Movie: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: July 1, 2009
Runtime: 94 minutes	Directed by: Carlos Saldanha
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and peril	Gecko Rating:

They’ve really mined everything they can out of these "Ice Age" movies, haven’t they? That’s not to say they’re not cute and fun and all that stuff. Just that maybe they’ve come to the end of the line on these particular characters and stories. Then again, they’ve added a few new characters in this movie, and let’s face it, they’re just at the dawn of the dinosaurs, which means this franchise could go on into infinity.

The first movie, 2002’s "Ice Age," was definitely the best. The second, 2006’s "Ice Age: The Meltdown," was cute, and this one is cute, too. They just seem to be losing their steam. But the animation continues to be fantastic, with every snowflake and furry animal popping off the screen at you (the 3D animation helps, too). 

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When my kids were little, one of our favorite books was "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi and Ron Barrett. I think I liked it probably more than the kids. Just the idea of having food raining down on you whenever you’re hungry is a pretty entertaining idea. Ok, my adult-self thinks it would get really messy, but my kid-self says bring it on!

The animated big screen version hits theaters Sept. 18, 2009, and features the voices of Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, James Caan, Tracy Morgan, and Mr. T. Yes, Mr. T! It’s directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who’ve done some episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" and other TV shows and a few movies.

The official site doesn’t give a lot of clues about the story, other than the raining-food part, but it still looks cute as all get out. And of course, on the site you’ll find fun downloads and games, like 3D Food Fight, Stump the Monkey, and Sticker Studio. Here’s the trailer playing in theaters right now:

Remember that episode of "The Twilight Zone," where the couple gets off a train and ends up in a town devoid of human life and everything seems fake and it turns out they’re on an alien planet and are now the playthings of a little girl? "Planet 51" is sort of like that.

Ok, that might be stretching it a bit, but an astronaut plants a flag on a planet that turns out to be filled with aliens mowing their lawns and barbecuing in their backyards. It’s a mind-twister because the humans are the aliens, and the astronaut is the one trying to get back home.

"Planet 51" is an animated family movie directed by Jorge Blanco and featuring the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, and John Cleese. No rating yet, but I’m guessing PG. It hits theaters Nov. 20, 2009.

I love it when studios release movies on Wednesday, because it helps to break things up and gives us a chance to see lots of new movies in the same week!

In Theaters Today:

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG). Released in regular and 3D formats, this third movie in the franchise finds Scrat still on the hunt for that elusive acorn (and possibly finding love with a female sabre-toothed squirrel); Manny and Ellie expecting a baby; Diego pondering his place in the world; and Sid wishing for a family of his own. Rated PG for some mild rude humor and peril. [Trailer] [Poster] [Official Site]

Public Enemies (R). Directed by Michael Mann, this gangster movie tells the story of charismatic John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), whose bank raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) and his fledgling FBI, including agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Rated R for gangster violence and some language. [Trailer] [6 Clips] [Images] [Official Site]

Images: © Universal Pictures

With all the bad news in the world, I think we can all use a little Charlie Brown right about now. "Peanuts: 1960s Collection" is coming to DVD, and it has lots of favorites from the 1960s, including "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "Charlie Brown’s All-Stars," "It’s the Great Pumpkin," "You’re in Love," "He’s Your Dog," and "It Was a Short Summer."

Charles Schultz knew exactly how to get to the heart of things with his simple characters with complex problems, whether it was Lucy’s quest to get Schroeder’s attention or Charlie Brown’s to kick that football.

This re-mastered set hits DVD July 7, 2009. Here’s a sneak peak:

Image: Amazon.com

I really don’t have much history with Astro Boy, but the movie looks like a lot of fun! It’s a CGI-animated movie coming to theaters Oct. 23, 2009.

“Astro Boy” began as a Japanese manga series and TV show first broadcast in Japan from 1963 to 1966. The story follows the adventures of a fictional robot named Astro Boy and lots of other fun characters, too.

The movie is set in futuristic Metro City, where Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is a young robot created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy has super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed, and the ability to fly.

The young robot goes on a search which eventually leads him back to Metro City to save everything he cares about.

“Astro Boy” also features the voices of Kristen Bell, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy.

Images: TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

We’re starting to get some buzz around the film “9,” directed by Shane Acker and produced by Tim Burton. Check out the theatrical poster below, offered exclusively to Film Gecko, and watch the trailer and a clip here.

The story follows a ragdoll-like creature named “9” (voiced by Elijah Wood) who comes to life and finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world where all humans are gone. When 9 discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from killing machines, he convinces the others that hiding will do no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and the future of civilization may depend on them.

Definitely not a light-hearted, fluffy kids’ flick. Also check out the Facebook page, where the back-story of “9” has begun to unfold through the voice of the film’s Scientist. You can see for yourself the Machine that will help rebuild the Nation and his designs that will change the world. 

Set for a Sept. 9, 2009 release date, voice talent also includes Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau and Christopher Plummer. It doesn’t get much better than that.

What do you think of the poster?

Image: © FOCUS FEATURES LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In the world of classic cartoons, one of my favorites is “Tom and Jerry,” and much of that is because of the artistic style of legendary animator Chuck Jones.

Coming to DVD on June 23, 2009 is “Tom and Jerry: Chuck Jones Collection,” a must-have 2-disc collector’s set featuring all 34 theatrical shorts produced by Jones. Pre-order Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collectionon Amazon right now! And visit Film Gecko’s DVD Store on Amazon.

What I love about these cartoons is they’re not “in your face” like the cartoons of today (kids these days!). They’re more subtle. You have to actually watch the cartoon to catch everything, whereas a lot of modern-day cartoons – not naming names – are just made up of stupid characters doing stupid things.

Anyway, you can tell I’m a fan of the vintage cartoons like “Tom and Jerry,” and I’ve already checked out this collection and can tell you it’s awesome. It also includes two new bonus documentaries: “Tom and Jerry … and Chuck” and “Chuck Jones: Memories of a Childhood.”

After the jump, a trailer and complete list of shorts included in the set…

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Movie: Up * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: May 29, 2009
Runtime: 96 minutes	Directed by: Pete Docter
MPAA Rating: PG for some peril and action	Gecko Rating:

My daughter and I have this running joke about how I can find something to cry about in every movie. I didn’t think that would be the case with “Up,” but sure enough, I got a little weepy a few times! But I was also uplifted and enchanted, too. Pixar has rolled out another winner with “Up.”

The movie starts with two young kids, Carl and Ellie, who are both completely fascinated by a daring adventurer named Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). He roams the jungles of South America, bringing back bones of animals previously unknown to man. But when he’s accused of being a fraud, he flies off to South America, vowing never to return until he can bring back living creatures to prove he’s indeed the real thing.

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The first trailer for Disney’s "The Princess and the Frog" aired during Friday’s episode of "Wizards of Waverly Place." The animated fairy tale centers on a young princess named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose – love her in HBO’s "The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency") who lives in the French Quarters of New Orleans during the Jazz Age.

Directed by Ron Clements, the Disney romance features the voices of Terrence Howard, John Goodman, Keith David, and Oprah Winfrey. It’ll hit theaters just in time for Christmas, on Dec. 11, 2009.