Mickey Mouse is an cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks.
Harmony is the second of three films based on the fiction of Satoshi Ito (who wrote under the nom de plume Project Itoh). But the novel “Harmony” feels like an improbable candidate for animation. The book is an internal monologue by Tuan Kirie (Jamie Marchi, who carries the film as its de facto narrator), the […]
My annual Halloween “Spook-tacular” screening and party is on in Los Angeles next week – on Halloween – and you’re all invited! Yes, that’s right. While everyone else is “trick-or-treating” all over town, I’ll be screening Halloween cartoons on the big screen – with rare film prints AND digital restorations from the “vaults”. I cannot […]
Disney has begun production on a reimagined Muppet Babies television series, which chronicles the playroom antics of the beloved Kermit the Frog, Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal and Miss Nanny. A co-production between Disney Junior, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media’s (DCPI) Content & Media group, and The Muppets Studio, the CG-animated series is slated […]
Animation Magazine has unveiled its list of this year’s distinguished Animation Hall of Fame award recipients. The honorees will receive their awards at the World Animation & VFX Summit Gala on November 1st, 6:30-10:00 p.m. at the beachside Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica. Fifth annual gala event will honor Cartoon Network’s founding president […]
The first feature based on a novel by Project Itoh (the nom de plume of Satoshi Ito), The Empire of Corpses (2015) is a striking, if often baroque, zombie adventure. The plot seems far more complicated than it needs to be, but the cyberpunk designs, which bolster the film’s curious premise, are stunning. The Empire […]
On Monday, October 17th, I attended the ASIFA-Hollywood screening of Ron Diamond’s annual 18th Animation Show of Shows, at the DreamWorks Animation Campanile Theater at the studio in Glendale. The Show of Shows is different this year in that fewer films than usual are actual winners of an award at a previous international film festival. […]
The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show is back and crazier than ever! After last season’s cliffhanger, Season 3 opens with Peabody and Sherman teaming up with alter-ego versions of themselves to defeat an evil cyborg version of Mrs. Hughes and fix the course of history! The zaniness continues when the Penthouse is invaded by neighbors, […]
Alex Schwartz has joined Alpha Animation as Head of Production, it was announced today by CEO Bob Bacon. In her new role, Schwartz will oversee creative development through production on Alpha’s animated feature slate. The division will produce animated features for worldwide distribution and will look to develop original material as well as leverage existing […]
Space Jam occupies an unusual place in the lexicon of hybrid animated/live-action films. Not nearly as expensive (or as polished) as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, it nonetheless became massively successful thanks mainly to its animated cast. As a kid, Space Jam was downright awesome for many reasons, yet as an adult (and fan of animation,) […]
Frederator Networks Sale Underscores the Challenges of Distributing Animation on the Internet
This week saw the announcement that Frederator Networks has been bought by Rainmaker Entertainment in a deal that combines it with Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment to create a new company called WOW! Unlimited Media. While it’s a welcome affirmation that web animation has a future, it nonetheless underscores the uphill struggle that animated content has faced […]