Escape From New York: Deleted Intro
I heard you were dead
I always wanted to see this…
Watch it. (Flash Video)
Zoudov
A spy thriller with some office romance.
Superman: The Musical
Based on a failed 1960s Broadway musical, the 1975 TV special was part of ABC’s attempt at broadcasting “edgy” entertainment in order to compete with NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
Watch snippet. (Flash Video)
Great action sequence from Casshern
Never heard of the film but it looks fantastic. Sample video and other information.
Review of There Will Be Blood
Wow! Director Paul Thomas Anderson flexes some serious filmmaking muscle in this film. This is the Raging Bull of our times, less optimistic (imagine that), less character arc but they do share the same theme: a strong character who cannot escape from himself. In Raging Bull, the redemption or the self awareness comes, in There Will Be Blood, there is not even a hint of such notions.
The obvious checklist: great acting: check; best acting performance by Daniel Day Lewis: check; incredible detail to costumes and times: check; great supporting cast: check; great directing: check; great cinematography: check; fantastic editing: check; powerful story: check.
So all the great reviews you have read about this movie are true.
Here are some of my favorite moments from the film that you will not hear about:
- Daniel Plainview comes to a small farm to check out a family who are sitting on a valuable oil reserve and don’t know it. He shows up with his son pretending to be shooting quail. The family patriarch, Abel Sunday (played by David Willis) comes out to greet him. The scene is slow and awkward but real. Anderson and the actors weren’t simply recreating an awkward moment, they are recreating a moment from the early 1900’s (I can only guess, of course). David Willis is simply incredible, he manages to play a character without a brain, a simple minded man. Of all the great acting in the film, his performance manages to stand out.
- Another great piece of acting from David Willis is the close-up shot of him eating, right after Daniel Plainview has beaten up his son. At first, he seems to have taken a stand against Daniel but the following close-up of his son (played by a wonderful Paul Dano) indicates that he is actually standing up to his son. Willis manages to show his simple minded choice of ignoring the problem but all the while knowing what is at stake. Fantastic.
- When the baby strokes Daniel Plainview’s face on the train. Such an easy moment to indicate that he is going to father the child. Simple, no fancy shots of paper signing or whatever.
- The bowling alley in Plainview’s house is one of the best set pieces I have ever seen. Seriously, how cool is that. And Daniel chasing Paul around the back, it is playful. You forget how powerful those bowling pins can be. Which is wonderfully relevant to what happens next.
- The final line “I am finished” can be interpreted in so many different ways. From what is just happened to what will happen in the future to the actual movie.
- When Daniel talks about the peachtree dance hall and his brother can’t remember. My reaction to the information mimicked Daniel Day Lewis’.
One of the greatest movies of all time.
Watch the Oscar nominated Animated shorts online
Just like last year, I have been able to find most of the Oscar nominated Animated shorts online. I have been generally happy with the Oscar nominations this year. However, I think Atonement deserved a best picture nomination (update: it did get nominated, what was I smoking?) and I think Kate Blanchett did NOT deserve a nomination for Elizabeth. The animated Oscar shorts nominees are quite strong. Certainly, a lot stronger than last year.
Moya lyubov (My Love) Part one, two & three - A moving painting that captures love in all of its longing. And like some of the other nominees, the style of animation is so bloody unique. This short would be tremendous on the big screen with all of those moving pixels/ paint strokes. No English translation available but the visual imagery tells the story for the most part.
Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven) - The only 3D animation in the bunch which comes as a surprise as it has become the dominant form. I think the slapstick story fits that style perfectly.
Peter & the Wolf (Part one, two & three) (divx version) - A cute story about a little boy with no fear. Again, the technique is tremendous. I am not sure it is all claymation. Some of the background and even some of the objects look 3D. It is especially hard to see the difference when watching it online.
Madame Tutli-Putli - The plot and scenes move along slowly, giving us enough time to invest attention on every detail of the frame. In my opinion, in terms of style, this short is heads above the rest. And that may well be the case with any animated film you compare it to. It is simply that good.
Trailer for I met the Walrus & Official site - Couldn’t find the film online. It looks like an elongated motion graphics experiment coupled with some choice quotes about war and peace.
Great selections, one from every animation sub-genre. I am having a harder time finding the live action shorts, any tips would be appreciated.
