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June 6th, 2004
12:34 pm - For all of you who were eagerly awaiting a sequel to Pitch Black...
Chronicles of Riddick managed to be a standard dumb sci-fi action movie. Which, from what I hear, is an improvement over its predecessor. Nothing particularly memorable though.
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June 4th, 2004
03:01 am - Coffee and Cigarettes and Harry and Potter
I’m sure livejournal will be flooded with Azkaban reactions today, so I’ll just say that oddly enough the big-budget hollywood movie I saw today was better than the quirky arthouse one.
Seen a lot of movies with cool people this week. I usually see them with at least one cool person* but having three or four or seven of us there made it all the more fun.
*Two if Steph goes with me.
Current Music: Hedwig - Freaks
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June 3rd, 2004
01:41 am - Come get the nice dead ferret
Finally, a trainee who can actually learn. I was actually able to let her run the last couple sets on her own with no problems.
What I saw of Harry Potter served to make me look forward to watching it tomorrow night. Slightly more than I already was, anyway.
Hung out with ![[info]](http://library.vu.edu.pk/cgi-bin/nph-proxy.cgi/000100A/http/web.archive.org/web/20040606195245im_/http:/=2fstat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) pixelicious, bunny03, and various others for the weekly (drinking) Game Night. May have to make it a habit.
I sleep now.
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June 1st, 2004
11:03 pm - How shall we fuck off, O lord?
Just got back from Life of Brian at the Ken. I continue to be freshly entertained each time I see it.
Scix was right though: not enough people were singing along.
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May 30th, 2004
01:19 pm
When Troy came out, there were promo people at the theater handing out Day After Tomorrow keychains. They had a little digital display that could either function as a clock or a countdown to when the movie opened. Now that that day has come and gone, I’ve reset the target day/time to which it is counting down, so looking at my keychain, I can see that I have 19 days, 23 hours, and 41 minutes of bachelorhood remaining.
Current Mood: geek-ish
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May 28th, 2004
11:43 pm
Was scheduled to work at 6:00 this morning. Showed up at 6:00. Around 7:00 the opening manager showed up to let me in. Started building, and had the first print of Day After Tomorrow done by the time the booth manager arrived at 8:30, having slept through his alarm. The movie was entertaining, especially if you place your brain under your seat.
Came home, napped, read, played some video games in order to avoid political conversation (and in order to shoot zombies, because sometimes zombies just need to be shot), and that was pretty much my day. A beer or three was imbibed somewhere in all of that.
It has been requested that we list where we are registered, so if you’re curious the list is: amazon.com. Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Target. I think elvengrrl has links in her journal; searching for a California wedding on June 19 starring Chris Ward and Stephanie Burrows should narrow it down a bit.
Current Music: The Beatles - Everybodys got Something to Hide Except For Me and My Monkey
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May 27th, 2004
11:58 pm - So today I...
-Watched a movie of varying quality.
-Ran into pixelicious while waiting for a bus, caught up as bit.
-Discovered that the nearby party equipment rental place near us, in an apparent effort from dissuade people from actually patronizing their business, closes before at 4:00 on Thursday afternoons. At least I assumed the doors being locked indicated they were closed, as there were no posted hours either.*
-Finished one book, started another.
-Finished my first semester back in school by taking one of the easiest finals ever.**
-Discovered the fence by our trash receptacles is being held up by our trash receptacles.
-Came home, where I shall sleep for upwards of four hours before waking up for work tomorrow morning.
*By the way, if anyone local knows a good place to rent a few chairs (like, for instance, anyone who works in the event-planning industry *cough*veggiebelle*cough*) and has any suggestions, the information would not go unappreciated.
**Sample question: True of false, Humphrey Bogart starred opposite Gloria Swanson in Casablanca.
Current Music: Koji Kondo, Hajime Wakai - Ganon's Puppet - Spider Mode
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May 23rd, 2004
09:54 pm
This has probably been the least productive day in recent history for me. Which should be bad, considering the size of my to-do list, but I find it difficult to get very upset about spending a day relaxing.
