3 posts tagged “etc”

So, whilst reading Yahoo/AP News, I came across this feature on the successful storytelling skillz of Pixar, and it more or less summarized what I've been saying for years. and what the Other Studios have missed. Namely, that Pixar's movies make money because they are good movies, and the CGI stuff is just a technique.

That's why Ratatouille will make a zillion dollars, and why the new Alvin and the Chipmunks abomination will stink up the theaters than a theater full of kids who just ate Burger King onion rings, and why most Other Studios continue to pump out crap, only this time it's CGI crap.

The stories and characters of Pixar's films stand up to the test of time and provide quality entertainment because in the end they aren't some lame-ass "kid's movie" with lots of bad singing, smart-ass remarks, bad celebrity voices, and topical references that don't hold up. (Go see Aladdin with a kid today and see if they, or any adults under a certain age get the "Arsenio Hall" jokes.)

Instead Pixar produces quality stories with fully developed characters, and a story that engages. They are not for the littlest kids - better to wait and show it to them on DVD later on than drag them to this now, as some did the other day. They're true "family films" because kids and adults can enjoy the story, without anyone being talked down to, or being made to feel stupid.

Easy to say on a blog, hard to say on a balance sheet. Surf's Up!

To be honest, I really don't know why I have  this VOX blog...I signed up for it because I saw something about it at Six Apart's main page (every time I see that name I think of "A Band Apart" or alternately, Bande a Part , but I digress) and signed up. So here I am...

For now, I think I'm going to use it to post about nerdy weird stuff that doesn't fit on The N Judah Chronicles or my "other" blog no one reads as much anymore. It's weird - when  I started the NJC it was just something I did for laughs and suddenly people read it - now suddenly it's become more "serious" thanks to MUNI's bungling. (I'd rather get readers because of other reasons besides MUNI screwing up royally.)

It's nice to write something people like and that has some interest with the public and folks at City hall, but I've also noticed I post less of the fun posts I liked to do. It sometimes feels like I'm competing with certain other websites in an arms race on MUNI angst, and with less resources than "they" have. So maybe I just need a new outlet for geekiness and all will be well?

Anyway.

So for today's nerd link, I direct you to a Japanese "anime" series Gallery Fake. (Wiki entry here...) You will not find this on Netflix ,or pretty much anywhere in the USA. To be honest, I don't even remember how I found out about it, but it is actually kind of fun to watch.

It has a great jazz inspired soundtrack, and you get an art history lesson in every episode. The plot of the series is about a guy, Reiji, who runs an art gallery devoted to forgeries. He gets involved in all sorts of cons and whatnot around famous pieces of art, and the like. Like I said, you can't rent this one in the US, but you can find it via this link here. I'm not a huge fan of BitTorrenting things, but this series is NOT licensed in the USA, and most likely will NEVER make it because it's not as marketable as some anime about teenagers in giant robots with girlfriends with gravity-defying figures.

Check it out.

Greetings!

I'm trying out this VOX thing from Six Apart. Since they make Movable Type, I figure, it must be kinda cool! Here, I'm inserting pics from my Flickr account:

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