Laika Returns Stop-Motion Animated Film, "CORALINE," to Theaters for Halloween

LAIKA Sets Coraline Limited-Time Return Engagement for Halloween Starting October 31st Through Fathom and Trafalgar Releasing

Award-winning studio’s debut film garnered over $53M in Global Box Office in Theatrical Return over the Summer

HILLSBORO, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a summertime return to theaters that grossed over $53M in global box office, LAIKA’s acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film, Coraline, returns to theaters for a special Halloween engagement starting on October 31st, 2024. In partnership with Fathom in the US and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D as well as 2D formats.

“Everyone at LAIKA is elated by the global success of the Coraline re-release and we’re delighted to offer one more chance to see it this year during Halloween festivities”

In addition to the U.S., the Halloween engagement of Coraline includes the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria, and Ecuador with more territories to follow. France and Italy will also begin their Coraline 15th Anniversary engagements this November.

Fans attending Coraline will be treated to an early glimpse of LAIKA’s upcoming film, Wildwood.

The 15th Anniversary theatrical re-release of Coraline this past August was an astonishing success, surpassing all estimates.

Since its re-release on August 15th, 2024, Coraline has brought in over $53M* at the global box office:

Highest lifetime US gross box office of all time for a stop-motion animated feature, beating The Nightmare Before Christmas and Chicken Run.

Highest-grossing re-release in the US in the past decade.

Highest-grossing release (new and re-releases) in Fathom’s 20-year history.

Highest-grossing re-release in the past 25 years in the UK, beating the 25th anniversary of Titanic and the 20th anniversary of ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.

Highest-grossing re-release in Mexico’s history, surpassing the 25th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Film surpassed its original 2009 box office throughout Latin America, including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Bolivia.

Tickets go on sale in the US starting Friday, October 4, 2024. For information and to buy tickets, please visit: www.coraline.com.

“Everyone at LAIKA is elated by the global success of the Coraline re-release and we’re delighted to offer one more chance to see it this year during Halloween festivities,” said David Burke, LAIKA’s Chief Marketing & Operations Officer. “In addition to becoming Fathom’s highest-grossing release in the US, Coraline set box office records in multiple international territories, including the UK and Mexico, through our partnership with Trafalgar Releasing. We are humbled by the millions of fans around the world who came out to experience Coraline in dazzling remastered 3D on the big screen this summer, making the 15th anniversary a cultural phenomenon.”

Coraline is a wondrous and thrilling, fun and suspenseful animated adventure. Coraline was written and directed by stop-motion auteur Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Wendell & Wild) and stars Dakota Fanning, Ian McShane, Teri Hatcher, Keith David, John Hodgman, and British comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The film was nominated for the Oscar® and Golden Globe; won the Cristal Award at Annecy and was named one of the best films of the year by AFI. It won three Annie Awards for Best Music, Character Design and Production Design.

11-year-old Coraline Jones (Fanning) is feisty, curious, and intrepid beyond her years. She and her parents (Hatcher, Hodgman) have just relocated from Michigan to Oregon. Missing her friends and finding her parents to be distracted by their work, Coraline tries to find some excitement in her new environment but seriously doubts that her new home can provide anything truly intriguing to her. But when she walks through a secret door in her living room and ventures down an eerie passageway, she discovers an alternate version of her life and existence. On the surface, this parallel reality is similar to her real life – only much better. The adults, including the solicitous Other Mother (Hatcher), seem much more welcoming to her. Even the mysterious Cat (David) now regards her as the center of attention. She begins to think that this Other World might be where she belongs. But when her wondrously off-kilter, fantastical visit turns dangerous and Other Mother schemes to keep her there, Coraline musters all of her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.

*Comscore

About LAIKA:

LAIKA was founded in 2005 in Oregon by President & CEO Travis Knight. The studio’s five films Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) have all been nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA® Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. LAIKA is currently in production on its next animated film Wildwood. The studio is developing the animated feature films The Night Gardener, from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark, and Piranesi, based on the NYT bestselling novel by Susanna Clarke. LAIKA has launched a Live Action subsidiary with a range of projects in development including feature films based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow and an original script Crumble, written and directed by Brian Duffield with Phil Lord and Chris Miller producing. Oscar®-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts (Dune) will write and make his directorial debut on another original live action film project. www.laika.com

About Fathom Events:

Fathom Events is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit FathomEvents.com.

