Dude.
This November, Sony unleashes a brand new 2-disc special edition DVD of....
The Transformers: The Movie
No word yet on the bonus features. They say that this is being done to tie-in with a new bunch of Transformers toys coming out this Christmas, but I'm fairly certain that the live-action movie coming out next summer has something to do with it, too.
Don't forget, The Transformers: The Movie - Special 20th Anniversary Edition comes out in November.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
The Road to Electoral Reform
So, today, the Conservative government unveiled the first of their electoral reforms. This was, of course, a good-sized chunk of their election platform.
The first bill tabled was for fixed election dates. In the Tories' new, proposed system, elections would be held every four years on the third Monday in October. They say fixed election dates "de-politicize" the election...now, the governing party can't have an election when they're doing good in the polls, or right after the announce a bunch of popular reforms.
In the case of a minority government, the government will still crumble and we'll still go to another election. But, on that fourth year from the last regularly-scheduled election, we still have another eleciton.
I look at this and I go, "Hmm. Looks good on paper." It'll be interesting to see that minority government situation and how it actually plays out.
Besides, I think it's a moot point as to de-politicizing it. The ruling party can still announce a whole bunch of popular reforms right before the election...only now, the announcement will be regulary scheduled: every fourth Septermber.
Now, the second proposed reform today is the one that's raised eyebrows. Term limits on senators.
Under the current system, a senator serves in the Red Chamber until he or she turns 75. Under the Tories proposed new systme, a senator would only serve for 8 years.
The Tories say that this is a necessary first step towards their true goal: an elected senate. Because, according to their logic, a senator could serve a term of 30 or 40 years, depending on how young they are when they're first elected.
Now, see, this one I disagree with. I mean, under our current system, an MP could serve a term of 30 or 40 years too...as long as he or she keeps getting re-elected.
If you're going to have term limits on the senators, then have it on the MPs, too.
That, or, when we finally do have an elected senate, set it up so a senator can be re-elected indefinitly...just like the MPs.
Hey, I'm only trying to go for equality of the houses here.
The first bill tabled was for fixed election dates. In the Tories' new, proposed system, elections would be held every four years on the third Monday in October. They say fixed election dates "de-politicize" the election...now, the governing party can't have an election when they're doing good in the polls, or right after the announce a bunch of popular reforms.
In the case of a minority government, the government will still crumble and we'll still go to another election. But, on that fourth year from the last regularly-scheduled election, we still have another eleciton.
I look at this and I go, "Hmm. Looks good on paper." It'll be interesting to see that minority government situation and how it actually plays out.
Besides, I think it's a moot point as to de-politicizing it. The ruling party can still announce a whole bunch of popular reforms right before the election...only now, the announcement will be regulary scheduled: every fourth Septermber.
Now, the second proposed reform today is the one that's raised eyebrows. Term limits on senators.
Under the current system, a senator serves in the Red Chamber until he or she turns 75. Under the Tories proposed new systme, a senator would only serve for 8 years.
The Tories say that this is a necessary first step towards their true goal: an elected senate. Because, according to their logic, a senator could serve a term of 30 or 40 years, depending on how young they are when they're first elected.
Now, see, this one I disagree with. I mean, under our current system, an MP could serve a term of 30 or 40 years too...as long as he or she keeps getting re-elected.
If you're going to have term limits on the senators, then have it on the MPs, too.
That, or, when we finally do have an elected senate, set it up so a senator can be re-elected indefinitly...just like the MPs.
Hey, I'm only trying to go for equality of the houses here.
Tuesday Morning
I'm probably going to say this for the only time in my life.
Calgary is better than Edmonton.
When the Calgary Flames made it to the Stanley Cup, this is the question that Calgary Police was asking:
"Jeez, what are we going to do about all the women flashing their breasts on the Red Mile?"
Now, the Edmonton Oilers are in the Stanely Cup final, and this is the question that, not only the Edmonton Police are asking, but all of Canada:
"Jeez, what are we going to do about the riots on Whyte Avenue?"
that's just one of the things I don't understand about sports. "Yay! My team won! Let's break stuff and hurt people to celebrate!"
But then, Whyte Ave has always been bad for that...ever since the now-infamous Canada Day Riots of 2001. It's like those who frequent Whyte Ave are always looking for an excuse to fight.
My co-worker turned to me today and said, "So, since you got the big, new TV, I guess next is going to be a gaming system, eh?"
Probably not. I don't know...I just haven't been that into video games in a really long time. PlayStation...XBox...it's all got no interest for me.
If ever do buy something, it'll probably be a Game Cube, so I can keep playing Pokemon.
But yeah...I don't have a good history with video game systems. It all started in 1989. Around Christmas that year, Mom started hinting that she was going to get my brother and me a video game system, but she coulnd't decide which one. I wanted a Nintendo. My brother wanted a Sega Master System. That led to the biggest fight my brother and I ever had. We got board games for Christmas.
So, I saved my paper route money and bought me a Game Boy. Best thing I ever did...Game Boy still has the record as the most successful video game system of all time. In Japan, my upstairs neighbour sold me his Game Boy Advance fro $50...only major upgrade I ever did.
And then there's the long and silly story of my Sega Saturn.
So, no video game system for me. Although, these TV games for around $20 look like fun. You've seen these, right? A fancy controller with about 5 or 6 Nintendo-quality games built in. There are some out there that look like they could be...amusing distractions.
Calgary is better than Edmonton.
When the Calgary Flames made it to the Stanley Cup, this is the question that Calgary Police was asking:
"Jeez, what are we going to do about all the women flashing their breasts on the Red Mile?"
Now, the Edmonton Oilers are in the Stanely Cup final, and this is the question that, not only the Edmonton Police are asking, but all of Canada:
"Jeez, what are we going to do about the riots on Whyte Avenue?"
that's just one of the things I don't understand about sports. "Yay! My team won! Let's break stuff and hurt people to celebrate!"
