Dazed Thoughts

I have got a small lump on my head. Its just in the hair line and is tender. The problem is; I don't have a clue where it has come from!

I got my hair cut in town in the morning and the were no issues then. When I got back home I spent about an hour doing some bits and bobs and clearing up the leaves (for the third time and I will need to to it again sometime) Later just raking my fingers through my head I felt a bit of pain and a small lump.

It has almost been a day and it is still there and still hurts. My best guess it that a bug bit me whilst I was clearing the leaves. Its something I could have done without.

Merlin and his texts

I have decided to change my blog on Millennium Actress into a long form one on Satoshi Kon. I will be watching Tokyo Godfathers sometime soon. Then I will only have one more film of his to watch before I have seen them all this year alone. So I will wait give some detailed views on his works until then.

It shouldn’t take too long after I watch Tokyo Godfathers to get the post out since I have done a fair bit already. My biggest issues is going to be how to format it. The is less films than the Ghibli post but I can go into so much more detail.

Millennium Actress - The Interview

I heard a Christmas song on national radio this morning... Kill me now.

I don't get it; why would anyone want to risk getting sick of something weeks before the event. Then you get an almost total drop off before then end of the year even though Christmas lasts a week into the new year. I think its one of those things that I will never get.

On a stranger note I had put a few hours into a blog that wont go up. The evening after Trump was elected I wrote a 'thought piece' on the situation and it turned very abstract. It may see the light of day but very changed. I made some interesting points but they can be applied to just about any subject.

So long for now.

Remember Remember

A podcast has just ended that I have very much enjoyed. Its a podcast by the minds behind 'Welcome to Nightvale'. It only lasts ten episodes but uses a very interesting concept, relaxation/self help tapes. The help they offer is odd but they also get over some other things. The are hints at a larger story and an odd world.

A mix of weirdness and world-building with a fantastic narrator makes this a very worth wile series. I like how the arching story unfolded from with the concept of the self help tapes. The were time I felt for the narrator as she described her role and what she saw. They are doing a season two but I doubt it is a direct squeal. Very worth the time.

Marina

A bit of a phone update; I am liking it, a lot. The battery seems to last for a long time even with the increased use I am getting out of it. I have decided to use a full cover case for it it as opposed to a rubber backing. It gets in the way a bit but I will get used to it and it offers a damn sight more protection.

I have made an effort to use this phone better than my last. I have more data per month to use so I have been using it wisely. I also plan on using the contactless pay options and stuff as well. And I am using the damn calendar, lets see how long that lasts for...

Almost Ready To Fall

I have completed my Goodreads challenge of 40 books in a year a few months early; this is due to using audio books. Though an audio book takes almost twice as long to listen to as to read; I can fit in in better. ( I have got three stared dead tree book on my desk to finish) From walks to before bed at night or doing chores and mindless stuff.

I have listen to a lot over the last few years mainly fantasy and I could just be lucky but they were all great. Almost done with the third book of the 'First law trilogy' its pretty good. I wish I knew a bit more before going in book one. It would have been better at the time, but now I am where I’m at it makes sense.

Rear Guard

November the month of darkness and remembrance. Its going to be a busy one and one; I will have to manage it well but I should be ok. As a last aside I have signed up for Reddit's secret Santa again this year, it should be a bit of fun.

2016 The Year of Films [November]

November. Dark nights are perfect for staying in and watching films.
Here is the INDEX

01. Piper [Short] (01.11.16)
Pixar shows its skill in both short form story telling and their prowess in making a beautiful looking film. One of their best shorts and by far the best looking cg I have seen.

02. Coda [Short] (02.11.16)
A film about death and the parts of your own life you don't get to see. (You lived what anybody gets. A lifetime -Sandman) Interesting take on the grim reaper.  Nice bit of voice acting. LINK

03. Stanley Kubrick's Boxes (03.11.16)
A documentary about the work of Kubrick and his method in preparing for a film. His organization and preparation reaches crazy levels of work but he was far from the mad man he gets portrayed as. Nice little film, a bit odd in presentation but it got its points across.

04. Westworld (04.11.16)
A nice high concept but it fails to do much with it. The are some holes to the story that would make the whole better if they were filled. For a kind of short film it some how drags in the final act. Other than that is was enjoyable but very much of it's time.

05. The Backwater Gospel [Short] (05.11.16)
Very distinctive look to the film, it is cg but looks dirty. Odd story and one that make little sense, it meant to be a horror story but come off as more of a bash on religion. The was no pay off.

06. Road to Perdition (06.11.16)
I read the comic back in about 04 and pick up the film not long after. This is my first time watching it. Some big name involved who maybe weren't so at the time. It is a great film, the score is fantastic and the direction though a bit noticeable is great. Some awesome shots.

07. Little Match Girl [Short] (09.11.16)
A Disney short and a damn good one. Love how the is no sound other than a simple piano score. A old story (well it is Disney) but very compelling and with a sad ending.

08. The House of Small Cubes [Short] (12.11.16)
Man i need to find some uplifting short films. Very well executed film, from story to art and music. I loved the dive back i time being kind of literal. The metaphors were on the nose but that was the point.

09. Millennium Actress (13.11.16)
So mush to say, and I'm not sure how too. One of the best films I have seen, so complex and yet the story flows so well and the acting is top notch. The animation and art quality is fantastic as well. A inspired story and told in a way only achievable through animation. (a full review will come soon)

10. Riddick (18.11.16)
Why did they have to tie it in so close to the other films? Why did they rehash the first one? why do the effects look so bad? Other than that its a fun film, it is great when Riddick is doing his Batman style stuff and the intro was cool. A bit much exposition at times but solid over all.

11. Redline (19.11.16)
Oh boy where to start? It looks amazing, the art and animation is out of this world as is the design choices. Stylistically it is perfect. The story though, its just damn bad. To make things worse it is told very poorly. Far too much bad dialogue and lazy story telling. It could be so much better. Watch it for the racing and animation only.

12. Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future (20.11.16)
Crazy and very of it time. I don't know much about Max Headroom but this was a fun little film. Nice setting, they sold a gritty dirty future.

13. Angel's Egg (21.11.16)
A early work by Oshii and a very stylistically surreal one. I have very little in the way of dialogue or even story but it exudes style and feelings. It is more of a work of art than a film in the way Fantasia is. Very interesting and I will have to give it a second watch sometime.

14. Memento (25.11.16)
Very solid film. The narrative is what makes it great but the acting and story stands up with it. I'm not sure if a rewatch would make it clearer or not. Very interesting.

15. Akira (27.11.16)
Nothing to say. Still one of the best films ever made.

A solid month of films. Best? Millennium Actress, by a hair. worst? well most disappointing would be Redline.
On to the end of the year.