About Trafalgar Releasing:

Trafalgar Releasing, the global leader in event cinema distribution, harnesses the power of cinema to bring fans together in more than 15,000 cinemas across 132 countries. A subsidiary of Trafalgar Entertainment, Trafalgar Releasing’s operations include production, acquisition, marketing, and distribution of live or pre-recorded content to cinemas worldwide led by an international team based in the UK, US and Germany. Featuring live concerts, music documentaries, world-class opera, award-winning theatre, and more from leading names in entertainment such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS, Metallica, Oasis, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, the Royal Opera House and others, Trafalgar Releasing has repeatedly shattered event cinema box office records, most recently with international distribution for TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR, the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.trafalgar-releasing.com.

-------------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 9th to 15th, 2024 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Oscar-winner Russell Crowe explains why he turned down the role of "Aragorn" in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Viggo Mortensen eventually won the role.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Longtime TNT sports broadcaster, Charles Barkley, says that he is going to retire after the 2024-25 NBA season. The news comes as it seems TNT's parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, is going to lose its NBA rights to NBC.

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson are circling roles in Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow's ("The Hurt Locker) next film for Netflix.

ANIMATION - From Variety:  Warner Bros. Animation, New Line Cinema, and Sola Entertainment previewed 20 minutes of its upcoming anime feature “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.”  Directed by Kenji Kemiyana ("Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex"), the footage received thunderous applause during the packed presentation on Tuesday at the Annecy Animation Festival.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Director Henry Selick is once again interested in a film adaptation to Neil Gaiman's 2013 novel, "The Ocean at the End of the Lane."  Selick also hopes to revive his failed Pixar project, "The Shadow King."

NETFLIX - From Deadline:  Yahya Abdul Mateen II will star in Netflix's TV adaptation of the 2004 Denzel Washington film, "Man on Fire."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 6/7 to 6/9/2024 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' Bad Boys: Ride or Die with an estimated total of 56 million dollars.

From Deadline:  Bad Boys: Ride or Die leads the international box office with a debut of 48.6 million dollars. It's global box office haul is 104.6 million dollars.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Oscar-nominee Kristen Stewart will play ground-breaking American astronaut, Sally Ride, in the Amazon MGM Studios miniseries, "The Challenger."

MOVIES - From THR:  The film that will follow the recent hit, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," has a director.  It is Grant Sputore, who directed the 2019 Hilary Swank sci-fi flick, "I Am Mother."

OBITS:

From NBA:  American basketball player, coach, scout, and executive, Jerry West, has died at the age of 86, Wednesday, June 12, 2024.  He is best remembered for his association with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, including being a member of the 1971-72 NBA Championship team that went 69 wins and 13 losses.  That won-loss record was an NBA season record that stood until the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won 72 games and lost 10 on the way to an NBA title.  West also won 8 titles as an executive, including five as a member of the Lakers front office and two as a member of the Golden State Warriors front office.  West is a three-time member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.  As a player, he was inducted as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Basketball team which won the gold medal and again as a player in 1980.  Later, this year (2024), he will be inducted as an NBA executive. West's silhouette is the basis for the NBA's logo.

From Deadline:  American journalist and television commentator, Howard Fineman, has died at the age of 75, Tuesday, June 11, 2024.  Fineman was best known for his work with the cable news network, MSNBC.

----------------

POLITICS - 

From TheRoot:  "The Root" gives you "The Long Racist History of Donald Trump, from the 1970s to Now."

From YahooNews:  In case you were wondering, even after being convicted of 34 felony counts in New York yesterday (5/30), Donald Trump can still run for President of the United States and he can still vote for himself in Florida.

From Truthout:  On Thursday afternoon (May 30th, 2024), in "The People vs. Donald Trump" — the New York-based trial featuring, for the first time in United States history, an ex-president in a criminal proceeding— a jury of the former president’s peers delivered a unanimous verdict: that he was guilty of all crimes he was accused of committing. Trump becomes the first former President in US History to be convicted of a crime.

From NBCNews:  Outside the courthouse where Donald Trump is on trial, legendary Oscar-winning actor, Robert De Niro, clashed with Trump supporters.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 11th to 17th, 2017 - Updated #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

----------
POLITICS - From RSN:  Russell Brand says "austerity" is brutality not frugality.

----------
SPORTS - From BET:  Boxer Floyd Mayweather will make between $200 to $300 million for his "super-fight" with MMA fighter Conor McGregor (who will make $100 million) on August 26th, 2017.