Also, if anyone has been trying to click the link in the comic’s newspost, I fixed the html and uploaded it to the queue, so said link should work within an hour or so. (or you could just click here)
Current Music: Jennifer Saunders - Holding Out For A Hero
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May 22nd, 2004
03:39 pm
bigangry wins the prize for first non-dishes wedding present to arrive.
Thanks Sam - we’re looking forward to many repeat viewings.
Current Music: The Doobie Brothers - Jesus Is Just Alright
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12:31 am
Had my evaluation at work today. Surprisingly enough, it was a good one.
What did surpass my expectations was my rating in the area of Film Presentation - I got a 5 (on a scale of 5, where 3 indicates I am right where they want me to be and 4 is going above and beyond). The senior manager doing the evaluation told me in his time at the theater he had only seen four people get a 5 in that area. Made me feel kinda good and stuff.
On an entirely different note, a recent conversation has stuck in my mind, and now I really want to play Grand Theft Auto: SIlent Hill.
Current Music: Bad Religion - A Walk
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May 19th, 2004
05:04 pm - Shrek 2
Not quite as good as the first, which means it’s still better than every “kids movie” I’ve seen since Finding Nemo. Beats out quite a few of the “grown-up” ones too.
Current Music: Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah
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12:39 pm - With one month to go...
...the wedding presents have started to arrive.
*pokes the big box that arrived today*
*waits for Steph to get home*
Current Music: Gilda Radner - Let's talk dirty to the animals
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10:59 am
My work day yesterday consisted of building Shrek. Our theater has five prints of the movie; looking at today’s schedule I counted 32 showings of the movie. Apparently they think the sequel to a popular family film will do well if they release it right as schools are letting out for the summer.
Haven’t watched it yet, but I did see the attached trailer for Dreamworks’ next animated project, Shark Tale. It looks much less entertaining. On just about every print I built that trailer came shortly after the new one for Pixar’s The Incredibles, which looks vastly superior.
Then I came home and got clung to for a few hours by Steph, who was watching Scix play Silent Hill 2.
Current Music: The Who - Do You Think It's Alright
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May 18th, 2004
09:48 am
filmbuff
Like so: <font color=username><b>username</b></font>
Also, elvengrrl once again beat me to announcing the new 24fps.
Current Music: Imbroco - Northstar is an Airplane
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May 16th, 2004
11:27 pm - for those of you who didn't see elvengrrl's post
Apparently that 24fps comic is back.
Current Music: Zamfir - The Lonely Shepherd
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11:42 am - morning after
Dude, this moderation thing kicks ass. Not only did I have a good time at the party last night, but I’m not hungover and I remember all of it.
After sort of debating over what theme to go with, ended up basing my decision entirely on the fact that I found a Hawaiian shirt that fit me at a thrift store yesterday afternoon. A lei and a hospital grass skirt* later I was set for the night.
As per every party up to now, none of the people I invited from work or class showed. Which is just fine, ‘cause I meet plenty of cool people.
Thought for a split second bigangry had shown up, but it turned out to be someone who looked disturbingly like him.
Toward the end of the night ended up talking shop with a fellow AMC projectionist.
Plus the usual drunken singing, bad jokes, cartoon-watching and video game-playing, floggings, and general party fun.
*Doesn’t close in the back.
Current Music: Family Guy - I'm a little teapot
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May 15th, 2004
09:59 am
Saw Tsort Troy yesterday. Not bad, but not great (except for Peter O’Toole, who exponentially improved every scene he was in). I don’t know enough about The Illiad or Greek history in general to be annoyed by inaccuracies, except for the nagging suspicion that the Trojan war lasted a little longer than two weeks.
Movie was followed by work, where I had the following conversation with the closing projectionist:
Him: Are we running the 11:30 interlock?
Me: We’re running every interlock.
Him: What about the 11:30?
I was seriously tempted to find a dictionary to make sure “every” still means what I think it means.
