// July 11th, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Fun Whatnot
Will Ferrell and Pearl return in their follow up to The Landlord. Pearl plays a dirty cop who smacks Will around to get a confession out of him. Certainly funny, but nowhere near as shockingly brilliant as the first.
// July 10th, 2007 // No Comments » // Technology Bits
The embeded video comes from a Google Tech Talk given by Simon Willison.
From the abstract:
Simon Willison OpenID is an emerging standard that provides simple, decentralised … all » authentication for the Web. OpenID follows the Unix philosophy, solving one small problem rather than attempting to tackle the many larger challenges posed by online identity. This talk will explore the implications of OpenID, and explore the best practices required to take advantage of this new technology while avoiding the potential pitfalls.
// July 10th, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Fun Whatnot
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be brought to us all by Universal Studios in late 2009 or early 2010. This will be a replacement for the “Lost Continent” section of the Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, FL.
From their press release:
Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films – “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the magical world of Harry and his friends. The fully immersive, themed land will enable guests to visit some of the most iconic locations found in the books and the films including the village of Hogsmeade, the mysterious Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts castle itself. “The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” said J.K. Rowling.
Expected to open in late 2009, the new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experiential shops and restaurants that will enable guests to sample fare from the wizarding world’s best known establishments. Also debuting will be a state-of-the-art attraction that will bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in an exciting way that guests have never before experienced.
“We are going to devote more time, more money, more expertise and more executive talent from throughout our entire organization and creative team – as well as from Warner Bros., our partners – to ensure that
this entire environment is second-to-none,” said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks
and Resorts.
and Resorts, books, films
// July 8th, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Fun Whatnot
I’ve always had an odd obsession for geography. This is a fun little game which gives you a satellite view of the US with no political lines drawn. You have to place the shapes of the states where you think they go. I managed to get 45 out of 51 (they include District of Columbia) in 420 seconds with an average error of 11 miles. I felt pretty good about that score, give it a shot and let me know how you did.
// July 6th, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Fun Whatnot
First off, go see this movie. If you are curious enough to have come across this review, you will be best served by going and seeing it right now. This is the best movie I have seen this summer.
By far, I was most excited for Spider-Man 3, but was generally let down. Fantastic Four delivered more than expected, but was not outstanding. Hot Fuzz was funny beyond words, but I have a warped sense of humor… I saw the worst in Ghost Rider, gosh that sucked. Casino Royale set up Daniel Craig as a surprinsingly wonderful reinvention of Bond. However, none of these holds a candle to how wonderful Transformers was.
This is the action packed Michael Bay extravaganza you would expect. It features big fights, chases, and explosions. Additionally, he still finds time for story, plot, and characterization. Without a doubt this is the definitive summer blockbuster that defines this summer. He mixes these “big fucking robots” into the movie seamlessly, believably, with unexpected realism.
Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) plays the awkward teenager who saves the day. He is joined by the equally talented and stunningly attractive Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox). These two no name actors/actresses stand beside the giant transformer robots, but are never overshadowed. I had low expectations for the human aspect of this film, but was shockingly surprised.
I know there were a number of complaints about modifications to the history of these beloved characters, but all in all I think they made great decisions. Bumblebee didn’t need to be a VW bug to be lovable and easily personified. Optimus Prime looked modern and fresh without the flat nosed cab of the 70s and 80s. Megatron was better as an alien spacecraft than he ever could have been as a gun. Seriously, can you believe anyone ever thought it was a good idea for him to be a gun?!?
I’m sure there is other nitpicking to be done, but get over it and just enjoy this terrific fantasy adventure.
// July 5th, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Fun Whatnot
Shawn sent along this kick ass modern punk-like rendition of the classic Transformers Theme by black lab. I haven’t decided if it rips out more or less than the heavy metal one from the old animated movie…
// July 1st, 2007 // 1 Comment » // Fun Whatnot
The following video is “Die Hardly Working” by budding director Zach Lipovsky who is making his name on the reality show On the Lot. The show is good, but not great. However, it is worth watching to catch a glimpse of what Lipovsky manages to throw together under short time lines. This latest video is definitely my favorite, even though it uses none of his trademark effects wizardry. In this video a few bored coworkers stage a mock fight which is totally over the top and wonderfully entertaining.
If you enjoyed this, you may enjoy some of the other shorts he has done. Below are the other four in the order they debuted on the show.
Entry Video, “Filmmaker attacked by aliens”:
“Time Out”
“Danger Zone”
“Sunshine Girl”
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