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.

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LAIKA Will Screen Its Films at Oregon Museum of Science & Industry Beginning Oct. 15th

LAIKA Continues 15th Anniversary Celebration With Screenings of All Its Oscar®-Nominated Films and Q&As With Key Filmmakers at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry From October 15-31

The lauded animation studio will display all its ‘hero’ puppets and some of its most memorable sets from each film at Portland’s world class science museum

HILLSBORO, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LAIKA, whose five films (Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, and Coraline) have all received Oscar® nominations for Best Animated Film, will partner with the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI) for multiple screenings of all its films as well as filmmaker discussions and a display of puppets and sets this October. For ticket information, please visit HERE.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with a world-class institution like OMSI to share the magic of LAIKA’s filmmaking with our hometown fans”

Last week, LAIKA announced it is currently in production on the animated feature film Wildwood, based on the bestselling novel written by Colin Meloy, lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by artist Carson Ellis. LAIKA President & CEO Travis Knight will direct.

LAIKA was awarded a Scientific & Technical Oscar® in 2016 for its innovations in facial animation and won the BAFTA for Kubo and the Two Strings and the Golden Globe for Missing Link. At the heart of every LAIKA film are the artists who meticulously craft every element. Through its display of puppets and sets from all of LAIKA’s Oscar®-nominated films, visitors to OMSI can immerse themselves in LAIKA’s creative process, exploring the production design, sets, props, puppets, costumes, and world-building that have become the studio’s hallmarks. LAIKA films are a triumph of imagination, ingenuity and craftsmanship and have redefined the limits of modern animation. During the two-week engagement, some of the key artists who created each film will engage with visitors in a series of Q&As and showings at OMSI’s Empirical Theater.

“Animation has a unique ability to entertain, educate, and inspire audiences. We feel so fortunate to have LAIKA here in Portland providing us the unique opportunity to spotlight their creative, award-winning films,” said Russ Repp, VP of Retail and Marketing at OMSI. “LAIKA’s work aligns with our mission to inspire curiosity in people of all ages, so we’re delighted to celebrate their 15 years of artistic innovation by hosting this truly special event.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with a world-class institution like OMSI to share the magic of LAIKA’s filmmaking with our hometown fans,” said David Burke, Chief Marketing Officer MO & SVP, Business Operations at LAIKA. “Our studio has a unique approach to filmmaking, enhancing the artisanal stop-motion technique with technological innovations and through installations like this, fans have a chance to see that artistry up close whilst getting some behind-the-scenes details from our filmmakers.”

LAIKA’s ‘hero’ or main character puppets as well as Moonbeast and the Skeleton (small scale) from Kubo and the Two Strings will be on display alongside several memorable sets, including:

• Coraline’s Other Kitchen with Other Mother/Other Father and Beldam’s Sewing table from Coraline
• Interior of Norman’s Bedroom and Mitch’s van with the gang and Zombie judge from ParaNorman
• Sparky's Market tent and Snatcher’s Truck from The Boxtrolls
• Kubo's market building from Kubo and the Two Strings
• Sir Lionel's apartment and Adelina’s boat cabin from Missing Link

Some of LAIKA’s most notable artists will be on hand for in-person Q&As:

• Friday, October 15: Ollie Jones, Director of Practical Effects
• Saturday, October 16: Production Designer Nelson Lowry
• Sunday, October 17: VFX Supervisor Steve Emerson
• Friday, October 22: ParaNorman and Missing Link writer/director Chris Butler
• Saturday, October 23: Brian McLean, Director of Rapid Prototyping (3D Printing)
• Sunday, October 24: Animation Supervisor Brad Schiff
• Friday, October 29: VFX Supervisor Steve Emerson
• Saturday, October 30: Head of Production/Producer Arianne Sutner

LAIKA FILMOGRAPHY:

MISSING LINK (2019)

Mr. Link, AKA Bigfoot (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), is lonely and believes that famed investigator of myths, Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman), is the one man who can help. With adventurer Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), the trio embarks on an epic journey to find Link’s distant relatives in the fabled Shangri-La. Along the way each finds their true identity.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016)

An epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. Clever, kindhearted Kubo's (voiced by Art Parkinson of Game of Thrones) relatively quiet existence is upended when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award® winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo battles gods, monsters, and epic landscapes to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.

