At least Mike Judge remembers where he started and for the second time has bankrolled a new anthology of animation to be savored by cartoon fiends in art house movie theaters coast to coast. With 'The Animation Show 2005', Judge and his fellow animator superstar Don Hertzfeldt showcase a wide variety of animated shorts from around the globe.

There's something for everyone in this years 'Animation Show', and it seems that every possible method of bringing stories to life through animation is covered. Whether it's the slick looking, yet independently made 3D computer animation seen in the humorous 'Rock Fish', or the stylized roto-scoping used in 'F.E.D.S.' which adds a colorful dimension to the mundane subject of food sampling in grocery stores, 'The Animation Show' delivers a savory sampling of unique storytellers.

At the recent San Francisco premiere held at the Lumiere theater, 'Animation Show' co-organizer and one of the featured artists, Don Hertzfeldt attended, fielding questions from the audience about 'The Meaning of Life', his hilarious short that wraps up the show, and the process involved with finding and selecting the material that makes it into the line up. He says that the festival receives over 1000 submissions this year, and they look closely at the art and story telling above all. It doesn't matter how they present it, but if the animated piece captures the magic, they'll include it in the show.

Hertzfeldt went on to mention that critics all seem to have different preferences for what their favorite segments are, where regardless of your individual taste, you will likely find something to fall in love with in the show. My personal favorites would have to be 'Hello' where some truly imaginative characters figure out ways to say just what they mean. The claymation creepiness of 'Ward 13' is laced with C'Thulu like creatures that would keep HP Lovecraft awake at night, and the short and simple 'Fireworks' relishes in the 'oohs' and aahhs' that everyday objects can bring when harnessed by an animators hand.

Watching 'The Animation Show 2005' is an encouraging sign, as it brings back the value of catching these mini-masterpieces on the big screen. This is what the Spike and Mike experience used to be like, before their emphasis on Sick and Twisted humor ran rampant through their long-standing festival. Thankfully there's a new Show on the circuit, giving audiences and artists alike a new venue to enjoy the best that the world of cartoons has to offer. 'The Animation Show' runs for a limited time only, so catch this one while you can! For Movie Magazine, this is Purple.

© 2005 - Purple - Air Date: 3/9/05