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THANK HEAVENS FOR:

the office christmas specials.

wonderful. wonderful.
wonder full.

OBJECTS THAT PLEASE

sometimes i'm frightened by how much i covet certain material possessions...

today i received my copy of the two-disc set containing both "good-bye dragon inn" and "the missing," two films by tsai ming-liang and lee kang-sheng respectively. i missed the first film when it screened here earlier this year. the second, i saw and loved; you can read my impressions here. the set i mentioned is an all-region taiwanese release that was very difficult to get ahold of by normal means. i had to resort to ebay to find it... but am i ever happy i did.

it's amazing how glad i am to just have it. with ay luck, it'll be even more entertaining to watch -- especially ming-liang's film... there a few truly heartbreaking scenes in "the missing," for example... hopefully i'll have more to say following the inevitable screening.

SICK AND TIRED...

...is what i am. and i'm out of liquid dayquil, my drug if choice during these times. question: why does a bottle of dayquil cost like 3-4 dollars at target and 8-9 dollars at the grocery store? it just doens't make any sense to me... this is especially irritating given that there isn't really a target near my apartment. very weak, indeed.

nerd television enthusiasts will be glad to hear that the mega64 dvd is coming along nicely. the final versions of all the episodes, extra features, and commentary tracks have been captured and i'm experimenting with compression now. there's so much good stuff that it's gonna be hard to fit it all onto the two disc set we're planning to release. though i haven't seen it yet, rocco tells me that the artwork is looking good as well. i can't wait to check it out. the lawyers have informed us that we can't print the video game titles onscreen at all... which is interesting. but other than that, nothing else has to go at all! i'm very excited to see the thing get finished, as you can likely imagine. we'd like to have it ready for comic-con, which gives me less than two weeks (we think) to get the masters ready for reproduction. can it be done? maybe. i'm gonna try my hardest anyway... it would be very cool for people to be able to pick up down there in san diego at the show. here's to hopin'.

it's a busy week for me... the dvd, jane's going away party, and a drive back to oc for a couple of skinny puppy shows this weekend should keep me more than occupied. so it doesn't help that i'm ill. but whatever. i've a got a cup of tea. what else could i possibly ask for?

dayquil. i'd like some dayquil. [sniffle...]

FAHRENHEIT 9/11 = PROPAGANDA

the good kind. and for one of the first times in my life i really feel like voting... right now.

IS IT TIME FOR A HAIRCUT?

yes or no?

CATCHING UP

i do plan to begin to update more again... i was in a bit of a funk. but i'm back, i think, and ready to write.

but really, what that headline is referring to is my recent realization that i don't follow the music scene with the same intensity that i follow videogaming and film. this became apparent recently when christian made a remark about the upcoming my bloody valentine box sets/dvd. i had no idea that kevin shields had archived soundboard recordings of EVERY SHOW THE BAND EVER PLAYED. nor was i informed about the fact that some of this live stuff would be released with unreleased tracks and alternate versions of the bands tunes.... or the dvd, which will feature live footage, home video type stuff, and music videos. i mean jesus. then when christian revealed that brian wilson and van dyke parks have re-recorded "smile" with the intent to release it this september, well, i knew something was wrong with me. i've always gotten news about specific bands from fansites, and the like. i hadn't been utilizing a single powerful, all-encompassing music news site, the way that i would for movies or games. it appears that pitchfork media is the answer.

so, now i'll share some quick music news:

• autolux -- along with jon brion, one of los angeles's most exciting musical secrets -- is set to release an album entitled "future perfect" this september courtesy of dmz records; this label is owned and operated by the coen bros. and t-bone burnett. this is exciting news for fans who've been listening to the self-released demo for the past two years hoping and dreaming that a full release was near. and if the official site isn't providing the information you desire, check out autolux.org for more.
• jane and the chrises of dealership are currently in socal shooting a video for the single off their upcoming album "action/adventure." the record is scheduled to be released end of july/early august, if i understand correctly. for a look at a section of the album artwork, click here. i quite enjoy what i've seen. congrats, jane and crew. this is all very exciting!

finally, shane, carlos and i sat down and watched beat's version of zatoichi last night, and i was quite impressed. we were watching the korean special-edition set (which you could purchase from poker industries) but the movie is getting a relatively wide-release in the states very soon. the editing is a bit wacky, but the action is solid and the acting -- especially kitano's -- is excellent. and there are even some very cool coldcut-esque moments that had shane and i tapping out the beats to "timber" with our fingers. fun, fun, fun. those unitiated with the tale of the blind swordsman may want to check out the trailer.

oh, and mario golf: advance tour is super-excellent. who knew that rpg stands for "role-playing golf?" i didn't, but now i believe it!