But then, Whyte Ave has always been bad for that...ever since the now-infamous Canada Day Riots of 2001. It's like those who frequent Whyte Ave are always looking for an excuse to fight.
My co-worker turned to me today and said, "So, since you got the big, new TV, I guess next is going to be a gaming system, eh?"
Probably not. I don't know...I just haven't been that into video games in a really long time. PlayStation...XBox...it's all got no interest for me.
If ever do buy something, it'll probably be a Game Cube, so I can keep playing Pokemon.
But yeah...I don't have a good history with video game systems. It all started in 1989. Around Christmas that year, Mom started hinting that she was going to get my brother and me a video game system, but she coulnd't decide which one. I wanted a Nintendo. My brother wanted a Sega Master System. That led to the biggest fight my brother and I ever had. We got board games for Christmas.
So, I saved my paper route money and bought me a Game Boy. Best thing I ever did...Game Boy still has the record as the most successful video game system of all time. In Japan, my upstairs neighbour sold me his Game Boy Advance fro $50...only major upgrade I ever did.
And then there's the long and silly story of my Sega Saturn.
So, no video game system for me. Although, these TV games for around $20 look like fun. You've seen these, right? A fancy controller with about 5 or 6 Nintendo-quality games built in. There are some out there that look like they could be...amusing distractions.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Feelings = Bad
While researching a trivia question for the morning show, I found this interesting tidbit:
'A film censor in Singapore claimed he used the following rule of thumb when determining whether a movie should be shown or banned: "If a film gives me a funny feeling, I know it is dirty; but if I feel nothing, I know it is culture."'
So, there you go. If a movie makes you feel something, it's smut.
'A film censor in Singapore claimed he used the following rule of thumb when determining whether a movie should be shown or banned: "If a film gives me a funny feeling, I know it is dirty; but if I feel nothing, I know it is culture."'
So, there you go. If a movie makes you feel something, it's smut.
X3 Review
Almost forgot to mention that my review for X-Men: The Last Stand is up!
Click here to read it!
And also, a lot of people are wondering about my Ultimate Matrix Collection. Namely, "How can there be 10 discs for a trilogy?" Well, here's how.
Disc 1 - The Matrix
Disc 2 - The Matrix Revisited. All your featurettes and bonus materials on the making of The Matrix.
Disc 3 - The Matrix Reloaded.
Disc 4 - The Matrix Reloaded Revisited. All you featurettes and bonus materials on the making of #2. Also includes all the live-action footage from the video game Enter the Matrix, so you can see how that fits in.
Disc 5 - The Matrix Revolutions.
Disc 6 - the Matrix Revolutions Revisited. You should have the pattern cracked by now.
Disc 7 - The Animatrix. That collection of prequel cartoons.
Disc 8 - The Roots of the Matrix. A series of documentaries exploring the underlying philosophies that inspired the trilogy.
Disc 9 - The Burly Man Chronicles. An in-depth look at the trilogy's stunt work.
Disc 10 - The Zion Archives. All your storyboards, conceptual art, and trailers.
Click here to read it!
And also, a lot of people are wondering about my Ultimate Matrix Collection. Namely, "How can there be 10 discs for a trilogy?" Well, here's how.
Disc 1 - The Matrix
Disc 2 - The Matrix Revisited. All your featurettes and bonus materials on the making of The Matrix.
Disc 3 - The Matrix Reloaded.
Disc 4 - The Matrix Reloaded Revisited. All you featurettes and bonus materials on the making of #2. Also includes all the live-action footage from the video game Enter the Matrix, so you can see how that fits in.
Disc 5 - The Matrix Revolutions.
Disc 6 - the Matrix Revolutions Revisited. You should have the pattern cracked by now.
Disc 7 - The Animatrix. That collection of prequel cartoons.
Disc 8 - The Roots of the Matrix. A series of documentaries exploring the underlying philosophies that inspired the trilogy.
Disc 9 - The Burly Man Chronicles. An in-depth look at the trilogy's stunt work.
Disc 10 - The Zion Archives. All your storyboards, conceptual art, and trailers.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Indulgence
"Every once in a while, you've got to treat yourself." That's what my mother would always tell me everytime I felt guilty about spending money on myself.
Today was definitly a day where I treated myself.
I headed down to Edmonton to see X-Men: The Last Stand. As I've said to many people, I've been there opening weekend for the other two...I gotta be there opening weekend for the last one!
But first I had to go browsing through HMV.
Now, over the past year...well, really, ever since I got back from Japan, and I've been deprived of a steady source of income, I've been taking it easy on my DVD shopping. I've got this backlog of DVDs I want. So, at HMV, for the first time ever, I felt OK to buy some DVDs.
First thing I bought was Serenity, Joss Whedon's big screen version of his short-lived TV show. And, I've been waiting so long, that it was in HMV's "2 for $30" bin. Regular price was $24.99, so I thought, "May as well get one more for $5." So I picked up Wallace and Grommit in Three Amazing Adventures, which is the compilation of all 3 Wallace and Grommit short films.
And then, as I was walking towards the exit, there it was, newly marked down to $25. Firefly: The Complete Series. I thought, "May as well get Joss Whedon's WHOLE sci-fi epic." So I did.
Then I went and saw X-Men: The Last Stand. I'll be writing a complete review after this blog entry. In a nutshell: I got the same vibe from this that I got from, say, the final episode of Justice League Unlimited...that feeling where the makers went, "This is going to be the last one, so forget character! Let's just cram in all the cool shit was always wanted to put in, but never had time for!" I'd say it's a notch down from X2, but definitly on-par with - and maybe above - the first one.
Then I left the Mall and went up the street to Future Shop. There was something there waiting for me....
