Did you know that the infamous "Ren & Stimpy" cartoons will be released on DVD shortly ? Good news huh ? Well, not really because it seems like they'll be censored and cut for a more childfriendly format. Great, one of the funniest cartoons aimed primarily at a more adult audience is cut down to size - let's even say butchered - so that the kiddies can watch it too. Ain't that a big mistake and bummer. Oh well, saves me some bucks 'cause I'm not buying that crap.
Song of the week : "Golden Retriever" Superfurry Animals
Oldie of the week : "Adore" Smashing Pumpkins
Last seen movie : "Starchaser (3D)" : silly Star Wars spoof-like thing in 3D animation. That's right, an animated 3D movie. Luckily it isn't off the headache-inducing green/red-glasses kind, but the later, more technically advanced chromatictype. Still silly to see drawn backgrounds with drawn flat characters 5 to 20 centimeters more upfront. Which gives the laserbeams a strange effect ... The story revolves around a boy, working underground in the mines who finds a sword which will lead the rebellion against evil robots enslaving mankind and trying to reach the surface and the world above. Sounds lame ? It is, but all in good fun. Crack open a six-pack and enjoy.
"The Bubble (3D)" : Another 3D movie (I went to a thriple feature, but skipped the last one). This time about a couple and their pilot whose plan gets caught in a storm, making them land in a remote town. The next morning they discover the whole town is apathic and there's no way out. The town borders seem to be closed by a huge transparent walls reaching upwards, encapsulating the town in a bowlshape. Filled with classic fiftees atomic and alien (read : russian) paranoia the story works wonderfully well - even without the 3D effects which are much better here than in the previous movie. So not only do you get a good story (if you like fiftees classics that is), but you get a servingplate with beerbottles flying through the theater, a wing from the plane pointing to your nose, monsters flying right at you and more ...
"Columbo" : they're rerunning these old classics around midnight in the weekends so now and then I try to watch one and to my great surprise this one starred Johnny Cash as the killer. Peter Falk against Johhny Cash, man oh man, that was great. It's a bit silly, it's a bit boring and quite dated, but still more enjoyable than about 60 % of movies made today. Not everything has to be filled with nudity and explosions.
"Metropolis" : Seen parts of it during a cultural expo this weekend. Screened in a church, accompanied by live piano and cello. Quite dated acting (theater-style), but imaginative and an inspiration for many scifi to follow, nonetheless. Worth checking for scifi fans or classic golddiggers.
Doing this week : Getting sick and getting rid of it or keep couching for another week without the getting sick part ?

Editorial - 25 September 2003

It's been quite a while since I've updated this or visited one of my friends' sites. Simply because the new webserver we stated using last weekend has had one hiccup after another. Nothing wants to work the way it's supposed to be on that machine. An identical setup to the former machine doesn't help - even after some decent testing from myself and a colleague - which led us to the conclusion that the used Java Dev Kit is so much different from the former (older) one that we had to rewrite some classes, add escape-codes in pagecode and use different routines. Now why this didn't show up during testing is a mystery. Every page was tried out, including all forms. Folks, never ever use open source if you have to assemble packages from different authors and combine 'em with different vendors ... it'll only get you more workload. Stick with one thing, then it works fine and cheap ...
Song of the week : -----
Oldie of the week : "Microwaved" Pitchshifter
Last seen movie : "The League Of Extra-Ordinary Gentlemen" : yet another movie based on a comic book. Granted with a twist this time : no superheroes, but literary figures like adventurer Allan Quartermain (King Solomon's Mines), vampire-hunter Mina Harker (Dracula), Dorian Gray (of said picture), the dual gentleman Jekyll & Hyde and so on ... They are put together to stop "an evil mastermind" (are there any other ?) from throwing the world into absolute chaos. So what do you get ? A few Batman-like gothic end of 19th century sets which have to resemble weird, dark and gloomy cities, a gigantic submarine from captain Nemo (also on board) and mechanical toys like the first tank and robotic figures. What are the makers forgetting ? A coherent story instead of these strands of happenings, characters more closely like in the books (what the hell is Tom Sawyer doing there and why is a vampire-hunter immediately transformed into a vampire herself ?) ... it's all a bit to hazy for my taste and to far from the books to be enjoyed more than for the "failed big sets and explosions blockbuster" it is. At least you get to see Sean Connery once more. Never anything wrong with that, is there ?
"Taken (part I)" : first part of the latest Steven Spielberg saga involving aliens, directed by Tobe "Chainsaw Massacre" Hooper. Promising buildup for the rest of the 9 episodes (or should I say movies given their length ?) about the lives of three families who come in one way or another in contact with alien visitors. It comes with a strong messiah theme, references to other occurences in the fourties and fifties and will span the rest of the twentieth century in the rest of the series.
Doing this week : That's a silly question since the week's almost over.

