paisley for her pleasure

Mesmerising

2011-01-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

Black Swan

2010-10-15T02:36:00.000-07:00

I have been looking forward to the latest offering from Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan - for quite some time now. The international teaser artwork that was just released has done nothing to make me any less excited. Some of the best work I have seen in quite some time:

She's Diggin' My Chilis

2010-09-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

So last Saturday I participated in the Shoot Experience event Shoot(ing) Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery with my trusty partner in crime Louise Hough. We were given seven phrases/ideas and had 4 hours to take one photograph for each phrase/idea. The photos were judged upon submission and a winner was selected for each phrase/idea. Additionally, the judges selected their favorite/best overall photograph.

Newsflash: We won! Totally caught me by surprise. The last thing I expected going in was that one of our submissions would even be considered for winning anything. Needless to say, I was in complete shock when our photo was announced as the favorite/best overall of the day. Common courtesy dictates that I acknowledge that the judging was completely whimsical and arbitrary. Never the less, we won! The best part about it all is that our photograph will be exhibited for one night at the National Portrait Gallery. Yes, you read that right. THE National Portrait Gallery. I will have something that I helped create on exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. Crazy.

So after that preamble you are probably a little curious as to what the photograph looks like. The category it was submitted for was called doppelganger. We were given the following portrait by Sarah Lucas and instructed to recreate/interpret our own version.

Here is our winning interpretation:

Pretty funny right? The guy running the event especially liked the look of sexual tension on my face. If he only knew. I got this low-res image from the Shoot Experience website because I haven't had time to actually take the photo off my camera. Once I do, a better version will be available for your viewing pleasure on my flickr page. Until then, I hope this version can give you some good laughs.

PS The. National. Portrait. Gallery.

Paris I love you...

2010-07-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

...even when you are bringing me down. But those instances are few and far between. You know all those bad things you have heard about the French and Paris? They aren't true. If I didn't struggle so much with pronouncing French words, I could live there quite happily. The city is beautiful. The people are friendly. The pace of life is relaxed. The museums and galleries are amazing. The antique markets are literally filled with treasures. I can't wait to return. Paris, I seriously love you more than a "hipster" loves being "ironic."

Flickr Set

Freathy - Cornwall

2010-06-05T00:48:00.001-07:00

Flickr Set

The Magic Box

2010-05-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

I know I said I wasn't going to post anything else about Lost. Technically this isn't really about Lost although Lost is mentioned and the main theme of the post relates strongly to Lost. So what I wanted to share today is a presentation that JJ Abrams gave at TED in 2007 wherein he discusses the magic of mysteries, his favorite scene from Jaws, his love for Apple, and also makes a few jokes that really weren't that funny. I watched this a couple of years ago and really appreciated Abrams' perspective on the value of mystery in story telling. While I was discussing my views on Lost with one of my friends the other day we discussed how I enjoy the mystery more than the answer. There is so much more excitement and emotion in the unknown and when the answers are finally revealed they are more often than not quite anti-climactic. It is so much more satisfying for me when the "answers" are left to my imagination. I prefer not to see the man behind the curtain. So yeah, give this little presentation by the great JJ Abrams a view. It may give you a new perspective on the role of mystery in storytelling. Also, if you haven't already explored the archives of TED than do yourself a huge favor and watch some of the presentations. They are absolutely fascinating.

Probably My Last Post Ever Regarding Lost

2010-05-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

****Spoiler Alert****

There is not too much that I really want to say regarding the finale of Lost. I am sure it was quite unsatisfying for the mythology fans who want definitive answers to all their questions and mysteries. Nothing I can say will appease them so I don't even want to go down that road. As for me, I am extremely pleased with how everything ended. It was very satisfying from an emotional perspective to see everybody enlightened and reunited in the sideways reality. I loved how footage from previous seasons was used to show the enlightenment process of the individual characters. I was especially happy that they chose to use my favourite moment of the series which is the shot of Locke on the beach from the pilot episode when he has the orange peel in his mouth and gives his simple, reassuring smile. It was reassuring from a personal perspective to see these characters that I have grown to know and love overcome their weaknesses, leave their baggage behind, and find redemption as well as deep and meaningful happiness. At the risk of sharing too much information on a public forum such as this blog, it gave me hope. I loved how the theme of live together or die alone was reinforced. I love how the castaways created the sideways reality/universe/timeline/train station/airport so that they could find each other again and move to the afterlife together. I really, really loved this series and this conclusion. 6 years of my life and I have zero regrets. It left me emotionally wrecked and I am still trying to recover today. I am more than a little surprised at this. In fact I don't think I have the energy to really say anything else regarding the episode. It is all still too fresh in my mind. Check that. There is one last thing I do want to mention. I loved the added meaning and depth this episode gave to Desmond's quote "See you in another life brutha." And now that is really the last thing I can say right now. I don't want to be a complete wreck for the rest of the day. Poke fun if you must but it is true. I am quite vulnerable right now.

Red Dead Redemption

2010-05-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't played video games in a long, long time. If my fuzzy memory serves me correctly, Madden 05 was the last game I played. As such, you may want to discount what I am about to say regarding Red Dead Redemption aka The Greatest Video Game Ever Made.

So this weekend, after a bit of cajoling from flatmates and being totally smitten with the Red Dead ads I kept seeing while waiting for the underground, I dived right in to Red Dead. Kind of blew my mind. I quickly became fully immersed into the world they created. I love the production design and how it is heavily influenced by Sergio Leone, The Wild Bunch, John Wayne, etc. I am amazed at the level of detail in the landscapes, clothing, buildings, etc. The gameplay itself is very smooth and quite easy to pick up. I especially enjoyed lassoing a couple of wild horses and then breaking them. The voice acting coupled with the movements and the facial expressions of the characters is superb. But my favourite part of the game is the sky. It is absolutely mesmerizing. The clouds. The stars. Sunset. Sunrise. The shadows. Just ridiculously beautiful.

If you are looking for a new game to play and are willing to take the advice of somebody who has been out of the loop for quite some time than this game surely will not disappoint. I can't wait to get home and jump right back in to this amazing fantasy world where I can have the bad ass scar on my face that I have always wanted, draw down on annoying ruffians that bump into me as I walk the dusty streets, conduct shady business transactions, help damsels in distress, and mete out justice as I see fit - Vic Mackey style. So much fun.

PS If you can play with the console hooked up to an HD projector it will maximize your pleasure.

Twin Towers

2010-05-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was enjoying a beautiful, sunny, pleasant evening at the local pub with my associates from work as we prepared ourselves mentally and emotionally for the release of StreetDance 3D today (PS if you are in the UK go watch it. It is totally fun with a great soundtrack, inspired dance routines, and brilliant 3D.) when the early stages of true inspiration began to weave in and out of my consciousness. The genesis of this inspiration, which did not fully crystalize until a couple hours later after a lively discussion while enjoying a 6 inch sub of the day on wheat, was sparked by my fascination with a pint of Guiness.

I was kind of amazed at the oily color, texture, and weight of the Guiness that my co-worker so adeptly polished off. After making the obligatory "meal replacement" and "Are you going to drink that with a spoon?" jokes my thoughts quickly drifted to the St. Patrick's Day drink of choice - The Irish Car Bomb. While discussing the ins and outs of the Irish Car Bomb at the Subweezy, my friends and I came up with what is sure to be the next big thing in the world of specialty drinks - The Twin Towers.

So here is what I am thinking. The drink is served in two tall, yet slender, shot glasses. I am thinking it is going to be a gin based drink coupled with a vermouth of some sort. Kind of like the Chocolate Soldier or the Pall Mall. You know, something classy. Because that is how I roll. Another option might be something like the Manhattan. The drink in an of itself doesn't really matter too much because here is the true essence of genius: When the bartender serves you the two tall shots of something classy he proceeds to drop an air plane shaped tablet into each glass which immediately begin to foam and fizz, kind of like an Alka-Seltzer. You then slam back both fizzing, bubbling shots in the time honored tradition of the aforementioned Irish Car Bomb.

