Month: April 2015
Mystery Object
(April 30, 2015)When I bought some hair wax at the hair dresser the other week, this weird thing was included in the package: I thought it might be a suction cup or something, but it doesn’t really work well as that. So… er… What? WAHT!!?!?ONE!!!
Useful Consumer Review
(April 28, 2015)I’ve been filming some concerts the last year or so. I’ve been using mostly normal compact cameras, and they work quite well. The Sony RX 100 II is probably the best one of the bunch. However, they either stop filming after 30 minutes because of tax reasons (apparently, in the EU there’s an additional tax … Continue reading Useful Consumer Review
Useful Consumer Review: A Correction
(April 27, 2015)After discovering that Logitech wireless things work much better if I don’t plug the receiver directly into the computer (because science), it reminded me of another Logitech device that I’d dismissed earlier: The Logitech Cube. And by using an USB extension cord, it, too, has an acceptable range, so I could actually use it for … Continue reading Useful Consumer Review: A Correction
Linux, X and Logitech
(April 27, 2015)I’ve had a Logitech diNovo Mini as my TV computer keyboard for a few years. It works as well as you’d suspect a wireless keyboard to work: It loses contact with the receiver a couple of times a month and needs to be switched off and then on again, but otherwise it’s OK. Doesn’t lose … Continue reading Linux, X and Logitech
Youtube and “unsupported device” redux
(April 25, 2015)I posted yesterday about my extremely useful Youtube-based weather monitor not working properly any more. I thought Google had changed the video format or something — refusing to play videos when using mplayer. After adding more debugging to the script that runs the monitor, that turned out to be incorrect. Here’s the search result for … Continue reading Youtube and “unsupported device” redux
mplayer, Youtube and “unsupported device”
(April 24, 2015)I’ve been using youtube for really useful things for a few years. On April 20th, the following video started to appear instead of the ones I wanted: I get this for about one third of the videos — the rest play fine, as before. So it’s saying that I’m viewing Yotube with an unsupported device. … Continue reading mplayer, Youtube and “unsupported device”
The Effect of Version Control Systems on Emacs Developers
(April 23, 2015)In November 2014, Emacs switched version control systems from Bazaar (aka bzr) to git. There were two main reasons: 1) bzr has kinda stopped development, and 2) using a version control system that more people are familiar with might attract more developers. On the other hand, git is really, really finicky, and bzr is arguably … Continue reading The Effect of Version Control Systems on Emacs Developers
Emacs and id3
(April 22, 2015)I rip all CDs, vinyl and cassettes to flac for easier listening, but I also convert the files to mp3 for listening in the car, which has an mp3 CD player. This is what the display normally looks like: But all the files that I’ve ripped from vinyl are displayed like this: I’ve been assuming … Continue reading Emacs and id3
Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn
(April 20, 2015)IDW announced last year that they were going to translate and publish a complete set of Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese (in English translation). There was much rejoicing across the land. I haven’t read those comics for decades, since they were stuck at my parent’s house up in the North, so I thought “what they hey” … Continue reading Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn
Perhaps I should reboot
(April 18, 2015)F&B Redux
(April 11, 2015)g_monte hasn’t made any lists after 2012, so that’s where this series of blog posts ends. It’s been interesting for me, at least. Watching films picked by somebody else has led me to see some good ones that I wouldn’t otherwise have seen, like Jeanne Dielman. 23, quai du Commerce. 1080 Bruxelles and Au revoir les enfants. … Continue reading F&B Redux
F&B2012: Amour
(April 11, 2015)I saw Funny Games on TV some… decades? ago, and I thought it was vile. I switched it off after about half an hour. I switched back to the channel more than an hour later, thinking it would be safe, and caught the final boating scene. Aaargh. I’ve hated Haneke ever since for putting me … Continue reading F&B2012: Amour
F&B2011: Tomboy
(April 11, 2015)Tomboy. Céline Sciamma. 2011.
F&B2010: Black Swan
(April 11, 2015)I liked the digital effects… Black Swan. Darren Aronofsky. 2010.
F&B2009: A Single Man
(April 11, 2015)This film was so boring I died, was resurrected, and then I died again. From boredom. But the suicide scene was funny. A Single Man. Tom Ford. 2009.
F&B2008: Synecdoche, New York
(April 10, 2015)I quite liked the metafictional tomfoolery in the last half of the film, but the first half was incredibly dull, and it just wasn’t that interesting. Perhaps having other people direct his scripts is a good idea after all. Synecdoche, New York. Charlie Kaufman. 2008.
F&B2007: Du levande
(April 10, 2015)Du levande. Roy Andersson. 2007.
