Laika’s latest stop-motion feature, “Missing Link,” recently won a Golden Globe for animated film, and picked up an Oscar nomination as well. It’s the story of late Victorian-era Sir Lionel (voiced by Hugh Jackman), who discovers a creature resembling a yeti in the Pacific Northwest (Zach Galifianakis). They travel to the Himalayas with Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), a woman looking for adventure, to reunite it with its kin. Deborah Cook, who was the costume designer on Laika’s “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls” and “Kubo and the Two Strings,” brought much hard-earned experience costuming puppets and working with stop-motion armature and animators — to the film.
What did you realize about the film when you first read the script?
I realized how expansive the costume opportunity was. We got to explore the Himalayas and the fabrics used there in that period of time, and the jewelry. I worked with a specialist...
What did you realize about the film when you first read the script?
I realized how expansive the costume opportunity was. We got to explore the Himalayas and the fabrics used there in that period of time, and the jewelry. I worked with a specialist...
- 1/31/2020
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
With “I Lost My Body,” the bold French existential mystery about a severed hand, and “Klaus,” the innovative 2D Santa origin story, Netflix powered its way into the Best Animated Feature Oscar race for the first time. It knocked out Disney’s mighty “Frozen II” and halted GKids’ six-year run of eight nominations.
Netflix proved that its now an indie animation force to be reckoned with, and this year will contend with Aardman’s stop-motion sequel, “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” (February 14th), “Over the Moon” (a fall release from former Disney legend Glen Keane), and the quirky CG comedy, “The Willoughbys” (an April release).
However, the competition is formidable: Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” finale, and Laika’s fifth stop-motion nominee, “Missing Link.” That breaks down to three indies and two studio entries, along with three originals and two sequels.
Netflix proved that its now an indie animation force to be reckoned with, and this year will contend with Aardman’s stop-motion sequel, “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” (February 14th), “Over the Moon” (a fall release from former Disney legend Glen Keane), and the quirky CG comedy, “The Willoughbys” (an April release).
However, the competition is formidable: Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” finale, and Laika’s fifth stop-motion nominee, “Missing Link.” That breaks down to three indies and two studio entries, along with three originals and two sequels.
- 1/21/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
This year’s animated feature nominees include Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” Laika’s stop-motion “Missing Link,” and two Neflix entries: “Klaus” and “I Lost My Body.”
“Toy Story 4” is certainly the one to beat. It exceeded expectations while breaking the franchise box office record. Pixar proved there was definitely one more story to tell about Woody’s (Tom Hanks) existential journey. It’s about change and growth, with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Forky (Tony Hale) as the catalysts. Pixar upped its animation (from the porcelain shepherdess to the complex antique shop), and delivered a surprising, bittersweet climax.
DreamWorks’ prestigious “Hidden World” concluded the beloved “Dragon” franchise on a high note, with director Dean DeBlois confronting the politics of hate, as grownup Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) secures the safety of his pal, Toothless, new companion Light Fury, and the rest of the dragon clan.
“Toy Story 4” is certainly the one to beat. It exceeded expectations while breaking the franchise box office record. Pixar proved there was definitely one more story to tell about Woody’s (Tom Hanks) existential journey. It’s about change and growth, with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Forky (Tony Hale) as the catalysts. Pixar upped its animation (from the porcelain shepherdess to the complex antique shop), and delivered a surprising, bittersweet climax.
DreamWorks’ prestigious “Hidden World” concluded the beloved “Dragon” franchise on a high note, with director Dean DeBlois confronting the politics of hate, as grownup Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) secures the safety of his pal, Toothless, new companion Light Fury, and the rest of the dragon clan.
- 1/15/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Nominees for the 22nd annual Costume Designer Guild Awards included frontrunning period pieces “Dolemite Is My Name,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and “Rocketman.” They were joined by “Downton Abbey” and “Jojo Rabbit.” This definitely bodes well for Ruth Carter (“Dolemite”) in her bid for a second consecutive Oscar following “Black Panther.”