-----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  Glenn Close to star in "Sea Oak," a half-hour zombie drama for Amazon.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Marvel Studios has no immediate plans for Marvel Comics' "Fantastic Four."

----------
OBIT - From THR:  Film editor Bill Butler died at the age of 83 of June 4, 2017.  He earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange."

From Variety:  Film director John G. Avildsen has died at the age of 81, Friday, June 16, 2017.  He won an Oscar for directing the original "Rocky" (1976).  He also directed the original "Karate Kid" films.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Aisha Tyler is leaving the CBS daytime talk show, "The Talk," after six seasons.

----------
MOVIES - From EW:  There is a new documentary, "Score," about film music which celebrates some of the greatest musical moments in film history.

---------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Danai Gurira, one of the stars of "The Walking Dead," will appear in both the "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War."

---------
COMICS-FILM - From Collider:  An R-rated Marvel Studios movie is not out of the questions says Marvel boss, Kevin Feige.  Jessica Chastain in talks to play a villain.

---------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Simon Kinberg set to direct "X-Men: Dark Phoenix," which will begin production soon.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  The new cinematic Spider-Man, Tom Holland, has revealed that the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the first film in a trilogy.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Actress and model, Anita Pallenberg, has died at the age of 73, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.  She appeared in the film "Barberella" and in "Performance" with the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.  She also had three children with Jagger's band mate, Keith Richards.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Michelle Monaghan is returning for "Mission: Impossible 6."  She plays Dr. Julia Meade, the wife of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and was last seen in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (the fourth film).

----------
MOVIES - From EW:  Josh Brolin bulks up with muscle for his role as Cable in "Deadpool 2."

-----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  Anthony and Joe Russo, the guys behind the two Captain America movies, "Winter Soldier" and "Civil War," will join Henry Selick, director of "A Nightmare Before Christmas," to bring the video game "Little Nightmares" to television.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Lionsgate is planning to dramatize the story of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew, in film.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Woody Allen's upcoming drama, "Wonder Wheels," will debut December 1, 2017.

----------
SPORTS:  From NYTimes:  The Golden State Warriors win the 2017 National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship, their second in three years.  They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129 to 120, to win the best of 7 series, 4 games to 1.

From AOLNews:  Championship teams visit the White House to celebrate with the President of the United States. The Golden State Warriors players voted unanimously not to visit President Trump after winning the 2017 NBA Championship.

----------
THEATRE - From Variety:  A complete list of 2017 Tony Award winners, including Bette Midler and "Dear Evan Hansen."

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:   The winner of the 6/9 to 6/11/2017 weekend box office is "Wonder Woman" with an estimated take of $57 million.

From Deadline:  With an estimated global box office debut of $169.3, "The Mummy" is delivering some of Tom Cruise's best box office numbers.

From Deadline:  Still, Wonder Woman is whipping Tom Cruise's ass at the domestic box office.

From Variety:  The global box office gross of Tom Cruise's "The Mummy" has pushed Universal Pictures past $3 billion in global box office for the calendar year, 3 days faster than last year.

From Variety:  "The Mummy" may be in trouble at the North American box office, but it make $52 million in China.

----------
CULTURE - From YahooNews:  Tomorrow, June 12th is "Loving Day,"  It is also the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision "Loving v. Virginia."  The AP is republishing its last interview with Mildred Loving.

----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  "The Hollywood Reporter" offers an appreciation of Adam West, who played Batman/Bruce Wayne in the campy 1960s "Batman" TV series for ABC.  West died on Friday, June 9, at the age of 88.

-----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open men's singles title, the most by anyone, and a record he has held since he won his seventh French Open singles title in 2012.  With this victory, he becomes the first individual to win 10 singles championships in a single Grand Slam event, in this case the French Open.

From TheGuardian:  In the women's singles, Jelena Ostapenko won her first women's Grand Slam singles title with her victory in the French Open women's singles.  She is the first tennis player from the nation of Latvia, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title.

From YahooSports:  With their 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators tonight, the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins win the 2017 Stanley Cup.  They also won the 2016 Stanley Cup, making them the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 19 years.

Review: "James and the Giant Peach" a Delight

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 105 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Running time: 79 minutes (1 hour, 19 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some frightening images
DIRECTOR: Henry Selick
WRITERS: Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom (based upon the book by Roald Dahl)
PRODUCERS: Denise Di Novi and Tim Burton
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Hiro Narita (live action) and Pete Kozachik (animation)
EDITOR: Stan Webb
COMPOSER: Randy Newman
Academy Award nominee

FANTASY/ANIMATION/MUSICAL and ADVENTURE/COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: Paul Terry, Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, Pete Postlethwaite, Susan Sarandon, and David Thewlis

The subject of this movie review is James and the Giant Peach, a 1996 British-American stop-motion animation film and musical fantasy from director Henry Selick. The film is a co-production of Walt Disney Pictures and the British film production company, Allied Filmmakers.

Stop-motion animation director Henry Selick followed up his 1993 collaboration with Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas, with James and the Giant Peach. Based upon a children’s book by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda), James and the Giant Peach is a mixture of live-action film and stop-motion animation.

While not as well done as Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach is a beautiful film full of flights of fancy and imagination, and Randy Newman’s Oscar-nominated score (“Best Music – Original Musical or Comedy Score”) provides the delightful backdrop and joyous songs to carry the narrative forward. This film is also more for children than Nightmare Before Christmas (which has a large cult following among adults), but the magic of the filmmaking will still impress older viewers.

After a rogue rhinoceros kills his parents, James (Paul Terry) is forced to live with his nasty Aunt Spiker (Joanna Lumley) and Aunt Sponge (Miriam Margolyes), who make him work hard, go hungry, and bar him from having any fun, but when magic causes a giant peach to grow in his aunts’ backyard, James climbs inside the massive fruit to find adventure (at this point the film goes from live action to stop-motion animation). He befriends a group of giant insects that used to live in his yard; the same magic that grew the peach has made them human-like. Together with his new friends, James embarks on a great adventure to the place his parents had planned to take him, New York City.

Paul Terry is strong and engaging as the film’s central character, and the voiceovers are a treat. Listen for Richard Dreyfuss’ delightful turn as the brash and pugnacious Centipede.

7 of 10
A-

July 3, 2005

NOTES:
1997 Academy Awards, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score” (Randy Newman)

--------------------------

Review: Tim Burton and Henry Selick's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is Indeed a Timeless Classic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 104 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Running time: 76 minutes (1 hour, 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some scary images
DIRECTOR: Henry Selick
WRITERS: Caroline Thompson, from a story by Tim Burton and an adaptation by Michael McDowell
PRODUCERS: Tim Burton and Denise DiNovi
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Pete Kozachik (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Stan Webb
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/COMEDY/MUSICAL/HORROR/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, and Ed Ivory

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 stop motion animation film. A musical fantasy film, it is directed by Henry Selick and is also the creation of acclaimed director, Tim Burton.

Next to Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, my favorite Christmas film is The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s a technique in which the filmmakers use models instead of hand drawn animation. To get even one second of film, the makers shoot anywhere from 25 to 35 photographs of the models, moving them ever so slightly for each photograph. Seen in film speed, it looks as if the models are moving – almost the same technique as hand drawn animation, except this is with models.

Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon; Danny Elfman provides Jack’s singing voice) is the Pumpkin King, the man who makes Halloween happen, but he’s suddenly bored doing the same thing year after year. In this story, each holiday (like Easter and Valentine’s Day) has it’s own land just Halloween has Halloweentown. Jack accidentally discovers Christmas Town, and he’s taken by the vibrant and warm colors of the holiday. He decides to kidnap Santa Claus (Ed Ivory) and have the resident bats, ghouls, and goblins of Halloweentown help him take over Christmas. However, Jack doesn’t quite get the concept of Christmas, and he replaces the traditional gifts of the season with thingies more appropriate for his holiday. The whole town is taken with the idea, and it seems that only Sally (Catherine O’Hara), Jack’s secret admirer, sees the error of Jack’s new direction.

There is so much that is wonderful with this picture. The stop-motion animation gives the film a quirky and offbeat rhythm that makes watching the film irresistible. Clearly, director Selick is in love with this method, and it shows in the lovingly moody and charmingly dark atmosphere. The animators, the art staff, and the model makers come together to make a movie that has an elegant beauty even in its darkly mysterious and gothic world. The film is a charming concoction that recalls Edward Gorey and Charles Addams (especially his “Addams Family cartoons for the New Yorker) and even Tim Burton’s brilliant film, Beetlejuice, among other things. There’s so much for the eye to take in and never has the creepy seemed so lovely. There is very little in American cinema that looks like this film.

