I HAVE AN AMAZING JOB!

I may have shared that I am now an elementary animation teacher. It is the best job I've ever had. I get the chance to teach kids about something that is very, very important to me. Animation, unlike any other medium, is the work of dreamers. Especially stop-motion.

What makes stop-motion so special is how it brings the micro to life. There are so many small, beautiful, things around us all the time, from toys, and knick-knacks, to stones and other natural objects. Something as small as a leaf and a tooth pick can become a towering tree. Play-Dough can become the landscape of an alien planet. Anything you can dream, you can create.

While adults tend to think all kids are eager to paint, draw, and scribble, I have found that many do not feel confident in their own creativity. But stop-motion is an incredibly simple concept that any kid can wrap their head around. With camera and video editing technology cheaper than ever, it is the perfect medium for encouraging shy kids to create.

I am working on a project for the kids in my class. Below is a sample of what I plan to do. The video will act as a jumping off point to get the kids excited about the possibilities. I want the video to get the kids thinking about detail, depth, setting, story and character.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON WAYS TO INSPIRE KIDS TO BE ARTISTIC?

THE HUNGER GAMES

  

I just finished reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, and I will be starting the 3 book in the trilogy, Mockingjay, tonight. These books by Suzanne Collins are my new obsession, but not for the reasons one might think. I actually don't particularly like these books. I find the writing style woefully bland, and lacking in detail. I find the first person perspective really irritating. The staccato use of periods and the overuse of one or two word sentences drives me crazy.

I am in no way, a literary scholar, I'm not even a member of the grammar police, but even I can recognize the awkward writing style in this book. The story itself is also incredibly predictable, but, for some reason, it is as addicting as frosted animal crackers. You know what is going to happen on the next page, but you just have to read it for yourself.

(IFC)

What I like about this book is that it reads like a script. The lack of detail about the landscape, about the way people look, clothing, ect, is done in the exact style a good writer would use if she was trying to sell her script. There is enough detail to satisfy the reader, but not enough to over power the vision of a production designer.

This book was written to be a movie, end of story. While that irritates a lot of people, I think some writers, with good ideas can get away with it, and I think Suzanne Collins is a great example. I do not think this book works on every level, while reading I find myself saying, "I would phrase that differently," and "I want to know more about that character, or this landscape." On the other hand, I think a director with a clear vision for this story might be able to fill in the holes Collins didn't fill herself.

I even hesitate to call this film an adaptation, because I am not sure any adapting will be necessary. It's a script packaged and sold like a book. Clever.

Gary Ross, director of Pleasantville and Seabiscuit has taken on this film and from the trailers, I think it has a lot of potential. We will see how he does with the graphics, this being his first effects heavy film. I think Ross will benefit greatly from veteran DP Tom Stern, best known for his partnership with Clint Eastwood.

The film stars the young, lovely, Jennifer Lawrence, who flies under the radar, but is probably one of the most talented actresses working today. With films like Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class and cult favorite Garden Party on her resume, there is no arguing that this girl has talent.

Rounding out the cast are stars like Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland and Stanley Tucci.

Watch the Trailer Here

(The pictures are off of google/video from youtube)

THE AVENGERS: THE WEATHER IS LOOKING FINE

My favorite time of the movie year is summer. I love Transformers, Harry Potter, Thor, Iron Man, and other movies that fall into this genera. It's not really about the quality of these movies, but about the sheer delight I get from them. I have been anticipating this film for quite a while, ever since I heard they were going to shoot some scenes in New Mexico (where I was living at the time). So, I hope to get all of you excited for Spring/Summer 2012! Watch the trailer below!

The Avengers Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: Thor, 2012MA

MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY

I am absolutely infuriated by the Oscar nominations this year, and it turns out I am not the only one. I thought 2011 was a transformative year in filmmaking. There were so many fresh, passionate and all around quality films from every genera, from established filmmakers and from new comers.  While the year had a few disappointments, New Years Eve and Jack and Jill take my top spot, over all, 2011 delivered a film for every type of movie goer. Drive, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Shame, The Ides of March, We Need to Talk about Kevin, Rampart, Harry Potter, Bridesmaids, are all amazing films, by amazing directions, with an outstanding casts. Yet we hardly see any of these films on the Oscar nomination list. Why? Why? Why?

