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In its nearly 30 years of existence, DreamWorks Animation has had a remarkable trajectory marked primarily by the bulk of franchises it created, as much as through the quality of the films themselves. Consider that one of its chief competitors, Pixar Animation Studios, started making feature-length computer-animated films in 1995 and has made just 28 features in the intervening 30 years. DreamWorks? Well, it's made 49 features in just over 25 years. Some of these films are best left forgotten or have only been rediscovered over time courtesy of oddball memes (see: "Bee Movie"). But DreamWorks Animation, amidst the Trolls and boss babies, the chatty penguins of Madagascar, and silent horses who embody the spirit of the Cimarron, has made 10 genuinely solid movies. And with the arrival in late September of DreamWorks' "The Wild Robot," there's no better time than right now to rank those 10 films and see if the studio's latest title makes the grade.

For the second weekend in a row, we get an animated feature featuring robots for family audiences, but this week also gets a lot of odds and ends. As has been the case for the past few months, any weekend with just one or two wide releases is then followed by a weekend with way too many movies, and this weekend seems to be one of the latter. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

The big release of the weekend is “The Wild Robot,” the latest from DreamWorks Animation, based on book by Pete Brown. It stars Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o as a server robot stranded in the wilderness who ends up becoming imprinted on by a baby gosling, having to figure out how to care for it with the help of a crafty fox, voiced by Pedro Pascal. Other characters are voiced by Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy,...

Well, now we know what film Guillermo del Toro was referring to when he reflected on his movies being “hobbled” at the box office by bad studio marketing.

After del Toro tweeted that in his 30-year career, he has had “three wonderful films hampered and hobbled by misguided marketing,” it turns out that “Crimson Peak” is one of them. (The other del Toro has publicly said is his 2012 animated film “Rise of the Guardians.”)

Now, del Toro is reflecting on the legacy of his 2015 Gothic romance film “Crimson Peak” to Vulture. The feature starred Mia Wasikowska as the new bride of a mysterious, wealthy recluse (Tom Hiddleston) whose sister (Jessica Chastain) has sinister intentions. Charlie Hunnam also starred.

Del Toro admitted that the film, despite its buzzy cast, was “doomed” at the box office due to its wrongful marketing label of being a horror movie.

“The thing that will always,...

From Pinocchio’s Revenge to Silent Night, Deadly Night, taking beloved cultural icons and turning them into cold-blooded killers is nothing new in horror. I mean, corrupting traditionally innocent iconography is pretty much the genre’s specialty, but I still find it fascinating how modern filmmakers are fighting back against franchise monopolies by re-imagining popular figures like Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse as murderous monsters as soon as they enter the public domain.

And with the announcement that the Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey team’s “Twisted Childhood Universe” is expanding to include evil versions of characters like Bambi and Peter Pan, I think it’s time that filmmakers start looking at some less obvious source material when coming up with their public domain scares. With that in mind, we’ve decided to highlight six public domain characters that also deserve their own horror movies. After all, if these...

Oi there, listen up! Amazon Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2024 includes another season of its biggest, bloodiest hit.

The Boys season 4 premieres its first three episodes on Thursday, June 13. Based on the trailers, The Boys is really leaning into the political side of its social satire with a presidential election underway and Homelander on trial for the small matter of killing a guy last season. The season will continue to air on Thursdays, culminating with the finale on July 18.

Amazon is really leaning into its sports offerings this month as well. Fans will get to watch the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and the Nwsl several times throughout June. That’s in addition to a couple of sports docs: Power of the Dream on June 18 and Federer: Twelve Final Days on June 20.

But if you’re looking for something even more explosive than Homelander and Roger Federer,...

Aang: The Last Airbender, the Avatar film currently in the works at Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios, has found its leads, Variety reports.

Dave Bautista and singer/songwriter Eric Nam are set to headline the animated movie slated for theatrical release on Oct. 10, 2025. Bautista will voice a villainous character while Nam will portray Aang, TVLine has confirmed.

