"How can you say that?!?" Pete exploded. Pete explodes in surprise on a pretty regular basis but this particular explosion was about a month ago after I had declared my belief that the upcoming 'The Dark Knight' movie would suck.
His explosion was not unsurprising and was not the first time I'd received a reaction of shock or surprise to my declaration that I disbelieved in the positive quality of this film. It's not the first time I've said this sort of thing about a film nor do I expect it to be the last. You see, I'm allergic to hype.
I learned as a child to fight the urge to get too excited over things. My imagination is such that I can generally imagine something more exciting than the reality. If I spend too much time pondering how awesome something is to be, chances are that the version I've 'seen' in my head will be better than anything on screen and I'll be disappointed. The lower I set my expectations and the less I think about it, the more likely I am to enjoy myself. If I don't end up enjoying myself, I know something is wrong. Heck, I set my expectations so low for 'Electra' that I managed to enjoy myself. Not by much, but I think my point is made.
Now, being a comic book geek, I've been hearing about how 'awesome' this 'The Dark Knight' movie is for about six months straight now, apart from a few weeks when we enjoyed 'Iron Man' and 'Hulk'. There is no way I can build my expectations that high for that long and have it pay off with anything but disappointment. Even if it is a great film, as many of my friends have already said it is, and I go in expecting a great film, then it'll be hard to be excited. I got what I expected. If I expect crap and get great film, I'll be happy.
Yes, 'The Dark Knight' sucks and I'll continue to believe that until I see it. After that, I can have a real opinion.
19 July 2008
18 July 2008
Watched the new Gong Show last night
I have memories of the original Gong Show, more I think from its recycled syndicated life than its original run. This new Gong Show felt very much the same in general: weird acts doing weird things in front of a panel of 'D' list (no offense meant to them) celebrities. I did laugh rather enthusiastically a couple times, oddly with the proceedings rather than at them, so the show succeeded in that regard.
I also came to the conclusion that Andy Dick is this generation's Charles Nelson Reilly, insomuch that, in thirty years when they replay these shows, the young people of that day will be more familiar with his game show work than anything else. And they both have a weird vibe to them. Andy Dick is just more of a ... well more of a dick about it I suppose.
Sorry Chuck.
I also came to the conclusion that Andy Dick is this generation's Charles Nelson Reilly, insomuch that, in thirty years when they replay these shows, the young people of that day will be more familiar with his game show work than anything else. And they both have a weird vibe to them. Andy Dick is just more of a ... well more of a dick about it I suppose.
Sorry Chuck.
16 July 2008
A Moment of Silly
So then I told Billy 'If you continue to do that, there's a good chance that your arm will fall off.' He continued to do it and his arm fell off.
Zombies shouldn't do jumping jacks.
Zombies shouldn't do jumping jacks.
15 July 2008
Torn
Part of me is fascinated by history, is interested in baseball, and, therefore, wishes to protect baseball history such as Yankee Stadium.
Part of me wants to help destroy the place, with a bazooka preferably. I don't care for New York in general.
Part of me wants to help destroy the place, with a bazooka preferably. I don't care for New York in general.
14 July 2008
12 July 2008
'Darkness' - The Vampire Edition review
Before seeing the DVD in the store, I don't recall having heard of 'Darkness' before. I'm sure I must have read about it in some passing article at some point as the movie is from 1992 and I read a LOT about 'fantastic' films, but no information about it flared in my memory. That the case identified it as a 'cult classic' and that it had been restored for this release became enough for me to become curious.
Not so curious that I'd watch it immediately mind. I reviewed some of the extra features, saw how the restoration had improved the visuals and waited for the moment when I could watch it without interruption. As it turned out, that was a couple days ago.
It's small town America. A vampire kills our hero's family, altering them into vampires. The morning's sunlight ends their unholy existence. With nothing left to him, he begins hunting the creature, looking for revenge. A group of young people return to their town after a concert to find much of the town has been turned, most of their families included. Our hero tries to help them survive to daybreak.
It's an interesting movie and even now, a couple days later. I'm not complete sure if I enjoyed it or not. Some of the movie is let down by the do-it-yourself nature of its making as many of the night time scenes are very dark, some of the acting can be awkward (moreso in the 'normal' scenes than the horror scenes oddly enough), and some of the sound recording is a bit poor. I also didn't care for some of the editing choices. Some scenes are apparently edited for some artistic effect and I felt it more annoying than anything else. The characters are not introduced in a traditional manner and I found it difficult to keep track of character names or know who they were.