Instead we see films like War Horse, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, My Week with Marylyn, Midnight in Paris. Midnight In Paris? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This is a sin. It is a sin to honor "feel good" and "trite" films because (as Peter Travers says above), people want films that make the feel good.

People want to complain about the state of the movie industry, constantly proclaiming that, "movies suck these days," and "there are never any good movies out." Well, ya know what. Shut the hell up. There are always spectacular movies to be seen. But the average American viewer and, apparently the Academy as well, don't want anything that challenges them in any way. Everyone says they want quality movies, but what they really want is for the women to be delicate and nice, and their men to be heroic and white, they want their stories tied up in nice little bows with a little wink at the end so they don't have to think about it once they leave the theater. It makes me want to scream.

Anyway, Travers echos my sentiments much more eloquently. Watch above.

FINDING ART IN THE EVERY DAY

Just whipped this up today while working with the kids in my animation class.

George Lucas Says Studios are Racist!

As some of you know, I am a big George Lucas fan. This interview on The Daily Show illustrates why. Say what you want about the recent Star Wars films, but Lucas is a titan and a master of the craft. No one with even a modest film education will argue with that. His empire is well into the billions, he is one of the most recognizable directors of all time and he is responsible for creating an entire generation of super-nerds. So, with all of his success, it begs the question, why was he unable to get backing for his new production Red Tails? What about this film caused studios to cover their ears and say la la la?

Lucas points out a really startling and rather reprehensible fact of the film business, and our culture as a whole. The fact that a film, with an all black cast that doesn't subscribe to the stereotypical ways in which African American culture is portrayed, can't get backing, is a stain on an industry that routinely and proudly states its progressivism.

(watch interview here)

I understand, and appreciate the fact that Hollywood is a business, and in business, money is the bottom line. But at what point do filmmakers and studios stand up and defend films role as a cultural lens. When will filmmakers and studios stop pretending that people only want to see upper middle class white people and their problems. With less Americans going to the theaters these days, and with studios making less money, one would think that Hollywood would attempt to revamp the industry and create a film culture where we see more than one experience on the screen.

When it comes to films about black culture, directors like Tyler Perry and Spike Lee are often the only voices we hear. I do not think I am alone when I say that Perry and Lee's portrayal of blacks do not coincide with my experience as a African American. They are, in fact, caricatures of a culture that struggles to get their honest story told in the public realm. Lucas says that studios refused him because they didn't know how to market a film with out any major white characters. But I think the truth is, the studios didn't know how to distribute a film that portrays blacks as the heroes, not as street wise city blacks or wise-cracking goofy blacks, but simply heroes.

I think what Lucas is trying to do is incredibly brave, but also incredibly sad. The fact that in the year 2012, we are cheering a man attempting to make an action film about war heroes who happen to be black, is completely shocking. I think the studios that denied Lucas are cowards, and I hope they do a little soul searching and realize that resting on your laurels and refusing to take any risks is suicide.

FAITH FORWARD MN

Hello,

This is my first post of 2012. Sorry I have been away for so long, the new year has brought a lot of opportunity into my life and I am very thankful.

I wanted to take a moment to tell you about a new and exciting project I am working on here in Minneapolis.

Faith Forward MN is a documentary and a social justice project surrounding the 2012 same sex marriage amendment which would define marriage as between one man and one woman in the state of Minnesota. The focus of this project is the faith-based fight against this amendment and the role religion plays in the gay rights debate here in Minnesota.

I consider it an honor to work for such a worthy project as I am, and always have been, an equal rights supporter for the LGBTQ community. I have many gay friends and neighbors that I cherish very much. They are some of the smartest, kindest, most inspirational people I have ever known and I have no doubt that each will become the next leader in their field. These are people who offered their hand to me when I was in need, and I am obligated by my morality and by my fair mind, to fight for the rights of my friends, neighbors and fellow Americans.

Even if you are not from Minnesota, even if you are not an American, I hope you will join the fight to defeat all those that DENY basic human rights to our fellow citizens. 

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO REVIEW

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Directed By: David Fincher

Starring: Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara

Based on the novel by Stieg Larson

This film is intense, sexy, violent and right up Fincher's ally. I read the book last year and I was aware of the Niels Arden Oplev film that came out in 2009. *I never took the opportunity to watch the Swedish version of the film, but after seeing this one, I am interested in checking it out. What I especially like about Fincer's take on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is that you do not need to have read the book to get sucked into the mystery. This film, unlike the Oplev's film, has received a lot of attention state side, not just for the famous director, but for the stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. 