Once upon a time, about a year and a half ago, I made a solemn vow. With my first paycheque in radio, I'd buy The Ultimate Matrix Collection, that massive, 10-disc boxed set of the entire Matrix trilogy. And I knew that Future Shop has it for the best price.
Guess what I bought at Future Shop?
I was just about ready to head home to Atha-B, but you know me, I had to go across the street to Toys R Us and see if there was anything new to add to my collection.
And there was.
They've just begun this line of action figures called DC Comics Superheroes. It's DC's answer to those Marvel Legends figures...nothing but very accurate, highly posable representations of your favourite characters.
Toys R Us finally restocked. I got me Batman and Supergirl.
Everyone needs a day like this once in a while...where they go out and spend too much money on themselves. Nothing wrong with that...as long as they don't become a habit.
Anyway, I'm going to go write that review of X-Men: The Last Stand, then fire up The Matrix.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
New Targ!
So, I've got the latest episode of The Targ ready for you.
This week, it's request show #1! I'm playing all the music you've been sending to me over the past few weeks.
So, check it out! It's YOUR show!
Listen here!
This week, it's request show #1! I'm playing all the music you've been sending to me over the past few weeks.
So, check it out! It's YOUR show!
Listen here!
My new TV!!
Well, there it is folks. My housewarming present to myself. A nice, new TV. A Sony Wega 27" flat screen. (Yeah, it's flat screen, but not a plasma screen or LCD or anything like that.) I paid $399 + GST, which is exactly what I paid for my DVD player about 5 years ago. And I'm actually in a better position financially than when I bought my DVD player.
As you'll notice, my parents were also kind enough to box up and bring me my DVD player, and quite a few of my DVDs. Sadly, though, that's not all of my DVDs. My parents couldn't fit the rest in their truck. And, as is my way, I have to let that ruin my day.
Let me take inventory. These are all my DVDs still stuck in Entwistle:
- Everything Star Trek (in my case, that's all 10 movies and the first two seasons of TNG)
- The Back to the Future trilogy
- The Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Everything Disney
- Spider-Man
I should be looking on the bright side. Here's everything I *do* have:
- Everything Star Wars
- Everything Pixar
- Everything Batman
- Everything Marvel comics (except Spider-Man. Yup, I got #2, but not #1)
- Everything Studio Ghibli
- Everything Kevin Smith
So still lots to look forward to.
Besides, now I gotta go home and visit to get the rest of my DVDs...which I'm sure was Mom's plan all along.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Blade Runner on DVD...FINALLY!!
OK, I didn't really care for Blade Runner, but I know a lot of people do. I also know that it's one of the last remaining films that's truly deserving of a super-special-edition DVD.
And it's finally happening.
Let me give you a bit of the history...Blade Runner. Directed by Ridley Scott, same guy who did Alien and grew up to do Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and, most recently, Kingdom of Heaven. Way back in 1982, Scott was told to hurry up to finish it, in test screenings people didn't get it, and the studio went and horribly edited it to make it more commercial. It flopped.
But, it did gain a massive, massive cult following.
Flash forward to 1990. Someone discovers an old work print version of the film. (A "work print" is the very first edit, before it's gone to test screenings or anything.) A few movie theatres start showing it...calling it "The Director's Cut." Ridley Scott is pissed, because it's not a director's cut. So, they asked Scott back into the studio to make a true director's cut. The only problem was, Scott was busy making Thelma and Louise. Scott wound up preparing his director's cut during his coffee breaks on Thelma and Louise. Scott always complained that he wasn't able to dedicate as much time to it as he wanted, and he walked away from making the director's cut very dissatisfied with finished product.
Didn't matter, because Blade Runner: The Director's Cut hit theatres in 1992. It flopped. Again. But those fans in the cult following thought it was much better than the original.
Flash forward to Y2K. DVD has officially taken the world by storm. Blade Runner: The Director's Cut is released in a vanilla DVD. It's a huge seller. Scott is once again asked to come in and prepare his final cut, for a super-special-edition DVD.
But...a legal quagmire erupted over the rights to the film. The project was on hold, and it was feared never to see the light of day. New DVDs of the film were never made, with fans having to do with the crappy DVD of The Director's Cut.
Until now.
Today, it was announced that the legal quagmire is resolved! Ridley Scott is back in the editing house with no distractions, and he's finally preparing his final, authoritative, definitive, final cut of Blade Runner. Fully digitally restored...computers to finish off special effects that we're never finished...Scott is finally finishing it the way he wanted to!
Now, here's the grand scheme.
This September, the 1992 Blade Runner: The Director's Cut gets a brand-new, 2-disc special edition. Following the Disney animated formula, it'll only be available for 4 months, then yanked off store shelves.
Then, in 2007, just in time for Blade Runner's 25th anniversary, Blade Runner: The Final Cut will hit theatres. This will be that final, authoritative, definitve, final cut that Ridley Scott is now piecing together.
Then, in the fall of 2007, we'll get the DVD boxed set The Ultimate Blade Runner Collection. On this set, you'll get all 4 edits of the film:
- The original, 1982 theatrical version
- The original, 1982 European version (it has more explicit violence)
- The 1992 Director's Cut
- The 2007 Final Cut
Plus a whole slew of bonus features TBA.
All four versions of the film will be digitally remastered, anamorphic widescreen, and brand-new 5.1 surround sound mixes.
Needless to say, this is one DVD that nerds all over the world are rejoicing over.
And, just becuase of the current climate, the nerds are turning to Lucasfilm and saying, "See, George? THIS is how you do it!"
And PS...it's not being released just on DVD, but also on the two next-gen formats, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.
And it's finally happening.
