Fantastic Book

I just received my copy of Three Trees Make A Forest, by Enrico Casarosa, Ronnie Del Carmen, and Tadahiro Uesegi, and am in heaven. They recently had a showing at the Nucleus Gallery in Los Angeles and still have pieces for sale here.

"300" (aka: The Manliest Movie of All Time?)

Never before have I seen a movie after which every guy exited the theater sucking in their gut and flexing every bulge-able muscle. Not one of these lunatics washed their hands after using the bathroom and for some disturbing reason this seemed to empower them. I felt a little uneasy being in there only to wash my face. I wanted to fart, or something, just to fit in.

Why I Love François Truffaut

Not only did Truffaut have a deep love for artists and great art, he believed in everyone's capacity for great art. Here are a few inspiring quotes from his fantastic book The Films in My Life. (Image from Truffaut's Les Quatre cents coups also known as The 400 Blows.)

"Today, I demand that a film express either the joy of making cinema or the agony of making cinema. I am not at all interested in anything in between; I am not interested in all those films that do not pulse." -François Truffaut

"People of the world are so imbued with their own stupidity that they can never believe that one of their own has talent. They appreciate only people of letters who are not of their world." -Marcel Proust

"Bad reviews preserve an [artist] better than alcohol preserves a piece of fruit." -Jean Paulhan

Wes Anderson Does American Express

For some, Wes' style of filmmaking is an aquired taste. Others simply just don't like (or get) him. However, I'm a big fan hence making the highlight of the 2007 Oscars his American Express commercial.
(PS: Those who are fans of Wes' work can find his original, 13-minute short film "Bottle Rocket" here on YouTube.)

Brad Bird Podcast

I thought you guys might like this. (Thank you, Spline Doctors!)
53-minute podcast interview with Brad Bird.

Azur et Asmar

Michel Ocelot's newest animated feature looks fantastically interesting. It's unknown whether it'll be released theatrically or straight to DVD, but it is coming to the U.S... eventually. You can read reviews of it at The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. (Both loved it, incidentally.)

Official Site
"Azur et Asmar" trailer (downloadable MP4)
Teaser (downloadable Quicktime)

Terry Gilliam goes commercial?

Gilliam made these ads in 2002 for Nike's "Scorpion Knockout Campaign."

Ad #1: "The Secret Tournament"


Ad #2: "The Rematch"