The Iron Giant (1999) - Bird's heavily themed family animation debut

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A stylish and retro-cool poster for Brad Bird's The Iron Giant

1950s Maine, the United States: Boy Hogarth is mad about sci-fi magazines during the atomic scare period, when a giant robot from space lands in the forest near his home ...

 

The Iron Giant is written by Tim McCanlies (North Shore (1987)), Brent Forrester (Love (2016-18)) and great Montanan filmmaker, debuting co-writer/director Brad Bird (Ratatouille (2007)), loosely adapted from Ted Hughes' (The Hawk in the Rain (1957)) The Iron Man (1968).

Wonderful, inspired and deeply colorful and vivid animation, which is endowed with a keen comical eye and excellent voice performances from Eli Marienthal (American Pie (1999)), Jennifer Aniston (We're the Millers (2013)), Harry Connick Jr. (New in Town (2009)), and others.

The story's political angle, - weapon are evil and the state and authorities are deceitful, ignorant and hungry for wars, - is a bit too pregnant for a family film. The Iron Giant is nevertheless still a very special and delightful picture.

 

Related posts:

Brad Bird: 2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - Cruise and Bird's phenomenal action spectacle 
The Incredibles (2004) - Unwanted animation action slam-dunk

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 50 mil. $

Box office: 31.7 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.63 times its cost)

[The Iron Giant premiered 31 July (USA) and runs 87 minutes. Bird was inspired by the murder of his sister, shot dead by her estranged husband, because Hughes' novel was a comforting tale for his children following their mother, poet Sylvia Plath's suicide. Production took place in Los Angeles, California. The film opened #9 to a 5.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, steadily declining from there to end with a 23.1 mil. $ (72.9 % of the total gross) gross. The flop was attributed to Warner Bros. lacking marketing campaign, apparently stemming from lack of faith in the film due to their failure with the preceding year's big animation Quest for Camelot (1998). The film won a BAFTA, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. IMDb's users have rated it in at the site's Top 250 at #239, sitting between Network (1976) and The Handmaiden (2016). Bird returned with The Incredibles (2004). Marienthal returned in 3 TV credits prior to his theatrical return in American Pie 2 (2001). The Iron Giant is certified fresh at 96 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Iron Giant?

Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) - Saldanha's terrific first sequel

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The titular ice age thaws on this humorous poster for Carlos Saldanha's Ice Age: The Meltdown

Our dissimilar friends from Ice Age (2002) are forced to migrate on, when the ice cap breaks up and starts to melt.

Ice Age: The Meltdown is written by Peter Gaulke (Say It Isn't So (2001)), Jim Hecht (Taina (2002, TV-series)) and Gerry Swallow (Black Knight (2001)) and directed by Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age). It is the first sequel in the Ice Age franchise (2002; 2009; 2012; 2016).

The endearing characters are on a fanciful adventure in a terrifically good-looking animation, which takes a massive technical step forward from the first one four years prior. The sound work is especially outstanding. 

The big new invention in the story, which is again interwoven with amusing vignettes of 'rat/squirrel' Scrat's misadventures with his acorn, is that Manny the mammoth meets and falls in love with a female mammoth (voiced by Queen Latifah (Chicago (2002))), who first has to realize that she is not a possum! Ice Age: The Meltdown is full of fun and may be the best in the film series.

 

Related posts:

 

Ice Age franchise: Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Lots of fun in 4th IA chapter

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) or, Ice Age 3: Add Dinosaurs! 

Ice Age (2002) - Fun-filled animated adventure

Carlos Saldanha: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) or, Ice Age 3: Add Dinosaurs!  (co-director) 

Ice Age (2002) - Fun-filled animated adventure (co-director)

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 80 mil. $

Box office: 667 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 8.33 times its cost)

[Ice Age: The Meltdown was released 29 March (Belgium, Netherlands, Jamaica, Indonesia, Philippines) and runs 91 minutes. The film opened #1 to a 68 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it remained #1 for another weekend and spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4), grossing 195.3 mil. $ (29.3 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 61.6 mil. $ (9.2 %) and the UK with 52.3 mil. $ (7.8 %). It was the year's 3rd highest-grossing film and the highest-grossing animation of the year. The-Numbers.com estimate that the film additionally made at least 137.8 mil. $ on the domestic home video market alone. Roger Ebert gave it a 2.5/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. Saldanha returned with Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), which is also the next chapter in the franchise. Ray Romano (Paddleton (2019)) returned in Grilled (2006); John Leguizamo (The Menu (2022)) in ER (2005-06) and theatrically in The Groomsmen (2006); and Denis Leary (Rescue Me (2004-11, writer)) in 4 video and TV credits prior to his theatrical return in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Ice Age: The Meltdown is rotten at 56 % with a 6.00/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ice Age: The Meltdown?

