Repo Man - Like the life of a Repo Man, it is always intense.
I love the shit out of that movie. The first time I saw it, in high school, we were hanging out at a friend's house, and my friend Alan was going to leave because he had some stuff to do. It was the very beginning of the movie, and he said "this movie has five minutes to get my attention, or I'm leaving." Then the cop opened the trunk. He stayed. Now, he has a tattoo of a plate of shrimp.
When we inevitably meet, we are going to watch this film together
Yeah. Let's make this shit happen. I'm going to Otakon next year, so you should go to that. Or you should come out to AX. Or I'll find a way to go to Lolla next year.
I'm actually honor-bound to drive out to Arizona to visit an awesome family member next year, and I'll also likely be out of a real job, which means AX is workable. I've also got family in DC, so Otakon is possible too. As for Lolla, that bridge is easily crossed if and when we come to it.
The possibility of these things actually happening is astoundingly pretty high. A lot higher than my shit-talking about AX last time.
The Expendables is a movie where things blow up and dudes fight.
This is precisely what I want from that movie.
I hear it's pretty much the most awesome movie ever. I haven't seen the movie but a friend told me about this lovely spoiler: One dude busts thought a wall and cuts another dude in half. I NEED TO SEE THAT!!!
Also, Daybreakers was a pretty good movie. Willem Dafoe does not disappoint. It's defiantly brought some new "blood" for the vampire genre. Ending was a little Terminator 2-ish, but it's worth watching.
The Expendables is a movie where things blow up and dudes fight.
This is precisely what I want from that movie.
I hear it's pretty much the most awesome movie ever. I haven't seen the movie but a friend told me about this lovely spoiler: One dude busts thought a wall and cuts another dude in half. I NEED TO SEE THAT!!!
Also,Daybreakerswas a pretty good movie. Willem Dafoe does not disappoint. It's defiantly brought some new "blood" for the vampire genre. Ending was a littleTerminator 2-ish, but it's worth watching.
And all of the effects were doing on the directors computer. ^_^
The Expendables is a movie where things blow up and dudes fight.
This is precisely what I want from that movie.
I think somewhere along the line, someone went, "Man, I would pay money to watch Jason Statham just do crazy shit for 2 hours," and all the guys on the internet nodded and went, "Hmm, yeah, we would too." And then they made Crank, and there was much rejoicing.
Have you seen the western remake The Magnificent Seven? If so, how'd you feel about that?
I recently saw The Magnificent Seven for the first time and I gotta say, I immensely enjoyed it. I felt they did a very excellent job of adapting Seven Samurai to the American public. What really struck me the most about it were the little moments in it that were references to important parts in Samurai that shows that the filmmakers did love the movie and preserved very important parts. My go-to example in this case is when Chico falls in love with Petra, which is directly lifted from Samurai when Katsushiro falls in love with Shino. Needless to say, you should all watch it when you get the chance.
Or how many people hate Evangelion.
Is there some "correct" order in which I should watch Kurosawa's other films?
There isn't an intended "order" to watch them, but if you're looking for more Kurosawa films to watch and don't know which to choose next, I think I can give you a few suggestions if you like. Watch all 16 of the Mifune-Kurosawa films (Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Drunken Angel, etc) that they both collaborated on because they're excellent. Ikiru is an absolute must as well. But there is one in particular you would love, Scott...The Hidden Fortress. I'll put it this way, Star Wars wouldn't exist without it.
The Criterion Collection DVD of The Hidden Fortress is awesome. One of the first DVDs I ever bought (and the first Criterion).
Saw the first half of Tropic Thunder last night and you know what, I thought it was really funny. As my taste has started to shift more and more into independent stuff, I had decided not to see this big-budget comedy, but looks like that was a bad decision as it's been enjoyable so far. Wife fell asleep on the couch so I turned it off so she could watch the second half.
Jason Statham and Rambo Drive Cars and Kill People was pretty much the best thing ever. Only way it would have been improved would be if it had Commando's stealthy steel pan drum music.
