October Animation Tidbits [#3]

Tidbits on time-travel, three fantastical worlds

and shadows...

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USA Today gives us our first look at DreamWorks' Mr. Peabody & Sherman, which opens March 7th. The trailer, according to director Rob Minkoff (The Lion King), will be released just in time for the debut of Free Birds this come November. Check out the images and see what you think!

Personally, I like the design of the Egyptian setting and the WABAC Machine's interior, but I like that the film is going to have the character design style and simplistic charm of the original segments, but in the world of computer animation. The rest of it, art direction-wise, looks very nice. It's also nice to see that Ancient Egypt will be prominent setting, judging by the selection of stills they have picked.

Also, I think - going by what I've read and what I'm currently seeing - this will be a bounce back for DreamWorks. The Croods was a letdown for me, I have not seen Turbo but I'm not dying to see it either, this looks like it'll be DreamWorks' first good film since Rise of the Guardians. (Hey, with the pipeline they have, not everything will be up to par.) I know that's a radical opinion, because it seems like everyone adored The Croods. Oh well, I wasn't too fond of it.

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The big news today for me concerns Reel FX's second animated feature (their first is Free Birds), The Book of Life. Recently, distributor Fox moved it from October 3, 2014 back to the October 17th spot, as opposed to the film's original October 10th spot. My Rotoscoper comrade Morgan got this bit of news earlier today; the plot and the full cast!

"An animated comedy with a unique visual style, The Book of Life is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, The Book of Life encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future."

I'm surprised that there's no mention of the Day of the Dead backdrop (it's possible that it's been removed in order to not make it seem similar to Pixar's upcoming similarly-themed film) or the Romeo & Juliet-style story, but three fantastical worlds? I wonder if they'll come in different unique animation styles, the synopsis alone promises an animation style like no other. Aron Warner, who is producing Free Birds, also noted this a while back. Remember when I compared it to Rango? Yeah, I'm pretty it will definitely be the next Rango for the computer animation medium.

Also, a "fresh take on pop music favorites"? Are we talking pop classics? Or more recent stuff? I hope it's classics, and it'll definitely be interesting because, as Morgan pointed out, it could go a Moulin Rouge!-esque route or something of the sort. Crafting a story around many songs sounds like a great idea, I just wonder what songs they will use.

The cast consists of Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, Kate del Castillo, Ron Perlman, Cheech Marin,  Hector Elizondo Placido Domingo, Ana de la Reguera, Eugenio Derbez, Gabriel Iglesias, Ricardo (“El Mandril”) Sanchez, Danny Trejo...

Ice Cube? Channing Tatum? A bit star-studded, don't you think? Oh well, hopefully all of them are invested in their roles because I'm tired of animated films having casts with celebrities who are only in it for the paycheck (*cough* Epic *cough*) and sound so uninterested in the film itself. On the other hand, there's a lot of top talent here and unexpected faces. Quite the mix!

But I'm still excited nonetheless, it sounds wicked and wildly different... Just what I expected!

I'm glad they are hyping it now, which may mean that a trailer will be attached to Free Birds. Cross your fingers!

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Henry Selick's The Shadow King can't seem to catch a break...

Originally, this stop motion film was going to be released by Walt Disney Pictures this month, but after Alan Horn was named Chairman of the company last summer, the plug was pulled. Apparently Selick and crew were way behind schedule, though supposedly the film is actually halfway done. Selick then shopped it to LAIKA, since he directed Coraline for them, but they strangely rejected it! Earlier in the year, K5 International had picked up the film but we have not heard anything since...

Now, it seems like it's not on the schedule anymore. Selick is now off to direct a live action film based on Adam Gitwiz's A Tale Dark and Grimm, a Hansel and Gretel continuation where they enter eight other Grimm fairy tales. A pretty cool idea, but if you ask me, that should be an animated film - it screams animated. He also has an adaptation of The Graveyard Book in the works for Disney, so I assume that we won't be seeing his next stop motion film anytime soon. What a bummer...

That is, if someone picks it up... I hope it happens...

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What do you think of the Mr. Peabody & Sherman stills? Are you looking forward to the film? Or not? Does The Book of Life excite you? What do you think of the plot and the cast? Do you Henry Selick will ever get The Shadow King completed any time soon?

