Screen Rant » 9

‘9′ Movie Contest – Winners!

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:30:26 +0000

Our contest is now closed and here are the six winners of our 9 giveaway – below are the winning captions for the image above. Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners!

WINNER LIST:

Friday: Roxanne Briggs, Salt Lake City, Utah – “You’re going to need a bigger boat.” (Sorry Dan, your matching quote came in a few hours after Roxanne’s)
Saturday: Ken Robinson, Keyport, NJ – “Did we remember to turn off the oven.”
Sunday: John Yandall, Murfreesboro, TN – “My God… It’s full of stars.”
Monday: Carlos Guerra, Guatemala City, Guatemala – “Is that what a 10 looks like?”
Tuesday: Albert Ornelas, Newport Beach, CA – “That’s no moon – that’s a space station.”
Wednesday: Wesley Boutilier, Marietta, GA- “Oh no! Disney’s coming, I think they’re going to buy us!”

Well we haven’t run a giveaway in a few weeks so I guess we’re due for another one. This time we’ll be giving away one limited edition book per day until Shane Aker’s (and Tim Burton-produced) 9 opens on Wednesday, September 9th (9 opens on 9/9/09, get it?).

Here’s what you’ll have a chance to win:

The limited edition official book for 9. There will only be 999 copies of the book printed and they come in a burlap pouch resembling the material the characters in the film are made from – as well as a DVD of the original short film that inspired the movie. The book contains tons of background information on the story and lots of beautiful images from the film. Here are just a few:

This will be the fastest we’ve ever selected winners, we’ll be updating this post daily with each new person we’ve selected. The contest is open to everyone, doesn’t matter where you live – and here’s how to enter:

Send us an email (link below) with what you think is a great caption for this image from the film:

You Might Also Be Interested In:

‘9′ Review

Vic Holtreman — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:06:03 +0000

Short Version: While not suitable for younger children, Shane Aker’s 9 draws you into its world effortlessly and is most definitely worth seeing.

Screen Rant reviews 9

There’s been a lot of buzz around the Shane Aker-directed, Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov-produced movie 9. The idea for a feature length 9 movie was sparked by a short film of the same name by writer-director Shane Aker.

The short film is really quite amazing (click on the link above to see it) and I was excited to hear a full length film would be made based on it. However when I saw the first trailer and there was dialog (the short film has none) I got a bit worried that it might not have the power of the original short film. While the addition of dialog does remove a fair amount of the sense of awe and mystery, the full length 9 still manages to stand on its own as a film worth watching.

9 is both the title of the film and the “name” of the hero of the film (voiced by Elijah Wood). As the film opens, the first thing we see is the unconscious, burlap, rag doll figure that is 9 hanging by his wrist in the center of some mechanical device. It’s obvious that he’s been there for quite a while – long enough that the thin string supporting him has frayed against the circular frame surrounding him and the look of the surroundings. The string finally breaks, and upon hitting the table 9 awakens, disoriented by his surroundings.

He finds himself in a dangerous, post-apocalyptic world devoid of human life – and in possession of a mysterious device that he senses must be important. Eventually he runs into others of his own kind who have been hiding from a terrifying mechanical cat beast, hoping that it eventually dies away. They are led by “1″ (voiced by Christopher Plummer) who has a big, burly and not very smart “8″ as a protector. When 9 appears on the scene, he is dismayed at the sense of fatality and status quo the few survivors are living in. “2″ was the first person he ran into – 2 saved his life and while he was taken away by the cat beast, 1 has no intention of sending anyone off on a rescue attempt.

9 takes things into his own hands and along with 5 (a scientist-apprentice of 2) heads off to try to rescue their captured comrade. Along the way they meet 7 (Jennifer Connelly), an independent young female who has ninja-like skills and refuses to live under 1’s rule.

9 and 5 head out to rescue their friend

Soon the device found by 9 is put into use with disastrous consequences, from which our intrepid little heroes must extricate themselves.

Shane Acker and the actors manage to bring many nuances of emotion to the little robotic(?) characters in the film and it doesn’t take long at all to start feeling for and empathizing with them. Each character was designed to excel at a specific function and their personalities match whichever that might be. We do also get to see what led to the world they live in through flashbacks – and there is a cool retro “War of the Worlds” vibe to that part of the film.

The film is more than a bit vague on how these little critters were created – in the original short film it’s not an issue, but in a full length feature film the lack of a better explanation here did intrude on my enjoyment of the film a bit. Also, even at just 80 minutes it still felt a little long to me.

