Saturday, September 04, 2004

Gods Among Us, Part II

Gods Among Us, Part II

This year's St. Louis Cardinals are the greatest baseball team ever. I'm going to try to get to a game this coming Saturday when they will actually be in Los Angeles. Woo-hoo!

D


Umbrella Corp., et al

Umbrella Corp., et al

Has anyone noticed the trend in films that deal with evil corporations to make trailers that play like advertisements? I reference the teasers for:

  • Resident Evil: Apocalypse
  • The Stepford Wives
  • more recently, the trailer for The Final Cut
  • and I swear there was a teaser for I, Robot that encouraged the viewer to buy a robot, but I couldn't find the clip for it.

    Anyone find it ironic to use a fake advertisement designed to point out the fictional evil in a particular corporation as a real advertisement to make money for other, real corporations (evil or otherwise)? The films themselves seem like an extension of 1950's B sci-fi movies...[with capitalism].

    "Scientists have meddled [for fun and profit]! And due to this meddling they've unleashed[/earned]...SOMETHING BEYOND THEIR CONTROL[/a net loss...OF THEIR LIVES]! Enjoy[/Pay for] this film in new SPECTAROVISION!"

    D


  • 11 hour dream

    11 hour dream

    So in an average day, I wake up at 5AM, make my precious cargo pickup at 6AM, arrive on set at 7AM, then work until 8PM and ultimately getting home at ~9PM. At ~9PM I call my parents and talk for about an hour. I have dinner. I listen to my usual songs in my usual order (Several songs on the Beastie Boys' To the 5 Burroughs, then on to Electic Six's "Danger, High Voltage!" for a three song loop, followed by Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" until I get sick of it). I blog. I check out my usual list of websites. I have a beer or two to relax, then I hop into bed at around 11:30PM. During the week, I am a slave to my routine. It's not that I don't like it. I'm actually really invigorated by it, and I look forward to every next step.

    On the other hand, the weekend is my time to break up my routine. So: last night I drop off The Package at his son's place, I drive through town instead of on the highways like I used to, and I get home. I do call my parents, but I only talk for about twenty minutes because I've got things to do tonight. It's Friday, baby. So I have a brief dinner while I figure out what I'm going to do. A movie, perhaps? Maybe I'll take a look at my friends' blogs and check my email while I wait for the movie page to load. Where's my music? There we go: some Beastie Boys should do it...okay, now "Danger, High Voltage!" and "Take Me Out" to energize me. I wonder if Half-life 2 went gold today? Better check Gamespot.com. Alright, check the movies that came out today.

    Vanity Fair
    Wicker Park
    Paparazzi
    The Cookout
    Tian di ying xiong
    The Last Shot


    Hm, Wicker Park park looked interesting from the trailer, but I'd just never get over paying to see a Josh Hartnett movie. Vanity Fair? Not a big fan of the ol' costume drama, despite hearing that it's actually a very good film. As for the other movies, I just don't really care.

    Okay. So a movie's out for tonight. Maybe I'll watch Shaolin Soccer on my computer. Before that, though, let me just rest my eyes and lay on the floor for a second...

    ...Hm! What? Ah. Shit. 10:40PM now, and I'm still fucking tired. Guess I'll chalk this one up as a loss and just hop into bed...at 10:40...:41...on a Friday night...:42...

    Okay, I'm getting up.

    And get up I did. I got up from to floor to get to my bed. While I dreamed, my brain reminded me of all the non-work related activities I need to do. I need to buy Jurrasic Park on DVD for nostalgia's sake. [NOTE: I actually set a reminder in my phone to do this earlier this week, but Best Buy was always closed by the time I got the Big Guy dropped off] I need to get some action. I need to move to the coastline of a magical city to live on the third floor of an abandoned, regal hotel and watch the zepplins silently coast into and away from the city against the ocean and moonlight backdrop. I need to meet my neighbors.

    Originally I woke up at 7:30AM, but I managed to stretch it to after 9. So I wake up, flip on some Coldplay which I absolutely must hear for some reason and share my 24+ hour slice of my life with you guys before I hit the bank, swing by Best Buy, try to meet some nice girls, scour the Earth for the city of my dreams, and keep my apartment door open. Have a great weekend, everybody. I'm sure we'll talk again soon.

    D


    Thursday, September 02, 2004

    Gods among us

    Gods among us

    Brad, if you still read this blog, this post is for you.

    I just discovered that Kevin, my director for "McBride", is the very same Kevin who directed the hilarious and brilliant Motel Hell. If you haven't seen it, see it. When I watched it with Brad last summer, I was blown away at how entertained I was. As I recall, Brad felt the same about the film.

    By the way, Kevin is cool like Shaft and the nicest son of a bitch in the world. I'm giddy as a school girl to be working with the guy. I'm going to try to get a picture with him, Larroquette and me to post on the webpage on the last day of work. Hopefully I'll remember.

    D


    Wednesday, September 01, 2004

    Swing and a miss

    Swing and a miss

    I tried ordering Cardinals' tickets versus the LA Dodgers for this Saturday night. I'm going to try again tomorrow. I am so excited. Wish me luck.

    D

    [UPDATE: Well it's a good thing I didn't order tickets last night. I wasn't looking closely, and I would've had to have booked a plane ticket to St. Louis if I wanted to watch the game. Sleep deprivation! Yay!]


    Tuesday, August 31, 2004

    The lights! The glamor!

    The lights! The glamor!

    Today I got to shovel dirt in hundred degree direct sunlight and shift air conditioning hoses thirty feet above a concrete floor. I also got yelled at at least four times for things that weren't my fault. Gotta love this job. Did I mention the pay sucks?

    On the other hand, I've been having some really good car ride conversations with Larroquette. I think we're similar; we both need some time to get acclimated to another human being. Once acclimated, we're groovy. He's a hep cat once you get to know him, and I think he likes me. *squeal!*

    I'm going to check the weather report, but I think this whole week is going to be blisteringly hot. Go, go three-day weekend!

    D

    [UPDATE: Larroquette mentioned that he was in an episode of "The West Wing". Anyone watch that show and see the episode? I'd like to check it out, and it would be easier if I even knew what season it was in. I was going to ask him about it, but we were essentially back at his place when it came up.]

    [UPDATE-SCHMUPDATE: I found this clip when I did a search for Larroquette's appearance on "The West Wing". Rob Lowe has some very flattering things to say about my man, JL.]


    Sunday, August 29, 2004

    I'll be goll-darned

    I'll be goll-darned

    I don't know if you guys follow the weekend box office returns, but I'll be damned if Hero wasn't this past weekend's number one film. Granted, it doesn't have much competition with Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid being the second highest grosser, but still...

    D


    "Spaced"

    "Spaced"

    Watch this series. You'll have to find it on Region 2 DVD or PAL VHS, but it's definitely worth it. It's a geek's/pop culture junky's greatest dream. Episode five of the first season is probably one of the single funniest episodes of any show I've ever seen. Check it out.

    D

    [UPDATE: I forgot to mention that one part of the soundtrack in episode five references the whispered, echo-y "Witches!" part of the soundtrack at the beginning of Dario Argento's Suspiria. How cool is that?]