Focus Features’ stop-motion animated comedy “ParaNorman” is a lot of fun. It’s also the scariest and most thought-provoking of the three. It pulled-in $55 million at the box office. Sony Pictures Animation’s “Hotel Transylvania” is the box office champ, making $130 million so far. It’s my least favorite of the trio, but is still worth seeing thanks […]

You can add Relativity Media and Krayon Pictures to the growing list of studios getting into the animated movie business. Relativity Media has announced it will be distributing it’s first animated feature, titled “Turkeys”, which is scheduled for release in 2014. It stars the voices of Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson as two turkeys who […]

This is my first official year as a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association which means I will be voting for this year’s Critics Choice Movie Awards. And it also means that I will be getting screeners – a lot of screeners. In fact, a few have already arrived, including Sony Pictures Classics’ documentary […]

My thoughts on some newsworthy events of the week: The MPAA has rated “Fun Size” PG-13 for crude and suggestive material, partying and language. This is only Nickelodeon’s second movie to be rated PG-13 (the first was “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging”, which was only released on DVD here in the US). That makes “Fun […]

The “Peanuts” gang is returning to the Big Screen! Not even Charlie Brown himself could say “Good Grief” to that news. The announcement on Tuesday of a new, full-length feature set for a Nov. 25, 2015 release has spread excitement throughout the animation world. 2015 will mark the 65th anniversary of Charles Schultz’ iconic characters […]

UPDATE: “Hotel Transylvania” drops to 2nd place (behind “Taken 2”) at the weekend box office, with $26.3M (I was only off by $300k). “Frankenweenie” opened to a lesser than expected $11.5M. “Corpse Bride”‘s wide-release opening weekend gross in 2005 was just over $19 million, so “Frankenweenie”‘s gross is quite lower, especially considering that “Corpse” wasn’t […]

Fran Drescher is best known for playing TV’s “The Nanny”. Currently, she’s starring on the TV Land sitcom “Happily Divorced”, and lends her iconic voice to Frankenstein’s wife Eunice in the animated “Hotel Transylvania”. Fran talks about working on “Transylvania” and reflects on 20 years since “The Nanny”: LCJ: You have one of the most […]

We’re starting to see pre- pre- pre-Oscar nomination predictions. Of course this early it’s all about guessing, especially since most of the films/performances haven’t been seen by anyone, even the critics. But that doesn’t mean, with a little research, logic and following the buzz, you can’t come-up with a solid list of possible contenders in […]

That’s NOT all, folks! The Looney Tunes will be making a comeback on the big screen. CinemaBlend.com is reporting that as project involving all the favorite Looney Tunes characters is in the works. Former SNL comedian Jenny Slate will write the script and the producers include David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford (“Harry Potter”). This’ll be […]

“Indiana Jones” is back on the big screen. No, Harrison Ford is not starring in a fifth “Indy” movie called “Indiana Jones and We’re Not Really Sure if This IS His Last Crusade”. Instead, Paramount and director Steven Spielberg have decided to re-release the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” for one week only, exclusively […]