tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53699382011-10-02T23:50:18.238-04:00The Daily ReminderFree with your $19.99 purchase of fluffy bunny shoes.SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-53677514514572892832011-07-17T02:45:00.002-04:002011-07-17T02:45:58.084-04:00"Transformers 3" Mini Review
Only Michael Bay (and the execrable Ehren Kruger) could take ILM special effects -- perhaps the most technically astonishing I've ever seen -- and latch them onto one of the most unwatchable, interminable, nonsensical event movies ever made. How anyone could sit through this eternal, incoherent mess and not be utterly bored passes all understanding.SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-47764750238867081012011-06-29T11:48:00.002-04:002011-06-29T11:51:55.542-04:00"Pareidolia: Seeing Images In Clouds"March 22, 2009Pareidolia is a really fascinating (and sometimes illogically chilling) mental phenomenon known less by its actual scientific nomenclature and more by the everyday event of observing a thing and seeing it either as something else altogether, noticing something else in a pattern on the object, or seeing them interchangeably.As I understand it, theSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-89185621219081023432011-06-29T11:38:00.005-04:002011-06-29T11:46:06.434-04:00"Happy Go Lucky" Reviewby Sean H. Campbell | December 18, 2008Mike Leigh is a director I knew very well, imagined I liked very well, and until today I had never seen even one of his many respected movies. Instead, I had just read about them for years, watched as they were nominated for or won awards, and just basically forgot that I hadn't gotten around to watching anything he had done.His newestSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-80883648915413482822011-06-29T11:27:00.003-04:002011-06-29T11:46:53.106-04:00"In the Mood for Brilliance"by Sean H. Campbell | January 6, 2009Wong Kar-wai's "In the Mood for Love" is probably the best movie about adultery that I've ever seen, and the adulterers, at least in my opinion, are never seen on-screen. Opinions will differ slightly. Much will depend on whether or not you cheer and sympathize for the characters (I can hardly imagine you wouldn't), and much will SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-21392743783849409592011-06-15T03:04:00.009-04:002011-06-15T03:18:16.795-04:00“Super 8”By Sean H. Campbell | June 14, 2011Two movies have stood out in my mind as supreme examples of youthful pro-intellectualism and adherence to craft: Yoshifumi Kondo's landmark "Whisper of the Heart" and Brad Bird's "Ratatouille."In Kondo's film, two children, Shizuku and Seiji, find their respective talents through a chance encounter and mutual support. Shizuku becomes obsessed with SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-17352297374525259542011-06-02T18:53:00.004-04:002011-06-15T14:28:09.388-04:00"Golf Is A Sweet Hell"Golf makes hitting things with sticks seem somehow impossible. Like pulling a lightsaber from ice while upside down and under considerable emotional distress from a nearby alien yeti. Like trying to describe what a color tastes like. Like eating Arby's cheese sauce. It is this knowledge -- the knowledge that an action so often taken for granted and indeed done many timesSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-44039889512803587282007-12-05T00:03:00.000-05:002007-12-05T00:06:17.434-05:00This was originally posted at my Facebook group forum "Friends of Sagan." You should hop on over there and join up. At any rate, I'll enjoy discussing it with myself either way. Haha...Friends of Sagan (Facebook)Why Facebook? I think it's streamlined, faster, cleaner, and less MySpacey. Haha... No offense, MySpace Cult. Granted, MySpace is getting a bit better.----------------------------I'm SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-23228169075133616742007-07-13T21:34:00.000-04:002007-09-25T20:38:51.232-04:00"Joanna Newsom: Not Very 'Ysy' To Like"Or, "A Simple Guide To Trying New Things"Joanna Newsom's last album proper, "Ys" (pronounced "EEZ," like the classic role-playing videogame, hence the playful [read: admittedly lame] title) is about as groundbreaking and ambitious an album as you're likely to hear any time soon.My first encounter with Newsom, a true harp prodigy by all accounts, came a few SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-20161229388232547132007-07-08T17:20:00.000-04:002007-07-08T17:23:57.495-04:00"Thoughts On Michael Bay's 'Transformers' Without A Witty Title"(Which in it's own way could be witty? Nahh...)Michael Bay is Still An Idiot. This time, though, he had Spielberg helping him out (I guess), so a lot of it worked, yet in typical Michael Bay fashion, he checked off the following bullet-points (ignore these if you really want a spoiler-free viewing; not that anything I mention SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1140152876810748082006-02-17T00:06:00.000-05:002006-02-17T00:07:56.826-05:00 The Olympics Need A Favor, Don Current mood: Severed-Horse-Headed That great, old, Peloponnesian world tradition is back once again, albeit winterly, and no matter what changes, one thing remains the same: "The Godfather" theme. Can you imagine an ice-skating routine without it?When Yevgeny SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1135030702679649842005-12-19T17:00:00.000-05:002005-12-19T17:21:25.220-05:00I've Been Tagged By "Liz"Rules: “The first player of this game starts with the topic: “Five weird habits about yourself." Then, people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don’t forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1132288749106511782005-11-17T23:38:00.000-05:002005-12-18T23:43:41.866-05:00"The Modern Bachelor, Part 3 -- The Surrogate Family or My Two Gadgets" Many single males in their late twenties feel the pressure of meeting certain goals, and one of those goals is to develop a marital relationship with whatever logically follows such as children, debt, and eventual filial abandonment (just kidding, parents). It is a crushing pressure for many, which is why I'm glad that SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1132119582099769242005-11-16T00:38:00.002-05:002011-04-15T13:49:47.060-04:00"The Modern Bachelor, Part 2: The Day Job"
Working at a bait store with nearly no up-to-date knowledge about bait is like trying to cut a cheesecake with a hammer: you just don't have the right tools. This can lead to some awkward situations, which we'll get to in a moment.
