Monday, February 13, 2006
My Blog in a Cloud
This is cool.
Snap Shirts will create a "Word Cloud" of your blog and create a T-Shirt for you.
Here is the cloud for this blog:
Snap Shirts will create a "Word Cloud" of your blog and create a T-Shirt for you.
Here is the cloud for this blog:
To see my other Word Clouds click here, here, and here.
(Thanks for this MJ and Sharon)
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Playing a Different Tune
Nineteen female musicians who played on the Mona Lisa Smile movie score have won $3,500 each in a legal settlement, after proving they were paid less than their male counterparts. According to IMDB news the musicians won their case but Revolution Studios and Smile Productions LLC "failed to admit they had unfairly paid their male musicians more than women for the same work."Come on guys, admit you were wrong. It was unfair to pay the male musicians more for the same work . Adding insult to injury, this happened while making a movie that tries to address female repression. Shame on you.
See what Georgie Binks has to say when she asks, " Is music any different when a woman plays it?"
Monday, August 08, 2005
Girls Just Wanna' Have Fun
After watching Night of the Comet I thought it was appropriate to call it a B Movie - B for Big Hair and Big Fun. What an excellent way to end our look at post-apocalyptic literature and film. NOTC is a hoot. Valley girls, shopping, zombies, mad scientists, funky clothes and great one-liners, what else could you ask for?
Thom Eberhardt takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the end of the world scenario and plays it for big laughs. A fun film that pays homage to post-apocalyptic stories such as Dawn of the Dead, The Omega Man, and Day of the Triffids. Although played for
laughs, the film has moments worth noting. Credit has to be given to Eberhardt for some of the images of a barren Los Angeles, especially the shot of the overturned bicycle in the school yard with its front wheel turning. Also kudos to the many one-liners. My personal favorite is when Samantha says to her nasty step-mother, "You were born with an asshole, Doris, you don't need Chuck."
Robert Beltran (Hector) found a new frontier after his end of world experience in NOTC. Love that dimple in his chin.
If this movie makes you nostalgic for the 80's then you should check this out.
Thom Eberhardt takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the end of the world scenario and plays it for big laughs. A fun film that pays homage to post-apocalyptic stories such as Dawn of the Dead, The Omega Man, and Day of the Triffids. Although played for
laughs, the film has moments worth noting. Credit has to be given to Eberhardt for some of the images of a barren Los Angeles, especially the shot of the overturned bicycle in the school yard with its front wheel turning. Also kudos to the many one-liners. My personal favorite is when Samantha says to her nasty step-mother, "You were born with an asshole, Doris, you don't need Chuck."Robert Beltran (Hector) found a new frontier after his end of world experience in NOTC. Love that dimple in his chin.
If this movie makes you nostalgic for the 80's then you should check this out.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
60th Anniversary
Today marks the 60th anniversay of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. On August 6, 1945 the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima, obliterating the centre of the city and killing at least 140,000 people. Three days later, Bock's Car dropped a bomb on Nagaski, killing another 80,000. This year peace activists have collected 8.5 million signatures for a nuclear ban. Will our world leaders listen? If they do not, then we may be living the post-apocalypic story instead of studying it.
The Middle and High School students of Hiroshima International School have created a project "in hopes to enlighten people about the damage caused by the atomic bomb and Hiroshima's feelings about peace. By passing on understanding of what events led up to the dropping of the atomic bomb and the subsequent pain and suffering that ensued they hope to help others understand the "Spirit of Hiroshima" - its appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting peace."
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Coupland's W5
What to say about Girlfriend in a Coma? After reading this book I found I had no real answers or advice on how to improve the chances of having a better future. In previous readings and films there was always a clear message. Coupland's answer seems to be questions; no real answers, just keep questioning. Maybe there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer and as Coupland points out, to get the answer we want we "need to question and question and question and never stop questioning until the world stops spinning."
The characters in Girlfriend seem to be indifferent to the future and at the same time they know that something is missing. They each take their own journey to find a purpose in life and each fail to find it. Does this mean there is no reason for these characters to be existing? Does Coupland just use these characters to point out some of the unpleasant truths of today's world? As Karen notes when she awakens, people seem to be less happy even though there have been many scientific and technological changes that should make life easier. Why is this? Has everyone become so career driven and materialistic that they have forgotten how to enjoy themselves? Maybe Coupland wants everyone to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. At the same time I think he wants us to be aware of what is going on globally and not accept everything at face value. Maybe it is time that we start thinking as a reporter and insist on finding out the who, what, where, when. and especially the why.
This book has me feeling a bit uneasy. I find it difficult to articulate how it makes me feel. I know that I enjoyed reading it and there are several passages that I found very beautifully done but I still feel there is something missing. Why do I feel this way? I'm not sure. Is it because I found myself remembering my own teenage years, the sights, the sounds and even the smells (yes, I wore Charlie perfume) that the characters experieinced? Am I afraid I will be unable to fulfill my future dreams? Damn you Douglas Coupland, you have gotten under my skin and you can bet I will always be questioning.
Kubrick's Timeless Classic
On Saturday, Showtime will be airing A Clockwork Orange and I wanted to give the class a heads up. This controversial film was originally rated X when it was released in 1971. With the tagline, "Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethovan," it is easy to see why this film caused a stir.In Tim Dirk's review of the film he calls it a "terrifying, gaudy film adaptation of Anthony Burgess' 1962 satiric, futuristic novel" that is unforgettable.
Kubrick's film truly is an unforgettable vision of a near future and is worth checking out.
(Photo source http://www.dpchallenge.com/ )
