Blog Entry #9 – Rymdreglage 8-bit trip!!

This is what I’m talking about! A music video with Legos and stop-motion! I can see the comparison between the two because when we look at old video games in 8- bit form, they look like Lego blocks. I think this is a real creative music video because it shows how impressive animation can be with something so simple like Lego blocks can be something so complex. Plus the song is so appropriate for the video!

I saw this video on Youtube and read the description for it. It took 1500 hours to complete the whole project. This video is a little under 4 minutes long and a lot is going on during the video. You can tell that they put a lot of effort in it. There are so many video game references such as Pac Man, Dig Dug, and Mario. This music video had me sold when they built Mega Man. This was not simple stop motion and it makes you appreciate the art of it. From the beginning of the video it starts off simple, but then it just takes it to a whole other level. Watching this video makes me wonder “How did they do that?” All in all, this was a fun video to watch, the title speaks for itself, and this is way better than White Stripes “Fell in love with a girl” music video.

I commented on Mike Giffith’s and Bradley Schoolfield’s

Blog Entry #8 – SyFy Channel’s Animations

I am usually flipping channels trying to find something entertaining to watch on TV. Somehow, it always ends up on the SyFy Channel. Whether it is about “The Snakeman” “El Chupacabra” or my favorites the “Transmorphers” series. We know that these films are awful but some of us can’t stop watching them. The animations on movies like “Megalodon” are completely fake and not smooth at all. Since they look like a beginner’s first animation project ever, the creatures don’t look scary at all.  These SyFy movies are seen more as a comedy rather than horror. The acting doesn’t help either. I believe these SyFy movies are not successful animation-wise because it fails to capture the audience in believing the creatures. I know these movies are bad but because they are so cheesy, it’s fun to watch. These films are not a complete failure since more and more are being made. These SyFy movies are just a good example of what not to do if you want to be taken seriously. But, these films do help jump start careers of famous actors, animators, and give washed up actors a job.

Transmorphers

Sometimes I wonder if the people who make these films know it’s bad. A film like “Transmorphers” are made from this one studio company called “Asylum” who is notorious for making B-Rated films to big Blockbuster ones like “Transformers”. If you skip to that clip above to 13 seconds in, the animation on the robots look completely awful. If this was made during the 80′s or 90′s then this would be top of the line animation. This in a way can be bad because technology is advancing from what we see in “Avatar” . We do not exactly appreciate these B-Rated movies that do not have the same funds for top of the line animations. I repeat though, the acting doesn’t help either.

Watching cheesy SyFy movies is a guilty pleasure. I personally enjoy watching them. The production is not great but we have to understand that production cost a lot to fund and some studios have to work with their small budget. These films are meant to be bad because they’re considered a B movie. Either way, I believe in the philosophy “If something is so bad then it’s good.” Also I repeat for the third time, the acting does not help these films to be appreciated.

Megalodon

I commented on Mike Giffith’s and Hayleigh Allingham’s

Midterm Blog Specimen

Blog Specimen #1 – Blog Entry #2 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Blog Specimen #2 – Blog Entry #3 – Beast Wars

Feature Film Blog

The feature length I chose is “Fantastic Mr. Fox” an animated stop motion movie directed by Wes Anderson. Watching previous films of Anderson such as “The Royal Tenenbaums”, “Rushmore”, and “Life Aquatics with Steve Zissou” this one is a bit different. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is Wes Anderson’s first animated film ever and sure enough a real good one that was nominated for an Oscar. The film is an adaptation based on the book by Roald Dahl. The stop motion on this film is smooth and detailed in every way. From the nasty toes of the farmers to Mr. Fox’s tail being blown off. I believe that this film worked real well because the creativeness of stop motion combined with Wes Anderson’s style created such a great adaptation of Roald Dahl’s infamous book.

