Weather

When people don't have anything to talk about, they usually talk about the weather.
When someone isn't so committed to actually talking about anything, they only talk about the weather when its exceptionally good/bad.
Today, the weather might be characterized as too good in Olympia, Washington. The high for today is a balmy 104 degrees, what must be a record for the area. I've taken to hiding in the air-conditioned halls of the Evergreen State College library while downloading podcasts for my animation. Soon I will have to venture out into the non-air-conditioned world and go to dinner with a friend. I doubt it will cool off tonight, at least not enough to cool off the house at night. This is what LA is like; This is why my family left California. At least I can prove that I can in fact live in LA and not die.
HOLLYWOOD, HERE I COME!!!

World of Warcraft... the movie?

It was just announced within the past day that there is to be a World of Warcraft movie coming out in the coming couple years. Sam Raimi has signed on as director (for now) and that means that:

1. It will probably be humorous
2. There is a good chance Bruce Campbell will be involved

The main worry I have about this movie is that it is a WoW movie. It's existence validates the millions (yes the numbers are in the millions) of people who don't go outside because they are too busy playing the game. I fear for our culture. If Bruce Campbell is in the movie I HAVE to see it though.

Bumbershoot 2009

Two posts in less than 24 hours, I'm on fire!

While looking through the lineup I discovered a few gems that you may have never heard of before, the first of which is Dead Confederate. They are playing Monday.

Dead Confederate - The Rat

Dead Confederate :: The Rat (Aquarium Drunkard Session) from Aquarium Drunkard on Vimeo.

Excited doesn't begin to explain how I feel about this.

Also on Monday is Akron/Family. Akron/Family is a band I've been familiar with for over a year and had not heard anything about recently. I suspect that the band is from Akron, Ohio and in fact a family. (in the Hippy commune and drug use sense) Weird psychadelic music with out there lyrics, screw it I'm in.

Metric is playing Monday as well, I am extremely excited to see them play. I'm a long time fan.

Mirah, a K Records (Olympia, WA Indie Record Label) artist, is also playing Monday. She's freaking great and appeals to all my Olympia sensibiliies.

Also, Truckasaurus:


Then of course there are the two headliners for that day, Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse. This my friends is why I am going to Bumbershoot on Monday if not for any other day.

Other Cool bands playing other days for you poor saps not going Monday:
Saturday: Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head

Sunday: Holy Fuck, Helio Sequence

Anamanaguchi

If you enjoy 8 bit and/or animation at all you should check out this audio/visual project put together by Anamanaguchi for Dawn Metropolis, their new album. It's really cool although you might need to be concerned if you're prone to seizures.

Sometimes You Just Can't Stem A Flood

The flood gates have reopened and I can't stop spitting out project ideas that I will soon be working on and killing myself with. Here is a little preview. If you have any ideas that you think would be helpful to me making these things or if you make music (cough...Ben Michaelis...cough) and want to help me with a soundtrack, let me know.

#1:Paint
I have another anti-individualism series. The groundwork is already lain, I might even have help from my roommate, Curt. The series involves painting fruit the same color as a background taking pictures of the work and then painting from that picture. The paintings would be displayed with photos of the process in either the form of a production book or hung on walls.

#2:Page
I really want to write a series of short reinterpretations of Roman myths and/or history. I think this would be a just for fun kind of thing and so is the lowest priority.

#3:Animation
The third idea I've had will probably end up being my final piece for EAT, (Experimental Animation Techniques) the class I am taking this summer. It is an animation of a cutout squid traveling through a progressively more strange and uncomfortable world. Starting out in a tropical ocean wonderland and ending up on the evening news or something ridiculous like that. I think that it'll end up being the most fun out of all of these works. I'm excited.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

I went to see Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen tonight and was so enthusiastic about it I had to write this post.

Transformers 2 sucks.
not just regular sucks, it sucks in the kind of way that you feel ill afterward. It sucks in a way that makes me wish Michael Bay would lose his eyes and therefore his ability to direct.
It takes hard work to really get me going about a movie, I'm pretty easy going and I have a sick fascination with really bad movies (Snakes on a Plane, The Scary Movie Series, The Final Destination series, anything by the guys who did the Thumb movies and Kung Pow!, and anything from Tromaville, etc.)
Where Snakes on a Plane acknowledged its badness, T2:ROTF was unclear. Could anyone actually create something so bad and not recognize how awful it is?
Rotten Tomatoes said: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a noisy, underplotted, and overlong special effects extravaganza that lacks a human touch." I am honestly surprised that this movie is TOPPING THE BOX OFFICE.
Fair, but that is missing a few points. The cinematography is insane AND inane. There is a whole sequence of the camera going through holes in walls and doors in a circle. The camera moved even when a simple stationary shot would have done fine, or even better.
I also found myself getting bored as I was watching the movie. (This IS a blockbuster, right?) My friend Charlie started nodding off and his roommate Derek straight up fell asleep.
I honestly expected better after the first movie, a half self-aware comedy, half fun-guns-action flick. For those of you who didn't know, Michael Bay is a hack, and T2:ROTF is a steaming pile. Happy Independence Day Weekend!

New Animation

Since I am taking summer classes, I can continue to bombard you with my many animations
This is a paint on glass assignment that I'm rather happy with. Enjoy!

(due to issues with the video's size I will instead include a link with the video on Youtube) Paint On Glass