It's that lack of traditional manner that I also really enjoy about the movie. Often in movies characters get a chance to identify themselves, almost standing up in front of the audience, saying their name and stating their cliche ('Hi, I'm Beth and I'll be the stuck up rich girl for this movie.'). 'Darkness' feels very much like a documentary in this regard, with events being captured by a camera for posterity. Long time friends don't say things to each other that they already know in order to explain themselves to the audience.
The way that the vampires are treated is also very interesting. Movie vampires are generally sexy characters that hypnotize their prey into wanting the kiss of the vampire. In this movie, the turned are almost beasts, hunting in packs for those they can bite. Of the few (if not only) actual bite scenes in the movie is not a calm moment as victim sighs and vampire bites, it is a fight with the stronger vampire winning out, wounding its prey until others can join it and truly bring down the blood feast.
The gore effects, of which there are many, are also quite good, very impressive considering the no doubt low budget of the film. Lots of blood spurting and flesh melting and things like these.
All in all, as I noted, an interesting film but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Or perhaps how much I enjoyed it. From some of the special features, it appears this was the first in a trilogy. Part of me is keen to see the other two, part not so much.
Mildly recommended for those interested in low budget horror or gore films. I doubt anyone else would very this interesting at all.
Not so curious that I'd watch it immediately mind. I reviewed some of the extra features, saw how the restoration had improved the visuals and waited for the moment when I could watch it without interruption. As it turned out, that was a couple days ago.
It's small town America. A vampire kills our hero's family, altering them into vampires. The morning's sunlight ends their unholy existence. With nothing left to him, he begins hunting the creature, looking for revenge. A group of young people return to their town after a concert to find much of the town has been turned, most of their families included. Our hero tries to help them survive to daybreak.
It's an interesting movie and even now, a couple days later. I'm not complete sure if I enjoyed it or not. Some of the movie is let down by the do-it-yourself nature of its making as many of the night time scenes are very dark, some of the acting can be awkward (moreso in the 'normal' scenes than the horror scenes oddly enough), and some of the sound recording is a bit poor. I also didn't care for some of the editing choices. Some scenes are apparently edited for some artistic effect and I felt it more annoying than anything else. The characters are not introduced in a traditional manner and I found it difficult to keep track of character names or know who they were.
It's that lack of traditional manner that I also really enjoy about the movie. Often in movies characters get a chance to identify themselves, almost standing up in front of the audience, saying their name and stating their cliche ('Hi, I'm Beth and I'll be the stuck up rich girl for this movie.'). 'Darkness' feels very much like a documentary in this regard, with events being captured by a camera for posterity. Long time friends don't say things to each other that they already know in order to explain themselves to the audience.
The way that the vampires are treated is also very interesting. Movie vampires are generally sexy characters that hypnotize their prey into wanting the kiss of the vampire. In this movie, the turned are almost beasts, hunting in packs for those they can bite. Of the few (if not only) actual bite scenes in the movie is not a calm moment as victim sighs and vampire bites, it is a fight with the stronger vampire winning out, wounding its prey until others can join it and truly bring down the blood feast.
The gore effects, of which there are many, are also quite good, very impressive considering the no doubt low budget of the film. Lots of blood spurting and flesh melting and things like these.
All in all, as I noted, an interesting film but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Or perhaps how much I enjoyed it. From some of the special features, it appears this was the first in a trilogy. Part of me is keen to see the other two, part not so much.
Mildly recommended for those interested in low budget horror or gore films. I doubt anyone else would very this interesting at all.
08 July 2008
Survey says!
I've got all these forms and things to fill out so that the outplacement group can get to know me better and, at least in theory, be in a better position to help me find something interesting to do. One section of the survey would list four jobs at a time and I'd rate my first and second choice of the four. The results came back that I have a high interest in the literary field.
All I could do was laugh and feel confident I'd filled it out correctly.
All I could do was laugh and feel confident I'd filled it out correctly.
07 July 2008
Announcement Type Thing
I don't talk about my day job much online. There's a good reason for that. I've been near to a situation where individuals have gotten dismissed from their job for complaining about it online. Admittedly, this was slightly above normal complaining but it was still a reminder: be careful what you type.
Since I have this mindset, why am I bringing up my day job? Simple, I currently don't have one. My employer of multiple years went through an employee reduction recently and I was part of it. My last day was July 3rd. It was a sad day for all.
