The final stretch of the 2023 Oscar season has started with voters casting their ballots for the winners of the 95th annual Academy Awards. All season long, Gold Derby has been interviewing dozens of the nominees, including contenders from four of the Best Animated Feature nominees. Click on each creative’s name below to watch each of these 20-minute interviews.
Mark Gustafson and Alexander Bulkley, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Pinocchio” is Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of the classic tale of a father’s wish that brings a wooden boy to life. Gustafson is co-director on the film, and “Pinocchio” is his feature debut as director. He found directing with del Toro amicable because “we had very similar sensibilities, so it was ultimately quite easy. We thought about seams, story and character in very much the same way.” Bulkley is a producer on the film and says of the stop-motion style,...
Mark Gustafson and Alexander Bulkley, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Pinocchio” is Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of the classic tale of a father’s wish that brings a wooden boy to life. Gustafson is co-director on the film, and “Pinocchio” is his feature debut as director. He found directing with del Toro amicable because “we had very similar sensibilities, so it was ultimately quite easy. We thought about seams, story and character in very much the same way.” Bulkley is a producer on the film and says of the stop-motion style,...
- 3/5/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
When Chris Williams started developing “The Sea Beast,” he knew he wanted to explore several themes and that one of them would be how the way that history is taught can affect how we act in the present. “I talked about the fact that I wanted to really examine this idea of a cycle of aggression and a cycle of violence and how it can perpetuate itself and how difficult it can be to break away from it,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video interview above).
He continued to pursue this theme because of the events that he saw happening around him and how that affected people’s view of the world. “There are times where there are powerful interests that will create narratives that can pit us against ourselves for their own gain. That felt more specific and more potent.”
See dozens of...
He continued to pursue this theme because of the events that he saw happening around him and how that affected people’s view of the world. “There are times where there are powerful interests that will create narratives that can pit us against ourselves for their own gain. That felt more specific and more potent.”
See dozens of...
- 3/1/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
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We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscar race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts on what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” moved a step closer to winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature after leading Asifa-Hollywood’s 50th Annie Awards (held February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall). The stop-motion “Pinocchio” from Netflix took the Best Feature prize, as well as feature film awards for Best Character Animation (Tucker Barrie), Best Direction (del Toro and Mark Gustafson), Best Music,...
We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscar race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts on what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” moved a step closer to winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature after leading Asifa-Hollywood’s 50th Annie Awards (held February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall). The stop-motion “Pinocchio” from Netflix took the Best Feature prize, as well as feature film awards for Best Character Animation (Tucker Barrie), Best Direction (del Toro and Mark Gustafson), Best Music,...
- 2/26/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Though there are different styles on display this year in the contest for animated feature Oscar, what unites them is the passionate, intuitive craft and care put into voicing these films by their dedicated talent. These affable actors have given voice to such colorful creations as a miniscule mollusk, a positive puppy, a desperate dad, a sassy stowaway, a wild wolf and a teen-turned-red panda. They range in experience behind the mic from newbies to veterans, but they all approach their performances no differently than their live-action work.
“I break it down the same way, especially with Perrito and his backstory,” says Harvey Guillén, who voices the unsinkable stray Chihuahua in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” “To him, it’s such a funny story, but to everyone else it’s a tragic story. In one of the first sessions, we found the voice. I wanted to find a contrast to Wagner’s character,...
“I break it down the same way, especially with Perrito and his backstory,” says Harvey Guillén, who voices the unsinkable stray Chihuahua in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” “To him, it’s such a funny story, but to everyone else it’s a tragic story. In one of the first sessions, we found the voice. I wanted to find a contrast to Wagner’s character,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
“The Sea Beast,” the most-watched Netflix original animated film, is also an Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature. And it’s the type of movie that you can feel was made by someone who really loves movies.
That someone is producer/writer/director Chris Williams, whose story centers on a monster hunter named Jacob (Karl Urban) whose life is turned upside down by a pint-sized stowaway named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator). Maisie winds up challenging his entire way of life, as he’s forced to confront the harsh truths about what he does so well – hunt sea monsters.
TheWrap spoke with Williams during the final leg of his Oscar campaign about the five movies that inspired him the most during the making of “The Sea Beast” – and what made them influential.
Also Read:
‘The Sea Beast’ Director Chris Williams on Crafting the Opening Sequence: ‘I Wanted to Make a Splash’ 1. “Raiders of the Lost Ark...
That someone is producer/writer/director Chris Williams, whose story centers on a monster hunter named Jacob (Karl Urban) whose life is turned upside down by a pint-sized stowaway named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator). Maisie winds up challenging his entire way of life, as he’s forced to confront the harsh truths about what he does so well – hunt sea monsters.