More from TVLineGrey's Anatomy Bringing Back Cristina? Here's What Sandra Oh SaysDark Winds Season 3 Casts Jenna Elfman, Bruce Greenwood and OthersTVLine Items: BravoCon Delayed to 2025, The Jinx Part Two Trailer and More

Dionne Quan (The Fairly OddParents, All Grown Up!), Jessica Matten (Dark Winds,...

Exclusive: Academy Award winner Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and former Overbook head Caleeb Pinkett (Cobra Kai) are set to produce a live-action feature adaptation of The Storm Clan, the comic book created by Dallas Jackson and Joe Casey, which marks the first title from Jackson’s new company DJ Classicz Comix.

Jackson and Casey will pen the script, with former Lionsgate exec Jorge Alfaro to serve as an EP.

A sci-fi action adventure story, The Storm Clan watches as an ex-military weapons engineer trains his five adopted children to be undercover hi-tech/martial-arts thieves wearing an invincible bionic-body armor. Previously orphaned, the teenagers gifted with bionic technology see it provide them with the opportunity to protect themselves from the threats of the streets, also empowering them to take advantage of life instead of being taken advantage of, and most importantly, giving them comfort and sense of belonging within a family.

Exclusive: Indian animation studio 88 Pictures has hired veteran VFX Supervisor Yancy Lindquist.

Lindquist joins the company’s Toronto office, which opened last year. He will serve as VFX Supervisor at the company.

Lindquist was mostly recently VFX Supervisor on Netflix’s Nimona, which is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and Critics Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. Before 88 Pictures, Lindquist spent 23 years at DreamWorks Animation. His credits at the company include serving as the Head of FX on projects like Flushed Away, Monsters vs. Aliens, Rise of the Guardians, Trolls, and Boss Baby.

“I’m thrilled to embark on a new chapter with 88 Pictures as the VFX Supervisor in Toronto. Working with DreamWorks for more than 20 years and my last endeavor on Nimona has been a remarkable journey,” Lindquist said, “Now joining 88 Pictures with such a rich legacy feels like an incredible honor.

Hugh Jackman Is Set To Achieve This Huge Feat At The Worldwide Box Office With Deadpool 3 ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia; IMDb )

Hugh Jackman is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating actors in Hollywood but sadly, he hasn’t tasted any big box office success in a long time. But it seems that his tables might turn completely this year as he has a goldmine in his hands in the form of Deadpool 3. If all goes well, it can also create a history for Hugh!

Hugh’s last big success came in 2017

Hugh’s last remarkable box office success came in the form of The Greatest Showman, which was released in 2017. It did a business of $438.55 million globally and was declared a commercial success. Now, after a wait of so many years, Deadpool’s third installment seems to be a sure-shot winner.

Ryan Reynolds returns with his iconic character

Deadpool 3...

Clockwise from bottom left: Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa (Miramax), Ed Asner in Elf (New Line Cinema), and Edmund Gwenn in Miracle On 34th Street (20th Century Flox)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Tis the season to talk movie Santas. With Christmas upon us, we decided to dig deep into...

All Jack Frost Films Ever Made(Photo Credit –IMDb)

Santa Claus is and will always be the face of Yuletide. He’s an old, polite, white-bearded man who gives everyone gifts; what’s not to love there? So, it is safe to say no one can replace the good old Santa Claus. However, there are some Christmas figures that do not nearly get as much love from the world as Santa, despite being as interesting, if not more, than Father Christmas. One such character is Jack Frost.

While technically not a ‘Christmas figure,’ Jack Frost has always been associated with the festival. He’s essentially the face of winter, the personification of cold, and the guy who gives everyone the frosty fingers and snowed-in days. The first recorded mention of Jack Frost in literature was in 1734 in a book called “Round About Our Coal Fire, or Christmas Entertainments.”

Jack Frost...

