I sat down today and I reviewed the movies I saw back on Saturday!
I'm sure everyone knows by now that I finally went on out to see The Dark Knight, but I decided to do one of my old fashioned double feature days. When The Dark Knight was done, I ran across the hall to finally see Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Go read my reviews!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
My New Movie!
I made yet another YouTube video about an event here in Athabasca!
This one is called The 49th Street Smorg. Every year, as part of the Chamber of Commerce's Customer Appreciation Day, the businesses of 49th Street serve up free food to all the people of Athabasca! So, you can walk up and down the street, stopping it at all the businesses, and getting free food. It's like Halloween, only in addition to candy, there's also coffee, donuts, and hot dogs. And you don't have to dress up.
Anyway, with camera in tow, I went up and down the street, getting all the free food I could!
And this is my story.
and, since these videos just might shape up to be a regular event, you might want to go check out my YouTube channel.
This one is called The 49th Street Smorg. Every year, as part of the Chamber of Commerce's Customer Appreciation Day, the businesses of 49th Street serve up free food to all the people of Athabasca! So, you can walk up and down the street, stopping it at all the businesses, and getting free food. It's like Halloween, only in addition to candy, there's also coffee, donuts, and hot dogs. And you don't have to dress up.
Anyway, with camera in tow, I went up and down the street, getting all the free food I could!
And this is my story.
and, since these videos just might shape up to be a regular event, you might want to go check out my YouTube channel.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
So You Want to be a Music Critic....
I've boasted a few times in the blog about my new MP3 player, and something about a new piece of audio technology makes me run out and buy a whole bunch of new CDs. I went online and ordered a few that I'd been wanting to purchase out of curiosity for some time. They do contain one thing in common: they boast celebrities who are attempting to sing.
Well, for the first one, I should say "attempting to sing," as it is her fourth album and did receive quite a bit of critical acclaim. And I'm not sure I can even say "celebrity," as she's only widely known to a geek like me. Grey DeLisle is, perhaps, one of the hardest working voice actors in animation today. Her voice is every where. Some of her better known roles include Frankie Foster on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Lor McQuarrie on The Weekenders and the villainous Azula on Avatar: The Last Airbender. And in all Star Wars cartoons and video games (including the upcoming Clone Wars) she does the voice of Queen Amidala.
Anyway, since I love my cartoons, I occasionally google voice actors, just to try to find a picture of the person with the voice. And while googling Grey DeLisle one night, I discovered that she's a country music singer. With four albums out. I was curious, to say the least. I read that she even gathered quite a bit of critical acclaim. When one critic described her as a "Goth-infused Dolly Parton," I was very, very intrigued.
So, I went online and purchased her most recent album, Iron Flowers, which came out in 2005. Needless to say, I was quite impressed. I found a lot of her music to be deep and soulful. Her singing voice is quite reminiscent of Alison Krauss.
If I have one complaint about her album, well, it's a complaint that's unique to me. I am too familiar with her work as a voice actress. And, her singing voice does occasionally take on the qualities of one of the voices she does for a note or two. And that's enough to completely take me out of the moment.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it.
Since all I had to do was add another $10 to get free shipping and handling from Amazon, I also picked up the best-known "so you think you can sing" album at the moment. And that's Scarlett Johansson's album, Anywhere I Lay May Head. It's a bit of a tribute album, as it's mostly made up of Tom Waits covers. It's got some impressive credentials too...David Bowie sings back up on a couple of tracks.
I found the album to be, well, mildly depressing. Johansson's singing voice is kind of a droning monotone, and the music matches. Everything about it just seems so downbeat....
The great stand-up comic Richard Jeni once remarked that, if you want to bring the party to an end and the guests to go home, you should crank up The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on your stereo, as that song has the ability to completely drain the energy out of a room. And I'm saying that if you can't find your Gordon Lightfoot albums, Scarlett Johansson's album will do just as nicely.
Well, for the first one, I should say "attempting to sing," as it is her fourth album and did receive quite a bit of critical acclaim. And I'm not sure I can even say "celebrity," as she's only widely known to a geek like me. Grey DeLisle is, perhaps, one of the hardest working voice actors in animation today. Her voice is every where. Some of her better known roles include Frankie Foster on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Lor McQuarrie on The Weekenders and the villainous Azula on Avatar: The Last Airbender. And in all Star Wars cartoons and video games (including the upcoming Clone Wars) she does the voice of Queen Amidala.
Anyway, since I love my cartoons, I occasionally google voice actors, just to try to find a picture of the person with the voice. And while googling Grey DeLisle one night, I discovered that she's a country music singer. With four albums out. I was curious, to say the least. I read that she even gathered quite a bit of critical acclaim. When one critic described her as a "Goth-infused Dolly Parton," I was very, very intrigued.
So, I went online and purchased her most recent album, Iron Flowers, which came out in 2005. Needless to say, I was quite impressed. I found a lot of her music to be deep and soulful. Her singing voice is quite reminiscent of Alison Krauss.
If I have one complaint about her album, well, it's a complaint that's unique to me. I am too familiar with her work as a voice actress. And, her singing voice does occasionally take on the qualities of one of the voices she does for a note or two. And that's enough to completely take me out of the moment.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it.
Since all I had to do was add another $10 to get free shipping and handling from Amazon, I also picked up the best-known "so you think you can sing" album at the moment. And that's Scarlett Johansson's album, Anywhere I Lay May Head. It's a bit of a tribute album, as it's mostly made up of Tom Waits covers. It's got some impressive credentials too...David Bowie sings back up on a couple of tracks.
I found the album to be, well, mildly depressing. Johansson's singing voice is kind of a droning monotone, and the music matches. Everything about it just seems so downbeat....
The great stand-up comic Richard Jeni once remarked that, if you want to bring the party to an end and the guests to go home, you should crank up The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on your stereo, as that song has the ability to completely drain the energy out of a room. And I'm saying that if you can't find your Gordon Lightfoot albums, Scarlett Johansson's album will do just as nicely.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday News
Lots of interesting tidbits to catch up on!