Party tonight. Be there or be somewhere else. (just so you know, “somewhere else” probably isn’t as fun)
Current Music: Ruth Etting - Close Your Eyes
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May 14th, 2004
11:15 am
elvengrrl notices I nicked myself shaving this morning...
Steph: Oooh... you’re bleeding.
Me: It’s not that bad.
Steph: I know, I just don’t like seeing you in pain.
Me: It doesn’t really hurt.
Steph: But, blood equals pain.
Me: Then why do I keep going to the blood bank?
Steph: Because you like the pain, you sick fuck.
Current Music: SNL - Celebrity Jeopardy - Sean Connery, Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise
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May 11th, 2004
04:21 pm - the_phred's right, I should update this icon
Reactions to the promotion from family have been largely similar to those from coworkers. Namely an equal mix of “congratulations” and “about damn time.”
Also, elvengrrl says my ass looks better in the khakis.
Current Music: 'tangent - Free Falling
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02:04 am - Filmbuff: now 92% less likely to be killed on away missions.
For the past week and a half the projections manager (Ever) and the senior manager (Mike) have wanted to talk to me about something. Neither would say anything without the other one there, and scheduling worked out so the three of us were rarely available at the same time. I finally got tired of waiting for fortunate scheduling and checked when the next time Ever’s name showed up on the booth schedule: this morning. Mike was working Sunday night, so I asked if he would be in today - he would be there until noon. I didn’t work until five, but I told him I’d drop by around 10:30 (on my way to class) so we could get whatever this was sorted out.
I get there, wait until Ever finishes setting up and starting the press screening of Troy, and we all assemble in the office. Fifteen minutes later I emerge with a new uniform, a small raise, and a promotion to booth supervisor.
So I am a red shirt no longer. Instead, I will be managing more aspects of the booth and essentially making sure the entire booth runs smoothly (as opposed to just my half). More importantly, I look better in blue.
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May 9th, 2004
02:36 am - clopen
Worked until 2 tonight. Get to go back an 10 tomorrow later this morning. Woohoo.
Got some wedding stuff taken care of. For the curious (thinly-veiled plea for material goods in 3..2..1..) we’re registered at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Amazon.com. Also stopped by the tux shop and confirmed that I did pick a suitable color, despite being colorblind and not allowed to see the dress I’m trying to coordinate with. Also that getting a second tux will be no problem - we just need to get them measurements sometime this week.
More happened today, but since I have to be at work in less than 8 hours you’re just going to have to live with not knowing.
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May 8th, 2004
10:37 am - Haven House Party
May 15
It’s a theme party party. Pick a theme and come.
Current Music: Jethro Tull - Aqualung
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10:08 am - Note from work yesterday:
I’ve seen worse movies than New York Minute. If pressed, I might even need both hands to count all of them.
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May 6th, 2004
10:26 pm
I have to wait until Tuesday, but I may have been dropped from my astronomy class - taking too long at the Apple Store Tuesday morning put me over the attendance limit. That sucks.
Gave blood again, which also sucked, but in that way that it’s supposed to.
Went to an art show by one of Steph’s classmates, which was jaw-droppingly cool. If today hadn’t been the last day I would be telling all the locals to go check it out.
Got my test/American Beauty essay back: 49/50. I guess I trued when I should have falsed. Somehow being one point shy of 100% is more annoying than if I had gotten four or five wrong.
The movie was Do the Right Thing, which I own, so I ducked out early. I like that we have that option (not that we have yet had a bad film in that class, but sometimes I would rather come home a couple hours earlier).
Build-up tomorrow morning. Van Helsing arrived early and is probably built, so I’ll have my choice of might suck* or will suck. Who knows, I may get to watch both.
*Although with the tagline “A kozmik surf adventure,” I don’t think the outlook is good.
Current Music: Mark Knopfler - Revenge
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09:08 am - I can't believe I did this one
Refresh your friends list and reply to the 3rd entry from the top with the phrase “In the Butt.” no matter what the content of the original entry.
Then repost these instructions in your own LJ.
