41st Annie Awards Nominations - Complete List

by Amos Semien

ASIFA-Hollywood, the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Society, presents the Annie Awards.  The Annie honors achievements in animation as a whole, including current animated productions, as well as career and lifetime achievements.  At the beginning of this week, the group announced the nominations and award recipients for the 41st Annual Annie Awards.

Walt Disney Animation Studio’s Frozen and Pixar’s Monsters University led the feature film nominations for the 41st Annie Awards nominations with 10 each.  Universal/Illumination’s Despicable Me 2 and DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods followed with nine.

Right now, Frozen appears to be the Oscar favorite.  It has performed quite well at the box office.  I have yet to see the film (not interested, really), but it has been described as having “flashy visuals” and “a strong musical score and songs,” which are generally attractive to critics, audiences, and Oscar voters.  However, the Annies do not always presage the Oscars.  Last year’s Annie winner for “Best Animated Feature” was Wreck-It-Ralph, but Pixar’s Brave won “Best Animated Feature” at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Academy Awards.

The 41st Annual Annie Awards will take place on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, California.  They ceremony will be hosted by noted voice actor, Patrick Warburton.  Director Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin) will be presented with the Winsor McCay Award at the ceremony.

41st (2014) Annual Annie Awards Nominees:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
•A Letter to Momo - 
GKIDS
•Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
•Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
•Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
•The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•The Wind Rises
 - The Walt Disney Studios

Best Animated Special Production
•Chipotle Scarecrow
 - Moonbot Studios
•Listening Is an Act of Love
 - StoryCorps
•Room on the Broom - 
Magic Light Pictures
•Toy Story OF TERROR!
- Pixar Animation Studios

Best Animated Short Subject
•Despicable Me 2 - Puppy
 - Universal Pictures
•Get A Horse!
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Gloria Victoria
 - National Film Board of Canada
•My Mom is an Airplane
 - Acme Filmworks
•The Numberlys - 
Moonbot Studios

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Commercial
•Despicable Me 2 - Cinemark
 - Universal Pictures
•Sound of the Woods – Acme Filmworks
•The Polar Bears Movie
 - CAA Marketing

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children
•Bubble Guppies
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Disney Sofia the First
 - Disney Television Animation
•Doc McStuffins
 - Disney Television Animation
•Justin Time
 - Guru Studio
•Peter Rabbit - Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Children’s Audience
•Adventure Time - 
Cartoon Network Studios
•Beware the Batman
 - Warner Bros. Animation
•Disney Gravity Falls
 - Disney Television Animation
•Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - 
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Regular Show - 
Cartoon Network Studios
•Scaredy Squirrel - 
Nelvana Ltd.
•Teen Titans Go!
 - Warner Bros. Animation
•The Legend of Korra
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Archer
 - FX Networks
•Bob's Burgers - 
Bento Box Entertainment
•Disney Tron Uprising
 - Disney Television Animation
•Futurama
 - 20th Century Fox Television
•Motorcity
 - Titmouse Inc.

Best Animated Video Game
•Diggs Nightcrawler
 - Moonbot Studios
•Tiny Thief
 - 5 ANTS
•The Last of Us - 
Naughty Dog

Best Student Film
•Chicken or the Egg
 - Ringling College of Art and Design
•Kellerkind - Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg
•Miss Todd
 - Kristina Yee
•Move Mountain
 - Kirsten Lepore
•SEMÕFORO - 
University of Southern California
•The Final Straw
 - Ringling College of Art and Design
•Trusts & Estates
 - CalArts
•Wedding Cake - 
Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production
•Alen Lai, David Quirus, Diego Garzon Sanchez, Ilan Gabai - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
•David Jones - Dragons: Defenders of Berk
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Joshua Jenny, Jason Johnston, Matthew Wong, Eric Froemling, Enrique Vila - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
•Greg Gladstone, Nikita Pavlov, Allen Ruilova, Matt Titus, Can Yuksel - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
•Jonathan Paquin, Brian Goodwin, Gray Horsfield, Mathieu Chardonnet, Adrien Toupet - Man Of Steel - 
Weta Digital
•Ben O’Brien, Karin Cooper, Lee Uren, Chris Root - Star Trek: Into Darkness - Industrial Light & Magic
•Dan Pearson, Jay Cooper, Jeff Grebe, Amelia Chenoweth - Star Trek: Into Darkness - 
Industrial Light & Magic
•Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel - Pacific Rim
 - Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
•Brad Schaffer - Friendship All-Stars of Friendship: Wrong Number
 - Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
•Eric Urban - Ubermansion
 - Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
•JC Tran Quang Thieu - Toy Story OF TERROR! - Pixar Animation Studios
•David DeVan - Toy Story OF TERROR! - Pixar Animation Studios Character
•Kureha Yokoo - Toy Story OF TERROR! - Pixar Animation Studios Character
•Keith Kellogg - Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Lucasfilm Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production
•Thom Roberts - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
•Jonathan Del Val – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Jakob Jensen - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
•John Chun Chiu Lee - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Kitaro Kosaka – The Wind Rises - 
The Walt Disney Studios
•Tony Smeed - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Patrick Imbert - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production
•Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora, Gino Acevedo - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Gollum
 - Weta Digital
•Dave Clayton, Simeon Duncombe, Jung Min Chan, Matthew Cioffi, Guillame Francois - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Goblin King
 - Weta Digital
•Hal Hickel, Chris Lentz, Derrick Carlin, Steve Rawlins, Kyle Winkelman - Pacific Rim
 - Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Craig McCracken - Disney Wander Over Yonder
 - Disney Television Animation
•Paul Rudish - Disney Mickey Mouse
 - Disney Television Animation
•Andy Bialk - The Awesomes
 - Bento Box Entertainment 

