Animators snatch up the rights to cartoon novel

2011 is the year of the toon, bringing us animated movies galore from Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks and their like whether we want it or not. Here’s our rundown of animations due to hit the box office in 2011. Think we missed one? Let us know. Our word for today is ‘completist’.

Remember that viral email that explained how to get someone to have sex with you just by claiming to be from the future? This viral was turned into a witty little short film by director Torrey Meeks. Prepare to be delighted and… inspired. You dirty dog.

This week’s short film The Calligrapher by the Brothers Quay is one of their early stop-motion pieces. Terry Gilliam adores them and rated their venture The Crocodile as one of the top ten animated films of all time…

It looks as though 2011 is to be yet another golden year for superhero films. The All-Stars Superman animated movie by comics guru Grant Morrison could prove to be a hidden gem. Coming out february 22 2011…

In the short 2006 film Doll Face, a machine with a doll face mimics images on television screen in search of a satisfactory visage. Neat CGI – very fitting soundtrack, too.

Tangled will be Disney’s 50th feature animation and to celebrate the milestone there’s a brand new trailer!

Deathly Hallows animator Ben Hibon to take the helm on a new sinister version of the much loved fairytale

Legend of the Guardians is a CGI fantasy kids film featuring a war between owl empires. Starring Australians, directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and based on a novel, this is a quirky cinematic treat worth paying the IMAX ticket price for. Did we mention it features owls?

The heat is on to be the best gosh darn villain the world has ever seen. And when your competition is out nicking the Egyptian pyramids and other great wonders of the world, you know you’ve got to up your game. So Gru sorts himself out with the ultimate secret weapon in his grand master scheme; three orphan girls. And before you get the wrong idea, he doesn’t put them through an intensive training course and turn them into child soldiers, rather, he uses the power of cookie selling to get the ball a-rolling.