Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Devil and Simon Flagg
I originally came across this delightful short story in a mathematical text on Fermat's Last Theorem (I've forgotten its name, but suffice it to say I probably wasn't reading it in any depth). It says more about academics than it does about the Devil.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Hunger Games
"Welcome to the 74th annual...... Battle Royale!!!... er... Running Man!?! Um, no that's not right is it... oh yes: Hunger Games!!!"
Regular interim-ites will recognize (and forgive, I trust) the pathetic but all-too-regular urge that I feel to tap into the zeitgeist and get jiggy with it that recently led me to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (and watch the 2012 movie adaptation in fairly short order).
I actually quite enjoyed the book (which has the distinction of being my first fictional ebook read on the iPad) -- and I can imagine I would have enjoyed it all the more when I was a member of the "young adult" demographic which is its intended readership. Back then I probably would have eagerly gobbled up the remaining two volumes of the trilogy too, but in staid adulthood I find my curiosity sated by the first.
I found the film, on the other hand, to be a bit so-so and by-the-numbers. It was a reasonable effort, but it all seemed a bit rushed.
Of course, as you'll have noticed from my opening gambit, I drew the obvious parallels to the japanese gore flick Battle Royale -- which I watched just last year and rather enjoyed -- and the classic Arnie action movie The Running Man (1987), which was a childhood favourite of mine.
I decided to re-watch The Running Man and was pleasantly surprised to find that it still holds up quite well. The dialogue is pure cheese (it's Arnie in his heyday, after all) but it can be appreciated in a mildly tongue-in-cheek. The line "Hey, Christmas Tree!" is one of my all-time favourites, and he even manages to squeeze in an "I'll be back!". Also amusing to note that Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa have cameo roles as resistance freedom fighter types (what's up with that???).
Regular interim-ites will recognize (and forgive, I trust) the pathetic but all-too-regular urge that I feel to tap into the zeitgeist and get jiggy with it that recently led me to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (and watch the 2012 movie adaptation in fairly short order).
I actually quite enjoyed the book (which has the distinction of being my first fictional ebook read on the iPad) -- and I can imagine I would have enjoyed it all the more when I was a member of the "young adult" demographic which is its intended readership. Back then I probably would have eagerly gobbled up the remaining two volumes of the trilogy too, but in staid adulthood I find my curiosity sated by the first.
I found the film, on the other hand, to be a bit so-so and by-the-numbers. It was a reasonable effort, but it all seemed a bit rushed.
Of course, as you'll have noticed from my opening gambit, I drew the obvious parallels to the japanese gore flick Battle Royale -- which I watched just last year and rather enjoyed -- and the classic Arnie action movie The Running Man (1987), which was a childhood favourite of mine.
I decided to re-watch The Running Man and was pleasantly surprised to find that it still holds up quite well. The dialogue is pure cheese (it's Arnie in his heyday, after all) but it can be appreciated in a mildly tongue-in-cheek. The line "Hey, Christmas Tree!" is one of my all-time favourites, and he even manages to squeeze in an "I'll be back!". Also amusing to note that Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa have cameo roles as resistance freedom fighter types (what's up with that???).
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning AndroidTube
life on mars
really enjoyed this series -- bbc at it's finest. john simms is sam tyler, the cop from 2006 who crashes his car and wakes up in 1973. Is he mad? Or in a coma? Or back in time? Take my advice: it's well worth
a watch to find out. The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission.
ashes to ashes
follow-up series to "life on mars", featuring the foxy Keeley Hawes as DI alex drake, who takes a leaf out of the sam tyler playbook, taking a bullet to the head and waking up in 1981. Philip Glenister is back as "The Guv'", aka DCI Gene Hunt, who gives us the glorious catch phrase "fire up the quattro". Overall it's a fun and worthwhile return to the "life on mars" universe, but it's not quite as good as that
first series. It probably should have stuck to two seasons instead of stretching out to three.
broken embraces (2009)
another one from the cruz/almovodar canon. not bad, but not essential viewing.
the rules of attraction (2002)
film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel. populated with characters that are as contemptible as they are uninteresting, this leaves one with the impression that Ellis is a tired one-trick pony.
priscilla queen of the desert (1994)
hugo weaving, guy pearce and terence stamp explore their inner queen in this iconic aussie flick.
the town (2010)
yawnarama bank robber flick directed by and starring ben affleck. you've seen it all before and better done.
eric clapton & friends (1986)
captivating performance by slowhand from the height of his eighties pastel era. features phil collins on skins, who delivers a stirring rendition of "in the air tonight".
get thrashed! (2008)
documentary film on the origins of thrash metal. features some interesting early footage and interviews with key players -- including a classic snippet where dave mustaine humbly acknowledges that he is
directly or indirectly responsible for the success of all the top thrash bands (having co-founded Metallica and Megadeth, he does have a point, but still...).
really enjoyed this series -- bbc at it's finest. john simms is sam tyler, the cop from 2006 who crashes his car and wakes up in 1973. Is he mad? Or in a coma? Or back in time? Take my advice: it's well worth
a watch to find out. The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission.
ashes to ashes
follow-up series to "life on mars", featuring the foxy Keeley Hawes as DI alex drake, who takes a leaf out of the sam tyler playbook, taking a bullet to the head and waking up in 1981. Philip Glenister is back as "The Guv'", aka DCI Gene Hunt, who gives us the glorious catch phrase "fire up the quattro". Overall it's a fun and worthwhile return to the "life on mars" universe, but it's not quite as good as that
first series. It probably should have stuck to two seasons instead of stretching out to three.
broken embraces (2009)
another one from the cruz/almovodar canon. not bad, but not essential viewing.
the rules of attraction (2002)
film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel. populated with characters that are as contemptible as they are uninteresting, this leaves one with the impression that Ellis is a tired one-trick pony.
priscilla queen of the desert (1994)
hugo weaving, guy pearce and terence stamp explore their inner queen in this iconic aussie flick.
the town (2010)
yawnarama bank robber flick directed by and starring ben affleck. you've seen it all before and better done.
eric clapton & friends (1986)
captivating performance by slowhand from the height of his eighties pastel era. features phil collins on skins, who delivers a stirring rendition of "in the air tonight".
get thrashed! (2008)
documentary film on the origins of thrash metal. features some interesting early footage and interviews with key players -- including a classic snippet where dave mustaine humbly acknowledges that he is
directly or indirectly responsible for the success of all the top thrash bands (having co-founded Metallica and Megadeth, he does have a point, but still...).
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