Genie is a fantasy Christmas film directed by Sam Boyd, from a screenplay by Richard Curtis. The Peacock fairy-tale film revolves around a workaholic man who comes in possession of a genie who helps him to win his family back before Christmas. Genie stars Melissa McCarthy and Paapa Essiedu in the lead roles with Denée Benton, Jordyn McIntosh, and Marc Maron starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the Peacock film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (Prime Video) Credit – Bleecker Street

Synopsis: The Man Who Invented Christmas tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up...

This week’s highly anticipated Rick and Morty season 7 premiere, “How Poopy Got His Poop Back,” saw the return of fan-favorite characters Mr. Poopybutthole, Birdperson, Gearhead, and Squanchy, as they try to stage an intervention and inadvertently get riggity-riggity-wrecked with Hugh Jackman. Not a person impersonating Hugh Jackman like they did Ice T in the early seasons, but The Hugh Jackman as a fictionalized version of himself, depicted as a frat boy party animal. In every circumstance, this would be a hysterical cameo if not for the fact that the Wolverine actor has been getting his claws into adult animation for the past several years. Jackman has wholly gotten into his silly voice-acting bag, and I’m here for it.

Dating all the way back to 2006, amidst playing Wolverine in countless X-Men films and hosting the Tonys, Jackman began exploring roles that explored his vocal range, literally. So he starred...

Hayao Miyazaki wasn’t at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday for the international premiere of his movie The Boy and the Heron, but three-time Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro was.

Del Toro surprised the crowd for the movie’s gala presentation tonight and received rapturous applause at Roy Thomson Hall.

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey introduced del Toro as “Miyazaki’s most passionate fan.”

“He knows what makes my fat butt move!” quipped del Toro after Bailey asked him to introduce the film.

“This is the first audience to watch this movie outside of Japan,” beamed del Toro to great cheers. “This is the world, god-damn premiere!”

“Animation is film, and tonight’s film goes beyond that. Animation is hard,” said del Toro.

“We are privileged enough to be living in a time where Mozart is composing symphonies,” said del Toro. “Miyazaki san is a master of that stature, and...

As we creep towards summer, Netflix has a hot new list of fresh content, including the final season of “Never Have I Ever,” the sophomore season of ‘Human Resources” and the highly anticipated sixth season of “Black Mirror.”

Kicking off the start of the month on mega streamer are lots of family-friendly goodies like both “Nanny McPhee” and “Nanny McPhee Returns,” “Kicking and Screaming,” “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” and the “Angry Birds Movie.” But the adults won’t be left out of the conversation, as more mature flicks and series like “Jarhead,” “Funny People” and “We’re the Millers” are also hitting the platform this month.

And it wouldn’t be Netflix without its originals. “Take Care of Maya,” “Extraction 2” and the Sarah Snook-led “Run Rabit Run” will land on the site in June. And even if this isn’t enough to get you watching, Netflix will be streaming its Tudum festival on Saturday,...

Guillermo del Toro was given a rock star welcome at the Annecy International Animation Festival on Tuesday as he took to the stage to discuss his life long obsession with animation.

The Oscar-winning The Shape Of Water filmmaker and producer is at the French lakeside festival this year as one of the figureheads of special a focus on Mexican animation, alongside The Book Of Life director Jorge R. Gutierrez, producer Sofia Alexander (Onyx Equinox) and Guadalajara Festival head Estrella Araiza

Having recounted his early beginnings in the genre using his father’s Super 8, del Toro said he always thought he would work mainly in animation but instead got caught in live action for close to a decade, on TV show Hora Marcada and the film Cronos and breakthrough classics such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth.

“Life had other plans and I didn’t come back to animation...

American animation is in an odd place. For creators, directors, and animators, the overriding cultural stigma against animation — that it's just for kids — probably provides a great deal of frustration. That's a joke even the Oscars make. It's a perception that limits the medium and reduces any potentially heady thematic material to something bland and easily digestible. Any material directed towards adults shifts into a mélange of innuendo and pop culture references, and children are condescended to in much the same way.