However, surprise no shows were “Joker,” “The Irishman,” “Little Women,” and “Judy.” And, Deborah Cook, who became the first costume designer from animation to get nominated by the Cdga for her breakthrough work on “Kubo and the Two Strings,” was denied this time around for her great Victorian-era work on Laika’s stop-motion Oscar contender, “Missing Link.”
Contemporary nominees, meanwhile, included “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Hustlers,” “Knives Out,” “The Laundromat,” and “Queen & Slim.” But “Bombshell” didn’t make the cut.
And Disney swept the sci-fi/fantasy category with nominations for Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” and...
However, surprise no shows were “Joker,” “The Irishman,” “Little Women,” and “Judy.” And, Deborah Cook, who became the first costume designer from animation to get nominated by the Cdga for her breakthrough work on “Kubo and the Two Strings,” was denied this time around for her great Victorian-era work on Laika’s stop-motion Oscar contender, “Missing Link.”
Contemporary nominees, meanwhile, included “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Hustlers,” “Knives Out,” “The Laundromat,” and “Queen & Slim.” But “Bombshell” didn’t make the cut.
And Disney swept the sci-fi/fantasy category with nominations for Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” and...
- 12/10/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Costume design could start with sketches or mood boards or research or shopping, among other things, but for our three panelists at our Meet the Experts: Costume Design panel — Julian Day (“Rocketman”), Paul Tazewell (“Harriet”) and Deborah Cook (“Missing Link”) — none have a precise process they carry out every time on each project.
“I love shopping,” Day shared. “I think it’s a combination of all of those things. Take ‘Rocketman,’ for instance, I do illustrations, do research. I got to go to the archives to see Elton [John]’s real clothes and internet research, fabric shopping. I got to go to Paris and vintage stores to go buy fabrics [and] I found this original 1930s fireworks fabric.”
Added Tazewell: “It comes down the most effective way to communicate whatever the idea is. When you’re developing the design, how can you pull out of the director what their point of view is?...
“I love shopping,” Day shared. “I think it’s a combination of all of those things. Take ‘Rocketman,’ for instance, I do illustrations, do research. I got to go to the archives to see Elton [John]’s real clothes and internet research, fabric shopping. I got to go to Paris and vintage stores to go buy fabrics [and] I found this original 1930s fireworks fabric.”
Added Tazewell: “It comes down the most effective way to communicate whatever the idea is. When you’re developing the design, how can you pull out of the director what their point of view is?...
- 11/14/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Deborah Cook has a job that most people probably don’t know exist — or at least don’t think about when they’re watching one of her films: stop-motion animation costume designer.
Cook has crafted costumes for all five of Laika’s films so far, most recently “Missing Link,” which was released in April. A sculpture student in college, working with installations and armatures, Cook soon found herself fielding requests in London to do props on films and in theater. Eventually, Laika came calling.
“I didn’t really know at that time that [stop-motion animation] was even a medium I could work in. It was a very happy accident,” Cook told Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Costume Design panel, moderated by this writer (watch above). “I really enjoy the scale, I enjoy that level of detail and being able to invest my time and space, and then seeing it very...
Cook has crafted costumes for all five of Laika’s films so far, most recently “Missing Link,” which was released in April. A sculpture student in college, working with installations and armatures, Cook soon found herself fielding requests in London to do props on films and in theater. Eventually, Laika came calling.
“I didn’t really know at that time that [stop-motion animation] was even a medium I could work in. It was a very happy accident,” Cook told Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Costume Design panel, moderated by this writer (watch above). “I really enjoy the scale, I enjoy that level of detail and being able to invest my time and space, and then seeing it very...
- 11/14/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
IndieWire hosted its first-ever Consider This Fyc Brunch in honor of the 2019-2020 film awards season Tuesday, where over two dozen filmmakers, craftspeople, and producers discussed their work on the year’s best films in front of an audience of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters and guild members.
The event at Liaison Restaurant + Lounge in Hollywood was hosted by comedian and actor Sasheer Zamata. IndieWire staff moderated six intimate conversations with the editors, designers, directors, and others behind such films as the Gotham Award-nominated “Marriage Story,” Marvel hit “Avengers: Endgame,” the soon-to-launch Apple TV+’s inaugural film projects “The Elephant Queen” and “The Banker,” four National Geographic documentaries, and more.
