BuzzSugar

Oscar Nominees: The Animated Short Films

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:30:08 PST

One of my favorite things to do each Oscar season is to track down all of the nominated short films. The films are currently making the rounds of selected theaters, but many of them are also available right now online - and today, I have video from all five animated shorts!

This year's cast of animated characters includes a mischievous bunny, octopi in love, and a man taking a sentimental journey through his old house. Maybe watching these shorts will help you fill out your Oscar ballot! Check them out:

Oktapodi
How adorable are these octopi? In Oktapodi, these two cuties help each other escape the clutches of a tyrannical restaurant cook. But, even once they're out of the kitchen, their battle to stay together is not over. You hear that? It's animated sea creatures battling adversity. Watch the whole thing right now:

To check out the other four, just

read more. La Maison en Petits Cubes The main character of this Japanese film has been building an addition on top of his original house, which is almost completely under water. In the film, he dons scuba gear to float through his old home and relive memories with his family. Here's a clip:

Lavatory - Lovestory This Russian film is a story about love and the random nature of when it strikes. The main character is a lonely female restroom attendant who discovers she has a secret admirer and searches frantically for his identity. Watch the whole thing here:

Presto If you've seen Wall-E, then you've already seen Presto, the latest Pixar short. The star is a slightly evil rabbit who cooks up a way to get revenge on his neglectful magician master. You can buy this one on iTunes or watch it all right now:

This Way Up In this quirky short, disaster strikes a father-and-son team of undertakers when a boulder squashes their hearse. They must then make their way across the country in a crazy travel caper with nothing but a coffin and each other to keep them amused. Here's the trailer:

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures and Source

Oscar Nominees: The Animated Short Films

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:42:40 PST

Every year when the Oscar nominations are announced, I make a little "note-to-self" to track down the nominated short films before the ceremony. Although they certainly don’t get the same kind of attention (and distribution) as feature length nominees, they often represent some of the most innovative, painstaking, and visually stunning filmmaking out there. This year is no different, especially in the animated short category. From an incredible visualization of a vintage interview with John Lennon to a lovely take on a classic fable, this year’s nominees prove just how entertaining this category can be.

The shorts will be hitting US theaters in February, and I hope they'll eventually end up on iTunes like last year's did. But in the meantime, I’ve put together some descriptions and clips (and some full length films - that might not last long, so watch fast!) of each of the animated shorts nominated this year. To get started, just

read more. I Met The Walrus When Jerry Levitan was 14 years old growing up in Toronto, he found the hotel that Beatles superstar John Lennon was staying in. Armed with a portable tape recorder, he managed to score himself an interview. Thirty-nine years later, filmmaker Josh Raskin has turned a portion of that interview into a cool, retro-looking film using line-drawn animation (MTV has used a similar technique in the past between shows). The trailer is below.

Even Pigeons Go To Heaven A sweet little film about a priest's chase to save a troubled soul. This one is the full package - beautiful animation, great story. Check out the film in its entirety below.

Madame Tutli-Putli A lady goes on a crazy metaphysical ride on a creepy night train. The story isn't the Oscar-worthy aspect of this little gem, though - that would be the fact that a 16-second shot took a week to make. You can find a small clip here and the trailer below.

My Love This tale about first love was created by Alexandre Petrov, a Russian director who is considered one of the best animators in the world. The film features the same technique of painting on glass as his Oscar-winning short Old Man and the Sea. Part one is below, and follow this link for part two and three.

Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf This is a gorgeous, very dark, stop-motion version of the popular story without narration and set in contemporary Russia. Only a half hour long, this little masterpiece took 100 animators, sculptors and artists five years to bring it to life. There is a preview below, and the full movie is here. Source

Get the Oscar Shorts on iTunes!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 08:30:24 PST

Remember when I said I wished the Oscar-nominated shorts would make their way to the iTunes store? Well, it's happened. Now, you can buy nine of the 10 nominated movies for just $1.99 each. All five of the live-action shorts are there, along with four of the animated shorts - the only one missing is Pixar's Lifted, which comes out this summer.

You can also see if the shorts will be coming to a theater near you. And to get a taste of the nominated films (and see a few for free), check out my take on the live-action movies or the animated shorts.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

The Oscar-Nominated Shorts: Now Playing at a Theater Near You?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:52:18 PST

I never have any shortage of opinions when it comes to my Oscar predictions in the major categories. But since I don't normally get to see the animated shorts or live-action short films, I'm left totally clueless or faking my way through uninformed opinions. Thankfully, not only are many of the films online this year, but Magnolia Pictures has also put together a program featuring all 10 short-film nominees, including No Time For Nuts (above) and West Bank Story, plus a few other indie shorts.

