We can't be dead. We have cable.

Things that made me happy today...

2009-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

It just so happens, I got a large shipment of movies in the mail today. I have a lot of vegetating to participate in this weekend. Bring on the couch and popcorn.

Also, an adorable boy alert made me smile just a cinch. It's good to be dating someone that's as involved in the Dork Kingdom as myself. We get excited about things like this.

As a response to Natasha's blog...

2009-02-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

Places I would go if I had the capability to travel in time. Hm. Of course this will require thought, but I think I can scrounge up just a few...

1. December 23, 1972. Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA.

Ah, here it is. AFC Divisional Playoff game for 1972. 22 seconds left, no time outs. What occurs is a gift from Bradshaw to Harris. An accident, almost. While a pass intended for Fuqua, the ball never made it into his hands. Instead it was caught and run into the end zone for a touchdown by Franco Harris. It brought the Steelers to a 12-7 lead over the Oakland Raiders and a spot in history. I would love to have been there for the Immaculate Reception.

2. January 14, 1973. Honolulu Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

The first television show ever broadcast by Satellite was an Elvis concert. I grew up on Elvis, I've seen the movies, know the songs, have the nick-nacks. This concert was one of Elvis' public bests and he was young, healthy, talented. I would have loved to been in this audience, forget the fact that it was monumental because it was watched on TV, I want to be there!

3. April 3, 1978. Los Angeles, California.

Ah. Ben Burtt won his first Academy Award for Star Wars. At the 50th Academy Awards, Burtt got a Special Achievement Award for his work on sound effects for the film. At the time, awards for sound editing or design weren't common and hadn't been given out for many years prior (a handful were given out in the 60's and only a few more were given before the 80's). While Burtt did quite a bit of work, he didn't get the credit for the film's sound Oscar. He finally got the credit in 1981 for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Oh, and, C3PO actually awarded Burtt.

4. April, 1828. Table Bay, South Africa.

This year was none other than the year the Whale Shark was discovered. I can't say that I would not LOVE to be scuba diving out in the sea and find the cutest shark known to man. I would love that. I don't need to take the credit, just would like to have been there for the first sighting.

Ah yes, Hello Mr. '09!

2009-01-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it just so happens to be January 4th and I haven't written a single thing here in months. How anyone keeps up with my life, including myself, I'll never know. Two very important winter holidays have passed and the stores are now rolling their inventory around to match the theme of the next best money making event: Valentines Day. The amount of red and pink foil candy I'm sure makes even the toughest of us want to completely avoid any and all food or drug stores. Anyways, I thought I'd share a little bit about the way Adlington holiday's go down and what you may or may not be missing out on.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It's much calmer, quieter, and more relaxing than other holiday's because it is spent with my mom's side of the family. The Dotson's do not bring the party. Instead we quietly watch football, catch up, and drink beer and wine until were just buzzed enough to not care about keeping up conversation. My mom and my grandmother make dinner, it is scrumptious. My dad and seldom-heard-from uncle dangerously deep fry a turkey. I cuddle myself on the couch as I watch the entirety of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Even the decorations are okay. This year, my grandfather got really into making his own dessert wine, which he mailed to us instead of taking the time to deliver on such a family oriented holiday; needless to say, we we're too scared to drink it. That's it, that's the Dotson family Thanksgiving in a nutshell. At least it tastes good.

Christmas is an entirely separate ball game. My dad's family comes over, the Adlington clan in it's entirety. Not to mention you're stuck in a house full of people that never gets a moment of silence until we all wonder off to bed. It's fun though, we exchange gifts, eat dinner, generally play some kind of board/card game. This year it happened to be "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" for Wii. It was a good time to say the least. My favorite part about the Adlington Family is the simplicity of our minds, the things we're entertained by. Every year my uncle Devin buys all fifteen of us lottery tickets and six packs of IBC. We each get the choice of cream soda or root beer and it only sucks if you're lottery tickets don't hit. I opted for cream soda and won $16 dollars off my tickets. I'd say an ideal end to Christmas evening.

Anywho, that's me and now its a new year, a good year. Maybe a great year! I'll do my best to spew my thoughts more frequently, as I always say...

I'm Oogling the Googling function..

2008-11-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

I am ridiculously addicted to Google search as are most people in my age bracket I assume. I google pictures of everything I can think of and today I Google pictures of 'sound effects'. This, blows my mind, because the way sound effects sound and the way they look on screen and the way they're actually made are in no way similar, but putting an image to my favorite sense is genius. Here are my favorites..

Interesting Art..

2008-11-17T16:53:00.001-08:00

I don't pay enough attention to new art exhibitions or installations really. I focus all my interest on marketing and merchandising companies, but I took some time to peruse the internet for new art and here are a few I really like. I always wish I had the money to purchase art, but eventually I will. Anyways, enjoy for yourself.

America The Gift Shop

Dog Art

Creepy, Amazing, Japanese Somethings

That's enough for now, I will gladly accept any links to something exciting and artsy fartsy because we all love that.