Let me give you a bit of the history...Blade Runner. Directed by Ridley Scott, same guy who did Alien and grew up to do Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and, most recently, Kingdom of Heaven. Way back in 1982, Scott was told to hurry up to finish it, in test screenings people didn't get it, and the studio went and horribly edited it to make it more commercial. It flopped.
But, it did gain a massive, massive cult following.
Flash forward to 1990. Someone discovers an old work print version of the film. (A "work print" is the very first edit, before it's gone to test screenings or anything.) A few movie theatres start showing it...calling it "The Director's Cut." Ridley Scott is pissed, because it's not a director's cut. So, they asked Scott back into the studio to make a true director's cut. The only problem was, Scott was busy making Thelma and Louise. Scott wound up preparing his director's cut during his coffee breaks on Thelma and Louise. Scott always complained that he wasn't able to dedicate as much time to it as he wanted, and he walked away from making the director's cut very dissatisfied with finished product.
Didn't matter, because Blade Runner: The Director's Cut hit theatres in 1992. It flopped. Again. But those fans in the cult following thought it was much better than the original.
Flash forward to Y2K. DVD has officially taken the world by storm. Blade Runner: The Director's Cut is released in a vanilla DVD. It's a huge seller. Scott is once again asked to come in and prepare his final cut, for a super-special-edition DVD.
But...a legal quagmire erupted over the rights to the film. The project was on hold, and it was feared never to see the light of day. New DVDs of the film were never made, with fans having to do with the crappy DVD of The Director's Cut.
Until now.
Today, it was announced that the legal quagmire is resolved! Ridley Scott is back in the editing house with no distractions, and he's finally preparing his final, authoritative, definitive, final cut of Blade Runner. Fully digitally restored...computers to finish off special effects that we're never finished...Scott is finally finishing it the way he wanted to!
Now, here's the grand scheme.
This September, the 1992 Blade Runner: The Director's Cut gets a brand-new, 2-disc special edition. Following the Disney animated formula, it'll only be available for 4 months, then yanked off store shelves.
Then, in 2007, just in time for Blade Runner's 25th anniversary, Blade Runner: The Final Cut will hit theatres. This will be that final, authoritative, definitve, final cut that Ridley Scott is now piecing together.
Then, in the fall of 2007, we'll get the DVD boxed set The Ultimate Blade Runner Collection. On this set, you'll get all 4 edits of the film:
- The original, 1982 theatrical version
- The original, 1982 European version (it has more explicit violence)
- The 1992 Director's Cut
- The 2007 Final Cut
Plus a whole slew of bonus features TBA.
All four versions of the film will be digitally remastered, anamorphic widescreen, and brand-new 5.1 surround sound mixes.
Needless to say, this is one DVD that nerds all over the world are rejoicing over.
And, just becuase of the current climate, the nerds are turning to Lucasfilm and saying, "See, George? THIS is how you do it!"
And PS...it's not being released just on DVD, but also on the two next-gen formats, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.
X3 Today!/Transformers code name?
X-Men: The Last Stand hits theatres today. Ooo...I gotta see it. Sometime this weekend, I'll be making a quick trip down to Edmonton to see it. I've been there opening weekend for every X-Men film...this cannot be different!
The one thing I'm most curious about is Kelsey Grammer as Beast. The first clip I saw of him as Beast was actually in a commercial run during a re-run of Frasier...seeing Henry McCoy moving and speaking of the mannerisms of Dr. Frasier Crane seemed odd....
And every review is raving about a scene at the end of the end credits. Don't tell me what it is...I want it to be a surprise. But every review I've read just seems shocked by it.
So, when you go see X3, stay to the very end!
Filming has just begun on the live-action movie version of The Transformers. What's getting a lot of people wondering is that one of the actors recently said, "Oh no. It's not called The Transformers...it's called Prime Directvie."
So many people are going, "Wha...?"
Many agree that they'd be foolish to not use the name "Transformers" as the title for The Transformers. Many are thinking that it may be a subtitle...The Transformers: Prime Directive. The most popular theory is that it's a code name they'll be using for the filming.
There's lots of historical precident here. Lots of big blockbusters have used code names during filming. Here's some famous code names....
Planet Ice was the code name for Titanic.
Intimidation Game was the code name for Batman Begins.
Hidden City was the code name for Monsters, Inc.
Paradox was the code name for Back to the Future Part II.
Blackwood was the code name for The X-Files Movie.
And perhaps the most famous one...
Blue Harvest was the code name for Return of the Jedi.
The one thing I'm most curious about is Kelsey Grammer as Beast. The first clip I saw of him as Beast was actually in a commercial run during a re-run of Frasier...seeing Henry McCoy moving and speaking of the mannerisms of Dr. Frasier Crane seemed odd....
And every review is raving about a scene at the end of the end credits. Don't tell me what it is...I want it to be a surprise. But every review I've read just seems shocked by it.
So, when you go see X3, stay to the very end!
Filming has just begun on the live-action movie version of The Transformers. What's getting a lot of people wondering is that one of the actors recently said, "Oh no. It's not called The Transformers...it's called Prime Directvie."
So many people are going, "Wha...?"
Many agree that they'd be foolish to not use the name "Transformers" as the title for The Transformers. Many are thinking that it may be a subtitle...The Transformers: Prime Directive. The most popular theory is that it's a code name they'll be using for the filming.
There's lots of historical precident here. Lots of big blockbusters have used code names during filming. Here's some famous code names....
Planet Ice was the code name for Titanic.
Intimidation Game was the code name for Batman Begins.
Hidden City was the code name for Monsters, Inc.
Paradox was the code name for Back to the Future Part II.
Blackwood was the code name for The X-Files Movie.
And perhaps the most famous one...
Blue Harvest was the code name for Return of the Jedi.
Mr. Bean vs. the Green Goblin
Wow.
Willem DaFoe just joined the cast of Bean II.
