The Long Path Continues Into 2019

This must have been the longest year to have lasted as long as a year.

All things come to an end, apart from the ones that don't. I am ever-increasing given to the position that the construct of years is far too heavy given credence over our lives. (side note: what dose it say about me that my life is a path not a road?)

Like birthdays I find it to be tedious and rather dull. Life is far too complex to break down in equal chunks. My life has had many parts but not near as many as years I have been alive. I live by eras and I like the one I am in, one that I could say started this year but then it isn't also a clean line.

No looking back this year, only forward. Leaving behind me a wake of unwritten posts and other things that will be better for my life to be left behind me. The impact of the past on your life is massive but the past that you will make next will be greater if you focus on it.

I've not even had a drink yet and I'm being very abstract. I am finding the list of talking points I made for this post to be a mental wall, I think I will go back to having these posts as places to let free my wondering mind and clear up my head space.

Here's to the future. And here's to living in it.

One Christmas Song - I Believe In Father Christmas

Track 9 - Works Volume 2

Greg Lake

One of my favourite “popular” Christmas songs. Though it is not a Christmas song. Perhaps?

 

Death of the author is a cool concept. Art is what people see or hear it to be, so if the public at large believes this is a Christmas song who am I to argue? Well part of said public I suppose.

They said there'll be snow at christmas

They said there'll be peace on earth

But instead it just kept on raining

A veil of tears for the virgin's birth

I remember one christmas morning

A winters light and a distant choir

And the peal of a bell and that christmas tree smell

And their eyes full of tinsel and fire

A look at Christmas from the eyes of someone out of the loop as such. Taking all that we have come to accept as the perfect Christmas at heart and being disappointed by the reality. Also it is a lament on the lost meaning of Christmas, and at the magic that doesn't exist.

It even goes deep into the outsider view and the are some very cute misunderstandings. It also shatters innocence, seeing who is acting as Santa. It is all wrapped around a hopeful facade of Christmas cheer and traditions.

They sold me a dream of christmas

They sold me a silent night

And they told me a fairy story

'till I believed in the israelite

And I believed in father christmas

And I looked at the sky with excited eyes

'till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn

And I saw him and through his disguise

It ends on a brighter note, wishing us a happy Christmas, but it has a sting in its tail. What Christmas do we deserve? Dose it even matter what kind of Christmas you celebrate?

The musical crescendo near the end and the power in the vocals makes me shiver, it is one of the few songs to have a physical impact on me. His voice is fantastic and the performance is alive and emotive, you feel his sadness and hope.

I wish you a hopeful christmas

I wish you a brave new year

All anguish pain and sadness

Leave your heart and let your road be clear

They said there'll be snow at christmas

They said there'll be peace on earth

Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell

The christmas you get you deserve

I love this song and I love that it is a Christmas song.

2018's Film List [December]

INDEX

01. Flatline - How the Amiga Languished (09.12.18)
Another great documentory by Ahoy. Classy and very well put togther it tells the stroy of the creation and life of the Amiga computer.

02. Unforeseen Consequences - A Half-Life Documentary (15.12.18)
One of the best games ever made. I played it for the first time around 2002 and even then it was what cemented my love of FPS. This is another gret doc by NoClip that lookis into how the game and its sequel forever changed the landscape of gameing.

03. The Nightmare Before Christmas (19.12.18)
Didn't know Jack was voiced by Danny Elfman. My first time seeing this all the way through, it is famous for it's introduction song and it is class. A good film very well put together though the could have been more to the story.

04. Avangers Infinity War (21.12.18)
I have already made up my mind, this is my favorite film of the year.

05. Star Wars The Force Awakens (25.12.18)
Nothing good on TV tonight, needed something to enjoy as I relaxed.

06. Guardians of the Galaxy (26.12.18)
This film has a lot of heart. Fun and moving with some very very cool moments.

07. Mission Impossible - Fallout (30.12.18)
It's got ist head too far up its own continiuity. A good film if very predictible. Good action but I think it was plotted using dart board... in the dark... with a shotgun.

08. Ant-Man and the Wasp (31.12.18)
Such a fun film. A few strange edits that feel like they were for time but on the whole it works well. The use of the powers was good and the villian was strong but not thin.

So that is it for another year. Started strong but the last few months were very slow.

Best? Has to be a tie between two films I haven stopped thinking about since I watched them.

Avengers Infinty War - and - Annihilation

2018's Film List [November]

INDEX



01. They Shall Not Grow Old (12.11.18)
Aw we who are left grow old... On a pure technolical level this documentry is great. The direction and editing are what makes it a spectical. This is the kind of feilm we need, one that shows as much as it can. Required watching.

02. Neila [short] (30.11.18)
It both tries too hard and also dosent earn what is it aiming for. Good little film but it needed more breathing space.


Oh boy what happend this month? I shold get a bit more time in December.

Broken for Now

It has been a troubling few months. It’s been hard work all around. Even though It is coming up to a very busy time of year, I feel like I'm good to go.