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01:29 am
Today we had to tell a prepared story in sign language. Something we had memorized, had a beginning, middle, and end, and required a minimum amount of new vocab. I told this one.
The audience reactions were amusing.
Current Music: Ben Charest - Tour De France
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May 5th, 2004
10:45 am
In honor of sink full of mayo, I am listening to Japanese video game music with a vaguely spanish-sounding name.
Current Music: 植松伸夫 - Vamo' alla Flamenco
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May 4th, 2004
03:49 pm - ...and I'm back.
Back on my own computer anyway. Went in to pick up my computer, and they had me go through my files and back up what I wanted to save before they wiped my un-usable hard drive and reinstalled OSX. I was there about three and a half hours, all told. That time, plus leaving the computer overnight, plus everything else they did to get me up and running again came to a grand total of zero dollars and zero cents. I officially ♥ the Apple Store. Officially.
Now to sort through the 600+ emails (deleting most of them, I’m sure), and reset various preferences.
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May 3rd, 2004
11:47 pm
Today I learned that lugging around my computer in stuffy work clothes under a too-hot sun su-ucks.
Dropped off my laptop at the Genius Bar - they said it should be ready in the morning (assuming they can locate the hard drive, which is more than their initial software check could do). Hopefully I'll have it home and working by tomorrow afternoon.
Then off to work, where I got to train the dullest individual I have yet encountered at that job. And I get to train him some more tomorrow night, which, combined with the fact that I am one of only two people there qualified to train in projections, means I couldn't get out of work for a much better-sounding offer.
On the bright side today, aside from being the only one in my ASL group with an actual story to tell (as per the current assignment), I was also the only one who could coherently sign it.
Current Mood: too damn hot
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April 30th, 2004
04:17 pm - More movies
Two this morning.
Laws of Attraction: This wasn't a movie so much as a bad sitcom idea stretched out to 90 long minutes. The jokes fell flat, the characters were one-dimensional, and the ending was the biggest, most absurd cop-out I have seen in a long time. A movie about people falling in/out of love only works if the audience cares about the people, and this movie didn't take any time to tell its audience why they should give a damn. I'm filing this one next to Intolerable Cruelty under "Why romantic comedies about divorce lawyers shouldn't be made."
Godsend: Moderatly interesting thriller. The story worked, but that doesn't definitely mean it's a story worth telling. Especially when the director felt the need to punctuate it with pointless "boo!" moments and half-assed religious symbolism. Had to see this one with an audience (there wasn't enough time to screen it before the first show), so admittedly I might have enjoyed it a little more if the people behind me could have gone ten minutes without talking.
( entirely unrelated wedding stuff that really only applies to Sarah )
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April 29th, 2004
05:07 pm - Well, fuck.
My computer was acting up last night, so I rebooted. Or tried to. What I got was a frozen startup screen with static lines across it. I had all the cds that came with the computer so I ran a hardware test - no problems there. Next I tried the OS9 software restore/install discs - neither worked. So I'm going to try to find my ill-gotten copy of OSX and see if I can reinstall that, but it may be time to own up and buy a new operating system. Maybe I'll look into how far I am from affording a new computer while I'm at it; my old laptop has its share of problems, and those G4 Powerbooks are pretty shiney...
But until then I am sans-computer. If you need to reach me, I can still check my yahoo email (buffythefilmbuff) from Steph's computer.
In other news, I got my tux reserved today. One more item off the pre-June to-do list.
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April 28th, 2004
10:30 pm - to-do list
Things that must get done tomorrow:
-Return late video.
-Small load of laundry.
-Go to tux shop.
-Not do too crappy on astronomy quiz.
Current Music: Let's Go Bowling - Hare Tonic
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09:54 pm
Kust got back from Connie and Carla. Definitely not a great piece of cinema, but it was fun, and I was smiling for most of the movie.
