Perry Chen, 9-year-old Prodigy Movie Critic A Major Hit on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

(published on “We Chinese in America” June 12, 2009)

A huge truck with large CBS 8 logo and soaring antenna parked in a quiet Torrey Hills neighborhood at 4:30 pm on Sunday, May 31. CBS 8 Reporter Steve Price and cameraman Charlie Landon hopped off the truck to get ready for live coverage of a celebration party at the home of Perry Chen, a 9-year-old third grader from Torrey Hills Elementary School, who has become a renowned film critic and media personality in San Diego for his sophisticated, insightful, and often humorous reviews of G and PG-rated family movies.

This night, Perry will debut on national TV: CBS Evening News with Katie Couric will introduce him as the most prominent child film critics in the country to millions of viewers in an exclusive feature. At 6:24 pm, the last segment of CBS Evening News started. “The new animated movie ‘Up’ soared off with $68 million this weekend, winning the box office race. ‘Up’ got a boost from rave reviews, including one California writer who called it ‘amazing’ and gave it four and a half starfish out of a possible five. Other big films have had to face the starfish test too, as CBS news correspondent Ben Tracy reports.”

Hours of filming and interviewing by the CBS News crew were condensed to a spectacular 2.5 minute feature, with this opening line from Ben Tracy: “In the movie world the critics hold a lot of power. But very few hold their mom’s hand when they show up at the theatre.”

“Wise beyond his years, Perry might just be the youngest movie critic in the country, and has filmmakers who invited him to private question and answer sessions. He has become so well known in movie circles that Perry gets invited to special press screenings before a movie even comes out,” reported CBS 8’s Price.

Indeed, since writing movie reviews in October 2008, Perry was invited to meet and interview the acclaimed French director Michel Ocelot and renowned Pixar “Up” director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera, the creative force behind the first animated feature ever to open the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May 2009. Perry is a columnist and movie critic for “We Chinese in America” weekly newspaper, and has been featured in ten San Diego newspaper and print media, including La Jolla Light and San Diego Ranch Coast News

“I like epic movies and sentimental movies,” said Perry when asked about his favorite type of movies. “What are you going to do when your movie critic days are over?” asked Price. “I want to be a filmmaker. I love movies and want to experience what it’s like to make a movie myself. I’ll make kids movie with action,” said Perry.

Loud cheers erupted when the CBS feature finished. “This is once in a lifetime experience,” Perry commented when prompted by Price, about watching the CBS show with friends. “I give it FIVE starfish. It’s Perrific! My coined word for Perry and terrific together.”

Perry took bows to his adoring friends and gave appreciations to a few special people, including his mom and Ms. Joli Harris, Perry’s teacher from Torrey Hills, who has been a wonderful mentor to Perry. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Perry on this creative project. It is so ‘real life’ and helps to bring to light that writing has purpose and meaning, not just an assignment from a teacher. It is a great marriage of education and entertainment, making it both motivating for Perry to write and for others to read. Perry has been able to grow as a writer through this process, becoming more thoughtful, descriptive, and able to expand on his ideas. Through this, his patience has grown, allowing his love of writing to grow as well. It is my hope that this will inspire others to engage in similar creative pursuits.” Said Ms. Harris.

“Working with Perry on his movie reviews has been such a rewarding journey for me personally. I firmly believe that each Child has natural talents and great potential. It could be creative writing, art, science, math, invention, and so on. It’s up to the parents and teachers to uncover and nurture these natural talents in their children and students so that they can unleash their creativity and let their imagination take flight. Perry’s success is a wonderful example of the three-way partnership among parent, teacher, and student.” Commented Dr. Shen, who plans to give educational seminars this summer in San Diego about “How to uncover and nurture your children’s hidden talents.”

On display throughout Perry’s home are Perry’s drawings and paintings under the guidance of his beloved art teacher Ms. Helen Yuan who teaches at the Golden Dragon Kung-Fu Institute four days a week. This summer, Perry plans to experiment with sculpture from renowned sculptor Lynn Forbes at Lynn Forbes Sculpture Studio in Carlsbad.

“Perry is definitely going to be whatever he wants to be,” predicted Price as he wrapped up the live coverage.

After his successful Fox 5 TV debut on May 25 to review Pixar’s “Up”, Perry will be back on Fox late June to review 20^th Century Fox’s “The Ice Age III: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” which opens on July 1 nationwide.

—–

For Perry’s reviews, updates, upcoming events, and to sign up for free newsletters, visit www.perryspreviews.com

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Posted by Perry on June 15th, 2009 | No Comments Posted in Featured, Perry in Press, Perry's Mom

Support Child Animator Perry Chen’s New Film “Changyou’s Journey” to Honor his Dad Dr. Changyou Chen (1963-2012)

Perry Chen showing his dad Changyou Chen his new animation "Changyou's Journey" (photo by Brian Bostrom)

12-year-old animator and film critic Perry Chen (陈彬睿) lost his beloved father, Dr. Changyou Chen (陈昌友), a biotech CEO and cancer drug researcher, to metastatic skin cancer on July 19, 2012 in San Diego. Changyou's long, brave battle since his 2006 cancer diagnosis has been an inspiration to all who knew him. He was only 49 when he passed away. Changyou's memorial service was held at his home on Sunday July 29, 2012 in San Diego, attended by about 60 friends and colleagues of the family.

Perry Chen speaking at Changyou Chen's memorial service, July 29, 2012, San Diego (by Brian Bostrom)

"Changyou's Journey" title scene at Comic-Con panel, July 15, 2012 (photo by Brian Bostrom)

During the last two weeks of Changyou's life, Perry decided to make an animated film "Changyou's Journey," about his dad's life, to give him hope to live, and something to look forward to each day. Perry showed new scenes each day as he finished them to Changyou, who was profoundly moved and delighted beyond words. Perry used ideas from a dozen of so of his pencil drawings of Changyou as a young peasant boy in China, based on stories his dad told him in the past few months, to make his animation. Perry and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen (沈竹, Producer of "Changyou's Journey") presented the first 8 scenes of this film at their Comic-Con Panel on July 15, 2012 to an enthusiastic audience, moved by the story of how the film came to be. The film started when Changyou was a young boy growing up in a hilly countryside in China.