But even the movies that seem tailor-made for children's sensibilities get lost in the shuffle sometimes. 2012's "Rise of the Guardians," for instance, had a slam-dunk premise and an epic scale. It was a movie that took the fears of children seriously while also providing wildly entertaining set pieces, with beautiful animation and a star-studded cast. And yet, according to The Numbers, it didn't even make its production budget back domestically.

As an actor, Chris Pine has a particular talent. When it comes to playing dazzling, cocksure characters, Pine is a natural. He's played his share of cads and scoundrels, but he never comes across as unlikeable or villainous. It certainly helps that Pine is possessed of movie matinee idol good looks, allowing his charming smiles to inform the characters he plays.

In Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley's new film "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," Pine plays Edgin Darvis, a former bard in a fantasy kingdom who turns to thievery to survive. He is raising a teenage daughter named Kira (Chloe Coleman) and, following the death of his wife, forms a coalition of thieves to steal from the rich.

At the beginning of the film, Edgin is in prison with his best friend Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez) after a heist of theirs went awry. The two have an elaborate ploy to escape,...

A movie critic's job is to offer insightful, observant, but overall subjective opinions to help us decide if we're going to enjoy a film. It's not important to be right about whether one is good or not, but noting a film's overall quality is a tool we often take for granted. On the flip side, audiences aren't always "right" either, passing up great movies on the way to something else.

There are lots of reasons genuinely great movies can end up tanking at the box office. Issues like a terrible -- or worse, ignorant -- marketing plan by the studio, as "Crimson Peak" endured; or, as Schwarzenegger realized with the release of "The Last Action Hero," poorly timing the film's release date can lead to disaster. And sometimes the project's topic is something a general audience isn't going to vibe with, leading to niche and classic works that are still worth remembering.

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

If the fanfare following the announcement of "Deadpool 3" was any indication, people love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The Australian actor had only a few film credits to his name before being cast as one of Marvel's most beloved comic book icons, but his ferocious portrayal redefined the character's place in pop culture forever. That being said, like how Wolverine has evolved throughout his many appearances, Jackman has several of his own dimensions as an actor.

Beginning his career in television and theater before hitting it big as a studio star, Jackman has played an incredibly diverse array of characters in many different genres. He has proven his prowess as a leading actor in comedies and dramas, animation and live-action, musicals and not-so-musicals. He has even managed to do something very few other actors have accomplished -- hit it big as a superhero and then slowly morph into an awards contender.

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Chris Pine recently starred in the fantasy action comedy Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. While he’s working on other projects, fans still remember him for his days in the Star Trek franchise. It has been years since he starred as Kirk in the films.

For a while, people were unsure if another one would come out. Discussions have occurred in recent years, but it is unknown if the fourth film will actually happen. Pine hopes he gets to do more of them.

Chris Pine became famous because of ‘Star Trek’

Pine started acting in the 2000s and landed roles in movies like The Princess Diaries 2. However, it was until 2009 that he became widely known due to the Star Trek franchise. Star Trek reimagined the classic characters in a new timeline.

Pine portrayed the iconic Captain James T. Kirk and starred alongside other notable actors. The film received positive reviews from critics,...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Find a full list of every film and TV show arriving on Netflix this month here.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh...

Netflix is on the cusp of taking down a wide selection of movies and TV series.

The streaming service removes numerous titles each month, but without fanfare; unless you happen to select the thing that’s about to leave, you will have no idea there’s a limited amount of time left to watch.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix in April 2023.

We’ve aggregated all the impending removals from Netflix in the UK and US, which we’ve signalled below. If there isn’t a territory listed next to the title, then it will be leaving both.

Nb: We put this list together with help from What’s on Netflix.

Movies

1 April

Akbar Birbal – US

The American Game

The Aviator – US

Bal Ganesh – US

Bee Movie – UK

Big Daddy – US

Bill – UK

Brokeback Mountain – US

The Bye Bye Man...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

Particularly in light of his recent output, it's hard to think of a more remarkable career than that of Nicolas Cage. The man has had insanely high highs such as his Oscar-winning performance in "Leaving Las Vegas" and his starring role in blockbuster hits like "National Treasure." He's played a Marvel Comics superhero (Ghost Rider), he's starred in more direct-to-video movies than anyone can possibly recall, and he's turned in some legendarily wacky performances (see: "Vampire's Kiss"). He even battled himself in the summer of 1997.

