Just finished watching a midnight showing of Watchmen. I definitely have mixed feelings about it - some parts were incredible, some parts were unfortunately laughable. I think another viewing would help clear my thoughts a bit.
I'm curious to see how the general public feels about this movie. Seems like alot would be missed if a viewer didn't have any exposure to the book.
If you picked up one of the 2-disc versions of Wall-e this past week, it comes with an incredible documentary on the bonus disc.
"The Pixar Story" is a full-length documentary that goes into great detail about the birth and subsequent success of Pixar studios. If you're a fan of animation, every big name in animation talks in this film, including some of the last animators of Disney's "Nine Old Men", the original animators on Snow White. It also includes some great video clips, like John Lasseter's test reel for "Where the wild things are", using 2d characters over a 3d background.
It paints a very balanced picture of Pixar, going into its troubled start in the 80's, as well as its difficulty creating the story that would become "Toy Story". You also get some really great home videos capturing key moments in the studio's history, like Lasseter receiving the green light for "Toy Story".
If you're a fan of animation, I definitely recommend taking a look.
...i'm on a Sesame Street bender, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. Here's a preview for the new season with a clip featuring Neil Patrick Harris as Telly's Shoe Fairy.
Guy, some friends and I watched the delightful Auntie Mame last night. It's great to see a film a second time when you're not so focused on the developing story, and can just enjoy the finer details of the film. Great, witty one-liners, gorgeous sets, and a funny set of characters make this movie a classic. However, there is the one addition that makes people uncomfortable: Mame Dennis' asian caricature butler.
What I find really interesting is the range of reactions people have to this character. Some pay no attention to it at all, while others are absolutely disgusted with the portrayal. I fall under the line of preserving art as it was originally depicted, stereotypes and all. If not, you get the awful whitewashing of history, like in Fantasia.
The editors of Dark Horse Comics put it best: they publish graphic novels by Osamu Tezuka, a Japanese artist who was known to include black-faced characters in his work. In the preface of Metropolis, the editors write:
"...We are against discrimination, in all its forms, and intend to continue to work for its elimination. Nonetheless, we do not believe it would be proper to revise these works. Tezuka is no longer with us, and we cannot erase what he has done, and to alter his work would only violate his rights as a creator. More importantly, stopping publication or changing the content of his work would do little to solve the problems of discrimination that exist in the world.
We are presenting Osamu Tezuka's work as it was originally created, without changes. We do this because we believe it is also important to promote the underlying themes in his work, such as love for mankind and the sanctity of life. We hope that when you, the reader, encounter this work, you will keep in mind the differences in attitudes, then and now, toward discrimination, and that this will contribute to an even greater awareness of such problems."
If anyone out there is interested in the HBO show, In Treament, but doesn't currently subscribe to the channel, you can watch the episodes before they air on the website, or even download them through a podcast in iTunes.
NOTE - The language has been edited for a PG/PG-13 audience, but you still get a good feel for what the show is about. I've only seen the first episode, which definitely is different from other shows out there. Check it out and decide for yourself.
Saw Cloverfield with friends last night, and with all the reviews being positive, I figured I'd give this one a shot. After the credits ended, I left disappointed at what could have been a great movie.
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rowgun's journal
