Visual Effects Society's best of the year

Also announcing their top nominated work of the past year were the Visual Effects Society (VES) for their 10th annual awards.  Let's see who got nominated.

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture
Captain America: The First Avenger
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture
Anonymous
Hugo
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Source Code
War Horse

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
The Adventures of Tintin

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - Ukranian Ironbelly
Paul - Paul
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Caesar
The Thing - Edvard/Adam

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
Puss in Boots - Puss
Rango - Rango
Rio - Nigel
The Adventures of Tintin - Tintin

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
Anonymous - London
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - Hogwarts
Thor - Heimdall's Observatory
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 155 Wacker Drive

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
Puss in Boots - The Cloud World
Rango - Main Street Dirt
The Adventures of Tintin - Bagghar
The Adventures of Tintin - Docks
The Adventures of Tintin - Pirate Battle

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Thor
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Rango
The Adventures of Tintin

Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - Hogwarts School Buildings
Hugo - Train Crash
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - Parking Garage
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Driller

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture
Captain America: The First Avenger
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Looks like The Adventures of Tintin is leading the pack with both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the final Harry Potter right behind it.  Good luck to all the nominees, your hard work makes all the wonderful visuals onscreen look so effortless.  The awards will be announced on February 7th, 2012.

Annie Awards 2011 Nominations

It's that time again!  The Annie Awards, also know as the Animation awards, have announced their nominations for the best of the year in animation.

2011 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris – Folimage

Arrugas (Wrinkles) - Perro Verde Films, S.L.


Arthur Christmas – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

Cars 2 – Pixar Animation Studios

Chico & Rita – Chico & Rita Distribution Limited

Kung Fu Panda 2 – DreamWorks Animation

Puss In Boots – DreamWorks Animation

Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

Rio – Blue Sky Studios


Tintin – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Full nominations list after the jump

Movie Review: The Adventures of Tintin

To say that The Adventures of Tintin is a much anticipated movie for the fans of the comic books and Steven Spielberg is an understatement.  The comics are beloved around most of the world except America.  People might be slightly aware of who Tintin is but it doesn't go beyond that.  Therefore, America is one of the last destinations in the worldwide release schedule for the movie.

I, myself, read the comics and watched the TV show when I was a kid and was immediately drawn into the world of adventure and mystery in Tintin and his friends.  They include his faithful and loyal dog, Snowy, Captain Haddock whose Kryptonite is alcohol and the bumbling detective duo of Thompson and Thompson.  It really was a pleasure to see these characters onscreen from a comic book but some people are upset with Spielberg filming the movie in CG environment saying it's not faithful to the comic book.  What is the point then of making a movie adaptation if not to be a bit daring? This film uses both CGI (for example, Snowy) and motion capture using actors (for example, Jamie Bell as Tintin) to introduce us to world of Tintin.

I must say I was quite pleased with what I saw.  The film had echoes of Spielberg's previous Indiana Jones series with the swashbuckling adventures ahead and all but it also gives us a glimpse of what Spielberg is now open to with the technology that is available to him.  There are some shots that are unbelievably framed visually and artistically and there is one particular long chase sequence that wouldn't be possible in a live action world but is made so dramatic and thrilling in the CG world.  And to think this is only the first of the proposed trilogy.

The movies opens with a familiar looking title sequence.  It's very reminiscent of Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can with the characters in silhouette but here serves a segue from comic to big screen.  There's even a sly nod to the comic with an artist doing a caricature of what Tintin would like in comic form.  There is no real country named but it seems like the story takes place in Europe, perhaps even Belgium.  Tintin and his dog Snowy are at a market fair where Tintin spots a marvelous replica of ship, The Golden Unicorn.  He buys it and immediately after two separate people want to buy it off him and hint at the danger ahead for him.  Our young boy reporter's curiosity is aroused and he finds out the history behind the ship and the family of Francis Drake, the ship's captain.  For once, it was so refreshing to see a character in a movie actually go to a library to research.  This being set in a non-technological world, characters actually have to work hard to solve a mystery and not get instant updates and help all through their computer.

It turns out that there is a shady man, Sakharine (Daniel Craig), after a scroll hidden in the ship, which promises to lead to treasure that only a true Haddock would recognize.  As this is a origin story movie, we are shown how Tintin meets his friend, Captain Haddock. Tintin assists his new friend Haddock in trying to find the clues hidden in the ships to the treasure promised by Francis Drake.  This takes them across seas and deserts to find what has been hidden for so long.  As mentioned before, this is the first of the Tintin movies and the movie hints of more adventures to come and I couldn't be happier.  I couldn't remember the last time I was enthralled in a movie from start to finish this year. 

