A selection of the best animation news, opinions, and features from around the world for the week ending January 11th, 2020.
Report: ‘Road To El Dorado’ And ‘Shark Tale’ Director Bibo Bergeron Indicted In France
Cartooon Brew
This news was quite a shock on a Monday morning; especially since A Monster in Paris is a favourite. But it’s a reminder that art and artist are not the same. Along with John K. this now makes two the number of alleged sexual predators I met at the 2013 CTN expo…
‘The Simpsons’ Star Hank Azaria Will No Longer Voice Apu
/Film
This is just a confirmation that the current status quo will continue but once again thrusts the argument over stereotypical portrayals into the limelight.
Aladdin’s John August Will Pen Animated Movie Musical About The Wizard of Oz‘s Toto
Playbill
If you thought Hollywood’s bar for flogging dead horses was too low, guess again.
Japan Academy Awards Announces Five Anime Films for Animation of the Year
Crunchyroll
Two live-action film adaptations of Japanese manga, Kingdom (based on Yasuhisa Hara’s historical manga) and Tonde Saitama (Mineo Maya’s comedy) are selected as “Excellent Film of the Year,” alongside Shimbun Kisha, Heisa Byoutou – Sorezore no Asa-, and Hachimitsu to Enrai.
Onward
/Film
The website /Film is helping put the marketing juggernaut for Pixar’s forthcoming feature ‘Onward’ into high gear with two articles this week. The standard puff piece may not interest you, but the more detailed article on the film’s production may deliver a more rewarding experience.
The Token Female Pixar Story Artist
Vulture
What was it like for Brenda Chapman as the only woman in a department of men at both Disney and Pixar? (Hint: not the friendliest places to work.)
Playmobil Movie Ends Theatrical Run With Just $1.1 Million
Comicbook.com
I want to see this movie as badly as I want to see Cats.
The Oscar Nominations
The nominations came out on Monday and depending on who you are and what you like, you were either very happy or very disappointed. Plenty of articles made at least a passing reference to Frozen II being ‘snubbed’, but aside from the usual ‘outrage‘ on social media, there were a few aspects that made it likely the film wouldn’t get the nod:
- the competition was unprecedented this year (32 films!)
- The Academy in general is still smitten with Toy Story
- Box office performance tends not to matter at the Oscars
There’s also plenty of buzz about the impact that Netflix on the nominations, but I believe this to be overblown. Plenty of their animated films (and Klaus is certainly a specimen sample) are produced by third parties before being acquired by the company. Netflix is merely providing convenient distribution and opportunities. If I were GKIDS, I would be extremely nervous since Oscar nominations play a huge role in their marketing, and without a nomination their films become harder to sell to the general population.
Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli and the Citroën 2CV
Autoweek
Animators are not exactly famous for their cars (notable manga artists on the other hand…) but like any personal artefact, they can have a meaning and a purpose to the artist. Hayao Miyazaki’s Citroën 2CV says more about him than might be apparent on the surface, and Autoweek does a nice job of exploring why. For a take by the man himself, his essay in the collection ‘Starting Point‘ is a true insight.