First of all, my hero, Kevin Smith is returning to comics!
Smith is finally doing his take on the world's favourite hero right now, Batman. Smith's 3-issue mini-series is called Batman: Cacophony, and issue one will be out this fall. This mini-series will see Batman doing battle with Onomatopoeia, a supervillain that Smith created when he wrote Green Arrow a few years back.
Smith has been laying low in the comic book world for a while. He got a bad reputation after the three-year gap between issues 3 and 4 of his Spider-Man mini-series, Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil that Men Do. So when Smith made the announcement about Batman at the San Diego Comic Con, and the crowd rolled their eyes, Smith gladly announced that he's already written all three issues, and that it's been turned over to the artists, and that if issues are late now, it'll be the artist's fault.
Speaking of Smith, have you heard the controversy about his latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno? Yeah...it got stuck with an NC-17 rating.
The film is pretty much done...it's in the editing process now. Smith submitted it for a rating, and it came back NC-17. Smith re-edited it, re-submitted it, and it came back NC-17. Smith refuses to do any more re-edits, so the film is now going through the formal appeal process to try to get the rating reduced to R.
And speaking of the San Diego Comic Con, Disney made a surprise announcement that really shocked a lot of people. Late yesterday afternoon, Disney showed the first trailer for a project that's been rumored to be in production of a long time, and it looks like it's finally going ahead. That movie?
Tron 2
Disney is still being very secretive about the project. The only information that could be dug up so far is that it's being directed by Joe Kosinski, a computer animator who directed commercials for Gears of War and Halo 3.
Oh, and one last thing I wish to report on.
Because of the popularity of the Robot Chicken Star Wars special, it's been announced that they're doing a second one!
Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode II is due out this fall. Among the new celebrity guest voices are Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams, and one of the funniest guys on the planet who just can't get a lasting TV show, Andy Richter. Returning celebrity guest voices include Jar Jar Binks himself, Ahmed Best, the creator of Family Guy himself, Seth McFarlane, and the future king of late night television, Conan O'Brien.
First of all, my hero, Kevin Smith is returning to comics!
Smith is finally doing his take on the world's favourite hero right now, Batman. Smith's 3-issue mini-series is called Batman: Cacophony, and issue one will be out this fall. This mini-series will see Batman doing battle with Onomatopoeia, a supervillain that Smith created when he wrote Green Arrow a few years back.
Smith has been laying low in the comic book world for a while. He got a bad reputation after the three-year gap between issues 3 and 4 of his Spider-Man mini-series, Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil that Men Do. So when Smith made the announcement about Batman at the San Diego Comic Con, and the crowd rolled their eyes, Smith gladly announced that he's already written all three issues, and that it's been turned over to the artists, and that if issues are late now, it'll be the artist's fault.
Speaking of Smith, have you heard the controversy about his latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno? Yeah...it got stuck with an NC-17 rating.
The film is pretty much done...it's in the editing process now. Smith submitted it for a rating, and it came back NC-17. Smith re-edited it, re-submitted it, and it came back NC-17. Smith refuses to do any more re-edits, so the film is now going through the formal appeal process to try to get the rating reduced to R.
And speaking of the San Diego Comic Con, Disney made a surprise announcement that really shocked a lot of people. Late yesterday afternoon, Disney showed the first trailer for a project that's been rumored to be in production of a long time, and it looks like it's finally going ahead. That movie?
Tron 2
Disney is still being very secretive about the project. The only information that could be dug up so far is that it's being directed by Joe Kosinski, a computer animator who directed commercials for Gears of War and Halo 3.
Oh, and one last thing I wish to report on.
Because of the popularity of the Robot Chicken Star Wars special, it's been announced that they're doing a second one!
Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode II is due out this fall. Among the new celebrity guest voices are Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams, and one of the funniest guys on the planet who just can't get a lasting TV show, Andy Richter. Returning celebrity guest voices include Jar Jar Binks himself, Ahmed Best, the creator of Family Guy himself, Seth McFarlane, and the future king of late night television, Conan O'Brien.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Superhero Coolness in the Discount Bin
While coming home from my sister's wedding today, I stopped off in Edmonton to do some poking around. I was going to see The Dark Knight, but based on the lines and my timing, I figured "not today." However, I did stop by HMV and did some fishing in the ol' discount bin, and I found two bits of DC Comics animation that were finally at a great price. And I'm bragging about it!
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker -- The Complete, Uncut Version - Let me set the scene. The year was 2000. George W. Bush and Al Gore were running to become the leader of the free world. Suddenly, violence in entertainment became an election issue, and the centre of the issue, the upcoming straight-to-DVD animated movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Apparently, the preview copies sent out to the critics had it declared too violent for kids. So then, at the disgust of comic book fans everywhere, Warner Brothers pushed it back several months, and re-edited it to tone down the violence. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker eventually came out to rave reviews, and with toned down violence. However, those preview copies sent to critics became popular items at comic book conventions. I, myself, was given a bootleg copy by a friend. So, around a year and a half later, once the controversy had died down, and fan demand was still great enough, Warner Brothers finally released the original, unedited version. And this time, to settle any worries about it being too violent, they submitted it to the MPAA for a rating. Apparently, they were quite stunned when it came back rated PG-13. Anyway, my bootleg copy is pretty much wore out, so when I saw the original, unedited version in the discount bin for $5, I figured it was time to get it.