•Ben Adams - Regular Show - Cartoon Network Studios
•Danny Hynes, Howard Colin - Steven Universe
 - Cartoon Network Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Sylvain Deboissy, Shannon Tindle - Turbo - DreamWorks Animation
•Craig Kellman – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 - 
Sony Pictures Animation
•Chris Sasaki - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
•Christophe Lourdelet - A Monster in Paris
 - Shout! Factory 

•Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
•Bill Schwab - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Colin Heck - The Legend of Korra
 - Nickelodeon Animation
•Elaine Bogan - Dragons: Defenders of Berk
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Stephan Franck - The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow
 - Sony Pictures Animation
•John Aoshima - Disney Gravity Falls
 - Disney Television Animation
•Aaron Springer - Disney Mickey Mouse - 
Disney Television Animation
•Angus MacLane - Toy Story OF TERROR!
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Harold Harris - Justin Time - Guru Studio

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production
•Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•David Soren - Turbo - 
DreamWorks Animation
•Chris Wedge - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
•Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
•Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Alan Williams - Estefan - Silverscreen Music
•Guy Moon - T.U.F.F. Puppy - 
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Peter Luyre, Stuart Kollmorgen, Peter Zizzo - Peter Rabbit
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Kevin Kliesch, Craig Gerber, John Kavanaugh - Disney Sofia the First
 - Disney Television Animation
•Christopher Willis - Disney Mickey Mouse
 - Disney Television Animation
•Andy Bean - Disney Wander Over Yonder
 - Disney Television Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production
•Alan Silvestri - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
•Henry Jackman - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Mark Mothersbaugh – Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
•Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Danny Elfman - Epic - Blue Sky Studios
•Randy Newman - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios 

•Dominic Lewis - Free Birds - 
Reel FX

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Angela Sung, William Niu, Christine Bian, Emily Tetri, Frederic Stewart - The Legend of Korra
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Liz Artinian, Ray Feldman, Chris Fisher, George Fort - The Venture Bros.
“What Color is Your Cleansuit?” - Titmouse Inc.
•Steven Sugar, Emily Walus, Sam Bosma, Elle Michalka, Amanda Winterstein - Steven Universe
”Gem Glow” - Cartoon Network Studios
•Lynna Blankenship, Dima Malanitchev, Debbie Peterson, Charles Ragins, Jefferson R. Weekley - The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Christophe Vacher - Transformers Prime ‘Beast Hunters’
- Hasbro Studios
•Nick Jenings, Sandra Calleros, Teri Shikasho, Ron Russell - Adventure Time - Cartoon Network Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Christophe Lautrette, Paul Duncan, Dominique R. Louis - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Michael Knapp, Greg Couch, William Joyce - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
•Zaza, Zyk - Ernest & Celestine - GKIDS
•Ricky Nierva, Robert Kondo, Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Piero Piluso - Monsters vs. Aliens
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Douglas Lovelace - Dragons: Riders of Berk
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Adam Ford, Deke Wightman, Kevin Mellon, Justin Wagner, Benji Williams - Archer
 - FX Networks 

•Alonso Ramos-Ramirez - Disney Mickey Mouse
 - Disney Television Animation
•Daniel Chong - Toy Story of TERROR! - Pixar Animation Studios
•Alonso Ramos-Ramirez - Gravity Falls - 
Disney Television Animation
•Guillermo Del Toro, Guy Davis, Ralph Sosa - The Simpsons -- "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" -- Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Paul Watling - Justin Time - 
Guru Studio

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
•Steven MacLeod - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Eric Favela – Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
•Dean Kelly - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Jason Hand - Planes
- Disneytoon Studios
•John Ripa - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Eric Bauza as the voice of Foop - Fairly Odd Parents
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Bill Farmer as the voice of Goofy - Disney Mickey Mouse - 
Disney Television Animation
•Chris Diamantopoulos as the voice of Mickey Mouse - Disney Mickey Mouse - 
Disney Television Animation
•Mark Hamill as the voice of Skips and Walks - Regular Show
 - Cartoon Network Studios
•Tom Kenny as the voice of Ice King - Adventure Time - 
Cartoon Network Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
•Paul Giamatti as the voice of Chet - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Terry Crews as the voice of Earl – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
•Kristen Wiig as the voice of Lucy – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Steve Carell as the voice of Gru – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Pierre Coffin as the voice of Minions - Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
•Billy Crystal as the voice of Mike – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
•Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Katie Matila - Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness
 - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Ian Maxtone-Graham, Billy Kimball - The Simpsons
- Trocadero Holdings
•Lewis Morton - Futurama
 - 20th Century Fox Television
•Matt Price, John Infantino, Mike Roth, Michele Cavin, Sean Szeles - Regular Show - 
Cartoon Network Studios 

•Michael Price - The Simpsons
- The Simpsons

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production
•Daniel Pennac - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
•Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
•Miyazaki Hayao – The Wind Rises
- The Walt Disney Studios
•Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production
•Adam Arnold, Hugo Morales, Davrick Waltjen - Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - 
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Myra Lopez, Ana Adams, Justin Baker - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Lynn Hobson - Dragons: Defenders of Berk - 
DreamWorks Animation
•Illya Owens - Disney Mickey Mouse - 
Disney Television Animation
•Axel Geddes, Kathy Graves, Chloe Kloezeman - Toy Story OF TERROR!
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Paul D. Calder - Futurama
 - 20th Century Fox Television
•Paul Douglas - Adventure Time
 - Cartoon Network Studios
•Jason W.A. Tucker - Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 
Lucasfilm Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
•Darren Holmes - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
•James Ryan - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
•Fabienne Alvarez-Giro - Ernest & Celestine - 
GKIDS
•Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
•Jeff Draheim - Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS
Winsor McCay Award — Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg & Phil Tippett

