The 41st Annie Awards nominations are announced!

The nominations for the 41st Annie Awards are in! And Walt Disney Animation and Pixar are battling it out with 10 nominations each with Frozen and Monsters University respectively.  DreamWorks' The Croods and the surprise (not really!) hit of the year, Despicable Me 2 each have nine nominations. But don't count out the grand master and the dark horse amongst the race, Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises, which is being distributed by Walt Disney Studios in the US.  The 41st Annie Awards will be announced on February 1st.

Best Animated Feature

• A Letter to Momo - 
GKIDS
• Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
• Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• The Wind Rises
 - The Walt Disney Studios

Best Animated Short Subject

• Despicable Me 2 - Puppy
 - Universal Pictures
• Get A Horse!
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Gloria Victoria
 - National Film Board of Canada
• My Mom is an Airplane
 - Acme Filmworks
• The Numberlys - 
Moonbot Studios

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production

• Alen Lai, David Quirus, Diego Garzon Sanchez, Ilan Gabai - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• David Jones - Dragons: Defenders of Berk
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Joshua Jenny, Jason Johnston, Matthew Wong, Eric Froemling, Enrique Vila - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
• Greg Gladstone, Nikita Pavlov, Allen Ruilova, Matt Titus, Can Yuksel - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

• Jonathan Paquin, Brian Goodwin, Gray Horsfield, Mathieu Chardonnet, Adrien Toupet - Man Of Steel - 
Weta Digital
• Ben O’Brien, Karin Cooper, Lee Uren, Chris Root - Star Trek: Into Darkness - Industrial Light & Magic
• Dan Pearson, Jay Cooper, Jeff Grebe, Amelia Chenoweth - Star Trek: Into Darkness - 
Industrial Light & Magic
• Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel - Pacific Rim
 - Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production

• Thom Roberts - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Jonathan Del Val – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Jakob Jensen - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
• John Chun Chiu Lee - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Kitaro Kosaka – The Wind Rises - 
The Walt Disney Studios
• Tony Smeed - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Patrick Imbert - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production

• Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora, Gino Acevedo - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Gollum
 - Weta Digital
• Dave Clayton, Simeon Duncombe, Jung Min Chan, Matthew Cioffi, Guillame Francois - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Goblin King
 - Weta Digital
• Hal Hickel, Chris Lentz, Derrick Carlin, Steve Rawlins, Kyle Winkelman - Pacific Rim
 - Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Sylvain Deboissy, Shannon Tindle - Turbo - DreamWorks Animation
• Craig Kellman – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 - 
Sony Pictures Animation
• Chris Sasaki - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• Christophe Lourdelet - A Monster in Paris
 - Shout! Factory 

• Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
• Bill Schwab - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production

• Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• David Soren - Turbo - 
DreamWorks Animation
• Chris Wedge - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production

• Alan Silvestri - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
• Henry Jackman - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Mark Mothersbaugh – Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
• Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Danny Elfman - Epic - Blue Sky Studios
• Randy Newman - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios 

• Dominic Lewis - Free Birds - 
Reel FX

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Christophe Lautrette, Paul Duncan, Dominique R. Louis - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Michael Knapp, Greg Couch, William Joyce - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Zaza, Zyk - Ernest & Celestine - GKIDS
• Ricky Nierva, Robert Kondo, Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios 


Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

• Steven MacLeod - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Eric Favela – Despicable Me 2 - 
Universal Pictures
• Dean Kelly - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jason Hand - Planes
- Disneytoon Studios
• John Ripa - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

• Paul Giamatti as the voice of Chet - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Terry Crews as the voice of Earl – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
• Kristen Wiig as the voice of Lucy – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Steve Carell as the voice of Gru – Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Pierre Coffin as the voice of Minions - Despicable Me 2
 - Universal Pictures
• Billy Crystal as the voice of Mike – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production

• Daniel Pennac - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• Miyazaki Hayao – The Wind Rises
- The Walt Disney Studios
• Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

• Darren Holmes - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• James Ryan - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Fabienne Alvarez-Giro - Ernest & Celestine - 
GKIDS
• Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Draheim - Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award — Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg & Phil Tippett

June Foray Award — Alice Davis

Certificate of Merit — “I Know That Voice” (Documentary)

Movie Review: Despicable Me 2

They're back! Those adorable minions who stole the show in the first film return for the sequel in Despicable Me 2 where they are under the threat of being turned into crazed purple monsters.  This time around, the Anti-Villian League wants to recruit Gru (voice of Steve Carell) to find out who stole a lab from the Artic Circle.

Gru has retired from his evil doing days (which is a shame because he was quite inventive) and now spends the days planning parties and helping with homework for his three adopted daughters, Margo, Edith and Agnes.  He keeps getting set up by his annoying neighbor Jillian and his daughters who want to see him happy. But he might have met his match in AVL Agent Lucy (voice of Kristen Wiig) who just might be perfect for him. It's only the matter of finding out who's behind the scheme of wanting to creating a purple monster army.