Pretty amazing idea, yeah? I don't see any reason why this won't be a smash hit and take the world by storm. Don't worry, I will still remember all the little people when I am sitting on top of the world.

Delorean

2010-05-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Rumour has it that summer will shortly be upon us. I'll believe it when I see it. I am still waiting for spring to show up. Nevertheless, I still eagerly await the arrival of summer with its warm nights, basil infused lemonade, and summer mix tapes. If I were to actually try to compete with the mix tape genius of National Geographic this year I think one of the first tracks I would include would be the first single - Stay Close - off Delorean's new release Subiza. The poppy sounds mixed with the clubby dance music is the perfect soundtrack for summer adventures. Whether it be lounging at the BBQ with a group of friends, cruising the PCH with the top down, or going for a nice jog through Regents Park, this track will make you smile. So yeah, let the summer fun commence. I am ready.

PS I kind of like the dreamy, ethereal style of the video as well:

Inception

2010-05-10T01:28:00.000-07:00

Just watched the latest trailer for Inception. I. Can't. Wait. The production design looks ridiculously good. I love the story concept. Christopher Nolan is Christopher Nolan. The score was done by the great Hans Zimmer. The cast is filled with amazing talent. Just look at this list:

Leonardo DiCaprio

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Michael Caine

Ellen Page

Marion Cotillard

Ken Watanabe

Cillian Murphy

Tom Hardy

Seriously, I can't wait to see this film.

Nostalgia

2010-05-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Leon

2010-05-04T03:47:00.000-07:00

So (I think starting off each post with "so" is my new thing) I haven't really posted much about food lately. Kind of weird right? It's like you don't even know me now that I am semi loyal kind of but not really subject of the Queen. It would be easy for me to blame the lack of food related posts on the relatively bland cuisine of the UK but that would just be disingenuous. Really it is just because I am lazy. I have had plenty of great food since moving here. For transparency's sake, when I say plenty of great food I actually mean plenty of great food excluding all the various bland hamburgers I have sampled from around this great city. But I digress. The purpose of this post is to drop a little knowledge about a great little "fast food" chain I tried last night called Leon.

I have been meaning try Leon for the last couple of weeks after receiving a ringing endorsement from a couple of friends. So needless to say, when I met up with a few friends last night for dinner and found out that we would be eating at Leon, I was quite pleased.

So what type of food is available at Leon? Well, my friend offered the perfect explanation with this concise response: "tasty food." Wah Wah Wah. This response was quickly expanded to "tasty, healthy, lunch pail food." I would add one more descriptor to the list .... "with a Mediterranean flair."

If this description piques your interest then you should take a quick look at their menu. Last night we ordered the feasting menu for two which consisted of chili con carne, Moroccan meatballs, hummus and flatbread, chili chicken, grilled chorizo, brown rice, Leon mash, and garlic & chili broccoli. Since there were three of us, we also ordered the sweet potato falafel. Since I am a big fan of ranking all things from best friends to favorite Korean films I will give a quick ranking of everything I tried last night:

1. Sweet Potato Falafel

2. Grilled Chorizo

3. Garlic & Chili Broccoli

4. Leon Mash (a simple sweet potato puree)

5. Hummus and Flatbread

6. Chili Chicken

7. Chili con Carne

8. Moroccan Meatballs

9. Brown Rice (How exciting can brown rice be, right?)

In addition to the various items listed above, I also ordered the ginger and mint infused lemonade. This was actually a bit underwhelming. Not enough mint and too much ginger. The ginger just overpowered everything. I prefer a little more subtlety when infusing my lemonade.

Overall I really enjoyed the Leon experience. The food really was "tasty" Additionally, it is quite economical. Three people were able enjoy dinner for less than £30 pounds. Excellent value. I Mos Def can see myself eating at Leon on a regular basis. There are quite a few things I still want to try on the menu.

So yeah, Leon. Good food. Give a try some time. You will probably like it. I know I did.

PS As I was writing this I kept thinking to myself how much I enjoy the simplicity of good food coupled with good friends and good conversation. I can't think of too many other ways I would rather pass an evening.

Iron Man 2

2010-04-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I watched Iron Man 2 tonight. I'm pretty ambivalent about the whole thing. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Had a few good jokes. Scarlett Johansson was pretty attractive. So was Gwyneth. But seriously, overall it was pretty meh. Everything just felt so crisp, sharp, and sterile. This doesn't seem to make sense given that Mickey Rourke's villain had cool gold teeth, a scar on his face, and bad ass Russian mob tattoos. His character had some serious potential but everything about his character just seemed to be going through the motions. I don't really put the onus on Rourke for this. I am more disappointed in the writing and the directing of his story. Oh yeah, Sam Rockwell was pretty decent as well. Really everyone was pretty decent. But I still can't get that excited about the whole thing. Like I said before, everything was just so sterile. I think that is the perfect word to describe it. If anybody asks me what I thought of Iron Man 2 in the future I am going to reply with this one word. Sterile.

PS The flying battle sequence in How To Train Your Dragon was way more enjoyable than the flying battle sequence in Iron Man 2. Not that the sequence in Iron Man 2 was bad. It just didn't excite me that much. I found myself looking forward to it just wrapping up so I could use the restroom and then go play some volleyball. Sterile.

Death Note

2010-04-23T01:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the wonders of Xtorrent, iSquint, and iPhone combined with a couple of hours a day on the underground, I have been able to delve into the world of anime. After having worked my way through Blood +, Full Metal Alchemist, Samurai Champloo, Evangelion Neon Genesis (don't get me started on this series, I am still angry about the last 3 or 4 episodes), and Baccano! I decided to start watching Death Note. I am about 20 episodes in now and just finished the first story arc.

I am struggling to find the proper hyperbole to express just how brilliant this series is. To my relatively untrained eye, the animation is fantastic. Many of the characters are loathsome for various reasons yet extremely compelling. The tension between L and Light is so thick I want to eat it with a silver spoon and a side of creme fraiche. Many episodes have found me reminding myself that I need to breathe. Mini spoiler alert - there is one scene where Light is having a little mental show down with the fiancée of Ray Penbar - (sounds so much cooler with a Japanese accent) FBI Agent, as the sun is setting and a light snow begins to fall that is so perfectly constructed. The tension. The beauty. The tragedy. The sadness. Amazing.

But wait. There's more. I haven't even mentioned the shinigami yet. The voice acting for these Japanese death gods is some of the best you will ever come across. I love their cackling laughter and harsh voices. I love their painted faces and magical eyes. Plus the apple addiction makes for some good physical comedy.

Something I found interesting was that the series has an extremely high level of exposition. It seems like two thirds of each episode is comprised of hearing the characters verbalize their thoughts to themselves. Surprisingly this method of telling the story has worked for me so far.

One last thing I want to mention. As I said before I just finished the first story arc of the series. I am 2, maybe 3, episodes into the next story arc and I am a little concerned. I miss the shinigami and I miss the conflict between L and Light. I haven't really bought into the crime syndicate thing yet. Hopefully this tangent is resolved shortly and we get back to L versus Light.

So if anybody has any good recommendations for which series I should watch next, let me know. I have already started watching Trigun on the side with my flatmate and really like it.

Keep The Lights On

2010-04-21T02:18:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite songs of late has been Keep The Lights On by Wave Machines. I love the bassy-synthy-poppy sound of this song. Great summer music that will make you happy and more than a little smiley.

I "discovered" Wave Machines and this song thanks to the excellent How To Make It In America mixtape. The Kid Cudi remix of Symphonies off this same mixtape is the bomb dot org as well. You can download the entire mixtape here. Also, if you didn't watch the first season of How To Make It In America than go out and track it down now. One of my favourite new shows in quite some time. The Rasta Monsta storyline and Renee absolutely kill me.

