Animation can make the amazing and the unbelievable occur before our very eyes. It can twist and bend reality, all for the sake of entertaining the masses. And though all of us might have watched hand-drawn Saturday morning cartoons or classic hand-drawn Disney films, the degree of skill and storytelling is simply heightened in the most common animation art form of the new millennium: computer animation.
This new era of cinematic storytelling - which began with the success of the first computer-animated film, "Toy Story," made in 1995 by the geniuses at Pixar studios - has gradually evolved from kids' fare to commentary on our way of life. Most importantly, computer generated image (CGI) films have gradually evolved to be more than just children's entertainment.
"Shrek," released in 2001 by Dreamworks, presented a different kind of computer-animated film - one that appears to be for children, but is actually geared toward an older audience. Featuring an ogre, princess and donkey, this non-traditional fairy tale was the first to use this formula for computer-animated films that many others have emulated, but none have quite captured as well as "Shrek" and its two sequels.
The sheer cinematic scope and story of Pixar's "WALL*E" last year struck a chord with audiences and critics alike. Not only was it nominated as Best Picture for the Critic's Choice Awards, but it was also a big contender for the Academy Awards' Best Picture category. If it had won the Oscar, it would have been a feat that only 1991's "Beauty and the Beast." But unlike the classic Disney films of our youths, "WALL*E" told the story of a robot trying to make a difference in a littered, forgotten world. The film also portrays humanity as obese slackers and features little voice acting.
This trend of featuring entertaining yet nontraditional heroes and storylines in computer-animated films is also seen in films like 2007's "Ratatouille" and the "Ice Age" films, proving that a great storyline can elevate any film, no matter who the stars are.
Most recently, computer-animated films have reached another frontier of including 3D elements in the animation, like 2009's "Up" and "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs." But the latest trend, a 180 from the children's fare of "Toy Story," depicts dark fantasy and science fiction stories. "9," released on Sept. 9, 2009, is both an animated and an action film and only the third computer-animated film to have a PG-13 rating, after "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" in 2001 and "Beowulf" in 2007.
So what's next for computer-animated films? In the 14 years since "Toy Story," this medium of storytelling has gone from cute and cuddly characters to dark and dreary action sequences. How far can this medium be pushed to test the scope of the public's imagination, comment on our society and still entertain? Whatever the answer might be, one thing is certain. This medium is no flash in the pan, no gimmick or mere fad. It's a form of cinema now and it's definitely here to stay.
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