Erratica Reduex

It's a deorbiting Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle!  Specifically, it's a Jules Verne ATV being de-orbited after a successful run to the International Space Station, and burning up in the atmosphere.

This film doesn't start off all that spectacular, but keep watching: it gets better.  Also, don't be sad or distressed; this is actually a space project that worked, and worked well.  It's a sign of hope, actually.

Courtesy of rfmcdpei and the comedienne Kristin Chenoweth comes a little musical intervention involving birds, rainbows, stars, and well...Tina.  Personally, I'm just thrilled that sweet, cute whimsical musical numbers seem to be coming back.

For some odd reason, "It's Time to Stop Doing Tina" is considered NOT SAFE FOR WORK.  

Courtesy of some guy off the internet, we have something rare and deliriously odd here. It's a 1924 animated propaganda film where a brave cosmonaut liberates Mars.  It's really a surreal mish mash of Flash Gordon style SF, crude animation at the level of Monty Python (and equally as raunchy), and heavy-handed Stalinesque propaganda. 

It really has to be seen to be believed.

Courtesy of Alison Bechdel and Charlie Stross' blog, here's a little test of how women are portrayed in a film.

1. Does it have at least two women in it,
2. Who [at some point] talk to each other,
3. About something besides a man (or marriage or babies). 

It's  actually an interesting test of the objectification and role of women in films- do they have a role or purpose in the film outside of being an adjunct to the men?  Charlie of course goes on to make some good points about how it relates to cultural anxieties, anti-feminist backlash, etc.. 

To me though, the interesting thing is that of this year's crop of summer blockbusters, NONE of them seemed like they would pass this test.  Iron Man, for all I like Pepper's character, fails this test (Hell, she's a cross between a mother and a love interest for Tony, and that's it).  The female characters in Hellboy are almost completely dictated by their relationship with the male characters (At least I don't recall the two female characters talking to each other at all).  The Dark Knight of course was pretty much an "all-boys plus one sex object/victim" film.

In fact, the only film I saw recently that passes this test was PItch Black, which we watched last night.  And well, the female characters in that film had a lot more important things to talk about than men and marriage.  But then, shouldn't most of them?

I think I've perfected my recipe for chocolate martinis.  I didn't think the recipe would work, but it turned out to be surprisingly mild and tasty.  While packing a massive punch. 

They are the only thing that let me get through "Malibu Express".  I heartily recommend them.

Recipe: Chocolate martini

2 jiggers Vodka
1 jigger white creme de cacao.
Chocolate sauce

1. Use the chocolate sauce to make a spiral  up the sides of the vodka glass.(preferably pre-chilled)
2. Combine and shake the vodka and creme de cacao together with ice in a shaker
3. Pour (Carefully!) into martini glass, 

Enjoy with lover and bad movie.

Have you ever seen a film or read a book  that you really really liked, and can quote from years later, but you can't remember what it was?

I was that way in regards to a short film I saw way, way, back in junior high, that I loved.  It was a witty examination of creativity and society, and it frankly, shaped my development quite a bit.  But I forgot the name, and could never find it again.

But I remembered one piece of dialog from it:

"Do you think that radical ideas which are rejected by institutions eventually become institutions of themselves and reject other radical ideas?"  
"No." 
"Oh...for minute, I thought I had something there."

While doing a quick web search to get the correct phrasing for the above, I found the film again!

Or at least I found out WHAT it is: it's Why Man Creates, a short film by the brilliant graphic designer Saul Bass.  Unfortunately a copy of the film seems very difficult to find, but there IS five minutes of it here.  A quick search of youtube reveals other things done by Saul Bass, such the title sequence to "Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", and well, all of these other films.

It's neat to find out the identity of an old film I loved, and also find out about an under-appreciated genius. 

It's actually Spin, one of the most amusing short films I've seen recently. It's kind of like "Run Lola Run" taken to the next level.

I really like how he has to keep going back, first because he messes things up, and second just because like any artist, he has to keep going to make things JUST right. Reminds me of some people I know.

And it's a sign of how geeky the people I hang around online are, that they were busy debating which game system would be best to do this in- Mage was the top contender, with my vote actually being for Nobilis.