A quick update (knowing me, that's probably going to be a lie):
Fallout 3 is amazing. I love you, Bethesda. Rats off to ya. I'm now replaying Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. After that, I'll restart Fallout 3 and the cycle will be complete... Well, I might dig out Fallout Tactics (yeah, I'm one of the few people who like it). Anyway, here's some great advice for those playing Fallout 3: You should probably stop doing the main quest after you get Power Armor training, because once you beat the game, there's no going back to do sidequests.
I watched Kung Fu Panda on Blu-ray last night (it's release date has been pushed to this Saturday, by the way). It's one of DreamWorks' best films. Yes, it is super predictable. Yes, it has a stupid message about believing in yourself. Yes, one of Pixar's short films still has more heart and imagination in two frames than the entire DreamWorks library will ever have. Still, there are some funny moments and it does look very nice. Especially the intro, which is presented in two wonderfully stylish dimensions. I kind of wish the whole film was done like that... it was almost like Samurai Jack in HD.
I began watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army this morning (now pushed up the 11th). Now, it could just be the beautifully rich and saturated colors speaking, but this is the most fantastic looking live action Blu-ray I've ever seen! It's also refreshing to see something so original for once (every other film looks like it's ripping off the same few sources by comparison). The creatures and the effects are brilliant and make it feel much more like the comic than the first movie. Still, I haven't finished it yet.
I rented Young Frankenstein on Blu-ray the other day too. I was curious to see how a black and white film would look in high definition, and it's really quite incredible for something that's nearly 35 years old. There's still film grain and small defects (whatever you call those vertical lines and cigarette burns), but it is vastly superior to the original DVD pressing. I remember seeing that on an HDTV a couple years ago, and it was hideous. This new version is sublime, however. And of course, it's still freaking hilarious. My favorite Mel Brooks movie by far.
What else? Oh yeah, I watched Get Smart (speaking of Mel Brooks, I guess). I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway's chemistry is by far the best part of the film. Worth seeing? Absolutely. I love Steve Carrell. Whether as Produce Pete (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), Dan Burns (Dan in Real Life), Michael Scott (The Office), or Frank Ginsberg (Little Miss Sunshine), I just love the man. He's like this decade's Mike Meyers to me. Of course, their comic styles are vastly different, but I think it's the same sort of love.
Moving on to television... I started watching and am now (unfortunately) caught up on Chuck. Now I'm waiting for new episodes like a sucker. It's not the spy parts I like, it's the geekiness of the Buy More (their version of Best Buy) and the relationship between Chuck Bartowski and his lady spy friend Sarah Walker. The last episode featured Rush, Missile Command, and Stan Bush's "The Touch" for Christ's sake! How can I not like that?
I'm also caught up on Pushing Daisies. I love that television is now able to create something so artistic and charming with production values that rival movies. Pushing Daisies is something every sane person should instantly fall in love with, but I hear it's not getting good ratings. It's a crying shame. If the brilliant It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia can continue on FX, then there's no reason that Pushing Daisies should vanish from existence any time soon.
Other than those two shows, the Office and 30 Rock are really the only other things I watch regularly on television. I hear the Wire is good, but I'm not sure if I want to be sucked into a drama... Plus I still haven't finished Six Feet Under.
In the realm of music, of Montreal's Skeletel Lamping is pretty good and I've become a bit obsessed with Denver indie folk band Paper Bird. They're almost the kind of band I wish I was in (I have day dreams about having girls with pretty voices harmonize the lyrics to Nine Inch Nails' Closer and Big Man with a Gun... I guess I'm pretty sick). Too bad I can't sing... I'm still enamored with Minus the Bear's Guns & Ammo. I'm a bit sad that I had to miss a Boulder Acoustic Society show in Fort Collins tonight because of work.
Well, I guess that's about it for my brain dump tonight. Back to Fallout and whatnot.
Fallout 3 is amazing. I love you, Bethesda. Rats off to ya. I'm now replaying Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. After that, I'll restart Fallout 3 and the cycle will be complete... Well, I might dig out Fallout Tactics (yeah, I'm one of the few people who like it). Anyway, here's some great advice for those playing Fallout 3: You should probably stop doing the main quest after you get Power Armor training, because once you beat the game, there's no going back to do sidequests.