Lest you think this art-house assortment is only coming to New York and Los Angeles, have no fear. The program is now playing in more than 35 cities and will expand to 25 more theaters nationwide in the coming weeks. To see the full list of locations,

read more The 10-film program of Oscar-nominated shorts is now playing at these locations: Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa, Bijou Theater Atlanta, GA: Midtown Art Cinemas 8 Brookline, MA: Coolidge Corner Theatre Ithaca, NY: Cornell Cinema Chicago, IL: Music Box Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati Art Museum Columbus, OH: Gateway 8 Santa Fe, NM: CCA Cinematheque Austin, TX: Dobie Theatre Houston, TX: Greenway 3 Theatre Dallas, TX: Magnolia Theatre - Dallas San Antonio, TX: Santikos Embassy 14 Boulder, CO: International Film Series Denver, CO: Starz Filmcenter Detroit, MI: Detroit Institute of Art Indianapolis, IN: Key Cinemas Springfield, MO: Moxie Cinema Salina, KS: Salina Art Center Kansas City, MO: Screenland Theatre Honolulu, HI: Doris Duke Theatre Tucson, AZ: Loft Cinema Twin West Los Angeles, CA: Nuart Theatre Milwaukee, WI: Times Cinema Minneapolis, MN: Lagoon Cinema Hartford, CT: Real Art Ways Cinema Pleasantville, NY: Jacob Burns Film Center New York, NY: IFC Center Tulsa, OK: Circle Theatre Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma City Museum of Art Dover, DE: Schwartz Center for Arts Pittsburgh, PA: Harris Theatre Portland, OR: Cinema 21 Theatre Seattle, WA: Varsity Theatre San Francisco, CA: Lumiere Theatre Berkeley, CA: Shattuck Cinemas San Rafael, CA: Smith Rafael Film Center Salt Lake City, UT: Tower Theatre University City, MO: Tivoli Theatre The Oscar shorts are coming soon to these locations: 2/23/2007 Hollywood, CA: Egyptian Theatre San Diego, CA: Ken Cinema Santa Rosa, CA: Rialto Cinemas Lakeside South Lake Tahoe, CA: Lake Tahoe Community College Washington, DC: E Street Cinema Maplewood, MN: Plaza Maplewood Theatre University Park, PA: PSU GSA CAFE Film Committee Fort Worth, TX: Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 2/24/2007 Wichita, KS: Wichita Public Library Ann Arbor, MI: Michigan Theater 3/7/2007 Buffalo, NY: Market Arcade Film & Arts Center 3/8/2007 Fort Lauderdale, FL: Cinema Paradiso Lake Worth, FL: Lake Worth Playhouse Reno, NV: Reno Film Festival 3/9/2007 Gulf Breeze, FL: Gulf Breeze 4 Scranton, PA: Scranton Cultural Center 3/10/2007 Wilmington, DE: Theater N at Demours 3/13/2007 Norfolk, VA: Naro Expanded Cinema 3/16/2007 Miami Beach, FL: Miami Beach Cinematheque 3/22/2007 Paducah, KY: Maiden Alley 3/23/2007 Grande Prairie, AB: Grande Prairie Live Theatre 4/10/2007 Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Melnitz Movies 4/13/2007 Fresno, CA: Fresno Filmworks c/o Tower Theatre Albuquerque, NM: Guild 5/11/2007 Chicago, IL: Gene Siskel Film Center Source

The Oscar Nominees: Animated Short Films

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:16:54 PST

The animated short film category is one that usually leaves us regular, non-Academy folks stumped on Oscar night. The films are currently screening around the country, but if you're not able to get to one of those showings, at least the Internet can give you a taste.

I was hoping these five movies would have made their way to the iTunes store by now; sadly, only Disney's The Little Matchgirl is available there. The good news: Clips from all of the films are online, and three of them are available in full - but probably only until the studios find out, so you'll want to hurry. Here's a rundown:

Maestro
In this film, a singer prepares for his big performance, aided by a mechanical arm that caters to his wants and needs. This one is still available in its entirety, and it's worth watching all the way to the end for the cute twist.

