The Annies Awards for animation have been given out and the big winner, stealing thunder from Pixar’s Wall-E, was Kung Fu Panda, taking some ten of the awards in total (beating the previous record holder Ratatouille, which took nine), including the Best Animated Feature. Futurama: the Beast With a Billion Backs won the Best Animated Home Entertainment Production (what a snappy title) while Robot Chicken’s Star Wars Episode II show took the Best Animated Television Production award.
(Kung Fu Panda, (c) Dreamworks)
Aardman picked up a nod for Wallace and Gromit: a Matter of Loaf and Death (which had me in stitches over the Christmas holidays), beating Pixar and Bill Plympton to the Best Animated Short Subject gong. Avatar: the Last Airbender won the best Animated Television Production for Children. The Winsor McCay recipients were Mike Judge, John Lasseter and Nick Park for career contributions to the art of animation. There’s some nice work on there, but I’m rather disappointed not to see more adult, serious animations like Waltz With Bashir making an impact. All eyes will now turn to who will score the Oscar for animation – will Kung Fu Panda triumph there too? For the full list of winners check the official site.
(Wallace and Gromit – only in it because they need the bread, (c) Aardman Animations)
Tue, Feb 3, 2009
Art and animation, Awards, Film, TV and radio