Changyou as a young boy in China with his dog in "Changyou's Journey" at Comic-Con panel, July 15, 2012 (photo by Brian Bostrom)

Perry and Zhu took an extended trip to China in August 2012, to bring Changyou's ashes to his family in Ningguo, Anhui, for burial, and to attend his memorial service in Hefei, Anhui, where he served as the founding CEO and CSO of a biotech company developing antibody therapeutics for treating cancer.

Perry Chen holding Changyou's photo at the burial, Ningguo, Anhui, China, Aug 12, 2012 (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry & Zhu with all attendees of Changyou's Memorial Service at Hefei Lifeon Pharmaceuticals, Aug 11, 2012

Perry Chen sharing fond memories of dad Changyou with grandma in dad's childhood home in Ningguo, Anhui Provice, China (photo by Zhu Shen)

While in China, Perry and Zhu were interviewed by CCTV (China Central Television), the only national network TV in China, to be featured on an upcoming show, “Chinese World” on CCTV channel 4, (《华人世界》, 中央台中文国际频道CCTV-4, 周一到周五每天13：00-13：20播出, Monday-Friday 1-1:20 pm ), which tells life stories of outstanding overseas Chinese personalities. The TV show will be broadcast to viewers around the world. Perry and Zhu discussed their journey of making animation films, including “Changyou’s Journey” and “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” their first collaboration (Perry as animator, Zhu as producer) that has won multiple film festival awards. They also shared highlights of Perry’s career as a film critic, filmmaker, artist, and storyteller, as well as food for thought on parenting from Zhu. The shows featuring Perry and Zhu were broadcasted on two episodes on November 13 and 14 at Beijing time 13:00 (1pm), and are available online. Please watch and let us know how you like it!

Program: China Central Television (CCTV4) “Chinese World” 中央电视台国际频道的<华人世界>节目

Showtime: November 6 and 7, 2012, 13:00 – 13:20 (1-1:20 pm) Beijing Time,

2012年11月13日,14日, 13:00 – 13:20北京时间 (两期节目)

Perry’s CCTV Feature 1: Chinese American Child Animator:

http://arts.cntv.cn/20121106/105142.shtml

Perry’s CCTV Feature 2: Chinese American Child Film Critic:

http://news.cntv.cn/20121107/105249.shtml

Technology Sponsors:

We plan to finish the making of “Changyou’s Journey” by 2013, and will submit the film to festivals around the world. The film will be made with Toon Boom Studio 7.0 software and Wacom tablet, both companies are sponsors of this and other animation films by Perry Chen. We thank their generous, kind support to Perry’s animation career and all of his film projects!

We greatly appreciate your generous support of donation to help us make this film, which is the most meaningful way to honor Changyou’s life and legacy, which will live on through his own son’s creativity and imagination. We will also share “behind-the-scenes” story of the making of “Changyou’s Journey” animation in a documentary film, called “A Journey of a Thousand Miles!”

Watch the trailer and donate, share with your friends, and thanks for your support! No amount is too big or too small. All donors’ names will appear in the film’s end credits and on this website. We thank many of you who have donated, including Perry’s teachers and classmates, fellow filmmakers, friends, colleagues, relatives, in the U.S. and China! Perry and Zhu want to especially thank SABPA (Sino-American Biopharmaceutical Professional Association) for which Zhu served as Vice Chairman and Board of Directors, WuXi Apptec, The BayHelix Group, for their generous donation through their members and staff.


: This Perry Chen-designed & autographed Animal Letter Thank-You card can be yours for donation of $50 or more (photo by Zhu Shen)

To make your donation a more rewarding experience and help you decide what level works best for you, Perry designed the following matching benefits for different level of donation:

Any amount:     Film Credit (name appearing in film end credit and website)
$50                       All above, and Perry-designed and autographed Thank-You card
$100                    All above, Online access to “Changyou’s Journey” film upon completion
$200                   All above, and “Changyou’s Journey” film DVD when available
$500                   All above, and your character in film’s crowd scene (need to send your photo, this is a great value!)
$1,000               All above, and one original, autographed drawing by Perry
$2,000               All above, Co-Executive Producer credit, Film Festival Pass where our film is screened when available in your city
$5,000               All above, your organization’s name and logo in film credit as sponsor, special appearance by Perry Chen and Zhu Shen at your private screening event

Watch “Changyou’s Journey” Animation Film by Perry Chen Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/user/PerrysPreviews/featured

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDQwOTA2MDY4.html (Chinese 视频: 陈昌友的旅行)

Click the link below to donate:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=LTYBPUPLPKJHL

Donors who wish to donate in Chinese Renminbi (Yuan) can donate to this special account set up for the film’s donation below:

Bank: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (中国工商银行)

Account name: SHEN ZHU (all capital letters)

Account number: 6212260200013610288
北京亚运村支行

Perry Chen and Zhu Shen wish to thank Patrick Eidemiller for editing and providing music to “Changyou’s Journey” trailer.

Contact Dr. Zhu Shen, Producer of “Changyou’s Journey” for further info, email: bioforesight at gmail dot com, 858-761-7955 (tel)

Changyou Chen, Perry Chen, Zhu Shen at Perry's animation "Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest" Oscar-qualifying LA Premiere by ShortsHD Sep 2011 (photo by Liz Kelly)

Perry Chen with dad Changyou Chen at home, July 14, 2012 (photo by Brian Bostrom)

Perry Chen with Changyou's photos & ashes (photo by Zhu Shen)

Beautiful Flowers at Changyou's memorial service (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen, Zhu Shen with SABPA's Mingzhu Zhang & Peter Zhu and their donation check (photo by Si Luo)

Media stories:

http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2012/08/07/boy-animator-to-draw-late-fathers-life/ (San Diego Jewish World, Boy Animator to Draw Late Father’s Life)

http://comic.people.com.cn/n/2012/0808/c122366-18696557.html (为癌父制作动画片12岁华裔感动美国)

