Sunday 31 December 2017

The Day 2017 Dies

The year comes to its end and I find time to ramble for far too long.

 Modern Countryside

All of my blog posts start life in a notepad document. The are a few reasons for this; it opens quick, never breaks and is easy to use. Then the is fact it doesn't shout at me when I spell something incorrect. I will spell words wrong and even make actual typos now and then, but I prefer not to be distracted by little red and green lines. They are all over the place as I get words from my head onto the page.

The may be a better way of doing this, but it works for me. When finished I copy it into a proper word processor (I use LibreOffice) then I go through it a paragraph at a time and remove all the underlines. Only then will the second draft begin. I will read it out loud and make changes to the text so it flows better. Or in some cases so it actually makes a modicum of sense. Once I have done that I jump back and forth making other changes, adding new thoughts and moving things around.

Autumns Colours

I find it to be much simpler to change what is there than to create from nothing. This post is going to be about my year but I just started writing about writing. I would move this lower down but I like the point it makes, If I ever get there. My life can be similar (why do I use words that I spell so wrong spell check doesn't have a clue!) I look at aspect of my life and make changes, move things about and clear out what doesn't work.

I have done this a bit more this year than in the past; and I like were it is going but the are more changes to be made. I have cleaned up many things over the last month alone my phone, my Twitter feed and my subscriptions on Youtube to name a few. Tastes change but various inputs had not, now those distractions have mostly gone. I have stopped playing Hearthsone uninstalling it from both computers my tablet and phone. I just drifted off from the game, it is fun but my time with it is done.

Yawn

Some things I will save for a new years blog but I have aspects from this year that will continue to be major themes and even grow bigger. I have had success with some and stumbled with others. I have started many documents like this and most didn't make it to the blog. It is not a waste but some practice and the is always the chance some will be reworked in the future.

But the biggest failure was that I didn’t do enough reviews. I made many starts that just fell off and then I moved on. Even with films like Pi that I still think about. One song faired better but the next one has gone down such a deep rabbit hole, to the extend where I have researched battles from the second world war in depth. More will come as I am overflowing with possibility's.

Countryside Church

Since I wont be watching a film tonight I will use this post to go through some of what I liked this year:

The year I found Edgar Wright, I love his films I shroud see if Baby Driver soon. Great, funny and cleaver films.

Inside Out and Up were great, still a few more Pixar film to catch up on.

Soylent Green left a mark as well such a well realised world and that ending...

Arrival. It was good then the reveal came and it became a master-work.

Kimi no Na Wa, another year and this would be the best of the year.

The new Planet of the Apes trilogy will go dawn as one of the best. They are all different but all brilliant.

Memories of Murder, I watched a few south Korean films this year and this stands out among them.

I loved the Last Jedi and don't agree with the detractors. I think that they don't see the themes clearly. I loved it.

But the was one film that for me was the best by a country mile. It hit me over and over again with beauty and awe. Looking at the cinema screen vibrate as the sound track blasted out was strange and the world was beautiful. That story and cinematography was unparalleled. Blade Runner 2049 is one on the best films of all time.

It wasn't the biggest year for watching films but I did like most of what I saw.

Pathway

In other media I read less books this year but I did have a go at some big ones. I delved deeper into the Cosmere and connected worlds together that Brandon Sanderson has so deftly crafted. He released a few books this year but I have also re-read most of his works. In Oathbringer he made connections that delighted had action that brought cheers and tears. The way he brought so many crowning moments of awesome was fantastic. The avalanche of action and plot at the end has many implications of which we can only just link together. His world building is second to none and the story flows so well. I am just a few hours into the audio book for the second time right now and am falling for the characters all over again. His interactions make the place seem so alive.

Its been a better year for my photography than I feared now I think back. I have plans for next year in that regard but I am happy with what I have taken and my recent exploration into deeper more complex manipulations. Only 6000 pictures for the year is low but the ratio of quality is higher.

