Criterion Collection edition of Fantastic Mr. Fox on the way
The Criterion Collection will be releasing a special deluxe edition of Wes Anderson’s Oscar-nominated stop-motion animated comedy Fantastic Mr. Fox on Blu-Ray and DVD, Blu-Ray.Com is reporting. Among the all-new extras will be a director-approved digital mastering of the film, audio commentary, complete storyboards for the movie, a collectable booklet, and more. It is set […] |
Diane Disney Miller passes away
Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt and Lillian Disney, has passed away, Disney.Com is reporting. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Diane Disney Miller,” CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Iger said in an official statement. “She is remembered by Disney fans around the world as the beloved daughter of Walt Disney, and […] |
Another Wind Rises trailer
A new US trailer for The Wind Rises is now online and can be viewed on Screen Rant. Proudly proclaiming it to be Hayao Miyazaki’s “farewell masterpiece” (despite a mixed initial reaction from critics), the movie opens in the states on February 21st, 2014. |
The Nut Job gets a poster
The first poster for The Nut Job is now online and can be seen at the ever-dependable Internet Movie Poster Awards. The animated heist comedy starring Will Arnett, Brenden Fraser and Liam Neeson opens in theaters on January 17th. |
Paddington Bear arriving Christmas 2014
Announced years ago, but never really going anywhere for a long time, Paddington will be arriving in theaters on December 12th, 2014, Collider is reporting. The mix of live-action and animation will feature the beloved children’s book character Paddington–a bear who wears a fancy coat and loves marmalade–being “adopted” by Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. […] |
Do Studio Ghibli’s films make Pixar look weak by comparison?
In a recent column, Film School Rejects laments in “How ‘The Story of Princess Kaguya‘ Makes Pixar Look Bad” about the lack in variety in 2013’s potential nominees for the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars. All of the US films are computer animated and the editorial believes that Pixar’s Monsters University and Disney’s […] |
Maleficent trailer now online.
The first trailer for Maleficent has been revealed and can be seen over at EW. The live-action movie starring Angelina Jolie tells the story of Sleepy Beauty from the famous Disney villain’s perspective. Not much of the plot is revealed, but it does show how Maleficent stalks Princess Aurora throughout her entire life. The movie comes to […] |
New LEGO Movie character posters now online
Various character posters for The LEGO Movie have made their way online over the past few days, and you can see them all over at the IMP Awards. And in case you missed it a couple of weeks ago, the (very funny) full trailer for the film can be viewed on YouTube. From the directors […] |
The Academy speculates about special effects and animation
As movie magic technology has become more advanced, the border between live action with special effects and full animation has been blurred. Peter Debruge of Variety wondered when the Academy would change their rigid constraints on what qualifies for an animated film in his editorial, “Oscars: With Films Like Gravity, Where Does Animation Branch Draw […] |
2013 oscar nominations for animated shorts are up!
Earlier we posted a list of the animated films that are eligible for the 2013 Oscars and now the Academy has released the list for animated short nominations. The animated short is a classic art form that allows storytellers and animators to tell poignant stories and experiment with technique more so than longer films. In […] |
Disney planning another live-action Jungle Book movie
Disney is currently planning a live-action version of The Jungle Book…again. Jon Favreau, the actor/director famous for the first two Iron Man movies, is in talks to helm the project, which would presumably mix live-action with CGI. The Rudyard Kipling book, of course, was adapted into an animated movie by Walt Disney, which spawned a […] |
Releasing soon, Internet Explorer: The Anime
Anthropomorphization of just about anything is a typical creative meme and is mostly regulated to the fandom sector. In a launch to appeal to its Asian comsumers, especially Japan, Microsoft decided that Internet Explorer needed to become an anime heroine. Say what? Internet Explorer is often the punchline for IT jokes and Microsoft wanted to […] |
Using technology to make new animation look vintage
It is hard to replicate old processes and when Disney Animation was working on the new “Get a Horse” short they had to replicate animation techniques from 1928! With digital technology nearly anything in animation is possible, but to capture the feeling of an old short Lauren MacMullen, the director, and her team had to […] |
Nineteen animated films up for Oscar noms
Nineteen titles have been submitted for consideration in the Best Animated Feature Film category for the 86th Academy Awards: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, The Croods, Despicable Me 2, Epic, Ernest and Celestine, The Fake, Free Birds, Frozen, Khumba, The Legend of Sarila, A Letter to Momo, Monsters University, O Apóstolo, Planes, Puella […] |
Video of 243 animated titles
Irina Neustroeva, who has described herself as a “stop-motion and media creator, a scriptwriter, [and] a teacher of animation”, has put together an amazing four-and-a-half minute video of the title sequences from 243 animated movies from Snow White to Rise of the Guardians. Besides being very cool and bringing on a feeling of nostalgia, it […] |
Free Birds opens
