Rob Dougan – Clubbed to Death
Cool song coupled with a dynamic video makes it a treat to watch. Some of the comments were quite intriguing, “Missedagain” writes (spoiler alert!!):
The entire world is moving backwards, thus society is backwards. It is only a few (the old man, and the man running, rob dougan), who are moving forward in society. They are also the two who were nice to the black girl in white society.
By moving forwards in society and ignoring the backwards thinking flow of the rest of the people, they can become “the bigger man” for it all. In the end, their actions enable the little girl to begin moving forwards in society as well.
Four Eyed Monsters – Episode 8
I was getting a little antsy with no new FEM episode in a while but finally…
I was getting tired of all this actor drama and hoping they would move on. They did kinda. The first half is more on the actors wanting more credit (as in directing credit) and they are going to bitch and complain about it. The crew, outside of Arin and Susan, are fed up and they lose it. It was wonderfully interesting.
Then there is a twist towards the end. It seems the third act of this drama is upon us. You will need to see the podcast to find out. Let me put it this, the drama only gets better!
Watch Episode 8 – Subscribe in iTunes
Related Links:
– My interview with Four Eyed Monsters
The Tell-Tale Heart
…a masterpiece for several reasons—the storytelling in limited animation, James Mason‘s powerful vocal track and, of course, Paul Julian‘s incredible colors, layouts, and paintings.
UPA short animation based on Edgar Allan Poe’s story and directed by Ted Parmelee.
I loved it. And you’ll love it too…
Watch it. (Flash)
Read more on Cartoon Brew.
Duplass Brothers – The Intervention
This short was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for best short at the Gen Art Film Festival & the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin film festival. The awkward film flirts between funny and painful. The acting is so tremendous, almost unbelievable. Can’t tell if the entire thing was improvised. Raw is a very good word to describe the film.
It starts with a simple admission by the lead character to several of his friends that his Bill Parcell’s story was a lie. But the intervention doesn’t stop there. The plot is pretty simple, it is the acting that makes this film so powerful.
Nelly Furtado – ‘Try’
Cool song, cool video….
Ten
Scott Smith‘s first submission to Project Greenlight, wherein one man breaks all ten commandments before breakfast.
Nice idea, nicely done. Kind of the story of my life…
Watch it. (Quicktime)
Reflets
I know myself only as I appear to myself.
(I. Kant)
A short dark film by Suki about a brilliant and ambitious lawyer and his fiancee. He just succeeded in a long and hard legal battle. His career is well growing. But a secret they hide can destroy everything they have, leading on the way to hell…
I usually don’t dig too much for animation that looks like comics in motion, but this one is very effective in his own style. Though the story is mostly cliche’, the way it is narrated, the neon colors, the music and the overall direction, everything contributes in creating something peculiar.
Watch it. (Flash)
Breed Specific Legislation
I found this video to be quite thought provoking. I was ignorant to the fact that this type of legislation had really gotten this far. I’ve never been a huge fan of these dogs because of the perceived menace (especially now that I have a young daughter), but it brings up the obvious question….is this “menace” really breed specific?
Watch it
Eminem’s “When I’m gone”
I am admittedly ignorant on Rap. For the most part, a lot of mainstream rappers tend to bother me or even worse bore me. And though it is very much a black thing, I have kinda been intrigued by the white rapper, Eminem. The biggest reason is because what he chooses to talk about is wider in scope than Rap or any other music engage in.
In the song “When I’m gone,” a lot of his lyrics focus on guilt. Not to something abstract but something real, his kid. Not because he dramatically went and abandoned her but because his focus, his attention, his parenting skills are lacking. Very personal, very reflexive. I don’t know enough about Rap history to know if this is groundbreaking but it certainly feels that way.
The video is decent but the song is really what I like about it. I wish more rappers would listen more than taunt. And Eminem might just be a small stepping stone towards that future. A future I imagine rappers use language recorded off the streets and put them to music. Almost like documentary filmmakers do with film.
(via videos.antville)
Hillman on Romanek
Portraits of artists are always interesting because they tend to communicate difficult ideas very simply and also usually tend to be honest on how they view the world. Hillman Curtis has been doing some really wonderful work on artists for a while, his recent portrait of Music Video director Mark Romanek is another little gem. Talking about a Stanley Kubrick’s intensity, you can see that he is wishfully talking about himself. I love stuff like that.
Anyways, my favorite Romanek’s video was the one he did of Johnny and June Cash. It has to be up there in my all time favorites. It is going to be interesting as people record the lives more and more, how much easier and wonderful it is going to be to tell their stories.
Watch Hillman on Romanek – Watch Romanek on Johnny Cash
Alright by Pilate
The animation for the Alright video is very basic, you will have probably seen fancier or even more beautiful animation elsewhere. But rarely will you see more an animation style that matches what it wants to say this well. The main character is so delicate, so human in its manner and yet simple in terms of illustration. I am not entirely sure that I have comprehended the plot but the emotional weight I feel.