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The director of a number of films in the Ice Age and Rio series—the latter taking place in his native Brazil—Carlos Saldanha knows his animals. With his latest, Ferdinand, Saldanha gives his take on the classic story of a pacifist fighting bull, first told in Munro Leaf’s classic 1936 children’s book, and later, in an Oscar-winning Disney short. A 2004 Oscar nominee for his Gone Nutty animated short, Saldanha would take Blue Sky Studios to its fourth Oscar nomination if…...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed its 276-member-strong class of 2013.

The list, published by The Hollywood Reporter, includes actors, cinematographers, designers, directors, documentarians, executives, film editors, makeup artists and hairstylists, "members-at-large," musicians, producers, PR folks, short filmmakers and animators, sound technicians, visual effects artists, and writers.

Jason Bateman, Rosario Dawson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Milla Jovovich, Lucy Liu, Jennifer Lopez, Emily Mortimer, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, and Michael Peña are among the roster of actors, while "The Heat" and "Bridesmaids" helmer Paul Feig made the directors' cut.

"We did not change our criteria at all," says Academy president Hawk Koch of this year's larger-than-usual class. "Yes, this year there is a tremendous amount of women, a tremendous amount of people of color, people from all walks of life. This year, we asked the branches to look at everybody who wasn't in the Academy but who deserved to be.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today the 276 members of the entertainment industry invited to join organization. The list includes actors, directors, documentarians, executives, film editors, producers and more. Of those listed below, those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy's membership in 2013. "These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today," said Academy President Hawk Koch in a press release. "Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy." Koch also told Variety, "In the past eight or nine years, each branch could only bring in X amount of members. There were people each branch would have liked to get in but couldn't. We asked them to be more inclusive of the best of the best, and each branch was excited, because they got...

The Academy just added 276 Oscar voters.

That’s 100 more than last year, and part of an easing of a longstanding cap on the number of new members allowed to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences each year.

AMPAS usually adds between 130 and 180 new members, replacing those who have quit or passed away. The membership now stands around 6,000.

Jason Bateman, Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emmanuelle Riva, and Chris Tucker are among the actors who have been invited to join, the organization announced today.

Other interesting additions: the musician Prince, Girls and Tiny Furniture writer/director/actress Lena Dunham,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 276 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2013.

“These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today,” said Academy President Hawk Koch. “Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy.”

The 2013 invitees are:

Actors

Jason Bateman – “Up in the Air,” “Juno”

Miriam Colon – “City of Hope,” “Scarface”

Rosario Dawson – “Rent,” “Frank Miller’s Sin City”

Kimberly Elise – “For Colored Girls,” “Beloved”

Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Lincoln,” “The Dark Knight Rises”

Charles Grodin – “Midnight Run,” “The Heartbreak Kid”

Rebecca Hall – “Iron Man 3,” “The Town”

Lance Henriksen – “Aliens,” “The Terminator”

Jack Huston – “Not Fade Away,” “Factory Girl”

Milla Jovovich – “Resident Evil,...

With Ice Age 4, aka Ice Age: Continental Drift, coming out on July 15, and Serious Batman 3, aka The Dark Knight Rises, coming out on July 20, now would seem the perfect time for some sort of totally-not-contrived crossover between the knockabout animated family comedy franchise and the serious, gritty examination of the nature of superheroism. Well, here it is, and it’s brief but amusing:

Your move, Batman.

And standing perfectly still and half-heartedly growling in a deadpan voice: “I am Scrat. I am some kind of weird, funny squirrel-rat thing. Oh, where is my acorn? I must find my acorn…” just won’t cut it.

This is just the latest in a series of Ice Age short films, joining the likes of Scrat Gone Nutty, the half hour Christmas special, and The Artist spoof The Scratist. However, it probably has most in common with the latter, seeing that it’s a very short,...

In order to stand out from the crowd of 3D animated fare currently assaulting the box office you need to create a cast of charming characters in a world that is unique, throw in a witty script with lots of visual invention. The bar 20th Century and director and Ivce Age veteran Carlos Saldanha have to overcome has been set very high with the likes of Up and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs this year alone, and Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, released this week on Blu-ray and DVD, succeeds on many levels.

When the film was released earlier in the year we reviewed it here, and it was a positive review. The film’s cast has a great hold on the characters and the visual fizz and momentum makes for an eye popping experience. It’s a wild ride that I found a lot to like,...