The Batman/Superman Movie - We've had our Justice League cartoon. On both Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: the Animated Series, we had our fair share of superhero team-ups. But for pure, unadulterated superhero cool, there's still nothing that tops The Batman/Superman Movie. It was produced at the peak of both the Batman and Superman cartoons. It was originally a 3-part episode of Superman: The Animated Series, and you can buy it in its original, 3-part form on Superman: The Animated Series -- Season 2. This thing was a freakin' EVENT when it was first on TV. For those who have forgotten, let me sum up the plot: the Joker gets his hands on 20 pounds of kryptonite and heads to Metropolis with a deal for Lex Luthor: $1 billion for the death of Superman. Naturally, Batman follows to apprenhend the Joker and warn Superman. And throw in the complicating factor that Lois Lane falls for Bruce Wayne, leading to a rather interesting love triangle between Lois, Bruce, and Clark Kent. This thing just fires on all cylanders. And since it'll probably be a while before I start getting Superman: The Animated Series on DVD, I figured this was worth the $5 in the discount bin.
Man, these just rock!
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker -- The Complete, Uncut Version - Let me set the scene. The year was 2000. George W. Bush and Al Gore were running to become the leader of the free world. Suddenly, violence in entertainment became an election issue, and the centre of the issue, the upcoming straight-to-DVD animated movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Apparently, the preview copies sent out to the critics had it declared too violent for kids. So then, at the disgust of comic book fans everywhere, Warner Brothers pushed it back several months, and re-edited it to tone down the violence. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker eventually came out to rave reviews, and with toned down violence. However, those preview copies sent to critics became popular items at comic book conventions. I, myself, was given a bootleg copy by a friend. So, around a year and a half later, once the controversy had died down, and fan demand was still great enough, Warner Brothers finally released the original, unedited version. And this time, to settle any worries about it being too violent, they submitted it to the MPAA for a rating. Apparently, they were quite stunned when it came back rated PG-13. Anyway, my bootleg copy is pretty much wore out, so when I saw the original, unedited version in the discount bin for $5, I figured it was time to get it.
The Batman/Superman Movie - We've had our Justice League cartoon. On both Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: the Animated Series, we had our fair share of superhero team-ups. But for pure, unadulterated superhero cool, there's still nothing that tops The Batman/Superman Movie. It was produced at the peak of both the Batman and Superman cartoons. It was originally a 3-part episode of Superman: The Animated Series, and you can buy it in its original, 3-part form on Superman: The Animated Series -- Season 2. This thing was a freakin' EVENT when it was first on TV. For those who have forgotten, let me sum up the plot: the Joker gets his hands on 20 pounds of kryptonite and heads to Metropolis with a deal for Lex Luthor: $1 billion for the death of Superman. Naturally, Batman follows to apprenhend the Joker and warn Superman. And throw in the complicating factor that Lois Lane falls for Bruce Wayne, leading to a rather interesting love triangle between Lois, Bruce, and Clark Kent. This thing just fires on all cylanders. And since it'll probably be a while before I start getting Superman: The Animated Series on DVD, I figured this was worth the $5 in the discount bin.
Man, these just rock!
Monday, July 21, 2008
New Star Trek Movie Posters
And we're back!
I've been cut off from the Internet for the past few days as I was off at my sister's wedding. There was some bad, too. Mainly, my car broke down in Red Deer, and I just barely got it road-worthy again. I'm sick of pouring $1500 of repairs into it every 6 months because something else has fallen off. It's time to start saving for something new!
Anyway, I'm just easing back into the real world...I've also taken Tuesday off from work to ease with the transition. I'm catching up online, and lo and behold, what's online to greet me, but four, count 'em, four, new movie posters for the new Star Trek movie!
As is the trend with big movies with ensembles, these are character posters, giving us the first glimpse at the classic characters played by new actors. So let's get to it!
First up, here's the young James T. Kirk, as played by Chris Pine.
Secondly, the young Spock, as played by Zachary Quinto.
He's looking very accurate as Spock.
Next up, going with the classic trinity of Star Trek, you'd think the thrid poster would be of Bones, but no! We need eye candy for the young male demographic that's going to be seeing this film! So instead, poster #3 goes to Zoe Saldana as the young Uhura.
And last, but certainly not least, the final poster is of our villain of the piece...Eric Bana as the Romulan General Nero.
Of course, all the Trekkies are freaking out at this one. "But...but...he's ROMULAN! Where's his pointed ears? What's with the tatoos?" I'm guessng that'll be explained in the movie.
These posters are going to be given away at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con. They're in this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly, which is where the scans came from.
And as you can tell from the watermarks, I "borrowed" them from Trek Movie.
I've been cut off from the Internet for the past few days as I was off at my sister's wedding. There was some bad, too. Mainly, my car broke down in Red Deer, and I just barely got it road-worthy again. I'm sick of pouring $1500 of repairs into it every 6 months because something else has fallen off. It's time to start saving for something new!
Anyway, I'm just easing back into the real world...I've also taken Tuesday off from work to ease with the transition. I'm catching up online, and lo and behold, what's online to greet me, but four, count 'em, four, new movie posters for the new Star Trek movie!
As is the trend with big movies with ensembles, these are character posters, giving us the first glimpse at the classic characters played by new actors. So let's get to it!
First up, here's the young James T. Kirk, as played by Chris Pine.
Secondly, the young Spock, as played by Zachary Quinto.
He's looking very accurate as Spock.
Next up, going with the classic trinity of Star Trek, you'd think the thrid poster would be of Bones, but no! We need eye candy for the young male demographic that's going to be seeing this film! So instead, poster #3 goes to Zoe Saldana as the young Uhura.
And last, but certainly not least, the final poster is of our villain of the piece...Eric Bana as the Romulan General Nero.
Of course, all the Trekkies are freaking out at this one. "But...but...he's ROMULAN! Where's his pointed ears? What's with the tatoos?" I'm guessng that'll be explained in the movie.
These posters are going to be given away at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con. They're in this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly, which is where the scans came from.
And as you can tell from the watermarks, I "borrowed" them from Trek Movie.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Speed Racer on DVD/Grissom Leaves CSI/The Family Guy Movie
I know I'm pretty much the only one who thought Speed Racer was a freakin' fantastic movie, so I'm probably the only one who's excited about this.
Speed Racer hits DVD on September 16!
