Mike Browne’s Blog

*** NOTE: Had this test said I were stupid I don’t think we’d have ever seen this post. I’m not stupid. ***

[picture from paulabecker.com]

Canada is ranked No. 1 in a new world popularity poll that looked at attitudes toward 12 major nations. Israel received the worst rating of the group.

[source: Sympatico / MSN]

The bottom three: U.S., Iran and Isreal.

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite.

Carol and I just arrived home from the Vancouver premiere of Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead 2004) and Frank Miller’s (Sin City) much anticipated collaborative effort simply titled 300. Thanks to Mark of The Hollywood North Report for the tickets!

We were first in line for the event so we had our pick of seats. Security, who arrived right after us, was extremely tight. They frisked everyone with metal detectors and checked people’s bags for recording devices taking away camera batteries, video phone batteries and miniDV cams, if found, to be returned later.

I guess Warner Brothers wasn’t willing to have the film leak out via some shabby cam version made this evening by a dastardly pirate. I’m sure it will show up on a torrent site this weekend after those all important opening bucks get raked in by the studio. The security part of the evening was slightly uncomfortable and somewhat intrusive, but I forgot about that when the film started.

The cinematography was nothing short of spectacular. Every brilliant shot looked as though it were a masterpiece painted by some long forgotten master. I was expecting the heavy use of CG to take me out of the film, but that wasn’t so at all. It looked like Miller’s graphic novel come to life. To say it was gorgeously shot doesn’t do this film justice. To watch it you would never know that it was shot entirely in a studio in Montreal, Quebec against green screen. No, they weren’t outside. Wow!

The story was far tighter than I had expected and the over the top dialogue we saw in the trailer actually earned it’s way onto the screen. I found myself immersed in this telling of the ancient tale of King Leonidas, masterfully played by The Phantom of the Opera’s Gerard Butler, and his 300 Spartan warriors’ fight against the invasion of Greece by the Persian empire’s hordes of creepy assassins lead by the evil God/King Xerxes. The good guys were easy to care about and the bad guys even easier to hate.

Tyler Bates soundtrack topped it all off. I could listen to it over and over. Bates described the score as having “beautiful themes on the top and large choir”, but “tempered with some extreme heaviness”. You can listen to a bit of it at the 300 soundtrack site.

Just a bit of a caveat, if you are put off by nudity, sexuality and violence 300 is absolutely not the film for you. It pulled few punches in those departments. I think this be one of the most graphically violent films I have ever seen. I’ve seen many violent movies, but 300 went that much further. It is, after all, a film about war in barbaric times. Though cartoon like at times, I still cringed in many spots and let me tell you, if a movie can make me cringe it is cringe worthy.

It’s okay for a hetero man to like a movie with amazingly fit and half naked men in it right? There were a few times I flashed on that scene from Airplane with the kid in the cockpit:

Captain Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

I’m sure I came away unscathed without too much of ‘the gay’ on me. A vast array of naked boobage and an orgy scene full of Persian whores cleansed the pallet washing away all the fruitiness.

I want to see 300 again… and again. I’ll pass on the theatre for now. Too much talking and seat kicking for spoiled old HDTV owning me. We eagerly await 300’s release on DVD.

You however should go see it in the theatre. Don’t miss this on the big screen. This movie is what Troy and Alexander wish they were. It’s not often you hear a crowd applaud at certain parts of a film any more but they did for 300 in a few parts.

Watch the trailer just in case you’re not convinced yet.

[read Carol’s funny review]

Here’s an appalling story from globeandmail.com: From Texas cell, Canadian, 9, pleads for help

Here’s a copy of a letter from the boy being held in U.S. custody:

Regardless of the issues the Canadian government has with this boy’s family he is a Canadian citizen and deserves to
be treated as such. Not to mention the fact that he is a 9 year old boy in an adult prison. Excuse my French but that is fucked up. Do something Mr. Harper.

[source digg]

“Pyrats” is an animated short film made by 5 french students from the animation school
“Gobelins l’école de l’image” in Paris ,FRANCE.

It was made as an opening short done for the Annecy 2006 international animation festival.
The movie was completed in 7 months (including screenplay, storyboard and designs).
The technique is basically 2D traditionnal animation with some scenes helped by 3D and flash.

Name : PYRATS
Type : student short movie
Lenght : 1min35s
Production : Gobelins, Paris FRANCE (www.gobelins.fr)
Year of production: 2006
Directors : Yves Bigerel , Bruno Dequier, Ben Fiquet, Nicolas Gueroux, Julien Le Rolland
Music : Yves Bigerel performed by Bruno Dequier
Sound design : Gerard Labady
Format : DV PAL
Techniques : traditionnal 2D and 3D
Softwares : Alias MAYA 6.5, Photoshop CS, After effects 6.5, Crater Software CTP, Flash Logic Audio

Well done! And nice use of the Wilhelm scream.

*** I could have posted this using one of the many uploads of it on YouTube, but none of them give proper credit to the creators of this fantastic little short. I beginning to wonder when YouTube is going to implode. They’ve taken to removing some copyrighted material and leaving others. Some people are even having their own stuff removed siting copyright violations which aren’t even a fact. Anyway, that’s my YouTube rant of the moment. ***

There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand and they’re pissed off:

On a vast New Zealand sheep station, a reckless genetic engineering experiment goes horribly wrong, turning sheep into bloodthirsty killers.

Baa! Looks like fun. This movie is going to do for sheep what Jaws did for sharks.Black Sheep is getting a nationwide release in New Zealand on March 29, 2007, but we here in North America have to wait until a limited release on August 8, 2007. Perhaps it’s a wait until DVD situation for most folks. I for one am looking forward to the movie.

The story of a lucky girl who chances upon a visit by a monster and experiences the change of her life! Flying through the everlasting sky, euphoria awaits everyone who embarks on this journey with the happiest monster!

Oh that’s cute… but wait… eek! Found at cool stuff.

Last year I went shooting with some gaming buddies of mine outside of Seattle. I took some video but haven’t done anything with it, until now. It was fun. I think it’s time to head down there again.

This guy was:

[more at source]