Michael. Barrier. Exploring the World of Animated Films and Comic Art. Whats New August 2. In Brief. Disney and Wong on PBS Walt Disney, the American Experience documentary that first aired two years ago, will be rebroadcast on the next two Tuesday evenings, part one tomorrow and part two on September 5, both at 8 p. EDT. Both halves are two hours long, and both are terrible misrepresentations of Walt and his accomplishments. See how well critics are rating the Best Movies for 2016. KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS PG, 141 This outstanding stopmotion animated fantasy is a story about family, the power of storytelling and scary. I mention the show here only in case you havent seen it and feel some vague urge that you should. You shouldnt unless, that is, you have an incomprehensible urge to spend far too much time with the likes of Neal Gabler and Richard Schickel. Winston is named for the narrator of Aram Sarkisians short, a desperate man dashing off a fevered letter that reads like a crazed diary entry. Im not losing. It is atmospheric, Just like true, dark Scandinavian films can be. I like the setting and am willing to give a try. FileLibrary/ProductResources/Images/198313-L-LO.jpg' alt='Romance Films Kubo And The Two Strings ' title='Romance Films Kubo And The Two Strings ' />Another PBS documentary with a Disney connection will be broadcast on Friday, September 8, three days after the second part of Walt Disney. Tyrus, about the very long life of the Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, will be broadcast at 9 p. EDT as part of the American Masters series. Note the distinction American Experience for Walt, American Masters for Ty Wong. The distinction is significant Walt was presented in his PBS incarnation as essentially a sociological phenomenon, whereas Wong, its clear from the preview material, will be presented as an artist whose work is not just worthy of respect on its own but also stands as a monument to one mans triumph over racism. This is, as I suggested early this year shortly after Wongs death at the age of 1. I must admire the selling job that won Ty a PBS documentary and a remarkable front page obituary in the New York Times. Tys work was excellent, to be sure, but his timing was also superb. Beyond Ink and Paint Thats the title of a documentary film that Christine Guest is making about women in animation. She has filmed interviews with an impressive roster of women and a few men so Don Hahn is on the interview listbut where is Jenny Lerew. She is attempting to raise the money to complete the film through a Kickstarter campaign. I am allergic to Kickstarter campaigns in generalI cant help but think of John Kricfalusis campaign for a cartoon to be called Cans Without Labels, a campaign that attracted lots of money but several years after its conclusion has resulted only in a decidedly unfinished and, so far, godawful film. Beyond Ink and Paint is, however, the rare instance of a Kickstarter project that is worthy of your support. And time is running outthe deadline is August 3. You can read about this project and make a contribution by going to this link. Permanent Link and Comments 1August 8, 2. Following UpJake I mentioned last month, when I was writing about Jake, my decidedly former literary agent, that he and I shared only one Facebook friend, the excellent caricaturist Drew Friedman. As I suspected, and is so often the case with Facebook friends, the connection between Jake his real name, actually and Drew was essentially nonexistent, and Drew unfriended Jake when he read my account of my unfortunate dealings with him. This is what I dislike most about Facebook, and why I am so relucant to friend people I dont know, however legitimate they seem. Its all too easy to find yourself a friend of someone as low grade as Jake. Like Drew Friedman, you can unfriend that person when you learn what he or she is really like, but in the meantime, damage has been done. Surviving Barks comic book art Theres not a lot of it, and what there is was cataloged quite thoroughly more than twenty years ago by Matti Eronen. Now Sren Marsner has brought the cataloging of the surviving art up to date on a website whose purpose he explains as follows As I told Matti Eronen, I have always been very fond of his printed book from 1. Breaking News Preview 47 Animated Feature Films to Look for in 2016 2 years ago Chinese Filmmakers Want To Make Films Like Frozen And Zootopia And. The Tomatometer rating based on the published opinions of hundreds of film and television critics is a trusted measurement of movie and TV. Romance Films Kubo And The Two Strings ' title='Romance Films Kubo And The Two Strings ' />Save yourself from hours of digging with this uptodate list of the best movies on Netflix, whether youre into explosive action or comedy. Movie Scans, Upcoming Movies by CaseNet Theater opening release wide 1,000 plus limited less than 1,000 select less than 100 Always looking for updated. Breaking News Preview 60 Animated Feature Films to Look for in 2017 9 months ago Chinese Filmmakers Want To Make Films Like Frozen And Zootopia. Empires list of all the new movies you need to see in 2016. I really missed seeing the surviving comic book art. The main purpose of the new website is to show good photosscans of the original pages. For the most part I have used scans from the Carl Barks Library the multi volume set published years ago by Another Rainbow in black and white. I have started to change these scans to reproductions from the originalswhen I am able to find them a very difficult task. So far, of the 2. For now, reproductions of the remaining surviving pages on the site are from the CBLthough I have some difficulties with the story from Uncle Scrooge No. Land Beneath the Ground. I am not really sure which parts have survived. What you see here is the earliest surviving comic book artwork by Barks, the fifth page of the Donald Duck story in Walt Disneys Comics Stories No. January 1. 