Well, this news isn’t good. I just read in Variety that DreamWorks Animation’s net income fell 45% last quarter to $52 million, from $94 million the year before.

Even though sales of “Kung Fu Panda” DVDs generated $102 million during the quarter, revenue still fell 31% to about $200 million, down from $290 million.

Hmmm, this is a little different report than I posted earlier this month. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be one sad puppy if this company, which helmed films like “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” “Over the Hedge,” and “Flushed Away” takes a dive.

CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement that he thinks 2009 will be driven by more “Madagascar,” as well as “Monsters vs. Aliens,” the company’s first 3D release which opens in theaters March 27, 2009.

“We believe that Monsters vs. Aliens will reset the bar for what moviegoers should expect from a CG animated film,” Katzenberg said.

I hope so. I’m pulling for you, DreamWorks!

Image: Paramount/DreamWorks Animation

Movie: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa * Official Site	In Theaters: Nov. 7, 2008; On DVD: Feb. 6, 2009
Runtime: 89 minutes	Directed by: Eric Darnell
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild crude humor	Gecko Rating:

“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” is Too.Much.Fun! I love that they didn’t make us wait for the “Move it, Move It” song, and jumped right into it at the beginning. My kids and I loved everything about it from beginning to end. We all agreed that it’s even better than the first movie. And a third movie is on the way for 2011, so we’ve got that to look forward to.

All the originals are back — Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith). It begins on the distant shores of Madagascar, where we last left our fun-loving group. They’ve finally figured out a way to get back to New York City and their beloved Central Park Zoo. The resourceful penguins have repaired a dilapidated WWII plane and turned it into Air Penguin.

But they’re barely in the air when the plane crash-lands in the African savannah. The kicker is that it turns out to be Alex’s former stomping grounds. We learn that he began life as a cub here, until poachers grabbed him while his father, Zuba (Bernie Mac) was fending off an attack by a foe, Makunga (Alec Baldwin).

Alex’s parents are thrilled to see him, even putting him up in the room they’ve kept with his things all these years. But Makunga quickly manages to get him banished to the wilderness, thanks to Alex’s bumbling of a rite of passage. He thinks it involves dancing, not fighting!

Meanwhile, Gloria finds interest in a group of hippos there, including a certain male hippo, Moto Moto (will.i.am, whose deep voice is like the Barry White of Hippo-World). Melman wrestles with his jealousy over Gloria’s situation, and Marty is dismayed to learn that every other zebra is his exact replica, right down to the voice!

There are so many pop culture references and funny sequences, it’s impossible to name them all. But here are a few highlights:

• An Air Penguin crewman tries to handle a screwdriver, saying “Darn you Darwin!” when the tool slips from his flipper.
• Alex the dancing lion, expertly doing Jerome Robbins’ choreography from “West Side Story” in a fight scene with a ferocious lion.
• The hot-tub love scene between beautifully plump hippos Gloria and Moto Moto.
• A funny storyline involving a group of tourists, including one feisty grandma-type who has no qualms about taking down anyone who gets in her way.
• The manic and musically inventive Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), singing Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” as a ballad.
• Skipper the penguin, putting a hula doll on the dashboard of his airplane control panel, then falling in love with the figurine.

Even though these bits will probably go over the heads of most kids, they’re still very funny, even if you don’t get the references. “Madagascar 2″ is one of those movies to be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

DVD Special Features:

• DWA Jukebox
• Filmmaker Commentary
• It’s A Family Affair: The Cast of Escape 2 Africa
• The Making of Escape 2 Africa
• Crash Landing
• African Adventure
• Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak
• Test Flight of Air Penguin Game
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Activision Game Trailer
• Four MAD Music Videos: "Move It, Move It," “Big and Chunky," “She Loves Me," "The Traveling Song” Sing Along 

Images: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, DreamWorks Distribution, 2008

There are a few things that seem to be recession-proof, and CG-animated family movies are in that category, says DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeff Katzenberg.

He recently talked up his company’s resilience to the global recession and outlined its film slate through 2012, including new installments to the "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda" franchises. "Kung Fu Panda 2" is scheduled for a June 2011 release, and "Madagascar 3" for summer 2012.

It’s somehow comforting to think that family movies might not be swayed by a spiraling economy. You have to wonder why. Maybe it’s because family movies are usually a good way to spend time together. And they’re also a fun escape from any dire financial situations we might be facing.

I’ve often thought that people go to light-hearted movies more during hard times. It takes our mind off of things, offers a good escape from the world, and is just plain fun, no matter what’s going on outside the theater.

