Secret Still

Jordan Gray seems like one of those guys that wakes up in the middle of the night with a fantastic idea, and then doesn’t go back to sleep for the next few days while working on it. That’s how I think of Spike Jonze, too. There are a lot of people with great ideas for projects, but only so many who absolutely have to see them made. Jordan definitely has the great ideas, just take a stroll through his portfolio and that will be clear. But he clearly has the follow-through. How else could he have made a feature film? Or a badass comic? Or such great type choices? If we’re separating the men from the boys here, Jordan’s chest hair is curling out of his flannel shirt. I’ve really got to stop making my metaphors sound so homoerotic.

Jordan Gray

I know that normally videos go in the Daily Videos section of the sidebar, but this video was just too good to relegate to a simple text link. Shot entirely on a Red HD at 120fps, even at a web compression level the video comes out beautiful. The shots are set up perfectly, never blown out, and some tight enough to add more tension to an already tense activity. The film is helped in no small part by the dudes throwing down some nice tricks with damn near perfect form. If I had $18k to spend on a camera you can bet that a film of me eating cereal would probably look close to spectacular. A film of me skating would look like crap, but only because I always look like crap when I skate. It’s my signature style.

Skate

If you’ve known me for long enough or if you’re just incredibly perceptive you have probably discovered that I am a big fan of kids movies and books. It has nothing to do with wanting to recapture a wasted childhood or anything like that. My childhood was great and is mostly still going on. The only difference is that now a part of me likes getting laid. Everything else is the same (I was a very complex child). And given that information it makes perfect sense that I watch cartoons more than anything else, I enjoy children’s books and movies, and that most of my life decisions are based on whether or not the time I get to spend looking at clouds will be affected. And that’s why I have two great movies to tell you about, one of which is already playing in theaters, and the other soon to come, both from Disney/Pixar.

Meet the Robinsons is pretty much the best movie I have seen this year, and that includes Pan’s Labyrinth,300, and The Fountain. Most of you probably wouldn’t agree with my opinion on that, but you would at least let it into your top 10 if nothing else. I hold firm, however; best movie so far. If I had the money I would go see it again, and I will definitely buy it once it comes out and watch it enough times that The Girl will set it on fire as soon as I’ve left the house. It’s really that good. It has everything: chases, great future gadgets, physical humor, intellectual humor, and it wants you to feel good about life. That last one is the key to kids movies and the real reason that I love them so much. Go see this movie immediately. And eat candy while you’re there.

The second film hasn’t been released yet, but it already looks like its going to be the most well done CG animation film so far. I’m talking about Ratatouille, which combines the only other thing I love as much as kids movies: cooking. Also, I want to believe that there are cute, hyper-intelligent rats out there just waiting to help me get into all kinds of misadventures. Until I find such a rodent I’ll just have to content myself with this movie. I can live with that.

Meet the Robinsons
Ratatouille