Sound off below!

'Book of Life'... The Next 'Rango'?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that Book of Life, an upcoming computer animated film from the Dallas-based Reel FX Creative Studios, will be the next Rango...

As you all know, I have nothing but high praise for that Gore Verbinski-directed western that came out over two years ago. It was a much-needed kick in the pants to the industry, showing audiences that you don't have to make a cutesy derivative adventure with the animated medium. It did what most of Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks' competitors don't do and it even tries a few things that those greats haven't tried yet. It was a pretty hard PG film, as it toyed with humor and violence that caused controversy. The character designs were the antithesis of what you see in the marketplace, from Disney to Illumination. Nothing cute, marketable or ready-made for toys. The story is complex but it locks together quite well by the time the third act rolls in, with fun twists and turns. On top of that, the quirkiness is right on the surface and its just a beautiful film to look at. It's an animated masterpiece in my eyes...

Now, why do I think that this Book of Life will be the next Rango? How will it be the next Rango?

Reel FX, as many of you may know, is entering the theatrical feature animation business with Jimmy Hayward's Free Birds this autumn. This film, directed by Jorge Guiterrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro, is set to follow it. The picture is currently slated for an October 3, 2014 release and is described as an "action-packed" take on Romeo and Juliet, but with a "Day of the Dead backdrop". Aron Warner, producer of Free Birds, says it's unlike any computer animated film out there.

Well, Rango was just that if you ask me. Design-wise, it was far removed from a lot of the big studio offerings. It certainly didn't feel like something you'd see from Blue Sky and Illumination, and even the likes of Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks. It was a rare breed, its own animal... Since it came out, I've been saying, "We need more films like that!" Its success should've been something of a wake-up call to studios and newcomers... It looks like Reel FX gets the message.

Today, animation directors are pointing out the problems with the animation industry and the sameness of many releases. People who don't know anything about animation go backwards and ask "Are there too many animated films?" The answer is simple: Diversify. Create a market for different kinds of animated films, rather than the family-friendly adventure or silly comedy. Animation is such a limitless medium, yet many of our studios don't really experiment with it. There's a reason people turn to the likes of Disney and Pixar, because they offer creative films that are also smart; films that don't talk down to the audience. Films that everyone can enjoy, no matter what age.

Look at anime, look at what they get to cover! In Japan, they don't have this ridiculous "animation is for children" prejudice going on. That's almost exclusive to North America since it was born there. They also don't spend over $100 million USD on a lot of their works, so with the budgets they have, they can explore and try many things that American animation hasn't touched yet. The same also applies to many studios in Europe, who prove that huge budgets don't make for great animated films, or successful ones.

Reel FX plans on making their films for reasonable costs, unlike a studio like DreamWorks who will pour over $130 million into every film they make. (Though to be fair, the production values and extra sparkle in their films kind of show that they go an extra mile.) Free Birds has good-looking animation, so Book of Life should look just fine. People will still see an animated film that isn't entirely dazzling in its look. Illumination's films cost under $75 million to make, and people go to see them. Audiences will show up for something good or something that looks good.

Here's where the risk lies... How do you make Book of Life appeal to mass audiences? Its subject matter may not appeal to audiences, regardless of whether the film is hand-drawn or CG or stop-motion. LAIKA's films, for instance, have a hard time catching on. Coraline and ParaNorman's spooky themes just didn't appeal, and their opening weekends were poor. Stop-motion could be popular if marketed right, and so can the subject matter. Now this is not definite. It's possible that Book of Life will look great to fickle audiences that don't gravitate towards weirder or more eccentric animation, but what if it doesn't?

Rango, however, was arguably just as hard of a sell. Again, it had pretty grotesque character designs, no flashy colors (given the Western setting and tone) or anything familiar. The trailers made use of the film's various jokes, and somehow the marketing successfully sold it. Paramount put their all into it though, you got to give them credit there. (At the same time, they slacked off on Kung Fu Panda 2.) Adults who are normally sick of the same ol' same ol' were thrilled to see something different, and the marketing did try to reach out to them. Attaching Nickelodeon's name also helped the film, as they could sell it to family audiences (they did the same with The Adventures of Tintin, but with much less success) as well as promoting it on a channel that tons of children watch. It was a smart strategy, and the film opened well enough and had good enough legs. It may not have doubled its budget, but Paramount was more than happy with its success. To put it in perspective, Rango sold 15 million tickets while the supposedly more popular Rio sold 17 million. The gross of that Blue Sky film was only higher because of 3D screenings.

