TRAVIS BYRAM'S MOVIE REVIEWS

Thanks to the perpetual Santa Claus that is Netflix, I've been able to see movies I've missed over the summer (or that didn't look all too great to me) and rent them. I've got still quite the catch up to do, with "Pacific Rim," "Monsters U" and "Into Darkness" on the list, but I thought I'd cap it off with something cheery: the zombie apocalypse. (This is more of a filler post since the movies I'm ecstatic about seeing; "Nebraska," "Catching Fire," "American Hustle," "Desolation of Smaug," etc. will be coming out late in the year. Also expect plenty of awards coverage!) Director Marc Foster has quite the filmography already: Oscar winners like "Finding Neverland" and "Monster's Ball," indies like "Machine Gun Preacher" and, of course, what he may never be able to live down, the oft-mocked 22nd Bond installment "Quantum of Solace." My only Bond film...

Stop motion is one of the most rigorous, time consuming methods of animation ever, if you've ever seen the little, slight detail put into one of those features, it's jaw dropping.  One of my personal favorite films (not just of stop-motion, but of all time) is Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox."  You see every little ripple of clothing that was moved just an inch, to make it appear like these dolls or moving.  Other brilliant instances of this work are "Coraline," "Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit," and "Corpse Bride."  They're short, but only because it can take up to a year to shoot a simple five minute shot.  Take note that every movie I've listed has either won or been nominated for Best Animated film at the Oscars.  It's quality entertainment. Now add in there actually coming up with funny gags, characters worth investing in to, and having a positive message for kids, though I think a more adult...