ICE AGE, 20th Century Fox’s first foray into CG animated features, topped the charts this weekend and had the third largest opening for an animated feature ever, behind TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS, INC. and the largest March opening in U.S. box office history. Debuting with $47.8M, the prehistoric beasts crushed the competition, with second place RESIDENT EVIL scaring up just $18.2M. Based on the video game of the same name, RESIDENT EVIL features visual effects by AMX Studios Ltd. and MagicMove. Third place was held by the DeNiro/Murphy buddy comedy SHOWTIME with $15.4M.

Following the record-breaking Season One DVD released last fall, SIMPSONS fans can continue to build their collections with the release of THE SIMPSONS: SEASON TWO DVD Collection on July 9, 2002. In addition to the entire second season of twenty two episodes (1990-1991), the special DVD features include interviews with series creator Matt Groening and producer James L. Brooks, early sketches, the very first Butterfinger commercials featuring Bart as the spokesperson, music videos and more. Suggested retail price: DVD US$49.98.

Twentieth Century Fox has acquired the rights to DRAGONBALL and plans to produce a live-action feature film based on the manga property. DRAGONBALL began as a graphic novel and has become a multimedia phenomenon, including home video, video games and the popular DRAGONBALL Z animated series currently airing on Cartoon Network. The various DRAGONBALL properties relate an epic story between good and evil, involving super-powerful beings from another planet, known as the Saiyans, who protect Earth from the forces of darkness.

Santa Monica-based visual effects house R!OT recently created visual effects shots for the current Warner Bros. release QUEEN OF THE DAMNED. The 114-shot workload of 3D computer graphics, digital matte paintings and 2D compositing was completed using SoftImage|XSI, Maya and Inferno as well as Armada, R!OT’s artificial intelligence system (AI) for character/object animation and texture management. Originally used for the studio’s work on THE ONE, the application was co-developed by R!OT and SoftImage as a solution for scenes with extensive animated geometry.

THE TIME MACHINE, the latest adaptation of H.G. Wells classic sci-fi novel about the futuristic land of the Morlochs, was number one this weekend, earning $22.6M in its debut. The film, with visual effects by Digital Domain and ILM, was directed by Simon Wells (PRINCE OF EGYPT), H.G. Wells great grandson. The Vietnam war drama WHEN WE WERE SOLDIERS, with visual effects by Digital Domain, dropped to second, bringing in $14.2M for $40.5M. Disney’s RETURN TO NEVER LAND is still staying well within the top ten in its fourth week earning $4.5M for a total of $41.5M to date and sixth place.

From a boy whose love is real, even if he is not, to a singing, bell-ringing hunchback, March video releases have something for everyone.

March 5, 2002

A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Special Edition.

TokyoPop, an international distributor of character-based entertainment, has acquired the rights to the Japanese TV series' MARMALADE BOY and BRIGADOON. Both shows will be available on DVD in the U.S. in summer 2002. BRIGADOON is a comedy sci-fi series animated by Japanese animation studio Sunrise, which is responsible for animating the series' GUNDAM WING, COWBOY BEBOP and OUTLAW STAR. MARMALADE BOY tells the story of teenage girl Miki, whose dysfunctional family gets her caught up in strange love triangles and situations.

Two weeks ago HART’S WAR barely made a blip in the box office and quickly dropped out of the top ten, but viewers seem ready to welcome a new military drama. WHEN WE WERE SOLDIERS, with visual effects by Digital Domain, made a big debut this weekend, earning $20.2M. In second place was the teen flick 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS with $12.5M. Last week’s number one film THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, with visual effects by Grey Matters FX and Manex, suffered a major drop this weekend, falling all the way to sixth place earning just $5.8M a 60% drop from last weekend.

Due to an unexpectedly strong box office performance, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment has changed the DVD and VHS release date for Osamu Tezuka's METROPOLIS to April 23, 2002. The film was previously scheduled to debut on home video on March 12. METROPOLIS has earned $446,810 in five weeks of limited release. It is currently playing on 13 screens in the U.S. and over the weekend of February 22, 2002 grossed an average of $2,425 per screen.

QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, the latest screen adaptation from Anne Rice’s VAMPIRE CHRONICLES, took a bite out of this weekend’s box office debuting at number one. The thriller, with visual effects by Grey Matters FX and Manex, earned $15.1M. QUEEN’s sexy vampires handily beat last week’s number one film, the Denzel Washington-starrer JOHN Q, with visual effects by The Effects Group. The hostage drama came in second with $12.5M for a cume of $39.8M.

