SUNDAY PANTS is a new animated variety show that premieres on Cartoon Network tonight, Oct. 2, at 9:30 pm (ET/PT). Each episode will include “a fast-moving selection of short animation pieces from around the world” in “a variety of animation styles, from traditional hand-drawn animation to artists working on computer-based Flash and CGI.” Creators include Monkmus, Lance Taylor (Facelift Enterprises, Inc.); Lincoln Pierce (Global Mechanic); Tim McKeon and Adam Pava (Cartoon Network Studios); Andy Fielding (Red Kite Animation); and Andy Merrill, Craig “Sven” Gordon and Stuart Hill (Cartoon Network).

Sounds like an excellent idea, but the clips shown in the promo look uniformly weak. The kitschy Sixties-themed branding of SUNDAY PANTS sadly reinforces the idea that the show is cheap. Quite disappointing; it would have been nice to see Cartoon Network air a quality series of independently produced animation. About the only upside so far is that the series will apparently feature the television premiere of the PERIWINKLE shorts by Aaron Springer. These shorts have only aired publicly once — at the Genndy Tartakovsky retrospective in LA earlier this year. I’ve yet to see them, but everybody that I know who has says they’re terrific. That’s hardly a surprise considering that Springer is one of the most singular talents working in commercial animation today.

Unless I’m mistaken, I’ve now seen every substantial theatrical animated feature of 2005 (except CHICKEN LITTLE). MADGASCAR, CORPSE BRIDE and HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE are certainly worthy films for Oscar consideration. But I think I’ve seen the hands-down winner: WALLACE & GROMIT in THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT.First off, (for the three people out there who care about such details) as I am someone chronicling animated features - not only for future updates to my THE ANIMATED MOVIE GUIDE, but for Leonard Maltin’s MOVIE GUIDE as well - I have to note the film’s several title discrepancies. On the posters and ads the title is presented as “WALLACE & GROMIT The Curse Of the Were-Rabbit” with the characters names twice as large as the subtitle. The poster’s credit block (small print) have it as “WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT” (all the same size) with a colon separating the character name from the subtitle. On the film itself, the title is presented this way: “WALLACE & GROMIT” as one card, “in” as a second card, and “THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT” as a third card. Never since ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE KILLER, BORIS KARLOFF have the film’s principals and the film’s title been so intertwined and confusing!Regardless, THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is certainly the best animated feature of the year. Thoroughly entertaining, inventive, charming, hilarious, clever and fun. A total pleasure, produced with the highest standards of craft and creativity. I won’t go into story details - you should just go and enjoy that for yourselves - but I really admired, despite the story’s simplicity, the filmmakers ability to cram as many jokes and visual sight gags into the 85 minute running time. It never feels forced or overwhelming. The audience I saw it with laughed consistently the entire time.Dreamworks did an interesting thing: before the film begins (at least at the press screening I attended) they tagged on a three minute film explaining the film’s stop motion process - with behind the scenes footage, explaining what plasticine is, showing the set builders and animators at work. I think this was a good idea - I’m concerned that audiences are now so familiar with computer graphics, they’re unaware of the painstaking work that stop motion animation is. The animation in CORPSE BRIDE was so smooth, I’ll bet most viewers of that film probably thought it was the same technique as ROBOTS or THE INCREDIBLES. I applaud Dreamworks for informing the audience that what they are about to see was produced by hand, frame by frame, and shot on motion picture film. I predict this feature will be a box-office smash of SHREK 2 proportions. I hope AARDMAN is considering another feature length WALLACE & GROMIT adventure. I’ll be first in line.

Our buddy Daniel Goldmark was interviewed about Music and the Hollywood Cartoon last week on WNYC’s music discussion show, SOUNDTRACK. You can listen to it here. His new book TUNES FOR ‘TOONS’ is now on sale - and will be reviewed in Friday’s WALL STREET JOURNAL. Congratulations Daniel!

Character designer Harald Siepermann has a series of posts on his blog where he shares his character concepts from Disney’s TREASURE PLANET and speaks of his ideas for various characters. Fascinating stuff. Scroll down his blog to read all the entries.

I know Jerry has already mentioned this, but it’s worth doing so again. I received my copy of GO FOR THE GOLD: A MEATHAUS SKETCHBOOK when I got back from Ottawa and I’ve been completely inspired over the past couple days. Credit belongs to the talented Chris McDonnell, who is responsible for bringing together an incredible array of names from the illustration and animation worlds, and putting together an awesome sketchbook. There are 31 artists represented and each artist’s section ranges anywhere from two pages to over twenty pages.

It’s nice to see work by Spumco friends like Katie Rice, Wil Branca, Robert Cory and John Kricfalusi. Cory is working on SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS now, and his work is shown alongside two other SPONGEBOB contributors: Chris Mitchell and Paul Tibbitt. All three of them have some solid, twisted work in here. Also good to see NY pals like Jim Campbell and Celia Bullwinkel with their own sections, as well as contributions by other well known names like Jim Mahfood, Tomer Hanuka, James Jean and Ralph Bakshi. The whole thing totals 218 black-&-white pages, and sells for a quite affordable $12.95. You will not find a better bargain around. It’s printed on-demand by Lulu.com, and the print quality rivals any printed book to be found at the bookstore. Note: I was offered a complimentary copy, but insisted on paying because I want to encourage quality artist-driven projects, and GO FOR THE GOLD is a project most worthy of support.

Here’s a photo of me at the CHAPTERS bookstore in Ottawa last week, shortly before my book signing, with copies of both my new books on the shelves. I will try not to keep hyping these projects, but it’s rare to have two books debut at the same time. Both THE ANIMATED MOVIE GUIDE and PINK PANTHER: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE should appear in local bookstores near you within the next few weeks - and can be ordered on Amazon.com now.

Swish! After Roy Disney Jr. fouled out with SaveDisney, he has rebounded by purchasing the Harlem Globetrotters. Yup, nothing beats buying a few black people to help a rich white businessman regain his confidence…or something like that. (via The Disney Blog)

Four words: OTTAWA WAS A BLAST! I’m still recovering (sleep, man, sleep) and will write more about the festival in a bit. If you post photo galleries or do a festival report on your blog, email Jerry and I, and we’ll let others know. In the meantime, here’s a photo of the Ottawa festival’s artistic guru Chris “Animation Pimp” Robinson and myself at the tail end of this year’s festivities. A week of animation will make anybody look deranged. Either that or I really suck at taking photographs.