Relativity/Reel FX’s Free Birds opens today in 3,736 theatres according to Box Office Mojo. The film is taking a beating from the critics, with a 12% rating on the Tomatometer — though it is faring better with their Top Critics. Box Office Guru projects an $11 million opening weekend. |
Teaser trailer for Studio Ghibli’s The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Studio Ghibli has unveiled a minute-long teaser for Isao Takahata’s upcoming animated feature The Tale of Princess Kaguya, reports /Film. Based on the ancient Japanese folklore “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter” The Tale of Princess Kaguya was originally slated to open alongside Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises earlier this year, but was delayed and […] |
Here comes Captain Underpants from DreamWorks Animation
Dav Pilkey’s children’s book hero Captain Underpants is set to make his big screen debut courtesy of DreamWorks Animation, THR is reporting. The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted director Nicolas Stoller is writing the screenplay, with DreamWorks Animation veteran Rob Letterman in the director’s chair. For those unfamiliar with the character, the storyline of Captain Underpants centers […] |
The Simpsons’ Marcia Wallace passes away
Sad news for Simpsons fans everywhere hit the internet last week as it was revealed that Marcia Wallace–the voice of Bart’s school teacher, Edna Krabappel–had passed away. Deadline has the story that says that she died from complications of a long battle with breast cancer, while also providing an official press statement from Simpsons executive producer Al […] |
New Muppets Most Wanted poster
The first one sheet for Muppets Most Wanted has been revealed over at EW.com. The upcoming sequel features Kermit on the run from the law after a criminal mastermind who looks just like him bursts onto the scene. Also starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, and Tina Fey, Muppets Most Wanted comes to the big screen […] |
First trailer for Planes: Fire and Rescue (already) now online
The first Planes hasn’t even come to DVD yet, but that hasn’t stopped Disney from starting their marketing campaign for next year’s sequel. MovieFone has the first trailer for Planes: Fire and Rescue, which sees Dusty leaving the world of racing in order to become a firefighter. Following the $200 million the original made worldwide, […] |
First Mr. Peabody & Sherman trailer now online
The first trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman made its way online over the weekend, and can be seen at ComingSoon.Net. In addition, the site has several new character posters for the film featuring the titular dog in various time periods. The Rocky and Bullwinkle spin-off hits theaters everywhere on March 7th. |
Snowman and the Snowdog nominated for Children’s BAFTA
The Snowman and the Snowdog has been announced as among the animation nominees for the British Academy Children’s Awards. The short film was created to honor the 30th anniversary of its Oscar-nominated predecessor, The Snowman, which won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Children’s Programme in 1983. For its own BAFTA, The Snowman and the […] |
Final Frozen trailer now online
A brand new trailer for Frozen has made its way online and can be seen on Collider. Unlike other previews for the film, which focused mainly on jokes, this trailer is extremely heavy on plot (and may be considered too loaded with spoilers for some). The preview also makes no secret about Disney’s ambitions for […] |
Toy Story of Terror premieres
Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror premieres tonight on ABC. The New York Times review says, “Once the annual avalanche of Halloween-themed episodes, specials and movies overtakes TV, you probably don’t expect to be using the word ‘charming’ very often. But charming perfectly describes… Toy Story of Terror.” The Wall Street Journal went behind the scenes […] |
New promo art for Star Wars: Rebels
Star Wars: Rebels is a year away, but that doesn’t mean that Disney hasn’t started releasing very early promotional material for the film. Following a very short teaser earlier this week, the studio revealed propaganda-style featuring Stormtroopers and can be seen on Collider. Taking place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, the […] |
Steve Martin is going Home for DreamWorks Animation
Steve Martin is going to lend his voice to the commander of an alien race that has taken over the world in DreamWorks Animation’s Home, the studio said in an official press release. Martin will play Captain Smek, who orders the relocation of the human race so his people can settle in more easily. Also […] |
Reese Witherspoon to live Happily Ever After
Reese Witherspoon will play the lead in Disney’s upcoming live-action comedy Happily Ever After, THR is reporting. Stemmed from an idea from American Dad! writer and Don’t Trust the B____ in Apartment 23 creator Nahnatchka Khan, the film will catch up with a princess and a prince 10 years after their marriage as they find […] |
New Rio 2 posters
Following the debut of a new trailer earlier this week, two character posters for Rio 2 have made their way online over at the Internet Movie Poster Awards. The sequel to the 2011 hit comes to theaters next spring. |
Finally a Jim Henson biography!
After many years of speculation and waiting, Muppet fans can finally get to know the man underneath Kermit the Frog. Brian Jay Jones has written Jim Henson: The Biography, the most authoritative source in existence on the man (other than his friends and family, of course). There have been biographies on Jim in the past, […] |