What I'm watching at the movies

[Kaattari]

Saw Ponyo with Charlie!

I'm speechless.
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...
...
...
...

Okay.  THAT's over.
I have NEVER seen animated artwork such as that.
It was mind-blowing and inspiring to see the background done simply with colored pencil.
With the tech that's out there, trying for 'bigger and better', to make it that way is pure genius.

[Xanthi]

Yup, Miyazaki is very old school, I believe his movies are all still done by hand by animators.

Sadly Disney had a moment of Stupidity and actually closed it's hand-drawn animation studio, I'd guess because of Pixar's CGI success (since obviously Pixar's success was due to its cool new CGI look and had nothing to do with great story telling...   ).  I've heard they've since regretted the move and re-opened it, but not sure if that was rumor or fact.

[Kaattari]

*dreamy sigh*
If only...

Yes, I have a bit of a splinter in my heart against technology in general.
My father was an old-school draftsman.  Worked for GAF, Techtronics, Boeing, Trojan.  It was a classic story of putting the old horse out to pasture, eventually.  Everything went AutoCad, and his chronic depression became chronic-er.  He eventually went with the flow, took some classes, and eventually ended up working elsewhere... but he was never the same.
He was an amazing artist.  I now understand his love of paper and pencil.  Seeing him have to put away the automatic pencil, compass and slide-rule was excruciating.  He never drew much after that, either.

On the flip side...
I do have to relent, a bit in my tirade against CG.
My niece, Janna, is married to a whippersnapper whose genius and talent has landed him in with Dream Works Entertainment.  What one man allowed to bring him down, is giving another, one of the greatest opportunities he could possibly ask for.
Bit of a full circle, eh?  Funny how life works.

[Xanthi]

Very sad, even sadder given both could work side by side with more modern technology such as E-ink, touch screens and motion mapping cameras.  The introduction of technology often goes a very bump road that initially ignores the refinements of technique perfected in the "manual" and "old fashion" methodology and then has to relearn them or adopt them to become more effective.  And sometimes technology is actually not fast enough.  One can only imagine how the transition might have gone with styluses and large sheets of electronic paper with built-in touch screen technology.  The methodology would then work for the older drafters with speedy manual techniques and also work with more modern drafting methodologies using the capabilities of computers and would have probably proven less destructive in the transition.

[Kaattari]

Exactly!
Just to think of what my father could have taught his Grandson In-Law, had he lived...
Augh!
*sniff*

[chordam7]

Went, with a bunch of people, to see Taking Woodstock this weekend. It was a surprisingly small movie -- a very personal account of one man's relationship with the Woodstock festival. It did, however, also manage to capture something of the scope of the grand spectacle.

Excellent film-making and direction. I was pleased to find that Dimitri Martin can, indeed, act -- if you don't ask too much of him.

Liev Schriber and Eugene Levy are wonderful.

[Cupcake]

Went, with a bunch of people, to see Taking Woodstock this weekend. It was a surprisingly small movie -- a very personal account of one man's relationship with the Woodstock festival. It did, however, also manage to capture something of the scope of the grand spectacle.

Excellent film-making and direction. I was pleased to find that Dimitri Martin can, indeed, act -- if you don't ask too much of him.

Liev Schriber and Eugene Levy are wonderful.

Second from me. In the first sections of the movie I immediately recognized Lee's attempt to emulate the original Woodstock movie with the side cuts and frames running simultaneously. At first it's disconcerting but the cuts are done so well that if they don't get recognized for their mastery I'd be surprised. This ole hippy loved it.

[redoubtable1]

We saw "9" this weekend. It looks fantastic. Plot is just so-so. Even thought it is animated, I don't think it is really appropriate for kids younger than 10.
It is a steampunk/Terminator mashup. I also kept thinking Watership Down for some reason. I think most of the folks on this board will like it.

[chordam7]

Let me also chime in, in support of 9. We saw it this weekend as well, and also thought it was excellent.

It's a beautiful movie, with obvious, loving care, evident in all the details. The mashup of steampunk and post-apocalyptic (made me think a little of Fallout, for some reason) is a striking triumph of design.

I also thought the plot was a little hokum, but the voice acting was pretty good (especially Christopher Plummer), which helps.

Many here would enjoy.

[Mandala of Blood]

I want to see it.  The previews for some strange reason remind me of The Secret of Nim.

[Minister of Defense]

Kaattari and I and a few other friends went and saw Dirstrict 9 the other day.

A pretty compelling story and just outstanding CG.  IMO, the most seamless interaction between digital and physical characters yet.

When do we see District 10 - 3 years on.

[Kaattari]

Kaattari and I and a few other friends went and saw Dirstrict 9 the other day.

A pretty compelling story and just outstanding CG.  IMO, the most seamless interaction between digital and physical characters yet.

When do we see District 10 - 3 years on.

EXACTLY!!!
I agree.  Excellent movie.

[Mandala of Blood]

Kaattari and I and a few other friends went and saw Dirstrict 9 the other day.

A pretty compelling story and just outstanding CG.  IMO, the most seamless interaction between digital and physical characters yet.

When do we see District 10 - 3 years on.

EXACTLY!!!
I agree.  Excellent movie.

 I really enjoy how culturally on point the film was and look forward to watching him agonize over a reversal of the transformation or potentially some sort of leadership role for the lower caste Prawns.

[meriden]

Saw Zombieland with the wife last night, girls with the in-laws.  Will not be up for best picture but a lot of good gory fun.   Woody Harrelson was very funny, the Zombies were medium fast (not 28 days fast, but pretty quick) and the rules for surviving the Zombie Holocaust were very funny.

No self-respecting geek can say no to a good Zombie Flick!  Hope they make a (good) movie out of World War Z.

[Jake]

I saw "Pandorum" a little while ago.  I really enjoyed it.  Not Academy Award material.  But the actors/actress did good in my opinion.  Not for the little ones.  Even though there was a family with three kids between 3 and 10.  (They hid their eyes through most of the movie.)  I would class it as a psychological thriller with a sci-fi setting.  Keeps you guessing until the last 10 minutes.  Nice surprise at the end.