WEBSITE: Chain Bear

So, earlier this month I posted about Buttersafe, a website with witty and interestingly drawn comics, a good waster of a few seconds of your day. Well, I've stumbled upon another one that just "gets me" and maybe it will "get you" too.

Chain Bear has a whole other style. It's concept is more ironic and focuses on the everyday occuraces that we regualr folk may not see the potential humor in. Often times these comics, created by Lauren Taylor and Stuart Taylor, are on the thoughtful side, creating a smile but also a small warm feeling somewhere inside...but most of the time they're kind of crass.

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Buttersafe

Hump Day is over but it's not quite the weekend, yet. Who said Monday was the worst day of the work-week, huh? Either way, its a perfect day to log onto Buttersafe and check out the twice-weekly comic posted here. It is my Tuesday/Thursday guilty pleasure; something to look forward to and know I will at least smile if not laugh aloud. (Please note I did not say LOL. When will that die?)

Anyways, the website displays hilarious and beautifully illustrated simple cartoons that the lady in the cubicle next door with the inspirational magnets and cat posters will hate. Which is why I love them and why I love to print them off and post them in eyesight of all who pass by my work domain.

Happy Thursday. Very un-Zonino!

Buzzy

MOVIE: Megamind (Trailer)

It looks like Dreamworks will do it again come November. Combining stunning animation, A-list voice actors, and a snappy script, the studio has begun running trailers for its newest creation, Megamind.

At first, the story appears to be a slight Superman creation-story rip-off with a baby being sent away in a tiny rocket ship by his parents as the planet explodes all around them. The movie, featuring the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Brad Pitt, seems to make no apologies for this similarity; there is even a character, Metroman, who looks like a white-suited Superman. The difference here is that the story focuses on the titular villain and his eternal quest to win some misguided sibling rivalry with someone not even his brother.

This looks to be a sure-fire hit and definitely one of the better anti-hero hero stories out there. Be sure you're in line for tickets when the curtain goes up this fall!

Sergio del Limónar

WEB: Filmcow

From the ingenious and twisted mind of Jason Steele (I don't know anything about him, but do you like how I made it seem like he was known?) comes FilmCow, an animation studio of sorts that creates short cartoon films starring unicorns, homicidal cats, sad singing ferrets, sexual sock puppets and other disturbingly hilarious creations.

Upon first viewings it may appear that these are the ridiculous ramblings of a couple stoners in their mother's basement with nothing better to do than laugh at their own immature humor. But then you start to laugh. A lot. And, after questioning your own adulthood, you realize that Charlie the unicorn is a work of comedic art, llamas with hats are funny - no matter what murderous acts they may involve themselves with - and Detective Mittens really is a "scary ****ing cat."

The website has a tab where you can view the many films using either QuickTime, YouTube, or download directly to your iPod or iPhone. So really, you have no excuses to watch!

Buzzy

YOUTUBE: "Genre"

In the age where everyone with a finger and cell phone can upload blurry 30 second clips of every day inanities from their lives to YouTube, its nice when someone takes the time to create something unique, thought-provoking, and/or talent-based. (Watching you spit toothpaste foam into the sink and giggling is none of these things.)

Someone thankfully took the time to upload this film made by students at UC - Santa Barbara in 2006. Titled Genre, this stop-animation short written, directed, animated, and produced by one Don Hertzfeldt, centers on a cartoonist with writer's block attempting to sketch a story with his central character, a very strung-out looking rabbit. After exhausting the standards - buddy picture, comedy, science fiction, romance - he gets creative with other ideas like porno and "abstract foreign western." The progression is hilarious and the interactions between animator and rabbit are priceless.

I kind of want that little rabbit guy on a t-shirt...or perhaps just a beer coozie.

Buzzy