For those who don't remember, Bean II follows the adventures of Mr. Bean as he's on vacation in the south of France, with the climax being Mr. Bean wreaking havoc at the Cannes Film Festival.
In a new bit in this blog, I hereby brand Mr. Bean as being "a relic of the 90s."
Willem DaFoe just joined the cast of Bean II.
For those who don't remember, Bean II follows the adventures of Mr. Bean as he's on vacation in the south of France, with the climax being Mr. Bean wreaking havoc at the Cannes Film Festival.
In a new bit in this blog, I hereby brand Mr. Bean as being "a relic of the 90s."
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Bias?
What the heck is up with Stephen Harper?
For those who haven't heard, there's been some wacky goings-on in Ottawa. Yesterday, Harper threw up his hands and said, "Ya know what? I'm not talking to the national media anymore! The national media has too much of a Liberal bias! They're too anti-Conservative! So I'm not talking to them anymore!"
I believe Harper's exact quotes were that the national press gallery has "taken it upon themselves to act as the official Opposition" and that "these problems would never happen to a Liberal prime minister."
This is a long-standing dispute between the Ottawa press gallery and the Conservative government. Ever since the Conservatives came to power, they've been putting tight restrictions on the media.
This latest blow-up all started on Tuesday. The Conservatives want to start picking and choosing which reporters can go to press conferences, and pre-screening the questions. Of course, the media thought that was too restrictive, so they protested by storming out of one of Harper's news conferences.
Leading Harper to make his announcement yesterday.
Here's the whole story for you.
For those who haven't heard, there's been some wacky goings-on in Ottawa. Yesterday, Harper threw up his hands and said, "Ya know what? I'm not talking to the national media anymore! The national media has too much of a Liberal bias! They're too anti-Conservative! So I'm not talking to them anymore!"
I believe Harper's exact quotes were that the national press gallery has "taken it upon themselves to act as the official Opposition" and that "these problems would never happen to a Liberal prime minister."
This is a long-standing dispute between the Ottawa press gallery and the Conservative government. Ever since the Conservatives came to power, they've been putting tight restrictions on the media.
This latest blow-up all started on Tuesday. The Conservatives want to start picking and choosing which reporters can go to press conferences, and pre-screening the questions. Of course, the media thought that was too restrictive, so they protested by storming out of one of Harper's news conferences.
Leading Harper to make his announcement yesterday.
Here's the whole story for you.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
1 Month
Wow.
I've been working here for one month now.
It always brings up the immortal question: when does "the new guy" stop being "the new guy?"
When I was in Japan, my boss pulled me aside and angrily told me to stop introducing myself as "the new guy" because I wasn't new anymore. I'd been working there for two weeks.
When I was doing my practicum at Cold Lake, one of my tasks one day was to go through all the imaging (those are the commercials that a radio station plays for itself) and edit out the word "new." According to my boss, we'd been around for 6 months, so we weren't new anymore.
I still feel like the new guy in many respects...generally whenever someone calls the station and says, "Hey! What happened to that girl?" (My predecessor was female.)
I think you stop being "the new guy" after 90 days. That's why the probationary period for most jobs is 90 days.
But I'm settling in. I"m finding my groove. But I'm still kind of new.
I've been working here for one month now.
It always brings up the immortal question: when does "the new guy" stop being "the new guy?"
When I was in Japan, my boss pulled me aside and angrily told me to stop introducing myself as "the new guy" because I wasn't new anymore. I'd been working there for two weeks.
When I was doing my practicum at Cold Lake, one of my tasks one day was to go through all the imaging (those are the commercials that a radio station plays for itself) and edit out the word "new." According to my boss, we'd been around for 6 months, so we weren't new anymore.
I still feel like the new guy in many respects...generally whenever someone calls the station and says, "Hey! What happened to that girl?" (My predecessor was female.)
I think you stop being "the new guy" after 90 days. That's why the probationary period for most jobs is 90 days.
But I'm settling in. I"m finding my groove. But I'm still kind of new.
New Clerks II Teaser!
Aww, man, this is the funniest one yet.
I know one of the fears I've been reading about Clerks II is that it's going to be like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back: nothing but a collection of cute in-jokes to get Kevin Smith's fans back out to the theatre.
I guess this new teaser is Smith's response to that.
I know one of the fears I've been reading about Clerks II is that it's going to be like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back: nothing but a collection of cute in-jokes to get Kevin Smith's fans back out to the theatre.
I guess this new teaser is Smith's response to that.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Coraline Update
Another night, another Oilers game. It's the start of the second, 1-0 Oilers.
I'm sitting here reading up on Coraline. It's an animated movie currently in development that I'm very interested in.
Firstly, it's based on Neil Gaiman's book of the same name. I haven't read much Gaiman (American Gods and about half the trade paperbacks of The Sandman, that's it), but I know he does good stuff.
Secondly, the screenplay was written by, and it's being directed by Henry Selick. Selick is the stop-motion animation genius who directed James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The plot summary: It's about a little girl named Coraline. One day, she gets fed up with her family, and she gets sucked into another world, where she finds a much nicer, much better version of her family. She decides to stay in this world, but when she learns that her "other parents" have sinister intentions, she plots her escape.
The news I read today: voices are being cast. Cute-little-girl-child-star-of-the-moment Dakota Fanning is voicing Coraline. Desperate Housewives star and former Lois Lane Teri Hatcher is voicing Coraline's mother and the sinister "other mother."
Let's see...what else can I tell you? The distributor is Focus Features, the art-house arm of Universal Studios.
The animation house is Laika Entertainment Studios. Laika Entertainment Studios was originally Will Vinton Studios, the animation house that gave us the California Raisins. But then, the studio was bought by Nike founder Phil Knight, and Knight fired Vinton and changed the name of the company. (Vinton has since formed a new animation house called Freewill Entertainment.)
