Less Than Zero (1987) – Marek Kanievska

Staring: Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey, Jr.

Based on the novel by Brett Easton Ellis

Viewed: 24 November 2009

Quick info: Produced by Studio Pierrot. Directed by Osamu Kobayashi. Based on a manga by Izumi Matsumoto.

Expectations: Cute girls and a road with two rows of orange trees growing on its sides. No, really.

Impressions: The OP flashed so much it could give one an epilepsy attack. The episode has not even started yet and my eyes were already hurting.

The Flying Hat Romantic Meeting™ isn’t my most favourite cliche, but the stair counting was cute and both characters are likeable. I’m not sure what superpowers are doing in a romance show with such a slice-of-life-y feeling to it though. Maybe just to spice things up?

The way those scrawny girls beat up those muscle-y guys wasn’t very realistic. I have nothing against the idea itself, but I really don’t like it when creators take an idea that already stretches your imagination a bit, and then play it as unrealistically as they possibly can, in effect completely shattering your suspension of disbelief.

Ayukawa interests me though. In anime the thug-type characters usually have these tragic back-stories and awful circumstances and stuff (except for fodder characters). The episode was enjoyable in general, but didn’t really have anything particularly special about it, I’m really interested in what load this thug-character is carrying though, so I’ll keep watching for now.

In other news: aww, no roads or oranges.

Rating: 7/10 (Ayukawa was what bumped it up above a 6/10)

Lip Lock Rock
Fat Girls
Over The Edge

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Though I largely lost track of the TMNT animated series the last several years, I’ve tuned in here or there to see where things are. I’d thought the series was nothing but re-runs at this point, and with the sale of the TMNT to Nickelodeon, hadn’t expected anything new to be aired. Thankfully, I was wrong, as this ‘Turtles Forever’ tv movie aired this morning.

The purple dragons find themselves under attack as they seek to rip off some high-tech equipment. Splinter finds his soap opera interrupted by news of four green individuals caught on camera–apparently turtles. However, his sons are all home and haven’t been out. Cue Hun, responding to the Dragons’ having captured the Turtles. Sure enough, four Ninja Turtles have been captured…but they’re not any Hun has ever seen before. Determining they’re of no worth, he orders them killed…but that’s when the “real” (2003) turtles burst in.

After a fight, the two teams of teenage turtles size each other up. One group–pudgey and goofy, the other taller, leaner, and more serious. Before long, the time-tossed turtles from 1987 are introduced to Splinter–who, notably, looks much different. The Technodrome is brought in, as is the bumbling Shredder, Krang, and even the robotic foot soldiers. Bebop and Rocksteady make their requisite appearance.

Realizing that there are other-dimensional versions of the turtles he knows, Bumbling Shredder (1987) uses the Technodrome tech to locate this dimension’s Shredder–not in the USA, Not on Earth, but significantly further away–and beams him into the Technodrome. This dimension’s Shredder, however, is not the human Oroku Saki, but an evil Utrom Ch’rell. The Ch’rell Shredder wakes, makes short work of Bumbling Shredder, Krang, & Co., and implements a new plan–retrofitting the Technodrome with Utrom upgrades, transforming it into a far deadlier, more effective “ultimate weapon” than any previously seen.

The two groups of turtles survive an attack by a mutated Hun (remember the pink mutagen that changed someone into whatever creature they were last in contact with?), and with a dimensional-portal-stick find themselves back in the 1987 world–reversing the groups’ disorientation. The 2003 turtles meet the Hamato Yoshi Splinter, who offers a calm, serious, yet compassionate air to the time-tossed teens.

When the turtles check back in with their home (2003) dimension, they see Ch’rell’s upgraded Technodrome causing loads of destruction, withstanding the best the Military can throw at it…and they realize the box of anti-Technodrome gadgest they have isn’t gonna cut it.

Upon returning to rescue Splinter (2003), the turtles are all captured, held to particular points in a massive chamber, their essense to play a role in locating “Turtle-Prime,” the SOURCE of Ninja Turtles in the Multiverse. (And reminding me a great deal of Alexander Luthor’s tower from DC’s Infinite Crisis).

The Ch’rell Shredder shares what he’s learned, displaying images of virtually every other incarnation of the turtles out there–The 1990s movies, various incarnations from Mirage, and Archie, the newspaper strip, the 2007 movie, and so on. All are branches coming from the source being sought–destroy the source, and all the others will cease to exist. (Destroy a branch and others will continue to flourish).

