The 6th A113Animation Awards Results

The results to the most prestigious and anticipated prizes of the Award season (ahem) are in! As always, keep in mind the winners have been decided by William, Munir and me (Damien) based on our personal tastes.
That being said, here are the winners of the 6th A113Animation Awards in bold and gold (go to the bottom of the post for a breakdown of the results).

The 6th A113Animation Awards Nominations

Welcome to the 6th edition of the A113Animation Awards! We've got a good one for you this year, considering the amount of amazing animated films that have been released in the past 12 months. 2016 is arguably the best year for animation since 2012, and the choices ahead of us are going to be quite tough.

The winners will be picked by me (Damien), while William (our Founder/Editor-in-Chief) and Munir (writer and WDAS specialist) will each choose their favourite movie of the year in the Staff Picks category; you, dear A113Animation readers, will also be allowed to award one of the trophies (The People's Favourite Animated Film Award) through the poll below.

The films eligible for an Award must have been released in the UK in 2016. The Winners will be announced on Saturday 14th January. Without further ado and in alphabetical order by film, here are the 6th A113Animation Awards Nominations:

'Kubo and the Two Strings' Review: Don't Blink

It's been out for a while in the United States, but that's the chaotic worldwide release schedule for you: Kubo and the Two Strings is only being released in some European countries now, and as a result our review is pretty late, and everything (or close) has already been said on the film. Still, because we think Kubo is a terrific film we'll consider it's not too late, shall we? If you must blink, do it now; then consider reading our spoiler-free review below.

Watch: There is a Third Trailer for 'Kubo and the Two Strings' and it Looks Phenomenal (Big Surprise!)

LAIKA's newest film Kubo and the Two Strings is the gift that keeps on giving. All the trailers so far have been wonderful, funny, epic; this new one is no exception and we can't wait to experience the whole thing in a theater, as stop motion filmmaking has never looked better. Watch the third trailer for Kubo ad the Two Strings below.

Watch: The Latest 'Kubo and the Two Strings' Trailer is Fantastic

Universal Picture UK released a new trailer for the new LAIKA stop-motion film, Kubo and the Two Strings. In this video, you will find some gorgeous sets and character animation, epic action scenes, humour, and you'll hear Charlize Theron's Monkey, as well as Matthew MacConaughey's Beetle. Watch the fantastic trailer below.

Watch: A Mesmerizing Trailer for 'Kubo and the Two Strings'

"If you must blink, do it now" says the latest trailer for LAIKA's Kubo and the Two Strings. We believe that's a good advice, as this new promotional video looks so beautiful it would be a shame to miss one frame of it. Watch it below.

Watch an Epic Teaser for Laika's 'Kubo and the Two Strings'

LAIKA is currently the best stop-motion studio in the world - from a purely technical point of view; but it's also a place where the story and characters matter. Which makes it awesome. After Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls, here's a first look at the next movie from the Oregon-based company: Kubo and the Two Strings.

The BoxTrolls: A Suspenseful Review

With the hypnotic Coraline and the gutsy ParaNorman, Laika was two-for-two in my book. And I certainly believed their third sop-motion outing, The BoxTrolls, would extend their success. In fact this was my most anticipated animated film of 2014, as the teasers and trailers charmed me in a way that very few promotional campaign ever have. Then came the very mixed first reviews, and I started to worry. But despite that negative early buzz, I was still willing to enjoy The BoxTrolls.

So, did the Oregon-based studio strike gold once again, or is this their first flop? You can put an end to this absurdly thrilling suspense and discover my opinion after the break.

The BoxTrolls Review - An Uneven But Utterly Charming Film

The BoxTrolls is Laika's third stop-motion wonder; it's a bizarre and enchanting film that looks just wonderful. The animation is absolutely stunning and the world that the crew have created is rich with detail and hard work. The story doesn't quite hit the same highs that Coraline and ParaNorman did, but it nonetheless offers plenty of charm, making it an enjoyable ride.

