Open before Christmas: a trio of year-end tales features lifelike CG creatures and a realistic digital environment.(Brief article)

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The winter holidays bring nearly as much festive cheer to movie-theater box offices as do the summer blockbusters, and this year is no exception. In addition to the two big visual effects films--Beowulf and The Golden Compass--a trio of smaller movies is also vying for a share of the season's good ticket sales.

I Am Legend, Fred Claus, and Enchanted, three films produced ill three different styles, have one thing in common: photorealistic CG animals. In Enchanted, a little CG chipmunk nearly steals the show, CG reindeer pull a sleigh for Santa's big ...