2bitFX

BYU's animation Program

2011-05-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

I graduated from BYU's animation program some years ago. And while the work that came out of that program in the years that followed my departure from the university was good, it wasn't spectacular. Like almost all student films, a bit of the stitching was always showing. Despite this fact, the program has had amazing success with every senior film garnering a student emmy.

Recently, my old faculty mentor sent me a stack of dvds of the various films that BYU has completed in recent years. I watched them in order looking to see the progression of the program. Each film had it's strengths and weakness, but as I said before, lots of "seams." Then I reached "Dream Giver." The film was astonishing. It was cg/2d hybrid short that was expertly crafted. I would have never guessed it was student film. Everything about it felt professional. It was incredibly inspirational. It made me want to go back to school to be able to make something just for the enjoyment and art of it. I tip my hat to the students and faculty responsible for "Dream Giver."

L.A. Noire

2011-02-09T15:09:00.000-08:00

WOW! Let me begin by saying, every time a game is touted as having ground breaking graphics approaching reality, I typically find myself let down by the end product. This idea that game technology is approaching what the vfx/animation world is doing is always a bit laughable to me. While games are progressing so are vfx and animation. And while I have seen impressive games before, the statement of its achievement is always accompanied by, "For a game." While L.A. Noire still looks like a game, there is some technology in it that is incredible and requires no "for a game" excuse. The facial expression captured in the cinematics rivals even avatar and surpasses Tron's C.L.U. and that is saying something. While the rest of it looks like a computer game it is impressive for a computer game. Great game lighting, environments, animation. But the facial expressions... amazing! I will extend that even to the character animation in the cinematics as well. Typically they contain the less than life tells of motion capture, always feeling floaty and ungrounded. L.A. Noire however everything feels anchored, has weight and the best part... can I say it again... amazing facial expressions! This is the new standard for facial capture, period, no genre card attached.

While the game is obviously violent and fairly graphic (usually a deterrent for my consideration of purchasing a game title), I find myself extremely excited to participate in game play to see just how far they took it. The idea that the game play is about problem solving and deduction in a way that is virtually never present in an action/shooter game is amazing. The environments and game play look amazing. I must say, thus far I am impressed.

Rango

2011-01-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Alfred Molina and masters of the silver screen, Ned Beatty and Harry Dean Stanton. As if this isn't enough, directed by Gore Verbinski, of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" fame. Now... add the talent of the power house ILM (if you don't know who that is I am not sure how you got to my blog) and it being their first feature film. I just wet my pants! I have watched this trailer a hundred times, if not more. I have a feeling we are about to see the new hi bar for feature animation, both visually and thematically.

An oldie but goodie

2011-01-12T16:25:00.000-08:00

One Rat Short from Charlex on Vimeo.

I first saw this short at Sun Dance 2007. I loved it then and I love it now.

A diagram to understand cost, time, and quality

2011-01-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine sent me this. He and I have worked together on various projects and have discussed this paradigm on numerous occasions. I don't know who the author of this image is but I tip my hat to them because they nailed it. This is the simplest explanation of cost vs. time vs. quality conundrum that we face in film (and in any industry really).

Making of Tron

2011-01-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know what more that I can say that would add to what has been done for tron. The more I admire this film the more encompassed I find myself. Everything from the music to visuals. I feel like I get to brag because a few of my friends were very instrumental in building and lighting the digital world of Tron. So as dorky as it sounds, go see it and be inspired by the vastness and amazement of the collective work of Tron!

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2011-01-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

New Years day I wanted to take my two oldest children to a movie. So with out telling them I stuffed them in the car and we drove down to the cinema to catch an afternoon at the theater. Much to my chagrin, every kid friendly movie was in 3D only. So after $60 for one adult, two children, and a bucket of popcorn, here are my thoughts.

First things first, the visuals. They were great. They didn't approach perfection as much as films past, but I wasn't distracted by the thought of the cg for almost the entire film. The 3D was much of the same except for some opening shots where some planes fly over and it didn't feel right at all. While I don't feel the 3D added as much to the experience as how it did for Tron or Avatar, it wasn't a distraction either.

Now for the story. As with any literary adaptation, I wasn't expecting to discover anything new to the plot, shy of some liberties taken to compress a story into a more timely format. My children are enamored with the first two movies, the latest film was not a disappointment. The climactic battle was a bit more frightening for younger viewers than the past films.

In conclusion this was a fun and inspiring movie with new characters and perils. One cannot remove the christian underpinnings of C.S. Lewis' novel without destroying the literary foundations of his stories. Yet whether or not the viewer espouses those beliefs to the characters in the film or not, the film should still leave the audience with feelings of hope and an overall uplifted sense. A good film.

Tron Legacy

2011-01-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of seeing "Tron Legacy" in true Imax 3d over the holidays. Oh my! I was blown away by the fun of the movie. If you are a cg nerd like I am you will love to get lost in the absolutely awesome effects. It has flaws as all films do but for what my friends over at Digital Domain where able to do, I tip my hat.

First off, true Imax 3D is worth every dollar. I was blown away. I saw the film in "regular" 3D as well and it wasn't the same at all.

The visuals were awesome. Great environments, vehicles, costumes, and fxs! The cg Jeff Bridges at times was flawless. As with any cg human it is bound to have some bad scenes, and tron is no exception. To date Avatar's cg faces are the "coup de grâce" of cg faces. But this was sure close. The hardest for me was the final sequence. Up until then I was nerding out over this cg man in just about every scene.

I must also say I love what Daft Punk's music brought to the film. It was perfect for the subject matter. The digital tones and synthetic sounds mirrored the visuals in the most "harmonious" way (excuse the pun).

I watched the original "Tron" a few days before to prepare myself for the rebirth. While my friends who did the same were very heavy with disapproval and cynicism, I found that my childhood memories of the film held true. It is not a great film by any sense but it is an incredibly interesting expression of a story built around a historically innovative film technique.

In conclussion, this new installment bring new life and a much stronger story to what was and is a "fun" movie franchise. While it may not be the most sophisticated film it is incredibly fun to watch.

True Grit

2010-12-28T14:50:00.000-08:00

I love westerns! Be it sixties "spaghetti westerns" or more serious action westerns, I love 'em. I have always loved the semi campy style of John Wayne's, Rooster Cogburn. When I saw the teaser trailer for the remake of "True Grit" I was elated. I could see from the trailer, this was going to be a much more serious take on the 1968 novel.