Ice Age (2002) - Fun-filled animated adventure

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Four humorous-looking animal characters are assembled on this bright poster for Chris Wedge and Carlos Sandanha's Ice Age

When the ice age arrives some 20,000 years ago, a small human baby gets left in the care of a ground sloth named Sid and a mammoth named Manfred, who later meet and team up with a sabre tiger named Diego.

 

Ice Age is written by Michael Berg (The Scratist (2012, short)), Michael J. Wilson (The Tuxedo (2002)) and Peter Ackerman (The Diplomat (2024, TV-series)), with James Bresnahan (Epic (2013)), Doug Compton (Willie Survive (1982-83, director)), Jeff Siergey (Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil (2011)), Michael Thurmeier (Robots (2005, supervising animator)), Galen T. Chu (Rio (2011, supervising animator)) and Xeth Feinberg (Queer Duck (200-02, animator)) contributing story elements, and directed by debuting Chris Wedge (Epic (2013)) and also debuting Carlos Saldanha (Rio (2011)). It is the first film in the Ice Age franchise.

The film is surprisingly funny and charming, driven by a good premise idea with some well animated and clear characters that get plenty of additional life from the voice performances of John Leguizamo (Spawn (1997)), Ray Romano (The Irishman (2019)) and others. The CG animation is a bit dated to look at today, - but not much, - and more importantly, it succeeds in capturing one's imagination. The story becomes episodic, (then this happens; then this happens; and so on), but not in any way that can impede Ice Age from being a refreshing hit.

 

Related posts:

 

Ice Age franchise: Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Lots of fun in 4th IA chapter

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) or, Ice Age 3: Add Dinosaurs! 

Carlos Saldanha: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) or, Ice Age 3: Add Dinosaurs!  (co-director)

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 59 mil. $

Box office: 383.2 mil. $

= Huge hit (returned 6.49 times its cost)

[Ice Age premiered 12 March (USA) and runs 81 minutes. The film opened #1 to a 46.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top 5 another 5 weekends (#2-#2-#2-#3-#4), grossing 176.3 mil. $ (46 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 34.5 mil. $ (9 %) and the UK with 21.7 mil. $ (5.7 %). It was the 8th highest-grossing film of the year and the highest-grossing animation of the year. It was nominated for the Best Animation Oscar, lost to Spirited Away. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The characters returned in Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006). Wedge returned with Robots (2005); Saldanha with Gone Nutty (2002, video) and theatrically with Robots. Romano returned in Welcome to Mooseport (2004); Leguizamo in Sesame Street (2002, TV-series), Point of Origin (2002, TV movie) and theatrically in Spun (2002); Denis Leary (The Simpsons (2008, TV-series)) in The Job (2001-02, TV-series) and Crank Yankers (2002, TV-series) prior to his theatrical return in The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002). Ice Age is certified fresh at 77 % with a 6.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ice Age?

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) or, Ice Age 3: Add Dinosaurs!

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Our ancient friends caught in a glaring pickle on this funny poster for Michael Thurmeier and Carlos Saldanha's Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Ellie the mammoth is pregnant, as her little family discover a lost dinosaur world, where Sid the ground sloth gets lost, carrying 3 dinosaur eggs...

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is written by Peter Ackerman (The Diplomat (2024, TV-series)), Yoni Brenner (Rio 2 (2014)), Michael Berg (Ice Age (2002)) and Mike Reiss (My Life in Ruins (2009)), with Jason Carter Eaton (Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011, TV movie)) contributing story elements, and directed by Michael Thurmeier (The Scratist (2012, short)) and Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age (2002)). It is the 3rd film in the Ice Age franchise (2002; 2006).

A dragging story that is also very tied up to Simon Pegg's (Luck (2022)) new pirate, dino-hunting weasel character who goes bonkers and is a weirdly unfunny companion.