My one big complaint is the failure to pay any respect to Some Like it Hot, which the plot was directly lifted from. (and a reference to Duchovny’s role in Twin Peaks would have gotten a laugh out of me)
Current Music: David Carradine & Uma Thurma - The Legend Of Pai Mei
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04:25 pm
Got a conformation email from Comic Con. We have to send in a couple legal documents (saying that our booth won’t be too big or sell adult materials), but it looks like we’ll have a space.
Huzzah.
Current Music: The Mystic Knights Of The Oingo Boingo - Squeezit The Moocher (Minnie The Moocher)
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10:52 am - Mmmm... movies...
Haven’t rambled about movies in a while. So let’s see what I’ve watched recently.
Man On Fire: If you don’t mind the over-editing and Tony Scott having a little too much fun with the subtitles, this is a pretty good popcorn action flick. Especially after the similarly-themed but very disappointing Punisher.
13 Going on 30: Cute, light, and fluffy. Managed to sneak in one plot point that I didn’t see coming, which is one more than most movies in the romantic comedy genre. Not bad, but you’re still better off renting Big.
Girl Next Door: I had very little interest in seeing this one, until I started hearing good things about it from people with similar tastes to mine. So I checked it out, and it was actually pretty good. A lot of great music, almost none of which is on the soundtrack. Plus I went to school with one of the extras.
Mean Girls: Lindsey Lohan movies so far have never failed to bore/annoy me, but somehow I manage to keep getting stuck tech screening them. This one turned out to be fairly entertaining, if only because it’s a high school movie that takes place at a high school (instead of the kid-friendly pseudo-schools most of them are set in). Not great, but I didn’t find myself wanting my two hours back afterward.
Raising Helen: Didn’t actually watch the movie, but we screened it last night and found out that it will be preceded by an excellent animated short (I think it’s titled Leopold, but I can’t remember for sure). If, like me, you have very little interest in seeing another Kate Hudson movie, most theaters offer refunds within the first half hour of the film (not that I would ever suggest you buy a ticket, watch the short, then leave and get your money back).
Current Music: Malcolm McLaren - About Her
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07:49 am
Hubert Selby Jr. died.
I was just talking about Last Exit to Brooklyn and Requiem for a Dream last night.
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April 27th, 2004
April 24th, 2004
11:23 am
I dreamed in sign language last night.
Current Music: Clerks - Chewbacca, What a Wookie
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April 22nd, 2004
05:31 pm
Have a paper due for my film class today. Just had to wrap it up because I have to leave in half an hour. I managed to cover all the points specified in the assignment, but not nearly to the depth I wanted to cover them. Probably used less than a third of the notes I took while watching the movie.
The paper’s a little more than twice the minimum page count, and it feels too short.
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April 20th, 2004
11:22 pm
Robert Zemeckis once advised against ending or beginning a reel with a fade to or from black. His reasoning was the loss of a line in Back to the Future Part II - many projectionists made the splice after the last frame with any visual content, preventing audiences from hearing the sound recorded over the following few seconds of blackness.
Tarantino didn’t listen. Many of the reel changes in Kill Bill involve fades. Luckily, included with the movie were instructions for how to find the end of the reels in question.
Tony Scott didn’t listen either, but Fox was not so kind as to include any instructions with Man on Fire. Which made it a lot of fun to try to build in time for the screening, especially considering it arrived half an hour late. Lousy Fox.
Current Music: Bluntside - Let Down
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April 19th, 2004
04:24 pm
OK, officially have a Best Lady coming to Sandy Eggo for the wedding.
Now to find a tux, figure out seating, get invitations done (on paper that doesn’t have a garish watermark or two on every sheet), and, um, I’m sure there’s other stuff.
Current Music: The Who - Twenty-One
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April 17th, 2004
12:44 pm - ironic icon use
Yesterday I built unspeakable evil* for a screening this morning. Turns out we’re keeping the print, which means this movie will actually be playing in theaters - instead of going straight to video where it belongs.**
The animation, from the frames I saw, was about on par with your average flash animation. Definitely worth shelling out the ticket price.
*Luckily, this being a text-based medium, I can refer to it without speaking
**Preferably a video tape somewhere in the director’s basement, where he can make unsuspecting family and friends watch it.