But on the other hand, Rango did have the first week of March to its advantage. October really isn't blockbuster month yet, but if last year taught us anything, it can be. Fox is distributing this film, so they're going to have to put their all into it if they want it to be a hit, but there's a big dilemma here: Fox has four other animation releases that year - Blue Sky's Rio 2 and DreamWorks' Mr. Peabody & Sherman, How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Home. Will they put a good amount of effort into Book of Life's marketing? Or will they pull a Fantastic Mr. Fox on it, throw it out there with barely any marketing and let it just sit there?

This one is going to need some very good marketing behind it, and on top of that, Fox can try to make it appeal to mainstream audiences without pandering: ParaNorman's trailer and ads, if you ask me, committed that sin. That film's trailer made it seem like a kiddie flick to adults (I remember watching the trailer and couldn't help but be a bit skeptical, despite how great Coraline was) yet it featured scary images that may have been frightening to kiddies. You can't have it both ways, because by pandering to kids with something that wasn't entirely for the younger set and losing adults in the process is what stopped ParaNorman from being the hit it should have been. Rango did well enough because the marketing tried to appeal to both age groups.

Which brings me back to why I brought up Rango. Book of Life is essentially a Rango or ParaNorman-esque film. It's different and it knows it, yet it's still going to be a family film, but probably a pretty edgy one. But why the "next Rango" rather than the "next ParaNorman"? Well, Rango was successful and it was also a computer animated film. If Rango can prove that not all non-Pixar/Disney/DreamWorks computer animated films should be the same, this could make that argument as well. Only time will tell...

Beasts of Burden on the other hand will probably not be a family film given the source material, but nothing is set in stone for that film just yet. You know I'm rooting for that one as well, and I hope Reel FX announces something about it (casting, directors, possible release dates) soon. In the mean time, their second feature looks to be a game changer and one that may make a real impact like Verbinski's quirky critter western did.

A New Player?

The feature film field of the American animation industry is getting bigger? Why? A 20-year-old special effects company wants in!

Dallas-based Reel FX started out in the animation world in the early 2000s by producing short films and direct-to-video productions whilst contributing to several theatrical animated films such as The Wild, Everyone's Hero and TMNT. One of their most notable works was William Joyce's short The Man on the Moon, which was what DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians was partially based on. They also did work on the Kung Fu Panda short Secrets of the Furious Five along with the recent Looney Tunes computer animated shorts. Their direct-to-video work includes the likes of two G.I. Joe films and the two Open Season sequels. Now, they plan on entering the world of animated feature film production. It was a shocking move for its time, considering what was going on earlier this year with the VFX and animation industries. Studios like Rhythm & Hues and Digital Domain filed for bankruptcy, layoffs happened (DreamWorks' laid off over 350 people!), protests ensued... And yet an FX house decides to go big and make animated feature-length films to compete with the heavy-hitters. Admirable.

We've heard a few things about Reel FX's plans to enter the feature animation business last autumn when it was announced that Relativity Media would distribute their debut theatrical animated feature film, the long-gestating Free Birds. Apparently this project, formerly known as Turkeys, has had trouble getting off the ground over the years. I remember hearing the name of it for quite a while now... Animation historian Jerry Beck always had it on his animated features list too.

Funny how Owen Wilson's character isn't the red one...

I haven't written much about this film, other than the fact that it was oddly moved from its planned November 2014 release date to this November back in February, because apparently it's really close to completion! When I read the synopsis for this film, I was not intrigued... In fact I was rather annoyed with it. The film is about two turkeys who team up to go back in time and prevent people from eating turkey for dinner every Thanksgiving. To me, it sounded like an animated film commissioned by PETA (no, not that one!) but without the shock value.

It's possible that the writers could pull this off in a fun way. Perhaps if Free Birds goes the Chicken Run route, it could actually be *gasp* good! Maybe what the turkeys do on their adventure might bring some good laughs, maybe the time machine throws them somewhere else entirely and they end up failing the mission. The film is being touted as irreverent, so are we going to get fresh jokes and ones that aren't... Well... Stale? Will it be a dark comedy of sorts? What if the turkeys succeed in their mission and yet screw up the world because of what they did? There's potentially good stuff in the "succeed in the mission/screw the future" idea, and I'd actually like to see them go that route. It would be interesting, you know?

