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Happy 30th Birthday ‘War Games’

Posted on June 3, 2013

WarGames-Sheedy-Broderick

Sorry, it can’t be Star Wars 24/7 around here. Instead, let’s turn our attention to another movie from my youth I thoroughly enjoyed then and still do today.

That movie? Director John Badham’s 1983 cold war computer geek classic War Games.

In War Games, a young Matthew Broderick plays computer hacker David Lightman who tries to impress a girl named Jennifer (the equally young and cute Ally Sheedy) by hacking into the school’s computer to change her grade. He does it, she’s impressed and all is well. However, things then take a turn for the worse when David inadvertently hacks into a powerful NORAD defense computer known as the WOPR and almost starts World War III.

The feds, as you can imagine, are not amused and go looking for David. As they close in, and with the clock counting down until the start of an actual war by the computer that thinks its not a game, David goes on the run to find the only man who he hopes can make things right: the thought-dead inventor of the WOPR Professor Falken.

WarGames-computer

Sure, the movie’s technology is dated and yes, so are the hairstyles. But after 30 years War Games still holds up as a serviceable cold war thriller and provides some good insight into the mentality of an eighties teenager/hacker.

As a former eighties teenager/hacker myself, I can relate. Although, not to the almost starting World War III thing. That wasn’t me. I was out of town that day.

Check out the trailer for War Games below. If you haven’t seen it in awhile, or ever, it’s definitely worth a look.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbqMuvnx5MU?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

Over 1000 Behind the Scenes Photos From the ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy

Posted on June 3, 2013

star-wars-bts-1

The internet can be home to some pretty amazing things. Sure, there’s also a lot of porn too. Fortunately, the worthwhile bits outnumber the naughty ones.

A prime example of this is Imgur user JoinYouInTheSun who’s taken the time and made the effort to assemble over 1000 behind the scenes photos from the original Star Wars trilogy. As someone who grew up with this first (and some say only) trilogy of movies, these images brought back a lot of wonderful memories and were great fun to look at.

In fact, I liked them so much I clicked through each and every one of them. Slowly.

If you’re a Star Wars geek like I am, you’ll understand.

Here’s a couple more. Head over to Imgur for the rest.

star-wars-bts-3

empire-strikes-back-bts-1

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return-of-jedi-bts-1

‘The History of Typography’ – An Animated Short

Posted on May 24, 2013

The-History-of-Typography-by-Ben-Barrett-Forrest

Among the many reasons I consider myself a geek is my love of fonts and typography. I love the way type and graphics look when laid out properly on a page. I’m not sure where it comes from, but I’ve always been a big fan.

So, this animated short, made by Ben Barrett-Forrest, about the history of typography was very enjoyable for me. Perhaps you will enjoy it too.

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

‘The Empire Strikes Back’ Is 33 Years Old Today, So How About Some Bloopers?

Posted on May 21, 2013

The Empire Strikes Back - Vader vs Luke

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I am a huge fan of the original Star Wars trilogy. In fact, I’m such a fan that I know The Empire Strikes Back was released 33 years ago today. Yes, I was there to see it on opening day.

Although, opening day was actually the second time I had seen it. The first time was at a press screening a few weeks earlier my Mom had won tickets for by listening to the radio all day while I was at school.

Do I have a cool Mom or what?

I still have that press kit somewhere with all the awesome black and white photos from the movie. Must dig that up someday soon.

To commemorate this milestone in history, here’s some bloopers for the first (and only good) trilogy. Enjoy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_XgTyBzWZ0?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

Fear is a Four Letter Word

Posted on May 14, 2013

lawrence-of-arabia-otoole-1

This is one of those times where I don’t think I have anything to say, but I still feel like writing anyway. I was once told by a writing teacher that even if you feel you have nothing to say, you should just start writing anyway.

His opinion, and I’ve often found this to be true, was that if you start and keep on going, eventually words will flow. The trick is to start.

Thinking about that now I really feel it applies to almost any endeavor. Simply put: If you don’t start, you’ll never finish.

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the famous Wayne Gretsky quote where he says: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Again, I think that applies to most things in life.

Starting things, like a writing project, is often very difficult. But I don’t think it’s the act of starting that’s the problem. What we’re really talking about here is fear.

For a writer, that fear most often manifests along the lines of “What if it sucks?” or “What if nobody likes it?” or even “What if people are so enraged by what I write, they want to burn me in effigy?” Actually, that last one might not be so bad.

Well, nobody wants to get burned in effigy, of course, but writing something powerful enough and moving enough to get people that enraged could be kinda cool. Again, if you can avoid the whole being burned thing.

We all feel fear at one time or another and there’s always the potential that fear will drive us to do something or, more to the point, to not do something. But we can’t let it win. We can’t let it get to us.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Lawrence of Arabia. In the movie, T.E. Lawrence, played by the amazing Peter O’Toole, holds up a match and then extinguishes it with his thumb and forefinger, seemingly oblivious to the pain this must surely have caused him.