And here's an interesting rumour I dug up. as you can tell, the film takes place in two worlds: the real world and the "other" world. Well, according to this rumor, the real world scenes will be done with computer animation...the "other" world scenes will be done with Selick's trademark stop-motion animation.
I'm sitting here reading up on Coraline. It's an animated movie currently in development that I'm very interested in.
Firstly, it's based on Neil Gaiman's book of the same name. I haven't read much Gaiman (American Gods and about half the trade paperbacks of The Sandman, that's it), but I know he does good stuff.
Secondly, the screenplay was written by, and it's being directed by Henry Selick. Selick is the stop-motion animation genius who directed James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The plot summary: It's about a little girl named Coraline. One day, she gets fed up with her family, and she gets sucked into another world, where she finds a much nicer, much better version of her family. She decides to stay in this world, but when she learns that her "other parents" have sinister intentions, she plots her escape.
The news I read today: voices are being cast. Cute-little-girl-child-star-of-the-moment Dakota Fanning is voicing Coraline. Desperate Housewives star and former Lois Lane Teri Hatcher is voicing Coraline's mother and the sinister "other mother."
Let's see...what else can I tell you? The distributor is Focus Features, the art-house arm of Universal Studios.
The animation house is Laika Entertainment Studios. Laika Entertainment Studios was originally Will Vinton Studios, the animation house that gave us the California Raisins. But then, the studio was bought by Nike founder Phil Knight, and Knight fired Vinton and changed the name of the company. (Vinton has since formed a new animation house called Freewill Entertainment.)
And here's an interesting rumour I dug up. as you can tell, the film takes place in two worlds: the real world and the "other" world. Well, according to this rumor, the real world scenes will be done with computer animation...the "other" world scenes will be done with Selick's trademark stop-motion animation.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Wacky Misadventure
Well, I had a day full of wacky misadventure.
I said I'm going to buy myself a new TV as a housewarming present, right? I kind of had next weekend slated to do that. See X-Men 3, get a new TV...a full day. But then, I had this holiday Monday off, I was just sitting around looking at the walls, and I thought, "Hey! Why not buy the TV today?"
And I was off to Edmonton!
I arrived at the Best Buy on the north side. There it was...the exact model I wanted, right in my budget, but I had a problem.
Turns out it's too big to fit in my car.
So I called my folks. Looks it will be next weekend. I'll hook up with my parents in the city, buy the TV, and then they'll haul it up here in the truck.
But on the plus side, I now know which movie theatre I'll be going to the most. You stay on highway 2, and you hit St. Albert. In St. Albert, Highway 2 becomes St. Albert Trail. Drive through St. Albert, and as soon as you hit Edmonton City Limits, there's the North Edmonton Commons Cineplex Odeon!
So I'm exactly 1.5h away from North Edmonton Commons.
And I didn't come home empty handed. I did pick up the FM transmitter for my MP3 player, so now I can listen to it in my car!
Now all I need are my CDs so I can stuff full of my tunes.
I said I'm going to buy myself a new TV as a housewarming present, right? I kind of had next weekend slated to do that. See X-Men 3, get a new TV...a full day. But then, I had this holiday Monday off, I was just sitting around looking at the walls, and I thought, "Hey! Why not buy the TV today?"
And I was off to Edmonton!
I arrived at the Best Buy on the north side. There it was...the exact model I wanted, right in my budget, but I had a problem.
Turns out it's too big to fit in my car.
So I called my folks. Looks it will be next weekend. I'll hook up with my parents in the city, buy the TV, and then they'll haul it up here in the truck.
But on the plus side, I now know which movie theatre I'll be going to the most. You stay on highway 2, and you hit St. Albert. In St. Albert, Highway 2 becomes St. Albert Trail. Drive through St. Albert, and as soon as you hit Edmonton City Limits, there's the North Edmonton Commons Cineplex Odeon!
So I'm exactly 1.5h away from North Edmonton Commons.
And I didn't come home empty handed. I did pick up the FM transmitter for my MP3 player, so now I can listen to it in my car!
Now all I need are my CDs so I can stuff full of my tunes.
Another Cell Phone Snapshot!
So, yesterday, while in search of a microwave, I decided to head north to Slave Lake. Got a good microwave at Canadian Tire for $60. But, while I was there, I knew I just had to make a side trip to the provincially-famous Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park and see Lesser Slave Lake.
I went camping up there once when I was a kid, but I'd forgotten what a massive lake it is. Just water going on and on until it disappears behind the horizon. I'd never seen that.
Yeah, I know, I went to Vancouver, but I didn't get that "seeing nothing but water until it disappeared beyond the horizon" moment. In Vancouver, the effect is diminished when you keep seeing islands and peninsulas and all that in the way.
Oh, wait. I did get that moment once. In Japan. When I was visiting a friend in Saporro. I hopped the train and took a day trip out to a port town called Otaru. Riding the train...we came out of a tunnel...I looked out the window, and there was the endless Sea of Japan. And it was winter, too, so it was full of ice.
Wondering what to do with my holiday Monday. Should I run down to Edmonton, go to Future Shop, and buy my new TV? I was kind of planning on doing that next weekend, so I could see X-Men 3, too.
But then, I also gotta get my laundry done. I'm half-done right now...we'll see what things are like when it's done.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
The Targ is Back!!
Ladies and gentlemen, it's been almost a month, but I'm back! I've got a new episode of my podcast, The Targ, posted and ready for download! This one is called....
Episode 4: A NewHope Job
I celebrate my new job, and plays lots of appropriate party music to do so!
Actually, I did something kind of cool with this one. For my "proof listen," I uploaded it to my new MP3 player and listened to it while I went for a walk around town.
But we're back, folks! Give it a listen!
Episode 4: A New
I celebrate my new job, and plays lots of appropriate party music to do so!
