- Most Recent | Since 2004
- List View
- Archive
- December 31, 2004
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
December 31, 2004Read more
I finally got a chance to see Mamoru Oshii’s latest feature anime: Ghost in the Shell: Innocence. If you loved the first Ghost in the Shell movie, you’ll probably love this one too! It was meticulously-paced, deep, and insightful. In other words, I found it plodding, dull, and ponderous; the screen shot captures the essence of how I feel about the movie. I like the TV adaptation Stand Alone Complex much better…closer to Shirow’s characters and situations in the original Ghost in the Shell manga, without the confusion of the sequel Man-Machine Interface.
- December 31, 2004
Happy New Year to Me!
December 31, 2004Read moreYup, it’s my birthday! Just spending a quiet evening at home with Dad. I got some nice virtual b-day cards, and even got a virtual birthday cake from my sister.
This year’s resolutions:
- Build a new creative network.
- Develop an original concept into a project.
- Maintain momentum.
- December 30, 2004
Soreness, Finally!
December 30, 2004Read moreToday I finally started feeling some soreness in my jaw, of the “low throbbing sensation” variety. More ibuprofen, ice packs.
I also noticed that the left corner of my mouth was scabbing over, left over from when the dentist was stretching my mouth open to use the various implements of tooth pullery. This reminds me, at one point during the extraction he actually said, “Hand me the pliers”. I thought it was odd that he’d use that term in front of a patient, because it doesn’t bring up pleasant thoughts. Dr Matthew had a Southeast Asian / Indian appearance, so perhaps he wasn’t trained here in the States. His dental assistant must have been surprised too, because the following dialog ensued:
"What did you ask for?" "The pliers." "Ah. A lot of dentists call it the 'East-West' (?)" "Oh. That's interesting.'"I’m sure they discussed doctor-to-doctor codespeak when I left :-) Another thought that came to me was that DDSs must have tremendous arm strength to do what they do, and they probably would be pretty good at foosball.
- December 30, 2004
A Picture Perfect Christmas
December 30, 2004Read more
Emily bought these neat little frames for the Christmas tree, which was horribly unadorned up until Christmas Eve. Mom’s in her mid 20s in this photo, back in the 1950s I think. The picture of Dad is more recent; he looks like a grizzled mountain explorer!
Emily, Robert, and their cat Audrey. Whee!
Me, trying to look like I belong in a picture frame, and the two cats Katai and Ekaterina. Em pointed out that Kate and Mom had the same expression!
- December 29, 2004
Random Video Catchup
December 29, 2004Read moreOn day 2 of my wisdom tooth extraction recovery period, I got caught up with hours and hours of movies and anime. So far, I’ve experienced very little pain and soreness, and I’ve just been taking ibuprofen.
Finally watched Amelie, after having it in the shrinkwrap for two years. Just about everyone I know seems to have recommended it to me, and grudgingly I have to admit I liked it a lot. Very charming and cute.
Rewatched the pilot of Firefly with commentory by Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion. Whedon puts a lot of work into his shots…more so than I realized. It was inspiring…I kind of want to swing a camera around also to play with framing and lighting now.
Watched 16 episodes of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, which is the television series version of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell manga. It’s an alternative timeline version of the movies, and much more faithful to the manga in tone. I love it. I have yet to see Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, the sequel to the first movie directed by Oshii. I wasn’t a huge fan of the original GITS movie because it lacked the run-and-gun action and ensemble dialog of the manga…everyone seemed to be part of one giant group mind, muttering philosophically to itself. The television series is dramatic and still has a sense of humor. As an added bonus, I hooked my computer to the TV so I can watch torrented anime files on it. Whee!
Watched 12 episodes of Gilmore Girls, until my eyes bled. Nevertheless, I remain charmed by the inspired blathering and ranting of the central characters.
Grabbing Samurai Champloo now… the next series from Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe. I have high hopes.
