Josh Armstrong Author Archive
Reviews | Interviews | Features | Blogs | News

Smurfs features find inspiration in TV series, Lord of the Rings

From producer Jordan Kerner, Moviehole has the latest information regarding the upcoming computer-animated Smurfs movie trilogy. “Having seen all 234 episodes of the show, numerous times, Herb Ratner and I have been working really hard at looking where all the holes were in the episodes – ya’know, like all of a sudden another woman appears, […]

TV to DVD: Voltron, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

Hosted by TV Shows on DVD, new photos from the extras of Voltron – Volume 2: Yellow Lion are now online. The DVD set will make its way into stores on December 12. In the meantime, the cover artwork for Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends – Season 1 has been updated, along with the DVD […]

Cartoon Network gets Re-Animated with live-action

In the article “Cartoon Comes Alive,” Multichannel News notices the Cartoon Network original movie Re-Animated, airing December 3. The essay particularly observes the live-action content of the film, while also explaining the gradual shift Cartoon Network is taking in its programming. Nonetheless, the channel’s president, Jim Samples, assures viewers that his network will remain dedicated […]

Wallace & Gromit honored with children's BAFTA

Over the weekend, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was honored with another award, being named best feature film at the children’s British Academy Film and Television Awards. The Telegraph records that the film beat The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire […]

Cars car mockups

Upcoming Pixar has discovered some unique pictures of cars, as the vehicles have been tailored to mimic the stars of Disney/Pixar’s Cars. The Aston Martin, Dodge Viper and Ford Thames are just some of the rides receiving the mockup treatment at the interestingly named Monster Monster.

Sony to take stake in FrameFlow?

The Hindu Business Line writes that the Sony Corporation of America may soon have a 51% stake in FrameFlow India Pvt Ltd. Employing 70 visual effects artists, the Chennai-based animation and special effects company recently worked with Sony on the Adam Sandler comedy Click.

Flushed Away character posters

The Internet Movie Poster Awards displays four character banners (Roddy and Rita, The Toad, Spike, Le Frog) for Flushed Away. Proudly proclaiming various puns, the poster set comes from the U.K., where the most recent DreamWorks/Aardman collaboration will be making its debut this Friday.

101 Dalmatians, AristoCats DVD release dates found?

From an anonymous source, Ultimate Disney has learned that the two-disc Platinum Edition DVD for One Hundred and One Dalmatians is scheduled for October 2008. As the site notes, this latest word contradicts an earlier report from Australia that claimed Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as the two Platinum releases for 2008. […]

Happy Feet roundup #3

Yahoo! Movies/FilmStew takes an extended look behind the scenes of Happy Feet, with director George Miller weighing in on the movie’s making. Concurrently, Miller speaks to JoBlo about his penguin picture. In the meantime, it appears that not everyone is happy with Happy Feet, as Media Matters provides a rundown of why numerous political commentators […]

Nightmare Before Christmas fan art contest winners

After receiving a healthy amount of entries, Coming Soon displays the winners for its recent fan art contest, held in celebration of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D. Finishing at #1 place is “The Tragic Couple,” giving new meaning to the vow “‘Til death do us part.” Other honorees include: “Marianne,” […]

Realscan 3D experiences Déjà Vu

PR Newswire delivers SYS-CON Media an official press release regarding the services of Realscan 3D in Touchtone Pictures/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ Déjà Vu. The visual effects supplier produced ten digital doubles of humans, for use in the movie’s computer-generated crowd sequences. This feat was made possible through the high-res texture maps and geometry captured by Realscan […]

Electronic Arts, University College London study game animation

Gamasutra writes that the UK branch of major video game publisher and developer Electronic Arts is teaming with graphics researchers at University College London to research visualization methods. This action is a step toward the development of animation techniques to considerably improve the visual quality of computer games.

Dissecting a scene from Happy Feet

In its most recent “Anatomy of a Scene,” The New York Times takes an intriguing look at the making of a particular point in Happy Feet. Broadcasting the clip, the piece then shares a commentary from the movie’s director, George Miller.

Potter trailer offers glimpse of traditional animation

On the heels of the teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix comes a trailer about a much different Potter. Playing now at Moviefone, the video for Miss Potter previews the biopic of children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. As shown in the trailer, the live-action film contains traditional animation, bringing […]

RIP, Robert Altman (February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006)

At the age of 81 years, legendary film director Robert Altman died Monday, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His passing was the result of complications with cancer. Altman enjoyed a career filled with much critical acclaim. Among his many honors, he was nominated for the “Best Director” Academy Award five times, for the films M*A*S*H (1970), […]

Medical cartoons reviewed

Discovered by Cartoon Brew, an article found in The New York Times, “Historians Resurrect ‘Cartoon Medicine’ for a New Generation,” notices past cartoons used to teach important medical lessons. Some of the shorts featured in the editorial are Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike, Use Your Head and The Traitor Within.