The Running Man - by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
I miss this kind of animation. There is always a touch of madness. In this case, madness is everywhere. It is cathartic, like an excursion to all of potential rage possible within a being. Don’t miss this classic, a mix between sci-fi noir (Blade Runner-like) and Akira.
Quentin Tarantino in Muppets’ Wizard of Oz
Quentin Tarantino pitching Kermit how he thinks the big fight scene should go, in his cameo in The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
24: The Unaired 1994 Pilot
Part of the charm of 24 is all the supposed gadgetry used in the show. Well, what if Fox had decided to go forward with 24 when the show was first proposed to them back in 1994?
Watch it - via HD for Indies
Our list of Best Online Videos for 2007
This is our second annual “best of” list. Like the 2006 list, this isn’t one of your neat and tidy “best of 2007″ lists. It is not like I have a problem deciding, after all we have posted over 1360 posts (and some posts have several video links), but I think all of these videos listed below are too deserving to be slighted. So if you see a strange category, you can attribute that to the video’s insistence on being heard.
While 2006 seemed like a banner year for online video, 2007 seemed to bring out a lot of pessimism that mainly revolved around the question of profitability. Also, the online video market continues to get saturated with content, just like old school blogging did. It seems like every blogger has some kind of podcast feed now. The word Youtube is synonymous with online video like Google is with internet search (scary?).
It used to be that among my circle of friends, I would be one of the initial people to find out about an online video phenomenon. This is no longer the case. I cannot tell you how often I feel l am either late to the party or missed it completely. The internet has become the biggest, baddest, most chaotic cable channel in the world and everyone is getting hip to it.
SHORTS
We had some great shorts this year, some from the years past but we found them online this year, so it officially fits our very loose guidelines to be eligible for our 2007 list.
Best Short: One Rat Short (Post) - From the story to its execution, this short is flawless. It is a dark tale of romantic love between two rats that steals from Romeo & Juliet as much as from Pixar.
Best Abstract Short: The Outlaw Son (Post) - There are no rewards in this film, you can choose to be in the moment or not. The One Rat Short showed how much can be done with excess, the Outlaw Son shows how much can be done with minimalism.
Best Animated Short: Jojo in the Stars (Post) - I saw this years ago at Resfest. The online experience is not the same, to say the least. Those rich blacks are washed out and the little animated touches are almost completely lost. Nevertheless, what a film! The animation is breathtaking. When she makes her appearance from the disco ball, I remember wanting to jump up and scream.
Best Comedic Short: The Shovel (Post) - Another film, I was lucky enough to see at a festival. Many films possess bigger, funnier set-ups and jokes but this comedy stands out because of its restraint.
- Dear Stranger - Yes, it is my film. But even if it weren’t, it would be here.
- The Raftman’s Razor - It doesn’t require several viewings but I always watch it everytime I come across it.
- Atama-Yama - Beautifully ugly. Hard to resist scratching your head.
- Forklift Driver - It looks like it is as old as the hills but it is edgier than the recent Tarantino gorefest.
- Wes Anderson’s Hotel Chevalier - One of the most popular posts of the last year. Deserving in many respects.
- Josie’s Lalaland - I went back and forth between this film and Jojo in the Stars in choosing the best animated short title.
MUSIC VIDEOS
2007 has been a great year for music videos. Mainstream stuff is still all about the cinematography but the independent videos are all about the ideas. There is also a return to linearity versus the 90’s simple-minded non-linearity where a video cut back and forth between locations and scenes with no development of any kind.
Among the major video forms, this format seems to be the only one concerned with formal elements in video. Some of that is seeping into shorts but the rest of the film world is largely vanilla.
Best Music Video: Grizzly Bear “Knife” (Post) - Also, the most original video of the year. I am convinced the video was invented by an alien of some kind. For much of it, the video looks like it is concerned with mythology more than the song. And though many believe that the video desecrated the song, I believe the opposite is true.
Other notable music videos:
- Handsome Furs “Dumb Animals” - Seemed like a tragic ending to a great romantic tragedy. Daring, innovative and strange as anything else from this year.
- Tom Baxter - “Better” - The idea is a little cheesy but the end result is quite beautiful.
- Cat Power “Where is My Love?” - A video that Dylan Thomas would have been proud of.
- Dave Gahan “Kingdom” - Architecture & loneliness seem like a perfect couple.
- Plug-In City “Broke On A Wheel” - Cute idea, cute video.