The British equivalent of the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs, were presented on February 24, 2002 at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. THE LORD OF THE RINGS won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Visual Effects. SHREK took the prize for Best Adapted Screenplay, beating four live-action films including LORD OF THE RINGS and Golden Globe adapted screenplay winner A BEAUTIFUL MIND. SHREK is nominated for an Academy Award in this same category. The BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation went to Suzie Templeton for her film DOG.

Platinum Studios and Catch 23 Entertainment will co-produce a live-action feature film based on writer Alex Simmon’s graphic novel series BLACKJACK. BLACKJACK debuted in 1996, and the series details the exploits of independent African-American soldier of fortune Arron Day – a man called "Blackjack" – as he roams the globe seeking adventure and warding off danger.

A new photography exhibition spotlighting thirty film industry women is currently on display at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and features portraits of three noted women of animation. "Great Women of Film: Photographs by Helena Lumme and Mika Manninen" is intended be a celebration of the film industry's current female talents and includes women from a wide variety of professions and crafts in the motion picture industry.

Cowboy Pictures is presenting a tribute to Pixar Animation Studios featuring four feature film classics from Disney/Pixar: TOY STORY, A BUG’S LIFE, TOY STORY 2 and MONSTERS, INC. The retrospective will run February 23 - March 17 in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Sunset 5 and February 24 - March 10 at The Quad in New York. All screenings are free. In New York on Tuesday, February 26, director John Lasseter will host a special evening introducing the screening of MONSTERS, INC. and two of Pixar’s short films, LUXO JR. and 2001 Academy Award nominee FOR THE BIRDS.

Los Angeles-based short film distributor Apollo Cinema will showcase all five Oscar-nominated animated short films, along with the five live-action short film nominees. This is the second consecutive year Apollo has presented the films in association with Laemmle Theatres. Beginning in Los Angeles on February 28, 2002, the screenings will continue to run every weekend until the Academy Award winners are announced on March 24.

The U.S. President’s Day three-day holiday weekend has proved profitable for new releases as well as some films that have been on the charts for weeks. In third place, Disney’s 2D animated PETER PAN sequel enjoyed a solid $16.1M opening. RETURN TO NEVER LAND is set during World War II and finds Peter Pan on the trail of Captain Hook after the pirate kidnaps Wendy's daughter, Jane. The family-friendly film sent Disney’s other kid flick SNOW DOGS running to tenth place, where it earned just $7M for a cume of $68.4M.

The nominations for the 74th Annual Academy Awards were announced on February 12, 2002. Effects-heavy THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING topped the list with 13 nominations including Best Visual Effects alongside A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE and PEARL HARBOR. LORD also won spots in major categories like Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Joining LORD OF THE RINGS in the Adapted Screenplay category is DreamWorks' 3D blockbuster SHREK, which was also one of three nominees in the brand new Animated Feature Film category.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has announced their nominations for the coveted Oscar award. Receiving nominations for best animated short were Ruairi Robinson’s 3D meditation on suicide FIFTY PERCENT GREY, Cathal Gaffney’s "animated documentary" GIVE UP YER AUL SINS, Pixar’s latest 3D short FOR THE BIRDS, Joe Merideth’s caveman comedy STUBBLE TROUBLE and Cordell Barker’s tale of otherworldly love STRANGE INVADERS. These films are featured on AWN with QuickTime clips, pictures and information about the films and directors.

Three new films held the top spots this weekend, with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terrorist drama COLLATERAL DAMAGE leading the pack. The film, with visual effects by Digital Film Works, earned $15.1M in its first weekend out. A remake of the 1975 film ROLLERBALL managed to debut in the number three spot despite generally lackluster reviews. The futuristic actioner took in $9M. BLACK HAWK DOWN, last week’s number one film, fell to fourth. The war epic, with visual effects by The Mill and Asylum, earned $8M for a total of $86.7M to date.

Hold on to your sorting hats. Warner Home Video has announced the release of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE on DVD and VHS. A two-disc DVD including additional scenes that have never been seen before, self-guided tours, interviews with the filmmakers and interactive features will be available May 28, 2002. The VHS will also include five minutes of additional footage. 2001 saw one record-breaking DVD release after another and all were effects heavy or animated releases.