Just walked out of The Girl Who Played with Fire, and it was just as good as the first one. Can't wait for the third one to be released here.
Also, on the Kurosawa bend, I rewatched Yojimbo and saw Rashomon for the first time in the last couple days. Yojimbo was even better than I remembered. Rashomon was... interesting at best. Way too much crying in that movie, it really turned me off to it.
Also, on the Kurosawa bend, I rewatchedYojimboand sawRashomonfor the first time in the last couple days. Yojimbo was even better than I remembered. Rashomon was... interesting at best. Way too much crying in that movie, it really turned me off to it.
Yeah, Rashomon is the only one I've watched so far that I really didn't understand. The motivations of the characters really just don't make much sense considering their actions and the stories they tell.
I just watched a non-Kurosawa, Samurai Trilogy #1 - Musashi. It was good, but I definitely see why it's a trilogy. Part one was entirely origin story. I really have to watch part 2 and 3 to see awesome samurai action.
Also, on the Kurosawa bend, I rewatchedYojimboand sawRashomonfor the first time in the last couple days. Yojimbo was even better than I remembered. Rashomon was... interesting at best. Way too much crying in that movie, it really turned me off to it.
Yeah, Rashomon is the only one I've watched so far that I really didn't understand. The motivations of the characters really just don't make much sense considering their actions and the stories they tell.
I just watched a non-Kurosawa, Samurai Trilogy #1 - Musashi. It was good, but I definitely see why it's a trilogy. Part one was entirely origin story. I really have to watch part 2 and 3 to see awesome samurai action.
Out of curiosity, what's with the sudden kick on Japanese cinema (particularly from the Golden Age), Scott?
Just walked out ofThe Girl Who Played with Fire, and it was just as good as the first one. Can't wait for the third one to be released here.
Also, on the Kurosawa bend, I rewatchedYojimboand sawRashomonfor the first time in the last couple days. Yojimbo was even better than I remembered. Rashomon was... interesting at best. Way too much crying in that movie, it really turned me off to it.
It's definitely not for everyone, I'll grant it that. If nothing else, one thing to like about it was that this was the film that introduced Japanese cinema to the world at large due to it winning the Golden Bear in the Venice Film Festival.
Only way it would have been improved would be if it hadCommando's stealthy steel pan drum music.
There's a steel drum busker in my city, near the Treasury Casino, who plays that sometimes. He also sometimes plays a damn good rendition of the mario theme. I should go and video him doing that.
Out of curiosity, what's with the sudden kick on Japanese cinema (particularly from the Golden Age), Scott?
Gotta do shit in phases. I ran out of Leiji Matsumoto animes, mostly. After I'm done with this, I'll probablymoveonto something else.
I echo that. I'm sure you'll find a lot you'll enjoy in this phase. If you run out of Kurosawa films, I suggest checking out the works of YasujirÃ…Â Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita, and Mikio Naruse.
There's a steel drum busker in my city, near the Treasury Casino, who plays that sometimes. He also sometimes plays a damn good rendition of the mario theme. I should go and video him doing that.
That's pretty great. Most of our buskers can't actually play music. They just play random notes slowly. Most passers by don't actually stop to listen for any period of time, so it sounds like music when it isn't. The people who do play real music are usually part of the official MTA music in the subway program (that's not the official name of the program) or they are music students practicing in the subway. If you're practicing music in NYC, there's no reason not to do it outside, free money.
That's pretty great. Most of our buskers can't actually play music. They just play random notes slowly. Most passers by don't actually stop to listen for any period of time, so it sounds like music when it isn't. The people who do play real music are usually part of the official MTA music in the subway program (that's not the official name of the program) or they are music students practicing in the subway. If you're practicing music in NYC, there's no reason not to do it outside, free money.
You actually have to get a permit from the city to busk here. Admittedly, it's not hard to get - as long as you're not just a noisy ass who can't play an instrument, you're fine - but it does keep out the noisy asshats who can't play their instruments. While you can get around it - generally by doing your thing away from main throughfares, like Southbank Parklands, or the Queen Street Mall, and all that happens if you get caught is that the police tell you to move on, unless they catch you a few times in the same fortnight or so.