The film opens with an amazing, graphic, title sequence. It's not worth trying to describe, you just have to see it. Immediately, the dark, moody atmosphere sets a beautiful silvery tone that lasts throughout the film. This is quite a long movie but there is a unique balance between long, thoughtful silences and loud, intense violence that make time fly. There are moments of dark humor and they even managed to work in an interesting little love story. This film combines everything a Fincher fan could want and it is an excellent cure for the holiday blues.

Despite the big names involved in this film,  don't expect that traditional Hollywood gloss. This film is raw and some people might be a bit disturbed by a few scenes. As an adaptation, the film is great because it stands on its own as a great piece of art. Fincher is a master of capturing the under belly of modern culture, he does it so well in fact, that you wish you could live in the dark worlds he creates.

The film weaves in and out between two distinct story lines. The first follows Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a disgraced journalist, hired by an old industrialist to solve a decades old family mystery. The other follows Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) a 23 year old ward of the state and gifted researcher/hacker hired as Blomkvist's assistant. Blomkvist and Salander exist in two different worlds, but are both are driven to pursue truth and both have an innate sense of righteousness.

Blomkvists world surrounds the newspaper business and the Swedish elite. Salanders world is mysterious, violent and a bit sexy. For about half of the film the two exists alone in their own worlds, but the very best scenes in the film involve Blomkvist and Salander, quite, in their arctic refuge musing over documents, and photographs. Both Craig and Mara give near perfect performances in their respective roles.

Rooney Mara is incredibly powerful as Lisbeth and it's probably safe to say she nailed it. Mara is completely unrecognizable in the role and has gone from unknown to super star literally over night. Salander is a complex character with a murky past. The book takes great time to explain her history and her quirks in excruciating detail to the point that she becomes larger than life. The film is the same, but unlike the book Fincher rooted Lisbeth in the real world which made her more relatable.

This film is anything but subtle and I do not think any actress could have captured this character the way Mara did. She has multiple nude scenes and many of them involve sexual violence that will make your skin crawl. Mara's performance is cutting and impassioned, she has really raised the bar for actors across the board.

Although Mara is the break out star of the film, Daniel Craig gets the most screen time. I find it rather hard to be impartial to his performance because he is such a handsome man, all I see are his abs and rippling manliness. But seriously, Daniel Craig is hot, he has never looked better. As Blomkvist, he spends most of the time in thoughtful silences and in the snow, chasing down lead after lead on his relentless quest. He is a single minded, musing bachelor, obsessed with work and with little connection to other people. However, when Blomkvist and Salander's paths cross, Craig is at his very best.

The bond that develops between Blomkvist and Salander is an excellent interpretation of how modern relationships work. There is no romance, no lofty admissions of love. In fact, their relationship is as calculated as their research into the old industrialist's mystery. Mara and Craig have a very intense, sexy chemistry, you wont be able to take your eyes off them.

The film also stars Christopher Plummer as the old industrialist Henrick Vanger, Robin Wright as the editor of Blomkvist's disgraced newspaper, and Stellen Skarsgard as Martin Vagner. Though Mara and Craig draw the eye, the supporting cast is also quite good. With a 2 hour running time, there was enough room to give detailed history on all of the side characters. This film could have been incredibly confusing, but Fincher really tapped into the heart of each character's story and brought it to life with out being tedious.

Artistically, the film is incredible. There is a nice contrast between beautiful snowy landscapes and dark, silvery cityscapes, monotone overcast days, and cold, soggy nights. The visuals are perfectly complimented by an outstanding soundtrack by Trent Reznor. The cinematography is classic Fincher, which shouldn't be too surprising since he worked his long time DP Jeff Cronenweth. This film has the sensibility of Se7en and Fight Club but it is much more controlled and mature.

I think this will go down as one of Fincher's most ambitious and most successful films. From start to finish it is as close to perfect as an adaptation gets. He made the film his own while staying true to the soul of the book. He does take some liberties, but it in no way negates the overall quality of the film. This film is worth ponying up the $7.00 to see in theaters, especially because there is nothing better than 13 foot high, topless Daniel Craig.


A- : This film isn't for everyone, and those with delicate sensibilities might be a little taken aback, but if you love dark, moody, mysteries you will love this film, even if you never read the book.

* I saw the Oplev films and they are amazing! They are different from Fincher's take, but still worthy of a view.