This movie is wonderful visually – I loved the detail and texture of the world they created here (if you’re a fan of the “steampunk” genre you’ll probably love 9). The film is dark both visually and in tone – and so rich in detail that you won’t be able to absorb it all in one viewing. Speaking of “dark,” 9 is rated PG-13 for “violence and scary images.” In particular cat beast and the seamstress are sure to freak the little ones out – so please keep in mind while this is an animated CGI film, it might not be suitable for kids under 7 or so. There is some nightmare material here for sure for more sensitive kids.

While there are familiar elements to the story (while details of the story are unique, the overall story arc is fairly conventional), the originality of the idea still shines through loud and clear. Being that it has the odd combination of being a CGI animated film that’s not really suited for younger children, I hope that 9 still manages to find an audience because it’s a film that is definitely worth watching.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Shane Ackers ‘9′: Final Prep Kit For The Movie

Kofi Outlaw — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:53:49 +0000

We here at Screen Rant have been anticipating the feature-length adaptation of Shane Acker’s ‘9′ all year long, and tomorrow all of our gushing praise and free promotion will come to an end, as 9 debuts in theaters everywhere.

Why have we been championing this film for so long? Well, for a couple reasons really:

It’s the uniquely original creation of a uniquely original visionary (Acker).
Endorsements by both Tim Burton and Nightwatch director Timur Bekmambetov -- two visionaries in their own right -- who co-produced the film.
The fact that 9 is based on Acker’s awesome 2005 Oscar-nominated CGI short of the same name.
The film is rated PG-13, meaning it’s a CGI movie that’s more for adults than kids (Yay!).
The film looks like it could be the official good start to the Fall season (sorry Gamer).

Today I’ve decided to collect the best clips, trailers, images and posters for 9 in one place, to serve as your final prep kit for the movie (in case you’re somehow still in the dark about it). I’ll also point you to more clips and images, in case you still have 9 fever by the time we’re done here.

You can also head to pg. 3 to learn how you can win Screen Rant’s official 9 giveaway contest!

Let’s kick things off with some multimedia enjoyment. I’ve laid the following videos out so that you can view them in order, starting with Shane Acker’s 9 animated short, which was nominated for an Academy Award. After that we have a trailer for the feature-length version of 9, and some clips featuring the many (unique) tech-beasts from the film.

Get comfy in your chair, grab a snack and prepare to be spirited away into the world of 9:

SHANE ACKER’S ‘9′ ANIMATED SHORT

‘9′ OFFICIAL TRAILER

“BATTLE OF THE WINGED BEAST” CLIP

“THE SEAMSTRESS” CLIP

“9 SAVES 7″ CLIP

MAKING OF 9 FEATURETTE (WITH CHARACTER INFO)

For more clips from 9, check this Yahoo Movies Gallery.

(Continue to pg. 2 for 9 character posters!)

You Might Also Be Interested In:

4 New Hi-Res Images & A New Clip From ‘9′ [Updated]

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:12:36 +0000

[UPDATE: We now have a new clip from '9']

Hey gang, it’s pretty late and I shouldn’t even be up doing this right now, but since I love you guys and I love this film, I thought I’d pass on four new gorgeous hi-res images from Shane Acker’s 9, the CGI animated film about a twisted dystopia where living rag dolls battle for survival against techno monsters. It was produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and will be hitting theaters next week on 9-9-09.

The images are great , so we thank Focus Features and the team behind 9 sending them our way (we’ve been championing this film for awhile now). I’m not going to say much more than that, it’s late, I gotta jet, so here are the images (the first one is posted in the header above).

Observe the eye-popping finished product of Shane Acker’s uniquely imagined film, 9:

(Double click any image for a hi-res version)

Facing the Cat Beast

9 and 1 stand together

9 at home on the rooftop

[UPDATE: Check out this latest clip from '9']

(Sorry guys, the clip is only viewable in the U.S.)

If those pretty pictures are really catching your eye and you want to learn more about the film (as you should), be sure to check out our entire 9 gallery: there’s posters, trailers, cool interactive sites, clips from the film and the even the Oscar-nominated short film by Shane Acker that inspired the movie.

9 features the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily. It will be in theaters, as stated, on 9-9-09.

Update Source: MTV

You Might Also Be Interested In:

‘9′ Viral Contest: How Well Can You Draw?

Kofi Outlaw — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:42:41 +0000

9-9-09 is fast approaching and the last promos for Shane Acker’s ‘9′ are being put into play…literally. We posted awhile back about the fun interactive viral site for 9, and the accompanying Facebook page for “The Scientist,” the man who creates the nine living rag dolls who are the main characters of the film (hence the title).

If you are a fan of 9 and haven’t checked out the film’s viral sites, you should absolutely do so because they fill you in on a lot of the backstory about how nine rag dolls came to be alive, and what their purpose is.

Now there is an added incentive to take the 9 experiment: you may just win yourself a sweet prize pack.

