Academy Award Winner Matthew McConaughey Stars in the Epic Tale Arriving on Digital HD April 18 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on May 2
Strike it rich with Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor, Dallas Buyers Club, 2013) in this fascinating story of dreams and greed when Gold arrives on Digital HD on April 18 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD, and On Demand May 2 from Anchor Bay Entertainment and Dimension Films. From director Stephen Gaghan (Syriana), and written by Patrick Massett & John Zinman, Gold follows the story of Kenny Wells, a gold prospector desperate to achieve success, no matter the cost. Nominated for a 2017 Golden Globe® for Best Original Song – Motion Picture (“Gold” by Iggy Pop and Danger Mouse), this jungle adventure features an incredibly talented cast, including Edgar Ramirez (Hands of Stone), Golden Globe® nominee Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”), with Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (American History X) and Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek).
Gold is the epic tale of one man’s pursuit of the American dream — to discover gold. Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey stars as Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, who teams up with a similarly eager geologist, and they set off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story.
The home entertainment release is packed with must-see bonus features including: Feature commentary with director Stephen Gaghan, a dynamic deleted sequence of the film, an exploration of the movie’s origins, a journey through Gold’s locations, and a behind-the-scenes look at Matthew McConaughey’s unforgettable performance as Kenny Wells. Gold will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.
From Illumination and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, the global animated musical hit, SING arrived on Digital HD on March 3, 2017and on Special Edition on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on March 21, 2017. The music-filled comedy will include over 60-minutes of bonus content and will incorporate three all-new entertaining mini movies featuring the cast from SING as well as an exclusive Tori Kelly music video and a variety of musical extras.
Here’s the SING Special Edition Trailer:
Now, you can own the SING Blu-ray. WAMG has ten copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie starring Reese Witherspoon? (mine is ELECTION). It’s so easy!
Good Luck!
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.
From Illumination, the studio that brought you The Secret Life of Pets and the Despicable Me franchise, comes an animated comedy about finding the music that lives inside all of us. SING stars Academy Award® winner† Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an eternally optimistic koala who puts on the world’s greatest singing competition to save his crumbling theater; Academy Award® winner†† Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, an overworked and unappreciated mother of 25 piglets desperate to unleash her inner diva; Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a punk rock porcupine with a beautiful voice behind her prickly exterior; Taron Egerton as Johnny, a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; as well as Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly. SING is the musical comedy event of the year!
The Golden Globe nominee for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, SING features more than 65 hit songs including ‘Faith,’ a brand new song by the legendary Stevie Wonder (featuring Ariana Grande), marking his first song for a major film release in 25 years.
BONUS FEATURES on 4K ULTRA HDTM, BLU-RAY™, DVD AND DIGITAL HD
Mini-Movies
Gunter Babysits – Gunter offers to watch all of Rosita’s 25 piglets for the night, trying to prove he’s the best babysitter ever.
Love At First Sight – During a piano lesson with Johnny, Miss Crawly becomes nostalgic about the dancing and romancing of her youth. Johnny convinces her that it’s not too late to find someone and helps her setup a profile on a dating website.
Eddie’s Life Coach – Eddie’s mom signs her slacker son up for a digital training seminar to get his life back on track.
“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” Music Video – A cool and unique music video starring Tori Kelly.
Making a Music Video with Tori Kelly – A behind the scenes look at the making of Tori’s music video with exclusive insights provided by Tori herself.
“Faith” Music Video
“Faith” Lyric Video
“Set It All Free” Lyric Video
The Making of SING – We take you through the animation studios of Illumination with interviews from Chris Meledandri, producer Janet Healy, the various animation teams and the voice talent of SING.
Finding the Rhythm: Editing SING – Illumination editor Greg Perler, takes us inside the edit bay and reveals the secrets behind cutting an animated film. We’ll plunge into his world in this fun and eye-opening peek inside the room where the magic gets put together.
Character Profiles – Profiles on the incredible cast, all lending their voices to bring these animated characters to life.
Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon
Reese Witherspoon as Rosita
Tori Kelly as Meena
Taron Egerton as Johnny
Nick Kroll as Gunter
Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly
SING & Dance! – “Faith” – Celebrity choreographer Aakomon Jones takes us through a dance routine inspired by SING and the song, “Faith.”
The SING Network – The SING Network brings you the latest news and highlights the business endeavors of your favorite SING stars.
Gunter’s Dance Studio
The Moon Theater
Rosita’s Babysitting Gizmo
Miss Crawly’s Matchmaking Service
In The News – SING’S True Entertaining Stories highlights each of the Moon Theater’s newest stars.
Buster Moon
Gunter
Rosita
Johnny
Meena
Ash
Mike
The Best Of Gunter – A rapid-fire, fun mash-up of all the best Gunter one-liners.
The Making Of The Mini-Movies – We’ll explore the themes of each of the mini-movies through the eyes of the artists who made them.
The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD™ in a combo pack which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD with UltraViolet. The 4K Ultra HD™ will include all bonus features on the Blu-ray™ disc.
4K Ultra HD™ is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HDTM features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
Love is in the air! And this Valentine’s Day Universal Pictures Home Entertainment would like to share a special first-look at an all new mini-movie, “Love at First Sight,” which will be featured on the home entertainment release of SING when it arrives on Digital HD March 3, and will be available on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, DVD, and On Demand March 21. Swipe right for a cute, romantic look into the life of Miss Crawly (voiced by writer/director Garth Jennings), and find two more exciting original mini-movies from Illumination Entertainment featured on the Sing Special Edition when it releases.
Featuring the incredibly talented ensemble voice cast of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, and Tori Kelly, Sing is the perfect musical comedy for the whole family!
Check out the “Love at First Sight” mini-movie teaser for SING:
Illumination and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment are excited to announce that the global animated musical hit, SING arrives on Digital HD on March 3, 2017and on Special Edition on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on March 21, 2017. The music-filled comedy will include over 60-minutes of bonus content and will incorporate three all-new entertaining mini movies featuring the cast from SING as well as an exclusive Tori Kelly music video and a variety of musical extras.
From Illumination, the studio that brought you The Secret Life of Pets and the Despicable Me franchise, comes an animated comedy about finding the music that lives inside all of us. SING stars Academy Award® winner† Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an eternally optimistic koala who puts on the world’s greatest singing competition to save his crumbling theater; Academy Award® winner†† Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, an overworked and unappreciated mother of 25 piglets desperate to unleash her inner diva; Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a punk rock porcupine with a beautiful voice behind her prickly exterior; Taron Egerton as Johnny, a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; as well as Seth MacFarlane, John C. Reilly, and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly. SING is the musical comedy event of the year!
The Golden Globe nominee for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, SING features more than 65 hit songs including ‘Faith,’ a brand new song by the legendary Stevie Wonder (featuring Ariana Grande), marking his first song for a major film release in 25 years.
BONUS FEATURES on 4K ULTRA HDTM, BLU-RAY™, DVD AND DIGITAL HD
Mini-Movies
Gunter Babysits – Gunter offers to watch all of Rosita’s 25 piglets for the night, trying to prove he’s the best babysitter ever.
Love At First Sight – During a piano lesson with Johnny, Miss Crawly becomes nostalgic about the dancing and romancing of her youth. Johnny convinces her that it’s not too late to find someone and helps her setup a profile on a dating website.
Eddie’s Life Coach – Eddie’s mom signs her slacker son up for a digital training seminar to get his life back on track.
“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” Music Video – A cool and unique music video starring Tori Kelly.
Making a Music Video with Tori Kelly – A behind the scenes look at the making of Tori’s music video with exclusive insights provided by Tori herself.
“Faith” Music Video
“Faith” Lyric Video
“Set It All Free” Lyric Video
The Making of SING – We take you through the animation studios of Illumination with interviews from Chris Meledandri, producer Janet Healy, the various animation teams and the voice talent of SING.
