Cinema Siren Reviews The Croods: Quest for Fire Meets the Simpsons

Frenetic Fun, Stone Age Family style

3 starfish

The Croods, the new 3D computer animated feature release from Dreamworks, is the story of a prehistoric family who take a road trip out of necessity. Patriarch Grug (Nicolas Cage) spends every day protecting his family by alternately leading them on life-endangering family hunting trips and terrifying them into staying in their tiny cave-home with stories about everything in the outside world being potentially deadly. “Never not be afraid”, he says…Daughter Eep (Emma Stone) believes that’s no way to live. Her sense of adventure carries her farther away from the cave and her dad’s controlling nature, much like any teen looking to figure out who they are. Everything changes when their cave is destroyed in the dramatic earth shifts that are turning all they know into a barren, cracked, and lava-laden landscape.

Fortunately a nomadic young hottie named Guy (Ryan Reynolds), in the cro-mag version of designer hip hugger jeans, knows how to navigate the big bad world heretofore unknown and mysterious to Grug and his brood. Guy is one step ahead on the evolutionary scale…he uses tools, fire (baby suns!), and wears shoes.

He has a sloth pet called “Belt” who helps hold his pants in place. Needless to say he is of enormous appeal to a curious and rebellious teen daughter. Sparks fly not only from Guy’s torch but between he and Eep. The rest is all about the growth and movement forward Grog and his family must embrace to survive and thrive, which includes listening and learning from their new guide. Thank the prehistoric gods the movie is anchored with glorious visuals and a ton of action. The prerequisite scenes about acceptance, communication, and family togetherness are overly sentimental, and don’t match the overall tone of the movie. They seem clunky, and a bit shoehorned or forced. Still, your kids won’t notice their heavy handedness. They’ll be too busy enjoying the gorgeous technicolor topography and inventive looking prehistoric flora and fauna. It is all tailor-made for 3D, and enthralling for the entire audience from its teeniest to oldest members. We discover all the newness on this adventure, at the same times as the family, and this connects us together and keeps our interest.

So much is going on around us all now that makes parents feel impending doom…we are all working harder for less, sometimes not feeling sure what we have built for our families will be there tomorrow. You get the sense that these filmmakers were tapping into that with this story, creatively showing the sacrifice and optimism necessary to see a family through hardship. There is an attempt to show a bit about the human condition, the blunt necessities life drives us to, that result in this movie having a few darker undertones beyond all the frenetic doings. Death is a reality and potentially always around the next corner. To the movie’s credit, the characters don’t dwell on it, which allows for kids to enjoy all the action and excitement. Warning: There is a scene where one family member is put in mortal peril that proved to be too scary for the eight year old girl sitting a few seats from me.

This movie started out in 2005 as a stop motion Dreamworks/Aardman collaboration co-written by John Cleese called Crood Awakening, about a caveman living in a village with a prehistoric genius. That story morphed into the “first modern family” story we all see now, after Dreamworks and Aardman parted ways in 2007 and director Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch) left Disney, and chose to rework it after he created the 2010 blockbuster hit “How to Train Your Dragon”.

The story isn’t really anything new, but the advancements in computer animation are impressive. So much is changing so quickly it’s worth a trip to see in theaters just to see how lifelike and detailed they can make these cartoon creatures and their surrounding environments. Spring break is upon us. In a week with little to inspire younger moviegoers at the box office, The Croods is great fun and a pleasant diversion for the whole animation loving family.

Kickstarter Does It Again: “Veronica Mars” Gets A Movie

It’s official. The Veronica Mars series is getting a movie. A television series about a modern day Nancy Drew, Veronica Mars has a rabid fanbase that jumped at the opportunity to fund a feature film for their beloved series through Kickstarter.

It all began with the creator of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas, approaching Warner Bros. with the idea to have fans fund the production of a Veronica Mars film while Warner Bros. handles marketing and distribution costs. Thomas had already completed a script for the film and actress Kristen Bell had signed up for the project. However, the plan ultimately hinged on if there was enough fan interest in the movie. And there was.

The goal was to raise $2 million in 30 days on Kickstarter.com. That goal was met in less than a day, shattering Kickstarter records. As of now, March 16, the project has 53,131 backers and raised over $3,500,000. And there’s still 27 days left in the fundraiser.

If you’re a Veronica Mars fan and am chomping at the bit for a movie or just want more adventures for Veronica, check out the Kickstarter for the Veronica Mars Movie Project.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project

March Movie Madness: The Call, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Stoker, Upside Down

I’m sitting outside the Verizon Center, once again fighting for parking this week with the sports fans next door to my screening movie theatre. It reminds me, even when it matters, sometimes the winning team is a fluke, sometimes it’s well deserved…

As Cinema Siren is meant to “guide you through a sea of celluloid,” I’d like to direct you toward the more deserving teams of filmmakers releasing something this busy week at the multiplex. With spring break upon us, this early March weekend offers an odd mix of genres, with each vying for the top spot at the box office. Best of luck to them, they’d be replacing or be added to a top 10 where only two have even 50 percent positive reviews, and some of which are so bad they should be benched like the tasteless or very badly behaved player they are.