The contest is a “Chalkboard Challenge” – Basically, you draw the best piece of artwork you can on a digital chalkboard and post the pic on 9’s Facebook wall. Best artist wins the prize. Here’s the official breakdown:

Begin the challenge by visiting www.9experiment.com . When you scroll over to the chalkboard, you can participate by clicking on the piece of chalk to drawa picture. When you’re done drawing your picture, screen grab it, save it, and post your drawing to the Scientist’s wall at facebook.com/9scientist to be entered into the Chalkboard Challenge sweepstakes to win a fabulous “9″ prize pack!

There will be 9 winners, so the lucky winner could definitely be you. However, in order to be eligible to win, you have to enter by September 9, 2009 (which is the day that “9″ is released in theaters).

I don’t usually recommend viral sites (not my thing) but I definitely think you should check out both viral sites for 9. They’re a fun and engaging way to really get a feel for the uniquely envisioned world the film is set in (without SPOILING anything), so you’ll already feel at home and familiar when you sit down in the theater to enjoy the actual movie. And hey, you might even win something to boot, so really, where’s the downside?

9 is directed by creator Shane Acker, with producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov helping things along. The film features the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily. It will be in theaters, as stated, on 9-9-09.

Sources: 9 Experiment & The Scientist Facebook Page

You Might Also Be Interested In:

‘9′ Clip Picks Up Where Last One Left Off

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:26:01 +0000

We’ve been covering feature film adaptation of Shane Acker’s Oscar-nominated short film 9 for some time now, and even though the film is being co-produced by Tim Burton (Alice In Wonderland) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted), it hasn’t been generating the kind of buzz I (for one) hoped it would.

So I keep trying.

9 did have a bit of presence (including a street team of lovely ladies) at this year’s Comic-Con, where attendees of the 9 panel were treated to new scenes from the film. A new clip has appeared online, and it is actually a continuation of a previous clip we posted, featuring lead characters of the film going up against a serpentine tech-monster.

At the end of the previous clip, the serpent monster had made off with one of our protagonists; this latest clip highlights the rescue attempt. Now that I think about it, these two clips are actually kind of a big SPOILER for the film – so only watch if you don’t mind knowing things in advance.

Aw hell, since I love ya, here are BOTH clips from this “Battle with the Snake Beast” sequence in 9:

Movie Trailers – Movies Blog

9 Exclusive Clip

Alright, so I know some of you are going to argue that’s hard to buy the cow when they’re giving away all this milk for free. But really, I suspect the filmmakers are doing all they can to push this film right about now, and a PG-13 animated film about dolls is a…unique concept to sell to the public. So if they have to show a bit extra to get you interested, so be it.

I want this film to do well so that we can continue to get some darker, unique, adult-themed animation in theaters. You know, like some anime-type stuff, only, like, “Animerican.” Yeah, that sounds about right…

Anyway, 9 hits theaters on 9-9-09. If you liked what you saw in the clips, go out and support it.

Source: MTV (clip 1) & Myspace (clip 2)

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Comic-Con: Panel for Shane Acker’s 9 (With Wanted 2 Update)

Rob Keyes — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:12:58 +0000

After waiting in line for a big part of the afternoon, I was let in to Hall H as they were playing a big scene from the upcoming animated film, 9.

The scene featured a battle with one of robotic monsters and it looked pretty exciting. Without giving too much away, one of the characters may or may not live through that sequence.

Once the footage finished and lights came back on, time was spent talking with the guests on panel who included Shane Acker, the creator behind it all, producer Timur Bekmambetov, producer Tim Burton, and stars Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly.

Before the questions began, the host made the point that it’s “frightening, but it’s also adorable” which is a good way to describe the characters in the movie.

When discussing the designs of the characters, Acker was asked about the difficulties of bringing these characters to life and making them resonate with the audience. Part of Acker’s reply went as follows:

“Design limitations yield the best fruit because it forces you to be creative with expressions.”

Before this feature film, and before the short film Acker made which led into this project, Acker was an animator for such films as Return of the king. They discussed how that helped him in the process of designing the creatures we will see in this movie.

Acker spoke incredibly well and was both entertaining and intelligent. I think he has a great future beyond this but what’s concerning is a great point brought up by one of the audience members who asked if he was worried about the lack of box office success for animated films that are darker, more dramatic and adult-oriented.

In their responses, the director and Tim Burton seemed more hopeful of this project and this explains why so much talent has joined the project to support it.

At the end, we were treated again to the latest trailer which I think is great. I wasn’t sold on this movie until I saw this trailer and I hope the movie maintains a lot of that excitement throughout the full length of the movie. The music and the way they introduced the nine sentient rag dolls was epic.