Broken

It has been a tough year. Then why wouldn't it be, I achieved things by ploughing through frustration going alone and working to the end. It will change I will ask for help next year, I can't do everything myself no matter how much I would like to. At times it has meant I got nothing got done and at other s it meant I did far too much working through the night on barely meaningful stuff.

More trimming needs to be done, I must prune my life to grown in the direction I want. And without cutting off what can't be regrown. The is good and bad each year but I will use both as a way to improve myself and anyone who needs my help.

Close Up

Right its time to copy this into the document and see what survives. 16:08 right now lets see if I can get this posted before next year. I listened to the full Paprika OST wile writing this, The OST for Kimi no Na wa has gotten me through the revisions. Done at 19:00 with a few changes, time to relax.

Have a happy new year and I see you next year bright eyed and ready to grow.

Sunday 24 December 2017

One Christmas Song - Gaudete

Traditional 16th century

The first classical piece I want to talk about for this series. Gaudete is a song that has always resonated with me on multiple levels and is what I point people in the direction of when they complain about boring old fashioned carols.



It is a deeply religious piece but then it is a carol of celebration. Not a modern vapid song about a nebulas Christmas spirit. It has it’s meaning plain it the title. Gaudete. It means Rejoice; and the carol tells us why we should.

Well it tells you if you know a bit of Latin I suppose. Even with a simple grasp on Latin the chorus is easy to understand. For the rest of it as with a lot of the traditional carols it is both in praise of and informative about the birth of Jesus.

Tempus adest gratiæ
Hoc quod optabamus,
Carmina lætitiæ
Devote reddamus.

So which version to listen to? The is the famous rendition by Steeleye Span but that has never sat with me quite right, I prefer a version by a choir. Preferably a mix of male and female soloists, with each verse in a different voice. It adds to the feeling of many people sharing the story.

With a song this old it is perhaps wrong to say the is a correct way it should be preformed. The are many takes on it that I like; from all male voice choirs to children and acapella. Though just the one strong voice for the verses and a good group for the chorus works best.

Deus homo factus est
Natura mirante,
Mundus renovatus est
A Christo regnante.

I'm not the biggest celebrant of Christmas but this is one song that never fails to put me in the right mood. And to be fair this has become more of a song to be sung before christmas. Traditionally it is sung on the third Sunday of advent with is also known as Gaudete Sunday and the first of the Sunday that look towards the coming of Christ. (the first two looks towards his second coming)

It is the first song of the season that I listen to. I hate the trend of starting Christmas early. I don’t even like having the tree up until a few day before Christmas. As a song this fits into the time frame to begin preparing myself mentally for the season to come. And it is a season, it last weeks after the day its self.

Ezechielis porta
Clausa pertransitur,
Unde lux est orta
Salus invenitur.

The one way that this song appeals to me is in my taste for rock and metal music. I have with the help of this song developed a love for symphonic metal. The are so many similarities between the two types of music and the overlap in the skill required is large. It is no surprise that some of the Rock greats have been classically trained, and if you dig into a lot of classical pieces the are some very rock-like themes.

It just comes down to liking uplifting heavy music more than any other type. And if the is no better time of year than winter for uplifting music. And again music with a story and a meaning is what I prefer and this has both along with a very catchy tune.

Ergo nostra concio
Psallat iam in lustro;
Benedicat Domino:
Salus Regi nostro.

While I do appreciate many kinds of music I have my loves and this fits squarely into it. It is my herald of Christmas time, it sets the tone of how I celebrate.

Gaudete, gaudete!
Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine,
gaudete!

Friday 1 December 2017

2017 Film Log [December]

This is going top be a good one. INDEX

01. Dark City (01.12.17)
The is so much going on, and amazingly it is only brought down in a few places by it's 98 era effects. I love the setting and story, the subdued acting works well and it ties together to make for a distinctive and compelling film.

02. Captain America - Civil War (02.12.17)
Yes again. Such a good film and a few points fell into place, the is time for the requisitioning of help for the big fight. So no plot hole there.

