April 27, 2013
Brad Bird’s first film, “The Iron Giant,” was improbably fantastic for an animated film that was seemingly ignored by its studio and underappreciated by audiences when it came out.  But it’s a winner, based on a classic tale written by former British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes for his children after their mother, poet Sylvia Plath, killed herself. The Who’s Pete Townsend later secured rights for the book and made it into a successful stage musical, and it later became this film. Can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Brad Bird’s first film, “The Iron Giant,” was improbably fantastic for an animated film that was seemingly ignored by its studio and underappreciated by audiences when it came out. 

But it’s a winner, based on a classic tale written by former British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes for his children after their mother, poet Sylvia Plath, killed herself.

The Who’s Pete Townsend later secured rights for the book and made it into a successful stage musical, and it later became this film. Can’t recommend it highly enough. 

7:48pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z2qjCvji7ttz
(Notes: 112)
  
Filed under: movies film animation The Iron Giant Brad Bird Pete Townsend Ted Hughes 
April 24, 2013

Sony has unveiled plans for an animated film based on its hugely popular videogame franchise (developed by long-time game studio partner Insomniac Games) “Ratchet & Clank.”

Here are stills from the just-released teaser trailer, which is most amusing and suggests they may have a lot to work with when the film itself finally comes out in a couple of years. Catch the whole trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8tJ82BtFmo&feature=share&list=PL92AHplewosNFzgMwuSLuobGB8VbvKbpz

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(Notes: 17)
  
Filed under: movies film animation videogames Ratchet & Clank Sony Insomniac games 
March 24, 2013
That whooshing sound you hear has to be the exhalation of relief by DreamWorks Animation executives after their animated film “The Croods” opened at a very solid $108 million globally (read the box office update from Deadline’s Nikki Finke here:http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/friday-box-office-the-croods-toons-up-11m-olympus-has-fallen-rises-to-10m-admission-enters-2-5m-spring-breakers-expands-for-2-5m/ )After a bruising Q1 as a result of disappointing results for DWA’s last big picture, “Rise of the Guardians,” DreamWorks really needed “The Croods” to open well. And with a dearth of competing family-friendly fare in theaters just as students are taking Spring Break, their chances for a very good week look promising. Did you see “The Croods” or anything else in theaters this weekend? What did you think?

That whooshing sound you hear has to be the exhalation of relief by DreamWorks Animation executives after their animated film “The Croods” opened at a very solid $108 million globally (read the box office update from Deadline’s Nikki Finke here:http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/friday-box-office-the-croods-toons-up-11m-olympus-has-fallen-rises-to-10m-admission-enters-2-5m-spring-breakers-expands-for-2-5m/ )

After a bruising Q1 as a result of disappointing results for DWA’s last big picture, “Rise of the Guardians,” DreamWorks really needed “The Croods” to open well. And with a dearth of competing family-friendly fare in theaters just as students are taking Spring Break, their chances for a very good week look promising. 

Did you see “The Croods” or anything else in theaters this weekend? What did you think?

2:44pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z2qjCvh1TACH
(Notes: 11)
  
Filed under: film movies animation The Croods dreamworks animation box office 
March 11, 2013
Disney and LucasArts are taking a “new direction” in their “Star Wars-related TV ventures, ending “The Clone Wars” and creating a new show in a previously unexplored time in that universe. Here’s the story: http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/star-wars-lucasfilm-disney-tv-new-direction-clone-wars-ending-on-cartoon-network/ What do you think about this idea? I like the look of “Clone Wars” but wasn’t particularly engaged by it. On the other hand, if they do something interesting like all the stuff that came out of “Knights of the Old Republic,” I’d be pretty jazzed. Thoughts?

Disney and LucasArts are taking a “new direction” in their “Star Wars-related TV ventures, ending “The Clone Wars” and creating a new show in a previously unexplored time in that universe.

Here’s the story: http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/star-wars-lucasfilm-disney-tv-new-direction-clone-wars-ending-on-cartoon-network/

What do you think about this idea? I like the look of “Clone Wars” but wasn’t particularly engaged by it. On the other hand, if they do something interesting like all the stuff that came out of “Knights of the Old Republic,” I’d be pretty jazzed. Thoughts?

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(Notes: 7)
  
Filed under: Star Wars science fiction TV television animation The Clone Wars LucasFilm Disney 
February 21, 2013

It seemed a little too good to be true: nearly all the contenders for the Oscar animated shorts were available on YouTube, raising the visibility for a delightful yet too-seldom-seen corner of the Oscar family. Now, Deadline’s Jen Yamato reports, the filmmakers are being asked to pull their shorts offline.

