Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2020 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
Sadly, the biggest story of the year was the COVID pandemic, which has cost more than 310,000 American lives—more than WW II. But the animation industry proved remarkably resilient: Many artists were used to working from home and/or remote studios. The closure of movie theaters and the changing business models for releasing films will affect animation for years to come.
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal”
Looking over a year that see-sawed between Light and Darkness, I’m presenting the 8th annual awards for the year’s best and worst, named for the ultimate animation APM, Mikiko “Kuromi” Oguro.
SEASON OF LIGHT DEPARTMENT
Wabbit Season/Duck Season/Awards Season
A year of no consensus…
The Netflix films Klaus and I Lost My Body dominated the Annies, winning seven and three awards respectively. Although Netflix ruled the Annies, it failed to match that performance at the Oscars: Toy Story 4 won for animated feature; the charming Hair Love took animated short.
Rémi Chayé’s 2D Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary won the Crystal for Feature film at Annecy (on-line). The short film award went to The Physics of Sorrow by Theodore Ushev.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave the Golden Globe for Feature Animation to Laika’s Missing Link.
Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Primal won three Emmys for Individual Achievement for storyboarding, art direction and character design.
Upcoming Awards
It’s safe to predict Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s WolfWalkers and Pete Docter’s Soul will earn Annies, Oscars, and other awards. Two terrific and very different films, both of them about something.
Hands Across the Water: Japan
In February, six Japanese creators — CLAMP, Shin Kibayashi, Yasuo Ohtagaki, Otsuichi, Tow Ubukata and Mari Yamazaki—signed with Netflix to develop original anime series for world-wide distribution.
In June, the Japanese Pokémon Kids TV YouTube debuted Chase the Beans, a wordless short that evokes the classic Warner Bros. cartoons of the ‘40s and 50’s. The slapstick comedy and rubbery animation centered on a conflict between Scraggy and Mimikyu.
Netflix began streaming 21 Studio Ghibli films in February–but not in the United States, Canada, or Japan. Netflix will offer the films subtitled in 28 languages and dubbed in up to 20 more. HBO Max will offer the Ghibli library in the US.
In December, Sony’s Funimation Global Group announced it would acquire anime distributor Crunchyroll from AT&T for $1.175 billion
According to the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, the global market for anime exceeds $19 billion dollars annually
In August, industry heavyweights Toei Animation, Nippon Animation, Shin-Ei Animation, and Tezuka Productions launched the streaming platform Animelog, aimed at family audiences. The studios’ work has been available piecemeal on YouTube channels, and the catalog includes Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan, Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack and Isao Takahata’s 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother. Currently the service is only streaming in Japan, but plans have been announced to subtitle various series in English and Chinese.
Honda Motor Co. said it will release a special edition, pink Super Cub scooter to match the one in Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You. Prices will range from ¥269,500 ($2,500) for the 50cc model to ¥313,500 ($2,949) for the 110 cc model.
In May, the British Film Institute published a list of what they consider the best Japanese film of each year, starting in 1925. They included seven animated features: the wartime propaganda film Momotaro’s Sacred Sailors (Momotaro Umi no Shinpei), Akira, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, Paprika and Summer Wars. (But not Your Name.)
Hand Across the Water: France
In April, plans to overhaul the Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, which administers the Césars, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, drew two open letters from major French animation figures offering alternate visions of how to reconfigure the body. Many filmmakers signed both letters.
In June, the Cannes Festival announced that a record four animated features would be included in their on-line festival: Pete Docter’s Soul (Docter’s third appearance at Cannes); Studio Ghibli’s first CGI feature Earwig and the Witch (Aya to Majo), directed by Goro Miyazaki; Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary, Flee; and Josep, Aurélien Froment’s portrait of Catalan artist Josep Bartolí.
All the Way to the Bank
At the end of February, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising debuted at fourth place in the US with $5.7 million from 1,172 locations. Its per-screen average of $4,946 was the second only to #1 film, Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man.