TheWrap spoke with Williams during the final leg of his Oscar campaign about the five movies that inspired him the most during the making of “The Sea Beast” – and what made them influential.
Also Read:
‘The Sea Beast’ Director Chris Williams on Crafting the Opening Sequence: ‘I Wanted to Make a Splash’ 1. “Raiders of the Lost Ark...
- 2/22/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
There was a time when children’s stories were frequently about hunting and killing, going on expeditions, engaging in the rites of manhood as they were then. These tropes don’t sit easily in an age when numerous species teeter on the brink of destruction, masculine aggression is no longer vaunted in most contexts and society at large has noticed that girls exist – but does that mean we have to say goodbye to perilous journeys into undiscovered territory, or the thrill of the chase? Sea Beast is one of several films which have tried to find a new way of telling such tales. It doesn’t have much narrative sophistication, but it’s impressively animated and well developed, well acted characters make it an entertaining watch.
Foremost among them is Maisie (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator), a little girl with a big grudge against the notorious beast said to have killed her parents.
Foremost among them is Maisie (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator), a little girl with a big grudge against the notorious beast said to have killed her parents.
- 1/26/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
With his first project after leaving Disney Animation in 2018, director Chris Williams has already received an Oscar nomination. “When I arrived at Netflix Animation, it was certainly a daunting realization that I was a crew of one,” he laughs. He attributes this nomination to his team of animators. “One director does not make a movie, I needed to work with an incredibly talented team to make a movie as ambitious as this, and I was so lucky that so many amazing artists were willing to join me on this journey… I’m just really proud of the crew. They deserve the recognition.”
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The Sea Beast was an ambitious project for Williams,...
Related Story Oscar Nominations: The Complete List Of Nominees Related Story 'Marcel The Shell With Shoes On' Co-Creator & Star Jenny Slate On Film's Oscar Nomination: "I Just Can't Stop Crying" Related Story Oscar Scorecards: A24, Netflix, Disney Lead Way
The Sea Beast was an ambitious project for Williams,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Growing up, Chris Williams loved adventure movies, and among his favorites was King Kong. “The idea of the uncharted island, the mysteries beyond the horizon, was so compelling to me, and then there’s meeting this fierce beast that was so huge in scale and so formidable,” he says. “Yet over the course of the story, you form a real connection and empathy toward the creature. That, to me, was just an incredible feat of storytelling.”
Williams, an Oscar winner for Disney’s Big Hero Six, also recalls seeing old maps of the sea: “The mapmakers would populate the ocean with these really fantastic sea creatures.” This was the spark that would become The Sea Beast, in 2018 among the first original animated features to be greenlit by Netflix Animation.
The entertaining and inspiring adventure is set in a rich maritime world based on the 1700s, except sea monsters are real.
Williams, an Oscar winner for Disney’s Big Hero Six, also recalls seeing old maps of the sea: “The mapmakers would populate the ocean with these really fantastic sea creatures.” This was the spark that would become The Sea Beast, in 2018 among the first original animated features to be greenlit by Netflix Animation.
The entertaining and inspiring adventure is set in a rich maritime world based on the 1700s, except sea monsters are real.
- 1/15/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This story about “The Sea Beast” first appeared in the Awards Preview issue of TheWrap awards magazine.
“The Sea Beast,” the latest feature from director Chris Williams and his first for Netflix, is a rollicking throwback to the kind of old-school adventure movies that Williams grew up with: 1976’s “King Kong,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Clash of the Titans,” and of course, “Star Wars.” It is set in a mythical land with deep ties to the ocean — a place where monster-hunting isn’t just encouraged, it’s sponsored by the kingdom. And it’s where one monster hunter named Jacob (voiced by Karl Urban) forms an unlikely friendship with a young girl (Zaris-Angel Hator) and learns that the creatures aren’t just killing machines.
No sequence establishes the world — and the stakes — like the opening high seas monster hunt.
“I’m a big fan of well-executed action and will...
“The Sea Beast,” the latest feature from director Chris Williams and his first for Netflix, is a rollicking throwback to the kind of old-school adventure movies that Williams grew up with: 1976’s “King Kong,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Clash of the Titans,” and of course, “Star Wars.” It is set in a mythical land with deep ties to the ocean — a place where monster-hunting isn’t just encouraged, it’s sponsored by the kingdom. And it’s where one monster hunter named Jacob (voiced by Karl Urban) forms an unlikely friendship with a young girl (Zaris-Angel Hator) and learns that the creatures aren’t just killing machines.
No sequence establishes the world — and the stakes — like the opening high seas monster hunt.
“I’m a big fan of well-executed action and will...