I know I'm probably speculating a little too much about this film, but apparently Reel FX is really confident in it. Marketing has already kicked off, but no trailer has surfaced yet. It's possible that we'll get one very soon, perhaps before Epic or Monsters University, because the film is not too far away. If the team makes a film that's actually funny and enjoyable, and not anti-meat, then it'll be okay in my book. Then again, who am I kidding? This is a wide release mainstream family-friendly animated film, 95% chance they won't make it that way.

If Reel FX's people say that they want a slate of "quality" animated films, then I guess Free Birds could be pretty decent. Again, it's an irreverent and there a few things that could really work. I'm just not confident in this one yet, but I want it to succeed because the two films that Reel FX has in their pipeline really intrigue me... More so than a lot of animated films that are coming out in the next few years: Book of Life and Beasts or Burden.

We don't know much about Book of Life other than the fact that it's a Dia De Los Muertos-flavored Romeo & Juliet story that's being produced by Guillermo del Toro himself. It will be directed by Jorge Gutierrez, the creator of Nickelodeon's short-lived El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera. We also know that it does have a release date - October 10, 2014. It'll also be computer animated, much like Free Birds. That's it, though... But the idea already sounds promising because with its Day of the Dead setting, it'll probably be more in line with the work of Tim Burton and Henry Selick. I kind of expect it to be a sort of computer animated LAIKA-esque film, but with its own unique style of course!

What's also interesting is that Fox Animation Studios will work with Reel FX on the film, the once defunct studio that was revived for the production of Fantastic Mr. Fox. 20th Century Fox keeps that studio alive for work like this. The film is also a real 180 from Free Birds, which is pretty much a buddy comedy with cutesy, funny fowl characters. See, this is what I like. Studios experimenting and trying new things with each new film. What this film will be like, I have no idea. All I can say is this: Day of the Dead setting, unconventional subject matter and spooky themes? Count me in!

There's one other project that's currently in the works, but no release date is set... Beasts of Burden.

Seriously, this film should be
done in hand-drawn animation!

Based on the horror-themed comic book series by Evan Dorkin, Beasts of Burden is about five dogs and a cat who battle paranormal and supernatural threats to protect their suburban home. I have not read the comics, but from what I've read about them, they certainly aren't family friendly in any sense. I've kept an eye out for this film because it could be another (mainstream) stab at adult-oriented feature animation. There have been so many failed attempts over the decades, so I'm hoping this one will turn out to be something of a success. Shane Acker, the director of the not-so-family-friendly 9, will be at the helm. Andrew Adamson, the director of the first two Shrek films and the first Chronicles of Narnia film, will produce.

Acker's 9 was actually one of a few failed films that tried to get PG-13/R-rated animation to appeal to mainstream audiences in the recent years, but despite its dark tone and wonderful visual style, it was sadly forgettable with a paper-thin plot. Focus Features marketed it to teenagers with embarrassingly awful ads that said "This isn't your little brother's animated film!" No wonder why it failed to double its small $30 million budget! How many times does the industry have to be told the same damn thing? Don't advertise animation to summer blockbuster-loving teenaged boys. They want to see stuff like Transformers and Fast & Furious, not a quirky post-apocalyptic "cartoon" about rag dolls!

I've been saying one thing for a while: Adult-oriented theatrical animated fare needs to co-exist with family-friendly fare in the American animation industry. I've said many times before that I'm totally fine with Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks making G/PG family films, because most of them are smart and they aren't films that make anyone older than the age of 10 cringe in the theater or on the couch. I don't understand how TV-14 and TV-MA rated shows (juvenile and smart shows) can successfully thrive alongside shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, but a good PG-13 or R-rated animated film can't do well in theaters. The industry needs to invest in "smart" adult animation, not adult animation that tries to be "adult" with gratuitous violence, cursing and juvenile pseudo-edgy humor.