The point is, Cage has had an amazing career that has recently revived itself in a huge way as of late thanks to stellar performances in movies like "Pig" and "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." Yet,...

When “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” director Joel Crawford was 5 years old, a wall fell on him.

He describes himself as a “hyper kid” and, at the time of the accident, he was scaling a crumbly outdoor cinderblock wall at his grandmother’s house. When it toppled over, he landed far enough back that he wasn’t seriously injured, although two of his toes had to be partially amputated. Crawford, a young boy so full of energy that he tried to climb a wall and was nearly crushed, was forced to spend time in a hospital bed. His grandmother brought him a ream of old copy paper and Crawford started drawing.

One day Crawford’s mom left to get lunch. When she came back, the nurses and doctors were huddled around Crawford’s bed. His mom was panic-stricken – did something happen? Had he gotten worse? But no. The medical staff was watching Crawford draw.

Alec Baldwin is a name that needs no introduction in the movie industry. Baldwin has dazzled us with his exceptional acting skills and captivated us with his charming yet enigmatic personality. From his early beginnings on the stage to his iconic roles on the big screen, Baldwin has consistently wowed audiences with his performances, making it necessary to put up this Alec Baldwin movies list.

The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the best movies on the Alec Baldwin movies list. With a career spanning over four decades and so many great films to choose from, it can be challenging to know where to start. However, we’ve narrowed down the list to some of his most exceptional works. So, whether you’re a long-time fan of Baldwin or just discovering his films for the first time, we hope this Alec Baldwin movies list will help you...

Making a movie requires a lot of time, effort, and talent. But more importantly, making a movie requires a lot of money. No filmmaker wants their movie to flop, but none more so than studios whose very existence depends on their releases putting butts in seats. While studios have always put their bets on tentpole movies to produce good profit margins, because of the popularity of superheroes and other big-budget franchises, it seems that studios are putting less focus on smaller films that would ensure they wouldn't suffer too much due to their modest budgets (even if they failed). As budgets have gotten bigger, so too has the pressure for these films to not only break even but to break box office records.

Filmmakers face serious career problems when their movies flop with audiences, as a failure or, worse, a string of failures, could lead to a dream project being squashed.

The Art Directors Guild will present Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with the William Cameron Menzies Award, to honor his visually striking and emotionally rich body of work. Del Toro will receive the award at the 27th Adg’s Excellence in Production Design Awards on Saturday, February 18 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.

Del Toro first gained recognition for writing and directing Cronos, which premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Mercedes Benz Award, and went on to earn more than 20 international awards. Del Toro’s most noted films include Pan’s Labyrinth, which garnered Academy Awards for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Makeup and The Shape of Water, which won the Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Lion as well as Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Production Design and Best Score. His latest project, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, continues his lifelong love of animation and stop-motion filmmaking.

During Guillermo del Toro’s time as an animation producer at DreamWorks, he earned a certain reputation around the studio. “Jeffrey Katzenberg called me ‘The Harbinger of Death’ because a lot of my solutions to a character conflict was to kill them.” del Toro recalled, with a laugh, during a recent interview with IndieWire. It was the early 2010s, when DreamWorks movies were starting to become darker and more daring, and del Toro wanted to push directors to try riskier, wilder things. “When I consulted on ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ they were debating what to do with the father character,” del Toro explained. “I said, ‘Kill him. That will give the entire movie a lot more gravitas.’” Likewise, “Puss in Boots” offed its villain, one of the heroes died halfway through “Rise of the Guardians”, and “Kung Fu Panda” included a panda massacre as a plot line.

“The first...

Five top film animation filmmakers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022/2023 awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Monday, November 21, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our contributing editor Charles Bright and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.

RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.