PS For all you Bookfacers out there, the embedded video for Keep The Lights On might not show up in the post. I can't remember how the Facebook feed works and whether or not it pulls the videos with the text. If it happens to not show up, click through to the actual blog post to see the embedded video. It is pretty good and might be worth your time. Plus the actual blog is way better than the Bookface.

Guaranteed Grins

2010-04-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Yeek Yeek Woop Woop I ain't playin' around. Make one false move, I'll take you down.

Gifs of Popular Rappers brings a smile to my grill each and every time I visit. Each. And. Every. Time.

Lost w/ Spoilers

2010-04-15T02:10:00.001-07:00

Time for a quick little update on where I am at with Lost now that we have completed 12 episodes in the final season. I am still fully on board. I have really enjoyed this season so far. The episode from two weeks ago - Happily Ever After - was probably in my top five Lost episodes to date. It resonated with me in a similar manner to that of the previous Desmond/Penny love story from season 4 - The Constant. With regards to the episode from last night - Everybody Loves Hurley - it worked for me even if Libby looked like she had really aged in the last couple of years. It was another nice addition to the sweet and comedic Hurley sub-genre.

I have always appreciated Hurley's comic relief and enjoy seeing him find happiness. Even if that happiness is tainted by his questionable decisions and actions on the island. Hurley, original Locke, Sayid, Jack, Sawyer, Kate, they are all so easily manipulated. Ghost Michael knew exactly what to say and Hurley was putty in his hands. I am kind of happy that Miles didn't seem to buy into Hurley's lame-o little excuse about dead people being more trustworthy ergo we should just do what they tell us to do.

But back to Michael. I hope all you hard core island mythology enthusiasts are happy. One more "mystery" was resolved. There is no longer any doubt about the whispers. I do have a complaint about how this was revealed though. I wish the writers would have stuck with the show as opposed to tell method on clearing up this mystery. Not sure why the writers felt obligated to beat the viewers over the head with the exposition used to "explain" that the whispers are the voices of the dead souls trapped on the island. I already completely understood that from the initial scene with Michael where we heard the whispers and immediately Michael appeared. I put those two pieces together from that. I didn't need the second scene with the exposition. I hope this doesn't become a recurring trend in the attempt to satisfy the dumb people. I believe that David Mamet might have an opinion on this.

So yeah, Lost. I am still fully immersed in the story and eagerly await each new episode. Can't wait to see how it all wraps up and am definitely going to miss it when it is gone. Future Lost posts are sure to come as we work through the final 6 episodes.

It's Better In The Wind

2010-04-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

I just came across this sweet new blog titled It's Better In The Wind. Captivating Photos. Motorcycles. Traveling across the United States with a group of friends. Artists with a vision. Excellent graphic design. What more could one want? Not much my friends. Not much. I loved this line from the description of the project:

"We are young but not naive, we are tired but not jaded."

Sci-Fi Opera

2010-04-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

I have been listening to quite a bit of Puccini over the last couple of months. I just can't seem to get enough of that opera music. Whether I am walking down the street, riding the tube, or forecasting cash flows, it just seems to make everything so much more dramatic. And by dramatic I mean dramatic in the enjoyable way. Not the I throw dishes, vases, and anything else that isn't tied down at you and sometimes may even want to stab you with a knife because I just love you so much kind of way.

I think it is because of this relatively new affinity for opera that I enjoyed the latest episode of Caprica as much as I did. Bear McCreary, the music supervisor/composer type guy for Caprica composed a mini opera as part of the music for this episode. Turns out he also has a blog where he talks about putting the music together for each episode. He even embeds little audio files. Thanks Bear. Such a gentleman. So yeah, I really enjoyed the mini opera that went along with the episode. Totally increased the drama for me in a really good way. If you haven't seen the episode yet or do not plan on ever watching the episode you should still click on a few of the audio files. You might find yourself wanting to give Caprica a chance. Even if you aren't that much of a sci-fi fan. Also, if the whole sci-fi thing kind of turns you off on the idea of Caprica, you may still want to give it a chance. The sci-fi serves as more of a backdrop or setting for the story of two families and their emotional struggles as well as an exploration of what makes us "alive" rather than the driving force of the story. Plus the production design around the New Cap City in V World is awesome. Totally film noir with zepplins. Thats right. Zepplins!

Speaking of zepplins, the latest episode of Fringe also had a sweet zepplin in it to go along with the great little gag of using the retro 80's font to signal flashbacks. But wait, there are more ties between Caprica and Fringe. This one actually made me laugh when I saw it. In the latest episode of Fringe, the cinema marquee in the 1985 alternate/parallel universe was advertising Back to the Future starring wait for it..... Eric Stoltz! And with that I terminate this meandering post that covered two sci-fi shows, zepplins, opera, and an opera composer named Bear.

PS The male part of the Caprica opera is sung by none other than Alessandra Juiliani. That's right, Felix Gaeta himself. The dumbass who lost his leg in BSG and who I totally wanted to punch in the face because he was almost as annoying as Starbuck.

How to Train Your Dragon

2010-04-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I decided to try out the relatively new cinema at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherds Bush. The Vue there was claiming to have some Xtreme 3D Viewing experience that was reportedly pretty awesome. Here are my brief opinions after checking it out:

The screen was fairly large but not as wide as I would have liked.
The sound was pretty underwhelming.
The seating was not that comfortable - the seats were narrower than I was expecting for a theatre of its purported caliber.
The picture quality was above average. Especially for the UK.
The interior was cavernous in a bad way.

So overall my experience with the Westfield Vue was pretty meh. However, as far as UK cinemas go, it was pretty good. It compared favorably with the Vue at Leicster Square. However, I came to the conclusion that I would much rather go to the HMV Curzon in Wimbledon. The picture quality is far superior. When it comes to sound, the Curzon crushes all competition. And finally, while the screens are much smaller I decided I really prefer the more intimate setting of the Curzon. So yeah, it is official. The HMV Curzon is my cinema of choice in the UK. This opinion is subject to change because I still haven't found the opportunity to try out the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill. I have a feeling it isn't going to quite measure up because it already has quite a few things working against it. This can be discussed in a later post after actually giving it a go though.

But now on to the main event. I wanted to give How to Train Your Dragon a go because way back in the day when I was on the audit grind at Dreamworks Animation, HTTYD was in development/pre-production and I was interested in seeing how the final product compared to the original concepts etc.

Newsflash, it was pretty damn good. Much better than I was expecting. I really enjoyed the story and how it steadily built to the climactic battle scene. Very good pacing. I also found the main character to be quite likeable and I was pulling for him from the start. I thought the 3D looked great. There were just a few parts where the depth of field was kind of messed up and the images looked flat. My only real complaint about the film was the Scottish accent of Gerard Butler. Since when do Vikings have heavy Scottish accents? It took a while for me to let this go and just sit back and enjoy the scenes which involved him speaking. While his accent may have bothered me, his beard most definitely did not. I loved the shape, texture, and enormity of it. Made me smile every time he came on screen.

The best part of the film though was the EPIC battle against the Queen Dragon. Jaw droppingly amazing. Those 5 minutes or so were totally worth the price of admission alone. Visually stunning. Took my breath away. Because of the 3D and the perspective, I felt like I was caught up right in the middle of it all. Seriously, go watch HTTYD for this scene alone. So enjoyable.

So for a quick little recap, the Westfield Vue? not as Xtreme as advertised. How to Train Your Dragon? much better than anticipated. Two thumbs up actually. Totally worth seeing in 3D.

