Thompson on Hollywood

Fantastic Mr. Fox Acceptance Speech

At the National Board of Review NYC fete this week, Wes Anderson staged a novel acceptance speech, Fantastic Mr. Fox style.

By Anne Thompson
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January 13, 2010 10:22 AM
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Best Reviewed Movies of Decade: Pan's Labyrinth, Man on Wire

The best-reviewed movies of the decade on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes are Pan's Labyrinth and Man on Wire, respectively.

By Anne Thompson
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January 2, 2010 8:26 AM
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Last Post of 2009: Avatar Passes 800 Million, Year and Decade Wraps, Gilliam's First Short

Twelve years after Titanic, another late-year James Cameron release is climbing the box office charts. I thought I was safe with my estimate of $1 billion worldwide ($400 m domestic, $600 foreign). But Avatar is already passing $800 million! It could challenge Titanic's $1.8 billion record after all.

By Anne Thompson
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January 1, 2010 2:25 AM
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Trailer Watch: How to Train Your Dragon

While most folks would pick Pixar over Dreamworks animation any day, Jeffrey Katzenberg does know how to craft accessible commercial movies like Madagascar and Shrek (the fourth installment is in the works under live-action director Mike Mitchell). But I am hearing good buzz on How to Train Your Dragon, set in the world of the Vikings, which hits theaters March 10 in several 3-D formats, including IMAX. Some elements are familiar: our young hero proves his manhood by riding a flying banshee--er, dragon. (Slashfilm has doubts.)

By Anne Thompson
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January 1, 2010 12:05 AM
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Oscar Watch: No Costume Nom Possible for Fantastic Mr. Fox

For those who harbored hopes that Wes Anderson's animated feature Fantastic Mr. Fox might be eligible for a costume prize, it isn't. My pal Jane in the Academy would happily vote for it--even if it was shot in stop-motion. But when we looked up the credits, we saw no designer. I checked with Fox Searchlight, and they confirm that there's no official costume designer for the film.

By Anne Thompson
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December 17, 2009 10:04 AM
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Oscar Watch: Coraline, Up Lead Annie Noms

Is CG animation on the decline?

By Anne Thompson
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December 1, 2009 6:57 AM
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Oscar Talk Episode Ten: Avatar, Tyson, Animation

In this week's podcast, In Contention's Kris Tapley and I talk animation (20 submissions), supporting actor and actress, 2012, Mike Tyson's LAX brawl and the four Oscar heavyweights yet to be screened, including likely last contender out of the gate, James Cameron's big-budget Avatar.

By Anne Thompson
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November 14, 2009 2:27 AM
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Must Sees: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Messenger

The movie most likely to succeed this weekend is Roland Emmerich's 2012, which I look forward to seeing with a crowd. The critic-proof doomsday movie is expected to do $40-50 million on over 3400 screens. I just want to see the VFX. That's what Emmerich is good at. Even in the trailer John Cusack looks embarrassed.

By Anne Thompson
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November 14, 2009 1:12 AM
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Oscar Talk Episode 6

In our sixth Oscar Talk podcast, In Contention's Kris Tapley and I debate the foreign and animation races, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Messenger, Where the Wild Things Are and The Last Station.

By Anne Thompson
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October 16, 2009 10:49 AM
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Coraline's Selick Leaves Laika

It seems odd that when a movie breaks out and does as well as Coraline ($120 million worldwide), that the filmmaker would leave the animation company behind it. But Henry Selick and Portland, Oregon-based Laika have parted ways at the expiration of Selick's contract as Laika supervising director. Often the same creative drive and energy that makes a movie like Coraline possible--believe me, without Selick it would not be the same movie-- makes a director tough to work with. Laika, which also produces commercials, intends to continue making stop-motion animation.