“We’re here to celebrate the best films of the year,” IndieWire Editor-in-Chief Dana Harris-Bridson said. “In particular to celebrate the people who make those films possible — and that is the crafts.”
A panel moderated by Toolkit...
The event at Liaison Restaurant + Lounge in Hollywood was hosted by comedian and actor Sasheer Zamata. IndieWire staff moderated six intimate conversations with the editors, designers, directors, and others behind such films as the Gotham Award-nominated “Marriage Story,” Marvel hit “Avengers: Endgame,” the soon-to-launch Apple TV+’s inaugural film projects “The Elephant Queen” and “The Banker,” four National Geographic documentaries, and more.
“We’re here to celebrate the best films of the year,” IndieWire Editor-in-Chief Dana Harris-Bridson said. “In particular to celebrate the people who make those films possible — and that is the crafts.”
A panel moderated by Toolkit...
- 11/6/2019
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
You are invited to attend our Q&a discussion with four of film’s top costume designers who now compete for Oscars and more. Our event is on Tuesday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the Landmark Theater at 10850 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. Admission and parking are free. Academy and guild members will get priority seating.
To RSVP, make your reservation here: https://goldderbycostumedesignpanel.splashthat.com/
Gold Derby managing editor Joyce Eng will moderate this “Meet the Film Experts” panel with the following contenders for 2019/2020 awards consideration:
Deborah Cook represents Laika for “Missing Link”
Cook has been a nominee at the Costume Designers Guild Awards for her work on “Kubo and the Two Strings.” She was also nominated at the Visual Effects Society Awards for “Coraline.” Other films have included “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls.”
Julian Day represents Paramount for “Rocketman”
Day was nominated at BAFTA and the Costume...
To RSVP, make your reservation here: https://goldderbycostumedesignpanel.splashthat.com/
Gold Derby managing editor Joyce Eng will moderate this “Meet the Film Experts” panel with the following contenders for 2019/2020 awards consideration:
Deborah Cook represents Laika for “Missing Link”
Cook has been a nominee at the Costume Designers Guild Awards for her work on “Kubo and the Two Strings.” She was also nominated at the Visual Effects Society Awards for “Coraline.” Other films have included “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls.”
Julian Day represents Paramount for “Rocketman”
Day was nominated at BAFTA and the Costume...
- 11/4/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
IndieWire is pleased to announce its first-ever Consider This Fyc Brunch in honor of the 2019-2020 film awards season. Hosted by comedian and actor Sasheer Zamata, the invitation-only brunch will take place on Tuesday, November 5, in Los Angeles. IndieWire will welcome attendees comprised of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members, as well as guild members and select press, for a program that will present panels with this year’s awards-season contenders across both fiction and nonfiction films.
With additional panelists to be announced soon, the IndieWire Consider This Fyc Brunch program will present intimate conversations with the artists behind such films as the Gotham Award-nominated “Marriage Story,” Marvel hit “Avengers: Endgame,” the soon-to-launch Apple TV+’s inaugural film projects “The Elephant Queen” and “The Banker,” four National Geographic documentaries, and more.
Craft Panel Discussion
Jade Healy, production designer, Netflix’s “Marriage Story”
Deborah Cook, costume designer, United Artists Releasing...
With additional panelists to be announced soon, the IndieWire Consider This Fyc Brunch program will present intimate conversations with the artists behind such films as the Gotham Award-nominated “Marriage Story,” Marvel hit “Avengers: Endgame,” the soon-to-launch Apple TV+’s inaugural film projects “The Elephant Queen” and “The Banker,” four National Geographic documentaries, and more.
Craft Panel Discussion
Jade Healy, production designer, Netflix’s “Marriage Story”
Deborah Cook, costume designer, United Artists Releasing...
- 10/26/2019
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Animated films have a bit of an extra struggle: They’re largely marketed toward children and must connect to that audience in look, feel, theme and script, while still also appealing to the actual ticket buyers — the parents or guardians who look for great animation, a unique and entertaining story, and something to keep them engaged as well.