This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following Oscar and guild contenders:

The Bad Guys (Dreamworks)

Synopsis: To avoid prison, a gang of notorious animal criminals pretend to seek being rehabilitated, only for their leader to secretly find that he genuinely wants to change his ways.

Bio: Pierre Perifel...

How can Amazon Prime Video followup the first season finale of its biggest series ever in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? The answer lies in its list of new releases for November 2022.

Understandably, Prime Video is probably pretty tired and won’t be opting for any more Middle-earth spectacle for awhile. In its place, however, are a couple of still intriguing Amazon Original series. British Western drama series The English is set to arrive on Nov. 11 to both Prime Video and BBC Two. Emily Blunt stars as a woman who heads to the American West in 1890 looking for revenge on the man she sees as responsible for the death of her son. Cool! Speaking of the English, the James Corden-starring Mammals also premieres on Nov. 11.

On the film side of things, Prime Video has a handful of interesting options. The latest effort to make Harry Styles a movie star,...

The weather is turning crisp and folks are preparing to cuddle up with Amazon Prime Video for the winter ahead. This month’s mix of content includes Oscar nominees as well as new television shows spread throughout both Prime Video and Freevee.

The main one to keep your eyes on is Hugo Blick’s “The English,” starring Emily Blunt. Set in 1890, the series focuses on aristocratic Englishwoman Lady Cornelia Locke (Blunt), who journeys to the American West seeking revenge for the man she blames for the death of her son. While on her journey, she encounters a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), who is on a similar quest for revenge, and joins up with him to accomplish both of their goals.

In addition to Blunt and Spencer, the cast also includes Stephen Rea, Valerie Pachner, Rafe Spall, Tom Hughes, Toby Jones, and Ciarán Hinds. The series was created by Hugo Blick,...

Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion "Pinocchio" might be the first animated feature film he's ever called the shots on, but it's far from the only time he's dabbled in the medium. On top of producing DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda" movies, "Puss in Boots," and "Rise of the Guardians," del Toro created the "Tales of Arcadia" animated shows (most of which also featured him as a co-writer and director) and paid homage to some of his many influences in the horror genre by helming the "Simpsons" opening couch gag for "Treehouse of Horror Xxiv."

Speaking at a "Pinocchio" junket attended by /Film's Jeremy Mathai, del Toro explained that his love of animation (stop-motion in particular) goes back to his early days making films. "My first shorts were stop-motion," he noted, revealing that he had originally wanted to kick off his feature directing career with a claymation movie, even building...

Tributes are pouring in for the legendary French New Wave filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, who died Tuesday at age 91. The Franco-Swiss director, who helped usher in a new era of cinema with titles like “Breathless” (1960) and “A Woman is a Woman” (1961), was mourned and celebrated across social media by scores of fans and fellow artists.

Martin Scorsese said that the director “re-defined the very idea of what a movie was and where it could go. No one was as daring as Godard.”

“He never made a picture that settled into to any one rhythm or mood or point of view, and his films never lulled you into a dream state. They woke you up. They still do, and they always will,” his statement continued. “It’s difficult to think that he’s gone. But if any artist can be said to have left traces of his own presence in his art,...

“Lost Ollie” has been found – and he’s on Netflix right now.

The four-episode series, loosely based on a William Joyce book (“Ollie’s Odyssey”), had been in development for more than a decade. What began as a project from Joyce’s own production entity was eventually rescued by Netflix and 21 Laps, one of the production companies behind “Stranger Things.” That’s when Shannon Tindle, an insanely talented designer and animator who had created Laika’s “Kubo and the Two Strings,” pitched his version of the story, which follows a lost toy (voiced by Jonathan Groff), who teams up with a pair of mismatched toys (played by Tim Blake Nelson and Mary J. Blige) and heads out in search of his owner, set deep in the American South.

And to chart Ollie’s odyssey, Tindle found the perfect partners – chiefly director Peter Ramsey, who is one of the most influential...