F&B2006: Little Miss Sunshine
(April 10, 2015)Little Miss Sunshine. Jonathan Dayton. 2006.
F&B2005: Brokeback Mountain
(April 10, 2015)I read the short story more than a decade ago, and don’t remember that much about it, but I was still puzzled when (I think) three quarters of the short story was over, and there was still 90 minutes to go. What were they going to fill the rest of the time with? But they … Continue reading F&B2005: Brokeback Mountain
F&B2004: Yes
(April 9, 2015)It started off really well, but then we went off into a really boring romance, and then an excruciating nine hours about religion. At least that’s what it seemed like. Yes. Sally Potter. 2004.
F&B2003: American Splendor
(April 9, 2015)I love the comic book, though. American Splendor. Shari Springer Berman. 2003.
F&B2002: Sweet Sixteen
(April 9, 2015)Sweet Sixteen. Ken Loach. 2002.
F&B2001: The Royal Tenenbaums
(April 8, 2015)The Royal Tenenbaums. Wes Anderson. 2001.
F&B2000: I’m The One That I Want
(April 8, 2015)It’s funny, but it’s not hilarious. The extras are cringe-worthy. I’m The One That I Want. Lionel Coleman. 2000.
F&B1999: Being John Malkovich
(April 8, 2015)Being John Malkovich. Spike Jonze. 1999.
F&B1998: A Simple Plan
(April 7, 2015)This film had some really, really tense scenes. But there were lots of boredom between the moments of excitement. A Simple Plan. Sam Raimi. 1998.
F&B1997: Boogie Nights
(April 7, 2015)I was so bored during this film (except for a couple of early scenes) that I literally died. I literally died, Coral. Boogie Nights. Paul Thomas Anderson. 1997.
F&B1996: Irma Vep
(April 7, 2015)Irma Vep. Olivier Assayas. 1996.
F&B1995: Safe
(April 6, 2015)First I thought this was going to be a sci-fi movie. And then I thought it was going to be a Todd Solondz film. I guess I’ll have to see all of Todd Haynes’ films. Safe. Todd Haynes. 1995.
F&B1994: Trois Couleurs Rouge
(April 6, 2015)– Trois Couleurs Rouge. Krzysztof Kieslowski. 1994.
F&B1993: Naked
(April 6, 2015)Naked. Mike Leigh. 1993.
F&B1992: The Player
(April 6, 2015)|| The Player. Robert Altman. 1992.
F&B1991: The Man in the Moon
(April 6, 2015)This film is surprisingly engaging, despite being saddled with a plot (FSVO plot) that goes through some pretty groan-inducing moves. (A ten minute third act opener that does the birth/sex/death thing? The pregnant mother falling while running through the woods during a rain storm? C’mon. Just. C’mon.) But it’s not bad. The Man in the … Continue reading F&B1991: The Man in the Moon
F&B1990: The Grifters
(April 5, 2015)The Grifters. Stephen Frears. 1990.
F&B1989: Last Exit to Brooklyn
(April 5, 2015)The plot was kinda loathsome (a basic combination of the “all gays must die” and the “all promiscuous women must die” tropes, so that wholesome Ricki Lake and Some Guy could have a baby (hakuna matata)), but it’s not badly made. I mean, not that badly. A bit sweaty, perhaps, and So Much Drama. This … Continue reading F&B1989: Last Exit to Brooklyn
F&B1988: Distant Voices, Still Lives
(April 5, 2015)After they started singing, I remembered that I’ve seen this before. Probably back in the 80s. It’s still good. Distant Voices, Still Lives. Terence Davies. 1988.
F&B1987: Au revoir les enfants
(April 5, 2015)Au revoir les enfants. Louis Malle. 1987.
F&B1986: Peggy Sue Got Married
(April 5, 2015)I was so confused watching this, until I realised that I thought that this was going to be a different Coppola film. I was thinking about “One from the Heart”, which I remember seeing during a vacation in Oslo in… 82? With one of my sisters. I must have been 13 or 14. I remember … Continue reading F&B1986: Peggy Sue Got Married
F&B1985: Sans toit ni loi
(April 4, 2015)Sans toit ni loi. Agnès Varda. 1985.
F&B1984: Stranger than Paradise
(April 4, 2015)Stranger than Paradise. Jim Jarmusch. 1984.
F&B1983: The Terence Davies Trilogy
(April 4, 2015)Perhaps it’s not all that bad, but my antipathy towards “religious themes” borders on the ridiculous. Like, get over it! The Terence Davies Trilogy. Terence Davies. 1983.
F&B1982: Blade Runner
(April 4, 2015)I was going to see Der Stand des Dinge by Wim Wenders, but the DVD I have turns out to only have German subtitles. Why! WHYYYY!!! It’s like Germans don’t like other people watching their films or something… So I, er, quickly acquired the “final cut” version of Blade Runner instead. It’s also on g_monte’s … Continue reading F&B1982: Blade Runner
F&B1981: Polyester
(April 3, 2015)“But I’ve discovered macrame!” This is another substitution from g_monte’s list. 1981 was going to be “Reds”, but it didn’t arrive in time. So I substituted with Polyester, which I’ve seen before, of course. Polyester. John Waters. 1981.
F&B1980: Mon oncle d’Amérique
(April 3, 2015)Mon oncle d’Amérique. Alain Resnais. 1980.
F&B1979: Saint Jack
(April 3, 2015)Saint Jack. Peter Bogdanovich. 1979. I think they import British beer according to how “fancy” the label is. This one has gradients, cutouts and silver ink.
F&B1978: Deutschland im Herbst
(April 3, 2015)Deutschland In Herbst. Alf Brustellin. 1978.
Useful Consumer Review
(April 3, 2015)I had to buy a new laptop. I thought Lenovos were out of the question since they had eliminated the physical mouse buttons to become all modern and stuff. But this year they’ve rolled back that horrible decision without announcing anything. Perhaps it was too embarrassing? Anyway: Physical buttons! That work! Yay! Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon … Continue reading Useful Consumer Review
F&B1977: 3 Women
(April 3, 2015)3 Women. Robert Altman. 1977. For some values of “beer adjacent”.
F&B1976: The Outlaw Josey Wales
(April 3, 2015)*twirls moustache* Representative dialogue: “Dammit senator, you promised me that these men would be decently treated!” “They were! They were decently fed, and then they were decently shot!” The bad thing is that Cleastwood didn’t seem to think that was a funny line. Where did the DVD cover go? Hm. The Outlaw Josey Wales. Clint … Continue reading F&B1976: The Outlaw Josey Wales
F&B1975: Jeanne Dielman. 23, quai du Commerce. 1080 Bruxelles
(April 2, 2015)Well, this was a difficult one. For the first two hours I had problems paying attention to the film — the most exciting thing that seemed to be happening was the she overcooked some potatoes. But then I started paying attention, and the last hour and a half were kinda brilliant. So perhaps the entire … Continue reading F&B1975: Jeanne Dielman. 23, quai du Commerce. 1080 Bruxelles
F&B1974: It’s Alive
(April 2, 2015)This is not a film from g_monte‘s list of the best movies of 1974. The one I had ordered, The Conversation hasn’t arrived yet, so I had to make a substitution. And this was the only one from 1974 I hadn’t seen yet. And it was better than I expected. But a bit … boring… … Continue reading F&B1974: It’s Alive
F&B1973: O Lucky Man
(April 2, 2015)Another British political comedy that I wish was funnier… O Lucky Man. Lindsay Anderson. 1973.
Useful Consumer Review
(April 2, 2015)I’ve got a man bag made only from felt (and steel and a leather strap (it’s quite impractical, since there’s no stitching, so small things just fall out between the steel rivets, but it’s conceptual, I guess)). I bought it years ago, and (like all woollen things) it’s developed some… er… whatchamacall it… “bumps”? That’s … Continue reading Useful Consumer Review
F&B1972: Nathalie Granger
(April 2, 2015)Nathalie Granger. Marguerite Duras. 1972.
Further Legal Developments
(April 2, 2015)As part of running the mailing list archive Gmane, I’m asked to remove messages from the archive from time to time, which I do. (Although not extremely promptly, since I’m lazy.) That’s fine, but some people seem to think that having a lawyer send the message to me is more effective than just sending an … Continue reading Further Legal Developments
F&B1971: Walkabout
(April 1, 2015)Walkabout. Nicolas Roeg. 1971.
F&B1970: Le boucher
(April 1, 2015)Le boucher. Claude Chabrol. 1970.
F&B1969: The Bed Sitting Room
(April 1, 2015)It looks amazing, but the jaunty music got to me in the end. The Bed Sitting Room. Richard Lester. 1969.
F&B1968: Baisers volés
(April 1, 2015)Baisers volés. François Truffaut. 1968.
F&B
(April 1, 2015)I’ve been watching a lot of movies since the end of the CM&C project, but I thought it was time for another… structured series of movies. So I’ve decided to watch one movie per year since I was born, as picked from the ‘best of’ lists compiled by the imdb user g_monte. Conceptual! Those lists … Continue reading F&B