Oh yeah, one more little bit I almost forgot. During the trailers before HTTYD, Sky ran a little ad for their new 3D channel that totally blew me away. They showed a ballet clip, a football (soccer) clip, and a rugby clip and I was absolutely stunned. If they can somehow make the real thing look as good as that ad did than I am fully on board the 3D TV bandwagon. Like I said in the sentence before, if they can guarantee that the real sports action looks as good as the probably staged sports action they showed than I will never want to watch another sporting event in 2D again. I may want to repeat myself for a third time. It looked that good. The added depth of field was mesmerizing. So it is with much more anticipation that I wait for the 3D TV saga to unfold.

Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch

2010-03-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to one of my favorite blogs, I recently discovered the work of illustrator Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch. I love the vibrant colors and the crisp/sharp lines of the piece for GOOD Magazine:

I also really like his character design:

Not only do I enjoy the work of Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch but the process journal on his blog which is simply a stream of images is quite intriguing.

Vintage Photo Contest

2010-03-29T01:03:00.001-07:00

If you are not following the vintage photo contest over on The Sartorialist, than you are seriously missing out. I am amazed at the quality of the photos being posted. When coupled with the background stories provided by the submitters, these photos are simply fascinating.

The Other Guys Motion Poster

2010-03-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

I have always been a sucker for a good piece of marketing. That is probably why I thouroghly enjoyed the new "motion poster" for The Other Guys - the latest entry to the excellent buddy cop film genre.

**UPDATE**

I may not know what riding dirty is but I do know that I don't like hearing it on continuous loop. As such, I took the motion poster down but it can still be seen in all of its glory here.

**END UPDATE**

On a technical note, I love the idea behind a "motion poster" when executed correctly. This is advertising being a little bit innovative and taking advantage of the benefits inherently available in the advertising medium known as the internets. It's kind of like Harry Potter come to life.

Istanbul

2010-03-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend in Istanbul in honor of a friend's completion of The Jesus Year. It was so surreal walking around the sleeping city well after midnight. I felt like I was caught up in a Cold War era spy film come to life.

As always, the photos can be found on the Flickr.

Academy Awards.... Bleh.

2010-03-08T06:08:00.001-08:00

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed The Hurt Locker. I thought the individual bomb diffusing scenes were very well done. I really enjoyed Jeremy Renner's performance. However, never once did I say to myself while watching- Self, this movie is pretty amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if it was nominated for Best Picture. So needless to say, I was surprised when it was nominated for Best Picture this year. I was even more surprised when it actually won.

Like I said before, I really enjoyed The Hurt Locker. However, this "victory" is just one more example of why I don't like the Academy Awards. I don't like how so many people's careers are made and broken by the political fancies and whims of people who may or may not have watched the films they are voting on. Nikki Finke summed up my feelings perfectly when she said the following:

So David slew Goliath. Or, to put it another way, Academy voters rewarded a tiny film that made no money just because almost everyone in Hollywood really dislikes James Cameron. This shows how out of touch the Oscars are with moviegoers around the world, who loved Avatar. But what can you expect from a bunch of mostly geriatrics who decide on the Best Picture by watching them on small screens instead of in the movie theater. Most of the 5,000+ voters only saw Avatar in 2D. So, of course, The Hurt Locker played better. And people wonder why I have nothing but contempt for the Academy?

Oh, and remember that the Academy wouldn't even let Nicolas Chartier who financed Hurt Locker (or his mother who flew in from France) attend the show tonight because he mass-emailed members and supposedly broke the campaigning rules -- even though he never even mentioned Avatar by name. That guy has to celebrate at a private party in Malibu tonight away from all the Industry accolades he so richly deserves. And people still wonder why I have nothing but contempt for the Academy?

Lebron Don't Fake The Funk On The Nasty Dunk

2010-03-02T04:20:00.000-08:00

Lebron's dunk at approximately the 59 second mark of the highlights from last night's Cavs game against the Knicks was straight nasty. Seriously, he is not from this planet.

Lost Thoughts

2010-02-26T05:39:00.000-08:00

So here is where I am at with the final season of Lost. I have really enjoyed the final season so far. I was worried that everything would feel rushed, as if I was drinking from a fire hose. It hasn't felt like that yet and I am happy. The methodical pacing has always been one of my favorite things about Lost and so far they haven't departed from that formula.

But what I really want to talk about now is an internal change that kind of caught me by surprised. For me, Lost has always been first and foremost about the characters. The mythology of the island has always come in second. Albeit a very close second. In previous seasons I would rush to the internets after watching an episode and spend hours scrolling through various recaps and message boards to gather little "bits and bobs" that would give me more insight into what the island was, or who the Dharma Initiative was, etc. I revelled in the mystery and loved to investigate the various theories and discover little easter eggs and peruse all the different screen shots to ensure that I didn't miss anything.

Now, I can't be bothered. It's not that my love for the show has diminished. It hasn't. At all. The first thing I do when I wake up on Wednesday morning is start the download of the the episode that just aired in the US a couple of hours before. I purposefully avoid many of my regular websites throughout the day to ensure that I don't catch any spoilers. I rush home from work and immediately watch the episode. So yeah, my passion has not declined. But when it comes to the mythology of the island, I don't really care anymore. I don't care what the island is. I don't care why it seems to have magical powers. I don't care what the smoke monster is. All I care about is the characters and their individual searches for redemption/happiness/meaning/love.

I think that is why I have enjoyed the last two episodes so much. I loved watching Locke in the sideways flash reality seemingly overcome many of the issues that have haunted him in the island reality. It was so enjoyable to watch Jack establish a meaningful bond with his son in his sideways flash reality and move beyond the troubled relationship he had with his own father. What I am saying is that for me personally, watching these characters succeed and evolve is providing enough satisfaction that the island and its mysteries are only important to me in the sense that they serve as the setting and backdrop where the stories of these characters play out.

Ultimately, I will be satisfied if many of the mysteries of the island go unexplained. This is blasphemy to many. I know. This is where I am at though. This is how much the characters have come to mean to me.

As a side note, there was an interesting explanation of the multiverse idea given by Marc Oronmaner at docarzt.com. If you disregard the portion about The Secret and focus on the video game analogy, it does a great job of shedding some light on the current season.

SD3D

2010-02-23T08:58:00.000-08:00

Just saw the final version of the new trailer for StreetDance 3D. The grading is fantastic and the Tiny Dancer remix plays well. It will be showing in front of Alice in Wonderland shortly. The nervous anticipation around here is really starting to build. May isn't that far away now.

In the meantime, here is a behind the scenes look from an impromptu battle on the set. The dude in the black shirt with the long hair absolutely kills it and the guy who takes his shirt off but leaves his tie on cracks me up every time I watch.

**UPDATE**

Word on the street is that the link to the BBC website didn't work out so well for those readers in the US. In an effort to provide the same info the BBC link was meant to provide, here is a link to the IMDB page and a link to the first trailer via the YouTubes. Hopefully that isn't blocked in the US as well.

PS For those true cinephiles out there you will notice that the female lead - Nichola Burley - also had a turn in a little film you may recognize called Donkey Punch.

Peter Gabriel - Blood of Eden

2010-02-20T01:50:00.000-08:00

I have been severely remiss when it comes to updating ye olde blogge lately. I have had a couple of things I have meant to post over the last few weeks but I just couldn't be bothered. Maybe I should change the name to "paisley for her displeasure," yeah?

I don't really have the creative fire to post anything too profound or lengthy right now so I am just going to post a YouTube of a song I have been listening to quite a bit over the last couple of weeks as I make my daily commute to work or my every other day or so sojourn to the Sainsbury's Local to buy some tikka masala to heat up for lunch. So without further preamble, I present Blood of Eden by Peter Gabriel. Enjoy.

They're Coming....