"Lost Ollie" is a new animation/live-action hybrid show that tells the story of a lost patchwork bunny embarking on a fantastical adventure to try and reunite with his best friend, a human boy named Billy. Along the way, he faces wonders, horrors, betrayal, action, and more. In her review for /Film, Shania Russell wrote: "'Lost Ollie' doesn't need to be a grand epic or end-of-the-world type quest. It's still a beautiful reminder of what it feels like to be wandering and what it truly means to find your way home."

The show may tread familiar ground compared to stories in "Toy Story" or "The Velveteen Rabbit," but it manages to stand out thanks to great animation from Ilm and a series of emotional gut punches that hit as hard as any Pixar movie. The show, which was created by Shannon Tindle, also features a great cast that includes Jonathan Groff,...

Is there a more universal experience than the festering fear of looking around and realizing you're lost? It happens to children and adults, and evidently, it's also a very common occurrence for toys. "Lost Ollie" certainly isn't the first time we've seen a beloved toy embark on a dangerous journey to find its way home, but it might very well be the most adorable. To be fair, this particular story has the advantage of following Ollie, the world's cutest stuffy — a patchwork bunny with unbeatable spirit and the voice of Jonathan Groff.

When he wakes to find himself in an unfamiliar place, it's up to Ollie to swallow his fear and begin a quest filled with danger, mystery, and more emotional gut punches than one can honestly prepare for. And why put himself through all that? Because somewhere out there is Billy (Kesler Talbot), a young boy who needs his favorite toy.

Are you ready to find “Lost Ollie?”

The upcoming Netflix series, which debuts August 24, is based on a story by William Joyce, whose stories have been adapted into “Robots,” “Meet the Robinsons” and “Rise of the Guardians.” It follows a lovable, hopelessly lost toy rabbit named Ollie (voiced by Jonathan Groff) as he searches for his young owner (Kesler Talbot).

His search sees him traversing many dangers in a surprisingly naturalistic deep south, as he teams up with a clown doll named Zozo (Tim Blake Nelson) and a battle-hardened bear (Mary J. Blige). And you can watch the trailer (above).

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“Lost Ollie” is directed by Peter Ramsey, who directed “Rise of the Guardians” and was one of the directors behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and created by animator Shannon Tindle. The...

Isla Fisher (Wolf Like Me) and Greg Kinnear (Shining Vale) will topline the family comedy The Present, from director Christian Ditter (How to Be Single), which has entered production in Los Angeles.

In the film from Stuart Ford’s independent content studio AGC Studios, a brilliant boy discovers he can manipulate time using an enchanted family heirloom, then teaming up with his siblings to go back to the eve of their parents’ separation in hopes of changing the outcome. As their schemes become more elaborate, the siblings will learn about family bonds and what they can and can’t control. Fisher and Kinnear are playing the parents in search of reconciliation, with Easton Rocket Sweda (General Hospital), Shay Rudolph (The Baby-Sitters Club) and Mason Shea Joyce (Euphoria) portraying the siblings who just might be the only people who can make that happen.

Ross Butler (Shazam!) also stars in the film...

Academy Award Winner Peter Ramsey will direct at least one episode of “Ahsoka,” the upcoming “Star Wars” series on Disney+ centered on Rosario Dawson’s ex-Jedi Ahsoka Tano, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

Production is set to start in Los Angeles later this month. Along with Dawson, the cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Natasha Liu as Sabine Wren, Ukrainian actress Ivanna Sakhno and Ray Stevenson who is playing a villain.

Ahsoka Tano made her live-action debut in the second season of “The Mandalorian.” Before that, the former Jedi Knight, who was a protégé of Anakin before he turned to the Dark Side, had only appeared in the animated series “Clone Wars” and “Rebels.”

Plot details for “Ahsoka” are kept under wraps, but the series will be set within the timeline of “Mandalorian,” meaning that it...

‘Morbius’, ‘The Bad Guys’ also make wide debuts.

Twelve films make their debut in UK-Ireland cinemas this weekend, with sequel Sonic The Hedgehog 2 one of three wide releases looking to revive a flagging box office.

