Monday, February 4, 2013

"Wreck-It Ralph" Tops 2013 Annie Awards

by Leroy Douresseaux

At the 40th Annual Annie Awards, Wreck-It Ralph won "Best Animated Feature of 2012," and the Annie Awards' equivalent of a "best director" prize went to Wreck-It Ralph's director, Rich Moore.  After also winning the "best animated feature" at the Producers Guild Awards, perhaps, Wreck-It Ralph is the favorite to win best animated feature Oscar.

The 40th Annual Annie Awards took place on February 2, 2013 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, California.

40th (2013) Annual Annie Awards Winners:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
•Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated Special Production
•Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – Illumination Entertainment

Best Animated Short Subject
•Paperman – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated Television Commercial
•NO NOMINATIONS

Best Animated Television Production For Preschool Children
•Bubble Guppies ‘A Tooth on the Looth’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best Animated Television Production For Children
•Dragons: Riders of Berk ‘How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation

Best General Audience Animated Television Production
•Robot Chicken ‘DC Comics Special’ - Stoopid Buddy Studios

Best Animated Video Game
•Journey – Sony Computer Entertainment America

Best Student Film
•Head Over Heels – Timothy Reckart

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production
•Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton - Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
•Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Dan Driscoll ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It's a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production
•Travis Knight “ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production
•Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl ‘Life of Pi - Tiger’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Robert Valley ‘Disney Tron: Uprising: The Renegade, Part I’ – Disney TV Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Heidi Smith ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•John Eng ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production
•Rich Moore ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•John Paesano ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production
•Henry Jackman, Skrillex, Adam Young, Matthew Thiessen, Jamie Houston, Yasushi Akimoto ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Alberto Mielgo ‘Tron: Uprising: The Stranger’ – Disney TV Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Steve Pilcher ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Doug Lovelace ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
•Johanne Matte ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines ‘Gravity Falls: Tourist Trapped’ – Disney TV Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
•Alan Tudyk as King Candy ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Trey Parker – ‘South Park: Jewpacabra’ – Central Productions

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production
•Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee - Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrick Waeden, Otto Ferraye ‘Kung Fu Panda - Enter the Dragon’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
•Nicholas C. Smith, A.C.E, Robert Grahamjones, A.C.E., David Suther ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS:
Winsor McCay Award — Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn

June Foray Award — Howard Green

Ub Iwerks Award — Toon Boom Animation Pipeline

Sunday, February 3, 2013

2013 NAACP Image Award Winners - Complete List

It took George Lucas over two decades to bring Red Tails to the big screen, and Friday night it was named the "Best Motion Picture of 2012."  Kerry Washington had a big night winning three awards, including won as a supporting actress for Django Unchained.

The NAACP Image Award an award bestowed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The award honors outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature. The awards are voted on by members of the NAACP.

The 2013 NAACP Image Awards were presented live on NBC, Friday, February 1 at 8pm.

44th NAACP Image Awards winners:

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Motion Picture:
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
"Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)
"Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
"Red Tails" (Lucasfilm) WINNER
"Tyler Perry's Good Deeds" (Lionsgate)

Writing in a Motion Picture - (Theatrical or Television)
Elizabeth Hunter - "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime) WINNER
John Gatins - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
John Ridley, Aaron McGruder - "Red Tails" (Lucasfilm)
Keith Merryman, David A. Newman - "Think Like a Man" (Screen Gems)
Ol Parker - "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Actor in a Motion Picture:
Denzel Washington - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures) WINNER
Jamie Foxx - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman - "The Magic of Belle Isle" (Magnolia Pictures)
Suraj Sharma - "Life of Pi" (20th Century Fox)
Tyler Perry - "Alex Cross" (Summit Entertainment)

Actress in a Motion Picture:
Emayatzy Corinealdi - "Middle of Nowhere" (AAFRM)
Halle Berry - "Cloud Atlas" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Loretta Devine - "In The Hive" (Eone Entertainment)
Quvenzhané Wallis - "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Viola Davis - "Won't Back Down" (20th Century Fox) WINNER

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:
David Oyelowo - "Middle of Nowhere" (AFFRM)
Don Cheadle - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)
Dwight Henry - "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Lenny Kravitz - "The Hunger Games" (Lionsgate)
Samuel L. Jackson - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company) WINNER

Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:
Amandla Stenberg - "The Hunger Games" (Lionsgate)
Gloria Reuben - "Lincoln" (The Walt Disney Studios)
Kerry Washington - "Django Unchained" (The Weinstein Company) WINNER
Phylicia Rashad - "Tyler Perry's Good Deeds" (Lionsgate)
Taraji P. Henson - "Think Like a Man" (Screen Gems)

Independent Motion Picture:
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) WINNER
"Chico & Rita" (GKIDS)
"Red Tails" (Lucasfilm)
"Unconditional" (Harbinger Media Partners)
"Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day" (Codeblack)

International Motion Picture:
"Chico & Rita" (GKIDS)
"For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada" (ARC Entertainment)
"Special Forces" (eOne Films)
"The Intouchables" (The Weinstein Company) WINNER
"The Raid: Redemption" (Sony Pictures Classics)

