Iron Man 3, under the helmet

Iron Man returns to theaters on Friday in Iron Man 3! At the press junket for the movie, held in Los Angeles on April 22, the cast and crew talked about how the movie came together and the challenges of keeping a superhero's adventures fresh and exciting. You can read my report from the junket on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

After the junket, I had the opportunity to sit down with Don Cheadle. He plays Colonel James Rhodes, the man inside the suit of the Iron Patriot. Check out my interview with the all-talented actor!

Kid Reporter Damien Murphy: What sets Iron Man 3 apart from the other two movies?

Don Cheadle: It's bigger and badder. Tony gets to come to terms with who he is and his relationship with (Rhoadey) grows stronger.

Kid Reporter: How is the Iron Patriot different from the War Machine in the last movie?

Don Cheadle: It's just a paint job. Really! The President (in the movie) wanted to re-brand him and just changed the look and re-named it.

Kid Reporter: Did  you actually get to wear the Iron Patriot suit or was it just CGI?

Don Cheadle: I actually had to wear it. It wasn't very comfortable. It was really heavy, but some of it was CGI and motion captured mixed in.

Kid Reporter: What's it like to play Tony Stark's best friend?

Don Cheadle: We had fun! I think it shows in the movie because we just had a lot fun interacting on and off screen as well.

Kid Reporter: Do you have a favorite scene in the movie?

Don Cheadle: I like doing the stunt work especially in the third act. The cable stuff and running around.

Kid Reporter: Did you do your own stunts?

Don Cheadle: Yeah, I did all the physical work -- on harnesses, cables and leaping off two stories buildings...

Kid Reporter: I know you've done a bunch of different kinds of movies, mostly serious ones. What's it like to be in a bi-budget comic movie?

Don Cheadle: I've done a lot of different things, and being in this big-budget action movie is just another piece of the puzzle.

Kid Reporter: Are there other similarities between the other smaller budget movies you've made?

Don Cheadle: No, I wouldn't say that. This one is a huge undertaking. Very technical. But at the end of the day, we are just creating real moments and truthful beats.

Kid Reporter: Why do you think these movies continue to be so liked by so many?

Don Cheadle: They're just a lot of fun. They don't take themselves so seriously. They can just go into the theater and cheer and be entertained.

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy

Photo: Iron Patriot/James Rhodey (Don Cheadle) (Photo: Film Frame © 2012 MVLFFLLC. TM & © 2012 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.)

Kid Reporters go inside Hotel Transylvania!

Diego: On Thursday, January 10, my good friend Damien and I took a trip to Sony Pictures Animation Studios to get a behind-the-scene look at how the movie Hotel Transylvania was made. When we arrived, we were greeted by two very hospitable ladies who showed us around and walked us through the animation process. Looking around, everyone seemed so enthusiastic and exuberant as they were getting ready for their next big project and wrapping up this one.

Damien: When we walked up to the entrance we were greeted by a life-sized character cutout of Dracula from Hotel Transylvania. The lobby of the studios was filled with giant 3D poster boards of all the characters from the movie. I couldn't believe I was in the studios where so many of my favorite computer animated movies had been created!

Our tour began with a special one on one drawing lesson from Darrell Rooney, a story artist who worked on the movie. He taught us the basics of how to draw Dracula. It's really simple and composed of the three basic shapes: triangles, rectangles and circles.

Diego: Thanks to Darrell Rooney I can draw a decent portrait of Dracula! Of course, it’s nothing compared to what he has done but at least I know the basics to draw my own cartoons. “When drawing a character,” paraphrasing what Rooney said, “it is important to exaggerate, distort, or alternate certain features in order to help with theme development and characterization.” For example, did you know that the shape of Dracula’s head in Hotel Transylvania was inspired by a coffin?

Damien: Then we were off to meet the creator and director himself, Genndy Tartakovsky. He was in the voiceover room where many of the world's animation voices have been recorded. Diego and I took turns doing voice over for Mavis and Dracula by viewing clips from the movie. It was hilarious and super cool to try.

Diego: That was my favorite part of the trip. Going into the scratch room with Director Genndy Tartakovsky and recording dialogue for a scene was really fun!