Brave director Mark Andrews has been clamoring for more adult-oriented animated feature films as of late (he wants to make a PG-13/R film at Pixar!) along with many others in the animation field, and we did see some really hard PG family films (arguable) hit theaters over the last couple of years. Gore Verbinski's brilliant and eccentric Rango was truly a bold piece of animated cinema, but with Paramount's marketing machine behind it and generally good word of mouth, it did rather well at the box office. Oh, and it got a HUGE amount of flack from angry parents. The same thing happened to LAIKA's two sterling films, Coraline and ParaNorman, both of which contained dark content that certainly frightened children and left unsuspecting parents peeved, the latter of which also had edgy humor. Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, though not a hit, was also a good adult-oriented animated film that still could appeal to a family audience... But its tone and subject matter were definitely not kid-friendly, but not necessarily inappropriate for kids. These films really pushed the PG rating, but they did it with style. They didn't cheaply "pretend" to be more adult-oriented animated films. We need more, and filmmakers can see what they can do with the medium with a PG-13 or R rating. The possibilities are endless! A lot of great adult-oriented works from Japan and Europe have proven this.

Beasts of Burden, if done right with smart writing and no reliance on cheap gimmicks (i.e. stupid things that teens consider "mature" or "adult"), could be a very successful adult-oriented animated film that could spark a new renaissance in that kind of fare. Perhaps it could motivate Reel FX to greenlight more projects like it, because that would really spice up the competition and artists will do what the other studios -  even Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks - aren't doing! Blue Sky, Sony and Illumination pretty much can't go against the grain, as they stick to making profitable and competent family films. After all, being bold could be a threat to them anyways. They don't have a massive empire (*cough* Disney *cough*) to back them up if a wild experiment were to fail. Just look at what happened when DreamWorks took a big chance and made the risky hard sell Rise of the Guardians, they took a box office beating and then doom-and-gloom in the press followed. (Speculation that they would go under and such.) In the end, the studio heads ended up laying off over 350 (!) members of the staff, delaying one of the films and canning a project that was probably already in production. The much safer and accessible Croods made quite a profit and then some.

Reel FX's future in feature animation will probably lie within Free Birds, so that film needs to make a profit. How much did it cost to make? I'm assuming it won't have a budget that's as big as Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks' films. If anything, it's in a good spot. There's no real competition until Disney's Frozen comes out and blows it away, and by then, it could do pretty well. If it's a halfway decent film, it should be a success. Book of Life and Beasts of Burden however, are massive risks. I'll be surprised if either of them come close to $50 million at the domestic box office. Free Birds distributor Relativity's highest grossing film (domestically) made $83 million, so who knows how they'll market this and the upcoming films. That stand for Free Birds is an indicator that they want to go all out with this, after all animated films can bring them the business that their small-scale live action films aren't bringing them.

Reel FX also plans on producing live action films too, such as Danny DeVito's Honeymoon with Dad and Monument 14 (based on the young adult novel series). These productions ought to keep them going as well if they are to do well. Adamson's own production company is one of the studios behind the latter, so Adamson may be involved with other animated productions.

All in all, I'm excited about Reel FX's plans and what they might bring to the table in the future. So, do you think Reel FX has a future in theatrical animation? Do any of their upcoming projects pique your interest? Sound off below!

A Big Year?

I've been thinking this for a while. The more we find out about the animated films being released next year, the more excitement... 2014 is loaded. Literally. 2014 is packed with so much promise. If you ask me, this could be another fine year for animation and perhaps its biggest.

When I think of great years in animation, I think of years like 2010. That particular year had several very impressive animated films, and many of them were big hits. Toy Story 3, Tangled, How To Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me all satisfied and impressed audiences, animation fans and critics. Even an arguably lesser effort like Shrek Forever After got some form of positive reception. I mean, being "better than Shrek the Third" probably doesn't say much for the series' finale, but it didn't get all around negative reception. Megamind, though I saw it as a somewhat failed experiment, got good marks from critics and was a sizable success. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole may not have been good, but give the studio props for aiming for a story that was darker in tone, not to mention the great visuals.

Then I look at 2011, and we have impressive entries like Rango, Winnie the Pooh, Arthur Christmas and The Adventures of Tintin mixed with low quality efforts like Mars Needs Moms, The Smurfs and Happy Feet Two. 2012 was a step up, though we still had some merely passable films here and there. This year looks like it'll be the same, some critical and commercial hits mixed with some duds. I mean after all, this year does contain the likes of The Smurfs 2 and Escape from Planet Earth. We also have no idea how films like Despicable Me 2 and Turbo will turn out. It's an "it can go either way" deal with those kinds of films.

