David Maybury | Blog

Watchmen and The Secret of Kells - the only thing in common is that they are movies… and of course that they feature here today, side by side.

Kells has been getting some great press lately - it closed this years Dublin Film Festival - and this is what those clever folks in the Irish Times had to say:

…the most impressive Irish film at this year’s event was, surely, Tomm Moore’s weird, unclassifiable The Secret of Kells . The animated feature from Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon, which constructs a new myth around the creation of the Book of Kells , has been laboured over with a degree of dedication comparable to that displayed by those ninth century monks (though with more breaks for video games).

Eschewing Christian iconography for nods towards Celtic myth, the filmmakers never employ a lazy or obvious image when they can construct something odd, expressionistic or mind-bending.

And elsewhere - Kells is getting some help from the Movies @ cinemas in Dublin. Those folks that make the decisions have decided to stock the tie-in books for the film - the amazing picturebook and the novel adaptation.

So - on to Watchmen. There is just over a week left to general release - or less than that if you enter the competition on movies.ie… go on! The good news - the Irish Film Classification Office (Ifco) have changed the film classification from 18 to 16. The Film Appeals Board hasn’t sat in almost a year - but I’m glad to see that they have reversed the decision.

I’m a good few years older than 16 but this is one movie everyone should see - especially since the book is being touted as one for reluctant teenage readers.

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Andrew Stanton accepting the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film:

My producers Jim Morris and Lindsey Collins should really be up here to accept this with me. It’s been such an inspiration to spend time with a character who so tenaciously struggles to find the beauty in everything that he sees. It’s a noble aspiration to have at times like these. I dearly want to thank everyone that’s been on this film: the cast, the crew, everybody at Disney and Pixar Studios. I have to single out Ed Catmull, John Lasseter and Steve Jobs for creating a cinematic safe haven where only a film like WALL-E could be made. To my wife Julie, my kids Ben and Audrey, I love you so much, and I guess I’d be remiss if I did not thank my high school drama teacher Phil Perry for 28 years ago casting me as Barnaby in Hello, Dolly!. Creative seeds are sown in the oddest of places so, uh, thank you so much to the Academy for this.

I’m genuinely glad that Wall-E won the award - despite my hopes and predictions that Kung Fu Panda might surprise everyone - Bolt never stood a chance either way.

Help! I’ve been kidnapped. Two hefty looking blokes broke in and blindfolded me, dragged me into a large van crammed with other book types and we’re all being taken to an disclosed location. There are murmurs about seeing a movie, maybe this one. But I don’t know… Hopefully they’ll let me go in time for the Blookie Event tonight.

Good friends Richard & Judy* tell me they’re looking for your votes - namely for their Children’s Book of the Year Award. There are some great books on the list - including Artemis Fowl, The Great Paper Caper, Before I Die and Kaspar. (Not that I’m trying to influence your votes… no not at all)

That general trouble maker Eoin Colfer has his own plea for votes or you can go straight to voting here.

*My good friends Richard and Judy may not be the more telly famous R&J.

Update: I’m no longer being held hostage. AND I got to see the stunning Secret of Kells. Tom Moore should be very proud - he, and several hundred others, have created a 2D visual masterpiece. Brendan Gleeson and Mick Lally lend their powerful voices to the movie (and one of the downfalls I felt was in some of the younger cast in comparrison) as well as a strong soundtrack from Bruno Coulais and Kila.

Did anyone else know that Tomm Moore has a blog for the Secret of Kells movie? No, me neither… I’ve started reading posts from way back at the beginning of the project - all the way back in 2005.

We’ve been working on this in Cartoon Saloon for almost six years, just dpping into it everynow and then the development was long, meandering and ponderous. We’re finally in full-time preproduction with a crew in place. We started in October and we’ll be aiming to finish it up for Chrimbo 2007. So stay tuned. I just posted some pictures of the main character Brendan that I did last year at this time and a newer one.

And is it worth mentioning that I’m going to see that very movie, The Secret of Kells, at a secret time, in an undisclosed location, next week?

Vincent of Movies.ie fame raved about it (below) and ye can see the trailer on the movies.ie forum:

I loved THE SECRET OF KELLS, the movie has a magical other-worldy feel that reminded me of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies (such as Spirited away) It’s one of the most visually arresting animations I’ve seen, every frame is a work of art. That coupled with a perfect soundtrack and a back-drop of Irish folklore, it’s impossible not to love it.

Thanks to the power of the interweb - and those nice people over on movies.ie, thankee muchly - we made it to see the premiere of Bolt 3D. An impeccably presented and perfectly animated movie I came away trying to place the dozen or so cartoon homages lining the script - the pigeons throughout are straight out of Animaniacs. There is more to it than that… the story and characters are pieced together from other classics - it seemed to be Disney’s answer to Inspector Gadget - Bolt is Brain, Penny is… Penny, and Rhino, the movie’s saving grace, is the delusional Inspector Gadget - it even comes complete with the M.A.D Cats… Having seen it, I think Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda are safe to duke it out for Best Animated Oscar this year.

