Commentary

Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2023
Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2023 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the […]
Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2022

Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2022

Avatar photoCharles Solomon|
December 30th, 2022
Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2022 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the […]
Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review  2021

Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2021

Avatar photoCharles Solomon|
December 28th, 2021
Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2021 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the […]

Latest in Category: Commentary

Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2016

Although he wrote them in 1859, Charles Dickens might have been thinking of animation in 2016 when he penned the celebrated lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|December 27, 2016
Charles Solomon’s Animation Year End Review 2016

Diversity in Animation: It’s A Tough Concept to Nail Down

This week’s animation roundtable in The Hollywood Reporter sparked some online ire for featuring both a group that is decidedly homogeneous (read: white and male) and for discussing the concept of diversity in animated films. There’s just one problem though: diversity in animation as a concept is incredibly difficult to define and covers far more […]
Charles Kenny|December 16, 2016
Diversity in Animation: It’s A Tough Concept to Nail Down

A Lack of Cultural Impact is What Holds Animated Films Back

Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Star Wars, and The Dark Knight; live-action films lauded far and wide with critical acclaim, financial success and cultural importance. In the west (and the US in particular) films are looked to as cultural barometers that can signify which way the winds are blowing, and more importantly, the direction […]
Charles Kenny|December 6, 2016
A Lack of Cultural Impact is What Holds Animated Films Back

Original Animated Films Aren’t Dead After All!

FOX is doubling-down on animated films, but the really interesting part is that many of those proposed are original adaptations of books! Such news is stunning for its notability if not for the regrettable nature for it being so. The feature segment of the animation industry has had a bad case of sequalitis for a […]
Charles Kenny|November 18, 2016
Original Animated Films Aren’t Dead After All!

The Shocking Number of This Year’s Animated Features That I’ve Seen

The answer may surprise you. None. The answer is none. Not a single film in Variety’s list of those currently eligible for the Oscar’s so much as made it within viewing distance of my eyeballs. This isn’t necessarily a comment on the quality of this year’s films. Certainly there are some very well-received among the […]
Charles Kenny|November 11, 2016
The Shocking Number of This Year’s Animated Features That I’ve Seen

Frederator Networks Sale Underscores the Challenges of Distributing Animation on the Internet

This week saw the announcement that Frederator Networks has been bought by Rainmaker Entertainment in a deal that combines it with Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment to create a new company called WOW! Unlimited Media. While it’s a welcome affirmation that web animation has a future, it nonetheless underscores the uphill struggle that animated content has faced […]
Charles Kenny|October 28, 2016
Frederator Networks Sale Underscores the Challenges of Distributing Animation on the Internet

Should We Be Upset of Coco’s Similarity to ‘The Book of Life’?

Pixar dropped the trailer for their next film Coco; the latest, twisting turn in the film’s long development. Long noted for its similarities to the 2014 Jorge Gutierrez film, The Book of Life, the trailer for Coco hasn’t assuaged fears that its a rip-off. Should we be upset at the similarity between the films or […]