In My Humble Fuck You Opinion... Renn's Blog

I like the one-word movie reviews. What a delightful way to eschew bias and bring down the wrath of the 5 out of 5 I-Pods crowd.

Excellent stuff, Renn, and a fantastic last paragraph. Many kudos. Consider yourself blogrolled, sir.

Cool blog, Renn. I look forward to the next one.

I love things with ass to it.

I didn't know Cemetery Man was acclaimed by anyone. I guess it didn't click with me either. And now thanks to your blog, I too feel like I must give it a second watch. And I'm not happy about that.

Cemetery Man has been one of my favs for years. I was planning on blogging about how underrated director Michelle Soavi is. Here's my DVD review if you're curious:
http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd...l-edition.html

To elaborate on my already overlong review, I think that not getting it is the first step on the road to getting it, because the point of getting it is to accept not getting it, because there perhaps isn't anything to get in the first place.

Soavi is paying homage to a number of different concepts, while also making a comedy ("Did you hear that?" "It depends."), mostly about romance, and about the ennui apparent in Office Space. Killing zombies is just a job, but it's also this tragic thing that his is what the character has fallen into.

I love that the film starts with the closing image, such a brilliant example of hiding in plain sight, and just on a visual level, Soavi has few peers in this effort. I fell in love with this movie when Dellamorte's cigarette match became the fire engulfing the building. There's a number of moments like that, of brilliant set up (shooting off the wings for the fallen angle shot, for instance). As per the ending, I have my interpretation, but I think - as Hampton Fancher said about Blade Runner - The question is more interesting that the answer.

Ok, I'm moving up production on my Soavi blog (family's in town this week, probably won't get it done 'til the weekend). I really think he stands to be one of the best filmmakers in the world, and after his Michael Mann influenced crime films I would love to see him handed a high profile comic book movie. I think he could strike that balance Ang Lee struggled with.

I'll try figuring out what the difference between the two studios are! Ahem...

Basically, I think the phenomenal success of Shrek screwed them over big time (artistically, of course). Before Shrek, they tried to do the Pixar thing while trying to do the Disney thing. They took some risks in a relatively safe way (Exodous as a Broadway musical!?). They tried beating Pixar to the punch with a CG bug movie. Basically, it was an animation studio trying to find its footing in the long shadow of the Walt Disney Co (even as Disney was struggling with itself).

Shrek put them on easy street. They found something that completely worked and followed that business model to fatigue. This much is obvious to anyone who cares about this stuff. But the important part is that it created a wall. So no matter how hard the real artists at Dreamworks try, they could never approach the level of care evident with Pixar. Because the wall prevents them from having complete freedom the way Pixar does.

Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird both talked about the way Pixar works. It's a director-based studio. No spec scripts, no adaptations of previously available material. They create from scratch.

And Dreamworks? Shrek was based on a kid's book, though the final movie really had nothing to do with the book. I wonder why they even bothered? Antz sounds like it was an idea Katzenberg took with him to stick it to Eisner. Shark Tale? Madagascar? Please... Their only recent one that was pretty good was Over The Hedge which was also based on existing material. Other than that? Lots of Shrek sequels. That and a lame Jerry Seinfeld movie. Even Kung Fu Panda owes so much to the genre it's paying homage to. It could hardly be called original.

When Pixar makes a film, each respective director seems to truly CARE about the film. It's THEIR film. They're not making it because Katzenberg deemed it wise.

Kung Fu Panda was a step in the right direction only because it looked like they took the beating they received about Shrek's pop-culture humor to heart and finally made a film that could be watched at any given time. But even then, you can't say much for the story. Standard stuff tha twas handled pretty well. Sometimes VERY well. But definitely felt like it was on auto-pilot.

Pixar isn't flawless in this regard either. But where Dreamworks is now, is several years ago for Pixar. A Bug's Life is usually considered one of their lesser entries. But that was 1998. More recently, Cars. A very good film, I think. But one that definitely felt like it came from Dreamworks, from some of the casting to the useless Schwarzennegar reference (though I did laugh... and Arnold is pretty timeless at this point, eh? Eh?). But the two films surrounding Cars... The Incredibles and Ratatouille. Whatever sense of that Pixar 'inspiration' that was lacking in Cars is completely made up for with those two films.