Before the turtles can be completely dismantled by the device, Karai beams them away, saving their lives, as the Technodrome fades away to this Prime dimension. Another encounter with Hun as the world turns to black and white and then whites out of existence leads the turtles to modify their dimensional stick and they, too, fade out to the Prime dimension.

Arrival there introduces black and white turtles–the ORIGINAL Mirage TMNT. Accurately, the “source” of every other incarnation of the turtles.

The three groups team up to face the threat Ch’rell now poses to the multiverse.

As the story draws to a close, the other turtles return “home,” and the Prime-turtles are left to reflect on what they’ve just been a part of. Finally, they leave with Leonardo’s narration seeing them out. “We are the Teenage Mutant Ninja TUrtles. We strike hard, and fade away…into the night.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this when I first discovered it. A friend posted a link to the wikipedia page on my facebook, and I researched a bit from there, ultimately recording the movie and watching it this evening. A blending of the old and new/current cartoons was interesting as a concept, but I figured it would be some goofy, hokey thing that wouldn’t really be much more than “fanservice” or such.

However, goofy as it was at points, I really greatly enjoyed this. The movie REALLY accentuates the differences in the turtles’ incarnations. The “classic” 1987 turtles are goofy, hokey, and not very serious on the whole. The 2003 turtles are far more serious (though Mikey remains a bit of a goofball–but not nearly on the level of all the ‘87 turtles). And of course, both incarnations are significantly “lighter” than the original 1984 Mirage turtles.

As far as I could tell, the voices of the 2003 turtles are the same as the long-running series. None of the voices for the classic turtles seemed at all familiar–which was disappointing, though I’d've been shocked if they could reassemble those regulars 20ish years later. Still, the attitudes of the characters showed through.

I did feel that the Splinters, as well as April and Casey (2003) got shortchanged…though I could’ve done with a little less than the brief bit we got with the 1987 April. I must admit it was sorta cool seeing Bebop and Rocksteady again, though they, too, were really shown to be the goofy caricatures they were.

Though brief overall, the Prime-turtles were rather cool to see–and it may just be my own prior comparisons of the incarnations that made it stand out for me–but they seemed all the more dangerous and deadly appearing alongside the colorized counterparts.

The movie ending with these turtles first striking the pose on a building that should be familiar to anyone who’s seen the covers to the original TMNT #1, TMNT #50, and so on. Then the thing closed out with Leo’s narration from the ending of that original TMNT #1…

Which truly brought things full-circle. Even though mere glimpses were provided of the numerous versions of the turtles through the years, that technically means they were included here. And so this capped off–”series finale”-style–the animated series that’s been running since 2003, as well as referencing/capping off the 1980s-1990s series, and everything that’s come before in the extended multiverse of TMNT.

I loved the references to past elements of the series. The classic lines were all there. Familiar nuances to voices were present despite different voiceactors–from Bumbling Shredder’s frustration to Krang’s gurgling/burping. The visual styles were consistent at least with what I remember of both series. The Prime turtles seemed a bit off, but the visual cues were absolutely unmistakeable.

This whole thing reminded me a bit of that Batman: The Animated Series episode with the kids relaying their different versions of the Batman, that included the various visual styles of the silver-age Batman, Miller’s Dark Knight, and so on.

All in all, it’s hard to capture every last detail or every last thought and such from the movie. Suffice to say that there are a number of other specific touches that pushed all the right geek-buttons for me.

I sincerely hope this gets released on DVD, whoever puts it out (provided it’s not vastly over-priced for being only about 75 minutes of content).

One of the commercials indicates it’ll be airing again over the next 3 weeks, so if you have not had a chance to see it, and you’re a fan of (particularly) either of the animated series, this is incredibly worthwhile.

From the snow-peaked mountains of Canada to the warm beaches of the sunny south Eastern seaboard of the United States, the third and final Miss November of today, the lovely and talented Pamela Stein, appeared as the centerfold in the November 1987 issue of Playboy.

Photographed by Stephen Wayda

Though she was born in Syracuse, New York, Ms. Stein was raised in “the part of Florida you don’t see on Miami Vice” (Playboy data sheet). Like fellow Miss November Shannon Tweed, Pamela trends toward them there ol’ rock stars (happens all the time). She is married to Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander.

Both of their two children, a girl and a boy, are named Robin. I guess that … makes it easy to remember. There is really no excuse for blanking on one of your kids’ name when they’re both the same.
Oh, snap. A quick check of the imdb tells me that the boy is Robin, Jr. and the girl is Robin-Sailor. In my face; those are totally different!

Actually, I do not want to particularly make fun too much because she seems like a pretty rocking chick. Cute, upbeat, and a good sense of humor.

She’s not one to get by on looks alone. On her Data Sheet, under “Goals and Aspirations,” she wrote. “To find the largest cockroach in Florida.”

You see, there’s this contest for, yes, the largest cockroach, and Pam has her eye out for likely candidates. “But don’t put that in the magazine or people will be sending me their cockroaches. I want to win fair and square.” — “Winning Streak”, Playboy, November 1987.

Pam told us with a completely straight face that if she couldn’t land a role on a TV soap opera, she’d settle for the job of being Ollie North’s next secretary. As we walked past a construction site to a chorus of whistles, she expressed gratitude that “someone [was] upholding the traditional values.” These lines were delivered with a megawatt twinkle that could stand up to hours of interrogation.

“I get the apple-pie jobs. I never get to look glamorous.” She did two McDonald’s ads; her friends assumed she was working for the local franchise. “Sounds like an exciting life, doesn’t it? Now you know why I answered the call for Playboy!”

Ms. Stein presently lives in Safety Harbor, Florida with her aforementioned fam, and, as far as I can tell, has never gotten to be Oliver North’s secretary. Aw. A dream deferred.

memorabilia : modeling days …

photography : claus wickrath
styling : tommaso basilio

I had trouble sleeping last night, maybe it was because my birthday was only hours away, like the night before christmas when you a kid and you stay up most the night listening to the many sounds of the  night for signs of santa or some shit like that. Or it could have simply been the temperature, despite being freezing cold outside it was as hot as a chinese sweat shop inside my room, not such a great environment for sleeping.When i did finally drop off, i woke up at about 3:48am with a sigh and a yawn, promptly returning to dreamland, before waking up again at about 7:ooam.

I thought 4 hours of sleep would be sufficient, considering i planned on going out for a few(hundred) drinks in the evening to celebrate my emergence into the world with a few friends. i’m not the kind of person who would go to all the trouble of arranging a big party for myself though, inviting everyone i have ever met EVER. That kind of hassle and hard work should be left to someone else. All i need is my best friends their, to have  few drinks with me. Honestly being “popular” always seemed like too much effort to me; making sure everyone likes you, always keeping your phone handy, texting everyone about everything thats going on all the time, and making sure your always up to date on all the latest trends, Pah! what a waste of time. Im sure its really fun, but im the kind of person who laughs at the word “Period”. *snigger*

“So what did you get for your birthday?” you might ask. Well i didn’t exactly get a lot of things, but by the time you hit your twenties you’ve probably already got most the stuff you need anyway, at least i do. You see, when i find something i want, i will normally put it on my mental wish list, then save up all my wages from cleaning other people sweat and shit up from the gym, and buy it at the end of the month. Once my next birthday comes around and my relatives ask me “So what do you want for your birthday?” i have to draw a blank because i got everything i want by now. Honestly id be happy with anything, but this year it was;

• Electric razor to keep on top of the stubble.
• A funny book called “Simon’s Cat” (www.Simonscat.com)
• A xbox 360 video game, “NAMCO MUSEUM” which after a quick play though i think is brilliant but also fucking impossible, like all retro games are when your older….
• Aftershave
• Cards containing money and best wishes, also jokes.

Speaking of jokes, all the cards this year had a recurring theme, centring around the fact that i (apparently) never do any housework. This is somewhat un-true, although my younger brother would disagree strongly, the thing is when i spend 8 hours a day at work cleaning, tidying, taking our rubbish and generally getting my hands covering in all sorts of chemicals and waste products, you don’t exactly feel like coming home and doing the same thing, even if the mess is mostly mine. Im not asking anyone to clean up after me either, i’m sure ill get round to it ….eventually, and i’m well prepared to except the consequences for not doing it as well.

Anyway the morning rolled on, the sun became higher in the dull british sky and my mom and dad wanted to treat me to a nice breakfast , so where did we go? McDonald’s thats wear. First of all, i can see why they would think i would enjoy going there, since i do go there every week at least once, and it makes it a lot easier for them too, seeing as they don’t have to worry about booking a table anywhere or having to actually cook something. But C’MON!  its my birthday and they think a Happy Meal would be nice?, im only joking of course, we did go and it was nice even though its junk food it was still the first time i had been out to eat something with my mom and dad in a while. I sent a text to my good friend kieran simply saying “Dick” with the intention of getting some attention (lol) and i succeeded when he called me back to sing the happy birthday song in the manner of a drunken baboon with laryngitis. fucking funny man.

While we there, the subject of conversation shifted towards my hair, and how it was too long. I wanted to

try a different barbers because  in my regular one, 90% of the customers they cut probably only have a shaved head, my mother suggested a place called “Nutcrakers” in the local high street, somewhere which i had frequently walked by but never really cared for. i arranged a haircut at 10:00am, and upon arrival at

the very well laid out and feng shui’d establishment i was still unsure as to what i was going to have done, except that i wanted it to be basically the same but shorter and more attractive. The hairdressers were attractive too, all women of course, all young with excellent child baring hips, all with opinions. i will often side with a women more often than myself or friends, because if anyone knows what looks good on a man, its a women, am i right?

I planned on spending most of the afternoon….well basically doing fuck all, and generally lying around to house sucking in oxygen, sounds like a waste of a birthday i know, but i didn’t want to wear myself out before a night of hilarity with my friends, while my arm remained attached to a drip full of jaggermeisters and monster energy drinks. I fucking love monster energy by the way, its essentially just a bag of sugar mixed with high doses of caffeine and carbonated water, very very unhealthy but very satisfying too. i wouldn’t recommend you try it though, especially if you have a heart condition, sensitive teeth and gums or a disliking to acid in your mouth.

Anyway The night is calling me out, soon me and my friends are going down our local, drinking all sorts of fluids and possibly regurgitating other fluids, but to get to our favourite tavern we face a short walk though a relentless torrent of rain and blustery gales, its fucking freezing too. Stupid weather, how am i ever going to meet any short skirts or low cut tops in this meteorological madness. I made sure to eat a whole pizza before venturing out on the expedition.

Ill put the drunkenness up in tomorrows blog, if i have any brain cells left.

*Now wait a minute, y’all. This dance ain’t for everybody. Only the sexy people. So all you fly mothers, get on out there and dance. Dance, I said!*

Um clássico. Não há muito mais o que dizer desta entrevista de Mike Muir para a revista especializada em skate Trasher, em maio de 1987. Ótimo e extenso retrato de um período um tanto confuso do ST. Já que ao mesmo tempo em que a banda era reconhecida como grande nos Estados Unidos, quatro anos já haviam se passado e nada do segundo álbum sair do forno.

Os arquivos de imagem são grandes, então dá para salvar e ler numa boa — clicando na foto você verá ela em tamanho real. Só tem que desempenhar um inglês, pois não encontrei o texto por aí. Mas vale muito a pena. De quebra, algumas fotos sensacionais também.

O consultor Carlos Ferreirinha volta a Porto Alegre para ministrar
uma nova edição do curso O Negócio do Luxo. Serão dois dias
de workshop, nos quais o profissional irá falar sobre o contexto
do mercado de luxo, assim como técnicas de gestão utilizadas
pelo segmento que podem ser aplicadas em todos os setores
empresariais. O evento ocorre nos dias 21 e 22 de novembro,
das 9h às 18h, no Sheraton Porto Alegre Hotel.

LEIA MAIS NOS SITES
:: SORTIMENTOS :: http://www.sortimentos.net/?p=4699
:: GEBBEG VARIEDADES :: http://gebbeg.com.br/?p=7552

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Here are the top-30 movies from 1980-1989. This list was harder, but I think I finally got it right. You can always count on my movie recommendations.

1. Amadeus (1984) Director: Milos Forman
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Director: Steven Spielberg
3. Raging Bull (1980) Director: Martin Scorsese
4. The Shining (1980) Director: Stanley Kubrick
5. Terms of Endearment (1983) Director: James L. Brooks
6. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) Director: Steven Spielberg
7. Cinema Paradiso (1988) Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
8. Salvador (1986) Director: Oliver Stone
9. Full Metal Jacket (1987) Director: Stanley Kubrick
10. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) Director: Harold Ramis
11. A Fish Called Wanda (1988) Director: Charles Crichton
12. Die Hard (1988) Director: John McTiernan
13. Chariots of Fire (1981) Director: Hugh Hudson
14. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Director: Sergio Leone
15. Das Boot (1981) Director: Wolfgang Peterson
16. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) Director: Rob Reiner
17. The Right Stuff (1983) Director: Philip Kaufman
18. Fitzcarraldo (1982) Director: Werner Herzog
19. Scarface (1983) Director: Brian De Palma
20. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) Director: Woody Allen
21. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Director: Steven Spielberg
22. Ghostbusters (1984) Director: Ivan Reitman
23. When Harry Met Sally (1989) Director: Rob Reiner
24. The Big Chill (1983) Director: Lawrence Kasdan
25. Back to the Future (1985) Director: Robert Zemeckis
26. Fatal Attraction (1987) Director: Adrian Lyne
27. Stand By Me (1986) Director: Rob Reiner
28. Field of Dreams (1989) Director: Phil Alden Robinson
29. Rain Man (1988) Director: Barry Levinson
30. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Director: Amy Heckerling

THE TRAILERS FOR THE TOP 3 BEST MOVIES OF 1980-1989

The Stepfather (1987)

Family is one of the most important things that a man can have. Not only is it a way for you to live on in the memories and hearts of the next generation, but it is also a way to give the illusion of normalcy. If a man has a kind loving wife and a well behaved friendly child, then it is safe to say that he is a normal and good man.
With that in mind, the original film ‘The Stepfather’ (not the horrible trashy 2009 re-make) is terrifying to it’s core. The titular character is a chameleon. He goes from place to place, finding the most ideal and borderline cliché towns and then finds a widow to prey on. He enters the community and gets a job selling insurance or real estate, or something else that requires charm. Then he finds a widow with a child and goes about courting her.
The thing the film does so well is that it doesn’t make him a soulless nut job. This isn’t Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers. This is an abused and damaged mind, lashing out and trying to find the perfect family. One to make up for his horrible upbringing. His compulsive need to find a family and make it as perfect as possible is what drives him to kill. They film only lightly toys with the idea that he could just as easily be viewed as a hero, a vigilante. He stands up for the ‘family’ and wants nothing more than to love and be loved. Terry O’Quinn (who you may know from Lost or Millennium) does an outstanding job as the demented father. He plays the part with intensity and seething insanity, but never once does he go too far. His slow deterioration and eventual meltdown don’t seem like forced plot points through his acting.
The script is a little weak. It has a very ‘80’s Slasher’ vibe to it that actually hurt the film. The direction is interesting and almost as engaging as the supporting cast.  But while the dialogue that other characters have, and some of the side plot may seem poorly crafted, O’Quinn’s portrayal of the desperate father is both stunning and effective.
There are two sequels. The Stepfather 2 (1989) and the lazy by-the-numbers trash The Stepfather 3 (1992). While the second film stars Terry O’Quinn and does its best to be a good and though provoking film, it doesn’t play out as well as the perfectly encapsulated first entry. The third however is a messy affair without Terry’s acting skills and with a cheap Michael Moriarty rip off in the lead role.

Title: Should I See

Artist: Frozen Ghost

Album: Frozen Ghost

Year Released: 1987

What It Is: Catchy, 80’s synth pop with a message (about it’s only distinguishing feature from the other ready-made 80’s synth pop bands). The message? Don’t stifle my views man you moral majority influenced hypocrite. Of course, since they’re Canadian, they do it politely.

Riffage / Hookage: Chorus has a catchy hook and the synth and bass lines are also ear candy. The sax solo clinches it as Canadian though. A nice, polite sax instead of a shredding solo is the Canadian way. The ending did have the guitar and interesting time changes (for effect). But that guitar was too little, too late, I think.

Cowbell?: Only if the cowbell came from a computer.

Words Of Wisdom: “Cover my eyes and ears
‘Til it all dissapears
How can you judge for me
What I should hear and see

You take away freedom of choice
Take away the right to voice
My beliefs and and all my views
You take away my right to choose”

Well, like, that’s your opinion, man.

Kidding aside, this song has a pretty strong message. It’s like this band anticipated Fox News.

Mixology Report: Fits in pleasantly, especially with an 80’s mix.

Top Five Genius Results: No genius, denied. That’s not surprising, since I looked in vain for a digital copy and had to break down and get a hits collection via Amazon. Yes, I actually have a CD in my house now (well, until I hit the used CD store). The horror!

For The Good Of The Order: This band was formed from the ashes of Sheriff, which reached #1 with “When I’m With You” in 1989, six years after the band recorded the song. Gotta love that timing. (I bet it’s one of the few pre-1992 #1 songs that I don’t recognize at all – and if I heard the tune it would have been completely by accident.) At any rate, Andre Lanni and Wolf Hassel were Frozen Ghost, though if I remember the credits correctly Lanni played 12 instruments, produced the record, programmed the synths and the drums and sang. Hassel played bass. Ol’ Wolf probably laid down his parts and then took off for Val D’Or or someplace and asked Andre to call him when the record was done.

Hey, an 80’s video! Complete with hair, a drummer with a headband, and blank expressions by the hired touring musicians. And hair. LOOK AT THE HAIR! Yeesh. They should have been “Band Of Mullets” Or “Mullets Of Kintyre”. And they weren’t even hockey players. (But the were Canadian).

Chef Vladimir Kodov

Video aproximadamente de 1986 o 1987 del programa “Entre Amigos” donde salía Andrés Bustamente y Alejandro Aura