Read more

While “The Day the Earth Stood Still” isn’t the best movie in theaters right now, apparently movie-goers are liking Keanu Reeves as the humanoid alien. Here are the weekend numbers from Box Office Mojo:

1. The Day the Earth Stood Still, $30.48M
2. Four Christmases, $13.07M
3. Twilight, $7.95M
4. Bolt, $7.46M
5. Australia, $4.16M
6. Quantum of Solace, $3.71M
7. Nothing Like the Holidays, $3.53M
8. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $3.18M
9. Milk, $2.59M
10. Transporter 3, $2.35M

Image: The Day the Earth Stood Still, 20th Century-Fox Film Corp., 2008

“Four Christmases” rules again at the box office! And I haven’t seen it yet! But I’ve heard from several sources that it’s not as good as they hoped. I’ll see it in the next day or so and post a review. Other than that, yeah, “Twilight” comes in second. No surprise there. Here are the numbers from Box Office Mojo:

1. Four Christmases, $16.75M
2. Twilight, $13.04M
3. Bolt, $9.79M
4. Australia, $7.05M
5. Quantum of Solace, $6.75M
6. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $5.07M
7. Transporter 3, $4.66M
8. Punisher: War Zone, $4.27M
9. Cadillac Records, $3.44M
10. Role Models, $2.57M

Image: Four Christmases, Warner Bros., 2008

“Four Christmases” was the big winner at the box office this weekend, with little “Bolt” coming in second and “Twilight” hanging in there at third. I took my 11-year-old daughter to see “Twilight” this weekend, and she loved it. “Australia” and “Milk” didn’t do as well as I thought they would, though. Here’s how it all shakes out from Box Office Mojo:

1. Four Christmases, $31.06M
2. Bolt, $26.58M
3. Twilight, $26.34M
4. Quantum of Solace, $18.83M
5. Australia, $14.80M
6. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $14.20M
7. Transporter 3, $12.06M
8. Role Models, $5.28M
9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, $1.69M
10. Milk, $1.45M

Image: Four Christmases, Warner Bros., 2008

No big shocker that “Twilight” grabbed the top slot at the box office last weekend, followed by “Quantum of Solace” and “Bolt.” Here are the numbers from Box Office Mojo:

1. Twilight, $69.63M
2. Quantum of Solace, $26.70M
3. Bolt, $26.22M
4. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $15.66
5. Role Models, $7.32M
6. Changeling, $2.69M
7. High School Musical 3: Senior Year, $2.04M
8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, $1.64M
9. Zack and Miri Make a Porno, $1.60M
10. The Secret Life of Bees, $1.26M

Image: Twilight, Summit Entertainment, 2008

That crazy quartet of animals scored high at the box office this weekend in “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” The cruder — but still sweet — “Role Models” came in second, and “Eagle Eye” is still hanging in there at the bottom! I imagine it’ll be pushed out by “Quantum of Solace” pretty soon. Here’s the rundown from Box Office Mojo:

1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $63.10M
2. Role Models, $19.16M
3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year, $9.15M
4. Changeling, $7.25M
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno, $6.27:
6. Soul Men, $5.40M
7. Saw V, $4.06M
8. The Haunting of Molly Hartley, $3.31M
9. The Secret Life of Bees, $3.08M
10. Eagle Eye, $2.54M

Image: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, DreamWorks, 2008

Movie: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa * Official Site	In Theaters: Nov. 7, 2008
Runtime: 89 minutes	Directed by: Eric Darnell
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild crude humor	Gecko Rating:

“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” is Too.Much.Fun! I love that they didn’t make us wait for the “Move it, Move It” song, and jumped right into it at the beginning. My kids and I loved everything about it from beginning to end. We all agreed that it’s even better than the first movie. And a third movie is on the way for 2011, so we’ve got that to look forward to.

All the originals are back — Alex the lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith). It begins on the distant shores of Madagascar, where we last left our fun-loving group. They’ve finally figured out a way to get back to New York City and their beloved Central Park Zoo. The resourceful penguins have repaired a dilapidated WWII plane and turned it into Air Penguin.

Read more

Thought I’d spice things up a little and find out what YOU will be seeing this weekend. Be sure to vote in the poll at the end of this post!

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. The gang is back, and this time, they’re lost in Africa. So they hatch a wild and wooly plan to resurrect an old plane and fly it back to NYC. Rated PG. [Gecko Links and Trailers] [Official Site]

Role Models. After trashing a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender, two guys are forced to do community service mentoring kids. Rated R. [Gecko Preview & Trailer] [Official Site]

Soul Men. Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac play estranged singers who embark on a cross-country road trip/reunion tour to honor their late bandleader. Looks funny, but hasn’t gotten great ratings so far. Rated R. [Gecko Preview & Trailer] [Official Site]

Image: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Dreamworks, 2008