His fellow soldier, William Potter, then tries to do the same and as he does, he realizes just how painful it actually is. He exclaims that “It damn well hurts!”

Potter then askes Lawrence what the trick is. Lawrence replies that yes, of course it hurts.

The trick is not minding.

Here’s Some ‘Community’ Outtakes for a Friday

Posted on May 10, 2013

alison-brie-ice-cream-1

Many of these made me laugh. Some made me, well, experience other emotions. Anyway, here’s a little video containing some fun Community outtakes.

Enjoy them as this week’s episode may be the last one ever. Fingers crossed for a renewal from NBC, though. Thursday night’s episode would be a hard way to go out.

No, I didn’t think it was that great. I was hoping for more. On a side note, don’t read anything into the fact that most of these outtakes contain scenes with Alison Brie. That’s just a coincidence.

I also have no idea how the picture of her eating ice cream came back again. I thought I got rid of that. Please accept my humble apologies and I will try not to let it happen again.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woP-4BP4w5M?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

What Your Coffee Says About You

Posted on May 1, 2013

Continuing a fine tradition of coffee-related posts, I’ve got another one for you. This one is a new, handy chart that tells you just what the coffee beverage you order says about you as a person.

Check it out below. Oh, in case you’re wondering, according to this chart I’m “assertive and outspoken, don’t let seasons dictate how I live my life and I like straws.” Huh, maybe there’s something to this chart after all?

What kind of coffee are you?

coffee-chart-2

Sunday Old School with ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’

Posted on April 28, 2013

raiders-of-the-lost-ark-indy-idol

I’ve been thinking a lot about Raiders of the Lost Ark lately, so I decided to watch it for what must be at least the thirtieth time. I will assume (dangerous, I realize) that most of you have seen it. If not, I think you should immediately find a way to see it and then come on back here.

For the rest of you, you know how truly awesome the movie is. From the acting to the story to the set pieces to the cool stuff going on just under the surface (the subtext, as we writer-types like to call it), Raiders has so many amazing things about it, and going for it, that it’s considered by many (myself included) to be one of the best movies of all time. In fact, it’s on my top ten all-time best list. If it isn’t on yours, it should be.

I was alive and there on opening day when Raiders first arrived in theaters On June 12, 1981 and as a young boy I was captivated by Indiana Jones and his adventures from the moment the Paramount mountain first dissolved to a real mountain until the last frame as the Ark is being put in a safe place, presumably until those so-called “top men” have time to examine it.

Director Steven Spielberg, producer George Lucas and writer Lawrence Kasdan knew just what to include in Raiders so kids of all ages would be entertained, enthralled and still be watching, and talking about, this moving textbook of filmmaking excellence over thirty years later. You certainly can’t say that about most films made in the last thirty years, especially a vast majority of the immediately forgettable crap that seems to pass for movies these days.

Raiders is one of a handful of films that help remind me what’s possible when a dedicated group of highly creative people get together and use their considerable talents and imaginations to create something. It helps me recapture the sense of wonder and, dare I say it, magic that’s sorely lacking in today’s films and, let’s face it, in society in general.

It truly is one of the greats and worthy of the esteem it holds with millions of fans around the world.

Here’s the original trailer for the film below. Enjoy. And really I can’t stress this enough, if you haven’t seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to watch it as soon as possible.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uABsht2bgY?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

Sunday Old School With ‘Jason and the Argonauts’

Posted on April 21, 2013

jason-and-the-argonauts-battling-skeleton-warriors

Today is Sunday. Check the calendar if you don’t believe me. Okay? We good? Maybe take a guy’s word for it next time, huh?

Anyway, as I often do on Sundays (at least until Project M “officially” begins), I’m watching old movies. Although, the one today isn’t that old.

It’s 1963’s Jason and the Argonauts featuring the amazing stop-motion work of the master Ray Harryhausen. If you’ve never seen it, it is definitely worth watching. . . for many reasons.

Not the least of which is this pretty awesome skeleton fight that blew me away when I first saw this movie as a kid. No, not when it came out. Later, on TV.

In fact, I think the first time was a Sunday much like this one on the old Channel 13 in LA. I miss that channel, they had some great stuff.

Here’s the skeleton fight, just so you can get a taste of what I’m talking about.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF_Fi7x93PY?rel=0&w=525&h=295]

Your Caffeine Intake Levels

Posted on April 16, 2013

caffeine-intake-levels

As you might have guessed, I like coffee. In fact, some would say, I’m slightly obsessed about it. Truth be told, I don’t think I’m alone in that. I think lots of others like coffee as much, or more, than I do.

So, in the spirit of helping out my fellow coffee fans, here’s a handy little graphic that helps illustrate just how much caffeine you’re getting from various kinds of beverages.

I hope this helps.