Sadly, because of the film's status as a bomb, it's rather scant on bonus materials. All you get are two featurettes. If you've made the great upgrade to Blu-Ray, then you're a little luckier. The Blu-Ray version comes with THREE featurettes, an interactive game, and a digital copy so you can enjoy the film on your iPod.
And that's not all! I often lamented that, although I loved the movie, I never saw an episode of the cartoon. Now, I'll be able to watch EVERY episode!
Speed Racer: The Complete Series hits on October 7. The 6-disc set includes all 52 episodes of the original cartoon, plus some bonus materials TBA. And it'll come packaged in a plastic replica of the Mach 5.
Well, I'm consume with sadness today. One of my favourite TV characters, one of the few that I call my hero, will soon no longer be on TV.
Gil Grissom is leaving the Las Vegas Crime Lab. That's right, William Petersen is leaving CSI.
Petersen has just said that it's time to move on, after having been on the show for 8 years. He's going to be on the first 10 episodes of next season -- roughly half of the season. Probably, in those 10 episodes, they'll write a very nice story arc to give him a send-off.
I really wish they'd just end the show. Grissom is the heart and soul of CSI.
But, who knows? In this end, there could be a new beginning. The two actors currently in negotiations to head up the Las Vegas crime lab are Laurence Fishburne and John Malkovich.
As cool as either one would be, I just can't shake the feeling that this'll be like when Mulder left The X-Files.
And fans of Family Guy can rejoice!
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane recently said in an interview that production on the Family Guy Movie will probably begin "within the next 12 months."
MacFarlane was mum on the plot, simply saying that, "It's something [they] could never do on TV." It's weird, because around a year ago, when The Simpsons Movie hit theatres, MacFarlane was asked about the possibility of a Family Guy movie and he said it's probably never happen. He then went on to say that if they ever did do a movie, he'd like to bring the focus back on the Griffin family, and try to figure out why they stick together as a family.
It's still probably a few years away from hitting your local cineplex.
Speed Racer hits DVD on September 16!
Sadly, because of the film's status as a bomb, it's rather scant on bonus materials. All you get are two featurettes. If you've made the great upgrade to Blu-Ray, then you're a little luckier. The Blu-Ray version comes with THREE featurettes, an interactive game, and a digital copy so you can enjoy the film on your iPod.
And that's not all! I often lamented that, although I loved the movie, I never saw an episode of the cartoon. Now, I'll be able to watch EVERY episode!
Speed Racer: The Complete Series hits on October 7. The 6-disc set includes all 52 episodes of the original cartoon, plus some bonus materials TBA. And it'll come packaged in a plastic replica of the Mach 5.
Well, I'm consume with sadness today. One of my favourite TV characters, one of the few that I call my hero, will soon no longer be on TV.
Gil Grissom is leaving the Las Vegas Crime Lab. That's right, William Petersen is leaving CSI.
Petersen has just said that it's time to move on, after having been on the show for 8 years. He's going to be on the first 10 episodes of next season -- roughly half of the season. Probably, in those 10 episodes, they'll write a very nice story arc to give him a send-off.
I really wish they'd just end the show. Grissom is the heart and soul of CSI.
But, who knows? In this end, there could be a new beginning. The two actors currently in negotiations to head up the Las Vegas crime lab are Laurence Fishburne and John Malkovich.
As cool as either one would be, I just can't shake the feeling that this'll be like when Mulder left The X-Files.
And fans of Family Guy can rejoice!
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane recently said in an interview that production on the Family Guy Movie will probably begin "within the next 12 months."
MacFarlane was mum on the plot, simply saying that, "It's something [they] could never do on TV." It's weird, because around a year ago, when The Simpsons Movie hit theatres, MacFarlane was asked about the possibility of a Family Guy movie and he said it's probably never happen. He then went on to say that if they ever did do a movie, he'd like to bring the focus back on the Griffin family, and try to figure out why they stick together as a family.
It's still probably a few years away from hitting your local cineplex.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Birds of Prey Out Today!
There's one DVD out today that I have to highlight.
If you a Batman completist, or just like cheezy superhero shows featuring hot women in tight leather outfits, then I have to direct you to Birds of Prey: the Complete Series.
Very loosely based on the ass-kicking comic of the same name, Birds of Prey is set in the Gotham City of the not-too-distant future, and follows the exploits of Oracle, the Huntress, and Black Canary as they fight crime.
It deviates quite a bit from the comic, as they kind of chose to tie together a whole bunch of obscure and forgotten bits of continuity to create something in new.
Oracle remains pretty much unscathed. Oracle is still Barbara Gordon, the once and future Batgirl, paralyzed from the waist down by the Joker. Re-making herself as the Oracle, Barbara Gordon is now the information broker to superheroes, and commands the Birds of Prey from a hi-tech command centre high atop a Gotham tower.
For the Huntress, they went back to the character's original, parallel universe origins. This time around, the Huntress is Helena Wayne, the long-lost daughter of Batman and Catwoman. Having inherited her mother's superpowers (oh, yeah, in this continuity, Catwoman had superpowers), she is following in her father's footsteps and cleaning up the streets of Gotham City.
The most radically changed was the Black Canary. She was no longer the best martial artist in the DC universe and armed with a crippling sonic scream. Now, she's the daughter of the original Black Canary...a shy, timid teenager with emerging psychic powers.
They fought crime on the streets of Gotham, and like Smallville and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, they were working their way up to the big bad. For these 13 episodes, the big bad was the head of psychiatry at Arkham Asylum...one Dr. Harleen Quinzel.
And where's Batman? Well, after the Joker paralyzed Batgirl, he murdered Catwoman, and then the Joker mysteriously disappeared. Consumed by grief, Batman also mysteriously disappeared.
I never watched much of Birds of Prey. It was on in the 2002/2003 TV season...that's my "lost year" for pop culture, as I was in Japan. I did, however, catch a couple reruns on Space when I got back. It was...OK. I might pick it up out of curiousity.
