Dallas Gets ARRIETTY & Ghibli Retrospective This Month Courtesy Of KidFilm & USA Film Festival
Here are some more details:
The USA Film Festival announces
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
28th Annual KidFilm® Festival January 21-22, 2012
DALLAS - The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 28th annual KidFilm® Festival taking place Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22, 2012 at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas.
KidFilm is the oldest and largest children's film festival in the United States, featuring an entertaining, educational, and diverse line-up of new and classic films for both children and adults.
This year's line-up features an all-animation celebration. Program highlights will include:
-- Salute to award-winning children's book author and illustrator Peter Brown (in person), creator of "The Curious Garden," "Children Make Terrible Pets" "Chowder" and other favorites. (FREE books will be distributed to families attending this FREE admission program.)
-- Tribute to Studio Ghibli, featuring a retrospective of 11 titles ranging from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) to a special preview of the new film The Secret World of Arrietty (2012), all presented in new 35mm prints.
-- Special sneak preview footage of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax with appearance by the Lorax character; Children can have their photo taken with the Lorax. (FREE admission program.)
USA Film Festival Board President Dave Perry-Miller said, "We are so pleased to receive a special grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater North Texas and The Eugene McDermott Foundation to support the Festival's KidFilm outreach programs. Their support will enable us to present outreach programs for over 6,000 DISD students and teachers this year."
The Schedule is as follows:
Saturday January 21st
12:30 PM BOOKS COME TO LIFE ON THE BIG SCREENSunday January 22nd
Part 1: MEET PETER BROWN and receive a FREE book!
Peter Brown's works, The Curious Garden and Children Make Terrible Pets, come to life on the big screen in film adaptations from Weston Woods Studios and Scholastic Media. Following the films, Peter Brown will read his newest book, You Will Be My Friend with the audience. The sequel to Children Make Terrible Pets, You Will Be My Friend brings back the lovable Lucy on her quest to do what? Find a friend! Peter's delightfully quirky stories of perseverance and responsibility are beloved by children and parents alike! All Ages. (Free books while supplies last.)
Part 2: MEET THE LORAX!
Special sneak footage of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax! From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the CG animated feature Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. In anticipation of the film's 3D release on March 2, 2012, KidFilm will preview scenes from the new film, followed by an opportunity for kids to meet and have their photo taken with the Lorax! FREE admission for both progams; Total time for both programs is approx. 90 min.
12:30pm MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Frank Welker
One of the most endearing and internationally renowned films of all time, My Neighbor Totoro is a deceptively simple tale of two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who move with their father to a new house in the countryside and soon discover that the surrounding forests are home to a family of Totoros, gentle but powerful creatures who live in a huge and ancient camphor tree and are seen only by children. Totoros, who look like oversized pandas with bunny ears, take the girls on spinning-top rides through the tree tops and introduce them to a furry, multipawed Catbus -- a nod to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat. The girls may be awed by the power and majesty around them, but they understand instinctively that nature has no malice. Hayao Miyazaki. 1988. In English. 86 min. All ages.
2:30pm KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE
Featuring the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Tress MacNeille, Janeane Garofalo, Brad Garrett, Debbie Reynolds
From the legendary Hayao Miyazaki comes the beloved story of a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt. It is tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and set out into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her life's journey with her chatty black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where a bakery owner hires her to make deliveries. This is a beautiful and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world. Hayao Miyazaki. 1989. In English. 102 min. All Ages.
2:30pm WHISPER OF THE HEART
Featuring the voices of Ashley Tisdale, Cary Elwes, Harold Gould, Brittany Snow
Shizuku is spending her last summer vacation before high school reading and translating foreign music into Japanese. Perusing the eclectic selection of books she has checked out from the library, her curiousity is piqued when she notices that the name Seiji appears before hers on the checkout card of each one. Through a series of curious and magical incidents, she comes to meet and establishes a connection to Seiji, who has dreams of becoming a famous violinmaker in Italy, while she has aspirations of becoming a writer. As their life goals pull them in different directions, Shizuku and Seiji are determined to remain true to their feelings for one another. Yoshifumi Kondo. 1995. In English. 111 min. Ages 9 and up.
5:00pm POM POKO
Featuring the voices of J.K. Simmons, Kevin Michael Richardson, Brian Posehn, Tress MacNeille, John DiMaggio
Pom Poko tells the story of magical tanuki, mischievous raccoon-like animals from Japanese folklore that are capable of shape-shifting from their standard raccoon form to practically any object. The tanuki spend their days playing idly in the hillsides and squabbling over food -- until the construction of a huge new Tokyo suburb clears the nearby forest and threatens their way of life. In an effort to defend their home, the tanuki learn to transform into humans and start playing tricks to make the workers think the construction site is haunted, resulting in a spectacular night-time spirit parade with thousands of ghosts, dragons and other magical creatures descending on the city. Isao Takahata. 1994. In English. 119 min. Ages 10 and up.
5:00pm SPIRITED AWAY
Featuring the voices of Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Michael Chiklis, Susan Egan
Wandering through an abandoned carnival site, ten-year-old Chichiro is separated from her parents and stumbles into a dream-like spirit world where she is put to work in a bathhouse for the gods, a place where all kinds of nonhuman beings come to refresh, relax and recharge. Here she encounters a vast menagerie of impossibly inventive characters -- shape-shifting phantoms and spirits, some friendly, some less so -- and must find the inner strength to outsmart her captors and return to her family. Hayao Miyazaki. 2001. In English. 125 min. Ages 8 and up
12:30pm CASTLE IN THE SKYThese tickets are limited and sell out quickly, so be sure to jump on them when they go on sale to the public Monday, January 9th. The ticketing procedure is as follows:
In Japanese with English subtitles.
