Any aspiring screenplay writers out there should know that there really is very little in the way of adrenaline exploitation that has not already been done, nearly ad infinitum, in Asian cinema. The Man From Nowhere delves into that sub-sub-genre of crime scenarios that deal with organ harvesting, heroin trafficking and child slavery. Thankfully the subject has now been covered with all due sensationalism, and no one will be led to cover it for its newness. Never fear: The culprits meet their deaths in gratuitous bloody sequences, along with just about every character connected to them in any way.
The "man from nowhere" dishes out the beyond-the-law vigilante justice, and his character is about as cliche as they get. Former spy -- check. Martial arts expert -- check. Mysterious air -- check. He's not the conventional muscle bound protagonist, however, as the movie starts out with glimpses into his life as a pawn shop owner and operator. When his dream life was shattered by criminal hands he abandoned his service to the state and went into the hock trade. He just happens to be the neighbor of a little girl who gets snatched up by the scuzziest people the writer could envision. Like any mysterious hero lethal in hand to hand would, he embarks on a quest to save the child.
Hollywood did not dump this film on the world. The California film industry may not be cutting edge with a lot of its story choices, but that can be a good thing, depending on one's perspective. Korean film makers don't seem to be burdened by the same PTA outrage that would surround a movie like this in the United States. Sometimes the lack of moral filters allow for a truly inventive and awe inspiring work of cinema, but at other times the viewer winds up with a movie like this. Anybody who can watch this movie and simply shrug their shoulders has probably seen too many movies. Welcome to the club. The proper reaction is probably to be deeply shocked and offended by the violence and subject matter. For those who are already jaded: It wasn't totally terrible, it was just mostly terrible, but it did make a couple of hours go by very quickly.
**
::bonus review:: :)
Meanwhile, in the romance genre, Windstruck tells the story of the person with the worst aim in all of Korea, a policewoman in Seoul. Don't let other descriptions fool you. You may hear that the movie is about love and loss, that it deals with matters of the heart and grief, and the touching of two souls. It is really about how the lead female actor (who would have been great in any role) can't hit the broad side of a barn with her sidearm. That fact remains consistent throughout the movie. Sure, she has a lover that bites the dust, but that doesn't help her get any better with her pistol. I'd be frightened to meet a person who could make it through the entire two hours and three minutes without laughing.
For the sake of honesty it should be said that the movie is a sappy romance, frivolously so. It waffles between happy and sad and has a wide variety of endings to choose from. The director made it impossible to know for certain if the boyfriend was shot to death. Instead the viewer is forced to choose their own interpretation of events. The movie is a flop as a normal romantic comedy, but was still enjoyable overall. It really helps that the leading lady is so pleasant to look at.
A Somewat Normal Title
A Bittersweet Life - Easily the most pointless bit of underworld tinged violence to come out of Korea in the past few years. The main character has no likable attributes, except that the female audience may find the actor attractive. Even suspending disbelief doesn't serve to make the movie's action remotely credible. It was not an unenjoyable film, but it failed to provoke any deep thought at all. The action sequences weren't executed well enough to salvage any good comments about.
The best that can be said is that the design crew saved this piece of cinema from utter mediocrity. Some of the sets were very attractive and set a handsome tone for bloodshed and gun play. If it weren't for the photography and attention to surroundings A Bittersweet Life would be a complete waste of time. It has a big following though, and a lot of fans who would disagree strongly with this negative review.
***
Nein Emerging- I went back to music, or something a lot like it. Plan to upload eventually. It is in fact called Nein Emerging. Have not abandoned "Blood Red Mist," just giving it a major rethink. Writing about a broken family disintegrated my motivation for the work; dark fantasy rears its hideous brain filled appendage once again.
Ghost Cities -- Brooklyn Bridge -- Robokopter
Google Earth photos of the Kumtag Desert in China show gargantuan earth projects in the middle of nowhere. The scale of some of these projects defy normal human perspective. One of them covers approximately two miles of width and four miles of length. The Nazca Lines immediately come to mind when viewing these photos. Of course unlike the ancient Peruvians the Chinese have machinery. Maybe a high ranking party member in Beijing had too much time on their hands and thought it would be fun to mess with the imaginations of Westerners. via Gizmodo.
The OWS Brooklyn Bridge march yesterday
Meanwhile, the occupation of many areas of major American cities has ended, but the Occupy movement won't be changing its name. These protesters have restored hope to some people in the United States that citizen activism is in the middle of a renaissance. No matter what name they take, the fact that so many people care enough to put their lives on the line for the betterment of the common working people of our country is highly admirable. The shortcomings of the movement are far outweighed by the existence of the movement itself. Occupy Wall Street has set a precedent worth more than any other grass roots movement in the past thirty years. As long as people have the knowledge that hordes of fellow citizens hold the same beliefs they do and are willing to take direct action to effect change, then the armor of big money can continue to be worn down. And maybe, just maybe, with continued work and diligence in this vein the tide of economic hopelessness will begin to turn in favor of an expanding middle class and greater opportunities.