Wow-ing animation and fun moments and sequences, often being those with Scrat, the non-speaking squirrel character, and one female flying squirrel distraction, elevate an otherwise disappointing film.

 

Related posts:

 

Ice Age franchise: Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Lots of fun in 4th IA chapter

Michael Thurmeier: Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Lots of fun in 4th IA chapter

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 90 mil. $

Box office: 886.6 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 9.85 times its cost)

[Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs was released 26 June (Uruguay) and runs 94 minutes. It opened #2, behind holdover hit Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, to a 41.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#2-#5), grossing 196.5 mil. $ (22.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Germany with 82.1 mil. $ (9.3 %) and France with 69.2 mil. $ (7.8 %). It was the year's highest-grossing animation and the 3rd highest-grossing film of the year over-all. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 3 notches over this one. The franchise returned with Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012). Thurmeier returned with 3 shorts prior to Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012); Saldanha with Rio (2011). Ray Romano (Paddleton (2019)) returned in Funny People (2009); John Leguizamo (Spawn (1997)) in Gamer (2009). Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is rotten at 46 % with a 5.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs?

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Lots of fun in 4th IA chapter

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An action-packed adventure at sea is promised on this splashy poster for Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier's Ice Age: Continental Drift

A rift is taking place in our mammoth family, where Peaches has become a teenager. Now the continental plates start moving and breaking up, literally breaking up our friends. The larger group of them gets into trouble with an evil pirate ape on an iceberg ship.

 

Ice Age: Continental Drift is written by Michael Berg (Ice Age (2002)) and Jason Fuchs (Argylle (2024)) and directed by great Ohioan filmmaker Steve Martino (Horton Hears a Who! (2008)) and Michael Thurmeier (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)). It is the 4th film in the Ice Age franchise (2002; 06; 09).

The plot is simple and manageable, but the film scores on lots of funny gags and jokes: Ray Romano (Made for Love (2021-22)), franchise newcomer Wanda Sykes (Chivalry (2022, TV-series)) and others shine in the impressive voice cast, - and the filmmakers strike a good balance between the story line and episodes featuring the series' popular squirrel Scrat, whose obsessive hunt for an acorn of course is what causes the continental plate movements! This is fun and feels like a throwback to the classic Looney Tunes (1930-69) short animations. 

The animation is fantastic to boot here, colorful and vivid to the eyes. Ice Age: Continental Drift is a fun-filled family treat.

 

Related post:

 

Steve Martino: Horton Hears a Who! (2008) - Belly-laughs and fantastic imagination in great family animation (co-director)

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 95 mil. $

Box office: 877.2 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 9.23 times its cost)

[Ice Age: Continental Drift premiered 26 June (Buenos Aires) and runs 88 minutes. Production took place in Connecticut. The film opened #1 to a 46.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#2-#4), grossing 161.3 mil. $ (18.4 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were China with 67.8 mil. $ (7.7 %) and Germany with 67 mil. $ (7.6 %). It was the year's highest-grossing animation and the 5th highest-grossing film of the year over-all. Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. The franchise returned with Ice Age: Collision Course (2016). Martino returned with The Peanuts Movie (2015); Thurmeier with Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe (2015, short), Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016, TV movie) and theatrically with Ice Age: Collision Course (2016). Romano returned in Ted (2012). Ice Age: Continental Drift is rotten at 37 % with a 5.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ice Age: Continental Drift?

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) - Oz and Mathison create profound family magic

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A pintsized Indian stands erect in a boy's hand palms on this imagination-teasing poster for Frank Oz's The Indian in the Cupboard

Omri is a boy who lives with his parents and two brothers in New York, and on his ninth birthday he receives a cupboard with magic properties: It turns a plastic Indian toy into a real, live, miniature Indian!

The Indian in the Cupboard is written by Melissa Mathison (The Black Stallion (1979)), adapting the same-titled 1980 children's novel by Lynne Reid Banks (Bad Cat, Good Cat (2011)), and directed by English-born American master filmmaker Frank Oz (The Dark Crystal (1982)), whose 7th feature it is.

An imaginative, fantastical story, perfectly adapted by glorious Mathison and directed impeccably by Oz in what is likely his best picture. The Indian in the Cupboard is irresistible.