Finding the Rhythm: Editing SING – Illumination editor Greg Perler, takes us inside the edit bay and reveals the secrets behind cutting an animated film. We’ll plunge into his world in this fun and eye-opening peek inside the room where the magic gets put together.
Character Profiles – Profiles on the incredible cast, all lending their voices to bring these animated characters to life.
Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon
Reese Witherspoon as Rosita
Tori Kelly as Meena
Taron Egerton as Johnny
Nick Kroll as Gunter
Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly
SING & Dance! – “Faith” – Celebrity choreographer Aakomon Jones takes us through a dance routine inspired by SING and the song, “Faith.”
The SING Network – The SING Network brings you the latest news and highlights the business endeavors of your favorite SING stars.
Gunter’s Dance Studio
The Moon Theater
Rosita’s Babysitting Gizmo
Miss Crawly’s Matchmaking Service
In The News – SING’S True Entertaining Stories highlights each of the Moon Theater’s newest stars.
Buster Moon
Gunter
Rosita
Johnny
Meena
Ash
Mike
The Best Of Gunter – A rapid-fire, fun mash-up of all the best Gunter one-liners.
The Making Of The Mini-Movies – We’ll explore the themes of each of the mini-movies through the eyes of the artists who made them.
The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD™ in a combo pack which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD with UltraViolet. The 4K Ultra HD™ will include all bonus features on the Blu-ray™ disc.
4K Ultra HD™ is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HDTM features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
GOLD is the epic tale of one man’s pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey as Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street.
Also features Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bill Camp, Joshua Harto, Timothy Simons, Craig T Nelson, Stacy Keach, and Bruce Greenwood.
The score is from composer Daniel Pemberton. Pemberton was Golden Globe nominated this year for Best Original Song for GOLD. He co-wrote the original song along with Iggy Pop and Danger Mouse.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan, GOLD opens in St. Louis, Friday, January 27.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of GOLD on MONDAY, JANUARY 23 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
Answer the following:
What’s the name of the 1974 thriller film, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York, that had to do with a South African gold mine?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
Hey gang, let’s put on a show! We can save the (school, rec center, etc.)” That’s been the rallying cry of many a movie musical, going back to the “Our Gang” comedies right up to the recent charmer SING STREET (the reason there was to impress a girl and tick off the school officials), but it’s usually associated with the squeaky-clean team-ups of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney from the 30’s and 40’s. This old plot gives us a ragtag group of plucky “go-getters” joining forces in creating a spectacular that will “wow” the masses. And there’s usually lots of backstage drama and romance as the clock ticks down to the big opening night (the best parody is probably Christopher Guest’s “mockumentary” WAITING FOR GUFFMAN). Could this type of tale be told with animation? In a world of talking, dancing, singing animals, perhaps? That’s what the fine folks at Illumination Entertainment (the DESPICABLE ME flicks, MINIONS, and the big hit from this past Summer THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS) decided to explore. C’mon you menagerie you, get out there and SING!
As a lil’ koala bear, Buster Moon is in love with live theatre, so when he grows up he becomes the owner/operator/manager of the golden palace he adored. But the gold is starting to tarnish, and the stage shows just aren’t bringing in the crowds (plus the bank is threatening to foreclose). Luckily Buster (voice of Matthew McConaughey) comes up with a plan to save his beloved theatre: a musical talent show. Everyday folks will sing and dance before a set of judges, all for a big cash prize. Hmmm, about that prize…Buster has his trusty, but somewhat addled, assistant, an elderly lizard named Miss Crawly (Garth Jennings), whip up the promotional flyer. But the grand prize amount is accidentally changed from one thousand bucks to a hundred thousand. And a gust of wind sends them gliding through the city! They attract the attention of many, many aspiring performers. There’s Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), exhausted momma pig to countless piglets, whose marriage has gotten into a rut. Singing on the streets is the ultra-cool mouse Mike (Seth MacFarlane), a real “rat pack” wannabe with a taste for the high life. Rock and roll porcupine queen Ash (Scarlett Johansson) is part of a struggling duet with her less talented, arrogant beau. Maybe it’s time to go solo? A teenage gorilla named Johnny (Taron Egerton) yearns to croon pop ballads rather than drive the getaway car for his dad’s outlaw gang. And the family of the shy elephant Meena (Tori Kelly) thinks that this contest will let the world experience her gorgeous voice. Buster panics when he learns of the prize snafu, but somehow, with the help of his best pal Eddie (John C. Reilly), he’ll scrape together the cash and make everyone’s dreams come true.
