But he doesn't care if his viewers to notice the technique that's making them feel that way. In fact, I suspect that he actually does not want them to notice. It's not flashy, but it sure is effective . Even more accurately? Not flashy and therefore, effective. Read more
For me, "escape" usually means movies. But sometimes, I just need a quick fix. And then, it's music that does the trick. If you're in the "Today's Just Too Much" camp with me, here's a little something to help. Crank up the volume. Put on some good headphones (if you've got 'em). And maybe even close your eyes. It's wonderfully transportive music. Read more
And then, as the words faded from the screen, I heard this — eulogistic, yes, but a eulogy filled with peace, with pride, and with hope. Mr. Horner had penned something as essential to my ability to digest and respond to the film as were the images themselves. It was perfect. Read more
This one’s timely, right? An animated reflection on the ways we influence and are influenced by the environment around us, and a reminder that our behavior towards Creation says a great deal about us as humans. Also, there are giants. … Yep. OK, fine. So saying it’s timely is probably a bit of a stretch. But it’s a fun piece all the same. From creator Brandon Wu: A selfish king must learn humility in a land populated by giants. Of particular note (for me): The... Read more
I have to get out of here! I have to find MY SON! I have to tell him… how!… old!… sea turtles are! I’m going against one of my (mostly secret) rules today: I don’t usually recommend a streaming film that must be rented to be watched. I like my Streaming Video Suggestions (SVS) to be available on at least one subscription service, and preferably two. But I think I’m going to allow myself an exception today, for a handful of important reasons:... Read more
I haven’t started Pope Francis’ Laudato Si yet, because it’s really (really!) long and I’m at work and I’m also significantly intimidated (and a teeny-tiny bit scared by it) and besides, our Little League playoffs will be starting any moment now, so that’ll take up a whole lot of my emotional energy over the next few days. Since I’m mostly watching the reactions of various trustworthy people around the InterWebs — especially my friend Tom McDonald, who’s been tweeting his thoughts as... Read more
Last fall, I spent several weeks being fascinated by The European Space Agency (ESA) and their Rosetta project. ( OK, so maybe “several week full-on obsessing over” is a bit more accurate than “fascinated by,” but why do you wanna be so mean?) Sadly, the indomitable Philae lander proved not actually indomitable, succumbing to a lack of power (and going to sleep) on November 14th, 2014: When Philae landed, it bounced off the ground several times instead of anchoring. While it initially hit... Read more
Mirror images are some of my very favorite things, both photographically and cinematically. So yes, I love this. (I will not complain if you watch it in full-screen mode, either. Not one bit.) Reflections from Uyuni is a Time-lapse short film that shows the intrinsic beauty of the sea salt of Uyuni and the province of Potosí in Bolivia. The reflections produced by the water flooding in the rainy season, are the main protagonist Enrique Pacheco´s camera, who invites us... Read more
I’m not recommending today’s short film — Toniko Pantoja’s charming Crayon Dragon — simply because Denny Schneidemesser’s music is fantastic. Don’t get me wrong; I would recommend it for that reason alone, if I had to. But I don’t. Because the whole thing’s pretty great. The style’s a bit sketchy, which I always enjoy. But it’s also simultaneously soft/crayon-y. Which I also always enjoy. (And which makes a ton of sense in this particular context.) A wonderful, gentle mood, overall. Also,... Read more
Lost in La Mancha, the 2002 documentary detailing Crazy Terry Gilliam’s™ ill-fated attempts to make a Don Quixote movie, has been on my mind all week. First (and most tangentially), I posted Telemann’s “Burlesque de Don Quixotte” earlier this week, and I can’t even see (or use) the word “quixote” any more without thinking of Gilliam. The man’s a living, breathing, heart-breaking example of the term. Second, I recently discovered that it’s one of Moon director Duncan Jones’ favorite documentaries. I love Terry Gilliam.... Read more
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