First let me say what a cast! Jeff Bridges, Matt Daemon, Josh Brolin! They were all awesome. And then we come to Hailee Steinfeld. Her performance was simple stupendous. Her portrayal of Mattie Ross gave the character a clear sense of strength and determination which was at the same time a mask for her characters true fear about what lay ahead.

There was amazing dialog in this movie, some of it rather campy but played so straight faced that it lent to the feeling of authenticity of the film. Part of that authenticity was in the violence. I do not particularly enjoy violence on the big screen, especially when the filmmakers seem to be rubbing in my face in gregarious proportions. While this film definitely pushed the line of graphic violence in a PG-13 movie, it was not reveling or glorifying it. It was merely a way of life and portrayed as such. While I could have used less graphic depictions, I did not find it offensive.

In conclusion the film has great heart and whit. It lived up to my excitement and as a lover of the genre I would recommend it to any avid western lover.

Yogi

2010-12-26T14:40:00.000-08:00

So I went with all my family to see this over Christmas. We opted not to see it in 3D as the cost for that many people would be astronomical and my parents were footing the bill. As for the movie... it was... cute. The kids seemed to like it, though the adult side of the story (the love interest of Ranger "what's his name") didn't quite cut it for the kids. While people seem to love or hate this cg Yogi, I think the film could have used more of the title character.

The internet is full of people crying over the fouling of there childhood memories. So, I went and watched some old Hanabarbara cartoons on youTube to prep myself for the film and trust me, your memory doesn't suit you if you feel this movie didn't have the sophisticated humor of what your memory espouses to the old cartoons. As I have found with all my childhood memories of cartoons and many movies, my tastes for humor and entertainment have refined and evolved over the years. The "awesomeness" is in the memory, not the cartoon. So maybe this yogi can be to our kids what the old traditional yogi is to us. You choose.

While we didn't see it in 3D, all the "jump out of the screen" gags were very apparent. Yogi was well rendered but some of the river action compositing was less than decent. Overall, the film was fun but I might have been fine waiting for dvd to show the kids. Because if the kids don't enjoy it enough to sit through it, you won't either. If you go into this movie with an open mind you will find it more or less entertaining.

Saying goodbye to Harry: Part 1

2010-11-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

As a huge fan of the books let me say, you have to extricate yourself from them to enjoy these films.

I got the chance to go with some friends from work to see the latest installment of this behemoth of a film franchise. It was hilarious to take a step back and listen to the resulting "round table" discussion that took place immediately thereafter in the theater lobby. The scrutiny of the loyalty to the book, the quality of the visual fx, whether or not Shawn White (sitting behind us) enjoyed the movie. Let me say when you work in the art of film industry, especial as vfx artists you are the rock stars of the nerds, and we showed it. I digress.

The story of the film was, well, previously known (thanks obviously to the books). That said, I did enjoy it very much. I felt breathless at times as we ran through the story with reckless abandon, much of which is to expected when trying to take a book of 784 pages to celluloid. But overall, it was wonderful to see something akin to what I had imagined in my reader's mind played out before my eyes.

Now to nerd out a bit. The visual effects were ranging from good to incredible. I was particularly impressed with Kreacher. His flesh seemed so tangible and human like, a quality which is extremely difficult in cg. That said, on sequence ruined the movie for me. Early on in the film there is a sequence which consists or Ron and Harry talking outside the Weasley home. It was obviously filmed on a sound stage and the backgrounds were extended using the "magic of computers." But in a few shots the green screen work was so bad, akin to that of a first year cg student, that the rest of the film I couldn't help but watch for more cg offenses.

In conclusion, the film was adventurous and fun. If you want a celluloid version of the books, this is not it. As for an adaptation, it was very enjoyable.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

2010-10-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I wasn't expecting all that much from this movie. At first glance it felt like I was looking at "Happy Feet" with owls. However what I experienced was very different. First I must say, this movie is extremely well crafted as far as visuals are concerned. While not everyone cares stylistically for the soft subsurface-y look that you can get in cg, it was well executed. With breath taking vistas and well groomed hero characters, this is a must for fans of the art of computer graphics and computer nerds. Also note worthy are the awesome effects in the film from the rain to fire to "energy fields."

While it is an awesome film to look at, it has some visual flaws. Some of the "scruffy" owls looked more like muppets than owls and betrayed the suspension of disbelief. I also hated the "Happy Feet" eyes that all the characters had, there was a little to much character resemblance between the films. For the most part the lighting was great accept for a handful of shots which were a bit of an eyesore.

As for story, the film was okay. My son, who is almost eight, loved the armor clad owls and was captivated by the story. My youngest son, just turned two, couldn't have cared less. He spent the show running around the theater. Thankfully, the theater was virtually empty and the other families there had small children. You might say, "But he is only two!" And yet, might I point out my son will sit through any Pixar film over and over, and was quiet as a mouse all through "Toy Story 3," riveted! While the story is aimed at older kids compared to most Pixar films, it still lacked the sophistication to hold a broad audiences attention. Fighting Owls may be cool to eight year olds, but the rest of us would like a little more character and a little more substance.

As for the action, it was comically, "300" for kids. Just before every blow of an opponent we would be ramped into super slow-mo! Instead of the cg blood splatter, flying feathers and armor cladding. It was very text book "300" style action. This isn't all that surprising as both films share the same director, Zach Snyder. On that note it was fairly violent considering the typical audience and at times made me wince a bit at having all my kids there. But that should be placed on my lapse of judgment I suppose.

I did not opt to see this film in 3D, however I heard it was well executed and brought greater depth to the imagery. So if you have some extra cash burning in your pocket, you may consider seeing this one in 3D.

All in all, it was enjoyable. Where the story lacked I could fill my time looking at the "pretty pictures" and admire all the craftsmanship and hard work that went into making this film. While not the pinnacle of film making it was entertaining, especially if you are eight.

The all powerful GPU

2010-09-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

GPU computing is revolutionizing computing, especially for the world of visual effects. It is putting more power in the hands of the artist and allowing for breath taking simulations that previously would have been financially inconceivable. Check out how the power of the GPU was harnessed at ILM for "Harry Potter" and "The Last Airbender."