 Surrounded by Ghosts

Do first off my knee. It still looks ugly and red, but the is no pain and seems like it will slowly end up as a ugly scar. It took far too long to heal up and the was a small fear of infection but a week later it was on track.

From my knee to my mouth. I kind of knocked out a tooth. Upper front as well, I banged my head (a far too common occurrence of late) and it cracked and came out a day later. The roots are still in as well. The dentist made expensive sounding noises when he looked in my mouth. So I have five appointments coming up and will need a few teeth out. That is not going to be fun, or cheep.

Ouch!

I have finally decide to give John Scalzi a go. He is a Sifi author and I have jumped into his first book. 'Old Man’s War' is was good I feel like it could have dome more with the premise but it is a solid space marine story. I've just about done with the sequel as well.

The style is good and had given me a push into getting back into writing myself. I have decided to give NaNoWriMo a shot this year. I have three ideas of different sizes to focus on and I will keep a daily word count. It should be a good bit of fun. I just ned to find time to give it a go.

Light Drawings

I had a crazy evening a few weeks back, I had two days notice that a choir wanted their concert recording. I didn't have access to all my kit and no time for a good set up but I somehow pulled it off. The edit was a pain having four cameras running at different times. It came out well enough. It could be better but everyone is happy with it.

I even have been asked to do two more recoding for the church in December. They should be a fair bit less stressful. I think I know how I want to do it, though I will need to borrow my brothers camera as well.

The Edit

The was plenty more I wanted to say but this blog has been in the works for weeks so things have fallen away. Oh and here are some photos of fireworks from last weekend.

2018's Film List [October]

INDEX!

01. James Bond Thunderball (12.10.18)
Where to start? It feels like they shot both too much footage and not enough. Very disjointed with a solid start that fall apart when they have far too much going on. Or the try to have lots going on. Still fun bit it is a bad film.

02. Escape [short] (22.10.18)
Stephen Fry voices a AI in a warning about the possible future.

03. The Floorwalker (27.10.18)
An early Charlie Chaplin film. No captions with explanations in this one but the acting is good enough to show the story.

04. The Life of Brian (28.10.18)
This film trucks along. Such a good and clever film. I think only those who don't know enough history could be offended by it (or people who haven't seen it).

05. Pipe Dream [short] (29.10.18)
A blast from the past, this was the internet for me back in the early 2000's. Love the lighting and camera moves. Oh and it goes without saying the music is great.

06. Bohemian Rhapsody [cinema] (30.10.18)
"You will remember When this is blown over And everything's all by the way
When I grow older I will be there at your side to remind you how I still love you, I still love you."

Best: Bohemian Rhapsody.

2018's Film List [September]

INDEX

01. Hardcore Henry (01.09.18)
Like Crank this is a film with a cool concept where the execution is turned up to crazy. Some parts that were shot with a older GoPro had noticeable fisheye that looked bad but otherwise very well shot. Dumb fun with a hint of cool story but faultless effort.

02. Neutral [short] (03.09.18)
Bizarrely compelling. Not sure about the opening shot or the aspect ratio but they are stylistic decisions. The plot is simple with a bit of strange thrown in for good measure. Not even sure if I liked it.

03. Isle of Dogs (05.09.18)
Funny, heart-warming, charming and impactful. Wes Anderson is a master at off beat comedies. This is one of the best films I have seen in ages, the is so much detail and creativity put into it.

04. Deadpool 2 (07.09.18)
Sags a bit in places but it works well. Some of the best parts had nothing to do with Deadpool, Domino is great and the music choices are great. A fun film with its heart in the right place.

05. James Bond From Russia With Love (09.09.18)
Always strange to have continuity in Bond though it happens more often than I think. I love the plot it doesn't come together until the end but it is very tightly plotted. This is the model bond will follow and expand upon, perhaps the new films should take notes. Also Matt Munro is fantastic.

06. Annihilation (15.09.18)
I paid particular notice to both the music and the tattoo this time around. Such a fantastic film and the kind of sifi that should me made more often.

07. Laputa Castle in the Sky (22.09.18)
Such a wonder filled film. Tooth ache and a bad beer didn't ruin this great fantastical romp. The soundtrack and direction are both top tier. The animation quality and detail is absurdly good. Only my second time watching this and I noticed things that tie it to Nausicaä.

08. Avengers - Infinity War (28.09.18)
Yes again! I could; so I did.

09. James Bond Goldfinger (29.09.18)
A strange beast this, the Bond film that dose most for defining the series but it is also odd. Bond has very little effect on the plot directly, is responsible for getting two women killed and spends most of his time aggravating the villain. The are some strange holes in the actions of Goldfinder as well, why kill the mob bosses and why the act with the one who gets crushed? It is a good film but very lacking in places.

Best? Hard choice this one, I think I'll say Isle of Dogs.

...Fun Few Days

So I'm spending my 29th birthday sat at home struggling to hobble my way around. 

It has not been a fun few days!

Ouch!

I got back from my holiday on Saturday and was looking forward to starting work again on Monday. I still cycle to work, so I got up early dug my bike out of the shed and set off in the light rain. I was going nicely along the canal just about to go past the Lockkeeper, when the next thing I knew I was on the floor my bike twisted under my legs.