2010-02-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

More Sweet Adidas Commercials

2010-01-19T05:53:00.001-08:00

I have been meaning to post this for a while now but am only now just getting around to it for reasons yet to be determined. Regardless of the delay, this "new" Adidas ad/commercial/short/whatever you want to call it for their Star Wars collection is pretty sick with the flip. It is quite reminiscent of their cool house party clip featuring the Beggin' remix from a year, maybe more, ago. I have pretty much decided that if I was going to have a super sweet 16 extravaganza that I would hire the Adidas people behind these clips to throw the party for me. Especially if they could ensure the Daft Punk/Darth Vader combo. Guaranteed to be a good time, yeah? Many thanks to Tanner for sending me the link.

New J.O.B.

2010-01-11T06:48:00.000-08:00

The future is bright if it is anything like my first six hours at the new grind. The people are great and I love the building we are in. I would love to sublease half the top floor, install a shower, toilet, and kitchen appliances, and make it my dream residence. I could even wrench on a Norton restoration in one corner of my space. So yeah, I really like it so far.

Jimmer Bleeping Fredette

2009-12-29T01:53:00.000-08:00

49 points? 9 threes? Single game scoring record for the BYU? Well done Jimmer. Well done. And the 30 point victory over Arizona wasn't too shabby either. And on the road at that. Very nice way to send out the old year.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Happy Christmas

2009-12-25T01:33:00.001-08:00

Tanner & Sarah

2009-12-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

This post is kind of the sequel to the post from a couple of days ago because the photos were taken the same day at Pasadena City Hall. After finishing up with Broek, we turned our focus to Sarah and Tanner and took a few photographs to celebrate their engagement. Sadly, they wouldn't tailor their wedding schedule to my needs and I was unable to attend the celebration for the union of two of my favorite people. From what I have heard and seen on Bookface, the wedding was a smashing success. I know I am a couple months late on this, but never the less, felicitations are still in order and no less diminished by time. As always, additional photos are available via Flickr.

Sultry Looks From LA's Finest Model

2009-12-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks before I moved around the world to quote... unquote... find myself or in other words, escape the suffocating clutches of complacency I was able to help out my good friend Sarah with her final project for fashion school. We went to Pasadena City Hall and took some photographs of her stunning sister-in-law-to-be (who is now her actual sister-in-law) Broek modeling the line of dresses that she had made. I felt quite a bit of pressure taking the photos because I consider myself to be barely a novice when it comes to these types of things and I have absolutely zero experience with art direction. It turns out that after quite a bit of straightening and cropping and other miscellaneous post production activities that I am kind of happy with some of the shots. I have posted two of my favorites and the rest can be seen on my Flickr.

Winter Is Upon Me

2009-12-21T13:26:00.001-08:00

Finally

2009-12-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

Finally got to see Where The Wild Things Are. Still not sure why the UK release was so much later. Loved that it was more for grown-ups than it was for kids. Mainly because I am supposedly a grown-up. Still not too sure on that count.

If you haven't already perused the work of 24 featured artists and their works inspired by Where The Wild Things Are at Vice than check it out. Some really good stuff. I really liked the pieces by Shintaro Kago, Lisa Hanawalt (above), and Esther Pearl Watson

Book Covers by J. Purrington

2009-12-03T02:47:00.000-08:00

I picked up a copy of Let the Right One In from Amazon yesterday and was reminded of how not appealing the cover design for the book was. This in turn reminded me of the excellent version that the talented Jared Purrington created after he almost didn't buy the book because of how poor the cover design was. Here is what my version looks like:

Here is the version created by Jared:

The cover for Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card that Jared created is pretty cool as well. Check out his website for some of his other illustrations and projects. One word of warning though, don't ask his opinion of the film Wall-E. You may get more than you bargained for.

I Love Tight Ends

2009-12-02T03:28:00.000-08:00

But I don't love the University of Utah and I really don't love a large chunk of the fans of the University of Utah. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I don't love the Utah media either. Except for Greg Wrubell that is.

Bullit - Behind The Scenes

2009-12-01T06:23:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago, The Selvedge Yard posted a behind the scenes look at what went into the production of the iconic car chase through the actual streets of San Francisco from the Steve McQueen film Bullit. It is a fascinating read full of little insights such as how McQueen originally insisted on doing all his own stunt driving until he "overshot a turn and smoked the tires." Turns out that the studio execs and his wife at the time were none to happy with this and quickly quashed the idea of him doing any additional stunt driving.

The entire piece is fascinating. In addition to the great insight, The Selvedge Yard also excels at providing fantastic photographs to give the story added depth. Seriously, take a few minutes and read the article. Also, if you have some free time, peruse the archives. The photo essays are just brilliant.

Anish Kapoor At The Royal Academy of Arts

2009-11-30T04:12:00.000-08:00

I recently received a request for more posts on London. My response to that is simply qu'ils mangent de la brioche. But not really. I am a man of the people and not one to ignore the howling masses. So, without further preamble:

One of the best things about living in London is the quantity of museums and galleries that are so generously sprinkled throughout the city - kind of like the chocolate sprinkles on the doughnuts at Greggs. PS if you haven't tried the yum yum at Greggs than you are living a pale, empty existence. Seriously. But back to the topic at hand - Since moving to London a couple of months ago I have been able to visit many different museums and galleries around the city such as the Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, and little galleries around Brick Lane to name just a few.

This past weekend, based on a strong recommendation from a trusted source, I went to the Anish Kapoor exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts. Absolutely one of the best exhibits I have seen in a long time. The piece titled Svayambh was mesmerizing because of its sheer size and like a moth to a flame, I couldn't resist touching the wax on the track. There was also another piece aptly titled Vertigo that was a collection of these large shapes of stainless steel. The way the shapes were formed resulted in these amazing reflections that actually ended up making feel like I was losing my balance a few times. Later in the evening, on the way home from a night out with the dudes, I was telling my friend about the exhibit and started to feel a little bit of vertigo again. The last piece from the exhibit that I want to mention is Shooting in to the Corner which is a great piece of mixed media where this cannon shoots large rounds of wax through a doorway into the corner of another room. Once again, the size and scope of the piece is impressive. A live web-cam of the piece can be seen here. I believe the cannon is fired approximately every 20 minutes or so.

I want to finish up by saying that the combination of the large scale pieces and the brilliant colors of the Anish Kapoor exhibit left a lasting impression on me and the way the various pieces interacted with the surrounding gallery was fascinating. If you ever get a chance to visit one of his exhibitions you will not be disappointed. I promise.

Finally

2009-11-27T06:01:00.000-08:00

After years of procrastination, laziness, desire for more storage, concern for making ends meet in a foreign country without being gainfully employed, Bob Loblaw's Law Blog I can now say that I am a proud owner of a shiny new white 32GB iPhone 3Gs. I can't wait to ride the tube tomorrow and enjoy an episode of Samurai Champloo. Or maybe I will watch Princess Mononoke. I could even go the live action route and watch the season 7 finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The possibilities are endless. I have a feeling I am going to spend many hours sifting through the app store tonight. Any suggestions on which apps I absolutely need? Feel free to leave them in the comments along with any disparaging remarks regarding how I am such an "early adopter" of technology.

The Monte Carlo by Launderette

2009-11-26T01:32:00.000-08:00

Having difficulties finding the perfect gift for the gentleman who seems to have everything? Been scouring the shops looking for the ideal accessory to bring out your inner Don Draper? Planning a relaxing holiday in the south of France and need a tie to wear to dinner? Well look no further. The stylish folks at Launderette have exactly what you have been searching for - The Monte Carlo Bow Tie.

As Launderette so aptly put it - "The Monte Carlo bow tie is for the man about town. Wear it to a Grand Prix after party or a NASA hearing. Easy to dress up or down in its emerald green and navy stripes."

So don't delay. Place your order now. Supplies are limited. And don't despair ladies, there is also something for you - the popular Shuffleboard Dress is still available.

PS Refreshing your browser and exploring the various pages of the site will reward you with some pretty good photos. Simply disregard the dork in the bow tie.