In October, the anime feature Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train (“Infinity Train”) opened to a record-breaking $44 million—making it the weekend’s number one box office performer worldwide, and the biggest-ever opening in Japan. In November, it surpassed China’s Jiang Ziya to become the highest-grossing animated feature of 2020, and by December it had passed ¥27.51 billion ($265 million) and was closing in on Spirited Away as the #1 film of all time in Japan.
The British Film Institute granted £922,406 ($1.2 million) to 15 artists to develop and produce animated short films. Nine will receive production funding ranging from £30,000 to £120,000 ($36,000–$146,000); six other projects were awarded up to £10k ($12,000) apiece for development. The money comes from the National Lottery.
The original puppets of Rudolph and Santa from Rankin-Bass’ 1964 special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sold for $368,000 at an auction in November.
The Heritage Auction sale of animation art broke records in December: A 12-cel set of Charlie Brown and Snoopy from brought $30,000, while Ub Iwerks’ drawings of Mickey and Minnie from Steamboat Willie fetched $42,300. A drawing from Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur sold for $33,600. Twelve of the top 20 lots were Mary Blair paintings; a study for the mermaid sequence in Peter Pan fetched $48,000. A set of eight original drawings of the Peanuts characters for a 1953 newspaper promotion sold for $288,000.
Wait, There’s More
Don Han’s moving documentary Howard, which aired on Disney+ in August, reminded viewers how much Howard Ashman contributed to the Disney renaissance—and how much the art form lost when he died of AIDS. The film moved one curmudgeonly critic to tears.
In a rare nod to animation, the Criterion Channel streaming platform presented a retrospective of the work of independent artist Bill Plympton in August.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Variety in October, “Our animation ambition right now is not just to step up and be as big as someone who’s doing it today. We’re on a path to be releasing six animated features a year, which no major studio has ever done, on top of the very healthy slate of animated series.”
It’s So Nice to Have You Back Where You Belong
The 14-foot fiberglass statue of Rocky and Bullwinkle was returned to West Hollywood after being removed for restoration in 2013.
At the House of Mouse
On February 25, the Walt Disney Co. revealed Bob Chapek would succeed Bob Iger as CEO, effective immediately.
In October, Disney announced it would refocus its AV media efforts to develop and produce original content for its Disney+ streaming service and other platforms. The work will be part a single, global “Media and Entertainment Distribution” unit led by Disney veteran Kareem Daniel.
More Than Animation
Two studios made striking shorts with Greenpeace: Aardman’s CG/stop motion Turtle Journey, depicted the threat to the oceans from climate change, plastic pollution, oil drilling and overfishing. Cartoon Saloon director Tomm Moore illustrated the damage wrought by commercial meat production in the beautiful There’s a Monster in My Kitchen.
In May, Pixar Animation Studios Spark Shorts released Out, a nine-minute short written and directed by Steven Hunter featuring the Studio’s first gay main character.
In January, the Cool Kids Club and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman organized a series of auctions of collectibles and original art to benefit organizations assisting wildlife rescue after the deadly bushfires in Australia.
During the COVID crisis, Mike and Christine Mignola sold water colors and sketches to raise over $100,000 for José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. Ada Uderzo, the widow of Albert Uderzo (who died in March) sold five pages of his work to raise € 390,000 ($477,402) for the Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris—Hôpitaux de France. Mme. Uderzo said she and her daughter were doing what the artist would have done himself by supporting and thanking caregivers, “the new heroes in every French village.”
In June, San Francisco Bay Area independent animation studios Baobab, KuKu and Tonko House formed the Bay Area Animation Alliance to “inspire local creativity while raising the bar for independent animation worldwide” by running events that focus on “education, craftsmanship, and community.
Testify!
“Animation is not a genre. It is merely another way to create cinema. The two were born together… Today, ties between the mediums are multiplying — for instance, we see a growing number of directors with a background in live action working in animation, and vice versa.”–Open letter from French animators, calling for changes in the Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques.
