Something tells me I am going to get flamed for this but, Atonement gravely disappointed me. In fact it bored me for the majority of its 130 minutes running time. I love Ian McEwan’s novels; Enduring Love was a brilliant book which they made into quite a good film. I can’t judge the translation from book to screen for Atonement as I never read it, but judging the film as it stands, it is quite simply - painfully slow. (more…)
I sometimes forget just how much can be done with today’s technology and a boatload (literally, in this instance) of hard work and determination. Case in point is this amazing bit of vfx work from three graphic designers working for BBC’s Timewatch (currently only available in the UK) to recreate the carnage and mayhem that was the Omaha Beach invasion of World War II.
Aside from the unforgivable music choice, watching the making-of montage is as much fun as beholding the end result. It’s clear that these three lads were motivated by an uncommon passion to pull off this feat. Based on the Timewatch production blog, their names are Neil Wilson, Steve Flynn and Colin Thornton. More from the blog (although it’s pretty evident in the featurette):
They are here for two days to film some basic drama reconstruction sequences that will form the basis of their D-Day landing scene. In order to catch low tide when the beach is at its widest, we head for the beach at dawn whereupon the three boys spent several exhausting hours dress up in the uniforms and run up and down the sand, as I operate the Z1 camera.
They carefully plan it so that each run is in a different part of the frame. That way, when they are back in the office, they can layer these frames up in the computer until it looks like there are hundreds of men landing on the beach – rather than just three. Later they will drop in beach obstacles and landing crafts, based on images they have gathered from books – and also small explosions, filmed separately again.
As well as the beach landing scene, they have to film a sequence of cliff climbing at Pointe du Hoc – to illustrate what Ike and his fellow Rangers had to do on D-Day. We find a small 10ft sand dune which the boys clamber up head-on into the camera. I help hold up the green screen making sure it fills the frame behind the boys. The green screen means that when it comes to the edit, they can drop in a different background – in this case, the sea and Pointe du Hoc cliff-line.
This is a suspenseful crime thriller that delves intensely into the emotional dynamics of a family imploding.
Sometimes you wish you were going into a movie with no expectations. Here, I agree with Roger Ebert: This movie, directed by Sidney Lumet, is meant to surprise you and challenge your expectations; and to know any part of the plot takes away from the skillful editing (by Tom Swartwout) and a script by Kelly Masterson that begins in the middle, goes…
As Tony Geary begins his vacation and Robin Christopher says good-bye, a human bomb holds the hospital hostage and Jake is trapped in a fire.
It was a real cliffhanger Friday with an intensity that was long overdue. It's been a long time since we've had one that left me counting the hours until Monday.Everyone knew when Carly got a hold of the paternity secret she would make life a living hell for all, but I really didn't suspect it would give her a case of selective amnesia….
Nicolas Cage sets out to find the biggest treasure in the world… and steal the Declaration of Independence.
The incredible success of Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code spawned innumerable copycats. One of the most successful of these, released before The Da Vinci Code film, is the Nicolas Cage adventure caper, National Treasure. Directed by John Turteltaub (Phenomenon), the film went on to gross over 170 million dollars at the box office and has…
Now I know this isn’t the first Zune related post we’ve made here at Motionographer towers, far from it. But before you groan, close your browser and go and do some work (God forbid) this is a Zune project with a difference…
Zune have charged Brazil based mograph impresarios Lobo with the task of creating this film which will be pre-loaded and live on every new Zune purchased, from here on in.
“The goal of the animation was to express the experience of sharing through innovative design and irreverence. When you give, it will eventually come back to you”, so stated by Lobo’s press release.
When i first saw this, i wondered whether it missed some of the eclecticism and anarchism i tend to associate with Lobo’s work. In short, i never know what to expect from them. And i love this about them. But then it struck me: Here’s a piece that has to speak to all consumers, in all markets, transcend all language barriers and communicate the essence of what Zune stands for. Now that’s a huge ask, and i think Lobo have pulled it off in fine style.
On my first viewing I ‘got’ radio, music, sharing and connectivity. And i think this pretty much sums it up (Please anyone let me know if I’ve missed any finer points of the intended messaging).
I think this project and the whole Zune venture sums up the huge leaps of faith (and cash) Microsoft have been willing to motion graphics and its ability as a medium to communicate their message. And that’s good news for all of us…
A dull third movie that’s makes up for its lack of quality with a showcase of a Blu-ray disc.
Following up on the spectacle that was Spider-Man 2 is hardly an easy task. However, it’s how far Spider-Man 3 falls that causes the massive influx of disappointment over every frame of the film. Campy scenes that feel out of place, far too much story, pointless (and wasted) characters, and occasionally lackluster special effects combine to…
A classic mix of action and satire that doesn’t fare too well on Blu-ray.
RoboCop is a movie with a bit of everything. Extreme violence, hilarious social satire, big business antics, political jabs, and science fiction at its finest make this one of Paul Verhoeven’s best. The concept of a cyborg cop running through a city destroying bad guys would be enough for most movies. RoboCop is so much more than that. The…
Philadelphia was one of the first movies in the early 1990’s to tackle the controversial subject of aids. It was the first such film to star big names and become a box-office success. Previous films had failed to draw audiences in because aids wasn’t a subject people particularly wanted to deal with. Not much was known about it and it was greatly feared. Star power was very important in the case of Philadelphia, because it was the inclusion of Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in the movie that encouraged people to go see a film about something they weren’t too comfortable with. Their presence made audiences feel more at ease. (more…)
Something tells me I am going to get flamed for this but, Atonement gravely disappointed me. In fact it bored me for the majority of its 130 minutes running time. I love Ian McEwan’s novels; 
Philadelphia was one of the first movies in the early 1990’s to tackle the controversial subject of aids. It was the first such film to star big names and become a box-office success. Previous films had failed to draw audiences in because aids wasn’t a subject people particularly wanted to deal with. Not much was known about it and it was greatly feared. Star power was very important in the case of Philadelphia, because it was the inclusion of Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in the movie that encouraged people to go see a film about something they weren’t too comfortable with. Their presence made audiences feel more at ease. 