- 1/13/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Get ready to sail the seas again! "The Sea Beast" director and co-writer Chris Williams is working on a sequel to his nautical fantasy adventure, an animated film that's equal parts "How to Train Your Dragon" on the high seas, a love letter to "King Kong" and similar giant monster movie classics, and a surprisingly authentic portrayal of life on the ocean in the vein of "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World."
"The Sea Beast" marked the solo directing debut for Williams, who spent over 20 years working for Disney Animation on projects like "Bolt," "Big Hero 6," and "Moana" before jumping ship to Netflix for "The Sea Beast." Set in a historical fantasy world where colorful kaiju roam the seas, the film centers on Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), a monster hunter eager to earn his stripes and become the captain of his own sailing vessel by killing...
"The Sea Beast" marked the solo directing debut for Williams, who spent over 20 years working for Disney Animation on projects like "Bolt," "Big Hero 6," and "Moana" before jumping ship to Netflix for "The Sea Beast." Set in a historical fantasy world where colorful kaiju roam the seas, the film centers on Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), a monster hunter eager to earn his stripes and become the captain of his own sailing vessel by killing...
- 1/6/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
After working at Disney for over twenty-five years, Chris Williams left the iconic animation studio to set out on his own. He met with several different studios but set up shop at Netflix after being won over by their enthusiasm. “When I decided I was going to leave, I went to get the lay of the land and met other studios,” Williams told THR. “And I was impressed that they talked about their five-year plan, or 10-year plan, the ‘why we believe we’re going to be successful’ presentations. Netflix was different. Netflix was like, ‘This is the crazy train. We don’t know where this is going. You want in?’” Williams’ first project was The Sea Beast, which has gone on to become the most-viewed animated movie in Netflix’s history, and you know what that means… sequel, baby!
Related The Sea Beast Interview: Director Chris Williams talks about...
Related The Sea Beast Interview: Director Chris Williams talks about...
- 1/6/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Disney swept the animation category with three nominations last Oscar season, culminating in a win for Encanto. This year, Netflix is coming on strong with more than a few contenders, including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. DreamWorks Animation is back with a few contenders of its own, while Apple, A24 and Gkids are seeking their first Oscar win for Best Animated Feature. With only five nominations available, who will go on to compete for the prize?
Walt Disney Studios has a few contenders this year, but their frontrunner is Pixar’s Turning Red. Director Domee Shi revisited her own awkward teen years to create a story of a young girl struggling to please her family as she enters adolescence. Turning Red follows Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl from Toronto who works at her family’s temple to make her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), proud. Due to a family blessing/curse,...
Walt Disney Studios has a few contenders this year, but their frontrunner is Pixar’s Turning Red. Director Domee Shi revisited her own awkward teen years to create a story of a young girl struggling to please her family as she enters adolescence. Turning Red follows Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl from Toronto who works at her family’s temple to make her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), proud. Due to a family blessing/curse,...
- 12/27/2022
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
After 25 years of working in Disney animation, director Chris Williams decided that Netflix was the right place to finally make the animated action-adventure he always dreamed of with The Sea Beast. The film follows Jacob (Karl Urban), a hunter of sea monsters, and Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator), a young stowaway, as they join the crew of the Inevitable and embark on a hunt for the elusive Red Bluster. The pair soon discover that the beasts are not as sinister as they are rumored to be, which causes Jacob to grapple with the idea of what it truly means to be a hero. The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, who also provided the animation last year for The Mitchells vs the Machines.
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- 12/13/2022
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sea Beast is a 2022 computer-animated adventure film directed by Chris Williams, which premiered on Netflix on July 8. The film stars the voices of Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. It follows the story of a young girl who stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter. The two embark on a great adventure and discover a secret about the creatures that lurk in the ocean. In a review published by The New York Times, they praised the film’s animation and visuals and wrote, “The Sea Beast is capably animated. Its backgrounds
Five Movies To Watch When You’re Done With “The Sea Beast”...
Five Movies To Watch When You’re Done With “The Sea Beast”...
- 7/29/2022
- by A.E. Oats
- TVovermind.com
Ahead of its much-anticipated Q2 Earnings reveal, Netflix debuted its Top 10 ranking for the week of July 11 to 17, with “Stranger Things 4” leading the pack. “Resident Evil” — based on the popular horror video game of the same name — snagged the No. 2 spot upon its premiere July 14. Also on the list and occupying spots 7 through 9, respectively, are “The Umbrella Academy” Season 3 (which released June 22), “Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight” (which premiered July 14) and “Boo Bitch,” the limited series starring Lana Condor that debuted July 8.
In its eighth week, “Stranger Things 4” pulled in an additional 102.33 million hours viewed, making it the most viewed title of the week. In total, the zeitgeisty series has amassed 1.31 billion hours viewed on the Most Popular list. Previous seasons of the show made it onto this week’s Top 10 as well, occupying the middle spots at Nos. 4 through 6.