This week, we have four new movies of note, and I’ll briefly give my thoughts and recommendations, so you know what you’re getting into before you hand over your hard-earned cash and sit in expectation for upwards of two hours….

The Call: Don’t Answer

This movie stars Halle Berry as 911 operator Jordan in a race against time to save a teenage abductee Casey (Abigail Breslin). For a story which centers on the potential torture, rape and death of a young girl, it starts off well enough.  We learn why Berry’s character is highly invested in keeping alive the girl at the center of the action.

She’s been there before, and it didn’t go well. This means not only will you, dear audience, be watching extended scenes of a terrified teen screaming and crying in the trunk of a car while the serial killer trundles along with her toward his torture lair and kill zone, you will also see the pre-show, where we learn how truly awful the villain is.

Jordan in the 911 “hive,” talking Casey through ways of getting out alive, is tense and compelling. I would argue, however, that from the very first scenes, this movie is extremely unpleasant to watch, and qualifies as anything but a good time at the theatre.

But let’s say you like high-octane suspense flicks where a lot is at stake, and teenage girls being chloroformed and punched is an acceptable plot point.  Perhaps you, like Cinema Siren, would like to support a black lead actress carrying a film. In that case, she’d better be driven by making sound decisions.

Unfortunately, The Call quickly veers off-road to four-wheel in the Land of Stupid Choices, that place in horror usually littered with the bodies of promiscuous co-eds. The movie gets weaker and weaker and more far-fetched, as it becomes more and more a revenge fantasy.  At one point, Jordan goes alone into a hidden underground hiding place.

I’m tempted to scream, but lean over to a fellow critic and say, “Alone?” to which he replies sarcastically, “Oh, she’s got this!”

Suffice to say by the end of The Call I hated this movie so much, it made me sorry I couldn’t have walked out a full half-hour before. There is no joy, no cohesion, bad choices and a truly gruesome premise. Good acting all around made my distaste all the more unfortunate. When your local theatre gets The Call, don’t answer.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone: Tragic Magic

What happens when you mix great character actors Steve Buschemi and Alan Arkin, and funny men A-listers Jim Carrey and Steve Carell? It should be magic, right?  If this was the movie equivalent of the magic trick where a woman gets sawed in half, there’d be blood all over the stage.

No question its heart is in the right place. Carell and Buscemi play lifelong pals who perform together as Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton, making big bucks in Vegas with assistant Jane (Olivia Wilde) in an increasingly stale magic act. The two stars have grown to hate each other. When guerrilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) steals what is left of their audience with his new over-the-top stunts, they lose their jobs and break up. Will Wonderstone get his magic mojo back when he discovers his childhood magic idol Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin)?

For a comedy, this movie has few funny moments. It does, however, have its fair share of mean-spirited elements, along with an “ick” factor that overall can only be described as bad taste. The actors do a perfectly fine job. Alan Arkin builds a particularly interesting and well-developed character, like magic, out of a script made of thin air….Olivia Wilde plays Jane with a straightforward sweetness and optimism that flies in the face of the movie as a whole.

It is the writing, both the dialogue and the script, that can’t seem to decide what it wants to be, or where it wants to go. It is wildly uneven, as is our commitment to any of the lead characters. If they had stuck with Alan Arkin as the movie’s central figure, they would have had something…Added to the weakness in the dialogue is an ending, after intermittent attempts to make the story somewhat believable, that stretches credulity to say the least.

As the end credits roll, our hopes go poof. Let this one disappear from theaters; watch at home if you must. Honestly, you’d be better off buying a magic kit and spending the time learning a real trick or two.   

Stoker: All in the Family — Hitchcock Style

Director Park Chan-wook makes his first English-language film with this Gothic creepfest, building suspense slowly with equal amounts of nerve and perve. The visual style is eye-strokingly gorgeous, with set decoration, production design, and editing that together make up for the holes in pacing and storyline.

Hitchcock is beyond an obvious influence, but clearly the film’s inspiration, with several direct odes and parallels to Shadow of a Doubt, starting with the name of the introduction of “Uncle Charlie,” which was also the name of the villain played by Joseph Cotton in the 1943 classic.

The story is of Evelyn Stoker (Nicole Kidman) and her daughter India (Mia Wasikowska). They have just lost Evelyn’s husband Richard to a fatal car crash, when Richard’s preppily handsome and fresh-faced brother Charlie (Matthew Goode) unexpectedly shows up to stay a while. In a country manor where time seems to have stood still, their already seemingly off-kilter world begins to completely unravel and heat up.

