Animation: 389

ParaNorman (2012) is a stop-motion animated film from directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler, who also wrote the screenplay. The story takes place in Blithe Hollow, Massachusetts and follows 11-year-old Norman Babcock. Despite his ability to communicate with the dead, including his late grandmother and other ghosts in town, Norman is ostracized by his family and peers at school. However, he finds a friend in Neil Downe, who shares his experiences of being bullied. During rehearsals for a school play about the town’s witch trials, Norman and Neil are visited by Mr. ...

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), an animated adventure comedy produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox, follows the story of Manny and Ellie, who are happily living with their teenage daughter Peaches. While Ellie supports Peaches’ desire to explore and make new friends, Manny’s overprotective nature causes tension between them. As Sid’s family returns briefly to drop off his elderly grandmother, they leave him and Sid behind once again. Peaches rebels against her father’s rules by hanging out with a group of teenage mammoths, resulting in a heated argument. However, things take a dramatic turn when Scrat’s ...

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) is a comedy film from DreamWorks Animation SKG and PDI/DreamWorks, distributed by Paramount Pictures. The penguins and chimpanzees take off for Monte Carlo in a modified airplane. However, when they fail to return, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice, and Mort decide to track them down and bring them back to their home at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. They eventually locate them at the Monte Carlo Casino, but things quickly escalate as an argument erupts between Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria. In the chaos that follows, the animals manage to escape from Captain Chantel DuBois of Monaco’s ...

Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos (2012) is an American computer-animated short comedy adventure. After the Golden Goose incident, Puss finds himself at a crossroads – should he continue as an outlaw or become a hero? During a ride through the desert on his trusty horse, Puss is captured by Italian knights and brought before Princess Alessandra Belagomba. The princess reveals that her kingdom’s prized Ruby, known as the ‘Heart of Fire’, has been stolen. While initially thinking he has been falsely accused, Puss learns that the princess simply wants to hire him based on his reputation. She explains that the theft was committed by a French thief ...

Tangled Ever After (2012) is a six-minute American computer-animated short film written and directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. On the big day of Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding, Pascal and Maximus take on the role of ring bearers, scattering petals along the aisle. However, during the ceremony, a mishap occurs when one of the flowers falls causing Maximus to sneeze and launch the rings out of the castle. As panic ensues, the priest urgently asks for the rings, but to no avail. The situation becomes even more dire when it is revealed that the missing rings ...

Pixar Animation Studios produced Brave (2012), an American animated fantasy film distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Set in Medieval Scotland, the story follows a young Princess Merida of clan Dunbroch on her birthday. As a gift, her father King Fergus gives her a bow and arrow, much to the dismay of Queen Elinor. While retrieving an arrow in the forest, Merida comes across a will-o’-the-wisp before being attacked by Mor’du, a massive demon bear. Escaping on horseback with Elinor, they leave Fergus and his men to defend against Mor’du, resulting in the loss of one of Fergus’s legs. A decade later, Merida learns she is to be betrothed to the ...

The animated short film Toy Story Toons: Partysaurus Rex (2012) was written and directed by Mark Walsh. In the film, Rex is worried about making a mess with bubbles and is scolded by his fellow toys, who call him ‘Partypooper Rex’. When Bonnie starts preparing for a bath, the other toys scatter, leaving Rex alone. But then Bonnie plays with him and her bath toys until it’s time to go to her grandma’s. The bath toys are happy to have a visitor but become sad when all the water drains out. Since they need water to move and don’t have any arms, they wish someone could refill the tub. At first, ...

Batman: Year One (2011), an American animated superhero film, is based on the four-issue story arc of the same name originally printed in 1987. The film was co-directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu. After spending 12 years abroad training for his personal mission to eradicate crime in Gotham City, billionaire Bruce Wayne returns home. Meanwhile, James ‘Jim’ Gordon and his wife Barbara move to Gotham from Chicago due to a job transfer. Both are quickly introduced to the city’s rampant corruption and violent atmosphere. Gordon sets his sights on ...

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011) is an American animated superhero film that shares tales of different members of the Green Lantern Corps. These members include Abin Sur, Laira, Kilowog, and Mogo. While not a direct follow-up to First Flight, the movie utilizes the same character designs and features a cameo by Ch’p, who also had a speaking role in its predecessor. This movie is the eleventh installment in the lineup of DC Universe Animated Original Movies and follows a similar anthology format as the earlier created Batman: Gotham Knight. However, unlike its counterpart, it boasts a cohesive animation style and an overarching ...

Based on the comic book series by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, All-Star Superman (2011) is an American animated superhero film released direct-to-video from Warner Bros. It follows Dr. Leo Quintum and his team as they explore the Sun and are sabotaged by a booby-trapped genetically-enhanced time-bomb clone created by Lex Luthor. However, Superman manages to stop the clone, although in doing so he receives an overdose of solar radiation which gives him increased powers but slowly kills him. Thankfully, thanks to Clark Kent’s article, Luthor is arrested and ...