We were also treated to a little update from Timur Bekmambetov, the director of Wanted, about its sequel. He says its going to shoot in about 8 weeks and that James McAvoy will be returning.

9 opens 9-9-09 (September 9, 2009).

You Might Also Be Interested In:

2009 Comic-Con Preview: Shane Acker’s ‘9′

Kofi Outlaw — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:02:24 +0000

One of the more highly-anticipated panels of the upcoming 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International is Shane Acker’s ‘9′, a new CGI-animated film about a dystopian future where mankind has been eradicated by machines and only nine living rag dolls remain to protect life itself.

Many have been impressed with the visual splendor and creative imagination behind 9; the fact that the film is based on a Oscar-Nominated short film and has producer’s like Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) backing it is no small endorsement either. As a preview of what you can expect from 9 at the ‘Con this year, check out a few words from Tim Burton and some new stills from the film:

Said Tim Burton in a recent interview with MTV News:

I just love the texture and stop-motion feel to [the film]…I know animation is broadening its horizons but this just felt different… I liked the world that [Acker] created and the texture. It felt like a different type of animated film. The visuals were helping to create the story. I just felt very in tune with the look and feel of it.

Our goal as producers—if you see someone you like, you don’t want to suppress them—the goal was to create an environment where [Acker] can do his thing…My attitude is always to give suggestions and if he uses them fine, if not, okay. We wanted this to be grounded and slightly realistic in the similar vein to stop-motion, let the film breathe. We wanted it to have mystery and let it breathe.

The panel for 9 at Comic-Con will include Burton, co-producer Bekmambetov, creator/director Shane Acker and stars Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly, who voice the characters of “9″ and “7″ respectively. In regards to what fans can expect from the panel, Burton hinted, “Probably a sequence or two.”

The panel for 9 will take place on Friday, July 24th from 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm in Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center. See you there.

If you can’t make it to Comic-Con but want to see more of 9, check out some stills below, which were released exclusively to a few lucky websites by Focus Features:

"9" vs. a Tech Beast

"5" and "6" in peril

"9" holds the key to life

"9" and "7" on the run

For better looks at the pics, head over to MTV, EW, The Anime Blog & Buzznet. If all these numbers are confusing you, get to know the characters of 9 (dolls 1-9) by going here.

‘9‘ will be in theaters on 9-9-09. The 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International will take place from July 23-26th.

Source: MTV & io9

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Tim Burton To Premiere ‘Wonderland’ At Comic-Con

Ross Miller — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:01:21 +0000

Tim Burton has already been announced to appear at this year’s Comic-Con (for the first time in over 30 years) to promote his produced animated film, 9. However, that’s not the only thing Burton is there to promote – he’s also bringing with him the very first footage of his upcoming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.

Joy be for Tim Burton fans!

Not only is Alice in Wonderland to have its first footage shown at the Con, but it’s being described as a “semi-trailer.” What’s that, I hear you ask? Well, let’s let Mr. Burton himself explain:

“[It's] a kind of a semi-trailer… It’s where we’re at at the moment. There’s not a lot of footage to show.”

It’s understandable that Burton wouldn’t have a full trailer for Wonderland yet, considering the movie’s still a while away and they’re not anywhere near done filming yet to be able to give us a full trailer. Not only is the point in time an issue in that they simply don’t have enough to show yet, there’s also the issue that the movie is a complicated mix of live-action, CGI and motion capture, which requires a lot of production beyond just shooting it with a camera. Burton explains:

“It’s a strange process we’re dealing with… We’re using a mix of techniques. If you picked them apart, each technique has been done before. We’re mixing them up, in a way.”

“I wish we had more footage to show… It’s a real mysterious puzzle that’s frightening and exciting at the same time.”

Burton is scheduled to appear on the 9 panel on Friday July 24th, but pre-empts that with the Wonderland footage the day before during the Disney 3-D panel. Alongside Alice in Wonderland footage will be the likes of Robert Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol, and Tron 2 (is it a coincidence those three are all either a remake, a reimagining or a sequel?). MTV speculates that along with the Wonderland “semi-trailer,” we’ll most likely get Burton talking about the processing of making it, including collaborating with Johnny Depp for the seventh time.

For more on what Tim Burton said pre-Comic-Con, you can over to MTV Movies Blog.

Even if the Burton fan in me wants to see exactly what kind of stuff he’s come up with (at least visually) in motion with Alice in Wonderland, I’m sure anything that he shows at Comic-Con will just fuel the anticipation of the movie for me. The images we’ve seen so far have all been wonderful – I really can’t wait to see what the finished product ends up like.

What sort of footage do you think Tim Burton will be showing within this Alice in Wonderland “semi-trailer?” Are you looking forward to his take on the classic tale?

Alice in Wonderland is set to hit theatres on March 5th, 2010, in the US and on March 12th, 2010 in the UK.

Source: MTV Movies Blog

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Latest (French) Trailer for ‘9′ Is The Best Yet!

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:15:22 +0000

I’ve asked it before and I’ll ask again: since when did the international tailers for U.S. Movies get better than their domestic counterparts??? All the trailer-cutters out there in Hollywood should be worried: your overseas competition is pulling ahead!

Case in point: the French trailer for Shane Acker’s ‘9‘, which is being produced by Tim Burton. Thankfully it’s in English, because it’s the only trailer that actually explains the story! The domestic teaser and full trailer for ‘9‘ were both well done, however they really didn’t clue the uninitiated to what 9 is all about. If you’ve been wondering, check out the French trailer:

Thanks to Allocine for posting this:

Now that I’ve seen this trailer I have a MUCH better understanding of who these “rag dolls” are, and why they’re out in the wasteland battling the kind of techno-beasts we’ve seen in clips from the movie. It kind of really steams me that I had to jump to a website that’s not even in English to get the explanation of what 9 is all about in plain English. Irony like that often makes my head hurt.

Though I have to say: the CGI in this film looks pretty amazing! Just check the hands of “The Scientist” who is stitching the doll in the beginning of the trailer. IF you want to see the French trailer in HD, go here.

Now that you FINALLY have an understanding about the plot of 9, be sure to check out our full gallery on the movie. It’s full of wonderful posters, clips, trailers, interactive sites and even the Oscar-nominated short film by Shane Acker, which inspired this movie.

‘9‘ hits theaters on 9-9-09.

Source: Allocine via Film School Rejects

You Might Also Be Interested In:

New Posters For G.I. Joe & Shane Acker’s 9

Rob Keyes — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:00:33 +0000

[Update: We've added the remaining 2 '9' posters to complete the set]

We posted up the posters numbered 7 and 8 for the upcoming adventure, titled 9, by Shane Acker (based on his Academy nominated short of the same name) earlier this weekend and now we have the rest of them to finish the series: posters numbered 1-6 and 9. In addition to that, we also have the newest poster from G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra which features Rachel Nichols as Scarlett

We’ll start with the animated adventure, 9. The voice cast for the film includes the talent of Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Crispin Glover, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly and Elijah Wood as the protagonist, number 9 himself.

The posters for this movie that we’ve seen so far look pretty amazing and I love how each character and their respective role get to be featured in their own one-sheets. In order, here they are:

Christopher Plummer as 1

1 is the oldest of the dolls and their self-proclaimed leader. He is clever and sly, but also domineering, irritable, quick-tempered, and slow, if not unwilling, to trust 9.

Continue Reading ‘New Posters For G.I. Joe & Shane Acker’s 9′

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Number 7 & Number 8 Posters for ‘9′

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:18:50 +0000

[UPDATE: We now have a second character poster from '9']

Shane Acker’s ‘9‘ is one my most anticipated films of Fall 2009. The movie – about living rag dolls tasked with preserving life in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by machines – is easily one of the most uniquely original and visually captivating works I’ve seen in awhile.

Today we have a new promo poster for 9 that features the character of 8. If that sounds confusing, it’s only because you aren’t aware that the movie’s protagonists, the rag dolls, are all numbered 1-9 (duh). Number 8 is the “strong man” of the bunch – check out how badass he looks:

click for larger version

click for a larger version

The scene depicted in the “8″ poster is taken from the ‘battle of the winged beast’ sequence, a clip we posted on Screen Rant just a few days ago; the creature in the background of the “7″ poster looks a lot like the one from Shane Acker’s original 9 animated short. If you think the poster of 8 looks badass, then you need to view the winged beast clip ASAP and watch Number 8 tear it up with his butcher knife sword and half-scissor spear. Between him and Number 5 (the doll with the one eye), I’d say I’ve found my favorite characters in 9! Here’s hoping they survive until the end!

If this film has snagged your interest, please be sure to check out the other clips, trailers, viral sites and posters we have for it. We’re trying to get a buzz going so that people go out and support this movie: a lot of us here at Screen Rant wouldn’t mind some more adult-oriented animated features in the future. But we have to $upport the one we’ve got first…

9 hits theaters on 9-9-09. How do you like the poster? Which rag doll character is your favorite so far?

UPDATE: Be sure to check out ALL 9 character posters by going here.

Sources: i09 via First Showing

Update Source: Icon vs Icon

You Might Also Be Interested In:

New Clip from ‘9′: Battle of the Flying Beast

Kofi Outlaw — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:17:23 +0000

A kind Screen Rant reader put us onto the latest clip from the upcoming Tim Burton / Shane Acker / Timur Bekmambetov CGI animated epic, 9, and I can say with all honesty that this is the best clip from the film that I’ve seen so far.

