This short-film concept by Headless Productions reminds me of some of the animated films I had seen as a kid at Spike & Mike’s Animation Festival, like Nick Park’s Creature Comforts.

Every so often when I’m watching a movie I get the urge to sketch, to capture that particular moment in the film.

As I was watching Road to Perdition the other night I quickly grabbed a notebook, one usually reserved for actual note taking and sketched this from one of the many pivotal scenes in the movie, this one showing the main character and his son traveling to Chicago.

I hope to do more of these, in this style, over time and sharing them and hopefully next time I’ll use higher quality materials, but that said I feel as though some of the charm is attributed to the lo-fi feel of it.

There’s a scene in District 9 when the main character, after enduring a lot of pain and humiliation, has to make the choice of either running into battle guns ablaze or retreat. He chooses the latter knowing full well that his actions are driven by fear and selfishness.

District 9 or “D9” is many things all rolled up into a hard to describe package. Among them it’s a sci-fi adventure with all the elements you’d expect like blaster guns and an enormous spaceship. It’s also an unrelenting social commentary and an action-packed romp that refuses to let down its guard.

The effects and cinematography compliment each other quite well and at times it’s hard to distinguish between the two. That said, they are not of the slick variety that other films convey, but the grimy texture is beautiful and perfect for the portrayal of a enslaved race of aliens living in South African slums.

It’s an unforgiving, ravished and selfish environment, leaving barely any room for survival. It’s a film that is best experienced without digging for holes in the plot (of which they are a few) or making assumptions dealing with the character portrayal or progression.

I enjoyed it because it didn’t reveal too much of itself and yet what it did expose was raw (human and alien) emotion, flaws in the human fabric and a detached feeling of humanity, or at least I felt detached at times.

He’s also responsible for some real stinkers. Movie stink that could quickly foul a room full of underdeveloped daisies and seldom come up in conversation for fear of one being exiled or worse, thrown to a bunch of ravenous movie critics. Now I’m beginning to feel nostalgic for the cartoon, The Critic, but anyways…

Howard the Duck is perhaps the worst movie on George’s resume (yes, fouler than even Clone Wars), failed miserably at the box office and yet it retains a charm all its own. There are even days when the movie strangely hovers around in my thoughts from time to time.

If this were VH1’s Behind the Music, this is the part when the guy would say.. “And now, the story behind the story.”

It all started with some comics

From Wikipedia:

[Howard the Duck] first appeared in Adventure into Fear #19 (Dec. 1973) and several subsequent series have chronicled the misadventures of the ill-tempered, anthropomorphic, “funny animal” trapped on human-dominated Earth. Howard’s adventures are generally social satires, and also often parodies of genre fiction with a meta-fictional awareness of the medium. [Wikipedia]

If you were to pick up a Howard comic during this time you’d notice very little difference between him and Donald Duck. This was intentional on the part of its creators but for obvious reasons wasn’t carried over in the movie.

Quack, Quack!

The movie adaptation, released in 1986, retained some of the traits from the comic in the form of its star, Howard, who was still ill-tempered and anthropomorphic. Instead of doing an animated feature, which would’ve been an ideal presentation, the film was instead live-action and the duck would be part animatronic puppet, part diminutive actor.

It starred a very young Lea Thompson and Tim Robbins. Tim Robbins, up until this point (with Top Gun’s release looming) had been known for bit roles in TV and film. Lea Thompson was (and will probably always be) known as the Marty McFly’s mother Lorraine in Back to the Future.

Together, they were supporting players to their feathered star and despite the sub par script and kooky special effects, managed to give somewhat convincing performances. However, there is something to be said about the human/duck relationship that is, to this day, uncomfortable to watch. I don’t think I was ever fully up to speed on the “birds, ducks and bees.”, but I digress.

Above all us, Howard the Duck, like The Dark Crystal, was a childhood favorite of mine because it was something I enjoyed watching with my family.

It was a fantastic, awful, bewildering and grossly underrated cult classic.