WINTER OF DESPAIR DEPARTMENT
D’oh!
The anime series MobPsycho 100 received national attention in September, when Eric Trump charged Google with censorship. A search for “mob” returned images of the popular main character’s face, rather than a crowd of people; Trump tweeted, “Google is once again trying to manipulate Americans. Type ‘mob’ or ‘mobs’ into Google and watch what comes up. Do the same on any other search engine.” Fans made fun of Trump’s misplaced outrage.
Universal Picture’s decision to release DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour on VOD in April proved so successful, Universal announced it would continue to release first-run movies on demand as well as in theaters. AMC Theatres (the largest chain in the U.S. and owner of European exhibitor Odeon) replied it would no longer screen Universal films in its 1,000 locations worldwide.
Warner media followed in December, announcing it would release its entire 2021 slate of 17 films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in the U.S. That includes not only the big live-action titles The Matrix 4 and Dune, but the live action/animation combos Tom & Jerry and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
In March, Pixar’s Onward opened to $40 million—adjusting for inflation, it was lowest opening in the studio’s history. The film earned an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, good for most films, but well below what Pixar films usually score.
Back to the Drawing Board
In October, the announcement came that Quibi, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s and Meg Whitman’s $2 billion short-form mobile content streaming experiment, would close–about six months after opening.
In November, the City of Hiroshima announced the Hiroshima International Animation Festival would be replaced by larger event that will include music, live action film and manga. A city representative told the Asahi Shinbun, “The festival is highly regarded in the animation world, but it isn’t the most approachable of events for ordinary citizens. There was no large-scale music-oriented event in the city, and so by combining music and media arts, we aim to create something that citizens can more easily participate in.”
Kelly Knievel, son of daredevil Evel Knievel, filed a lawsuit alleging that Disney and Pixar appropriated Evel’s image for Duke Caboom, the motorcycle stuntman toy voiced by Keanu Reeves in Toy Story 4.
R.I.P.
The lovely and vivacious Marge Champion, who had posed for reference footage of Snow White and the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio, and helped devise the choreography for the “Dance of the Hours” in Fantasia died in Los Angeles in October at 101.
Even before he and Glen Keane won the Oscar for Dear Basketball, Kobe Bryant was excited about animation. He had plans to establish a studio that would produce TV programs and features aimed at and employing underrepresented groups.
Voice actor Luis Alfonso Mendoza, whose characters ranged from Gohan to Bugs Bunny, was murdered in Portales Norte by a tenant who rented studio space from him. Also killed were Mendoza’s wife and brother-in-law.
There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner
HGTV stars Drew and Jonathan Scott announced plans for an animated series starring 10-year-old versions of themselves solving neighborhood problems with “imagination, creativity, grit and heart.” “Your cat’s stuck in a tree Mrs. Olsen? If you add a huge marble island in your kitchen, he’ll come down to see it.”
Taika Waititi, creator of the odious Jojo Rabbit, will write and direct a series based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for Netflix.
Just When You Thought Taste Had Bottomed Out Department:
Hulu announced the creation of the “Hilarious Animated Hulu Awards” that included categories for Most Insulting Insult, Best Hangover Performance and Best Fart Performance. Imagine the thank you speeches…
The Bigotry Agenda (continued):
In April, the new version of DuckTales showed the Violet character with two dads. Monica Cole, director of One Million Moms — a subsidiary of the American Family Association, who had previously lashed out at Toy Story, Arthur, and Onward, called for a boycott of Disney, saying “It is apparent that this particular producer is not finished with indoctrinating children by exposing them to homosexual relationships through a facade of normalcy.” But with no noticeable effect.
And…
Finally, to this writer for being curmudgeonly above and beyond the call of duty at times.
Internationally known animation historian and critic, Charles Solomon has written over 15 books books including Enchanted Drawings: The History Of Animation, The Art of Disney's Frozen,The Making of Peanuts Animation, and Tale as Old as Time: The Art and Making of Disney Beauty and the Beast .