Editorial - 16 September 2003

After helping out in my parents' garden during the weekend, I can call in a favor and fix some stuff, in an appartement we're renting out, with my dad. If I can keep my eyes open, I can learn something from the experience in order to be able to fix stuff like that on my own. Because you have to admit it's pretty dumb if you haven't got the faintest clue how to repair the borders in a hallway after laying a new carpet, innit ?
Song of the week : "The Boys Of Summer" The Ataris
Oldie of the week : "Miss Elaine" Run DMC
Last seen movie : "The Towering Inferno" : Huge sets, long duration, lots of actors with credebility and Oscars to prove it ... This mega-disasterfilm set the tone for all it's followers. Creating a whole new disaster-genre during the seventies, this one tells the story of the opening night of the worlds tallest skyscraper (as in biggest boat anyone ?) and the problems that follow. Paul Newman as the architect, Steve McQueen as the fire-chief and even Fred Astaire as a slick salesman in a small part.
"Meet The Parents" : Black comedy with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro who proves once again he's only funny when he can play a parody of his usual self. Great buildup to some extreme climactic scenes with the most painfull scenes involving a dead mother and a poem, a trained cat, swimshorts (or the lack thereoff) and more ... great - unless you only like Jim Carrey or Jerry Lewis.
"Ice Station Zebra" : I had heard that this was a classic war-movie and wanted to watch it when it was on television yesterday, but I only had the chance to watch it with one eye due to some other things that had to be done. From what I've seen it can be worth checking out. I'll give it another go another time.
Doing this week : Adding movie-reviews, checks some links sent to me the past few weeks and sorting through the closets, looking for second hand junk to sell.

Editorial - 8 September 2003

Let's do a round-up : the summer's gone, the weather's colder and sadly no mentionable heat records were broken. So we have been through that heat for nothing ? In that case it could've been e few degrees lower. A lot more comfortable for all. Unless this was all just a test to see if we can get the earth to warm up some more in order to break the record next year ? Go Bushie boy I'd say !
Song of the week : "Maybe Tomorrow" Stereophonics
Oldie of the week : "Baker Street" Foo Fighters - amazing cover version
Last seen movie : "A Civil Action" : entertaining but not so memorable courtroomdrama with the ever present John Travolta. Suave damages lawyer John lets his conscience persuade him to accept an unwinnable case against a plant and their owners for inresponsible dumping of hazardous material thus sickening the population. Not much evidence, short on cash compared to the big defending firms John doesn't know when to quit and risks losing everything - even if he should win the case itself ... Yup, you've seen it before, based on true stories as well ... it's great when it's raining outside or there's nothing on the tube and you don't feel like reading, but don't expect too much.
Doing this week : Finish eating the birthday cakes.

Editorial - 6 September 2003

In a strange coincidence, today's my birthday and just like the two previous years it's mentioned in the editorials here. Luckily I'm a little older than those mere two years - otherwise my coding and english skills would be impressive. Now they are not.

Editorial - 1 September 2003

Yesterday was all about recovering. Sorting the laundry, doing the dishes, sleeping late, relaxing in the tub, filtering the piled up mail, e-mail and the junk received on the green and slightly muddy meadows of Pukkelpop in Kiewit ( see picture to the right - taken with a cellphone-camera). Not forgetting taping the first two episodes of 24. Now, that's a show I've been looking forward too ever since hearing about it. Hope it doesn't disappoint.

Song of the week : "Motherfucker From Hell" The Datsuns
Oldie of the week : "Bro Hymn" Pennywise (just to annoy the fuck outta Fred Durst)
Last seen movie : Dude, I've been to a three day festival. Did you really think I'd have time and waking moments to watch a movie without falling asleep, understand it and write a review ?
Doing this week : Healing the sores muscles in legs and neck. It's like detective Murtaugh says : "I'm getting to old for this shit." Which is very funny since I am getting older this week, so that's one thing to look forward too.

darkman says sleep tight

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