Hello again, dear readers, and I hope a lot of you have kicked off your summer movie season by seeing Captain America: Civil War. But even with all the big blockbusters coming our way, it’s good to also pay attention to smaller films. Such is the case with this week’s Trailer Trashin’ column, where I take a look at the international trailer for the French-Belgian animated film Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants.
Premise: In a peaceful little clearing, the remains of a hastily-abandoned picnic spark warfare between two tribes of ants. A bold young ladybug finds himself caught in the middle of the battle. He befriends Mandible, one of the black ants, and helps him save the anthill from the assault of the terrible red ant warriors, led by the fearful Butor.
My take: If this looks familiar to you, there’s a good reason for that.
Premise: In a peaceful little clearing, the remains of a hastily-abandoned picnic spark warfare between two tribes of ants. A bold young ladybug finds himself caught in the middle of the battle. He befriends Mandible, one of the black ants, and helps him save the anthill from the assault of the terrible red ant warriors, led by the fearful Butor.
My take: If this looks familiar to you, there’s a good reason for that.
- 5/13/2016
- by Timothy Monforton
- CinemaNerdz
"Now the fate of this tiny world depends of the courage of a little ladybug." Aside from Pixar's A Bug's Life, we haven't seen that many animated films about bugs, but here's another one. Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants is an animated adventure about two tribes of ants - black and red - that end up in a war against each other after a box of sugar is discovered. This movie was actually first released in Europe in 2014 and is just now coming out in the UK, which is why there's a new trailer in 2016. It looks as if it's almost entirely dialogue-free, with the ants communicating through noises rather than any language. A male ladybug ends up caught in the middle of the battle, and just might help save the day. This doesn't look so bad, or does it? New UK trailer for Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo's...
- 4/30/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, based on/built from the TV show – Minuscule – The Private Lives of Insects, is not just an animated adventure, but a kind of artistic experiment.
It’s a story told visually, with no dialog beyond the hoots and squeaks of ladybugs and ants, which makes it a challenging experiment already, but it is also an experiment of form, structure, and thematic content. It’s an effort that ultimately betrays the European sensibilities responsible for it.
A ladybug gets separated from her family, and finds herself in a lunchbox that a group of black ants are very interested in. She (just based on the “ladybug” standard) is dragged away by the ants, who are after the sugar cubes, and when some nasty red ants get involved, the adventure begins. Our ladybug has to figure out, not just the situation she’s in at the moment,...
It’s a story told visually, with no dialog beyond the hoots and squeaks of ladybugs and ants, which makes it a challenging experiment already, but it is also an experiment of form, structure, and thematic content. It’s an effort that ultimately betrays the European sensibilities responsible for it.
A ladybug gets separated from her family, and finds herself in a lunchbox that a group of black ants are very interested in. She (just based on the “ladybug” standard) is dragged away by the ants, who are after the sugar cubes, and when some nasty red ants get involved, the adventure begins. Our ladybug has to figure out, not just the situation she’s in at the moment,...
- 6/9/2015
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Families can embrace going on an epic journey through the woods together, with Shockya’s exclusive clip from the upcoming animated film, ‘Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants.’ The video, titled ‘River Chase,’ was released to celebrate the adventure film’s upcoming release in North America, including in theaters, On Demand and on DVD, on May 26. ‘Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants,’ which was written and directed by Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo, is a unique family animated film in the fact that it features almost no dialogue. Described as a mix between ‘Wall-e’ and ‘A Bug’s Life,’ the movie features the ants communicating solely through a synchronized soundtrack. The score [ Read More ]
The post Go On a Buzzworthy Journey with an Exclusive Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants Clip appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Go On a Buzzworthy Journey with an Exclusive Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants Clip appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/11/2015
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
2015 will see two new Pixar animated features come to theaters and win over audiences worldwide. But while this year looks like it’s going to be a profitable one for the studio behind films that have become pillars of computer animation, 2014 was a quiet year for them. As a result, other studios like WB and “The Lego Movie” or Dreamworks and the second installment in the “How to Train Your Dragon” series had much less competition during most of the year.
Another great side effect of this Pixar-less year was the attention given to much smaller features with inventive stories and handcrafted visual artistry. Among these, traditional animation soared with the release of new films from acclaimed animators like Bill Plympton, Cartoon Saloon's Tomm Moore, and Studio Ghibli’s Isao Takahata, as well as Signe Baumane’s mind-bending feature debut. There were also 3D animated alternatives from two pairs of French filmmakers, Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo and Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu.
From the 20 films competing to be nominated as Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, only 6 were created using 2D animation and only one, Laika’s “The Boxtrolls,” represented the stop-motion technique. But despite being outnumbered by works done solely using digital tools, these films prove that intimate storytelling and laborious work can certainly be more rewarding than following the industry’s conventions.
Since these films and their creators often don’t have the resources that major studios do for promotion, several of them might have slipped through the cracks. However, they are worthy of as much, or even more praise as any big budget animated feature released last year. Here is a list of 8 of them that deserve a wider audience. Many of them are visual wonders that challenge our imagination in heartwarming, intelligent, and even provocative ways. Furthermore, two of them managed to become Academy Award nominees against the odds.
"Cheatin'"
Dir: Bill Plympton
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bill Plympton Studios
Where to Watch? Plympton's latest screened at numerous festivals around the world during 2013- 2014 and it had a one-week theatrical run in Los Angeles back in August. For information on future screenings and a possible Blu-ray/DVD release visit the film's official site Here or follow the director on Facebook and on Twitter @plymptoons
"Giovanni's Island"
Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese/Russian
U.S Distribution: Gkids
PC: Production I.G.
Where to Watch? After playing at several festivals the film received a one-week qualifying run in Los Angeles last November. For future information on a broader theatrical or home entertainment release visit Gkids or Production I.G.