The Mature Game of Kobe Bryant

2009-11-25T01:57:00.001-08:00

Remember that Michael Lewis piece in the NY Times earlier this year? Kobe Bryant does. From a recent piece in the NY Times on the maturation of Kobe Bryant's game:

"And after a New York Times Magazine article last February depicted the Houston Rockets’ Shane Battier’s use of analytical data to guard Bryant, he went to Grover’s assistant, Mike Procopio, and requested the same type of report on the Rockets’ tendencies."

The full text of the article can be found here. It is an interesting assessment of the evolution of Kobe from a statistical standpoint and also gives a greater understanding of just how seriously he takes his job and how much effort he puts into being the best basketball player on Mother Gaia.

Nike Pro Combat Uniforms

2009-11-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

The new Nike Pro Combat uniforms for the Missouri Tigers are pretty sweet. I love the black on black helmet and the black on black pants. The Vapor Trail 2.0 gloves are sick as well. The flywire stitching on the shoulders is a subtle detail that pulls everything together quite nicely. Click here for the photo gallery.

Behind The Backboard

2009-11-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

Kobe continues to impress. His shot last night against the the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics was ridiculous. See for yourself:

Should have been a chance for a three point play as well. Regardless, it is nice to see The Lake Show rolling again now that Gasol is back. Are the playoffs here yet?

Peugeot BB1

2009-11-19T09:14:00.001-08:00

I was in Covent Garden a couple of weeks ago and saw the new Peugeot BB1 on display. It was in a plastic bubble and there was a big queue to see it so I didn't get to touch it or sit inside it. From what I saw though, it looked awesome. I loved the shape and the ultra modern design of the interior. I have always been a fan of the Smart Car but I liked the design of the BB1 more. There was also a cool advert up that said something along the lines of the BB1 being the offspring of a scooter and car or something along those lines. Wish I could remember exactly what the tag line was. I think it is a concept car right now but it has already taken over first place on my list of micro cars that I want.

PS The driver's lady friend is hot.

Art of the Trench

2009-11-19T06:22:00.001-08:00

I realize that at the speed of internet, this post is so two thousand and late. Who cares. I have had the best of intentions to post this link since the website debuted last week? The week before? It is all kind of a blur for me these days. Never the less, take a look at Art of the Trench, which is a collection of photographs that Scott Schuman did for Burberry featuring... wait for it... wait for it.... has the anticipation built enough yet????? wait a little longer.... and now the anti-climactic reveal - the iconic Burberry trench. I bet you didn't see that one coming did you. All bad jokes aside, the website is pretty fantastic. Makes me happy that I picked up my Burberry trench off the eBizzle a couple weeks before the site went live and trenches became the hotness.

Eddie Russia

2009-11-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was able to visit the Hayward Gallery at the Southbank Centre for a viewing of the Ed Ruscha exhibit. My previous knowledge/experience with Ed Ruscha was very limited. I knew that he was a seminal figure in the pop art movement of the 60s. I knew that his work was heavily influenced by the Los Angeles area and his experience with typography. I was also familiar with his piece titled Standard Station. That was about it.

In retrospect, I am pretty happy that I only had a rudimentary base going into the exhibit because of the excitement of new discovery as I walked through the gallery. I loved the iconic Los Angeles images such as the 20th Century Fox logo, Norm's Diner, the Hollywood sign, and the LACMA. I loved the tongue in cheek humor of the words that were chosen for the paintings. I loved the mixing of mediums - peptol bismol and silky fabrics?. But above all I loved the colors. The majority of the pieces utilized bright, rich, vibrant colors that added a sense of happiness and light heartedness to the entire exhibit.

One of my favorite pieces from the exhibit was a blue canvas with a quote from Hamlet painted in a spiraling nature. Sadly, the Goog has failed me in my brief search for a recreation of this painting. However, I did happen to write down the quote which was:

Words without thoughts never to Heaven go.

Here is a link to a large collection of the works of Ed Ruscha. Sadly, the digital copies on you computer lack much of the emotion and beauty of the full sized pieces. If there is ever an exhibit near you, check it out. It will be well worth your time.

Jay on Jools

2009-11-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

After hearing about Jay Zed's performance on the BBC program Later with Jools Holland for quite a few days from my magically empowered flatmate, we were finally able to set aside some quality time and watch the replay courtesy of the world wide web. The performance of Empire State of Mind was revelatory. The Alicia Keys replacement Bridget Kelly absolutely stole the show for me. She is stunningly beautiful and her voice gives me chills. I might be smitten. Again. This is a regular occurrence I know. Check out the performance for yourself:

The 99 Problems bit was pretty cool as well. Arguably my favorite Jay Z song of all time:

Guy Fawkes Celebration

2009-11-08T11:09:00.001-08:00

So I went to the Guy Fawkes celebration at Victoria Park this weekend. The fireworks were pretty legen....dary. Totally worth braving the "cold" and the long tube ride. I think it was my favorite display of all time. This was largely due to the proximity of the fireworks. They were literally bursting directly over our head and I felt like I could reach out and touch the flares as they streaked and floated around. Being so close to them added a level of depth perception that was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't stop smiling during the entire display. But wait, it gets even better. There was a dirty little carnival set up on the side of the park as well. I love carnival lights at night. The only thing lacking was a sweet ferris wheel. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the evening. The entire set can of course be found on my Flickr page.

Heart On A Sleeve, I Mean Pocket

2009-11-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

I saw this fantastic post on Garance Dore's blog today. Maybe this is "true love?" Even if it isn't, I still want it.

PS I loved this photo from Cedric Bihr's (the man with the heart on his pocket) website:

I'll have a milk steak with a side of your finest jelly beans

2009-11-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

If you are not watching It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia than you are living a hopelessly deprived life. It is the funniest show on TV right now. Seriously. The funniest. The improvisational nature of the show is pure genius. The cultural and current events commentary is rivaled only by the geniuses of Southpark. Milk steak? A side of your finest jelly beans? Little green ghouls? Come on. I can't stop laughing. Here are a few of the milk steak clips that absolutely kill:

This season is absolutely hilarious. It has yet to miss on one single episode, whether it be milk steak, Frank failing to hang himself because his neck is too fat, or Charlie poking his head out of the tent and discussing the money making possibilities of catching crabs. I wasn't joking when I said this was the funniest show on TV.

PS I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of November 17th and the release of the much anticipated It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas.

15 Diamonds

2009-10-28T03:10:00.001-07:00

15 diamonds and 15 karat gold for 15 championships.

Cambridge

2009-10-18T03:46:00.000-07:00

I don't really want to turn this place in to a travel blog where all I do is post boring pictures of me at various amazing places around London. I prefer to maintain the recent history of posting interesting links, videos, photos, etc. With that said, I feel almost obligated to post a few of the boring photos from when I ventured to Cambridge on Friday. Seriously. So. Amazing. It goes without saying that many, many Harry Potter jokes were made and while they may have stopped being funny to my travel companions almost immediately, I never tired of them. Nor do I think I ever will. So yeah, here are a few photos from Cambridge:

If you feel so inclined to see more pictures of Cambridge simply check out my Flickr. With that said, I hope to return to regular posting of cool and interesting ish I find on the interwebs and around town in the near future. So stay tuned for that. I hope.

It's So On Like Donkey Kong

2009-10-08T02:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome back. Welcome back.

London Town

2009-09-28T03:58:00.000-07:00

So I have been in London for a little under a week now. It has been sunny on all but two days so far which means London is pretty much way better than advertised. I may even love it more than a fat kid loves cake. My computer showed up today along with the rest of my books, art, sweaters, etc. so this post will be brief. I still have some settling in to do, including a trip to the great and wonderful Ikea. So for now I will leave you all with a glimpse of my terrace house (be sure not to refer to it as a row house or a town house, you will be mercilessly ridiculed by all the London tossers):

Potent Potables

2009-09-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Two quick things. The first of which is a follow-up to yesterday's hilarious Obama speech/Kanye stunt mash-up courtesy of my friend Keith:

Too soon? I vote no because it is just too funny and too timely. Like I said, I really love the internet.

