The Wolf and the Ewe (2011)

          This is a BYU short film that I saw a few years ago and recently rediscovered.  Unfortunately, it was made before my time so I was not able to work on it.  But, I really like it so I thought I'd share it.

     Watch it HERE.

          I really like the visuals.  And it's in Romanian, so that's cool too.  It also has werewolves and it's Halloween, so there's that.  Enjoy.

     But that's just my opinion...

Cargo (2013)

          I stumbled upon this short today and decided to share it.  It is a refreshing take on the current zombie craze.  It also has a lot of heart; I may or may not have gotten a little choked up watching it.

     HERE is the link for the vid.

          You don't have to be a zombie fan to like this.  And there's not much gore in it.  So go ahead and watch it.  You won't regret it.  Unless you don't have a soul, then you might.

     But that's just my opinion...

The Reward (2013)

          So, this is a pretty sweet animated short.  It's good and I liked the ending; good moral.  But yea, enough of me; go watch it.

     Watch it right HERE!

          But, seriously; go watch it.  And they are trying to get funding to make it into a feature film.  So thats' cool too.

     But that's just my opinion...

Malaria (2013)

          Essential plot rundown:  A man is hired to kill another man.  So, I saw a link to this on Twitter and decided to check it out.  And I became a better man by doing so.

          This is just a short film on Vimeo.  I thought the story was interesting and kind of wanted to see it more fleshed out.  And the style is really cool.  But, at first I thought it was really distracting; I thought the plot was interesting enough and didn't need the stylization.  But, by the end, I wasn't distracted by it.

     You can watch it HERE.

          Overall, it is a pretty cool video.  Which is why I'm posting the link.  Check it out.

     But that's just my opinion...

What is Godzilla?

          So, I have to write a research paper for my History of the Moving Image class.  (I should be doing that right now, actually.)  And as I was browsing the internet, I stumbled upon this article about Godzilla.  In it he talks about what Godzilla symbolically means.  I've always just thought he was a representation of the nuclear bomb; but I guess he's more than that.  So, he explains what Godzilla symbolized originally and how this has changed over the years.  He also talks about what the other monsters represent.  I really like Godzilla so I thought this was interesting.

     So, HERE it is.

          It's not that long; so if your bored, go ahead and give it a read.  And after having read this, all of those cheesy movies from the 70s take on a whole new meaning...

     But that's just my opinion...

Horror Shorts

          I wanted to post these yesterday for Halloween, but I was uber busy.  So I'm doing it now.  These are just some short films that are kind of scary/Halloweenish.

          Saw - Before Saw was made into a feature length film, the filmmakers took a scene from the script and adapted into a short film.  They then showed the film to people in order to get funding for the project.  (As for as I know).  While not gory or explicit (there is some blood though), it is pretty disturbing.

     Watch short HERE

          Meshes of the Afternoon - This is an experimental film with some pretty cool visuals.  This isn't really a horror, but it is kind of creepy.

     Click HERE to watch

          Red Riding Hood - So, I found this one some website where, I believe, anyone can create content and upload it.  But, for coming from an amateur, it is a little chilling.  The only thing is: what's up with the uncle?

     HERE it is

          Mamá - This one is being made into a feature length film.  Sometimes, when they expand shorts to feature length, it is exactly the same story; but sometimes, the short is just a springboard for the feature.  So, I don't know if watching this will spoiler the feature when it comes out.  But it's cool either way.

     Clicking HERE may or may not contain spoilers for an upcoming movie

          Dead Island - Ok, so technically, this is not a short, but a trailer for a video game.  But it also works extremely well as a short.  This is pretty damn cool.  It is a little manipulative, but it works.  And this is by far the most graphic video of the bunch.  But it's worth it.

     Watch it HERE

          And if any of these go offline, let me know and I'll repost a different link.  Or, you could just not be lazy and find it yourself.  Whatever works for you.

     But that's just my opinion   

Bully: Anti Christian Propaganda?

          I haven't yet seen Bully, so maybe I should wait to write this til after, but I don't think that will make a difference.  I was looking online to see when the documentary will be coming out on DVD when I found this REVIEW.  Now, I don't know anything about this website or the people who wrote this review other than it is some super conservative Christian group.  And, what I read upset me a little.

          First of all, when the movie came out there was a big hoopla about the rating of Bully and what not.  But this is what this review said about the matter:

               "BULLY also contains a fair amount of strong foul language, which the filmmakers so far have refused to bleep. How childish of them!"

Childish?  Of them?  Because they refuse to remove a few words?  That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!  They are words; you won't go to hell if you hear them.  And how is it childish of them for not censoring life?  They are trying to show what kids go through when they are getting bullied.  And if they hear the word "fuck", then what right do we have to remove that?  The writers of the review are the childish ones; they need to mature beyond the point of being offended by a word.  And would bleeping the word really make a difference?  You may not actually hear the word but your brain is a smart thing and will fill in the blanks.  And that brings to mind a quote from another REVIEW about Bully that I read a while ago.  I've been wanting to share it, but felt weird doing so without a context.  But now is my chance.