DOCUMENTARY – Documentary - (Theatrical or Television)
"Black Wings" (Smithsonian Channel)
"Brooklyn Castle" (Producers Distribution Agency)
"First Position" (IFC Films)
"Marley" (Magnolia Pictures)
"On the Shoulders of Giants - The Story of the Greatest Team You've Never Heard Of" (Showtime) WINNER

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Comedy Series:
"Glee" (Fox)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"The Game" (BET) WINNER
"The Mindy Project" (Fox)
"The Soul Man" (TV Land)

Writing in a Comedy Series:
Karin Gist - "House of Lies" - Mini-Mogul (Showtime)
Marc Wilmore - "The Simpsons" - The Spy Who Learned Me (FOX) WINNER
Michael Shipley - "Last Man Standing" - High Expectations (ABC)
Prentice Penny - "Happy Endings" - Meet the Parrots (ABC)
Vali Chandrasekaran, Robert Carlock - "30 Rock" - Murphy Brown Lied to Us (NBC)

Actor in a Comedy Series:
Anthony Anderson - "Guys with Kids" (NBC)
Damon Wayans, Jr. - "Happy Endings" (ABC)
Don Cheadle - "House Of Lies" (Showtime) WINNER
Donald Faison - "The Exes" (TV Land)
Hosea Chanchez - "The Game" (BET)

Actress in a Comedy Series:
Amber Riley - "Glee" (Fox)
Cassi Davis - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS) WINNER
Kellita Smith - "The First Family" (Syndicated)
Tatyana Ali - "Love That Girl" (TV One)
Wendy Raquel Robinson - "The Game" (BET)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Aziz Ansari - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
Craig Robinson - "The Office" (NBC)
Donald Glover - "Community" (NBC)
Lance Gross - "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS) WINNER
Tracy Morgan - "30 Rock" (NBC)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Anna Deavere Smith - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)
Gabourey Sidibe - "The Big C" (Showtime)
Gladys Knight - "The First Family" (Syndicated)
Rashida Jones - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC)
Vanessa Williams - "Desperate Housewives" (ABC) WINNER

Drama Series:
"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
"Scandal" (ABC) WINNER
"Treme" (HBO)
"True Blood" (HBO)

Writing in a Dramatic Series
Cheo Hodari Coker - "SouthLAnd" - God's Work (TNT) WINNER
Janine Sherman Barrios - "Criminal Minds" - The Pact (CBS)
Shonda Rhimes - "Grey's Anatomy" - Flight (ABC)
Shonda Rhimes - "Scandal" - Sweet Baby (ABC)
Zoanne Clack - "Grey's Anatomy" - This Magic Moment (ABC)

Actor in a Drama Series:
Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA)
Hill Harper - "CSI: NY" (CBS) WINNER
LL Cool J - "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
Michael Clarke Duncan - "The Finder" (FOX)
Wendell Pierce - "Treme" (HBO)

Actress in a Drama Series:
Chandra Wilson - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Kerry Washington - "Scandal" (ABC) WINNER
Khandi Alexander - "Treme" (HBO)
Regina King - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)
Sandra Oh - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Clarke Peters - "Treme" (HBO)
Dev Patel - "The Newsroom" (HBO)
Omar Epps - "House M.D." (FOX) WINNER
Rockmond Dunbar - "Sons of Anarchy" (FX)
Rocky Carroll - "NCIS" (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Archie Panjabi - "The Good Wife" (CBS)
Joy Bryant - "Parenthood" (NBC)
Loretta Devine - "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC) WINNER
Lucy Lui - "SouthLAnd" (TNT)
Rutina Wesley - "True Blood" (HBO)

Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:
"Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime)
"Hallmark Hall of Fame's FIRELIGHT" (ABC)
"Raising Izzie" (GMC TV)
"Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime) WINNER
"Sugar Mommas" (GMC TV)

Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:
Afemo Omilami - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Cuba Gooding, Jr. - "Hallmark Hall of Fame's FIRELIGHT" (ABC) WINNER
Michael Jai White - "Somebody's Child" (GMC TV)
Rockmond Dunbar - "Raising Izzie" (GMC TV)
Tory Kittles - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)

Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:
Alfre Woodard - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime) WINNER
Jill Scott - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Keke Palmer - "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" (Lifetime)
Phylicia Rashad - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)
Queen Latifah - "Steel Magnolias" (Lifetime)

Actor in a Daytime Drama Series:
Aaron D. Spears - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Erik Valdez - "General Hospital" (ABC)
James Reynolds - "Days of Our Lives" (NBC)
Kristoff St. John - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS) WINNER
Rodney Saulsberry - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)

Actress in a Daytime Drama Series:
Angell Conwell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Julia Pace Mitchell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Kristolyn Lloyd - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Shenell Edmonds - "One Life to Live" (ABC)
Tatyana Ali - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS) WINNER

News/ Information - (Series or Special):
"Ask Obama Live: An MTV Interview with The President" (MTV)
"Judge Mathis" (Syndicated)
"Save My Son with Dr. Steve Perry" (TV One)
"Unsung" (TV One) WINNER
"Washington Watch with Roland Martin" (TV One)

