This is one of the coolest commercials I’ve ever seen. It gives the feel of a video game without going too far in that direction. The effects are inspiring.

I’d never buy a Hummer though, as awesome as this commercial is. I’m more of the eco-friendly type of driver. Did you hear the next generation of Prius will get 80mpg and have a more powerful engine!?

The movie’s getting lukewarm reviews, but the opening credits for The Kingdom function as an effective prologue to the film.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but this is yet another example of what I call “visual essays.” It’s all about re-contextualizing historical data in a dramatic light by leveraging the power of motion graphics. The result is a compelling argument, something that can be debated point by point, even as it entertains and informs its audience.

By now you’ve probably all seen Method’s amazing job on the latest Halo 3 spot. It’s getting pretty heavy airplay, and Method’s work stands up to repeat scrutiny very well (as usual).

Just to clear up any misconceptions: the spot is not 100% CG. Method worked with MJZ’s Rupert Sanders and figurine modeler Stan Winston to create a scene populated by over a 1000 characters. For more info on the technique involved, jump down to the Making Of section below.

What I find interesting about the diorama approach has less to do with execution and more to do with Microsoft and agency T.A.G./ McCann Worldgroup’s thinking behind the project. As the level of realism in games reaches ever higher, game advertising is starting to get interesting.