               "And a film, with a few swears, that reveals a problem we know exists but do little to change, can hardly be called offensive.  In that case the good surely outweighs the bad, and if we can’t see that, well, that’s most offensive of all."

And I agree with that statement wholeheartedly.  It is sad that people get hooked up on the small things that they miss the big picture.

          But, that's not even the main thing.  Apparently one of the kids being bullied is a lesbian and this somehow makes the movie evil.  Once again I copy and paste:  

               "The problem with the documentary is that one teenager featured in it is a girl who says she’s a lesbian. There are shots of the manly-looking girl with her slender “girlfriend” and lesbian friends. She and her parents complain that people in her school and in the community have shunned them because of this. However, unlike the other cases in the movie, they give no examples of physical abuse. Thus, there’s little reason to include this politically correct, Anti-Christian content."

She is not getting abused physically, therefore she shouldn't be included?  What the hell?  Does emotional abuse not warrant our attention?  Just the physical?  But, like I said, I have not seen Bully, so I don't know how this is really portrayed.  But the reviewers seem to think that because one of the kids is a lesbian, that the filmmakers have some hidden agenda.  It doesn't matter what she is, only that she is being abused.  Is it ok to abuse gay people?  The movie is not pro (or anti) LGBT but rather anti abuse, regardless of who is being abused.  I find it idiotic that they can't looked past the fact that one person is openly a lesbian and see what truly is the problem.

          So, basically, this is the most closed-minded, bigoted review of a movie (of a movie trying to help those in need, may I add) that I have ever read.  True, we all have our beliefs and don't always agree with what other people do, but that does not mean we avoid them.  They are people too.

     But that's just my opinion...

  

Music Videos

          Here are a few music videos I watched recently and liked.  Not only are the songs good, the videos themselves are pretty interesting.

          "Pursuit of Happines" - Kid Cudi.  One of my film teachers showed us this a while back and I've been planning on sharing a link, but I forgot.  But, now, here it is!  I'm not even sure what to call it (set, props, art?) but it makes for an interesting, kind of trippy video.

     HERE is said link.

          "Run Boy Run" - Woodkid.  I just thought this was a cool music video.  Black and white isn't used much anymore, especially in music videos.  But it creates some great images.  The style of the video has a great feel to it.

     Check it out HERE.

          "I don't even know what to put here" - No idea.  We've all seen the use of a screen within a screen, but this video takes it to another level.  And it has a lot of bright colors!

     Click HERE if you want.

     But that's just my opinion...

Nature is Beautiful (time lapse)

          So, I just watched a video that had links to some more videos.  And I really liked the other videos, so I thought I would share them.

     But first, HERE is the original video.  (It's a DIY filmmaking news show).

          He talks about some interesting stuff and has links to some other cool videos.  But I just want to focus on the time lapse ones.  Because they are really cool.

     Click HERE to see some starfish freeze to death.

     And click HERE to see the/a/this (I'm not sure of the proper way to refer to it) aurora borealis.

          These are amazing.  They really make me appreciate the beauty of the world around us.  We truly do live in an incredible place.  And I am thankful that God designed it that way.  And I am glad that we have the technology to capture, preserve and share moments like this.  It's great.

          And that's it.  Just felt like sharing these two vids.

     But that's just my opinion...

TED Talks - Filmmakers

          A week or so ago, I shared a link to a TED talk about viral videos.  I don't know much about TED other than it stands for "technology, entertainment, design" and they set up conferences where cool people say cool stuff.

          The other day I stumbled upon a website that had grouped 7 TED talks given by various filmmakers.  I really don't have much to say about them, really, except for the first 2 are the best.  Andrew Stanton, director of WALL•E and John Carter, compared story telling to joke telling.  Everything in a joke leads up to the punchline.  Stories should be the same way:  everything in it should lead to the resolution.  JJ Abrams explained how mystery brings in and holds an audience.

          James Cameron was kind of boring until the very end.  And Morgan Spurlock, while interesting, didn't really say anything "profound" or "inspiring".  And the other two guys weren't even interesting enough for me to pay attention.

          So, just thought I would share that with ya.  And that's about it.

     Oh yea.  HERE is the link.

     But that's just my opinion...

Harry Potter vs. Lord of the Rings

          This is a person by person comparison between the main LotR and Harry Potter characters.  Who's better: Gandalf or Dumbledor?  Sam or Ron?  This debate win finally be settled..by science!  (And by science I mean a lot of pictures in a chart).

     Click HERE to see the final showdown!

     But that's just my opinion...

What Makes a Viral Video?

          I am currently in a YouTube class.  In there, they teach us how to navigate YouTube, gain exposure and hopefully make money.  This morning our teacher emailed this link to us:

    Click HERE to go to said link.

          Basically, its a guy who works for YouTube giving a presentation on viral videos.  There are 3 things that make a video go viral.

     1) Unexpectedness:  Accordingly, there are 2 days worth of video uploaded every minute on YouTube.  So, in order you stand out, the video has to be unexpected and unique.

     2) Tastemakers:  These are people like Jimmy Kimmel and Tosh.0 who talk about and share videos.  This brings the video to a lot wider audience.