For bonus materials, you get the original, unaired pilot, which boasted the Huntress in a more comic-accurate costume and a different actress playing Harley Quinn. You also get the complete series of Gotham Girls, the Internet-only Flash cartoon that focused on the female characters of the Batman: The Animated Series universe.
So, there you go.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Makeover Madness
I got my first suit as a graduation present. My parents took me into Edmonton to Moore's to get me one as the end of high school drew near. I truthfully say that, when I finished high school, my parents gave me a new suit, $100, and instructions to find my place in the world...just like being released from prison.
I've blogged about the new glasses, I just got back from getting a haircut, and I recently spent a portion of my tax refund on getting a new suit. The true purpose of me doing all this is that it's my sister's wedding this coming weekend, and I've been slowly getting myself pretty for it.
The suit my parents got me for that grad present served me well all these years, but the sad truth is, I've outgrown it. My job does require me to sit on my ass for a great deal of the day, and I've never been that active to begin with, so I've just gotten too fat for it. I finally tried on my new suit the other day, and it was nice to have formal wear that fits perfectly again. So light, so comfy, so perfect!
Now, I know I have friends who boast that they'll never have a job that requires them to wear a suit. When I was going to NAIT, my classmates occasionally mocked me when I wore a suit when I was making sales pitches to prospective clients for my promotions project. (Although, one day, while in suit and returning for a sales call, one instructor did pull me aside and say, "I'm glad someone in your class knows how to dress when meeting a client.") I know I've fallen into a culture that derides a suit and what it represents, so to all my friends, I just want to offer up this one bit of advice.
Dip into your savings, take your tax refund, and go buy yourself a suit.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy. I'm not talking take out a bank loan and go get yourself Armani. Conversely, I don't want you to do like my best friend...one of those people who boasts that he'll never have a job that requires the suit and tie. When he actually did get a job that required a suit and tie, he went down to Value Village and spent $20 on "the one with the least amount of stains on it." No no no. Do what I did. Keep your eyes on the flyers for when one of your national chains like Moore's or the Men's Warehouse is having a sale.
My point is, just once in your life, get yourself a set of clothes that requires someone to take your measurements.
Because, trust me, when you put on that suit of clothes that was made just for you, and everything fits nice, and everything is tight where it's supposed to be tight and loose where it's supposed to be loose, not only will you look good, you will feel good.
And that's why I enjoy wearing my suit. It makes me feel good.
Now if only I hadn't left my Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tie back in Entwistle.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
See a Toonie, Pick It Up....
I've been wanting to write this since Wednesday, but I don't why I haven't sat down yet to do it.
Wednesday was a very good day for me.
I had a hunch that it would be a good day as I was leaving the bank, I looked down on the sidewalk, and spied a nice, shiny new toonie looking up at me. I've been lucky enough to find pennies on the sidewalk, nickles, and the occasional quarter. But never $2!
I had the day off from work on Wednesday as I was off to the dentist to get a check-up and my teeth cleaned. My luck was definitely with me. The dentist, the hygienist, and the various assistants were all stunned that, even though it was three years since my last cleaning and five years since my last check-up, there were no cavities. Maybe it was that toonie on the sidewalk. Maybe it was my pocketful of good luck charms that I had with me to ward off any evil spirits the dentist might uncover. Or, maybe it was the obsessive-compulsive oral hygiene routine I adopted after that last check-up five years ago when they told me I had five cavities.
From there, it was off to the city. Yup, I had my appointment in the morning, and took the whole day off work. I had several things I wanted to take care of. First up, you may remember a few weeks ago I blogged about how I bought a POS hub for my new computer that blew out my MP3 player. So, with a pocketful of birthday money, I was going to get my new MP3 player.
Might I say, I love this new MP3 player. 4G -- twice as big as my old one. Full colour display, so it can also display pictures and play videos. I've put 800 songs on it so far...not a lot of pictures yet, just the ones that I want to have with me at all times, such as my infamous train photo and the day I met my hero. I'm still having lots of fun with it.
Then, it was off to get a wedding present for my sister. I'd say more, but she reads this, and I don't want to give it away.
And then it was time for my most dangerous part of the day. I ventured right into downtown Edmonton.
I've blogged it before, and I'll blog it again. I've lost all fear of downtown Edmonton. I used to think Edmonton was big and scary, then I went to Vancouver. I used to think Vancouver was big and scary, then I went to Tokyo. No reason to fear downtown Edmonton anymore.
I parked the car, and then walked on over to the Winspear Centre box office.
It was brought to my attention that a certain favourite artist of mine would be soon playing at the Winspear, and after a lot of soul searching and discussions with friends and family about fiscal responsibility, I decided to go for it.
On Saturday, August 2, I'll once again be seeing my hero in concert.
That's right, I'll be front row centre at "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Of course, when the clerk asked me, "How many tickets?" I was at a loss. I was once again reminded of how empty my life is and how I seem to not have a life outside of work. So, rather than humiliate myself by trying to dig up a friend between now and then, I decided to just get one ticket. But, again, that was a sign of good fortune, as there was one ticket left right down on the floor in front of the stage.
I'm going to see Weird Al again. Weird Al has already said on his blog that this the exact same show as last year, so there'll be nothing new. But then, as my best friend pointed out, I'm the biggest Weird Al fan that most people know, so it's a crime that I've only seen him live just once. Besides, last year was outdoors at the Capital Ex. This time, it'll be in Edmonton's Winspear Centre...considered to be one of the most acoustically-perfect concert halls in Canada.
All in all, Wednesday was a nice oasis in the craziness that my life currently is. I'm counting down the days until the end of July, because come August 1, I will suddenly be very un-busy.
Wednesday was a very good day for me.
I had a hunch that it would be a good day as I was leaving the bank, I looked down on the sidewalk, and spied a nice, shiny new toonie looking up at me. I've been lucky enough to find pennies on the sidewalk, nickles, and the occasional quarter. But never $2!
I had the day off from work on Wednesday as I was off to the dentist to get a check-up and my teeth cleaned. My luck was definitely with me. The dentist, the hygienist, and the various assistants were all stunned that, even though it was three years since my last cleaning and five years since my last check-up, there were no cavities. Maybe it was that toonie on the sidewalk. Maybe it was my pocketful of good luck charms that I had with me to ward off any evil spirits the dentist might uncover. Or, maybe it was the obsessive-compulsive oral hygiene routine I adopted after that last check-up five years ago when they told me I had five cavities.
From there, it was off to the city. Yup, I had my appointment in the morning, and took the whole day off work. I had several things I wanted to take care of. First up, you may remember a few weeks ago I blogged about how I bought a POS hub for my new computer that blew out my MP3 player. So, with a pocketful of birthday money, I was going to get my new MP3 player.
Might I say, I love this new MP3 player. 4G -- twice as big as my old one. Full colour display, so it can also display pictures and play videos. I've put 800 songs on it so far...not a lot of pictures yet, just the ones that I want to have with me at all times, such as my infamous train photo and the day I met my hero. I'm still having lots of fun with it.
Then, it was off to get a wedding present for my sister. I'd say more, but she reads this, and I don't want to give it away.
And then it was time for my most dangerous part of the day. I ventured right into downtown Edmonton.
I've blogged it before, and I'll blog it again. I've lost all fear of downtown Edmonton. I used to think Edmonton was big and scary, then I went to Vancouver. I used to think Vancouver was big and scary, then I went to Tokyo. No reason to fear downtown Edmonton anymore.
I parked the car, and then walked on over to the Winspear Centre box office.
It was brought to my attention that a certain favourite artist of mine would be soon playing at the Winspear, and after a lot of soul searching and discussions with friends and family about fiscal responsibility, I decided to go for it.
On Saturday, August 2, I'll once again be seeing my hero in concert.
That's right, I'll be front row centre at "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Of course, when the clerk asked me, "How many tickets?" I was at a loss. I was once again reminded of how empty my life is and how I seem to not have a life outside of work. So, rather than humiliate myself by trying to dig up a friend between now and then, I decided to just get one ticket. But, again, that was a sign of good fortune, as there was one ticket left right down on the floor in front of the stage.
I'm going to see Weird Al again. Weird Al has already said on his blog that this the exact same show as last year, so there'll be nothing new. But then, as my best friend pointed out, I'm the biggest Weird Al fan that most people know, so it's a crime that I've only seen him live just once. Besides, last year was outdoors at the Capital Ex. This time, it'll be in Edmonton's Winspear Centre...considered to be one of the most acoustically-perfect concert halls in Canada.
All in all, Wednesday was a nice oasis in the craziness that my life currently is. I'm counting down the days until the end of July, because come August 1, I will suddenly be very un-busy.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Batman: Gotham Knight Review
I can't believe I sat on this for so long! Of course, I got the DVD as soon as I could, so let's review it!
Batman: Gotham Knight
Directed by Shojiro Nishimi, Futoshi Higashide, Hiroshi Morioka, Yasohiro Aoki, Toshiyuki Kubooka, and Jong Sik-Am
Starring the voices of Kevin Conroy, Gary Dourdan, David McCallum, Parminder Nagra, ana Ana Oritz.
Backstory: DC and Warner Brothers have been doing the straight-t0-video animated movie thing for a long time. The now legendary Batman animated film, Mask of the Phantasm, was originally going to be straight to video, but executives looking at rough footage thought it to be so good, that it went to theatres. For the next installment of Batman in animation, Warner Brothers animation decided to turn the Dark Knight over to some of the top animation studios in Japan to do something a little more anime-styled.
Plot: The film is actually made up of six seperate stories. Rather than recount them all, I'll just point you to this previous blog entry where I did that in excrutiating detail.
What I Liked: As is the case in anthologies like this, some segments stand out more than others. The standout for me was Work Through Pain, giving us yet another untold tale of Batman's training. And, of course, the Japanese animation is spectacular, giving us a great, fresh take on Batman. Oh, and Kevin Conroy once again proves why he's THE voice of Batman.
What I Didn't Like: Sadly, a lot of the tales had a genuine sense of "been there, done that." And despite all its hype, I found the segment with Deadshot to be most disappointing. The creators said that they were setting up Deadshot to be the "anti-Batman," but we don't get to see that. It's just a lot of shooting.
Final Verdict: Maybe Frank Miller's right. Maybe every Batman story has been told, and despite some fantastic Japanese animation, the latest Batman animated installment is very bleh.
2 Nibs
Batman: Gotham Knight
Directed by Shojiro Nishimi, Futoshi Higashide, Hiroshi Morioka, Yasohiro Aoki, Toshiyuki Kubooka, and Jong Sik-Am
Starring the voices of Kevin Conroy, Gary Dourdan, David McCallum, Parminder Nagra, ana Ana Oritz.
Backstory: DC and Warner Brothers have been doing the straight-t0-video animated movie thing for a long time. The now legendary Batman animated film, Mask of the Phantasm, was originally going to be straight to video, but executives looking at rough footage thought it to be so good, that it went to theatres. For the next installment of Batman in animation, Warner Brothers animation decided to turn the Dark Knight over to some of the top animation studios in Japan to do something a little more anime-styled.
Plot: The film is actually made up of six seperate stories. Rather than recount them all, I'll just point you to this previous blog entry where I did that in excrutiating detail.
What I Liked: As is the case in anthologies like this, some segments stand out more than others. The standout for me was Work Through Pain, giving us yet another untold tale of Batman's training. And, of course, the Japanese animation is spectacular, giving us a great, fresh take on Batman. Oh, and Kevin Conroy once again proves why he's THE voice of Batman.
What I Didn't Like: Sadly, a lot of the tales had a genuine sense of "been there, done that." And despite all its hype, I found the segment with Deadshot to be most disappointing. The creators said that they were setting up Deadshot to be the "anti-Batman," but we don't get to see that. It's just a lot of shooting.