Back to those minions, they're the real reason to go see the movie because once again, they're hysterical whether they're relaxing on the beach, working in Gru's jelly factory or even as the loyal sidekicks.  The minute they open their mouth to utter 'minionese' and laugh a naughty giggle, you know you want to see more. (As the end credits reveal, they are currently holding auditions for their own film.)  I know I definitely want to see more 90s music videos as imagined by the minions, whose idea was it to have them dress in all white? Because that was genius.

But I digress, the film is enjoyable enough but it is missing a bit of the charm present of the first film.  The animation was thoroughly delightful and it seemed the animators were having more fun with the minions and antics of the young daughters.  The only one who's lost a bit of sheen here is the despicable one, Gru. But let's face it, the real reason anyone's going to see the film is for the minions and there's plenty of that to enjoy.

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud; Written by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul; Editing by Gregory Perler; Music by Pharrell Williams and Heitor Pereira

Additional Voice Talents: Russell Brand, Benjamin Bratt, Ken Jeong, Steve Coogan, Elsie Kate Fisher, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Moises Arias, Kristen Schaal, Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Rating:

Around the World in Posters: The Wolverine, Ender's Game, World War Z and more!

Hugh Jackman is back as Wolverine and he looks mighty pissed.

Better poster of Now You See Me that shows off its formidable cast: Freeman, Caine, Harrelson, Ruffalo, etc.

If you didn't believe the zombie apocalypse is upon us this summer, look no further than World War Z!

BANANA! The minions are back this summer in Despicable Me 2.

The new poster for the Cannes Film Festival is definitely swoon worthy.

Reason #236843 to get excited for Ender's Game: Harrison Ford's return to sci-fi and no, Cowboys & Aliens doesn't count.

Out of all the posters released for Midnight's Children, this one is by far my favorite. 

Alan (Zach Galifianakis) faces off against Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows style for The Hangover Part III.

It's 3 vs 1 as Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine and Zachary Pinto take on Benedict Cumberbatch in Star Trek Into Darkness.

Holy Minions! New Despicable Me 2 trailer

Smart move on part of the filmmakers to feature the breakout stars of the last film in the new teaser for the new Despicable Me 2 trailer.  It's always entertaining when those adorable Minions invade the screen and I don't think I can stop giggling over the image of the little Minion in a French maid's costume.  Despicable Me 2 opens next summer with the most of the cast back and with Al Pacino and Steve Coogan listed as possible voices on their IMDb page.  

The Scene-stealers get their Day!

The Minions are getting their own movie!  The scene-stealers from Despicable Me, the yellow little minions will feature in their own movie to be directed by Pierre Coffin for a 2014 release.  Check them out in this hilarious short where they fight over a fruit.  Seriously, you have never heard the word 'banana' uttered so comically each time.  They'll do fine on their own.

Meanwhile, another set of scene-stealers are also getting their own flick, the military minded penguins from the Madagascar series will be seen next in The Penguins of Madagascar.  They already headline the same named television series on Nickelodeon and the move to solo film is quite the promotion for them.  What crazy scheme will they be up to next? We'll find out sometime in 2015.

News and Casting Updates: Rio, Despicable Me 2 and more!

• A possible Rio sequel could release in 2014.  World Cup Brazil, anyone?
• Meanwhile, in more animation film news, Javier Bardem backs out of voicing villain El Macho in Despicable Me 2.  The film is due to release on the July 4th holiday (yay!) in 2013.
• Ryan Murphy's next film will feature Mark Ruffalo, Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons and his Eat Pray Love star Julia Roberts.  The Normal Heart is a Tony-award winning play and will be produced by Brad Pitt.
• Kate Winslet, Steve Carrell, Jack Black, Nicholas Cage, Kevin Kline and Catherine Keener are in the cast for Charlie Kaufman's Frank or Francis.  The comedy/satire is about an online war between a filmmaker and a blogger.  I already want to see this film.

Annie Awards Nominations

The Annie Awards nominations are out!! No, it's not about little red-haired orphan girls.  These are the Animation Awards, the highest awards given out by the animation industry.  As usual, it's mostly between the big 2, DreamWorks and Pixar.  A couple of months ago, Pixar famously withdrew from the Annie Awards for unjust judging.  A close eye shall be kept on these proceedings for sure.

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
Despicable Me – Illumination Entertainment
How to Train Your Dragon – DreamWorks Animation
Tangled – Disney
The Illusionist – Django Films
Toy Story 3 – Disney/Pixar

Best Animated Short Subject
Coyote Falls – Warner Bros. Animation
Day & Night – Pixar
Enrique Wrecks the World – House of Chai
The Cow Who Wanted To Be A Hamburger – Plymptoons Studio
The Renter – Jason Carpenter


Rest of the nominees under the cut