Don't get me wrong, I do like the attention and knowing that you're taking an active interest in what is going on in my life is flattering and all that, but there are just some times that I don't find it that convenient to write more and give updates with what I'm up to.
There, there. I didn't mean anything by that. Let me try again.
I'm going to be painting again very soon. Mostly because the painting bug has bit me and I'm eager to get some ideas that have been floating around in my head down on canvas so I can move on to other projects. I'd be lying if I didn't also mention that I've spent the better part of the day clearing off some room to spread out my paints, so metaphorically the 'decks have been cleared' and I'm ready to go. Painting. Got it.
Also, I'm going to see what fun I can stir up in Los Angeles this weekend. More about that later.
Hey, there's nothing wrong with leaving on a teazer.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Grey Matter Review
The Game: Grey Matter
Ted Puffer's Review: Let's just put down 5 stars, eh?
Without a question, this game is a gem and had me barely breathing between gaming sessions. This is a point and click style adventure in the same vein as Gabriel Knight, which isn't too surprising when you consider that both games were designed, written, scored, etc. by the same person. The story is fantastic. Deep, moving and everything that a completely engrossing game should be.
There are cons, but they are strange. Usually when a game has flaws they fall into categories that are shared by many titles throughout the gaming world. I think that Grey Matter managed to invent a few. Character pathing is an issue.... sometimes. Sometimes it's not. Certain tasks need to be performed before the story advances, and there were only a few which really didn't seem to fit. More often than not, the story doesn't handle itself well if the plot elements are completed in a different order than the designers had planned. In this case the game still works, but your character will say nonsensical things, or mention looking forward to events which have already happened. It's odd, but not a game killer.
There was only one puzzle which had me screaming 'unfair'! All other puzzles and twists are believable and a joy to work on. But this one... I dunno. I almost felt like it was created by someone else entirely.
It's a fantastic mark of success that I love this game even when one of the chapters delves deeply into Alice in Wonderland. I hate that book, don't care for the author, and find the whole mythos around AIW to be a sad testimony on humanity. In 80 years, I'm sure that there will be similar devotees of Harry Potter, which does make me want to drink. Heavily.
Speaking of, there are a few Harry Potter references in this game as well. And I STILL love it! Wow. I really didn't see that coming. Including any Harry Potter references in a book or computer game is usually producer/developer/author shorthand for "my abilities are feeble, please enjoy this reference to something I think you'll like better..." But in a bizarre way, the Harry Potter shout-outs in Grey Matter actually fit with the story.
Ted Puffer's Review: Let's just put down 5 stars, eh?
Without a question, this game is a gem and had me barely breathing between gaming sessions. This is a point and click style adventure in the same vein as Gabriel Knight, which isn't too surprising when you consider that both games were designed, written, scored, etc. by the same person. The story is fantastic. Deep, moving and everything that a completely engrossing game should be.
There are cons, but they are strange. Usually when a game has flaws they fall into categories that are shared by many titles throughout the gaming world. I think that Grey Matter managed to invent a few. Character pathing is an issue.... sometimes. Sometimes it's not. Certain tasks need to be performed before the story advances, and there were only a few which really didn't seem to fit. More often than not, the story doesn't handle itself well if the plot elements are completed in a different order than the designers had planned. In this case the game still works, but your character will say nonsensical things, or mention looking forward to events which have already happened. It's odd, but not a game killer.
There was only one puzzle which had me screaming 'unfair'! All other puzzles and twists are believable and a joy to work on. But this one... I dunno. I almost felt like it was created by someone else entirely.
It's a fantastic mark of success that I love this game even when one of the chapters delves deeply into Alice in Wonderland. I hate that book, don't care for the author, and find the whole mythos around AIW to be a sad testimony on humanity. In 80 years, I'm sure that there will be similar devotees of Harry Potter, which does make me want to drink. Heavily.