Again I am quite lackluster..

2008-11-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

When it comes to keeping up with any sort of journaling, I do not shine. Instead the world must circle and rotate without knowing what ails or pleases me for a day. I promise though, I will try harder to update my reflective cyber journal. I haven't much to say except that I cant stop eating mini candy bars, my skin is my worst feature, and I've gotten into watching bad movies while sewing in bed. Recently it's been Dark Crystal and films of the sort. While not bad by any real means, it's a bit cheesy-child-like rather than easy-to-pay-attention-to-while-half-occupied-like. I don't know what that means but I'm sure if you know Dark Crystal at all you will. As far as what I'm sewing, I can't say out loud, but you might get wind of it by mail if you're special. That reminds me, tomorrow is my day to stock up on mailing envelopes and stamps.

it's 12:59...

2008-10-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

and the pain has already set in for the day. It's already started to change me, make me into something I am not because my body just can't keep up any more. I can't get things done, I can't keep busy, I can't be myself because all of that, those things, they hurt. I've stopped trying very hard to make it end, I've given up and I don't know what that makes me. A quitter or conquered. I can barely pay attention long enough to update my ipod before forgetting what I was doing. I'm behind on my very very very long list of things to do. My multitasking function has completely gone missing. Life is different when lying in bed causes you more pain than comfort, but I'm not complaining. I am coping, we call this getting along with my ailment. I will try harder today, I will.

This is good...

2008-10-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

What is good you may ask? It's October. That is good. Let me tell you why I am so impressed with this month and the handful of things that being the tenth month dictates. October is the first hint to the most receptive parts of our bodies that it's going to be winter; our skin knows that it's almost that dark, frigid, unsettling time of year. We begin to crack and dry, we sneeze and cough. Our bodies fight everything that environment so unkindly tries to throw at us. There is something good about this though. One good thing is that everything is now pumpkin flavored and scented and I just so happen to love the taste and aroma of pumpkins. Delicious delicious delicious. Most people agree, that's why they offer the autumn inspired pumpkin varieties of things we love: Starbucks coffee, Sam Adams, bagels, shampoos at Sephora. Another thing is, October feels very clean and fresh, renewing in fact. It's like we're getting a chance to redo last winters weird and awkward moments, but this time we're wiser and older and will do much better. Also, when it's cold outside, there's no better excuse than cold weather to just sit inside and watch movies or TV shows and see no one and do nothing. This is one of my favorite things to do, in fact I am participating in the act as we speak. Drinking pumpkin tea and watching Pay It Forward like a really social, fun loving, exciting 20-something. Yet, the point of this entire paragraph was to say that this, is not weird, it's perfectly acceptable. It is October.

Not to mention, everyone loves a good Halloween. There's something about silly evil, dead-ish, black and orange imagery that we just love to love. At least, I do. Everything sort of reminds me of the sugary sweet stickiness of Halloween candy and recently, the flavor of the inside of a cheap keg. So I must reiterate that I am happy in fact with the weather, the season, the fact that football is on all the time. It's October. Does anyone feel the same?

Officially, I've opted to participate.

2008-09-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be better at writing, blogging, communicating, updating the likes of an internet page daily or at least weekly. I'm terrible at remembering to reflect, but I constantly forget things so I find it helpful to do this. I used to write all the time and have gotten out of the habit and I'm less satisfied with that. I want to first state that I am, in fact, 100% obsessed and in love with Anthony Bourdain and his Travel Channel TV show No Reservations. I want nothing more than the life of him and his crew. I'd love to wonder the planet and eat the local fare, particularly the more family oriented traditions from present day and centuries past. I lived this life temporarily in Guatemala where a local nurse's mother cooked us nightly dinners that were absolutely to die for. Not to mention, the world has outstandig scenery to go along with its outstanding tastes.

That is what I will do for the rest of the night; ponder how my life can involve eating things not many get to eat. It helps that I will eat anything, including termites out of a mound (which I borderline participated in while visiting Belize). So please, volunteer to be my global companion and be willing to gain weight (or lose it) which ever the case may be.

Eastern Shore Bird

2008-07-17T21:07:00.001-07:00

This weekend I went to Ocean City, Maryland. A little beach town that I've been to over 50 times in my life. This visit I really felt a connection with the town and realized how much of my personality and upbringing I have to contribute to being near the ocean. The ocean has been something I've been in love with since I was just a tot and still to this day it astounds me. Sitting in the same sand I've always known and swimming in the same cold, green, water I grew up in felt so familiar. My plans to move out to the Pacific coast made everything feel so nostalgic. I was raised to love the beach and the ocean and the sun and not fear anything this world has to offer and I'm very thankful for that.

I post these pictures to share my nostalgia and offer some kind of visual interpretation of what I was raised to love. Maryland will always be home.

I felt this one...

2008-06-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

A Personal Memo

2008-04-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

I need to create of running things I want to do with my life once college is over... as to not forget these things I think up at random times.

