Short Fuse

24 season 2

Thoughts on last night's excellent season premiere of 24:

First scene was set in Seoul, Korea, of all places. The female agent's Korean was shaky, but her male compatriot fared better in accent and authenticity. He yelled "gaesaeki" at the prisoner - almost literally "son of a bitch". Widely used, but definitely too foul for Korean TV.

Was that really Tamlyn Tomita, from Karate Kid 2, briefing President Palmer?

A timely scenario: terrorist group from the Middle East is planning to detonate a nuclear weapon in LA. Equally timely future plot point, as hinted in the episode: government and military insiders may manipulate the situation in order to attack a Middle Eastern country without complete proof of involvement.

The emergency war room's infographics presentation featured animated charts and slide shows, complete with transition effects. Someone at NSA has been learning Flash.

Occasional good use of the multiple small frames, with coordinated camera zooms and pans. I still wish they would really push the style. What if Saul Bass were alive to direct an episode? Oops. Not Saul Bass, but Pablo Ferro. Sample: his polo scene from the original Thomas Crown Affair.

MSCL on DVD

All 19 episodes of My So-Called Life are being released in a special DVD set. MSCL's creators are responsible for other personal favorites like Once and Again and Relativity, all sadly short-lived. They also did thirtysomething, but I can never find time to watch my dubs of the show.

Now if only they would get to work on a DVD set for Moonlighting (warning: MP3 on site).

Round and round

Kylie Minogue - Come Into My World (Real)

Michel Gondry does it again. A well-executed simple concept. Could use a stronger ending.

Adjustment

Last week the Media Lab held its annual fall consortium meetings. I had several chances to demo to lab sponsors what I've been working on in the past six weeks since I moved to ACG. Most of the time I didn't feel good doing it. I'm not happy with the current state of the project - form and content - where the basic concept is illustrated but in a way that feels too simplistic. During the demoes, I disliked having to do so much handwaving.

Demanding advisor recommends that I not think so much. I agree. I need to make more small things more quickly.

Capone vs Corleone

De Niro vs Pacino, a head-to-head comparison. I agree with the final verdict. While both actors have settled into familiar personas, the winner seems more willing to try - and more likely to succeed - in a variety of roles.

I saw him once in person during brunch at a pastry shop in New York. He and his family sat at the next table, looking like they had all just rolled out of bed. He spent most of the meal stirring some soup and gently feeding his little child, a small spoonful at a time.

Math as cinema

Cinemath: a mathematics film festival. (Via BB.) The shorts programs look especially good.

Chuck Jones on work and love

Chuck Jones, master animation director of Bugs Bunny and Road Runner cartoons, discussing One Froggy Evening.

Jones gets a little inarticulate in its vicinity. "I don't know of any way to express it except by saying there are only two things that count. One is the love you have for what you do, and the other is the work you're willing to devote to achieve it." And when it's finished only the love should show. "If the work shows, you're in trouble."

Quoted from Hugh Kenner's Chuck Jones: A Flurry of Drawings.