Read a 2007 UT San Diego feature story about Dr. Changyou Chen's life science career across the Pacific:

http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071216/news_1n16brain.html

Pacific San Diego Magazine Dec 2011 Perry Chen Feature: Sitting Tall:

http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2011/11/28/sitting-tall/

----------------

About Perry Chen:

Perry S. Chen is an 12-year-old award-winning animator, film critic, artist, TEDx speaker, and entertainment personality, currently in 6^th grade from San Diego. He started reviewing movies at age 8 in 3^rd grade using a kid-friendly starfish rating system, and has been featured in CBS, NPR, NBC, CNN, CCTV (China Central Television), Variety, Animation Magazine, The Young Icons, The Guardian, The China Press, etc. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation, and has written movie reviews for Animation World Network, San Diego Union Tribune, Amazing Kids! Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews blog:

www.perryspreviews.com

Perry won an “Excellence in Journalism Award” from San Diego Press Club in 2010 and 2011 for his movie and restaurant reviews, an “Excellence Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” Magazine in 2010 for his movie review column. Perry is widely recognized as an authoritative spokesperson about movies for his generation, and appears frequently at red carpet movie premieres, awards, and film festivals, interviewing prominent directors from such films as Toy Story 3, Up, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda 2. Perry and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen are featured in a new book about parenting and youth entrepreneurship, “The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids,” published in Aug 2011.

Perry’s first animation short “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest” won multiple film festival awards and was an Oscar-qualifying film in 2011. Perry and Zhu were invited to present the film at DreamWorks Animation, introduced by Oscar-nominated "How to Train Your Dragon" director Dean DeBlois. The film is distributed by Shorts International (distributor of Oscar-nominated shorts) and now available on iTunes in 54 countries! More info: http://ingridpitt.co.uk

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews at festivals and press junkets:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

For more information about Perry Chen, his animation films, and movie reviews, contact Dr. Zhu Shen, bioforesight at gmail dot com

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Posted by Perry on February 15th, 2013 | No Comments Posted in animation, Events, Featured, Media Contact, Perry in Press, Perry's Mom, Upcoming Events

Award-winning Child Animator Film Critic Perry Chen Featured on Magazine Cover

"Young Accomplished Animation Star Perry Chen" on April 2013 "We Chinese in America" Magazine Cover (photo by Brian Bostrom, "Oscar Night America")

Award-winning Child Animator & Film Critic Perry Chen (陈彬睿) on Magazine Cover

April 2013

13-year-old award-winning animator and film critic Perry Chen(陈彬睿) is the feature story on the cover of “We Chinese in America” magazine April 2013 issue, written by Ms. Guo Junli (郭俊麗), “We Chinese” magazine’s special correspondent. Link to the magazine website:

http://wechinese.us/magazine.html

The cover story about Perry’s budding career in animation, film-making, art, and movie reviews has been in the works for a few years, ever since the 8-year-old Perry in 3rd grade became “We Chinese” Weekend Newspaper’s first resident film critic in early 2009, when “We Chinese” publisher Ma Ping (馬平) created a movie review column for Perry to share his thoughts about upcoming movies with a wide audience.

"We Chinese in America" April 2013 issue at magazine stand (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen with his magazine cover story at home (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen interviewed by "We Chinese" reporter Guo Junli (photo by Zhu Shen)

Since then, Perry has written close to 100 movie and entertainment reviews for “We Chinese,” San Diego Entertainer Magazine, San Diego Union Tribune, Animation World Network (AWN), Amazing Kids! Magazine, DiningOut San Diego Magazine, Carmel Valley Life Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews blog, and won numerous awards, including the 2010 “Excellent Chinese Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” magazine for his movie review column, and the 2010 and 2011 San Diego Press Club “Excellence in Journalism Award” for his movie and restaurant reviews. Perry also became a major hit on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, NPR with Liane Hansen, and on CCTV (China Central Television, the only national network TV in China).

Perry Chen & Zhu Shen with Bill Plympton (R) and Kevin Sean Michaels (L) at Plympton film screening in LA, Feb 2013

Perry’s career in animation took off in 2010 after he and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen met animation legend, two-time Oscar-nominee Bill Plympton and director Kevin Sean Michaels at Comic-Con in 2009, where Perry impressed them with his drawing of Plympton’s “Hot Dog” on the spot that looked just like Plympton’s own drawing. A year later, Michaels and Plympton invited Perry to animate “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” a 6-min short based on Plympton’s storyboard and character design about a young Jewish girl’s survival during the Holocaust.

Perry Chen with Animation Magazine, Pacific San Diego Magazine & DiningOut San Diego Magazine featuring him (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen with his corporate sponsor Toon Boom Animation's Karina Bessoudo at 2012 CTN (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry Chen drawing Beyond the Forest animation using Toon Boom Studio software on Wacom Intuos tablet (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry’s mom Dr. Shen became Perry’s producer of the film, securing corporate sponsorship from leading animation software company Toom Boom Animation, leading digital drawing tablet company WACOM, and San Diego-based DVD manufacturing company Reel Picture. The film premiered at the 2011 Comic-Con and LA Shorts Fest, followed by Oscar-qualification, three film festival awards, screening at 2011 “Animation Show of Shows” and over 30 film festivals around the world, and a special screening at DreamWorks with introduction by one of Perry’s favorite animation directors, Dean DeBlois, who co-directed “How to Train Your Dragon.”

1-year-old Perry Chen with mom and dad (2001)

Perry showing his dad Changyou his animation - "Changyou's Journey" (photo by Brian Bostrom)

Perry Chen remembering his father Dr. Changyou Chen (photo by Zhu Shen)

Changyou's Journey title scene at Comic Con 2012 panel (by Brian Bostrom)

Perry has made 3 animation films, including collaborative short films “Guard Dog Global Jam” directed by Bill Plympton, and “The Namazu” with Dani Bowman and Kevin Sean Michaels. He and his mom Zhu are making their 4th and most personal animation film now. “Changyou’s Journey,” about Perry’s late father, Dr. Changyou Chen (陈昌友), a biotech CEO and cancer researcher who passed away from skin cancer in 2012. The film is in storyboard phase now, and could benefit tremendously from your support. Perry and Zhu wish to thank many friends, family, colleagues, and corporate sponsors for donating to “Changyou’s Journey,” and invite more friends to do the same, all donors’ names will appear on film’s end credit and other recognition, more info about donation and matching benefits:

http://perryspreviews.com

http://bit.ly/T6kN0o

(donation link)

Contact Dr. Zhu Shen for further info about the film and sponsorship opportunities.