The Little Matchgirl
This watercolor-style Disney version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale features a poor, hungry girl who sees visions of a better life for herself in the flame of each match she strikes. You can watch the full movie right now, but even once it gets pulled from YouTube, you'll still have lots of options: You can buy it from the iTunes store, watch a clip from the movie, check out a gallery of images, or watch another clip. The full film is on the Little Mermaid platinum edition DVD. But you might just want to watch this fast before Disney finds out:

To watch another full movie and see clips from the other two, including my favorite,

read more No Time For Nuts Scrat, the squirrel from the Ice Age movies, is trying to bury his acorn in the snow when he accidentally uncovers a time machine. He ends up chasing his precious nut through the ages, dodging angry warriors, explosions, flying arrows and all kinds of other historical craziness. Hurry: You can see the full video right now, until Fox figures out it's online. If it's gone, you can still see a clip here, and the full film is on the DVD of Ice Age: The Meltdown.
The Danish Poet I'm so sad this charming film isn't online anymore, because I wish everyone could have a chance to see it. The movie follows the narrator's quest to piece together the random twists of fate that led to her birth, including the death of a famous author, a hungry goat, several ferry boats, a herd of cattle, and a crowded train. Here's a clip, and there's another on this site.
Lifted The newest Pixar short is slated for release with Ratatouille this summer, but you can see a clip of the movie at this site. The story focuses on a young alien who can't quite get his abduction skills down, much to the frustration of his Monsters Inc.-looking boss.

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

50 Geeky Date Ideas For Valentine's Day (and Beyond)

GeekSugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:30:10 PST

Coming up short for Valentine's Day date ideas? If you and your sweetheart are more of the geeky persuasion, simply hitting up an overpriced restaurant just won't cut it. We brainstormed 50 date ideas that incorporate science, tech, and video games, for a special Valentine's eve. But don't limit yourself - tackle these date ideas all year!

Bundle up, pack a dinner picnic, and head to the park for some stargazing.
Watch Contact (for the millionth time).
Go to a science museum.
Hit the natural history museum and check out your favorite dino bones.
Go retro - grab a roll of quarters, a slice or two, and hit the pizza parlor arcade.
Build your own planetarium with glow-in-the-dark stickers.
Catch up with the Doctor Who craze by watching the series from the beginning.
Throw a Star Wars party for two.
Whip up a batch of Cloud 9 mojitos (complete with mason jar glasses) and have a Battlestar Galactica marathon.
Visit Nerdy Day Trips and find geeky stuff to do near you.
Go to the planetarium.
Take a dream vacay to the Hobbit Hotel in New Zealand.
Spend a few romantic nights in the Hobbit House of Montana.
Visit the actual Lord of the Rings movie set.
Travel to the Chott el Djerid salt lakes in Tunisia, which were transformed into Luke Skywalker's home on Tatooine.

See the rest of the list after the break!

Announcing the 2012 Oscar Nominations!

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:21:53 PST

The 2012 Oscar nominations have been announced! Lots of award season regulars, like The Artist and The Descendants, got some love, but there were also a handful of surprises, like nominations for Nick Nolte, Gary Oldman, and Terrence Malick. Bridesmaids also scored big, with noms for best original screenplay and best supporting actress for Melissa McCarthy.

The Academy chose nine films for best picture, with lots of familiar titles in there, plus a couple that had early awards buzz but haven't necessarily had consistent attention, like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Tree of Life. The films that racked up the most nominations were Hugo with 11 and The Artist with 10.

To see the full list of nominations, just keep reading.

Make Your Beauty Routine Faster (and More Pleasant, Too)

BellaSugar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:28:14 PST

Easy ways to make your morning routine better - Real Simple
How celebrities fake perfect skin - Glo
Will androgynous male model Andrej Pejic be fronting a women's fragrance? - Styleite
Five body washes that keep dry skin at bay - Stylelist
Bridal makeup you'll want to wear all the time - Refinery 29
Get your beauty inspiration from the animal kingdom - Beautylish
Five unconscionably terrible things people say to short-haired women - The Stir
A tour of modern art, told through manicures - The Frisky

Download of the Day: Kinotopic

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:11:53 PST

For mobile photographer pros looking to move beyond the looping whimsy of goofy GIFs, the Kinotopic iOS app ($1) is a new take on the animated photo. The style of not quite a photo, but not a video was first made popular on the Cinemagraph website, for the photographers' blend of gorgeous moments captured in traditional still photo, with a hidden animated twist that pulls the viewer further into the image.

The Kinotopic app makes images in the spirit of cinemagraphs, using a short video to select an anchor frame, which acts as the background "still" photo, and using a finger to select the scope of the photo's movement. Perfecting what the app calls the kino, the small animated movement, without obvious signs of its digital enhancement is tricky. It took several attempts for me to create a believable kino that captured the slight breezy movements of a late night bus ride. With patience and enthusiasm to perfect the cinemagraph, Kinotopic is a fun diversion from the filter photo apps that seem so standard now.