It is a sinister slow burn with a very European pace, reminiscent of Polanski’s Repulsion. Psychosexual disfunction permeates the story. Chan-wook seems to excel at juxtaposing disturbing imagery like spiders crawling between India’s legs with family scenes in the innocuously pea green parlor or at the family piano.

Mia’s India sculls about dressed like she’s in an Edward Gorey illustration, demonstrating a curiosity and intensity that leads the audience to question what’s going on behind that deadpan stare of hers. Charlie is clearly more than he seems, and for better or worse we discover just how much more through the course of the movie. Evelyn is an ever-oppressive manipulative presence like a New England Blanche Dubois, but she may turn out to be the least concerning of the lot.

Though the last few minutes of the movie leave you scratching your head about motivation or deeper meaning (perhaps there is none), scenes in which the camera languidly captures what can only be described as an utterly demented family going about their demented doings will stay with you way after the end credits roll. A particularly memorable one recalling The Bad Seed had some audience members wide-eyed and clucking with dread, “No!”…If dark and Gothic is your thing, Stoker will give you the creeps you so richly desire.

Upside Down: See Gravity-Crossed Lovers in So Pretty Sci-fi

The creative idea to put young lovers Adam and Eden (Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst) in two worlds that share opposing gravity and watch them try to find a way to be together is reason enough for curiosity about Upside Down. Alas, the script skips story continuity and any consistent explanation relating to the proceedings, so what could have been a great movie all around will have to survive on breathtaking dreamlike visuals and magnetic leads.

These two worlds are not allowed to fraternize, and are a metaphoric brick in the head about haves and have-nots. Down Below recalls a WW2 post-bomb blitz London. Up Above looks like Coruscant from Star Wars.  Where the two meet, frolic, and fall in love as teens is like the most beautiful mountain landscape you’ve ever seen, only times two.

Nevermind the silly and sillier plot points, it’s about the romance and the visuals, which are more than worthy to be seen on the big screen. Director/writer Juan Solanas uses photography and his experience training with famed cinematographer Felix Monti to create a strong personal artistic perspective with a surprisingly small budget.

Twilight shmilight, teens could do far worse than obsessing about this movie.  You’ve never seen a couple so bathed in light and aglow with love and its accompanying optimism. Love may conquer all in the end, or leave them alone and dejected, but either way you’ll be in for a dazzling cinematographic ride.

My vote, after going through these four movies, is for Upside Down and Stoker, both of which are in limited release, which might mean a bit of a road trip for some of you. They are both indie films, which means they were created on a much smaller budget, and allowed more freedom to those involved. How lovely that we might actually feel compelled to support what’s good instead of what’s big!

A New Direction For Lucasfilm Animation

The new Star Wars trilogy is going to be more than three more movies. Think about it. They’re going to explore the era after the fall of Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire. It’s going to be a new era, with new characters and a new story. With that in mind, Lucasfilm has decided to change up their animated series to coincide with the films.

For 5 seasons, Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been entertaining audiences with its stories of the years between Episode II and Episode III. We see the Old Republic wage war with the Separatists; huge battles and epic duels between Jedi and Sith masters. Good stuff.

But now, Lucafilm has decided that it’s time to phase out of the Old Republic. Star Wars: The Clone Warswill be winding down in favor of the new trilogy. But, Dave Filoni, supervising director for The Clone Wars, says that the series isn’t going to just abruptly end. Lucasfilm is still going to produce the series and continue the story, promising some very exciting adventures to come. Star Wars fans, rejoice!

Go to http://starwars.com/news/a-new-direction-for-lucasfilm-animation.html for more information and a sneak peek of an upcoming Clone Wars story.

Artists Up Close

Our most recent project here at ArtInsights has been doing exclusive interviews with some of our favorite artists at the gallery.

Their responses are really fascinating--telling us about their influences, their process, and even their studios. So cool! You can also get a glimpse of their artwork, as well as links to their artwork on our webpage artinsights.com!

Our first batch is:

Ciara McAvoy

James Goodridge

Steven Chorney

Ben Curtis Jones

Casey Robin

Let us know what you think!

Follow us on Twitter @FilmArtInsights to keep up with the latest updates!

Oz The Great And Powerful: The Mild And Functional

“I don’t want to be a good man, I want to be a great one!” This declaration by James Franco as the title character of Sam Raimi’s new Disney prequel could just as easily be a hope of the director’s as well.

Is the movie great? Is it even good? Oz the Great and Powerful is entertaining and you could do worse than to spend your time watching this interpretation of L. Frank Baum’s world flash flowers and toss monkey wings in your face.