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April 16th, 2004
11:47 pm
“Point to my uterus from the inside” is my new favorite disturbing euphemism.
Current Music: The Beatles - A Day In The Life
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11:30 pm
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind is the best movie I have seen so far this year.
Kill Bill just knocked Jersey girl out of the number 2 spot.
Current Music: Tom Waits - Cold Cold Ground
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April 15th, 2004
01:38 am
From now on I bring paper to work when I’m closing. The last five or six 24fps scripts I’ve written have all been on the backs of performance schedules. It’s just that exciting waiting for movies to end so I can go home.
Hopefully you’ll get to see one of them this weekend.
Current Music: -M- - Belleville Rendez-Vous (French Version)
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April 13th, 2004
11:02 pm - random bitching
I wish I was a parent right now, so I could specifically not take my kids to religious snuff films.
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02:14 am - I can't think of a witty subject line, so you'll just have to imagine one here.
Woke up, played tag with the alarm clock for a bit, then got out of bed. Took oakthorne and Jeff* to the airport, thus ending their excellent stay with us (I found it excellent, anyway; hope they did too), then set about finding somewhere to park downtown.
Meters were out, as they have a two hour limit and class would keep me for at least two and a half. The public lots weren’t much help either, as I had no cash on my person with which to pay in advance. So I ended up at the mall. Expensive as all get-out, but with with the all-important “Pay As You Exit” plan (sweet deal).
So I park, grab a quick bite to eat, and go to class where, for purposes of demonstration, I end up married with two kids (three spouses between them) and three grandkids. On the upside, if I ever master time travel I now know how to go back and propose to Steph in sign language.
Make my way back to the car, and decide to browse the surrounding mall while I’m there. Sadly, the game store that used to be there is gone (and the one by my theater will be gone within a fortnight - are geeks suddenly spending less money or something?), but other browsing finds me a cheap copy of Smash Bros. Melee. Buying said game would validate my parking, and since I am resolved to paying the price of parking either way, I mathematically justify that the game costs only $10, any buy it. On my way out the door, I remember to go back and actually get the parking validated.
Come home, play a bit, go to work.
Notes on trailers: New Spider-Man trailer looks good, even if I get the impression all the plot points are given away in the advertising (like I was going to go for a suspenseful story anyway). New Stepford Wives trailer is essentially a montage of the entire movie; even if I hadn’t seen the original, I would know how it ended from watching those two minutes if film. I think hollywood advertisers have a running bet going about who can underestimate their audience the most.
At the end of the night, waiting for the last too-long movie to end so I can go home, closing manager shows up to wait with me. At first I figure something is wrong (usually the case when anyone takes notice of us upstairs), but it turns out he just has to make sure everyone’s out of the building before he leaves. They’re putting a new air conditioning unit on the roof, and can’t have anyone in there in case it falls through said roof. On my way out I see why the concern - I’ve lived in apartments smaller than that thing.
Home now, and probably sleeping soon. Yay sleep.
*I think Jeff, as well as the other people we met this weekend, have livejournals, but I have no idea what they are and therefor cannot make nifty links for them.
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April 10th, 2004
01:25 pm - San Dieg-ites!
Haven House Jeebus Film Festival!
Swing on by any time tomorrow to see movies like Jesus Christ, Superstar, Life of Brian, Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter*, and maybe more!
Have a fun Jeebus movie you think we should include? Bring it with you!
Need directions? Comment or email!
*Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter seems to have vanished; none of the places we went had it, including the Hollywood where we rented it last time. Sadness.
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April 9th, 2004
06:04 pm
I’m eatin’ yummy cookies and drinkin’ milk from my cool personalized milk cup. Why? Because esyla is teh rocks-ores, that’s why.
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01:22 pm
If you want to watch a bunch of uninteresting characters go on about how great Texas is for two and a half hours before they die, then The Alamo in the movie for you.
If I hadn’t been up until two gaming last night, it still would have been a challenge to keep my eyes open for the whole thing.
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