THE END OF A CAPELLA

UPCOMING PURCHASES:

1 x cheap electric guitar (used)
1 x vocal mic
2 x smallish amp (also used)
many x cables
3 x etc.

the time has come; i must put my money (and fingers) where my mouth is. it's time to rock. so get yourselves ready. the best band in the world is coming to knock you into the dirt... and then dance atop your convulsing body while you're down. with any luck, you'll love every moment of it!

but first: carlos and i have got to learn how to play.

i suppose that means we need a triumphant video... and eddie van halen. more on that later.

side note: saw harry potter. alfonso cuaron is multitalented. he's equally apt at filming teenagers holding their penises AND small children holding magic wands.

FORBIDDEN ZONE

a film by richard elfman. "it's pee-wee's playhouse meets eraserhead," says shane. i have deemed it "mr. bungle the movie." one thing's for sure... it's genius. ben's favorite film of all time has delivered, and then some... now where's my criterion collection dvd?

props to ben for organizing an extremely entertaining evening. carlos, christian, shane, rannie, michelle, nich, and jeremy... it was fun! let's do it again when it comes to berkeley... and again when it comes to SF. forbidden zone in a theater, three times. we are a lucky bunch, are we not?

DARTS OF PLEASURE

i was mighty tired last evening, for whatever reason... but there was no time for rest as i had purchased a ticket for the franz ferdinand show at the grand regency ballroom. christian and shane (the other one) were attending as well, and we had planned to meet up there. i didn't feel like finding parking after the show, so i took the bus for the first time since i moved to SF. it actually didn't take as long as i thought it would... hmm, time to start studying the routes, i guess.

because i was experimenting with a new form of travel, i left a bit early... you know, just in case. something went wrong. we lost a tire. the doors wouldn't close. the planet exploded. etc. of course everything went ok and ended up arriving just before the first opener: the blood arm. while the crowd's response seemed a bit mixed, i enjoyed their performance. i heard some dude behind me claim that the singer reminded him with "jack black with none of the charm..." a bit harsh in my estimation. i quite enjoyed the act and picked up their record as i was leaving. i'll be digesting that soon.

the second opener was a band from glasgow (christian and i were informed by some random girl on the bus during the ride back home) called sons and daughters. i found their tracks to be a bit boring, but i really wanted to like them. the band has a good look. they're sexy. the lead male vocalist reminded me of a cross between ferris bueller and opm's c-bake. his most interesting quality was that he looked as if he was about ready to explode as soon as he began to play. it was intense. the other notable member of the band was the bassist/mandolin player... she's just really cute and looked disinterested the whole time. it was nice.

franz ferdinand destroyed. they came out onto the stage when it was fully lit looking like the nerdiest bunch of nerds that ever held a guitar. imagine a band with the following members: george mcfly on lead guitar/vocals, spud (minus the drugs) on lead vocals/guitar, beck on bass, and rivers cuomo on drums. that's franz. except as soon as it's time to play, they transform to an extremely charismatic machine that is built to spit out the most catchy and impassioned tunes you've ever heard. i was rocked. hard. highlights: "the dark of the matinee," "michael," "jacqueline" and of course, "take me out." if you're a fan and have a chance to check them out, do so. you will not be disappointed.

on an unrelated note, i received my copy of gish yesterday. it's a 2D platformer for the pc developed by a small company called chronic logic. you play as gish, a small blob of tar who must save his girl from evil fiends who've snatched her. the game is notable for its innovative physics system, excellent controls, and fantastic graphics and art direction. if you want a platformer that feels nothing but fresh, i'd advise checking it out. oh, and in my first ten minutes of play i found a secret, super mario bros-inspired level. those lucky enough to locate it will be quite impressed. there's a demo to download, but i skipped it and simply ordered the game. it made getting the final product much more exciting, but those who don't feel the need to drop twenty bucks should at least give the free version a bit of a go.