Until I heard it, I never believed that Danny Elfman’s song score and music for this film could be so good. Not only does he make this a fine film musical, Elfman also takes the film to a higher level. As good as Nightmare is, it is Elfman who really sells the story. The concept is a novelty (born from a Tim Burton poem), and a one-note idea at that, and the script is pretty flat; sometimes the story didn’t seem to be going anywhere. However, Elfman gives it life; it’s his songs that express the longings, emotions, and ideas within the film, which are essentially about being yourself and being true to your game.

The voice acting is excellent. Clearly everyone was having a grand time doing this, and we will have a great time watching it. This is one time where I have mad love for the people who made the film.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
1994 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Pete Kozachik, Eric Leighton, Ariel Velasco-Shaw, and Gordon Baker)

1994 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Danny Elfman)

-----------------------------

Disney's "Prom," "Nightmare Before Christmas 3D" Now on DVD and Blu-ray

PROM: Follow the delightfully-fun—and often hilarious—journey of a group of young teenagers as they navigate through the most memorable and also difficult times of their lives in the original film PROM, arriving on Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, Movie Download and On-Demand, August 30, 2011. This enchanting coming-of-age story is the perfect family-friendly film that captures all the anticipation, excitement, drama, and humor that accompany every young person’s journey through high school.

Consumers will not want to miss the chance to own the ultimate 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack that is exclusively packaged with bonus features including a hilarious, laugh out loud short “Last Chance Lloyd,” deleted scenes, music videos and more. PROM will be available for purchase at retail as a 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) or a High Definition Movie Download for the suggested price of $39.99 in the U.S. and $46.99 in Canada; as well as a 1-Disc DVD or a Standard Definition Movie Download for the suggested price of $29.99 in the U.S. and $35.99 in Canada. For more information on this release, please visit www.Disney.com/Prom.

PROM stars Aimee Teegarden (“Friday Night Lights”), Thomas McDonell (“The Forbidden Kingdom”), Danielle Campbell (“Prison Break”), Yin Chang (“Gossip Girl”), Nicholas Braun (“10 Things I Hate About You”), Jared Kusnitz (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”), Jonathan Keltz (“Entourage”), De’Vaughn Nixon (“Sonny with a Chance”), Nolan Sotillo (“Corey and Lucas for the Win”), Cameron Monaghan (“Corey and Lucas for the Win”) and Raini Rodriguez (“I’m in the Band”).

TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3D - More astonishing and spectacular than ever before, Academy Award® nominated writer/producer Tim Burton’s overwhelmingly favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas becomes available for the first time ever to own on Disney Blu-ray 3D™ and/or 3D Movie Download, on August 30, 2011. Leaping off the screen and into living rooms this holiday season, the all-new 3D presentation of The Nightmare Before Christmas will be available as a 3-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray™, DVD/Digital Copy hybrid) and/or a 3D Movie Download,* providing fans and families alike with several great ways to enjoy the film.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is produced by Academy Award® nominated writer and producer Tim Burton (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride) and Denise DiNovi (Edward Scissorhands, James and the Giant Peach), directed by Henry Selick (Coraline, James and the Giant Peach) and written by Michael McDowell (Beetle Juice, Thinner) and Caroline Thompson (Corpse Bride, The Addams Family). And the spectacular characters are voiced by the talents of Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride, Fright Night) as Jack Skellington’s speaking voice, Danny Elfman (Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as Jack Skellington’s singing voice and Catherine O-Hara (Home Alone, Best In Show) as Sally, to name a few.

The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD/Digital Copy hybrid) will retail for the suggested price of $49.99 U.S./$56.99 Canada and the 3D Movie Download will retail for the suggested price of $25.00 U.S.

COUGAR TOWN: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON- Jules Cobb‘s learning that the idea of family isn‘t always so traditional on her not so quiet Florida cul-de-sac. Together with her teenage son, friends, neighbors and even ex-husband, the dysfunctional, yet supportive extended family manages the next stages of their lives together. This hilarious DVD release invites audiences to collect and relive every laugh-out-loud moment, plus exciting never-before-seen bonus features!

Cougar Town: The Complete Second Season is releasing as a 3-Disc DVD set with a suggested retail price: $34.99 US/$41.99 Canada.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON - It‘s high noon on Wisteria Lane as a brand new rival stirs up even more excitement, deceit and romance in the neighborhood. This sizzling DVD release allows audiences to collect every red-hot episode, plus juicy never-before-seen bonus features.