Ten Second Reviews:

We managed to get to see the uncomfortable and brilliant The Wrestler too this weekend. Mickey Rourke delivers a performance that will, or should, win him an Oscar.

And just because it was so so cold outside we squeezed in a third flick. Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist… the poor man’s Juno.

Some good news amidst the doom, gloom and torrential downpours in Dublin. Twentieth Century Fox has agreed a deal to pick up the Narnia film franchise - which Disney dropped in December. The next adaptation, The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, will include the original cast as well as Son of Rambow star Will Poulter and is due to appear on the silver screen in 2010.

More over at the New York Times - with a really bad Aslan joke in there for good measure, too bad it wasn’t MGM…

Disappointed to read that Disney have decided against funding the next Narnia film - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It was scheduled to be out in 2010 and partnered with Walden Media - as the previous two movies. The second installment, of seven, was released in May but failed to reach the same box office success as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Hopefully it won’t be the end of the series. More over on the Guardian.co.uk

The loverly folks over on movies.ie are giving away a mountain of tickets for The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D next Monday in Dundrum cinema. If you haven’t seen Tim Burton’s frightening and brilliant movie then now is the perfect chance - and if you have seen it - well… you already know why you should be booking your tickets. Go and put your name down.

And in other film news - the Inkheart movie is coming very very soon. Watch the trailer, you know you want to.

Tons happening everywhere at the minute (Book Fest, Poetry Day, Book launches) and tonight Irish Pen host their Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Writing for Children (and more!) talk in the United Arts Club in Dublin (from 8pm).

The Watchmen gets a viewing - and analysis - over on the Guardian Film Blog. Zack Snyder sounded more than a little defensive answering questions from the audience after the screening:

“there’s a rabid and vocal fan base for the graphic novel that support the graphic novel and are maybe against the movie. No Country for Old Men changed [its source material, the novel by Cormac McCarthy] three times as much as we have but I guarantee you there’s no rabid fan base who are going to kill the Coens!”

And finally - the Very Hungry Caterpillar has some more catching up with events, as well as letting slip about her afternoon tea with Cornelia Funke. Speaking of Ms Funke, Hughes and Hughes have signed copies of Inkdeath for sale - go get yours!

*line is stolen, blatantly, from Alan Moore’s The Watchmen.

In 1990 I was 6 years old. My brother was 3. That Christmas was special - we were hoping, praying, for a Starcom ship (more specifically, the StarMax Bomber) - but it was special for another reason. It was the first year we heard the name Roald Dahl. It wasn’t from his books. Or from Quentin Blakes‘ illustrations. They both came much later. That winter was the first time I saw the film adaptation of The Witches. Nothing was ever quite the same after that.

And now it’s back on the silver screen. (!) Yup. As part of their Halloween series the IFI are showing The Witches. One more chance to see Anjelica Huston as Mrs Ernst (or, if you’d prefer, The Grand High Witch)

I didn’t really make a big noise about Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer’s new book, when it arrived a few weeks ago… So to make up for that, and because movie goers the world over are due some good news:

The Twilight movie adaptation has been moved three weeks forward as a result of the opening left by the Harry Potter schedule change. That’s right sports fans - Twilight should be hitting the silver screen a few weeks sooner than expected. November 21 to be exact.

Also something worth clicking: The UK Times had a piece on Vampire movies a few weeks ago - beginning and ending with Twilight.

If you aren’t one of the lucky 100 winners from movies.ie, or you want to double your chances of winning, Children’s Books Ireland have a competition to win one of 5 family passes to a special advanced screening in Dublin (8 September) as well as a signed copy of the book.

It couldn’t be easier - all you have to do is answer the question:

To be with a chance of winning one of these fantastic prizes simply answer the following question correctly:

Who is the author of THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS?
A) Derek Landy
B) JK Rowling
C) John Boyne

Send your answer along with your name and a contact telephone number to [email protected]This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with ‘STRIPED PYJAMAS Competition’ as the subject line. Closing date 3pm Wednesday 3rd September.

And in case you’re not sure - have a look at the author’s blog for a clue.

One week after this post. Camera pans across Dublin, the same route through the city as the week before. It is another overcast morning, a Thursday this time. Zoom in on the window of an apartment building - there is the same silhouette of a man. You can hear him wailing in agony now, his entire body shaking as he sobs. Finally he stops, his shoulders sag forward and he hangs his head. He is sitting at a desk using a computer. The camera enters through the window and you can see he is using a laptop. More books, pages and empty bottles of lucozade, maybe now a vodka too, clutter up the work space.

