This 1080p/AVC-encoded Blu-ray is about as good as it gets. On it's picture and audio alone, it's one of the must-own Blu-rays of the year. From the first moment when the sun rises over the savanna, the richness of color is impressive. Black levels are solid as well. Details really make the artistry of the animation stand out. During the wildebeest stampede, nothing gets lost in the chaos as dust swirls around the air. The fires at the end with their striking reds, yellows and oranges make a powerful impact. The presentation is clean from both dust and digital anomalies.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack is equally as impressive. Everything is balanced nicely and powerfully. You feel the command of Mufasa when his roar rocks the LFE track. The aforementioned wildebeest stampede is a highlight of the entire sound field and directionality. You feel like you are Simba in the middle of the mayhem. Hans Zimmer's score is crystal clear and makes an impact right from the first note of the African chant that starts the film. One particular element that stuck out was the dialogue balance that really fit the character and the moment.

What I love about so many Chinese historical epics is how they blend history and myth. Now famed director Hark Tsui, who created the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series, brings the real life story of Chinese historical icons Detective Dee and Empress Wu to the screen in a big budget, vfx-driven spectacle that includes spontaneous human combustion, high flying kung fu and a talking deer.

Detective Dee (Andy Lau, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) was exiled after engaging in a revolt against regent Wu (Carina Lau, 2046), who he believed was murdering her way into becoming the first empress of China. On the eve of her coronation, a series of mysterious murders have occurred where people have been bursting into flames. Wu decides to bring back Dee in order to prove that she is not involved and partners him with her top officer Shangguan Jing'er (Bingbing Li, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM).

Every day we are exposed to a rapidly changing, moment-by-moment digital media environment that demands strategic filtering and immediate response to a multitude of visual and auditory stimuli and their underlying messages. Constant digital distractions, multitasking and task switching plague our ability to concentrate, our aptitude for sustained intellectual focus and they interfere with our capacity for deep, persistent engagement.   No wonder students find it difficult to focus!

 

I believe strongly in volunteerism of all kinds. I have friends all over who volunteer, everything from Habitat for Humanity to reading for the blind. I believe all volunteerism (as long as it’s legal, etc) improves the world. I take a follow your heart approach. My heart looks at something that needs to be organized so that artists and inventors can be showcased in a manner worthy of their work and I can’t help myself.

 

 

We don't have to travel to some alternative future to look back at 2010 as the year in which animation technologies and talent has spread beyond the film and games industries to make a true difference in education. Its happening now and its pretty exciting.

David Maas takes a look...

 

 

Part of my campaign to build up the crowd enthusiasm for my Idiots & Angels premier in NYC is getting the animation students involved.

I've planned a number of school visits to help spread the word to my most hard-core audience.  Yesterday, I visited Marty Abrahams' class at The School of Visual Arts here in NYC. 

What happens at these markets? Who goes?  Let me lift the curtain on these shows.  All of these conventions were created for the purpose of buying and selling television shows. Just so you know, there are markets for the sales of feature films, music, games and other content, which I will talk about in the future.  But let’s concentrate on the “small screen” for the time being. 

 

There's at least some form of animation in all the YouTube Play winning entries. Which tells me that animation's star is rising in the art world.

 

Disney has just released 8 character portraits with descriptions from Tim Burton's upcoming stop-motion horror flick, Frankenweenie.  The set includes profiles on the following characters:  Victor (voiced by Chalie Tahan), Sparky, Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein (voiced by Catherine O'Hara & Martin Short), Elsa van Helsing (voiced by Winona Ryder), Persephone, Toshiaki (voiced by James Hiroyuki Liao), Bob (voiced by Robert Capron) and Bob's Mom (voiced by Concata Ferrell). Links are included to 1200x1800 pixel images - very detailed and very cool.

 

As you can imagine, in my position at AWN, I receive a lot of DVDs.  Many great films, many not so great films. So it’s always a treat when the postman delivers a DVD of a film you really enjoyed and have been waiting to watch up close and personal in all its splendiferous Blu-ray-ness deliciousness (sorry, been watching too many Diners, Drivers and Dives lately).  I’ve been waiting with great anticipation for my copy of Wreck-It Ralph to hit the mailbox. Thankfully, it finally arrived.  I haven’t been this happy since my eldest daughter took over her car payment. 

As an unabashed fan of the film, I can honestly say, with all bias and lack of objectivity, that the high-def Blu-ray version is exquisite.  What a treat to watch on a big screen TV, comfy couch, warm slippers, hot popcorn and trusty bottle of Makers Mark in hand.  Not even my poor old mutt Cassie, polluting the family room with such toxic ferocity I thought Union Carbide moved in next door, could spoil my moment of animation fanboy bliss.