I hadn’t been keeping up with my Strongbad emails, but I was running out of nonproductive ways to procrastinate so I thought I’d catch up a little. Anyway, I thought his take on the state of independent/indie films today was pretty spot on.
All posts by archangel
Blender Defender
Scaring misbehaving cats is hilarious. Using a bunch of technology to do it is even better. Be sure to check out the last video (dated 10-17). Hat tip to Masterchief.
China’s Space Program Makes Progress
For you space buffs out there:
(Note: Google Reader isn’t displaying the video, so click through to the site if you don’t see anything below.)
Nadia Oh
When I created a Pandora channel for Uffie, it kept playing stuff by Nadia Oh, who I never heard before.1 I won’t over-hype this – it’s well produced dance music sung by a cute British chick. Here are some songs off Hot Like Wow, produced by Space Cowboy.
Something 4 The Weekend
N.A.D.I.A. OH
Got Your Number
My Egyptian Lover
- BTW, Uffie make very different music, especially lyrically and vocally. And she’s got some really hot images out there. [↩]
Tarantino’s Top 20
Most people know I’m a huge Tarantino fan. He’s probably the first director to pop in my mind when people ask who my favorite director (or film) is. So it’s really interesting (to me, at least) to hear what he thinks is a great film, especially since his taste is all over the place. In anticipation of Inglorious Basterds, here is Quentin Tarantino listing his favorite 20 films since 1992 – the year he started directing.
Here are links for each film. They are indeed nefarious affiliate links to Amazon, but hey, gotta pay the hosting bills, and at least there won’t be confusion over the films (e.g., you won’t buy Blade with Wesley Snipes thinking it’s a Tarantino fave). And if you’re interested in seeing any of these, send me a message and I’ll be happy to host a viewing at my place. Assuming I actually know you.
Battle Royale
Anything Else – Woody Allen is another favorite of mine, and Christina Ricci is always fabulous.
Audition
Boogie Nights
Dazed & Confused – Also in my top 20.
Dogville
Fight Club
Friday
The Host
The Insider – This was good, but for Michael Mann I prefer Heat.
J.S.A. – Joint Security Area
Lost in Translation – One of my favorites, too.
The Matrix – The sequels sucked, but at least the soundtracks were awesome.
Memories of Murder
Supercop (Police Story 3) – I was a huge Jackie Chan film back in college, and this is perhaps his best. The soundtrack is great, too!
Shaun of the Dead – Personally, I prefer Hot Fuzz.
Speed
Team America: World Police
Unbreakable – The only disappointment here is that it was supposed to be a trilogy, but instead M. Night Shamalama ding dong pumps out crap like The Village and The Happening. And films that weren’t supposed to be trilogies, like The Matrix, get two lame sequels. So sad…
Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince: IMAX 3D
Just a quick note that Half Blood Prince is worth seeing in IMAX 3D. I thought the last movie was, too. The difference is that instead of the 20 minute 3D finale we got in Order of the Phoenix, we get a 13 minute 3D starting sequence. Still, extremely well done. And I thought the movie was great, especially considering all the material from the book that had to be thrown out.
Oh, if you’re not familiar with Harry Potter, here are some American Dad clips that pretty much sum it up:
YOU Want To Be My Facebook Friend???
So I can’t say that any former lovers, who ripped out my heart and ate it in front of me, have tried to friend me on Facebook. At least one girl I gave the brush-off to over and over has tried, but I can’t blame her – who could resist this pile of manliness? But I have had a couple people who I never got along with send a request. I keep thinking, “We never liked each other, we haven’t spoken in almost 2 decades – why are you trying to connect?”
Kate Miller-Heidke puts this sentiment in song, and much more eloquently than I have:
Do Not Call For Cell Phones
So about 5 years ago, I wrote about how you didn’t need to add your cell phone to the National Do Not Call Registry, and how rumors that the gov’t would allow telemarketers to call them were BS. Well, recently I’ve been getting calls from telemarketers on my cell phone, but when I went to complain, they wouldn’t allow it because my phone number wasn’t registered. There was no “this is a cell phone” box to check. Thank you, bastard politicians or shortsighted bureaucrats, whichever the case may be. So go register your cell number before they get you, too.
BTW, these weren’t 800/866/888 numbers, they were local (310) numbers I didn’t recognize. I didn’t answer, they didn’t leave a message, but I Googled the numbers and found them on 800notes.com. Pretty handy site.
Trent Reznor On Band Marketing
Trent Reznor has written a very intelligent, thoughtful piece on marketing your band. If you want to make it in this relatively new world of rampant digital piracy, you have to approach the market in a different way.