Happily, it keeps the quality of buskers quite high here, generally, you'll have a few people playing violin, or rocking out on guitar, as well as full juggling and magic shows with some bigger props(I've seen things like the fifteen foot unicycles, and juggling flaming torches while balancing on ladders, as well as closeup magic and prop magic).
There are a few Mainstay performers, who either do or used to busk as a full time job - The steel drum guy is one, but there is also a guy who does graffiti on big sheets of cardboard and wood, right in front of you, and then sells them - you can also commission him for that - and traditional didge players and dancers. There used to be a blind bloke who would sit just up from Hungry Jacks, and he was a hot hand on the Saxophone, but he died last year, sadly. There was actually a concert held as a memorial to him, with four or five bands(including some school brass bands), a number of the usual buskers, and a memorial that stuck around for a few weeks. I think the Council is considering putting up a memorial plate to the guy, since he was there so long, everyone knew him.
I never have time, or I'd hang out when I practice my harmonica. I should start carrying it with me for when the opportunity arises.
I'll bring it with me in the car, and either play along to the radio, or just jam some blues riffs and sing about what I see, to people in other cars, people waiting at the lights to cross, or at bus stops, so on. Just for fun, don't make money out of it. The other day, played a bit of blues going through maccas drive through, and the smile that kid gave us, it seemed to be the best thing that'd happened to him all day.
Comments
It's going to happen. Don't question it. Respect the process.
Go to the corner.
The possibility of these things actually happening is astoundingly pretty high. A lot higher than my shit-talking about AX last time.
One dude busts thought a wall and cuts another dude in half. I NEED TO SEE THAT!!!
Also, Daybreakers was a pretty good movie. Willem Dafoe does not disappoint. It's defiantly brought some new "blood" for the vampire genre. Ending was a little Terminator 2-ish, but it's worth watching.
Saw the first half of Tropic Thunder last night and you know what, I thought it was really funny. As my taste has started to shift more and more into independent stuff, I had decided not to see this big-budget comedy, but looks like that was a bad decision as it's been enjoyable so far. Wife fell asleep on the couch so I turned it off so she could watch the second half.
I think I'm going to go for Throne of Blood next. The title is just too awesome.
Also, on the Kurosawa bend, I rewatched Yojimbo and saw Rashomon for the first time in the last couple days. Yojimbo was even better than I remembered. Rashomon was... interesting at best. Way too much crying in that movie, it really turned me off to it.
I just watched a non-Kurosawa, Samurai Trilogy #1 - Musashi. It was good, but I definitely see why it's a trilogy. Part one was entirely origin story. I really have to watch part 2 and 3 to see awesome samurai action.
Happily, it keeps the quality of buskers quite high here, generally, you'll have a few people playing violin, or rocking out on guitar, as well as full juggling and magic shows with some bigger props(I've seen things like the fifteen foot unicycles, and juggling flaming torches while balancing on ladders, as well as closeup magic and prop magic).
There are a few Mainstay performers, who either do or used to busk as a full time job - The steel drum guy is one, but there is also a guy who does graffiti on big sheets of cardboard and wood, right in front of you, and then sells them - you can also commission him for that - and traditional didge players and dancers. There used to be a blind bloke who would sit just up from Hungry Jacks, and he was a hot hand on the Saxophone, but he died last year, sadly. There was actually a concert held as a memorial to him, with four or five bands(including some school brass bands), a number of the usual buskers, and a memorial that stuck around for a few weeks. I think the Council is considering putting up a memorial plate to the guy, since he was there so long, everyone knew him. I'll bring it with me in the car, and either play along to the radio, or just jam some blues riffs and sing about what I see, to people in other cars, people waiting at the lights to cross, or at bus stops, so on. Just for fun, don't make money out of it.
The other day, played a bit of blues going through maccas drive through, and the smile that kid gave us, it seemed to be the best thing that'd happened to him all day.