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Netflix’s Subscriber Exodus Has Hollywood on...
In its eighth week, “Stranger Things 4” pulled in an additional 102.33 million hours viewed, making it the most viewed title of the week. In total, the zeitgeisty series has amassed 1.31 billion hours viewed on the Most Popular list. Previous seasons of the show made it onto this week’s Top 10 as well, occupying the middle spots at Nos. 4 through 6.
Also Read:
Netflix’s Subscriber Exodus Has Hollywood on...
- 7/19/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
We’re still in the thick of summer movie season and Netflix isn’t letting that escape them, with a robust roster of big budget, warm weather options.
This month we have original Netflix movies like Chris Williams’ animated adventure “The Sea Beast” (just as thrilling and artful as any Disney production), starry Jane Austen adaptation “Persuasion” (led by Dakota Johnson) and “The Gray Man,” an action-packed spectacular starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, that gives Marvel a run for its money.
Also headed to the service are classics from Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan and more recent fare starring Tom Holland and Sandra Oh.
In other words, if it gets too hot, you can just stay inside with these great movies.
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The 60 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now “Catch Me If You Can” DreamWorks
Think about this: Steven Spielberg released “Minority Report” and “Catch Me If You Can...
This month we have original Netflix movies like Chris Williams’ animated adventure “The Sea Beast” (just as thrilling and artful as any Disney production), starry Jane Austen adaptation “Persuasion” (led by Dakota Johnson) and “The Gray Man,” an action-packed spectacular starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, that gives Marvel a run for its money.
Also headed to the service are classics from Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan and more recent fare starring Tom Holland and Sandra Oh.
In other words, if it gets too hot, you can just stay inside with these great movies.
Also Read:
The 60 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now “Catch Me If You Can” DreamWorks
Think about this: Steven Spielberg released “Minority Report” and “Catch Me If You Can...
- 7/10/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
.
Disney director Chris Williams left the studio after 25 years to pursue his animated dream project: “The Sea Beast,” an adventure in the tradition of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” that’s now streaming on Netflix. The film is about legendary sea monster hunter Jacob (Karl Urban), who pursues the Red Leviathan with the aid of an orphaned stowaway, Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator). She eventually bonds with and befriends the creature, which echoes “How to Train Your Dragon.”
“This is one of those where I have to go all the way back to the movies that I loved the most when I was a kid,” Williams told IndieWire. “The ’70s version of ‘King Kong,’ the Ray Harryhausen stop-motion, action-adventure movies about leaving the known world and venturing off into the unknown. They really touched a nerve in me, and I’ve always wanted to make one of those movies.”
It was a...
Disney director Chris Williams left the studio after 25 years to pursue his animated dream project: “The Sea Beast,” an adventure in the tradition of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” that’s now streaming on Netflix. The film is about legendary sea monster hunter Jacob (Karl Urban), who pursues the Red Leviathan with the aid of an orphaned stowaway, Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator). She eventually bonds with and befriends the creature, which echoes “How to Train Your Dragon.”
“This is one of those where I have to go all the way back to the movies that I loved the most when I was a kid,” Williams told IndieWire. “The ’70s version of ‘King Kong,’ the Ray Harryhausen stop-motion, action-adventure movies about leaving the known world and venturing off into the unknown. They really touched a nerve in me, and I’ve always wanted to make one of those movies.”
It was a...
- 7/8/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
Maisie Brumble, the feisty protagonist of The Sea Beast, is a small girl with a gigantic personality and off-the-charts chutzpah. As the story opens she’s determined to claim her place in her seafaring country’s monster-hunting tradition; by the time it wraps, she’s turned that tradition inside out, in ways that are not only incisive and profound but deeply affecting. Chris Williams, whose helming credits include Big Hero 6 and Moana, has made a rousing, terrific-looking film, one whose emotional currents are all the more potent for being underplayed amidst the derring-do.
The frenetic busyness of the opening sequences might suggest we’re being lured into familiar, action-heavy animation territory. To be sure, there’s plenty of strong action, battles and otherwise, in The Sea Beast, along with leavening touches of the sweet and adorable. But as Maisie’s tale unfolds,...
Maisie Brumble, the feisty protagonist of The Sea Beast, is a small girl with a gigantic personality and off-the-charts chutzpah. As the story opens she’s determined to claim her place in her seafaring country’s monster-hunting tradition; by the time it wraps, she’s turned that tradition inside out, in ways that are not only incisive and profound but deeply affecting. Chris Williams, whose helming credits include Big Hero 6 and Moana, has made a rousing, terrific-looking film, one whose emotional currents are all the more potent for being underplayed amidst the derring-do.
