Disney is many things but the one thing you can definitely say it isn’t is subversive. That’s why we all need Cas van de Pol, an animator from the Netherlands who, in his own words (taken from his Patreon page; yes you can, and should, support this fantastically-talented artist), “creates Continue Reading
Movies
“God’s Eye View Shots”: Looking over the quirky magic of Wes Anderson
SNAPSHOT…the overhead shot is Wes Anderson’s most distinctive shot and how unlike other directors, Wes uses it to create the most emotional moments in his filmography. (synopsis via Laughing Squid (c) Luis Azavedo, Beyond the Frame) The films of Wes Anderson are, by pretty much any measure, visual feasts. Part Continue Reading
The short and the short of it: The sublimely-touching reminisces of Negative Space
SNAPSHOTNegative Space is a wonderful stop-motion cloth animation that features a son reminiscing about his relationship with his now-departed father through the act of packing a suitcase. The narration of the film comes directly from a Ron Koertge poem of the same name, while the characters and scenes were created Continue Reading
Who put the ’80s into Stranger Things? Why the Russo brothers, of course!
SNAPSHOTIf you’ve ever seen the show Stranger Things, you’ve probably noticed a movie reference or two. Series creators Ross and Matt Duffer are huge film buffs, and they’ve used every opportunity they can to reference some of their favorite movies in Stranger Things. (synopsis via Laughing Squid) One of the Continue Reading
“Just unbelievable”: Stan Lee talks about his beloved Marvel movie cameos
SNAPSHOTWith the home release of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel released two incredible bonus compilations that pay tribute to the late, greatly missed Stan Lee. In both compilations, the ever-gracious Lee talks about his joy to watch his original creations come to life, how much he loves making cameo appearances in Marvel Continue Reading
When you don’t fit in, stand tall: The challenges of being Tall Girl
SNAPSHOTJodi (Ava Michelle) has always been the tallest girl in school — and she’s always been uncomfortable with it. After slouching her way through life for 16 years and being made fun of by classmates, Jodi meets Stig (Luke Eisner), a seemingly perfect Swedish foreign exchange student who’s even taller Continue Reading
Retro movie review: UP (10th anniversary)
Human beings love dreams. Not the kind that litter our sleep like so much psychedelic, nonsensical candy (though they do hold a certain attraction) but the ones that hold out hope that beyond the banal humdrum of life, true excitement and adventure awaits if only x, y or z plan Continue Reading
Movie review: The Farewell
Saying a final goodbye to the one you love the most is never, ever easy. It’s made infinitely more sorrowful if you can’t say goodbye at all, or if, as in the case of the Lulu Wang-written and directed film, The Farewell, if the person you are farewelling isn’t even Continue Reading
Weekend pop art: Felines and Hollywood meet in Moviecats
SNAPSHOTTwo beautiful cats named Tara and Willow have a very silly human named Dave who, with his partner Sarah, likes to recreate famous movie scenes with them, post the photos on Instagram and then have their many followers try to figure out from which film the scene came. In an Continue Reading
Simba! The Lion King gets an inspired cartoon recap
Apparently, The Lion King is a big thing. Everyone supposedly LOVES the original 1994 animated version and adores the 2019 completely unnecessary live action remake – they must do; it’s taken in over $1 billion worldwide – and so, The Lion King is close to becoming the biggest animated film Continue Reading