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.

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.

Visual effects and design company Reality Check Studios (RCS), completed over 75 effects shots for 20th Century Fox's BEHIND ENEMY LINES, now in theaters. As the primary visual effects house for the film, RCS artists built computer-generated planes, missiles, parachutes, and pilots and enhanced shots with smoke, debris and explosions. In an 8-minute sequence during which the lead character is shot down over enemy territory, RCS had a team of 16 animators working to create extensive 3D effects where CG elements were integrated into live action footage.

Hoping to get people back in theaters to see MONSTERS, INC. one more time, Disney/Pixar has announced that they will be adding a specially-created group of animated ``outtakes'' to the end credits of the film. Creating the animated bloopers is now a tradition for Disney/Pixar and has proved very popular with moviegoers. The outtakes will be shown in theaters beginning this Friday, December 7, 2001. Audiences will also be able to download a sneak preview of the outtakes beginning Friday at www.monstersinc.com and www.apple.com/trailers.

Although its weekend take of $24.1M represents a 58% drop from last weekend, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, remained number one for the third week in a row, and crossed the $200M mark after 15 days. HARRY has earned $220.1M after three weeks of release. The rescue drama BEHIND ENEMY LINES, with visual effects by Reality Check Studios and OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic, came in a strong second, earning $19.2M in its debut.

DivXNetworks is offering a special program that allows independent filmmakers to license DivX video technology at no cost for certain types of limited commercial use. To promote this program DivX is showing the animated short Killer Bean 2 on the DivX site. Killer Bean 2 was released in 2000 and has been viewed over 1 million times across a number of Websites. The 7-minute short film can now be viewed in full-screen high-resolution DivX format at www.divx.com, along with the trailer for the forthcoming third installment Killer Bean 3.

Toronto-based visual effects company Mr. X, Inc. has been tapped by Lions Gate Entertainment for effects supervision and to create a mix of character animation, photo-realistic environments, effects animation and complete the compositing for Hypercube, the sequel to the 1997 sci-fi thriller Cube. The Mr. X team, led by president Dennis Berardi and visual effects supervisor Aaron Weintraub, are creating the effects for virtually everything that makes the cube a harrowing experience for those trapped within its confines.

Santa Monica, California-based effects studio Sassoon Film Design (SFD) completed the visual effects for New Line Cinema's LIFE AS A HOUSE, now in theaters. SFD was the primary effects house and worked with the film's producers from pre-production, supervising on set through to completion of final shots. In the film's final sequence, SFD needed to create the illusion of an idyllic neighborhood with a long helicopter shot of the house that is the center of the story.

ComputerCafe's animation team created a pair of photorealistic, "chi" police officers and their motorcycles for a critical fight scene in the new Jet Li starrer THE ONE. ComputerCafe also composited the chi stuntmen with live-action plates in which Jet Li appears to engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The finished effects shots are seamlessly intercut with other shots in which real actors and motorcycles were used. Directed by James Wong, THE ONE centers on a sheriff's deputy who confronts an evil alternate version of himself (both played by Li) from a parallel universe.

Giant Studios, the motion-capture technology and R&D provider for the LORD OF THE RINGS (LOTR) Trilogy has posted a behind-the-scenes movie produced by Weta (the primary visual effects company for LOTR) on the Giant Studios Website. The short film showcases some of the innovative motion-capture production techniques and technology developed for LOTR. In the clip, director Peter Jackson blocks scenes and places actors using Giant’s proprietary technology allowing Jackson to see the digital characters move through virtual sets and pre-visualize the shots.

For the second week in a row, the fantasy film HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, took the top spot at the box office. The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend helped boost the film’s three-day total to $57.5M for a ten-day take of $187M. Setting more records this week, HARRY POTTER has surpassed 1999's TOY STORY 2 to become the largest-grossing movie ever over the Thanksgiving holiday. The film also matched the record set by STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE by reaching the $100M mark in just 5 days.