The frenetic busyness of the opening sequences might suggest we’re being lured into familiar, action-heavy animation territory. To be sure, there’s plenty of strong action, battles and otherwise, in The Sea Beast, along with leavening touches of the sweet and adorable. But as Maisie’s tale unfolds,...
- 7/7/2022
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Giant creatures terrorize the seas, or so we think, in “The Sea Beast,” the new animated feature from Oscar-winning director Chris Williams in his first collaboration with the now–financially embattled streaming pioneer, Netflix.
A young orphan, Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) has read all about the hunters in storybooks, men and women who sail the waters searching for monsters to kill and preventing them from reaching the populated shores. According to the crown-sanctioned history of this kingdom, the war between mankind and the massive inhabitants of the sea is a longstanding conflict where blameless humans act only to defend themselves.
Prominent among those heroic seamen Maisie admires are Captain Crow (Jared Harris) and his protégé Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Bent on killing the Red Bluster, a kaiju-like nemesis that took his eye in battle, Crow commands his vessel, the Inevitable, with that mission as his sole purpose. Meanwhile Jacob,...
A young orphan, Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) has read all about the hunters in storybooks, men and women who sail the waters searching for monsters to kill and preventing them from reaching the populated shores. According to the crown-sanctioned history of this kingdom, the war between mankind and the massive inhabitants of the sea is a longstanding conflict where blameless humans act only to defend themselves.
Prominent among those heroic seamen Maisie admires are Captain Crow (Jared Harris) and his protégé Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Bent on killing the Red Bluster, a kaiju-like nemesis that took his eye in battle, Crow commands his vessel, the Inevitable, with that mission as his sole purpose. Meanwhile Jacob,...
- 7/7/2022
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
A24 is going animated whimsical with Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, Neon opens Beba, Cohen Media Group presents Apples, IFC Midnight Flux Gourmet and Abramorama a documentary The Human Trial in limited release at arthouse cinemas.
These venues have been doing a bit better, slowly luring Covid-spooked key older demos back into the theater-going habit, attracting some younger viewers (and playing big franchise movies because they have to). Greg Laemmle, CEO of Laemmle Theatres, understands recovery takes time, especially with independent distributors spending less on marketing. That’s why he counts more than ever on reviews to attract an audience.
“Our theatres have been open for over a year since the 13-month shutdown, and every week we present an array of smaller foreign-language films, documentaries, and indie features. Distributors aren’t advertising in print like they did pre-pandemic. But if you look in the LA Times every day, you...
These venues have been doing a bit better, slowly luring Covid-spooked key older demos back into the theater-going habit, attracting some younger viewers (and playing big franchise movies because they have to). Greg Laemmle, CEO of Laemmle Theatres, understands recovery takes time, especially with independent distributors spending less on marketing. That’s why he counts more than ever on reviews to attract an audience.
“Our theatres have been open for over a year since the 13-month shutdown, and every week we present an array of smaller foreign-language films, documentaries, and indie features. Distributors aren’t advertising in print like they did pre-pandemic. But if you look in the LA Times every day, you...
- 6/24/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
There are rollicking action scenes and family-friendly humour in this visually sumptuous work from the director of Big Hero 6
With its subscription revenue waning, streaming service Netflix recently cut scores of jobs within its animation department. That spelled curtains for a number of kid-oriented works, including Meghan’s in-development series Pearl which was to feature a young girl learning life lessons from inspiring female historical figures. But luckily for fans of girl-positive cartooning, this fantasy epic about Maisie Brumble, a young British girl of colour (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator), who stows away on a ship to find adventure hunting sea beasts, must have been too far along the production line to get the axe. Sporting the kind of lavish detail and splashy effects (water shots are notoriously expensive) that drains the budget in animation, this visually sumptuous work is impressive enough to raise hopes that Netflix won’t give up entirely on cartoons.
With its subscription revenue waning, streaming service Netflix recently cut scores of jobs within its animation department. That spelled curtains for a number of kid-oriented works, including Meghan’s in-development series Pearl which was to feature a young girl learning life lessons from inspiring female historical figures. But luckily for fans of girl-positive cartooning, this fantasy epic about Maisie Brumble, a young British girl of colour (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator), who stows away on a ship to find adventure hunting sea beasts, must have been too far along the production line to get the axe. Sporting the kind of lavish detail and splashy effects (water shots are notoriously expensive) that drains the budget in animation, this visually sumptuous work is impressive enough to raise hopes that Netflix won’t give up entirely on cartoons.
- 6/22/2022
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Even sea beasts are adorable when they’re babies. But watch out when they get big! They can smash the hull of a ship with their giant horns, or pull a boat to the bottom of the ocean with long, snake-like tentacles. At least, that’s consistent with the legends we were told when unfinished maps labeled uncharted waters “here there be monsters.” But what if those monsters were real? That’s the jumping-off point for Disney veteran Chris Williams’ first Netflix feature, “The Sea Beast,” a spectacular high-seas adventure of the kind most directors know better than to attempt.
