An animation created for the Museum of Natural History traversing the space between the Dali Lama and the Afterglow. The known universe in a little over six minutes.
December, 2009 Monthly archive
I’d really like to find the time to read a self-help book about time management.
Read MoreI really appreciate the Spanish language for warning someone how to properly deliver a phrase. The leading, upside-down, exclamation mark in ¡Feliz Navidad! warns the reader that this is going to be an exclamation! Read with enthusiasm! As far as I know, Spanish is the only language that does this with designated characters. As far as I know. ¡Thanks Spanish!
Read MoreIn the elevator yesterday, a headline on the video screen caught my eye. Football players are being encouraged to donate their brains to science when they die. In an effort to study head trauma more seriously, Boston University researchers will get an influx of frozen heads in the coming years. The applications for this go far beyond Ochocinco of course. I support this and I’m glad the NFL is doing it, but the bluntness of the headline really made me chuckle. It just conjures up a visual in my mind that you don’t often get from the regular news. Or the elevator for that matter. I dunno.
“Hey guys, when you’re done with it, can you please donate your brain?”
Maybe while they’re researching concussions they can look into what makes football players scream and spaz all the time?
NFL Asks Players to Donate Their Brains For Study
Read MoreI hadn’t seen Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in a few years. It is clearly my least favorite movie in the entire Star Wars series, but I don’t remember hating it as so many do. However, after watching this brilliant 70 minute video review of that film, I don’t think I’ll ever need to or want to watch it again.
Narrated by a character who sounds like a cross between Steven Wright and The Joker from The Dark Knight, the review is actually a really intriguing dissection of movie making in general. In addition, it is a love letter to the original trilogy, and a challenge to Lucas himself. Comparing the prequels to the original trilogy just makes you realize how wonderful those original films are. The review uses a lot of archival footage and tacky visuals with a healthy dose of some very dark comedy as well. The narrator is portrayed as a somewhat dim man who hates his son and has murderous tendencies. But the review still comes off as very witty and insightful, even if I don’t necessarily agree with it 100%. Maybe 98%. It feels more like a documentary than anything else. It’s some kind of hybrid thing.
LOST producer Damen Lindelof is quoted as saying this about the review, ““Your life is about to change. This is astounding film making. Watch ALL of it.”
Indeed, I watched the first part and couldn’t stop watching. It was a quick 70 minutes. It’s so much more than a mere movie review.
So if you are interested, this should get you started…
The Blue Man Group is a getting a lot of free publicity because of Avatar.
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Today, in Starbucks, a little boy, who couldn’t have been more than 4 years old, attacked me. He saw me walking toward him, lowered his head and rammed me in the crotch with it. It was not a mistake. There was clear intent to cause harm. I wonder his motives. I refuse to believe it was mere child’s play and feel like I was the victim of some sort of organized hooliganism. Has anyone else been attacked in such a manner? Especially in the Times Square area? Agism is a serious problem in this country and to think it may be manifesting itself through violence frightens me. If this is happening under the microscope of New York City, what’s to say pockets of gangs comprised of 4 year old punks aren’t elsewhere.
Luckily, he missed his target. It wasn’t a direct hit. I was not momentarily paralyzed by the aggression. Only the fear that this was somehow premeditated.
I said, “Whoaaaa, there, haha”
I looked down and he looked up at me. Laughing. Taunting. Threatening.
His mother with a smile, “Excuse me.”
And I’m thinking to myself… Ma’am, I’m not sure you’re fully aware of the devil you’re raising.
Read MoreFantastic Google promo entitled “Out Of Office” produced by my buddy Anthony featuring the best band on planet Earth, The National.
Yep, why didn’t you think of this?
I just heard about this awesome awesome project called Star Wars: Uncut. I am mesmerized by this concept. They’ve divided Star Wars: A New Hope into 15 second clips and organized them on their website. You go on the site and “claim” an open scene. Then go off on your own and film a reenactment of that scene any way you want. I’ve seen a lot of stop-motion stuff, straight up animation. recreations in backyards. Whatever you want. However you’d like to re-imagine your favorite scene. Once you’re done, you submit it to them and at the end of the project they’ll stitch the whole thing together to create a completely fan-made remake of Star Wars. I find this cool on so many levels that don’t even have to do with Star Wars. The internet allows hundreds of fans from around the world to collaborate on a project without ever speaking to one and other. Check out the site for yourself and watch the trailer below. Incredible. And there are so many other movies they can try this with.
Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.