June Foray Award — Alice Davis

Certificate of Merit — “I Know That Voice” (Documentary)

Review: "Sky High" is Not That High (Happy B'day, Danielle Panabaker)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 131 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sky High (2005)
Running time:  102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action violence and some mild language
DIRECTOR:  Mike Mitchell
WRITERS:  Paul Hernandez and Bob Schooley & Mark McCorkle
PRODUCER:  Andrew Gunn
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Shelly Johnson
EDITOR:  Peter Amundson
COMPOSER:  Michael Giacchino

FAMILY/FANTASY/SUPERHERO/ACTION/COMEDY

Starring:  Michael Angarano, Kelly Preston, Lynda Carter, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley, Steven Strait, Kevin McDonald, Cloris Leachman, and Kurt Russell, Khadijah (Haqq) and Malika (Haqq), Patrick Warburton (voice), Dee-Jay Daniels, and Kevin Heffernan

The subject of this movie review is Sky High, a 2005 superhero family film from Walt Disney Pictures.  Set in a world where superheroes are a common thing, Sky High follows a young superhero who struggles with being a normal teenager and with following in the footsteps of his parents, the world’s greatest superhero duo.

Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is the teenaged-son of Steve (Kurt Russell) and Josie Stronghold (Kelly Preston), who also happen to be the world’s greatest superhero duo, The Commander (Russell) and Jetstream (Ms. Preston).  Will is about to enter the freshmen class of Sky High, the first and only high school for kids with super powers.  The problem for Will is that puberty has not brought about the onset of any powers, so not only does he have to deal with the typical high school problems:  bullies, cliques, and teachers, but he also has to deal his father Steve, who has very high expectations for his son – a son who has no super powers.

The superhero teaching method at Sky High divides the students into two groups, “Heroes” and “Sidekicks.”  Not having any powers gets Will into the latter group, but he fits right in because his loyal childhood friend, Layla (Danielle Panabaker), is also a Sidekick.  However, Will still has to deal with his intimidating gym teacher, Coach Boomer (Bruce Campbell), and Warren Peace (Steven Strait), the son of a villain his father locked up long ago, and Peace, who can generate fire, plans on taking out his frustration about his father on Will.

Will does eventually find his powers, but it goes to his head.  His ego is much inflated when Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a popular senior and head of the senior prom committee, chooses him as her prom date.  A dark villain, however, lurks somewhere in the shadows, seeking revenge against The Commander and Sky High, and Will just may be the key to the villain’s success or the savior of Sky High.

Sky High is in the tradition of the Walt Disney family films situated in fantastic settings or featuring characters that unwittingly encounter magic or the fantastic – films like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Shaggy Dog, or even Disney’s My Favorite Martian, their mid-90’s film version of the fondly remembered TV show.  In fact, Sky High’s special effects are still on the level of My Favorite Martian.  Both Sky High’s concept and final product are basically the kind of thing we’d get from The Disney Channel, but with a bigger budget and with the cast made of actors best known for their film roles, even if most of them are character actors, cult figures, and B and C-list stars.

That is much of the film’s charm – it’s cast.  Some critics and the Walt Disney Company’s publicity has described this as a cross between the Harry Potter series and the Disney/Pixar animated film, The Incredibles, but Sky High lacks the engaging characters and enthralling storytelling of the former and the spectacularly genuine superhero fantasy of the latter.  Basically, Sky High is a cheapie version of superheroes; it lacks the grandeur of classic superhero comics like the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Superman, and Spider-Man (which is something The Incredibles had), all of which have themes similar to Sky High.  The script doesn’t pave any new paths in the sub-genre of high school films, but instead follows the same road as most pedestrian fare set in high schools.  The plot is so predictable that you can see the happy ending and discover who the villains are before the midway point of the film.

However, Sky High (as stated earlier) has a good cast, and it has a good player in its lead character, Will Stronghold, superbly played by Michael Angarano in the teen-angst/awkward teen mode that dominates Disney Channel TV shows and television movies.  Angarano can play it all:  awkward, shy, bold, confident, jerk, hero, loyal son, and friend; he gives Will Stronghold the kind of dimension a lead character needs to sell a film to an audience.  Look for small, but nicely comic roles by “The Kids in the Hall” alums Dave Foley as The Commander’s old sidekick, All American Boy, and Kevin McDonald as Mr. Medulla, the science teacher with the big head that holds a giant and super smart brain.  On the other hand, Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston as Will’s parents are cardboard cutouts with only a few moments where they seem like real parents.

Overall, Sky High is a light, funny fantasy film in the tradition of G and PG-rated family fare that Disney does so well – perfect for the kiddies and grown folks who take this light-hearted fare for what it is.

6 of 10
B

Updated:  Thursday, September 19, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Disney's "The Wild" is Mild, Cute Kid Stuff

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 75 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Wild (2006) – computer animation
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Steve “Spaz” Williams
WRITERS: Ed Decter, John J. Strauss, and Mark Gibson & Philip Halprin; from a story by Mark Gibson and Philip Halprin
PRODUCERS: Beau Flynn and Clint Goldman
EDITORS: Scott Balcerek and Steven L. Wagner
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ACTION and ADVENTURE/DRAMA/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Kiefer Sutherland, James Belushi, Eddie Izzard, Janeane Garofalo, William Shatner, Richard Kind, Greg Cipes, and Patrick Warburton

The subject of this movie review is The Wild, a 2006 computer-animated film. It was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and was produced by the now-defunct, Canadian computer animation company, C.O.R.E. Feature Animation (a part of C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures). The film is of note for its similarities to DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar (2005).