Email: bioforesight at gmail dot com, tel: 858-761-7955

“We Chinese in America” Cover Story: Young and Accomplished Animation Star – Perry Chen

By Guo Junli

"We Chinese in America" cover story page 1

We Chinese Perry Chen feature page 2

We Chinese Perry Chen feature page 3

We Chinese Perry Chen feature page 4

We Chinese Perry Chen feature page 5

Perry's mom Dr. Zhu Shen with Perry's magazine cover story (photo by Perry Chen)

Perry Chen, Zhu Shen, and the publisher of “We Chinese in America” wish to thank Perry’s photographer Brian Bostrom for his many “Perrific!” photos of Perry in the cover story. Perry and Zhu also wish to thank Ms. Ma Ping, “We Chinese” publisher, for her long-term support and encouragement of Perry’s career in movie reviews and animation, and Ms. Guo Junli, cover story writer for her wonderful coverage.

Contact Dr. Zhu Shen for further info about the film and sponsorship opportunities.

Email: bioforesight at gmail dot com, tel: 858-761-7955

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews at festivals and press junkets:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

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Posted by Perry on April 29th, 2013 | No Comments Posted in animation, Featured, Perry in Press, Perry's Mom

Perry’s Previews Movie Review: Rocky Mountain Express (IMAX)

Perry Chen interviewing Pietro Serapiglia, Producer of Rocky Mountain Express at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry’s Previews Movie Review: Rocky Mountain Express (IMAX)

4 Starfish out of 5
(4 out of 5 Starfish)
By Perry S. Chen March 29, 2013
When you ride a train, do you ever wonder how much people have toiled and worked to create the tracks that you ride across? Rocky Mountain Express is a stunning IMAX film about how a man named William Cornelius Van Horne, the President of Canadian Pacific Railway, began an ambitious project to create a cross country railroad across Canada, and facing the greatest challenge to his plans: the Rocky Mountains. This film shows a train speeding through the mountains, and it seemingly goes back in time as it revisits the triumphs and tragedy that went into the making of the railroad.

Rocky Mountain Express is a breathtaking film, photographed in real IMAX FILM instead of the digital cameras we use today! This was an incredible feat for the filmmakers because they had to position a massive camera to take shots of a train crossing amazing mountainscapes and treacherous cliff-sides that will leave you gripping your seat! One part showed the brilliant ingenuity of the engineers by making double spiral loops tunneling through the mountain to gain ground on the riverbank. The movie also covered important history about the age of steam. I give this film 4 starfish, it is “Perrific!”

Perry Chen checking out train model before Rocky Mountain Express IMAX premiere (photo by Zhu Shen)

I got to interview Pietro Serapiglia, the producer of the film at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center where the film premiered on Feb 28, 2013 at the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. I asked him how he became interested in filmmaking. “When I was a little boy, I used to like watching my favorite TV shows,” said Pietro,”I left high school at 17 and started as a mail boy at the National Film Board of Canada, then working in the lab developing films, and became a productions manager in the 1980s.” He favorite movies are science fiction, including “Planet of the Apes,” and Bruce Lee was his hero and inspiration.

Pietro has had an amazing 35-year career, working with director Stephen Low on many exciting IMAX films. I asked him how “Rocky Mountain Express” came to be. “Stephen was always fascinated with trains and wanted to do an IMAX film about trains,” he said, “But before that, we had to make our first film about a ship, ‘Titanica,’ then about racing cars, ‘Super Speedway,’ then about fighter planes, ‘Fighter Pilot.’ After that, we were ready to make ‘Rocky Mountain Express,’ which took us FIVE years to make!”

It is certainly worth the efforts, as “Rocky Mountain Express” won Best Film in a tie with another of my favorite IMAX film “To the Arctic” (also shown at RH Fleet now) from the Giant Screen Cinema Association last year.

Pietro’s next film project is called “City of the Future,” about bringing light rail into North America. Light rail is highly developed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Europe. “Anything to reduce air polution and traffic jam is a good idea,” said Pietro.

Pietro said he didn’t like trains until he worked on this film. After watching “Rocky Mountain Express,” I really look forward to boarding the steam locomotive and experience the thrill as I saw in the film!

The moral: The human ingenuity triumphs over impossible obstacles.

————

About Perry Chen:

Perry S. Chen is a 12-year-old award-winning child film critic, artist, animator, TEDx speaker, and entertainment personality, currently in 7^th grade from San Diego. He started reviewing movies at age 8 in 3^rd grade using a kid-friendly starfish rating system, and has been featured in CBS, NPR, NBC, CNN, CCTV (China Central Television), Variety, Animation Magazine, The Young Icons, The Guardian, The China Press, etc. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation, and has written movie reviews for Animation World Network, San Diego Union Tribune, Amazing Kids! Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews blog.

Perry is currently writing, animating, and directing his most personal film to date, “Changyou’s Journey,” produced by his mom Dr. Zhu Shen, about his beloved father Dr. Changyou Chen, a cancer researcher who passed away in July 2012 from terminal cancer after a long, brave battle, please watch trailer and donate to support Perry’s animation film:

www.perryspreviews.com

Perry won an “Excellence in Journalism Award” from San Diego Press Club in 2010 and 2011 for his movie and restaurant reviews, an “Excellence Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” Magazine in 2010 for his movie review column. Perry is widely recognized as an authoritative spokesperson about movies for his generation, and appears frequently at red carpet movie premieres, awards, and film festivals, interviewing prominent directors from such films as Toy Story 3, Up, How to Train Your Dragon. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation in Hollywood. Perry and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen are featured in a new book about parenting and youth entrepreneurship, “The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids,” published in Aug 2011.