I must have landed on my left knee and left handlebar. My knee was leaking a lot of blood and the break handle on the left of my bike had snapped off with a big dint in the end of the handle bar. I hurt a lot. I don’t know how it happened, could be a lot of things I suppose.

New Entrance

I hobbled around in pain getting my thoughts together. I used my water bottle to wash the blood away (it was starting to pool in my sock and boot) it looked like a nice scrape. A quick check found no other obvious injury's. The was nothing else to be done so I gingerly continued on my way to work.

It was not a fun ride. The was a fallen tree over the path at one point, I had to lift my bike over then shimmy under. I took the journey slow checking down at my knee often. The blood had stooped and it was a bit numb. This has been a hall mark of this injury not much in the way of pain.

Coming Through

I managed to get to work in time and cleaned myself up. I had a drink stretched off and felt ok. Until about half an hour into working. They have a good team at work and sorted my injury out and decided I should go to hospital.

Hospital is always fun, it was my first visit in over ten years and it was smooth process (apart from the 6 attempts to took to take a blood sample). Two clean ups with a bit of poking one x-ray and a CT scan. It took a while for them to be happy nothing in my knee joint was damaged so all I needed was a deep clean and stitches. Which would have to wait until the next day.

Recovering

That night was fun. Sleeping on the sofa in a daze created by Co-Codamol. They had put a huge bandage on and movement was difficult but I managed. I was awoken the next morning by a call asking me to git in for day surgery. Most of which was spent sat about waiting.

I have no memory of the surgery and I haven't even seen my wound yet. The bandages need to be changed on Friday so I should get a good look then. It hurts a bit but nothing ordinary painkillers couldn't handle. It is just going to be an awkward few weeks until I'm back up to shape.

Relaxing?

So yeah I'm just catching up on some videos and books for the next few days. I'm hoping to have a bit more movement after the bandage gets changed. Oh and here is a very dumb thing to round things off. I haven been given crutched because the was nobody qualified to tech me how to use them.

It has been a fun birthday on the phone to work to keep them up to date but I now need to make my way over to give in my sick note. Two more weeks of fun.

2018's Film List [August]

INDEX

01. Avengers Infinity War (03.08.18)
The bad guy has to make sacrifices to get what he wants. It is a simple thing that many story mess up, make your antagonist someone who under slightly different circumstances you would root for. Marvel knocked this out of the park and into orbit.

02. The Bourne Supremacy (04.08.18)
This film has a bit of a odd framework. The film is effectively over then we get a very cool car chase. The last two scenes are what makes the bourne trilogy so great, it goes to difficult places and its style is so distinctive.

03. Ant-Man and the Wasp [cinema] (05.08.18)
A good bit of fun, simple and very charter driven. Again a antagonist who is complex and only just falls into being a villain. Some very cool action, jokes are hit and miss but that happens.I did pick up one one or two strange edits, like parts were missing or shortened.

04. The Bourne Ultimatum (10.08.18)
The style is still there but it lacks some of the simplicity of the first. Some very cool moments but lacks a through-line. A very very good trilogy. I suppose I will have to watch the next two sometime.

05. Crank (11.08.18)
It's dose the dumb unintentional funny stuff from bad 80s action movies but on purpose. Very cool concept and the style is odd. Proper dumb fun.

06. Thor Ragnarok (29.08.18)
The directors commentary. A fun film to relax to on a lazy birthday.

07. James Bond Dr No (31.08.18)
I didn't remember the plot going in, now I'm not sure I could summerize it. It falls apart in the final third with Dr No being wasted. Some very cool moments and shots but the dragon set piece is horrendous. So much could be said about early 60s Bond but it is of its time, at least this one is fun.

Best of the bunch? Avengers IW no contest.

2018's Film List [July]

INDEX

01. Blade Runner 2049 (08.07.18)
Such a epic film. Many moving parts come together to make for a film that is just outstanding.

02. Spider-Man: Homecoming (20.07.18)
I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to get around to seeing this again. The best Spider-Man film hands down. The ties with the greater universe are well done and the moments from here they referenced in 'Infinity War' hit harder.

03. UNCHARTED [short] (21.07.18)
The adaptation of the games have been in development hell for years but this fan film shows the is a lot of potential. The games are very influenced by Indian Jones so it make sense that it would work.

04. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (22.07.18)
One of the best films of all time?

05. GOG: Preserving Gaming's Past & Future (23.07.18)
The good guys of computer gaming. Such hard work that goes into bringing 20 year old games no new computers. Another great documentary by NoClip.

06. A Farewell to Arms [short] (25.07.18)
A cool little feature that demonstrates all of the aspects of WETA in New Zealand.

07. Inception. (28.07.18)
One of the best directed films. One of the best scripts. One of the best scores.
One of the best films!

08. The adventures of Mr. Incredible [short] (29.07.18)
Pixar's send up of old superhero 'animations'. The live action mouth style gives it a very strange look. Even though this is a parody it is strange to think stuff like this was common.

09. The Bourne Identity (30.07.18)
The soundtrack stood out to me this time. Which makes sense, I know this film backwards plot and action wise. The are times where some piano plonks came in subtle and reminded me of Max Payne. Such a good film, simple and thrilling.


I Can't choose out of this lot, 5 damn good films.

I Haven't been for a run in over a week

But I have cycled over 65 miles this week.

 Untitled

Sooooooooooooooo, I have a new job. It may only be temporary but if I can make a good impression it could lead somewhere nice. The work it's self is easy enough just very monotonous. Getting up a 6 for the 8am start has been ok though. I can see myself doing this for a long time working my way up or just as a stop gap between something in more my wheelhouse.

It is the end of my first week and so far so good. The conditions are friendly and helpful. It only take about 45 minuets to get there gong gently and 45 back going a bit more energetically. Lets hope the is no shoe to drop.

RABBIT

I'm also shopping around for a new bike. Mine died many years ago and when necessary I have borrowed my brothers. It is good just not the kind I like. My route to work is almost entirely along the canal and a mountain bike with chunky tires would be a great help.

I don't want to go over board with anything; just something to get me there and back again five days a week. Plus it is about time to start up driving lessons again. The steady pay-check will be focused in that direction for now. Time to save up.

Ducks Eye View

Just a small update for today, I'm posting this then I will relax and watch a film. 

Not sure what yet though.

2018's Film List [June]

Into month six. INDEX

01. Le Voyage Dans la Lun (A Trip to the Moon) (01.06.18)
My first time watching this historic film. The choreography and blocking were superb as was the set design. It is strange to think that this was filmed in a time closer to Napoleon than today. I had the OST from 'To the Moon' in the background.

02. for the birds [short] (03.06.18)
Still Pixar's best short film.

03. The History of Bethesda Game Studios (06.06.18)
A fantastic look bu Noclip into the one of the giants of game creators. 20 years of history compressed in 90 minutes but it show a interesting history and the story of the studio. Fascinating to look at.

04. Oceans Eleven (08.06.18)
As good as I remembered if a bit simpler to follow. I love what this film dose with it's editing and structure. Very classy and elegant, even if the are one or tow spots in which it shows it's age.

05. Oceans Twelve (09.06.18)
I had never seen this one, I had heard bad things about it. It is a good and fun watch but it doesn't come close to the first one. Theses films aren't as clever as they think they are (like slight of hand that may be the point). It fell down on the turn it need to win.

06. Black Panther (11.06.18)
Up there as one of the best Marvel films. Such a strong story and theme, which plays off of the audio visual delight that is this film. Simple but very effective.

07. The Making of Fallout 76 (13.06.18)
Noclip back with a very cool look into a game that is still being worked on. The is so much that goes into modern games and for one of this scale its hard to comprehend. Very interesting.

08. Rebooted [short] (17.06.18)
A fun tongue in cheek look at the transformation of Batman. Some very interesting insights and the way it all pieced together worked brilliantly.

09. Jason and the Argonauts (22.06.18)
This seemed to be on TV all the time when I was growing up. What I now know about mythology dose weaken the film a bit. It is a lot of fun even if the first act is very rushed. The moment when the giant statue of Talos turns it head is one of the best film moments and has struck with me for years. side not looking into the cast list I didn't recognise Patrick Troughton.

10. Animated Putty [short] (26.06.18)
Regarded as on of the first stop animation films. Some very cool techniques are used including double exposure and reversing the film. Seems to be a test of concept but very very cool.


So the were two things that hit the number of film I could watch this month. A new job and the World Cup. Best: Black Panther.

Up’s and Down’s

Well its been a while, but not for the lack of trying. This should just get out before the end of the month. (I hope)

Spring Bouquet

I have been running again! I’m not sure how I've been able to stick to it this time; perhaps it’s that I'm changing my route more, or that I decided not to track any kind of stats. All I have done in that regard is measure the length of the routes. But is been fun and actually kind of easy.

I have had a few issues with pain in my legs but stretching it off has seemed to work for now. No issues with my fitness but I have been starting slow. I think I need to work on my technique a bit, my strides should be longer. (that could pull on my calf's come to think about it.) Here’s hoping that next time I post I will still be going strong.

Feeding

The internet has gotten a minor but much needed speed boost. Just enough now that several of us in the house can be online with no major issues. The new router helped a bit but more so for transferring files between machines. Its a nice bonus that helps productivity and has taken away a bit of stress.

Speaking of work I have the last few month open up other paths to look down. Its no good getting tunnel vision the should be plenty out there to find. Its been a crazy few months in almost every way but I’m through it.

Bee on Blossom

I have been meaning to have done a couple of ‘One Song’ posts but I keep on getting distracted. I have been listing to a lot of soundtracks (to the moon, Lain, Your Name and Ghost in the Shell to name a few). I may have to do a post about OSTs sometime. I should knuckle down and finish one off.

