Clinton/Kaine - Let's Do This!

Loving Vincent - Bringing Painting to Life in Exciting Biographical Film

Starry Night Over the Rhone - Vincent van Gogh 1888-89

If this film project is even half as good as it looks like it will be, it will be worth clearing your schedule to go see it. The concept reminds me a little of the very cool and thought-provoking film Waking Life. Except in reverse.

Café Terrace at Night - 1888

Waking Life used animation software to convert actual film footage of live actors into drawn-looking, animated film.

Loving Vincent uses animation techniques to bring actual paintings in the style of Vincent van Gogh to life. The story of van Gogh's life is told with the visual component completely composed of modern artists' renditions of his famous paintings and then animating them.

This has got to be one of the most exciting forays into animated film that I have ever seen. The trailer is thrilling - the artist's style has been lovingly recreated and faithfully matched with the timeline of van Gogh's life.

I'm at a loss for words to describe how interesting this project sounds. Visually gorgeous, a compelling and fascinating story and a unique and groundbreaking approach to filmmaking.  It cannot arrive in theaters near me quickly enough!

Check out the trailer!

Accio, Fantastic Beasts!

Re-enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter? Yes, please, NOW!

Wait. What??!!  I have to wait until November 2016??!!??  NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

The New Year has not even begun yet and now there is a reason to kind of hope 2016 flies by!  J.K. Rowling and company really ought to be ashamed of themselves - this is aiding and abetting very unhealthy thinking!

And wait, wait! It gets better! Eddie Redmayne in the lead as Newt Scamander!

Ok, so this trailer is laughably lame. Absurd, pathetic, unsatisfying and oh for the love of all that is magical, can't they release this film in the spring instead?!?




This newly released movie poster, on the other hand, rocks! How will wizarding world fans ever survive the wait?

ACCIO, Fantastic Beasts!

Won't Somebody Think Of The Elves?

Only 10 days left until Christmas -- ARE YOU READY?!

Tree trimming, cookie baking, carol singing and memory making - there is a lot of fun and stress and activity and stress and JOY (and stress) in all the preparations this month for those who celebrate winter holidays.

So, just to take you mind off the unfinished TO DO list -- imagine for a moment how an ELF must feel just 9 days before it's load up the sleigh day! (Talk about stress!)

Bend your ear toward the screen and click on the little box below.  Listen to the Elf's Lament by The Barenaked Ladies (with Michael Bublé).

Elf:  I make toys, but I've got aspirations.

Elf's Lament

I'm a man of reason, and they say "'Tis the season to be jolly"
But it's folly when you volley for position

Never in existence has there been such a resistance
To ideas meant to free us
If you could see us, then you'd listen

Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages
There's no union
We're only through when we outdo the competition

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

A full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous

Absurd though it may seem, you know, I've heard there's even been illegal doping
And though we're coping, I just hope it's not contagious

You try to start a movement, and you think you see improvement
But when thrown into the moment, we just don't seem so courageous

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

You look at yourself
You're an elf
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know why you aren't just happy making crappy little gizmos
Every kid knows they'll just throw this stuff away

We're used to repetition, so we drew up a petition
We, the undersigned, feel undermined
Let's redefine "employment"

We know that we've got leverage, so we'll hand the fat man a beverage
And sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment

It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

Snow!

"Hurry Home", pastel painting, Karen Margulis

As I left town in the wee hours this morning for a brief trip, a quick-moving weather system blanketed Chicago in gorgeous cottony whiteness. Let's celebrate with a beautiful poem AND a video from Nifty's catalogue of favorite old movie songs!

London Snow

When men were all asleep the snow came flying, 

In large white flakes falling on the city brown,

Stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying,

Hushing the latest traffic of the drowsy town;

Deadening, muffling, stifling its murmurs failing;

Lazily and incessantly floating down and down:

Silently sifting and veiling road, roof and railing;

Hiding difference, making unevenness even,

Into angles and crevices softly drifting and sailing.

All night it fell, and when full inches seven

It lay in the depth of its uncompacted lightness,

The clouds blew off from a high and frosty heaven;

And all woke earlier for the unaccustomed brightness

Of the winter dawning, the strange unheavenly glare:

The eye marvelled-marvelled at the dazzling whiteness;

The ear hearkened to the stillness of the solemn air;

No sound of wheel rumbling nor of foot falling,       

And the busy morning cries came thin and spare.

Then boys I heard, as they went to school, calling,

They gathered up the crystal manna to freeze

Their tongues with tasting, their hands with snowballing;

Or rioted in a drift, plunging up to the knees;

Or peering up from under the white-mossed wonder,

'O look at the trees!' they cried, 'O look at the trees!'

With lessened load a few carts creak and blunder,

Following along the white deserted way,

A country company long dispersed asunder:

When now already the sun, in pale display

Standing by Paul's high dome, spread forth below

His sparkling beams, and awoke the stir of the day.

For now doors open, and war is waged with the snow;

And trains of sombre men, past tale of number,

Tread long brown paths, as toward their toil they go:

But even for them awhile no cares encumber

Their minds diverted; the daily word is unspoken,

The daily thoughts of labour and sorrow slumber

At the sight of the beauty that greets them, for the charm they have broken. 

--Robert Seymour Bridges