Final Verdict: Maybe Frank Miller's right. Maybe every Batman story has been told, and despite some fantastic Japanese animation, the latest Batman animated installment is very bleh.
2 Nibs
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Batman: Gotham Knight Out Today!
Have to take a minute to acknowledge the latest chapter of Batman animation that comes out today, and that's the straight-to-DVD movie Batman: Gotham Knight.
For the latest installment in DC/Warner Brother's line of straight-to-DVD animated movies based on DC characters, Warner Brothers decided to take their cues from The Animatrix. Batman was turned over to some of the biggest animation studios in Japan, to re-imagine Batman in an anime style. However, it was still American writers who wrote the segments.
That's right, it's not a film per se. Just like The Animatrix, it's divided into a series of short films. And these are the segments!
Have I Got a Story for You - Three kids catch a glimpse of Batman one night, and each one spins a yarn as to what they think Batman is really like. One portrays Batman as a Spawn-like character, the second claims Batman is a high-tech mech, and the third says Batman is a demonic creature akin to the Man-Bat. This one was written by John Olson, who wrote the movie version of A History of Violence.
Crossfire - Two Gotham City police detectives are caught in the crossfire of a gang war and have to get over their mis-trust of Batman so Batman can save them. This one was written by veteran comic book writer Greg Rucka.
Field Test - A close-up look at Batman's high-tech arsenal...and a fable about over-reliance on technology.
In Darkness Dwells - Batman has to venture into the sewers to apprehend the Scarecrow and also has to do battle with Killer Croc. This one was written by David S. Goyer, who wrote both Batman Begins and its upcoming sequel The Dark Knight.
Working Through Pain - A flashback to Batman's world tour, where Bruce Wayne encounters a mysterious Indian woman named Cassandra who teaches him how to block out his pain -- both physical and spiritual. This one was written by veteran comic book writer Brian Azzarello.
Deadshot - For the grand finale, it's Batman vs. Deadshot. As one critic put it, it's a villain obsessed with guns battling a hero who refuses to use them. This one was written by Alan Burnett, who was one of the key creative forces in the heyday of Batman: The Animated Series.
And, of course, the most nerd-tacular news about this is that Kevin Conroy, who did the voice of Batman on Batman: The Animated Series, is once again doing the voice of Batman. Because of it's proximity to the release of The Dark Knight, there were some rumors that Christian Bale would be voicing Batman, but it was just rumors.
The film is being released in a single-disc and a two-disc special edition. For the single disc version, for bonus materials you get a running commentary with producer Gregory Noveck, longtime Batman editor Dennis O'Neil, and Batman's voice Kevin Conroy. You also get a featurette on the next straight-to-DVD animated film, Wonder Woman.
On the 2-disc special edition, you also get:
Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story - A featurette about Batman's creator, Bob Kane.
A Mirror for the Bat - A featurette analyzing Batman's rogues gallery.
And, four episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, chosen by Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Gotham Knight producer Bruce Timm as being among the show's best. The four episodes are:
Heart of Ice - The re-vamped origin of Mr. Freeze, which was so popular that DC Comics instantly adopted it as Mr. Freeze's official origin.
I am the Night - Commissioner Gordon is fatally wounded in a botched police raid, leading Batman to question his purpose and contemplate hanging up the cape and cowl.
Legends of the Dark Knight - Three kids catch a glimpse of Batman one night, and each one spins a yarn as to what they think Batman is really like. One tells a tale that could have been ripped from an episode of the 1960s TV show, one tells a tale ripped directly from the pages of The Dark Knight Returns, and before the third one can tell his tale, they watch the real Batman (in this case, the DC Animated Universe Batman) in action.
Over the Edge - Batgirl is killed by the Scarecrow. Commissioner Gordon learns that Batgirl was, in fact, his daughter Barbara. Blaming Batman for his daughter's death, Commissioner Gordon vows to do "whatever it takes" to bring in Batman.
It's out today, and I can hardly wait to get it!
For the latest installment in DC/Warner Brother's line of straight-to-DVD animated movies based on DC characters, Warner Brothers decided to take their cues from The Animatrix. Batman was turned over to some of the biggest animation studios in Japan, to re-imagine Batman in an anime style. However, it was still American writers who wrote the segments.
That's right, it's not a film per se. Just like The Animatrix, it's divided into a series of short films. And these are the segments!
Have I Got a Story for You - Three kids catch a glimpse of Batman one night, and each one spins a yarn as to what they think Batman is really like. One portrays Batman as a Spawn-like character, the second claims Batman is a high-tech mech, and the third says Batman is a demonic creature akin to the Man-Bat. This one was written by John Olson, who wrote the movie version of A History of Violence.
Crossfire - Two Gotham City police detectives are caught in the crossfire of a gang war and have to get over their mis-trust of Batman so Batman can save them. This one was written by veteran comic book writer Greg Rucka.
Field Test - A close-up look at Batman's high-tech arsenal...and a fable about over-reliance on technology.
In Darkness Dwells - Batman has to venture into the sewers to apprehend the Scarecrow and also has to do battle with Killer Croc. This one was written by David S. Goyer, who wrote both Batman Begins and its upcoming sequel The Dark Knight.
Working Through Pain - A flashback to Batman's world tour, where Bruce Wayne encounters a mysterious Indian woman named Cassandra who teaches him how to block out his pain -- both physical and spiritual. This one was written by veteran comic book writer Brian Azzarello.
Deadshot - For the grand finale, it's Batman vs. Deadshot. As one critic put it, it's a villain obsessed with guns battling a hero who refuses to use them. This one was written by Alan Burnett, who was one of the key creative forces in the heyday of Batman: The Animated Series.
And, of course, the most nerd-tacular news about this is that Kevin Conroy, who did the voice of Batman on Batman: The Animated Series, is once again doing the voice of Batman. Because of it's proximity to the release of The Dark Knight, there were some rumors that Christian Bale would be voicing Batman, but it was just rumors.