More Arthur and the Invisibles images

Latino Review showcases a few new pictures from Arthur and the Invisibles. The latest images show the more animated side of the computer-animated/live-action flick. In the U.S., Arthur and the Invisibles will have a limited run starting December 15, before opening nationwide on January 12.

Platige Image treads Paths of Hate

Platige Image, the studio behind the Oscar-nominated The Cathedral and the BAFTA-winning Fallen Art, is teaming with Damian Nenow to work on Paths of Hate. A trailer for the film is now showing at its website. For more official information, including pictures, on Paths of Hate, please click:

Disney, Target reach agreement in DVD dispute

The Walt Disney Co. and Target have reached a truce, providing some relief from a recent conflict over DVD pricing, writes the Los Angeles Times. “Target had begun taking down some signs advertising Disney DVDs and moving others to unfavorable locations after Disney refused to lower the wholesale prices of the products to the level […]

U.S. weekend box office actuals: November 17–19, 2006

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo: 1) Happy Feet with $41,533,432, averaging $10,918 over 3,804 theaters (1st week) 5) Flushed Away with $6,596,962, averaging $1,994 over 3,307 theaters ($48,588,533 total; 3rd week) 28) Open Season with $201,388, averaging $516 over 390 theaters ($83,948,077 total; 8th week) 33) The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D with $140,675, averaging […]

Seinfeld gets animated

As a promotion for today’s release of Seinfeld – Season 7 on DVD, Grouper broadcasts numerous scenes from the series, including a couple that have been animated. Interestingly, the black-and-white animation combines a somewhat simple style but an imaginative take on the clips’ dialogue, leading to humorous results.

San Francisco Society of Illustrators presents Pixar Under the Hood

Cartoon Brew hosts the advertisement for Pixar Under the Hood: The Making of Cars, presented by the San Francisco Society of Illustrators. Held in the Morgan Auditorium of San Francisco, California, the event will occur Friday, December 1, at 7 p.m. Pixar Under the Hood is explained as, “A team of Pixar’s creative talent, led […]

Spotlight on Famous Fone Friends

Jim Hill Media focuses its attention on the non-profit organization Famous Fone Friends, which specializes in bringing cheer to hospitalized children. The service brings young patients phone calls from some popular personalities, having assistance from the actual voice actors behind the characters. Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine), Bart Simpson (Nancy Cartwright), Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings), […]

Effects supervisor Jim Rygiel visits Academy of Art University

PR Web summarizes the lecture Jim Rygiel gave to students of the Academy of Art University on October 26, 2006. Rygiel, the Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, spoke of the “technical and artistic challenges” present in combining real objects with digital creations. The president and CEO of Stormfront […]

Very First Noel now on DVD

The official online abode for The Very First Noel is open, as the film itself landed in stores last week. Featuring Andy Griffith as the voice of Melchior, the computer-animated tale tells the popular story of the Wise Men’s journey to find the Christ child.

DeFaria to head animation, visual effects unit for Warner Bros.

Variety notes that Chris deFaria has been named executive vice president of Warner Bros. Pictures’ recently-merged animation, visual effects and digital production department. The article explains, “…deFaria will manage animation projects and visual effects-intensive scripts, explore co-production opportunities with outside animation studios and utilize cutting-edge technology, among other duties.”

More on Disney's success through Iger

The Guardian Unlimited focuses on the current success of The Walt Disney Company under the leadership of CEO Robert Iger. In addition, the editorial summarizes the string of events that lead to Iger’s receiving the company’s top spot.

Disney wishes upon a Starz this Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving Day, Starz Kids & Family will offer viewers a marathon of recent Disney flicks, including The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & and the Wardrobe, Chicken Little, Herby: Fully Loaded and The Incredibles. The presentation will begin Thursday, November 23, at 6 a.m.

Christmas specials scheduled for Cartoon Network

This December, Cartoon Network will celebrate the Holidays with a healthy variety of original specials and perennial classics. The noteworthy lineup includes Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Night Before Christmas: A Mouse Tale and Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. The schedule also […]

Happy Feet opens

Tap-dancing into 3,804 theaters this weekend is Happy Feet, from Warner Bros. Pictures. Thus far, the computer-animated adventure is finding some of the best reviews of the year for an animated feature. For instance, its status at Rotten Tomatoes is easily “fresh” with 79%, as the site’s “Cream of the Crop” section awards a healthy […]