Disney Repackages Existing Documentary Footage, Slaps Some Sigur Rós on It, Hopes Nobody Notices

So...I thought the idea behind Walt Disney Pictures' new nature documentary division was that they would be making new nature documentaries, not just taking existing footage from the hit BBC miniseries Planet Earth and editing it down to a feature-length film. Videogum said it best when they hypothesized that it was a shot-for-shot remake, with Vince Vaughn as a polar bear. What truly baffles me is the release date. Does it seriously take Disney so long to edit the show down to 90 minutes that they have to push the release all the way to Spring 2009?

Oh, and the Sigur Rós soundtrack only makes me wish Disney were releasing Heima in theaters instead of this.

The new Coldplay album cover + more!

Coldplay's official website just released a bunch of updates about their new album, including the cover art:


I gotta say that I'm impressed. It was getting to the point where it didn't feel like the band was putting any effort into coming up with album art, so even though it looks like all they did was splatter the title over a pre-existing painting, kudos for being different this time around.

Their website also says that on Tuesday at 12:15pm UK time (that's 6:15pm here on the east coast), they'll have a free download of their first single "Violet Hill," and that the May 7 issue of NME will come with a free 7" of the new single, plus b-side "A Spell A Rebel Yell". You can already pre-order the issue online (it'll set you back about $25 if you want it shipped to a US address).

Finally, Coldplay will be playing two free shows, one at the Brixton Academy in London on June 16, and one at Madison Square Garden on June 23. Details on how to obtain tickets for these shows will be posted soon.

The new album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends will be released stateside on June 17.

UPDATE: More info on the origin of the painting on the cover, courtesy of Sleevage.

Redone Zodiac Credits

For my Motion Graphics and Effects final, I decided to create a new opening title sequence for my favorite film of last year, David Fincher's Zodiac. The whole thing was created using Adobe After Effects. Enjoy!

Yes, They Went There

Whoever is left standing in the smoldering crater that will be this November's presidential election, I hope that he (or she) will be forced to watch this "campaign ad" (or: pathetic attempt at pandering to fans of professional wrestling) on repeat from the day they win to their inauguration, to serve as a reminder of how shallow and plastic he (again, or she) really is:



As always, Jon Stewart says it better than anybody else.

Tati's Trafic Set for July Release on Criterion

Jacques Tati is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time, with M. Hulot's Holiday, Mon Oncle, and Playtime being my three favorite films of his. So I am excited to announce that The Criterion Collection will be releasing Tati's last film, 1971's Trafic, on a beautiful new 2-disc DVD set this July. In addition to the 97-minute film, the set will also include a 2-hour documentary from 1969 entitled In the Footsteps of Monsieur Hulot, referring to the alter-ego that Tati has portrayed in nearly all of his films.

As usual, the cover art looks fantastic:



Now, I just hope Criterion will get around to releasing Tati's debut feature, Jour de Fete. Also on tap for July: a new 2-disc re-release of Kurosawa's modern crime drama High and Low.

New Hertzfeldt Short + Stills

Animator Don Hertzfeldt, who has consistently blown my mind and/or made me laugh my ass off with shorts like Billy's Balloon, Rejected, and The Meaning of Life, has made some major announcements regarding his new film, part two in the trilogy that began with 2007's Everything Will Be OK. The film is going to be called I Am So Proud of You and he has posted some awesome stills from it on his blog:




More stills, as well as DVDs of all of Don's work, t-shirts, and more awesome stuff, can be found here.

Why I Love Indie Labels

I've already sung praises about Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, but they (and their label Polyvinyl) have really outdone themselves with this pre-release. For $12, you get Pershing on CD or LP, a poster, download codes for three bonus SSLYBY tracks and a 16-track Polyvinyl sampler, a sticker, a button, and a Mystery Flavor Airhead (not pictured; already consumed). So, congrats to the band for making buying music fun again.

Oh, and the mystery flavor was blueberry. The blue color kinda gave it away.

SSLYBY - "Think I Wanna Die" (MP3)