Michael VanPutten » movie

Fun music video from movie 500 days of summer

Michael VanPutten — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:33:27 +0000

I really enjoyed this music video starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel — the video/dance number is a promotional piece for the movie (500) Days of Summer. The style of the video reminds me a lot of Christopher Walken’s performance in the music video for Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice. The music video has become a great platform for dance and expression — something we used to enjoy during the golden age of musicals (1940-60) from the studios like MGM.

Movie review: Slumdog Millionaire

Michael VanPutten — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:25:09 +0000

Slumdog Millionaire will make you think about life, hope, and love.

As the story unfolds you will experience youth from the perspective of children growing up in a culture of poverty, religious intolerance, and gangs. Slumdog presents a somewhat tragic tale of two brothers and a girl who survive a religious massacre, hunger and poverty, the uncertainty of who to trust, and the bias of a socially stratified society. Despite hardship and the loss of family we see the strength of human connections through friendship and love. In the end happiness is proven to be grounded in loyalty to your family and an unbreakable bond of friendship and love.

I found the visuals of the tent cities in India and children rumaging through mountains of trash in a landfill juxtaposed to a city skyline populated by skyscrapers filled with condos and apartments for the wealthy to be compelling. I considered how Americans argue over seats in a movie theater or impatiently honk the horns of their shiny sport utility vehicle. Even though the story of Slumdog Millionaire is designed to entertain, I could not help but think how different and isolated our life experience can be. Pair this perspective with the role envisioned for America by President Obama in his inaugural speech: we can no longer stand idly by and watch what unfolds on the global stage.

I love movies that make me think. Slumdog Millionaire had a great story, memorable characters, and multiple thought provoking messages. It is one of the best movies I have seen in the past six months.

CinePaint digital film library

Michael VanPutten — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:40:43 +0000

In November of 2003 NewsForge published an article titled “First Internet Digital Film Debuts“. The article explained how Robin Rowe was working with the Library of Congress and the George Eastman House museum to restore early films including the 1903 George Méliès film, Tom Thumb et Dum Dum. The restorations were done using CinePaint (a digital restoration tool used for touch-up of contemporary films including Elf, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) and made available online via the CinePaint Digital Film Library. In a sad turn of events, the film library has not been updated since it was originally published on October 31, 2003. However, the restored stills from Tom Thumb are still available and offer a glimpse into the early beginnings of the film industry.

Transformers Trailer released

Michael VanPutten — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 18:38:32 +0000

A new Transformers Trailer was released this week. This trailer features the first samples we have seen thus far of the CG robots. There has been concern expressed online that the new movie will not play well because Michael Bay, director of the film, decided not to utilize the established style/characters of the classic 1980(s) cartoon series that brought the animated robots from Japan to America. The visuals in the trailer look pretty good. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Speilberg, as executive producer, helps the movie to succeed.

Drawing Restraint 9

Michael VanPutten — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 13:05:53 +0000

I received an invitation from a friend to see Matthew Barney’s new film “Drawing Restraing 9″. Barney has become well known in the art and culture community for his Cremaster series. Based on what I have read online it appears that most of Barney’s work revolves around building complex and expensive things and filming visually odd and interesting subjects.
Movie review links

Variety: “Drawing Restraint 9“
Village Voice review: “Barney’s Rubble Cremasturbatory art film exercises no restraint” by Ed Halter
Cinematical: “Reviewing Restraint 9” by Ryan Stewart
Rotten Tomatoes review of Drawing Restraint 9

Media links

YouTube: Drawing Restraint 9 Trailer
Drawing Restraing 9: Whats your opinion? (Interactive Form)

About Matthew Barney

Cremaster Cycle web site
Wikipedia: “Matthew Barney“
PBS Art:21: “Matthew Barney“