But the weaknesses of it make me walk all the way to the dark edge between  recommendation and warning to ponder throwing my ruby shoes into the abyss. Uh oh. Cinema Siren is damning with faint praise here, especially if you know how much sparkly shoes mean to a girl…

This movie tells the story of how the wizard came to Oz and became the man behind the curtain, the wizard Dorothy and her friends seek to solve their problems. This wizard-to-be has his own problem when he arrives in Oz, where he claims to be the chosen one to save them from the wicked witch. He doesn’t have the real magic the good gullible people of Oz are expecting. What’s a charlatan to do?

Give them something to believe in, even if it is all just flash and noise, without substance. And that is how James Franco, who plays the lead, leaves us feeling, as if his character Oscar Diggs, the magician and compulsive liar posing as great and powerful, is missing more than just a dependable moral compass. He’s too self aware, and skims too close to the surface to bring us with him on his emotional arc to finding goodness within himself.

It doesn’t help that the girls around him are like a witch’s harem, either fawning over him, or waiting for the big strong man described in a prophecy to save their kingdom. The shattered relationship between the three sibling sisters would have been fascinating to examine, but we find out little of what motivates them or keeps them at odds. The youngest, Mila Kunis as Theodora, immediately and naively falls for Oscar. Her older sister Evanora schemes back in the emerald city.

Rachel Weisz chews enough scenery to crack a tooth, but she has enough charisma to get our interest. Is she the wickedest witch? It surely isn’t Glinda, the tiara-sporting blonde played earnestly by Michelle Williams. She’s so good she believes Oscar can be both a good man and a great one. The girls could have been given, with a meaty script, some depth of character. Not so, but they sure look good in their various witchy duds!

Some of you fans of the original 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz have read the books on which it was based. If so, you might also know author L. Frank Baum had positive feminist ideals sprinkled throughout his books, in part from the influence of his mother-in-law, pioneering feminist Matilda Joslyn Gage. His worlds were matriarchal, and full of powerful women.

How disappointing that these bickering girls fight like cats over just some guy.  And the guy being portrayed by James Franco, only seems believable as a tool.  We can’t quite go with him when he shows a man choosing to be more.  Consequently we aren’t invested in how he succeeds, beyond saving those in peril.

That being said, the visuals are lovely. From the first moment when the opening credits roll, we are delighted with inventive yet nostalgic images. These credits are like watching an ever-changing penny arcade mutoscope, one of those wind-up movie machines from the turn of the last century. The 3D is used creatively and is well integrated with the story, giving an interesting upgrade to sets designed as an ode to the Victor Fleming original.

Purists and folks over 30 might cry foul, feeling nothing can replace or outdo the production design of old Hollywood. With that attitude, they shouldn’t have entered the theatre in the first place. Though the film is uneven, it does offer a diverse representation of all the latest 3D and visual effects to make Oz both magical and real.

The china girl character (she doesn’t even have her own name…) and Finley the flying monkey sidekick aren’t nearly as fatal additions as I’d have expected in terms of the CGI of it. The girl has a creepily tragic yet wistful quality that makes her interesting. The monkey seems to be playing part of Oscar’s conscience, which works to a point, but he delivers most of the jokes (such as they are), and that makes him seem like he’s in the wrong movie, or at the very least, out of place.

I’m so sad that Robert Downey Jr. didn’t take on this role. Even with the missing element of womanly empowerment, it would have been a far better journey to take with him, and in the end we would have believed Oscar to have been moved from chicanery to sincerity. One miscasting isn’t the downfall of this movie, but it very nearly could have been.

Add to it the sisters’ blandness and sycophancy, and you have only the connected memory of a 1939 classic and some great visuals to grasp for comfort. As the original is one of the greatest classics of all time, it makes appreciating this film all the more of a challenge unless you block memory of the original and all knowledge of L Frank Baum’s works.

There are effects and action and fun enough for those on the search, especially in early March….Although it can qualify as solid entertainment for the effects and production design alone, there’s not enough to make a new classic to match the old.  This movie may be mildly diverting, but for that you’ll have to keep looking somewhere over the rainbow. It ain’t here.

The George Lucas Art Museum?

When you think of the words “art museum”, you aren’t likely to think of George Lucas. But you will soon enough. Lucas, director and producer of the Star Wars films, plans to build an art museum in San Francisco. Probably the biggest question is: why? Lucas states: “There’s a world of young people who need to be inspired.”

This is an interesting move for Lucas, who hasn’t done much since he sold LucasFilm to Disney last year. Lucas is an avid art collector, although you won’t find many Picasso’s or Monet’s in his collection. He’s big fan of Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell though. In fact, Lucas owns one of the largest collections of Rockwell’s work.

The museum will be dedicated in exploring “cultural fantasy”. It will also embrace digital design and animation from Hollywood films. In other words, art that will touch and inspire everyone, not just art critics. Will Star Wars have a place in this museum? Most likely. Lucas has been collecting the art of Star Warsfor decades. And he has more or less stated that his personal collection will be put on display in the museum, which is very exciting.

