The Web’s Best Video Clips: Videos With A Brain

The life of Kim Peek, the remarkable man upon whom the movie Rain Man was based, is explored in this documentary.

The life of Kim Peek, the remarkable man upon whom the movie Rain Man was based, is explored in this documentary.

The life of Kim Peek, the remarkable man upon whom the movie Rain Man was based, is explored in this documentary.

Stephen Wiltshire is an autistic man with an almost perfectly photographic memory (known as “The Human Camera”)…and the artistic recreations to prove it. Here, he draws the city of Rome, Italy. More about him at www.StephenWiltshire.co.uk.

A really interesting approach to reverse play filmmaking. Smooth and stylish, and the sound works well with it.

Their story has been heard far and wide, but if you’ve missed it, you’ll want to take the time to watch. A father and son team who compete in racing and triathlons…with the son in a wheelchair. Very moving.

Tom Dickson has a whole series of videos of him throwing various objects in a blender and grinding them to smithereens. Marbles, an iPod, footballs, etc. But I found this one the funniest for some reason: A Big Mac, a large order of fries and a shake…on smoothie setting.

Just imagine the time investment involved in creating this 40 seconds of musical magic.

A human body assembles itself inside a cramped room.
WARNING: Anatomically Correct

Really cute clip about an animated character (”Wallby”) who wants a girlfriend.

The Japanese have very odd taste in their television entertainment. A lot of extreme stuff. These are pretty funny.

Part of the same system that wreaked havoc on Kansas, this footage from 5-4-07 is some of the most incredible stuff I’ve ever seen. Up close and personal with a tornado.

This is the kind of footage you only see in movies and computer games…where everything is artificial or highly controlled. The Bo 105 is a light twin engine multi purpose utility helicopter initially developed by Bölkow. Very nice stuff…many of these moves only have clearances of feet or even inches.

Nicely done Star Wars fan film. Not set in the SW universe, but with more of a martial arts feel, using light sabers.

This guy is presenting an inspirational message, when he stumbles and takes a bit of a detour. Just like starting to laugh and not being able to stop…he can’t seem to leave it behind. First, he tries a Jedi mind trick, “And you heard nothing else…!!” Then, he proceeds to bring up cows, and finally…what’s [...]

Dog born without her front legs, and therefore…what could be more logical than to become a bipedal walker?

Based on a concept by the late Andy Kauffman and Bob Zmuda…this “event” is completely staged by Improv Everywhere. There is no real hypnotist, no real hypnotism…only the real reactions of bystanders who believe that people have been hypnotized and then abandoned. Pretty interesting.

Take some cornstarch, add a little water and shake. Nope, it’s not the Hokey Pokey. It’s a demonstration of some of the non-liquid-like property of this liquid substance. The “fingers” are the coolest part.

I can’t understand a word of the audio…but the video footage is in the universal language of WOW. A truly PERFECT archery shot.

I’m not a surfer, and the appeal has always eluded me. But…this is really impressive…and it really makes you wish you were the guy on the board. Very cool.

From his 1984 HBO special, Joe Piscopo does a REALLY bad rap but some very good impressions of Andy Rooney, David Letterman, Phil Donahue, Lee Iaccoca, Ted Koppel, David Hartman, Ed Bradley, Ed McMahon, and Joan Rivers.

And the award for best creative advertising goes to…Wonderbra! What a cute idea!

BBC documentary from 2002. Scientists now believe there may really be a parallel universe. In fact, there may be an infinite number of parallel universes, and we just happen to live in one of them. These other universes may contain space, time and strange forms of exotic matter. Some of them may even contain you, [...]

Look at it this way: How long does it take to get 900 people to work cooperatively on ANYTHING?? Hamburg, Germany (3-26-06). An Airbus A380 is evacuated of 873 people, largely in darkness…with only the cabin emergency lights switched on. This footage is from night vision cameras. The crew did not know in advance which [...]

It’s so big compared to that little hole. Incredibly, it finds a way to squeeze itself through.