Animation

Remembering the Animation of Blue Sky Studios

By  Hans Qu 

As Disney shutters the 20th Century Fox animation division, we look back fondly on what they did best.

The Real Fake Lighting of Pixar’s ‘Soul’

By  Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay on the development of Pixar’s ray tracing technology and its importance (and beauty) in their latest film.

How Animators Created the Elaborate “Ave Maria” Sequence for ‘Fantasia’

By  Meg Shields 

You know what doesn’t help an already challenging multiplane camera set up? An earthquake.

Reimagining an Icon in ‘Lupin III: The First’

By  Hans Qu 

Lupin III is one of the first icons of manga and anime history. A new film that takes the character into 3D animation for the first time lives up to all the expectations that come with that legacy.

The Middle-Aged Protagonist of ‘Soul’ is the Hero My Child-Self Needed

By  Brad Gullickson 

Pixar’s latest endeavor is a crushing confrontation of self, but it offers tools to battle the inevitable onslaught of doubt.

The 20 Best Animated Series of 2020

By  Mary Beth McAndrews 

With their fantastical escapes and beautiful worlds, these shows served as much-needed reprieves from a dark year.

The 20 Best Animated Movies of 2020

By  Brad Gullickson 

This year’s gems sprung from both the expected and unexpected corners of the medium.

‘The Croods: A New Age’ is Bananas

By  Christopher Campbell 

B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

The Ancient Storytelling Rhythms of ‘Coraline’

By  Meg Shields 

There’s a reason ‘Coraline’ gets under your skin (and your eyeballs).