03. The Animatrix - Final Flight of the Osiris [short] (03.12.17)
A hole filler fore the second Matrix film but it has nice characterization. The CG is showing its age but it has the polish to hold up. I have seen the Matrix films a lot but this will be my first viewing of the animated shorts.

04. Alice in Wonderland (05.12.17)
Well that was delightful. For 1903 the were some clever in camera tricks used. Short but it follows the narrative. Though if you were unaware of the story i'm not sure how much sense it would make. It's a shame the version I saw had no music.

05. Pixels (06.12.17)
Even with no sound on the film is barely tolerable. Watched with a commentary track, two guys being funny and mad at the film helped a bit. How can a film be this bad.

06. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (08.12.17)
This is how you make a effective horror film. Very small scale and very very creepy. The were different ways this could have gone and in the end the plot was solid. Very good acting and direction. The procedure was one of the more unsettling parts.

07. The Animatrix - The Second Renaissance [short] (09.12.17)
A look into the history of the world as known from the time of the Matrix. Very stylised but I could have done without the recreations of iconic moments from our history but now with robots. A few were very on the nose.

08. Battle Angel (10.12.17)
Classic 90s anime. I was intrigued after seeing the trailer for Alita: Battle Angel so I gave this a go. Very interesting setting and plot. Like most OVAs of the era it could have done with being a tad bit longer. I may see if I can give the Manga a look.

09. The Animatrix - Kid's Story [short] (11.12.17)
Watanabe gives the Matrix his own twist. Very cool style even if the action animations is daft. This hits the side of the matrix that for me is the crux. The perception of real.

10. Star Wars - The Force Awakens (13.12.17)
2 years on and its still a compelling watch. It flows so well and the pay-offs are so damn good. Not long to wait now for the next one, if it is anywhere near as good as this I will be happy.

11. Star Wars - The Last Jedi [cinema] (14.12.17)
It's different. They try hard to twist and turn things in ways that could work but then go another way, which luckily also dose work. Fun and engaging and I can't think where this is going next. It will be loved and hated but I think it works with only a few minor gripes.

12. Tekkonkinkreet (15.12.17)
I'm lost. It was odd and captivatingly beautiful. I don't know what the plot was or how it all fits together but the ride was good. For so perspective the title translates to 'steel reinforced concrete' but as if wrongly pronounced by a child. 

13. Ruka (The Hand) (17.12.17)
A subversive anti propaganda film from 1965 Czechoslovakia. It wasn't even banned until after the creators death a few years later. Though not on the nose it it clear in its meaning.

14. War for the Planet of the Apes (20.12.17)
Up there as one of the best trilogy. Very very good film. I love how the shift in focus over the films went from humans to apes. The apes were enough to carry this film and the ties to the originals were very well thought out. Next year I will have to re-watch all the originals i think.

15. Street of Crocodiles [short] (21.12.17)
Or 'nightmare fuel' would be a fitting title. Its good but a little bit strange. Going from vaguely interesting to very freaky to end on a pure mental note. I'm not sure what to think but it is very very interesting.

16. Dunkirk (22.12.17)
It was like a clever poem. The film structure is very unconventional but it works so well. The tension and pacing is always great and the story works by connecting all the levels together into a very strong narrative. Nolan is a genius and this is one of his best. It also doesn't feel the need to give too much about the event it shows enough for its story.

17. C'était un Rendez-vous [short] (23.12.17)
Recommended by Jeremy Clarkson on the latest episode of The Grand Tour. Very cool concept and very well executed. I like it when films have long shots and this one being just one must have been tricky to pull off.

18. Reservoir Dogs (27.12.17)
A masterpiece of story telling and character interactions.

19. Rambo 3 (30.12.17)
Like a paint by numbers were they got board of the small fiddly bits. It rushes what could have been a solid first act. then it is a standard action film structure. It hits the beats but none of it is deserved. Could be fun but the action is too over the top to be.

So the year ends, A slow one but the were some good films. No breakdown this year but I want to focus one the best. Of the month by a hair Dunkirk. The best of the year is Blade Runner 2049. I talked why is my last post of the year. Same again next year?