1. Start a clothing company. Plans for this I already have.
2. Make music whether it be my own or the production of others.
3. Write about movies. I want to do this in order to stay fresh in the subject and keep myself always watching new things. If I don't write, I won't pay attention to film and its place in time.

2008-04-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

My empty promises led to our demise and I could never tell you how I really feel and for that I eternally apologize.
I hope you never forget the tapping at your window with the harsh cold and the jealousy running through my bones we were both selfish, but I think I was more. I would like to thank you, for showing me a part of myself that I have never seen.
Yeah, we were young and dumb, but it still was fun and I guess these things just tend to fall apart and I hope you feel the same.
My empty promises brought us to an end.
I just hurt you and I never looked back now I have no logic to defend.

What is the world today?

2008-03-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

So I'm home, a few days after my 3300 mile trek across middle America. It's safe to say I had a blast and the most amazing time anyone could have with the same person for six days sitting in a Chevy Cobalt for forty-eight-ish hours. We hit up numerous major cities in ten days: Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Birmingham, and back again. I hope this outlines our route a little bit for you. Let me note that Austin, Texas was our desitination of choice for the SXSW music/industry/crazy festival that was going on. We mainly went to indulge in the musical treat that was/is the band You, Me, and Everyone We Know from back here at home.

We also made a stop in Houston, Texas to spy on our old friends All Time Low and see how they're doing on their first leg of a headlining tour. Needless to say, they're an amazing little band of adorable boys that have done one hell of a job for themselves. They need to give themselves more credit than they do! They've developed quite a little gem with their new record. The picture is blurry, my apologies.

To add to our musical conquest we even stopped to make a visit at Graceland and the Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis on the drive down. Both were incredibly interesting destinations. Even my second time at Graceland, it still shocks me how many people come out at all hours of all days during all times of the year to see Elvis Presley's estate. I recommend visiting at least once to everyone in the world.

So that's really all I have to outline about the trip for now, I should add though that the drive was complete cake despite my fears of passing out and not being able to drive cross country at points. We did it and it was a blast! I totally recommend the trip to anyone. It's an interesting little journey.

Let them have cake!

2008-02-25T11:33:00.000-08:00

So due to my fascination with Ace of Cakes on the Food Network and my sister's fascination with cooking tactics in general, the two of us decided to create a cake using fondant for my mother's 50th birthday. Note this is our first ever attempt with creating or using fondant and also our first attempt at trying to design a cake (with the exception of my historic R2D2 cake a few years back). This is what we created and I'm pretty pleased with the result...

MORE ART!

2008-02-21T15:38:00.001-08:00

Ah yes, I made more art (art that I am willing to part with). There isn't enough room any more for my creations to reside in my room so it must go! Let me know if you're interested in owning a Laurie Adlington original. Here's what I have...

Oh, and the diamond that I posted sideways was a gift for a friend, but I can make another if you'd like.

American University meets Perez Hilton

2008-02-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

So an abundance of famous faces were witnessed on campus this week. While semi-ridiculous, the incident is also very American U. The following posed for the American paparazzi pictures:

Barack Obama

Hayden Panettiere

Jerry Springer

Caroline Kennedy (and the rest of the Kennedy's for that matter)

I know, so thrilling and exciting right? I thought the Hayden Panettiere sighting was cool.

Mae

2008-01-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

So I've recently gotten back into painting, considering the generous amount of time I've had on my hands.. this is some of what I've come up with over the past couple weeks. The squid I did a while back. Either way, I still enjoy it tremendously. My apologies. I'm considering making paintings for people who want them so let me know if you'd like one.

These four are older and the Panda Robot I actually gave away...

mae

Something you haven't heard.

2008-01-15T13:59:00.000-08:00

I recently ran into the journal I brought with me to Belize. I recorded everything I did each day in said journal including short profiles of the people I met on my travels. I got so excited that I found this journal that I decided to post it here for all to experience. Maybe it will help someone decide whether or not to travel to Belize, maybe it will inhibit further vacations and adventures to any Central American inland jungles. So as I sit and watch Gilmore Girls reruns and eat rum raisin ice cream that incidentally reminds me of a time I had in Belize, I will retype my adventures for your consumption.

Day 1: San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

It's gorgeous. It's Belize. It's everything I wanted it to be. Why would anyone hold me back from it? The airport experience was fun; scary, yet fun. Coming to Belize without a single plan was a great idea. We got into Belize and took a cab to a tiny marina where we paid ten dollars to drive through gorgeous blue seas on an hour long trip to San Pedro, a fantastic little beach town. It really does remind me so much of Guatemala and the food, beverage, and local hospitality are to die for. As the sun has gone down, I sit sandy and sweaty watching a lightning storm waiting for sleep. I'm so happy here.

