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Thursday, August 26, 2021

LAIKA Studios Set to Release 4 Beloved Animated Films to Blu-Ray/DVD Combo w/ New Bonus Content - Enter Now to #Win 1 of 3 Coraline (LAIKA Studios Edition) Blu-Ray/DVD Combos #Giveaway #Review

 Disclosure: I was sent a screener from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.


DELUXE EDITIONS OF AWARD-WINNING FILMS
CORALINE, THE BOXTROLLS,
PARANORMAN, AND KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
COMING AUGUST 31 AND SEPTEMBER 14
FROM LAIKA AND SHOUT! FACTORY



THE BELOVED ANIMATED FILMS
WILL BE RELEASED IN NEW LAIKA STUDIOS EDITION
BLU-RAY™+DVD COMBOS
WITH EXCITING NEW BONUS FEATURES



A couple week ago I shared you that  "Coraline" was coming back to theaters for one night only on August 24th, followed by ParaNorman on November 16th, and how tickets for these one night only screenings could be purcased from Fathom Events. Well, today I am back to share about these two and two other LAIKA Studios movies also getting a LAIKA Studios Edition release to Blu-ray/DVD combo.  These four beloved animated movies are Coraline, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings.  



I was so excited when the folks at Shout! Factory shared not only the news about the one night only re-release into theaters of Coraline and ParaNorman, but that the LAIKA Studios Edition of these movies releasing to Blu-Ray/DVD combo would also contain new bonus content, including never before seen features and content.  My family is a huge animated movie loving family, and we have seen all four of these movies tons of times.  They are all must see movies especially around Halloween time. And, just last year, my youngest daughter filled her wish list to Santa with a bunch of Coraline memorabilia she found on Amazon and Hot Topic.  

Knowing just how much my girls, especially my youngest, love the Coraline animated movie, I knew they would go crazy when they how it was releasing as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo, with a bunch of new bonus content and features.  Our DVD has been played so many times at home and on the go that I was in need of a new one, especially as Halloween fast approaches, and this movie will be on repeat all month long come October.  Even though many streaming services and cable channels play this movie each Fall, my family prefers to pop the disc in and watch it.

My girls were so excited when our review copy of the Coraline LAIKA Studios Edition arrived yesterday. They rushed through their homeschooling work just so that they would have time after dinner to not just watch the movie for the umpeenth time, but also to check out all the special features that filled this Blu-Ray/DVD combo release (which arrives in stores on August 31st).  Their favorite was the new "Inside LAIKA  -- Discovering the Characters of Coraline" feature, as it showcased never before seen test footage.  Other new content was a feature about the puppets used by the animated team, as well as a behind the scenes photo gallery of the characters, content art and more.  I personally liked checking out the deleted scenes, and watch the "The Making of Coraline" original featurette.

If you are die hard Coraline fan like my family is, then you will definitely want to get your hands on this upcoming release...that is, if you haven't already pre-ordered it. And, while you are at ordering this upcoming Blu-Ray/DVD combo back release, be sure to also get the LAIKA Studios Edition Blu-Ray/DVD combo packs for ParaNorman, The BoxTrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings, also releasing soon. With the holidays fast approaching, these combo packs would also make for great stocking stuffers, too! :-)

Want a chance to win 1 of 3 Coraline Blu-Ray/DVD combo packs up for grabs from LAIKA Studios and Shout! Factory?  Be sure to read on to learn how to enter to win a combo pack, to share with your family, and enjoy all the amazing special features that you only get with this new release. 
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More about these upcoming digitally remastered editions from Shout! Factory:


"Four groundbreaking and critically-acclaimed films will receive new high-definition releases this fall when Coraline (LAIKA Studios Edition) and The Boxtrolls (LAIKA Studios Edition) are released on August 31, and ParaNorman (LAIKA Studios Edition) and Kubo and the Two Strings (LAIKA Studios Edition) are released on September 14 by lauded animation studio LAIKA and multi-platform entertainment distributor Shout! Factory. The Blu-ray™+DVD combos are loaded with exciting new special features, including “Inside LAIKA interviews with the studio’s animation team”, Never-Before-Seen Animation Test Footage, and Feature-Length Storyboards for each of the films. All four films were nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Film.
 
Along with digitally remastered editions of the films, new and existing bonus features, and new, collectible packaging, the LAIKA Studios Editions feature insightful, commemorative new essays by esteemed journalists Peter Debruge (Variety), Ramin Zahed (Animation Magazine), Bill Desowitz (Indiewire) and Charles Solomon (author and former Los Angeles Times critic).
 
Additionally, Fathom Events, alongside LAIKA, Shout! Factory, and Park Circus, have announced that they are bringing fan favorites Coraline and ParaNorman back to theaters to celebrate the 15th anniversary of LAIKA Studios. The two titles will be presented in their entirety and will feature exclusive bonus content that reveals the unique creative process behind LAIKA’s extraordinary films.  

Tickets for ParaNorman (in theaters Tuesday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time)) can be purchased starting Friday, August 13. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (www.FathomEvents.com(participating theaters are subject to change).

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, LAIKA is known for blending trailblazing artistry with bleeding-edge filmmaking technology. In making the studio’s first feature, director Henry Selick and the team behind 2009’s Coraline brought the film to life with painstakingly handcrafted stop-motion, utilizing an innovative combination of new and existing technology creating a sense of timelessness and securing its place as a modern classic. It was the first stop motion film ever conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3-D, creating a new and thrilling experience for viewers.
 
The studio continued to innovate with 2012’s ParaNorman, the first film to use full color rapid prototype 3D printing of the puppet faces, pioneered by LAIKA. The supernatural comedy thriller about a young boy who can speak with the dead, ParaNorman was heralded by critics for its handling of complex and sometimes melancholy topics with a touching candor not often seen in family cinema. The supernatural comedy thriller directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler was cheered by fans and extolled by many critics’ groups as the year’s best animated feature.
 
The Boxtrolls, released in 2014 and directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, continued LAIKA’s streak of innovation and attention to detail. Based on Alan Snow’s book Here Be Monsters!, the film featured several new feats of inventive filmmaking, including designing collapsible armatures that enabled the Boxtrolls to pop in and out of their boxes; constructing a giant, steampunk-inspired roaming “Mecha Drill,” and staging a complex choreographed ballroom dance scene that seamlessly integrated practical puppets and 3D-animated background dancers. The result was a charming and heartwarming film, a perfect fit for the studio’s canon. 
 
A heroic adventure set in a mythical feudal Japan, 2016’s Kubo and the Two Strings is a tale of courage and the power of storytelling. Inspired by Japanese art and design to create the vibrant world that Kubo inhabits. The production team at LAIKA was led by studio President & CEO Travis Knight, who directed the film and animated several of the scenes.  To bring this breathtaking tale to life, the filmmakers created a 400 pound, 16-foot-high puppet (the largest ever created for a stop motion film), managed thousands of grains of sand for a shipwreck scene, and created more than 48 million possible facial expressions for the Kubo character alone. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA Award and became only the second animated feature in history to receive an Oscar® nomination for visual effects.
 
All four of these incredible films showcased LAIKA’s inventive 3D stop-motion and CG hybrid technique.  The integrated effects made the characters and their surroundings feel authentic and lifelike, immersing viewers deep into their worlds. Coraline (LAIKA Studios Edition), The Boxtrolls (LAIKA Studios Edition), ParaNorman (LAIKA Studios Edition), and Kubo and the Two Strings (LAIKA Studios Edition) are a salute to the artistry, innovation and vision of their dedicated filmmakers.

Coraline (LAIKA Studios Edition)
From Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach)) and based on the novella of the same name by author Neil Gaiman (Sandman), Coraline is a wondrous, thrilling, fun and suspenseful adventure and the first stop motion animated film ever to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3-D, unlike anything moviegoers had ever experienced before. A young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life – only much better. But when this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her counterfeit parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to save her family and get back home.
 
Voice Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr., and Ian McShane. Produced by Bill Mechanic, Claire Jennings, Henry Selick, Mary Sandell. Based on the book by Neil Gaiman. Written for the screen and directed by Henry Selick.
 