Talk Series:
"Don't Sleep!" (BET)
"Oprah's Lifeclass" (OWN)
"Oprah's Next Chapter" (OWN)
"The View" (ABC) WINNER
"Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell" (FX)

Reality Series:
"Dancing with the Stars" (ABC)
"Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" (HBO)
"The X Factor" (FOX)
"Tia & Tamera" (Style)
"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" (OWN) WINNER

Variety Series or Special:
"Black Girls Rock" (BET) WINNER
"Oprah and the Legendary Cast of Roots 35 Years Later" (OWN)
"Oprah's Master Class" (OWN)
"The First Graduating Class: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls" (OWN)
"Verses & Flow" (TV One)

Children’s Program:
"Degrassi" (TeenNick)
"Kasha and the Zulu King" (BET) WINNER
"The Legend of Korra" (Nickelodeon)
"The TeenNick HALO Awards 2012" (Nick@Nite)
"The Weight of the Nation for Kids" (HBO)

Performance in a Youth/ Children’s Program - (Series or Special):
China Anne McClain - "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney Channel)
Keke Palmer - "Winx Club" (Nickelodeon)
Loretta Devine - "Doc McStuffins" (Disney Junior block on Disney Channel) WINNER
Nick Cannon - "The TeenNick HALO Awards 2012" (Nick@Nite)
Tyler James Williams - "Let It Shine" (Disney Channel)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

New Artist:
Elle Varner (MBK / RCA) WINNER
Gary Clark, Jr. (Warner Bros. Records)
Lianne La Havas (Nonesuch Records Inc. / Warner Bros. Records)
Melanie Amaro (Epic Records)
The OMG Girlz (Pretty Hustle / Grand Hustle / Streamline / Interscope)

Male Artist:
Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco (Atlantic)
Miguel (ByStorm / RCA)
Trey Songz (Atlantic)
Usher (RCA Records) WINNER

Female Artist:
Alicia Keys (RCA Records) WINNER
Elle Varner (MBK / RCA)
Estelle (Atlantic)
Missy Elliott (Atlantic)
Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)

Duo, Group or Collaboration:
Chuck D, Johnny Juice, Will.i.am, Herbie Hancock (Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment)
fun. feat. Janelle Monae (Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco feat. Guy Sebastian (Atlantic)
Mary Mary (Columbia) WINNER
Ne-Yo, Herbie Hancock, Johnny Rzeznik, Delta Rae, Natasha Bedingfield (Forward Song, LLC)

Jazz Album:
"Bone Appetit [Vol. 1 and 2]" - Jeff Bradshaw (Hidden Beach)
"Dreams" - Brian Culbertson (Verve Records)
"Renaissance" - Marcus Miller (Concord Jazz)
"Seeds From The Underground" - Kenny Garrett (Mack Avenue Records)
"The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection" - The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Legacy) WINNER

Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary):
"Best Days" - Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)
"Go Get It" - Mary Mary (Columbia) WINNER
"God, Love & Romance" - Fred Hammond (Verity Gospel Music Group)
"I Win" - Marvin Sapp (Verity Gospel Music Group)
"Le'Andria Johnson The Experience" - Le'Andria Johnson (Music World Gospel / Music World)

World Music Album:
"Ayah Ye! Moving Train" - KG Omulo (KG Omulo)
"Country, God, Or The Girl" - K'NAAN (A&M / Octone Records)
"Diversionary" - Brother B (King Chero Records)
"Wonderful Life" - Estelle (Atlantic) WINNER

Music Video:
"Adorn" - Miguel (ByStorm / RCA)
"Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keys (RCA Records) WINNER
"Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
"This Christmas" - CeeLo Green (Elektra)
"You're On My Mind" - KEM (Universal Motown)

Song:
"Be Mine for Christmas" - KEM (Universal Motown)
"Glorify the King" - KEM (Universal Motown)
"I Look To You" - Whitney Houston and R. Kelly (RCA Records) WINNER
"Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars (Atlantic)
"You're On My Mind" - KEM (Universal Motown)

Album:
"Bad - 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" - Michael Jackson (Legacy / Epic)
"Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
"I Will Always Love You: The Best Of Whitney Houston" - Whitney Houston (RCA Records) WINNER
"On the Shoulders of Giants - The Soundtrack" - Chuck D, Will.i.am, Herbie Hancock, Nikki Yannofsky (Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment )
"Perfectly Imperfect" - Elle Varner (MBK / RCA)

LITERATURE CATEGORIES

Literary Work – Fiction:
"A Wish and a Prayer: A Blessings Novel" - Beverly Jenkins (HarperCollins Publishers (William Morrow Paperbacks))
"Destiny's Divas" - Victoria Christopher Murray (Touchstone / Simon & Schuster)
"Silent Cry" - Dywane Birch (Strebor Books)
"The Reverend's Wife" - Kimberla Lawson Roby (Grand Central's Wife) WINNER
"The Secret She Kept" - ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)

Literary Work - Non-Fiction:
"Fraternity" - Diane Brady (Spiegel & Grau (Random House))
"Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nation" - Deborah Davis (Atria Books / Simon & Schuster)
"Power Concedes Nothing: One Woman's Quest for Social Justice in America, from the Courtroom to the Kill Zones" - Connie Rice (Scribner)
"The Courage to Hope" - Shirley Sherrod (Atria Books)
"The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court " - Jeffrey Toobin (Doubleday) WINNER