The upside is that the company is being very nice about it. I've got outplacement classes to assist me with getting myself back in the job searching mode as well as a severance package that I consider generous. In the short term, I'll be good. Long term, this might be a good thing or really good thing. If I have to be in this position, at least I'm excited about it. A little nervous but excited.
Let's see what's next, hmm?
Since I have this mindset, why am I bringing up my day job? Simple, I currently don't have one. My employer of multiple years went through an employee reduction recently and I was part of it. My last day was July 3rd. It was a sad day for all.
The upside is that the company is being very nice about it. I've got outplacement classes to assist me with getting myself back in the job searching mode as well as a severance package that I consider generous. In the short term, I'll be good. Long term, this might be a good thing or really good thing. If I have to be in this position, at least I'm excited about it. A little nervous but excited.
Let's see what's next, hmm?
02 July 2008
25 June 2008
19 June 2008
17 June 2008
I have new comics again!
Got my hair cut today during my 'tired and want to sleep more but can't so I can stay up and sleep tonight to go back to work tomorrow after having been on 3rd shift' period. Since my barber shop is next to my comic shop, I picked up three weeks worth of books today. Best yet, I can go back tomorrow and get more!
The 'Secret Invasion' just keeps getting deeper and deeper...
-Steve
The 'Secret Invasion' just keeps getting deeper and deeper...
-Steve
Brief note on the previous post
The story of El Muerte Rojo is one I’ve wanted to tell for some time. It is a sad story really, one of loss and pain, a story of lashing out, a fall from grace and things like these. The story arc is all there in my head, waiting for use as it has been since I came up with it in the waning days of the EEW. The question has been how to use the story. Text is an awkward medium with which to deliver this particular tale due to the style of the story but it’s currently my only way to deliver it. If I can find a way to keep it interesting in a text format, perhaps by telling it in a unique manner, then it’ll happen. Probably here.
13 June 2008
The Mask of the Red Death
I died in that ring. In moments I will live in it again.
My enemies conspired against me as they sought my destruction. My person was stolen from me. My face, my being, was ripped away from me. This is what remains: pain, suffering, anger.
I will show all these things. I will vent my anger on my opponents to make them suffer. My pain will be transferred to them. They have no understanding of what they’ve unleashed. They will know that which I have lost: fear.
I am El Muerte Rojo. I am destruction and doom. I am the devastator of hope.
My music hits. It is finally time for all to see what I have become.
11 June 2008
I don't miss this often when I'm sick
For various reasons, I haven't been to the comic book store since May 21st. I have not gotten new comics in three weeks.
I don't miss it like I thought I would. Weird.
I don't miss it like I thought I would. Weird.
09 June 2008
Just a thought
You're only as good as your last failure. In a pinch, your successes will be hard for others to recall but your failures will spring readily to mind.
07 June 2008
'Cloverfield' thoughts
I saw 'Cloverfield' last weekend. It's the American Monster movie from the first person perspective of the humans running in fear of the creature destroying the city. It's not bad but it didn't quite click either. I found it increasingly difficult to believe that the people we were following would continue to bother with the camera. Part of the problem may have been my recent re-watching of 'Diary of the Dead', George A. Romero's latest zombie movie, which uses a similar story telling style. The characters in that movie start out in a position where this sort of activity would seem natural and discussion over this becomes part of the story. In 'Cloverfield' there's just too much running to make lugging a camera around seem reasonable. The movie barely runs 80min which suggests that the filmmakers found it difficult to keep the story interesting from this perspective. While I applaud their apparent lack of desire to fill out the movie to a minimum of 90 mins, it does make it feel more like an experiment that never completely gelled.
I don't care for the design of the creature but am willing to note that's a personal preference. You get a good look at it over the course of the movie but it's not in the movie much. Given the way the story progresses, this makes sense but it is still a little disappointing. That's probably due to my previous experience with watching giant monster movies and having the expectation that the creature will be on screen for a good, oh, half the film.
Due to the story telling style, we rightfully learn little about the creature itself (not unlike the ghouls in 'Night of the Living Dead' to return to that reference point). It's not important what the creature is or where it came from, the important point is that it is here. This lack of information got my buddy George all sorts of curious and we watched one of the few extras on the disc as it claimed to discuss the creature in more length. This is where I got annoyed.