HARDCORE AGAIN

over the past 8-10 years, the amount of gaming i've done has significantly decreased. this is probably because of school, work, or whatever other important activities i've had to engage in to ensure survival. because i've often had jobs that relate to gaming, i haven't stopped purchasing games or keeping up with current trends in the industry; in fact, i'm likely more aware now than i've ever been. but for whatever reason, i hadn't been playing much. sure, i'd check out everything i was interested in, but rarely have i been completing or spending much time with games that i enjoy. this has lasted for years. lately, i'd decided that this was partially due to the fact that i'd decide to hang out with friends rather than stay home and game... but since i moved out to san francisco, and into an apartment with some of my best friends, i haven't needed to leave home to feel social (sad, but true) and for the time being, it has made me a much better gamer. and i've been really enjoying what i've been playing...

and that's just it. there's so many great titles to play right now. i've spent a bunch of time with the legend of zelda: four swords adventures as i was tapped to review it. what you'll find if you click that link is that i enjoyed it quite a bit. i've also been playing a couple of great pc games: far cry and thief: deadly shadows. the former is a truly remarkable fps experience that i highly recommend, especially if you have a high-end pc; but if you do, you probably already know that. as for thief... i guess the experience just feels very fresh to me. i only briefly played the original, as it didn't run too well on my machine at the time, but even then i was floored by the audio. and while deadly shadows probably won't cause anyone to have quite as strong a reaction, it's still immensily enjoyable and a testament to the efforts that ion storm has put into it. it's flawed, oh yes, but still fun. and that's what matters.

i've actually been playing a lot of ddrmax 2 lately as well... and i'm getting better and better. i'm not expecting it to turn me into a b-boy or anything, but if it ends up making me b-boy sized, i'll be quite pleased. i do understand how foolish it makes me look... but that's why i do it in the comfort of home... where it's safe... and quiet... and if anyone ever makes fun of me i'll surely... yeah, no... it's silly looking. i'd deserve it.

then there's full spectrum warrior. i actually haven't played much of it yet -- it only came out a couple days ago, and i've been busy -- but i did watch carlos toy with it last evening. let me put it this way: the training mission lasts an hour and a half... or longer. it's deep, detailed, and has the user-interface that god built. when you finally get into the game, you begin to appreciate the polish. the environments and models look stunning and the characters are eeriely emotive and realistic. needless to say, i highly recommend it to you strategy/tactics fans. sheldon, if you're listening, this means you. get yourself and xbox and play!

and then there's riddick... oh riddick. yeah, i like it a lot. in fact it may even lead me to do something like this...

AN OPEN LETTER

Dear Starbreeze,

Why and how is the Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay so awesome? The engine is superb. The dialogue is fantasic. Each of the game's NPCs has a distinct and unique character. The melee combat is wonderful and diverse. The stealth elements rival (and possibly best) the best of what we've seen in games that encourage sneaking as the primary gameplay element. The action sequences are some of the most intense in any first-person shooter to date, and yet, the game still contains almost RPG-like adventure sequences that totally shift the pace and tone instantly... and those sections are immensily satisfying and truly make the game stand out among its peers. The art direction is completely fitting and actually does the engine justice. (unlike a certain other upcoming FPS boasting normal-mapped graphics.) The story is great. The player can shoot out alarms to turn them off -- this is completely gratifying, by the way. And god, the ambient sound design is killer. Being able to move Riddick's ear up to a closed door or wall and hear conversations on the other side -- conversations that I actually want to hear, mind you -- makes the game completely atmospheric... as does the liberal use of cursing in dialogue and in the excellent-looking and often hilarious graffiti strewn about the prison.

And it's a game based on a movie property... it almost appears that you've done the impossible.

I've only played the game for one evening and it's not even close to over yet. And already I'm amazed at your proficiency. I'd never paid attention to your work prior to Riddick, but you can bet that I'm watching you now. Seriously, amazing work and I can't believe how much fun it is.

And it came out of nowhere...

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Ryan O'Donnell

DEALERSHIP AT THE UTAH

carlos and i travelled out into the city proper last evening to catch the dealership show at hotel utah. we strolled in just prior to the end of a set by hawaiian getaway; they sounded really excellent, actually... i'll be further inspecting their work very soon.

dealership rocked, as expected, and i'm realizing just how much i'm anticipating the new record... this august, people. get ready. jesse joined on guitar for a few tracks and the additional instrumentation was appreciated, i must say. the whole set was pretty fantastic as noted, but the closer, tv heart, was played with absolute intensity last evening... special regards to chris wetherell -- very, very well played.

here are a few photos:



next time i'll attempt to borrow a camera with a zoom in effort to produce more varied images. and it was great to see you again, jane!