Day 2: Still in San Pedro

The tiny drops of rain are making my ink bleed, but I love it. The storm last night was incredible. The wind and thunder amazing and so loud they kept me up and kept my thin sheet curtains flapping over our blanket-less bed. Today we went snorkeling in the Caribbean sea. The sea life as always was incredible, I love their world.The tour guide lifted the biggest ray I've ever seen for us to hold. Now it's only 1:30 and we just ate $2 burritos for lunch. Tonight it's sun and rum raisin ice cream. Tomorrow it's Caye Caulker.

Day 3: San Ignacio

Forget Caye Caulker. We took a two hour boat ride to Belize City to catch the bus to San Ignacio. The city is incredible, so run down yet so full of life. It amazes me. Besides the lack of disposable income in this town, I love every inch of it. The dirt, the dilapidated buildings, the people. Even the produce market was great.

Revert back to the bus stop in Belize City. We hoped on a 9 am bus to San Ignacio with all of the locals going to work around the mainland. The drive was a two and a half hour bumpy one, but quite lovely. The country side is just like Guatemala and the Maya Mountains are breathtaking. The music on the bus, not so much. Upon arrival we found a great group home owned by an adorable family that makes killer food. We paid for three exciting tours for the rest of the week and took a local's advice and hiked up a hill to see Cahal Pech (a Mayan ruin in the town). Oh man, the hike almost killed us (it was SERIOUSLY uphill), but Cahal Pech and the view were stunning. We tickled ourselves with a break-in of the Cahal Pech Resort swimming pool. So amazing and relaxing and not to mention, the view there was also outstanding. We hiked back down the mountain and stopped at a small market for delicious pineapple popsicles and watched all the kids run home from school in matching uniform. I love San Ignacio. It's small, but so comfortable and safe. I really enjoyed walking the neighborhood streets. It was then naps, dinner, ice cream, and bee. All to be in bed by 9.

We'll see you tomorrow and goodnight.

Day 4: ATM: Actun Tunichil Mucnal

I just went on the biggest and best adventure of my entire life. We went caving at a place in the Maya Mountains called Actun Tunichil Mucnal. Before going we had a delicious breakfast downtown. Fryjacks and guava jelly are to die for. After filling out bellies we got into a van with Emilio and drove an hour town a windy, bumpy, rocky jungle road to the edge of the mountains. Our tour guide was friendly and fun, he made the whole trip worth it. So just Nicole, this guy, and I drive up to the edge of the jungle. We then proceed to hike 45 minutes into thick thick rain forest to the mouth of a cave. We just avoid a group of jungle kidnappers/hijackers as Emilio takes us into an amazing Mayan cave. We swim and shimmy through tiny cracks, climb up huge walls, and walk across river flats miles into the cave all while avoiding twenty huge poisonous cave spiders. The inside of the cave was breathtaking. The water was crystal blue and freezing, the chambers were dark and desolate and I wont lie, we heard voices of people who weren't there. Also on the agenda was climbing an aluminum ladder placed vertically against a few rocks to see skeletons (my favorite part). Because it was just me and Nicole, the guide took us to secret holes in the cave. They were maybe 2ft by 1ft and we were very crammed and scared, but getting muddy was necessary. We also painted out faces with paint rocks to look like Mayan warriors. Mud was a theme. I learned a lot about Belize from Emilio. I learned about religion, life, jobs, and growing up.

We had a separate driver come pick us to bring us back to the city. We talked to him about politics in Belize and he fed us berries off the side of the road that are named after dogs balls (and somewhat resemble them as well). All of it was spectacular and I cannot wait for tomorrow.

Oh, P.S. The love of my life is here, I do not know anything about him except where he's staying and that he took the ATM tour right after us. Maybe the tour guide told him about me.

Day 5

I lost my pen and a huge rainstorm kept us in last night. This morning we went back to Maya Tours and went on our second excursion: cave tubbing in Caves Branch. Again, as I always say, the sights were breathtaking. There were holes in the caves where you could see stalagmites mixing with forest and were just as incredible looking as the huge open caverns dripping with stelagtites.

Tubing was exhausting used all of our energy so we just woke up from naps. Today we didn't tour alone, we went with a gay couple from LA and 3 girls traveling from Holland: Kim, Jasmine, and Julia. The guys names I cant remember. We almost had to share the caves with a thousand cruise ship travelers, but we swam nine hundred yards upstream to avoid them. Now Nicole is getting antsy so we'll go eat.

Day 6: Caracol & Car Accidents

So today was incredibly interesting. We went on a tour to Caracol, a Mayan ruin site. First off, we had to take a rickety jeep with no seatbelts and detached seats on the world's longest and bumpiest road. Keep all that in mind for later on in the story. Driving we saw some pretty awesome things like trees that got attacked by certain beetles and killed them selves to save other trees. Then the butterflies, there were millions. The howler monkeys were arguing and causing quite a ruckus. We hiked up to Caracol and climbed to the top of the tallest temple to see the entire world. Gorgeous. Here we found tons of cool plants - cilantro, allspice, licorice. Then we left. Bad idea.

