June 2006 Archives (18 posts)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
This is one of the best films I’ve seen this year. I enjoyed it so much that I watched it twice this weekend.
Shane Black wrote and directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. I didn’t have a whole lot of interest in seeing this film but David Dylan Thomas has been praising it for a while now so I rented it last weekend.
From the opening title sequence you know the film is going to be a little different. It reminded me a lot of Catch Me If You Can (2002) and everything Saul Bass did to make the opening credits more interesting.
The opening shot of Robert Downey Jr. staring down into a pool pays homage to the first scene in Sunset Blvd. (1950). Downey Jr. even provides voiceover narration as does William Holden. For the next 90 minutest the references to other films come fast and furious, as do the jokes and the action.
When was the last time you had a clever film with jokes about writing and grammar? Everything about this film was refreshing in its attempts to be unique. It definitely doesn’t follow the mold of a typical Hollywood buddy picture. If you love movies and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang isn’t on your radar then you need to see this film.
Posted in DVD Reviews at 1:14 PM | Comments (2)
10 Reasons Why High Definition DVD Formats Have Already Failed
Clint DeBoer at Audioholics.com has a good article outlining 10 Reasons Why High Definition DVD Formats Have Already Failed.
At $30 plus, the new HD DVD titles are way too expensive. The video quality is great but that alone isn’t worth the huge investment in a new hardware that might be obsolete in a few years.
Posted in Technology at 12:30 PM | Comments (1)
The Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote
I have 7 remotes scattered around my home theatre. To watch a movie I usually need to search for 3 of them so that I can turn on the projector, control the DVD player and turn control the volume on the receiver.
My Onkyo receiver has a learning remote but it’s difficult to program and doesn’t have enough programmable buttons for two DVD players, a satellite receiver, VCR, etc. Solution? The Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote from Logitech.
The Harmony 880 allows me to control every piece of AV equipment in my house. By connecting the remote to my Mac via a USB cable, I can download remote control functions from Logitech’s website. They have a huge database of remote control codes from a lot of hardware manufacturers. I didn’t have any trouble finding codes for any of my equipment.
The Harmony 880 has a colour LCD screen that you can customize — create your own backgrounds in Photoshop, choose from several icon presets and edit the names of any button.
You can create up to 8 macros to save time. For example, I created a button called ‘Watch Movie’ that will turn on my projector, set the video input to HDMI, turn on my DVD player, eject the tray, turn on my receiver and set the audio input to the DVD. Whew!
I can stop purchasing AAA and AA batteries for all of my remotes. The Harmony 880 is rechargeable and has a nifty docking station that glows in the dark. There is a battery indicator on the remote as well but I found that it keeps the charge for a long time.
The remote is also backlit. Whenever you pick it up or tilt it, the screen and backlit keys come to life. You can decide how long the screen stays on or just press the ‘glow’ button to turn it off.
I found a couple of surprises when setting up the Harmony 880. The remote for my Panasonic DVD player doesn’t have an eject button. Logitech’s database had a code for eject that I could program into the Harmony 880. Another remote I have for a Yamaha CD player got mauled by the dog. I was going to replace it for $35 but now I don’t have to.
I haven’t mentioned the comfortable grip or the numerous design awards the Harmony 880 has won. No wonder Logitech bought the company.
Below is a photo I took of the remotes I used to use. If you’re looking for a solution to the remote control clutter in your home theatre then check out the Harmony 880.
Posted in Home Theatre at 2:28 PM | Comments (3)
iCarta
What is iCarta? Atech Flash Technology describes it as a stereo dock for iPod with bath tissue holder. Basically, it’s a toilet paper holder with a built-in iPod dock and 4 speakers.
If you like to spend a lot of time on the potty (I don’t) then this might make a great gift or a gag for a friend. Then again, maybe you like to take long baths and listen to Kenny G or Michael Bolton. Whatever works for you.
Posted in Technology at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
The Golden Age of the Internet
I’m not a fan of John C. Dvorak at PCMAG.com but I was impressed by his article about The Golden Age of the Internet. It’s hard to imagine what version 10.0 of the web will look like in 20 years. Will the Internet even be around in 50 years?
Compare the Internet to the early days of radio as Dvorak does and you get a sense that Al Gore’s information super highway might one day be insignificant.
