{{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/index.html Michael Barrier}}, author of Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation In Its Golden Age and a contributor to the recent Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD set, offers up his take on a couple of films still in theaters: {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Brother_Bear/Brother_Bear.htm Brother Bear}} and {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Looney_Tunes_Back_in_Action/Looney_Tunes_Back_in_Action.htm Looney Tunes: Back In Action}}. Sounds like he didn’t have […]

Craig Crumpton on the {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=95455 Toon Zone Forums}} posts a link to {{link http://www.gameinformer.com/ Game Informer}}’s site, which reports that Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated The Nightmare Before Christmas is headed to the PlayStation 2 console, courtesy of games giant Capcom. There’s an early look at a couple of screencaps {{link http://gameinformer.com/News/Screens/ScreenShots.htm?CS_pid={0E0A7CD9-063A-42F1-97CE-6EDEFD87DC32} here}} and a […]

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808451614 Greg’s Previews}} has a few tidbits on the upcoming \\Teacher’s Pet\\ movie. First of all, the title has been changed from \\Teacher’s Pet: The Movie\\ to just \\Teacher’s Pet\\. Second, Kelsey Grammer, Paul Reubens, Megan Mullally, and Jay Thomas have been confirmed as part of the cast. Greg also notes that “Kevin Schon […]

{{link http://www.usanimation.com/pdf/OscarNominations.htm Toon Boom Technologies}} notes that their animation software was used on almost half of the animated films eligible for the Animated Oscar. Five of the eleven films (\\The Jungle Book 2\\, \\Piglet’s Big Movie\\, \\Looney Tunes: Back in Action\\, \\Rugrats Go Wild!\\, and \\The Triplets of Belleville\\) were done with their USAnimation software.

{{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=1928&page=4 AWN}} has an interesting article on what makes an animated show a hit. Some factors include good writing (\\The Simpsons\\), the show’s pedigree (“I’ll open Matt Groening or (\\The Family Guy\\’s) Seth MacFarlane or (\\King of the Hill\\’s) Mike Judge’s submission first”), already established characters (book-based \\Arthur\\ created 25 years ago), having a […]

An {{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=16579 Ain’t It Cool News}} contributor gives us our first glimpse of the \\Garfield\\ teaser trailer. According to the {{link http://www.garfieldmovie.com/home.html official website}}, this trailer should appear online in December. If this teaser is any indication, this movies going to suck the very marrow out of next summer. As it begins, the beginning […]

Animation Blast recently posted a link to a New York Times article online in which the future of Mickey Mouse is discussed. While Mickey is certainly an enduring cultural and corporate icon the question is more about whether or not he can remain a viable and entertaining character in animated features. Sales of the upcoming […]

Hopefully this first look at next summer’s Jonathan Frakes-directed blockbuster wannabe will start popping up on other sites around the web, as the {{link http://www.workingtitlefilms.com/nusite.php Working Title Films}} website is a little tricky to navigate to say the least – not the most friendly of pages to find your way around, even if the Flash […]

The {{link http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-weta23nov23,1,1140535.story L.A. Times}} has a report on the lack of CG artists in the industry. “Industry observers agree that there are not enough experienced workers to fill the more than 5,000 jobs available in live-action movies, animated features and video game projects”. For example, while New Zealand based Weta Digital (the computer effects […]

{{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/11242003.1.htm~contentFrame Jim Hill Media}} today has a “mélange” of news including an update on Disney’s \\Chicken Little\\. It’s this really funny film by the guys who did \\The Emperor’s New Groove\\: director Mark Dindal and producer Randy Fullmer… Everything that made \\Groove\\ great – the film’s stylish look, its snarky story qualities, not to […]

Also at {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/11242003.1.htm~contentFrame Jim Hill Media}} today are a few tidbits on \\The Emperor’s New Groove\\. “Disney is currently producing a direct-to-video sequel to the film – tentatively titled \\The Emperor’s Newer Groove\\ – as well as seriously looking into doing a \\Groove\\ TV series.

In the race to see who takes home Oscar gold next year, Finding Nemo seems to be taking a leaf out of Shrek‘s book and going for the big Best Picture prize itself, rather than pushing for Best Animated Feature. ‘Dalboz’, in the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/ Animated News Forums}} tells us that {{link http://www.oscarwatch.com/index.html OscarWatch}}, an […]

For those of us who were fans of Berkeley Breathed’s Pulitzer Prize winning \\Bloom County\\ back when it was originally published and were crushed when he ended the strip, and for those of you who never got a chance to experience Breathed’s sharp sense of humor, today is a great day! According to {{link http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/ […]

{{link http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=16564 Ain’t It Cool News}} has the first review of Pixar’s 2004 offering \\The Incredibles\\! WARNING – Their review is filled with spoilers so do not read it if you don’t want to know! I will summarize below with no spoilers. An AICN reader got to attend a general audience test screening of \\The […]