The last clip from 9 that we saw featured the movie’s living rag doll protagonists being ambushed by a chilling Frankentech monster. This latest clip features pretty much the same scenario, only with a different Frankentech beast and much more action. Check it out:

VIDEO REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF FOCUS FEATURES

The clip really succeeds in highlighting the world of the film, in which these little rag dolls are the sole keepers of life, stranded in a world that has been all but decimated by technology run amok. And just like in 9 creator Shane Acker’s original animated short, this clips shows off the wonderful amount of imagination that went into transforming our everyday world into an entire new reality (via the Honey I Shrunk The Kids method).

I love how everyday household items have become weaponry and armor – or even pieces of anatomy for the Frakentech beasts. Everything about the look and function of the characters (good and evil) and their interactions with their environment boasts a certain sort of familiarity and logic, while still managing to feel new and magical.

The visuals alone are enough to sell me on this film; the fact that it’s “dark” enough to have earned a PG-13 rating (that the studio isn’t shying away from) only makes me more excited. Even after all the coverage of 9 we’ve done here at Screen Rant, I still feel like the film isn’t generating a big enough buzz; at the same time, I feel like once it’s released, word of mouth could potentially give this movie serious legs. I hope so: I would love for 9 to become a successful franchise.

If you’d like to find out more about the world of 9, you should definitely go here.

9 will be released on 9-9-09. Let us know what you thought about the clip.

Source: You Tube via The 9 Forum

You Might Also Be Interested In:

New Viral Site for ‘9′ Offers Cool Features & Backstory

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:14:27 +0000

If you’re a Screen Rant regular then you know we’ve been cheerleading pretty hard for a new movie called 9, which is a CGI animated sci-fi fantasy about a group of living rag dolls (numbered 1-9) who hold the key to life in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by machines.

Well, 9 now has its own viral site, which offers a lot of background information on the world the story is set in, and what events led up to the “birth” of the rag dolls and their mission to protect life.

The site is 9experiment.com and it was launched in conjunction with the facebook page for “The Scientist”, the…er, scientist who ultimately created the living rag doll characters of 9.

[WARNING THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS ABOUT THE '9' VIRAL SITE!!!]

This viral site is pretty cool. It’s set up to look like The Scientist’s lab and has sketches of some of his early inventions. There are a bunch of interactive items in the lab, such as a The Scientist’s journal, which opens to reveal an entry corresponding with the current date. A row of symbols across the bottom of the screen link to audio samples of Elijah Wood (who plays the titular character of 9) narrating snippets of backstory about the political/social events that led to the fall of humanity, the rise of technology, and the creation of the rag dolls. Currently four of the nineteen symbols are accessible; the rest look like they’ll “light up” at different increments in the near future.

Three things I especially like about this viral site: how upfront it is with the info it gives; how the info provided is actually relevant (and interesting) to the plot of the film; and finally, the fact that there are enough time-incremented interactive features to keep you returning to the site from now until 9 hits theaters. Too many of these viral sites are interesting for a minute, and totally forgettable a minute later. Not the case here.

9 will feature the all-star voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily. If you like the viral site, be sure to check out the short film that inspired the movie and an exclusive clip from the film.

The film hits theaters (when else?) on 9-9-09.

Sources: Facebook & 9 Experiment

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Cool New Final Poster For ‘9′

Vic Holtreman — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:51:20 +0000

We’ve got the final poster for the Tim Burton / Shane Acker animated film 9. This is looking like an interesting film (when isn’t a Tim Burton film at the very least interesting?), and it’ll be coming out after the big summer blockbuster rush (September 9th).

Check out the poster below.

Final poster for '9' (click for larger version)

You can also visit Facebook to visit a page set up to explain the backstory through the eyes of the scientist in the film: Facebook.com/9scientist. It’s a cool Facebook page, showing the development of the little fellas over time.

And if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, here’s the trailer:

[See post to watch Flash video]

9 opens on September 9, 2009 (9/9/09, get it?).

You Might Also Be Interested In:

New (Russian) Poster For Animated Movie ‘9′

Ross Miller — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:10:32 +0000

So far, what we’ve seen from the upcoming rag-doll filled world of the movie 9 has inspired nothing but confidence and excitement about the project. It looks equal parts weird and wonderful, with gorgeous visuals and a very welcome darker tone than most animated movies today.

