tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post9008713544646094378..comments2023-12-31T01:23:39.943-05:00Comments on Mayerson on Animation: Oscar Nominations for AnimationMark Mayersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-16686770285994531762009-02-12T18:15:00.000-05:002009-02-12T18:15:00.000-05:00Hi Mark,I thought you might be interested to know ...Hi Mark,<BR/><BR/>I thought you might be interested to know that Mark Davies animated on This Way Up. I'm still in touch with him and he was pretty chuffed about the nomination.<BR/><BR/>Really enjoy your site!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-37894139142931073782009-02-02T11:07:00.000-05:002009-02-02T11:07:00.000-05:00http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/festival/2008/animation/0...http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/festival/2008/animation/001039/movie.html<BR/><BR/>Here's the link to THE HOUSE OF SMALL CUBES.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03559138404570089435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-71266889112728093772009-02-02T11:03:00.000-05:002009-02-02T11:03:00.000-05:00PRESTO is just a remake of CASE OF THE MISSING HAR...PRESTO is just a remake of CASE OF THE MISSING HARE. It rips off Jones, not Avery.<BR/><BR/>I'd like to know how the Gobelins has their student films screen in L.A. to qualify for the Oscars. Some of the Sheridan films from last year were far superior. (Note: Yes, I work at Sheridan, but I didn't work on the last year's senior films.)<BR/><BR/>WALTZ WITH BASHIR is an overrated, very poorly made project. I won't even dignify it by the name of 'movie'.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03559138404570089435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-71601998398445110482009-01-27T20:13:00.000-05:002009-01-27T20:13:00.000-05:00Mark, I really enjoyed reading your comments, and ...Mark, I really enjoyed reading your comments, and found them very insightful. But the Oscar should be based on merit not on who will benefit the most. However, I confess to using that criteria myself, when I have to choose between several excellent films. I actually liked all the nominated films this year, including Presto (your analysis was excellent). The House on Small Cubes will probably come out ahead, as it's the most moving.Steve Segalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04783388188278505071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-75473856062646069602009-01-25T13:25:00.000-05:002009-01-25T13:25:00.000-05:00I also thank Alan Cook for the link to seeing the ...I also thank Alan Cook for the link to seeing the nominated shorts. I've just now watched the 4 out of 5 shorts available for viewing and, though I like "Presto" for its cartoony appeal, my vote goes to "Lavatory-Love Story". It's a complete story well told and it's also the only hand drawn entry in the group of those 4. I wish that "the House of Small Cubes" was also available for viewing.Pete Emsliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01451607722482352366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-41669830742820738222009-01-22T20:21:00.000-05:002009-01-22T20:21:00.000-05:00Craft is there to NOT be noticed. It should be in ...Craft is there to NOT be noticed. It should be in support of the film, not the reason for it. <BR/><BR/>I'm always amused when people respond to craft alone as a sign of quality. Presto is a very well meaning love letter to golden age shorts, but it has nothing to say and nothing to offer. It left me cold every single time I've seen it. And, I've seen it on the big screen maybe five times in lots of kids film festivals.David B. Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12611160893518781463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-16402879797618215002009-01-22T18:45:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:45:00.000-05:00I would un-nominate Presto for rushed timing.It wo...I would un-nominate Presto for rushed timing.<BR/><BR/>It would have been much better had it allowed some of the gags and takes to breathe.<BR/><BR/>And I agree with the pastiche of past gags, I think that was part of the point of the film, to return to some of that. But it doesn't break new ground. And it is NOT that well executed.<BR/><BR/>I think the rushed timing actually could have worked better on the big screen, in a theater full of people, for what that is worth.Hans Flagonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15244291751467906313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-54331565126038574732009-01-22T17:47:00.000-05:002009-01-22T17:47:00.000-05:00Going to see Wall-E and Presto was one of the wors...Going to see Wall-E and Presto was one of the worst theater experiences of my life. I already read all the rave reviews of both, and I knew I'd be a pariah after coming out of the theater feeling severely let down. (Which was not the case with Ratatouille or The Incredibles,)<BR/><BR/>The first time I saw it was with my dad, who said of Presto, "Well, they avoided a lot of cliches in that." I'm not too sure. It's OK, but I felt underwhelmed.<BR/><BR/>Of course, Wall-E is 'drek'. "Best Screenplay"? Seriously? The Academy has honored worse films before (like the disgusting sweep the one Lord of the Rings film made) so nothing really surprises me. Just repulses.Thadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443425643665474645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-57074969336324155262009-01-22T10:46:00.000-05:002009-01-22T10:46:00.000-05:00I don't want to overstate my feelings for Presto. ...I don't want to overstate my feelings for Presto. It's a pastiche of Avery/Jones style gag cartoons and from a content standpoint, doesn't offer anything we haven't seen before. However, I think the film is very well executed.<BR/><BR/>There are many people who have attempted to do a "classic" style cartoon and most fail because they fall short on the craft level. Presto's story construction is excellent (though admittedly not ambitious). I also think that the posing and timing work very well. I'm not a fan of films like Roger Rabbit, where the animation moves so quickly you can't read it. Presto is timed fast enough to make the comedy work but no so fast that the acting details get lost.<BR/><BR/>I think that there <I>is</I> character animation in the film, but it's based on a limited conception of character. That limited conception was common in old theatrical shorts, so I don't hold it against Presto. <BR/><BR/>I think that the film holds its own against the Avery gag cartoons of the late '40s and early '50s (like Magical Maestro) and against Jones one-shot cartoons like The Eager Beaver or Much Ado About Nutting. It reminds me a lot of Michael Maltese's style of gags when he wrote cartoons that weren't for established personalities like Bugs or Daffy.<BR/><BR/>My preference for Presto over Oktapodi is that Presto has a resolution. The character conflict ends because the characters see the wisdom of helping each other instead of focusing exclusively on their own needs. Oktapodi is just an endless chase with even less character development than Presto.Mark Mayersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-86434514640225901582009-01-22T10:26:00.000-05:002009-01-22T10:26:00.000-05:00I don't see why Presto is any better than Oktapodi...I don't see why Presto is any better than Oktapodi. Perhaps it's something technical that they're doing that makes it better than I'd understand. Imagine it as a 2D film - would it be better than 100 other films just like it done in the recent past? I even feel that the scenes don't smoothly cut together for the sake of coherency.<BR/>You're right, I'm probably being unfair.Michael Spornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02018522723674960270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-33747536575578489272009-01-22T09:22:00.000-05:002009-01-22T09:22:00.000-05:00I have a higher opinion of Presto than you do, Mic...I have a higher opinion of Presto than you do, Michael.<BR/><BR/>While Oktapodi had some nice action sequences, I didn't feel that they added up to anything in the end. The film was a pleasant diversion, but not something that inspires repeated viewing.Mark Mayersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-14727482740529135372009-01-22T09:17:00.000-05:002009-01-22T09:17:00.000-05:00There are two 2D films nominated:The House of Smal...There are two 2D films nominated:<BR/>The House of Small Cubes (my favorite of the five) and <BR/>Lavatory-Lovestory (an excellent film from a star in Russia).<BR/>Presto is drek, Oktapodi is a student film and feels like it, and This Way Up is excellent cgi.<BR/><BR/>Of course, this is all just my opinion. Many people like the attempt to rip off Tex Avery in Presto, but it looks like a cgi imitation of a Flash product. There is no <B><EM>character animation</EM></B> in the film.Michael Spornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02018522723674960270noreply@blogger.com