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Mar
28
I just read “Computer Game Criticism: A Method for Computer Game Analysis” and I am going to have to agree with everyone else that has blogged on this article, it was a bit too much to handle. I have this friend and when I say this I dont mean ”a friend” as in me, I promise. Well anyway this guy Scott, thats actually his real name, he has every game console. He has Super Nintendo, N64, Gamecube, X-box, X-box 360, PS2 and finally PS3. Also he probably has about 20 per console. Thats a lot of money, also thats alot of time. Time wasted, I guess its not for me to say, okay thats a bloody lot of time wasted. Scott’s life is a glimpse of what it is like to be addicted to video games and I am convinced he is addicted. He used to be kind of social and now all he does is get high and play video games. I do have to credit Scott with one thing though, he introduced me to the game Halo. Now I dont really play that many video games, my X-Box is collecting dust under my TV and is used more for playing DVD’s. However to boldly go into it (split infinitive) Halo is a freekin sweet game, so sweet and has such a following that they are going to make a movie. I cant back up this quote but Im sure its real, that video games will soon be grossing more money than the movie industry, if it is not already. Back to Halo, theres Halo 3 coming out soon and it is going to be damn sweet. Even if you are not a game fan you have to respect how cool this game looks. Video games are pretty fun once in a while for me but when they start taking up your life youve deffinetly gone overboard. Here is a clip of Halo Wars:
Mar
21
So maybe it’s because I’m a guy but I kinda didn’t like Ingham’s article “The Portrayal of Women on Television.” Her analysis of some of those advertisements, soaps and shows were such a stretch. You know whowatches all the soaps and TV shows, women. Well maybe then women shouldn’t be so entertained by it, turn it off and then it wont be a problem, if it is a problem. You know what show they need to bring back, Roseanne, now that was a good show. It was so good for women’s self-esteem, any women who watched that could say “wow, my life’s pretty sweet compared to this.” My cynicism is coming out full on today. I don’t believe it has anything to do with the fact that a girl broke my heart, I wouldn’t lash out at the whole female race for that, would I?
Mar
14
Wow that wasn’t depressing at all, thanks Sut Jhally. “There is a real sense of nihilism and despair about the future.” However, I found this article pretty interesting as someone from MGT and wanting to get into advertising. I actually had always thought that advertising was evil. My own thought was that it was this machine that makes people buy things that they dont need and as said in the article, made people aware of problems that they didnt knew existed. All part of the plan to keep you never satisfied with what you have.
I find that this class makes me question the motives behind our society. For example, I was in Shoppers Drug Mart last week waiting for a prescription. As I looked around and saw all the products it occurred to me that we don’t really need any of this shit. Then I tried to imagine if we only had products that were needed what they would be. I saw Blistex and decided that was one of the products to stay, Blistex are you freekin joking, I’m a guy and Blistex is on my list of things that are needed. My point really is that we have so much shit that the stupidest products become necessities. But really what am I going to do, boycott products I don’t think I really need. Well first of all I don’t think just my efforts to do that will affect the machine, secondly is that I’m sure that the fact I don’t buy deodrant or new underwear will not help people agree with my cause. Then again maybe B.O is a problem created by advertising, could be.
Mar
08
Okay so I tried harder to find my one favorite song than any other homework assignment this year. The conclusion: It’s impossible. I listen to music according to my mood. There’s way too much good music or maybe I just havent found one yet that is just me.
Mar
07
Music, what would I do without music? Even as I sit here with the The Mountain Goats on to drown out my roommates tv I could not imagine having it. Do you want to know what the best part of music is, well I dont care if you dont because your the one reading this. Its when you listen to that song, the one that just fits so perfectly with how you feel at that specific moment and it gives you the shivers all over your body. It doenst happen much but when it does it sure makes makes my day. Then what I do is listen to that one song over and over again until it doesnt give you that feeling anymore, its a wonderful way to get tired of a good song, not sure why I do it.
I would go as far as to say that music is probably one of if not the most influential art forms that humans have. As I read the text about the origins of some types of music in our text I realized that alot of music is created out of depression. So I think its fair to say that music is as an escape.
Also I just wanted to end this with some support for Canadian music. I love Canadian music, right now we have so many good artists and have had so many as well.
Feb
27
First of all I’m not sure whether this should be written on my movie going experience or should I just rant about being in a public area like Russel Smith did. He seemed more focused on the disgusting habits of his fellow mankind than the actually movie. I wonder if he has ever thought as himself as an outcast because he sounds very anti-social to me. Enough about him let me tell you about my movie experience.
This whole episode takes place at the Chinook Mall Theatres last Sunday. First of all the Egypt theme is okay, as a Edmontonian though I would have to say that Silver City at West Edmonton Mall is a lot cooler. I remember when the dragon actually used to work and all the tourists would cower in fear when that burst of fire erupted out of his mouth. Any way, so I get in line, it was actually a pretty busy day and I’m waiting for like five minutes. I love fellow humans who when they get to the front of the line, call the other five people from their family over, who are standing in different lines waiting to see which one gets to the front first. Didn’t phase me.