A little light reading for you on this rather slow news weekend: Amid Amidi’s {{link http://www.animationblast.com/ Animation Blast}} posted some early thoughts on Pixar’s new short Boundin’: “[It’s] humor-light: inoffensive, bordering on sappy, so utterly charming and sweet that it makes you feel dirty watching it. This is some of the sharpest and funniest computer […]

Timing in nicely with the release of the documentary on DVD, {{link http://frankanollie.com/ FrankAnOllie’s personal website}} has had a facelift, courtesy of new hosts Animation World Network! The site, originated and about the legendary Disney animators, features their personal tips on animation, background histories and their work, and fun with “new” characters Revilo and Nilknarf […]

A post at {{link http://www.animationnation.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006966 Animation Nation}} brought to our attention the fact that a previous story we reported on was not true. Our {{link http://www.animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/archives/00000148.html previous report}} stated that Matt Groening, in an interview with the left-wing radio network NPR, said that “Fox News Channel threatened to sue the makers of \\The Simpsons\\ over […]

{{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117895941&cs=1 Variety}} reports (via {{link http://comingsoon.net/news.php?id=2385 ComingSoon.net}} for those of us without a Variety subscription!) that Etan Cohen has made a seven-figure overall deal with Fox Television that “keeps him on as a writer and co-exec producer of \\King of the Hill\\ for two seasons and will allow him to create a pilot”. They […]

{{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2035154 The Hollywood Reporter}} reports that Fox Animation and the team behind the surprise hit \\Ice Age\\ have optioned the rights to Tor Seidler and Fred Marcellino’s children’s book \\The Wainscott Weasel\\. Blue Sky Studios will produce and Chris Wedge is expected to direct. This project isn’t expected until after Wedge has finished \\Robots\\ […]

Drew C. Hackney writes about Walt Disney Theatricals upcoming projects at {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/guest/hackney.11212003.1.htm~contentFrame Jim Hill Media}}. \\Mary Poppins\\ is already set for a 2004 release and \\Tarzan\\ is slated for 2005. After that, projects in planning stages include \\The Little Mermaid\\, \\Hoopz\\, and \\Pinocchio\\. Hackney also gives his thoughts on DreamWorks’ possible foray on Broadway.

{{link http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=1923 AWN}} interviews \\The Triplets of Belleville\\ director Sylvain Chomet. He discusses his previous work, the success of \\Belleville\\, his views on computer animation, and his upcoming project.

{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1818 Animation Magazine}} reports that the classic 80’s animated series \\Robotech\\ is coming to DVD on January 27, 2004. The first volume of \\Robotech Remastered: Extended Edition\\ will include the first 12 episodes. “This newest release features a digital transfer from the original film stock and includes footage cut from the original broadcast version. […]

DVD Toons’ comment feature {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/features/58 My Toon Cents}} runs down the list of eligible films put forward by the Studios this year for consideration as nominees for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. We all have favorites that we’d like to see win, but remember that these are not the final nominations, but just the […]

Grammy winning and Oscar nominated composer Michael Kamen has died of an apparent heart attack. Among his many credits, Kamen composed the scores of \\The Iron Giant\\ and the live action version of \\101 Dalmatians\\. He won the 1999 Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production for his work […]

{{link http://vfxworld.com/?sa=adv&code=3631a5a1&atype=news&id=9645 VFXWorld}} reports that in an interview with the \\Toronto Star\\, Andy Serkis, the actor behind the CG character Gollum in \\The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers\\, alludes that he will be reteaming with director Peter Jackson. “Serkis has an even bigger assignment ahead of him. Rumour has it he’ll be the […]

Creating a new cartoon and basing it on a popular toy has almost always been a safe bet. But {{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1807 Animation Magazine}} has a report that may be taking this a bit too far. Pre-production on the first Slinky film – yes Slinky, the springy toy that is fun for a girl and a […]

Jerry Beck, over on his {{link http://www.cartoonresearch.com/screenings.html Cartoon Research Screenings}} page, reminds the lucky animation fans of LA that tonight sees the first of three events marking a chance to catch some unique and rare films on the big screen. “Forget music – Visit the new Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. and watch silent […]

Doing what it does best, Jim Hill Media digs to the bottom of the recent Few Good Ghosts cancellation and the shutting down of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida and finds some answers. The answers may not be pleasing or satisfying but the bottom line is that when you are trying to please stockholders more […]

{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1806 Animation Magazine}} has the scoop on why DreamWorks’ \\Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas\\ was not on the list of films eligible for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. Ann Daly, head of feature animation at DreamWorks, told Animation Magazine Online, “In light of the fact that \\Sinbad\\ was clearly a commercial disappointment, […]