Archive for September, 2004
Psst
Posted on September 27, 2004
Attn: Japanese Embassy
Please make sure your security guard is not asleep on duty. I woke him up on Monday. He seemed very disoriented. That is all.
Media Montage
Posted on September 9, 2004
Its been a while since I posted, and now that I am jobless there isn’t a whole lot going on. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the media I’ve consumed recently, and other stuff I can remember from earlier in the summer.
Movies
Chinatown: good. Jack is a good actor.
The Two Jakes: bad. Harvey plays a ridiculous character, Jack is old. The window closed on most people really caring to see a sequel about a decade before this movie even came out anyway.
Videodrome: You should know better than to stick your gun into that…extra organ the grew on your stomach. Debbie Harry‘s presence sort of threw me off, but it was worth watching.
Koyaanisqatsi: Seriously the most boring movie I’ve ever seen. EVAR. It makes me wonder if I should take down my Naqoyqatsi poster down since its supposed to be the WORST of the three. Not even my elitist video store clerk sensibilities could stand up to this movie.
Hero: Better than Crouching Tiger. I didn’t look at my watch once, which is saying something for a Chinese movie. Maybe the best looking move I’ve seen.
Tokyo Drifter (東京流れ者): The box mentioned Russ Meyer influences, and I’m a big enough person to admit thats why I rented it. However, it was 98% boring with some interesting visual touches to save it from the crap pile. It just wasn’t interesting.
Ghost World: Best comic inspired movie ever? Wins for most catchy Indian 60′s pop song if nothing else.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song: Melvin wants to hurt you. Not a bad movie, but its hard to watch something that’s obviously working against you so hard.
Alice: Worst narration technique ever. Deadpan dub doesn’t help either, but the animation is predictably freaky/awesome/nightmarish.
The Deer Hunter: This is this. The really long intro wedding scene actually makes you care about the characters, which is surprising because while you’re watching it all you can think about is HOW LONG IT IS. Still good though.
Human Nature: Maybe my favorite movie I’ve watched this summer. High on the wackiness and something that might be a jab/homage to Clockwork Orange‘s ideas about rehabilitation.
Lost Highway: Your brain hurts. Gary Busey is the most normal character?
Blue Velvet: Isabella‘s cheek hurts. Spiritual pilot episode to Twin Peaks (duh).
Mulholland Dr.: Your brain hurts.
Y tu mamá también: Maybe I just don’t like Mexican movies.
They Call Me Phat Dragon: Not really related to Enter the Phat Dragon. Should have known.
Master of the Flying Guillotine: Hilarious Indian and Thai stereotypes. Overly complex killing methods. One Armed Boxer obviously hiding arm in shirt. Good times.
Millennium Actress (千年女優): Good, but mostly boring. Certainly no Perfect Blue.
Music
Medúlla: There are no instruments on this album, just people’s voices. That being said, this is seriously the craziest Björk album yet. Listen to Ancestors and tell me it isn’t an audio assault directly on your brains. Its not bad, but I don’t think its going to convert people who think she is “too weird” to listen to. Dokaka is magnificent, if underrepresented.
Tago Mago: Krautrock (Can) with a mumbly Japanese singer. Its a winning combination.
Plans for the rest of the week: Garden State and Resident Evil: Apocalypse