Wednesday, August 21, 2002

been kind busy trying to teach myself the webstuff. I'm trying to debate right now if what I'm doing warants going out and buying the web software. It's a whopping $350!! So I'll put that off til very last. If I can figure this stuff out using the software I currently have, then that'l be good.
You know you have too many laws in this country when...
Last night on "hannity and Colmes" (spelling?) It's a "news/talk/" tv show of the Fox news network. Two guys, who have fairly opposite view points when it comes to politics. They usually find several topics during the day to discuss on their show, and get people (me) rilled up.
Last night there was a "debate" with a group of peopl who are trying to pass a law to make it illegal to place an image of a human likeness up at any shooting range for guns. Apparently what sparked this was that some gun club was using pictures of Osama Bin. I just can't believe this. The woman who they had on as a guest to defend the postion claimed that by putting these images up, it might promote "vigilantism".... Jeesh! So then if they take these images down, and just shoot at say "tin cans" will that then cause a person to walk into a supermarket and then start shooting at the canned corn? I mean just a little common sense with these people is all i ask. But this is apparently going to the high courts (I can't recall if they said supreme) for a ruling. Like they don't have more important issues on hand.
Cyen out
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Wednesday, August 14, 2002

Well, Things are moving along...
Pretty soon I won't be posting my movie reviews on this blog but on my own movie review website! Yep, I've taken the leap and am starting the task of creating my own website. Not some little "freebie" site, but a paid in full, no ads (unless I put em there), along with my own custom email etc...
I'm still in the brain storming mode, and have brought in a friend who will be helping out. At this point it seems like there's so much to do, everything from deciding what content to include, to teaching myself how to do a "rollover" (when your mouse moves over an object on a webpage and then changes), to creating small web based image animations! (Just tought myself that one today!). I've set a target date of Sept 1. Of course that's just a date I picked at random. If it's done sooner great, I hope it won't take much more than that.
So if you want to check it out now, and then "bookmark" it for later go to:

www.film-critiques.com


movie review for this week...
We saw "triple X" or XxX
It's the new action adventure with "vin diesel" which is like a modern day 2002 americanized james bond.
It was excellent for an action movie in that there's very little down time. There's explosions galore, gun fights, car chases, gadgets, etc... Some of the stunt scenes were VERY well done. I was most impressed with the scenes where Vin was dropped off at a columbian drug facility, and then a government army came in with helicopters and all, and proceeded to blow the place up... But... The down side to this was the storyline. predictable (I'm using that word alot aren't I?) All the typical James bond spy stuff, mixed in with the one line "zingers". Although the stunt scenes were incredible, they were also very unbelievable. Like the old days with the Dukes of Hazard on TV, when they'd ram a stationary car in the street, and yet somehow this turned into a launch ramp to launch the car high in the air to do a fantastic jump. But again, that's not really the point in seeing these types of movies. You have enter a certain mode where you can ignore everyday "physics". So If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, then check this movie out for a high adrenaline, loud metal rock-n-roll, and explosions, and you'll like this movie.
PS> On a downer note... I just saw on TV last night, that a stuntman was killed during the shooting of this movie. Apparently it was an "easy" standard stunt, that just went wrong. My condolances.

Cyen out
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Friday, August 09, 2002

Sorry I've not updated in a week or so...
Movie>
Signs....

Spoiler warning!!! I'f you've not seen the movie yet, DONT READ THIS!!!

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The new one from M. Night Shamalan (sp?). This is a hard one to review... At first I really liked the movie. I was into it, and after leaving the theatre thought "This is what every movie should be" - It seemed ot incorporate all the things that I thought should be in every movie like; Action, Drama, humor, sci-fi, storyline/plot, sub-plot, etc... Now granted I did think the ending was predictable, but I'm starting to realize 99.9% of movie endings are predictable, so is that really a bad thing? Upon asking my friend what he thought of the movie, he said he wasn't sure. Which threw me. I didn't understand why there would be any hesitation. BUT... I came in monday morn, and proceeded to look stuff up about the movie. I read some other online reviews, and it seemed to be a mixed bag. You either loved it, or hated it... I'm starting to see some of the bad things of the movie that I wasn't aware of during the movie. The biggest, is that someone suggested the entire movie was a dream of mel gibson!? I didn't pick up on this, but they did bring up some good points that it "could" have all been just a dream. Also the Aliens seemed to make no sense... they're an advanced race trying to take over a planet with "invisibile" ships during the day, but lights at night. Their only means of attack are small amounts of poison, and they try to take over a planet where the surface has 3/4 covering of the thing that is most deadly to them... Water. So in looking back on the story line, I'm begining to see the problems. But I'll be honest, that while watching the movie I was caught up in it, and these things either didn't occur to me, or I overlooked them. One final note: I think another big thing was you have to see this movie with an open mind. If you were expecting certain things (surprise M. Night ending, or a sci fi thriller, or a movie about crop circles, then you will be let down. It seemed to be a movie about alot of different things.

ok, one more thing...
Look for my new website! www.film-critiques.com! I hope to do this on a regular bases and who knows either get a free movie pass, or a promotional item like a keychain or T-shirt! or Maybe even turn it into an income generating website?! Basically I'm just doing it for fun because I enjoy movies, and I enjoy posting small reviews about them.

Cyen out

Oh... the ebay thing is resolved. I sent the tape back to him, and never heard from him again.
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