When his son, Ryan (Greg Cipes), an sullen pre-teen lion cub, is mistakenly shipped out of the country, Samson (Kiefer Sutherland), the star lion at the New York Zoo, chases the ship across the ocean with his friends: Benny (Jim Belushi), a savvy and streetwise squirrel; Bridget (Janeane Garofalo), an independent-minded giraffe; Larry (Richard Kind), a dim-witted anaconda; and Nigel (Eddie Izzard), a smart aleck koala in toe. They eventually trek the ship to an island with a highly active volcano. Here, Samson and his friends are confronted by something new to them – a dark foreboding jungle – the wild.

Disney apparently had been preparing for the day that their relationship with Pixar Animation Studios, the makers of such computer animated smash hits as the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, among others, might end. However, Disney and Pixar announced their merger a few months ago (as of this writing), but before the happy nuptials, Disney had produced two computer animated feature films independently of their esteemed partners at Pixar. The first, Chicken Little, debuted early last fall. Mid-April 2005 sees the arrival of the second film, The Wild.

The Wild has some high quality computer animation, not Pixar quality, but as good films such as Blue Sky Animation’s (Fox) Ice Age and PDI’s (DreamWorks) Shark Tale. The opening scenes – a fantasy/dream sequence – are electric and alive. The texture and fur on the animals, especially on Samson, Benny, and Nigel is superb. When the narrative reaches “the wild,” the movie comes alive in a world of diverse, vibrant, and rich colors. The characters move with fluidity and grace, and the action sequences are as good as Pixar’s work up to Monster’s Inc.

On the other hand, the script is dust bowl dry and sandpaper scratchy, from the beginning until the heroes reach “the wild.” By then, it would almost be too late to save the movie, except the film’s action and the array of creatures during the last third of the story reach a fever pitch. Most non-Pixar computer animated features generally fail in the story department, and this one barely gets an average grade. In fact, The Wild is embarrassingly (for Disney) similar to DreamWorks late spring 2005 hit, Madagascar. Both films have a lion in an identity crisis as the lead character. Both films also have New York Zoo creatures suddenly tossed back into their jungle (or “wild”) habitats after a forced Atlantic Ocean voyage.

As nice as the film looks, the voice acting is not so nice a listening experience. Kiefer Sutherland’s distinctive voice is lost in a poor character. In fact, Samson is often just the straight guy to Jim Belushi’s Benny, a good character well played by Belushi. Eddie Izzard’s unique vocal style, which works best when he’s on stage doing standup comedy, is neutered as the voice behind a cartoon character. Izzard’s performance here is a good example of why it is not always a good idea to get well-known screen and TV actors to do voice over work for animation. Sometimes a big movie star’s voice and acting style just doesn’t work without the face, so the studios would do better hiring actors who specialize in doing voiceover work for animation.

Overall, The Wild is a B-movie computer animated feature because of story and character, but its technical quality is noteworthy. I’d like to see director Steve “Spaz” Williams and his crew give it another shot, but like the makers of Chicken Little, there may be no place for them at the new Disney, now that Pixar will be calling the cartoon shots for the famed movie studio long into the foreseeable future.

5 of 10
B-

Sunday, April 16, 2006

"Open Season" is a Good Buddy Comedy

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux


Open Season (2006)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some rude humor, mild action, and brief language
DIRECTORS: Roger Allers and Jill Culton with Anthony Stacchi
WRITERS: Steve Bencich & Ron J. Friedman and Nat Maudlin; from a screen story by Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi; from an original story by Steve Moore and John Carls
PRODUCER: Michelle Murdocca
EDITORS: Ken Solomon and Pam Ziegenhagen

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY and ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring: (voices) Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Gary Sinise, Debra Messing, Billy Connolly, Jon Favreau, Patrick Warburton, Gordon Tootoosis, Jane Krakowski, Georgia Engel, and Cody Cameron

Open Season is Sony Pictures Animation’s first computer-animated (or 3D animation) feature film. This fish-out-water, reluctant buddy movie is a likeable story, but the animation is truly the star here.

Boog (Martin Lawrence), a domesticated grizzly bear, lives the good life in the tranquil town of Timberline with his kindhearted surrogate mother, Beth (Debra Messing), who rescued Boog when he was a cub. One day, Boog rescues Eliot (Ashton Kutcher), a mule deer with one antler missing, from the clutches of Shaw (Gary Sinise), the local law breaking, fanatical hunter. Eliot follows Boog home to his cushy digs where he lives with Beth, but this reluctant new friendship lands Boog in a lot of trouble. Before he knows it, Boog is left out in the wild, completely unprepared to live in the real world. Suddenly Boog and Eliot are forced into a partnership, and they have to survive the start of open season or they and all the forest animals may end up mounted on some hunter’s wall.

With 2006 being a busy year for 3D animated films, Open Season stands out for two reasons. First, the voice performances are very good, in particular Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, and Gary Sinise. Lawrence mixes gruff charm, a slight ego, and a genial self-effacing attitude that makes Boog come across as a sort of everyman who is simply looking to enjoy his comfy life without making too many waves. Kutcher’s Eliot is the classic manic funnyman who is always in trouble and manages to drag an unsuspecting stranger down with him. Sinise’s Shaw is a great comic villain, and he gives a fine performance by making his recognizable voice unrecognizable.