Universal Studios is using the 20th anniversary re-release of Steven Spielberg’s classic film E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL to launch a 13-month long branding initiative that includes a new Universal logo featuring E.T. According to the studio, the image of E.T. will be an integral part of Universal's identity and business activities, and will be featured in all film, television, home entertainment, theme parks, music, consumer products, publishing and online products. This corporate identity program will complement the March 2002 worldwide release of E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL.

New Line Cinema has acquired Cartoon Network's animated series SAMURAI JACK, to be adapted into a live-action feature film directed by Brett Ratner, director of the RUSH HOUR films. SAMURAI JACK tells the story of a great warrior displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. The world has become a bleak place under Aku's rule, segregated into fantastic tribes and policed by Aku's evil robot warlords. Samurai Jack travels this foreign landscape searching for the time portal that can return him to his home.

Korea-based Shincine Films plans to have Bruce Lee star in a new martial arts film years after his death. The film, tentatively titled DRAGON WARRIOR, will incorporate Bruce Lee into a $50 million production using state-of-the-art CGI technology. Shincine recently acquired the rights to Lee’s image from Concord Moon, the company that controls the rights and is administered by Lee’s widow Linda Lee Cadwell and his daughter Shannon Lee. This venture will be privately financed by Shincine Films and will be the company’s first film for the U.S. market.

Los Angeles-based film production and management company Catch 23 Entertainment has acquired the worldwide film rights to JUST A PILGRIM, the comic book created by Garth Ennis, creator of PREACHER and writer of PUNISHER. Marc Danon, Catch 23 vice president of production and acquisitions, brought JUST A PILGRIM to Catch 23. Danon, who previously handled the development of the Marvel comic book franchise at Artisan Entertainment, will oversee the project. Catch 23 will immediately begin to package and develop the property.

Breaking all previous box office records, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, commanded the box office this weekend with an astonishing $90.3M three-day total for its first place debut. The previous three-day record holder was JURASSIC PARK: THE LOST WORLD with $72.1M. In addition, HARRY POTTER put STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE to shame, besting that film’s one-day total record by $5M ($28.5M for STAR WARS vs. $33.5M for HARRY).

Once again, those CG beasties dominated the box office. MONSTERS, INC. collected a whopping $46.2M in its second weekend bring its cume to $122.8M after 10 days. But expect Sulley and Mike to feel the effects of a young wizard named Harry when HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE bows on Friday. The Farelly Brothers latest comedy SHALLOW HAL, with visual effects by Alterian Studios & Artist's Asylum Inc. had a big weekend, collecting $23.3M in its debut.

Disney/Pixar’s MONSTERS, INC. dominated the box office this weekend, taking in an astounding $63.5M, the biggest opening ever for an animated film and for a Disney film. The family-friendly feature’s opening take was no doubt helped by Star Wars fans who wanted a first glimpse of STAR WARS: EPISODE II. A teaser trailer for the highly anticipated sequel was attached to MONSTERS, INC. A full 2-minute preview will screen with HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, which is scheduled to be another big opening when it hits theaters on November 16th.

The newly released feature film 13 GHOSTS is a state-of-the-art remake of the classic William Castle horror film about a family that inherits a spectacular old house from an eccentric uncle, only to find the house is inhabited by a presence that has the new occupants trapped in their dream home. They eventually realize the house is a riddle, which may contain the key to their salvation. 175 special effects shots were created by visual effects lab Cinesite for the film. "The house is a very contemporary space," says Mike Fink, Cinesite's senior visual effects supervisor on the film.

Thirteen is the lucky number for Oscar hopefuls in the Animated Feature category. The November 1, 2001 deadline has come and gone, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spokesperson John Pavlik told AWN thirteen applications for the Animated Feature Film Award were received. While Pavlik admitted that a couple of the films might have some eligibility problems, the Academy has enough applications to begin the screening process for qualification.