All our films and animations!
The creator of Cartoon Network’s Codename: Kids Next Door, Mr. Warburton, has written a children’s book called 1000 Times No. Noah’s mother says it’s time to leave, but the little multilingual baby shouts ‘No!’ in every possible language. The promo film stands on its own and is very amusing.
I found this via Jerry Beck at Cartoon Brew.
This is a 1950 movie trailer for Flight to Mars. It’s a grade B science fiction pulp adventure about an expedition to mars that encounters an underground civilization. I think it actually has a very nice look with lots of color, great sets and fantastic costumes.
By the way, if you like pulpy sci-fi and Mars, head over to our ongoing Princess of Mars podcast.
Noteboek is one of those films that illustrate what personal filmmaking is. It’s an artist’s hand-made, direct expression. Evelien Lohbeck is the performer and animator in this little gem. There’s something a little Chaplin-like in her clever tricks with drawings and food. I love the part where she’s reflected in the drawing in her notebook. This is really excellent and gently humorous work.
The Hunt for Gollum is a 40-minute fan-made film that will be available for free downloading on May 3, 2009. The film was made through open collaboration of enthusiastic fans working under the leadership of director Chris Bouchard. The all-volunteer production looks so much like a Peter Jackson LOTR movie that it’s almost scary. One wonders why all the big budget money was spent if the films could have been produced by this crew of hard-working talented volunteers! This film looks like it’s going to be a serious lot of fun and will be a great addition to the LOTR world for its fans.
Tesfaye is a film by Brent Gudgel, made for Eden Reforestation Projects. It’s the story of an Ethiopian man who blames himself for helping to destroy the trees of his country. Now he wants to help fix the problem. It’s a beautiful film told with great simplicity and seriousness. It is the clear and direct communication from the man in the film that makes it so effective.
This is a very mysterious short film by a YouTube user called Timacious. It’s connected with a website that appears to be some kind of puzzle. I have no idea what’s going on here, but I loved watching the film. The first-person point of view works so well that it may in fact be the best first-person film I’ve ever seen. The chase is brilliantly staged and the locations are totally convincing. It seems like something’s gone out of control at a lab and there’s some sort of time warp or black hole opening up above the city. The character is being pursued by people with gas masks and hazmat suits. He’s also got some bizarre magic box that appears to send energy out toward the disturbance in the sky.
Totally brilliant little film. I want more.
German toymaker, Playmobil, has a new Egypt play-set out that has been one of the highlights of the 2009 Toy Fair in New York City. It includes a giant pyramid with secret traps, treasure chamber, tombs and removable walls. But what is really great about this whole thing is that the company has produced a series of animated films based on the play-set’s characters. It’s a wonderful adventure in a fanciful ancient Egypt. You’ve got to see this. Here’s part 2 of the film. Here’s part 3.
In Düsseldorf, Germany, a film crew equipped a homeless street vendor with a camera and projector outfit that made him nearly invisible to the passers by. It’s a really nice little film and the effect is much more effective than I thought it would be.
Tomas Nilsson made this unique version of Little Red Riding Hood. It’s a modern isometric music video interpretation of the story. Very effective. He says he did it as a student assignment.
Artist Dave Gibbons did a video workshop revealing how he paints the Watchmen character Rorschach using digital tools. The video was produced for ImagineFX magazine which is dedicated to fantasy, sci-fi, comic and manga artists.
Here’s the trailer for the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are movie, directed by Spike Jonze. The movie is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story. Max, a disobedient little boy is sent to bed without his supper. He then creates his own world filled with creatures that make Max their king.
Kutiman posts video mashups on YouTube that make brand new music. He takes video clips that other people have uploaded and he cuts pieces out of the people playing their instruments and then edits them all together with just the right timing and layering to create a whole new musical mix. This one’s a nice little funk number and the filmmaker/musician creates a lively atmosphere out of his found musical clips.
Here’s an absolutely fascinating film shot from the front of a streetcar in Barcelona, Spain. Look at the way the people in the city of 1908 run along with the streetcar trying to see and be seen by the camera. They seem to be full of joy and excitement. They run along and ride bikes and wave. Can you imagine people acting this openly today? There’s something profound in this little film. It just goes on along the tracks and through the crowds of happy onlookers without trying to make a point of any kind, but it makes a strong impression. Wonderful film. Watch it through to the end. It will make you feel inexplicably happy.