Though this may sound biased, I personally think 2014 is animation's next big year. A year where most of the work will impress in some way, and also dominate at the box office for the most part. 2010 did just that, and maybe 2014 can do it to. The domestic box office performances of all of 2010's animated batch put together is $1.5 billion, making it, money-wise, animation's biggest year at the North American box office to date. The previous record was held by 2006, a year that was packed with animated features.

From the looks of it, I think that 2014's line-up suggests so much potential. So what are the films? Well if you don't follow animation news, here's the rundown of what's coming next year:

LEGO: The Motion Picture

Animal Logic / LEGO

February 7, 2014

Initially, I had mixed feelings towards this film. A LEGO film could either be plain fun or a film that's only good for children and no one else. Also, what person doesn't want to see a LEGO film? What person did not enjoy LEGO sets when they were young? I think if the studio does this right, it'll be perfect for kids and it'll be perfect for everyone else. It's also a film that doesn't need to be more than what it is, so I'm not expecting too much out of it.

The premise? An average joe LEGO figure apparently might be the one who will save the universe from a massive evil force. Sounds generic, but the announcements said that the character will team up with some colorful allies and Batman... Yes, Batman. It's clear that this film is going to take full advantage of its setting and tone, and if you ask me, that'll make for a fun ride. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are directing it. Enough said. If it doesn't necessarily succeed in the story department, it's sure to be a riot from start to finish. This has a lot going for it.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

DreamWorks Animation

March 14, 2014

One of the reasons I may have seemed a bit harsh on this film is because it seems a lot lighter than some of the studio's recent attempts at big, heartfelt films. Films that could arguably rival Pixar, such as How To Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians. Well I don't expect Peabody to reach such heights, and as such, it should be a solid good film when taken on its own terms. The only other thing that turned me off was the fact that it's a re-imagining of something people knew many decades ago.

This was done once in a blue moon before the success of Alvin of the Chipmunks in 2007, but nowadays this trend is everywhere. It's to the point where it's gotten annoying, but I trust DreamWorks. I doubt that the studio and director Rob "Lion King" Minkoff will deliver a cynical, crass and shallow piece of trash where the titular characters talk in hip slang, rap and crack lame kiddie fare jokes every five seconds. The cast is impressive too, boasting talent such as Mel Brooks himself! With its new release date, the team will have more than enough time to iron out any possible setbacks.

Rio 2

Blue Sky Studios

April 11, 2014

Rio seems to have split animation fans from what I've gathered. Some found it to be an enjoyable, cute flick while others thought it was just plain mediocre. Either that, or people were simply angry because Pixar's Newt got cancelled for possibly being too similar to this. Me? I personally enjoyed Rio, and while it had its cringeworthy moments, I found it to be a treat. I liked the animation for the most part. The designs of the different birds were great, not so much the humans. I liked the story, a few of the songs were catchy and most of the comedy worked. The audience I saw it with on opening weekend had a fun time and applauded twice during the film. Again, I wasn't expecting it to be an emotional powerhouse that would rival something like Toy Story 3. I was expecting fun, and that's what I got.

Rio 2, I'm a bit skeptical of. Yes the first was fun and that's all I expect from the sequel, but I just hope the team at Blue Sky don't go the route of the Ice Age sequels. Nothing is more frustrating than animated comedy that has a lot of funny moments, but also a boatload of gags that don't work. This is one I'm not terribly excited about it, but I think it could make for good fun. A nice little matinee before the heavy-hitters kick in.

The Good Dinosaur

Pixar Animation Studios

May 30, 2014

How many more times can I rave about this film? I fell in love with the concept when it was unveiled back in the summer of 2011. I was beyond excited when I heard that it would be directed by Bob Peterson, instead of someone who already directed a Pixar film. The concept art that was unveiled was gorgeous. Also, it's Pixar. That's pretty much it. You might argue, "But Pixar has been slipping lately! Didn't you see Cars 2 and Brave?" I did, and I don't believe the studio is slipping. I've made it clear many times before that I don't see a "Pixar rut" coming any time soon. Cars 2 was what it was, it obviously wasn't going to be great. Brave had its faults, but can you blame it? It was a problematic production. You'd be surprised how many animated films were troubled productions.