The Trailer

Additional Reading:

• http://www.fast-rewind.com/howardduck.htm
• http://www.toonopedia.com/howard.htm
• http://www.norcalmovies.com/HowardTheDuck
• http://www.answers.com/topic/howard-the-duck
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_the_Duck

I distinctly remember the front cover illustration, how colorful it looked from afar and thinking how geeky the boy on the cover looked with his round glasses and oddly-shaped scar. Yet, because it was a children’s book I figured it wasn’t worth my time.

The Chosen One

I would’ve never guessed that not only would I read (and digest) every book in the series and watch every movie to date I would finally say goodbye to such a rich and imaginative world and a character that, next to Mickey Mouse, is so well known around the world.

The road to understanding Harry Potter wasn’t so smooth for me. It took some convincing on the part of my best friend’s father, who in his late 40s figured out something that I could not; that children’s books are written for children but also meant to be enjoyed by adults.

Adult fiction can be stressful and complicated, taking itself too seriously at times which is not to say children’s literature doesn’t stray from complicated plots, it’s just written in a manner that even at its most basic level a child could understand.

If you think for a moment of the best children’s stories turned to movie adaptations, sprinkled in there will be films that probably rate high on your all-time favorite list.

A few that come to my mind are:

• The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum
• Bambi by Felix Salten
• Jumaji by Chris Van Allsburg

There are several others that have had such a profound impact on all of our lives and to think they all began as stories intended for children.

Moral Alignment

As for Harry Potter, after having read the first book, I had a cultivated initiative to finish the series to the end. It was my goal and since I’ve reached it there are thoughts that have stayed with me throughout the course of the story.

Many of which deal with the fact that Harry doesn’t fit the mold for a hero. He isn’t bulky, doesn’t have strength beyond his wand and depends on the aide of others.

However, he is the epitome of hope and strength to the wizarding world, which shares parallels with groups that in a historical context have been suppressed in every culture under the sun. While Harry never truly recognizes his importance, he remains humble and loving and these are traits that ultimately keep him on the straight and narrow, resilient to the evil that is always at bay.

This struggle between good and evil, right and wrong, decisions based on the protagonist’s moral standing are common threads shared by good literature. Literature that pulls you in, makes you feel sorrow and empathy and lays the groundwork for the ultimate showdown.

A World That Seems Real

While I consider myself a healthy reader there’s never been a series that has captivated me as much as the Harry Potter story has. I’m a lover of fantasy and while the Lord of the Rings books are grandiose, they can be difficult to read because the language itself (explored in depth by Tolkien) is a character unto itself.

The enjoyment of reading Harry Potter stems from the fact that Rowling doesn’t take herself too seriously and instead has fun with her material. I believe that beyond her shy persona is a woman who is witty and constantly imagining things as evidenced in the books. She managed to make reading interesting again for children and that alone deserves attention.

There’s a lot to like about Harry Potter and for that he’ll remain as real as other characters in fiction have become. 

Which is why it’s an excellent film and one I highly recommend for repeated viewings — if anything to see how much all of the actors (aside from Alley Sheedy and Molly Ringwald) have aged.

Here are some thoughts/notes I jotted down as I was watching The Breakfast Club recently (via Netflix’s Watch Now feature) for the umpteenth time:

• Subtleties in the acting, especially Judd Nelson (as Bender), empowering a dysfunctional character with an emotional performance.
• Principal Vernon’s feelings on the lack of respect he receives from students, which seems a bit too much like self pity.
• The group as a whole coming to the realization that while they all seem different, deep down, they are all the same.
• Segregation by popularity and on the other side of the spectrum, lack thereof, continues to exist.
• The Jock and the Geek seem so different (mind over matter, vice-versa), and yet each share similar traits: parents have high expectations, social norms, segregation.
• The attractions between opposing social “classifications”; rebel and prom queen, jock and mental case.
• Janitor Carl as the key holder; the eyes and ears of the school, disrespected and yet more levelheaded than most.

If you’ve seen the movie please feel free to share some of your observations. 