I have also been introduced to a cool Swedish metal band called Sabaton. I was listening to a Podcast about siege warfare and they played this song by Sabaton. It’s about how the Polish Winged Hussars broke a siege of Vienna. Most of their songs are about military history and the vocals are great. (they have also been the sound track for writing up this post.)

ABXY

Last week I woke up to the news that someone had died during the night. John Bain was a personality I have been following on youtube for years. He was one of a new breed of celeb, very professional but due to the personal nature of youtube the was a strong connection between creator and audience. He was strong willed and very forthright and a bit of a legend in his circles. He died of cancer at the age of 33.

Cancer seems to have been a shadow haunting me lately. A few of my friends and collogues have been diagnosed over the last year. It is very sad but they have the strength and will to fight it. They say is has a very high chance of impacting everybody's life in one way or another.

My Number is Up

My posts on here tend to come in spurts so who knows I may well get some of the posts I have been sitting on out some time this year.

2018's Film List [May]

Into May. INDEX

01. Panda! Go, Panda! The Circus in the Rain (04.05.18)
As fun and light as the first. The panda looks a bit like a proto Totoro. 

02. Ohayo [Short] (05.05.18)
A live action take on Satoshi Kon's fantastic animated short. They did well with the confines of the medium and it got the point across, it just lacks something... Maybe if they had taken it a bit further?

03. Retro Ahoy: The Secret of Monkey Island (20.05.18)
A great documentary about a great game. The history of point and click games is fascinating and what Monkey Island brought tot the table ushered in the golden age of the genera. This has reminded me I need to get the soundtracks to all of the Monkey Island games. A very well put together doc.

04. The Enduring Magic of the Radiophonic Workshop (21.05.18)
A short documentary on the great Radiophonic Workshop. The scale and scope has changed so much since the late 50s but the sound is still inspiring.

05. Deadpool 2 [Cinema] (22.05.18)
I don't know how I feel about this one. I enjoyed it a lot but it felt like is was missing something. According to rumours the is going to be a extended version so I guess that is about right. Domino stole the show for all screen time.

06. Avengers - Age of Ultron (25.05.18)
Very solid, with some great moments. It feels a bit rushed at first but from the farm onwards it is great. This is the film that thrusts the overarching plot forward and it is cool now to look back and see what was shown to us back then.

07. TANK [short] (26.05.18)
Very cool little film inspired by vector arcade games. I love the orange and teal colours and the simple but well shot story. Reminds me of when I used to play tank hunter back in the 90s.

08. Fantastic Planet (27.05.18)
What were they on in France back in 1973? One of the craziest films I have seen and that takes some doing. I liked it even if it felt rushed in places. I love the art style and the music but it is let down by its story telling.

09. Hellboy 2 - The Golden Army (28.05.18)
A nice bit of fun. Very well made and directed even if the plot is iffy in parts.It is a shame they never did the third film, this one set up so much towards it.

10. Solo - A Star Wars Story [Cinema] (29.05.18)
A one in a million shot. and they pulled it off. It sags in places but the film is fun and the ending is great.

11. Akira (30.05.18)
Wow this looks and sounds fantastic in 1080p. My first time watching with subs as well, much better than the god awful 1988 dub. Kaneda is very childish; it never struck me before just how immature he is. Still of the the greats.

A bit better than I had feared. Still down on what I would usually get through. Best is Akira, coming in late to steal the show.

2018's Film List [April]

April! INDEX

01. Sunshine (01.04.18)
Hand wave the premise and the film is not that bad. I liked the strange editing but other than that it is very by the numbers. I should say off the films of this type it is one of the more accurate and compelling.

02. Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Chrome (02.04.18)
"You will ride eternal and chrome"

03. First Squad (04.04.18)
A co Japanese and Russian production. I watched the Russian version as it seemed to be a bit more fitting. Interesting story and world building but it was lacking in places. The action had no weight to it and some of the 3d models were a bit out of place. Over all it was just OK.

04. Horus: Prince of the Sun (06.04.18)
The first film by Isao Takahata who sadly died last night (at the age of 82) one of the founders of the great Studio Ghibli and you can see here what aspects he goes one to make his own. The story is a simple traditional tale with all the hall marks of age old story's. It is obvious how unfinished it is but the way they made do in the battles works quite well. Takahata is up there with his collogue Miyazaki. He gave the world of animation so much and in 'Grave of the Firefly's' and 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya' two very different films but ones that affected me deeply.

05. Panda! Go, Panda! (07.04.18)
That was charming. Another early work by Isao Takahata and very simple but utterly charming. The animation and art are very 70s but it holds up well. Not much to say about the story, it was a fun and calm ride.

06. History of the World, Part I (08.04.18)
Well it is a Mel Brooks film! It is all over the place but that is its charm. Very of it time in what it chooses to joke about but it is in good humour. Some very nice set pieces, I would have preferred less time in Rome and some more settings. Like Blazing Saddles the end is great.

07. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (09.04.18)
The is only one thing about this film that I don't like, the shifts in focus during a shot take me right out. It distracts from a all around brilliantly shot film. Some of the frames will go down to be classic like the sun rise from the first film. I like this direction the film takes, even the casino planet bit didn't annoy me this time around.