THE BOXTROLLS (2014)

The Boxtrolls, a kind-hearted community of quirky, mischievous, fantastical box-wearing tinkerers, have lovingly raised a human orphan, Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead-Wright of Game of Thrones), since infancy. In the amazing cavernous home they’ve built beneath the cobblestoned streets of Cheesebridge, they transform mechanical junk into magical inventions and live a happy and harmonious existence away from the posh society above that fears them thanks to the scary stories spread by the villainous Archibald Snatcher (Academy Award® winner Ben Kingsley). When Eggs and his Boxtrolls family become increasingly at risk because of Cheesebridge's citizens misunderstanding them, Eggs must venture above ground, “into the light,” where he meets and teams up with another 11-year-old, the fabulously feisty Winnie (Elle Fanning). Together, Eggs and Winnie devise a daring plan to save the Boxtrolls from Snatcher, embarking on an adventure with madcap antics and open hearts which proves that heroes come in all shapes and sizes – even rectangles.

PARANORMAN (2012)

ParaNorman is the thrilling story of 11-year-old Norman Babcock (Kodi Smith-McPhee) who must use his unique ability to see and speak with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse. In addition to spooky zombies, he’ll also have to take on mysterious ghosts, wily witches and, worst of all, clueless grown-ups. Now caught in a wild race against time to save his family, friends, and town, Norman must bravely summon up all that makes a hero – courage and compassion – as he finds his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits. Voice cast includes Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

CORALINE (2009)

Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is bored in her new home until she finds a secret door that leads her into a world that’s just like her own…but better! But when this fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her “other” Mother (Teri Hatcher) tries to keep her forever, Coraline must count on all of her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.

About OMSI:

Founded in 1944, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is one of the nation’s leading science museums and an award-winning educational resource for the kid in each of us. As a private, non-profit organization, OMSI does not receive any government funding, but relies on earned and contributed revenue for its operating expenses. OMSI operates the largest museum-based outdoor science education program in the country and provides traveling and community outreach programs that bring science learning opportunities to schools and community organizations throughout Oregon and the region. OMSI is located at 1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. For general information, call 503.797.4000 or visit omsi.edu. Connect with the museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About LAIKA:

LAIKA, founded in 2005 in Oregon and shaped by the vision of its President & CEO Travis Knight, is a studio that combines a classic commitment to artistry and the cinematic crafts with a delight in innovation and cutting-edge techniques. LAIKA’s five films, Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) were all 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 also awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® plaque in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. Recently, the studio announced its first live action feature film based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow. Travis Knight will direct LAIKA’s sixth animated feature film Wildwood, which is currently in production and is based on the novel by Colin Meloy, lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by Carson Ellis.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 12th to 18th, 2021 - Update #22

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MOVIES - From  VanityFair:  The site has a "first look" at Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming film, "Nightmare Alley."

From Variety:  The first trailer for Del Toro's "Nightmare Alley" has arrives.  The film is due December 17, 2021.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" has opened in France.

ANIMATION - From HuffPost:   Disney's reboot of its animated hits series "The Proud Family," (2001-05) will feature a number of prominent guest stars, including Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Gabrielle Union, to name a few.  The reboot arrives in 2022.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Whitney Houston's iconic, hit film, "The Bodyguard" (1992), is being remade.  Lawrence Kasdan, the writer-producer of the original film, is returning to produce.

VIDEO GAMES - From Deadline:   Anthony Mackie will star in and executive produce Sony Pictures Television and Playstation Productions' live-action television series adaptation of the video game, "Twisted Metal."