I’d never been introduced to the Ice Age films until this most recent outing. Oh sure, I’d heard of them and was mildly interesting in seeing the first one, but for whatever reason I never got to it. The first did receive pretty decent reviews while the second was pretty much reviled by anyone under seven. Fox still thinks there’s an appeal (or they heard the term “Strike!”) and have decided to give us a third entry in the franchise.

And I’m sure the film will play well to kids, as well it should. It’s not exactly a terrible movie, but it’s not without it’s problems either. The biggest one in my opinion stems from how unnatural the actors seem to be at times. A couple of times I felt the actors were talking “at” each other rather than “to” each other. The...

DVD Review

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs + The Scrat Pack

Directed by: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier

Cast: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg

Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins

Rating: PG

Due Out: October 27, 2009

Plot: Manny the mammoth, (Romano) Sid the megatherium, (Leguizamo) and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Leary) are back for a third adventure that has them exploring through an underground world of dinosaurs. Along the way they meet Buckminster, (Pegg), a somewhat psychotic weasel who is set on taking down a giant beast named Rudy.

Who’S It For? Because they don’t likely have an adequate grasp on the idea of quality at a single digit age, kids will enjoy the breeziness of this movie. Parents will get a good nap in, possibly dreaming about watching an earlier Ice Age movie, or hell – or even more likely, a Pixar film.

Movie:

Fossil-aged gags and...

We have a brand new exclusive clip from the upcoming DVD Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27. Click below for our exclusive DVD clip, which features the perilous path these characters have to take.

In the coolest Ice Age adventure yet, Manny and the herd discover a lost world of ferociously funny dinosaurs, including a cranky T. rex who's got a score to settle with Sid! Meanwhile, Scrat goes nuts over the beautiful Scratte, but is she trying to win his heart - or steal his acorn?

Special Features:

- Filmmaker Commentary

- Gone Nutty - Scrat's Missing Adventure "Scrat" short film (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)

- No Time For Nuts "Scrat" short film (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)

- The Sabre-Toothed Squirrel: Natures (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)

- Nutty Buddy (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)

- Scrat: From Head...

You can bring home the latest frozen adventures of your favorite prehistoric animals on DVD and Blu-ray this October. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27. The film will be released in a single-disc standard edition ($29.98 Srp) a two-disc "Scrat Pack" special edition DVD ($34.98 Srp) and a three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo set, which will include a Digital Copy disc and a standard DVD disc as well ($39.98 Srp). Take a look at all the goodies on these discs below.

In the coolest Ice Age adventure yet, Manny and the herd discover a lost world of ferociously funny dinosaurs, including a cranky T. rex who's got a score to settle with Sid! Meanwhile, Scrat goes nuts over the beautiful Scratte, but is she trying to win his heart - or steal his acorn?

Special Features:

- Filmmaker Commentary

- Gone Nutty - Scrat's Missing Adventure...

Manny, Sid, Diego and Ellie are back for more pre-hysterical hijinks when Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs hits home video on both Blu-ray and DVD October 27 from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

In their latest adventure, Manny and the herd discover a lost world of ferociously funny dinosaurs, including a cranky T. rex who has a score to settle with Sid. Meanwhile, Scrat goes nuts over the beautiful Scratte, but is she trying to win his heart-or steal his acorn?

Dawn Of The Dinosaurs features returning Ice Age veterans Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott and Josh Peck, along with newcomers Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Jane Lynch and Simon Pegg.

The Three-Disc Bd/DVD Combo Pack will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.99 (pre-order here). Additionally, the standard DVD will be available for $29.98 (pre-order here). Here are the details:

Three-Disc...

On October 27th , 2009 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will release Ice Age III: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs on Blu-ray and standard definition DVD. Three-Disc Blu-Ray Disc/DVD Combo Pack Special Features Disc One: • Blu-ray Disc Feature Film • Ice Age Story Maker • Filmmaker Commentary • Evolution Expedition • Buck…Easel to Weasel • Falling for Scratte • Unearthing the Lost World • Two Unfinished Deleted Scenes • Walk The Dinosaur Music Video • Two Scrat Shorts o Gone Nutty – Scrat’s Missing Adventure o No Time For Nuts • The Sabre-Toothed Squirrel: Natures Nutty Buddy • Scrat: From Head To [...]...