08. Far Cry 5 - Inside Eden's Gate [short] (12.04.18)
A pre game taster for the story in Far Cry 5. As far as these things go it wasn't bad, very by the numbers (but so are Ubisoft's games) not much to say other than I may give the game a go in a few months time when it is a fair bit cheaper.

09. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (13.04.18)
Time to breath in the world, time to explore the characters, time to soak in the changing atmosphere. 3 hours 20 is a long time but for a film this good it is just about right to do it justice. It is still easy to be blown away by what this trilogy achieves.

10. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (14.04.18)
A bit up and down. I love the setting but the animation style felt very cheep. Some nice twists along the way even if some of the catheterization were heavy handed. It is the blank eyes that get me. All in all not bad but could have been great.

11. Imaginaerum (16.04.18)
One of my 'comfort films'. It is better than it has any right to be. The story works on many levels and the direction is fantastic. I love this film to bits. I needed this to help me relax tonight.

12. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (20.04.18)
This was the first time that this film felt like a middle film. It's strange, the world is so vast with so many connecting parts that move about each other in ways that boggle my mind. All of my thoughts about this film come back to logistics, just how did Peter Jackson pull it off. Middle earth lives and breaths and through the glorious sound track it owns its place in history.

13. The Shape of Water (21.04.18)
Well it deserved its Oscar. The are so many ways to read into this film various themes and designs. Such a well thought out film. It looks sounds and in a very stylized way but it pulls it off.

14. The Maker [short] (22.04.18)
I really love this type of short film. The score is the driving force of the piece and the production quality sells the world. Some very interesting camera works and some of the shots were very well considered. Very simple story but it was told well.

15. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (27.04.18)
A long journey that is very much worth every moment. I should re-read the books sometime I think. Will the ever be anything like this trilogy? Epic fantasy had a close place in my life, nothing comes close to depth of lore to immerse myself in. Theses films are escapism at its finest.

16. The Avengers (28.04.18)
Six years ago we learned that not only can six super heroes be in a film together but it can also be a damn good film. Tomorrow I will see if they can pull off what, 20 superheroes? This film holds up and is so much more than a team up film, it is the universe finding its feet. It tells it's story without too much getting in the way, and that is how it earns its action. Which is far better than it is given credit for, the last battle is a war that has many levels and we see it all work together.

17. Avengers: Infinity War [cinema] (29.04.18)
I think I will go and see this again soon. The scope is huge but the time scale small and then the pay-off? It is out of this world. I'm at a loss for what to say. I loved it.

18. Iron Man (30.04.18)
It holds up. As a film and the entire cinimatic universe. It's come such a long way in ten years. It has felt longer than that but here we are down this road that Iron Man put us on. It is really such a bizar thing to think about, this is the film that changed comic book films and the post credits secne changed films as a whole.

Infinity War tops this month but man was the some damn good films. Heck the must be more than 30 Oscars in this collection. Next month looks to be smaller but I have some good plans.

Stephen Hawking 1942-2018

I awoke to some sad news this morning. The front page of the internet was covered with the news of the death of Stephen Hawking. It hit me hard.

"I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first."

I can't really say I have heroes but there are people that I admire and find fascinating. The is so much about Stephen Hawking that can be said, he is a hero to many and a testament to working through disability. He was also one of the great minds that the world has ever seen.

Science can have issues with the media. It is often said that scientists make for bad publicists and publicists are terrible scientists. But with Hawking people clung on to his words and work. Much of my interest in space and science came from watching him on TV, explaining cutting edge concepts in a manor that I can comprehend.

Even through his way of speaking you can hear his drive to teach and to spread the mind-bending reality of… well reality. The is something about the science he dedicated his life to, trying to understand not just the world but the universe.

"Not only does God play dice, but... he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen."

This has taken all day to get on the page, working on and off. I'm just not sure what to say. But I know I needed to say something.

He is a giant that will hold up the people that follow on his shoulders.

2018's Film List [March]

The third month! Here is the year INDEX

01. The Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists (01.03.18)
Well that was delightful. Tightly plotted if a little safe in the story beats. Some very nice details as you expect from Aardman.

02. The Animatrix - Matriculated [short] (03.03.18)
The last of the shorts and this one feels the least like the Matrix. I recognised the style instantly, the style was like Æon Flux but a bit less extreme. Nice collection of shorts, very varied and all have something that makes them tic.

03. The Death of Stalin (05.03.18)
Laughing at the death of a tyrant and the chaos that follows. Put to screen in the most British way possible. All of the acting was pitch perfect with Stalin's daughter being the stand out. Very funny and very dark but it meld them both together and they don't clash.

04. Sekaikei Sekai Ron [short] (11.03.18)
Well that went over my head. Very cool aesthetic and the music was solid. The Title translates to something along the lines of 'World System'. Sekai-kei is a way to describe a story where the fate of the world hinges upon two peoples relationship - kind of. This short examines it to a point.

