...but then someone comes along and says that the BBC is releasing a follow-up to Blue Planet (easily one of the most amazing nature documentaries ever made) and all my criticisms melt away.
You Say "One Of The Most Visually Stunning And Emotionally Effective Animated Films Ever Made." I Say "Easy. PRINCE OF EGYPT."
Turning to the animation itself, the opening is a spectacular on that score—especially in the way it compresses the openings of the story into a visually-engaging yet easily-digestible prologue. The Red Sea sequence is powerful stuff, as well (for which I must reiterate that Zimmer shoulders much of the blame), and the last plague remains one of the most creatively imaginative and stunning, deeply unsettling, and profoundly sorrowful things I've ever seen.
An Unforgettable "Cinematic Overture"
The moment I read that paragraph, an opening sprang to mind. It's not one I typically think of, to be honest, but the fact that it was a near-instantaneous response must have been a sign of ...something? (Reading a bit further, I was pleased to note that Insdorf includes it). Which opening, you ask?
This one.
The Lasting (And Massive) Legacy Of Saul Bass
Today's Short: A Sci-Fi Tease With Hints Of Graham Green
"A Witness, Not A Spectator"
These Videos Of Seiji Ozawa Rehearsing With The Young Members Of The Seiji Ozawa International Academy Will Give You All Of The Feels
Oh, Look. Another Sad Short About Growing Old That I Love. I Think My Subconscious Is Trying To Tell Me Something.
It's Scotland's Turn For A Gorgeous Travelog
When The Sea Gives Up Its Monsters
Today's Suggestion Is Nuts, Basically
Wise words from Jeffrey Overstreet: "If there's been anything lacking on the big screen in recent years, it's fun. And this may not amount to more than the sum of its genre-crazy parts, but it felt like seeing a glorious big-screen rendition of one of the stories I wrote when I was a kid. And for that, I'm grateful."
I'm Listening To A Rock Star And A Classical Violinist Performing Together, And So Should You
When You Combine Baseball And Disney's Goofy, Could You Really Expect Anything But A Classic (Short)?
Today's Suggestion? A Legendary Anime Director's Greatest(?) Film
I don't think I appreciated the precision (and power) of Kon's manipulations the first time I saw this one...And I surely did not recognize just how emotionally resonant it was, or that its resonance (and relevance) would increase over the years. That's true of all his works, really, since the question(s) of how we live out our "multiplicity of lives" grow(s) keener as technology progresses(?)
More Brilliance From Grant Snider
Arrangements Can Be Cool, Too
This Time-Travel Movie Is Leaving Netflix In Late September, So You'd Better Watch It While You Still Can
It's not a great film, really. But it's a great film for a Friday night after a long work week; a twisty-twirly time-travel movie disguised as a flashy and (at least occasionally) clever thriller. (Or is it a flashy-yet-sometimes-clever thriller disguised as a twirling, twisting time-travel movie? I can't quite recall...)