The second point I would like to address is a little anecdote from my friend Broek. This last weekend while in the NYC she was walking with a friend through the meatpacking district and made a few jokes about bumping into Scott Schuman. Next thing you know, they actually do bump into Scott Schuman and Garance Dore. "In the wild." Pretty cool huh. The story goes that both Scott Schuman and Garance Dore were quite affable. However, what stood out the most was the contrast between their physical appearance and what they look like in photographs. Broek said that Scott Schuman was much shorter than expected. He also looked much stockier than he does in his photographs. The conclusion was that he really knows how to position himself for the most flattering photos. The word on the street regarding Garance Dore is that she is even more beautiful in person than she is in her photographs.

When I first heard the story it made me a little sad to hear that Scott Schuman was not 6 feetish and slender like I had imagined. Kind of like hearing that The National suck live. But after thinking about it a little more I kind of like that he is more of a regular guy with "flaws" just like me. Hearing that Garance Dore was even better looking in person just made me like her even more.

What makes this story even better for me was that I had just read the post on Garance Dore's blog from Monday where she posted the photo that Scott Schuman took of her taking a picture of another woman who was in turn taking a picture of her. I wonder how the timing worked out of when this picture was taken to when Broek bumped in to them.

So yeah celebrities! They're just like us! Or something like that. But really, in all honesty, and with complete earnestness. Check out the blogs for both these photographers. Two of my favorites by far. And Scott Schuman's new book is the bomb diggity. I can't stop paging through it.

Reason # 7,894,593 For Why I Love The Interwebs

2009-09-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I love the interwebs. I mean, I REALLY love the interwebs. I love them even more than Michael Jordan loves being petty and vindictive. This hilarious "mash-up" that hit the interwebs immediately following Kanye's little stunt at the VMAs is just one of the many, many, many reasons why I have this burning love:

I Will Not Read Your !@#$%^& Script

2009-09-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago A History of Violence screenwriter Josh Olson published a nice little rant in the Village Voice. While his rant is often quite amusing because of his colorful choice of words, Olson also makes quite a few meaningful points and offers some sage advice for aspiring screenwriters. I agree with everything Olson says and really appreciate the way he framed his arguments. My favorite part of the rant was the final anecdote:

You are not owed a read from a professional, even if you think you have an in, and even if you think it's not a huge imposition. It's not your choice to make. This needs to be clear--when you ask a professional for their take on your material, you're not just asking them to take an hour or two out of their life, you're asking them to give you--gratis--the acquired knowledge, insight, and skill of years of work. It is no different than asking your friend the house painter to paint your living room during his off hours.

There's a great story about Pablo Picasso. Some guy told Picasso he'd pay him to draw a picture on a napkin. Picasso whipped out a pen and banged out a sketch, handed it to the guy, and said, "One million dollars, please."

"A million dollars?" the guy exclaimed. "That only took you thirty seconds!"

"Yes," said Picasso. "But it took me fifty years to learn how to draw that in thirty seconds."

Like the cad who asks the professional for a free read, the guy simply didn't have enough respect for the artist to think about what he was asking for. If you think it's only about the time, then ask one of your non-writer friends to read it. Hell, they might even enjoy your script. They might look upon you with a newfound respect. It could even come to pass that they call up a friend in the movie business and help you sell it, and soon, all your dreams will come true. But me?

I will not read your fucking script.

Maybe I should have titled this post I Will Not Do Your !@#$%^& Taxes.

One Final Thought on BYU - OU

2009-09-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

I just watched the video that I posted a couple of days ago for like the 900th time. After many, many, many viewings I think I feel comfortable saying that my favorite part was the route that Pitta ran to pick up the crucial 3rd and 10 conversion on the final drive at the 4:55 mark of the video. His route is truly a thing of beauty. I love watching the defensive back get turned completely around as Pitta squares off the route, catches the perfect pass, and turns upfield for additional yardage. The balance and rock of the shoulders just leaves me feeling sleepy and with a giant grin on my face. Perfection.

Pitta. Pitta. Pitta.

2009-09-08T10:23:00.001-07:00

BYU vs OU from Brandon Orton on Vimeo.

Still Can't Stop Smiling

2009-09-08T09:01:00.001-07:00

14 - 13: The Day After

2009-09-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

A little over 12 hours have elapsed since BYU came out and stood toe to toe with the "number 3" team in the nation. I am still drunk on the elixir of exceeded expectations mixed with a dash of improbable victory. My throat is a little scratchy as well. Still amazed at the defensive stand that stopped OU six straight plays on the goal line. I don't think the happy glow of this win will rub off for years to come. Seriously so blessed right now.

Station Fire Time Lapse

2009-09-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

My good friend Mike Wiener sent me the link to this cool time lapse of the smoke cloud from the Station Fire north of Los Angeles. My roommate has compared the fire to the eruption of a volcano and I must say that the smoke cloud is how I would envision a smoke cloud from an erupting volcano to look. Pretty impressive. The video is on some dude's personal website so there was not an embed feature. Click on the link though. It is totally worth it.

Dangerously Delicious Pies

2009-08-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

So I have been in Baltimore since Sunday experiencing my own personal Office Space hell masquerading as one of The Bobs. The one shining moment from this horrible "adventure" was when I stopped by Dangerously Delicious Pies. Let me tell you, it was the bizzzzooomb.com. I sampled the peach, the pecan, and a savory pie called The Hot Rod. The Hot Rod was a potato and cheese based pie that was seasoned to perfection. The fresh peaches were the perfect consistency and not overly sweetened. The same goes for the filling of the pecan pie.

Personally, the true measure of the quality of a pie from my perspective is the crust. This is where Dangerously Delicious Pies really excelled. The crusts were nice and flaky without being dry and crispy. They were not over cooked resulting in the perfect coloring. And finally, I am pretty sure that they were quite generous in the amount of butter used to make the crust. In all seriously, this was probably the best crust I have ever had on a purchased pie. I throw in the purchased caveat because we all know that my personal pie crust is tres (I wish I knew how to add the little accent denoting this as the french word) legen - wait for it - dary.

So yeah, if you are ever in the B-easy and you have some free time between re-upping your Pandemic or WMD and when your flight leaves, swing by Federal Hill and grab a slice of pie. Totally worth the supposed bullet dodging you will have to do.

PS Baltimore natives are way too proud of the idea of how "dangerous" their city is. Newsflash - you don't live in Darfur or Afghanistan.

PSS The Dangerously Delicious Pies website could use some serious help.

NBA Draft 09 Behind The Scenes

2009-08-21T16:27:00.001-07:00

Terrence Williams pieced together some of the footage he shot on his Flip Cam during the days leading up to the 2009 NBA Draft. I loved the candid nature of everything and how genuinely excited yet nervous the draftees were. I would be as well if I was on the eve of achieving my ultimate goal in life. It is things like this that make me really appreciate the internet and the depth it adds to my consumption of sports entertainment.

Even More Usain in the Brain

2009-08-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

So Usain Bolt was arguably more impressive in breaking his own 200m world record today than he was earlier in the week when he broke his own 100m world record. Usain in the brain does not even come close to capturing the dominance on display. The closest competitor was what, 10m behind?

Avatar Trailer

2009-08-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

The trailer for James Cameron's 3D epic Avatar was released today. Click here for enjoyment. I wish I could have seen the trailer in 3D. I am pretty sure the movie itself is going to melt my brain. Especially after speaking with people who have been on set and seen the technology at work. December 18th can't get here fast enough.

Lost - Opening Credits in the Style of 1967

2009-08-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

Picked this link up off the Twitter feed from @kogibbq today:

Leica a la carte

2009-08-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

Leica has this really cool configurator on their website that allows you to customize their MP or M7 models. It is pretty fun to play around with the different options. The only drawback is that it made me really want one. This is a drawback because of the prohibitive (for me) cost. I really need to find a nice woman of noble lineage. Or one with a trust fund.