Perry’s first animation short “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” in collaboration with animation legend Bill Plympton, won multiple film festival awards and has been screened at over 30 international film festivals, now available on iTunes. More info: http://ingridpitt.co.uk

Watch “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest” on iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/ingrid-pitt-beyond-the-forest/id554607718

Watch Perry on “Live Life & Win” national TV show:

http://vimeo.com/51042736

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

For business inquiries about Perry Chen, his animation films, movie reviews, contact Dr. Zhu Shen, bioforesight at gmail dot com

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Posted by Perry on March 29th, 2013 | No Comments Posted in Featured, Perry in Press, Recent Reviews

Perry’s Previews Movie Review – The Croods

Perry Chen at "The Croods" press screening (photo by Zhu Shen)

Perry’s Previews Movie Review – The Croods

(4 out of 5 Starfish)

March 22, 2013

In the DreamWorks new animation “The Croods” co-written and co-directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk De Micco, Eep, a teenage cave-woman, has been told all her life to always be afraid, and that curiosity can be dangerous. Her father, Grug, is overprotective and stubborn, always putting safety first. Along with her mother, grandmother, baby sister, and younger brother, they make up a family called “the Croods.” One day, Eep leaves the safety of her cave and meets a young man named Guy, who informs her that the world is ending. As mountains split and lava emerges on the surface, the cave that the Croods had been living in crumbles to reveal a passageway to a mysterious and lush landscape of new things. Together with Guy, the Croods embark on a life changing-adventure to escape the apocalypse of the pre-historic world.

“The Croods” is a film about creativity, and discovering curiosity. I enjoyed the opening sequence, where the entire family works together to get a hard-earned meal. It was interesting how they all cooperated to obtain an egg for their breakfast, and how little food they had at the time. The film is a great movie for kids, with a lot of wit and imagination. The movie is very humorous, especially in physical humor; such as when one of the Croods catches on fire and fights through dry grass. Another thing that was funny was that Grug was always hoping that his mother-in-law would die, probably because she was burdening the group. The visuals are stunning, such as the endless shades of green in the rainforest, and the color of the various creatures of the Crood’s universe.

“The Croods” does have flaws, however. First of all, Belt, Guy’s pet sloth, really overused the phrase “dun dun dun”, describing the apocalypse. the first time it was funny, by it gets old after a while. Also, the family was trying to get past a mountain to escape the end of the world, but wouldn’t the natural disasters and the world ending be the same throughout the earth? Another flaw was when the family was walking through a huge maze, they all miraculously ended up in the same place.

I noticed many similarities between Guy andd Hiccup from “How to Train Your Dragon,” one of my favorite films, co-directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Guy and Hiccup are skinny and brainy, about the same age, and both know much more than everybody else around them. Guy discovered how to make fire and could find ways around obstacles that the cavemen couldn’t.

Overall, the Croods is an exciting film, with a lot of humor and heart. I give it 4 starfish! It has amazing visuals and a compelling story. Its moral: Embrace change and never be afraid.

————-

About Perry Chen:

Perry S. Chen is a 12-year-old award-winning film critic, artist, animator, TEDx speaker, and entertainment personality, currently in 7^th grade from San Diego. He started reviewing movies at age 8 in 3^rd grade using a kid-friendly starfish rating system, and has been featured in CBS, NPR, NBC, CNN, CCTV (China Central Television), Variety, Animation Magazine, The Young Icons, The Guardian, The China Press, etc. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation, and has written movie reviews for Animation World Network, San Diego Union Tribune, Amazing Kids! Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews blog.

www.perryspreviews.com

Perry won an “Excellence in Journalism Award” from San Diego Press Club in 2010 and 2011 for his movie and restaurant reviews, an “Excellence Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” Magazine in 2010 for his movie review column. Perry is widely recognized as an authoritative spokesperson about movies for his generation, and appears frequently at red carpet movie premieres, awards, and film festivals, interviewing prominent directors from such films as Toy Story 3, Up, How to Train Your Dragon. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation in Hollywood. Perry and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen are featured in a new book about parenting and youth entrepreneurship, “The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids,” published in Aug 2011.

Watch “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest” on iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/ingrid-pitt-beyond-the-forest/id554607718

Watch Perry on “Live Life & Win” national TV show:

http://vimeo.com/51042736

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

For business inquiries about Perry Chen, his animation films, movie reviews, contact Dr. Zhu Shen, bioforesight at gmail dot com

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Posted by Perry on March 26th, 2013 | No Comments Posted in Featured, Perry in Press, Recent Reviews

Leading animation software company Toon Boom sponsors award-winning child animator Perry Chen’s new film about his late father

Perry Chen with Karina Bessoudo, Toon Boom Animation's Vice President of Marketing at CTN (photo by Zhu Shen)

Leading animation software company Toon Boom sponsors award-winning child animator Perry Chen’s new film about his late father
Press Release March 18, 2013

San Diego, California and Montreal, Canada

Toon Boom Animation Inc, a worldwide leader in digital content and animation creation software, sent a donation check to Perry S. Chen, a 13-year-old award-winning animator in 7th grade from San Diego, and his mother and producer Dr. Zhu Shen, becoming animation industry’s first corporate sponsor to Perry and Zhu’s new and most personal animation film “Changyou’s Journey,” about Dr. Changyou Chen, Perry’s father, a biotech CEO and cancer drug researcher, who lost his brave fight against metastatic skin cancer in 2012 at the age of 49. Perry and Zhu received Toon Boom’s donation on the date of what would have been Changyou’s 50th birthday.

Perry Chen showing his dad Dr. Changyou Chen animation scene from "Changyou's Journey" July 14, 2012 (photo by Brian Bostrom)

Perry and Zhu started their first collaboration with Toon Boom Animation in 2010 when Perry was animating his first short film, “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” in collaboration with animation legend, two-time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton, about a young Holocaust survivor. Toon Boom became the first corporate sponsor by providing Toon Boom Studio software and technical support to Perry and Zhu. Perry used Toon Boom Studio 7.0 and Wacom Intuos tablet to create the 6 minute film which went on to win multiple film festival awards in the U.S., screened at over 30 film festivals around the world, featured as a bonus film at the 2011 Animation Show of Shows, and was an Oscar-qualifying film in 2011.