I'm confident that this film will be like their other films. Sure Brave ran into difficulties and it may not have been the film it could've been, but that doesn't mean this film will automatically be plagued by production problems. It could turn out to be another excellent endeavor from the studio. Why should two films, one of which that was most likely not going to be anything Pixar-like, influence how we anticipate Pixar's upcoming work? I say don't worry and hope for the best.

Ninja Turtles

Nickelodeon Movies / Platinum Dunes

June 6, 2014

In all honesty, can I just skip this one? IMDb lists it as an animated film, but I've been hearing that it will be live action. Will it be a hybrid like The Smurfs? Or not? Please oh pretty please can I skip this? I mean, every announcement has just upset many. Look whose working on it... Jonathan Liebesman, who directed such great classics like Battle: Los Angeles and Wrath of the Titans, will be at the helm. Michael Bay is producing. Grrrreat. Megan Fox was cast as April O'Neil. Wonderful... If you can't tell I'm being sarcastic, then I'll break it to you this way: It's going to be a disaster. It's been obvious since day one. I have no desire to see it, and I'm not even a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to begin with!

I will say one thing though, the title is actually fitting. This is not "Teenage Mutant" Ninja Turtles. Peter Laird, the franchise's co-creator, is apparently against the film. Very telling if you ask me. What are you left with? A movie that'll anger the fans that probably won't appeal to non-fans. Maybe kids will go see it, since the new series is a hit, but... Yeah...

How To Train Your Dragon 2

DreamWorks Animation SKG

June 20, 2014

Yes, we all know How To Train Your Dragon was DreamWorks' most critically successful film to date. It was beloved by many, and it won skeptics over. DreamWorks had made a film that was more than impressive. A film that didn't have hit music, potty humor or pop culture references. Despite its many setbacks, How To Train Your Dragon has a sincerity and golden heart to it that helps you overlook its problems. I bet that's because Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois directed it. One thing I loved about Dragon was the setting; the whole idea of a world where dragons exist opens up the doors to many new possibilities. I wanted to know more about the setting, and hopefully the sequel delivers in that department.

But I also want a good story, and one that's stronger than the one in the first film. I also want a better screenplay. No pointless exposition or modern slang dialogue. The film will take place five years after the first one, so maybe Hiccup and the other kids won't talk like your typical high schoolers. Maybe. Will we see all different kinds dragons? Will we see other settings beyond Berk? Since DreamWorks went big for Kung Fu Panda 2, I suspect that How To Train Your Dragon 2 will be a bigger and much more epic film than its predecessor. So much to look forward to!

Popeye

Sony Pictures Animation

September 26, 2014

Why in the world would I anticipate a computer animated re-imagining of Elzie Crisler Segar's legendary sailor man? One from Sony Pictures Animation no less? Well, for starters you have Genndy Tartakovsky directing it. Tartakovsky did a fine job with making computer animation "cartoony" in Hotel Transylvania, an extension of what we saw in films like Madagascar. Despite what some may think, computer animation can do what the funniest Golden Age cartoons did. The medium is not limited by the naturalism or realism, and Tartakovsky proved that. I personally think that computer animation has a little ways to go in order to capture zaniness and slapstick seen in hand-drawn cartoons, but it'll get there. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Hotel Transylvania were an indication that it can.

That all being said, Popeye also worries me. While I have no doubt that Tartakovsky will make it a lively, energetic film; I also fear that it may lack what made the short subjects so great. With films like Alvin and the Chipmunks, there wasn't much to live up to. With something like Popeye, there is a lot to live up to. Also remember that during the Golden Age, nobody copied one another. The Fleischer shorts have a distinct look to them that wasn't anything like Disney or Warner Bros. cartoons. They were grounded in a modern day setting with no old timey look nor a lavish one. Since Tartakovsky respects classic animation, he may make his Popeye film resemble those brilliant shorts. But something tells me that he'll be getting lots and lots of notes from the higher ups to make it a safe, audience-friendly picture. You never know, he may not listen.