But Williams had a distinct advantage: He’s an animator. The accomplished cartoon helmer, who cut his teeth on “Bolt” and “Big Hero 6,” first took to the open waters with “Moana” — a dry run of sorts for some of the thrilling ideas he hoped to implement here. “Never work with kids or animals,...
But Williams had a distinct advantage: He’s an animator. The accomplished cartoon helmer, who cut his teeth on “Bolt” and “Big Hero 6,” first took to the open waters with “Moana” — a dry run of sorts for some of the thrilling ideas he hoped to implement here. “Never work with kids or animals,...
- 6/16/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"I see a fire in her. Same fire I saw in you." Netflix has revealed the full-length official trailer for an exciting new animated adventure called The Sea Beast, from director Chris Williams who has moved from directing at Disney Animation to making original movies with Netflix. A legendary sea monster hunter's life is turned upside down when a young girl stows away on his ship and befriends the most dangerous beast of them all. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history. The Sea Beast takes us to where the map ends, and the true adventure begins. Featuring the voices of Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke. This is going to be a blast! The story reminds me of How to Train Your Dragon, but with a few seafaring twists & tweaks. Maisie seems like such a delightful,...
- 6/7/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“The Sea Beast” is Netflix’s big, splashy, animated movie of the summer, one that hopes to rival the newest releases from Pixar and Illumination. And a new trailer for the seafaring adventure suggests that it just might succeed.
Directed, co-written (with Nell Benjamin) and produced by Chris Williams, a longtime Disney stalwart and the filmmaker behind “Big Hero 6” and “Bolt” (he also served as a co-director on Ron Clements and John Musker’s “Moana”), “The Sea Beast” follows Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), an infamous monster hunter, as he faces his biggest challenge yet – dealing with a young stowaway named Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator). Oh, and they are of course searching for a giant, mythical creature that perpetually avoids capture.
“The Sea Beast” is inspired by classic monster movies and adventure films, and that rollicking, old school flavor is very much apparent in this new trailer. Plus, you can...
Directed, co-written (with Nell Benjamin) and produced by Chris Williams, a longtime Disney stalwart and the filmmaker behind “Big Hero 6” and “Bolt” (he also served as a co-director on Ron Clements and John Musker’s “Moana”), “The Sea Beast” follows Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), an infamous monster hunter, as he faces his biggest challenge yet – dealing with a young stowaway named Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator). Oh, and they are of course searching for a giant, mythical creature that perpetually avoids capture.
“The Sea Beast” is inspired by classic monster movies and adventure films, and that rollicking, old school flavor is very much apparent in this new trailer. Plus, you can...
- 6/7/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
You could find friends in the strangest of places, especially when you're a sea-faring monster hunter with an unexpected stowaway. This lesson is shown throughout the trailer for "The Sea Beast," the newest animated film by director Chris Williams.
It showcases a world where monster hunters are seen as legends, and according to the movie's official plot, nobody was more legendary than Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). However, when aspiring monster hunter Maise Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) becomes a stowaway on his ship, he must try to defeat the biggest monster of his career, maybe learning a few things in the process.
The post The Sea Beast Trailer: Monster Hunters Take to the Sea in Netflix's Animated Feature appeared first on /Film.
It showcases a world where monster hunters are seen as legends, and according to the movie's official plot, nobody was more legendary than Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). However, when aspiring monster hunter Maise Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) becomes a stowaway on his ship, he must try to defeat the biggest monster of his career, maybe learning a few things in the process.
The post The Sea Beast Trailer: Monster Hunters Take to the Sea in Netflix's Animated Feature appeared first on /Film.
- 6/7/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, Zaris-Angel Hator, Charlie Shotwell, Joseph Esson, Joanna Burnett | Written by Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless | Directed by Daniel Espinosa
Ok, I’ll be honest. I read the reviews, I saw the fall out of the films theatrical run. But…but… Morbius is one of my all-time favourite Marvel characters alongside Moon Knight, Taskmaster and Man-Thing. So I just Had to see Sony’s Morbius movie for myself.
So what’s the verdict?
Well for a start, Morbius feels like half a movie. Yes, half a movie. The ending is so abrupt that it felt like we were missing an epilogue, a conclusion. Hell, even a real set-up for a sequel beyond a brief flash of Something (which I shall not spoil) and a couple of post-credits sequences that try their damnedest to tie Morbius into the Marvel cinematic universe.
Ok, I’ll be honest. I read the reviews, I saw the fall out of the films theatrical run. But…but… Morbius is one of my all-time favourite Marvel characters alongside Moon Knight, Taskmaster and Man-Thing. So I just Had to see Sony’s Morbius movie for myself.