A big part of why this movie works is because of the three main characters in this film: Tintin, Haddock and Snowy.  Jamie Bell as Tintin and Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock absolutely inhabit their roles.  The motion capture is so realistic and effortless, it puts ALL previous mo-cap movies to shame.  Yes, I'm talking to you, Polar Express and A Christmas Carol.  After awhile, I forgot that Tintin was animated character, it was like I was watching Tintin come to life.  And as for Snowy, I loved his little antics.  Absolutely wonderful animation for Snowy and it was great to see all the little tidbits of how attuned Snowy is to what his master and friend Tintin wants and needs.  I think it's about time that Andy Serkis won himself an Oscar because what he brings alive in certain characters is astounding.  Motion capture may start to be a force at award shows in the coming years. 

After all this gushing, I do have one major peeve in the movie.  For all the wonder characters in the film and there are no strong female characters in the film at all.  Thinking back, only two women in the film have speaking roles and it may even look as if our characters inhabit an all male world.  This oversight can be fixed in the films and I hope they do.  Despite this quibble, I heartily recommend this film as the must-see film for you and your family.

Directed by Steven Spielberg; Written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish; Comic series by Herge; Produced by Peter Jackson; Cinematography by Janusz Kaminski; Music by John Williams; Edited by Michael Kahn.

Additional Voice Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Cary Elwes, Gad Elmaleh, Mackenzie Crook

Rating:

Around the World in Posters: Tintin, Drive, Happy Feet Two and more!

 

Gorgeous new poster showing the key characters from The Adventures of Tintin.  I'd love to have this framed on a wall.

 

Hello, hottie! Ryan Gosling in this first poster from Drive.  After seeing the trailer, I'm totally psyched for this film.

 

Cute penquins!!! Cute dancing penquins!!! That's all anyone needs to know about Happy Feet Two.

 Two very impressive young actors in Like Crazy, Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones.  I'm definitely seeing this.

How cute is it that Jason Segel and Walter the Muppet are wearing the same outfit?

Ben Stiller and his gang of misfits tries to pull off the most impossible heist in a tower...hence the name.

New Tintin International Trailer

None of that teaser stuff anymore, here's a full look at Tintin and the gang in the new international trailer for The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.  It's surprising that the Tintin series isn't that popular in the United States and will be the last place in the world for the film to release.  Hence, the push in marketing worldwide first, you know, where people are actually fans of the comic books.

This already looks ten times better than the disastrous A Christmas Carol and Mars needs Moms.  A much better step ahead for mo-cap movies than the direction that Robert Zemeckis was headed in.  This is the first film in a planned trilogy so a lot will be riding on it.  I can't wait to see the full film in theaters; this is Steven Spielberg-Peter Jackson combination is much anticipated.

The Adventures of Tintin: First Teaser Trailer!

It's here, the first teaser trailer of The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.  (Hint: It's about a ship.)  Take a look.

I liked how we had to wait all the way til the end of the trailer to see a first glimpse of Tintin's face. Not so much for Snowy. I loved the comics and even watched the serialized cartoon whenever it was on. This looks waaaaaay better than the motion capture of Polar Express and A Christmas Carol. That was just plain creepy! Sorry, Robert Zemeckis, you know it's true. I suddenly feel like reading some old comics now. Enjoy the trailer.

First Look: New Tintin Posters

Today's news is a biggie!! Empire Online is releasing the first look at the The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn one sheet poster and it's so awesome.

International Poster

(Poster: Empire Online)

US Poster

(Poster: AintItCool.com)

Empire Online will also debut the trailer tomorrow morning.  I'm totally going to have trouble sleeping tonite.  

More Tintin Images!

Comingsoon.net has some new scans from the Empire Magazine featuring the first look at the new Tintin movie coming out next year.  I can't wait for the teaser trailer to arrive!

First Look at the new Tintin from Empire Online

Oh, boy! Empire Online has an exclusive sneak peek at the new Tintin movie, a collaborative work of both Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.  It's got its awesome stamp of approval already.  Here are some first look as the characters in CG and read more about it if you get your hands on the new issue.

Empire also mentions that the film The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn will release in the UK on October 26, 2011.  That's way before the US release date, will it release before in the rest of the world?  Interesting reversal.