Posted in Web at 9:38 PM | Comments (4)
bippy
I just came across a list of fictional expletives on Wikipedia. The word bippie caught my eye.
bippie - from Laugh-In, comical term for “ass” “You bet your sweet bippie.” Also spelled “bippy”.
Posted in Bombippy at 4:16 PM | Comments (4)
La Commare Secca (1962)
La Commare Secca (1962) was Bernardo Bertolucci’s debut film. He directed and wrote La Commare Secca (The Grim Reaper) when he was only 21 years old. It’s not Citizen Kane but it’s a fine film — way better than most of the crap Hollywood is grinding out these days.
When a Roman prostitute is found dead, the usual suspects are rounded up and questioned by the police. A series of flashbacks explains where the suspects were at the time of the murder. But who is telling the truth?
The Criterion Collection DVD has a nice black and white transfer. There is also an interview with Bertolucci from 2003 that explains who he came to direct his first film while in his second year of university.
This is only the fourth Bertolucci film that I’ve seen. I’ll be checking Zip.ca to see what other titles they have on DVD.
Posted in DVD Reviews at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)
50 Cent Mac
Steve Jobs is trying to work out a deal with rap star 50 Cent to produce a line of affordable Macs. The target audience would be inner-city residents. I thought this affordable machine was called the Mac mini?
I’d love to know how Apple is going to brand this machine. 50 Cent Mac? Mac Daddy? Ghetto Mac? Fully story here.
Posted in Apple and Music at 11:20 AM | Comments (1)
Cars (2006)
I don’t think Pixar is capable of making a lousy film. I saw Cars (2006) on the weekend and was very impressed.
With every film, the animation team at Pixar seems to up the ante in terms of the 3D worlds they create. The 3D environments are incredibly detailed and photorealistic. The car characters are a bit cartoon-like but this helps to create some unique characters.
There is one scene where the main character, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt) go for a drive in the country. Spectacular! The music, the camera angles and the 70s film stock look is incredibly convincing. You’ll feel like you’re watching a scene from Smokey and the Bandit with Burt Reynolds and Sally Field instead of a 3D film.
There is another sequence where we get a glimpse of what life was like in an old town on Route 66 (Radiator Springs). An old film stock look, desaturated colours and a James Taylor song transport us back to a town that looks like Mayberry.
Aside from the incredible visuals and a great story, the actors that voice the 3D characters are top-notch — Paul Newman, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger and more.
Cars is the 3D movie to see this summer.
Posted in Movie Reviews at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
Up to 86% of email is spam
A messaging security firm in California processed 25 billion messages in May. They found that 86 per cent of those messages were spam. More info here.
If you don’t already have software to filter out spam messages then start looking. You’ll save a lot of time. I use SpamSieve with Microsoft Entourage for OS X and it does a great job of filtering out unwanted messages.
Posted in OS X Software at 11:50 AM | Comments (2)
Super Photo Pass
The Molson Grand Prix of Toronto has a Super Photo Pass that allows photographers to view all of the races from pit lane and beside the track at several locations. You get to shoot alongside the pros and view the cars up close.
Any race fans/amatuer photographers interested in shooting the races this year? There is some more info at The Luminous Landscape website. If you’re interested in going then send me an email.
Posted in Photography at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
Why are concert ticket prices so high?
In the last 10 years, concert ticket prices have skyrocketed. If you want to see Eric Clapton in Toronto it will cost you $125. Elton John in Vancouver? $149.50. Even a ticket to see Tom Jones will set you back $140 (although you would need your head examined if you paid this). So what happened?
In 2002, David Bowie was quoted in the NY Times saying that music downloading has cut into the revenue stream of musicians. No surprise there but it has forced musicians to find other ways to make money. The solution? Tour like crazy and charge as much as the market will bear.
I would be surprised if Elton John made any money on his last album — Peachtree Road (2004). I would be even more surprised if he was losing money from illegal downloads of this album. The point is, Elton John is always on tour. Tom Jones is always on tour. The Rolling Stones tour, tour, tour.
If people are going to pay over $100 for a concert ticket then these bands and musicians will continue to perform live, even if they don’t have any new material to play. The ticket prices will continue to rise until people get fed up and stop coming to shows. Then the music industry will blame poor attendance on concert DVDs and home theatres.
Posted in Music at 10:53 AM | Comments (3)
Can you speak Jamaican?
Last weekend I was waiting in line for the ferry to Toronto Island. I met an elderly couple that were vacationing from Bristol, England.
We chatted for about 20 minutes when this gentleman asked me if I was from Toronto. I told him I was born and raised in Toronto but my father was from Scotland and my mother was from Jamaica. His wife got all excited and asked me if I could speak Jamaican.
I looked at her with surprise. Her husband rolled his eyes and turned away, embarrassed. I tried to explain to her that Jamaica is a British colony and they speak English. Her husband chimed in and said, “don’t be daft dear, they speak English in Jamaica. What are you talking about?”
I got a big chuckle out of this. Maybe she borrowed The Rastaman Vibration from the public library in Bristol. Yah Mon!
Posted in Personal at 3:54 PM | Comments (8)
The Amityville Horror (2005)
The step-daughter has an English assignment that involves watching The Amityville Horror (2005) not to be confused with The Amityville Horror (1979). It was actually cheaper to purchase the movie on DVD at Blockbuster ($4.99) than it was to rent it.
I don’t remember the original but it has to be better than the awful remake starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George. Why does Hollywood bother with remakes if they’re going to churn out crap? I guess it all comes down to profits—formulaic moviemaking for unsophisticated teenage audiences. Who cares if it isn’t art!
By the way, I’m guilty of going to see Lifeforce (1985) at the cineplex when I was 17.
The latest film version of the ‘real’ Amityville is painful to watch. I suffered through it because the step-daughter is afraid of horror movies. Yeah, I’m a sucker, but I took her to see Hollow Man (2000) when she was 12. I know, I’m terrible but I’m making up for it.
There are only a handful of scary parts in this film and they relied heavily on sound and special effects to achieve this. Great storytelling or directing wasn’t in the budget.
Anybody interested in a free copy of The Amityville Horror on DVD?
Posted in DVD Reviews at 12:23 PM | Comments (4)
Specktone Retro
If you’re looking for a great Father’s Day gift then the Specktone Retro might make someone happy. I love the retro styling.
For the guys out there that think I’m losing my edge, head over to Uncrate—the buyer’s guide for men.
Posted in Technology at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)
Philips Bodygroom
Philips has a new ad campaign for their Bodygroom product which is hilarious. Go to shaveeverywhere.com and have a laugh. The video intro is risqué and quite funny. Click on the MAIN MENU and view the music video for more laughs.
Hey, isn’t father’s day coming up? I wonder if the wife is reading this?
Posted in Humour at 12:27 PM | Comments (1)
Youth for Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe is campaigning for the Liberal party leadership in Canada. Last week he was questioned why he accepted $27,000 from the children of some drug company executives. Do you know any kids that would willingly give thousands of dollars to a politician rather than spend the money on video games and toys? I didn’t think so.
It looks like a few of Joe’s friends took advantage of some loopholes in the way political donations are accepted. Poor Joe gave the money back to the kids.
Somebody set up website called youthforvolpe.ca to embarrass Joe but he had it quickly removed. Unfortunately for Joe the site popped up again in the US and you can view it at youthforvolpe.net.
Volpe works hard and likes to eat well. If you or your children feel inspired to help Joe then send him your hard earned cash. Somebody needs to replace Mr. Dithers and it might as well be Joe.
Posted in Humour at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
I love my Crocs
At first I resisted. How could I wear a pair of bright rubber clogs called Crocs?
A lot of stores in Toronto are marketing the cayman Crocs as gardening shoes. My wife purchased a pair and kept raving about them. I gave in and purchased a black pair.
My Crocs have got to be one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes I’ve ever worn. They weigh ounces, bounce along like a pair of Nike Air jogging shoes, and you can slip them on and off quite easily.
I’m still getting used to the look. I figure that if a friend of mine (lives on the wet coast, works at a gaming company and has 5 sisters) can wear Yoga pants, then I can wear Crocs.
Did I mention the “ergonomic Italian styling” or the “advanced toe-box ventilation system”? Try them. You’ll love them.
Posted in Personal at 11:25 AM | Comments (9)