The actors portraying the family and the child actors are natural, and Hal Scardino (Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)) as Omri is enormously good, especially his whispering intonations to his 'creations'. Litefoot (Adaptation. (2002)) as the Indian, David Keith's (Heritage Falls (2016)) cowboy and Steve Coogan (The Lost King (2022)) as a World War I medic are all outstanding. The film is well-acted all the way around, elegant and shot (by Russell Carpenter (Avatar: The Way of Water (2022))) and scored (by Randy Edelman (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008))) without ostentation. The narrative tickles our conventional expectations and instead gives us a deep tale (not unlike Harold Ramis' comedy masterpiece Groundhog Day (1993)) with themes of childhood, respect for life, racism and death. The Indian in the Cupboard is moving and unique.

 

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Frank Oz:  Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) - Despite stale romance and Anakin, Episode II excites (voice actor)
1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Bowfinger (1999) or, Making Chubby Rain  

In & Out (1997) or, Come Out and Dance 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 45 mil. $

Box office: In excess of 35.6 mil. $ (North America alone)

= Uncertain but likely a big flop (projected return of 1.22 times its cost)

[The Indian in the Cupboard was released 14 July (North America) and runs 96 minutes. Shooting took place from July - October 1994 in California, including in Los Angeles, and in New York.The film opened #6 to a 7.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 35.6 mil. $. The foreign gross numbers are regrettably kept hidden away somewhere, but a likely projection would be a 55 mil. $ final gross, which would rank the film a big flop. Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 star review, translating to 4 notches under this one. Oz returned with In & Out (1997). Scardino returned in Marvin's Room (1996). The Indian in the Cupboard is fresh at 70 % with a 6.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Indian in the Cupboard?

Hop (2011) - Wowing animation lifts shallow-sassy comedy

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Tons of candy, bright colors and cute animal characters here attempt to lure kids to demand tickets for Tim Hill's Hop

The Easter bunny's heir is not created for the job and instead of inheriting it he flees to Los Angeles, bringing his dreams of becoming a rock 'n roll drummer with him. Here he meets and teams up with a young (but not that young) human under-achiever. 

 

Hop is written by Brian Lynch (Puss in Boots (2011)), Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul (Despicable Me 2 (2013), both) and directed by Tim Hill (Muppets from Space (1999)).

It is a really handsome and wow-filled animation that's upbeat and humorous all the way through. James Marsden (Westworld (2016-22)) seems a little old as the human slacker character, but he has the right energy, just as Gary Cole (Velma (2013, TV-series)) has as his father. Hank Azaria (The Wizard of Lies (2017, TV movie)) gives hilarious voice to a Mexican Easter chick villain (!). 

The precipice between kiddie-appropriate fun and grown-up elements, such as a Playboy bunny ranch and the inclusion of David Hasselhoff (Killing Hasselhoff (2017)) as himself, - is a little steep, and Hop doesn't completely succeed. But the pace is snappy, and Hop is pretty funny and handsome, a good bowl of wacky-forgettable entertainment with fairly broad appeal.

 

Related post:

 

Tim Hill: Muppets from Space (1999) - Under-appreciated Muppet funfest

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 63 mil. $

Box office: 184.3 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.92 times its cost)

[Hop premiered 27 March (Universal Studios, Hollywood) and runs 95 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #1 to a 37.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another weekend at #1 and then another 2 in the top 5 (#3-#4), grossing 108 mil. $ (58.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 12.3 mil. $ (6.7 %) and the UK with 12.2 mil. $ (6.6 %). Hill returned with 3 video and TV credits prior to his theatrical return with The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020). Marsden returned in Straw Dogs (2011); Russell Brand (Trolls (2016)) in Arthur (2011). Hop is rotten at 24 % with a 4.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Hop?

The Haunted Mansion (2003) - Haunted house ride adaptation an FX-driven slumber

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A cobweb-dressed mansion entrance lures prospective audiences on this poster for Rob Minkoff's The Haunted Mansion

Jim Evers is a realtor with a busy career, who has difficulty finding time to see his family, who therefore are forced to spend their family weekend visiting a large estate in Louisiana that 'the big man' intends to sell ...

 

The Haunted Mansion is written by David Berenbaum (Elf (2003)) and directed by Rob Minkoff (The Lion King (1994, co-director)). It is based on Disney's theme park ride of the same name.

Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)) is so lovable and funny that one is happy at the outset of The Haunted Mansion, which bodes well for this ride-inspired studio creation. The family vs. work conflict, however, vanishes as various more or less stupid and unimpressive 'horror' special effects are unleashed within the house. Here also Terence Stamp (Crow (2016)) delivers a laconic butler performance with an excessive British accent. 

The Haunted Mansion; (not really that) close - and definitely no cigar!

 

Related posts:

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2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) - Vexing, over-stimulated time-travel adaptation

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 90 mil. $

Box office: 182.2 mil. $

= Flop (returned 2.02 times its cost)

[The Haunted Mansion was released 26 November (North America) and runs 87 minutes. Shooting took place from December 2002 - April 2003 in New Orleans, Louisiana and in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #1 to a 34 mil. $ 5 day-long Thanksgiving opening weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend in the top 5 (#3), grossing 75.8 mil. $ (41.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 29.7 mil. $ (16.3 %) and the UK with 14.8 mil. $ (8.1 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 2.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. The film was remade by Disney as Haunted Mansion (2023) to a much steeper flop result. Minkoff returned with The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). Murphy returned with voice performances in Shrek 2 (2004) and 2 Shrek 2-related productions prior to his physical theatrical return in Dreamgirls (2006). The Haunted Mansion is rotten at 13 % with a 4.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Haunted Mansion?

Ponyo/崖の上のポニョ (Gake no Ue no Ponyo) (2008) - Magical animation masterpiece from master Miyazaki

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+ 3rd Best Movie of the Year

+ Best Adventure Movie of the Year + Best Family Movie of the Year + Best Huge Hit Movie of the Year + Best Japanese Movie of the Year 

 

 

Disney's poster for the Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo does its best to recall the public's attraction to one of the biggest animation hits in the preceding years, Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003)

Goldfish Ponyo gradually becomes a girl with magical powers, when it tastes the blood of the boy Sosuke, The two become good friends, while a storm surge ravages the boy's native area.

 

Ponyo is written and directed by Japanese master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro/Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (1979)), whose 11th feature it is.

It is another wonderful, - and often truly strange! - film from Miyazaki. That Liam Neeson (Schindler's List (1993)) voices the womanly character from the sea in the English language version is just one of these peculiarities, and the classic H.C. Anderson mermaid fairytale also gets a dramatic altering here. 

The animation sucks your eyeballs to every single one of the amazing (entirely hand drawn) images, and especially the animation of the treacherous, dangerous ocean is stunning.

Ponyo is also a jolly and quite funny film, and a wise film that is enormously rewarding for all ages, - pure cinema magic. It is one of those rare works of mankind that is so good it could be worth presenting for other life forms (simians, aliens etc.)

 

Related posts:

Hayao Miyazaki: The Wind Rises/風立ちぬ [Kaze Tachinu] (2013) - Miyazaki's beautiful but languid last film 

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 

Top 10: Best fantasy movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

Howl's Moving Castle/ハウルの動く城 [Hauru no Ugoku Shiro] (2004) - Miyazaki's hugely successful, gibberish fantasy
Spirited Away/千と千尋の神隠し [Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi] (2001) - Miyazaki's highly Japanese, enormously weird story of a girl 

Princess Mononoke/もののけ姫 (Mononoke-hime) (1997) - Miyazaki's grand, magical adventure masterpiece

1992 in films - according to Film Excess 

Porco Rosso/紅の豚 (Kurenai no Buta) (1992) - Childlike qualities help propel strange Miyazaki adventure 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 34 mil. $

Box office: 204.9 mil. $

= Huge hit (returned 6.02 times its cost)

[Ponyo was released 19 July (Japan) and runs 101 minutes. 12 companies cooperated in the financing and production of the film. Production began in May 2006 in Japan, with Miyazaki's animation concept for the film building on traditional hand-drawn techniques rather than incorporating CGI as he had done in earlier films. The film opened #9 to a 3.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it fell on the chart from then on, grossing 15 mil. $ (7.3 % of the total gross). It was the film's 2nd biggest market. Japan was its biggest with 164.5 mil. $ (80.3 %), and South Korea was the 3rd biggest with 6.9 mil. $ (3.4 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Miyazaki returned with Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess/Pan-dane to Tamago-hime (2010, short) and theatrically with The Wind Rises/Kaze tachinu (2013). Ponyo is certified fresh at 91 % with a 7.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Ponyo?