August 30, 2008
My girlfriend forwarded me this link, and I was just as appalled as she was. If you are a pet owner, or just an animal lover, I encourage you check out this blog, and be weary of purchasing anything made by Four Paws Inc.
August 24, 2008
Breaks of any kind always seem too short. Tomorrow I go back to school again. I’m registered for a full 12 credits this time. Since I don’t have anything else to talk about at the moment, let’s look at my schedule:
Math: I believe this should be the last I must suffer of equation hell.
Introduction to Human Communication: Eww, human interaction. I’m really not looking forward to this. I took a similar class a long time ago, and hated it. I imagine I won’t like it any better the second time around. This time, however, I’ve got 3 years of real world experience interviewing job applicants. Maybe I can use my knowledge to be a pain in the ass to my teacher.
Anthropology: I signed up for this class because I needed the elective credits, and it sounded more interesting than anything else that fit the requirements. I’m hoping it will also help me create believable civilizations in my fiction. Of course, if the teacher does one of those stupid “getting to know each other” exercises where everyone has to explain why they are taking the class, I’m not sure if I will give my real reason. Perhaps I’ll say I thought we would be learning about the retail store, “Anthropologie.”
History of Graphic Design: Another requirement, and I’ve heard it’s a pretty tough class. Between this and Anthropology, I think I’ll be writing a lot of research papers over the next four months. Oh well, at least I can laugh at the minimum word counts that seem to make so many students quake in fear.
I don’t mind writing research papers, though the stringent requirements to provide sources for all assertions does tend to kill the joy. I look at it as a challenge to write something for academia that isn’t dryer than an Arizona winter. Who knows, maybe I’ll even produce something worth posting here.
August 17, 2008
You might have noticed a new logo gracing the upper left hand corner. I thought my last logo revision was a real improvement, but I still just wasn’t happy. Below you can see the progression from version 1. I really like this one, but we’ll see how I feel after a few months. Google plays with their logo all the time, so I figure I’m entitled to do the same thing.
August 15, 2008
I decided to join the masses and create a MySpace profile. I’ll be using a plug-in app called iRead to display some of my favorite books, and short book reviews.
Check out my profile at : www.myspace.com/erellsworth
If you have your own profile, I’d be happy to add you to my friends list.
August 11, 2008
For a film featuring Robert Downy Jr. in black face, you’d think it might be the NAACP who’s got their broccoli steamed over Tropic Thunder. That’s not the case. At least not yet. No, this time it’s advocates for the mentally handicapped who are calling for a boycott. Apparently sections of the movie use the word “retard” and make fun of the mentally challenged.
The head of the American Association of Disabled Persons was quoted as saying, “I understand the studio, director and writers were trying to be over-the-top, but in doing so around the use of the word retard, they really crossed the line…My biggest fear is high school boys will see this thing and think its cool to use this word and play with it the way it’s played with in the movie.” Sorry buddy, I think you’re a little late. Like it or not, I’m pretty sure school boys already have their share of fun with offensive words.
What I find ironic is that boycotts just don’t work anymore. They might have been effective when used during the civil rights movement, but that was a real cause, with real support. Boycotting an organization for blatant discrimination is one thing. Boycotting a movie because it offends you is just silly.
Whether or not you find such humor offensive is irrelevant. A large, organized boycott may convince a significant number of people to avoid a film. What’s more likely is that it will drum up a lot of free publicity, as I believe is the case with Tropic Thunder.
August 6, 2008
Hancock
I’m just plain tired of Will Smith.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Another sequel in the Mummy Franchise? Really? There was more to the “story” than they could cover in the first 2? Are you serious?
Swing Vote
Sorry, the premise here is just too weak. The outcome of a presidential election comes to ride on the vote of one average schmo? Sorry, but I think we all know that questionable elections are decided by lawyers.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
I think this one is obvious. I never saw the first one, so I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to grasp the complex plot points of the sequel.
Disaster Movie
When I was a teenager, I thought Spaceballs was one of the greatest movies ever made. I was also a fan of the Naked Gun films, Airplane, and Hot Shots. I enjoy a good spoof. In my estimation, the Hot Shots movies were the last good film spoofs. I even have to admit to enjoying the first 2 Scary Movie films.
Unfortunately, those 2 films ushered in a string of the worst parody movies ever: Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, and now Disaster Movie. I cringe every time I see a preview for another one of these so-called movies.
These “spoofs” are so vapid they can’t even stick to parodying their chosen genre. According to the Disaster Movie website, the film is “taking aim at everything and everyone, from ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Iron Man’ to Amy Winehouse and High School Musical.” Look at the movie posters and you’ll see they also take aim at The Hulk, Hellboy, Batman, Ironman, Kung Fu Panda, and even Alvin and the Chipmunks.
One could argue that Alvin and the Chipmunks was a disaster, but it’s hardly a disaster movie. Where parody films used to mock the clichés of one particular movie, or genre, the team of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer just snatch up bits and pieces of every popular movie on the market and threw them into a blender.
August 5, 2008
If you haven’t seen this yet, you must go check it out right this second.
Back during the writer’s strike, Joss Whedon got together with some friends and set out to misbehave. Er, that is, they aimed to produced a quality piece of entertainment without the interference of evil overlords.
The result of their venture is a hilarious 3 act short film that affirms the power of basic story telling structure. Act 1 establishes the characters and the conflict. Act 2 raises the tension. Act 3 brings a resolution.
According to the website, the film was only supposed to be available until July 20th, but for some reason it’s still there. So go watch it while it’s still online.
© 2009 E.R. Ellsworth