Film

5 Things That A Wolverine Movie Needs…

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I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine last night. Instead of my usual review, I thought I would switch it up. Here is a list of 5 things that I think a Wolverine movie needs:

sabretoothAwesome Villain(s): Wolverine is the toughest and most bad-ass X-Man ever! I won’t even argue with someone who doesn’t think so. Case and point, I downloaded an anime podcast once, the two hosts started the podcast by saying that Wolvie was weak  and that Cyclops (CYCLOPS!) was tougher. That podcast got an immediate delete! Anyway, a bad-ass character needs a bad mutha-fuggin villain and Wolvie has one of the best rogues galleries. Even though Sabretooth is the obvious nemesis,  Omega Red, Cyber, Lady Deathstrike, and the Hulk work just as well. 

 Jack Bauer-like: When folks think about Wolverine, it’s the claws that most people think of. However, Wolvie is so much more than that. Before the adamantium thing, Logan was quite the soldier/ secret agent.  He used strategy, his instincts, and the environment around him to help out. If he wanted to, he could be as stealthy as a ninja one minute, then unleash rage the next. He was Jack Bauer before Jack Bauer… jack-bauer

wolverine56Team X/ Weapon X:  These two things go hand in hand.  Team X was huge part of Wolvie’s life. The characters of Deadpool, Maverick, Silver Fox and Sabretooth play huge roles in Wolvie’s life. Logan was arguably the best one out the secret black-ops team known as Team X. This was the reason he chosen for the Weapon X program which bonded that adamantium to his skeleton. The procedure was so painful, damaging and and draining that part of his healing factor was lost along with most of his memories (with the help of those doctors and scientists). Plus that Weapon X helmet was fuggin awesome!

Berserker Rage: There has to be at least one point in a Wolverine Movie that Wolvie just loses it and becomes the animal that is festering inside his mind. No dialogue, no thought process, just pure animal rage and a lot of asses kicked! Wolvie’s berserker moments are some of the best action sequences in comic books. cover-large

wolvie-lonerSearch for Identity: . After the Weapon X thing, he spends years trying to reclaim his past and find out who he was or is. Before the Weapon X thing, Wolvie was always unsure of his place in the world. So the most important thing about a Wolverine movie is his never ending search for his identity. 

Bonus Points: Extra credit for the movie if some nods to other Marvel characters that influenced Wolvie makes it into the film. How about during a WWII flashback, we see a soldier named Steve Rogers? Or maybe, someone asking Logan about helping find a missing doctor, Dr. Bruce Banner? huh… anyone … anyone? war-machine-captain-america-hulk

So did the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie hit on all the things I wanted? Hit the Jump to find out! Continue reading →

“Birthday Boy” dir. Sejong Park (2004) Korea

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Birthday Boy/ dir. Sejong Park/ 2004/ Korea

birthday_boy_pBirthday Boy takes place in 1951 during the Korean War. It follows a young boy named Manuk (not Manok… if you don’t know ask a Filipino), as he plays war games while living, ironically, in a war torn village. He longs to be a soldier, and on his birthday he receives a special present.

Birthday Boy, while only minutes long, is a compelling film, and one that really makes you think about the effects of war. Everything in this short just comes together beautifully. Sejong’s animation, especially on Manuk’s facial expression and poses, is awesome. The sound design which is gentle and subtle, match perfectly with the mood and setting of this short. Sejong Park does a masterful job of showing the innocence of Manuk while at the same time showing the devastation and ravages of war. You can’t help but feel some sorrow as Manuk, totally oblivious of the war-torn world around him, plays war games and longs to be part of the same world that has caused all the havoc that is around him.

See this Oscar nominated short here:

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Review: Wonder Woman (Animated Film)

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Wonder Woman (animated film)/ dir. Lauren Montgomery/ 2009

0723n_wwdvdcoverFrom what I remember, there have only been two iterations of Wonder Woman in animation history. The Super Friends version, which was cool, albeit a watered-downed kiddy version of Wonder Woman (still classic though!). And the Bruce Timm Justice League Wonder Woman, where she kicked more ass than Superman. This version of Wonder Woman (the Bruce Timm version) was hardcore and was one of my favorite characters in that series. Alas, Wonder Woman was always part of the “team”, and unlike the other of the big 2 DC Superheroes (Batman & Superman), she never had a solo show of her own. 

This all changed with the release of the Wonder Woman animated film. Still not her own show, at least she gets her own animated film. With Bruce Timm producing, this Wonder Woman sets herself apart from the other iterations of animated Wonder Women.  (Hit the jump for the rest of the review) Continue reading →

Filipin@s: Gini Santos

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When viewing a video lecture for class, there was this one guest speaker that really got me inspired. I couldn’t help but have this feeling that this girl was Pinay.

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I was SO right! This is Gini Santos, animator for Pixar.

Gini grew up on Guam, but was sent by her father to go study in the Philippines. Initially hesitant, the beautiful country, culture and people of the Philippines grew on her. She went to the University of Santo Tomas and took up a Fine Arts Major in advertising. 

She got into computer animation when she was getting her Masters. She sent her reel to Pixar and well… here are some of the films she has worked on: Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille. 

Here are two Pixar shorts she’s worked on as well. She was the supervising animator for “Lifted.”

It’s nice to know that a strong Pinay like Gini is working at Pixar…

Gini Santos , at one time, was a mentor at animationmentor.com (my school). Too bad she is no longer a mentor at my school. It would have been awesome to learn from her… maybe she’ll come back… PLEASE COME BACK!!!