Currently, no date or exact location has been announced for the museum.

Patch Live Chat: Oscars 2013 featuring Cinema Siren

Who will hit the red carpet in style? Is Ben Affleck still being punished for Gigli? Who's going to take the Best Picture award home?

Join area Patch columnists, editors, and Cinema Siren as we chat about the Oscars starting at 7 p.m. Sunday.

[Find more details about Sunday night's award show, including what channel it airs on locally by clicking here.]

Expect a bit of snark, a few jokes, some questioning of the Academy's choices, and more.

Put on your finest — or just your pajamas — and accompany us virtually to the red carpet at 7 p.m. and the awards at 8:30 p.m. for some Oscars live chat fun.

Go to the Herndon Patch website and enter your email in the Cover It Live Box here  to get a reminder for the live chat and not miss a minute.

For a look at all of this year's nominees, check out Cinema Siren's recent article, Cinema Siren's Observations of the 2013 Oscar Nominations.

A New Film From The Makers Of “Paranorman” And “Coraline”? Yes, Please.

From the makers of Paranorman and Coraline comes The Boxtrolls. The Boxtrolls is a new 3D stop-motion/CG animated film currently in production by Laika and Focus Features. The story is based off of Alan Snow’s fantasy novel Here Be Monsters.

The basic plot takes place in the city of Cheesebridge. Beneath the city streets live the Boxtrolls, a strange group of people who have raised an orphaned human boy. Like the other Laika films, The Boxtrolls looks to be an entertainingly silly but gripping and overall wholesome adventure about this young boy and his adopted family of oddballs. And, of course, there will also be all the visual flair that Laika is known for. Be excited. The Boxtrolls is coming.

Speaking of the Oscars...

The Oscars Show is on now at ArtInsights Gallery in Reston, VA!

Show dates: 2/6/13 - 3/4/13

It's always exciting to anticipate the Academy Awards. Who's going to take home an Oscar? Who will be lucky enough to just be nominated? Who will get snubbed? With the Oscars coming up in a few short weeks (Feb. 24), ArtInsights Gallery is hosting a show dedicated to films that have won (or didn't win) Academy Awards. 

Being an animation and film art gallery, it's natural that ArtInsights has tons of art from films that have been honored with Oscars and some art from those that have unfortunately never received one. And that got us thinking about some of the interesting stories behind some films and their awards (or lack thereof). For instance, did you know that none of the Harry Potter films have ever won an Oscar? Crazy, I know. And did you know that none of the Star Wars prequels (Episode I, II, or III) have ever won an Oscar?...Not so crazy. Interesting facts like that. 

If you're interested in learning more about the movies we have on display and what they've won (or didn't win), come on over to the gallery and check it out!

Jonathan Hwang for ArtInsights

New Museum Exhibition: Illustration 100 Years After Howard Pyle

Being a gallery devoted to animation and illustration art of all kinds, Artinsights is happy to report a new exhibit all about illustration art at the Delaware Art Museum. Titled: State of the Art: Illustration 100 Years After Howard Pyle, it will showcase the artwork of eight acclaimed artists. The exhibition will run from February 9th to June 1st. If you’re in the Delaware area, we highly suggest that you check it out!

Now, you may be asking “Who is Howard Pyle?” And I would reply “This guy.”

ArtinsightsMagazine also has an exclusive interview with the curator of the exhibit, David Apatoff. Read it here!

Abrams To Direct Star Wars: Episode VII

It’s official. JJ Abrams (Star Trek, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Star Trek Into Darkness) is going to direct the next Star Wars film. Episode VII, which will be written by Academy Award-winning writer Michael Ardnt, was greenlit when Disney acquired Lucasfilm Ltd. and given a 2015 release.

Abrams says that it “is an absolute honor” to take part in the next generation of Star Wars. And George Lucas himself approves of Abrams as director and has stated that “the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”

In addition to his proven track record of successful blockbuster films, Abrams has ties with Lucasfilm, using the company’s legendary postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, for all of his features. Abrams also has worked with veterans of the classic trilogy, Dennis Muren (visual effects) and Ben Burtt (sound designer/editor), who offer nothing but praise for JJ.

So dust off those lightsabers and blasters and let out your best Wookie roar. The future looks bright for the Star Wars franchise.

The First Trailer For “Trance” Will Send Your Brain For A Spin

Trance, a new UK film starring James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel and Rosario Dawson and directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympic Games), has released its first trailer courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film will be a psychological, reality-bending thriller revolving around art thieves and hypnotism.