Our Jeep that we drove home in crashed. Breaks died, car went flying into a ditch and we almost flew off a bridge and died. While it was incredibly scary, I'm fine. Bad neck, butt, and bruises, but Nicole is very hurt. Because of this, we went to the world's sketchiest Emergency Room, got Nicole some X-rays with bugs in the room. Then it was off to the police station to file a report. Very interesting as well. Now Nicole is stuck lying down and we might sneak back into the resort pool tomorrow so we can at least get a tan. Probably no more beach for us. Oh well, I love San Ignacio and our friends are here.

Day 7 & 8

I'm laying in a hammock on the porch of a bungalo in Placencia. The winds from a storm are blowing around me and I feel perfect. I just had a bowl of knock-off Belizean lucky charms and I'm ready for bed. First I need to back track a bit. Friday night, the night of the accident, I went out to Faya Wata alone and had a blast. Lots of drinks and dancing. The next day Nicole and I just sat a the pool all day, but it was still a good time. That night we went out and said our goodbyes to our San Ignacio friends, we sure did make some good ones. Emil, Aaron, Andrew - all awesome guys. I'm really glad we got the chance to know them a bit. We might come back one year to stay at the new resort Aaron's opening. He told us a story about a tire falling off his car and for some reason it was just hilarious. A good dose of laughter to ease our pains. I'm writing that down just so I don't forget it. This morning we packed and left San Ignacio for Placencia so we could chill out on the beach before we go home. Good idea we had. Besides the hellish bus ride, Placencia is great. Sun, sand, and blue water awaits us tomorrow and we have no plans but to relax.

My journal keeping of the 11 days in Belize ends here, but I did write up little bits of information on the people I met, which is my favorite part of all of my notes.

Aaron Juan: Owns Maya Tours and Faya Wata. Lives above both. No girlfriend, great dad. Opening lodge. Lost tooth in cue stick fight. Mixes Redbull in his Guiness. Tattoos. Funny. Nicole loves him.

Emilio: ATM guide. Was a heavy drinker. Married with daughter. 24. Adorable. Loves his job, went to school for environmental science and got an associates degree. Bought me a lot of drinks and is a decent dancer.

Andrew: Metrosexual, takes care of himself. Doesnt drink. Has his own secret waterfall. Loves LA sports teams.

Malisha & George: Med students from Charlottesville, VA. Helped save Nicole's ass. Sweet people.

John & Jasmine: Haha. John is ex-Army. Jasmine ex-Singaporian assistant. From Clarendon. Out for 7 months.

Julia: Dutch. Traveling alone for a few months. Sweet girl, a bit awkward, but so friendly.

Kathy: English. Lived in Manchester. Now lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico teaching English. Tall, skinny, and very nice.

Stan: Villa owner in Placencia. From LA, really funny, & completely identifiable. Fat, black, and incredibly generous. Usually high.

And that is that, my adventure to Belize minus a lot of exciting details, go ahead and ask me about it. I had an amazing time and would do it again no matter what. Even with the car accident. Soon ill link this to a flickr account with the photos.

Live Together, Die Alone.

2008-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

I originally used this blog for postings for a class on cheesy science fiction films. I've decided to do a little cyber-recycling and use it towards a better purpose. It is now my vocalization and manifestation of my live happenings. I will do a short recap of this week to get myself started.

The weeks of January 1st-10th:
- Completed my catch-up on Lost seasons 1 & 2
- Had 4 teeth removed and got three cases of dry socket
- Completed two more weeks of physical therapy for my back

Incredibly exciting, no? I'm working on getting myself back into the groove next week. Back to school, back to life. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cue the sun!

2007-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

I congratulate Jim Carrey on this picture, his performance in The Truman Show being one of my favorites. What is also to be commended is the quality of this movie, a thousand steps above Conceiving Ada not only in production quality, but plot, cast, and sound. A much more all around enjoyable film I'd say. But beyond the general aesthetics of the film, it's story has incredible integrity. The story is atleast semi-moving and character study brings us to symphathize and support the main character, Truman, through all of his hectic battles with reality.

This story, Truman's story, brings me to question how important reality truely is. Can we function in a made-up, alternate "reality" or will our human insticts and curiosity corupt man-made bubbles of perfection? It's hard to say, but it has yet to this day to be successfully replicated. Sometimes I'm glad that life is not perfect, that there are up, down, and sideways moments. What mediocre personalities we would have if experience were manipulated and orchestrated, performed to the perfection that is performed in The Truman Show. Yet, human error and imperfection is taken into account in the film, our technological covers are revealed when our inconsistencies come through, when our machines fail and begin to crumble. Much like light fixtures falling from the sky, our disquise falls down, and reality's reality is exposed.

This movie, although a bit cheesy in it's 90's cinema kind of way, is smart and influential. It teaches us a little bit about our fears, our loves, and ourselves. It makes evident how we see, act, and learn as humans and how those actions cannot be adjusted or replaced, we simply cannot function any other way.