The animation is very good, and immediately had my attention. The character motion is fluid, and the movement of objects within the sets (car chases, floods, battle scenes, etc.) is spectacular. Sony Pictures Animation manages to duplicate the “squash and stretch” effect (think classic Looney Tunes and MGM cartoon shorts) of DreamWorks’ Madagascar with the kind of lush colors Pixar delivers in films like Finding Nemo and Cars. The characters are rubbery and flexible, and that adds to the comedy, especially in big action scenes (like the “dam break” and the battle between the forest animals and hunters). Open Season’s color palette perfectly recreates a lush autumn forest and the comforting earth tones of the great outdoors.

Open Season makes the buddy action comedy seem new by setting it as a delightful animal fable with lots of sassy banter and gentle innuendo. The animation captures the eye because it imitates the best of earlier 3D cartoon features, but also manages to be its own new thing. The characters are endearing, and Boog and Eliot make an excellent animation comedy pair, but this beautiful animation with its idiosyncratic visual style is something to remember.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Review: The Best Thing about "Ted" is Ted

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 61 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ted (2012)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Seth MacFarlane
WRITERS: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild; from a story by Seth MacFarlane
PRODUCERS: Jason Clark, John Jacobs, Seth MacFarlane, Scott Stuber, and Wellesley Wild
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Barrett
EDITOR: Jeff Freeman
COMPOSER: Walter Murphy

FANTASY/COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth McFarlane (voice), Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Warburton, Matt Walsh, Jessica Barth, Aedin Mincks, Bretton Manley, and Patrick Stewart (narrator) with Norah Jones, Sam J. Jones, Tom Skerritt, Ralph Garman, Alex Borstein, and Ryan Reynolds

The subject of this movie review is Ted, a 2012 comedy and fantasy film directed by Seth McFarlane, the creator of the long-running animated television series, “Family Guy” (FOX). The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and McFarlane, who gives voice to a teddy bear created using motion-capture CGI.

Ted opens in 1985 in the city of Boston where we meet a lonely boy named John Bennett who receives a teddy bear for Christmas. John names the toy “Ted,” and makes a wish that Ted could come to life. John wakes up to find Ted walking and talking.

The story later moves to 2012 where we find an adult John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and Ted (voice of Seth McFarlane) still living together, watching bad movies and smoking pot. John has a dead-end job, but is dating a pretty, level-headed office worker named Lori Collins (Mila Kunis). After four years of dating, Lori wants John to grow up and leave childish things behind, and that includes Ted. But breaking up is hard to do and John and Lori’s relationship is put to the test, and Ted is endangered.

The best thing about Ted is Ted, and this trash-talking, vulgar teddy bear is a delightful gift that keeps on giving delights. Motion capture CGI (or animation or whatever) has given us one of the few motion capture characters with genuine personality since Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Wahlberg and Kunis are good, but the romance of John and Lori could not sustain an entire romantic comedy on its own. Wahlberg and Kunis’ characters are at their best when they form a threesome with Ted. Wahlberg has played the tough guy in so many crime and action thrillers that it is easy to forget how good he is at playing comedy with that solidly straight face of his. Kunis is expressive as an actress who trades understated for passion instead. She makes Lori’s frustration with John’s behavior and with her boss Rex’s harassment come through loud and clear.

Ted allows Seth McFarlane, as director, co-writer, co-producer, and co-star, to let loose in ways he cannot with “Family Guy,” and McFarlane and his cohorts get away with a lot on that network television series. In Ted, McFarlane and company tweak the sacred and the profane, as well as the mundane. It is also refreshing to see a mainstream comedy take on some good old-fashioned ethnic humor. Ted is not one of those comedies that fail to deliver. It’s very funny, and that’s enough.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, July 28, 2012

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Review: Men in Black II

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Men in Black II (2002)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some provocative humor
DIRECTOR: Barry Sonnenfeld
WRITER: Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro, from a story by Robert Gordon (based upon the comic book by Lowell Cunningham)
PRODUCERS: Laurie MacDonald and Walter F. Parkes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Greg Gardiner (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Richard Pearson and Steven Weisberg
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman

SCI-FI/FANTASY/COMEDY/ACTION

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Rip Torn, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson, Tony Shalhoub, and Patrick Warburton

The subject of this movie review is Men in Black II, the 2002 science fiction comedy that is a sequel to the 1997 film, Men in Black. Both movies are based upon the comic book, Men in Black, created by Lowell Cunningham. As he was with the first film, Steven Spielberg is also the executive producer.

It was a long time in coming, and some thought it would be too expensive to make because of star salaries and production company profit participation, but Men in Black II finally arrived. Although not as fresh as the first film, MiBII is somewhat close to the original in that it is still imaginative and wacky, and Will Smith is still very funny.

When Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), a villain from MiB’s past threatens the planet, Agent J (Will Smith) has to convince former agent and his mentor Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) to return to the agency. Complicating matters is the fact that Agent K is having a difficult time regaining his memory of his time as an MiB agent, and his memory is crucial to defeating Serleena. Meanwhile, Agent J has fallen for Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson), an attractive witness to a murder committed by Serleena.

One of the many things that I like about the original film was the cool opening scene, an homage to classic sci-fi B-movies. This film does something similar, but with a nod to those loopy, paranormal, conspiracy theory documentaries. The actors are all game, and with the help of some interesting cameos (including one by Michael Jackson) and some nice small roles, the film, for the most part, manages to keep us interested in what’s going to show up next on the screen. It’s a way of playing it safe, and keeping matters close to what audiences remember from the first film. Director Barry Sonnenfeld and his writers bring back all the atmospherics of the first, but add some sentimental and romantic elements. The romance actually works in a way of tying together the pasts of Agents J and K and also tightens the bond between the characters.

