I’m going to refrain from commenting too much on this, since the implications of this video are quite profound and I’d like to let everyone form their own impressions. I certainly find it rather powerful.

Here is an adaptation of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave in clay:

Source

I received links to the I Am A Paleontologist video by TMBG at least three times when it first came out, due to my love of animation and science. When Steph suggested that I check out Sean McBride’s animation projects, I was unaware that I had already seen his work in that video.

I’m a big fan of Dreamscapes, a montage of animated narrations taken from the dreams of many different people. I’ve created many physical objects from dreams, but since I don’t have the skills to produce an animation I really adore this.

And since my delight in the imagination of children never ceases, I enjoyed Why Did Yoda Fight Count Duku? Here, he grants his five year old cousin’s wish to make a movie about Star Wars (using cousin’s art work, story and voice). Okay, so maybe it’s not about Star Wars, but really…does it have to be? (If you answered “yes,” you have no soul, by the way)

There is also a whole series of short animations featuring Sean and a character based on his best friend Tony. Great dry humor. A favorite:

Sean has so many other fun projects that I promptly got sucked into his website, clicking and clicking, until I had no idea where the time had gone. I look forward to seeing more by this talented guy.

Go check out more on his website, or Youtube channel.

Today I had the pleasure of seeing a truly lovely claymation film: Mary and Max.

Based on a true story, Mary and Max chronicles the friendship of two unlikely pen pals; an eight year old Australian girl, and an old Jewish atheist with Asperger Syndrome.

The film was accompanied by a Q&A panel put together by the Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association.

Although showing this movie is a wonderful way to expand awareness, it is in no way didactic or clinical. The main character has Asperger Syndrome, but the condition integrates with pathos and humor while remaining delicately informative. The story achieves a balance of innocence and purity without naivety.

Mary and Max is, above all, a movie about being human, “warts and all.” The quirks, insecurities and foibles of the characters are common. It’s the story of a personal connection with all of its ups and downs as life goes on.

The cast of peripheral characters is small, but each has depth and dimension. From Mary’s father, a tea bag factory worker obsessed with taxidermy, to her “wobbly” mother who tells Mary countless lies about her shoplifting and alcohol habit, to the veteran amputee and pompadour-sporting neighbors…everyone has a story implied in a glance.

Mary and Max was done entirely by hand, beautifully designed, constructed and animated without any CGI. There is heart and soul in every scene, engaging the viewer from the first frames. I highly recommend this movie if you ever get a chance to see it. I rarely purchase DVDs (thanks to Netflix), but I will definitely buy a copy of this when it’s available.

Flim website