Book of Life

Reel FX Creative Studios / Fox Animation Studios

October 10, 2014

After Reel FX enters the competitive world of animated films with their debut feature Turkeys this November, they'll serve up this spooky-themed computer animated film. Guillermo del Toro is producing it, and it'll be directed by Jorge R. Gutierezz (the creator of the short-lived Nickelodeon series El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera). Reports say it'll be a Romeo and Juliet-esque love story that's in a Day of the Dead setting. The working title was actually Day of the Dead, but it was probably changed to avoid confusion with Pixar's upcoming "Day of the Dead" project. With a smart choice of release date, this film could actually be a hit in Mexico if it doesn't do well here. Given its subject matter, it probably won't. Animated films with a creepy flare don't translate to box office gold here, unless it's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I'm already interested in it, and it seems like a risky turn for an up-and-coming studio (well granted, Reel FX was doing VFX, short films and direct-to-video titles before this). It already sounds good and it's got some good talent behind it. Keep an eye out for it in the coming months.

The Boxtrolls

LAIKA

October 17, 2014

LAIKA's two films, Coraline and ParaNorman, were animation game-changers. The Boxtrolls will be no different. The revealed synopsis and cast already excite me, in fact this could be my most anticipated animated film for the year. It'll combine stop motion richness and computer animation, so it'll make for a cool hybrid. If anything, I'm excited for the trailer alone. I just want to see what this thing will look like. I expect the writing to be whip-smart, after all, Coraline and ParaNorman had great writing.

Big Hero 6

Walt Disney Animation Studios / Marvel Studios

November 7, 2014

I've been anticipating this one since it was announced. Again, Walt Disney Animation Studios branching out and doing a superhero film. A Marvel Comics adaptation no less. Disney Animation's President talked about how Disney will be trying new things with their output, and Wreck-It Ralph was proof. Big Hero 6 reminds me of something like Atlantis: The Lost Empire, but unlike that 2001 film, the creative team won't have narrow-minded executives ruining their work. The studio's output nowadays is very good because of this. Executives ruined films like Dinosaur, Atlantis and Treasure Planet. This is not the case anymore. I also hope it will be a hand-drawn film. Please Disney, make it hand-drawn.

Happy Smekday!

DreamWorks Animation SKG

November 26, 2014

I'll admit, I'm not too excited about this. I never read the book it's based on (Adam Rex's The True Meaning of Smekday), but the plot to that juvenile novel sounds interesting: An alien race called the Boov take over the world and change Christmas to "Smekday", meanwhile a human girl and one of the Boov become friends and go on adventures together; they ultimately end up having to save the world. The cast currently consists of Jim Parsons and Rihanna, the latter can't act and shouldn't be providing voice overs in animated films in my opinion. Again, it feels like DreamWorks is going back to their old roots by casting big names, but... The idea and setting could make for a very good-looking film. I'd like to see DreamWorks take a good stab at sci-fi, a genre often avoided by the animation industry due to many misguided films.

Minions

Illumination Entertainment

December 19, 2014

Allow me to get one thing out of the way. I am not a fan of Illumination or their apparent business model, despite the fact that I really enjoyed Despicable Me. In fact I enjoyed it enough that I got the Blu-ray of it, and I don't regret that purchase. It's a very cute and appealing movie, and it's the rare exception where an animated family film takes so many things that are typically seen in these kinds of films and makes them work without ever feeling tired. Others may feel differently about it, but in my eyes, Despicable Me was pure fun and entertainment done right. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax on the other hand, well... Let's just say the Despicable Me formula did not work and only undermined Seuss' book and its message.

This is why I'm not worried at all about Despicable Me 2. In fact, I enjoyed the trailer for the film, so it could be alright. Then again, will the schtick that worked the first time around work in the second one? Maybe. Maybe not. However, I worry a bit about this one. How much Minion silliness can we handle? 90 minutes? It's clear that Illumination is only after the money with this one, and it's sure to be a huge hit with kids. The fan in me wants to see the studio ditch all conventions and try something different, but we all know they won't. So Minions... It could be fun, but it just feels so crass. Who knows, they may prove me wrong come December 2014.

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Which of these films are looking forward to? Which ones are you not looking forward to?

Do you 2014 will be a great year for animation? Or a simply good one? Or do you think it'll be a disappointing year?

Sound off below!