The Year of Definitely Not Watching Any DVDs: July, 2008, Part the Second

Check it, man! Since it's November in a few days, it must be time to blog about more stuff I watched back in July. SUPERBLOG!!: Always timely.

The TV Set (2006)
The making (or unmaking) of a television pilot for an American network. Starring David Duchovny as the creative mind and Sigourney Weaver as his banally evil boss ("Original scares me a little."). During the course of the story you (well, I) get a sinking feeling that it's not even satire, but completely accurate in its depiction of how television gets dumbed down. Pretty good, but not hyper-funny. Doesn't really go anywhere. Spoilery trailer on YouTube.


The Omega Man (1971)
Hey, it's a movie with that guy at the top of this post. (You know, I can't watch any film starring Charlton Heston without thinking about dear, departed Phil Hartman.) This action-oriented adaptation of I am Legend has aged way more than the one with Vincent Price, from seven years previously (reviewed last time). The most embarrassing bit may be when a black woman takes offence at the word "spooked". Or, no, wait, it's the final image, with Heston in a Christ-like pose. Anthony Zerbe as the main baddie (Charles Manson?) is kind of effective. But the bad guys remind me of the mutants in Beneath the Planet Of The Apes. Boring as hell. Vastly superior: "The Homega Man" (from back when The Simpsons was Simpsons Good).



The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Classic film noir. Very enjoyable, even the silly ending can't ruin it. Best of all is the relentless, deadpan, and psychotic Sterling Hayden. He's a little like Charlton Heston, only more extreme and unpredictable. It's exciting to watch him in a hooligan role because it seems like he's always two seconds away from getting violent. He's a volcano about to erupt. My God, how I love Sterling Hayden. Plus: Marilyn Monroe in a small role.


The Kingdom (2007)
Competent action drama about a team of FBI agents investigating a terror attack in Saudi Arabia. The team consists of the slightly (not very) badass Jamie Foxx, aided by Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman (comic relief), and Jennifer Garner (woman). Not as involving as it maybe should have been, considering the seriousness of its subject matter. Ends with the Americans shooting many an Arab.



Charly (1968)
Moving story of retarded guy who is given the chance to get smarter. Fine performance by Cliff Robertson in the lead, fine script, interesting direction. But it seems strangely abbreviated in places, and doesn't cut quite as deep as I would have liked. Still, good movie. Based on classic science fiction story Flowers for Algernon and, like everything worthwhile, pastiched in The Simpsons (in the episode "HOMR").


Real Genius (1985)
Amiable film about teenage geniuses unwittingly developing a laser weapon. Starring Val Kilmer and a guy who looks like a transsexual Sarah Jessica Parker. Silly, unbelievable ending. Awful soundtrack - the '80s SUCKED.


Repo Man (1984)
Emilio Estevez repossesses cars and gets entangled in a science fiction plot. Supposedly "fun" but actually pretty boring. (Although there are some nice touches and a couple of nearly-great lines of dialogue.) It's got a reputation as a cult classic but I'm not sure why. Probably you had to be there. Sweded on YouTube.


Yes, and in July I also watched a lot of other movies and TV series, which I don't feel like reviewing. But buy me a beer some time and I'll tell you all about them:

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
Wedding Belles (2007) (R)
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Dune (1984) (R)
Without a Clue (1988) (R)
Eraserhead (1977) (R)
Spaced Series 2: (2000, 7 episodes)
Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003)
House of Games (1987)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Dune: Extended Edition (1984/1989)
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (2007) (R)
In Bruges (2008)
The Lost Weekend (1945) (R)
They Might Be Giants (1971)
Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
Father Ted: Series 1 (1995, 6 episodes) (R)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Northern Exposure: Season 1 (1990, 8 episodes) (R)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (R)
Throw Momma from the Train (1987) (R)
Father Ted: Series 2 (1996, 10+1 episodes) (R)
The Anniversary Party (2001)
I Confess (1953)
The Grifters (1990)
Ricky Gervais Live 3: Fame (2007)
Get Carter (1971) (R)
Knocked Up (2007) (R)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
Father Ted: Series 3 (1998, 8 episodes)
Stage Fright (1950)
The Wrong Man (1956)
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Smart People (2008)
Dial M for Murder (1954) (R)
Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy (2006)
Zero Effect (1998)
A Perfect Murder (1998)
The Descent (2005)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
NYPD Blue: Season 1 (1993-1994, 22 episodes)
Gothic (1986)
Mad Men: Season 1 (2007, 13 episodes)
Altered States (1980)
Wanted (2008)
Sunshine (2007)
The Third Man (1949) (R)
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party (2005)
Niagara, Niagara (1997)

Now, you may be wondering how the hell I had the time to watch all that stuff and so do I. Did I do anything aside from watching DVDs that summer? It's all a blur at this point.

Currently Reading #4: "I Love the King"

Cos he was chosen by God!

Fun #18: FREAKS

Everybody laugh at the freaks! Freaks!

Fun #17½: Allah Ackbar!

That's all. Go back to work.

(No. 2 in a series.)

Currently Reading #3: "It Becomes Necessary That I Take Control."

Currently Reading #2: "Bop Shebop Shebop"

Rama lama dingdong.

More Cowbell

Wikipedia:

"More cowbell" is an American pop culture catchphrase originally derived from an April 8, 2000, Saturday Night Live comedy sketch about the recording of the song (Don't Fear) The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult. The sketch featured guest host Christopher Walken as music producer Bruce Dickinson and Will Ferrell as fictional cowbell player Gene Frenkle.

Here's the transcript.

Currently Reading #1: "What Dreadful Weather We're Having Today"

I'm a cultured motherfucker. Not only do I watch a shitload of movies every week, but I also read a lot. Since reading words is hard work I especially like books in which pictures tell the story. I like to call them comic books. And I think from now on I should sometimes post a pic from the comical booklet I'm currently reading, under the heading Currently Reading and then a title which won't be the title of the actual work but just something I feel like writing. Maybe and probably I won't even tell you the actual title, so if you don't recognize it you'll have to do some research (try the Internet!) or ask someone (not me) what it is. It's the laziest form of blogging, and it rules!

Thieving Wilmington

Goddamn Corporate Chemical Credit Card Capital of the World! Did you know that Wilmington, Delaware stole our FLAG?! (Sweden's, that is.) SUPERBLOG!! just found out and is contemplating legal action. Also, what to have for lunch.

Photo #165: Londonia!

Here's a photo with lots of photos. I took that photo of the many photos when I was in London a few years ago and soon I'm gonna be in London again and I will eat beans.

Photo #164: Naughty Horse

That is NOT a naughty horse. Here's a naughty horse. What's in that picture? To me it seems like some kind of spider web in some sort of a bush plant green thingie. Spiders crawls around my house and the do creepy things but soon it will be cold and they must come inside and all and everything will be cozy. Spiders gonna make their web around us and in my mouth. I'm so gonna eat them and spit them out. Ha ha to u stupid spiders !!!

Internet Piracy is Good Because it Feels Good

I meant to quote this last November but I didn't but now it's almost November again:

I’ve stolen loads and loads and loads of music, etc. I wasn’t “sampling” every Velvet Underground record. They weren’t being “promoted” when I took their music– they aren’t going to make money from me when the Velvet Underground go on tour. It was stealing. It felt great. I’d do it again, if my current copies got damaged somehow. I bought the Loaded album years ago, and I stole it again anyways. I once shot a man just to watch him die.

Why is that hard for other people to admit???

I know noone likes to see themselves as the bad guy, and likes to talk about how the “MPAA and RIAA are parasites” but– SO ARE YOU. You’re getting revenge on contracts between the MPAA and OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW YOU AND WOULDN’T LIKE YOU IF THEY DID? Thank you, Internet Zorro!

- Abhay Khosla

(No, it's got nothing to do with November. I don't know why I implied it did.)

Fun #17: Sex

Here are some pictures of sex and related activities (such as looking at Rasputin's dick in formaldehyde). I hope they make you hot:

Danny Trejo to Visit (and Possibly Destroy) Sweden!

I hate actors and movies generally and science fiction especially and games suck too but when I hear that super-actor Danny Trejo will be at a science fiction convention in Stockholm on November 1-2 it almost makes me want to pay the price of admission as well as the additional toll it would undoubtedly take on my eternal soul to participate in such a nerdfest. Just so I can challenge Mr Machete and see if he's tougher than me IRL. He's an old man so he probably isn't.

Plus, for ONLY 150 SEK (circa 16 Euros) you can have your photo taken with the lovely Trejo. Just like some people previously have with Jaws and Robert Englund and a hobbit and some guy I don't recognize. Wouldn't that be something? A photo with Danny Trejo and me, I? That would be something.

Other guests include Lance Henriksen and Apollo Creed and a couple of complete unknowns. Miss it at your own peril.

Lover!

Lover! Have you ever noticed how there are a lot of links on the Internet nowadays? Today I feel like posting five of them and they are all comic book-related because everybody loves comics! (Especially the Japanese.) (Even vagrant women.)

1. Herbie Popnecker is the hardest and most powerful and sexiest superhero ever. A billion examples in the link.

2. Walt Disney's Sin City

3. Pokemon tarot

4. Watchmen characters Simpsonized

5. Watchmen Poster Comparisons

That's five links. That may not seem like much but it's five more than you would have got if I hadn't posted any. It's also twice as many as you would have got if I'd only posted two and a half links. Math.

KoalaCam #34: The Owls are Too What They Seem

Sorry for not blogging a hell of a whole lot lately. I've been travelling a lot and working and stuff and just got back tonight. But now I feel confident in announcing A New Dawn for SUPERBLOG!!. It starts tomorrow, or maybe the day after. Or maybe never. The only way you'll know for sure is to keep checking back occasionally. Failing that, you can just wait for SUPERBLOG!! to come to you. (To be honest that's what I'd do if I were you. I would likely never read this stupid blog if I didn't write it. But you should.)

The above photo is not the first one I've ever taken of fake owls. This one I took in a house. The owls are not mine, but they might belong to someone I know. I don't know.