Literary Work - Debut Author:
"A Cupboard Full of Coats" - Yvvette Edwards (HarperCollins Publishers (Amistad))
"Antebellum" - R. Kayeen Thomas (Strebor Books)
"Congo: Spirit of Darkness" - Mayi Ngwala (Genet Press)
"Nikki G: A Portrait of Nikki Giovanni in Her Own Words" - Darryl L. Lacy (Darryl L. Lacy-iUniverse) WINNER
"The Sister Accord: 51 Ways To Love Your Sister" - Sonia Jackson Myles (The Sister Accord, LLC)

Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography:
"Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change" - John Lewis (Hyperion) WINNER
"Interventions: A Life in War and Peace" - Kofi Annan (The Penguin Press)
"The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo" - Tom Reiss (Crown Publishers)
"The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities " – Will Allen (Gotham Books)
"The One: The Life and Music of James Brown" - RJ Smith (Gotham Books)

Literary Work – Instructional:
"12 Ways to Put Money in Your Pocket Every Month Without A Part Time Job; The Skinny Book That Makes Your Wallet Fat" - Jennifer Matthews (Pickett Fennell Publishing Group)
"Formula 50: A 6-Week Workout and Nutrition Plan That Will Transform Your Life " – 50 Cent (Avery (Penguin Group))
"Health First: The Black Woman's Wellness Guide" - Eleanor Hinton Hoytt, Hilary Beard (SmileyBooks) WINNER
"It's Complicated (But It Doesn't Have to Be): A Modern Guide to Finding and Keeping Love" - Paul Carrick Brunson (Gotham Books)
"The No Excuse Guide to Success: No Matter What Your Boss or Life Throws at You" - Jim Smith, Jr. (Career Press)

Literary Work – Poetry:
"Hurrah's Nest" - Arisa White (Virtual Artists Collective)
"Maybe the Saddest Thing" - Marcus Wicker (HarperCollins Publishers (Harper Perennial))
"Speak Water" - Truth Thomas (Cherry Castle Publishing) WINNER
"The Ground" - Rowan Ricardo Phillips (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
"Thrall" - Natasha Trethewey (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Literary Work – Children:
"Fifty Cents and a Dream" - Jabari Asim (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator) (Little,nBrown Books for Young Readers)
"Harlem's Little Blackbird" - Renee Watson (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator) (Random House Books for Young Readers (Random House Children's Books))
"In the Land of Milk and Honey" - Joyce Carol Thomas (Author), Floyd Cooper (Illustrator) (HarperCollins / Amistad)
"Indigo Blume and the Garden City" - Kwame Alexander (Word of Mouth Books)
"What Color is My World?" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Author), Raymons Obstfeld (Author), A.G. Ford (Illustrator) (Candlewick Press) WINNER

Literary Work - Youth/Teens:
"Fire in the Streets" - Kekla Magoon (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)
"Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons - A Dialogue With America's Young Leaders" - Gregory Reed (Amber Books) WINNER
"Pinned" - Sharon G. Flake (Scholastic Press)
"The Diary of B. B. Bright, Possible Princess" - Alice Randall (Author), Caroline Williams (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator) (Turner Publishing Company)
"The Mighty Miss Malone" - Christopher Paul Curtis (Wendy Lamb Books-Random House Children's Books)

President's Award: Kerry Washington

Spingarn Medal (consists of a gold medal and is the NAACP’s highest honor): Harry Belafonte

Saturday, February 2, 2013

2013 Annie Award Nominations - Complete List

ASIFA-Hollywood, the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Society, presents the Annie Awards. The Annie honors achievements in animation as a whole, including current animated productions, as well as career and lifetime achievements. At the beginning of this week, the group announced the nominations and award recipients for the 39th Annual Annie Awards.

The 40th Annual Annie Awards will take place on February 2, 2013 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, California.

40th (2013) Annual Annie Awards Nominees:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
•Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
•Frankenweenie – The Walt Disney Studios
•Hotel Transylvania – Sony Pictures Animation
•ParaNorman – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation
•The Pirates! Band of Misfits – Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation
•The Rabbi’s Cat – GKIDS
•Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated Special Production
•Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 – Warner Bros. Animation
•Beforel Orel – Trust – Starburns Industries, Inc.
•Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – Illumination Entertainment
•Disney Tron: Uprising – Beck’s Beginning – Disney TV Animation
•Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury – DreamWorks Animation
•Justice League: Doom – Warner Bros. Animation

Best Animated Short Subject
•Brad and Gary – Illumination Entertainment
•Bydlo – The National Film Board of Canada
•Eyes on the Stars – StoryCorps
•Goodnight Mr. Foot – Sony Pictures Animation
•Kali the Little Vampire – Folimage Studios, Ciclope Filmes, The National Film Board of Canada and Studio GDS
•Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’ – Gracie Films
•Paperman – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•The Simpsons – ‘Bill Plympton Couch Gag’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Best Animated Television Commercial
•NO NOMINATIONS

