// January 8th, 2009 // No Comments » // Movies, Recommendations
The Pearce Sisters is a gorgeous (!) animated short created by Luis Cook of Aardman Animations (Wallace & Gromit, Creature Comforts, Shaun the Sheep). It’s a nice little story about two lonely sisters surviving in a harsh environment. Click here for the official website or click the picture above to watch the full short.
// January 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Movies, TV
Tekkonkinkreet is one of my favorite animated films and has been one of the main influences of the art style in my comics. It was animated by Studio 4c. Check out this trailer for Mind Game which is also stupendously beautiful (and also animated by Studio 4c).
Tekkonkinkreet was based on a manga called Black & White. You can click the image above to check out the movie’s official website, click here to see a clip of the film, or click below to check it out on amazon:
// January 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Recommendations, TV
I’m quite picky when it comes to anime. This goes double for any anime involving giant robots. How pleasantly surprised I was when I started watching Gurren Lagann then… its got “giant robots” down right. This show embraces the genre and the medium’s history and comes out all the better for it. It’s 100% Japanese and it’s pure fun. Not to mention action-packed, silly, and a whole… whole lot more.
While the concepts here may seem unoriginal, the execution is unlike anything else out there. It’s all energy, honesty, and passion. If you decide to give it a try make sure you stick with it until you hit episode 9.
// December 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // Movies, Recommendations
I’ll keep this short. Woman in the Dunes is one of my favorite Japanese films.
“An amateur entomologist searching for insects by the sea is trapped by local villagers into living with a mysterious woman who spends almost all her time preventing her home from being swallowed up by advancing sand dunes. The woman and the trapped man begin a strange and erotic relationship that stretches over years, as the man’s hope for escape dims.” – IMDB Synopsis
Unsettling, otherworldly, brilliant… check out the original trailer here, read an article by Ebert by clicking the picture above, or click below to check it out on amazon.
// December 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // Recommendations, Video Games
Weapon of Choice was one of the first Xbox 360 Community Games released after the section was implemented. These games are not rated by any boards so pretty much anyone with the will to do so can create a game and put it on the marketplace. You may not realize it, but this is a huge deal and a historic moment in the industry. We will no doubt see some really brilliant and innovative games being released on here in the future. While it’s been slow going so far, Weapon of Choice stands tall.
In a nutshell, Weapon of Choice is an old school 2D action game laced with modern game design. It revels in its over-the-top action, 80′s cheese, multiple guitar solos, ridiculous looking aliens, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Modern design elements soften the typically difficult oldschool gameplay. For example, if you get too close to something that can hurt you the game will slow down and give you more time to react and get out of the way. WoC is also built around the idea that it should be fun to play whether you have an hour or 10 minutes. There are characters to unlock (each with their own bizzarely wonderful weapon), multiple levels with branching paths, and a few different endings. It all comes together beautifully.
WoC was developed by Mommy’s Best Games and the lead developer is an ex-Insomniac employee (amazingly, he pretty much did everything but the music). I spoke with him a few times and he’s a really nice guy. Check out the trailer below to see how the game looks in motion and then click the picture above to visit his website.
// December 29th, 2008 // No Comments » // Comics, Recommendations
While browsing the graphic novel section of Barnes and Noble this comic caught my eye. I took it to the cafe, sat down, and read the first 100 pages. It only took a few pages, though, before I decided that I just *had* to grab this. I read the whole thing the next day (it’s epic in length – comparable to Blankets by Craig Thompson) and fell in love. It’s quite beautiful… with excellent pacing, strong characters, and a compelling story. What really struck me, however, was how it was progressive without feeling pretentious. In case you were wondering, for the most part it’s a family drama with some humor.
Click the picture above to learn more about it or below to check it out on amazon.
