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I know a primary-school teacher who struggled to build a term around the Second World War. How can you teach about the most harrowing conflict in history to a group of ten- and eleven-year-olds, without reducing them to wallowing balls of tears and fears? Sgt. Stubby, the debut feature animation from Fun Academy Motion Pictures (which wants to provide “innovative educational entertainment”), tries to do exactly that for the First World War with a friendly dog called Stubby.

Sgt Stubby: An Unlikely Hero is based on the true story of a stray dog that was ingratiated into an American regiment and became their mascot (as well as a kind of canine soldier) in the French trenches. Private Robert Conroy (Logan Lerman) is training with the other soldiers in the parade grounds of Yale University, when Stubby comes in and befriends Conroy – following him all the way to France. Through Stubby and Conroy,...

The educational entertainment outfit is teaming with Dave Woodward’s Jade Films.

Us-based educational entertainment company Fun Academy is moving into UK theatrical distribution with the release of the $22m computer animation Sgt. Stubby: An Unlikely Hero later this year.

The prodution and distribution outfit is partnering with Jade Films, the company owned and founded by Dave Woodward, also the head of theatrical sales at UK disributor Thunderbird Releasing, to physically release the film on over 100 screens in the UK and Ireland.

Directed by France-based UK filmmaker Richard Lanni and with an English-language voice cast of Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu,...

The educational entertainment outfit is teaming with Dave Woodward’s Jade Films.

Us-based educational entertainment company Fun Academy is moving into UK theatrical distribution with the release of the $22m computer animation Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero later this year.

The prodution and distribution outfit is partnering with Jade Films, the company owned and founded by Dave Woodward, also the head of theatrical sales at UK disributor Thunderbird Releasing, to physically release the film on over 100 screens in the UK and Ireland.

Directed by France-based UK filmmaker Richard Lanni and with an English-language voice cast of Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu,...

Family animation on release in the Us.

Los Angeles-based Spotlight Pictures has boarded international rights to feature animation Sgt. Stubby: An Unlikely Hero and will introduce to Cannes buyers next week.

Helena Bonham Carter, Logan Lerman, and Gerard Depardieu feature in the voice cast on the animation from Ireland’s Fun Academy Media Group.

Sgt. Stubby is currently on a 1,600 screen run in the Us and follows the adventures of Stubby, a dog who befriends a soldier in the First World War and is decorated for his courage.

“We are extremely excited to be working with Spotlight,” producer Laurent Rodon said.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero Review

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018) Video Movie Review, a Fun Academy Motion Pictures movie directed by Richard Lanni and starring Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter and Gérard Depardieu.

In this video review, I delve into Richard Lanni’s Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero and discuss the film’s story, animation, its characters, and how [...]

Continue reading: Video Movie Review: Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018): Not Bad For Something That Came Out Of Nowhere

The post Video Movie Review: Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018): Not Bad For Something That Came Out Of Nowhere appeared first on FilmBook.

As pet lovers celebrate their furry friends throughout the month of April — National Pet Day, April 11; Kids and Pet Day, April 26; and National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day April 30 — critics from coast to coast have embraced the heartwarming, animated family tale Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, based on the incredible, documented true story of a scrappy, little stray dog who became a celebrated hero on the battlefield during World War I.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero opens nationwide on April 13

As part of that month-long celebration of our beloved and faithful, furry friends, Fun Academy Motion Pictures has partnered with 90 national and regional animal organizations across all 50 states – including The Humane Society of the United States – to shine a light on the human-animal bond and the amazing things adopted animals can do when given a chance in life … and the true story of a little, stray dog who rose above...

After a weekend of fluctuating projections, Dwayne Johnson (just barely) owned the North American box office after all.

Though earlier estimates looked like the second frame of “A Quiet Place” would take the weekend, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros.’ “Rampage” snuck up to take the top slot with $34.5 million from 4,101 theaters.

Though the sci-fi actioner has an impressive A- CinemaScore and 80% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes, “Rampage,” which opened under initial predictions, will need to rely heavily on overseas to carry its costly $120 million budget. The video game adaptation earned $114.1 million internationally, with a worldwide total of $148.6 million.

Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros.’ attributed the weekend’s numbers to Johnson’s star power.

“Dwayne Johnson is a closer,” Goldstein said. “He’s got an incredible connection with his fanbase. He’s a global draw unlike anybody else today.”

Its North American opening was enough to...

During his decade or so on earth, Stubby the terrier accomplished far more than some people (including me) will achieve in their human-length lifetimes. A Connecticut stray that became the most decorated dog in U.S. history, “Sergeant” Stubby‘s exploits during World War I include locating and rescuing the wounded, capturing a German spy, and warning American and French troops about mustard gas strikes. He endured gas attacks himself, as well as grenade wounds.