What this film does lack that the first one had is the intensity of the danger imposed by a rogue alien. While I found Serleena to be a viable threat as a villain, I thought that she lacked the kick of the Bug from the first film. The agents also spend a lot of time going from one location to another and each one just happens to be either the home of another alien or a secret storage bin for MiB paraphernalia and weaponry. I know that the filmmakers want to play up the idea that you never know what’s behind the façade, but each trip to another building just slows the film. The film never really kicks into high gear until its final fifteen minutes.

Still, it’s funny, and Will Smith carries the show, even through some dry moments. After the second time around, we can see that MiB is really the story of Agent J’s adventures in the organization and that Smith is very likely crucial to the success of any more Men in Black sequels. Although Men in Black II plays it rather safe, it is a pretty entertaining successor to an exceptional movie.

6 of 10
B

NOTES:
2003 Razzie Awards: 1 nomination: “Worst Supporting Actress” (Lara Flynn Boyle)

Review: "Chicken Little" Has Big Action

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 169 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux


Chicken Little (2005) – computer animated
Running time: 81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Mark Dindal
WRITERS: Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman and Ron Anderson; from a story by Mark Kennedy and Mark Dindal (with additional story material by Robert L. Baird and Dan Gerson)
PRODUCER: Randy Fullmer
EDITOR: Dan Molina

ANIMATION/SCI-FI/FANTASY and COMEDY/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Zach Braff, Garry Marshall, Steve Zahn, Joan Cusack, Don Knotts, Patrick Stewart, Amy Sedaris, Harry Shearer, Wallace Shawn, Fred Willard, Catherine O’Hara, Adam West, Patrick Warburton, Mark Dindal, and Dan Molina

One day a piece of the sky falls to earth and hits Chicken Little (Zach Braff) on the head. The sky is falling her warns, but the townsfolk of Oakey Oaks, including his father, Buck Cluck (Garry Marshall), conclude that an acorn hit the boy chick on the head. The incident swiftly turns Chicken Little into the town joke and embarrasses his father. However, the plucky chicken joins the local baseball team with the hopes of reviving his reputation and earning his father’s respect. Chicken Little does indeed lead the team to an upset victory, and he and his pops are on good terms again.

All is well, but another “piece of the sky” hits Chicken Little on the head. Still, he’s reluctant to cause another scene and once again be labeled crazy. Instead, he enlists the help of his friends: Abby Mallard (Joan Cusack), who is also known as the Ugly Duckling because she is so… unpretty; Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn), a tall, obese pig; and Fish Out of Water (“voice” created by film editor Dan Molina), a fish who wears a water-filled helmet, and the gang embark on an adventure to stop an alien invasion without sending the town into another panic.

Walt Disney’s Chicken Little, of course, spoofs of 17th century, rural English fable, “Chicken Little.” Disney’s new film is also their first fully computer animated film (2000’s Dinosaur combined computer generated characters with live-action background imagery), and also signals the famed movie company’s move away from hand-drawn (2D) animation to computer animated (3D) animation. Clearly aimed at children 12 and under, Chicken Little is filled with clever gags. The script is a hodge podge of sketch comedy, after school special storylines, and the kind of family psychology that would find its way on the “Dr. Phil” and “Oprah.”

The script is Chicken Little’s big problem. The animation is fine, sometimes even outstanding. There are a few moments when it has the quality of the first Shrek, but there are also times when it has the texture and quality of Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles. However, the film is basically pretty pictures over an ugly story. The script bludgeons the audience with the notion that at this movie’s heart (which it doesn’t have) is the story of a father and son coming together. The father, in this case, Buck Cluck, must learn to accept his son’s physical shortcomings and love him for the plucky fella he is. But unlike Finding Nemo, where the parent/child dynamic seemed so natural, Chicken Little takes that relationship and drapes a cheesy action movie cartoon for children over it.

Chicken Little looks, feels, and sounds like the kind of action movies that have been so popular over the last decade, but tamed for children. Anyone who has seen Independence Day will recognize it in this flick. Chicken Little’s setting, Oakey Oaks, is the same old idealized Midwestern small town that Hollywood has been shoving at audiences for decades. That place is a fairy tale really, but it’s a good setting for War of the Worlds, which is another source reference for this flick. Chicken Little is as noisy and/or as busy as The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys II, etc. This is director Mark Dindal’s (The Emperor’s New Groove) Steven Spielberg/Michael Bay movie.

Chicken Little, as voiced by Zach Braff, is actually an endearing character – this movie’s saving grace, in fact. The character itself is a cutey, sort of a riff on “Egghead, Jr.” from those “Foghorn Leghorn” Looney Tunes cartoons. He’s a plucky little fella and the animators lovingly rendered and animated him.

The rest of the cast is mostly trash. The characters aren’t really characters so much as they are stereotypes that get to do stand up routines at different times in the film narrative. I immensely disliked Abby Mallard – nothing more to say about it here – and Runt of the Litter is pathetic. Steve Zahn can play quirky characters whose humor comes through even in crime dramas (Out of Sight), but his comedic gifts are lost because we don’t him here; all we get is his voice in the annoying Runt. Fish Out of Water provides nice slapstick, but the jokes come across as desperation on the writers’ parts. Garry Marshall’s Brooklyn accent is out of place in this film, and as a father, Buck Cluck is like an overbearing mother in his demands on his son, Chicken Little.

I guess the shortest and perhaps best way to describe Disney’s Chicken Little is as Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius with much better computer animation.