A young girl with a mysterious crystal pendant falls out of the sky and into the arms and life of young Pazu. Together they search for a floating island in the sky, site of a long-dead civilization promising enormous wealth and power to those who can unlock its secrets. Castle in the Sky is an early masterpiece of storytelling and filmmaking -- its imaginative and ornately detailed vision presaged later films like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Hayao Miyazaki. 1986. 126 min. Ages 7 and up.
1:15pm THE CAT RETURNS
Featuring the voices of Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Peter Boyle, Elliott Gould, Tim Curry, Andy Richter, Kristen Bell, Avril Lavigne
In this sequel to Whisper of the Heart, a quiet suburban schoolgirl, Haru, is pitched into a fantastical feline world and must find her inner strength to make her way back home. Walking with her friend after a dreary day at school, Haru eyes a cat with a small gift box in its mouth attempting to cross a busy street. The cat fumbles the package in the middle of the road as a truck is rapidly bearing down. Haru manages to scoop the cat away to safety. To her amazement, the cat then gets up on its hind legs, brushes itself off, and thanks her very politely. Strange behavior indeed, but this is nothing compared to what happens later that evening when the King of Cats shows up in a feline motorcade. In a show of gratitude for saving his son's life, the king cat showers Haru with gifts and decrees that she shall marry the cat prince and come to live as a princess in the secret Kingdom of Cats. Hiroyuki Morita. 2002. In English. 75 min. Ages 6 and up
3:00pm PORCO ROSSO
Featuring the voices of Michael Keaton, Cary Elwes, Brad Garrett, David Ogden Stiers
Set in a mid-war Italy swept by fascism, Porco Rosso follows the life of Marco, a world-weary flying ace-turned bounty hunter who plies his trade above the waters of the Adriatic. Somewhere along the way a curse has transformed Marco's head into the head of a pig, reflecting his loss of faith in humanity. Marco meets his polar opposite in the innocent and energetic 17-year-old Fio, an aspiring airplane designer, and the two are catapulted into an airborne adventure pursued by air pirates, the Italian army, and an egotistical American flying ace. Hayao Miyazaki. 1992. In English. 94 min. Ages 8 and up.
3:00pm THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY
Featuring the voices of Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, David Henrie, Moises Arias
Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all. Arrietty, a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper. Like all little people, Arrietty remains hidden from view, but when 12-year-old Shawn, a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty's family from the home and straight into danger. Based on Mary Norton's acclaimed children's book series "The Borrowers," the film will open in theaters on February 17, 2012. In English. 94 min.
5:00pm PRINCESS MONONOKE
Featuring the voices of Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Minnie Driver, Billy Bob Thornton, Jada Pinkett Smith, John DiMaggio
While defending his village from a demonic boar-god, the young warrior Ashitaka becomes afflicted with a curse that grants him super-human power in battle, but will eventually take his life. Traveling west to find a cure or meet his destiny, he journeys deep into sacred depths of the Great Forest where he meets San (Princess Mononoke), a girl raised by wolf-gods who is waging battle against the human outpost of Iron Town, on the edge of the forest. Hayao Miyazaki. 1997. In English. 134 min. Note for parents: The film includes violent battle scenes and frightening fantasy creatures that may be too intense for younger viewers. Rated PG-13.
5:00pm NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
Featuring the voices of Uma Thurman, Alison Lohman, Shia LeBouf, Patrick Stewart, Edward James Olmos, Mark Hamill
Set in a devastated future world decimated by atmospheric poisons and swarming with gigantic insects, Nausicaä is the story of a young princess, both brave
and innocent, whose love for all living things and passionate determination to understand the processes of nature lead her into terrible danger, sacrifice and eventual triumph. Like most Studio Ghibli films, there is neither good nor evil, but conflicting viewpoints, weaknesses and power struggles. Throughout the film, Miyazaki's animation is awe-inspiring; the depiction of the poisoned forest in particular is a thing of transcendent beauty. This is a film not to be missed. Hayao Miyazaki. 1984. In English. 116 min. Ages 8 and up.
Tickets are $5 (per program) for children & adults ($4 for USA Film Festival Members).I'll see you there, Dallas!
Tickets for "Books Come to Life on the Big Screen" with author Peter Brown and the Lorax are FREE.
Tickets at the Theater (day of show) -- Tickets will be available at the Angelika Film Center Dallas, upstairs lobby sales table, beginning at 11:30 each day for that day's shows only. Cash sales only (ATM located at theater).
Advance Tickets -- Advance tickets are available beginning January 9 through the Festival office. To purchase advance tickets for the Studio Ghibli films, order by credit card by calling the Festival at 214-821-6300 or via email at usafilmfest@aol.com (All orders will be confirmed by telephone.)
(Tickets for the free "Books Come to Life" program are not available in advance.)
For additional information, please call the USA Film Festival at 214-821-FILM (3456).
During KidFilm, please inquire in person at the KidFilm Information Desk inside the Angelika Film Center. (Please do not telephone the theater. They do not have KidFilm ticket information.)
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