Death makes the fragility of life delicious. In general, I'm not opposed to it.

2007-04-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

I'll have to admit that upon the completetion of Conceiving Ada, I felt no remorse for its characters, no sympathy for its story, no intrigue for its filming. I felt nothing. Well, that's not entirely honest; boredom and fatique were induced while watching this film. I thought it was horrible. The character development was unstable and incomplete. The story itself made not one lick of logical sense. Who even cares about this issue if nothing is to come of it but a child clone? I'm not feeling any significance.

I'd say this movie could be important to watch if it had anything interesting about it. The filming is low budget and uninteresting and the perspective of the camera isn't paid attention to. In one scene, Emmy's significant other puts a black veil over the camera. I'm assuming this is to hint that we are much like Emmy, secretly peering into the private lives of past scientists and mathematicians. What are we supposed to get from this concept? This notion that is only brought about once and not again implied at any other point in the film? I don't get it.

What I also dont get is the entire concept. How is an electronic image of a bird supposed to go back into time and inhabit the physical position of a toy bird allowing it to capture and transport information and DNA into the future? What? I know, this makes no logical sense. It's a computer. Not a flux capaciter. One day, our flash images of birds will travel back in time to watch the conception of Botticelli or James Dean or Martin Luther King. I can't wait. And, I cannot forget to mention the fact that it might be intirely possible to enscribe our unborn children with the DNA of famous historical figures. I must say, this entire idea seems like a huge joke to me. I can't begin to appreciate something that cant even exist in my imagination. It just isn't believable enough. It doesn't even present an alternative universe for this to happen in.

I don't get this movie. I don't want to get this movie. It's a poor representation of the future, of what could come or of what ideas might be influential to a world of technology. This movie doesn't comment on technology, but wishful thinking rather.

Where's home, Johnny?

2007-03-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

Mnemonic devices are supposed to act as memory aids that serve a learning purpose. This movie serves no purpose and speaks nothing of the development of knowledge in a way that makes coherent sense. Where to begin I'm not sure, but for the benefit of the doubt, I'll start with the one thing that was semi-decent in this movie.

Cinematography. This movie's saving grace, yet only for a moment. While the scenes were orchestrated carefully and set up in such a way as to serve some sort of aesthetic purpose, the basis of each shot is ultimately serving the pathetic plot and it makes the beauty of the shots hard to focus on.

Ah now, where to begin. I guess we could start with the all-star cast. Keanu? Ice T? Henry Rollins? Flipper? Do any of these people having any acting talent? Surely any talent is not identifiable in this film. Watching Keanu bumble around the city calling everything out with his surf-esque diction makes my skin itch. And not to mention, Rollins as a scientist? Someone so punk-rock doesn't strike me as being able to convey the saving grace of modern science in the new world. Just "bah" on the entire performance within this film.

And the message. The loss of memory causes us to be unsympathetic and selfish? The loss of out childhood makes us lacking of real world experience that makes us who we are? Well, duh. But, the thing is, people are unsympathetic and selfish anyways and they don't even have to have their memory removed. Removing our memory will simply create a larger society of money-hungry morally inept scoundrals. But yet, despite being speaking impaired and lacking any type of human condition, Reeves still manages to win the ladies over. I guess its that 80 gig brain of his that's so sexy.

I don't even know where else to go with this film, but I'd very confidently put it on my list of "Worst Movies Ever". I'm aware that the director was an artist, but I've seen better art. More effective art. This movie doesnt strike me as art. I know I can't be naive when it comes to art and that a lot of things are still art despite the fact of whether or not I agree. But Johnny Mnemonic? No. Simply utter ridiculousness.

Now, this is the plan. Get your ass to Mars.

2007-03-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

Total Recall, a 90's classic I must admit. It's chocked full of action, intergalactic travel, and muscle. Arnold plays a very convincing secret agent and as expected, saves the planet Mars from a complete meltdown. Besides the movie being full of hokey action sequences and less thought provoking plot points, it still brings some very interesting ideas to the table.

Purchasing memories. If you had the opportunity to buy memories, would you? Maybe thats the point the movie is making. Memories aren't memories it there isn't the physical actions to follow it. If we never ran a mile, can we will our legs remember that mile that our minds remember? It appears this is whats going on with Dennis Quaid in Total Recall. His mind cant remember is real life, nor the things he's actually done, but when put back into familiar situations, they recollections of the past his body's been through begin to come back. Ultimately real memories are much stronger than any manufactured implant. I hope this stands true in reality. I'd hate to love in a world where people can purchase their experiences. Money really can by anything at that point. Perhaps even memories of happiness.

And aye, what an interesting point this is. What is a world where we can actually, physically purchase our happiness? We can implant our mind with happy memories. We can erase our negative pasts, bad childhoods, and mistakes we think we've made. It's ultimately too dangerous to live in a world where negativity can be forgotten and we do not learn from our experiences. Even imperfect vacations are an experience designed for learning. Life is made of experience. Trial and error. Good and bad. Imperfections. That's why I think movies like this are so important. Challenge the existence of all that is bad. Although it is difficult, it's still necessary for our survival as beings. Buying happiness is just as destructive as whatever possible imperfections may arise in life.

