Why Watch? Because it’s the first science fiction film ever made. Co-writing with his brother Gaston, Georges Méliès produced, directed, and starred in this enduringly brilliant short that features clever innovations in special effects and a unique style created by blending live-action with a very specific type of animation. Most know that it was the inspiration for the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” music video (and my stalker knows it as the inspiration for one of my tattoos), but the most fascinating fact outside the film itself is that it was one of the earliest victims of film piracy. Méliès had already been making short films for years before A Trip to the Moon, and he saw the United States as a ticket to monetary success that would be cashed by this popular, science fiction dream. Unfortunately, Thomas Edison had his cronies make copies of the film in order to play it around the country – severely injuring Méliès’s ability to make money from his own work. The story and the story of Méliès’s life don’t have happy endings. Clearly, stealing movies is just as old as movies themselves. What does it cost? Just 10 minutes of your time. Check out A Trip to the Moon for yourself:

Why Watch? Because a lot can happen when you’re asleep. Yesterday’s short certainly borrowed from the pioneering artistic style of Georges Méliès, and they make a good double feature (considering they take under six minute to watch together). Méliès is most famous for A Trip to the Moon, but he made this ethereal short 6 years earlier, acting as director, producer, production designer, and editor. Considering that it’s over 100 years old, it’s pretty damned entertaining – even though it probably earned a “WTF” rating even back in the 19th century. His trippy genius comes to life here in its purest form – through a dream. Now just imagine what he could do with the technology of today. What does it cost? Just 1 minute of your time. Check out The Nightmare for yourself:

When I thought more and more about it, I realized that Scorsese is one director that doesn’t need 3D to add depth to his visuals.

Now that everyone and their talking dog has seen Up, it’s time to look at its context within film history and in the legacy of Pixar.