Perry and Zhu were invited to present the film at DreamWorks Animation, introduced by Oscar-nominated “How to Train Your Dragon” co-director Dean DeBlois in December 2011. The film is distributed by Shorts International, the world’s leading short movie entertainment company with the globe’s largest catalog dedicated to short movies, and distributor of Oscar-nominated shorts. “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest” is now available on iTunes in 54 countries. Perry was also an animator for the award-winning “Guard Dog Global Jam” (directed by Bill Plympton based on his Oscar-nominated “Guard Dog”), and “The Namazu” along with other collaborating animators in 2010 and 2012. “Changyou’s Journey” is Perry’s 4th animation film.

“We are honored to team up with Perry Chen in his new project ‘Changyou’s Journey,’ which will surely be a wonderful love testament for his dad. Perry is a remarkable artist we have grown attached to since our first successful collaboration on Perry’s critically-acclaimed, multiple awards-winning film ‘Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest’ in 2010, and it is our pleasure to facilitate his creative process,” shared Joan Vogelesang, President and Chief Executive Officer at Toon Boom Animation Inc.

“Toon Boom has been a ‘Perrific!’ sponsor and supporter to my animation films for years,” said Perry Chen. “I want to thank the wonderful team at Toon Boom for their generous donation and support to my new film about my dad, and great technical support throughout the making of my first three animation films. ‘Changyou’s Journey’ is my most important and personal film, which I will write, animate, and direct. And to receive Toon Boom’s donation on my dad’s birthday means so much for my mom and me, as we move forward to production of our film.”

“I still remember watching Perry use Toon Boom software to create our first animation film three years ago. I am delighted to see the wonderful progress Perry has made as an artist, storyteller, and animation filmmaker,” said Zhu Shen, Producer of “Changyou’s Journey.” “We are indebted to Toon Boom’s commitment to support Perry’s talents and budding career in animation, and look forward to many years of great partnership ahead. We are also grateful to so many friends and colleagues in and outside of the film and animation industry both in the U.S. and China, for their generous donation and support to our film so far, and look forward to welcoming new supporters in our own journey of making ‘Changyou’s Journey.’”

“Changyou grew up in China in an impoverished mountain village in Ningguo, Anhui, becoming the first person ever to leave that village and go to college. He was a brilliant scientist with a passion for biomedical research, and pursued his graduate education in the U.S., before returning back to China as an entrepreneur and biotech CEO. Changyou’s dream was one day developing powerful cancer therapeutics to benefit patients around the world. In making our film ‘Changyou’s Journey,’ we hope to inspire all who have experienced great joy and loss in their lives, who have loved and lived a life of purpose and pursued their dreams. The film is also our way to give back to the community of care and those who have touched our lives in many ways. The journey will go on.”

Perry Chen with parents Changyou Chen & Zhu Shen at ShortsHD's Hollywood premiere of "Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest" Sep 2011

Upon learning that Changyou had only two weeks to live, Perry decided to start making an animated film “Changyou’s Journey,” about his dad’s life, to give him hope to live, something to look forward to each day, and to honor his legacy. Perry worked hard day and night, showing new scenes at the end of each day to his dad. Changyou was profoundly moved and delighted to see the first 8 scenes of this film, which were presented as a trailer at Perry and Zhu’s Comic-Con Panel on July 15, 2012 to an enthusiastic audience. The film started when Changyou was a young boy growing up in the Chinese countryside. During a recent visit to China, Perry saw the childhood home of his dad, and interviewed his grandmother, relatives, Changyou’s teacher, friends and colleagues about his dad’s childhood and career. Perry and Zhu were featured in a two-part, 30-minute feature about Perry’s career in animation and movie reviews on China Central Television (CCTV), the only national network TV in China.

“Changyou’s Journey” is currently in production, and expected to be completed by 2014. It will be submited to film festivals around the world. The film will be made with Toon Boom Studio 7.0 software and Wacom tablet, both companies have been sponsors of this and other animation films by Perry Chen. Additional Corporate sponsorship and private donation of any amount are greatly appreciated. All donors’ names will appear at “Changyou’s Journey” film’s end credits. Visit http://perryspreviews.com and contact Dr. Zhu Shen for additional benefits to donors. Email: bioforesight@gmail.com, 858-761-7955.

Watch trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PerrysPreviews/featured
Donation link and background info about “Changyou’s Journey:”

http://perryspreviews.com

http://bit.ly/T6kN0o (donation link)

About Perry S. Chen:

Perry S. Chen is an 13-year-old award-winning animator, renowned film and entertainment critic, artist, TEDx speaker, and entertainment personality, currently in 7th grade from San Diego.
Perry became the youngest animator at age 10 when he made his first critically acclaimed 6-minute animation short “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” about a young Holocaust survivor, in collaboration with two-time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton who provided storyboard and character design. The film went on to win multiple film festival awards, including 2011 Special Jury Award for Extraordinary Vision at Flyway Film Festival in Wisconsin, Best Animation Award at 2012 International Family Film Festival in Hollywood, Special Jury Award at the 2012 WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. The film has been screened at over 30 film festivals around the world, and was an Oscar-qualifying film in 2011. The film is distributed by Shorts International, and available on iTunes in 54 countries. More info and iTunes download:
http://ingridpitt.co.uk (Official film website)
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/ingrid-pitt-beyond-the-forest/id554607718

Perry started reviewing movies at age 8 in 3rd grade using a kid-friendly starfish rating system, and became a national sensation when he debuted on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric as the youngest film critic in the country in May 2009. He has since been featured in numerous regional, national and international media, including NPR, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN, CCTV (China Central Television), Variety, Animation Magazine, The Young Icons, Live Life & Win, The Guardian, The China Press, etc. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation, and has written movie reviews for Animation World Network (AWN), San Diego Union Tribune, Amazing Kids! Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews blog:

www.perryspreviews.com

Perry won an “Excellence in Journalism Award” from San Diego Press Club in 2010 and 2011 for his movie and restaurant reviews, an “Excellence Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” Magazine in 2010 for his movie review column. Perry is widely recognized as an authoritative spokesperson about movies for his generation, and appears frequently at red carpet movie premieres, press junkets, awards, and film festivals, interviewing prominent directors from such films as Wreck-it Ralph, Toy Story 3, Up, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda 2. Perry and his producer mom Dr. Zhu Shen are featured in a book about parenting and youth entrepreneurship, “The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids,” published in Aug 2011.

