Tag: Animated movies

The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh – A Heartwarming Holiday Adventure for All Ages

The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh is coming to UK cinemas this month. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Animated Christmas movies have become a holiday tradition, offering a magical blend of festive cheer and heartwarming storytelling. Classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer bring to life timeless characters and themes of love, kindness, and acceptance. Modern favorites such as The Polar Express and Arthur Christmas continue to enchant audiences with their imaginative animation and holiday spirit. These films often feature vibrant visuals, catchy songs, and meaningful messages that resonate with viewers of all ages. Whether nostalgic or new, animated Christmas movies have a special place in celebrating the season’s joy and wonder.

Just in time for the holiday season, here’s a new animated Christmas movie coming to UK cinemas this month: The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh. More information below:

Kaleidoscope Entertainment is thrilled to announce the release of  The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh, in UK cinemas from 22nd November. (Strike Media, 2024)

From the producers of The Amazing Maurice, The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh is the third film in the Niko series from co-directors Kari Juusonen and Jørgen Lerdam.

Join Niko on a brand new adventure across the frozen arctic, teaming up with friends old and new, as he races to find Santa’s missing sleigh in time for Christmas.

The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh – Christmas is on the horizon, and it looks like it’s going to be the best one yet for Niko the Reindeer as he sets off to fulfil his biggest dream – taking his place next to his father on Santa’s Flying Forces. However, he faces unexpected competition from Stella, a mysterious new challenger.

Then one night, things go from bad to worse when Santa’s sleigh is stolen. Now it’s up to Niko, joined by friends old and new, to venture to the frozen North on a daring mission to save the holidays. The whole family is invited to join Niko, Stella and the loveable Lemmings on an unforgettable mission and save Santa’s sleigh, just in time for Christmas.

Cast: Matthew Whelan, Emma Jenkins, Dermot Magennis, Paul Tylak, Roger Gregg, Aileen Mythen, Lucy Smith, Harry Weld Moore, Justin Anene, Luke Griffin, Brendan McDonald, Garry Mountaine.

Run Time: 85 mins

Lessons in Friendship and Bravery: The Magic of Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue

Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue is available in theaters starting October 18, 2024. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Animated movies have captivated audiences of all ages, blending art, storytelling, and technology to create immersive experiences. From the colorful worlds of Disney classics to the innovative styles of Studio Ghibli and Pixar, animation allows for boundless creativity. These films often explore universal themes such as friendship, bravery, and love, resonating on a deep level with viewers. Advances in CGI and animation techniques have pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling, bringing fantastical characters and landscapes to life. Whether through heartwarming tales or thrilling adventures, animated movies continue to inspire imagination and foster emotional connections, making them a cherished part of cinematic history.

Second Chance Productions is unleashing the animated adventure Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue in theaters nationwide October 18, 2024. (Gold Dust PR, 2024)

Featuring the stellar voice cast of Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise), Academy Award® nominee Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Brooke Shields (The Blue Lagoon), Danny Trejo (Machete), Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), and Al Franken (“Saturday Night Live”), GRACIE & PEDRO: PETS TO THE RESCUE takes audiences on a journey packed with mischief, humor, and heart, reminding us that friendship isn’t just life’s greatest reward—it’s the ultimate adventure.

Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue – Gracie and Pedro, two beloved pets who don’t get along, are thrown into an unexpected adventure after being separated from their family during a cross-country move. Stranded in an unfamiliar land, pampered show dog Gracie and street-smart alley cat Pedro must put aside their differences and rely on each other to find their way home. Along their journey, they meet colorful characters and face daunting obstacles, ultimately discovering their shared determination and love for their family. 

Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue is produced by Amy Taylor of Second Chance Productions and co-directed by Kevin Donovan (The Tuxedo) and Gottfriend Roodt. Jeff Geoffray of StoryWarrior Media Capital and Peter Wetherell of Magus Entertainment serve as executive producers. Additional voices in the film include Claire Alan, Cory Doran, Bianca Alongi, Mike Nadajewski, James Kee, Ron Pardo and John Stocker.

Popular gaming platform Roblox will be a key marketing platform ahead of the film’s wide release, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the world of Gracie & Pedro. In the Roblox game, players will be able to enter through a grand multiplex lobby where they can select VIP outfits, hair, and makeup before striking a pose on the red carpet. Each theater will offer a unique experience or game, from exploring the majesty of Las Vegas to the thrills of an abandoned amusement park, with opportunities to grab virtual snacks and challenge friends to mini-games within the Gracie & Pedro universe.

The film also emphasizes the belief that pets are an integral part of the family, and to support this message, Second Chance Productions is partnering with non-profit organizations and animal shelters nationwide to raise awareness about pet welfare and rescue efforts. 

Upcoming new animated sci-fi thriller: Max Beyond

Max Beyond will be available for digital download starting April 23, 2024. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In today’s movie news, I have some exciting news about a new action thriller that will be available as a digital download in the US next month. It’s an animated sci-fi movie called Max Beyond. Gamers should take notice of this movie because there will be a spin off video game coming next year and this movie serves as an introduction to the backstory and characters to the game that is currently in production. (HaZimation, 2024)

The Max Beyond game immerses the players into the same world, action and obstacles as seen in the movie, but taking a fresh approach of this being a co-op based game, where both characters have to help each other to restore reality and escape the facility known as Axion, with the engaging game mechanics and alternative timelines.

HaZimation is excited to share that their animated action-thriller Max Beyond will be available on US Digital Platforms from April 23, 2024.

Max Beyond tells the story of Max, a young boy held captive in a research facility. Using his ability to create rifts in the fabric of spacetime across parallel universes, he searches for the reality in which his brother Leon, a former-marine, manages to rescue him. With attempt after attempt ending in Leon’s death, the strain starts to take its toll on both brothers. When Max discovers his captors are using his power against him, he realizes he must stop focusing on how the story ends and rewrite the story from the beginning.

The cast includes BAFTA-award winning actor Jane Perry, Dave Fennoy, and Cade Tropeano. Motion capture performances from Ace Ruele and Alex Kong.

Max Beyond is directed, co-written and co-produced by Hasraf ‘HaZ’ Dulull, co-written by Stavros Pamballis, and co-produced by Paula Crickard.

“What if you had the ability to reset dimensions to find the right moment that will save your brother, but the more you do it, the weaker you get? Strap in for Max Beyond, a tour de force rollercoaster ride of big & intense action, with edge of the seat thrills and emotionally charged characters as the story pulls the audiences into the mind-bending multi-universe.” – Writer/director Hasraf ‘HaZ’ Dulull

The film’s executive producers are Yariv Lerner, Amy Gardner, and Jason Potter. The music score is by Miroshot, a band known for their experiential music featured in SXSW 2022.

Run Time: 92 Minutes

Max Beyond utilizes the latest ground-breaking Realtime animation technology called Unreal Engine, the same engine tech used to power video games like Fortnite. Using this approach has also enabled HaZimation to take a Transmedia view to expand the story and universe of Max Beyond into a video game (Consoles + PC).