Talking with Genndy was cool, too. He's an interesting man with an impressive background in the art of animation. When he was young, and he came to America from Russia, Genddy said cartoons were his escape from everyday life. And now look where he is. Cartoons and animation ARE his everyday life.

Damien: The last stop on our tour was to the other side of the studios where we met 3D Stereoscopic Supervisor Von Williams who gave us a sneak peek on the tech side of what it takes to make 3D movies.

Diego: Von Williams is possibly the best stereoscopic 3D professional in the world and he gave us an inside look at his job, too. Watching Von Williams was like observing a potter create a whole entire world from clay, only with computers.

Damien: It's amazing how just the slightest touch of a button here or a flip of a switch there can make all the difference in how a movie can pop out at you. It was fascinating to see the layers and controls that are used to make 3D animation come alive in 3D. It was a lot of fun to learn all the secrets behind the magic of the animation movie making. It really is fun!

Diego: Seeing the characters jumping out of the screen and huge, atmospheric castle chambers make many feel as if they were jumping into the screen. But to actually see the 3D process is a whole other story.

Check out our video report about our time at the Sony Animation Studio on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website! And watch a video of our voiceover work below!

—Kid Reporters Diego Magaña and Damien Murphy

Photo: Kid Reporters Diego Magana (left) and Damien Murphy take a turn behind the microphone to give voice to characters in Hotel Transylvania during their Sony Animation Studio tour in January. 

The Nominations Are In!

This morning was one of the biggest moments of the year for Hollywood. At 5:30 a.m., the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 85th Annual Academy Awards. The Academy Awards — also known as the Oscars — are the most prestigious honor handed out to movies in America.

Oscars are awarded in 24 categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. These awards usually go to grown-up movies, but there's a category for movies kids have probably seen, too. This is the Best Animated Feature award. This year, the five nominees are Brave, Frankenweenie, ParaNorman, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, and Wreck-It Ralph.

As it turns out, Kid Reporters have written about all five of these movies! Revisit their stories on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website, then let us know what movie you think should win the Best Animated Feature Oscar!

The Oscars will be awarded on February 24. 

Photos: (from left to right) A still from Brave (Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.); a still from The Pirates! Band of Misfits (Aardman Animations for Sony Pictures Animation); a still from ParaNorman (LAIKA, Inc.); a still from Wreck-It Ralph (Disney. All Rights Reserved.); a still from Frankenweenie (Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

—Editor Dante A. Ciampaglia 

The girl who makes Ralph wreck it

On a last-minute invite, I got to attend the wrap party celebration at the Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California, for the movie Wreck-It Ralph (which opens in movie theaters today). It was there that I got to interview Stephanie Scott on her latest role in the new movie. She plays the girl playing all the video games as Ralph jumps between different game worlds. In the interview, she shares what it's like doing a voice over, her favorite character in the movie, and her favorite video games.

Check out my interview below! And read about my trip to Disney Animation Studios a few months ago for a behind-the-scenes look at Wreck-It Ralph!

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy

Earth Day 2012: Coyotes, endangered skunks, and homemade compost

Back in March, I attended the Los Angeles Environmental Education Fair, which was held at the L.A. Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. I was there to meet up with my fellow reporter Miranda to interview Adrienne Bermingham from Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots organization.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a flock of peacocks walking freely around the grassy patches. Adrienne was really nice. She told us how Roots & Shoots was a program that encourages kids and teens to come up with their own solutions to environmental problems. Roots & Shoots is all about the kids coming up with their own ideas to help endangered species and environment problems. She took us for a walkthrough tour where we met an endangered white skunk and even a coyote! There were chinchillas, turtles, and a giant Flemish rabbit, which is the world's largest kind. He weighed 13 pounds! I also got to learn how to make your own compost and plant seeds in it.

After the tour, we went to a hands on workshop where we formed groups with other kids and they gave us some supplies made out of recyclables and we had to build a prototype of something to help solve the problem of invaders into the sewage system. Invaders called "invasive species," like unwanted mosquitos and other bacteria, cause problems and damage to ecosystems. It was fun to come up with something on our own. 