Laika has had success in reaching both younger and older audiences with its previous films “Coraline,” “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls” and “Kubo and the Two Strings,” but their latest, “Missing Link” — while just as beautiful in animation style as its predecessors — seems saddled with an overwhelmingly monotonous story and lifeless humor, with little entertainment for either generation.
Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) is a gentleman and adventurer who loves to pursue the mysterious, like the Loch Ness Monster. After being laughed at by other explorers, Frost receives a strange letter which...
Laika has had success in reaching both younger and older audiences with its previous films “Coraline,” “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls” and “Kubo and the Two Strings,” but their latest, “Missing Link” — while just as beautiful in animation style as its predecessors — seems saddled with an overwhelmingly monotonous story and lifeless humor, with little entertainment for either generation.
Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) is a gentleman and adventurer who loves to pursue the mysterious, like the Loch Ness Monster. After being laughed at by other explorers, Frost receives a strange letter which...
- 4/3/2019
- by Yolanda Machado
- The Wrap
Laika, the revered Oregon stop-motion studio run by Travis Knight, gets more epic with its fifth feature, “Missing Link,” a globetrotting, “Indiana Jones” style adventure comedy. It’s a buddy movie about explorer Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) and a Sasquatch named Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis), who embark on a quest from the Pacific Northwest in search of the legendary Shangri-La, home of Link’s ancestry. They team up with adventurer Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), who possesses the only known map to their secret destination.
Once again, Laika embraces inclusion in its first movie not starring a child hero, written and directed by Chris Butler (“ParaNorman”), who said: “Link embodies a child-like innocence and the kids in ‘ParaNorman’ acted more adult than the adults in this movie.” True to Laika’s mandate to push stop-motion and storytelling in new areas of exploration, “Missing Link” moves in a completely different direction from its four Oscar-nominated predecessors.
Once again, Laika embraces inclusion in its first movie not starring a child hero, written and directed by Chris Butler (“ParaNorman”), who said: “Link embodies a child-like innocence and the kids in ‘ParaNorman’ acted more adult than the adults in this movie.” True to Laika’s mandate to push stop-motion and storytelling in new areas of exploration, “Missing Link” moves in a completely different direction from its four Oscar-nominated predecessors.
- 3/18/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The 19th Costume Designers Guild Awards kicked off Tuesday at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, honoring the best in film, television and short-form costume design.
Hosted by This Is Us star Mandy Moore, the night was a star-studded fête, with Meryl Steep, who was honored with the prestigious Distinguished Collaborator Award, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Pierce Brosnan and James Corden all in attendance. Additional honorees included Lacoste Spotlight Award recipient Lily Collins, Career Achievement Award recipient Jeffrey Kurland, and Lois DeArmond, who received the Distinguished Service Award. Emmy Award-winning costume designer Ret Turner, who died at age 87 last May, was posthumously inducted into the Guild's Hall of Fame.
And while we certainly enjoyed seeing the aforementioned stars on the red carpet at the soiree, all eyes were on the night's nominated costume designers, who created the beloved looks we saw in Oscar-nominated films like La La Land, Jackie and [link...
Hosted by This Is Us star Mandy Moore, the night was a star-studded fête, with Meryl Steep, who was honored with the prestigious Distinguished Collaborator Award, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Pierce Brosnan and James Corden all in attendance. Additional honorees included Lacoste Spotlight Award recipient Lily Collins, Career Achievement Award recipient Jeffrey Kurland, and Lois DeArmond, who received the Distinguished Service Award. Emmy Award-winning costume designer Ret Turner, who died at age 87 last May, was posthumously inducted into the Guild's Hall of Fame.
And while we certainly enjoyed seeing the aforementioned stars on the red carpet at the soiree, all eyes were on the night's nominated costume designers, who created the beloved looks we saw in Oscar-nominated films like La La Land, Jackie and [link...
- 2/22/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Emboldened by its BAFTA and Visual Effects Society victories, Laika’s “Kubo and the Two Strings” entered the final week of the Oscar race for animation and VFX with one last making-of featurette.
