Pixar's Latest Short "Bao" Is All About Family

Pixar

I love the Pixar shorts that are shown before each new movie, especially the ones about family, like La Luna and Piper. They've all been fantastic little stories, and the latest short sounds absolutely beautiful.

Bao tells the story of a Chinese mother who is saddened by her empty nest.

Get a taste of #Bao, our upcoming short opening ahead of #Incredibles2 June 15. pic.twitter.com/Yw17N2pNZX

— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) April 12, 2018

One day, one of her bao, or dumplings, suddenly comes to life as a little boy. She gets a second chance at motherhood, but quickly realizes that children will always grow up too soon.

Pixar

The story, which was written and directed by Domee Shi, (the first woman to direct a Pixar short) was based in part on her relationship with her mother. Shi chose a dumpling to come alive because they were an important part of her childhood.

"I would make them with my mom as a little girl so I always had a special connection with dumplings and spending time with my mom," Shi said. "We’d make them while watching Chinese dramas together all weekend, or during the holidays and before the New Year."

Shi's mother was very involved in one important part of the short. She came to the Pixar offices to demonstrate how to make dumplings, and the technique and skill that goes into them, which the animators referenced when making the film. Bao will debut with Incredibles 2 on June 15.

LEGO Pixar BrickToons

All images: LEGO/Pixar

I love what happens when LEGO takes on familiar, beloved stories. The results are generally hilarious and always entertaining. LEGO's latest series of animated shorts is LEGO Pixar: Bricktoons. 

Here's the official synopsis from LEGO & Pixar:

“LEGO Pixar: BrickToons” catches up with Marlin and Dory from “Finding Nemo,” Jack-Jack and his super siblings Dash and Violet from “The Incredibles,” Lightning McQueen and Mater from “Cars,” Merida and her rambunctious baby brothers from “Brave,” and Miguel and Hector from “Coco” in an all-new series of LEGO-styled animated adventures for which no assembly is required. 

All five episodes of LEGO Pixar: BrickToons will arrive on DisneyPlus on September 4th.

Pixar "The Blue Umbrella" Clip

Pixar

I love the Pixar Shorts. They are usually really cute and always premiere before one of Pixar's movies. The latest Pixar Short is called "The Blue Umbrella." It will debut this Friday with Monsters University.

 This clip looks so adorable! I can't wait to see it.

Purl - A SparkShorts From Pixar

Pixar

Pixar has created an imaginative new film program called SparkShorts. The program is aimed at discovering new storytellers, techniques, and artists and allowing them to share stories on a smaller scale. The first three shorts debuted at El Capitan Theatre recently, and will appear on YouTube throughout February.

Pixar

The first story to be released is called Purl. Purl is a ball of yarn who is about to start her first day at B.R.O. Capital. But how far will she go to fit in?

This looks like a really fun new way for Pixar to share unexpected stories. Additional SparkShorts, as well as the first three, will be available on Disney+, Disney's streaming service that is due to launch later this year.

Someone To Lava

Disney/Pixar

Pixar makes the cutest shorts. I love the one about two volcanoes looking for true "Lava".

"I Am With You" Is The Sweetest At Home With Olaf Yet

Disney

I've loved the At Home With Olaf shorts. They're a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy situation. The latest short features a new song, written at home, by the amazing team that wrote the songs for the Frozen films, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. "I Am With You" is such a sweet song, and the short is made up of new scenes of Olaf mixed with clips from many of Disney and Pixar's wonderful animated films.