short

Want to see a funny video with a great jazz soundtrack?

Of course you do. Allen Mezquida was kind enough to send over his latest video featuring his character Smigly as he attempts to become a hit jazz musician on YouTube but faces tough competition at every turn.

In case you’re wondering, The Big Phat Band is a real band! Hit the link for their website with a behind the scenes video of the production of their latest album.

 

Want to see a funny video with a great jazz soundtrack? Read More »

Anomaly Appraisal: The External World

Embedded above is 17 minutes of perhaps the most insane, random and almost gut-wrenching animation I’ve seen so far this year. Warning: it’s definitely NSFW and contains plenty of adult themes, although the film addresses that point oh so adroitly somewhere in the middle.

I wrote about David OReilly a while back with an admiration post, and having watched The External World, I can safely confirm that I was correct in my observations.

This is not necessarily a film for the faint-hearted. There are plenty of scene that one might conclude were included only for their shock value. While that may be true, those same scenes have to be viewed in the context of the whole film, and then they will most likely get a laugh.

The film is loaded with pop-culture references (video games, TV shows, etc.) although they only support the action that’s actually going on. In stark contrast to OReilly’s previous film, Please Say Something, there is little, if any, invitation for the audience to connect with the characters, who are never given a chance to develop.

Some don’t like this aspect of the film, but I was perfectly fine with it. It’s almost like you are flicking the channels while watching TV. If you are not intimately familiar with the characters on the screen, then you are much less likely to care about them, and I think this is what David was aiming for.

The External World is full of David’s wit, which is just as sharp as his animating skills. There are tons of side jokes, background gags and of course, the actions of the sardonic characters themselves. Besides the pop-culture references, there are plenty of animation references, including cartoons of the 1930s (in particular Felix the Cat, of whom David is an avowed fan). Of course, these are not mere references but modern interpretations thereof.

Overall, there’s not much more I can say about this fantastic film. It is well worth watching and it has seemed like an age for it to finally make it to the internet. David is offering a HD version for download for 4 euros, which is hardly breaking the bank to own such a great short, and it supports the man too.

With The External World, David OReilly has proven that he is a filmmaker with considerable skill (and if my twitter feed is any proof, has a heck of a following in the animation community and beyond).

Anomaly Appraisal: The External World Read More »

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Animation

It’s already been established that I like the Scott Pilgrim comic series and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this last week, you will have probably noticed that there is a film of the same name currently playing in cinemas. Never mind that it isn’t number 1, the best is yet to come.

Tying in with the film is of course, the obligatory video game but what really set the film apart from others base on comics is the fantastic short film broadcast on [adult swim] right before the film’s opening weekend. It is of course embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitByGeWGxU]

What did you think? It’s pretty darn good isn’t it? I particularly like how the design plays very close attention to the comics. Too often we have seen an animated “adaptation” that looks like something completely different from the original material, in a bad way, shows like Teen Titans are proof that it can be pulled off successfully.

The film doesn’t stray from the comic script. This does work in it’s favour but perhaps only because it is a short film. Having seen this, I can understand why the Edgar Wright used the comics as a guide for creating a slightly more original film.

As I think I mentioned in the previous post, I would personally have preferred to see Scott Pilgrim in animated form. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the film (I did) but I just feel that animation is a far better form of expressing comics than live-action.

Titmouse Animation should be heartily congratulated on putting together this fun little film that offers a glimpse into what an animated Scott Pilgrim would look like. It’s great looking, funny, spares no expense (thankfully) and keeps all the comics details intact. We are unlikely to see something like this in the future but what we’ve got right now is just perfect.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Animation Read More »