Review: Renaissance

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Renaissance/ dir. Christian Volkman/ 2006/ France

Taking place in the futuristic Paris of 2054, Renaissance is the story of Karas, a policeman with controversial methods, as he tries to solve not only the abduction of a young researcher and scientist Llona Tasuiev, but her connection to a secret project from the uber-corporation Avalon. 

The visuals and art style of Renaissance is what made me want to see this movie. I make it no secret that I enjoy the noir-ish, high contrast black and white art styles of Sin City and MadWorld (which I still have yet to play). And make no mistake, Renaissance is GORGEOUS! Beautifully animated, with a flair and style I have never seen in animated films. 

The director, creators, and writers tried to come up with a story and feeling that mixed steam-punk, sci-fi, mystery, crime drama, and thriller all together. Too bad, all that came out was another cliched police crime drama. With dialouge like this:

Bislane (Llona’s sister): “Why are you in the police force if it is so destructive and corrupt?”

Karas: “Because it’s the only world I know”

I couldn’t help but groan. (Hit the jump to read the rest of the Review) Continue reading →

Chambre 217

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Chambre 217/ dir. Vincent Desbiens/ canada/ 2009

Here’s a film that caught my eye about a week ago. The 2D animation is beautiful to look at. Everything seems to have a nice progression to it as well. Director Vincent Desbiens art style works perfectly with this animated piece. In fact, it reminds of the bold days of MTV, when they used to show cutting edge animation on their Liquid Television series…aww memories.

It’s a fun look into the mind of the man inside chambre 217. My only critcism (its a criticism I have of alot of animated pieces), is that I wish there was more of a message and substance to the film. But I can’t really ask for that in every animated piece… can I?

But it’s definately eye candy though!

Bootleg Classics: Speedy Gonzales (film)

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Some of my favorite cartoons while growing up were Transformers, He-Man, ThunderCats, and Ninja Turtles. I even enjoyed watching Jem, Strawberry Shortcake, and Rainbow Brite with my older sister. But between those shows there were always several Looney Tunes shorts to fill out the Saturday Morning Cartoon lineup. Of all the Looney Tunes characters, there was one that resonated with me the most.  That would be the one “brown” Looney Tune character out of the whole bunch, Speedy Gonzales.  This Bootleg Classic is the best of the Speedy Gonzales shorts, and the Academy Award win proves that.

Speedy Gonzales/ dir. Friz Freleng/ 1955

speedy_gonzales_titlesBackground:

From 1930 – 1969, Warner Bros. had a cartoon series called Looney Tunes, that consisted of animated shorts that showed at movie theaters.  These animated shorts featured the popular characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Tweety, Marvin the Martian, Taz, Wile E. Coyote, the Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite San, Pepe Le Pew, and many others. The Speedy Gonzales short featured the newly redesigned Speedy Gonzales, and was the first meeting between Speedy and Sylvester the Cat.

The Film:

There are a group of mice who are starving and are trying to get cheese from the AJAX cheese factory. The only problem is that there is a cat, Sylvester, who is gurading the the factory and the cheese. Other mice have attempted to get past Sylvester and get the cheese, but all of them have been eaten and died in the process.

Then one of the mice has a  brilliant idea to enlist the services of “the fastest mouse in all Mexico” Speedy Gonzales. After telling their plight to Speedy, Speedy agrees to help.speedy_gonzales2

Then some hilarious confrontations between Speedy and Sylvester occur, with Speedy always ending up the victor. Eventually, Sylvester decides to blow up the whole factory so nobody will get the cheese, but the plan backfires as all the cheese lands near the hungry mice.

Speedy then says “I like this pussycat fellow; he’s silly!” and the short ends.

To watch this Academy Award winning short and find out WHY it is a Bootleg Classic, hit the jump…

Continue reading →

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage

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Since I’m studying to be a character animator, I have begun to observe people and things in a new light. Take for example one of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all-time, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3. Even though the big match at Wrestlemania 3 that year was the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant showdown, Steamboat vs. Savage stole the show. It is amazing to watch both The Dragon and Macho Man tell a compelling story with athletic skill and body language only. Watch the 2nd half of this great match here:

Now hit the jump to see my film study of this match…. Continue reading →

Review: Tales of the Black Freighter

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Tales of the Black Freighter/ dir. Mike Smith, Daniel DelPurgatorio/ 2009

tales_of_the_black_freighter_dvdHere’s a quote from my review of the Watchmen live-action movie on March 6:

The side stories, “Under the Hood,” “Tales of the Black Freighter,” “New Frontiersman” articles, psychological reports, etc. that were in the comic that seemed like filler, became more appreciated after I saw the movie. These “fillers” served as pillow moments to help you, the reader, understand not only the characters in this world, but also give you an analogy of the choices many of the “heroes” had to make. Their omission from the film was necessary for time (who wants to see a 4 hour movie?), but came at the expense of the flow and rhythm of the narrative.

The “story within the  story” Tales of the Black Freighter was released on DVD on March 24, but it wasn’t until yesterday after watching an episode of Lost (not one of my favorite episodes of the season last night, but still eventful…) that I was able to watch it. Thanks Brett for bringing the DVD. 

Tales of the Black Freighter is a good companion piece to the Watchmen movie. Admittedly it does lose some of its analogous edge since it is a stand alone piece, but unlike the Watchmen movie, which I felt was more of  a supplement to the comic book, Tales of the Black Freighter can actually stand on its own as an animated  short. 

Hit the jump to read the rest of the review (btw, the Under the Hood Documentary is also included in the Tales of Black Freighter DVD, however, I will stick to the animation for this review). Continue reading →