ZOO!!!

I found this cool video today!  A short film about a crazy trip to the zoo.  I love it.

The film was Directed and Animated by Robin Bushell.  

Film Review: The Vengeance Trilogy PART ONE

Film Review: Vengeance Trilogy (Part One: Oldboy)

Few recent films have had such an impact on me as the amazing vengeance trilogy from Chan-wook Park. The three films are Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (in order of creation). Why start with the second installment in my three part review? Well, it was the first film I was introduced to by Chan-wook Park as well as my personal favorite of the three (very close call though). 

The story follows a irresponsible drunk named Oh Dae-Su who is abducted at the start of the movie with seemingly no reason and locked in a hotel prison for 15 years. When I first watched this film I could not believe how strong of an opening this was. 15 years locked up for no apparent reason is an incredibly hard thing to wrap your head around. Despite not knowing much about Oh Dae-Su's past, we grow to sympathize with him as we witness his decline into madness and blind rage. 

So after the 15 years he is unceremoniously set free and begins his path towards vengeance. That is about all you should be told about this film, if you are interested in watching. Suffice to say, it is intense. 

So what makes this film stand out of the sea of vengeance themed films? 

1. The cinematography is stunning. Every single shot in the film could stand as a work of its own in an exhibit. Inventive camera angles, spot on choreography, and a great use of minimal special effects blend together to craft a seamless and flowing film. One scene that immediately comes to mind is an extended, one take fight scene down a long corridor. It's impressive.

2. The acting. Hands down, Choi Min-sik's portrayal of Oh Dae-Su is one of the most mind blowing performances I have ever witnessed. You WILL believe him. All the other characters do their part extremely well too, but in my opinion he takes the cake. This is the film that has placed him on the map on an international level. I can't wait to see what he does next.

3. The music. I absolutely love the score to this film. The main theme is so fantastic, it ranks up in my top 10 best film themes (up there with Ravenous!).

My list can go on and on, since there is a lot to like about the film. Chan-wook Park quickly became one of my favorite directors after seeing this film. It's smart, sophisticated, and stands up to multiple viewings. I have NO complaints with this film, and feel like they would have been hard pressed to make it better. All these reasons make me a bit uneasy about the planned Spielberg/Will Smith "reimagining" of the original manga source material for Old Boy...... hmmmm. We will see. 

Next on the list will be Mr. Vengeance.

Music Video: Furr

Here's a music video for Blitzen Trapper's song "Furr" directed by Jade Harris.

I dig it.  I love the aesthetic of a simple stop motion.  It fits very nicely with the charming folky sound of the song.  Great job!

more info about the band can be found here

Cool video!

Do you want to see a video for The Black Angels made by the main animator behind Waking Life?  

Head on over to Flat Black Films page and see the unofficial video for their song Doves. 

Enjoy the video cause apparently the band isn't going to release it!!!  :O  

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

introducing Nick Nack

Introducing Nick Nack

I had the pleasure to have a type out with the technology savy Nick Nack of Austin TX about the industry of technology in music for the musician out there. Catch him around town. I'm still jealous about the Zebra shirt he is rocking in the pic.

What is your history with technology in the music world and how did
you get started?

The first influential piece of musical technology that I owned would
undoubtedly be a Fisher Price turntable that my sister and I used to
listen to story book LPs on. I still have one of our favs, "The
Amazing Adventures of PacMan" ->
http://www.walrusmusicblog.com/blog/pacman_wants_the_day_off/

I purchased my own turntable when I was around 12 years old and that's
roughly when I started taking DJing more seriously. I started by
trying to imitate DJ Aladdin's scratching on Low Profile's debut
album. I DJ'd my first house party when I was 13 or so, it was in a
barn and my dad had to drive me to the gig. Later I was in several DJ
battles in Dallas and continued that when I moved to Austin. While at
UT I had my own hip-hop radio show where I mixed live on KVRX.

As far as production, I started on an MPC around 1997. I wanted to
play more basslines, etc... so I quickly migrated to the ASR10 and
around 1999 fully to the computer. Funny, I remember quite a few
people in the Austin hip-hop scene snickering at the fact that I made
my RE: Construction album partly with my computer.

What are some changes in the status quo of technology in
entertainment you've seen?

Now a days most people make music on their computers. It wasn't like
that even 10 years ago! Crazy how times change. These days you can
make a very dope studio and only spend like $5k. Just 10 years ago
that same studio would have been cost prohibitive for us indie
artists.

Anything you favor or prefer?

I actually started out on PC in the early 90s around Windows 3, but
after being getting a rootkit I have decided that I need to migrate
all my systems to Mac or Linux. I just don't see Windows being a
secure platform until they fully address the registry issues.

