Archive for the ‘animation’ Category
Author: James
Pixar’s peak
A delight – make sure you don’t miss your chance to laugh and cry in roughly equal measure at the final Toy Story installment.
I ask you – manipulated to tears (nay, proper sobs) by a bunch of cartoon characters? That was me, sure enough, at the end of Toy Story 3 (2010) by Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 2 (1999)) who, along with writers Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine (2006)) and John Lasseter (Cars (2006)), has ensured that the franchise that first put Pixar Studios on the map takes its bow with all the wit, charm and sheer lovableness that characterized the first two chapters.
Author: Colin
And you thought film fans were geeky?
‘What’ (I hear you cry) ‘is machinima?’ Well, for a start, it’s going to be one of those things you know about or don’t, simple as that. The actual word itself is a portmanteau of ‘machine animation’(badly spelled in the end, but the name stuck), and is pronounced mash-in-imma, approximately. For those of you who have been away from the computer gaming scene since Space Invaders and Frogger, I can tell you that things have really moved on from boxy graphics, beeping soundtracks and the ‘pew pew’ of lasers.
Author: James
Let’s go nuts, kids…
Cillian Donnelly returns with his thoughts on the brilliant beginnings of cartoon violence…
If, like me, you believe Tex Avery to be the only true genius born in the 20th century, then you’re probably already ahead of the game when I say that Screwy Squirrel remains to this day the most tragically forgotten icon of the golden age of American animation. If you have no idea who either Tex Avery or Screwy Squirrel are, then, my friends, what a delight awaits your curious mind…
Author: James
Soaraway success
It seems that hardly a year passes without an animated masterpiece from Pixar – following the wonderfully moving ecological fable Wall-E (2008), the ‘toon geniuses take us on a new journey into beauty…and this time, it’s in 3D.
To be fair, writer-directors Pete Docter (Monsters Inc (2001) and Bob Peterson (it’s his first feature) have taken something of a risk in their choice of ‘hero’ – Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a 78-year-old grumpy grandpa, seemingly left all alone in his dotage, and turning sour at the missed opportunities of his life.
Author: James
A fine finale, s’no word of a lie…
Picturenose would take the opportunity to dedicate this review to Hélène Noël, who passed away on 16 June, 2008.
It took me completely unawares, did Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha’s Ice Age (2002), not unlike falling in love with Hélène, who first showed me the film.
Author: James
[photopress:Ice_Age.jpg,thumb,alignleft]Ice, ice baby!
Ahead of the release of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) in July, we take our own little trip back in time, to enjoy Hélène Noël‘s take on the second adventure…
It all begins and ends like last time. I mean the first time. We follow the desperate efforts of our favorite kamikaze sabre-squirrel Scrat- preceded by his priceless acorn – to progress along unpredictable pack ice. Ninety minutes later, we end up in paradise. Or maybe not…
Author: James
Dancing with death
It’s that man Gerald Loftus again, just to make sure he’s properly introduced…
Will Waltz With Bashir (2008), Israeli director Ari Folman’s animated memoir of his coming to grips with suppressed memories of his role in Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, become a subversive new model for war films? Soldiers – prevented from blogging or YouTube-ing their unit’s adventures, which may later be classed as war crimes – surreptitiously drawing haunting images in the fashion of Folman and his ‘gang’?
Author: Colin
I don’t like musicals. Really, I don’t. Many people seem to find this in some way strange, or an attempt to try to appear mildly controversial. Let’s face it, if I were trying to be contrary, I could certainly come up with something a little more hard-hitting than that. Nope, I just find them boring and nonsensical. As I am writing this for probably the best film site in the entire known universe, it’d be a good bet I like films – I do. I also like music in many of its shapes and forms. Put them together and I’d sooner stick knitting needles in my face than watch the result.
Author: Paul
The best of British
This is getting silly. Revisiting this film on St George’s Day was a curious inversion of time and space. Wait a minute here…the English/British aren’t supposed to be that good at anything any more, declinism fuelled by lack of funding in the NHS and public services, the Millennium Dome, the scandalous Olympic overspend. It is thus perhaps perverse (or maybe salutary) to stand up and shout for two plasticine models as the vessels of greatness, but Wallace & Gromit refuse to be anything but standfasts for standards in 21st-century UK.
Author: Colin
Cutting hedge humour
We at Picturenose have a mind to bring you the best in films, so I make no apology for the subject of this review. Those who complain that it doesn’t count or is not highbrow enough may not only be missing the point, but also a very good movie.
Over the Hedge (2006) is apparently based on a comic strip, although I have to admit to never having read it. No matter, because it delivers laughs, a not-too-contrived story (as if talking woodland creatures were not by their nature contrived), some subtle gags for the grown-ups and a very interesting reworking of Chuck Jones’s Pepé le Pew routine.
- Colin: Mike: the Matrix was utter toss. Don’t go there. Anyhow, I’m right with you on Aliens –...
- Colin: James: Why not do ten more and see if you can avoid putting the god-awful travesty that is Independence Day in...
- CD: The Day the Earth Stood Still (it’s about an alien who is Jesus…but better than ET) Soylent Green...
- James: Hello Chris, and welcome to Picturenose!
Many thanks for your comment – I thought, in fact, that... - James: Colin, good points, both on Westworld (which should really have been included, I know, I know) and otters.