Church's influence in child education and gain insight into current trends. The list of invited celebs reads like a who's who of entertainment big wigs, and includes: Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon, and movie executives such as David Geffen and Brian Grazer.  Also included are the heads of such firms as the William Morris talent agency.

The Church is seeking knowledge from a wide variety of Hollywood movers but you can also count on Pope Francis sticking it to them regarding on-screen violence and its lack of humanity.

The Vatican has been working with the Varkey Foundation, a nonprofit group who's goal is to improve child education on a worldwide basis.  They reportedly have been working with Papal representatives in developing the list of invitees. According to a Varkey spokesperson, "we have been in discussions with the Vatican regarding the role of media on the values of young people.  The planned meetings are not intended to discuss the reputation or image of the Catholic Church".

Discussing the impact and influence of the media, particularly movies, on young people is important to both Varkey and, apparently, Pope Francis.  There are no fixed dates set for the meetings nor as any formal invitee list be released.  But it's not every day one gets a personal invitation from the Pope to talk and be wined and dined - my guess is, at least, several of the glitterati will accept.