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Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2020
Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2020 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
Sadly, the biggest story of the year was the COVID pandemic, which has cost more than 310,000 American lives—more than WW II. But the animation industry proved remarkably resilient: Many artists were used to working from home and/or remote studios. The closure of movie theaters and the changing business models for releasing films will affect animation for years to come.
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal”
Looking over a year that see-sawed between Light and Darkness, I’m presenting the 8th annual awards for the year’s best and worst, named for the ultimate animation APM, Mikiko “Kuromi” Oguro.
SEASON OF LIGHT DEPARTMENT
Wabbit Season/Duck Season/Awards Season
A year of no consensus…
The Netflix films Klaus and I Lost My Body dominated the Annies, winning seven and three awards respectively. Although Netflix ruled the Annies, it failed to match that performance at the Oscars: Toy Story 4 won for animated feature; the charming Hair Love took animated short.
Rémi Chayé’s 2D Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary won the Crystal for Feature film at Annecy (on-line). The short film award went to The Physics of Sorrow by Theodore Ushev.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave the Golden Globe for Feature Animation to Laika’s Missing Link.
Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Primal won three Emmys for Individual Achievement for storyboarding, art direction and character design.
Upcoming Awards
It’s safe to predict Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s WolfWalkers and Pete Docter’s Soul will earn Annies, Oscars, and other awards. Two terrific and very different films, both of them about something.
Hands Across the Water: Japan
In February, six Japanese creators — CLAMP, Shin Kibayashi, Yasuo Ohtagaki, Otsuichi, Tow Ubukata and Mari Yamazaki—signed with Netflix to develop original anime series for world-wide distribution.
In June, the Japanese Pokémon Kids TV YouTube debuted Chase the Beans, a wordless short that evokes the classic Warner Bros. cartoons of the ‘40s and 50’s. The slapstick comedy and rubbery animation centered on a conflict between Scraggy and Mimikyu.
Netflix began streaming 21 Studio Ghibli films in February–but not in the United States, Canada, or Japan. Netflix will offer the films subtitled in 28 languages and dubbed in up to 20 more. HBO Max will offer the Ghibli library in the US.
In December, Sony’s Funimation Global Group announced it would acquire anime distributor Crunchyroll from AT&T for $1.175 billion
According to the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, the global market for anime exceeds $19 billion dollars annually
In August, industry heavyweights Toei Animation, Nippon Animation, Shin-Ei Animation, and Tezuka Productions launched the streaming platform Animelog, aimed at family audiences. The studios’ work has been available piecemeal on YouTube channels, and the catalog includes Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan, Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack and Isao Takahata’s 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother. Currently the service is only streaming in Japan, but plans have been announced to subtitle various series in English and Chinese.
Honda Motor Co. said it will release a special edition, pink Super Cub scooter to match the one in Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You. Prices will range from ¥269,500 ($2,500) for the 50cc model to ¥313,500 ($2,949) for the 110 cc model.
In May, the British Film Institute published a list of what they consider the best Japanese film of each year, starting in 1925. They included seven animated features: the wartime propaganda film Momotaro’s Sacred Sailors (Momotaro Umi no Shinpei), Akira, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, Paprika and Summer Wars. (But not Your Name.)
Hand Across the Water: France
In April, plans to overhaul the Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, which administers the Césars, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, drew two open letters from major French animation figures offering alternate visions of how to reconfigure the body. Many filmmakers signed both letters.
In June, the Cannes Festival announced that a record four animated features would be included in their on-line festival: Pete Docter’s Soul (Docter’s third appearance at Cannes); Studio Ghibli’s first CGI feature Earwig and the Witch (Aya to Majo), directed by Goro Miyazaki; Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary, Flee; and Josep, Aurélien Froment’s portrait of Catalan artist Josep Bartolí.