Best Animated Television Production For Preschool Children
•Bubble Guppies ‘A Tooth on the Looth’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Chuggington ‘Magnetic Wilson’ – Ludorum
•Jake & The Never Land Pirates ‘Peter Pan Returns’ – Disney TV Animation
•Doc McStuffins ‘The Right Stuff’ – Brown Bag Films
•Justin Time ‘Marcello’s Meatballs’ – Guru Studio

Best Animated Television Production For Children
•Adventure Time ‘Princess Cookie’ – Cartoon Network Studios
•Dragons: Riders of Berk ‘How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation
•LEGO Star Wars ‘The Empire Strikes Out’ – Threshold Animation Studios
•Penguins of Madagascar ‘Action Reaction’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•SpongeBob SquarePants ‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•The Amazing World of Gumball ‘The Job’ – Cartoon Network Studio Europe
•The Fairly OddParents ‘Farm Pit’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•The Legend of Korra ‘Welcome to Republic City’/’A Leaf in the Wind’ - Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best General Audience Animated Television Production
•Archer ‘Space Race, Part 1’ – Floyd County Production and FX Productions for FX
•Bob's Burgers ‘Earsy Rider’ – 20th Century Fox TV
•Motorcity ‘Blond Thunder’ – Disney TV Animation
•MAD ‘FrankenWinnie/ParaMorgan’ – Warner Bros. Animation
•Robot Chicken ‘DC Comics Special’ - Stoopid Buddy Studios
•South Park ‘Raising the Bar’ – Central Productions

Best Animated Video Game
•Borderlands 2 – Gearbox Software
•Family Guy – Back to the Mutiverse – Heavy Iron Studios
•Journey – Sony Computer Entertainment America
•Skullgirls – Lab Zero Games

Best Student Film
•Can We Be Happy Now – Tahnee Gehm
•Defective Detective – Avner Geller & Stevie Lewis
•Head Over Heels – Timothy Reckart
•I Am Tom Moody – Ainslie Henderson
•Ladies Knight – Joseph Rothenberg
•Origin – Jessica Poon
•The Ballad of Poisonberry Pete – Adam Campbell, Elizabeth McMahill, Uri Lotan
•Tule Lake – Michelle Ikemoto

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production
•Andrew Nawrot, Joe Gorski, Grant Laker – ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Andrew Schneider ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
•Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton - Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation
•Bill Watral, Chris Chapman, Dave Hale, Keith Klohn, Michael K. O’Brien ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
•Brett Albert – ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Jihyun Yoon – ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Joel Aron – ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
•Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
•Stephen Marshall, Joseph Pepper, Dustin Wicke – ‘The Amazing Spiderman – Sony Pictures Imageworks
•Sue Rowe, Simon Stanley-Clamp, Artemis Oikonomopoulou, Holger Voss, Nikki Makar, Catherine Elvidge ‘John Carter’ - Cinesite
•Willi Geiger, Rick Hankins, Florent Andorra, Florian Witzel, Aron Bonar ‘Battleship’ – Industrial Light & Magic

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Dan Driscoll ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It's a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Jennifer Dickie ‘Justin Time: Yodel Odel Day’ – Guru Studio
•Keith Kellogg ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
•Savelen Forrest ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It's a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Shi Zimu ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Sihanouk Mariona ‘Beforel Orel: Trust’ – Starburns Industries, Inc.
•Teri Yam ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Yan Jiazhuang ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production
•Dan Nguyen ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
•David Pate ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Jaime Landes ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
•Philippe LeBrun ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Pierre Perifel ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Travis Hathaway ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
•Travis Knight “ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Will Becher ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production
•Erik de Boer, Amanda Dague, Matt Brown, Mary Lynn Machado, Aaron Grey ‘Life of Pi - Orangutan’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
•Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl ‘Life of Pi - Tiger’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
•Jakub Pistecky, Maia Kayser, Scott Benza, Steve King, Kiran Bhat ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
•Mike Beaulieu, Roger Vizard, Atsushi Sato, Jackie Koehler, Derek Esparza, Richard Smith, Max Tyrie – The Amazing Spiderman - Sony Pictures Imageworks

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Andy Bialk ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Alvin and the Outcasts’ – DreamWorks Animaton
•Andy Suriano ‘DC Nation-Plastic Man: The Many and the Fowl’ – Big Hair Productions, Inc.
•Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki-Hyun Ryu, Kim Il Kwang, Kim Jin Sun ‘The Legend of Korra: Welcome to Republic City’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•“C” Raggio IV ‘Kick Buttowski: Petrified’ – Disney TV Animation
•Derrick Wyatt, Chap Yaep, Steven Choi, Shakeh Haghnazarian ‘Ben 10: Omniverse: The More Things Change, Pt. 2’ – Cartoon Network Studios
•Gordon Hammond ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Dudley Do-Wrong’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Robert Valley ‘Disney Tron: Uprising: The Renegade, Part I’ – Disney TV Animation
•Thaddeus Paul Cauldron ‘Secret Mountain Fort Awesome: Secret Mountain Uncle Grandpa’- Cartoon Network Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Bill Schwab, Lorelay Bove, Cory Loftis, Minkyu Lee ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Carlos Grangel ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Carter Goodrich ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Craig Kellman ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Heidi Smith ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon, Colin Stimpson ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Howy Parkins ‘Jake and The Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns!’ – Disney TV Animation
•John Eng ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Mark Caballero, Seamus Walsh ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a Spongebob Christmas!’’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Mic Graves ‘The Amazing World of Gumball: The Job’ – Cartoon Network Studio Europe
•Michael Chang ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Never Say Xever’ - Nickelodeon Animation Studio
•Zack Keller, Ed Skudder ‘Dick Figures: Kung Fu Winners’ – Six Point Harness

