As we edge closer to Oscar time, the critics continue to weigh in with their picks. On January 2, 2002 the Online Film Critics Society gave the nod to SHREK as Best Animated Feature. If you’re counting, that’s three critics' awards for SHREK, one for WAKING LIFE and none for the other Academy Awards qualifiers. January 5, 2002 saw the American Film Institute (AFI) bestow Film of the Year honors on LORD OF THE RINGS, which beat out nine other nominees (including SHREK) to take home the top prize.

Epic fantasy THE LORD OF THE RINGS, with primary visual effects by WETA, ruled as the number one film for the third week in a row, nabbing another $23M this weekend to break the $200M mark after just 18 days. The AFI honored RINGS as "Film of the Year" this weekend and it has earned $205.5M after just 19 days in theaters. The drama A BEAUTIFUL MIND, with primary visual effects by Digital Domain, claimed the number two spot, with $17M in its first week of wide release. The film, which is inspired by the life of schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, has earned $38.2M after three weeks.

Here are a few of the notable special effects and animated films being released this month:

JEEPERS CREEPERS –- January 8

JEEPERS CREEPERS was a surprise summer hit in 2001. The story of two teenaged siblings running from a flesh-eating monster gets the double-disc treatment from UA/MGM home video. Available on January 8, 2002, the 2-sided DVD features screen-specific audio commentary with director Victor Salva, a 59-minute documentary THE MAKING OF JEEPERS CREEPERS and deleted scenes. Suggested retail price: 2-sided DVD $26.95.

Santa Monica-based effects studio Computercafe created a "living" bomb that is extracted from a human body for the upcoming Dimension Films release IMPOSTOR. Computercafe’s primary visual effects contribution to the film was the 3D organic bomb featured in three scenes. Because the bomb is found nestled in the chest cavity of a human host, art director Ron Honn, animation supervisor Taron and digital effects supervisor David Ebner designed the device to resemble an internal organ.

The first installment of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING is shaping up to be a huge success for New Line Cinema. Already benefiting from repeat viewings, the film, with primary digital effects by WETA in New Zealand, continues its number one run, bringing in $56.9M over the five-day holiday weekend for an astounding two-week total of $174.1M.

Dimension Films has acquired the rights to develop and produce an animated feature based on BLOOM COUNTY’s pantless penguin Opus, with creator Berkeley Breathed attached to write and direct. The project is the first from the newly established first look deal between Dimension and Storyopolis Productions. The character Opus debuted in 1980 in Breathed’s BLOOM COUNTY comic strip, and eventually appeared in a series of cartoon collections, as well as children's books, an animated television special, and a line of collectible items.

As everyone predicted LORD OF THE RINGS, with primary digital effects by WETA in New Zealand, was easily number one at the U.S. box office this long, holiday weekend. Opening on Wednesday, December 19, the film pulled in over $18 million in the first 24 hours alone. As of Sunday, December 23, the film has a cume of $73.1 million and shows no sign of slowing down as other newcomers had weak openings. Ultra-slick OCEAN’S ELEVEN, with visual effects by E=mc2 and Cinesite, is holding strong with a second place finish of $14.6M and a cume of $95.2M.

Scandinavian animation production company Happy Life and sister company ColorPop are producing an animated feature film based on the popular Norwegian character Captain Sabretooth. THE WORLD'S MOST CRUEL PIRATE is scheduled to premiere in Norway in December 2003. Happy Life will be responsible for animating Captain Sabretooth and his fellow pirates, and Stig Bergqvist of FilmTecknarna F. Animation, who recently directed the feature RUGRATS IN PARIS: THE MOVIE, has signed on to direct. The total budget of the feature is US$5.2 million.

Release dates for two potential blockbuster summer features were announced this week, but you’ll have to wait until 2003 to see them. 20th Century Fox will unveil X2, the sequel to their $300 million hit X-MEN, on May 2, 2003. X2 will reunite the original cast of mutants and involve the same key creative team, including director Bryan Singer; producers Ralph Winter, Lauren Shuler Donner and Avi Arad; and screenwriter David Hayter.