Now the food line, oh wait we can skip that because even though I used a free coupon I got for Christmas I couldn’t afford to eat anything. My friends and I walk up the ramp into the theatre anticipating how many seats are left and where we are going to sit. Luckily some people must have read movie reviews so there wasn’t that many people sitting to watch Smoking Aces. We nestle ourselves down into the middle of the row and start getting comfortable. Now the waiting game starts, I find the conversation usually revolves around other movies while in the theatre, just a very fitting topic.
I really enjoy the previews, one of the best parts of the whole experience. A trailer about a bunch of dolls that come alive and kill people comes on. I sarcastically say to my neighbor “that looks like a good one.” See that’s the good thing about previews, even if the movie looks bad I’m entertained. The movie starts and every ones pulses increase for the great excitement. Whats the first thing that comes out of my mouth “okay who new Ben Affleck was in the movie and still wanted to come because I’m pissed.” To my relief he gets gunned down with a machine gun pretty early in the movie to the cheers of the audience. Okay so no one but me cheered but I bet they wanted to. Also I hope that doesn’t ruin any of the movie for you, if anything it will make you more inclined to see it if you already knew Ben was in it.
I remember Paul telling us to turn around in the theatre during the movie just to get a feel for the environment. Well I turned around but it wasnt because of what Paul said it was because of the fat mess who was kicking my seat. Oh great I sound like Russel Smith, honestly the only two parts I disliked were the budding family and the seat kicker so its not that bad. However I did notice on my head turning adventure the other viewers faces. Captivated and lost in the giant screen. A nice couple hours for people to let any stresses of their life to relax to the back of their mind.
Smoking Aces is not great but it is very entertaining and the characters in the movie are pretty interesting so I give it a 3 out of 5. Ryan Renolds, fellow Canadian, should stick to his regular comedy roles and the plot and ending were a little weak but what do you expect when all you want is a lot of guns and blood. I looked forward to the end just so that I can start discussing the whole movie. You reminisce about that sweet part where the hooker falls through the table and that guy sits on a chain saw, good times.
I could actually see myself writing something like Russel Smith, however, I would have to be in a very bad mood or have have something piss me off huge. I prefer the theatre when it is busier though. Some of my best movie experiences have been at opening nights when the audience gets involved with the movie and express it out loud. Ill take a few kicks to the seat and a family cutting in any day at the movies, that’s what there all about.
Feb
14
Life as a student is wonderful. I hear students talking about all the stress they have because they have a philosophy paper due or two exams this week. Wow, suck it up! Wait till the real world, school is like a vacation. However,this vacation I feel separates me from the what is going on outside of Lethbridge. I watch the news, I read newspapers, I don’t listen to the radio, but I would say I am pretty up to date with what goes on in the world. Does most of this really effect me? The answer is not really. I cant believe I wrote vacation in Lethbridge. This all sounds naive really because I do know that the news effects us but it doesn’t affect us. News has become entertainment, you know, throw on the news in the morning to see what exciting things have happened overnight. Who died, hows the election race with Hilary and Barack and what war do we get to watch next. This makes me think that in a way it is the peoples fault. So get this idea. Its expensive to run any sort of media channel to distribute news, but if news was not exciting or entertaining people wouldn’t watch it. Now advertisers wont help out in costs because no one would see the ads and then there is no financial support for the system. Our fault.
Oh and its okay to be stressed, I’m in management . Maybe if you were in Mgt you would be able to forget school and go to Castle Mountain, which by the way was pretty sweet today.
Festivus! yay.
Feb
07
I found myself starting to get mad as I read the section Feature Films in Canada from our text book. “They have to mention it” I thought to myself, also I was pretty sure that it was a big deal in the Canadian film industry. Maybe I should work on my patience because at the end of the paragraph there it was, Porky’s. The greatest Canadian movie ever made. Well that is debatable but the fact that it is the largest grossing Canadian movie of all times is not. Encase you haven’t seen or heard of Porky’s let me bring you up to speed. Its American Pie of the 80’s with more crudeness and nudity, old nudity but nudity at the least. I’m not sure why naked women in the 80’s look different than naked women in movies now but there is something about it, maybe its the lighting they use or something. I’ll save that discussion for later and for people who actually want to hear it. However if anyone wants to tackle that one please enlighten me. So anyway, Porky’s right, I was lucky enough to find the trailer, god bless youtube.
This movie gives me great strength and hope in believing that Canadian film makers can do it. We can make movies just as good as them Americans. Even tonight I was amazed that one of my favorite movies, It’s All Gone Pete Tong had a lot of Canadian stamps at the end of the credits, like Telefilm Canada. Telefilm Canada is actually a crown corporation that reports to parliment. Their mandate is “Telefilm Canada is a federal cultural agency dedicated to the development and promotion of the Canadian audiovisual industry.” This is an unreal movie as well and it is relatively new, so I highly recommend it if you want to support your Canadian film industry. Oh and stay away from Porky’s 2 it will only disappoint, some Americans must have had a hand in that one.
Jan
31
So when I need insight into a societal question, where do I turn? To the source that has such a unique and facinating view. Yup you probably guessed it, South Park. Im sorry but it is very good at addressing issues in our culture. So this is in regards to online communities, Im not sure if it directly works for the article we had to read this week but its damn funny. This video clip is about trouble in the World of Warcraft, a virtual world where you can choose your own adventure and interact with people from all over the world. Okay so that sounds close to the article. Take a couple of minutes to have a laugh and enjoy this.
Here’s the second part of the episode if you find this as entertaining as myself.