Now don't get me wrong. I grew up around fishing, what with my dad being an avid and talented fisherman. More to the SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1131677555994925252005-11-10T21:51:00.000-05:002006-12-05T00:28:25.536-05:00"The Modern Bachelor - Part 1: The Interrogation"One of the questions I get asked most often these days, both by old friends and people who were total strangers only moments before they asked, is "So, are you married [yet]?" Variations of this question exist and are more colorful, of course, but I thought it might be less tasteful to use, as the main example, "Didja get anyone knocked up yet?" MySHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1131579561276046512005-11-09T18:29:00.000-05:002005-11-09T18:40:48.736-05:00Back in the [insert word other than "saddle"] againAfter some false starts and a thousand promises (to the one or two people who actually asked), the Daily Reminder is back on. Maybe. You see, I can't commit here.What's the reason for the reappearance? Well, for one, I've got a backlog of Reminderesque ideas on little yellow pads of paper just waiting for me to bring them to vivid, yet utterly SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1076959760353249942004-02-16T14:29:00.000-05:002004-02-16T14:31:54.280-05:00Favorite Albums of 2003
Records 1-3 (note, all three are close, but 1 and 2 are separated by an atom)
1. The Shins -- "Chutes Too Narrow" / If you know me, seeing THIS at #1 instead of what is at #2 is probably enough to send you into confused, frothy-mouthed spasms. All I know is that James Mercer's band's second album is one of my favorite of all time (with their first). Mercer has one of SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1076954971259532022004-02-16T13:09:00.000-05:002004-02-16T13:26:49.233-05:00Blog, Blog, Blog
Boy has it ever been a while since I blogged! I would like to keep this blog going (cue Will Ferrell saying monotonically, "That Blogging is so hot right now..."), read or unread (especially after all the work Jared put into getting the source code just how I wanted it).
Also, for anyone who reads this, be sure to keep checking my movie website (Cinecism.net); it'll be active SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1060123438435976552003-08-05T18:43:00.000-04:002003-08-05T18:43:58.396-04:00REST IN PEACE, FRIEND AND BROTHER
(Note: this was written Saturday, August 2nd, 2003.)
Friends and Family,
This morning (I learned a few moments ago), a good friend died of colon cancer. Apparently, he'd been battling it for a long time, but had kept it hidden from all. Some of you know him and some of you don't, but I wanted to send out a message asking for prayers for his family, and for SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1058737907143650132003-07-20T17:51:00.000-04:002003-07-21T03:26:39.456-04:00My Nona Is Gone
The sun is going down when they tell me. My body slowly goes to sleep, like a foot does, or a hand. It is pulsing with electricity; my face is a flood.
Arms like padded oars bend around me, and hands make circles across my tingling back and my arm which, like an anchor, holds me up across the car door. Crying, I feel like a child having just lost a toy, when toys are so SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1058466999345881872003-07-17T14:36:00.000-04:002003-07-17T14:39:20.160-04:00Two Poems By Ron Padgett
Here are two examples Ron Padgett's poetry, which I just found out about today and looked up. I think they are both examples of how great poetry is neither difficult nor altogether "puzzling" and pretentious as so many people sadly presume. It may demand work sometimes, but it shouldn't be viewed as some obstacle or riddle.