Now that the animated feature category is a lock, the Oscar race is on, and critics groups from around the country are starting to weigh in with their picks. Although the New York Film Critics Circle chose WAKING LIFE as best animated film of the year, SHREK is pulling ahead in the accolades department. The DreamWorks blockbuster picked up the award for best animated film from the National Board of Review and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, as well as making a list of ten nominees for best film of the year from both the AFI and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Vanilla Sky Tops Box Office. The psychological drama VANILLA SKY, with visual effects by Digital Domain, was number one at the box office this weekend, bringing in a strong $25M in its debut. Casino heist flick OCEAN’S ELEVEN, with visual effects by E=mc2 and Cinesite, ran a close second earning $23M for a two-week cume of $73.3M. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, fell two spots to fourth, with $9.9M for the weekend and $253.3M to date.

The day after it was announced that the 74th Academy Awards would present an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, the New York Film Critics Circle has chosen WAKING LIFE as best animated film of the year. The 37-member New York Film Critics Circle is made up of New York-based newspaper, magazine and online film critics. While the awards are responsible for generating early Oscar-buzz for the winning films, the Circle is also known for their idiosyncratic picks. Now that the Animated Feature category is a lock, the critics will be weighing in right and left with their choices.

Gullane Entertainment has extended its partnership with Anchor Bay Entertainment for the distribution of THOMAS & FRIENDS videos and DVDs through the year 2007. The lengthening of the home video and DVD agreement will see Gullane Entertainment providing Anchor Bay with new episodes of THOMAS & FRIENDS for distribution in September 2002. Scheduled releases are "The Best of James," to be released on video and DVD and "Make Someone Happy," to be released on DVD. Both titles will have a street release date of March 5, 2002.

That's right Ladies and Gentlemen, we have yet another DVD sales champ. Booting the family-friendly Grinch out of the number one spot after only two weeks, PEARL HARBOR, the patriotic war drama chock full of special effects, managed to sell 3.7 million DVDs in one week, claiming a new sales record. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, the wartime epic was made available on VHS and DVD in two editions (a 60th Anniversary collector's edition and a gift set) and went on sale December 4,, 2001.

Months of anticipation, followed by concern that not enough films would be submitted or found eligible, have led to the announcement that the 74th Academy Awards will include a category for Best Animated Feature. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued this press release announcing that a feature-length animated film will be awarded a competitive Oscar for the first time next March at the 74th Academy Award presentations.



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Walt Disney Pictures' Academy Award-winning animated classic, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with the January 1, 2002 release of a new Large Format Cinema Special Edition. Following the success of FANTASIA 2000, which was the first Disney film to be released in large format and grossed over $51 million, this special edition includes the newly animated six-minute musical sequence "Human Again," featuring the song written for the original film by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.

Cinesite Hollywood completed two dozen shots for Universal Studios' new film SPY GAME, directed by Tony Scott and starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Cinesite's work included the enhancement of reflections in an interrogation scene, blowing out a grid of lights in a night landscape scene, and adding muzzle flashes, sparks, bullet holes, dust and debris. Cinesite visual effects supervisor Kevin Lingenfelser said there are no blue or green screen shots in the film. A few explosions occur in the film, but they were achieved using practical, in-camera methods.

8. OCEAN’S ELEVEN SINKS HARRY POTTER. The remake of the Rat Pack classic OCEAN’S ELEVEN, with visual effects by E=mc2 and Cinesite, topped the box office this weekend, raking in $38.1M and taking the prize for the biggest December opening of all time. OCEAN’S ELEVEN was the only new wide release this weekend, so as each film moved down a notch to make room for the new number one, the order of the top ten stayed relatively the same.

Since its release on November 2, 2001, SHREK has become the best-selling DVD of all time. With more than 5.5 million DVDs sold to consumers in North America, the big green Ogre surpassed the previous record-holder GLADIATOR, another DreamWorks film, which has sold over 5 million units since its November 2000 release.

There's a little something for everyone this month, from another installment in the LAND BEFORE TIME series, to classic Disney, to dinosaurs running amok. Check out selected highlights of the new animation and DVD releases for the month of December 2001.

December 4, 2001

WALT DISNEY TREASURES