TRAILER - From BoxOfficePro:   Walt Disney Studios has released a new poster and a new trailer for Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   "Firestarter" reboot lead Ryan Kiera Armstrong and 2013 "Evil Dead" star Shiloh Fernandez have joined Nicolas Cage in the action-western, "The Old Way."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Producer/director Ivan Reitman and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito are prepping a sequel to their 1988 hit film, "Twins."  Entitled "Triplets," Tracy Morgan will join the mix as a long lost sibling.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:   Laika's ("Paranorman") next animated feature will be "Wildwood," an adaptation of the bestselling novel written by The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy, and illustrated by Carson Ellis.  The film will be directed by Laika President and CEO Travis Knight.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Christopher Nolan has chosen Universal Pictures to finance and distribute his next film, which focuses on J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.

COVID-19 - From YahooEntertainment:   Colorado-based Bob Enyart has become at least the fifth well-known right wing radio talk show host to die from complications of COVID-19 after opposing vaccines and other COVID-related public safety health measures.

NETFLIX/ANIME - From Variety:  Actress Hayley Atwell ("Agent Carter") will be the voice of "Lara Croft" in Netflix's "Tomb Raider" anime.

LGBTQ - From Deadline:   Actress Raven-Symone said that Disney offered to make her character, "Raven Baxter," from the classic Disney television series, "That's So Raven" (2003-07), a lesbian for the spinoff "Raven's Home," which currently airs on Disney Channel.  She says she declined the offer.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 9/10 to 9/12/2021 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" with an estimated take of $35.8 million dollars.

From BoxOfficePro:  Disney has announced that its remaining 2021 theatrical releases will be exclusive to movie theaters for a 30- or 45-day exclusivity window.  Most of the remaining films will be exclusive to theaters for 45 days.

From Negromancer:  My movie review of Shang-Chi.

EMMY AWARDS - From Deadline:   Here is a complete winners' list from the two-day, three-part ceremony for the 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

From Deadline:  Netflix and its series, "The Queen's Gambit," leads round one (of three) the 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. 

MOVIES - From WeGotThisCovered:  The release of Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro's next film, "Nightmare Alley," has been pushed back a little, from Dec. 3rd to Dec. 17th.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Christopher Nolan is shopping his next project around Hollywood.  It focuses on J. Robert Oppenheimer's role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.

OBITS:

From Variety:   Actress, singer, and dancer, Jane Powell, has died at the age of 92, Thursday, September 16, 2021.  She made her film debut as a teenage singer in the musical, "Song of the Open Road" (1944). Powell went onto appear in a number of MGM musicals, such as "A Date with Judy" (1948), "Royal Wedding" (1951), "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954), and "Hit the Deck" (1955).  She was one of the last surviving stars of the "Golden Age of Hollywood."

From Deadline:  Actor and comedian, Norm Macdonald, has died at the age of 61, Wednesday, September 14, 2021, after a reported decade-long battle with cancer.  He was a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" from 1993 to 1998, and was best known for his three seasons as the show's anchor for the "Weekend Update" segment.  Macdonald also wrote for "The Dennis Miller Show" and "Roseanne." and he had a number of recurring television roles, including on ABC's former sitcom, "The Middle" and on Cartoon Network's "Mike Tyson Mysteries."

LAIKA Expands From Animation to Live Action with Planned Thriller

Award-winning Animation Studio LAIKA Expands Into Live Action

Oregon Studio Acquires Rights to Screenwriter John Brownlow’s Debut Action Thriller Novel Seventeen

HILLSBORO, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LAIKA, known for the Academy Award®-nominated animated films Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link, is expanding into live action. The studio has optioned Seventeen, the upcoming first novel by acclaimed screenwriter John Brownlow (The Minaturist, Sylvia). Currently in production on its sixth animated feature film, LAIKA secured the rights in an intense bidding war and plans to adapt it as a live action project. The announcement was made today by Travis Knight, President & CEO.

    “As a long-time fan of LAIKA’s movies for their vision, heart, craft, intelligence and ambition, I couldn’t have hoped for the novel or the universe it inhabits to have found a better or more exciting home. I’m beyond honored to be part of their plans for the future.”

