March 2013 - Chris Ullrich dot net
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March 2013

The 70’s Were Awesome

Posted on March 31, 2013

JesusChristSuperstar Ted Neeley

Because it’s Easter weekend (and I had had a few drinks), H and I watched Jesus Christ Superstar last night with some friends at a BBQ where we had earlier in the evening eaten a lot of steak. The irony was not lost on us.

Based on the rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, JCS tells the story of Jesus’ rise, fall and rise again through song and dance. If you’ve never seen JCS, the video below will give you an idea of what it’s like.

It’s not my favorite musical (or my favorite ALW/TR collaboration), but it’s still pretty fun. It’s also directed by the guy who directed Rollerball (the original), so that’s pretty cool.

Enjoy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3mFBh2z9sc?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

How to Teach Your Unborn Child About ‘Star Trek’

Posted on March 26, 2013

star-trek-enterprise

Geeks/nerds out there expecting a child in the near future, this video is for you: How to Teach Your Unborn Child About Star Trek. That’s right, it’s never too early to start teaching your child the important fundamentals.

Well, you might want to wait until they actually have ears and can hear (about 20 weeks or so). But then, get to it.

If I ever have children (hey, you never know), in addition to Star Trek, I will also be teaching them about Star Wars during the all-important internal gestation period. This will, of course, inevitably lead to many enjoyable Star Trek vs. Star Wars debates.

That does sound like fun. I may have to work on that.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPt9vVYd-oE?rel=0]

(h/t to Dr. Tom Mahoney for the link)

And Now, a Very Special Episode of ‘Downton Zombey’

Posted on March 22, 2013

downton-zombey

This amused me quite a bit. Of course, it helps if you watch Downton Abbey… And love zombies.

Fortunately, I do. I guess I should also mention that if you do watch Downton Abbey but haven’t seen this season’s finale, you may actually get some spoilers in this. So, beware and enjoy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p540lbdF70?rel=0&w=525&h=394]

Google Glass Meets Beer Glass

Posted on March 15, 2013

saint-patricks-day-beer

In honor of St. Patrick’s day (on Sunday, you drunks), some enterprising folks thought about what it would be like to use Google’s Glasses during the holiday. Naturally, they made a video. You can see that below.

In other news, I made another step towards responsible adulthood today. There was a lot of paperwork, phone calls and, unfortunately, some harsh language. But in the end, it all worked out and basically boiled down to writing a big check.

To be honest, it was the biggest one I’ve ever written. And yes, it hurt. . . But only a little.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all. Yes, I think I’ll have a beer. I know I’ve earned it today.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GAd1QDcutc?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

Really Living With Less

Posted on March 12, 2013

living-with-less

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about reducing the amount of stuff I have. I’m guilty of accumulating a lot of things over the years, as many people are, but I’ve realized I can live with far less.

That doesn’t mean giving up everything, but it does mean trying to reduce what I have to the more like just the essentials. A good rule I’ve heard, and this may not be new to you, is that if you haven’t seen, used or played with something in a year, you should probably get rid of it.

I like the idea and am starting to consider many of the things I have in those terms. Of course, some people have really taken that idea to a whole new level.

I don’t know if I could live like this, but the concept and execution are still quite impressive.

[vimeo 55389782 w=525 h=295]

A Helpful Coffee Chart for a Tuesday

Posted on March 12, 2013

coffee-chart-1

In the interest of being helpful, I found this handy coffee chart that you can use to determine exactly what you’re drinking and, more to the point, what your drink consists of. Of course, if you like coffee as much as I do, you probably already know all of this.

Still, I kinda like it and it could be helpful, so there you go.

Shakespeare and Joss Whedon? Heck Yeah

Posted on March 8, 2013

Joss-Whedon-Much-Ado-About-Nothing

In truth, this is one film I really wanted to see at SXSW. Sadly, due to other commitments, I won’t be going to Austin this year. Next year for sure. Of course, I said that last year too, so yeah, who knows?

Anyway, Joss Whedon has made an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. It’s got a great cast including Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz, Jillian Morgese, Sean Maher, Reed Diamond, Clark Gregg and Tom Lenk, is in black and white and is based on one of my favorite plays. And yes, it’s Joss Whedon so I, of course, pay attention.

Anyway, here’s the trailer. Enjoy.

‘Before VFX’ Is Fascinating

Posted on March 7, 2013

dark-knight-arron-eckhart-before-vfx

A couple days ago I posted a video showing some before and after visual effects shots from various TV shows and movies. Many people were surprised at the number of effects being used and also that, in many cases, effects were used at all.

Yeah, Hollywood likes to use visual effects to do almost anything these days. They do it a lot. To help illustrate just how much, a new website has sprung up showcasing what the author calls “The Canvas” of visual effects.

It’s a fascinating look at the “Before” shots in lots of famous movies including The Dark Knight, Twilight, Captain America, Kick-Ass, Avatar and a whole lot more. Plus, it gives you a greater appreciation for what the actors have to go through. Playing a big, emotional scene with a bunch of dots stuck to your face can’t be that easy.

Here’s a few of the “Before” pictures. Head over to the Before VFX website for a whole lot more.

pirates-curse-black-pearl-1

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl”

kick-ass-1

“Kick-Ass”

cage-ghost-rider-spirit-of-vengeance-1

“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance”

Some News and a New ‘Mad Men’ Promo

Posted on March 5, 2013

I have been extremely busy the last several days and as such, haven’t had much to say here. Rest assured I’ll be back in short order. In the meantime, check out this promo for the upcoming season of Mad Men.

It’s in black and white, so you know it’s gonna be classy. Also, see if you can spot any new faces in the mix. I bet you can.

Cheers.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03g36sbU8Y?rel=0&w=525&h=295]