For weeks on end I’ve been patiently waiting for a Joost beta invite. Why am I so excited about something that on the surface seems like Tivo™ for the web?

There’s an easy answer for that, so let me spill it. Before I do that however, I’d like to thank Paul for sending me the invite.

Joost Oozes With Quality

It doesn’t take a special decoder ring to figure out what Joost does. The official site describes its functionality quite perfectly:

The magic of television, with the power of the internet built right in. Joost puts you in control, and TV will never be the same again.

This could be construed as a bold claim, as if the creators/developers/masterminds (the people responsible for Skype and Kazaa) behind this operation could not possibly convince themselves otherwise.

Yet, when you connect the dots, evaluating the whole enchilada for a service like this (branding, web site and technology) you can’t help but be enthralled by the polish.

Spectrums, Rainbows and Magic

Have you ever looked through a spectrum? There’s a infinite amount of colors that appear if you hold one up to a light source. It’s interesting that the creators of Joost chose to theme their service around the concept of spectrums and color variety. Although, I must admit they do look a bit like colored Kryptonite, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Earlier today I was doing my best to describe the promotional video on the What’s Joost? section to a friend. Halfway into explaining how cool it was I realized it’s just one of those things you have to see for yourself.

At first glance the demonstration video seems a bit awkward, or at least it did to me. After watching it I realized it seems familiar and that’s because it’s somewhat like a medley of Batteries Not Included, Cocoon, The Last Starfighter and Tron. Like I said, you need to see it firsthand because my description just won’t cut it.

Beta Means Slim Pickings

I would say that my only beef with the service is that the channel offerings are slim at best and the video output ranges from near DVD quality to sub par Youtube quality. One moment it looks great, the next it just distracts from the overall experience but I’m sure in time it’ll improve.

As far as the content is concerned other than watching some “vintage” Ren & Stimpy cartoons with my daughter and a couple Discovery Channel specials on lions and pyramids, there’s nothing else that peaks my interest for the time being.

That will change as Joost continues to sign content providers but in the interim there just isn’t a lot to consume at the moment. Although, this is still in beta so that’s just par for the course. Joost has promised to continue signing content providers; for instance, they just added a variety of shows from providers like Comedy Central, VH1 (the channel you switch on when you’re bored, or, at least I do) and MTV.

Beta Invites

If you haven’t experience Joost yet, well, that’s just not right. I’ll tell you what, leave a comment and I’ll use the magic of the internets (and a handy script to randomly select a number) to choose three lucky people to send an invite to.

Ready, set, go! 

Claude’s interviews with directors, screenwriters, advertising executives and actors/actresses are often fascinating, if not enlightening, especially if you share an interest in how films are created like I do.

In his interview with actor/director Jon Favreau entitled “No Special Effects, It’s Really Director Jon Favreau”, Jon reveals his love/hate relationship with CGI effects and why home brewed effects are still relevant and useful. His philosophy is that while computer generated imagery has its place (namely a toolbox of endless possibility) it can also cloud the visual aesthetic of a movie.

While CGI has improved over the years, providing the backbone for things like sci-fi vistas and mythological creatures as well upping the ante on disaster sequences it’s also — in most cases — immediately recognizable if it doesn’t blend in with live action.

Recently Favreau was chosen to direct the film adaptation of Iron Man, a task not to be taken lightly and even though the film itself has a much bigger budget than his other films, he’s also made the decision to budget the special effects. His reasoning is two-fold; that the film’s budget is targeted at a specific amount and to effectively blend CGI with live action without going overboard.

In all honesty, this is something that I wish more directors (including George Lucas) would come to terms with. Audiences are typically overwhelmed with joy when a superb CGI sequence is pulled off but to echo Favreau’s thoughts, in most cases it’s easily noticed and can take you out of the movie, detaching you from the film’s otherwise engrossing atmosphere and aesthetic.