“For the past 15 years, LAIKA has been committed to making movies that matter,” says Knight. “Across mediums and genres, our studio has fused art, craft, and technology in service of bold, distinctive, and enduring stories. With Seventeen, LAIKA is taking that philosophy in an exciting new direction.”

“Seventeen is a stiff cocktail of wicked wit, exhilarating action, and raw emotion,” Knight continues. “John has such a wonderfully unique voice. He’s crafted a brilliant universe with its own powerful identity. Seventeen is a thriller with soul, a sinuous adrenaline-fueled actioner with a sincere heart beating underneath its rippling pectorals.”

Author and screenwriter John Brownlow is well known for his film and television credits. He is the screenwriter of the feature film Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig and wrote and executive produced the three-part BBC limited series The Minaturist, which starred Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit). He also wrote the four-episode limited series Fleming, which starred Dominic Cooper as James Bond author Ian Fleming.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be developing Seventeen for the screen with LAIKA,” says Brownlow. “As a long-time fan of LAIKA’s movies for their vision, heart, craft, intelligence and ambition, I couldn’t have hoped for the novel or the universe it inhabits to have found a better or more exciting home. I’m beyond honored to be part of their plans for the future.”

UK publisher Hodder & Stoughton has preemptively acquired worldwide publishing rights to Seventeen. Hanover Square will publish the book in the US in 2022.

LAIKA was represented in the deal by CAA. John Brownlow is represented by George Davis at Nelson Davis LLP, Jessica Sykes at Independent Talent Group and CAA.


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 has also been awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® plaque in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing.

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LAIKA and Bowie State University to Build first Stop-Motion Animation Studio at a Black College

LAIKA Teams up with Bowie State University to Build First HBCU Stop-Motion Animation Studio

Feature Film Animation Studio Commits to Enhance BSU’s Curriculum & Create a Career/Internship Pipeline

BOWIE, Md. & HILLSBORO, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LAIKA, the Oscar®-nominated and BAFTA and Golden Globe Award-winning feature film animation studio best known for Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings and Coraline, is partnering with Bowie State University to build the nation’s first stop-motion animation studio at a historically Black college and university (HBCU). The partnership will enhance BSU’s animation curriculum, with the goal of providing a career pathway for BSU students into the animation industry.

    “This is a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills that will carry them into the professional world of animation”

LAIKA’s donation will fund upgrades to Bowie State’s green screen studio to allow stop-motion animation production. The art form, one of cinema’s oldest techniques, entails the incremental movement of objects, such as puppets, filmed 24X per second to create the illusion of movement.

“This is a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills that will carry them into the professional world of animation,” said Tewodross Melchishua Williams, chair of the BSU Department of Fine & Performing Arts. “There are a lot of storytelling and narrative elements that have yet to be brought to life via stop-motion animation, especially in the arena of children’s programming. We are looking at this partnership to be an internship and career pipeline that can help diversify the animation industry, which has been a traditionally underrepresented sector when it comes to the voices of people of color, women, LGBTQ and other communities.”

“LAIKA is thrilled to be partnering with as prestigious an institution as Bowie State University,” said LAIKA’s head of production Arianne Sutner, the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar®-nominated producer of Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings and ParaNorman. “At its heart, LAIKA is a community of artists, craftspeople and scientists committed to expanding the technological capabilities of our animation medium in order to tell everyone’s stories with boldness, compassion and excellence. Helping BSU students to express their experience, their artistry and their potential through the stop motion art form speaks to our creative and corporate mandate. We’re so excited to explore their talents and to provide mentorship and tools that will enlarge the scope of their filmmaking vision.”

The partnership between LAIKA and Bowie State developed as a way to create internship opportunities for BSU students. As the relationship grew, LAIKA committed to making a long-term investment at Bowie State to prepare students for success in the animation industry.