“Fine art auctioneer Simon (McAvoy), in league with a gang led by underworld boss Franck (Cassel), plots the audacious theft of a masterpiece by Goya from a major public auction. When Simon double-crosses the gang during the robbery, Franck retaliates violently and knocks him unconscious. In the aftermath of the heist, Simon sticks stubbornly – and perhaps shrewdly – to his claim that the violent trauma has left him with no memory of where he stashed the artwork.

“Unable to coerce the painting’s location from Simon, Franck and his associates reluctantly join forces with a charismatic hypnotherapist (Dawson) in a bid to get him to talk. But as they journey deeper into Simon’s jumbled psyche the boundaries between reality and hypnotic suggestion begin to blur and the stakes rise faster and far more dangerously than any of the players could have anticipated.”

Check out the trailer here:

Trance is set to be released in the UK on March 27th. A US release date has yet to be announced.

Star Trek Into Darkness – To Boldly Go Where No App Has Gone Before

Paramount Pictures and and Qualcomm Incorporated (they design and produce digital wireless telecommunications products and services) have announced a joint undertaking for the next Star Trek film “Star Trek Into Darkness”(which is set to be released May 2013). This joint project is a mobile app that uses “cutting edge technologies” to unveil a variety of surprise movie related materials by having users interact with their environment with the app (audio scans, geo-location recognition, image recognition).

Short story (tldr)? Turn on the app whenever you hear or see Star Trek related media, like a commercial, and see if you unlock some exclusive content based on the audio captured, images (captured on your camera), or just based on your position on the planet. You might unlock some really cool content. That’s pretty awesome.

The app is set to be released at the end of January with the first unlockable content available off the “Star Trek Into Darkness” tv-spot during the Super Bowl. Yet another reason to watch the big game! One final bonus: everyone who downloads the app will be entered into a sweepstakes for a VIP trip to the US premiere of the film.

In case you’re wondering, the technology for this app has been around for quite some time. However, this is the first time that such a broad, digitally-interactive campaign has been placed into a smartphone app. Will it be successful? We’ll see.

Don’t take our word for it, though. Read the release for yourself.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND QUALCOMM ANNOUNCE UNPRECEDENTED “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” APP USING CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES

KICK-OFF WILL BEGIN WITH THE ABILITY TO UNLOCK THE FIRST OF MANY SURPRISES DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE BIG GAME THIS FEBRUARY

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 7, 2013) – Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom Inc., and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), through its subsidiary Qualcomm Labs, Inc., today announced that Gimbal™ context awareness technologies will be used to deliver exclusive content and advanced real world game experiences for the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” application based on the upcoming movie from J.J. Abrams.

These cutting edge technologies are being showcased in a never before-seen way and will enable users to automatically engage with a wealth of movie related materials by utilizing their real-life surroundings to auto-complete integrated missions by employing audio scan, geo-location recognition, and image recognition functionality powered by Qualcomm Vuforia. The “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” app will launch at the end of January. Qualcomm’s Chairman and CEO Dr. Paul E. Jacobs made the announcement today during his keynote address at the International CES show in Las Vegas.

During the second quarter of the big game, the app will allow users the ability to unlock the first of many surprises during the airing of the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” tv-spot, making this one of the most unique and interactive apps ever created for a movie. As a bonus, users who register for the app will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a VIP trip to the U.S. premiere. To be the first to get the app and enter the sweepstakes, visit www.StarTrekMovie.com/CES.

“We are excited about collaborating with Paramount on this app as it further brings to life Qualcomm’s vision of the digital sixth sense, where devices intelligently interact with the world around you,” said Dr. Jacobs. “By leveraging the Gimbal platform, this app harnesses the power of the smartphone to bridge the digital and physical world, allowing the studio to market the film in the real world and simultaneously bring users into the film’s story and world.”

Highlights of the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” app include:

• An audio scan function that can be turned on to automatically recognize and reward users for watching “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” content on TV and other media;

• An image scan function that enables users to interact with images printed or viewable in the real world;

• A geofencing function for location-based experiences;

• New “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” content, such as videos, images and wallpapers delivered directly to users’ mobile devices;

• Exclusive opportunities and special offers only available to app users;

• One lucky sweepstakes winner will be rewarded with the grand prize of attending the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” U.S. premiere.

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” is written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof and directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams is producing with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman and Orci. Jeffrey Chernov and Skydance Productions’ David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake are the executive producers.

“STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” opens in theaters everywhere May 17, 2013.

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No purchase necessary. Open to US and Canadian (excl. Quebec) residents age 13 or older. Enter by 1/11/13. For details and restrictions, see Official Rules at www.StarTrekMovie.com/CES.

Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Gimbal and Vuforia are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog,Twitter and Facebook pages.

“Frozen” Looks Like It Will Give Chills

Disney has officially unveiled a bit of concept art for their next big non-sequel film,Frozen, giving people a glimpse of what’s to come. The art is beautiful, showing a frozen, painful looking landscape that is certainly unnatural.