Today we have a new poster for the film, a striking and intriguing one that only makes me look forward to the movie even more. The poster is in Russian, but fear not as it doesn’t really matter – the number 9 is still the same, and we don’t need to speak a foreign lingo to appreciate the fantastic looking characters. The producer of 9, Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch and Daywatch), is Russian, so I guess we can count the poster being in Russian as very fitting .

Check it out the Russian poster for 9 (click for larger image):

9 looks to be one unique and dark animated movie. By the look of the clip and the trailer we’ve seen so far, it’s not all that kid-friendly – not to say it’s got copious amounts of strong language, sex scenes (Team America, anyone?) or strong bloody violence either, but it’s definitely dark enough to scare some of the younger kids in the theater.

This film reminds me very much of the recent Coraline, which I’ve heard also frightened some of the kiddies out there. Is this what we can expect more of from Hollywood in the future, animation-wise?

Directed by Shane Acker, 9 is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a small group of surviving rag dolls try to defend themselves against a horde of tech-creatures like who threaten the very future of civilization. It features the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau and Christopher Plummer.

What do you make of the latest poster for the animated film 9? Do you like the look of the film so far?

9 is scheduled to be released on the 9-9-09 (see what they did there?).

Source: IMPAwards

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Second Trailer for ‘9′ Reveals More Plot Details

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:06:22 +0000

For months now we here at Screen Rant have been cheerleading for director/animator/designer Shane Acker’s 9, the story of a dystopian future in which little rag dolls imbued with “the spark of life” try to defend themselves against a horde of tech-creatures which have all but extinguished life on the planet.

Up until now the only things we’ve really known about the world of 9 have been largely inferred from the the Oscar-nominated 9 animated short film and the first trailer for 9 the movie – both of which lacked any real dialogue or exposition explaining what the hell was up with the rag dolls and freaky tech creatures. Well, now we have the second trailer for 9 (thanks to G4 TV) and it does a little bit to fill in those plot details. Check it out:

So far I like everything about 9. It’s weird, original and best of all, a bit on the freaky side. If you don’t believe that this movie will give you goosebumps, you haven’t seen the clip from 9 that we posted about a month ago – the one where a serpentine tech monster lures dolls with flashing lights and then traps them in its body with a bunch of thread and sewing needles. Freaky stuff. Kind of stuff that earned 9 its PG-13 rating.

Here’s hoping that the finished movie does well at the box office. I would love to see more animated films in this vein.

9 hits theaters on September 9, 2009 (9-9-09). It will feature the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily.

What do you think of the second trailer?

Source: G4

You Might Also Be Interested In:

‘9′: The Animated Short That Inspired The Movie

Kofi Outlaw — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:30:35 +0000

Back in 2005, director/animator/designer Shane Acker released a silent animated short film called “9″, about a living rag doll trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. It was a pretty visionary work, full of gorgeous imagery and creatures as creepy as they were original. Personally speaking, the film never made it onto my radar, and for that I can say I am genuinely sorry.

The good news is that in discovering 9 at this late juncture, I’m just in time for the feature-length adaptation which hits theaters this September, and is being produced by Tim Burton (Alice In Wonderland) and Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov!

The full-length version of 9 will also be directed by creator Shane Acker. And, to give you an idea of what Mr. Acker is bringing to the world of animated films, Screen Rant is proud to present the animated short that started it all: We have the original 9 animated short for your viewing pleasure (and hopefully to persuade you to support the film)!

Now, for those who aren’t familiar with 9 – before I ask you to spend 11 minutes of your life watching a film about a living rag doll, I’ll give you a chance to zip through the Screen Rant archives and take a look at the first trailer for 9, and a recent clip from the film. If you like what you see, by all means continue on and enjoy the animated short.

For those who already know what 9 is all about, I won’t delay any longer. Check it out and enjoy:

9 Nine Shane Acker Short Animation

In my opinion, it’s pretty amazing what Acker and Co. accomplish in just 9 minutes of storytelling. I can think of a dozen (or more) major studio animated features that were released between 2005 and now, and not one of them was as powerful, imaginative or thrilling to watch as 9 is–even with their 3D crutch to lean on!

I can also think of one animated film in particular that came out after 9, and also featured a lonely, wide-eyed character laboring in a post-apocalyptic setting without speaking a word of dialogue. I’m not saying, just saying… Even that film wasn’t as cool or excitingly original as 9 seems to be (IMHO, of course).

As an added treat, I thought I’d give you some background info on the visionary mind who created 9, Shane Acker, as dictated by his official bio, from his official website:

Mr. Acker

Shane Acker is an award-winning director, animator and designer. He is now in post production on the feature film “9″…

The 11-minute short…which the feature is based on, premiered at Sundance in 2005 and has garnered numerous awards including the gold medal at the student Academy Awards, “Best in Show” at the 2005 SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2006.