Cheers to Occupy supporters nationwide for creating a bright spot on the economic horizon that has been bleak and dark for so long. A big part of that brightening is camaraderie -- an ideological one for those who can't make it out, and a physical one for those on the front lines. They deserve more recognition than simple words can give.
The end of the Internet as you know it is closer than you think. SOPA has a name that belies the horrible vagueness and potential for misuse in the actual bill. It would be more accurate to call the Stop Online Piracy Act the Totalitarian Internet Control Act. Ron Paul and Nancy Pelosi have both stepped forward in opposition to SOPA, and they don't agree about very many things. It will hurt our country far worse than it will help. I have been loathe to speak out against it since normally everything I condemn gets passed and everything I support gets trounced, but this matters too much to remain silent. I'm already bracing for a move to a national dimnet should this piece of legislation become law. The government will not be able to stop those of us determined to remain free of a federal stranglehold on information.
The above photograph was taken by a helicopter drone sent over streets in Poland by protesters there. The little white circles are the tops of police helmets. The protesters wanted to get a better view of police activity by filming it from above. Technology available only to the military and elite police for so long is now becoming more affordable and widespread. Turnabout is fair play. From Infowars, where footage from the helicopter drone is available.
LSU Obliterates Auburn -&- "Election"
The #19 team in the nation, the Auburn Tigers, came to Baton Rouge with hopes of upsetting the BCS #1 ranked LSU football team. Auburn did manage to put points on the board, somehow. This is the second time this season LSU has defeated a long time SEC opponent by the largest margin of victory in the history of their meetings. The score was 45-10. Alabama poses a real challenge on November 5th in a game that's sure to be a nailbiter, but right now the LSU Tigers seem like Roman's going into battle against Celts. They have continued to devastate opponents. They are a convincing top ranked team, to say the least.
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Louisiana had elections today. Before they started it was crystal clear nothing would change in this district. Groovenor Gin Doll has the big race sewed up, even with 9 people running against him (in fact he won very big). I refused to pick a different candidate because none of them really worked to win the office. They certainly did not tour Baton Rouge's inner city, and that shows how little they care. Jindal could never get my vote while remaining a member of the Glorious Oligarchy Party; the GOP has led the middle class to the brink of destruction. Gotta work hard to remember Louisiana kicks ass, otherwise some of the minor black marks against it will make the whole place seem like a detestable, poverty stricken third world country again.
A Table:
A Colored box:
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Have been reading Templesmith's Gentleman Corpse series. It's a great little work of dark comedy. No comic book has been this enjoyable in so many years I can't remember. It follows the adventures of a corpse possessing maggot named Wormwood. The very polite and refined maggot solves ghastly crimes. Highly recommended.
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How does someone miss a spelling error in their title? Finally noticed 2 weeks later.
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Louisiana had elections today. Before they started it was crystal clear nothing would change in this district. Groovenor Gin Doll has the big race sewed up, even with 9 people running against him (in fact he won very big). I refused to pick a different candidate because none of them really worked to win the office. They certainly did not tour Baton Rouge's inner city, and that shows how little they care. Jindal could never get my vote while remaining a member of the Glorious Oligarchy Party; the GOP has led the middle class to the brink of destruction. Gotta work hard to remember Louisiana kicks ass, otherwise some of the minor black marks against it will make the whole place seem like a detestable, poverty stricken third world country again.
A Table:
| Election Winner | Governor Jindl | By a mile | No competition | What election? | Sad, really. | Sorry, activists. |
A Colored box:
With elections like the one we had yesterday it's easy to understand why some people give up on the entire process, thinking it meaningless. If everyone in Tiger Stadium, Death Valley that is, had actively voiced support for change and voted to make it happen, the outcome may have been different. That's more difficult than drinking beer and watching LSU make grown men cry, however. Voter apathy may have had less to do with this election than football, to be honest. [Another meaningless comment.] |
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Have been reading Templesmith's Gentleman Corpse series. It's a great little work of dark comedy. No comic book has been this enjoyable in so many years I can't remember. It follows the adventures of a corpse possessing maggot named Wormwood. The very polite and refined maggot solves ghastly crimes. Highly recommended.
-
How does someone miss a spelling error in their title? Finally noticed 2 weeks later.
Louisiana ~Bans Cash
The state of Louisiana banned the use of cash in the purchase and sale of secondhand items. Antique stores, pawnshops, flea markets and yard sales will all be prohibited from using legal United States tender when doing business. Individuals engaged in commerce involving anything besides brand new goods will be forced to use credit cards, checks or money orders.
Louisiana House Bill 195 was passed and signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal. We are now our own country. United States money is no good here. The law was passed and signed without any significant media coverage.
Legislators who support the law claim it targets criminals, and that banning cash transactions will help combat the sale of stolen property. It sounds an awful lot like treating a symptom rather than curing a problem. The sale of stolen goods could not possibly account for even an entire percentage of cash sales in the state. The legitimate 99+% will now suffer because of extremely shoddy legislation. The law is unconstitutional, idiotic and shameful. Un-be-fucking-lievable.