94. 5. According to Sren Marsner, the original art is now in a private collection in Finland. There are surprises at least I was surprised to be found on Srens website, like the multiple Barks covers from the early fifties, many of which Barks himself colored and signed. You can visit Srens admirable website, and possibly help him fill the gaps in his reproductions from the original art, by clicking on this link. Permanent Link and Comments 1July 2. Years of Duck Comics by Carl Barks. The 2. 01. 7 San Diego Comic Con has come and gone, and with it the occasion for the publication of the cons souvenir book, which includes my essay marking the seventy fifth anniversary of the publication of Carl Barkss first Disney Duck comics. You can read my essay at this link. Permanent Link and Comments 1Beep Beep Im sure this editorial cartoon will be reproduced many places, but I cant resist posting it here in case any of my visitors missed it. What I especially like is that it captures the spirit of the Chuck Jones cartoons so well the artist whose name, Im embarrassed to say, I cant decipher clearly knows and likes the Road Runner cartoons, well enough that some of his poses echo the cartoons quite precisely. A July 3. 0, 2. 01. Garry Apgar identifies the cartoonist as Michael de Adder. But wait I just noticed that this editorial cartoon appeared in a foreign newspaper Time to build a wall on our northern border as well as the southern Or maybe launch a surprise attack on Toronto. Those bloodthirsty Canucks deserve it. Permanent Link and Comments 0Book Marks. One of my lasting grievances with my publishers has been that theyve set the prices for my books too high. University presses are good at publishing books, but, in my experience, not very much interested in selling them. For a tenure maddened assistant professor who takes the apothegm publish or perish seriously, getting into print is all that matters, but for someone like me, who wants his books to be bought and read, thats not enough. Thats why Ive been pleased to see Funnybooks, in particular, listed at a somewhat more reasonable price on amazon. Its my favorite of all my books, and to see it overpriced and lagging in sales has been maddening and my complaints have, Im sure, not endeared me to the publisher. If youve been interested in the book but have put off buying it, now may be the time. The price has been bobbing around, and new copies are not available for Prime shipping from amazon itself, but finding a like new copy for ten dollars or more off the the 3. Which reminds me Volume 2 of Walt Disneys Treasury of Classic Tales, the Sunday page reprint series, was originally scheduled for publication this month, but is now set for September 5. A third volume is scheduled for publication next March, and I see from amazons listing that I am again to contribute introductory notes. Thats news to me, since Ive heard nothing to that effect from the publisher, but I will of course be happy to step up to the plate once again, even if that means writing about The Parent Trap. Permanent Link and Comments 0July 1. The Road to Hell. Some of my distractions have been good ones. It appears now that I dont have Parkinsons disease after all thats what the doctors concluded after I was injected with a radioactive material I started to write after I was bitten by a radioactive spider and underwent a procedure called a DAT scan. Animated Feature Films to Look for in 2. So, is this some kind of a glutAbsolutely not. There are literally thousands of live action films released around the world every year Bollywood alone turns out on average 1,5. Most of those films are never seen in the United States for example, in Los Angeles, around 3. While animation will never be live action production, and were not going to have 6,0. It would not be unreasonable to expect hundreds of animated films per annum sometime within the next decade. No, they wont all be good, and thats fine, too. Because even when there were just a dozen or two animated films being produced annually, most of them werent very good. But more films means more opportunities for more filmmakers, and only good can come out of that. Amidst all the regular fare in 2. Makoto Shinkais Your Name, Claude Barras My Life as a Zucchini, Ann Marie Flemings Window Horses, Sbastien Laudenbachs The Girl Without Hands, and Michael Dudok de Wits The Red Turtle, to name but a few. Thats what happens when an industry has high output. So, enjoy our preview of 6. Heres a few notes about our selections Some films on the list were released internationally last yearThe Red Turtle, My Life as a Zucchini, Rock Dog, and Your Name among thembut they are included on the list because they are receiving U. S. releases in 2. We have listed U. S. release dates and distributors whenever possible. If a film is not being released in the U. S., we have listed the home countrys release datedistributor. Some films mentioned on the 2. One thing remains constant about animation it takes a long time to produce films. Though this list is not complete and doesnt make any claims to be, it is the most comprehensive and accurate list you will find anywhere on the internet of theatrical animated releases in 2. Happy animation viewing in 2. The Three Heroes and the Sea King112. RussiaThis Russian production from Melnitsa Animation Studio follows the adventures of Russian folk heroes Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynia Nikitich, and Ilya Muromets. Director Konstantin