It actually really creeps me out that DisneyPixar (I hate that name...) plans to make a Cars 2. I think it's a sign of some bad things to come. It felt like even those AT Pixar weren't all that invested in the first Cars. So why make another? It did gangbusters with the merchandising. Ratatouille may have been more respected and made more at the box-office, but it didn't nearly as many toys as Cars did. And if that's the reason Cars 2 is being made... shudder.

... I think I lost my train of thought with that one.

Wait! Got it.

Another aspect that makes Pixar rise up above the other animation studios is its willingness to tell very emotional and earnest stories. They're not afraid of sentimentality. Dreamworks and other studios will put in some obligatory scenes of emotion (gotta make'em laugh and cry!). But in their need to reign as the 'hip' animation studio, they botch it by generally punctuating such moments with sexy, snarky, slight levity.

Andrew Stanton just wants to be moved the way Spielberg moved him with Close Encounters. The way Darabont did with The Shawshank Redemption. Like Wall-E, they're not sexy but they get the job done. And he thinks that if you're not willing to be emotionally naked when telling a story, why tell it? Put yourself out there emotionally as an artist. Don't follow trends. Don't listen to the audience thinks it wants. Be an arbiter of taste.

And I heard Stanton say all this from a podcast run by an animator at Pixar. A guy who does it in what little spare time he has. And all these pros are openly willing to share their wisdom. I'm not certain, but I don't think Dreamworks has anything like that.

Apply this mindset to a studio that is constantly hiring the best and hardest working people in the industry. The people who work at Pixar NEVER stop. Their artists write comic books for themselves (which are published in a collection), animators teach classes through physical campuses as well as Animation Mentor. They're constantly learning in order to keep their skill up because they know that there are a lot of even more talented people waiting to take their jobs once they're out of CalArts.

It's pretty scary. And very inspiring. And I think it's what puts them above Dreamworks.

From blog 5 to blog 7 with nothing but a preview for a blog 6?! How dare you? Your loyal readership grows weary!

Pretty hilarious Gumby action. Good job.

Late on this one, but I'm glad I'm not the only chewer to like and appreciate The Strangers. I realize that I'm bringing some of my own baggage and expectations into the film, but it really worked for me overall. I can nitpick it all day long and point out the flaws, but it's strengths worked for me. In the end I feel horror is mainly a visceral experience and regardless of my personal additions, if it got under my skin on me, it got under my skin. The first half worked, the ending worked and the way the killers was handled REALLY worked. I'll forgive the final shot as a shout out and let it go.

I love the Soul Melies poster.

I totally agree. And digging the blog Renn. Keep it up.

I saw Hearts of Darkness years ago on VHS. The only thing I still remember is Martin Sheen's freakout. If I remember correctly, Sheen was upset because he was reading the book, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and he got impatient with all the boat details.

So you just saw it. Did I remember that right?

I'm talking about the hotel scene. Just kidding about the book part.

Great pictures, Renn. Love the good 'ol middle finger "fuck you" to all the shitty flicks. That Pineapple Express standee looks great, but the Tropical Thunder one looks magnificent.

Yeah, I wouldn't doubt it if some of those "kiddee" flicks turn out to have a few genuine laughs in them, but I don't really see them, so I wouldn't know. Looking forward to seeing Wall-E though. Haven't felt like that in a long time for a cartoon.

Great one today, Renn. Really well written.

Animated-News linked to your blog about Pixar/Dreamworks...you're famous!

Which reminds me...when are you going to submit another piece to the newsletter? Or are you too big now?

Great blog as always Renn. I'll have to check out the Criterion when it's re-released.

Wow Renn, you've been referenced elsewhere. Congrats!

It's time to cash out! Success is a foregone conclusion!!!!