4 of 10
C

Saturday, November 5, 2005

Review: Wes Craven Makes "Scream 3" Worth the Repetition

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 52 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Scream 3 (2000)
Running time: 116 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong horror violence and language
DIRECTOR: Wes Craven
WRITER: Ehren Kruger (based upon characters created by Kevin Williamson)
PRODUCERS: Cathy Konrad, Marianne Maddalena, and Kevin Williamson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Deming
EDITOR: Patrick Lussier
COMPOSER: Marco Beltrami

HORROR/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Patrick Dempsey, Parker Posey, Scott Foley, Deon Richmond, Emily Mortimer, Lance Henriksen, Jenny McCarthy, Matt Keeslar, Patrick Warburton, Liev Schreiber, Kelly Rutherford, and Jamie Kennedy

When a series of murders are tied to Stab 3, a movie about the tragic events in her life, the most famous survivor of the Woodsboro massacre, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), leaves her secluded residence in Northern California to visit Stab 3’s Hollywood film set. Of course, the remaining survivors of Woodsboro and of the other Woodsboro-related murders – hot tabloid TV reporter, Gail Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Woodsboro deputy, Dwight “Dewey” Riley (David Arquette), are also on the scene. But they all soon learn that in the third film of a trilogy, all the rules are thrown out the window. The killer could be anyone, and even heroes can die.

Scream 3 is supposedly the closing chapter of the Scream franchise, and it’s a pretty good send off. Ehren Kruger’s script is certainly in the heart and vein of Scream creator Kevin Williamson’s scripts for the first two films. Kruger ably captures the self-referential, meta-lite atmosphere of the earlier films, and Kruger’s is less a satire or homage to horror flicks and more itself a good horror movie.

The cast is good, and the actors really understand their parts. The players who are supposed to be campy murder victims play their parts with relish, while the leads are intense and skillful. But the true hero of Scream 3, as he was for the first two, is horrormeister Wes Craven, who may be the most successful director of horror films in the history of movie making. He’s also skillful and adept at making even the rough spots in this move work, because he helms slasher flicks with the verve of an auteur making art films.

Scream 3 is not great, but it’s scary and funny and hard to stop watching. It’s clever and witty, both in its smart moments and in its lesser scenes. Though it seems to fall apart in some scenes of its last act, the film is worth viewing for its many genuinely creepy moments that keep you on the edge of your seat.

6 of 10
B

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2001 Oscar Nominee "The Emperor's New Groove" Plays a Looney Tune

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
Running time: 78 minutes; MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Mark Dindal
WRITERS: David Reynolds; from a story by Chris Williams and Mark Dindal with Roger Allers and Matthew Jacobs
PRODUCER: Randy Fullmer
EDITORS: Tom Finan and Pamela Ziegenhagen-Shefland
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick, Kellyann Kelso, Eli Russell Linnetz, Stephen J. Anderson, Bob Bergen, Rodger Bumpass, and Tom Jones

In a once-upon-a-time, Disney storybook version of the Incan Empire, Emperor Kuzco (voice of David Spade) is a selfish and childish monarch who rules over his kingdom as if it were his personal play land. However, Yzma (Eartha Kitt), the vengeful priestess who was his advisor before he fired her, turns Kuzco into a llama, but Yzma’s co-conspirator, Kronk (Patrick Warburton), fails to properly dispose of llama Kuzco. Pacha (John Goodman), a gentle llama herder, inadvertently rescues Kuzco, who had actually planned on razing Pacha’s hillside home to build a summer palace. Pacha, while trying to teach him the value of friendship and selflessness, goes on a jungle adventure to help Kuzco regain both his humanity and his throne.

The Emperor’s New Groove certainly isn’t a Disney animated classic on the level of Bambi or Beauty and the Beast (but then what is), but it is something the company can do very well – produce delightful and funny family entertainment. Its wacky brand of comedy and self-knowingly sarcasm brings to life what is initially a painfully slow and clunky film. In spite of a shake start the film becomes a slapstick comedy about two buddies racing to reach a goal before their clownish, but relentless pursuers stop them. This is the kind of a funny animal fable Disney does well, one that emphasizes lots of life lessons for the young ‘uns (and many adults certainly could do to learn those lessons well).  In a way, this is also like a feature-length version of a Warner Bros. Looney Tune cartoon.

The film features wonderful background illustrations of a fanciful version of the Andes and the Incan Empire. Lush jungle backdrops, imaginative sets and art direction, colorful costumes, and appealing character designs are a winning combination. Two things, however, really sell this film. First, the character animation and film direction maintain and lively pace and engages the viewers with an ever changing situation. This is truly a jungle adventure as the scenery changes creating sort of an edge-of-your-seat comedy caper.

Secondly, the voice acting is quite good. David Spade can be a little grating, but it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the self-absorbed Kuzco. John Goodman is fine as usual playing the wise and gentle older fellow with his deep and rich-sounding voice. Patrick Warburton’s rumbling tones are always welcome. The big surprise here is Earth Kitt’s voice performance as Yzma, as she deftly mixes comic menace and casual asides that make Yzma a grand villainness in the great Disney tradition of wicked witches and wily women of magic.

The Emperor’s New Groove will delight the kids and appeal to their parents, as well as adults who like hand-drawn animated feature films. While this isn’t a great Disney animated film, The Emperor’s New Groove, as a second tier Disney cartoon, is a better hand-drawn animated film than cartoons produced by other American studios.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2001 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Song” (Sting-composer/lyricist and David Hartley-composer for the song "My Funny Friend and Me")

2001 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Eartha Kitt)

2001 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Sting and David Hartley for the song "My Funny Friend and Me")

Monday, January 30, 2006

Clint Black Replaces Tim McGraw in "Flicka 2"

Clint Black Takes the Reins from Tim McGraw in the All-New Family Adventure Flicka 2

Based On The Best-Selling Novel, Hearts Will Race When The Exhilarating Family Film Arrives On DVD May 4 Exclusively at Walmart, Sam’s Club and Walmart.com

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The wild mustangs of Wyoming return when Flicka 2 makes its exclusive premiere on DVD and DVD Combo Pack May 4th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The uplifting film, directed by Michael Damian (Moondance Alexander), a continuation of the popular 2006 Flicka that starred Tim McGraw, features Patrick Warburton (“Family Guy,” “Seinfeld”), newcomer Tammin Sursok (“The Young And The Restless”) and country legend Clint Black in a thrilling story of the special bond between one girl and the mustang no one could tame.