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters (2011) is an animated short film from DreamWorks Animation. In the middle of the night, Master Po leads his fellow masters Tigress and Mantis on a secret mission to break into the new Masters’ Council exhibit in honor of Thundering Rhino, Ox, and Croc. Although Tigress and Mantis are initially frustrated with Po’s deception, he captures their attention with the intriguing tale of how these three masters first crossed paths. Long ago in Jinzhou, a city where Kung Fu was dominated by street fighting, Rhino, Ox and Croc were up-and-coming pit fighters who caught the eye of Grand Master Oogway. Recognizing their skill and ...

The animated martial arts comedy, Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The rulers of Gongmen City, known as the peacocks, first created fireworks for peaceful purposes. However, their son, Lord Shen, discovered that gunpowder used in firecrackers could also be used as a weapon. Concerned about Shen’s fixation on this destructive potential, his parents consulted a soothsayer who predicted that his actions would ultimately be thwarted by a ‘warrior of black and white’. Upon hearing this prophecy, Shen concluded that the warrior would be a panda and ordered his wolf army to eradicate all ...

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (2011) is a direct-to-video film based on the classic cartoon. During an investigation, Shaggy’s fear disorder causes him to react excessively, leading to the disbanding of Mystery Inc. To help him relax, the gang takes him to a calming spa resort in La Serena. There, they meet the owner, Mr. Hubley, and Scooby-Doo has a frightening encounter with a dinosaur which he chooses not to share with Shaggy. Later on, they encounter Professor Svankmajer and her student Winsor, who are conducting a paleontological dig nearby. Soon after, they encounter what appears to be a gigantic ghostly dinosaur. When Shaggy becomes unable to move ...

Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011) is an American animated television special, created by Walt Disney Animation Studios and helmed by directors Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. In the beginning of the story, we are introduced to the Coal Elf Brigade, a specialized group of Christmas elves tasked with delivering coal to children who have been deemed naughty. While this may seem harsh to some, the brigade also includes encouraging notes in hopes of steering these children towards the nice list. As Christmas Day draws near, Wayne and Lanny must race against time to ...

The animated Christmas comedy film, Arthur Christmas (2011), was co-produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Animations. Instead of a single individual, the title of Santa Claus has been passed down for generations to gift-givers. Currently on his seventieth mission, the current Santa, Malcolm Claus, holds more of a ceremonial role. The traditional sleigh and reindeer have been replaced by the S-1, a state-of-the-art vessel operated by hundreds of elves who use advanced equipment and military precision to deliver presents. All the intricate details of Christmas are meticulously managed from Mission Control at the North Pole by Malcolm’s eldest son, Steve. ...

Mars Needs Moms (2011) is an American animated sci-fi movie co-written and directed by Simon Wells, produced by ImageMovers Digital and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Unbeknownst to humans, there exists a highly advanced society of Martians living beneath the surface of the Red Planet. The Martians’ Supervisor, while observing Earth, witnesses a mother encouraging her son, Milo, to complete his household duties. The Martians decide to bring her to Mars to extract her “mom-ness” and implant it into their next-generation nanny-bots. Meanwhile, Milo, who has been sent to his room for disobeying rules ...

The animated short film, La Luna (2011), marks Enrico Casarosa’s directorial debut. It follows a young boy named Bambino as he embarks on a midnight boat trip with his father and grandfather in Genoa, Italy. During the trip, Nonno gifts Bambino a cap similar to the ones they both wear. However, Papà and Nonno have different ideas on how Bambino should wear it – with Papà pulling it over his eyes and Nonno pushing it back on his head. As they anchor in the middle of the sea, Papà sets up a ladder for Bambino to climb so he can set an anchor on the full moon. Together, the three of them work to sweep fallen ...

Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) is an animated romantic comedy film directed by Kelly Asbury from a screenplay by Rob Sprackling and John Smith. In the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon, two feuding neighbors, Miss Montague and Mr. Capulet, reside next to each other. When they are away from their gardens, their respective lawn ornaments and gnomes come to life – the blue-hatted gnomes in Miss Montague’s garden led by Lady Blueberry, and the red-hatted gnomes in Mr. Capulet’s garden led by Lord Redbrick. One day, ...

In 2011, DreamWorks Animation and Pacific Data Images released Megamind: The Button of Doom (2011), a computer animated short film directed by Simon J. Smith and written by Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons. It stars Will Ferrell and David Cross and was included on the DVD/Blu-ray release of the original film. Taking place after the events of Megamind, the short follows Megamind’s first day as Defender of Metro City. To ...

DC Showcase: Catwoman (2011), also known simply as Catwoman, is an animated superhero short film directed by Lauren Montgomery and written by Paul Dini. The story follows the first solo adventure of Eliza Dushku as Catwoman/Selina Kyle, as she tries to take down the notorious crime lord Rough Cut and his smuggling operation. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers a shipment that goes beyond just stolen diamonds. The film opens with two men chasing after a grey cat, but the cat seemingly ...