These are both from a later collection (SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1058248306986795512003-07-15T01:51:00.001-04:002011-04-22T21:07:09.314-04:00Never Sing The Bad Boys Song"Michael Bay’s latest jingoistic fetish film, Bad Boys II, could be the most vile creation to come out of Hollywood since Patch Adams."--Ed Gonzalez, Slant MagazineI want to open a website called www.banishmichaelbayfromlife.comWho's with me?Thanks to Jason for the quote.SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1058241786567970902003-07-15T00:03:00.000-04:002003-07-15T00:03:06.456-04:00Chumming Down Network Television
From "The Gong Show" to "Survivor" to "Who Wants To Marry My Dad?"*, smart-alecks everywhere have always had more than enough fodder for sarcasm and comedy and mass ridicule. However, as is painfully obvious, reality shows are more popular than ever before. Typical conversations go something like this:
Stan: So, what'd you do last night?
Tammy: Well, don't SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-1057276389807902642003-07-03T19:53:00.000-04:002003-07-03T20:00:38.493-04:00The Reminder Returns...Like A Bad Case Of Gas
"But--for how long?"
That will undoubtedly be the question on the lips of each of my four readers--readers like Sly Bilker from Santa Barbera, WV, who cleverly writes:
"I'm not sure how I got sined [sic] up to this crapi [sic] 'Reminder' thingy, but I'd apparciate it [sic] if you'd send your sic [sic] carp [sic] to someone else. Or someone else SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-941627932003-05-11T16:24:00.000-04:002003-05-11T16:24:41.556-04:00Lately Reading Up On Al Sharpton
From Salon.com: Sharpton doesn't threaten to bring masses of poor blacks inside the gates; their full inclusion would bring his own implosion as impresario of racial grievance. His unspoken motto: "I am excluded, therefore I am."
Could this be any truer? Here's a man who calls anyone a racist who says problems of race aren't as bad as Sharpton says. And yet ifSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-941254932003-05-10T20:25:00.000-04:002003-05-10T20:36:36.000-04:00***SPECIAL EDITION DAILY REMINDER***
The Twilight Zone: "What Language Am I Speaking, Again?"
Disclaimer: The story below may contain one or none of the following: graphic imagery, harsh insults, terrifyingly tiny giraffes (bold-faced lies), bleeding-heart sentimentality, pongos, and utter truth.
Okay, we all know that I could stand more than a touch of good old-fashioned humility, but in the SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-941233222003-05-10T19:16:00.000-04:002003-05-10T19:17:55.000-04:00Cheney To Run In 2004
Not surprisingly, Dick Cheney vowed he would continue his presidency in 2004 in the face of myriad health problems.
According to Salon.com:
"The vice-president has asked me if I would serve again as his running mate. I've agreed to do that," he said Tuesday in an interview with The Dallas Morning News."
Vice-President Bush was reportedly relieved saying, "Dick is a real SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-940198352003-05-08T19:42:00.000-04:002003-05-08T19:44:01.000-04:00Humans By The Numbers
Worldometers: Population
The more you think about the above site the stranger it seems. It's scary, weird, and even a little dehumanizing.
O, the coldness of pure math and the statistic.SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-939685622003-05-07T23:38:00.000-04:002003-05-07T23:38:46.503-04:00RADIOHEAD BLUES
A couple times a year great albums are released. Sometimes, there's a palpable energy surrounding these albums as their release date steadily draws near. It's already happened once with The White Stripes' album "Elephant," which stomped up the US and International charts like the raving blues-punk-rock pachyderm it is.
Just over the horizon, and ready for a full summer of SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-939680942003-05-07T23:30:00.000-04:002003-05-07T23:30:33.306-04:00How To Ruin A Fun Summer Movie's Momentum
If you've been to the theater lately, or turned on the television, you've probably seen one of the many crap Matrix commercials. I'm not, of course, talking about the trailers with actual footage of the movie. No, I'm talking about the unbelievably bad product tie-in campaigns. The one that stands out (yet there ARE others) is for a certain cola SHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-939645002003-05-07T22:23:00.000-04:002003-05-07T22:31:28.000-04:00MAN'S BEST FIEND
The family dogs are more neurotic than Woody Allen and more prone to anxious vomiting than Kate Moss is to skipping meals.
They are the supreme, forgetful heralds. Their barking quantity (yes, it's so bad it actually has physical volume), not to mention its decibel level, is never--and will never be--lessened by the number of times they've laid their shiny, black eyes upon youSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5369938.post-939643372003-05-07T22:20:00.000-04:002003-05-07T22:37:26.000-04:00ADMIRING THE NEOGEEK
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” says geek Ned O'Brien, 26, of Palatine, IL. “My computer was a surrogate mother to me, so being here, now, is like a family reunion, you know?”
Here, in Chicago, is the site of the first annual GPWCAC convention, short for “Geeks Playing With Computers As Careers.” Technophiles come from around the world to compete in “geek battles,” toSHChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14245298953494679281noreply@blogger.com0