Animation Turnaround #2: Coraline (2009)

Previously: Animation Turnaround #1: Shrek (2001)

Laika made a splash in 2009 when they released their first animated film, Coraline. Done entirely in stop-motion, the film is a rarity in mainstream animation, because it's one of the few truly spooky family films that has appeared on the big screen. Based on the famous novel by Neil Gaiman, Coraline represented a rebirth for the stop-motion format and a glorious return for director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), who crafted a lovingly terrifying world and made Laika a force to be reckoned with.

Animation Studios' Shophomore Films - From Worst to Best

Many times, animation studios start very strong with a debut feature that is beloved and popular. But, when the time comes to release their second outing, they often stumble. Either they are just a retread of the first film or just aren't as successful as it. However, many of these films have actually improved on their predecessors and are now regarded as masterpieces. Let's take a look on these second (and often underrated) efforts and see how they compare to their immediate predecessors.

Watch: Another New Teaser Trailer for Laika's The BoxTrolls

We've already had two stellar teaser trailers (first here, second here) for the third film from Laika (Coraline, ParaNorman), and now we've got another equally great one, showing us some new footage from The BoxTrolls!

Christmas Recommendations: What Animated Things You Should Be Watching This Christmas

It's that time of year again (notice our festive banner and logo, once again designed by the fantastic Damien Chevrier), and we hope you're all having a restful, relaxing and enjoyable Holiday season so far! So, for those of you here in the UK, here are our ho-ho-hot picks for animated stuff (and generally-linked-to-animation stuff) that's on tele over the next couple of weeks.

Watch: New Handmade Teaser for The BoxTrolls

Laika are making a name for themselves as a really brave, boundary-pushing, outside-the-norm animation studio. With two acclaimed films - Coraline and ParaNorman - under their belt, and a desire to tell personal, spooky stories, in an animation medium that has proven less than popular at the box-office. Yet that's exactly what they're pushing in the new teaser for their next film, The BoxTrolls.

The A113Animation Podcast, Episode 3 - Monsters University

Episode 3 of A113Animation's flagship - and for that matter, lone - podcast is now online! We were going to have the full team this week, but that plan went somewhat awry. Nonetheless, Damien's back this week, and joining him and me on the show is our live-action Disney writer, Nadine! The three of us reviewed Pixar's latest offering, Monsters University (which has only just arrived on all of our shores this month), along with some chatter about recent animated trailers (yes, so there's less griping about Disney's lack of Frozen promotion!). We also dip into the world of giant robots and aliens for a brief discussion of Pacific Rim, too.

As usual, enjoy the show, get in touch and, if you're particularly moved by the show, you could always help us out by heading on over to our Support page. The episode is available on Podomatic now, and will be appearing in our iTunes feed and Stitcher playlist very soon.

The Top 5 Animated Films to Watch for in 2014

Just over half the way into 2013, it may seem a little premature to start looking forward to next year. And that would be true, if next year weren't looking so damn appetising. Sequels, adaptations and original concepts populate an increasingly more exciting 2014, and here are A113Animation's top 5 animated films to keep your eyes on.

This Week on A113Animation (1st - 7th July, 2013)

This was a jam-packed week for animation fans, not least because we got 4 brand spanking new trailers on the same day. And that was just by Tuesday! We've also got box office updates, interviews, posters and set pictures. As well as your usual features, we've also got a review of Illumination Entertainment's Despicable Me 2 and an editorial about the current state of Pixar. Check out links and summaries for all of that below.

First Look: Teaser Trailer and Poster for Laika's The BoxTrolls

Considering Disney only just released the first teaser for a film that's out in November, with Frozen, this is an incredibly quick turnaround. And you won't hear us complaining. Laika have rolled out a teaser trailer and a poster for their upcoming third feature film, The BoxTrolls.

This Week on A113Animation (13th - 19th May, 2013)

With our recent expansion, and the fact that the film industry is prepping itself for a big summer, there's a lot happening here on A113Animation.com at the moment. As such, here's a brief recap of what went down this week:

New Concept Art for Laika's The Boxtrolls

Laika have put out two feature films so far - two spooky stop-motion films - Coraline and ParaNorman, and both have been very high quality. Now two-time Oscar nominees, Laika will be hoping to repeat that success with their next film, The Boxtrolls, based on the novel Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow.