barrelmaker.us » Movies

Cut it out!

John Cooper — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:54:56 +0000

If you’ve been reading the news and are feeling a wee bit dour, this movie should rejuvenate you a bit! It’s a 14-minute video of Terry Gilliam explaining his cut out film animation technique. It’s a great how-to for artists, and it’s filled with examples of Gilliam’s ingenious, hilarious work. I especially like the holiday-themed series of short animations just a few minutes in.

Found myself especially cognizant of the importance of music and sound effects in these films. Enjoy!

To dig a little deeper, see this openculture blog post.

Human Planet

John Cooper — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:37:46 +0000

This film looks pretty amazing. Will have to put it on the Netflix queu pronto as it looks like it came out awhile.

Really puts the desk job in perspective…

“Billions and billions of stars…”

John Cooper — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:13:14 +0000

When my sister and I were little, my Uncle Chick used to make fun of my Mom’s more flighty moments by invoking Carl Sagan and saying the above line in a funny voice. Bevin and I loved this despite only a vague familiarity with Mr. Sagan at the time. We loved the voice my uncle used and the mysterious, provocative line “billions and billions of stars”.

Well today, stopping in for my occasional visit at Just Stuff I Find (see Blogroll on right), I enjoyed this short movie by David Fu, which brought pleasant memories of my youth, my home, and my uncle, and also re-inspired me to enjoy simple things and to live in the present. Ikiru.

The Blitz!

John Cooper — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:53:35 +0000

Run it! Run it!

Funny to hear a movie mixed up of our own words which is what Jeremy has down so poetically here. Dialogue taken from clips of a group email conversation around an upcoming ski adventure.

Son of Sam

John Cooper — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:23:09 +0000

Since we’re on the SAM theme of late…watched this movie recently, Summer of Sam. A recommendation from my workmate. How it drifted so far under the radar I’m not sure, cause it was a pretty cool period piece and a great window into largely unknown communities (this from one who grew up in suburban Philly). And somehow unusual for Spike Lee, perhaps in that it was more about the inflammatory and frightened spirit of the big apple in the summer of ’77 and what that brought out in a specific community (racism, homophobia, violence).

Adrian Brody plays a punk rocker escaped from his tight, Italian Bronx community. He dances (and provides extras) at a gay club in Manhattan for money, but hangs on tight to who he is, what he believes, even as his homeboys rant that he’s a freak for the way he dresses and wears his hair. Eventually, even his best friend, Luigi (shown below) rats him out, but it’s all part of Luigi’s own demise which goes down in beak-fulls of blow and adultery with total strangers.

A movie for Coleman?

John Cooper — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:41:31 +0000

Tim alerted me to this one a couple days ago. Could go any which way…but the trailer’s amusing for sure and title makes me laugh like hearing the huge lexicon of names of street tricks. Language evolves…[or is it Intelligent Design??!]

Where I work…

John Cooper — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:29:19 +0000

It’s all Dutch to me, but this video shot on the elegant 5th SS Rotterdam, “the Grande Dame” — serving as a cruise ship for 40 years! — provides rather pleasant time travel. Car on board? Sure. Check the sailor suits and life vests — right out of South Pacific!

I like the old-school exercise room model, you can almost smell the sweat…reminds me of our Alumni Gymnasium at the old school (now raised and replaced with a spanking new facility). But heck, bring back the table tennis and shuffleboard! Why relegate those superb and family-friendly games to bars?

Enjoy the in-depth look at the food prep too…keeping in mind that this served as a promotional video! Perhaps the Europeans for whom this was a promotion are less squeamish…and I refer here to the full-on abattoir view of the galley meat storage and preparation.

For further historical information, check out Michael L. Grace’s article ( January 7, 2010) from which this vid was peeled.

Ol’ Magnet in a Box

John Cooper — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:08:43 +0000

I figured I’d better follow up the last post with something equally challenging…

The SnowMutch Ninjas

John Cooper — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:57:47 +0000

A movie with music by Amon Tobin from the “Foley Room”.
“The SnowMutch Ninjas”

Snow Ninja

My new favorite movie

John Cooper — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:35:53 +0000

Thank you Kevin. This is awesome…unstoppable. And Santogold and the gorge and most of all the dancer hisself for fantasticness.