The best thing I learned was that it is easy for us to make a big difference. 

If you want to get involved it is as easy as going to the Roots & Shoots website!

Watch the interview Miranda and I did with Adrienne on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy 

Love on a leash

Sammy is my three-and-a-half-year-old basset hound. He fills our lives with so much joy, and we notice all the smiles he brings out in everyone. He's a real "Love On a Leash.” So why keep it all to ourselves when we can share his joy with others — especially those in need of being cheered up?

Chandler Convalescent Home in North Hollywood, California, is a home for seniors who need help to live and get care in their old age. Many of the seniors have no visitors or family or any fun in their day. We decided it's a perfect place for a visit from Sammy.

We got a bunch of flower-shaped lollipops at the store and drove down to the Chandler Convalescent home. The first person we saw was John Witherspoon. He's a 64-year-old man who fought in the Vietnam War. He was sitting outside enjoying the sun when he saw Sammy come up to him and gave him a big slurp! I handed him a lollipop and we talked about his favorite band, the Beatles.

When we walked into the entrance, it was quiet. There were some TVs on in the background, but not much cheerfulness. Then as soon as the people saw Sammy, it was smiles everywhere! One lady, named Theresa, was sitting in her wheelchair started waving and clapping when she spotted Sammy trotting down the hall. He was the life of the whole place — Mr. Popular!

Another lady, Mable, was having a snack in her bed and wasn't able to get up, but Sammy went over and stood up on the side of her bed and licked her hand. She gave him some of her sandwich.

We met many nice people who live there, like Joy and Marci who like doing puzzles. They asked if we would bring a picture of Sammy next time for their room.

It was so much fun to see what a difference we could make. We made lots of new friends too. Sammy really did all the work. He deserves extra gravy on his dinner all week!

I hope Sammy inspires you and your family to give back in your neighborhood. There are people everywhere who are in need of a smile and love. Just a little goes along way. I know because it only took a half-hour of our day, and it made a difference in so many lives!

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy

Photo: Kid Reporter Damien Murphy with Sammy, his basset hound, and John Witherspoon, a resident of Chandler Convalescent Home in Norht Hollywood, California. (Courtesy Damien Murphy)

A cool time at the Mr. Popper's Penguins premiere

Don't get me wrong, growing up in Hollywood, California, has its perks. Like, for one, the best year-round weather, and two, the many celebrity sightings, and three, the home of movie making and premieres. But sometimes, out of the clear blue skies, you could be walking down Hollywood Boulevard and find yourself walking right into a blizzard!

It was Sunday, June 12, and I was heading toward Grauman's Chinese Theater for the premiere of Jim Carrey's new movie, Mr. Popper's Penguins. The streets were closed off and lined with fans awaiting the arrival of the stars for the movie. Expecting to see a red carpet, I was surprised to find that the whole theater was covered in frost and snow and a white carpet. Above, there were big machines blowing snow and from the speakers came howling wind sounds.

The crowd suddenly came alive with cheers and at first I thought it was Mr. Carrey himself, but I couldn't see because my spot was at the end of the "white carpet." I was so surprised when, before my eyes, I saw the stars of the movie waddling down the press line. It was the penguins themselves: Captain, Nimrod, Lovey, Bitey, Stinky, and Loudy! They waddled to an icy spot where they posed for pictures with people.

I met the director, Mark Waters, who told me they learned a lot working with the penguins and that they each had a personality of their own, which kept it very entertaining and interesting. I also met Maxwell Perry Cotton, (who plays Billy, son of Mr. Popper). He told me that they were constantly drinking something hot like hot cocoa or coffee to stay warm on the set. The set had to be kept at 30 degrees!

Then, just as the snowfall began to clear, I heard another roar from the crowds. It was much louder than before. It was Jim Carrey, walking down the snowy white carpet. He had that funny squint in his eyes and his humorous smile greeted everyone. When he got down to the end of the carpet, I introduced myself to him. He remembered me from the phone interview I did with him back in April. We both shared some laughs about the funny things penguins do. Who would have thought I'd meet my most favorite actor, Jim Carrey, who stars in a movie about my favorite animal of all time, penguins! Mr. Carrey was so busy with people all around him and he still made time to shake my hand and talk penguin talk with me.

