Roger
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Posts posted by Roger
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I recall going to see one of the Tom Cruise/Mission:Impossible movies and the deal was that some of the scenes were shot in IMAX.
I think during the IMAX portions there was a tiny extra sliver of image at the top and bottom and then that would disappear again for the normal scenes.
The most spectacular big screen effect I've seen so far is still "Napoleon" (1927). The first five hours were on a pretty large 4:3 screen and then... Ka-Voom... an equally large 4:3 screen gets added on each side.
That show was worth the $50 ticket and the $400 it took to fly out there.
That's definitely an ultra-large format. Star Wars would probably look awesome on a screen like that.
I think the Museum of Science and Industry has a 3 story high screen, that is also hemispherical so that it wraps around you.
I've only ever seen 2 IMAX movies there, though.
That's 2 good reviews I've gotten so far from friends on The Hateful 8, I may just go see that tonight.
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Ah... the suncrusher... long ago I read a book about it I think... was that the small, nearly undefeatable ship?
That one that just flew through a star destroyer to kill it?
See you
*Fuchur*
The same. It's been so long since I read the book, but I do recall that it was supposed to be nearly indestructible. I think the only reason it was finally defeated was the person piloting it had a change of heart and hit the self destruct or something.
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Rob,
Sorry to hear you didn't like it. My main (only) quibble with it was the super weapon. I quit reading the Extended Universe books because every 3rd book had another ridiculous super-weapon (there were 2 Death Star prototypes and something called a Suncrusher, if I recall) and it just seemed like there had to be better plot devices than that. So I totally see that as a valid criticism.
Even with the feeling of "not this sh*t again" brought on by Starkiller Base, I still felt like this movie was in keeping with the original trilogy's spirit and we are going to see much cooler stuff and even better and more nuanced character development in 8 and 9.
Regarding Carrie, I saw a clip of her at a roast of George Lucas from back in 2009, she looked much better/healthier and there was no speech impediment. I think she may have had a minor stroke or something, because you can see that the corner of her mouth droops a bit. It was hard to see her age, I think I had my first celebrity crush on her.
I paid to see it in IMAX, too, but I think most IMAX theaters (around my part of the country, anyway) are just not nearly a large enough screen to make it worth it. I think the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has a screen that completely overwhelms you with how big it is, and takes up your full field of view where the only other IMAX theaters I've been to in my area seem to be just a step up from a normal screen.
I don't regret seeing it. I think it will only get better from here.
I was watching some clips from Eps 1-3 on Youtube the other day, there was some good stuff there, I just think it could have been so much more. I think they'd have benefited by casting a 16-17 year old as Anakin and if the movies were spaced out over 2-3 years then he'd have been a much more believable love interest for Padme.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone
Still hoping to complete a passable AM "Christmas card"...looking grim
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I'm posting mine without first reading Largento's. I thought it carried on in the tradition of the first trilogy quite well.
It references the first movie in a lot of ways, you may find that good or bad. The plot in some ways might make you say "I've got a serious case of deja vu" (although I wasn't that put off by it, others might be). I think they will move in different directions in episodes 8 and 9, I have a rough idea of what they might do plot-wise but I guess we will have to wait and see.
The creature designs and vehicles were very cool, the action scenes were good and everything flowed well. The special effects serve the story rather than taking attention away from it.
The new villain is a complete and utter bastard. It will be interesting to see what they do with him. It was nice to see familiar faces along with the new characters, there are some strong performances by the new actors.
The First Order is carrying along the Empire's tradition of violating all manner of OSHA regulations (they've never heard of railings???).
The violence is dialed up a notch, although I wouldn't feel uncomfortable taking a young child to see it. I think the implied violence is worse, your mind sort of fills in the blanks.
BB-8 is freakin' adorable. I didn't think it was possible to out-cute R2 but they did it.
All in all, I really liked it, I think most others will as well. Probably going for a second viewing tomorrow, if that tells you anything.
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you were allowed to watch that with 3 in the theater? with all the cutting off hands and stuff like that?
see you
*Fuchur*
It was a PG rated movie. If it had been an R-rated movie I doubt I'd have been able to see it at all.
And the scene you're thinking of, the "gore" is on the screen for all of a 1/2 second. By the time Jedi came around I was I think 9 or 10 and I can't say that the hand-cutting scene bothered me all that much in either Jedi, or Empire for that matter (trust me, I'm as squeamish as they come).
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I guess I feel fortunate I got to see it in the theater when I was just 3, then. I lost track of how many times I saw it growing up. I watched it every time it was on TV, loved all 3 original movies.
As for where the prequels went off the rails, I can't say. Revenge of the Sith is certainly the best of them.
While I don't think George is a hack, I do think maybe the prequels might have benefited from collaborative input, perhaps if he'd been able to bounce things off Spielberg. But I can understand wanting to finish them without outside influence.
At any rate, I think the Star Wars universe will live on for a long time and am grateful for George bringing it into being.
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I'm going Friday, it may be a mistake to go so soon, I can't say I'm fond of crowds either. Hopefully these will be better than the prequels.
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I bought my ticket already, I was wondering if anyone else is planning on seeing it?
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Sounds interesting. We don't have anything like that in the US. The illustrations on the cards remind me of Alice in Wonderland, for some reason. Are you doing this all your self or with a team/studio?
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So which direction are you going with this? Comedy, satire, or true to the title?
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Mark,
I sent you my crappy mirror selfie, I hope that's going to work for you. Let me know if that will work or if you need a better picture.
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This is good stuff, I need to look into this. My project is kind of strange because there are two categories I have to manage: things I know how to do that I can act on now and things I need to learn (or brush up on) so I can add them to the first category. I'm trying to decide what a good ratio is between dedicating time to actual production and bolstering my deficits.
