I caught THE ANIMATION SHOW on it's last night at the Brattle (I guess it's going to be at Coolidge Corner at midnight Fri/Sat this weekend as well), and wish I had been on the stick and organized the Local-istas. Despite Mike Judge's role in the selection, it was decidedly not a sick and twisted type festival, and many of them were flat out mood-pieces. Also, except the usual Bill Plympton insanity, most of the funny (and several were not) was of the extremely dark variety.

I think this is touring the country, and I'd definitely recommend it if it comes your way. Just don't go expecting a laugh riot.

Also, except the usual Bill Plympton insanity, most of the funny (and several were not) was of the extremely dark variety.

You um, didn't think Guard Dog was a little on the dark side?

The thing people forget about Galaxy Quest is that it did most of its money on DVD, not in theatres. Movies with spaceships that don't have Star Wars or Star Trek in the title historically are NOT big theatrical money makers. Which isn't to say that H2G2 (or Serenity) couldn't be the first to break that mold, but their statistical chances of being huge hits are pretty low.

Willis has had worse luck picking roles than Ford, but I think he is pretty underrated. I always enjoy him in movies.

Glad to see the Willis love. I'm a fan.

You um, didn't think Guard Dog was a little on the dark side?

Well, maybe the very end, but it pretty much was what I expect from Bill Plympton. Compared to Fallen Art or Ward 13 it was straight-up funny.

Ward 13 was awesome. I also really liked Rockfish, which surprised me since I thought Gopher Broke was total crap.

Noir is Calvinist, fated. You don't die redeemed.

Well, Victor Mature in Kiss of Death would disagree. He sends his daughters into the country, stays in the city by himself, and gladly takes several bullets to guarantee their safety. (In fact, he doesn't even die at the end!) But it's a classic film noir.

I don't think noir protagonists usually are fated to die, so much as they make bad choices, either mistakes (Harry Fabian in Night and the City ) or intentional leaps into badness ( Out of the Past, Victor Mature's initial suicide-by-cop attempt in Kiss of Death ), get caught up in problems, and can't get out of them. It's pretty rare that a noir protagonist is just plain doomed; usually you can see the path of his downfall, often long before he can see it himself.

Ward 13 was awesome.

Indeed it was - I kept thinking "Tim Burton needs to start a production company (if he hasn't already) and sign this guy (these guys?) up pronto". Although, that was from Australia, right? So maybe PJ can scarf him (them) up.

I also really liked Rockfish, which surprised me since I thought Gopher Broke was total crap.

Never saw Gopher Broke but my one disappointment with Rock Fish was I was hoping it would turn out that the guy was just a sportsman/big game hunter, rather than a miner, and that we'd see the head of the big beastie mounted on a wall at the end . Visually stunning though.

Sin City has a lot of trappings of a noir, but I don't know. It felt off to me as a noir. (Yeah, yeah, my own eloquence blinds me.) It's not the theme that felt wrong, but rather the style. It's just... way too exuberant for a noir. Noir anti-heroes are not supposed to show that much sheer glee as they are getting crushed body and soul. The dark revel in all that luridness struck me more of of a Sam Fuller territory than a Jacques Tourneur. I expect a bit more restraint in my noir--rage should be bottled up for explosion at appropriate times, the vista should be more muted and bleak; More austerity, less operatic grandeur, etc.

God, I dislike Bruce Willis. He's no Ford.

As much as I adore H2G2, I totally see where there might not be a blockbuster level of appeal.