Editorial - 30 April 2002

Tomorrow's a holiday. Guess I can try to catch up on my list of "links that urgently need to be visited" when the weather's not cooperating. Or continue cleaning the house ...
Song of the week : "Someone New" Eskobar & Heather Nova
Oldie of the week : "Sober" Tool
Last seen movie : Due to rain and boring television-programming the following movies have been viewed by yours truly. "Clockwise" : a John Cleese classic which personafies his switch from absurd comedy (Python and the frantic Fawlty) to a more real-life based comedy grown out of the dramatic setting. Easier said : less visual stuff, less physical stuff and more of a storyline which delivers a continuous flow of gags and punchlines. It's a bit hard to rate this one since I'm a huge fan of Cleese so I'm probably biased. I liked it, but I'm not sure everyone will. But do try it if you get the chance. After all, this is the man who gave Britain their own kind of humour.
"Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace" was the first to appear in a local television-station's reruns of the "old ones" before the new one hits the screens in a few weeks. Being too young to actually have experienced the release of the films of the first trilogy, I was very excited when 1999 gave us "Phantom". Even though we had to wait almost half a year extra. So I liked it very much back then. Huge sceneries, new characters (Qui-Gon rules big time) and new storylines - no matter how crappy. And although it is probably the weakest of the four films released so far, it isn't as bad as some reviewers would like you to believe. After all, everything's better than "Lost In Space" for example. The story is flimsy and some scenes are very similar to "A New Hope", but - and I like to stress this - isn't even "Return Of The Jedi" an almost exact remake of "A New Hope" ? Sure it is ... there's even a new Death Star to destroy. It is supposed to be that way people ... it's a fairytale - and they tend to repeat themselves. So to sum it up shortly : "Phantom" is good science-fiction. And although the weakest of the series so far, it's better than most other movies and worth seeing and buying. After all, this is the one which starts the whole double trilogy. Or will it be a triple trilogy after all ?
"Star Wars Episode IV : A New Hope" on the other hand is a true classic. Filmed in 1977 it's filled with incredible special effects, very convincing sets, enormous spacecrafts and a very imaginative storyline. A worldwide fairytale of the battle between good and bad, David and Goliath ... Luke versus Vader ... if only George Lucas would be so kind to release the original trilogy on DVD ... I'd run to the store so fast, it would be silly ... can someone stop me already ?
Now for something more recent : "John Q". Average, average, average. And yet quite gripping ... not remarkable or worth buying, but seeing this isn't wasting your money like seeing Britney of Mariah ... Denzel is good, albeit on automatic, as is James Woods. Annoying as always is Anne Heche. Damn, is she a bitch in real life too ? Sometimes I wonder. It's just one of those movies who's as predictable as they come and you tend to fall asleep a few times, but thanks to a bigger budget this one stays in the average categorie instead of going deeper underground like most american TV movies "based on real life stories with hurt mothers of lost children with abusive husbands who have been molested more than once bla bla bla". Categorize this one under "popcorn-flicks".
Doing this week : Thanks to the national holiday I can stay at home. No traffic jams to watch in front and in the back. Now if only we can get some sunshine again.

Editorial - 26 April 2002

Sorry for the long delay in updates. Been busy sitting outside in the sun, getting my amplifier back from the rehearsalroom, looking for stuff, watching "The Osbournes" ...
Song of the week : "Come With You" Millionaire
Oldie of the week : "Diamond Sea" Sonic Youth
Last seen movie : Announced as a special screening of "Crimes & Misdemeanors" with an introduction by Tom Barman (the singer of dEUS and an aspiring filmmaker) I checked my memory and came to the conclusion I hadn't seen this Woody Allen movie before. So why not ? The introduction by Tom was a very short filmed piece lasting about 30 seconds filled with laughter and a short interventoin by someone sitting next to him. I have no idea what the hell was going on and why this would enhance the viewing experience but who cares ? The movietheater in question is cheaper than any other so I don't feel cheated at all. The movie itself is one of Allen's funnier ones (at least in my opinion - many fans may disagree - a tendency among all Allen's fans) with a nice performance by Alan Alda and Woody himself. Not too neurotic and with almost perfect comedic timing. All in all a good New York movie with drama and humour. Not for the lovers of things like "Godzilla", but not too complicated like "Breaking The Waves".
Doing this week : Hoping for more good weather like the last few days ...

Editorial - 17 April 2002

Another huge disappointment lately was seeing "Me, myself and Irene". Usually I laugh myself silly with this sort of incredibly dumb humour (Dumb & Dumber, Ace Ventura, Naked Gun ...) but this time the combination Farrely Brothers and Jim Carrey didn't cut it. It just wasn't funny. Okay, maybe there were two or three scenes remotely smile-worthy but laughing out loud, giving yerself a tummy ache, falling out of the sofa ? Nope. I'm even tempted to say that this was boring.

Editorial - 16 April 2002

Okay, how's this for irony ? Exactly six years after the first gig with my first real band, my current band decides to end it all. Not everyone was happy about the non-weekly rehearsals (once every two weeks was our best ratio). Weird part is that things were going to get better thanks to the upcoming long vacation of our drummer (who's a schoolteacher). Kinda wish they hadn't taken this decision yet. Ah well, just one more example on how freaky life can be sometimes. I'm experiencing a lot of strange coincidences the past few days. All connected to the fact that the dates this week are on the exact same days of the week as six years ago ... Actually that's true for the entire year, but I only care about this specific week ...
Furthermore some kuddos are in order. First up are Geronimo and Siggie for helping me rescue a cat trapped on the roof last friday. Our neighbour told me she was already up there for quite some time when I got home so I wanted to get her off. Grabbed hold of a ladder and climbed up - only to discover it was damn slippery up there. So I called Geronimo and he watched the extra ladder I lay on top of the roof trying to use it as a walkway up to the top. Anyway, that worked and she was down from there quickly. We kinda celebrated that heroic adventure with pizzas, but that's another story. Secondly there's Tsjerno. For getting me some new spotlights for my diningplace. They were just lying around his place he said. If I don't forget I'm going to put 'em up tonight. And lastly there's the Big Mac. He got me a new battery for my car for free. Double the power, including real silver !

Editorial - 15 April 2002

Gotta go home now. Commute. Walk, subway, car ... boring. And the sun's gone too. Too bad. Six years ago there was enough sun to last for the next two, three weeks. I remember those weeks perfectly. Found the perfect girlfriend (still love you - six years today), started performing with my first real band (XP) with some of my best friends, hung out all the time with my best friend Sarah and my new girlfriend (we ate together, we talked together, we walked through the city together, we lived together, we slept together - and I don't mean that sexually you perverts !) and just basically soaked up the sun ... trying to avoid thinking about exams that were coming our way. The best of times ...
Song of the week : "You Know What I Want To Know" David Kitt
Oldie of the week : "Cut Your Hair" Pavement
Last seen movie : I bought the DVD containing the first series of "V" this weekend. I remember this one from the early eighties. My dad didn't always want to let me watch it because it was late on schoolnights. Good point obviously but try telling that to a kid. Since it was raining a bit yesterday I have watched the first side of the disc. It's dated off course. Mainly because it was so entirely aimed at mainstream american eighties television broadcasting. Some sluggish acting, obvious plotpoints, crummy special effects (they didn't have the Star Wars expertise) ... but it's also a nice allegorical tale. Albeit one from the straight-in-your-face kind. Yup, you know it, I'm kinda excited seeing the rest of it. Recommended viewing for science fiction buffs, warmly advised to all others ...
Doing this week : Getting a decent haircut. If it's drastic I might consider posting "before & after" pictures here.

Editorial - 8 April 2002

They sure didn't make hard drives in 2000 like they used to. Quasi totally trashed in the first sectors and before y'all start ramblin' about virusses. Nope, that ain't it. The scanner at work gets constant updates, all sneaky things are easily caught and we never have been hit by Melissa, I Love You and Sircam. Sure, they've been knocking on the front door and some laptops cruising the streets over here had their fair share, but that's because the morons using 'em didn't follow up on our policy of automatically updating their personal scanners. They always know better, not ? (time for another Vendetta.Org plug)
Well whatever ... the thing was busted and I'm enjoying a Dell Latitude 6 series right now. If the screen weren't a mere 15 inches I would want it to stay like this, but I can't seem to get by without the 19 incher I'm so accustomed to. So, let's plug in the replacement disk and get that old desktop running again.
Song of the week : "Don't Put Your Head In A Bucket" Red Zebra is back ladies and gentlemen !
Oldie of the week : "Push It" Garbage
Last seen movie : Well, since there haven't been too much updates in the last ten days and a lot of free days, I have seen quite a few movies actually. All on TV off course, so they're a bit older than the other ones mentioned here. Let's get on with it ...
"Autumn In New York" : typical Richard Gere vehicle. The ladies men who gets serious when he encounters that one special woman. Seems like rubbish ? Well it is and it isn't. It is because it is all so typical and sad and going for the "get your cleenex out" feeling, but on the other hand it is fairly well acted by Richard Gere and Winona Ryder (which isn't so hard because they're basicly playing their usual character in automatic) and it is short. Just when you think there's something else coming, it's over and out. Yup, there oughta be more movies like this. Short and without the extra's. Just too bad, this one needed something more in some scenes. Character developing anyone ?
The next one is "Keeping The Faith" : Edward Norton's first try at directing himself. And Ben Stiller an Jenna Elfman(n) in a "quirky comedy" as they say so nicely in those TV-programmes about upcoming movies. Same story here : a basic romantic movie, but this one is going for the comedy approach. Thank God for that because it works. Maybe Edward Norton's character is a bit under-used (probably because he was behind the camera a lot) which undermines the pacing a bit. Actingwise it's all great. Nothing remarkable or rememberance-worthy, but an overal decent job. And that should be enough for these movies.
"Mary Poppins" is number three. This movie was played on a sunday afternoon and I had some great laughs. Great family entertainment but again ... the pacing ... some scenes were a bit short, others too long. But let's not get picky with the details for this one and let's say that this movie can stand the test of time and will probably be played a whole lot more on sundays and around christmas and easter during the next few decades.
Doing this week : Format drive, install W2K, install lots of proggies, check mail, update sites. How's that sound ?

Editorial - 3 April 2002

Hey hey hey ... life can surprise you sometimes. Yesterday my hard drive at work died on me. The computer wouldn't boot after the extended weekend - guess he wanted to "stay in the moment". So I was temporarily handicapped.
Song of the week : PC busted means no WMA's @ work
Oldie of the week : Same story here
Last seen movie : "Monsters Inc" : Oh my God, this is one funny movie ! Lots of inside jokes and movie-references for adults without getting in the way of the story. Special note : the whole idea of the inner workings in the Monsters Inc factory isn't just a very good idea, it also delivers one of the best action-sequences in the end of an animated movie. Forget the ballroom-scene in "Beauty and the Beast", forget the crossing of the road in "Toy Story 2". Hey, forget the whole "Shrek" thing ... this is so much better. Go and see this now.
Doing this week : Let me think ? A broken computer at work ? Hmmm ... nothing ?

darkman says sleep tight

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