- The Strokes “You Only Live Once” - Money doesn’t necessarily destroy creativity.
- Kate Nash “Foundations” - Girl point-of-view cuteness.
- The Bees “Listening Man” - Guy point-of-view cuteness.
- Feist “1234″ - Yes, from the iPod commercial.
- Dizzee Rascal “Sirens” - Tackles white colonialism with great dexterity.
- Emily Haines “Our Hell” - The effect and the song are a match made in heaven.
COMMERCIALS
What constitutes a successful ad has changed in the last couple of years. The focus is to create a buzz online. A lot of this has already become quite tiresome.
Best Commercial: Epuron (Post) - Simply brilliant.
Most sophisticated ad ever: Martin Scorsese’s Key To Reserva - The plot seems to play with genre than anything else. Is it a documentary? a short? an ad!
VIDEOBLOGGING
I am somewhat disappointed with the general direction videoblogging seems to be taking. Talking heads with a lot of personality get the views.
Best Videoblog: Alive in Baghdad - I am amazed at the result as much as how it comes about.
Best Post: Banana Bus - I award myself in all humility. So far, there is not a person who I have met who has not been seduced by the little bus.
Best Series: Young American Bodies - Some of the most daring videos from any medium.
Best Comic Series: Psycho Bob - Scary as much as funny.
OTHER AWARDS
Best Viral: Ninja Warrior (Sasuke) Makoto Nagano (Post) - Read the comments from our post to witness its effect.
Best Stop-Motion: Pes - Sneaux “Skateboard” ad (Post) - Pes = Stop-motion. No surprise.
Sexiest video: Room Service (Post) - Boing!
Best Photography Slideshow: Minutes to Midnight (Post) - A great journey highlighted by even better photography.
Best Graphics: Herr Bar “Clark” (Post) - Little to do with FX dexterity as much as prettiness of the images.
Best Video on Art: Paul Rand Tribute Film (Post) - When content and form meet perfectly.
Best Adaptations: Billy Collins Inspired Videos - Can online video bring poetry back to the spotlight? These videos sure do that.
Best Parody: Wheels (Post) - Trailer, parody and short all at once
Best WTF video: Chocolade Haas (Post) - Some have listed as their favorite video of the year.
Second Best WTF video: Nodern’s video (Post) - We are clueless as you are.
Best Documentary: Michael Moore’s Sicko (Post) - Yes, it was available online, illegally obviously.
Coolest Video: Visual Effects on a Trampoline (Post) - I’d be surprised if you haven’t seen it.
Hippest video: Hipster Olympics - If you been to Williamsburg, you know.
Best Mash-up: Put Your Hands Up for Detroit (Post) - Was in the running for the sexiest video of the year as well.
Best Action: Ryan vs Dorkman, part 2 (Post) - George Lucas has nothing on these guys.
Best Action Comedy: Deadly Finger (Post) - Jackie Chan, meet finger!
Best Television: The Office “Dunder Mifflin Ad” - This is a very personal choice. I love The Office and thus this scene.
Best Feature: Four Eyed Monsters (Post) - They put their film online this year. A daring move, much like their work.
Dek has also compiled a list of his favorites which in some ways is different from mine. He has become the primary blogger on this blog, don’t know what we or I would do without him. TickleBooth continues to grow at a healthy pace, 8 times as much traffic as the previous year with less big hit posts and more steady growth.
Thanks to all the submissions, comments and general support.
Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon
After all these years, the film still remains daring and avant-garde as ever. When I saw this in film school, so much of my attention was spent on the craft but now my eyes are glued to the subtlety of the directing and acting.
Watch it (1 hours and 27 mins)
Troops
Parody heaven: Star Wars meets Cops.
It is an independant Star Wars fan film that was created by Kevin Rubio in 1997. The voicing cast includes Jess Harnell, Cam Clarke, and Bill Farmer. All of which are well known voice actors…
“The Machine Girl” Trailer
From the creators of Death Trance and Meatball Machine…
Watch it. (Flash Video)
via Giavasan
Brutal Legend Trailer
An axe rampage to promote the new game from Sierra, featuring Jack Black. Soundtrack: The mob rules, from Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
Beware of Space Bunnies
Suspicious squeak-toy operatives machinate candy-colored hijinks toward galactic dètente.
Or: the unbearable lightness of being random. Or: a short movie by: Peter J. Richardson.
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