Speaking of, there are a few Harry Potter references in this game as well. And I STILL love it! Wow. I really didn't see that coming. Including any Harry Potter references in a book or computer game is usually producer/developer/author shorthand for "my abilities are feeble, please enjoy this reference to something I think you'll like better..." But in a bizarre way, the Harry Potter shout-outs in Grey Matter actually fit with the story.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Eraserhead
Part of me wishes that I could see David Lynch films in fast-forward mode. I'd enjoy them more, and I don't think it's a disservice to the director or myself for saying so. He does "bizarre" like a kid in school vying for attention to the point where he's willing to eat worms. In David Lynch's case, at this point of his career he's shovelling them down by the handful.
I do like creepy scenes in movies, and atmospheric works are something I appreciate and enjoy. But Mr. Lynch seems determined to have the audience unnerved or unsettled by showing characters moving in slow, awkward ways that are unpleasant to watch. Well and good. When it works, it works fine. But for goodness sake, the same effect could be created once at the beginning of the film and it would be enough. It doesn't have to be done again and again throughout the running time of the movie.
Eraserhead is slow moving, but there are scenes unlike any I'd seen before. So for that I'm thankful and would recommend that this film be watched for anyone with a taste for the odd or disturbing. But keep your finger near the FF button. And if you have to leave the room for a smoke or to make coffee, don't worry too much about missing anything important.
I do like creepy scenes in movies, and atmospheric works are something I appreciate and enjoy. But Mr. Lynch seems determined to have the audience unnerved or unsettled by showing characters moving in slow, awkward ways that are unpleasant to watch. Well and good. When it works, it works fine. But for goodness sake, the same effect could be created once at the beginning of the film and it would be enough. It doesn't have to be done again and again throughout the running time of the movie.
Eraserhead is slow moving, but there are scenes unlike any I'd seen before. So for that I'm thankful and would recommend that this film be watched for anyone with a taste for the odd or disturbing. But keep your finger near the FF button. And if you have to leave the room for a smoke or to make coffee, don't worry too much about missing anything important.
Begotten
Now when I think of film, I really do think of individual stories which are only united in the medium in which they're presented. This medium has a myriad of ways to be presented, so as far as a uniting theme it's broad.
Of course this idea doesn't really go that well in practice. It doesn't take a viewer that long to realise that most movies look an awful lot alike, and that stories and plots borrow from each other liberally all the time. So when something comes along that is unique in ways unlike anything before it, it's an adventure. Maybe not a good adventure, but an adventure all the same.
"Begotten" is one of these movies. It's hard to watch, and I'm not going to kid anyone by saying that it's because of the imagery. It's the pace of the thing that makes it a trial. But although it moves as slow as molasses, it makes for a powerful visual treat and one that I'd recommend to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary. Besides, any movie that has a character called "God Killing Himself" isn't your everyday fare.
What is funny about this film is that it reminds me strongly of a short I saw on HBO about 9 years ago. There was a series on cable which had hour long short films by different directors and one of them had to do with a film that was so horrible and ghastly that any audiece that watched it was immediately driven insane. I'm not sure of the name of the series, but the faux film which was so dangerous could easily have been "Begotten". Grainy, black and white, and glorious.
Of course this idea doesn't really go that well in practice. It doesn't take a viewer that long to realise that most movies look an awful lot alike, and that stories and plots borrow from each other liberally all the time. So when something comes along that is unique in ways unlike anything before it, it's an adventure. Maybe not a good adventure, but an adventure all the same.
"Begotten" is one of these movies. It's hard to watch, and I'm not going to kid anyone by saying that it's because of the imagery. It's the pace of the thing that makes it a trial. But although it moves as slow as molasses, it makes for a powerful visual treat and one that I'd recommend to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary. Besides, any movie that has a character called "God Killing Himself" isn't your everyday fare.
What is funny about this film is that it reminds me strongly of a short I saw on HBO about 9 years ago. There was a series on cable which had hour long short films by different directors and one of them had to do with a film that was so horrible and ghastly that any audiece that watched it was immediately driven insane. I'm not sure of the name of the series, but the faux film which was so dangerous could easily have been "Begotten". Grainy, black and white, and glorious.
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