The story of Frozen is based (very loosely) on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. Anna, the protagonist, must go on an epic quest to track down her frostier (pun intended) sister, Elsa, who is known as the Snow Queen and is the reason that the kingdom is in a state of perpetual winter. Accompanying Anna is the daring cliffhanger, Kristoff, and his faithful reindeer, Sven. They must work together to find the Snow Queen and stop her before the entire region is frozen over.

Frozen will be released on the appropriately frosty November 27th, 2013. Look forward to it!

Disney Gets A Death Star

A long time ago (about a month ago), in a galaxy far far away (probably in California or at Skywalker Ranch) Disney finalized the agreement to acquire Lucasfilm in a landmark deal valued at just over $4 billion. Like Marvel, the House of the Mouse now controls the future of the Star Wars franchise. And yes, there will be another Star Wars. Episode VII is slated to hit theatres sometime in 2015.

Reactions to the deal are mixed. Many are horrified or afraid for the franchise. Plenty others are excited. To quote JJ Abrams: “Part of me? Thrilled. Part of me? Terrified. Most of me? Thrillified.” That seems to be the general sentiment to the news. One thing is for sure: Episode VII could be the landmark film that reenergizes the Star Wars franchise. Now that the saga of Anakin and Luke Skywalker is basically over, what is next in store for the galaxy? The return of the Empire? A new Jedi order? Han and Leia’s kids!? We’ll find out in 2015.

ArtInsights Gets a Makeover

Have you been inside the gallery lately? You probably noticed that we got a makeover! Why don't you come by and see how good we look! And while you're here, you can check out our new arrivals--of which we have tons!

See you soon!

Christine Munchak for ArtInsights

2009 Year-End Animation Round-Up

This afternoon, on January 1st, 2010, i was staring at the fire in our fireplace, and started thinking about the movies i'd seen this year.  I realized what an incredible year 2009 has been for animation features.  When I think of all the artistic expression and talent poured onto the screen,  i feel very proud to be a part of that world, and it fills me with excitement for the future of animation.  From Pixar's poignant "UP", to the gorgeous yet thoroughly creepy movies "Coraline" and "9", the beautifully executed and charming "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and reinvigorations and reinventions of 2D classic animation of Miyazaki's "Ponyo" and Disney's "The Princess and the Frog", this year in animation has been absolutely amazing.  Such talent and beauty should be lauded, rewarded, and thoroughly appreciated, and the aforementioned movies were just the major releases.  Imagine what they were doing at the universities and in studios across the world…

I started selling animation art in 1988, right before the "new golden age" at Disney, with "The Little Mermaid", "The Lion King", and the other new classics.  Of course, i've been a fan of cartoons my whole life, starting all the way back to when i lived in Positano, Italy and Paris, France.  All the Disney movies and many of the cartoon shorts showed there, teaching me early that animation was universal.  At my gallery ArtInsights I get daily affirmation of the universality of animation with the visitors we get  from places like China, Finland, Scotland, and Indonesia, who know the characters  Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, and Bugs Bunny, among others...  In the time i've been selling and promoting the art of the animated film, the industry has changed significantly.  I have watched the Pixar revolution alter the way computer animated cartoons are seen and appreciated, Stop motion animation has gained respectability through the genius of Henry Selick and Tim Burton.  More and more traditional film directors are embracing animation films as part of their filmography, attempting to articulate their aesthetic through the medium, as Wes Anderson did to great success this year with The Fabulous Mr. Fox.  The same is true for actors and actresses now actively choosing to voice characters in animated films.  Of course the financial proposition of creating a successful feature length animation film means getting the biggest names involved as possible, but clearly enthusiasm by these big names to be considered or thought of first for starring roles has increased as the artistry of these films has become more universally accepted.  

As to the movies themselves, they are as real and deep, as or perhaps more filled with meaning as their live action counterparts.  I'd love to see at least one of these movies listed in the best film oscar category.  I have my own favorites….I have a lot of loyalty to "The Princess and the Frog", having interviewed several of the lead animators and loving New Orleans as I do.  The backgrounds and visual effects in this movie were more beautiful than even i was expecting.  Every song was great, and the leads were wonderful, especially Anika Noni Rose.  I can't believe the box office totals haven't been higher, as witness the great disparity between it and the new chipmunks "Squeakwal", although i'll have to say i haven't seen it and probably won't see it…call me a cartoon snob, i admit it.  I'm hopeful the international sales will be much higher and will lead to its ultimate success, because a lot is riding on it, no less than the future of 2D animation at Disney.  Coraline is spectacular in every way, and although it creeped the hell out of me, I think i could watch that movie 100 times.  The colors were vibrant, the story flowed easily, and there were layers of meaning that allow both children and adults to walk away in contemplation, and the movie stays with you.  I think Coraline will be much like Nightmare Before Christmas in it's longevity and cult to mainstream following.  This places Henry Selick even higher in my esteem as a director.   "UP" was interesting in that I went to see it more because I had to than any genuine enthusiasm for the storyline or visual appeal,  but walked out shocked at how wonderful and deep it was. Visually stunning, yes, even more so than Wall-E, and more colorful, although that was in part the difference in story.  The fact that Ed Asner, an actor i respect and love, was one of the leads also got me to the movie theatre, and as usual, he was not a disappointment.  There was a poignancy to his story, and such growth in his character.  I loved that, because he was older, so that was a great lesson to older viewers, as well as a goal to stay open for younger ones.   