"Henry & Me"
Dir: Barrett Esposito
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: Henry & Me Productions
PC: Reveal Animation Studios
Where to Watch? Following a short NYC theatrical run in August, the film became available on DVD and digital platforms on September 30, 2014.
"Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart"
Dir: Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu
Country: France/Belgium
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Shout! Factory
Isa: EuropaCorp
Where to Watch? The film opened theatrically in select cities on September 24, 2014. It's now available on Blu-Ray/DVD and digital platforms.
"Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants"
Dir: Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo
Country: France/Belgium
Language: No Dialogue
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Futurikon
Where to Watch? The film had its qualifying one-week theatrical run in December. For a future opportunities to see the film check the official site Here.
"Rocks in My Pockets"
Dir: Signe Baumane
Country: Latvia
Language: English/Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Where to Watch? Although the film opened back in August, there are still a few theatrical engagements coming up. Find them Here. It will also be released on DVD/Digital Download on January 29, 2015 via the film's official site.
"Song of the Sea" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Tomm Moore
Country: Ireland/Luxembourg/Belgium/France/Denmark
Language: English/ Scottish Gaelic
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: WestEnd Films
Where to Watch? Currently playing in Los Angeles, NYC, and Toronto and expanding to more U.S. cities in upcoming weeks. For exact dates visit Here.
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Isao Takahata
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: Wild Bunch
Where to Watch? Currently playing in several theaters around the country. For exact locations and dates visit Here . The film will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on February 17, 2015.
Another great side effect of this Pixar-less year was the attention given to much smaller features with inventive stories and handcrafted visual artistry. Among these, traditional animation soared with the release of new films from acclaimed animators like Bill Plympton, Cartoon Saloon's Tomm Moore, and Studio Ghibli’s Isao Takahata, as well as Signe Baumane’s mind-bending feature debut. There were also 3D animated alternatives from two pairs of French filmmakers, Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo and Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu.
From the 20 films competing to be nominated as Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, only 6 were created using 2D animation and only one, Laika’s “The Boxtrolls,” represented the stop-motion technique. But despite being outnumbered by works done solely using digital tools, these films prove that intimate storytelling and laborious work can certainly be more rewarding than following the industry’s conventions.
Since these films and their creators often don’t have the resources that major studios do for promotion, several of them might have slipped through the cracks. However, they are worthy of as much, or even more praise as any big budget animated feature released last year. Here is a list of 8 of them that deserve a wider audience. Many of them are visual wonders that challenge our imagination in heartwarming, intelligent, and even provocative ways. Furthermore, two of them managed to become Academy Award nominees against the odds.
"Cheatin'"
Dir: Bill Plympton
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bill Plympton Studios
Where to Watch? Plympton's latest screened at numerous festivals around the world during 2013- 2014 and it had a one-week theatrical run in Los Angeles back in August. For information on future screenings and a possible Blu-ray/DVD release visit the film's official site Here or follow the director on Facebook and on Twitter @plymptoons
"Giovanni's Island"
Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese/Russian
U.S Distribution: Gkids
PC: Production I.G.
Where to Watch? After playing at several festivals the film received a one-week qualifying run in Los Angeles last November. For future information on a broader theatrical or home entertainment release visit Gkids or Production I.G.
"Henry & Me"
Dir: Barrett Esposito
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: Henry & Me Productions
PC: Reveal Animation Studios
Where to Watch? Following a short NYC theatrical run in August, the film became available on DVD and digital platforms on September 30, 2014.
"Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart"
Dir: Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu
Country: France/Belgium
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Shout! Factory
Isa: EuropaCorp
Where to Watch? The film opened theatrically in select cities on September 24, 2014. It's now available on Blu-Ray/DVD and digital platforms.
"Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants"
Dir: Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo
Country: France/Belgium
Language: No Dialogue
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Futurikon
Where to Watch? The film had its qualifying one-week theatrical run in December. For a future opportunities to see the film check the official site Here.
"Rocks in My Pockets"
Dir: Signe Baumane
Country: Latvia
Language: English/Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Where to Watch? Although the film opened back in August, there are still a few theatrical engagements coming up. Find them Here. It will also be released on DVD/Digital Download on January 29, 2015 via the film's official site.
"Song of the Sea" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Tomm Moore
Country: Ireland/Luxembourg/Belgium/France/Denmark
Language: English/ Scottish Gaelic
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: WestEnd Films
Where to Watch? Currently playing in Los Angeles, NYC, and Toronto and expanding to more U.S. cities in upcoming weeks. For exact dates visit Here.
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Isao Takahata
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: Wild Bunch
Where to Watch? Currently playing in several theaters around the country. For exact locations and dates visit Here . The film will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on February 17, 2015.
- 1/18/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Tim here. Our journey through the list of films submitted for the Best Animated Feature Oscar now takes us to France and Belgium and the utterly beguiling children’s film Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants. Cumbersome title notwithstanding, it’s a light and breezy little lark, with a simple fairy tale-esque story so elemental in its particulars – an infant ladybug separated from her parents falls in with a colony of black ants and helps them in their war against aggressive red ants - that the movie can get away without having a single word of dialogue to be found anywhere in its running time.
Writer-directors Thomas Szabo & Hélène Giraud have adapted the movie from their television series Minuscule (which I understand to be terrifically popular in places that aren’t the United States), made up of 6-minute comic shorts in which a variety of insects get into comic scrapes.
Writer-directors Thomas Szabo & Hélène Giraud have adapted the movie from their television series Minuscule (which I understand to be terrifically popular in places that aren’t the United States), made up of 6-minute comic shorts in which a variety of insects get into comic scrapes.
- 12/26/2014
- by Tim Brayton
- FilmExperience
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