I watched Kung Fu Panda on Blu-ray last night (it's release date has been pushed to this Saturday, by the way). It's one of DreamWorks' best films. Yes, it is super predictable. Yes, it has a stupid message about believing in yourself. Yes, one of Pixar's short films still has more heart and imagination in two frames than the entire DreamWorks library will ever have. Still, there are some funny moments and it does look very nice. Especially the intro, which is presented in two wonderfully stylish dimensions. I kind of wish the whole film was done like that... it was almost like Samurai Jack in HD.
I began watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army this morning (now pushed up the 11th). Now, it could just be the beautifully rich and saturated colors speaking, but this is the most fantastic looking live action Blu-ray I've ever seen! It's also refreshing to see something so original for once (every other film looks like it's ripping off the same few sources by comparison). The creatures and the effects are brilliant and make it feel much more like the comic than the first movie. Still, I haven't finished it yet.
I rented Young Frankenstein on Blu-ray the other day too. I was curious to see how a black and white film would look in high definition, and it's really quite incredible for something that's nearly 35 years old. There's still film grain and small defects (whatever you call those vertical lines and cigarette burns), but it is vastly superior to the original DVD pressing. I remember seeing that on an HDTV a couple years ago, and it was hideous. This new version is sublime, however. And of course, it's still freaking hilarious. My favorite Mel Brooks movie by far.
What else? Oh yeah, I watched Get Smart (speaking of Mel Brooks, I guess). I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway's chemistry is by far the best part of the film. Worth seeing? Absolutely. I love Steve Carrell. Whether as Produce Pete (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), Dan Burns (Dan in Real Life), Michael Scott (The Office), or Frank Ginsberg (Little Miss Sunshine), I just love the man. He's like this decade's Mike Meyers to me. Of course, their comic styles are vastly different, but I think it's the same sort of love.
Moving on to television... I started watching and am now (unfortunately) caught up on Chuck. Now I'm waiting for new episodes like a sucker. It's not the spy parts I like, it's the geekiness of the Buy More (their version of Best Buy) and the relationship between Chuck Bartowski and his lady spy friend Sarah Walker. The last episode featured Rush, Missile Command, and Stan Bush's "The Touch" for Christ's sake! How can I not like that?
I'm also caught up on Pushing Daisies. I love that television is now able to create something so artistic and charming with production values that rival movies. Pushing Daisies is something every sane person should instantly fall in love with, but I hear it's not getting good ratings. It's a crying shame. If the brilliant It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia can continue on FX, then there's no reason that Pushing Daisies should vanish from existence any time soon.
Other than those two shows, the Office and 30 Rock are really the only other things I watch regularly on television. I hear the Wire is good, but I'm not sure if I want to be sucked into a drama... Plus I still haven't finished Six Feet Under.
In the realm of music, of Montreal's Skeletel Lamping is pretty good and I've become a bit obsessed with Denver indie folk band Paper Bird. They're almost the kind of band I wish I was in (I have day dreams about having girls with pretty voices harmonize the lyrics to Nine Inch Nails' Closer and Big Man with a Gun... I guess I'm pretty sick). Too bad I can't sing... I'm still enamored with Minus the Bear's Guns & Ammo. I'm a bit sad that I had to miss a Boulder Acoustic Society show in Fort Collins tonight because of work.
Well, I guess that's about it for my brain dump tonight. Back to Fallout and whatnot.
1 comments:
Wow so exciting! I got the first Hellboy on Blu for $12 used, and now I really wanna see the second one.
Try to catch Kath and Kim (it's on before the office), it kinda reminds me of arrested development or always sunny, or a combination of the two in the simple fact that the main characters are so unbelieveably dumb/horrible people.
That boulder acoustic society shows sounds cool. I'll have to check out paper bird, the denver scene will always be my favorite, the Arizona scene is weird and fractured. Too bad The Format broke up.
Ever get a chance to listen to Avalon btw? I saw Anthony Green live, you'de be surprised at the demographic at the show, lots of high schoolers and "bros" w/ their "bro-hoes." The venue was hot as balls and I felt as if I was going to pass form just standing, it was still a really good show though.
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