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production
•Genndy Tartakovsky ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux ‘The Rabbi’s Cat - GKIDS
•Remi Bezancon, Jean-Christophe Lie ‘Zarafa’ - GKIDS
•Rich Moore ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Sam Fell, Chris Butler ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Adam Berry ‘Penguins of Madagascar: Private and the Winky Factory’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Alf Clausen ‘The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIII’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Frederik Wiedmann ‘Green Lantern The Animated Series: Into the Abyss’ - F. Wiedmann, Composer
•Guy Moon ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Really Big Mission’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•John Paesano ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Michael Rubin, John Angier ‘Bubble Guppies: Bubble Puppy’s Fintastic Fairytale!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production
•Alexandre Desplat ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Bruce Retief ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Triggerfish
•Henry Jackman, Skrillex, Adam Young, Matthew Thiessen, Jamie Houston, Yasushi Akimoto ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
•John Powell, Adam Schlesinger, Ester Dean ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
•John Powell, Cinco Paul ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment
•Mark Mothersbaugh ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Patrick Doyle, Mark Andrews, Alex Mandel ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Alberto Mielgo ‘Tron: Uprising: The Stranger’ – Disney TV Animation
•Ian Worrel ‘Gravity Falls – Tourist Trapped’ – Disney TV Animation
•Lynna Blankenship, Sean Coons, Hugh Macdonald, Debbie Peterson, Charles Ragins, Lance Wilder, Darrel Bowen, John Krause, Kevin Moore, Brent M. Bowen, Brice Mallier, Steven Fahey, Dima Malanitchev, Karen Bauer, Eli Balser, Anne Legge - ‘The Simpsons: Moe Goes From Rags to Riches’ – Film Roman
•Nick Jennings, Martin Ansolabehere, Sandra Calleros, Ron Russell, Santino Lascano, Derek Hunter, Catherine E. Simmonds - ‘Adventure Time – The Hard Easy’ – Cartoon Network Studios
•Peter Martin, Chris Grine, Ira Baker, Ramon Olivera, Scott Brown ‘hoops & yoyo Haunted Halloween’ – Hallmark
•Brandon James Scott, Keith Lee ‘Justin Time: The Rubbery Dumplings’ – Guru Studio

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
•Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, Shannon Jeffries, Lindsey Olivares, Kenard Pak ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Marcelo Vignali ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Nash Dunnigan, Arden Chan, Jon Townley, Kyle Macnaughton ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
•Nelson Lowry, Ross Stewart, Pete Oswald, Ean McNamara, Trevor Dalmer ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Norman Garwood, Matt Perry ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animation and Sony Pictures Animation
•Patrick Hanenberger, Max Boas, Jayee Borcar, Woonyoung Jung, Perry Maple, Peter Maynez, Stan Seo, Felix Yoon ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Rick Heinrichs ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
•Steve Pilcher ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Andy Kelly ‘Doc McStuffins: Righty-On-Lefty’ – Brown Bag Films
•Cole Sanchez, Rebecca Sugar ‘Adventure Time: Lady & Peebles’ – Cartoon Network Studios
•Doug Lovelace ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Holly Forsyth ‘Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess’ – Disney TV Animation
•Irineo Maramba, Ciro Nieli ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman’’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Robert Valley, Kalvin Lee ‘Tron: Uprising: The Reward’ – Disney TV Animation
•Ryan Kramer, Paul Linsley, Kenji Ono, Le Tang, Alice Herring, Mike Mullen, Aaron Hammersley ‘Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Enter the Dragon’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Tom Herpich, Skyler Page ‘Adventure Time: Goliad’ – Cartoon Network Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
•Emmanuela Cozzi ‘ParaNorman’ – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Johanne Matte ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Leo Matsuda ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Lissa Treiman ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Rob Koo ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•James Patrick Stuart as Private ‘Penguins of Madagascar: High Moltage’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Jeff Bennett as Keswick ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Pup Daddy’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Jessica Walter as Malory Archer ‘Archer: Lo Scandolo’ – Floyd County Production and FX Productions for FX
•Kevin Michael Richardson as Willem Viceroy ‘Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja: Gossip Boy’ – Titmouse Inc./Boulder Media
•Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines ‘Gravity Falls: Tourist Trapped’ – Disney TV Animation
•Mae Whitman as April O'Neil – ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rise of the Turtles’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Sam Witwer as Darth Maul ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
•Tom McGrath as Skipper ‘Penguins of Madagascar: The Otter Woman’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
•Adam Sandler as Dracula ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Alan Tudyk as King Candy ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
•Atticus Shaffer as "E"Gore ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
•Catherine O'Hara as Weird Girl ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
•Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation
•Jim Cummings as Budzo ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Triggerfish
•Jude Law as Pitch ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Kelly MacDonald as Merida ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Doug Langdale - Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Kung Fu Day Care’ - Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Eric Horsted – Futurama: The Bots and the Bees’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Gabe Garza – ‘Penguins of Madagascar: Endangerous Species’ - Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Ian Maxtone-Graham, Billy Kimball ‘The Simpsons: How I Wet Your Mother’ - Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Kacey Arnold – ‘Robot and Monster: The Blimp’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Mike Teverbaugh, Linda Teverbaugh - Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Stephanie Gillis ‘The Simpsons: A Tree Grows in Springfield’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
•Trey Parker – ‘South Park: Jewpacabra’ – Central Productions