All the Way to the Bank
At the end of February, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising debuted at fourth place in the US with $5.7 million from 1,172 locations. Its per-screen average of $4,946 was the second only to #1 film, Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man.
In October, the anime feature Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train (“Infinity Train”) opened to a record-breaking $44 million—making it the weekend’s number one box office performer worldwide, and the biggest-ever opening in Japan. In November, it surpassed China’s Jiang Ziya to become the highest-grossing animated feature of 2020, and by December it had passed ¥27.51 billion ($265 million) and was closing in on Spirited Away as the #1 film of all time in Japan.
The British Film Institute granted £922,406 ($1.2 million) to 15 artists to develop and produce animated short films. Nine will receive production funding ranging from £30,000 to £120,000 ($36,000–$146,000); six other projects were awarded up to £10k ($12,000) apiece for development. The money comes from the National Lottery.
The original puppets of Rudolph and Santa from Rankin-Bass’ 1964 special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sold for $368,000 at an auction in November.
The Heritage Auction sale of animation art broke records in December: A 12-cel set of Charlie Brown and Snoopy from brought $30,000, while Ub Iwerks’ drawings of Mickey and Minnie from Steamboat Willie fetched $42,300. A drawing from Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur sold for $33,600. Twelve of the top 20 lots were Mary Blair paintings; a study for the mermaid sequence in Peter Pan fetched $48,000. A set of eight original drawings of the Peanuts characters for a 1953 newspaper promotion sold for $288,000.
Wait, There’s More
Don Han’s moving documentary Howard, which aired on Disney+ in August, reminded viewers how much Howard Ashman contributed to the Disney renaissance—and how much the art form lost when he died of AIDS. The film moved one curmudgeonly critic to tears.
In a rare nod to animation, the Criterion Channel streaming platform presented a retrospective of the work of independent artist Bill Plympton in August.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Variety in October, “Our animation ambition right now is not just to step up and be as big as someone who’s doing it today. We’re on a path to be releasing six animated features a year, which no major studio has ever done, on top of the very healthy slate of animated series.”
It’s So Nice to Have You Back Where You Belong
The 14-foot fiberglass statue of Rocky and Bullwinkle was returned to West Hollywood after being removed for restoration in 2013.
At the House of Mouse
On February 25, the Walt Disney Co. revealed Bob Chapek would succeed Bob Iger as CEO, effective immediately.
In October, Disney announced it would refocus its AV media efforts to develop and produce original content for its Disney+ streaming service and other platforms. The work will be part a single, global “Media and Entertainment Distribution” unit led by Disney veteran Kareem Daniel.
More Than Animation
Two studios made striking shorts with Greenpeace: Aardman’s CG/stop motion Turtle Journey, depicted the threat to the oceans from climate change, plastic pollution, oil drilling and overfishing. Cartoon Saloon director Tomm Moore illustrated the damage wrought by commercial meat production in the beautiful There’s a Monster in My Kitchen.
In May, Pixar Animation Studios Spark Shorts released Out, a nine-minute short written and directed by Steven Hunter featuring the Studio’s first gay main character.
In January, the Cool Kids Club and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman organized a series of auctions of collectibles and original art to benefit organizations assisting wildlife rescue after the deadly bushfires in Australia.
During the COVID crisis, Mike and Christine Mignola sold water colors and sketches to raise over $100,000 for José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. Ada Uderzo, the widow of Albert Uderzo (who died in March) sold five pages of his work to raise € 390,000 ($477,402) for the Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris—Hôpitaux de France. Mme. Uderzo said she and her daughter were doing what the artist would have done himself by supporting and thanking caregivers, “the new heroes in every French village.”
In June, San Francisco Bay Area independent animation studios Baobab, KuKu and Tonko House formed the Bay Area Animation Alliance to “inspire local creativity while raising the bar for independent animation worldwide” by running events that focus on “education, craftsmanship, and community.
Testify!