05. Sonic the Hedgehog The Movie (16.03.18)
Don't ask... It is bad very bad. The only good part is the mid 90's background art and the world design was ok. I'm not sure any person let alone a child should be given this to watch.

06. Annihilation (17.03.18)
Hauntingly beautiful. Horrifically brutal. Highly bizarre.
Almost at a loss for words. The film takes risks and in the last third pulls of a ending that is fitting for this film.

07. Justice League (18.03.18)
Wow. How can a major film look this bad? The green screen compositing and the cg elements don't blend at all. The colour correction makes the film grain pop out and well just ugly. But with the RLM audio commentary track it was bearable. Just.

08. Lili [short] (19.03.18)
An Israeli stop motion film. Some parts stood out more so that others, the fight against the storm and the music are both next level. It is simple and a bit heavy handed in how is presents its theme. Other that that well worth watching.

09. Mob Pyscho 100 (23.03.18)
A film to recap the events of season 1. I'm surprised at how much new stuff they made for this but the framing device worked a treat. I'm still blown away by the animation quality and mixed in with the rough art style of ONE it makes a truly unique look and feel.

10. Powers of Ten [short] (24.03.18)
A film made in 1977 and released by IBM of all company's. Giving it is full title will give a good understanding of what it is about: Powers of Ten: A Film Dealing with the Relative Size of Things in the Universe and the Effect of Adding Another Zero. The power of perspective is necessary to get through life, but so is blind luck (as is this being the tenth film this month).

11. Thor: Ragnarok (25.03.18)
The is a lot to take in and digest. Everything is done deliberately and with such care it is no wonder it's such a great film. Easy to enjoy to looking at what they did it come to life in other ways. I will end up watching it again soon as the directors commentary is meant to be awesome.

12. Barry Lyndon (26.03.18)
I was starting tot think I would never get around to this one of Kubrick's. It is only 3.05 long ( the intermission helped). So, the music is bloody good! It is unusual to see a film so objectively portray its story. The narration is pure genius and in no way diminishes the narrative. It is hardly surprising Kubrick had to get camera lenses used by NASA f/0.7 is insane. I knew much of the background production going in mu nothing story wise, and while it meanders all over the place (and Europe) it works well and show a slice of life in a time gap I know little about (post Restoration but pre Napoleonic wars). I loved it.

13. Cat Soup - Nekojiru-sou (28.03.18)
I could write a full essay on this half hour long animation. I took enough notes, most of witch I wont bore you with. Very surreal and very well put together, the subtitles were kind of pointless but I guess some of the clarification helped. I'll have to track down the inspiration for this.

14. Joker: Marginal City (30.03.18)
The was no reason why the dead android should have turned into a giant monster that sprouts tentacles! This film is basically just a add for the Manga and even for the time the are so many cut corners. Heck even the bad guys look was half nicked from X-men. But I guess it did it's job I now want to check out the Manga.

15. Roger Rabbit: Tummy Trouble [short] (31.03.18)
Now these I had no idea about, made by Spielberg in the few years that followed the film. Mostly it's what a normal episode of Roger's cartoon (much higher quality than most cartoon's of the time and I supposes than now as well) I loved how it still ended in the real world.

16. Roger Rabbit: Roller Coaster Rabbit [short] (31.03.18)
How Have I not seen these before that are great. Again the animation quality is off the charts and the slapstick it a greatest hits of all golden era cartoons. It is kind of strange seeing Jessica Rabbit in the cartoon world.

17. Roger Rabbit: Trail Mix-up [short] (31.03.18)
I suppose the is a slight connection to Easter here, so this has been my Easter short film binge. They were all great and I get the live action stuff is tough to pull off but it is a large shame the were never any more of these.

End of the month again. Best: Annihilation! It was just so damn compelling and I have had to put myself off from watching it again so soon.

Snow

Just posting this for an excuse to show some snow photos.

 It came down worse than I first thought it would. I was only expecting a dusting.

It has dumped enough that camp this weekend has even been cancelled. (kind of glad)

I have taken over 1600 photos in the first two months of this year. A lot of which I am very happy with.

I have started on a long post about my current obsessions the past few weeks. That due to its nature will be a few days off.

I should have recorded a video or two, some of the blizzards and drifts have been very cool.

Snow photography is a bit odd. just a sprinkling looks bad but a large blanket takes away details of what is covered.

That is it for now, though if the snow sticks around I will probably take a bunch more.

It’s not been a fun week

I hate doing self portraits. And don't get me started on #selfie’s (I had to look up the spelling)

But here is some I have taken and oddly my plight of the last few days doesn't show up too well but you can see the source of my pain.

 

 Me circa July 2007

Here is a small time line of my latest issue. Saturday evening sometime after the England game I felt pain in my upper jaw on the left side of my mouth. Fun! tooth ache for the first time in a year or two. It wasn't too bad just a bit annoying. Then Sunday morning arrived and it was full blown strong throbbing pain covering my entire left side of my mouth.

I must have been bad, all pain seems worse at the time but it was enough for me to take painkillers for the first time in over a year. so rolls around Monday. Now able to contact my dentist i come to the realization that its nothing to do with my tooth but a swelling in my cheek by by gum. I now have a swelled up cheek and no pain in any tooth.

A nice side effect of the swelling was struggling to open my mouth wide enough to eat. Then numbness only came in waves with some nice bouts of pain to keep things interesting. To add to the fun I was now going to by busy every evening this week.

I have almost ran out of ways to explained to people why my cheek is swollen and I am almost temped to start making stuff up. (The photos below show the state of my face as now, it was more pronounced yesterday and Monday)

Left - awful. Right - Slightly less awful due to a valiant effort by photoshop

I have taken my share of self portraits but usually put a spin on it, my main photo is always the same style. But in doing today's selfie’s (taken at 8pm in my bathroom, such is my life) I have included two and they show why I hate them. The quality is crap it is a reason most people cover them up with stupid filters. I even tried to rescue one with photoshop.

That's better 2017

I hope my mouth gets back to normal before Saturday. I'm due to meet with some important people in the town hall.

2018's Film List [February]

Onto the short month. INDEX

01. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (02.02.18)
The last of Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance trilogy and perhaps the most strait forward. By which I mean it is crazy and very complex. It is a hauntingly beautiful film from the direction to the settings the music and even the cast. A much more understandable vengeance this time but the mess it causes at the end is something to behold.

02. A Dog's Life (03.02.18)
Chaplin from 1918. The mandatory madness at the start but it developed into a fun little story. One of the happiest endings I have seen from Chaplin. Silent but again the OST from 'Everybody's Gone to the Rapture' worked well to accompany.

03. Neo Tokyo (05.02.18)
A strange name for this anthology film, the Japanese name translates into Labyrinth Tales which makes just a  little more sense. I dug this out because Otomo had a part to play and his section was the most detailed and to me the most interesting. Nothing seems to link the film together but it dose play with the mind and cognition a bit. Very well made and for 1986 it looks outstanding.

04. The Cloverfield Paradox (09.02.18)
Two things first, why in disaster movies are the crazy conspiracy nuts always right? Also the is no paradox!!! Such a frustrating film, I love the middle chunk and most of the rest but the are things I cant look past. Slopy writing and hand waving packed together with tropes that they didn't need to follow. So much to like and I like what it did to tie the Cloverfield films together. Also some of the direction looked like it was shot for TV.

05. The Animatrix - Beyond [short] (10.02.18)
The is so much you can do with a virtual world but mostly they are used to show a place but here it its played with very differently. I love how glitches around a house cause it to be haunted. The are a few cool moments but not much of a story to tell. It's a toy box film not a story film.

06. Black Panther [Cinema] (15.02.18)
It worked. Perhaps a bit too safe in story structure but the look and feel of the world was great. I just wish more took place in the bustling city. Very well acted and the story beats were effective enough. Such a bad viewing experience though, I forgot it was half term.


07. The Animatrix - A Detective Story [short] (17.02.18)
This one give a nice look into Trinity before the first film. Nice use of her Alice in wonderland cover. Another by Watanabe and his take on Noir is great. Much more slick than his previous entry.

08. The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (18.02.18)
Let down in two spots but other wise a solid little film. The is a bit of dodgy CG and the girls voice actor was awful. I love the places the story goes and the look and design of all the elements. They should have stuck to traditional animation for this one. I must give Æon Flux another watch.

09. Escalation [short] (19.02.18)
A very on the nose politically driven short film that mocks Lyndon B Johnson the US President during the Vietnam war. It must have been very divisive not just for its message but in the pictures it uses. Made by one of the key Disney animators.

10. Dante's Inferno (21.02.18)
The great Italian version from 191. I am somewhat familiar with the story of the Divine Comedy but reading it has been beyond me. The were some very surprising things, the effects and sets are very very good. The were one or two points I wasn't aware of that took me by surprise but from the point of view of Dante I guess it makes sense. I had to provide my own sound track and Elder Scrolls Oblivion worked well.

11. Your Studio and You [short] (22.02.18)
A nice little mockumentary by the creators of South Park. Supposedly it was just a internal bit of fun but surfaced online at some point. Dry and clever but it has a very narrow market.

12. The Running Man (23.02.18)
It should have been a god half hour longer. It skips past plot relevant stuff so fast it was easy to miss. I love the action and the theme. The use of real stars helped to sell it. The sound track was surprisingly good. Only a bit of dodgy direction but that comes with the times.

13. Source Code (24.02.18)
If they had put a little more into the explanation of the science behind the film then this would be up there with his first film Moon. It looked like it was going to be a 'normal' sifi film with a good ending but the last moments made it all the better but again it needed that bit more to cement the concept. I am still untangling it in my head. The only thing that lets this film down is some very cheep looking explosions.

14. Papers Please - the short film [short] (25.02.18)
The best film based on a video game? Perhaps, it is solid even if it lean too hard on the use of montages. I love the aesthetic of the booth and it captures the feel of the game. Not the story I expected but I guess it works. 

Not a bad list for the shortest month. Best? Black Panther.