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production
•Chris Butler - ParaNorman – LAIKA/Focus Features
•Gideon Defoe - The Pirates! Band of Misfits – Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation
•Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa, Karey Kirkpatrick - From Up on Poppy Hill - GKIDS
•John August - Frankenweenie – The Walt Disney Studios
•Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi - Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
•Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee - Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production
•Bret Marnell ‘Puss in Boots: Three Diablos’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Chris Hink ‘Robot and Monster: Cheer Up Mr. Wheelie’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrick Waeden, Otto Ferraye ‘Kung Fu Panda: ‘Monkey in the Middle’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrick Waeden, Otto Ferraye ‘Kung Fu Panda - Enter the Dragon’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
•Jason Tucker, A.C.E. ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revival’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
•Lynn Hobson ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Pieter Kaufman ‘Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess’ – Disney TV Animation
•Steffie Lucchesi, Matt Steinauer, Amy Blaisdell ‘Dan Vs Monster Under The Bed’ – Film Roman

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
•Catherine Apple ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
•Joyce Arrastia ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
•Mark Rosenbaum ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
•Nicholas C. Smith, A.C.E, Robert Grahamjones, A.C.E., David Suther ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
•Tim Mertens ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS:
Winsor McCay Award — Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn

June Foray Award — Howard Green

Ub Iwerks Award — Toon Boom Animation Pipeline

Review: "Dredd" is Dredd-fully Great

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Dredd (2012)
Running time: 95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, language, drug use and some sexual content
DIRECTOR: Pete Travis
WRITERS: Alex Garland (based on characters created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra)
PRODUCERS: Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, and Allon Reich
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Anthony Dod Mantle
EDITOR: Mark Eckersley
COMPOSER: Paul Leonard-Morgan

SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Heady, Wood Harris, Rakie Ayola, Warrick Grier, Langley Kirkwood, Edwin Perry, Karl Thaning, Michele Levin, Domhnall Gleeson, Daniel Hadebe, Francis Chouler, and Nicole Bailey

Dredd is a 2012 British-South African science fiction film. Originally released in 3D, this film is based on the comic strip Judge Dredd, which appears in the British science fiction comics anthology, 2000 AD. The title character, Judge Dredd, first appeared in 2000 AD #2 (March 5, 1977) and was created by writer John Wagner (who is a consulting producer on this film) and artist Carlos Ezquerra. Dredd the movie finds the title character teamed with a trainee as he tries to take down a powerful drug gang.

In the future, Earth is an irradiated wasteland. Most humans reside in one of the huge Mega-Cities. Mega-City One is a violent metropolis where 800 million people reside and where 17,000 crimes are reported daily. There, the justice system is maintained by the Hall of Justice and its corps of Judges, who are judge, jury, and executioner – basically police officers with instant field judiciary powers. Currently, Mega-City One is dealing with a new addictive drug, the reality-altering “Slo-Mo,” which slows the user’s perception of time down to one percent.

Early in the film, Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is tasked by the Chief Judge (Rakie Ayola) with evaluating a new recruit for Judge, Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby). She is a powerful psychic, but has failed the aptitude tests to be a judge. Dredd and Anderson are sent to Peach Trees to investigate a triple homicide. Peach Trees is a mega-block, a 200-story slum tower block of apartments. After arresting a thug named Kay (Wood Harris), Dredd and Anderson run afoul of his boss, Madeline Madrigal aka “Ma-Ma” (Lena Heady), a powerful, female drug kingpin and gang boss. Now, Dredd and Anderson have to fight their way out of Peach Trees, with no back-up coming to help them.

The first adaptation of Judge Dredd to comics, the 1995 film, Judge Dredd, was really a Sylvester Stallone movie. With its realistic, visceral look, Dredd is truer to the Dredd comics. It is a futuristic cop movie that looks like a modern day crime and gangster flick. The science fiction visual elements, such as the city’s massive tower blocks, are blended into the South African locales where this film was shot. Thus, Dredd looks as if it takes place in real city rather than in some urban landscape created entirely with the use of computer imagery.

Simply and honestly, I love this movie. I think that it is a more-than reasonable adaptation of a comics series that is hard to adapt because of the uniqueness of the comics. Dredd lacks the satire of the Judge Dredd comics, but the film has plenty of gallows humor. Rather than being over the top with the ultra-violence, the film delivers the bloodshed in intervals that are like lovely layers of lasagna. So the amount of carnage always seems just right, but leaves you wanting more, because it actually seems like you never get enough – at least to me.

