Taylor Jessen reviews five short films — Flatlife by Jonas Geirnart, Snip by Steven Woloshen, Piñata by Mike Hollands, Bear Hunt by Vance Reeser and Everybody Else Has Had More Sex Than Me by Bernard Derriman. Includes QuickTime movie clips!

Karen Raugust looks at how Indian animation programs are teaming up with studios and software providers to expand the country’s workforce as its 3D industry grows.

Dr. Toon investigates the gender role cultural values that children and tween animation present to the world of young spenders.

Tara DiLullo sets out on an adventure to discover the details of director Robert Rodriquez’s return to 3D and family fare with The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D.

The Animation Pimp travels to a galaxy far, far away and gives us his thoughts.

Ryan Lesser reveals how 3ds Max 7.5 packs a pretty mean punch with its new hair and fur system.

Libby Reed cracks open animation vet Martha Sigall’s new book, Living Between the Lines: Tales from the Golden Age of Animation, and finds the line between biography and history.

Peter Plantec reports back from fmx/05 in Stuttgart, Germany, after experiencing an invigorating and intimate kind of DCC conference rooted in real-world and academic synergy.

Alain Bielik explores how MPC improved its motion capture and crowd simulation toolset for the siege of Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven.

Dr. Toon gives a mortality check in DVD time. What should we choose to watch, or bet yet, buy?

Tara DiLullo explores the challenges of mixing practical and visual effects for Photon VFX in updating House of Wax for the Paris Hilton crowd.

Libby Reed delves into the pages of The Art of Robots to see if the book captures the visual awe of the film.

Fred Galpern takes a look at the progress and advances in technology are shaping the future of the quality of gaming animation.

The Animation Pimp sets the record straight with sensitive artist doofs who get upset when their films don’t make a festival competition, but still make a special screening section.

In this month’s “Digital Eye” column, Peter Plantec looks at the nomadic nature of the visual effects industry.

Libby Reed delves into the pages of The Art of Robots to see if the book captures the visual awe of the film.

Ryan Lesser delves into Autodesk’s Combustion 4 to see if the software is explosive or a wet firecracker.

Bob Swain and Ron Diamond traveled to Potsdam for Cartoon Movie 2005 and report back with what’s hot in the European feature market.

The Animation Pimp talks about seeing angels and JJ Villard’ s film, Son of Satan.

Tara DiLullo descends into the seedy underworld of Sin City to see how the filmmakers ripped the images from the graphic novel page and plastered them onto the silver screen.