iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

*I've been watching a string of gems from the NFB, inspired by Charles Solomon's excellent book "Animation for the People".

000

A triumph of film art, creating on the screen a vast, awe-inspiring picture of the universe as it would appear to a voyager through space, this film was …

Universe (1960): www.nfb.ca/film/universe/ 21-87 (1963): www.nfb.ca/film/21-87/ [quote begins at 3:33] In the Labyrinth (1979): www.nfb.ca/film/in_the_...

nfb.ca

Universe

100

Accordingly, Princess Leia's detention block room on the Death Star is Cell 2187. In a much later nod, "The Force Awakens" (2015) sees stormtrooper FN-2187 become the hero Finn.

100

"or, or, something behind this apparent mask which we see in front of us." This passage inspired a young George Lucas, who said that is where he got his idea for the Force in "Star Wars" (1977).

100

And, as a crazy aside, he contributed some musings to the avante-garde NFB short film "21-87" (1963), in which he could be heard on screen saying, "Many take the view that, in the contemplation of nature, in the communication with other living things, they become aware of some kind of, uh... force

100

Roman Kroitor wasn't finished. His work on "In the Labyrinth" inspired him to co-found the Multi-Screen Corporation at the NFB in Montreal, which later became IMAX. Kroitor also received two Academy Award Nominations for Best Live Action Short Film in 1979 and 1981 for films created at the NFB.

100

to help him with "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), but they were busy on "In the Labyrinth", a multi-screen projection which premiered at Expo 67 in Montreal. However, "Universe" effects artist Wally Gentleman joined Kubrick's effort, as did narrator Douglas Rain, who voiced the iconic HAL 9000.

100

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

I found some fun history after watching "Universe" (1960), produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB)*. It was the state of the art in depicting space onscreen, with animation, optical compositing, and detailed models. Directors Roman Kroitor and Colin Low were approached by Stanley Kubrik

132

Is it fair to say that Will is now a Semigorgon?

020

Would love to get your take. You won’t have the comparison engine running in the background and pointing out what the original left out, but there’s plenty more to gain from it. I should add that’s it’s not a knock on Twain; purely additive.

Sister, Sinner - What can I say? I'm a sucker for LA history. And Aimee Semple McPherson is endlessly fascinating. They Flew - A deep investigation into the people in church history who were said to levitate, bleed from the hands, and even die in supernatural ways.

000

Actress of a Certain Age - Jeff Hiller feels like an instant friend, and this led me to watch (and love) the series Somebody Somewhere. James - You've probably already heard others rave about Percival Everett's brilliant re-imagining of Huck Finn through the eyes of "Jim". And yet it's so much more.

100

Dinner With King Tut - Sam Kean takes us all over the globe for a dive into the world of experimental archaeology. Replaceable You - I'll follow Mary Roach anywhere, so let's learn all about the history of replacing our body parts with whatever's lying around!

100

The Mirage Factory - Los Angeles's development told through the lens of infrastructure, film, and religion. Blankets - A beautifully illustrated account of Craig Thompson's ultra-religious upbringing and his first time falling in love.

100

Daughter of Daring - Super fascinating Hollywood history about Helen Gibson and an earlier era in which women had a lot more power. The Bible Says So - Dan McClellan clears up a lot of misunderstandings about how the Bible relates to controversial issues.

100

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

The Reading Glasses Podcast Reading Challenge inspires me to try new books, authors, and reading activities. Here are my 2025 goals, plus the 52 books I read this past year. #rgchallenge2025 I didn't have room to elaborate on my top 10, so quick pitches for each in the following posts:

240

Saw this quote at the beginning of "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz", available here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vz0... Fuller quote from Thoreau here: www.goodreads.com/quotes/39041...

youtube.com

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz | full movie (2014)

YouTube video by moviemaniacsDE

000

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

"Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?" - Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Other Essays

170

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

Did this pop into anyone else's head when seeing that Christopher Anderson closeup of JD Vance in Variety?

240

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

This 1947 stop motion animation does a brilliant job of explaining why it's so hard to represent a 3-dimensional globe on a 2-dimensional sheet of paper. Directed by Evelyn Lambert, an animation pioneer at Canada's National Film Board (NFB). www.youtube.com/watch?v=blQL...

Showing Andrew Cocoon the way the good Lord intended… on a VCR with horrible tracking issues and a loud squeal.

080

Watch Jane Goodall: The Hope | Disney+

Really, two fields: primatology and conservation. And she did it all with grace and intelligence. Even into her 10th decade, Goodall was in constant demand as a speaker. If the title "saint" has any meaning, it should be reserved for people like her. Great doc: www.disneyplus.com/browse/entit...

disneyplus.com

Jane Goodall continues her lifetime of activism by continuously spreading a message of hope.

080

Jane Goodall, trailblazing naturalist whose intimate observations of chimpanzees transformed our understanding of humankind, has died

When I think of a life well lived, it's hard to think of anyone who did it better than Jane Goodall. A brilliant scientist and tireless champion of the natural world, she was one of those rare icons who personify a whole field of knowledge in the minds of the public. www.latimes.com/obituaries/s...

latimes.com

Jane Goodall, the trailblazing naturalist whose intimate observations of chimpanzees in the African wild produced powerful insights that transformed basic conceptions of humankind, has died. She was 9...

2230

Ross Blocher @rossblocher.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

EDIT: Free for UCSC students, $20 for all else. And sold out! But they say there will likely be tickets at the door.

040

FREE Humanist conference going on today and tomorrow! I'm helping out backstage, and can attest there are some great speakers and talks. Join in any time online. www.atheistsunited.org/2025-kindlin...

atheistsunited.org

2025 Humanist Spark Summit — Atheists United

020

New date is Wednesday, October 1st! Same time, same link.

New Date! WED October 1 at 4PM Pacific / 7PM Eastern. Same link, same time.

So we're all on the same page now that vaccines don't cause autism?

080

Thanks for sharing! Unfortunately, we have to postpone for tonight due to an illness. Will announce the new date once I know it.

110