Actually, I did something kind of cool with this one. For my "proof listen," I uploaded it to my new MP3 player and listened to it while I went for a walk around town.
But we're back, folks! Give it a listen!
Saturday, May 20, 2006
The New Digs
Well, there we go! Now I'm feeling settled.
The folks and my brother came up today with my furniture. I have a bed, a big comfy chair, and a table to eat dinner at! Mom's actually quite proud of herself...it's all new from Ikea, and Mom got it all for around $800.
Got a cool housewarming present, too. My brother gave me his old MP3 player! Yup, he recently got himself a new one and said, "Hey. How'd you like my old one?" And, because I don't have any of my CDs here, when he stopped in Entwistle last night, he raided my CDs and filled it up with my favourites.
This is truly one of the nicest things my brother's done for me in a long time.
Anyway, I'm still not quite settled. I still want to buy myself a microwave and give myself a new TV for a housewarming gift. I'll probably do that tomorrow. Yes, I'm lucky enough to get Monday off.
So, for a microwave and new TV, I've been told my options are south to Edmonton or north to Slave Lake. I'll probably flip a coin when I wake up in the morning.
The folks and my brother came up today with my furniture. I have a bed, a big comfy chair, and a table to eat dinner at! Mom's actually quite proud of herself...it's all new from Ikea, and Mom got it all for around $800.
Got a cool housewarming present, too. My brother gave me his old MP3 player! Yup, he recently got himself a new one and said, "Hey. How'd you like my old one?" And, because I don't have any of my CDs here, when he stopped in Entwistle last night, he raided my CDs and filled it up with my favourites.
This is truly one of the nicest things my brother's done for me in a long time.
Anyway, I'm still not quite settled. I still want to buy myself a microwave and give myself a new TV for a housewarming gift. I'll probably do that tomorrow. Yes, I'm lucky enough to get Monday off.
So, for a microwave and new TV, I've been told my options are south to Edmonton or north to Slave Lake. I'll probably flip a coin when I wake up in the morning.
Friday, May 19, 2006
The Game
So, here I am, oping my second Oilers game. Third, if you count my first one, which was training and I did this under adult supervision. I got nuthin' to do but kick back and listen to the game, waiting until I have to play a commercial. Oh, what ever will I do?
How about a huge-ass blog entry?
So here's a "stream of consciousness" type thing. I'll just add to this until the game's done, in which case, I'll hit "publish."
First bit: hey, did you know that Disney no longer owns the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim? Disney sold them off last year. Hence the team's name change. Starting next season, say so long to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim! Say hello to the Anaheim Ducks. Nothing major...they just finally adopted the name that everyone has called them by since they were created.
Having a nice little panic attack right now...it's 15 minutes before game time. The one who trained me made me a nice little cheat sheet/checklist of everything I need to do. Of course, I have now lost it. That's OK. I'm certain I remember how to do it. Just let go...trust your feelings...use the Force.
Besides, I was frantically writing everything down until the one who trained me said, "Oh, don't worry. I'll make you a cheat sheet." I've got my notes to back me up.
And we're at the start of the first. Had a few glitches because I couldn't find that cheat sheet, but I figured it out.
I’m sitting here looking at the website for the Criterion collection. Boy, those are some nice DVDs.
Let me give you a bit of a pop culture history lesson. The Criterion company pretty much invented the concept of the special edition DVD. They started up in the mid-80s. They looked at the Laserdiscs popping up on the market, and they were not amused. They knew that, with the storage capacity on a Laserdisc, they could cram it full of things like documentaries about the making of the film, deleted scenes, and even…get this…a running commentary by the director, sharing behind-the-scenes stories! And thus, Criterion was born.
Their goal was to preserve “films of culture significance.” So, they went around to movie studios, explained what they were doing, bought the Laserdisc distribution rights, and started making these wonderful special edition Laserdiscs.
Now, what they meant by films of cultural significance were all aspects of culture. So that ran from high culture – indie and foreign films – to pop culture. I’ve been told that the Criterion Laserdiscs for Ghostbusters and The Star Wars Trilogy still blow the current DVDs out of the water when it comes to volume of bonus materials.
Naturally, Criterion was one of the first ones to jump on the DVD bandwagon in the late-90s. In fact, some of the very first Criterion DVDs were just the Laserdiscs copied onto DVD.
But then, DVD exploded in popularity. Companies weren’t interested in Criterion’s services anymore, as they were pumping out their own special edition DVDs. But Criterion has re-focused somewhat. Now, they’ve kind of dropped the blockbusters from their catalogue, and they focus more on indie and foreign films…plus a few forgotten classics.
But the Criterion name is still a big deal…it remains the Cadillac of DVD labels.
To date, I only own one Criterion DVD. Chasing Amy. In fact, Chasing Amy was one of those “Laserdisc copied onto DVD” deals. And I’m sure that that’ll be going out of print soon, as Kevin Smith has been hinting that we might be getting a new Chasing Amy: 10th Anniversary Edition next year.
While I’m not into the indie and foreign films, there are still a few titles on the Criterion label that I’d sure like to get.
Armageddon – Yup, the 1998 asteroid-hitting-the-Earth epic got a 2-disc Criterion edition…this came out in that grey area between when DVD first hit the market, and when it exploded in popularity. And actually, what’s on this DVD is a 3-hour director’s cut prepared by Michael Bay! Ever since I got my DVD player, I’ve lusted for this one. But, I have yet to see it for less than $80. there’s also a Criterion edition for Michael Bay’s The Rock, in case you’re interested.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian – Check it out. I’ve got to get this one to go along side my Monty Python and the Holy Grail special edition. Boasting long-lost cut scenes, and a new digital transfer supervised by director Terry Jones.
