Random thoughts, organized and categorized for your consumption.
Movies
Sometimes funny, frightening, or dramatic pictures that are flipping rapidly enough to look like motion.
Video Disc Tools for Happy Streaming
Nov 14th
I was asked recently to document the things that a person would need to use in order to take an optical disc with video content on it and turn it into something that streams reliably to the PS3. Rather than write a long email on the topic I’ve decided to chronicle the information here so that I can make it available to anyone who asks, now and in the future.
First off, this guide is for Windows users, so folks using OS X or any of the Linux flavors need to find some way to live temporarily in the Microsoft world. More >
It's All About the Guns in "Wanted"
Jul 14th
This weekend on the recommendation of a friend I went to see “Wanted” with another friend. I was promised that this would be an exciting summer movie and that did turn out to be the case. This is this director’s first time creating an English language film and it worked well. His visual style is similar to what you’ve seen if you recall the “Matrix” or BMW “Driver” but with some still unique flair.
In typical movie fashion, the gun-play is completely unrealistic and defies the laws of physics, but that doesn’t make the film any less enjoyable to watch. It certainly More >
The Bourne Shakey Cam Express
Aug 19th
I just finished going to the theater (what!?!) to see The Bourne Ultimatum with Steve, April, and Steve’s dad, and man does my head hurt afterwards. Evidently the new “in thing” for movies is to shoot them hand held guerrilla style and make the moviegoer dizzy or sick. Another great example of this technique shown this summer was Transformers, a Michael Bay epic that was full of robot vs robot fighting (yay!) that would have looked great, if only the camera would have been still for more than 3 seconds.
While this is the 3rd and last in the series of movies, it More >
Review: Batman Begins
Jul 10th
I took a part of this afternoon to go see Batman Begins and I walked away from it pretty impressed. It could have fallen apart just like the many other iterations of Batman have, but it held it all together through the whole picture. It felt, dare I say it, believable, which you could never have said about the first set of movies.
The soundtrack is great also, with Hans Zimmer doing his best to convey the dark tone of the new picture. So great, in fact, that I went straight over to Amazon.com and ordered the soundtrack. But, I am a More >
Episode 3: It could have been worse
Jun 5th
Yes, I knew this 3rd (or 6th) installment of Star Wars would be rough. I’m a fan of the previous SW movies, so I knew what I was in for. The effects were fantastic, and the battles were epic. Its good to finally know how everything fell into place and how the empire began.
But good lord, could the dialog the actors had to read be any worse? Hayden should have changed his name to wooden, Natalie turned up the sap and turned down the drama, and Ewan & Sam just phoned it in. I was thankful for the long silences More >
Movies: The Aviator
Jan 1st
I saw The Aviator recently and I walked away impressed. I was pretty confident in its accuracy thanks to a recent interview of the director, Martin Scorsese, and I wasn’t disappointed. What I was afraid of was Leonardo DiCaprio and his seemingly impossible task to act like a real person. He surprised me with a good, one would almost say moving, performance as a prolific and later delusional Hughes. Kate Blanchett does a fantastically good job as Katharine Hepburn and Kate Beckinsale does as well as Eva Gardner. They both help move the story along while remaining true to their characters More >
Movies: The Village
Aug 7th
I recently saw the latest visceral screen fest from M. Night Shyamalan called “The Village”. Like most reviewers, I decided early on who and what the “bad things” were and I had a reasonable idea what was outside the forest. That said, I still enjoyed most of the film and there were several moments where the movie provided a scare great enough to get most of the audience screaming.
The cast was also quite good, with the newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard really stealing the show. What I wonder is this: is Mr. Shyamalan getting lazy or are audiences just expecting more More >
DVD: School of Rock
May 3rd
Jack Black. Joan Cusack. A bunch of kids. Rock and roll. Battle of the bands. What more is there to say? The movie is School of Rock and you need to see it. That’s all there is to it. Do it, or Jack will come to your house and eat everything in your fridge.
At the Movies
Feb 18th
Saw Black Hawk Down this weekend. Powerful stuff. Not one person talked, laughed, or otherwise cut up when leaving the theater. I suppose I could see where critics may have panned the film for character development (or lack thereof), but it is still a good movie.
If you have ever questioned why military types are cocky, self-agrandizing, or otherwise egotistical go see this movie. I have a new respect for them and their job, even if the policy behind their actions make little sense.
Holidays
Dec 30th
I can’t say that I did much over the holidays but I guess I had that coming. I have had the opportunity to see a few movies, and most were pretty good: Spy Game, Miss Congeniality, One Night at McCool’s, and Requiem for a Dream.
Finally got my two new games up and running and they are great. You should go play them (if you have days to give up): Empire Earth and Flight Simulator 2002.