Shane has a multidisciplinary background, studying architecture for several years before becoming a filmmaker. He is a graduate of UCLA’s School of Arts and Architecture where he received both a Masters Degree in Architecture and a MFA in Animation.

Shane currently resides in Los Angeles where he freelances as a 3d artist, director and instructor while actively developing his own independent films.

Wow, I had no idea that 9 had been nominated for an Oscar back in 2006! I’ve really got to start paying attention to that “Best Animated Short” category. There are some real gems buried in there!

Seems to me that this bio is outdated; something tells me that these days Mr. Acker doesn’t have time to “develop his own independent films.” Something tells me he stays very busy.

That about wraps it up. If you can’t tell by now that I’m totally pro-9 then what can I say to you?

The feature-length film hits theaters on September 9, 2009. It will feature the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily (the dolls actually talk in the feature film).

How did you like the original animated short that inspired 9?

Source: ShaneAcker.com & Daily Motion

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Sick New Clip Puts ‘9′ On The Radar

Kofi Outlaw — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:26:29 +0000

I’d be surprised if even 10 people reading this knew about 9, the upcoming feature film adaptation of Shane Acker’s animated short of the same name, which is being produced by Tim Burton (Alice In Wonderland), Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and Jim Lemley.

Thanks to the good tastes of Screen Rant contributor Ross Miller, we posted the first trailer for 9 back in January. The trailer didn’t grab that much attention, but those who did see it immediately fell under the a spell of wonder and anticipation for 9, a film that looks like an epic adventure acted out by a slum child’s homemade rag dolls.

In a second attempt to ramp up some excitement for 9, we have a brief clip from the film, an action scene where a troop of heroic rag dolls battle against a ragged, sock-puppet monster. You really have to see it to understand what that means…

Before you take a look at the clip, here’s a quick synopsis of 9:

9 takes place in a world parallel to our own, in which the very legacy of humanity is threatened. A group of sapient rag dolls, living a post-apocalyptic existence find one of their own, 9 (Elijah Wood), who displays leadership qualities that may help them to survive.

Now that you have a basic sense of the film, allow me to welcome you into the twisted realm of 9:

What I really like about 9 is the scale and details of the environment the rag dolls inhabit. Everything around them and everything they encounter is a logical and believable extension of their post-apocalyptic environment–debris structures, creatures made of scrap materials–it all adds to the frightening world the rag dolls must brave in order to discover the key to civilization’s survival.

As a kid, I used to love these sort of slightly scary epic adventure films. 9 looks like it has all the elements of those adventure/quest movies that I used to love, re-imagined in an original (and visually breathtaking) way. I’m hoping that the experience of seeing 9 will spark my nostalgia, while simultaneously transporting me to a place I’ve never been before (though with Tim Burton being involved, I doubt I have to worry too much about that latter part).

9 hits theaters on September 9, 2009. Shane Acker is directing the film, which will feature the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and John C. Reily. For those not in the U.S., you can check out an HD version of the clip by going here.

Did you enjoy the clip from 9? Is this film now on your Fall movie radar?

Source: MTV News via Coming Soon

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Cool CGI Film You Haven’t Heard Of: ‘9′

Ross Miller — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Since there hasn’t been any coverage of the new Tim Burton produced animated film 9 here on Screen Rant thus far, I thought an update was in order.

The film will be directed not by Burton himself (who’s serving as producer, alongside Wanteddirector Timur Bekmambetov) but by Shane Acker, who directed the same-titled short film that this is based on. It will be written by Pamela Petter, who wrote Monster House and Tim Burton’s own Corpse Bride, and will be voiced by Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover and John C. Reilly.

Here’s the synopsis:

When 9 (Wood) first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they’ll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them.

This seems to have a certain pessimistic vibe, similar to aspects of last year’s WALL-E. Not many animated films deal with “negative” or dark stories – it’s very rare to find one that isn’t all about bright colors and happy, fun elements (not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you). Personally, I like seeing animated films go in this direction from time to time. The trailer for 9 (which you can check out below) demonstrates what I’m talking about:

[See post to watch Flash video]

It’s a solid trailer (although I’m not so sure about the peculiar use of the song “Welcome Home” by Coheed and Cambria) and I’m excited to see that again, this will be about something other than just “a happy story” that’s “kid friendly.” The stylized animation (emulating a sort of more advanced version of stop-motion, perhaps?) gives it an appealing look that I’ll look forward to sitting through for a couple of hours in the movie theater.

And having the name Tim Burton attached to it doesn’t exactly hurt either.

So what do you think? Does it look different enough to be worthwhile, or are you fed up with the plethora of animated movies that get released these days?

9 will be released on September 9, 2009.

Source: WorstPreviews

You Might Also Be Interested In: