Year: 2009

American Gangster

American Gangster

I first saw “American Gangster” in the cinema.  I liked the film so much that I couldn’t wait to get the DVD.  Of course, the 3 hour duration is not a big helper for repeated watching, but even so, I still enjoy it once in a while.

This film is excellent on so many levels, it’s hard to mention them all.  There is moral, there is entertainment, there is an authentic trip back in time, there is plenty of good acting and directing.

This is now definitely one of my favourite films.  5 stars.

Web OS? Yes. Are You Dense? No.

I came across the post titled “A Web OS? Are You Dense?“.  It has a lot of sense in it, but it also asks a question that needs answering.  And I think the answers are quite simple.

So, when your Aunt asks why her 1.2GHz computer isn’t fast enough to run an online word processor that has the same [censored] features as the 1987 version of Corel WordPerfect, you don’t have an answer for her.  There is no justification.

First of all, your Aunt is hardly capable of comparing the features of Corel WordPerfect in 1987 to features of Google Docs in 2009.  So, she probably won’t ask you the question at all.  And even if she will – that’s just for bragging and not for the justification.

Secondly, the features of Corel WordPerfect in 1987 are different to features in Google Docs 2009.  Collaborative editing with access level restrictions, online access, mobile support, web site integration, etc.   These haven’t been there in 1987.  Whether your Aunt is using them or not – that’s something else.  There are people who do.

Thirdly, the justification that exists for such a complication in technology stack is not for the Aunt, but for other people – often those in the technology industry.  Money, for example.  Go back to that original article and look at the diagrams.  Now, replace those vertical arrow comments with “Amount of money to be made/earned”, and you’ll have your own justification.  There are thousands upon thousands of people feeding on each layer of that technology cake.  The thicker the layer, and the more layers you have, the more people can feed of it.  I don’t like the way it goes, but on the other hand, I’m one of those feeding of that cake.

Fourthly, well, don’t mind the definitions, but Web OS is what you want for your Aunt.  Because in 1987 you had only one Aunt who was using a computer, so you had the luxury of time for going there and installing and upgrading software, fixing all those problems she was having, and explaining to her how to do things better.  In 2009 each of us has dozens of Aunts that need this help.  Going around doing all those little favours is getting time consuming.  So, giving her a small laptop with just a browser in it and the rest of the software from inside that browser  is an awesome option.

And I can go on and on about this …

Elton John, Eminem, Sepultura, and Luciano Pavarotti

If you told me five years ago that I’d write a post in my own blog with a title like that, I wouldn’t believe you even for a second.  And one of the first questions in my head would be: “What do Elton John, Eminem, Sepultura, and Luciano Pavarotti have in common?”.  And since I’m already writing this post, let me answer.

These four were recorded in two most weird paired performances that anyone could ever come up with.  Elton John and Eminem performed live at Grammy’s (it’s hard to find a video with sounds, because Universal Music Group is forcing YouTubers to remove audio for copyright violations, which is not cool at all, even if they have the right)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYi8ZvbyGrI]

According to Eminem, he (Eminem) called Elton John when he (Eminem) had a problem with drugs and was trying to get off them.  They’ve talked frequently ever since.

As for the Sepultura and Luciano Pavarotti, there is a song going around.  It’s one of the biggest Sepultura’s hits – “Roots Bloody Roots“.  I haven’t seen any video of it though, so here is a YouTube thing with a static image:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1zARg-nFzU]

That sounds authentic, but very weird.  Some clarification is given however by Sepultura Official Website:

For 5 or 6 years now, everyday we receive e-mails from fans asking about a version of’Roots Bloody Roots’ with Luciano Pavarotti as guest. “Is it really SEPULTURA in that song?” Of course not.  This version of ‘Roots Bloody Roots’ was recorded by a german band called JBO. And it’s probably one of the most popular versions for one of SEPULTURA’s most popular songs.

The site also provides a link to a removed YouTube video.  That one is easy to fix though.  Here is one I found with a live JBO performance of that song (poor sound quality).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkyAJxQs2ZM]

JBO are well known for their parodies, mixes, and overall fun.  But I think this one is their best flick so far.

An American Crime

An American Crime

Just watched “An American Crime“.  It is a very powerful drama about a famous case of child mistreat and murder in the US back in 1960’s.  I haven’t heard about this film until I actually got my hands on it, and once I checked the plot summary on IMDB, I wasn’t in a hurry to watch it.  Such films are usually either too detailed on the horror or too dramatic and emotional.  Either way, that was promising to be hard.  And for that I need a special mood.

I think it took me more than two weeks to prepare.  And to run out of other options.  So today I finally watched it.  And I am now really glad that I did.

While the film is truly sad and dramatic, it does not speculate on the feelings.  Instead, it tries to explain what happened from a few points of view.  It does not excuse the horrible behavior, but it provides enough insight on why and how the horrible thing happened.  And it does so without taking focus away from the victim of the crime.

Technically, the film is quite engaging as well.  It creates an authentic feeling of the time and sets the whole atmosphere slowly, detail by detail.  Also, children should be mentioned separately.  They are what puts this film above many others.  Most of the main characters in the film are children – from very young to teenagers.  All of them have quite a serious part to play – no joking or kidding around.  And all of them do it nicely.  The serious attitude of these children towards the movie is passed on into the film and towards the audience.  Very well done.

Overall rating – 4 stars.  A must see.