Move the camera over the man’s shoulder and focus on the laptop screen:

Couple that news with Diane Duane’s theory on why Harry Potter was moved and it could read as though Warner Brothers are preparing for a delay on Watchmen (court case dependent). More on the Guardian, the Guardian Film Blog and BBC.

Other news in the world of superheroes on the silver screen:
> Who are the next superheroes to appear on the silver screen? Independent UK has a look.
> DC’s Sleeper will be head up by Tom Cruise and produced by Spiderman’s Sam Raimi. RTE.ie had the good/bad news.

The Dark Knight has been getting a bit of a kicking from some conservative, and not-so-conservative viewers, even Anthony Horowitz gets in on the question… what is acceptable for children?

It is a strange, modern phenomenon that we worry about our children even as we collude in their undoing. Computer games are far bloodier and insidious than anything that can be seen in the cinema, and it’s worth noting that in their case an 18 certification is just about meaningless. Grand Theft Auto anyone? The Police Federation described it as “sick, deluded and beneath contempt”. All in all, I’m surprised they didn’t put such a glowing review on the box.

Read more of Horowitz’s article on the guardian site.

> Paris Hilton has managed to put a super powered comic version of herself together, with the help of Marvel’s mastermind - and all round good guy - Stan Lee. Plans are afoot to see an animated Super Paris on the small screen soon. I wonder if the comic came before or after Hilton’s recent presidential campaign video? (More on examiner.ie)

> Dutch scientists believe they have come up with a video game that can help with cancer treatments for young patients from 13 - 29. The game is free to download and a little addictive… (More on irishtimes.com)

> Terry Pratchett talks candidly about living with alzheimer’s and what it means:

…if it wasn’t for my loss of typing ability, I might doubt the fact that I have Alzheimer’s. It’s now hunt and peck, and there will be a moment sometimes when the letter A just totally vanishes and I don’t quite know what happens. It’s as if the keyboard closes up and the letter A is not there anymore. Then I’ll blink a few times and then the letter A comes back.” (More on bbc.co.uk)

> Speaking of Mr Pratchett, he is reading/signing his new children’s novel Nation in Waterstones in London Piccadilly on 13 September. Might see you there… (More on waterstones.com)

> And last, but most certainly not least, Edward Gorey featured in last weeks Independent UK - or more precisely his The Gashlycrumb Tinies featured. If you haven’t read it, go and treat yourself to some eerie, witty and darkly comic reading/ogling.

*I couldn’t find anything that Paris Hilton and Edward Gorey had in common but I am sure Stan Lee has worked with them both…

A camera pans across Dublin city - a regular, overcast Friday morning. Zoom in on the window of an apartment building - there is a silhouette of a man. Audio of him sobbing, his shoulders sagged and head hanging. He is sitting at a desk using a computer. Enter through the window and see he is using a laptop. Books, pages and empty bottles of lucozade clutter up the work space.

Move the camera over the man’s shoulder and focus on the laptop screen:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince won’t be screened until July 2009. More on the delay over on BBC News. (Thanks to Catherine for spotting it)

And we’re back. Plenty to catch up on so expect a few link posts to follow for a few days. Managed to read Eoin Colfer’s new Artemis Fowl over the weekend - brilliant, paradoxically confusing and delivered with the usual one line humor that you have come to expect.

On to some links:

> Writers’ behaving badly? Not any more.
> The Irish Times Comic Con review.
> More Comic Con fun on the Guardian.
> Yet More Comic Con revelations. And even more here.
> Was the Dark Knight too old for its viewers? The Irish Independent thinks so.
> RTE’s The Buzz has a ‘How To Draw’ page. Something to do at lunch…
> Richard Kidd’s obituary from the Independent.
> Observer Round Up last week - Kate Thompson, Patricia McCormick, Valérie Zenatti and EL Konigsburg.
> Guillermo Del Toro gets his Hobbit hat on. Times UK.

And in case you missed it, like I did, Stephanie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn was launched last week too. Huzzah!

It’s not out until November 21 but the first teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is in the wild. It certainly looks darker than the other releases - following the trend of the books…

What do you think?

I got a sneak peak at the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas trailer today and felt very privileged - little did I know that all I had to do to see it was log on to John Boyne’s blog - so, without anymore of my winding go and have a look see.

(Odd that they have such strong English accents - but otherwise, it looks good.)

We got to see The Dark Knight last night (thanks to the Movies.ie). I was left pretty much speechless after watching it and am still putting it all together in my head today. DC and Marvel have both raised the bar - Iron Man comes in a very close second - but for now Christopher Nolan is the man on the top.

Nice to see so many bloggers last night too. The post mortem afterward was, nearly, as much fun as the movie.

Off to learn some magic pencil tricks…