Dec 23
Is it really true that nobody came up with an original, illustrated title for James Cameron’s insanely expensive blockbuster movie? Let’s take a look at the title itself. This is from a screen capture taken from one of the HD trailers:
It’s got a nice glow effect with some color variations within the glyphs. I think it achieves that eco-spiritual, aboriginal feel well enough. The obvious font that looks like this is Papyrus, a font found on every Windows and Mac out there. Here’s a quick and dirty copy I made in Photoshop using that ubiquitous font (without going through the work of replicating the effects):
Hmm. Not really a match. The details are clearly different. They must have set aside some of that massive budget to hire a talented typographer to give Cameron’s film an original word mark. I wonder, though, if it were just thickened up a bit with the old “faux bold” text modifier:
Closer, but still not quite. But wait… They do both have random nicks and notches in the letters to help give it them a weathered, pitted effect. A closer comparison:
Everything lines up perfectly. Well that settles it. Avatar’s font is definitely Papyrus with some path distortions done in something like Illustrator. They did at least try to fool us by making the A’s unique from one another:
Still, I can’t help but be a little disappointed at this. Oh well. Fantastic movie otherwise.
Jun 25
Overweight or unattractive college girls don’t exist anymore. Every one of ‘em is a dime. (Real factoid: both the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton did not want to be named in the movie because they disapproved of a scene in which Sam’s mom gets high.)
Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona is right outside the hangar doors at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
If you have a ton of slow motion footage of Megan Fox running towards the camera, just break it up with shots of dueling decepticons in the desert and you got yourself a movie.
They can create realistic looking transformers mixed in with live action, but the special effects technology required to lengthen Megan Fox’s short thumb remains elusive.
Even if only by chance, try not to wear this shirt the day you go see it, or you’ll feel like some sort of Shia Labeouf fanboy.
Jun 6
I can’t say enough about this film. It’s simply remarkable.
HOME is non-profit, 100% free documentary produced by Yann Arthus-Bertrand with a beautiful score by Armand Amar and narrated by Glenn Close. It was filmed using helicopter mounted Cineflex hi def cameras designed to nearly eliminate vibration (see a making-of video here). The results are arrestingly breathtaking. Below are some screen shots I snapped at various points throughout the film.
It doesn’t even matter if you disagree with the scientific community on the issue of climate change — but if that’s the case, then turn the audio off, listen to some Jon Hopkins and enjoy the stunning cinematography.
Watch HOME in hi def here. If you find it inspiring, I suggest reading Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
