Monday, May 21, 2007

SHREK THE THIRD

Before reading any further, let me get this out in the open: Yes! I only saw this movie just so I could write this review.





(images taken from Rotten Tomatoes).

Shrek the Third is no different from the other two Shrek movie. Same characters meeting new characters based on fairy tales. Over-used dialog and an endless supply of unnecessary celebrity voices. The plot is mostly predictable and too preachy in some parts. The same lessons we hear all the time in family features nowadays. Our parents can do a better job than this movie.
My biggest problem with the Shrek movies is that there isn’t anything about them that is timeless. Because they are based around too many celebrity actors and modern pop-culture references, the movies seem set in a specific time frame. I can’t see children forty or fifty years from now showing enough interest in these movies. Not unless they are real retro fanatics. What is it that makes movies like the old Disney features so timeless (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio). Even later year movies like The Little Mermaid are still remembered fondly.
As an animator, I have many technical and artistic quips about the Shrek films as well. And this isn’t an anti-CG opinion. I find the movement to be too robotic and the posing to be quite stiff. There isn’t enough exaggeration in these films. They are going way too far with this “Illusion of Life” thing that Disney started. How about just trying to tell a good story and keeping audiences interested? And I cannot ignore my beef with the use of celebrity voice-overs in today’s money-run animation industry. Animated films need real actors, not just pop stars like Justin Timberlake (in his first and hopefully last voice over role).


All in all, this movie is entertaining for a few watches. After that, no chance of surviving in a time capsule.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Some of my favorite comedy.

I just thought I'd share these two clips. During the last week of the semester, I sometimes let off steam by watching one of these two clips. I think they are extremely funny, and the type of humor used in both I think would work wonderfully in animation. I hope one day to learn how to write stuff like this.

THE FISHER KING
(d. Terry Gilliam, 1991)

In this scene from THE FISHER KING, Jeff Bridges' character is playing cupid for his mentally-lost friend. In order to lure the woman of his friend's dreams (Amanda Plummer), Bridges employs an out-of-work Cabaret singer (Michael Jeter). I think Jeter's performance here is priceless.



THE MEANING OF LIFE
(d. Terry Jones, 1983)

What can I say about Monty Python, except brilliant. It's impossible not to laugh at this brand of humor. British humor has always been intriguing, but not like Python's. I love both the scene and the song in this clip from THE MEANING OF LIFE. I would say the clip is pretty self-explanitory.

The longer clip from the movie is just as funny. I recommend this for those of you who are not offended, and in need of a good laugh.

See you soon.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Summer Time

Well, my summer has started. I have an internship lined up with one of New York's independent animation studios, London Squared. I look forward to working with Andy and Carolyn London on their usually inventive projects.


The Pratt Animation show was amazing. IVAN'S ACT had place in it, along with a few other junior shorts. And all the senior films were amazing. Now the juniors and I have to top that next year.


And in the meantime, here is what I managed to finish so far on my 40 second short, STORYBOARDERS. I hope to finish more of it during the summer.

And you can expect to see more updates than usual on the blog.

So, cheers.