CinemaCon Wraps With Positive Reaction to Ang Lee's 'Life of Pi' (VAR, THR, DH, 24F)

By Wiretap Staff

CinemaCon has wrapped in Las Vegas after a marathon week. Below is a round-up of news from yesterday and interpretations of the event in general.

Variety notes that Warner Bros' presentation of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" divided attendees. The 48 frames-per-second reel was compared to high-def television, with lighting like "an old soap opera." Peter Jackson still has some eight months of post-production to address those concerns.

3D also continued to provoke discussion. Martin Scorsese and And Lee advocated that the format be used for more than big-budget, f/x-driven tentpoles. Scorsese said. "I think you just have to accept it as storytelling."

After 4 years, Universal was back. Celebrating its centennial, the studio showed a reel of its history as narrated by Ron Meyer. Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson introduced the slate and a bunch of stars including Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and Jeremy Renner.

There was also a first look at "Les Miserables" and Tom Cruise-starrer "Oblivion, but The Hollywood Reporter" says the presentation was peppered with much of the same raunchy humor for which the studio's comedies are famous.

Theron said she only agreed to do "Snow White and the Huntsman" if it was "balls to the wall," prompting director Rupert Sanders to respond, "I didn't realize they would be my balls." Theron shot back, "my balls are still intact."

And, Seth MacFarlane was there...

There was also extended footage from Oliver Stone's crime drama "Savages," "Ted" and "The Bourne Legacy."

For a rundown of the individual films, go here.

Also on Thursday, Sony showed an extended look at Whitney Houston's "Sparkle."

Fox previewed 10 minutes of 3D footage from Ang Lee's epic "Life of Pi," about a 17-year-old zookeeper's son and his arch rival, a Bengal tiger, who are stranded together on the open seas after their ship is pummeled, explains Deadline.

24 Frames says the footage seemed to inspire a resounding positive reaction from the crowd, many of whom were even brought to tears.

Here's a rundown of Fox films in the presentation.

**This article was commpiled using reports from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and 24Frames. The original articles can be accessed by clicking the hyperlinks in the text above.