Tag: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole

‘Dragon’ dominates Annie Award nominations

It was cute of the Annies to throw “Tangled” and “Toy Story 3” a bone in the Best Animated Feature, directing and screenplay categories this year, but the absence of Disney product in virtually every other field is clearly evidence of a reaction to the studio withdrawing from the organization earlier this summer. Credibility: out the window.

As best as I can tell, “How to Train Your Dragon” led the way considerably with 15 nominations. And I think we can pretty well expect the film to triumph in quite a few of them, including Best Animated Feature, when the awards are handed out February 5.

A distant second with seven total bids was Universal’s “Despicable Me,” but fret not, DreamWorks was right back in there at third with six nods for “Shrek Forever After.”

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December 6, 2010
Listen to Owl City’s ‘To the Sky’ from ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’

The Warner Bros. screener pack arrived yesterday afternoon and I immediately noticed an original song contender on the sleeve for Zack Snyder’s “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.” I hadn’t yet seen the film so I popped it into the player last night to see where and how the track was utilized.

Owl City’s “To the Sky” is a poppy ditty used mid-way through the film as part of a montage and is then reprised as the first cue on the closing credits. Even in a slim pickings race like the one we’re seeing unfold this year, I’d say it doesn’t have much of a shot at a nomination, but it’s an eligible contender nevertheless so it deserves a mention here.

I quite liked the film, by the way. Snyder’s vision and cinematic sense really stands out, even if his penchant for slow motion begins to grate after a while. When he saves it for unique dramatic instances, it has a real impact. But regardless, the animation is gorgeous and I’d have loved to catch it in the theater.

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November 24, 2010
Only 15 films qualify for Oscar’s animated feature race

I honestly didn’t expect the list to hit so soon on the heels of my item earlier this afternoon, but hit it has. And it actually appears that “The Dreams of Jinsha” was the other title submitted, not “Chico & Rita.”

Alas, there are only 15 titles that qualified, meaning we will only see three nominees in the category this year. “Yogi Bear,” predictably, did not qualify, while “Idiots and Angels,” it turns out, did. I’d LOVE to see Bill Plympton in an Oscar race.

The rest are the usual suspects, but it’s a real shame we can’t have a full slate this year. Speaking solely for myself, I’m liking a lot of feature animation in 2010. TheGolden Globes, however, could still see five nominees as long as 14 titles were submitted to the HFPA for consideration. Check out Oscar’s field of animated feature contenders after the jump.

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November 15, 2010
BOX OFFICE: ‘Social Network’ confirms a ton of friends

A solid start and a big win for Sony marketing, I should think. “The Town” pulled in a little more than I would have expected. “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” is fading away as it was leapfrogged by “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.” And “Let Me In” had the life sucked out of it. More importantly: REDSKINS/EAGLES!

October 3, 2010
BOX OFFICE: ‘Money,’ baby

Dropped some dollars on “Devil” Friday night. I didn’t hate it. That’s at least going in the right direction, right?

[Courtesy: Exhibitor Relations]

September 26, 2010
‘Fur of Flying’ clip

If you go see “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” this weekend, you’ll be treated to one of the new stereoscopic 3D Warner Bros. cartoons, “Fur of Flying.” A clip of the short has been lingering on the net for a while and I never got around to posting it, so I figured today was as good a time as any. I can’t wait to sse it (and the other shorts WB has been cooking up.) Maybe we’ll be seeing it pop up in the Best Animated Short race. Take a look at the clip after the jump.

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September 23, 2010