Patrick and I discuss 2003’s surreal animated adventure film, The Triplets of Belleville. A controversial pick; you’ll either love it or hate it. Can you guess our reactions?

Our other podcasts:

Don’t Fear the Grape: www.dontfearthegrape.com
Crash! Bang! Pow!: www.crashbangpow.com

Part five of our review of the 50 greatest cartoons as selected by a panel of more than 1,000 cartoon historians and animation professionals from the book by the same name by Jerry Beck (1994). In this episode we take on cartoons 30-26.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons (30-26):

30) Rabbit Seasoning, Warner Brothers, September 20, 1952
29) Toot, Whistle, Plunk, & Boom, Walt Disney Studios, November 10, 1953
28) Northwest Hounded Police, MGM, August 13, 1946
27) Clock Cleaners, Walt Disney Studios, October 15, 1937
26) Brave Little Tailor, Walt Disney Studios, September 23, 1938

Our other podcasts:

Don’t Fear the Grape: www.dontfearthegrape.com
Crash! Bang! Pow!: www.crashbangpow.com

Patrick and I discuss the nominees for the Academy Award’s 2010 Best Animated Short Film and give our prediction.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons (50-46):

French Roast, Fabrice O. Joubert
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty, Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte), Javier Recio Gracia
Logorama, Nicolas Schmerkin
A Matter of Loaf and Death, Nick Park

Update: Some of the links have changed since we recorded the podcast. I’ve tried to find alternate links, but who knows how long the will remain viable.

Watch online:

French Roast: www.frenchroast.fr/watchfrenchroast.html
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty: www.grannyogrimm.com/#/the-film
The Lady and the Reaper: 212.227.136.88/press/
Logorama: v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTQ5OTQ5NDU2.html
A Matter of Loaf and Death: disembedded.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/a-matter-of-loaf-and-death-big-trouble-at-the-mill/

Our other podcasts:

Don’t Fear the Grape: www.dontfearthegrape.com
Crash! Bang! Pow!: www.crashbangpow.com

While some will argue whether or not Avatar is animation (including James Cameron), with the film being nearly 90% CGI, it fits my definition of animation (see episode 6 for the debate) as-well-as the Academy’s.

Either way, congratulations to both Up and Avatar.

Part four of our review of the 50 greatest cartoons as selected by a panel of more than 1,000 cartoon historians and animation professionals from the book by the same name by Jerry Beck (1994). In this episode we take on cartoons 35-31.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons (35-31):

35) Ali Baba Bunny, Warner Brothers, February 9, 1957
34) You Ought To Be In Pictures, Warner Brothers, May 18, 1940
33) Superman, Fleischer Studios, September 26, 1941
32) The Cat Came Back, National Film Board of Canada, 1988
31) The Scarlet Pumpernickel, Warner Brothers, March 4, 1950

Our other podcasts:

Don’t Fear the Grape: www.dontfearthegrape.com
Crash! Bang! Pow!: www.crashbangpow.com

After a twelve year hiatus James Cameron returns with the much-hyped film, Avatar. Was Avatar worth the wait? Does it live up to the hype? Is Avatar really a ‘game changer’? Patrick and I have a lively discussion about James Cameron’s latest gambit.

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Update: Everything you see is CG except for the photographer (shot on greenscreen), pigeons, timelapsed growing flowers, the flying airplane and sky backgrounds. Stunning realism, artfully done.

Part three of our review of the 50 greatest cartoons as selected by a panel of more than 1,000 cartoon historians and animation professionals from the book by the same name by Jerry Beck (1994). In this episode we take on cartoons 40-36.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons (40-36):

40) Peace on Earth, MGM, December 9, 1939
39) Little Red Riding Rabbit, Warner Brothers, January 4, 1944
38) Bambi Meets Godzilla, Marv Newland, 1969
37) Bimbo’s Initiation, Fleischer Studios, July 24, 1931
36) Feed the Kitty, Warner Brothers, February 2, 1952

Links mentioned in this episode:

Peace on Earth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OYvHPpGDY
Peace on Earth: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xuiut_mgm-cartoon-1939-peace-on-earth_fun
Bambi Meets Godzilla: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAVYYe87b9w
Bimbo’s Initiation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFrBG4xyaF8

Rudolph, Frosty, the Grinch, what was you favorite Christmas special growing up? In this episode Patrick and I get with the season and discuss our favorite animated Christmas specials.

Part two of our review of the 50 greatest cartoons as selected by a panel of more than 1,000 cartoon historians and animation professionals from the book by the same name by Jerry Beck (1994). In this episode we tackle cartoons 45-41.

The 50 Greatest Cartoons (45-41):

45) Book Revue, Warner Brothers, January 05, 1946
44) The Man Who Planted Trees, National Film Board of Canada, 1987
43) The Barber of Seville, Walter Lantz, April 10, 1944
42) The Cat Concerto, MGM, April 26, 1947
41) Rooty Toot Toot, UPA, March 27, 1952