So what’s the verdict?
Well for a start, Morbius feels like half a movie. Yes, half a movie. The ending is so abrupt that it felt like we were missing an epilogue, a conclusion. Hell, even a real set-up for a sequel beyond a brief flash of Something (which I shall not spoil) and a couple of post-credits sequences that try their damnedest to tie Morbius into the Marvel cinematic universe.
- 5/20/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
A new animated adventure from the co-director of "Big Hero 6" and "Moana" is set to arrive on Netflix this July in the form of "The Sea Beast." The sea-faring flick is anchored (see what I did there?) by the voice talent of Dan Stevens, Karl Urban, Jared Harris, and Zaris-Angel Hator as Maisie Brumble, the film's protagonist. The trailer for the movie promised plenty of action on the high seas, run-ins with fearsome sea monsters, and a kid-friendly premise involving young Maisie stowing away on a ship and experiencing the adventure of a lifetime.
Ahead of the film's release, /Film was able to...
The post The Sea Beast Director Wanted to Make a Movie With King Kong and Indiana Jones Vibes [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
Ahead of the film's release, /Film was able to...
The post The Sea Beast Director Wanted to Make a Movie With King Kong and Indiana Jones Vibes [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.
- 5/18/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
“The Sea Beast” is nearly here.
A Netflix original animated feature and the studio’s clearest attempt to deliver a giant summertime animated smash (a la Disney or Pixar or DreamWorks), “The Sea Beast” is a full-throated adventure that takes place in a vaguely Victorian period where a kingdom makes a bloody quest to rid the waters of terrifying oceanic creatures.
Karl Urban plays a hunter who is looking to bring down the biggest monster of them all, but he gets tripped up when a young girl (Zaris-Angel Hator) sneaks aboard his ship. (She also dreams of destroying the sea devils.)
While we only got a look at the first 40 minutes, “The Sea Beast” seems to be full of action, adventure and ravishing visuals (the animation was provided by Sony Pictures ImageWorks and the team that made “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” look so special). Instead of bursting into song,...
A Netflix original animated feature and the studio’s clearest attempt to deliver a giant summertime animated smash (a la Disney or Pixar or DreamWorks), “The Sea Beast” is a full-throated adventure that takes place in a vaguely Victorian period where a kingdom makes a bloody quest to rid the waters of terrifying oceanic creatures.
Karl Urban plays a hunter who is looking to bring down the biggest monster of them all, but he gets tripped up when a young girl (Zaris-Angel Hator) sneaks aboard his ship. (She also dreams of destroying the sea devils.)
While we only got a look at the first 40 minutes, “The Sea Beast” seems to be full of action, adventure and ravishing visuals (the animation was provided by Sony Pictures ImageWorks and the team that made “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” look so special). Instead of bursting into song,...
- 5/18/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Morbius Review — Morbius (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless and starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, Michael Keaton, Zaris-Angel Hator, Joe Ferrara, Charlie Shotwell, Joseph Esson, Jason Rennie, Oliver Bodur, Tom Forbes, Clara Rosager and [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Morbius (2022): Jared Leto Sinks His Teeth Into a Juicy Leading Role In an Adequately Made Film...
Continue reading: Film Review: Morbius (2022): Jared Leto Sinks His Teeth Into a Juicy Leading Role In an Adequately Made Film...
- 4/9/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Al Madrigal, Zaris-Angel Hator, Charlie Shotwell, Joseph Esson, Joanna Burnett | Written by Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless | Directed by Daniel Espinosa
Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder, and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. What at first appears to be a radical success soon reveals itself to be a remedy potentially worse than the disease.
Ok, I’ll be honest. I’ve read the tweets, and I’ve seen the other reviews. But…but… Morbius is one of my all-time favourite Marvel characters alongside Moon Knight, Taskmaster and Man-Thing. So I just Had to see Sony’s Morbius movie for myself.
So what’s the verdict?
Well for a start, Morbius feels like half a movie. Yes, half a movie. The ending is so abrupt that it felt like we were missing an epilogue,...
Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder, and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. What at first appears to be a radical success soon reveals itself to be a remedy potentially worse than the disease.
Ok, I’ll be honest. I’ve read the tweets, and I’ve seen the other reviews. But…but… Morbius is one of my all-time favourite Marvel characters alongside Moon Knight, Taskmaster and Man-Thing. So I just Had to see Sony’s Morbius movie for myself.
So what’s the verdict?
Well for a start, Morbius feels like half a movie. Yes, half a movie. The ending is so abrupt that it felt like we were missing an epilogue,...
- 4/4/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The Sea Beast Trailer — Chris Williams‘ The Sea Beast (2022) movie trailer has been released by Netflix. The Sea Beast trailer stars Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke. Crew Nell Benjamin and Chris Williams wrote the screenplay for The Sea Beast. Mark Mancina created the music for [...]