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My last sighting was rumored to be somewhere in the vicinity of Canton, Ohio.
I guess I will have to dig up the manual for my camera and sort out how to do a timed photo.
I will have it to you no later than end of the week, Mark.
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So...I was hoping to have a short discussion on this episode but didn't want to spoil anything for those who hadn't seen it, but it's been a while so...
The episode starts with the Doctor trapped in a mysterious castle being stalked by some sort of wraith....he comes to find out that over the course of the episode that he has been trapped in there a very long time, sort of like an even more horrific version of Groundhog Day (except Bill Murray didn't have his memory wiped each time...it's not clear whether the Doctor remembers each iteration although at one point he says he does, I'm not sure if he's actually remembering or if he gets better at figuring out his clues, or maybe after so many cycles he actually does retain something somehow)
The reason he is trapped in this castle/puzzle box is the Timelords back on Gallifrey want to know all about the Hybrid, some legendary creature that the Doctor knows all about and the only way he can pass through the castle or unlock new areas is to make some confession about the Hybrid. Finally he gets to the end and realizes the way out is blocked by a 20 foot thick diamond wall, the only way to get past is to give up the info on the Hybrid. Except, he doesn't. He just starts punching the wall. And the creature comes up and kills him, only not quite, and he has only enough energy to crawl back to the start and leave himself a clue and burn his old body to generate a new one.
And he does this for something like 2-4 billion years. Each time, punching the wall...until he finally punches through.
What I didn't quite get, is if every room resets, shouldn't the room with the diamond wall also reset? In which case, he'd never escape? If so, why is there another set of clothes for him to find? Shouldn't they disappear? Even more worrisome, if we assume he is in the castle for maybe a total of 3 days, 1.5 days to figure things out and another 1.5 to crawl back and start over again, then for each year he is in the castle he leaves behind 120-odd skulls (roughly). Every 1000 years that's 120,000 skulls, every 10,000 years that's 1.2 million skulls, 100k 10.2 million, 1 million years 100 million skulls, 1 billion years is 100,000 million skulls (unless we are talking the British billion which is 1 million million years and not just 1 thousand million years, and then hoo-boy you are talking about a heck of a lot of Doctor skulls --- at which point there wouldn't be any water left for him to fall into at the beginning, heck there probably isn't room after the first 100,000 years unless they start turning to sand at some point).
I guess I'm being too picky and perhaps there is a reason the final room can't reset, and maybe the other things that are left out don't reset either (or else there'd be no way to tell the story...perhaps that's just part of his torture, that those items can't/don't reset). It's still a great episode, I can't imagine the kind of grit it would take to realize you've been doing that for millions of years and keep doing it.
The montage at the end has got some particularly excellent editing, the way everything is cut together makes it seem like you're watching thousands of iterations of this cycle even though it's only about 3 minutes of screen time. I've watched the episode at least 3 times now. I'll have to buy a DVD of season 9 so I can have a copy of this episode.
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Mark,
I apologize, I have been a completely lazy bastard about it. Part of the problem is I can't get a proper photo of myself with only myself to take it, I either get that ridiculous "selfie" angle, or the bathroom mirror photo.
I will have to see if I can figure out how to take a timed photo with either my iPhone or my other camera, or get someone to take it for me.
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Just watched this and wow...this one made up for all the stinkers this season. It seemed like there were more than a few that fell a bit flat. Seriously though, Who fans, I must have watched the last 10-15 minutes 2 or 3 different times.
Slow clap for you, Mr. Steven Moffat, wherever you're at.
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Well, I qualified my Thanksgiving wish since I wasn't aware that it was celebrated outside the US. However, after a cursory Googling and Wikipedia visit, it would appear that there are a few countries that celebrate the holiday, just not on the same date we do.
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If I'd known this was the designated Turkey Day thread I'd have posted in here. Guess that's what I get for not looking.
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Just thought I'd wish everyone a slightly belated Happy Thanksgiving.
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I'll have to review these on the train, at least it will be time well spent. I can't exactly animate on the train, but at least I can feed my mind with something animation related.
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I wonder if Pixar has a corresponding version of the Nine Old Men in their organization?
Most definitely. PIXAR's core creatives are often referred to 'The Brain Trust' and function in a similar way; one might argue that the brain trust is a more modern ad hoc version of Disney's concept of 'Nine Old Men'.
In addition to usually being one who sits in with the brain trust (often as silent facilitor ala Deming method/Six Sigma) PIXAR co-founder Ed Catmull's book 'Creativity Inc.: Uncovering the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspriation' reportedly goes into considerable detail on who that trust is comprised of and how they work to push animation projects forward at PIXAR. If I recall correctly Ed devotes one chapter to a session where the brain trust goes through their process.
(Sigh. Yet another book I need to get)
One thing that has been a bit disappointing with regard to many of the resources available to us is that while a lot of folks like the resources available to us these days few seem interested in discussing the wonderful contents found therein. This is like filling a mansion full of gold, precious jewels and all the stuff of dreams and then being found living somewhere far away from that splendor in a cold dark and empty shack.
What sort of discussion are you looking for? I don't generally participate in that sort of discussion since I figure I don't really have anything to offer.
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It seems like every other month there is some Flash vulnerability. Maybe Adobe needs to get their act together.
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I doubt it. That's why it seems so out of place. I guess I would have to go and watch some of the old episodes to compare, but I'm fairly sure they weren't anything like the new show.
Force Awakens: anyone going to see it?
in Off Topic
Posted
So I saw Hateful 8 and I find myself pondering what a Quentin Tarantino directed Force Awakens would look like.
Probably lots of amputations by lightsaber. An elderly Mace Windu that just happened to survive the dual with Palpatine somehow?
We can only imagine.