They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper.

2007-02-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that while I was sitting through Blade Runner, I felt like I hated the movie. The plot was too dispersed, the characters had no depth, and I felt like nothing was happening for any particular reason. It took me until the very last scene of the film to even grasp the concept of what was really taking place. This movie was not entirely about the hunting down and removal of Replicants, but of how we as humans (or someday non-humans) are beginning to write or rewrite our history.

I do understand the film and its take on the evolution of machinery and computers, but as a film for films sake, things were off. In 2019, Los Angeles proceeds to become increasingly Asian and technologically accelarated, but still, things like televisions have not seemed to upgrade. There are neon umbrellas, flying cars, and interesting machines for drying one's hair, but I think that misleads us to miss the point. The point that while all technology may benefit us in some way, all technology is not good. This is especially true when technology has a mind of its own, free will if I may say. The Replicants in this movie are so human like that we almost forget that they aren't humans. They bleed, cry, act, and breathe. This provides actual humans with even more dilemmas. Up to what point are Replicants human? What amount of rights do they have if any? Is it right to see a man shoot down a Replicant that no one can tell is not human? Theres an escalation of violence not attended to in the movie and I feel that these issues weren't addressed.

Maybe I truely am missing the point of the movie, but where was the line drawn for creating Replicants and how life like they would be and how involved in society they would be. The three sentences at the beginning of the film weren't enough for me. These Replicants, although strong and unaffected by pain, were too human like to ignore they're human-like traits. Are Replicants individuals in the film or are they property? Who owns them? Why were they made if they were not to be owned? Blade Runner leaves me with endless amounts of questions that I have to struggle to answer. But, this burst of questions leaves me begging for more about the movie and more to know about the processes and ideas behind cyborgs.

And by the way, do we know why they're called Blade Runners?

I feel a presence. Another warrior is on the mesa.

2007-02-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

Tron, a true marvel of the 1980's. Full of revolutionary technology gifted by the onset of computer generated animation and graphics, Tron has become somewhat of a legendary archive of past technological feats. Techniques such as back lighting and the use of live action against the computer animated setting made Tron look and feel that much different. The techniques of Tron were immensely labor-intensive and have never been repeated for another feature film, making it an entirely unique visual experience. The creators used multiple transparent layers of high-contrast large-format positives and negatives that required truckloads of sheet film and a more extensive work load than any cell-animated film to date. The amount of work put into the film and the amazing outcome has made the film a real chunk of computer graphic history.

What the computer technology used to create the film is really advocating is a representation of the world that is computers. Intricate processes are used to create a visual representation of what it would look like to live inside a computer. This visual idea is based on what we know of computers, how they're made, how they work, and how they look. Everything in the film really looks as though it was taken straight from a video game with it's colorless 2D backgrounds and colorful yet geometrically simple characters and machines. It's the look of Tron that really helps to convey the messages it has to offer.

Perhaps the most moving motif of the film is the perception of the power of the artists vs. the machine. It's Flynn who designed the machine and choose its capabilities and it's Flynn who ultimately has the power to control the functions of the machine, but he does run into problems. The machine seems to have a power of its own, and although he can defeat it eventually, he does have to redistribute his knowledge of the artistry of the programs to be able to change the balance of power and control. Even Alan ultimately has power over machine when he invents Tron to monitor MCP. It's the artistry of these two men that really shapes the computer world and makes it as appealing and useful at it turns out to be. Something entire machine oriented would simply not function in a world that has so many variables. Artistry in a way helps keep us from over thinking the technical; we no longer rely on the effectiveness of efficiency, control, and profit. Artistry brings in variation when it presents us with purpose, look, technique, progress, and creativity of uses.

Another interesting message that is brought up in Tron is the idea of the User. It's Users such as Flynn, that ultimately save the day. What is it about Flynn that allows him to defeat such a powerful entity like the MCP? The MCP is strong enough to out perform all of the programs, but when confronted with a User, seems to fall short. It's this notion of usability and artistry again that really comes into play. Flynn created the programs that he is trying to overcome, such as the computer games, and because he is a User and knows how to use the tools presented, he knows the rules that the machines run by. He also knows how to bypass these rules and in which ways they can be broken. Because he knows how the programs work and how they don't work, he's left with a great access to power over the entire system. This power that he has allows him to overcome the restrictions of the machine and come out on top, defeating the oppressive MCP.

Tron is an excellent example of the power of the all-powerful too, the computer. In today's day and age, computers are more important than ever, but not many people know how to use the machines they depend so much on. Maybe Tron teaches us something about the machines we use and although they may not digitize us and put us into video games, its important to understand the technology we embrace so wholeheartedly.

Everything will be all right. You are in my hands. I am here to protect you. You have nowhere to go. You have nowhere to go.