Feoktistov. Production Company CTB Film Company, Melnitsa Animation Studio. Distributor Nashe Kino. Technique Hand drawn11. U. S. The long in development film tells the story about a boys discovery of a magical portal, where Paul Bunyan and his pet ox, Babe, live. It will be released initially for free on Google Play. Production Company Exodus Film Group. Romance Films Khumba. Distributor Cinedigm. Technique CGVoice Cast John Goodman, Jeff Foxworthy, Kelsey Grammer, Bridger Zadina and Dorien Davies12. U. S. Already released to much acclaim in Japan and France, and shown at Cannes and other festivals, The Red Turtle looks set to pick up a series of awards this season. It tracks the life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs, and birds. Director Michal Dudok de Wit. Production Company Why Not Productions, Wild Bunch, Studio Ghibli. Distributor Sony Pictures Classics. Technique Hand drawn with CG elements. Kuroshitsuji Book of the Atlantic12. JapanAn adaptation of the luxury liner arc in volumes 1. Yana Tobosos manga, this Victorian era dark fantasysupernatural involves dead people who are being resurrected aboard a ship and Ciel Phantomhives investigation into the matter. Director Noriyuki Abe. Production Company A 1 Pictures. Distributor Aniplex AniplexTechnique Hand drawn22. U. S. Based on Gilles Pariss novel Autobiographie dune courgette. After his mothers sudden death, a boy named Zucchini struggles and learns to find his place in a foster home. The film has already had success in its European release, having been named best European animated film by the European Film Awards, taking the top feature film prize at Annecy, and currently nominated for a Golden Globe. Director Claude Barras. Production Company Rita Productions, Blue Spirit Animation, Gbka Films, KNMDistributor GKIDSTechnique Stop motion. English voice cast Will Forte, Nick Offerman, Ellen Page, Amy Sedaris. Sahara212. 01. FranceTired of bringing pain and misery to their community, Ajar the snake and his buddy Pitt the scorpion move to a neighboring oasis where the haute bourgeoisie of the Saharan desert reside, and find Eva, a beautiful serpent that Ajar falls in love with. It is the beginning of a crazy adventure that leads them across the desert in the pursuit of love and the discovery of who they truly areDirector Pierre CorProduction Company La Station Animation, Mandarin Production, Mikros Image. Distributor Studiocanal. Technique CG21. U. S. While fighting crime and his many adversaries, including The Joker, Batman realizes he cant do everything himself and must learn the importance of teamwork, in this next installment of the Lego movies franchise out of Animal Logic. Director Chris Mc. Kay. Production Company Warner Animation Group, Animal Logic. Distributor Warner Bros. Technique CGVoice Cast Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes22. U. S. Rock Dog has already been released in China, where it was made and where it was the most expensive 1. Chinese financed animated production to date. It was animated entirely in the United States. The movie tells the story of Bodi, a Tibetan Mastiff who becomes obsessed with an old school rocker and cat named Angus, and must prove to his father that becoming a musician is a worthy career path for a dog. Director Ash Brannon. Production Company Reel FX, Mandoo Pictures, Huayi Brothers. Distributor Lionsgate Summit Premiere. Technique CGVoice Cast Luke Wilson, J. K. Simmons, Eddie Izzard, Lewis Black, Sam Elliott, Kenan Thompson, Matt Dillon22. SpainBased on the graphic novel by Alberto Vzquez, Psiconautas, The Forgotten Children follows teenagers Birdboy and Dinki, who decide to escape from an island devastated by ecological catastrophe. The feature made a big splash on the festival circuit last year, screening at over 3. Director Alberto Vzquez, Pedro Rivero. Production Company Zircozine Animation, Basque Films. Distributor La luna de Tantn Spain, Eurozoom FranceTechnique Hand drawn. Hirune Hime Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari31. JapanKenji Kamiyama Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, Moribito Guardian of the Spirit directs this story about the relationship between a girl, who keeps having a recurring dream, and her father. It is set in 2. 02. Tokyo Olympics. Director Kenji Kamiyama. Production Company Signal MDDistributor Warner Bros. Technique Hand drawn33. U. S. A fast talking, briefcase carrying baby and his jealous seven year old brother must come together to save their parents, and the world after they discover a secret plot that threatens to destroy the balance of love in the world. Director Tom Mc. Grath. Production Company Dreamworks Animation. Distributor Twentieth Century Fox. Technique CGVoice Cast Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Tobey Maguire472. U. S. This re imagining of Smurfs, unlike the previous live actionanimated films from Sony, will tell more of an origin story of the famous Peyo characters as they try to find the Lost Village before their nemesis, the evil wizard Gargamel, does. Director Kelly Asbury. Production Company Sony Pictures Animation. Distributor Columbia Pictures. Technique CGVoice Cast Demi Lovato, Mandy Patinkin, Jack Mc. Brayer, Danny Pudi, Joe Manganiello, Rainn Wilson472. JapanYuasas first full length feature since his Mind Game 2. Kyoto, and based on a bestselling 2. Tomihiko Morimi. Director Masaaki Yuasa. Production Company Science Saru. Distributor Toho JapanTechnique Hand drawn. Voice Cast Gen Hoshino41. U. S. Spark and his friends, Chunk and Vix, are on a mission to retake Bana, a planet ruled by the evil overlord, Zhong. Director Aaron Woodley. Production Company Toonbox Entertainment, Redrover, Gulfstream Pictures. Distributor Open Road Films.