Glorious Oligarchy Party Declaration: All your tender is belong to us!
Louisiana House Bill 195 was passed and signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal. We are now our own country. United States money is no good here. The law was passed and signed without any significant media coverage.
Legislators who support the law claim it targets criminals, and that banning cash transactions will help combat the sale of stolen property. It sounds an awful lot like treating a symptom rather than curing a problem. The sale of stolen goods could not possibly account for even an entire percentage of cash sales in the state. The legitimate 99+% will now suffer because of extremely shoddy legislation. The law is unconstitutional, idiotic and shameful. Un-be-fucking-lievable.
Glorious Oligarchy Party Declaration: All your tender is belong to us!When entering the Republic of Louisiana, please present your papers, and while traveling remember to keep your face exposed at all red light cameras. It's for your own safety. The Party knows best. There will be no anonymity in commercial matters. "Protection over privacy." So say the elite, so must you all say.
Review-a-thon, or Not
Stumbled across perhaps the most epic music share session of all time. Considered reviewing a bunch of the albums and posting the links myself, but decided it would be a humongous undertaking. Instead decided to forward the entire spectacle and leave the burden of fair use reviews to the reader.
United States law: You can download an album. After that you have 24 hours to review the album and post your review somewhere. After that you must delete the album from your hard drive in order to remain compliant with United States copyright laws. The artists often very much appreciate the attention and the review. If you do a good job, then instead of breaking the law you have contributed to the prosperity of the musicians. It's good sportsmanship to review imports as well, even though you do not run the risk of legal action for not doing so.
God Tier Share Thread
Get out there and force a bunch of takedown letters to [file hosting service]. If nobody complains, then the musicians aren't getting any attention. Show the music industry some love.
United States law: You can download an album. After that you have 24 hours to review the album and post your review somewhere. After that you must delete the album from your hard drive in order to remain compliant with United States copyright laws. The artists often very much appreciate the attention and the review. If you do a good job, then instead of breaking the law you have contributed to the prosperity of the musicians. It's good sportsmanship to review imports as well, even though you do not run the risk of legal action for not doing so.
God Tier Share Thread
Get out there and force a bunch of takedown letters to [file hosting service]. If nobody complains, then the musicians aren't getting any attention. Show the music industry some love.
More Fun from Wall Street
Don't feel remorse if you don't think you can handle this sort of scene. On the other hand, if civil disobedience and good clean police conflict is your idea of a good time, then Occupy Wall Street has what you're looking for. Having a clean record helps at bail hearings. Remember, it's not what you did or didn't do that determines how you'll be treated by the authorities, its whether or not you make them angry.
Gratis Iranian Pointers
Some of those attending the International Atomic Energy Agency General Convention received free laser pointers from Iran. The laser pointers are shaped like little centrifuges.
The laser pointers come with the slogan "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapon for None." So, Iran refuses to have only one nuclear weapon, eh? Ahmadinejad will stop at nothing! Presumably it was just poor English usage, but one can never tell. From Arms Control Wonk.
The laser pointers come with the slogan "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapon for None." So, Iran refuses to have only one nuclear weapon, eh? Ahmadinejad will stop at nothing! Presumably it was just poor English usage, but one can never tell. From Arms Control Wonk.
Knocked Out
Some guy at Occupy Wall Street got his clock cleaned by a NYPD white shirt. It plays the scene twice just in case you missed it. One can only wonder what the guy wearing the green shirt said, because it is clear that it happened because of something he vocalized. Some of us were just born with the skill it takes to make somebody that angry using only words. O, also, "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" & "Holy sh**!"
Chris Hedges wrote a fantastic piece about "progressive and liberal" orgs, and labor organizations, trying to ride OWS coat tails. Hedges very accurately described how those organizations failed voters and supporters and now look to people actually getting things done to stay in the spotlight (MoveOn's 2008 approach already showed their total irrelevance). It was a great article to wake up to and to help wake one up, in case you missed it, and that only means from sleep, not some implied haze of civil indifference.
Unrelated:
The Yellow Sea is still coming to mind two days later. It failed to overtake Old Boy for best fight sequence of all time, but it came damn close. The escape sequences are believable and two of them dragged me to my feet. It was just that intense. Hong-jin Na directed the movie, and another well worth watching called The Chaser. "Never work for the mafia. They'll never let you go."
Chris Hedges wrote a fantastic piece about "progressive and liberal" orgs, and labor organizations, trying to ride OWS coat tails. Hedges very accurately described how those organizations failed voters and supporters and now look to people actually getting things done to stay in the spotlight (MoveOn's 2008 approach already showed their total irrelevance). It was a great article to wake up to and to help wake one up, in case you missed it, and that only means from sleep, not some implied haze of civil indifference.
Unrelated:
The Yellow Sea is still coming to mind two days later. It failed to overtake Old Boy for best fight sequence of all time, but it came damn close. The escape sequences are believable and two of them dragged me to my feet. It was just that intense. Hong-jin Na directed the movie, and another well worth watching called The Chaser. "Never work for the mafia. They'll never let you go."
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