Brazil – Now, this shows how Criterion got their reputation. I’ve never seen Brazil, but it’s high on my list of “classics to see someday.” I’ve read up on it, and I know the problems it had getting to the big screen. So here’s what Criterion did for their 3-disc set. Disc 1 contains the 142-minute, final, authoritative edit that director Terry Gilliam wanted to do all along. Gilliam even did a running commentary. Disc 2 contains all your bonus materials: documentary about the making of the film, concept art, the trailers, all that good stuff. And, Disc 3 contains the infamous 97-minute “happy ending” version of the film that was released to North American theatres to make it more marketable…the version that Gilliam loathes. On this edit, a “Terry Gilliam expert” does a running commentary, explaining why it sucks. Someday I’m going to be rich and famous, and I’ll get this for a friend of mine, because she mentioned in passing once that she likes this film, and that factoid just kind of stuck in my head.
Oh, and for all you Gilliam-fans, there’s also a Criterion edition of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Before I go, I’ll share one interesting trivia bit. Indie director Wes Anderson is the only director that has an exclusive distribution contract with Criterion. So, all of Anderson’s films – Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – are Criterion DVDs.
Eh, this is going to be too much work. Slag it.
How about a huge-ass blog entry?
So here's a "stream of consciousness" type thing. I'll just add to this until the game's done, in which case, I'll hit "publish."
First bit: hey, did you know that Disney no longer owns the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim? Disney sold them off last year. Hence the team's name change. Starting next season, say so long to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim! Say hello to the Anaheim Ducks. Nothing major...they just finally adopted the name that everyone has called them by since they were created.
Having a nice little panic attack right now...it's 15 minutes before game time. The one who trained me made me a nice little cheat sheet/checklist of everything I need to do. Of course, I have now lost it. That's OK. I'm certain I remember how to do it. Just let go...trust your feelings...use the Force.
Besides, I was frantically writing everything down until the one who trained me said, "Oh, don't worry. I'll make you a cheat sheet." I've got my notes to back me up.
And we're at the start of the first. Had a few glitches because I couldn't find that cheat sheet, but I figured it out.
I’m sitting here looking at the website for the Criterion collection. Boy, those are some nice DVDs.
Let me give you a bit of a pop culture history lesson. The Criterion company pretty much invented the concept of the special edition DVD. They started up in the mid-80s. They looked at the Laserdiscs popping up on the market, and they were not amused. They knew that, with the storage capacity on a Laserdisc, they could cram it full of things like documentaries about the making of the film, deleted scenes, and even…get this…a running commentary by the director, sharing behind-the-scenes stories! And thus, Criterion was born.
Their goal was to preserve “films of culture significance.” So, they went around to movie studios, explained what they were doing, bought the Laserdisc distribution rights, and started making these wonderful special edition Laserdiscs.
Now, what they meant by films of cultural significance were all aspects of culture. So that ran from high culture – indie and foreign films – to pop culture. I’ve been told that the Criterion Laserdiscs for Ghostbusters and The Star Wars Trilogy still blow the current DVDs out of the water when it comes to volume of bonus materials.
Naturally, Criterion was one of the first ones to jump on the DVD bandwagon in the late-90s. In fact, some of the very first Criterion DVDs were just the Laserdiscs copied onto DVD.
But then, DVD exploded in popularity. Companies weren’t interested in Criterion’s services anymore, as they were pumping out their own special edition DVDs. But Criterion has re-focused somewhat. Now, they’ve kind of dropped the blockbusters from their catalogue, and they focus more on indie and foreign films…plus a few forgotten classics.
But the Criterion name is still a big deal…it remains the Cadillac of DVD labels.
To date, I only own one Criterion DVD. Chasing Amy. In fact, Chasing Amy was one of those “Laserdisc copied onto DVD” deals. And I’m sure that that’ll be going out of print soon, as Kevin Smith has been hinting that we might be getting a new Chasing Amy: 10th Anniversary Edition next year.
While I’m not into the indie and foreign films, there are still a few titles on the Criterion label that I’d sure like to get.
Armageddon – Yup, the 1998 asteroid-hitting-the-Earth epic got a 2-disc Criterion edition…this came out in that grey area between when DVD first hit the market, and when it exploded in popularity. And actually, what’s on this DVD is a 3-hour director’s cut prepared by Michael Bay! Ever since I got my DVD player, I’ve lusted for this one. But, I have yet to see it for less than $80. there’s also a Criterion edition for Michael Bay’s The Rock, in case you’re interested.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian – Check it out. I’ve got to get this one to go along side my Monty Python and the Holy Grail special edition. Boasting long-lost cut scenes, and a new digital transfer supervised by director Terry Jones.
Brazil – Now, this shows how Criterion got their reputation. I’ve never seen Brazil, but it’s high on my list of “classics to see someday.” I’ve read up on it, and I know the problems it had getting to the big screen. So here’s what Criterion did for their 3-disc set. Disc 1 contains the 142-minute, final, authoritative edit that director Terry Gilliam wanted to do all along. Gilliam even did a running commentary. Disc 2 contains all your bonus materials: documentary about the making of the film, concept art, the trailers, all that good stuff. And, Disc 3 contains the infamous 97-minute “happy ending” version of the film that was released to North American theatres to make it more marketable…the version that Gilliam loathes. On this edit, a “Terry Gilliam expert” does a running commentary, explaining why it sucks. Someday I’m going to be rich and famous, and I’ll get this for a friend of mine, because she mentioned in passing once that she likes this film, and that factoid just kind of stuck in my head.
Oh, and for all you Gilliam-fans, there’s also a Criterion edition of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Before I go, I’ll share one interesting trivia bit. Indie director Wes Anderson is the only director that has an exclusive distribution contract with Criterion. So, all of Anderson’s films – Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – are Criterion DVDs.
Eh, this is going to be too much work. Slag it.
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