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[28 Dec 2007|02:31pm] |
People over the age of 45 should never try to use irony.
That is all.
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[03 Dec 2007|06:35pm] |
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So, I made a bit of a trip down to Chch on the weekend. First time I have done so since coming up to Auckland to live.
Flew up Friday night, after getting to the airport with plenty of time to spare (note to self: airport wireless internets is a rip). Met parents at airprot and stayed with them for the night. Didn't realise how strongly I have truly been missing them until I got "home". Still, I don't feel any sense of "homesickness", just a feeling of missing them all when their not in the immediate vacinity.
Pottered about Saturday morning, getting a few of the things that I had left behind in the move into a semblance of order (Dad having a Garage Sale next weekend gave me a good reason to hurry things along). Went and saw Lauri & Richard in the afternoon for a bit of a catch-up and to check in with where things are at with "my babies" (read: video collection). Hung out there for a couple of hours and then headed back home to shower, change and make final prep for the main event of the weekend.
Mr Austin's Patented All-Night Movie Binge
A few months in the planning, this was hosted at the house of ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=91.7) entomocephalous' mum (who has a kick-ass massive screen and ample lounge space - good luck to her in the finding of a new place with the same kind of excellent layout!)
Things were supposed to kick off at about 7pm, but despite a very clear indication of start time on the Facebook page, the majority of the audience turned up at 7.30pm. So we kicked things off with a few shorts, trailers and other ephemera (including me switching on the opening of THE SOUND OF MUSIC and swiftly running from the house!)
About 12 people (the most I've ever seen at one of these gathering, which was most pleasing) had gathered by 7.30pm, so we made a start.
Here's how it all went down:
1. Vanishing Point (1971) - Classy existential car chase movie. Possibly a little slow to open, but most people grooved to it and were pleased to have seen it after the references to it in the recently released Tarantino masterpiece DEATH PROOF.
2. Fido (2006) - Billy Connelly as a zombie?? Who'da thunk it??!! Great little indy horror-comedy in the style of PLEASANTVILLE meets George Romero. Funny, smart and stylish.
3. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) - I think this was my favourite of the night. I'd been sitting on this for sometime, having been recommended it from... ummm... god knows where. A serial killer, in the style of Voorhees, Kruger & Meyers, takes a documentary crew into his world and they follow him through the plotting and execution (literally!) of his latest victicms. Scary, funny and a step above the usual "hip" self-referencing of most modern horror, this threw in a few awesome twists, especially the ending - which I did see coming, but still shocked a few.
4. Zoo (2007) - Too slow, pretentious, talky, wanky pseudo-documentary about horse lovers who take their obsession one step too far. Beautifully shot, with a sublime Phillip Glass-esque soundtrack. I nearly turned it off halfway through, but everyone else seemed glued to it (or maybe they were just too tired to tap out?). Not appropriate for this format, even if i had put it in an earlier slot.
5. Cemetery Man (1995) - I am quite a fan of Italian zombie movies. When I saw this title, directed by Michele Soavi and starring Rupert Everett, I was immediately certain that it would be fantastic. Gory, funny, bizarre, dark, twisted - in a word AWESOME!! :)
6. The Toy Box (1971) - (This was going to be THE EROTIC ADVENTURES OF ZORRO, but unfortunately the disc would not play in any machines we tried! MwAh!!) Weird little oddity that could only have come out of the drug-&-sex-addled 70s. Sexloitation at its most bizarre, this was pretty psychadelic and had me going "wha??" a couple of times, much to the delight of those in the audience that had seen it before.
7. Killing Spree (1987) - The brainmelt film. Wow. This kicked EVERYONES ass. A slasher movie shot on video from the 80s, made on a shoestring with the directors friends and family all taking roles. The most angry perfromance in the history of film from the delightful Mr Asbestos Felt - indicated by a garrish red light on his face everytime he "emotes" and scenes that come out of nowhere of him on the beach screaming, punching walls, fences, people, etc. Last 3/4ths turns into a zombie movie of the worst kind. This killed... in all the right ways.
8. They Live (1987) - John Carpenter. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Keith David. Media Mind Control. The Power Elite as Zombies. Greatest Fight Scene in an American Movie Ever. Brilliant and TOTALLY underappreciated.
Six of us were left at the end - 50% retention rate is the best I've seen in my time running these.
Am generally happy with how the lineup was recieved (aside from the one previously mentioned) and am pleased I saved a lot of these first time viewings for this context.
All shambled away just after 9.30am (timing was impeccable for the whole thing) and headed back to parents for a well deserved couple of hours rest (which I was extremely difficult to rouse from and I suspect I was feeling shittier then I would have had I stayed awake the whole time) before heading to deepest, darkest Hornby for the most disgusting smorgasboard lunch at some random eatery (could barely stomach soup let alone the badly made "butter chicken")
Got to airport about 2.30pm, for 3.15pm flight. Could not sleep on plane for some reason, despite there being plenty of space and feeling mostly relaxed.
Arrived in Auck (quite the bumpy landing) just before 5pm, caught the bus home, and was in bed and fast asleep (thanks to a couple of strong herbal sleeping pills) shortly after 6.30pm. Woke a few times in the night, to rehydrate and clear the head, but mostly slept soundly.
Gotta have more adventure weekends like this!
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| Haven't done this in a while... |
[08 Oct 2007|09:45pm] |
Did this meme on my old blog and twas kinda fun. Lets see how it plays out this time:
Opening Credit: Auf Achse - Franz Ferdinand
Waking Up: Bring Change (Live) - Shapeshifter
First Day of School: The Red Weed - Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds
Falling in Love: Cut - The Cure
Fight Song: Hoodoo - Muse
Breaking Up: Just Like A Bird Without A Feather - Samuel L Jackson (from BLACK SNAKE MOAN soundtrack)
Prom: Hold Tight - Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch (from DEATH PROOF soundtrack)
Life: Tell Her Tonight - Franz Ferdinand
Mental breakdown: New Day Come (Live) - Shapeshifter
Driving: Chick Habit - April March (from DEATH PROOF soundtrack)
Flashback: The Hardest Button To Button - The White Stripes
Final Battle: Thunderbirds Theme
Funeral Song: Mean Ol' Wind Die Down - North Mississippi Allstars (from BLACK SNAKE MOAN soundtrack)
End Credit: Starship Troopers - Klendathu Drop
Moral of this story? My life is a goddamn film score... no bad thing really!! ;)
go try for yourself:
Rulez of the game
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool...
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| Pop-Culture gasket about to be blown |
[29 Sep 2007|09:58am] |
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mood |
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 crazy |
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V 24 Hour Movie Marathon starts this afternoon... full debrief soon... once I regain sanity!
Saw Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of WAR OF THE WORLDS last night, which was simply spectacular and everything I had hoped it would be. :)
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| Hostel 2 Banned In NZ |
[18 Sep 2007|04:28pm] |
(...oh yes, I still have this don't I!)
A bit past the date, but I was on the telly the other night.
Here's what I had to say for myself: on 3News (14/09/07)
(For the record, I wasn't a huge fan of the first movie, despite what the caption says below me.)
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[07 Sep 2007|10:59pm] |
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So... the fire alarm just went off in my apartment building, thanks to the little chinese place downstairs billowing with smoke...
took the opportunity to hang out at swanky bars with my flatmate and a few of his friends...
work early in the AM, so only time for one and then head back to find that I'm NOT gonna have to hit up the insurance company (phew!)
couldn't get to sleep so had a trawl through teh interwebs and found out (thanks ajkiwi!) that pre-sale MUSE tickets are up for sale, so gave the credit card a workout... Yay!! another show to look forward to... w00t!!
now i can't sleep... have work at 7am t'morrow morning... gonna be a quiet day I'm told (my first Saturday shift), so if any y'all got any interesting links, reading or other assorted interwebs material, send 'em on through!
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| Facebook... |
[18 Aug 2007|03:05pm] |
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is dangerously addictive.
I have 66 friends since Tuesday.
If I haven't added you yet, find me and make a friend request.
ION: Royal Shakespeare Company's KING LEAR tonite. Gandalf and the Doctor in a play by the bard!! Now, that's what I'M talkin' about!!!
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| Friday I'm in Love... |
[15 Aug 2007|12:53am] |
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mood |
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 satisfied |
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Ok... so I'm back online, with a shiny new laptop and lots happening - hopefully lots of posting to come.
Tonight I was at The Cure concert. They were as great as expected, very able to rock out a crowd even though most of their stuff is quite harmonic and introspective. The age range of the crowd was huge, massive testament to their staying power and great sense of what makes good music work.
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| Retina burn |
[17 Jul 2007|12:08pm] |
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Fifteen films in the last four days, most of which have been good to amazing.
Will write up my notes when I have half a chance.
Also, sorting new job, flat and making contacts up in "The Big Smoke".
It all seems to be falling happily into place at the moment.
Busy is good. :)
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| W00t!! |
[04 Jul 2007|08:40pm] |
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mood |
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ecstatic |
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Looks like I have a job guaranteed when I get to Auckland!!
And after Film Festival, which makes it even sweeter!!
Go me!!
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| Chinamaaaaaaan! |
[03 Jul 2007|11:16pm] |
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Massive congratulations to local 48 Hours winners The Outwits, who picked up the runner-up position in the Grand National TV Final on C4TV on Sunday night. They were up against some extremely tough competition and it came down to the wire in the voting system on the night. I am so proud that the first South Island short to place in the competition is from Christchurch and especially pleased it's from The Outwits, who have put in MASSIVE effort over the past three years. Chch represent!!
Also, mad props to Team Lense Flare from Auckland, for their film LEASE, that took out the whole shebang! Not bad for a Wildcard pick, obviously that Pete fella knows his good films when he sees 'em! ;)
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| Good Riddance To Bad Blogger |
[18 Jun 2007|10:45pm] |
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mood |
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optimistic |
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I have done it! Made the leap at last to LJ, and shall post when the mood takes me, if I am near a computer terminal.
*slips off Hush Puppies, puts on cuppa tea, lights pipe*
The move to Auckland is starting to loom large. Only three weeks away.
Film Festival up there is looking exciting - am pleased I'm gonna be partaking of the "whole" this year. Will have recommendations for all once I start immersing myself in all the celluloid-y goodness. Envy me.
Other exciting events to happen soon - more on those as they come to hand.
I shall be sans computer for a while to begin with, so posts may be once in a blue moon until I settle down.
Sorting through the detritus of my life is a lot less strenuous than I thought it was going to be. Finding it quite easy to ruthlessly throw all the unwanted baggage away. Anyone out there in LJ-land in need of household effects, should come see me right now. Going cheap!
The feelings have run the gamut in the last few days. From "why the hell am I doing this" to "I can't wait to see what this adventure has in-store for me". I have many plans, of which I hope at least a scant few will come to fruition.
Going away type drinks will be at The Jetset Lounge on Sunday July 1st. That's also the same night as the Grand National TV Final of "V" 48 Hours Furious Filmmaking. Best of luck to The Outwits as they represent the best of Christchurch local filmmaking!
(Can anyone suggest me a good template/layout for this blog? Looking a bit bleh at the moment.)
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| Sick of Blogger |
[27 May 2007|04:11pm] |
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mood |
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 aggravated |
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Watch this space.
I've finally decided to chuck in the towel on my original blog, since it won't let me in unless I sign-in several million times.
In the process of shifting things across in the coming weeks.
For now though, still residing at http://bionicmanenator.blogspot.com/
(check out the 48 Hours photo finish shots while you're there!)
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