This well-timed mayhem looks quite good, thanks the high-quality of Dredd’s film editing, which is some of the year’s best and which is an example of the film’s excellent production and technical values. Another instance: Paul Leonard-Morgan’s musical score is certainly a delicious bag of ear-candy, accentuating the film’s drama, giving the character bits the same power as the action violence and gun battles.

The film has many good performances. Lena Heady is a subtle beast as Ma-Ma; I wish the character was onscreen more. Wood Harris makes his character, Kay, matter. Olivia Thirlby takes a part that could have been a middling sidekick and makes the character up to the challenge that being next to Dredd poses.

Speaking of Dredd, Karl Urban gives one of the best performances ever in a movie based on a comic book. His deadpan delivery of the intractable Dredd actually has color and depth. Perhaps Dredd does not change from the beginning to the end of the film, but, in Urban’s hands, Dredd gains something, somewhere in him. Because of the helmets that the Judges wear, the audience does not see Dredd’s head or the top half of his face. We only see from the bottom of Dredd’s nose and to his neck. So Urban turns Dredd’s perpetual frown and stiff chin into supporting characters. Urban’s imitation-Clint Eastwood voice tops it off, allowing for the creation of a mesmerizing Judge Dredd.

Why was Dredd a box office disappointment? I wish I knew what kept the film’s box office low. It is exceptionally good, and credit for this should also go to the film’s writer/co-producer, Alex Garland. Hopefully, at least Urban and Garland, can return to make another film like Dredd, one of 2012’s very best films; at least, I think so.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, February 01, 2013

Review: "Judge Dredd" Simply a Stallone Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Judge Dredd (1995)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – R for continuous violent action
DIRECTOR: Danny Cannon
WRITERS: William Wisher and Steven E. de Souza; from a story by Michael De Luca and William Wisher (based on characters created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra)
PRODUCERS: Charles M. Lippincott and Beau E.L. Marks
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adrian Biddle
EDITORS: Harry Keramidas and Alex Mackie
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri

SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jurgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, Diane Lane, Joan Chen, and Balthazar Getty

The subject of this movie review is Judge Dredd, a 1995 science fiction movie starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is based on the comic strip Judge Dredd, which appears in the British science fiction comics anthology, 2000 AD. The title character, Judge Dredd, first appeared in 2000 AD #2 (March 5, 1977) and was created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. Judge Dredd the movie is set in a dystopian future, where Dredd, the most famous judge, is falsely convicted of a crime.

In the 3rd millennium, much of Earth is a desert wasteland. Most humans reside in one of the huge Mega-Cities. There, the justice system is maintained by a corps of Judges who are police officer, judge, jury, and executioner – basically a cop with instant field judiciary powers. In Mega-City One, the most famous is Judge Joseph Dredd (Sylvester Stallone), best known as simply Judge Dredd.

Dredd’s brother, Rico (Armand Assante), and the corrupt Judge Griffin (Jurgen Prochnow) hatch a plot to frame Judge Dredd for the murder of the muck-racking journalist, Vardas Hammond and his wife. After the prison transport ship that is taking him to a penal colony crashes, Dredd and another prisoner, Herman “Fergie” Ferguson (Rob Schneider), return to Mega-City One to set things straight and stop a conspiracy.

The people behind Judge Dredd the movie basically took characters and situations from the Judge Dredd comics series. Then, they used them to make a Sylvester Stallone movie, specifically a Sylvester Stallone science fiction/action movie. Once you accept that this is not really a Judge Dredd the comic strip movie, then, you can decide if you like this Sylvester Stallone science fiction/action movie.

I do like it. Sure, it is a moronic 1980s action movie, feeling a bit behind the times because of its mid-1990s release date, but it is harmless fun. There are some things that stand out as being good about Judge Dredd. For one, it has a sense of humor. The second thing is Armand Assante’s performance. He does a slight impersonation of Stallone, without mocking him, but it is enough to convince viewers that his character, Rico, is the brother of Dredd – as played by Stallone.

The production values: art direction, sets, costumes, etc. are unexpectedly good and surprisingly colorful. The visual effects are also good, although dated. These unexpected things make Judge Dredd a bit of a surprise. I remember not liking this movie the first time I saw it, but now, I have to admit that I enjoyed it.

5 of 10
C+

NOTES:
1996 Razzie Awards: 1 nomination: “Worst Actor” (Sylvester Stallone, also for Assassins-1995)

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

Disney's Official Statement on J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode VII

This press release from Walt Disney Studios announcing J.J. Abrams as the director of Star Wars: Episode VII is a week old.  I waited to post it this month so that it would be on the post list for at least one entire month.  Since this release, I have read that Abrams is not sure if he will adhere to the announced 2015 release date for Episode VII - Leroy.

J.J. Abrams to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII

J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.

"It's very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture."

George Lucas went on to say "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands."

"To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor," J.J. Abrams said. "I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid."

J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney Lucasfilm banner.

Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm's preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe.

Feb. 2013: Black History Battles Negromancer for the Month

It is February 2013.  Welcome to Negromancer, a ComicBookBin blog (www.comicbookbin.com). This is rebirth of the former movie review website as a movie review and movie news website and blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.