Carrie (Sursok) is a big-city teenager whose life is turned upside down when she moves to a horse ranch in Wyoming to live with her father (Warburton). But everything changes when Carrie meets Flicka, a wild, jet-black mustang who’s just as free-spirited and strong-willed as Carrie. The two form a special bond and Carrie opens her heart to her father and a handsome, local boy, but when a jealous rival puts Flicka’s life in jeopardy, Carrie must do whatever it takes to save her best friend.

The Flicka 2 DVD includes behind-the-scenes featurettes; a documentary on the North American Mustang; an in-depth interview with Clint Black; bloopers and more for the suggested retail price of $22.98 DVD and $34.98 Flicka / Flicka 2 2-pack DVD. Fans, families and Flicka friends can find the DVD and 2-pack DVD on May 4th at 4,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations nationwide and in Canada. DVD and DVD Combo Pack are now available for pre-order exclusively at Walmart.com:

Flicka 2 DVD: www.walmart.com/ip/13996365

Flicka / Flicka 2 2-pack DVD: www.walmart.com/ip/13996366

DVD Special Features:

A Conversation With Clint Black
Running Wild: The North American Mustang
Making Flicka 2
Horsin’ Around
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets -- from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.

Press materials available at www.foxpressroom.com

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

FLICKA 2
Street Date: May 4, 2010
Screen Format: Widescreen – 1.78:1
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French and Spanish Dolby Surround
Subtitles English and Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG
Total Run Time: 96 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

"Home on the Range" Thankfully was not the End of Disney Hand Drawn Animation

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


Home on the Range (2004) – animated film
Running time: 76 minutes (1 hour 16 minutes)
MPAA – PG for brief mild rude humor
DIRECTORS: Will Finn and John Sanford
WRITERS: Will Finn and John Sanford; from a story by Will Finn, John Sanford, Michael LaBash, Sam Levine, Mark Kennedy, and Robert Lence; with additional material from Shirley Pierce, Keith Baxter, Mike Kunkel, Jason Lethcoe, Davy Liu, Donnie Long, Brian Pimental, David Moses Pimentel, Ralph Zondag
PRODUCER: Alice Dewey Goldstone
EDITOR: H. Lee Petersen
COMPOSER: Alan Menken

ANIMATION/COMEDY/FAMILY with some elements of Musical and Western

Starring: (voices) Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Randy Quaid, Steve Buscemi, Ja’net DuBois, G.W. Bailey, Carole Cook, Charles Dennis, Joe Flaherty, Estelle Harris, Lance LeGault, Charles Haid, Richard Riehle, Mark Walton, Patrick Warburton, Dennis Weaver, and Governor Ann Richards

When Maggie the Cow’s (Roseanne Barr) owner looses his farm after all of his cows (except Maggie) are stolen, Maggie becomes the newest resident of Pearl Gesner’s (Carole Cook) farm, A Patch of Heaven. But Cooke is in debt to the local bank, and the county is foreclosing the farm. It seems, however, Pearl isn’t the only farm in financial dire straights. The bandit, Alameda Slim (Randy Quaid), he of the yodeling voice that hypnotizes cows, is rustling all the cattle in the territory. When the farms and ranches go belly up, in swoops Mr. Y O’Dell to win the auctions on the foreclosed properties.

Maggie joins two other cows, the dour and proper Mrs. Calloway (Judi Dench) and the sweet-natured cow with a poor singing voice Grace (Jennifer Tilly) save the A Patch of Heaven. They resolve to catch Alameda Slim and earn the $750 bounty on his head, just enough to save the farm. But joining in on the bounty hunting fun is Buck (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), a hyperactive horse who wants to be a hero, and Rico (Charles Dennis), a tall and dark bounty hunter with his own nefarious plans.

Home on the Range is reported to be The Walt Disney Company’s Feature Animation unit’s final full-length animated feature done in traditional 2-D or hand drawn animation for the foreseeable future. That ends a 44-year tradition that began with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but Disney’s Australian unit will reportedly continued to produce low budget feature length animation for theatrical and straight to video/DVD release.  [Since I wrote this review back in 2004, the management of Walt Disney Animation Studios changed, and 2D animation is alive an well at the house of mouse.]

If it is, Home on the Range is the wrong way to go out. It has a few good moments, and some standout voice performances, especially by Cuba Gooding, Jr., Judi Dench, and Jennifer Tilly. There are plenty of interesting or, at least, humorous and likeable characters. I liked Alameda Slim’s three, goofy, identical nephews.

But Home on the Range is mainly bad or mostly mediocre. Roseanne’s voiceovers are too up and down – really good or really dull. The art direction is nice but not exceptional, and the color palette is garish and flat. The film story and the pace drag from the beginning, gaining life only in the last quarter hour or so. Alan Menken’s score is also flat and barely alive, unlike his Oscar-winning efforts for such films as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Having Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, and Tim McGraw give voice to the film’s songs don’t help.

Home on the Range is still a decent trip to the movies for (small) kids, but otherwise, this movie is best treated like a direct-to-video release and seen at home.

4 of 10
C