Bowie State’s animation & motion graphics concentration is part of the visual communication & digital media arts (VCDMA) bachelor’s degree program, which is one of the university’s fastest-growing majors. Bowie State was recently recognized as one of the nation’s top HBCU art programs by The Hundred-Seven, which specifically highlighted the five concentrations in the VCDMA program.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, LAIKA’s five films have been nominated for Academy Awards for “Outstanding Animated Feature Film.” In addition, Kubo and the Two Strings also received an Oscar nomination for its visual effects, only the second time in Academy history that an animated film received such distinction. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA Award and the National Board of Review, and Missing Link was this year’s Golden Globe winner. LAIKA’s films have won multiple Annie Awards, animation’s highest honor, as well as a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing in facial animation.


About Bowie State University:
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.

About LAIKA:
Fueled by the vision of its President & CEO Travis Knight, the animation studio LAIKA was founded in 2005. Located just outside of Portland, Oregon, LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® plaque in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. All of LAIKA’s five films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) were nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings also won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® as Best Animated Film. @laikastudios

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Review: "ParaNorman" Thankfully Not Normal

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

ParaNorman (2012)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language
DIRECTORS: Chris Butler and Sam Fell
WRITER: Chris Butler
PRODUCERS: Travis Knight and Arianne Sutner
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tristan Oliver
EDITORS: Christopher Murrie
COMPOSERS: Jon Brion

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/HORROR/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland, Tempestt Bledsoe, Alex Borstein, and John Goodman

ParaNorman is a 2012 American, 3D, stop-motion animated, comic-horror film. The film is a production of Laika, the stop-motion animation studio behind the 2009 film, Coraline. ParaNorman focuses on a misunderstood boy, who talks to ghosts, and his quest to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

Not many people in the town of Blithe Hollow, Massachusetts seem to understand or even like 11-year-old Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), except his dear mother, Sandra (Leslie Mann), of course. Norman can talk to ghosts. This claim infuriates his father, Perry (Jeff Garlin), because he thinks his son is too weird, and it annoys his sister, Courtney (Anna Kendrick), who is embarrassed by her brother. Norman even has a classmate dedicated to bullying him, the break dancer wannabe, Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Norman does have one friend, a chubby, eccentric kid named Neil Downe (Tucker Albrizzi).

Oh, there is one other person interested in Norman. That would be the town crazy, Mr. Prenderghast (John Goodman), who is also Norman’s uncle. He claims that Norman is the only person who can save the town from a centuries-old curse put upon it three hundred years ago by a vengeful witch. Pursued by zombies, Norman races to stop the curse with only Neil, a reluctant Courtney, and Mitch (Casey Affleck), Neil’s brother, by his side. But stopping the curse means having the right information/the real story, and Norman is having trouble getting that.

ParaNorman is not only one of the best animated films of the year, but it is also one of 2012’s best movies. This film looks like a Tim Burton movie, but is darker and less whimsical than most of Burton’s movies; ParaNorman is probably more in line and closer in tone with Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (1999).

One of my college professors said that books which contained controversial ideas often ended up in the children’s literature section, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies, being examples she used. ParaNorman is kind of like that; in fact, it is like one of those children’s classics (film or storybook) with something to say. It runs the gamut of themes and ideas: the destruction of revenge, bullying, parental acceptance, the cycle in which parents pass on their fears and prejudices to their children or even project those onto their children, the fear of being different, how easy it is for a person to isolate himself because he is persecuted for being different, the mob mentality, the quest for redemption, etc. ParaNorman has so many ideas and themes that I lost count. It does not aspire to be more than a kid’s movie; it just wants to be more than the average children’s movie.

The film is such a feast of dark colors and fantastic visual elements that it is easy to miss the substance. The stop-motion animation and production values in ParaNorman exceed Coraline; it’s not even close. The character design alone is way ahead in terms of imagination and diversity than many animated feature films. The characters are caricatures of real-life human body types, but in an amusing way that celebrates all the big hips, thunder thighs, scrawny necks, big butts, fat bodies, etc. without being cruel for the sake of cheap laughs.

There is a lot more to say, but I don’t want to run on (longer than I usually do). This hand-crafted movie is a miracle. It celebrates being different, but also enjoying being different from other people. There is a surprise reveal about one of the characters near the end of the film that makes ParaNorman extra, extra-special.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, January 04, 2013

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)

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