"9", "Ponyo", and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" point to the power of auteur directors and their skill of storytelling.  FIrst time feature director Shane Acker, Japanese national treasure Hayao Miyazaki, and independent darling Wes Anderson are the artists responsible these three films, and they definitely brand these releases with their unique aesthetics.  Miyazaki is responsible for some of the best animated films to come out of Japan.  Although his movies have never been seen as "just animation" in his home country, his studio has a huge share in the responsibility for expanding the acceptance and love of the animated feature film worldwide. Not all his cartoons have been revoiced for english audiences, but more and more of them have plans in that direction as they are released.  (his two most recent movies are Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke) Having the long standing personal label as "the Japanese Walt Disney", it makes sense that Disney has been collaborating for some time now with his Ghibli Studio.  Wes Anderson is known for his independent live action films like Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums.  One of my favorite directors Martin Scorsese is a big fan of his movies, and he is in crowded company, so the fact that he has added a stop motion animated movie to his filmography is exciting.  It means he thought it was an important addition, a way to expand his knowledge of filmmaking, and he'd be right.  I think his love of the craft, the fun he has creating all his movies, shows on the screen for the entirety of Fantastic Mr. Fox.  Shane Acker is a first time feature animation direction with 9. Time will tell if he will be the hot director many believe he's destined to become, but he sites influences German animator Christoph Lauenstein and the Czech artist Jan Svankmajer, who also inspired Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, so that's a good sign for his future, and a sign of his dedication to learning and expanding his artistic perspective.  He was involved in all aspects of the feature, very auteur, but supposedly very collaborative as well.  I forgive the confusing ending for the gorgeousness of the movie as a whole.  

Also in 2009, animation made two big splashes in the art world. The one man retrospective show at MOMA, "Tim Burton", is the largest show ever to feature a filmmaker's art (http://www.moma.org/ interactives/exhibitions/2009/ timburton/ ). The largest collection of original animation art ever featured in a museum show is at the New Orleans Museum of Art, in "Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studios"  (http://www.noma.org/dreams. html).  

My experience of and desire for animation being seen as real art stems from the many times people new to ArtInsights in the years we've been open and after 30 seconds in the gallery, do a 360 degree twirl and ask, "are there any galleries with FINE ART in the center?".   I've also been shuffled from department to department when sending press releases to the Washington Post:  from the arts section to the movie section to the children's and back again…We once had Marc Davis and Mary Costa, one of the most famous animators in the history of Disney, a Disney "Legend",  and animator of Maleficent, and the voice of Sleeping Beauty herself, and we didn't even get listed in the arts calendar.  That was about 10 years ago.  This last year has given me more expectation of the art form being accepted as a whole.  I am a little surprised, however, at how little press the show in New Orleans got.  When John Lasseter said he wanted the next big show featuring art from the animation research library inside Disney, where more than 60 million pieces of original animation from the history of Disney are stored and catalogued, to be held at MOMA, he knew what he was talking about.  The amount of press the Tim Burton show got surpassed the NOMA show by about a factor of 100!

Now would be the time to say that, as Oscars go, i'm rooting for UP and Coraline.  I loved The Princess and the Frog, and urge you to see and support it, even though Disney is big business, not independent.  Supporting 2D going forward is supporting the melding of the old and the new, the hands on artistry with the innovative.  UP, though not as much my long term personal favorite as Wall-E or Monsters Inc, featured a story that fearlessly showed loss, grief and neglect, as well as families made, not born.  It was flawlessly acted and visually stunning.  and funny.  I want it to get at least nominated for the Oscar.    Coraline is so quirky and yet so beautiful.  I absolutely predict it will be a longterm favorite and its fans will grow steadily over the years.  If it gets nominated or wins best movie, i'd be beyond pleased.  I'm so excited about what the release of these movies in 2009 means for the industry.  

Note to directors, both new and established:  Animation can be part of your the future in the movie industry.  You can bring whatever you want to it.  

It can be creative….artistic…fearless… funny…innovative….  

But i've been saying that for years.

 L.