It’s high time that Pixar was funny again. Before you begin writing fierce and angry comments, keep reading, even if you’re tempted not to. When people think of Pixar’s highest creative peak, they likely consider the four films released between 2007 and 2010: Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3, movies typified more by their emotional highs than comic highs. This is not to say that this quartet of films aren’t funny; they are, and frequently so. But think of Up, and you hear the tinkling sounds of Michael Giacchino’s Oscar-winning score and the “Married Life” montage in its opening act. Consider WALL-E, and you may think of WALL-E and Eve swirling around in space, triumphant in their mutual admiration and determined to help the human race evolve once more. And Toy Story 3’s final act is an emotional flood for most audiences. Pixar hasn’t stopped being funny, but they’ve allowed themselves to be swept away by that flood.
2011 Annie Awards: So THAT Happened
A rocky road lies ahead for the Annie Awards, which honors the year in animation. Controversy has overshadowed the awards show for several years now. It finally boiled over this past August when Ed Catmull released a statement that Disney and Pixar would not be participating in the Annies, as the studios felt that the voting process was not fair. The ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation) jury went ahead and added Toy Story 3 and Day & Night to the Annies ballot, which resulted in four nominations between the two. After the 38th annual awards were presented tonight, it is apparent that the controversy is here to stay. [Read more…]
Day & Night Honored At 2011 VES Awards
(L-R) Teddy Newton, Kevin Reher, Tom Gately (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images North America)
The 9th Annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards, a show that honors achievements in visual effects and animation, took place Tuesday night at the Beverly Hilton. While Toy Story 3 had been nominated for two awards, it turned out to be a bigger night for Teddy Newton’s Day & Night. [Read more…]
Teddy Newton, Kevin Reher Talk Day & Night and 2012 Pixar Short
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The year 2011 has barely begun and Pixar is already finishing production on the short we can expect to see with Brave in 2012. Day & Night director Teddy Newton and producer Kevin Reher sat down with Animation World Network to discuss their recently released film. It is an insightful interview that is a must-read, not only for its in-depth look at Day & Night, but also for the very brief mention of the 2012 short that we have not heard about until now. [Read more…]
Download Day & Night on iTunes
Copyright Disney/Pixar
Pixar’s Day & Night is now available for download on iTunes for $1.99. [Read more…]