Paramount is opening Sonic 2 in 651 locations – a five percent increase on the 620 locations of 2020’s Sonic The Hedgehog.

That film opened to a substantial £4.7m in February 2020, topping the charts for two weeks. It played in cinemas for five weekends, reaching £19.3m; before its run was cut short by the closure of all UK-Ireland cinemas due to the pandemic.

The Sonic franchise is...

Academy Award Winner Peter Ramsey will direct “Blood Count,” a period vampire thriller for Paramount, according to an individual with knowledge of the project. Paramount recently picked up the project and is in development.

Ramsey, who will be making his live action directorial debut on the film, will also write the script. Details about the project are being kept under wraps.

LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company are producing “Black Count.” James, Jamal Henderson and Spencer Beighley will act as producers.

Ramsey is best known as being the first Black filmmaker to direct a major American animated film, 2012’s “Rise of the Guardians,” and for co-directing 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Ramsey is also the first Black filmmaker to get nominated and win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for “Into the Spider-Verse.”

Next up, Ramsey will executive produce the two back to back “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse...

A new year has begun and audiences are looking for a fresh start. Only three films from last week's top 10 are making a return appearance, while everything else has been replaced. The adorable animated feature "Back to the Outback" has finally been ousted as the top watch for kids and replaced by the underrated "Rise of the Guardians." Audiences have finally kicked off my nemeses of the "Oldboy" remake and the weird Christian drama "The Shack" after a few weeks, but they've been replaced by perhaps even more questionable choices.

This week introduces a new category frequently seen on the Netflix top 10,...

The post Netflix's Most Watched Movies Last Week -- Which Should You Check Out? appeared first on /Film.

After a year when home viewing, including major Premium VOD releases of films shortly after their theatrical debuts, the holiday results seem to take a back seat to the monster ones for “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Sony) in theaters. And its success has bled over at home. Seven of the 30 slots on the three top 10 charts IndieWire tracks are taken by early “Spider-Man” entries.

Otherwise, the shuffle back and forth at the top remains between “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” (Sony) and “No Time to Die” (United Artists), both now reduced to $5.99. “Venom 2” is #1 at both Google Play and Vudu, while the Bond film leads at iTunes.

The lack of any new exclusive-to-home PVOD offerings left studios at what would seem a prime time to score high-end returns from $19.99 rentals. This is definitely a shift from recent patterns for three significant November releases — “Eternals” (Disney), “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Sony), and...

Exclusive: Tenet and Dune VFX firm Dneg has promoted Tom Jacomb to President, Dneg Animation.

Previously serving as Managing Director, Jacomb helped launch the Feature Animation division at Dneg in 2014. Based in London, he has guided the growth of the team to more than 500 employees across Dneg’s animation studios in London, Los Angeles, Montréal and Mumbai.

In his new role as President, Jacomb will oversee further worldwide investment and expansion of Dneg Animation, including expansion into Vancouver and the creation of up to 100 new animation roles in the city.

Jacomb’s promotion to President is effective concurrently with the appointment of five new members of Dneg Animation’s team and the studio’s expanding slate of new feature film and episodic animation productions.

The five hires comprise: Freddy Chaleur (Sherlock Gnomes) and Yancy Lindquist (The Boss Baby) joining Dneg Animation’s team of VFX Supervisors, which includes Philippe Denis,...

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is gearing up for his latest project, “Dune,” which hits both theaters and HBO Max on Oct.22, and the director is disappointed that the pandemic has affected the film’s rollout.

In a new interview with Total Film, the Academy Award nominee said the pandemic is the “enemy of the cinema,” and spoke to the “tremendous pressure” that the film industry is under, while disagreeing about the film’s move to streaming.

Villeneuve was among the most vocal opponents of Warner Bros.’ decision to put its entire 2021 slate both in theaters and HBO Max for one month on the same day. In an open letter in Variety, he wrote that AT&T “Hijacked one of the most respectable and important studios in film history. There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here.”

The director compared the experience of watching a film on a TV...