     3) Participation.  Viral videos allow for community participation.  It inspires people to remix, cover, parody, etc the original.  Instead of just being a consumer, people can now participate in a cultural event.

          That's about all he talks about.  I found it interesting and wanted to share it.

     But that's just my opinion...

Peter Rallis - Movie Buzz

          So, I stumbled upon this article on Twitter.  It is an interview with Peter Rallis, host and creator of the YouTube show Movie Buzz.  Movie Buzz is a bi-weekly movie news show.  Every Tuesday and Friday, Peter uploads a video with all the latest movie news, trailers, link and reviews.  I've been subscribed to his channel for a few years now.  He has some strong opinions but I find him entertaining.

     Click HERE to go to his YouTube channel.

          But anyways, in his interview he talks about how he created his show and how he got to where he is today.  He also gives some tips and advice about working with New Media.  (New Media is things like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc).  Here are a couple of quotes that stood out to me:

     "It’s who you know that gets you in and it’s what you know that keeps you there."

     "If you have some kind of talent, record it, or do something with it. You never know who’s going to see it."

          I found this article helpful for anyone who is interested in New Media (whether as a consumer or creator).  It was also cool to hear about it  from the source.  I watch videos on YouTube and always wonder what their story is.  Well, enough of me rambling, I'll just link you to the article.

     HERE it is!

     But that's just my opinion...

Tanghi Argentini (2006)

          We watched this short a few weeks ago in one of my film classes.  And I absolutely loved it!  I don't even know where it start.  Andre meets this lady on the internet and convinces her that he knows how to tango (he doesn't).  So, he only has two week to get his co-worker, Franzs, to teach him how to dance before he finally meets her.  The story is pitch perfect.  It had me fooled the whole time.  The beginning perfectly sets up the whole movie, but you don't know it at the time.  And the ending conversation between Andre and Frans masterfully encapsulates the irony of the situation

          I felt the acting was great.  Andre and Frans were both super likable characters.  The look on Andre's face when she asks him to dance is priceless.  It was a little intense, watching to see if he'll be able to pull it off.  And he does, perfectly.  Andre is a great guy; the type friend we all need.  Overall, it is a charming short.  Definitely worth your time checking it out.

     Check it out HERE.

     But that's just my opinion...

Everything Is a Remix

          I found this interesting web series after my friend tweeted it.  (I guess it's a good thing I finally got Twitter.)  It is called Everything Is a Remix and it was created by Kirby Ferguson, a filmmaker.  It is a 4 part series, talking about creativity and where it comes from.  Ferguson claims that creativity is really taking old ideas and making them new.  He says that there are no real "new" ideas; just ones that have been "remixed" from others.

          In the first video he basically talks about how bands (Led Zeppelin in particular) copied those that came before them.  The second video focuses more on movies by explaining how George Lucas, while creating Star Wars, essentially did the same thing:  borrow elements from previous movies.  In the third part, He explains how Apple took an idea by Xerox, bettered it and gave rise to the modern computer.  The fourth video is about...I  don't know.  It hasn't been released at the time of me remixing previous ideas into this blog.

     Click HERE to watch the web series.

          As Ferguson says in the videos:  Creativity isn’t magic.  It happens by applying ordinary tools of thought to existing materials.


     Here is another VIDEO he made about The Matrix.  It is also on the above website.

     But that's just my opinion...

Filmmaking Flowchart

          This is an interestingly humorous flowchart to help even the dumbest of aspiring filmmakers decide on which area is the best for them.

     Click here to find your dream job!!

          It turns out that I'm a visually oriented individual who is cooler than Fonzie (but not baby-faced, female or a therapist), who can also fake excitement about other people's ideas and doesn't mind turds or money.

     But that's just my opinion...

The Art of Cinema

          Do you know what one of the great things about taking film classes is (other than making movies?)  Watching them!!  My teachers are always showing us sweet movie clips or other videos.  Yesterday, my teacher showed us this music video:

     Simple Math by Manchester Orchestra

          As I was watching this video, I was reminded as to why I love movies so much.  Movies are like a super art.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love literature, music, painting, etc, etc.  But a movie is like combining all of those into one single art form.  You take the narrative from literature, the image from painting, the acting from theatre and the music from music (yea, that makes sense); stick them all into a a shoe box; shake it around for 9 months and you end up with a movie.  Yes, literature and plays each have their own strengths:  you can get into a character's head easily in a book and theatre actors only have one chance (no retakes) and they can feed off of the audience.  I'll always have respect for the other arts.  But for me, cinema holds a special place.

     Click here for a behind the scenes video of Simple Math

          Another thing I really like about this music video was the creativity and idea behind it.  As I was watching it, I was thinking to myself:  How does someone come up with an idea like that?  Cuz the dad's stomach bursting out into an airbag is a pretty sweet idea.  I never would have thought of something cool like that.  This is a sweet music video.  (Yea, I usually think in italics, it helps my thoughts flow smoother.)  

          That is one of the things I love about music videos and shorts:  you can do things in them that you can get away with in a feature film.  I should probably watch more music videos.

     But that's just my opinion...