Those Crazy Germans

2009-08-19T14:18:00.001-07:00

Usain

2009-08-17T08:57:00.001-07:00

Usain Bolt broke his world record in the 100M at Berlin this weekend. I think he can still go faster.

Bike to the Future

2009-08-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

This bike will supposedly be theft proof with fingerprint recognition. I just like the way it looks.

Victory!!!

2009-08-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

I Love LA

2009-08-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this Nike SB ad this morning as I was perusing the interwebs. I'm not sure how old it is. May have been around for years or minutes. Doesn't really matter. I loved the Kobe and Ice Cube cameos. But what I really loved were the shots of the downtown LA skyline. The golden feel. And the smooth flow of Ice Cube's lyrical stylings coupled with the grace and ease of Paul Rodriguez. For me, this video perfectly captures my feelings for LA.

Behind The Scenes

2009-08-09T00:29:00.000-07:00

New Where the Wild Things Are Trailer

2009-08-07T14:49:00.001-07:00

Just saw the new trailer for Where the Wild Things Are. It still looks great and I am still really excited for this movie.

500 Days of Summer Reunion

2009-08-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

Floating Apartments

2009-08-06T08:40:00.001-07:00

Maybe I should move to The Netherlands. The Dutch firm Waterstudio has designed this complex of luxury apartments, called The Citadel, that will float on the surrounding body of water. Amenities include a "car park," floating road, boat docks, garden terraces with each unit, and views of the lake from each unit. Click here for additional photos.

London Calling

2009-08-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Almost there.

Scarves

2009-07-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have recently been quite smitten by the concept of scarves. I loved how Adrien Brodie's scarf pulled together his look in Brothers Bloom:

And then last week I watched To Catch a Thief again and was compeltely fascinated by Cary Grant's polka dot scarf:

So this past weekend I ventured to the fabric store in search of materials to fashion my own scarves. I am a little unhappy about what I came away with. I think the polka dot material was a calico and seems too crunchy and stiff. I also picked up some black silky like stuff but I wasn't totally happy with the color nor the feel. The black wasn't as deep as I wished and it felt a little to nylony if that makes any sense. I will give them both a go though. Worst case scenario is that I wasted $9 on bad fabric. Now I just need to find a sewing machine.

And So It Begins

2009-07-29T17:42:00.001-07:00

Book of Eli

2009-07-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

I have always been a sucker for post-apocalyptic dystopian films. Book of Eli, with its washed out lighting and deserty landscapes appears to be exactly that. It looks like Mad Max meets I Am Legend which means that I am looking forward to watching Denzel Washington, who by the way looks pretty bad ass with his graying hair, kick some butt.

Trailer Link

Summer Exhibit in Bristol by Banksy

2009-07-21T12:09:00.001-07:00

More Fun With Stop Motion

2009-07-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here is another stop motion video for your viewing pleasure. It is called Deadline and was done with post-it notes. Music by Royksopp. Good times for all.

In Honor of The King of Pop

2009-07-07T08:32:00.001-07:00

This little tribute to MJ from the newest Laker is solid gold. Needless to say I am a more than a little excited for the Ron Artest era. When does the season start again?

Smitten

2009-06-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'm totally smitten with this woman, Anna, who decided to create her own line of glasses. I don't even know her but I kind of wish I did. I think we might be able to have some interesting conversation for at least seven minutes. Or until I totally freeze up with awkwardness. Whichever comes first.

DOA

2009-06-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z throws some roots on the Autotune fad:

More Auto Tune Awesomeness

2009-06-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

It is well known around these parts that I am a fan of Auto Tune anything. I have always enjoyed Auto Tune the News and I really, really like Wallpaper and his song Text Me Your Love. Well, today I was introduced to the latest piece of Auto Tune genius. The video below mixes together some of the most recognizable sports "rants" from the last couple of years, lays them over some dope ass beats, and tosses in a little Auto Tune for flavor.

Well played Steve Porter. Well played. A downloadable mp3 version of Press Hop is available here.

Electric Moto Update

2009-06-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Newsflash - Thanks to Dan I learned about Mission Motors which addressed pretty much all my reservations regarding electric motorcycles. The bike they have created has a top speed of 150 MPH and range of 150 miles on a single charge of the lithium ion batteries. On top of all that speed and distance, Mission Motors claims that their electric engine provides max torque from 0 - 60 MPH. But wait. It gets even better. The bike looks fantastic.

I think it goes without saying that I want one. There is just one small problem. The price tag on one of the 50 available bikes in 2010 is $68,995. Ouch. I will have to wait until the technology becomes a little more affordable. I could handle $58,995 but $68,995 is just asking a little too much right now.

Brammo Enertia

2009-06-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

Electric motorcycles. I would love to have one except for the limited range and limited miles per hour. I recently stumbled upon the website for the Brammo Enertia which is easily the best looking electric moto I have seen to date. I love the shape of the frame and the way the seat is positioned over the rear wheel. From a pure design perspective I find this bike very appealing. However, it only has a max speed of 50 mph and max distance of 45 miles at an average sp eed of 25 mph. The Enertia would work just fine for my daily commute. I don't have to get on the freeway and I don't really need to go faster than 40 - 45 mph on any of the streets. The distance is also low enough for me to ride the bike a little more aggressively and not burn out the charge before making it back home in time. However, if I am going to spend $12,000 on a motorcycle than I want to be able to take it out on the weekends and get my speed fix while whipping through the twists and turns of Mulholland or Angeles Crest.

Dwarfed Punk

2009-06-17T08:50:00.001-07:00

I saw this video on the blog of a friend of a friend and thought it was great. Dwarfed Punk. Genius. I am still smiling.

#15

2009-06-15T12:10:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure when this photo was taken. I grabbed it from Freedarko who probably grabbed it from somewhere else. With that said, it perfectly sums up my feelings about the Lakers winning their 15th title.

This Is Why I Love The NBA (and the Lakers, natch)

2009-06-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Mad Hops

2009-06-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

This video is great for many reasons. Not only does Keith Eloi jump in to the back of a truck but he does it in sandals. Plus his buddies talking trash about Jarron Gilbert jumping out of the pool are pretty hilarious. Peep the awesomeness:

Down with Up

2009-06-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

So I saw Up in 3D this weekend and I totally loved it. The animation was outstanding which was to be expected but what turned out to be the pleasant surprise was how they were able to bring the characters to life with such depth and vitality. I'll be honest, I may have teared up just a little in a few parts. Oh yeah, and I also laughed quite a bit and may or may not have looked like a fool when I jerked violently to the right to dodge the broken propeller that was flying straight at my head. So go see it. The only way you will not enjoy it is if you hate really good movies.

PS That last sentence was a subtle tribute to Drag Me to Hell which was about a million times better than I expected. I totally loved it and I usually don't watch suspense/thriller/horror movies because I don't find the stress to be enjoyable. So go check that one out to. I promise you will laugh to deal with the stress and be totally blown away by the scene in the parking structure.

PSS I can't believe I forgot to mention before that the short before Up was worth the price of admission in and of itself. One of my co-workers liked it so much that he wished they would have made it a full length film. I respectfully disagree. It was perfect just the way it was and I wouldn't want them to ruin the magic they had already captured in those few short minutes.

My Favorite Laker

2009-05-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

It warmed my heart to watch last nights stellar performance of my favorite Laker - Lamar Odom. I love his goofy grin. I love his Go Go Gadget Arms. I love his post-game interviews. And I love how he plays through the pain of the disgustingly large contusion on his back without complaining. Word on the street is that the contusion was visible though his jersey on last nights telecast. Gross. If he would bring back the star on the side of his head my joy would be complete.