For his 18 months of service, he was introduced to three presidents and given a cushy post-military gig as the mascot of the Georgetown Hoyas. Upon his death in 1926, the New York Times memorialized Sergeant Stubby with a half-page obituary, and his body was donated to the Smithsonian. To ask who’s a good boy in his presence would be an insult.

I can’t say that the world needed “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero,” the new animated biopic (doggopic? pupperpic?) about a wordless creature who, despite a few movie-like touches, is more animal than Pixar-ish humanoid. Cartoon Stubby moves, acts and, most importantly, sounds like a real dog.

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Director and co-writer Richard Lanni (“The Americans in the Bulge”), who penned with Mike Stokey, smartly leans on naturalistic canine charm to tell a story that already feels too incredible to be true. At 75 minutes, the resulting feature is the definition of slight, but just winsome and optimistic enough to justify itself.

A young Army soldier, Robert Conroy (voiced by Logan Lerman), gives Stubby his accidental calling. A fateful encounter on the street — and the surprising leniency of Robert’s superiors — makes the stocky, diminutive canine a fixture on the base, where doughboys are being trained to fight the Germans. The human dramas range from predictable to wholly dispensable. Among Conroy’s buddies, Olsen (Jordan Beck) declares that he hates dogs and Schroeder (Jim Pharr) wants to prove that, despite his Teutonic accent, he belongs in his chosen home, not the one he left behind.

Also Read: Stephen Colbert Says His Cartoon Sarah Huckabee Sanders 'Sounds Just as Happy as She Looks'

In France, Conroy’s mentor becomes Baptiste (Gérard Depardieu), a genial Gaul who enjoys — wait for it — cheese and wine. A quasi-storyline about the gradual erosion of French prejudice against their American allies feels out of place. And the film’s narrator (Helena Bonham Carter), Conroy’s never-seen big sister and the only female “character,” feels like an element the writers shoehorned in to hit a marketing quadrant goal.

No matter. The plot hardly makes a difference, since the movie’s chief asset is its heartwarming but never Pollyanna-ish ambience. Exercising welcome restraint (especially for a children’s movie), Lanni never states the biggest lesson to be learned from Stubby’s story: That when talent, loyalty, and friendship are nurtured, there’s no telling what miracles may arise. Nothing is more dehumanizing than war, and it was crucial for soldiers in the trenches to feel a connection to their own humanity through a dog’s companionship — and wise of Conroy’s higher-ups to permit their troops the comfort that Stubby represented.

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Yes, it’s adorable when Conroy teaches Stubby how to salute, and when the dog dons a cape that the local villagers make for him as a thank-you gift for warning them about impending mustard gas. (The chemical weapon — rendered as a genuinely creepy neon-green smoke that Maleficent might swirl herself around in — is a standout image among otherwise unremarkable CG animation).

We never forget that this is war, and a loss late in the film is accordingly moving. Through it all runs Stubby, blissfully ignorant of human cruelty and unwaveringly stalwart in protecting those he loves.



Read original story ‘Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero’ Film Review: Dog Loves His Doughboys in Animated Wwi True Story At TheWrap...

The makers of “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero” could hardly have asked for better timing: Their computer-animated feature about the real-life adventures of an improbably plucky canine on the battlefields of World War I has arrived not long after “Wonder Woman” introduced many young viewers to the specifics of what was billed — inaccurately, alas — as the War to End All Wars. As a result, director Richard Lanni’s family-friendly yet persuasively detailed movie should come across to a sizable chunk of its target audience as something appreciably more immediate than a period piece set a century ago. Better still, the film is sufficiently intelligent and entertaining to engage most grown-ups and, no kidding, fascinate history buffs.

This is the stranger-than-fiction story of a scruffy stray Boston terrier who bonds with novice solider Robert Conroy (voiced by Logan Lerman) during the latter’s basic training in Connecticut, and manages to follow...

After delivering Sony its largest movie of all-time at the domestic box office with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Dwayne Johnson reteams with his San Andreas and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island director Brad Peyton and producer Beau Flynn’s Flynn Picture Company with the feature adaptation of the 1980s video game Rampage from New Line/Warner Bros. which tracking has landing between the mid $30Ms to $40M range for or a No. 1 take at 4,100-plus sites.

Rampage follows primatologist Davis (Johnson) who soon learns that the intelligent silverback gorilla George in his care has gone crazy and grown large. Turns out there are other animals who are experiencing the same symptoms and start trampling on cities. George faces off against them.

Rampage will push Paramount’s horror surprise A Quiet Place to second place with a second weekend of $32.5M-$35M, which on the high-end will propel the John Krasinski...

Box office king Dwayne Johnson is ready to reclaim his crown.

