Archive for the 'Culture' Category

New Coraline Trailer!

Posted in Culture, Movies on November 22nd, 2008 by g-t3k

Here’s he latest trailer for Laika’s Coraline!

 

Yes, we did.

Posted in Culture on November 5th, 2008 by g-t3k

It’s back to life and work, finally, after these months and months of anticipation.  Barack Obama is our next president.  I am proud of what has happened, and I am even prouder of the dignity with which it happened.  This is truly one of the most exciting days to be an American.

Election Day!

Posted in Culture, Oddities on November 4th, 2008 by g-t3k

GO VOTE!

Grand Popo Football Club- My Territory…

Posted in Music, Music Videos on October 16th, 2008 by g-t3k

…And just for the fun of it, here’s a great music video I found today.  Very creative, and a great song, too.  Reminds me a lot of the 80’s stop motion videos like “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel and “And She Was” by The Talking Heads.

 

Ponyo on the Cliff Japanese Trailer

Posted in Culture, Movies on September 4th, 2008 by g-t3k

For my friends who aren’t in the industry, Hayao Miyazaki is not only a master of animation, but a master filmmaker as well.  His movies are some of the most delicate and imaginative works of popular art out there.  As expected, his newest film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is being picked up for distribution here in the States by Disney.

The story follows the adventures of Ponyo, a goldfish who dreams of being human, and his relationship with a five year old boy who finds him.  It’s an odd-looking movie, to be sure, but Miyazaki’s work is always a delight for children both young and old.  Check out the trailer below.

For my friends who aren’t in the industry, Hayao Miyazaki is not only a master of animation, but a master filmmaker as well. His movies are some of the most delicate and imaginative works of popular art out there. As expected, his newest film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is being picked up for distribution here in the States by Disney.

The Omnivore’s Hundred

Posted in Culture, Other on August 28th, 2008 by g-t3k

Not an art-related post, but I found this list from a blog titled Very Good Taste and it seemed like fun. I’ve tried 37 of the 100.  The original post can be found here

 

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers. Read more »

The Princess and the Frog Teaser

Posted in Culture, Movies on August 26th, 2008 by g-t3k

Back when I stated out in art school, everyone in my classes aspired to be a Disney animator, including myself. Unfortunately, these were the years when the quality of their movies had started to wane.  Disney had gotten itself into a rut, to the point where every animated feature was slapped with a musical number, whether it needed one or not.  The few times they deviated from this formula, it failed so spectacularly in other fundamental ways (storytelling in the case of Atlantis, marketing in the case of Lilo and Stitch) but always managed to blame it on the medium.  Meanwhile Pixar’s Toy Story hit the world like a lightning bolt, and got everything right.  Computer animation became the hot new thing, and Disney laid off its traditional animation artists. 

While I never expect traditional animation to regain its status in the movie theaters, I still think the medium has a lot of potential.   Read more »

Music Videos from Kylie, Goldfrapp, and the White Stripes

Posted in Culture, Music, Music Videos on August 15th, 2008 by g-t3k

The newest Kylie Minogue video has been making its way around the gay blogosphere.

I haven’t really liked much off her last two albums, but I like this video quite well. The movement, the kaleidoscopic design… it’s all very… Goldfrapp.   Read more »

Sneak Peak at Laika’s Coraline!

Posted in Culture, Movies, Portland on August 12th, 2008 by g-t3k

Rotten Tomatoes has posted a few videos about the making of Laika’s upcoming animated feature, Coraline!  It’s a stop motion animated film directed by Henry Selick, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas and based on a book by Neil Gaiman.  

Mike and I know a bunch of people who worked on it, and we want it to do well.  Check out the videos, tell your friends, and see it in the theatres this coming February!

Click here to go behind the scenes of Coraline at Rotten Tomatoes!

UPDATED: 8/24/08 Link corrected

Animal Crossing and Social Gaming

Posted in Culture, Video Games on July 15th, 2008 by g-t3k

Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved video games, and in ever since growing into an adult, I’ve been trying to recapture the feeling I had when I first plugged my NES into the TV for the first time.  The video game industry has been a disappointment to me in recent years.  As gamers have grown older, most games have also lost their sense of fun and imagination.  Nintendo is one of the few companies that dares to buck that trend, so I always have high hopes for their games.

Animal Crossing on the Wii, which was unveiled today, was one of those which I had such high hopes for.  I enjoyed the game on the DS, although it never quite matched my expectations.  Despite its promises of creating a real-time interactive world based on community and communication, its world always felt a bit static to me.   Read more »