Throughout the month of October, The Academy Film Museum will celebrate the artistry of one of the world’s most renowned animation studios with The magic films of LAIKApresented as part of our Family Mornings series.
This series marks the first studio program partnership in which the Academy Museum will screen the studio’s entire filmography. LAIKA’s mastery of stop-motion storytelling, characters, and artistic craftsmanship will be on full display in all-new 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos remastered versions of each of the studio’s five award-winning films.
In addition to the screenings, there will be a specially curated selection of LAIKA products available in the Academy’s museum shop, LAIKA artists will visit the studio to share their expertise and artistry with our guests, and walking characters from the films will be on hand to take pictures.
Every weekend, the Academy Museum screens films for families of all ages. All movies in this series are rated G or PG unless otherwise noted. The museum also offers accommodating screenings with open captioning, dim lighting, and reduced volume for neurodivergent viewers.
Guests are encouraged to cosplay* for scheduled movies.
Screening details
October 1 | 11am | Missing link: LAIKA’s newest stop-motion feature – and, like all of their previous films, an Academy Award nominee for Animated Feature – Missing link tells the story of a scientist-explorer who thinks he’s made the discovery of his life when he meets a Sasquatch, only to find that the Sasquatch has an agenda of his own that leads to a cross-world adventure and an unexpected friendship .
October 8 | 11am | Kubo and the two ropes: Kubo, a young musician and storyteller, must embark on a dangerous journey with the help of a snow monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron) and a beetle warrior (Matthew McConaughey) in this stop motion adventure influenced by the Japanese art and culture. One of LAIKA’s most visually ambitious productions, it received nominations for Animated Feature as well as Visual Effects, only the second all-stop motion film to be nominated in this category.
October 22 | 11am | The Boxtrolls: Alan Snow’s Fantasy Novel Here come the monsters! inspired this beautifully crafted stop-motion comedy about an orphan boy, raised by an adorable pack of underground trolls, who must save his unconventional family from an evil exterminator. Nominated for Animated Feature, the film features a stellar vocal performance from Ben Kingsley as the villainous Archibald Snatcher, backed by an impressive voice cast including Toni Collette, Elle Fanning, Jared Harris, Richard Ayoade, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg.
October 29 | 11 a.m. / Oct. 30 | 3 p.m. | Paranormand: Kodi Smit-McPhee (The power of the dog) provides the voice of Norman in this visually imaginative and surprisingly emotional stop-motion animated feature from LAIKA, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. Norman Babcock is a teenager with the ability to communicate with the dead who finds himself forced to save his hometown from the curse of a witch. Paranormand was nominated for Animated Feature and features a charming score by Jon Brion (Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind).
The 10th anniversary screening for Paranormand (2012) on October 30 at 3 p.m. will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers Chris Butler (writer/director), Arianne Sutner (producer) and Deborah Cook (costume)
October 30 | 11am | Coraline: For his first feature film entirely in stop-motion since the classic The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), director Henry Selick adapted Neil Gaiman’s short story for this elegant, delightfully chilling and dazzling horror fantasy, LAIKA’s first feature production and nominated for Animated Feature. Dakota Fanning is the voice of Coraline Jones, a daring 11-year-old girl who walks through a tunnel from her new home to a seemingly perfect alternate home and family, but things aren’t as ideal as they seem.
Come dressed in your best Coraline and Paranormand cosplay* and dating costumed characters of the two films until 2:30 p.m.
Additional activities
Through the Education Department of the Academy Museum, LAIKA artists will participate in two days of activities. The calm morning gathering on Saturday, October 29 from 10 a.m. to noon and on Walk-in workshop for families Sunday, October 30 from 1-3 p.m. will feature two of LAIKA’s brightest stars:
- Collaborative Costume Design Art Project with LAIKA’s award-winning costume designer Deborah Cook.
- Paranormandtheme toilet paper zombie doing activity with LAIKA stop-motion rigger Lindzay Irving.
The Academy Museum Shop will feature a wide assortment of LAIKA merchandise, including early concept art from the LAIKA films as well as sweatshirts, t-shirts, tote bags, a postcard book, and collectible enamel pins. All items are exclusive to the Academy Museum Shop.
Also available will be items celebrating ParaNorman’s 10th anniversary and the Halloween season, with a Paranormand design that gives a nod to vintage horror comics.
Visitor info
Tickets at the Academy Museum are only available by advance reservation online via academymuseum.org and the mobile app.
Movie screening tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and older), and $5 for students and children (17 and older). Matinees are $5 for everyone. Ticket prices for members of the Academy Museum are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4 for students, children, and matinee goers.
General admission tickets for museum exhibits are $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (62 and older), and $15 for students. Admission is free for visitors 17 and under and for California residents with an EBT card.
Visitors are required to follow all COVID-19 public health guidelines by the State of California and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in place at the time of their visit.
*Cosplay restrictions at the Academy Museum: body paint, functioning props or weapons, full body coverings. Guests in costume may be searched at the discretion of Academy Museum staff at any time; the site reserves the right to refuse entry for any reason.