You may get an idea what the film’s biggest problem is from the preceding paragraph. There are far too many subplots! The main story would have been much better served by limiting the focus to three or four contestants. As it plays, the whole movie seems bloated. I prefered the story of Johnny and those gangster gorillas (maybe a spin-off?). As it is, many of the “side tails” are beefed up with pointless “side tracks”(what was the point of Rosita’s grocery number? McConaughey tries to bring some energy (he’s usually a reeeaaall “laid-back” dude) to the big furry producer, but the character’s just not interesting. Bland really. Unlike his work sidekick Miss Crawly. There’s some funny slapstick business involving her fake eye, scenes that really inject some life into the flick (it figures that the writer/co-directer Jennings would lend his voice to her). The character design is inventive, but the tendency in CGI animation to “over-render” can often be distracting. Did we need to see every hair strand, or in Ash’s case, every quill? Another overused effect is the rapid “camera pans” zipping through the city streets to stop just inches from another contestant. It’s as though we’re strapped to one of Hawkeye’s trick arrows.Some trims to the initial auditions would’ve helped a great deal. After seeing three or so unlikely animals singer/pop song pairings, the gag becomes tiresome. The whole film suffers in comparison to this year’s other movie set in a city populated by human-like animals of all types, ZOOTOPIA (going back even further, there’s the still-entrancing 1980’s cartton classic ANIMALIPICS). And the notion of a mixed menagerie putting on a big revue was more engaging in the 1930’s theatrical shorts such as the “Silly Symphonies” and the “Merrie Melodies”. “American Idol” ended a couple of years ago (although “The Voice” is going strong), so the main plot feels a bit played out. SING has lots of talent at the keyboards (musical instruments and computers), but it hits far too many wrong notes . “Pitchy”, indeed!
SING opens in theaters on December 21 and WAMG has your passes to the advance screening in St. Louis!
Illumination has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination presents SING this holiday season.
With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio.
The event film stars Academy Award® winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly.
Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.
Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.
Featuring more than 65 hit songs, SING is produced by Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy. Together, they have produced all of Illumination’s films since the studio’s inception.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win FOUR (4) seats to the advance 3D screening of SING on DECEMBER 19 at 7pm in the St. Louis area.
Answer the following:
Which animated film won the Oscar at the 88th Academy Awards earlier this year?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
Attention movie fans with vocal talent, energy, passion and charisma! You can team up with YouTube creator Mike Tompkins for the“Real Talent, From Real Life” contest in support of Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ SING.Contestants can record themselves singing, clapping or dancing to at least 30 seconds of the event film’s original song “Faith,” from the legendary Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande. From submissions, Mike Tompkins will create an edited video of “Faith” that will play on the YouTube homepage. Throughout their daylong journey, three lucky winners will get to interface with some of today’s hottest YouTube influencers, as well as hear from top professionals behind the scenes (Universal Music execs, YouTube creative + music teams, YouTube + Google product specialists, and more) on how to create a successful channel on the platform. What an exciting opportunity!
Illumination has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination presents Sing this holiday season.
With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio.
The event film stars Academy Award® winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly.
Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.
Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.
Featuring more than 65 hit songs, Sing is produced by Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy. Together, they have produced all of Illumination’s films since the studio’s inception. Released by Universal Pictures, Sing arrives in theaters on December 21, 2016. www.singmovie.com
A young boy with a magical gift sets out on a thrilling quest to discover his family’s legacy in LAIKA’s newest film, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS The latest masterpiece from the animation studio behind the Academy Award-nominated films Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls is now available on Blu-ray from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed as “an exquisite, beautiful film,” (Scott Mantz, Access Hollywood) Kubo and the Two Strings has captivated audiences of all ages, earning an extraordinary 97% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the best-reviewed films of the year!
Now you can own the KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has 8 copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a message below and tell us what your favorite film from Laika Studios is (Mine is PARANORMAN). It’s so easy!
We’ll pick the winner next week.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.
No purchase necessary
From acclaimed animation studio LAIKA comes an all-new epic adventure starring the voice talents of Academy Award® winners Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar). Young Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of Game of Thrones) mesmerizes the people in his village with his magical gift for spinning fantastical tales. When he accidentally summons an evil spirit seeking vengeance, Kubo journeys on an action-packed quest to solve the mystery of his fallen samurai father, discover his own magical powers, and reunite his family.
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS stars an all-star supporting voice cast including George Takei (Star Trek), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (The Man in the High Castle), and Academy Award® nominees Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter), Brenda Vaccaro (Johnny Bravo), and Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). The Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD are packed with exciting behind-the-scenes bonus content, featuring the filmmakers and incredible voice cast, that allows viewers to dive even deeper into the magical story.
Bonus Features Exclusive to Blu-ray™ 3D Combo Pack & Blu-ray™ Combo Pack
Introduction by Director/Producer Travis Knight:Director/Producer Travis Knight introduces “Kubo’s Journey.”
Mythological Monsters:The filmmakers and crew discuss the new techniques they used to create the terrifying antagonists. Learn how each monster differed in scale, design, and execution.
Braving the Elements:A particularly challenging aspect of filming was animating water and rain effects. Discover how LAIKA was able to animate water in the context of a stop-motion film.
The Redemptive and Healing Power of Music:Learn how traditional and contemporary musical styles were combined by Academy Award®-winning composer Dario Marianelli (Atonement) to infuse the film with such a heartfelt sound.
Epilogue by Director/Producer Travis Knight:Director/Producer Travis Knight discusses what attracted LAIKA to Kubo and the Two Strings.
Bonus Features on Blu-ray™ 3D Combo Pack & Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD
Japanese Inspiration: The LAIKA creative team and the cast discuss the inspirations for the story.
Corners of the Earth: Filmmakers and crew discuss the challenges of the varied landscapes and locations in Kubo and the Two Strings.
The Myth of Kubo: Cast and filmmakers discuss the story at the core of Kubo and the Two Strings.
Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight
Your morning is about to be hit with some major piggy power!
Check out the hilarious new trailer for Illumination’s SING .
Illumination has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination presents SING this holiday season.
With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio.
The event film stars Academy Award winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly.
Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, SING stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.
Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.
Featuring more than 65 hit songs, SING is produced by Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy. Together, they have produced all of Illumination’s films since the studio’s inception.
Released by Universal Pictures, SING arrives in theaters on December 21, 2016.
The lead cast of SING shares the stage with the characters they portray in the holiday event of the year from Illumination Entertainment.
NICK KROLL AND GUNTER
For the first time ever, NICK KROLL appears with his character, Gunter, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Gunter is the Spandexed show-stopper whose sheer enthusiasm overcomes his lack of actual talent.
Like all the stars of Sing, Kroll does his own singing in the film, including renditions of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and Bananarama’s “Venus.”
KROLL QUOTE:
“Gunter knows what we all should: Everything is better in a gold track suit. He is the yin to Rosita’s yang. If she’s hesitant, insecure and brilliantly talented…then Gunter is the one who’s first to hit the stage and shake his piggy patootie; he’s a legend in his own mind. When I first experienced Reese and myself as Rosita and Gunter on the screen, I honestly couldn’t stop grinning.”
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
Illumination has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination presents SING this holiday season.
With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio.
The event film stars Academy Award winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly.
Don’t miss the film in theaters this Christmas.
TARON EGERTON AND JOHNNY
For the first time ever, TARON EGERTON appears with his character, Johnny, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Johnny is a reluctant part of his dad’s bank-robbing crew, as well as an aspiring singer who longs to step out and show who he really is.
Like all the stars of Sing, Egerton does his own singing in the film, including renditions of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” John Legend’s “All of Me” and Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing.”
EGERTON QUOTE:
“I think that one of the biggest fears we all have is that we will disappoint our parents. All you want is their acceptance, but as you come into your own, you begin to realize that your dreams don’t always intersect with theirs. Johnny’s relationship with his father epitomizes this. He only needs Big Daddy to listen, to actually hear him, just once. If that happens, Johnny believes he can become his own man and really soar.”
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
For the first time ever, TORI KELLY appears with her character, Meena, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Meena is a timid teen with an enormous case of stage fright who keeps a powerhouse voice trapped inside.
Like all the stars of Sing, Kelly does her own singing in the film, including renditions of Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” The Beatles’ beloved classic.
KELLY QUOTE:
“I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a bit of Meena inside. She’s that timid kid who desperately wants to share her gifts with the world, but is always second guessing herself. As an artist, I went to that place of insecurity inside teenage Tori to find my inner Meena. Then you take a deep breath, shake off the nerves and just let the music take over.”
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
For the first time ever, SETH MACFARLANE appears with his character, Mike, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Mike is a con man who croons as smoothly as he swindles.
Like all the stars of Sing, MacFarlane does his own singing in the film, including renditions of standards including Irving Berlin’s “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” “Pennies From Heaven,” made famous by Bing Crosby, and “My Way,” which is synonymous with Frank Sinatra.
MACFARLANE QUOTE:
“What I like about this character is that he has zero concept of just how small he is. Mike is a whirlwind mix of bravado, swagger and showmanship, and he genuinely believes he has nothing to prove. He needs the contest money because he’s made some very poor decisions, and he’s certain that his larger-than-life personality and stage persona hold the ticket to winning.”
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
For the first time ever, Academy Award® winner MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY appears with his character, Buster Moon, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Buster Moon is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who still believes in the wonder and magic of his once-grand theater and will do anything to preserve it.
Like all the stars of Sing, McConaughey does his own singing in the film, with a memorable rendition of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.”
MCCONAUGHEY QUOTE:
“I’ve always regarded Buster as the ultimate creator…a showman who refuses to accept defeat and a guy who will accomplish the impossible through sheer force of will. Others may see his theater collapsing around him, but not Buster. Through his eyes, you’ll begin to imagine the crown jewel of this incredible town…a place where people can truly transform.”
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
For the first time ever, SCARLETT JOHANSSON appears with her character, Ash, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Ash is a betrayed teenager who will mend her broken heart through the power of rock-and-roll.
Like all the stars of Sing, Johansson does her own singing in the film, including renditions of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” and an all-new original song, “Set It All Free.”
JOHANSSON QUOTE:
“Once Ash understands that all of the attention, effort and energy she’s been giving her worthless boyfriend has been standing in the way of her own musical gifts, she transforms into a badass. Ash eschews outdated expectations that she should deliver a pop-princess act on the stage and just rocks it out with original music. I adore her.”
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
REESE WITHERSPOON AND ROSITA
For the first time ever, Academy Award® winner REESE WITHERSPOON appears with her character, Rosita, from Illumination Entertainment’s Sing.
Rosita is an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 children but who keeps the flicker of a secret dream inside.
Like all the stars of Sing, Witherspoon does her own singing in the film, including renditions of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Bananarama’s “Venus.”
WITHERSPOON QUOTE:
“Ever since she was a girl, Rosita has held on to this tiny part of herself she’s been hesitant to share with the world. But once she genuinely owns who she is, this shy mom and wife realizes that it would be criminal not to unleash her talents. In fact, it’s the love and passion Rosita’s given and received that pours out of her when she embraces her inner diva and lets loose.”
The shot was created by the animation artists of Illumination Entertainment and photographer Norman Jean Roy in a unique collaboration.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures
Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, SING stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.
Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.
Featuring more than 65 hit songs, Sing is produced by Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy. Together, they have produced all of Illumination’s films since the studio’s inception.
Released by Universal Pictures, Sing arrives in theaters on December 21, 2016.