Johnson, whose “Jumanji” just became Sony Picture’s highest grossing movie of all time, is swinging back into theaters with “Rampage.” The New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. pic, which reportedly cost $120 million to make, is estimating a debut between $37 million to $40 million from 3,950 theaters. Though that would be enough to secure the top spot from “A Quiet Place,” it’ll still need a boost from overseas to make the pricey film profitable.

Loosely based on the video game, “Rampage” follows a primatologist (Johnson) who shares a bond with a silverback gorilla that turns the gentle ape into a giant and aggressive beast after a rogue genetic experiment that goes wrong. Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, and Joe Manganiello round out the film, directed by Brad Peyton.

Still, positive word of mouth should drive Paramount Pictures’ “A Quiet Place” to another strong weekend.

Fun Academy Motion Pictures, the studio behind the upcoming animated family film Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero and Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California, one of the entertainment industry’s most respected and generous non-profit institutions, are co-hosting the world premiere of the animated family feature as a fundraising event to benefit Variety – the Children’s Charity of Southern California and the Boys and Girls Club of Boyle Heights on Tuesday, March 27 at the Regal L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero opens nationwide on April 13

Red carpet is 4:30 p.m.; with a reception at 5:00 p.m. and screening at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets and event sponsorships are available to allow kids from underserved L.A. communities to attend the premiere. All net proceeds will be donated by Fun Academy to Variety – the Children’s Charity of Southern California, which has...

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, which marches into theaters everywhere April 13, is based on the incredible true story of the unbreakable bond between a young Soldier and a stray dog who, for his valorous feats, was the first dog promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the U.S. Army, remains the most decorated dog in U.S. Armed Forces history and is widely considered the forerunner to the Army’s working dog program.

From Fun Academy Motion Pictures, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, opening in theaters nationwide on April 13,

Beyond his extraordinary military exploits – well documented in history books, but largely forgotten until now – Stubby’s status as an adopted stray is earning him recognition by animal rescues and welfare organizations. As part of that celebration of this four-legged hero, Fun Academy Motion Pictures announces a partnership with The Humane Society of the United States and approximately 90 other regional and...

Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.

– Netflix has acquired the worldwide Svod rights to Drake Doremus’ “Newness,” Deadline reports. The film stars Nicholas Hoult and Laia Costa as a couple in contemporary Los Angeles navigating the world of online dating and social media–driven hookup culture. The film was a last-minute addition to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and co-stars Matthew Gray Gubler, Courtney Eaton, Danny Huston and Courtney Eaton. Netflix acquired the rights in a reported seven-figure deal.

– Gravitas Ventures has acquired writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s second feature film, “Abundant Acreage Available.” The film premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay Award in the U.S. Narrative Competition. The film focuses on siblings Tracy (Amy Ryan) and Jesse...

Fun Academy Motion Pictures’ first animated feature centres on storied American military dog.

Fun Academy Motion Pictures has announced Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, the first animated motion picture to come out of the Georgia-based studios.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero tells the true story of Stubby, a stray dog who after being rescued off the streets by an American soldier became a hero in the First World War. Sgt. Stubby is still recognised today as the first dog promoted through combat and the most decorated canine in American history.

Richard Lanni directs the film that features the voice talents of Helena Bonham Carter, Logan Lerman, and Gérard Depardieu.

Lanni also serves as executive producer on the film that will feature an original score from composer Patrick Doyle.

Fun Academy Media Group is producing the film with animation by Mikros Image, which is based in Paris and Montreal and owned by Technicolor. Mikros worked...

Fun Academy Motion Pictures’ first animated feature film centres on storied American military dog.

Fun Academy Motion Pictures has announced Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, the first animated motion picture to come out of the newly developed Columbus, Georgia-based studios.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero tells the true story of Stubby, a stray dog, who after being rescued off the streets by an American soldier became a hero of the First World War. Sgt. Stubby is still recognised today as the first dog promoted through combat and the most decorated canine in American history.

Richard Lanni directs the film that features the voice talents of Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter and Gérard Depardieu.

Lanni also serves as executive producer on the film that will feature an original score from composer Patrick Doyle.

Fun Academy Media Group, Ltd. is producing the film with animation by Technicolor company Mikros Image, the company behind Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, from...

Fun Academy Motion Pictures’ first animated feature film centres on storied American military dog.

Fun Academy Motion Pictures has announced Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, the first animated motion picture to come out of the newly developed Columbus, Georgia-based studios.

Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero tells the true story of Stubby, a stray dog, who after being rescued off the streets by an American soldier became a hero of the First World War. Sgt. Stubby is still recognised today as the first dog promoted through combat and the most decorated canine in American history.

Richard Lanni directs the film that features the voice talents of Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter and Gérard Depardieu.

Lanni also serves as executive producer on the film that will feature an original score from composer Patrick Doyle.

Fun Academy Media Group, Ltd. is producing the film with animation by Technicolor company Mikros Image, the company behind Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, from...