Yet with the odds still against beating Disney’s “Zootopia” and “The Jungle Book,” “Kubo” has nonetheless made its mark. Director/CEO Travis Knight achieved a new level of technical and artistic innovation with his stop-motion samurai fantasy.
“Kubo and the Two Strings” embraced new challenges that were once taboo in stop-motion and, for the first time, fully integrated VFX throughout every department at the Oregon studio. And, as an added bonus, Laika’s Deborah Cook earned the first-ever Costume Designers Guild nomination for an animated feature.
“The spectacle was hard, the dynamic action sequences were difficult, the martial arts battles were tough,” Knight told IndieWire. “There are moments that are as detailed, as nuanced and as...
Yet with the odds still against beating Disney’s “Zootopia” and “The Jungle Book,” “Kubo” has nonetheless made its mark. Director/CEO Travis Knight achieved a new level of technical and artistic innovation with his stop-motion samurai fantasy.
“Kubo and the Two Strings” embraced new challenges that were once taboo in stop-motion and, for the first time, fully integrated VFX throughout every department at the Oregon studio. And, as an added bonus, Laika’s Deborah Cook earned the first-ever Costume Designers Guild nomination for an animated feature.
“The spectacle was hard, the dynamic action sequences were difficult, the martial arts battles were tough,” Knight told IndieWire. “There are moments that are as detailed, as nuanced and as...
- 2/17/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
When Deborah Cook received a nomination for Excellence in Fantasy Film for Kubo And The Two Strings earlier this month, it was the first time the Costume Designers Guild had...
- 1/24/2017
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
After stealing the show at the Academy’s VFX bake-off and earning a first-ever Costume Designers Guild nomination for animation, Laika’s stop-motion “Kubo and the Two Strings” could be headed for multiple Oscar noms besides animated feature.
Being slotted last at the bake-off certainly helped the Japanese fantasy directed by Laika president/CEO Travis Knight, but what was refreshing and eye-opening was the revelation that every shot involved VFX integration of small puppets and sets along with environment extension and CG enhancement. Plus the fact that, unlike the other contenders, Laika’s reel was able to include the informative end credit “making-of” sequence (watch below) that’s become a studio tradition.
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’: How Laika Made Their Innovative Moon Beast
“There is an element of design that is incredibly complex and it has to feel hand-crafted and brought to life through human hands,...
Being slotted last at the bake-off certainly helped the Japanese fantasy directed by Laika president/CEO Travis Knight, but what was refreshing and eye-opening was the revelation that every shot involved VFX integration of small puppets and sets along with environment extension and CG enhancement. Plus the fact that, unlike the other contenders, Laika’s reel was able to include the informative end credit “making-of” sequence (watch below) that’s become a studio tradition.
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’: How Laika Made Their Innovative Moon Beast
“There is an element of design that is incredibly complex and it has to feel hand-crafted and brought to life through human hands,...
- 1/18/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“Hidden Figures,” “Jackie” and “La La Land” emerged as major award contenders at the Costume Designers Guild Awards, to be held on February 21 in Beverly Hills.
The feature film category is split into three sections: contemporary, period and fantasy, with Deborah Cook nominated for the stop-motion animation movie “Kubo and the Two Strings” in the fantasy category. The first animated movie to earn a Cdg nomination, “Kubo” is nominated for the puppet costumes made for the movie.
Read More: Cinema Eye Honors 2017: The Best Things Winners Kirsten Johnson, Keith Maitland, Clay Tweel and More Said
The other films nominated in the category are “Doctor Strange,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Costume designer Colleen Atwood earned nominations for both “Fantastic Beasts” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
The contemporary category nominations went to “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie,...
The feature film category is split into three sections: contemporary, period and fantasy, with Deborah Cook nominated for the stop-motion animation movie “Kubo and the Two Strings” in the fantasy category. The first animated movie to earn a Cdg nomination, “Kubo” is nominated for the puppet costumes made for the movie.
Read More: Cinema Eye Honors 2017: The Best Things Winners Kirsten Johnson, Keith Maitland, Clay Tweel and More Said
The other films nominated in the category are “Doctor Strange,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Costume designer Colleen Atwood earned nominations for both “Fantastic Beasts” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
The contemporary category nominations went to “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie,...