Special Features:
NEW Never-Before-Seen Coraline Animation Test Footage
NEW “Inside LAIKA Featurette”
NEW Foreword by Peter Debruge, Chief Film Critic for Variety
Audio Commentary with Director Henry Selick and Composer Bruno Coulais
The Making Of Coraline
Original Featurettes
Deleted Scenes
Feature-Length Storyboards
 
The Boxtrolls (LAIKA Studios Edition)
This comedic fable unfolds in Cheesebridge, a posh Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class, and the stinkiest of fine cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets dwell the Boxtrolls, foul monsters who crawl out of the sewers at night and steal what the townspeople hold most dear: their children and their cheeses. At least, that’s the legend residents have always believed. In truth, the Boxtrolls are an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes the way turtles wear their shells. The Boxtrolls have raised an orphaned human boy, Eggs, since infancy as one of their dumpster-diving and mechanical junk-collecting own. When the Boxtrolls are targeted by villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher, who is bent on eradicating them as his ticket to Cheesebridge society, the kindhearted band of tinkerers must turn to their adopted charge and adventurous rich girl Winnie to bridge two worlds amidst the winds of change – and cheese.
 
Voice Cast: Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, and Simon Pegg. Produced by David Bleiman Ichioka, Travis Knight. Screenplay by Irena Brignull, Adam Pava. Based on the book Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. Directed by Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable.
 
Special Features:
NEW Never-Before-Seen The Boxtrolls Animation Test Footage
NEW “Inside LAIKA’ Featurette
NEW Feature-Length Storyboards
NEW Foreword by Ramin Zahed, the Editor in Chief of Animation Magazine
Audio Commentary with Directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi
The Making of The Boxtrolls
Original Featurettes
 
ParaNorman (LAIKA Studios Edition)
In the comedy thriller, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman, who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul-whisperer bravely summons up all that makes a hero – courage and compassion – as he finds his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Voice Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland, Tempestt Bledsoe, Alex Borstein, and John Goodman. Produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight. Written by Chris Butler. Directed by Sam Fell, Chris Butler.
Special Features:
NEW Feature-Length Storyboards
NEW Inside LAIKA Featurette
NEW Never-Before-Seen ParaNorman Animation Test Footage
Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Chris Butler and Co-Director Sam Fell
“Peering Through the Veil”
Original Featurettes
 
Kubo and the Two Strings (LAIKA Studios Edition)
Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. The film follows clever, kindhearted Kubo as he ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town. But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King and the evil twin Sisters to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.

Voice Cast: Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, Art Parkinson, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro. Screenplay by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler. Produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight. Directed by Travis Knight.
Special Features:
NEW Feature-Length Storyboards
NEW Inside LAIKA Featurette
NEW Never-Before-Seen Kubo and the Two Strings Animation Test Footage
Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight
“Kubo’s Journey”
Original Featurettes"

---GIVEAWAY---





As I mentioned above, I am excited to offer 3 lucky Inspired by Savannah readers the chance to win a Coraline Blu-ray/DVD combo pack up for grabs, thanks to the folks at LAIKA Studios and Shout! Factory.  To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck! 


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ABOUT LAIKA: Fueled by the vision of its President & CEO Travis Knight, the animation studio LAIKA was founded in 2005. Located just outside of Portland, Oregon, LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® plaque in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. All of LAIKA’s five films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) were nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings also won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® as Best Animated Film. @laikastudios
 
ABOUT SHOUT! FACTORY
Shout! Factory, LLC is a leading multi-platform media company devoted to film and TV distribution, development, and production, as well as the preservation and revitalization of the very best in pop-culture entertainment. Founded by Richard Foos, Bob Emmer, and Garson Foos in 2003, Shout! owns and manages a large portfolio of films, contemporary and classic TV series, animation, and documentaries. The company’s creative acquisition mandate has established it as a leading independent distributor, with partners and properties including GKIDS, Sesame StreetThe Carol Burnett Show, The Johnny Carson Show, IFC Films, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, ITV Studios, Major League Baseball Productions, and many others. Shout! Factory Kids focuses on live-action and animated kids and family properties as well as anime, and the company releases films and television shows in other genres under the Scream Factory and Shout Select imprints. Shout! develops, acquires and distributes new films via Shout! Studios, owns and operates libraries including Mystery Science Theater 3000 (in partnership with creator Joel Hodgson) and the Roger Corman New Horizon Pictures Library, and operates the acclaimed streaming service Shout! Factory TV. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.
 

 Disclosure: I was sent a screener from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.




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