Disney Presents: Dumbo

Parents know this routine - too many times you are 'forced' to watch films you really wouldn't like to.
Such is the case with Disney's Dumbo.
I didn't like it as a kid nor do I like it now. Something in this story doesn't appeal to me and I find it more heartbreaking then entertaining.

Anyway, the Little Miss asked to watch the flying elephant yesterday and while I put it on, trying to keep on what I was doing at the moment, I couldn't miss those opening titles.
Whoa!!! What an explosion of beautiful typography, excellent colour palate and quirky style! I couldn't stop watching!


P.S. Have you noticed the film's year on the third image? MCMXLI which is 1941

P.S.S Trivia: Dumbo is said to be Walt Disney's favorite film made by his studios

The End

I found this massive collection of movie title stills here and just had to share with you. I really like it that they collect the end title stills! What a treasure and awesome source of inspiration! (check it armed with a fast broadband or a lot of patience as those pages are loaded!)

The Man is away for the next 10 days, visiting his family in Russia, and so I'm looking forward to long quiet evenings with a lot of old black and white movies and easy wine. I'm going to start with this one that I've wanted to watch for a long time now. Any other recommendation for a good oldie?

The Ghost Writer

Do you enjoy going to the movies by yourself?
I really like it from time to time.
I somehow find the experience of watching a movie alone much more intense than when I'm in a company. I can't really figure why it is so.

Yesterday was cold and wet and I planned to go out and watch Cairo Time which is relatively an easy and short film (can someone explain me why the majority of the movies nowadays are longer than 120 minutes? much too long to my taste). The romantic plot and the warm, exotic location of it - Cairo, seemed like a good choice for such a cold day.

I was late and eventually ended up watching The Ghost Writer.

It was the exact opposite of what I was after - a thriller (usually not my cup of tea), which takes place on an isolated island, in a very cold time of season.
Even so, I enjoyed each and every minute of it and liked it from every angle. It is one of the most elegant and aesthetic films I've seen recently.
Its setting is so impressive. The use of the weather, the alienation and isolation feeling of being on an island, the impact of the concrete house and the color scheme of the whole movie, are magnificent.
Set aside the story, the story behind the story and the story of the making of it, which are all interesting enough, the cinematography of The Ghost Writer and its sense of beauty are good enough reasons for watching it.

Would love to hear your impressions if you have watched it!
(And also please share your recommendations for other beautiful movies! I'm in a need for more!)


Photos by Guy Farrandis/Summit Entertainment

Alternative Movie Posters by Ibraheem Youssef

Ibraheem Youssef pays tribute to his favorite movies by designing new conceptual, alternative movie posters.
I couldn't not smile when I've looked at them while figuring out the idea behind each poster. Some are easy to get but some are trickier (can you get the motif of the Reservoir Dogs poster?).

The series is limited to 200 posters of each movie and is now on summer sale. Check out Ibraheem's webshop to view the whole poster range.

I'm looking forward to see more of Wes Anderson's films turn into posters and would be happy to find another series for the Brothers Coen's films!

Such an awesome work Ibraheem! I would come back for more!

Movieposters - Reduced

The art of minimalism in its best in these stunning reduced movieposters by Jamie Bolton.
Also available for sale here.

Via fubiz

Avatar

It's been one day and 163 minutes since I got into the cinema, very skeptic, and I'm still dazzled.

I'll leave the hard work of reviewing and analyzing the Avatar space opera to someone else.
I'll just sum it up for you: Go! Go! GO!!!
This movie is simply marvelous.

I'll be honest enough to tell you one thing though - the plot sucks.
Now, I bet if you're going to spend 163 minutes at the movies, you would like to enjoy a good story. In this one, the story is so obvious, that it easily moves to the background. But that's good. It gives your mind the freedom to enjoy the fantastic visual effects without bothering about anything else. And, hey,  be easy with Cameron on this one. He waited 15 years for the technology to be ready to render his imagined world of supernatural Pandora.
Forget about acting and script for a couple of hours. Just go, put your 3D glasses on and enjoy this beyond words cinema miracle.

Can't wait....

Alice in Wonderland is my favorite book. I've read it million times as a child. I've read several Annotated Alices and many books about Lewis Carroll.
I just love everything about it.
Now a new Alice film is almost here and what else can you wish rather Tim Burton as the director, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and, of course, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen?
Have a sneak look at the official trailer. Now counting the days till March 5th...

A Man Of Constant Sorrow

Can't get this song out of my head after watching O Brother, Where Art Thou? yesterday (again of course! I'm not that outdated!)

I have something with books/movies based on Homer's Odyssey.  
2001: A Space Odyssey is an obvious one and I'm sure I've seen some others in the past but now I cannot recall them. I've found out recently that Cold Mountain is also loosly based on the Odyssey. Will check it out soon.

Let me know if you know of any others!