“Animation is not a genre. It is merely another way to create cinema. The two were born together… Today, ties between the mediums are multiplying — for instance, we see a growing number of directors with a background in live action working in animation, and vice versa.”–Open letter from French animators, calling for changes in the Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques.
WINTER OF DESPAIR DEPARTMENT
D’oh!
The anime series MobPsycho 100 received national attention in September, when Eric Trump charged Google with censorship. A search for “mob” returned images of the popular main character’s face, rather than a crowd of people; Trump tweeted, “Google is once again trying to manipulate Americans. Type ‘mob’ or ‘mobs’ into Google and watch what comes up. Do the same on any other search engine.” Fans made fun of Trump’s misplaced outrage.
Universal Picture’s decision to release DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour on VOD in April proved so successful, Universal announced it would continue to release first-run movies on demand as well as in theaters. AMC Theatres (the largest chain in the U.S. and owner of European exhibitor Odeon) replied it would no longer screen Universal films in its 1,000 locations worldwide.
Warner media followed in December, announcing it would release its entire 2021 slate of 17 films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in the U.S. That includes not only the big live-action titles The Matrix 4 and Dune, but the live action/animation combos Tom & Jerry and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
In March, Pixar’s Onward opened to $40 million—adjusting for inflation, it was lowest opening in the studio’s history. The film earned an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, good for most films, but well below what Pixar films usually score.
Back to the Drawing Board
In October, the announcement came that Quibi, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s and Meg Whitman’s $2 billion short-form mobile content streaming experiment, would close–about six months after opening.
In November, the City of Hiroshima announced the Hiroshima International Animation Festival would be replaced by larger event that will include music, live action film and manga. A city representative told the Asahi Shinbun, “The festival is highly regarded in the animation world, but it isn’t the most approachable of events for ordinary citizens. There was no large-scale music-oriented event in the city, and so by combining music and media arts, we aim to create something that citizens can more easily participate in.”
Kelly Knievel, son of daredevil Evel Knievel, filed a lawsuit alleging that Disney and Pixar appropriated Evel’s image for Duke Caboom, the motorcycle stuntman toy voiced by Keanu Reeves in Toy Story 4.
R.I.P.
The lovely and vivacious Marge Champion, who had posed for reference footage of Snow White and the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio, and helped devise the choreography for the “Dance of the Hours” in Fantasia died in Los Angeles in October at 101.
Even before he and Glen Keane won the Oscar for Dear Basketball, Kobe Bryant was excited about animation. He had plans to establish a studio that would produce TV programs and features aimed at and employing underrepresented groups.
Voice actor Luis Alfonso Mendoza, whose characters ranged from Gohan to Bugs Bunny, was murdered in Portales Norte by a tenant who rented studio space from him. Also killed were Mendoza’s wife and brother-in-law.
There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner
HGTV stars Drew and Jonathan Scott announced plans for an animated series starring 10-year-old versions of themselves solving neighborhood problems with “imagination, creativity, grit and heart.” “Your cat’s stuck in a tree Mrs. Olsen? If you add a huge marble island in your kitchen, he’ll come down to see it.”
Taika Waititi, creator of the odious Jojo Rabbit, will write and direct a series based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for Netflix.
Just When You Thought Taste Had Bottomed Out Department:
Hulu announced the creation of the “Hilarious Animated Hulu Awards” that included categories for Most Insulting Insult, Best Hangover Performance and Best Fart Performance. Imagine the thank you speeches…
The Bigotry Agenda (continued):
In April, the new version of DuckTales showed the Violet character with two dads. Monica Cole, director of One Million Moms — a subsidiary of the American Family Association, who had previously lashed out at Toy Story, Arthur, and Onward, called for a boycott of Disney, saying “It is apparent that this particular producer is not finished with indoctrinating children by exposing them to homosexual relationships through a facade of normalcy.” But with no noticeable effect.
And…
Finally, to this writer for being curmudgeonly above and beyond the call of duty at times.