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Seventh Season is releasing as a 5-Disc DVD set with a suggested retail price: $45.99 US/$54.99 Canada/

Henry Selick Returns to Disney, Lands at Pixar

Last week, Variety broke the news that Henry Selick, the director of such stop-motions films as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Oscar-nominated Coraline, had signed an exclusive long-term deal to make stop-motion features for Disney/Pixar.

Selick first worked for Disney in the late 1970s. The deal also reunites Selick with his CalArts classmate, Pixar's John Lasseter. For more, visit Comingsoon.net.

Review: "Coraline" a Deeply Flawed Jewel

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Coraline (2009)
Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language, and suggestive humor
DIRECTOR: Henry Selick
WRITERS: Henry Selick (based upon the book by Neil Gaiman)
PRODUCERS: Claire Jennings, Mary Sandell, Bill Mechanic, and Henry Selick
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Pete Kozachik (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Christopher Murrie and Ronald Sanders
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey, Jr., Ian McShane, Aankha Neal, Harry Selick, Marina Budovsky, and Carolyn Crawford

I am a fan of stop-motion animation films, so I was excited to hear that Henry Selick, the director of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare before Christmas, was making a stop-motion version of Neil Gaiman’s award-winning novel, Coraline. At one 1 hour and 40 minutes, director Henry Selick’s Coraline is the longest stop-motion animated feature in movie history, and it certainly seems even longer. More often than not, watching Coraline feels like a dreary chore instead of an eerie delight.

Coraline Jones (voice of Dakota Fanning) is a curious and adventurous 11-year-old girl who is also feisty beyond her years. Coraline and her parents, Mel and Charles Jones (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) have just relocated from Michigan to Oregon. Coraline misses her friends, and her parents are too distracted by their work as writers to entertain her. Coraline tries to find some excitement in her new environment, the Pink Palace, a boarding house on top of a hill. Her neighbors include the eccentric British actresses, Miss April Spink (Jennifer Saunders) and Miss Miriam Forcible (Dawn French), and an even more eccentric Russian acrobat, Mr. Sergie Alexander Bobinsky (Ian McShane). The only local close to her age is an annoying boy named Wyborne “Wybie” Lovat (Robert Bailey, Jr.) and his equally annoying semi-pet, The Cat (Keith David).

Coraline seriously doubts that her new home can provide anything to interest her – that is until she uncovers a small, secret door in the house. She crawls through the door and into an eerie passageway, which takes her to an alternate version of her life and existence. On the surface, this parallel reality, called Other World, is similar to her real life, but it is much better. The adults are cool, especially Other Mother (Teri Hatcher), a version of Coraline’s mother who pays more attention to Coraline and actually cooks delicious meals and tasty sweets. Coraline thinks that she could stay there forever, but when Other Mother starts to make shocking demands, Coraline wants no part of this off-kilter world. With the help of the mysterious Cat, Coraline makes a bid for freedom, but it will take all her bravery, grit, and ingenuity to save her real family and get back home.

Coraline is the first 3D stop-motion animated film, and for the most part, its ideal audience would be people who admire the art of stop-motion animation. Like Selick’s collaboration with Tim Burton (The Nightmare before Christmas), Coraline is darkly inventive, but not as snappy and clever. In fact, the first half of this film is practically a disaster. The plodding narrative and flat voice performances suggest that Coraline was a short film disastrously stretched to a feature-length film. Even the animation is listless. It is more jerky-motion than stop-motion animation.

It is not until the Other Mother (also known as Beldam) shows her true nature that Coraline’s eerie nature really comes to life. This film has a creepiness that is so unsettling (perhaps because it deals with child abduction), but even then, this story, with its Venus flytrap and spider web allusions, can only limp through a somewhat exciting resolution and last act.

Coraline has the makings of being an exciting cross between the classic fairy tale and a spooky horror story with a contemporary sensibility, but it mostly fails to reach its potential. The only really good characters are Coraline, Other Mother, and the Cat, and the others are feeble, which could be a result of Selick’s surprisingly anemic screenplay. This movie even manages to waste Keith David’s exceptional talents as a voice actor. I admire what the filmmakers tried to do more than I actually like this film. I cannot quite embrace this clunky, clumsy riff on Alice in Wonderland. Still, I can’t dismiss Coraline, because I am one of those people smitten with the art of stop-motion animation.

5 of 10
C+

Saturday, March 13, 2010

NOTES:

2010 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” (Henry Selick)

2010 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Film” (Henry Selick)

2010 Golden Globe: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film”

2010 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Voice Performance” (Keith David)

---------------------------

---------------------------