Volkswagen's little Darth Vader

I liked this ad that was played during the 2011 Superbowl:

The kid's body language plus the well-chosen camera compositions really helped tell the story. I particularly enjoyed the close up shot acting as the kid's reaction after his final attempt to conquer his subject.

The New 'At the Movies' by Ebert with co-hosts Elvis Mitchell and Christy Lemire as co-host

'At the Movies' has been revived by Robert Ebert for PBS. The show will have Elvis Mitchell and Christy Lemire of Associated Press as the main critics. For more information at LA Observer and The Wrap.

Since discovering KCRW's The Treatment (available as a podcast) I've been a fan of Elvis' interviews. His comments and questions to the interviewees are informative and often very insightful. I look forward to watching his reviews on 'At the Movies' on PBS.

Maybe someday I'll get to meet him in person :)

Female Directed Movies out in 2009/2010

Kathryn Bigelow joins the round table:

The Hollywood Reporter: Awards Watch: Directors Roundtable

Kathryn Bigelow (director) with Mark Boal (writer) worked on this year's big buzz movie: The Hurt Locker

It is always inspiring and encouraging to see strong/successful female role models in the entertainment industry. Perhaps it's because I have been closely watching the figures in the past year or so; I've noticed there has be a notable increase in quality female directed films produced and they are getting recognized critics and the masses. Keep up the great job all you storytellers out there. Your work will continue to open doors to future talents and possibly provide new/innovative possibilities for creative storytelling.

Movies to check out:

The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow

An Education, directed by Lone Scherfig

Fish Tank, directed by Andrea Arnold

More movies by female directors:

Cold Souls, directed by Sophie Barthes

It's Complicated, directed by Nancy Meyers

Amelia, directed by Mira Nair

Female lead/main character based movies:

Precious, directed by Lee Daniels

Coraline, directed by Henry Selick

The Blind Side, directed by John Lee Hancock

The Princess and the Frog, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker

and many many more.

Other articles you may find interesting:

The Hollywood Reporter: Awards Watch: Writers Roundtable

The Hollywood Reporter: Awards Watch: Cinematographers Roundtable

Recommending: AMC's Storymakers

If you're interested thoughts from directors and actors, I recommend AMC's Storymakers.

Hosts: Peter Bart and Peter Guber

With two full episode available:

The hosts sit down with Amy Adams, Danny Boyle, Penelope Cruz, Frank Langella and Melissa Leo for an intimate round table discussion. (AMC's Storymakers)

The hosts discusses with guests Cameron Diaz, Nick Cassavetes, Judd Apatow, and Tom Cruise. (AMC's Storymakers)

Define "Chick Flicks"

Having done some research on the division of genres in filmmaking... I agree that the female audience is a sector that have been neglected by the industry. It is great to see that there are directors out there, male and female, who would stand up against being catagorized in the "chick flicks" genre. Some people may not mean it in a derogatory way but that is how I feel about the term. Either we need a new term for films targeted towards women or give the definition of "chick flicks" a positive meaning.

Danny Boyle on Inspiration (AMC's Storymakers) and his realization that he has not directed any films about a women.

Tokyo!

Yesterday I went to check out "Tokyo!" It has a similar air to the "'City name',I Love You" series. The showing consists of three shorts directed by three difference directors: Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon-Ho.



The stories are based in Tokyo but their theme ranges beyond love. As in the synopsis from the movie's website Tokyo! "addresses the timeless question of whether we shape cities, or if cities shape us - in the process revealing the rich humanity at the heart of modern urban life."

Out of the three I liked "Shaking Tokyo" the most. The rhythm flowed perfectly, setting up the story and its mood. The care put into each shot is obvious. Loved the idea of buttons (for clothes) as buttons (switch) tattoos. Not to mention I was happy to see Yû Aoi in the short. You should also check her out in another one of my favorite films: Hana and Alice.


Thought: Isn't it weird how we compare things, especially when they're laid out next to each other...

"city name", I Love You

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and "Paris, I Love You" came up in conversation. She mentioned that "New York, I Love You" is being made. When I heard this I was so excited. I'd love to work at least one of the productions but she said they've already been made. Online I was able to find this trailer:



I'm not sure when it will be released in theaters but I am definitely going to check it out. Meanwhile I am going to take a friend's suggestion, to work on my own "New York, I Love You" short! If that goes well, then I will work on other cities too: HongKong, Toronto, Brisbane, and even Prague (if I get into the film program).