- 1/12/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Since 2009, the stop-motion animation studio Laika has made a name for itself by producing some of the most acclaimed animated films of the last few years. Their films “Coraline,” “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls” all garnered acclaim for their visual style and all have been nominated for Oscars. Their latest film “Kubo and the Two Strings” follows a one-eyed boy who must locate a magical suit of armor in order to defeat a vengeful spirit. Before its home video release, check out an exclusive behind the scenes clip that delves inside the film’s costume design with Laika designer Deborah Cook.
Read More: Review: ‘Kubo And The Two Strings’ Is A Stop-Motion Masterpiece
The film was the directorial debut by Travis Knight, who previously worked as an animator on the three previous Laika films. It was written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler, with a story by Haimes and Shannon Tindle.
Read More: Review: ‘Kubo And The Two Strings’ Is A Stop-Motion Masterpiece
The film was the directorial debut by Travis Knight, who previously worked as an animator on the three previous Laika films. It was written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler, with a story by Haimes and Shannon Tindle.
- 11/10/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
In anticipation of its fourth stop-motion movie, “Kubo and the Two Strings,” Laika has mounted the first public exhibition of its hand-crafted puppets and sets at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Globe Theater (thru Sunday). “From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical Laika Experience” brings us closer to the tactile wonders that have been produced at the Portland studio for the last 10 years.
“You can see how the company’s grown and evolved as a community with all the artistic and technological innovations, but I also think that you see the evolution of an art form,” said Travis Knight, Laika CEO and lead artist who makes his directorial debut with “Kubo.”
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ Interactive Featurette: Explore the Vastlands of Laika’s Animated Adventure
“‘Coraline,’ which is where we began, was something of a seismic shift for stop-motion,” said Knight. “And as you go through, you can see...
“You can see how the company’s grown and evolved as a community with all the artistic and technological innovations, but I also think that you see the evolution of an art form,” said Travis Knight, Laika CEO and lead artist who makes his directorial debut with “Kubo.”
Read More: ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ Interactive Featurette: Explore the Vastlands of Laika’s Animated Adventure
“‘Coraline,’ which is where we began, was something of a seismic shift for stop-motion,” said Knight. “And as you go through, you can see...
- 8/11/2016
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Laika’s fascination with folktales gets more sweeping and exotic with the samurai adventure, “Kubo and the Two Strings,” expanding yet again the boundaries of stop-motion.
“Every Laika movie has its own aesthetic, but this one’s more open and expansive— there are areas where the eyes can rest,” explained Laika’s lead artist/CEO Travis Knight, who makes his directorial debut with “Kubo.”
Citing an epic, fantasy quality reminiscent of David Lean, Akira Kurosawa, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Knight couldn’t resist helming “Kubo” (shepherded by Shannon Tindle, who recently made the “On Ice” Google Spotlight Vr short and retains story and character design credits).
Read More: Watch: Laika Delivers Yet Another Spectacular Trailer for ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’“What really got me excited about this film was at its emotional core about this boy and his family and what would ultimately become his surrogate family. And that resonated personally.
“Every Laika movie has its own aesthetic, but this one’s more open and expansive— there are areas where the eyes can rest,” explained Laika’s lead artist/CEO Travis Knight, who makes his directorial debut with “Kubo.”
Citing an epic, fantasy quality reminiscent of David Lean, Akira Kurosawa, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Knight couldn’t resist helming “Kubo” (shepherded by Shannon Tindle, who recently made the “On Ice” Google Spotlight Vr short and retains story and character design credits).
Read More: Watch: Laika Delivers Yet Another Spectacular Trailer for ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’“What really got me excited about this film was at its emotional core about this boy and his family and what would ultimately become his surrogate family. And that resonated personally.
- 6/30/2016
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes in the family event movie The Boxtrolls. Starring, in voice performance, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright (Game of Thrones), andElle Fanning (Maleficent), the new movie from animation studio Laika, the makers of the Academy Award®-nominated Coraline andParaNorman, comes to Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD with UltraViolet on January 20, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Quirky, mischievous and good-hearted, the Boxtrolls are unique creatures who have lovingly raised a human boy named Eggs in a fantastical charming cavern below the bustling streets of Cheesebridge. But when the evil Archibald Snatcher schemes to capture Eggs’ family, it’s up to Eggs and his feisty new friend Winnie to save the Boxtrolls!
Based upon the book Here Be Monsters! The Boxtrolls voice cast also includes Academy Award® nominee Toni Collette, Jared Harris (Mad Men), Nick Frost (The...
Quirky, mischievous and good-hearted, the Boxtrolls are unique creatures who have lovingly raised a human boy named Eggs in a fantastical charming cavern below the bustling streets of Cheesebridge. But when the evil Archibald Snatcher schemes to capture Eggs’ family, it’s up to Eggs and his feisty new friend Winnie to save the Boxtrolls!
Based upon the book Here Be Monsters! The Boxtrolls voice cast also includes Academy Award® nominee Toni Collette, Jared Harris (Mad Men), Nick Frost (The...
- 1/19/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“It won’t change who you are. Cheese, hats, boxes-they don’t make you who you are. You make you!”
Get ready to enjoy a masterfully crafted Dickensian world with stunningly well animated-characters and witty dialog. If you’re familiar with Coraline and Paranorman, Laika Animation Studio’s previous works, The Boxtrolls will come as no surprise. As before, the visuals are worth the price of admission and as before, I was left hungry for more.
The Boxtrolls itself is a well-told fantasy full of silliness and whimsy, but there’s depth and meaning as well. It could be argued that this is a kids film about ethnic cleansing and genocide(!), but it’s all handled in the best possible taste. Somehow they managed to pull this off without ever being too heavy-handed, scary, or inappropriate. An example of this would be the villain’s henchmen, who spend much of...
Get ready to enjoy a masterfully crafted Dickensian world with stunningly well animated-characters and witty dialog. If you’re familiar with Coraline and Paranorman, Laika Animation Studio’s previous works, The Boxtrolls will come as no surprise. As before, the visuals are worth the price of admission and as before, I was left hungry for more.
The Boxtrolls itself is a well-told fantasy full of silliness and whimsy, but there’s depth and meaning as well. It could be argued that this is a kids film about ethnic cleansing and genocide(!), but it’s all handled in the best possible taste. Somehow they managed to pull this off without ever being too heavy-handed, scary, or inappropriate. An example of this would be the villain’s henchmen, who spend much of...
- 1/8/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We're winding down the year-in-review game here at HitFix as 2014 draws to a close. For whatever reason I took a year off of the ballot/superlatives posts, but I'm back with those personal assessments of the best of the year, beginning today with my top picks across the Academy's 24 categories. Check back in tomorrow for a list of winners from this lot, as well as others in a slew of peripheral categories. And of course, feel free to let us know what your Oscar ballot would look like in the comments section below. (Oh, and naturally it goes without saying this post is living in a parallel reality where I'm not confined to a specific branch for nominations and reign supreme over all categories with selections for each.) We'll find out if the Academy agrees with any of this when the 87th annual Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 15. *** Best...
- 12/30/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Editor's Note: We're featuring individually chosen Fyc's for various longshots in the Oscar race. We'll never repeat a film or a category so we hope you enjoy the variety of picks. And if you're lucky enough to be an AMPAS, HFPA, or Critics Group voter, take note! Here's Andrew on The Boxtrolls.
Will an animated film ever get a fair chance of making it into Oscar's costume design category?
This past decade alone, the stop motion wing of animated film has impressed with characters from Corpse Brides to Foxes Fantastic. It's a shame to ignore fine costume design simply because it's not happening in a live action setting. Enter: this consideration for The Boxtrolls for a myriad of reasons.
The intricate designs amaze with their attention to period detail - there’s almost no question that were this a live action film Cook’s work would emerge as a significant contender.
Will an animated film ever get a fair chance of making it into Oscar's costume design category?