Each character had such a unique quality in them. Ash; Mr. Fox’s son is a example we can use. When Ash is mad he tends to cross his hands and spits. In the scene where Mr. Fox is discussing with Mrs. Fox how Ash is different at breakfast. Ash hears this while he is brushing his teeth. Ash looks at Mr. Fox and spits on the floor. Another character is Kylie; Mr. Fox’s partner in crime, he tends to have crazy eyes. Mr. Fox always brings it up every time he talks to Kylie how he needs Kylie to give him some kind of signal that he understands what Mr. Fox is talking about. The animation of Kylie’s crazy eyes are two eyeballs that are swirls rather than circle when he has a close up shot. The film tends to answer what the viewers might be thinking like how did Mr. and Mrs. Fox escaped in an impossible trap in the beginning of the film. THEY DUG THEIR WAY OUT!

One quirky thing Wes Anderson tends to do in his film is to come up with something clever. Since the film had a PG rating, it did not have any curse words. But, instead of using the “F” word they would use the word “Cuss” as a replacement. One scene was funny between Badger (Voiced by Bill Murrary) and Mr. Fox (George Clooney). Mr. Fox asked to Badger if he was “Cussing” at him. Badger asked Mr. Fox the same thing and they go into this savage like fight in Badger’s law firm office.

One of the messages “Fantastic Mr. Fox” brings up is how we’re all wild animals. Even the humans in the film are savage in how they will not stop trying to kill Mr. Fox. We see these animals have human like qualities like in any other cartoons. Where we see them all dressed up as humans, act like humans, talk perfect English, but yet they tend to have a wild side to them. It goes to show about animal instincts in certain scenarios like when one is mad or in a desperate situation, our animal instincts kicks in. For Mr. Fox, he growls and makes fox like noises. Mr. Fox even brings it up a lot especially at the end when he gives his epic speech. How we’re all wild animals, we all have some qualities in us that made us survive for so long. Then he goes ranting to each character their given Latin name for Badger, Mouse, and what not. Going back to the farmers and how they relate to the animals. They are seen as savages. Even at the end, they would not stop trying to kill Mr. Fox and his family. They waited with their guns in front of the whole. I thought it it was a bit too much when they ordered 500 rounds of ammunition and bulldozers trying to get Mr. Fox. It was weird how Mr. Fox spoke to the farmers and they understand what he said. All in all, the animation on this film is a victory for stop motion and Wes Anderson’s vision of this classic book is amazing!

Blog Entry #7 – Clean Up Scenes With Animals

When we were watching the film “Snow White” in class, there was a scene of Snow White cleaning up the  Seven Dwarfs’s house with the woodland critters. Watching that scene reminded me of the film “Enchanted” where it made fun of Disney Movies. The film “Enchanted” also had a scene where the princess was cleaning up the place with animals. But because it was in New York, it was something else. Instead of birds, deers, and rabbits you had rats, roaches, and pigeons. Hmm…not sure if someone wants there place cleaned by rats and roaches from New York. I believe the look of an animated animal makes a difference in the film.

When we see from Disney Classics, there is always some scene where the animals help out tiding up the place. The critters are cute looking and adorable. That is what we discussed in class about animation. Where expression and the way they look have to be over the top. In real life, animals don’t look like that or act human like. So, in a film like “Enchanted” the creatures look like real animals and because of that the cleaning scene did not look so clean. They all had some human like qualities by singing along, dancing, and cleaning up but because they looked more real than animated, the place looked more like a health violation. If the health inspectors came by, they would have shut that building down immediately because it looked like an infestation.

It makes it more understandable that animals look the way they do in animation. With their bulging watery eyes and human like qualities, it works in animated films. But, if they looked like the animals in “Enchanted” clean up scenes do not look the same. The song is there and so are the dance numbers, but it makes you think if animals looked more real cleaning up your place, it wouldn’t fly. Maybe, it depends on what animals but I doubt it would be a rats, coaches, and pigeons from New York.

I commented on Jeannie A. Hilleary and Cory Finch