What has most defined the humor of the generation that came of age in the 1990s?  There are many answers but the only right one is The Simpsons.

Mixing irreverance with political satire, cultural commentary, and familial love is perhaps the most influential television program of all time.  The endless-running The Simpsons is turning 20, and instead of trying to make endless references to its stories and characters, rather than regurgitating its history that everyone knows, I'll give you five personal opinions I have on the show (and then some clips!).

1.  The best character relationship is Lisa and Homer, the most human and heart-breaking interpersonal dynamic of any two characters on the show.  Both know that the other operates at a different mental and emotional level, but over time each has found mutual satisfaction in accepting, and being accepted by, the other.  While Lisa is too smart to ever truly connect with Homer, a man of simple delights who approaches the world with little nuance or reflection, it is their love for one another, simply that of a girl to her father, that sustains and strengthens their relationship, as well as the fact that both understand the cognative chasm which divides them.

2.  The show jumped the shark after Season Ten.  There, I said it--the show was good through Season Ten (most state Season Eight, but they are wrong).  It's been better in the last two seasons though.

3.  Homer Badman is the funniest and best episode.  Why?  Because everyone (every character, social group, political ideology) is attacked and mocked, the jokes and writing are impeccable, and the Under the Sea spoof is unmatched.

4.  Second place is King Size Homer.  This needs no explanation.

5.  The Simpsons Movie should have been nominated for an Oscar.  Yes, it should have lost to Ratatouille (itself written and directed by Simpsons vet Brad Bird), but it was way better than Surf's Up.

Okay--CLIP TIME!!!

And the best clip EVER

Yes, my Halloween-loving readers, the one-day fright-fest known as Halloween is upon us! From what I understand from my history class days, Halloween comes from an ancient Pagan tradition in which my stupid neighbors gave me Mounds and Almond Joy bars as a kid. Mounds and Almond Joy! No peanut butter cups or Butterfingers?! Insanity.

Anyway, one of my favorite movies is John Carpenter's seminal 1978 masterpiece Halloween, which was the highest grossing independent movie ever until the Turtles showed up.

The opening credits of Halloween remain the best of any horror movie: a dark, slow zoom into a glowing pumpkin, as Carpenter's light, tingling synthetic score evokes a flickering candle endangered by ominous chords trying snuffing it out.  Simply put, a masterful score.

But before we forget, Halloween also spawned what I believe to be one of the best remakes ever, Rob Zombie's thrilling 2007 Version.  A fierce filmmaker, Zombie explored the origins of killer Michael Meyers, devoting half the film to his initial murders and time spent in an insane asylum.  Deftly, the most compelling and frightening elements of the film are not the murders, but the horrific depictions of suburban familial discord which precede them.  Also, the film had one of the best horror movie endings ever.

And, on that note, have a happy Halloween, everyone!

Hello All!

It's been a very busy week here at Aniboom--as you all know, the Marvel Finalists Announcement has been delayed until October 26th (and again, we apologize for that).  We're getting ready to start accepting Wildcard Submissions to the competition, that will last from October 26th through November 2nd, so keep on working on your Motion Comics!

We also are continuing to receive History Channel Competition Wildcards, which end on November 4th.  We've received 36 incredible entries so far!  You should totally check them out!

FOX is currently their Finalists, and we'll be excited to announce them (on time, natch!) on November 3rd.  Check out the animations now--one will be FOX's next big Holiday Special!

We had some incredible Daily Animations on our top-ranked Youtube Channel, this week, including my personal favorite I've put below!  But do check out Mirage (below), The Date, and Toaster Purse!

Things are really heating up here, and stay tuned, 'cause next week's gonna be a big one!

Remember when I talked about my enduring love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

Well, today, BIG NEWS hit regarding they're future, and a whole bunch of new Turtles series and movies that we should expect.

The Turtles are now the property of Nickelodeon!  (Apparently having one green slimy property wasn't enough!)

For a cool $60 mil, Nick's got the rights--and the plans--to start a whole new slew of projects, including a new feature film, a new CG animated cartoon series, and a new toy line with Playmate Toys.

So does this mean that the fab four are gonna try to beat the Aggro Crag?  Only time will tell!

I don't know about all of you, but I really miss the classic 2D Disney movies I grew up with.  Flicks like Aladdin, Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast were staples, wonderfully rendered, fluidly animated masterpieces that enhanced my childhood.

Now I love computer animation, and the folks at Pixar, Sony, and a host of other places have created their own masterpieces in recent years (Ratatouille is my favorite animated film of the decade!), but I miss the classics!

But now, Disney is releasing their first traditionally animated film this winter season, The Princess and the Frog, and I'm lookin' forward to it!

Check out these first 5 minutes to whet your classic animation-style appetite!

Yes, it's two months late, but I'd like to pay my respects to the recently departed show King of the Hill, animation legend Mike Judge's ode to a man with the strictest adherence to a bygone set of values in today's strange, affected modern world.

Truly, Hank Hill is one of the most morally rigid and complex characters on television reflective of the American experience.  He leads a cast of fully realized characters, in a scrupulously created world, one that was consistent, nuanced, and continuatively complex from Day One.  Be it Joseph Gribble's paternity, Buck Strickland's debauchery, or Peggy's big feet, it was there from the beginning and fully explored throughout the show's run.

The characters were rich, and the culture clashes fantastically rendered.  Arlen, Texas became as real as any town, and while a kind of willing provincialism cast a cultural torpor on Hank and his brethren, the show still managed to convey the goodness and broadness in the American heartland often mistaken for closemindedness and simplicity.  The show gently mocked attitudes left and right, and became a fantastic guidepoint to mid-American values ranging across the Clinton and Bush years.  In years to come, I predict the show will find itself a cultural time capsule.

Anyway, as we say goodbye to Hank, Peggy, Bobby, Luanne, Boomhauer, Bill, Dale, Kahn, and the rest, let's take one more moment to swig some Alamo...

The coolest cartoon on FOX and the, um, most-desiring-to-be-cool software corporation have teamed for a McFarlane-fueled product placement special!

According to The Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital Blog, Family Guy and Microsoft are creating a half-hour sponsored special, rife with Microsoft-styled jokes, plots, digs, and plaudits.  ATD points out that Family Guy has taken shots at Microsoft in the past, spoofing their MP3 player, The Zune, but it hasn't stopped Bill Gates's brainchild from seeking out McFarlane's.

Embedded below is the Zune gag, referenced also in ATD's article.  Well, it's always been said that sometimes animation makes strange bedfellows....