I think it’s more than 15 tonight Amelie…

😉

Swap

because a penguin needs an umbrella…

Another from Matte Stephens, a penguin with a pipe, bow-tie and umbrella, as you do sir. Check out his etsy page.

Just watched ‘Rush Hour Three’ and my adrenaline pumping from the final fight scene on the Eiffel Tower. I love how casual the deaths are. The thing I hate about films, is how quickly they end, I feel like I get withdrawal symptoms when they are over. Rant over, it’s a good action film, with fun fight scenes. I don’t know what ‘Rush Hour Three’ has to do with a cute little penguin preparing for the rain, but it does.

and now for our more dreadful sacrifice

Before I forget I want to also post this. It is Rob Hodgson homage to the film Wicker Man. I think the lines in this illustration work perfectly to create a raw and powerful mood. I especially like the print marks that look like smoke. It really embodies the feelings of sadness and loss. Below I have linked Hodgson own comments on this piece and the film.

“I love the original Wicker Man. It has everything. The story is amazing and frustrating and dark. There are amazing animal costumes. There are gruesome Lynchian characters. It’s the only film soundtrack I listen to; it sounds like Beirut if they were Scottish heathens. I drew this mono print while I was thinking about it all, but I ended up drawing the most obvious thing, I guess it’s all there already in the film.” Rob Hodgson.

Leon

I love this film. Especially because it was the launch of Natalie Portman’s acting career. She is amazing, my favourite film she is in is V for Vendetta, but then again I’m a Sci-Fi geek. And a sucker for films set in an alternative future, like Blade Runner, Logans’s Run, 1984 and Delicatessen. More on that later for for now its dress up time!

Being Elmo

This is the ‘Being Elmo’ trailer I just spent ages banging on about, I challenge you to not be moved by it. ‘Being Elmo’ is a documentary film about a young, under privileged boy name Kevin Clash, who eventually became the right hand man to Jim Henson. He transformed the character of Elmo from a monosyllabic caveman to a character based around love. He soon became one of the most loveable character on the street and an inspiration for children around the globe. It is a real rags to riches heart warming story…

The film itself has not been put on general release since it was premièred at the Sundance Film Festival 2011. But, by the biggest coincident, (whilst I was researching information for this post), I found out that the film is to be released in cinemas TOMORROW!

Go see it, I swear if you like the Muppets or Sesame Street you’d love it. Here is s list of all the cinemas it will be shown in and here is a link to the Being Elmo website. If you do go, please tell me what you think, I am the only person I know who has seen it so I’d love to chat to people about it.  I’m such a loser.

The Man with the Beautiful Eyes

Watch the short first then read my comment so there is no spoilers.

Beautiful, creepy short that brings alive a childhood memory, shared by a group of friends. The film starts off with a focus on a poster of a lost boy, but we never find out what happen to the boy, or why he is relevant. There is something so haunting about that poster, and the unanswered questions that follow. The film allows the audience to be caught up in the minds of these children and the dark distressing thoughts they possess; the uncertainness of growing up, the lack of trust towards adults and the attraction to the unknown. The film ends focussed on shop, and, as time going by, people come and go. After a while it is apparent that there is someone lying unconscious in the alleyway. Very disturbing, but never-the-less I am drawn to it.

Poem by Charles Bukowski,  film by Jonathan Hodgson. Click here for more on Hodgson’s shorts.

Ghost Reference

Most if the time my head is like a collage of pop culture references. I relate every life situation back to a movie or series that I like. For those of you who are aware of the TV show ‘Community’, I’m the girl version Abed.

So it was to my delight that I found Scott C, an incredibly talented artist who mixes his art with film references. If you like these check his site.

To close, I want to leave you with a scene from ‘Community’, when a pottery glass gets out of control: Unchained Melody. Also expect to see more from Scott C and Community later on, I promise to separate them next time.

The Secret of Kells

I’ve been blogging a lot of cartoons recently, I am not an illustrator or any thing cool like that, but nevertheless I love exploring different mediums.
The boy is an animator, so I’ve developed my own taste for illustrations, design and animation.  He has showed me some really amazing stuff from so I thought I’d share some of the coolness:

 

Secret of Kells is something that I found a while ago, from an Irish feature made entirely in flash. While stunning to look at, I wasn’t a massive fan on the story line. For more of the film art of this film click here.

Film Inspiration

‘Stasi – for your Safety’ (previous poem) was inspired by the brilliant and moving film ‘The Lives of Others’.

I wanted to portray the terror and control the Stasi (secret police) possessed over the citizens of East Germany. Thus hightlighting people’s lack of freedom in actions and thoughts. The film paints a picture not far from George Orwell’s ‘1984’, it’s utterly disturbing and I wanted the poem to echo this. Hope you enjoy it.

I have attached ‘The Lives of Others’ trailer encase you are interested: