Editorial - 28 February 2002

I can only repeat that you haven't seen and understood movies when you haven't seen the 61 years old movie "Citizen Kane" yet. Okay, it has it's limitations (did all women act hysterically back then ?) but plotwise it's superior to most movies in the last 61 years since it's first screening. Camera-techniques are amazing, the structural narration is very inventive for it's time and the overall look gives this movie the same feeling as when watching a guitar handcrafted by the best workers from Gibson's vintage shop.

Editorial - 25 February 2002

Tomorrow there's a one time screening of "Citizen Kane". You should go too if you haven't seen this movie yet.
Song of the week : "The Family" Fence : "Way back in the nineties, there were no DVDs at all" ain't that nice ?
Oldie of the week : "Terrible Lie" Nine Inch Nails
Last seen movie : After seeing "Vanilla Sky" I went to see the closely related project "The Others". Nicole Kidman is surely starting to grow on me. I couldn't stand her a few years back but since her acting improved I have to say she doesn't bother me any more. And no, it has nothing to do with the fact that's she is beautiful. Which she obviously is. Well, what can I say about this movie without spoiling the plot ? That I wasn't impressed as much as a whole bunch of reviews make you believe. It had a huge Hitchcock feel in some parts (gotta love that ice-cold blonde woman in despair in the fog scene), which is good, but it's just too obvious that you're watching a key scene at that moment. You just know what's going to come - especially when you have seen that other-movie-which-I-cannot-mention because that would be given the plot away ... The movie's good, just don't expect too much of it.
Doing this week : In retrospect (I'm retyping this a few days later) I was going to fix some problems with the webserver.

Editorial - 21 February 2002

Can't seem to stay out of the movietheaters too long. Just had to go yesterday. Well, actually because someone asked to go and I agreed - wasn't my idea. After carefull consideration "Vanilla Sky" was chosen. And that's one very intruiging movie. Now I'm even more inclined to find the original spanish version somewhere. I'm probably biased ... I like any movie with a Ford Mustang.

Editorial - 20 February 2002

First off : I try to catch up on DVD and moviereviews each day while eating lunch and although the following movie sucks big time (I switched channels when I was watching this one lots of years ago and never felt like I missed something), the review I just read is extremely funny. It's much better than the movie itself. Save yourself a few hours and read the review. You'll know another movie without having to watch it. The movie I'm talking about ? American Ninja. Awfull, just afwull ...
Secondly : some congratulations are in order. A big hug to Siggie - hope you like the new job after trying it out for a short while now. Kuddos to Geronimo - good luck in your new job. And finally ... Bmac, that new car really is a drivable livingroom.
Up next : Kurt Cobain. If he hadn't had that "cleaning my gun accident", he would've turned 35 today. And what would that brought him ? A nagging wife who says marrying him was a mistake and the probable upcoming release of his diaries. No wonder he wasn't more carefull ...
But what makes this day so damn special ? Because it's a palindrome (something you can read from front to back and back again and it doesn't change, like 'madam' or 'NIN' for example). 20 02 2002 ... 2002 20 02. And what's so special about it is that it doesn't come around that often. Don't know how often ... go look it up, that's what the internet and search-engines are here for.

Editorial - 19 February 2002

Lately 've been trying to find out whether we belgians actually invented the so-called "french fries" or not. My gutfeeling says yes, but where's the scientific evidence. Well, I might be on to something. More details at eleven !
Song of the week : Right about now anything by Jamiroquai sounds great. Been listening to his five albums mixed together all afternoon while filtering logfiles, making diagrams and boring myself right outta my mind. Gotta resent those big shot meetings with lots of PPT's and slides.
Oldie of the week : "Hard To Handle" Otis Reading
Last seen movie : I have no recollection of seeing any movies lately your honor.
Doing this week : Well, the new stylesheet's as good as done I think. That should amount for a big part of the redesign. I hope ...

Editorial - 15 February 2002

Wanna enjoy yesterday's special Valentine's look ? Go here and come back afterwards.

Editorial - 11 February 2002

Well, after attending the Diamond Cup last saturday we were in for a big surprise : our favorite cocktailbar was closed ! Looking for new owner and interior-items for sale ! What ?! And I repeat : what !?! Never heard a rumour it was going to close and we had been there only two weeks ago. Damn. They had some pretty good bartenders who knew how to shake or stir up some decent liquids. And not just the really famous ones, but some lesser known goodies too. All that's left now are two other bars which are constantly crowded (and more expensive) and one terrible bar with some lousy cocktails and lazy waiters ...
Song of the week : "You Give Me Something" Jamiroquai - You can see Jay Kay skateboarding in this video and I'm under the impression he must have skated in his earlier days considering the two or three slides (including one ending in a 360°) he does himself. Don't think it's a stand-in ...
Oldie of the week : "Twin Earth" Monster Magnet
Last seen movie : Haven't seen anything since last time except "X-Men" on DVD last night. Nice menus on that DVD. Sharp picture and not too long. While watching the extended branching version I was a little disappointed the deleted scenes were mostly recuts of the scenes that did make the movie. Nothing mentionably extra in regard to the characters. Which is about the only real flaw of this movie : it's a bit too short and doesn't get into detail about the main characters. It does a little, but not enough. So don't get your hopes up, the extra scenes don't give away much. But, as that is the only real flaw, it must be said that it's a good superheroes movie. Not right up there with the first Superman (with Christopher Reeve) or the Tim Burton Batman movie, but just a little slagging behind. And it's definitely better than the other movies, most sequels and/or earlier versions.
Doing this week : I might change the layout of the mainpage - Bizkit's been nagging me about it last week. Says he can do better, but I'm not sure he can do anything with all those remotes in his hands ...

Editorial - 7 February 2002

Zornik plays loud. Very loud. Deborah Ostrega (the sometimes singing SM-chick from Lords Of Acid) is very short and has a nice bottom (sorry ! accidentally touched it while turning around - way too crowded). New MS company cars rule (can't tell you which one yet - I promised). And all beautiful girls smoke. Damn, that's bad ... way too bad ...

Editorial - 6 February 2002

Halfway through the next week and only one update. Business must be running slow around here.
Song of the week : The guitar theme from the "Heist" soundtrack was very convincing.
Oldie of the week : "Go Back Home" Stephen Stills & Eric Clapton
Last seen movie : "Le Peuple Migrateur " (The travelling Birds) and " Heist". The first one is a documentary in the same style as "Microcosmos". Gone with the insects, in with the birds. You get to watch them migrate from all over the world to ... all other places on the world. Hey, that's what birds do : they fly from here to there and back again. In any way, it's nice to watch them very very very up close. You see the muscles twitch when they get up, you see the big fat bellies (all muscles of course) of the ducks, goofy walks of thousands of pinguins (didn't see Tux though) and some very weird looking birds. Quite enjoyable if you like animals or birds like I do. Too bad it's edited too fragmented. Still worthy of an 8.
"Heist" was something completely different. The new David Mamet film - a respectable playwriter (theater and films) with a knack for slow storytelling - or for a better word : storydevelopping. Throw in an excellent pack of actors like Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and Delroy Lindo and you should get an excellent movie. Especially since it involves some plot-twists and since "The Spanish Prisoner" I know David Mamet can pull that off. Alas, this time it didn't work like it should have worked. The first plot-twist (actually needed to get the real story going) is visible from a mile away, the second one is a slight surprise, the third one and the fourth one ... and then the fifth one ... it's just a little too much. The movie rocks from left to right and back again and again and then the other way around yet once more ... each piece individually is very well done : from camera to acting, to pacing ... but when seeing it all together it becomes a little too unbelievable. Unless you're really into these kind of movies. And in any case, I still enjoyed it. I'd give it a 7.
Doing this week : Tonight I'm going to the CD presentation of Zornik (the concert will be streamed live on MSN), furthermore there's a little party on friday and watching ladies tennis on saturday : a qualifying game (players not yet known) for the Diamond Cup.

Editorial - 2 February 2002

Yesterday Duvel, Elischka, Franky and me went to a seminar given by Gunther Von Hagens - the man behind plastination : the process used on bodies to preserve them in a lifelike state. You may have heard of the exhibition Körperwelten which is used to show the process and to another extent show us what we're really like from the inside.
To be honest : I had my doubts. I didn't like the concept of displaying bodies in lifelike shapes for the majority of the public to see. It reeked like commercialism to me. So up till now I didn't go to the exhibition. I wasn't rallying against it because it dehumanizes the bodies on display like some people are practically screaming, but it didn't grab my attention enough either to just go and see what the fuss was all about.
Since the seminar was held just around the corner - a five minutes walk away - from my home I decided to check it out. No harm done either way I figured. And now I'm glad I did. Hearing professor Von Hagens talk about his work (although just for a short while) I understood the whole idea behind it better. It's still not exactly something I'd recommend to anyone, but I can understand the amount of idealism behind the plastination exhibit, the need to reach out to people and make them grasp the concept a little better. I especially enjoyed some of the clever questions from the audience and the smart remarks. You could notice he put a lot of thinking behind it all. Maybe he hasn't always picked the best reasons, but at least it's very probable he's in it with his heart in the right place. Chosen better reasons than "just for the money" or "because I can". Not at all an evening wasted.

darkman says sleep tight

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