Yet, to play devil’s advocate I suppose it’s a tricky thing to avoid and I’d imagine why most directors and producers go out on a limb blindfolded, hoping that whatever is put together by their masters of illusion comes across successfully not only in a visual manner but also allowing various CG elements to interact with live action in a realistic way. 

After releasing Finding Nemo — one of my all-time favorites, right up there with Toy Story — Pixar announced that they were working on a film about cars. When I first heard the news I think I might’ve been reading an issue of Wired and sat in disbelief.

While the talking animal shtick has worn out its welcome, there’s a certain safety net that accompanies an animated film of that nature. Especially considering that talking animals is a formula that has been used by several animation companies (Disney and Warner Brothers comes to mind) in the past and for the most part, if done correctly, appeals to a vast audience.

While I passed up the opportunity to see the movie in the theater I did manage to rent it this past week and it’s safe to say that Cars, despite it’s main characters being talking vehicles, does work and only because Pixar is at the helm. I’m not entirely sure whether someone else with this material would’ve been able to make it as interesting and worth watching, which goes to show that Pixar could probably make talking rocks watchable.

The plot is surface deep, but the general outline is that it involves a pompous NASCAR race car named Lightning McQueen (perfectly voiced by Owen Wilson) who through the course of the movie humbles himself thanks to a few small town denizens who teach him how to slow down in life.

There’s a life lesson here that resounds in all of us, that life is sometimes too fast paced for us to realize that everything is coming at us at a blur. It’s been tackled before in movies but never using a car as the protagonist, who is quite literally the embodiment of fast-paced life.

On the other side of the spectrum, there’s even a deeper lesson about how we are willing to sacrifice beauty to shave a few minutes off our travel time. In the movie, it’s Route 66 that at one point in time flourished with tourists and car enthusiasts and now stands as reminder of what once was and will never be.

The movie itself is full of chuckles from the supporting cast and when it’s all said and done it really does stay with you. I’m an advocate of slowing down every once in a while, taking a step back, enjoying the sweeter aspects of life (like love, family and relationships) and figuring things out instead of letting everything fall into place.

As the Racal Flatts’ song ‘Life is a Highway’ tells us, “Life’s like a road that you travel on, When there’s one day here and the next day gone.” 

Update #2: Jeremy Keith responds to Arno after receiving a similiar email, but for perfume.

Update: Arno responds to this post. (read below first if you haven’t already for the full scoop)

You know, I’ve sifted through a truckload of emails in the past few years about instant credit reports, money-making opportunities and not to mention salespeople interested in selling me everything from pet rocks to laser-guided golf ball retreivers.

In all this time I’ve never once received a domain acquisition email, until today of course.

Not more than 8 hours ago, I received an email from an Arno Zimmerman in regards to purchasing, or actually acquiring this domain for a “well-known Hollywood studio”. The email was a bit hazy, but to keep this on record for future conversations I’m presenting it here in it’s entirety.

Read on as I really can’t make this kind of stuff up:

Dear Mr Sagen,

My sincere apologies for writing to you unannounced. My name is Arno Zimmerman and I am CEO of an Internet domain name acquisitions agency based here in Los Angeles, California.

My agency is currently engaged by a well-known Hollywood studio. The studio is producing a new action movie called The Kartooner. The movie has an all star cast, including Bruce Willis in the title role, and will be released in the fall. My client is therefore very keen to purchase the rights to the domain name kartooner.com from you.

I am sure that you will understand that I cannot provide you with much in the way of information about our client at this time. However I can assure you that they are sincere in their offer, and that they are keen to conclude this purchase quickly.

I would be interested to learn how much you would require for this transfer of ownership.

Many kind regards,

Arno Zimmerman

Okay, admittedly, you caught me off guard Mr. Zimmerman. If someone were to tell me — like you just did — that Bruce Willis would be starring in an action movie called The Kartooner, I’d be hesistant to believe such a thing.

However, if you want to talk about the greenback, I might be willing to budge for about $66,000 dollars, give or take.

Let me know, alright? In the meantime, I’m going to try and figure out what I’d purchase with that kind of money.

Arno Responds