Yes. Thx JD.

I had made the comment a few times before watching The Fantastic Mr. Fox that Wes Anderson likely made this film to silence his critics’ complaints that all his films were exactly the same. Little did I know that the fantastic Mr. Anderson had actually been working on this film since before The Royal Tenenbaums. Upon watching the film, I was also quite surprised to discover just how similar this film is to his others – and that is a great thing! Anderson’s animated adaptation (co-written with Noah Baumbach) of the Roald Dahl children’s story is a whimsical and downright enjoyable experience. All of his films have an emphasis on family and again that dynamic takes center stage. The voice work by the likes of Clooney, Schwartzman, Streep, Murray, and Dafoe is top notch. A ton of credit should also go to the animators and production designers for creating such a uniquely Dahl-esque vision. But the real star is the story telling. This is pretty much the perfect union of a light kids tale with the wit and quirk of Wes Anderson – which turns out to be a really fantastic marriage. It is a great holiday movie and I highly recommend checking it out. If you enjoy it, then also check out Anderson’s interview on KCRW’s The Treatment.

This projection art has gotta be my favorite thing going on in the art world. So cool.

555 KUBIK
“How it would be, if a house was dreaming”

The conception of this project consistently derives from its underlying architecture – the theoretic conception and visual pattern of the Hamburg Kunsthalle. The Basic idea of narration was to dissolve and break through the strict architecture of O. M. Ungers “Galerie der Gegenwart”. Resultant permeabilty of the solid facade uncovers different interpretations of conception, geometry and aesthetics expressed through graphics and movement. A situation of reflexivity evolves – describing the constitution and spacious perception of this location by means of the building itself.

Thx beeeph

Wow! Please watch this all the way through. The effects towards the end are really spectacular. It is obviously done with some sort of projection system but if someone who speaks Italian wants to read through the Apparati Effimeri site and give us some more details that would be awesome. Some very cool stuff here.

Good lookin out beeeph.

Japanese band Sour employed an army of fans with webcams for this very innovative video.

Nice find ADK.

A very cool animated short.

Good find Mihae.

I have never seen tilt-shift applied to a video but the effect is f-ing awesome. More about the project here.

Always on the look out for cool animation. This original idea is out the jp.

Good find J.

I worked up this little animation in p.shop of some light effects on the HK skyline.

Click here to see it in motion

Just what the world needs… a new kind of mashup. Pretty damn funny.

Nice find p.trick

With Toronto currently unspooling, the festival season is now in full swing – and there are quite a few offerings from big name Japanese filmmakers.

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea – Hayao Miyazaki
This new Ghibli film directed by the one and only Hayao Miyazaki opened in Japan in July and made its international debut at the Venice Film Fest a few weeks ago. I’ve loved everything Miyazaki has ever touched – so no surprise I am highly anticipating this – which has so far received pretty positive reviews.
Official Site (JP – but some good pics)

Achilles and the Tortoise – Takeshi Kitano
I’ve missed Beat Takeshi’s last couple films (Takeshis’ and Glory to the Filmmaker!) but from all accounts that is a good thing. This seems to be another personal film about an artist with no real talent and features a good deal of his own paintings (like a number of his past films). I’m all for deeply personal (Kikujiro is one of my favorites of his) but how awesome would a new Takeshi gangster flick be?
TIFF writeup (also at Venice)

The Sky Crawlers – Mamoru Oshii
A new anime from the acclaimed director of Ghost in the Shell, Innocence, Patlabor, and Jin-Roh – this sounds like an interesting diversion from his normal world of red-eyed villains and mechsuits. Best described in the TIFF writeup:

Dwelling in a pneumatic void of memories live the Kildren, teenagers destined never to grow up. Unless they are killed in action, they persist forever in a dull adolescence. The Kildren are a human breed of fighter pilots; created to play the much-needed game of war in a world that keeps real conflicts at bay, they are hired to entertain the citizens of Europe with their celestial battles.

TIFF writeup (also at Venice)

Still Walking – Hirokazu Kore-eda
Kore-eda is back with a story of life, death and family in modern Japan. Those who have never seen his 1998 classic After Life (Wandâfuru raifu) should really check it out. The English language remake is in the works right now in H.wood.
Tiff writeup

Tokyo Sonata – Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Kiyoshi tries his hand at family drama with a story that follows a man who loses his job but can’t admit it to his family. Familiar territory perhaps, but Kiyoshi is fantastic with his characters and this will be an interesting examination of honor in Japanese society no doubt.
Tiff writeup

Detroit Metal City – Toshio Lee
I don’t know much about Lee (apparently most of his work has been in TV), but this adaptation of a famous manga has all the ingredients for some great JP wackery. Not to mention the fact that it co-stars Gene Simmons!

Souichi is a timid, sensitive and innately polite music geek who moves from the Japanese countryside to Tokyo with big dreams: he aspires to sing sugary love ballads and become a chart-topping sensation. But life does not turn out the way Souichi had hoped, and the only gig he can get is that of front man for the notorious band Detroit Metal City (DMC). Wearing a cape, tights and ghostly demon makeup, Souichi storms the stage each night as Johannes Klauser II, smashing guitars and spewing verbal filth in songs about murder and rape.

TIFF writeup

Hmmm, no Miike films at Toronto this year, though his English language western hit Sukiyaki Western Django is coming out in theaters this week. Be sure to catch it if you can. Also, I just finally caught Yoji Yamada’s beautiful Love and Honor (in the theater – two years after it was at Toronto) and it was everything I had hoped it would be.

A lot of cool stuff at eatPES. Really love Game Over – but the damn thing won’t let me embed. Gotta feel the pixilation love.

Pretty weird. Check it out.

I may be 10 months late to the party but this video for Justice’s D.A.N.C.E is S.I.C.K. Always on the look out for great animation.

Good call Addy.

Wow this out of control animation – shot on the streets of Buenos Aires – must have taken days and days. Extra props for the special attention to the soundtrack. Great find Addy.
Link