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Unlike stop-motion, though, CG has been a tough sell to the VFX branch, which in the past has nominated “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Kubo and the Two Strings.” That’s because stop-motion falls in line with the criteria of integrating effects into live action (in this case, physical sets and puppets), whereas CG animation is an outlier with its all-digital workflow. However, the Visual Effects Society has no such problem honoring animation alongside live action at the VES Awards as a result of its shared tech prowess and artistic accomplishment....

And yet, here we are. A matter of months after the birth of — the latest — Hollywood Foreign Press Association scandal, its awards ceremony has been canned and the organization is, theoretically at least, at a crisis point when it comes to enacting actual change. How did we get here? Where does the awards calendar go from here? And ultimately, why is this the kick in the pants that the TV Academy needs to make big changes with regards to the Emmy Awards?...

Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon may not be able to match the impact or consistency of Japan’s Studio Ghibli (who can?), but the Kilkenny-based outfit has gradually emerged as one of the world’s last and most valuable bulwarks against the crude and craven soullessness that has defined the post-“Shrek” era of mainstream animated movies. Rooted in Celtic mythology and drawn to look like a moving stained glass window, 2009’s Oscar-nominated “The Secret of Kells” stood apart from its computer-generated 3D contemporaries for its warmth and its beauty....

Nevertheless, when Bong and revered British film writer Tony Rayns connected over Zoom to record the audio commentary for the Criterion Collection’s new edition of “Parasite,” they were faced with the unusual challenge of shining new light on a movie that had been having a year-long moment in the sun. By this point, the vast majority of people who love “Parasite” enough to buy it on premium DVD or Blu-ray and sift through the special features already know about the invention of jjapaguri or “ram-don” noodles (which Bong still insists he’s never tried), the influence of Kurosawa’s “High and Low” on the verticality of the film’s class divide, and the fact that Ki-woo — on an average Korean salary — would have to work for 547 years to afford the house above the basement where his father ends up living at the end of the movie....

Helmed by the writers of “A Quiet Place” Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the upcoming film also stars “In the Heights” breakout Ariana Greenblatt and “Big Little Lies” alum Chloe Coleman. The film centers on an astronaut who crash-lands on a mysterious planet discovers that he is not alone. “65” is produced by Sam Raimi, with Sony Pictures releasing. Danny Elfman is scoring the film. Screenwriters Beck/Woods famously turned down working with LucasFilms (and potentially Adam Driver on “Star Wars“) to continue creating original stories rather than pre-existing IP....

Conceived of and shot during the first months of the pandemic — first-time filmmaker Roshan Sethi is also, get this, a physician, and he spent the earliest months of lockdown working in a COVID ward — “7 Days” holds the familiar shape of other COVID-influenced creations and classic rom-coms, and its warmth and charm make it a darling entry in both categories. When we first meet Rita and Ravi (Soni also co-wrote the film with Sethi, his real-life partner), it’s March 2020 and things are about to go majorly topside....

After more than a year of lockdowns and restrictions, Fourth of July celebrations will be an opportunity to reunite with friends and family. Whether you’re planning a pool party, barbecue, beach day, or simply binging movies on Independence Day, buying a new Bluetooth speaker will enhance your soundscape. To help you make the right choice, we rounded up eight Bluetooth speakers that are perfect for your Fourth of July festivities. From indoor/outdoor speakers to high-end speakers, affordable speakers, portable and wired speakers — the list has a little bit of everything....