The idea for the movie came from a trip to Japan and seeing all the Godzilla toys (good start). America hasn't really had a creature movie since King Kong (starting to go downhill, the idea that they were apparently trying to project was that American movies haven't had an identifiable giant monster creature character since Kong but the way the statement is made, one would be left thinking that there hasn't been a American Monster movie since 1933 which is very untrue) and they decided it was time. They then give us no concrete information regarding the creature but provide insights as to the sort of things they were thinking might be true about the creature as it destroys New York. The designer gets very enthusiastic about the idea that the creature could be a lost infant crying out for its parents. At this point I grew annoyed because, from his manner, he seemed to think this was a new concept. "In the sixties," I noted to our group, "the British called that movie Gorgo." On the way home I also recalled the Japanese 'Gappa' which used the same idea. By their phrasing they showed either a lack of knowledge on the subject (which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it might prevent them from falling into the same cliches as the earlier kaiju films) or a deliberate attempt to restate history (which made me question how much of a misphrasing that the earlier line was about Kong).
It's worth seeing but that's about it. I think I'm also annoyed because it's the sort of thing I would have liked to do but, obviously, didn't.
I don't care for the design of the creature but am willing to note that's a personal preference. You get a good look at it over the course of the movie but it's not in the movie much. Given the way the story progresses, this makes sense but it is still a little disappointing. That's probably due to my previous experience with watching giant monster movies and having the expectation that the creature will be on screen for a good, oh, half the film.
Due to the story telling style, we rightfully learn little about the creature itself (not unlike the ghouls in 'Night of the Living Dead' to return to that reference point). It's not important what the creature is or where it came from, the important point is that it is here. This lack of information got my buddy George all sorts of curious and we watched one of the few extras on the disc as it claimed to discuss the creature in more length. This is where I got annoyed.
The idea for the movie came from a trip to Japan and seeing all the Godzilla toys (good start). America hasn't really had a creature movie since King Kong (starting to go downhill, the idea that they were apparently trying to project was that American movies haven't had an identifiable giant monster creature character since Kong but the way the statement is made, one would be left thinking that there hasn't been a American Monster movie since 1933 which is very untrue) and they decided it was time. They then give us no concrete information regarding the creature but provide insights as to the sort of things they were thinking might be true about the creature as it destroys New York. The designer gets very enthusiastic about the idea that the creature could be a lost infant crying out for its parents. At this point I grew annoyed because, from his manner, he seemed to think this was a new concept. "In the sixties," I noted to our group, "the British called that movie Gorgo." On the way home I also recalled the Japanese 'Gappa' which used the same idea. By their phrasing they showed either a lack of knowledge on the subject (which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it might prevent them from falling into the same cliches as the earlier kaiju films) or a deliberate attempt to restate history (which made me question how much of a misphrasing that the earlier line was about Kong).
It's worth seeing but that's about it. I think I'm also annoyed because it's the sort of thing I would have liked to do but, obviously, didn't.
04 June 2008
Call me Oscar...
...cause I've sure been a grouch of late. Not that some people haven't deserved a little wrath. Some of the people that have found themselves targets would always deserve it. They're just getting hit a little harder than normal.
I'm not sure what the reason is. I've been tired of late and it might be the spring weather. Might have something to do with the tension in my back getting to me and disrupting my sleep last week. Might be a lot of little things rolled up into one.
What it is, is annoying.
I'm not sure what the reason is. I've been tired of late and it might be the spring weather. Might have something to do with the tension in my back getting to me and disrupting my sleep last week. Might be a lot of little things rolled up into one.
What it is, is annoying.
03 June 2008
Stabbing Westward makes me think, curse it
I believe that 'I Won't Become the Thing I Hate' except for the fact that I'm no longer sure what I hate. That's a bit disconcerting. There are plenty of things that I'm not that I don't hate but what must I avoid to remain myself?
Am confused.
Am confused.
02 June 2008
Make room! Make room!
The hard drive where I was slowly collecting all my music filled up last week. It was the first external drive I bought for this computer. I got it once I realized the 80GB that came with the Mac probably wouldn't be enough to support the DVD work I wanted to do as well as store my music. The 160GB drive was a good place to store the DVD work. Then it became a good place to store my iTunes folder, especially once I got the 500GB drive last fall to store all my video stuff on. At least until it filled up. I would have moved it to the 500GB drive but it didn't have room for it.
Yesterday I bought a 1TB external drive. Hopefully that'll keep me for awhile. $240, not bad. I think that's what I paid for the 160GB drive years ago.
Yesterday I bought a 1TB external drive. Hopefully that'll keep me for awhile. $240, not bad. I think that's what I paid for the 160GB drive years ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)