For information about Perry Chen, media inquiries, and sponsorship opportunities for the animation short “Changyou’s Journey,” contact Dr. Zhu Shen, executive producer, “Changyou’s Journey,” email: bioforesight@gmail.com, 858-761-7955.
For Perry Chen’s movie reviews, film project updates, visit:

www.perryspreviews.com

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews at festivals and press junkets:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

About Toon Boom Animation Inc.
Toon Boom Animation Inc., a Corus® Entertainment Inc. company, is the worldwide leader in digital content and animation creation software, delivering products and services online to its global community. Toon Boom carries user-friendly applications for all, catering to children, home users, creative professionals as well as students, educators and schools. Toon Boom is fully dedicated to education and goes far beyond just developing technology and curriculums that will enhance the classroom experience. Toon Boom is an influential advocate of bringing industry and education together, while partnering with value-added partners to help students achieve their goals.

Over the years, Toon Boom has garnered multiple awards for its entire family of products, including the prestigious Ub Iwerks Award granted by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, at the 2013 Annie Awards. Other awards include a 2012 Primetime Emmy® Engineering Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for Storyboard Pro, the 2011 Global Animation Software Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award given by Frost & Sullivan, the 2012 Academics’ Choice Brain Award in the Software category for Toon Boom Studio and Flip Boom All-Star, and many more.

Toon Boom’s client base ranges from major studios creating Hollywood blockbuster animated films to individual animators creating their first masterpieces. Market-leading studios using Toon Boom’s products include Disney, Nelvana, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Fox, Bento Box, Film Roman, China Central Television, DQ Entertainment, eMation, Rough Draft Korea, Alphanim, Imira Entertainment and Enarmonia, to name but a few. Some of the prestigious productions done with Toon Boom’s technology include Les Triplettes de Belleville (Les Armateurs), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (Warner Bros.), The Rugrats (Universal), SpongeBob The Movie (Nickelodeon), Hanuman (Silverline), Curious George (Universal), Go West: A New Lucky Luke Adventure (Xilam), Simpsons The Movie (Fox), Chico & Rita (Mariscal) and The Princess and the Frog (Disney).

For information about Toon Boom Animation Inc, contact Karina Bessoudo, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Toon Boom Animation Inc, email: karina@toonboom.com, tel: 800-962-8666 .

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Posted by Perry on March 18th, 2013 | No Comments Posted in animation, Featured, Perry in Press, Perry's Mom

Perry’s Previews Movie Review: Wreck-it Ralph is Wrecking Stereotypes

Wreck-it Ralph (image courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studio)

Perry’s Previews Movie Review: Wreck-it Ralph November 2, 2012

(4 out of 5 starfish)

Perry’s Previews Movie Review: Wreck-it Ralph is Wrecking Stereotypes

By Perry S. Chen
Have you ever felt unappreciated and frustrated? Ralph, the villain of the video game “Fix-it Felix Jr.” from Disney’s new animation “Wreck-it Ralph,” is looked down upon by everybody for just doing his job: wrecking buildings before Felix, the hero, fixes them. For 30 years, Ralph did his same job, never getting a word of thanks from anyone.

Ralph is a massive, sloppy man reminiscent of Neanderthal with gorilla-like arms, and always wearing ragged cloth. He sleeps in a bed of crushed bricks while the rest of the “Fix-it Felix” video game characters make their homes in the lavish penthouse full of Champaign and lovely decoration. Tired of being isolated, under-appreciated, and stereotyped as a “Bad Guy,” he tries to turn a new leave by attenpting to win a gold medal for bravery as a “Good Guy.” Jumping from one arcade video game to another, Ralph wanders from the battleground game of “Hero’s Duty” where super-soldiers fight off extraterrestrial bugs, to the candy-coated wonderland of “Sugar Rush,” a racing game that hides a dark secret.

Unknowingly, Ralph releases an ancient, terrifying evil that threatens to jeopardize the safety of the entire arcade. Along the way, Ralph meets a lot of colorful characters, such as Sargent Calhoun, the no-nonsense leader of an army of super-soldiers from “Hero’s Duty,” Vanellope, a little girl whose steadfast will is to race in the “Sugar Rush” game. He is frustrated that he couldn’t be who he wants to be and do the things he wants to do. That’s when Ralph realized that he can start a new life in a new game by being his true self.

“Wreck-it Ralph” is accompanied by a delightful, elegant, mostly black-and-white Disney Short, “Paperman,” about a young man who is brought to his true love by his magical paper airplanes. “Paperman” which I saw four times (at Wreck-it Ralph press screening, Animation Show of Shows, and Platform Festival), is the best animation short I have seen this year, and I belive it has a high chance for an Oscar nomination! It blends hand-drawn and CG animation seemlessly. I enjoyed interviewing first-time director John Kahrs at the Platform International Animation Festival in Hollywood recently, and will write a separate review shortly.

Perry Chen giving his drawing to "Paperman" director John Kahrs during interview at Platform Int' Animation Festival (photo by Amy Astley)

I love “Wreck-it Ralph,” one of the greatest films this year, and the best Disney animation since Tangled. For some adults, this film may bring back some childhood nostalgia from playing arcade games, but not so much that it clouds out the storyline. The filmmakers have transformed lots of familiar 8-bit video game characters into fascinating personalities in a whole new way. Disney must have broken the bank, in gaining access to all these iconic legends of the 8-bit world, such as Sonic and Pacman. Just thinking about it makes my head spin…

The film is about social class and stereotypes (which I am learning in my 7th-grade English honors and world history class), friendship and individuality, and as Ralph would put it, “wrecking barriers.” It reminds me of Pixar’s “Toy Story,” both about playthings who come alive when people are not watching. I also enjoyed a rather humorous part, where Ralph joins other video game villains in a gathering called “badanon.” I noticed the pop cultural reference on psychotherapy. I also noticed that Ralph looks similar to John C. Reilly, the acclaimed actor and voice for Ralph whom I had fun interviewing at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF) for his lead role in “Cyrus” which had its Hollywood premiere at the festival. He did a super job as Ralph.