Bollywood BlockBuster?

2010-09-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Is this the dawn of the summer blockbuster for Bollywood?

As more and more Hollywood companies out source to India and other Pacific region countries, it was only a matter of time before the "Blockbuster" found its home in the rapidly expanding "Bollywood" film industry.

The film "Enthiran" or "Robot" is the biggest budget film in Indian film making history. While the actors and production crews are predominately from the Indian film industry, many big name Hollywood players have been enlisted to help bring this project to the silver screen. Stan Winston Studios, known for their work on "The Terminator," "Aliens," "Jurassic Park," "Iron Man," and "Avatar" to name a few, brought their craft to this film designing the awesome animatronics and visual effects for the film. Additional big Hollywood companies lend a hand to the visuals including, ILM, Tippet Studios, and Cafe EFX.

Big names like Mary E Vogt for costume design and Yuen Woo Ping for laying out the complex stunt work add to the list of elite Hollywood talent.

It is very exciting to see the expansion of mega budget movies to other film making industries. Hopefully it will inject new life into the decline American visual effects industry. Only time will tell.

New images from "Sheriff"

2010-08-19T11:46:00.001-07:00

We are finish up the final artistic touches and technical fixes on the rooster. I am so excited to see things coming together.

"Cats and Dogs" in 3D

2010-08-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

While vacationing with my parents and my wife and kids we decided to go see a movie. Since we had the kiddies in tow, we figured we would go see something "family friendly." The options were, "Despicable Me," they had all seen it, "Flipped," kids would never sit through that, and, "Cats & Dogs." We had a bunch of free movie tickets so thought, "Hey, why not. The first one had some funny moments with the evil Mr. Tinkles."

The first let down came at the ticket window. The film was only showing in 3D. This meant almost a hundred dollars for the group to see the film. Ouch. Seeing there was nothing else and not much else to do, and the children had been promised a movie, we coughed over the dough (paying the difference after using the free tickets that didn't cover the cost of a "3D" ticket).

All I can say is this film was terrible. The 3D was awful. The cg visual effects were terrible, except for some of Kitty Galore, the rest was terrible. The story line was lame. The jokes lacked any punch. Even my kids were getting bored in the film. I was excited to see a cameo from the hilariously funny evil Mr. Tinkles from the first film, but the writing was so awful that I couldn't stand anything that came out of his mouth. Maybe I am crazy for thinking the first one was quirkish and funny. All the characters in this sequel were weak. There was almost no motivation to move any of the story along, at many times the writers didn't even try to string it together and just hoped the audience wouldn't notice the incoherent story. You don't care about any of the characters at all ever during the film.

In conclusion, I wouldn't spend a cent on this movie, not one. Given the chance to go back in time and get our money back I wouldn't hesitate. If you find this movie at all interesting, watch the trailer on iTunes and save yourself the money. It's a complete waste of time.

Sheriff may actual finish in 2010!

2010-08-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

The "Sheriff" production is heading into it's sixth year of production/post production. It seems like only yesterday we were shooting on the back lot of the MPS. The main character has gone through some major revisions, always in an effort to increase the quality of the project.

The project has been through many technology changes. For my fellow cg nerds... the project started in Maya 6.5 and has found it's final home in Maya 2010. It began in Renderman 12 and rat tools 6.1 and is now in Mental Ray. It started on Windows Xp and now finds itself living between Mac OS 10.5 and Linux. It has been a real adventure maintaining a pipeline for this endeavor.

There have been many production children from the various artists helping on the movie. The "Sheriff" family continues to grow. I thank everyone for their support. Especially all the wives and children of the crew. Kelly and myself look forward to finishing the project very soon.

Here is a sneak peak at a work in progress shot!

Oktapodi

2010-08-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

This film from students at Gobelins Animation School in France is amazing. Every time I see it I want to go make a short film. It's a great story and technologically brilliant for student work, it holds its ground against many professional shorts with ease. Down right incredible. It was made bake in 2007 and it still impresses. It has garnered many awards and many honorable mentions, including a 2009 nomination for "Best Animated Short" academy award.

Official Website

Amazing! How long did this take to render?!

2010-08-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

Maya scripting

2010-05-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

For any Maya artist and students wanting to expand their skills and the toolsets at their finger tips to create breath taking art. I would suggest this book, Complete Maya Programming. It is a great book to have in your reference library. The only reference I use more for maya mel scripting is the maya docs themselves.

This book gives simple and complex examples of how to code different types of syntax structure. It's not always the most entertaining read but it is jam packed with great information. A must have.

From YouTube to Hollywood!

2010-01-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

Fede Alvarez of Uruguay uploaded his short film to YouTube in November of last year (just sounds so fun to say that even though it was barely two months ago) has been offered a $30m contract to make a Hollywood film.

His project caught the eye of Hollywood blockbuster director Sam Raimi, who will sponsor Alvarez's upcoming foray into Hollywood film making. (If you don't know who he is and you consider yourself a movie buff you should)

"Ataque de Panico!" (Panic Attack!) is a virtually story-less action sequence with nothing more for a plot than gaint robots emerge from the fog and destroy Montevideo. There are no real characters to speak of, no protagonist. Short of the robots and the masses of screaming citizenry it is rather void.

With a running time just under 5 minutes and a budget of a mere $300 it is an impressive feat. The visuals are interesting to watch and don't detract from the viewing experience. The core idea of the project holds virtually no originality however. The robot designs also lack originality but are executed well enough for the scope of the endeavor. While his contract is apparently to direct a feature, this film is more of an exercise in the skills of a cinematographer or visual fx artist/supervisor than those of a director.

So far it has generated more than 1.5 million views on YouTube.

"I uploaded (Panic Attack!) on a Thursday and on Monday my inbox was totally full of e-mails from Hollywood studios," he told the BBC's Latin American service BBC Mundo.

"It was amazing, we were all shocked."

Alvarez is to create a science fiction film to be shot in Uruguay or Argentina. He intends to start from scratch to create said project.

"If some director from some country can achieve this just uploading a video to YouTube, it obviously means that anyone could do it," he added.

After hearing about this all I can say is... I need to get creating... something... big... but cheap. (sounding harder all the time) But apparently Hollywood is just handing out money and "anyone can do it."

If only us film guess could get our hands on their software!

2010-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

So... Back when I worked at the MPS the police department would come by every so often with some tape or image of a suspect and ask if we could "Enhance" it for them. It was always some really bad over recorded vhs tape or something of the sort. I thought they had departments with tech nerds writing real time algorithms for that kind of stuff... Because I mean, come on, if we movie guys had that kind of stuff... lets just say movies would be so much cooler. Seriously, if a pixel in an image could miraculously contain another mega pixel of information that some nerd just needs to type a bit on the key board to unlock then my job just got so much easier... I just need to get a little bit nerdier (vfx guess are the rock stars of the nerd world, I need to go a little deeper).

That all said, it has to be my all time favorite thing to laugh at in tv and movie plots. I wait for it to come and you can always see it coming and it just destroys any suspension of disbelief I may have had. Sadly this is one plot device that will forever be with us.

The "New" Pocahontas

2010-01-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Let me just say I went and saw avatar and I loved it. It was action packed, the story was interesting, and the fx were very good. It was great.

While I can't say I made the direct connection to Pocahontas, it was very apparent that the film contained tones of "the evil white settlers versus the earth/nature loving natives." I saw this on my friends facebook page and had a wonderful laugh upon reading it. Just goes to show there are no new stories ;)

Enjoy. (sorry it doesn't all fit you will have to right click... something... something)

Oscar Count Down!

2010-01-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Yet again the Oscars are upon us.

The Academy has just slimmed down its short list of films vying for the title of "Best Visual Effects" from 15 to 7. Saidly neither of the films I worked on this year are in the running but that is of no surprise. Not that they weren't note worthy, but they didn't fit the academy "mold."

The list is as follows:

"Avatar" "District 9," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Star Trek," "Terminator Salvation," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "2012."

image from "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Those films now on the cutting room floor are "Angels & Demons," "Coraline," "Disney's A Christmas Carol," "G-Force," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," "Sherlock Holmes," "Watchmen" and "Where the Wild Things Are."

Maybe it's just me but I am a bit surprised films like "Coraline" and "Disney's A Christmas Carol" were ever in consideration?! Has the concept of "visual effects" become so skewed and misunderstood that animated films now fall into the category? Last I looked, there was a wonderful category called "Best Animated Feature."

"It's all just the same." No it's not all just the same. Just as in visual effects are not special effects. I mean why not?! Maybe we just make one category, "Coolest Movie." That should cover it right?

Why so cranky you ask? I'm not, but a bit of ruffled feathers certainly makes for better reading.

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Feb. 2.

Land of the Lost

2009-04-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

So the next big Will Ferrell movie is coming out this summer. It looks like it is going to be an "interesting" movie. Sadly Will Ferrell for me is a very hit or miss character in all his movies. I love the Elf, Stranger than Fiction, Will Ferrell. And I always go see his movies hoping to see more of that "Will." So we will have to see. The trailer looks very fun, but I don't know that I am going to see it. Definitely not for kids... (looks more "Taladega Nights" Farrell).

He is getting so big!

2009-04-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I posted anything to my blog. So here is a photo of Benjamin now. He (as are my other children) is my pride joy. He is so happy and wonderful. He never fails to brings a smile to my face. My kids are my world and I couldn't ask for better children. And to make to complete my gratitude list is my wonderful wife who puts up with my terrible work schedule. Without her I would be lost.

Welcome Benjamin Joseph Au

2008-10-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

He is finally here!

Benjamin Joseph Au was born 8:30pm September 30. He was born at 8 lbs 3 oz, 20.5 inches. He has a bit of dark hair and is a bright eyed wonderful little boy. He as deep blue eyes and the most excellent chubby cheeks! He was scheduled for this Friday but he was just not willing to wait. He and mommy are very tired but well and healthy. We are so happy to have him in our lives.

Here is our first photo of mommy, daddy and Benjamin. More pictures and video are coming. Isn't he wonderful!?!

The Mummy 3

2008-05-17T16:02:00.001-07:00

The trailer is final out. I have been having a wonderful time working on this movie. This week we got to see our first sneak peek of the trailer when Rob Cohen brought it over to R&H. The trailer can be seen at:

http://www.robcohenthemummy.com/video.php?vidid=1496

I only hope the movie is as fun and exciting as the trailer. Go see it everyone... it should be good.

Harry Potter and the never ending sequel?!

2008-03-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

I am unsure how to feel about the latest "Harry Potter" film news. I have read a few articles and I am divided as whether I feel this is Hollywood commercialism at it's utmost, or good film making.

According to Alan Horn at Warner Bros., there are plans to divide the final book into two parts. Horn said, "Cutting the book to fit the film would have been a disservice. This way, we have an extra hour and a half, at least, to celebrate what this franchise has been and do justice to all the words and ideas that Jo [Rowling] has put in the amazing story." The films star Daniel Radcliffe pointed out, "There have been compartmentalized subplots in the other books that have made them easier to cut. The seventh book doesn't really have any subplots. It's one driving, pounding story from the word go."

I must say that the final book is very exciting and would be very difficult to pair it down to a two hour movie with out loosing the elements of the story that make it engaging. Dividing it into two parts would give more space for plot development... but where do you split it? There is also some talk that the film makers are unsure they want it to end the same as in the book.

I am a firm believer that books are books and films are films. And books based on films, should fill in where the movie can't (a script is between 100-120 pages as compared to hundreds of pages in a book) and when books are adapted for film the film must mold and adapt the story so as to allow the watcher get pulled into the story, which can be hard if the film is trying to put in too much from the novel making the story crowded and confusing. But I guarantee you that there will be an uproar if the "Harry Potter films" stray too far from the books. There are already complaints of that. I even feel in that lot with the third film... feel much of what I had loved in the third book was left out. But I have since realized that they are two incomparable mediums, each with strengths and weaknesses.

So to reel in my ramblings... I pose this question to the void... should a film try to hold strictly to the text of a book to which it is based? Should it be an interpretation of the text? And in regards to the "Harry Potter" films, is it good to split the final installment? Or do you as the viewer feel that it is just a ploy to get an extra $12 out of you? I am still undecided...

The Justice League of America Movie

2008-03-11T17:44:00.001-07:00

So Warner Bros. is pushing its JLA Movie and the rumors are flying. One thing is quite certain that with the Batman and Superman franchises well under way, it will likely be new faces reprising those roles.

Call me a nerd, but I want to see Brandon Routh and Christian Bale together in the Justice League. I have already bought into their portrayals of my childhood heroes and I don't want to have to "get to know" someone else as my kid heroes.

I understand that the studios are wanting to ride the "Comic Hero" wave while it's high. Yet, it seems like a total lack of vision and good judgment. Superman Returns... not super popular, however, one thing no one can argue is that Routh is Superman the way Reeve was in the 80's. And the main reason for that is he was almost a perfect recreation of Reeve's Superman, which is how everyone expects Superman to be played (at least all of us who grew up with Christopher Reeve as Superman). And as for Bale, he has breathed new life in the Dark Knight and returned it to the greatness of the 1989 Batman original film. So imagine those two power houses at the helm of the JLA.

Instead we are going to get two new faces that will be conflicting with the faces of the Batman and Superman franchises, which will be releasing along side this JLA feature. Justice League of America is being treated like just another comic book movie, when it should be the culmination of the afore mentioned franchises successes. A bringing together of two of the best known and arguably greatest comic heroes ever, to make the super over the top grandiose comic movie franchise.

I have this hope and vision for a deep and epic hero film... but I am afraid that what is coming will be cornball and forget-able.

Golden Compass wins an Oscar.

2008-02-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Honestly I really don't care for the Oscars... They try to honor the individual when it is all the cohesive parts that make everyone look good. That is why a core group of films get all the awards each year. Very few awards are not swayed (in my opinion) by the contributions of other participants than the one receiving the award on the film. Example: Best Actor. How much of that performance is enhanced by great music, camera work, vfx, sound design, screen writing, all these things are cohesive and hard to separate for separate merit.

That being said. "Golden Compass" won the Academy Award for "Best Visual Fx". And I must say it is exciting to have been a part of the VFX team that created those effects. My hat goes off to all my co workers at R&H and those at the other studios that contributed. It is so incredible the number of man hours that are put into making films... It is an almost impossible task and yet there is the final product.

My Next Short is coming

2007-10-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

Sheriff

This film has been a major labor of love. It started on the tail end of Der Ostwind while I was still in school. I told Kelly Loosli, my faculty adviser, that I wanted to do another visual effects film but something different from Ostwind. So we bounced some script ideas off each other. We settled on a story idea by Shane Lewis.

The premise of the story is the biggest, meanest, baddest dude in the old west comes to town to take on the cowardly sheriff, only to find himself facing something he would have never expected... a rooster with a badge!

Being that I started the film when I was in school and since then have worked on 3 different Blockbuster movies, it has morphed and changed in its look and approach since starting. Some of the elements I am kind of saddle with but in other areas there was a lot of room to maneuver. It still isn't perfect but hey... it is still born of a student film.

I have a great team of friends whom I attended school with helping me with the project and my tip my hat to BYU for allowing the project to continue to eat up resources at the University. I am hoping that for the students who help on the project will get a taste of a more real world experience of film making that many times is lacking in education.

What I am showing is a work in progress (render artifacts and all) of the new look for the rooster. He has come a long way believe you me. This is what he was:

then he was this (well not really but this was the first attempt at doing feathers and not just painted to look like he had feathers):

Needless to say, but he has improved much. He's not perfect... but then again... none of us are. I am excited as shots are beginning to be ready to render. Hopefully this film will reach even greater heights than Der Ostwind did. I would love to get to attend Sundance again. With out further adu... here he is... (right click play if necessary)

and here are just some fun posed images not really from the film but to give you an idea (not rendered... don't worry we won't have a gray rooster)

The Red Baron

2007-10-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Wow...

ok... Now you've seen it. For those of you who have seen my and Kohl's film, Der Ostwind... this is where we would have loved to take the visuals and one day I will! I hate budget/experience limitations.

Looks like it could be cool. Hopefully not another fly boys. While I found that film entertaining, it just wasn't unforgettable like I wanted it to be. I love aviation films and want them to be over the top incredible and there aren't many modern films that are. They always seem to loose the epic nature of the film by making it a love story and... oh yeah... I am at war flying an airplane... I want to see epic air battles. I want Saving Private Ryan of the air.

Someday I will make that film!

I love Independent films!

2007-10-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Sadly independent films are quite often viewed to be perverse, crass, dark and abhorrent. I would like to correct that misunderstanding. Sure some are as fore to mentioned, but there are many true gems among them. These gems are made by film makers who rise above the mindlessly depraved and take film making to the heights of pure story, relying on true talent to succeed in place of the easy and ungratifying lure of using sex and violence. Film makers who can create films such as those I am about to invite you to watch have mastered their craft and the result is entertainment that uplifts the soul. For eveyone who has a negative opinion of independent films I want you to see two films and report back. First, Sweetland:

It is a wonderful period piece about tolerance, love, friendship, and community. It is as beautiful to look at as it is beautiful to experience. It warmed my soul and filled me with a sublime sense of goodness. It is a must see.

The next independent film you should watch is Dear Frankie. It is a story of a deaf boy and his mother desperate attempt to protect him from their past.

This movie gave me a smile that I could hardly wipe off. It is truly amazing and fantastic. There is an innocence and a love between the characters that draws one into the picture, heart and soul. It is a masterful portrayal of how the human condition should be. How we should always care.

I hope all who read this will take a moment and see these films. You will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a film to rent/buy... it should be these.

"Transformers" and "Alvin and the who?"

2007-09-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

It is no new thing for Hollywood to adapt popular tv series from the small screen to the big screen. Typically in Hollywood history there was not such a time gap from when the series ran to when the characters migrated to the bigger screen. There are many reasons, in my opinion, why this model of adaptation works better than waiting longer. For one thing the show still has a following and audience are either saddened that there beloved series is being canceled or the audience at one time enjoyed the show but found themselves not able or wanting to follow the week by week drama and are happy to see a condensed version of the characters they once loved.

Star Trek was like that for me. I liked the the tv shows and the movies... the movies were just big budget versions of the shows I loved... same characters... actors... But now it feels like Hollywood is finding it necessary to revive decade old and older shows to bring to the big screen. Fine I guess... but is it?

Tranformers has reinvigorated the race for making eights cartoons into movies... If grossed worldwide: $692,958,051. It was a $150 million budget movie! That is insane... I think the flood gate has just broken open and get ready for the flood. And here they come. I haven't seen Transformers, but my friend put it this way... "It's like making out with a girl you don't know... fun at the time if you don't think about it... kind of awkward afterward at school." The point is that it wasn't good for the right reasons. It took something that many people had an attachment too and made it into something else.

Don't get me wrong... I am not against finding new ways to tell old stories... but I'm not sure of what I think about resurrecting old tv hits for movies, ten to twenty years after the fact. It kind of pollutes the image. It never holds up to your childhood memories and then you rent the dvd of the old cartoons and it wrecks it even more as you realize you had a different perception of what was good.

The point is... Is it worth revisting these old childhood memories in this fashion? I think yes... but let me add that only as the exception, not the rule. People say it is making it new for the next generation... But is it far to rob the generation that loved it so much? In reality Micheal Bay's Transformers wasn't for the little kids of today as the cartoon was for my generation... That film was aimed at... who else... my generation. It was Transformers for grown ups. And really all it does is make me long for the simplicity of entertainment of yesteryear (which was all in my childhood perception).

I like to remember those childhood shows as "great stories" with "awesome animation" that were the "most entertaining shows" and "why can't shows be like that anymore?..." So now comes Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I cringe... If you haven't seen the trailer you won't understand... or maybe you do. Alvin eats Theodore's poop. He tells Dave it's a raisin... then he pops it down the hatch. When Dave leaves, he spits it out and tells Theodore, "You owe big time." When I saw that all I could think of is... oh no.

This is the Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie I remember and loved... However it came out at the time of the series (or shortly there after, can't remember). It, like star trek, feature the characters I knew and loved as a kid... The chipmunks were the chipmunks. Doesn't seem to be the case with the new hip hop gangsta chipmunks that are about to defile the big screen. It seems like they are trying to make it cool to those of us who grew up on it?!? Seems hard to do... they were singing chipmunks... Buy yet I have fond memories of listening to eighties covers and Christmas songs in high pitched chipmunk voices... I don't think I want to let this one get ruined...

I am not against making tv shows into feature films, but when is it too old to bring back or old enough? The films may be fine enough... but at what cost?! I myself am not ready to hand in my fond childhood memories for 3D rapping chipmunks...

What does the does the expansive cyberspace intellect have to say? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Other examples for or against?

Spielberg & Dreamworks pulling out of Paramount?

2007-07-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

What in the world would possess Paramount to offend one of the... if not the... biggest directors of this generation.

Paramount Pictures bought Spielberg's baby, DreamWorks, back in 2005 and it has been one slap in the face after another.

Originally DreamWorks was to be a studio within a studio. The biggest part of the Deal was Paramount gaining control of DW's libray valued at $900 million which it later sold a 51% stake of the library to private investors for $675 million dollars. And right from the get go the marriage was ugly.

In an effort to solidify it's claim Paramount's Chief at the wheel, Brad Grey, announced the premeire of the DreamWorks produced Dream Girls alluding to it being a Paramount production. In more and more press releases, DW productions were refered to as Paramount productions which didn't bode well with Spielberg or his top brass.

Spielberg is also a loyalist in the truest sense who believes conflicts should be a private affair. He took offense to Paramounts very public thrashing of friend and actor Tom Cruise, as well as Paramounts criticisms of Clint Eastwood's marketing strategy for Flags of our Fathers.

Wonderfully Spielberg is coming to the end of the contract and can pull out and legally take DreamWorks Pictures with him. I truly hope to see Spielberg take his business elsewhere. I am not a fan of the Studio system. But I guess neither was Lucas and now he is a studio man. You may ask what is the point of this post and it is this... Paramount is crazy, Spielberg is an incredible film maker and... and... I guess that is it. Sorry for the rant.

I want to play!

2007-07-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

This is awesome! I want some of this Anti-helium! Very fun.

2007-07-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

At this kids age I was still eating dirt. I'm not all that impressed by people solving the rubik's cube... but a three year old?! Man do I feel like I was an underdeveloped child!

Do you ever lose your cool in public?!

2007-06-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

This is how I feel some days, ON THE INSIDE! Wow!!!!! I think I have been to this very hotel. I think it is the Radison on Centinella in Culver City. Watch the whole thing! Trust me it is worth it. It is obviously fake... his sound is always perfect when every one else is hard to hear, he is wearing a mic, but it is still funny. However, if you ever find yourself in this situation, get help!

and watch out for balloons!

I think that balloons get out of control too!

Celebrity Treatment!

2007-06-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Paris Hilton is free! Sort of. Her sentence was changed to house arrest due to medical reasons. I want to know what others feel about this. Apparently according to the women in the cells on either side of her they had to talk to her much of the night because her crying was keeping them up. She will now serve out here 45 day sentence at home.

Why do celebrities get such different treatment? If it had been a someone of lesser upbringing they would have thrown the book at him. A man that worked for my dad for several years was put in San Quentin, a California maximum security federal penitentiary, for hitting a parked car on his bike while drunk. Granted he had previous offenses, but he was on a bike. For his crime he was in prison for over a year. Paris was driving a several ton weapon!

Why does Paris deserve to sit at home and, according to the radio, have a message therapist flown in from Hawaii, a superstar facial from some famous somebody I've never heard of, tanning machines brought in for a "Hollywood mystique tan", and other luxuries. A woman on the radio said she would rather the heiress to serve her sentence at home and not use tax payers dollars for her sentence. I see that point, however be it a weak argument.

And yet, when we let "Hollywood Royalty" serve PUNISHMENT in a elegant resort style setting... where is the punishment? Isn't jail supposed to not be desirable for a reason? I was under the assumption the penalty needs to be an equal opposite to the crime to dissuade people from committing it?! I mean, think what would happen if everyone got the opportunity to serve out their sentence hanging out at home... or at a resort! Crime rates would go through the roof.

The double standard in our system of justice is sickening and seems to be ever worsening. What's next Phil Specter will get sentenced to fifty years in the Bahamas in his murder trial!?

What say you?

My Super Villain

2007-05-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

Your results:
You are Apocalypse

Apocalypse		92%
Dr. Doom		85%
Juggernaut		79%
Magneto		76%
Lex Luthor		62%
Dark Phoenix		60%
Venom		60%
The Joker		59%
Mystique		59%
Green Goblin		59%
Kingpin		57%
Mr. Freeze		55%
Two-Face		51%
Poison Ivy		44%
Catwoman		40%
Riddler		33%

You believe in survival of the fittest and you believe that you are the fittest.

Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...

So Chris found the counterpart to the superhero quiz! Bummer. Apocalypse is a mean dude. The question is... How could I be that much Superman and that much Apocalypse? They are kind of the antithesis of each other. Hmmmmm.... I guess I have a really clean cut side and a really evil power hungry side.

The Dark Knight

2007-05-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

The new face of Joker! Heath Ledger has been cast as the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie to star opposite Christian Bale. This is the first image to show up on the web of the villain. This shows how much darker this take is going to be of said Joker! Yikes. I was a huge fan of Jack Nicholson's performance in the 1989 original Batman film. It will be hard to top. I have very much enjoyed the new direction of the Batman franchise, I hope they continue to impress.

It appears that the Joker will take on a more true to his comic roots psychotic personality, not just a criminal minded, facially deformed villain. I am excited to see this new movie. I hope to maybe even get to work on it! That is very far out in the future and since it is being filmed in London... I doubt the post-production will be done in LA. Seeing I have no plans on going to London.... I doubt I will... It would be fun though!

To the Superman Critics

2007-05-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Oh how often we speak because we don't know any better.

I recently commented on a friends blog and recieved an interesting response to my comment. The argument had been made that Superman was a boring character that all he did was swoop down and save people from falling buildings and that he was too invincible to relate to. First off let me say, this desire in today's society for flawed heroes is disturbing. "Superman isn't dark enough" for people to relate to. He has to have a dark past for people to like him believe in him. Well for me as a Christian I must say I believe in Christ because of his perfection and can look to him for salvation because of his pureness. Not that I see Superman as a Christ like example but more as the potential I want to achieve. Being tempted yet able to resist, being able to use my power (choices) always for good. I dont' want to be flawed myself, why would I want my hero to be? Ok, the preachy-ness is over! Now for the geek factor.
To those of you who want a more complex Superman, you would like Justice League Unlimited. It deals with the idea that Superman and the Justice League are dangerous in their power and the government forms Cadmus to come up with a defense to the Justice League. When Lex Luther becomes president he does everything he can to frame, enrage, and manipulate, Superman into retaliation. In his blind anger he fights Captain Marvel, (a superhero of the power of superman) and in that battle of anger and jealousy, Superman levels a city. At one point he has Lex Luthor in his hands and with eyes flaming red with anger and lethal heat vision, he tells Luthor that will not be that man... he will be Superman! He chooses to be good. But the struggle depicted leading up to that is awesome. His battle with to what lengths should one go to serve the right!

As to Superman being invincible he most certainly is not. He was battered, beaten down and nearly defeated by Darkseid, but when he unlocked his pent up inner rage and reservation, which he always held back in fear of killing an enemy because it wasn't his place to kill, he was able defeated Darkseid. Superman was in fact killed by Doomsday and then again later by Gog. Both times he was later resurrected but he was defeated non the less. In his battle with Doomsday, which lasted three or so issues, Superman heroically sacrifices himself as he and Doomsday land simulatious fatal blows on each other. Both were resurrected and in a later battle Superman defeats Doomsday again and gives a cool revelation into his character and feelings:

"You're different now. You can think for yourself. So think about this. Before, you were a mindless thing. Nothing could hurt you. You couldn't feel pain, much less understand it. But once you have felt it -- it changes you -- forever. And you'll begin to understand something new. Fear. I've lived with it all my life. You don't want to die again, do you? The agony of what's happened to you affects your speed -- your strength ... and that little bit of doubt -- that you cannot win today -- grows. You understand now, don't you? You will never hurt me again. You will never kill me again. Never again!"

Superman also has struggle with love, wanting to truly belong to earth, and his heritage. He is not merely a man who swoops in and saves everyone. If it is cliche and lame to want my hero to be iconic, heroic, noble, and good... then so be it. But one thing you can not say is that Superman is not an interesting hero. Even if you don't buy into him... he is most definitely not simple.

Hi, I'm a Marvel...and I'm a DC. (Mac PC Parody) #1

2007-05-10T17:55:00.001-07:00

I thought these were funny and yet lame!!! They are making assumptions that the Spidey and X-men films were great just because they did well in the box office. (like that is a reason to brag! HA) Called me old school but DC will bounce back. And yet they couldn't touch Batman because he more popular than spidey (be that my opinion). They make fun of the Justice League movie notion... but I say to all you Justice League nay sayers...

When they do (and they will) make a Justice League movie, it will be the ULTIMATE comic movie ever! Don't believe me... watch Justice League Unlimited (the cartoon) and see the potential!!!!

GO DC COMICS! LONG LIVE SUPERMAN!!! GREATEST SUPERHERO EVER!!!!!

Check out the other "Hi, I'm a Marvel... and I'm a DC. (Mac PC Parody)" #2, 3, and 4. Lower than low budget but still comical. What?... I know what I just said!... If you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at! I still think DC is cool.

Which Superhero are you!

2007-05-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman		95%
Green Lantern		75%
Hulk		70%
Robin		62%
Iron Man		60%
Batman		60%
Spider-Man		55%
Supergirl		50%
The Flash		45%
Wonder Woman		40%
Catwoman		25%

You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

I have been watching a lot of Warner Bro/DC Comics cartoons and am on this weird superhero fix. I guess part of it is my excitement as it is looking more and more like I will get to work on the next "Hulk" film. I have always loved comics... especially DC characters. Superman will always be my hero but the cool thing about comics and superheros is there is a little of each hero (and probably a pinch of a few villains) in me!

What's you're Daemon?!

2007-04-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

So being that I am on Golden Compass and lighting all these "daemon" characters I thought it would be fun to see what daemon I am. This is what I got. The tiger but you have seven days from today to give your opinion and possibly change my daemon! Have fun!

Back to Ratings!

2007-04-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

I apologize for beating this dog but I just can't help myself. Recently I have spent some time reading the criteria for the ratings system. And frankly, I am blown away by the naivety of the organization. The current ratings system was established by three organizations, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and the International Film Importers & Distributors of America (IFIDA). The system was put in place in 1968 to replace the Hays Production Code, which was a list essentially of "Do's and Don'ts". It was easily viewed as censorship which is one of the most frowned upon things in American culture.

The part that gets me is this website...

http://www.filmratings.com/

It appears to be written by the founder of today's system. To make a very long gripe short, he/she says:

"The MPAA President chooses the Chairman of the Rating Board, thereby insulating the Board from industry or other group pressure. No one in the movie industry has the authority or the power to push the Board in any direction or otherwise influence it. One of the highest accolades to be conferred on the rating system is that from its birth in 1968 to this hour, there has never been even the slightest jot of evidence that the rating system has ever deliberately fudged a decision or bowed to pressure. The Rating Board has always conducted itself at the highest level of integrity. That is a large, honorable, and valuable asset."

They may not have "bowed to pressure" of a studio head or producer or director. But they most definitely have bowed to the pressures of the ever declining morality of society. I am not for censorship, we must all have the right to choose, but I am also not for letting ones moral convictions slide to fit with society. History has proven that people tend to lessen their morals to the lowest level with in their society verses those with the lowest level of morality raising it to that of their society's pinnacle.

So the question is who are these people who are judging the movies to place this rating system? The president of the MPAA gives us the answer:

" There are no special qualifications for Board membership, except the members must have a shared parenthood experience, must be possessed of an intelligent maturity, and most of all, have the capacity to put themselves in the role of most American parents so they can view a film and apply a rating that most parents would find suitable and helpful in aiding their decisions about their children's movie going."

That is a bit scary! Not all parents are created equal. The website goes on to list the basic guidelines for each rating in the system. This rating can have nudity of a non-sensual nature, this rating can have "

single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words," and so on. Which is fine and great but it seems that it just keeps sliding and making exceptions.

I will make a praising remark that more people need to read and understand about the mpaa and it's purpose and mission:

"But, importantly, we urge and implore parents to care about what their children see and watch, to focus their attention on movies so they can know more about a film before they consent to their children watching it."

The system wasn't put into place for people blindly attend a film with no question to content. One should still investigate as to the exact subject matter of a film before subjecting their children to it, no to mention themselves. Mass media has a huge effect on society for good and for bad, and society has turned a blind eye to that fact. All we care about is that we are entertained, no matter what it is doing to our mind and/or soul (how ever you would like to see it).

When it all boils down to it. Personal responsibility is what is important. I guess what saddens me most is that film making more and more relies upon sex and violence, sensationalism, to bring in audiences. It is less and less about good story telling. I question why people can't relate to some of the older silver screen classics anymore! In all forms of media and entertainment we are drawn more and more to the sensual, the gruesome, and the depraved. I worry about where the entertainment industry is going to take us.

Discovering the taste of sand

2007-04-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

So this photo was taken at my family's favorite beach in Hermosa Beach California. I love to carry around my dad's old 1970's Canon FTB SLR. It's a wonderful machine that takes great pictures. I love to think of myself as a photographer... but reality is I am a hobbiest with an expensive (old but still expensive) toy. I love to shoot nature and my kids. I try to shoot other human subjects but the huge 200 milimeter lens weirds people out. My Dogs would be fun subjects except they jump all over me when I am around so aside from an extreme close up they don't do so well.
On this day we were at the beach (mostly because I was in the mood to shoot on the beach, but the luckily who doesn't like the beach!) I finished my first role and decided to throw in some Kodak 400 bw. This was the first role of black and white that I had shot in a long time. It was a blast to see how it all turned out. Now to the point... this picture. I happened to turn just at the right moment. Well really a few moments before, my completely manual camera isn't as simple as point and shoot. I saw Lauren considering the sand in a strange way and realized what was coming. I was so happy this photo turned out. I was able to catch on film my daughter discovering the taste of sand! (I try not to think of what was in the sand... Just a cute photo) I guess that makes me a true photographer, shoot first, worry for the person later!

For more of my photos go to http://2bitfx.com/photography/

Hulk is coming!

2007-04-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

So they are redoing the Hulk movie! There has been a great deal of discussion about the Hulk as a remake. Like for instance, is it a remake when its predecessor only came out about 5 years ago? Must a comic book action film stay 100% true to it's source to please fans? Can a superhero movie be the backdrop for a deeper drama film?
The first Hulk film was met with complaints that the film was too much about Bruce Banner and not the Hulk... the dislike of the picture in picture editing... the lack of wall to wall smashing... and other such complaints. I mean wow! First off... this was an Ang Lee Film! Need we say more. I felt he brought the same creative ability that he did to his other films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Sense and Sensibility. While the film was not perfect, no film is. It's story was engaging and entertain, not an industry changing film. Yet does it have to be the pinnacle of films to be enjoyed? It's visual effects were good but not grand, I must admit I did not care for Hulks character design. Yet overall a very enjoyable movie. For those who cry of too much Banner I say... Banner is the Hulk! What are you crying about! And as for those who didn't like the picture in picture editing, it was a comic book movie. I found it the most comic like visual presentation of a movie to date. And for the wall to wall smashing, only wanting to see 120 minutes of the Hulk smashing things... Well we can just write them off as uneducated fouls who don't know what they want. Because I guarantee you that if you gave them that with no actually story, they would last 30 minutes before leaving the theatre.
I must say I have great hopes for the new Hulk. It is going to look amazing! That much I "KNOW" (emphasis). As for the story... without having read the script I can't say but I think from what I "KNOW"... it is going to be good. And for all the "Hulk SMASH" guys... It looks like it should have a lot of that too. But this is all just speculation based on a few things I can't discuss without getting fired. Hulk fans... what say you?

The Rating System

2007-04-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have some concerns with our rating system in today's America. I am interested how a film with teen violence (none of it graphic or glorified, but still sensitive in nature) which is trying to make a social statement with out using sex, profanity, or excessive violence and gore, would be rated R. Yet films such as Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Behind Enemy Lines can use extreme violence and gore (even if it is an Orc), nudity, and language and yet be rated PG-13. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed those films, some more than others... but it seems odd to me where our society places its values. It can handle wanton violence and sex and vulgarity, but not something the shines a spotlight on an unpleasant social truth which we would rather ignore. Although with the way the continue to adjust the ratings system to allow for more and more "exeptions" eventual what is today's R will be tomorrow's PG. And yet... I feel this is all moot because society doesn't seem to really even care anymore what a film is rated! What is to be done.