The film is being released in a single-disc and a two-disc special edition. For the single disc version, for bonus materials you get a running commentary with producer Gregory Noveck, longtime Batman editor Dennis O'Neil, and Batman's voice Kevin Conroy. You also get a featurette on the next straight-to-DVD animated film, Wonder Woman.
On the 2-disc special edition, you also get:
Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story - A featurette about Batman's creator, Bob Kane.
A Mirror for the Bat - A featurette analyzing Batman's rogues gallery.
And, four episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, chosen by Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Gotham Knight producer Bruce Timm as being among the show's best. The four episodes are:
Heart of Ice - The re-vamped origin of Mr. Freeze, which was so popular that DC Comics instantly adopted it as Mr. Freeze's official origin.
I am the Night - Commissioner Gordon is fatally wounded in a botched police raid, leading Batman to question his purpose and contemplate hanging up the cape and cowl.
Legends of the Dark Knight - Three kids catch a glimpse of Batman one night, and each one spins a yarn as to what they think Batman is really like. One tells a tale that could have been ripped from an episode of the 1960s TV show, one tells a tale ripped directly from the pages of The Dark Knight Returns, and before the third one can tell his tale, they watch the real Batman (in this case, the DC Animated Universe Batman) in action.
Over the Edge - Batgirl is killed by the Scarecrow. Commissioner Gordon learns that Batgirl was, in fact, his daughter Barbara. Blaming Batman for his daughter's death, Commissioner Gordon vows to do "whatever it takes" to bring in Batman.
It's out today, and I can hardly wait to get it!
Monday, July 07, 2008
Peace and Love
Today is Ringo Starr's birthday!
Not to long ago, Ringo was asked what he wanted for his birthday, and his answer was, "just more peace and love."
Ringo later elaborated and came up with this idea. Today, wherever you are, at high noon your time, Ringo wants you to flash the peace sign and say the words "peace and love." Sing it, scream it, say it, whisper it in a silent prayer, just flash the peace sign and say the words, "peace and love."
Me? I'm blogging it.
Peace and Love
Not to long ago, Ringo was asked what he wanted for his birthday, and his answer was, "just more peace and love."
Ringo later elaborated and came up with this idea. Today, wherever you are, at high noon your time, Ringo wants you to flash the peace sign and say the words "peace and love." Sing it, scream it, say it, whisper it in a silent prayer, just flash the peace sign and say the words, "peace and love."
Me? I'm blogging it.
Friday, July 04, 2008
The Magnificent River Rats Festival 2008
I am now a filmmaker.
Back on Sunday night, several items finally connected in my head.
New computer with massive hard drive, Windows Movie Maker comes standard, digital camera that can capture video clips.
Monday and Tuesday was Athabasca's Magnificent River Rats Festival.
Since I was covering the festival anyway, I figured I would try to capture some of the River Rats on film.
Ladies and gentelmen, my very first YouTube video, simply titled The Magnificent River Rats Festival 2008:
Back on Sunday night, several items finally connected in my head.
New computer with massive hard drive, Windows Movie Maker comes standard, digital camera that can capture video clips.
Monday and Tuesday was Athabasca's Magnificent River Rats Festival.
Since I was covering the festival anyway, I figured I would try to capture some of the River Rats on film.
Ladies and gentelmen, my very first YouTube video, simply titled The Magnificent River Rats Festival 2008:
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Wednesday Foolishness
Granted, I'm not a hockey guy, but I thought of this and I had to share.
Today is the day that Daryl Katz becomes owner of the Edmonton Oilers. There was a big news conference and everything.
I think it would have been absolutely hilarious if Katz took to the podium and yelled out, "SUCKERS!! I'm moving the team to HAMILTON!" and then started with the maniacal laughter.
As you know, I'm geeking out about WALL-E right now. Fantastic film. And, I recently learned that, as is Pixar tradition, there will be an original short film as one of the bonus materials when WALL-E hits DVD.
The original short film will be called BURN-E, and it tells the tale of Burn-E. See, in the film, Burn-E is this little welding robot that gets locked outside of the spaceship. And his short film is all about his adventures trying to get back inside.
Speaking of Pixar short films, in my Wall-E review, I forgot to mention Pixar's latest short film that runs before it, Presto, which is about a magician engaging in a battle of wits with his rabbit. It's just freakin' hilarious, full of great slapstick humour.
And as a great geek-out moment, it started off with the classic title graphics that start all of Disney's classic animated shorts. Nice touch.
And today, I made my first purchase on iTunes.
I broke down and I bought ROAR!, aka the end credits music from Cloverfield. It was released only on iTunes, and it's still just a spectacular piece of film score.
Today is the day that Daryl Katz becomes owner of the Edmonton Oilers. There was a big news conference and everything.
I think it would have been absolutely hilarious if Katz took to the podium and yelled out, "SUCKERS!! I'm moving the team to HAMILTON!" and then started with the maniacal laughter.
As you know, I'm geeking out about WALL-E right now. Fantastic film. And, I recently learned that, as is Pixar tradition, there will be an original short film as one of the bonus materials when WALL-E hits DVD.
The original short film will be called BURN-E, and it tells the tale of Burn-E. See, in the film, Burn-E is this little welding robot that gets locked outside of the spaceship. And his short film is all about his adventures trying to get back inside.
Speaking of Pixar short films, in my Wall-E review, I forgot to mention Pixar's latest short film that runs before it, Presto, which is about a magician engaging in a battle of wits with his rabbit. It's just freakin' hilarious, full of great slapstick humour.
And as a great geek-out moment, it started off with the classic title graphics that start all of Disney's classic animated shorts. Nice touch.
And today, I made my first purchase on iTunes.
I broke down and I bought ROAR!, aka the end credits music from Cloverfield. It was released only on iTunes, and it's still just a spectacular piece of film score.
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