Perry Chen with John C. Reilly at "Cyrus" Hollywood red carpet premiere at 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival (photo by Zhu Shen)

I would have given the film 4.5 instead of 4 starfish if it didn’t have the cheesy, implausible romance involving Fix-it Felix, who got married to someone he barely knew, in less than a day! Can you imagine that?!

I played “Fix-it Felix” video game online and thought it is quite difficult, since Ralph can wreck faster than I can play. Computer games could be fun if played in moderation as they give kids childhood wonder and enjoyment. I dont’ have Wii, X-Box, or Play Station at home. I spend most of my free time making art and animation, watching and review movies, and exercising. I hope kids won’t get addicted to video games after watching “Wreck-it Ralph.”

Perry Chen playing “Fix-it Felix” video game at 2011 Disney D23 Expo (photo by Zhu Shen)

I recommend the film to kids age 6 and up because there are a few intense battle scenes. “Wreck-it Ralph” is an action-packed adventure, filled with humor, sorrow, and triumph.

Moral: Labels do not define who you are. Be who you want to be!

Update:

I had the great pleasure of meeting Rich Moore, the director of “Wreck-it Ralph,” at the 40th Annie Awards for Animation on Feb 2, 2013. As I predicted, “Wreck-it Ralph” won the best animated feature award, and a few other Annie Awards. Director Moore is very personable and outgoing, we enjoyed a nice chat. He told me that there is a very good chance for a sequel to “Wreck-it Ralph,” and even promised me to make the romance “less cheesy” after hearing my critique! His advice for young, aspiring animation directors is to “listen to your crew because a director can’t possibly have all the great ideas. My job is not to dictate the group, but listen. A great director is a great listener.” I was thrilled to get director Moore’s draw “Wreck-it Ralph” characters Ralph and Felix for me at the Annie Awards after he won!

Perry Chen watch director Rich Moore of Wreck it Ralph draw for him at Annie Awards (photo by Zhu Shen)

Among the five Oscar animated feature nominees (Brave, Frankenweenie, Wreck-it Ralph, ParaNorman, and The Pirates!), I predict “Wreck-it Ralph” to win. Just like Pixar’s Toy Story, It has many rich, colorful characters with fascinating stories, and a powerful moral, but in a video game world. I love the animation of “Wreck-it Ralph,” it is vibrant, full of imagination and childhood wonder, I especially like how the animators designed the “Sugar Rush” game world. Kids and adults can all relate to this film because it reminds them of their childhood, past and present. No other nominated film has as strong a combination of rich characters, interesting storyline, dazzling visuals, powerful moral, AND mass appeal like “Wreck-it Ralph,” not to mention all the media buzz and attention the film has generated lately, which will only help its chance of winning. “Wreck-it Ralph” DVD will be available on March 5, 2013.

Perry Chen introduced by Oscar Night America -San Diego cohosts Virginia Cha & Tom Madeyski (photo by Brain Bostrom)

For those of you in San Diego, you can catch me at the official Oscar Party, the “Oscar Experience San Diego” fundraiser on Oscar night, Feb 24, 2013 starting 5 pm, with ABC 10 News anchor Virginia Cha as co-emcee, organized by the San Diego Community Campership Council to raise funding for underprivileged kids to go to summer camp, a worthy, wonderful cause. I am invited for the third year to predict Oscar winners on stage. Disney Animation Studio kindly sent me “Wreck-it Ralph” poster (and the Oscar-nominated short “Paperman” booklets, one of them I got autograph from its director John Kahrs) to be auctioned off at the event! Join me to watch the Oscar telecast, see if my Oscar predictions come true! And bid on collectable movie memorabilia, and take home a piece of history-making animation magic with you!

Details:

http://www.kidstocamp.org/rsvp2013-info.html

Perry Chen with Wreck it Ralph poster (photo by Zhu Shen)

If you bid on “Wreck-it Ralph” poster, you can get an autograph from director Rich Moore on March 1 and 2, 2013 when the director will appear as a special guest at the 30th Anniversary Extravaganza of Spike and Mike Animation Festival in San Diego, Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. I attended opening night at the festival on Feb 9, 2013, and loved it! You will get to enjoy the best indie animation festival, including over 10 Academy Award Winners or Nominees, details here:

http://www.spikeandmike.com/

————–

About Perry Chen:

www.perryspreviews.com

Perry won an “Excellence in Journalism Award” from San Diego Press Club in 2010 and 2011 for his movie and restaurant reviews, an “Excellence Writer Award” from “We Chinese in America” Magazine in 2010 for his movie review column. Perry is widely recognized as an authoritative spokesperson about movies for his generation, and appears frequently at red carpet movie premieres, awards, and film festivals, interviewing prominent directors from such films as Toy Story 3, Up, How to Train Your Dragon. He was a presenter at the 2010 Annie Awards for Animation in Hollywood. Perry and his mom Dr. Zhu Shen are featured in a new book about parenting and youth entrepreneurship, “The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids,” published in Aug 2011.

Watch “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest” on iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/ingrid-pitt-beyond-the-forest/id554607718

Watch Perry on “Live Life & Win” national TV show:

http://vimeo.com/51042736

Become a fan on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ingridpittanimation (Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest official FB page)

http://www.facebook.com/perryspreviewsfan (Perry’s Previews fan page)

Subscribe to Perry’s YouTube channel and watch his filmmaker interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/perryspreviews

Follow his tweets: http://twitter.com/perryspreviews

For business inquiries about Perry Chen, his animation films, movie reviews, contact Dr. Zhu Shen, bioforesight at gmail dot com

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