She explains why here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscars-animated-shorts-paperman-maggie-simpson-academy-awards/

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(Notes: 7)
  
Filed under: Film movies shorts animation Oscars Awards Academy Awards The Simpsons Disney short films 
February 16, 2013
Ralph Bakshi has been one of the great renegade animators of the past 40 years, with the X-rated “Fritz the Cat,” an underloved take on “Lord of the Rings” and much else.  (See the Deadline story and Bakshi’s Kickstarter trailer here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/matthew-modine-ralph-bakshi-last-days-of-coney-island/  ) Now he has a new project on Kickstarter, looking at the seedy ’60s underbelly of Coney Island, and has added Matthew Modine to voice his protagonist. Looks like a cool project, but he’s trying to raise a ton of money (by Kickstarter standards, not by animation standards). What do you think of the trailer (you can find it at the link to the Deadline story)?  I love that he’s trying to do something interesting and distinctive from the typical stories of the major studios. 

Ralph Bakshi has been one of the great renegade animators of the past 40 years, with the X-rated “Fritz the Cat,” an underloved take on “Lord of the Rings” and much else. 

(See the Deadline story and Bakshi’s Kickstarter trailer here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/matthew-modine-ralph-bakshi-last-days-of-coney-island/  )

Now he has a new project on Kickstarter, looking at the seedy ’60s underbelly of Coney Island, and has added Matthew Modine to voice his protagonist. Looks like a cool project, but he’s trying to raise a ton of money (by Kickstarter standards, not by animation standards).

What do you think of the trailer (you can find it at the link to the Deadline story)?  I love that he’s trying to do something interesting and distinctive from the typical stories of the major studios. 

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(Notes: 7)
  
Filed under: film movies animation Ralph Bakshi Matthew Modine Kickstarter crowdfunding 
February 14, 2013

With Oscar less than two weeks away, and voting ending Tuesday, lots of campaigns are desperately trying to grab their last votes. One of the more obscure but hotly contested campaigns is for Best Animated Short, which Deadline Awards Columnist Pete Hammond lays out.

Disney Animation has a lovely entry, and so do The Simpsons, along with two other strong contenders. But a category that has long had room for student entries scores another terrific stop-motion animation challenger here, “Head Over Heels,” from an American grad student who created the work while attending England’s National Film and Television School. 

Read all of Pete’s rundown on the race, and watch the entire “Head Over Heels” (we have links to Disney’s entry and others too) here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscars-head-over-heels-student-films-takes-on-major-studios/

“Head Over Heels,” a nicely done metaphor of a relationship gone stale, is worth watching. Not only that, Pete’s inside knowledge here and elsewhere on Deadline can help you fill out those obscure down-ballot categories for your Oscar-watching party that make all the difference in snagging the pool. 

(Source: deadline.com)

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(Notes: 5)
  
Filed under: film movies animation stop-motion Pete Hammond awards Oscars Academy Awards 
February 11, 2013

In a tight Oscar race for Best Animated Feature, “Paranorman” is pulling out the marketing stops, Deadline’s Pete Hammond points out. Today they released this nifty behind-the-scenes featurette of the making of the stop-motion animated film.

See it all at http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/paranorman-featurette-movie-oscar-consideration/

5:47pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z2qjCvdyLeGY
(Notes: 25)
  
Filed under: film movies animation Oscars Paranorman 
February 7, 2013
My latest podcast with Deadline Hollywood Awards Columnist Pete Hammond. This past weekend, three of Hollywood’s professional organizations - the Directors Guild, Art Directors and the animators - handed out their awards, followed on Tuesday by the Visual Effects Society. Which films picked up Oscar momentum as the Academy prepares to start its final round of voting?  Hear it all here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/deadline-awards-watch-with-pete-hammond-episode-12/

My latest podcast with Deadline Hollywood Awards Columnist Pete Hammond. This past weekend, three of Hollywood’s professional organizations - the Directors Guild, Art Directors and the animators - handed out their awards, followed on Tuesday by the Visual Effects Society.

Which films picked up Oscar momentum as the Academy prepares to start its final round of voting? 

Hear it all here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/deadline-awards-watch-with-pete-hammond-episode-12/

6:24pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z2qjCvdeAxor
(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: movies film Oscars awards Visual Effects Society Directors Guild of America DGA Art Directors Guild Annies Animation 
February 5, 2013
Dreamworks Animation layoffs coming after delay in film

In an exclusive, Deadline is reporting that DreamWorks Animation is heading toward layoffs after a delay in its latest film, based on the Jay Ward characters “Mr. Peabody and Sherman.” 

Read all the details here: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/dreamworks-animation-layoffs/

10:50pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z2qjCvdWBx_W
Filed under: movies film Dreamworks Animation animation Jay Ward Mr. Peabody 
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