tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post1654376805566442885..comments2024-03-17T08:27:53.658-05:00Comments on Stonekettle Station: Things That Chap My Ass About Big Budget Disaster MoviesJim Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-2213570757879043122009-11-17T12:29:11.813-06:002009-11-17T12:29:11.813-06:00Thandie Newton resembles Rosario Dawson.... are y...Thandie Newton resembles Rosario Dawson.... are you sure you're not Scalzi in disguise?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17888059004418191385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-86465751861303037692009-11-16T21:22:29.720-06:002009-11-16T21:22:29.720-06:00WendyB,
Cussack had a deal with the studio that h...WendyB,<br /><br />Cussack had a deal with the studio that he'd do so many of the movies they told him to if he could get 1 or 2 of the ones he wanted made. Grosse Point Blank was one that the studio had to pony up for to make the deal.<br /><br />Totally his choice.<br /><br />That says something.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-64573707389732449612009-11-16T18:19:31.983-06:002009-11-16T18:19:31.983-06:00I love big explosions. *drool* o.O
But I find it ...I love big explosions. *drool* o.O<br /><br />But I find it ironic that you caution all the science-nitpicky types, and then proceed to nitpick all the tech. ;)<br /><br />Also, Warner's story: that's awesome. :DMWThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09446603415730525882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-17737942128771547052009-11-16T16:41:20.122-06:002009-11-16T16:41:20.122-06:00Yes, John Cusack tends to play similar characters ...Yes, John Cusack tends to play similar characters in most of his movies. <br /><br />BUT his hitman shoot-out scene with Dan Aykroyd in <i>Gross Point Blank</i> has got to be one of the funniest scenes he's ever done! I also loved that his real life sister Joan played his hilarious administrative assistant, who knew more gossip dirt on the assassin rings than anyone!WendyB_09https://www.blogger.com/profile/03788918629240949526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-12959807088220635292009-11-16T14:15:48.578-06:002009-11-16T14:15:48.578-06:00What I love is overly complicated -- and slow -- c...What I love is overly complicated -- and slow -- computer displays. Take Jurassic Park. The slowly updating 3-D fly-in to the buildings representing executables and directories. "Oh I know this, it's UNIX." Shut the fuck up -- that's not UNIX. That's a green wireframe interface simulation that you've never seen before.<br /><br />Sorry, can't fix the DOOR LOCKS yet, because I'm still learning to fly this cursor over this cityscape...<br /><br />Yeah, right. Still pissed off about that interface...<br /><br />Dr. PhilDr. Phil (Physics)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11943336276878704753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-79657987277117274262009-11-16T13:30:32.250-06:002009-11-16T13:30:32.250-06:00Many years ago there was some Defense system named...Many years ago there was some Defense system named SAGE. No idea what it stood for anymore.<br /><br />A former boss had been an AF Tech on the project. <br /><br />The SAGE used a 9" CRT to show maps and bombers symbols, different symbols different bombers. The techs could create new symbols if needed. Pressing a light pencil on an area cause the display to expand and change to show that area. For about 68 this was tippy top secret and bleeding edge.<br /><br />My former boss was told not to try to make the AF a career choice when the Comander (with several stars) discovered a hulu girl dancing on the display. The techs had too much time on their hand and this big computer (probably had 64 K of ram).<br /><br />He was even less amused to discover that if you hit her navel with the light pen, she lost her skirt.Warner (aka ntsc)https://www.blogger.com/profile/12924176333302007261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-38566257852909883062009-11-16T11:54:43.849-06:002009-11-16T11:54:43.849-06:00Eric,
Good point(s) -- but you forgot to mention ...Eric,<br /><br />Good point(s) -- but you forgot to mention the special symbols that only activate during a zombie attack. Everybody knows those are way more important than alien invasion symbols.Nick from the O.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-82072018526149457772009-11-16T11:04:19.660-06:002009-11-16T11:04:19.660-06:00Jim, you missed the obvious in your criticism of r...Jim, you missed the obvious in your criticism of real-world computer contractors, who are nerds. <i>Nerds</i>, Jim. Which explains two things: (1) why the computer displays--and not just in movies, which are completely realistic on this score--are coded for the alien invasion and (2) why they can't actually handle mundane tasks without crashing.<br /><br /><i>"Dude, this totally sweet! I set it up so when there's an alien invasion the system will automatically load this boss symbol set and detect any EM shields which will be represented by this cool graphic I coded."<br /><br />"Uh, that's cool, man, but the system keeps crashing when a user moves the mouse left-left-right-left and we have to ship the code tomorrow. You got a fix for that?"<br /><br />"Sure, dude. Tell those dumbass users to stop moving the mouse that way. Now you want to help me finish this code for the automated laser defense grid so we can get some Halo in before three a.m. or what?"<br /><br />"Totally!"</i>Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18275812152895151542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-3607166362461635222009-11-16T10:56:41.482-06:002009-11-16T10:56:41.482-06:00So you don't like the little UFO symbols and s...So you don't like the little UFO symbols and stuff on the computers?<br /><br />Intelligence Guy #1: See here General...in this empty space? If we had a symbol for the UFOs, there'd be a few here. Check that; there'd be a whole fucking buttload. But we ain't got no UFO symbols programmed in, so you'll just have to 'magine 'em.<br /><br />General: What about that force field our jets keep running into? Where is that on the scope?<br /><br />Intelligence Guy: Oh, that one's easy! See here where all them jet planes just sorta kinda wink out? That's where they're hittin' the force field and blowin' all to shit.<br /><br />General: You do know this is a movie and someone could have come up with a symbol or two so we'd have something to show on the screen, right?<br /><br />Intelligence Guy: Well, we useta do that all the time, but apparently, it chapped Jim's ass, so we done cut it out.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00648438549121320566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-27511981404788632932009-11-16T10:26:13.218-06:002009-11-16T10:26:13.218-06:00People coming in late- check.
People crunching po...People coming in late- check. <br />People crunching popcorn- check.<br /><br />You forgot the idiots texting away because they can't possibly be out of contact with the universe for more than 30 seconds. (What, are they all waiting on a kidney?) Look, you idiots, I'm trying to watch the <i>big screen in the front of the room</i>, I don't need to see all of your flashing cell phones. Plus, because you were so busy texting, you lost track of the plot, and have to ask your buddy- who also is lost. Save your 10 bucks and stay home with your texting. And while you're at it, get your damn feet off the seatback!Pam Adamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-20606241434902312752009-11-16T09:14:53.046-06:002009-11-16T09:14:53.046-06:00You know I can never stop laughing about how easy ...You know I can never stop laughing about how easy it was for a man made operating system like Mac or Win, to interface with an alien one.<br /><br />That was the most ridiculous and most hilarious part of ID4 for me, when two of the main characters fly the captured space ship into the mother ship and manage to not only network with the alien space ships computer, but plant a virus as well.<br /><br />Hey...maybe the virus was just them trying to upload the Windows operating system!<br /><br />Great post Jim, you hit all the high notes for me. :)Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04140485984112282705noreply@blogger.com