Continue reading: The Sea Beast (2022) Movie Trailer: A Sea Monster Hunter & A Stowaway Embark on an Epic Adventure...
Continue reading: The Sea Beast (2022) Movie Trailer: A Sea Monster Hunter & A Stowaway Embark on an Epic Adventure...
- 3/31/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
The mystical creatures of the sea swim into a new family animated feature for Netflix.
“The Sea Beast” stars voice actor Karl Urban as monster hunter Jacob Holland, who has to deal with runaway Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) aboard his esteemed ship while his team tries to track down a fabled whale. Together, the unlikely duo join forces to enter uncharted waters and make history.
Academy Award-winning writer-director Chris Williams is behind the latest family-friendly Netflix film, which premieres July 8. Nell Benjamin co-writes the script, and Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke co-star in the film.
Per a previous interview with Variety, filmmaker Williams drew upon (literally) illustrations of sea creatures from 16th and 17th-century maps for inspiration. “The Sea Beast” was announced in 2018, and the film is produced by Jed Schlanger.
“The Sea Beast” marks Williams’ first solo feature directing gig. Originally titled “Jacob and the Sea Beast,...
“The Sea Beast” stars voice actor Karl Urban as monster hunter Jacob Holland, who has to deal with runaway Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) aboard his esteemed ship while his team tries to track down a fabled whale. Together, the unlikely duo join forces to enter uncharted waters and make history.
Academy Award-winning writer-director Chris Williams is behind the latest family-friendly Netflix film, which premieres July 8. Nell Benjamin co-writes the script, and Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke co-star in the film.
Per a previous interview with Variety, filmmaker Williams drew upon (literally) illustrations of sea creatures from 16th and 17th-century maps for inspiration. “The Sea Beast” was announced in 2018, and the film is produced by Jed Schlanger.
“The Sea Beast” marks Williams’ first solo feature directing gig. Originally titled “Jacob and the Sea Beast,...
- 3/30/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Netflix announced today that Karl Urban (The Boys), Zaris-Angel Hator (The Power), Jared Harris (Foundation), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Boxing Day), Dan Stevens (Gaslit) and Kathy Burke (Tinker Tailor Solider Spy) will topline The Sea Beast, its upcoming animated film from Academy Award winner Chris Williams.
Pic is set in an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, and monster hunters were celebrated heroes, with none being more beloved than the great Jacob Holland. But when young Maisie Brumble stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together, they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.
Williams is directing from his screenplay, written with Nell Benjamin, and is producing alongside Jed Schlanger. Check out the first teaser for The Sea Beast above.
Pic is set in an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, and monster hunters were celebrated heroes, with none being more beloved than the great Jacob Holland. But when young Maisie Brumble stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together, they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.
Williams is directing from his screenplay, written with Nell Benjamin, and is producing alongside Jed Schlanger. Check out the first teaser for The Sea Beast above.
- 3/30/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Karl Urban and the voice cast of “The Sea Beast” are treading into unknown waters in the brand new teaser for the upcoming Netflix animated film.
In the clip, released on Wednesday, Urban voices monster hunter Jacob Holland. In an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, monster hunters were celebrated heroes — and none were more beloved than Holland, per a logline from Netflix.
But when young Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.
Zaris-Angel Hator as Maise and Karl Urban as Jacob (Netflix)
“For a sailor, a map tells of seas to be explored — of great reward and great peril,” a voice over at the beginning of the video tellers viewers. “But it’s where the map ends that the true adventure begins.”
As...
In the clip, released on Wednesday, Urban voices monster hunter Jacob Holland. In an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, monster hunters were celebrated heroes — and none were more beloved than Holland, per a logline from Netflix.
But when young Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on his fabled ship, he’s saddled with an unexpected ally. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.
Zaris-Angel Hator as Maise and Karl Urban as Jacob (Netflix)
“For a sailor, a map tells of seas to be explored — of great reward and great peril,” a voice over at the beginning of the video tellers viewers. “But it’s where the map ends that the true adventure begins.”
As...
- 3/30/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
"It's out there in the vast unknown that we find who we truly are." A must watch! Netflix has revealed a thrilling new teaser trailer for an animated adventure called The Sea Beast, from filmmaking Chris Williams who has moved from directing at Disney Animation to working independently with Netflix. Uh yeah this looks very cool! A legendary sea monster hunter's life is turned upside down when a young girl stows away on his ship and befriends the most dangerous beast of them all. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history. The Sea Beast takes us to where the map ends, and the true adventure begins. The film stars Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke. Another "where did this come from?!" kind of film, but it looks so exciting that I don't mind and I'm looking forward to July already.
- 3/30/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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