This past decade alone, the stop motion wing of animated film has impressed with characters from Corpse Brides to Foxes Fantastic. It's a shame to ignore fine costume design simply because it's not happening in a live action setting. Enter: this consideration for The Boxtrolls for a myriad of reasons.
The intricate designs amaze with their attention to period detail - there’s almost no question that were this a live action film Cook’s work would emerge as a significant contender.
- 12/8/2014
- by Andrew Kendall
- FilmExperience
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes in the family event movie The Boxtrolls.
Starring, in voice performance, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright (Game of Thrones), and Elle Fanning (Maleficent), the new movie from animation studio Laika, the makers of the Academy Award-nominated Coraline and ParaNorman, comes to Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD with UltraViolet on January 20, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Boxtrolls will also be available on Digital HD December 23, 2014, just in time for the holidays.
Quirky, mischievous and good-hearted, the Boxtrolls are unique creatures who have lovingly raised a human boy named Eggs in a fantastical charming cavern below the bustling streets of Cheesebridge. But when the evil Archibald Snatcher schemes to capture Eggs’ family, it’s up to Eggs and his feisty new friend Winnie to save the Boxtrolls!
Based upon the book Here Be Monsters! The Boxtrolls...
Starring, in voice performance, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright (Game of Thrones), and Elle Fanning (Maleficent), the new movie from animation studio Laika, the makers of the Academy Award-nominated Coraline and ParaNorman, comes to Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD with UltraViolet on January 20, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Boxtrolls will also be available on Digital HD December 23, 2014, just in time for the holidays.
Quirky, mischievous and good-hearted, the Boxtrolls are unique creatures who have lovingly raised a human boy named Eggs in a fantastical charming cavern below the bustling streets of Cheesebridge. But when the evil Archibald Snatcher schemes to capture Eggs’ family, it’s up to Eggs and his feisty new friend Winnie to save the Boxtrolls!
Based upon the book Here Be Monsters! The Boxtrolls...
- 11/18/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A few weeks ago, we were whisked away to the magical land of Portland, Oregon, for the sole purpose of visiting Laika, the animation studio whose dazzling new stop motion confection "The Boxtrolls," opens later this month. As you can imagine, it was downright magical and while we were there, for a few short hours, we tried to soak up all we could from the place - the sets, the people, the vibe - so we relay that special feeling to you. It was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime treat, to the point that we had to actively wonder if we had come down with some incurable disease and they were whisking us there as a dying wish.
While we tried to cram as many anecdotes and notes as we could into our trip, but we were also working (see our adorable interview with Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who voices Eggs, a small child...
While we tried to cram as many anecdotes and notes as we could into our trip, but we were also working (see our adorable interview with Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who voices Eggs, a small child...
- 9/10/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
When a small town comes under siege by zombies, who can it call? “Norman!”
From Focus Features and Laika, the companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline, comes the comedy thriller Paranorman. Following Coraline, Paranorman is the second stop-motion animated feature to be made at Laika in 3D, unifying the two stunning art forms to tell an all-new frightfully funny, magically emotional, and hilariously spooky story.
Focus Features and Wamg invite you to enter for your chance to win passes to the advance screening of Paranorman in St. Louis on August 16th at 7pm.
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be In The St. Louis Area The Day Of The Screening.
2. Fill Out Your Name And E-mail Address Below. Real First Name Required.
3. Answer The Following Question: You travel to Tinsel town – Hollywood – and you notice it’s full of the walking dead! What famous star do you hope to see as…...
From Focus Features and Laika, the companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline, comes the comedy thriller Paranorman. Following Coraline, Paranorman is the second stop-motion animated feature to be made at Laika in 3D, unifying the two stunning art forms to tell an all-new frightfully funny, magically emotional, and hilariously spooky story.
Focus Features and Wamg invite you to enter for your chance to win passes to the advance screening of Paranorman in St. Louis on August 16th at 7pm.
Official Rules:
1. You Must Be In The St. Louis Area The Day Of The Screening.
2. Fill Out Your Name And E-mail Address Below. Real First Name Required.
3. Answer The Following Question: You travel to Tinsel town – Hollywood – and you notice it’s full of the walking dead! What famous star do you hope to see as…...
- 8/7/2012
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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