The movie starts out getting to know Mr. Popper and, like the book it was inspired by, Mr. Popper is a serious business man who put his love of work before family. It wasn't until he inherited six penguins that his life was turned upside down. The penguins' loving and playful ways brought so much fun back to Mr. Popper's life that it made his family much closer and mostly made Mr. Popper himself see that he didn't want to keep missing out on spending time with his family just to work more.

The movie is full of the kind of funny mischief and stunts that you always get with Jim Carrey. It's a movie the whole family can enjoy, from oldest to youngest. The theater was laughing out loud and cheering a lot because there were some things in the movie you didn't expect.

You may be wondering is it the type of movie you want to see again? YEABSOLUTELY!! I will be going again, but this time with my Gramps!

Be sure to check out my interview with Jim Carrey on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

 

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy

Photo: Damien Murphy on the white carpet for the premiere of Mr. Popper's Penguins. (Courtesy Damien Murphy)

The Green Hornet on Wheels!

These superheros have some super sweet rides!

The coolest things about the new superhero movie The Green Hornet, which opens in theaters Friday, January 14, are the super vehicles.

The Green Hornet car “Black Beauty” and Kato’s motorcycle were the first things I saw at a press junket promoting the movie at Sony Studios last weekend. I wanted a closer look, so I went up to guys dressed in black and green who were guarding the vehicles and showed my press pass. They not only let me look, they let me sit in the driver’s seat!

I opened the ‘suicide’ doors, which open up rather than out like a regular car. Gun barrels are built inside the doors. The car also has detailed machine guns on the hood with barrels for firing bullets, flames, and missiles.

Seth Rogen, who plays The Green Hornet, explained at the junket that several car manufacturers had offered their vehicles (and money!) to be featured in the movie. Rogan and others working on the movie decided to use the original car model from the 1960s version of The Green Hornet—a 1964 Chrysler Impala.

When I sat in the driver’s seat, it felt larger than life. I couldn’t believe I was holding the same steering wheel as Kato. The inside had so many buttons and gadgets. I even honked the horn!

I also was able to sit on Kato’s motorcycle. It seemed pretty compact and lightweight after the armed car.

Members of the press were served a great breakfast before being called in to Stage 12 for the interviews with actors and the director.

Stage 12 is a plain three-story building with giant, heavy metal doors that slide open—with a lot of muscle power! The press conference area was in the middle. There was a Green Hornet banner behind the table where the guest speakers would be sitting. I sat in the second of six rows of chairs set up for the press.

As the press conference began, the banner began to glow green. Suddenly the studio lights also glowed green as we all watched Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet), Jay Chou (Kato), Cameron Diaz (Lenore Page), Christoph Waltz (Benjamin Chudnofsky), Michel Gondry (director), and Neal Moritz (producer) walk up to the stage and take their seats.

A sound man holding a microphone saw that I had my hand up for a question. He had his assistant hand me the mic for the first question.

I really wanted to know how Christoph Waltz got into his villain character Chudnofsky. His answer was a little weird.

“I get to work on time, I know my lines, I get ready for the day, eat healthy, and do what the director says,” he said. “I do what I’m told.”

It sounded to me like he wanted to set a good example for the only kid in the room. He sounded like my mother!

I asked Jay Chou, who plays Kato, a more typical question.

“What was your favorite scene in the movie?” I asked.

“When Britt (Seth/Green Hornet) and I were fighting each other, because I always wanted a brother,” he said. “Seth is like a brother.”

He also said how much he loved being able to drive The Black Beauty because it made him “feel manly” and “cool.”

Cameron Diaz, who played the part of Lenore Case, the secretary to Britt Reid (Seth/Green Hornet), said that she was glad that she was the brains and not just the beauty in the movie. The Green Hornet does not have a romantic story line between the superhero and girl.

“That was refreshing,” Diaz said.

For more on the movie, you can check out my review, and my story about the press junket.

—Damien Murphy

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Damien Murphy behind the wheel of the Black Beauty, Green Hornet’s superhero car. (Photo Courtesy Damien Murphy)