2007-01-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

THX1138, a movie owed a monument in my mind not only for being George Lucas' best and most inspiring film, but for presenting such a remarkable story that arouses important questions in its viewers. For instance what is to come of a planet so heavily influenced by technology? More technology? Will humanity and nature ever prevail once again or have these things fallen below the realm of all that is electronic? To answer such questions, not only is a story full of technological deception introduced, but a film created through technological mediums brings about the light of the situation at hand. Even stylistically the film still provokes these questions.

For me, the movie presents a layering of the human condition; all things we consider necessary or important are weighed against technology's capability of conveying those things artificially or controlling them uniformly. What Lucas does in this instance is show how the layers and the parts that make up human kind, the things that are separated by technology, cannot in fact be separated successfully. The world that THX1138 is a part of is set up to suggest that when controlled correctly, humanity can be run mechanically. Human health, mentality, and individual life styles are all things that are taken over by technology. Lucas suggests when these things are not controlled by the living being they affect, there is room for error, malfunction, or even escape from the mechanical hold. What's to say that all parts of the human essence aren't important if they aren't efficient or used for something tangible? Things like feelings, emotions, friendship, love, sex, education, greed, justice, jealousy; what's saying that these aren't necessary? Perhaps these are the things that technology cannot grasp or ever overcome specifically due to its nature and when technology is pushed to that limit it will always, in some way, fail. This is what I see in THX1138.

Now, not only does the story play into this, the subjects realizing the holds their technologically advanced lives have on them, but the filming is also important. The set, script, music, sounds, and cinematography all add to the feeling of 'the machine' that is the world of THX1138. The effect used to create the 'void' gives the viewer a sense of complete removal from the physical and natural world. The lack of color, the simplistic costumes and set, they all contribute to this feeling of no longer living in a world of natural life and freedom, but in a machine made by the minds of men, something entirely possible, but in no way satisfying. Lucas removes anything that contributes to man's aesthetic agenda, keeping the senses at bay. He's opening the viewer to the possibility of a world made by man, but whether or not we shall be in favor or disappointed is entire decided by ourselves. THX1138 is in no way satisfied with the numerical life he was assigned, the lack of human emotional expression, and the absence of variety.

I also feel like although this movie is making predictions about the future, I don't feel like the future realistically holds this same fate. At least, not for some time. The world is too diverse in it's expansion of knowledge and mechanics; we all haven't even been able to keep up with each other in that respect. I don't think there will honestly be a time where we're all held in perfect rhythm by machines and I think in some sense I'm disagreeing with the notion of escape velocity. Cyber-culture and technology is taking us farther, but I don't think necessarily at a speed that escapes the hold we have on it. Can the world depicted in THX1138 really be something we might have to combat in the future? I don't foresee that happening. There's too much diversity, too much imperfection, too much human variety for it all to be controlled by metallic human-form robotics in polyester suits. But, even though this may not be what the future has in store, the message this movie presents is powerful and revealing. The viewer is now aware that humanity in all aspects is to be weighed and considered and must ask the question of whether or not they can afford to lose it.

2001: A Space Odyssey

2007-01-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the most influential film of its time; the science fiction film of all science fiction films. Considered a facet of all great film libraries, 2001: A Space Odyssey has something that many other films don't have, but I'm not sure many people could exactly pinpoint what exactly it has.

The film predicts the future, whats to come about 33 years after the films release and although 2001 didn't come to hold self-evolving computer systems and state of the art space travel stations (it did hold the invention of the Ipod), the film taught its viewers something about expectations. We learn what is expected to be on the moon, Mars, and maybe even Jupiter, and without actually experiencing these exotic locations, we believe what we hear. That is where I think 2001: A Space Odyssey makes its biggest impact; not in the simple idea that technology could evolve into things we've never dreamed of, but that the things we've never dreamed of already exist hundreds of thousands of miles away. A trip to Jupiter turned out to be nothing expected, a world of new sights, sounds, emotions, and experiences and in a way changed the outlook we have on our own planet. It in fact made the main character, Dave Bowman, see the world as a new baby, completely naive to the original state of the planet before evolution of man effected our outlook and even the physical surface of the planet. Besides the revelations experienced, the film was an evolution in and of itself.

The special effects were incredible and completely revolutionary for the era. This is an entire movie that can keep an audience just staring at the screen, feeling as though they're possibly getting to see a world they've never known; they're getting to see galaxies, planets, zero-gravity, outer space. It's the digital special effects that really bring this movie to life. It's because of whats happening on screen that we can just stare for many minutes on end at nothing in particular besides rushing colors and shapes. The style that these effects took, while totally artistic, were reflective of true imagination, creativity, and different than anything seen before.

So what is it? The message of a planet being born in our eyes for the first time and us being born a star child in the wake of the continuing evolution of an ancient planet all at once? The effect of the Star Gate created with a slit scan machine? Perhaps a combination of both and then some. This question I have yet to answer.