With production tools where do you see it going?

I think in the past 2-4 years there has been a massive movement
towards producing for live shows and merging the two. Ableton Live is
a prime example. I remember when it was first introduced in 2001 and
now it's taken the industry by storm in less than 7 years. We will
see more production apps gearing themselves towards performing live or
integrating with live performances.

Any new upcoming changes for the digital jockey?

Changes? Hmmm...maybe not so much, but DJs have to be able to adapt
to new technology QUICKLY. Serato and other DVS came onto the scene
hard in 2003. I still can't believe some DJs just got a DVS in the
past year or two. To me, if you aren't evolving and adapting WITH
technology, you are losing. There will always be new technologies and
lots of hungry new DJs.

That being said, I think there has been a movement back towards
respecting DJs who actually have skills. Whether it be scratching,
beat juggling, mixing, remixing, etc... B/c technology is so abundant
and so cheap, there has been a proliferation of DJs. Everyone is a DJ
today! Most of them suck ass and I think that's why audiences are
going back to appreciating real skill. It's something you certainly
can't fake ;)

What are some of your past production tools that you favor? Still
keep around.

A real Fender Rhodes Suitcase 88. A Fender Jazz bass. Congas, bongos
and various real percussion instruments. Oh and last but CERTAINLY
not least...my vinyl collection. I was raised by hip-hop. Sampling
is in my blood. While I enjoy crafting songs from scratch myself, I
will never give up the desire to sample. It's a true art form.

Any tips for people getting into the saddle of making beats or
getting there foot in the door?

Have fun. Don't worry about what the current trends are, speak with
your soul. Anything else is simply work.


What's your favorite film monster?

Robert DeNiro from Tax Driver

More info about Nick Nack can be found at the following;
www.myspace.com/nicknack
www.crowdcontrolrecords.com
www.gigacrate.com

Wolverine. Xmen. Prequel

Coming very soon..

"Become the animal.. Embrace the other side.. I'm coming for blood.."
I just have a sweet spot for vengeance.
I'm very excited about this new film coming out. I'm sure you seen it or heard rumors about it. But this film is going to be a bit x-treme in many ways and slighlty epic for the comic book enthusiast and the action hunger crowd. Seriously.. Wolvie is no hold bars on this one.

A note from Eric

I'm interested in seeing how this one plays out as well.  Also of interest is the game being released with the film.  All previews seeem to suggest it'll be the first time Wolverine was done right in a game.  The game is supposedly very violent, keeping true to the savage nature of the character.  It's about time!

Oh... and it looks like Hugh Jackman will be hosting the Oscars this year.  

Film Review: Coraline

Film Review: Coraline

I had the opportunity to see Coraline yesterday... in 3D!!!!  Coraline was the first feature film I've watched in 3D and I was really impressed.  It made what is already an amazing piece of work even cooler.  Of course, I'd still like to see it the normal way, simply because looking through 3D glasses for a long period of time is probably not all that great for your eyesight.  Anyways on the movie itself...

I sat pretty much mesmerized the entire time.  Since I am an animator my eyes were zooming around the screen trying to capture as much as possible.  I have a tendency to dissect animated films, which is both a blessing and a curse.  On the one hand I get to fully respect the work that has gone into the film and learn a few new tricks from observation, yet the flip side is the story tends to get a little bit lost for me.  Coraline is one of those films with a tried and true story to tell, so I didn't really run into the cons all that much.  I was actually reminded quite a bit of Miyazaki's Spirited Away, since both films deal with female protagonists with parent issues escaping (thrust into) another world.  

I loved the set design and artistry of Coraline.  It's truly a staggering accomplishment.  I am so pleased that Henry Selick chose to go the stop motion route.  There is more magic in stop motion in my eyes than most all the 3D animations piling up at the cinemas.  Something about the fact that hands made these worlds down to the last detail.... a human element that doesn't make the world feel too perfect.  Little things like the way the cat's hair moves around, remind you there is an animator at work... and a REALLY good one!  

The sound design needs to be addressed as well.  Imagine if the world's sounds shut off and you had to reproduce them.  How would you find the perfect sound for every action?  The sound team did an amazing job creating all the subtle background noises that fit perfectly with the action on screen.  The score for the film is also fantastic and moves along at a leisurely pace.  

Basically... see this film as soon as you can!  Catch it on the big screen, you won't regret it.  Coraline gets FIVE STARS in my book.  I'm buying this when it comes to DVD.  Much thanks and respect to Henry Selick!

Reminder: Coraline

This is a reminder to you all to go see Coraline. It came out today! I'll be heading out to see it soon and report back.

ATTACKKK!

What do you listen to when you wake up? Here at Destroy All Monsters we do it EPIC!