Can a movie change the world? Pangea Day Wants to Try.

Posted on April 15, 2008 at 4:00 pm

Pangea Day is an ambitious effort to bring the entire world together in one conversation about connection and unity through the power of film. On May 10, for four hours, people all over the world will gather to share their stories. There will be films, speakers, and live music. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof and Iranian rockers Hypernova will appear. The website has information about how to participate.

Here is an invitation:

Here are two from a remarkably moving series of films showing countries saluting each other by singing their national anthems. France sings America’s:

And Japan sings Turkey’s:

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Festivals Shorts

And the good sportsmanship award goes to…Chicago newspapers!

Posted on March 28, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Chicagoans are furious about the plans of new Chicago Tribune owner Sam Zell to sell the naming rights to Chicago’s hallowed ground, Wrigley Field. The Chicago Sun-Times had a video competition for those who wanted to object, and the winner was…an intern at the Chicago Tribune!

The Sun-Times announced that they’d been punk’d, but responded cheerfully with a headline expressing their delight in learning that the Tribune had a sense of humor. The Tribune’s triumph was bittersweet (not the comment about vacating the building that has been their home going back almost to the days of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable (okay, since 1925). The video is adorable.

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Shorts

Michel Gondry “Swedes” his own trailer

Posted on February 22, 2008 at 1:00 pm

In Michel Gondry’s delightful new film, “Be Kind Rewind,” an entire video store filled with tapes is erased and Mos Def and Jack Black recreate the films themselves, dubbing the process of making their versions “sweding.” Here is the original trailer:

And here, writer-director Gondry “swedes” it:

And there’s more! Go to the movie’s website (watch out as Mikey and Jerry swede the Internet), watch their sweded movies, and swede yourself into some of your favorite movies. Or go here to submit your own sweded versions of movies!

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Shorts Trailers, Previews, and Clips

Top Picks: Yo Gabba Gabba

Posted on February 17, 2008 at 8:00 am

Is there a more adorable television show ever than Nick Jr.’s “Yo Gabba Gabba?” I love this mash-up of movie star, viral pioneer “Numa Numa,” and good old-fashioned silly dance fun.