Simpsons "Stemed Hams" Parodies

 

The internet was created with the intention of collecting the world's total knowledge into one vast, infinite library, where thinkers and scholars and artists could create freely and contemplate the universe. Instead, we just wasted out time by watching a bunch of silly parody videos.

Here are a couple wildly funny video spoofs of the "steamed hams" bit from The Simpsons. I'm sure you've seen this episode a hundred times, it's a comedy classic with Principle Skinner and "Super Nintendo" Chalmers. The first video fuses voice clips to the climactic battle in Nintendo's Super Mario World, and it works surprisingly well. The second video is a mashup of audiovisual clips that parodies Gorillaz, which is something of a semi-parody musical act. I really enjoy this one, as it reminds me of the wave of "YouTube Poop" videos that exploded across computer screens in 2008. Are we now seeing the next generation of those spoofs?

I have no idea why the kids have glued onto "Steamed Hams" as much as they have, but I'm glad they did. What do I know? I'm a rapidly aging Generation X'er who's still running a weblog like it's still 2005. Does anyone even know what a "blog" is anymore? I'm the last of the dinosaurs.

Everyone Gets the Animated Features They Deserve

"Every nation gets the government it deserves." This can also be said of animated feature films. The Emoji Movie is cynical, formulaic, dim-witted, cliched and generally terrible. It was recently awarded "Worst Movie" at this year's Razzie Awards. And yet, it still managed to earn $200 million at the box office and earn a "B" grade from audiences.

Yes, those are poor numbers compared to most animated features. Compared to, say, the Studio Ghibli movies, well...Hayao Miyazaki's last feature, The Wind Rises, earned a paltry $5 million dollars in US theaters. A two-time Academy Award winner and animation legend couldn't pull in more than The Emoji Movie made at the popcorn stand.

Just look at that screenshot. Even those stupid smiley faces are depressed about being in this dumb cartoon. They're probably a little shocked at the critical drubbing they've received as well. Let's be completely honest here. The Emoji Movie isn't really any worse than most animated features to come through the studio system in recent years. The plot, the characters, the casting, the pop culture riffs, the loud action scenes, the "pweachy mowal wesson", the formulaic happy ending -- it's all the same.

Oh, and were you aware that Masaaki Yuasa's visual masterpiece Mind Game is playing in select US theaters? It's box office return so far: $7,586.00. That's not a typo.

If you want better movies, then you're going to have to support better movies. Better options are readily available, but only if you bother to show up. If you choose instead to sit on your hands and stay home, only going out to sleepwalk into the latest formulaic animated cartoon that's identical to the last twenty animated cartoons...well, don't be surprised if "Emoji Movie 2" gets the green light. Expect to see the teaser trailer at the beginning of "Angry Birds Movie 2".

GKIDS Animation is Film Festival Oct 20-22

The Animation is Film Festival, presented by GKIDS, continues this weekend in Los Angeles, presenting a wide variety of feature animated movies from around the world. This festival was created from a desire to expand the appeal of the medium beyond its "electric babysitter" ghetto.

This movie festival features the US theatrical premier of Mary and the Witch's Flower, the debut movie from Studio Ponoc and latest feature from Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the director of The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There. The Sunday event has already sold out.

Other anime films from Japan include three from Masaaki Yuasa: Mind Game, Night is Short, Walk On Girl and Lu Over the Wall. This is a very welcome sight and will hopefully lead to wider recognition of this most visually inventive of anime directors.

On the Western side, the selection of animated features runs from mainstream blockbusters (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Incredibles, The LEGO Batman Movie, to a variety of independent movies, including the highly anticipated film from Nora Twomey (co-creator of The Secret of Kells), The Breadwinner, and the user-stylish French thriller, Zombillenium, a graphic novel adaptation where zombies, vampires and witches hide in plain sight by working at a horror-themed amusement park.

This festival is an excellent idea, and should be shown in more US cities. Hopefully a successful run in Los Angeles will inspire GKIDS and their sponsors to do just that. I am already saving my money for the inevitable GKIDS Blu-Ray releases.