incomplete but

2003++good:

Hero – One of the most beautiful films I have ever had the pleasure to watch. The finest work from China’s Fifth Generation of filmmakers.

F44-876 – New York, Illinois – Is it metal? Is it punk? Is it post-rock? It’s a mystery. A beautiful, noise-filled mystery.

Imminent – The most technically and emotionally accomplished live electronic performance I’ve ever seen.

Coil – Except for this one. I wept.

Blacksmoke – The KLF is back, and they’re very, very pissed off. Also: They have guitars, and swear a lot. Come back, Bill Drummond. All is forgiven.

Kill Bill Volume 1 – How do you have such good taste, Mr. Tarantino? I think you’re a robot. From space.

Dark Carnival – Thank you, everyone, for making it what it was.

Tick Tock, Sean, Chris Tenn – Thank you for your words, your time, and your fraternity. I treasure the time we spent together, as brief as it may be.

Jösh, Vanessa, Suzanne, Rachel, Christo, Charles, Adam, and Adam. – Thank you for your friendship and love. You are my family, truly.

Leslie – Always you, now and forever. I have nothing, without you by my side. You have taught me more of beauty, truth, and love than I had dreamed possible in this world. I will never have enough words for what you’ve given me.

2003++ungood:

The Matrix 2/3 – Why? I mean, didn’t you two bother thinking about why the first one was so kickass before you wrote two more?

The Lord of the Rings, The Cat in the Hat, and countless others – You have exploited and destroyed my childhood mythos. All the hells of a thousand prophets do not contain the torment you deserve.

The loss of so many people I had called friend, for reasons I don’t expect to fully understand.

The loss of St. Jude, Anita Borg, Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, and Fred Rogers.

The loss of my faith in this culture; I fear that ‘freedom’ will forever be a dirty word to me.

The loss of my mobility, financial stability, physical ability, and confidence, in return for recurrent agony, insomnia, and delerium. I cannot express the feelings of crippling horror and helpnessness that accompany being unwillingly dependant on others.

Dreams, always more dreams.

Lost in fields of opium and daggers, with red grass too tall to provide any real sense of safety. Above me, below me, around me. Red.

On my hands. Staining my clothes. Dried under my fingernails. Caked on the gun.

This was the fifth time they’d sent people, and I expected it’d be the last. These ones knew about us. They knew where we hid the money, where we hid the drugs, where we had come from, and most importantly, that we didn’t do it.

Our guilt was of no consequence to them, however, and it was kill or be killed.

…

We had spent over half a year building our life away from this. We had moved from the place we loved, we had given up our friends and family for the chance at a life together. Somehow we knew it’d end like this. We knew they wouldn’t forget us.

At least we were together. At least we could die holding hands.

If I could find her in the grass before they found us.

—

(The older I get, the less I understand how people cope with their dreams. How am I supposed to go out and interact with people tonight, when I just spent the last five months in a place of pain and loss? The fact that it didn’t happen in the way that ‘real things’ happen makes it no easier for me to deal with. I was there. I lived, I ate, I slept, I felt. It was as real and immersive to me as this waking world is now.)

Random stupid Simpsons quote

The best…

1. Godfather, The (1972)
2. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
3. Godfather: Part II, The (1974)
4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
5. Schindler’s List (1993)
6. Citizen Kane (1941)
7. Casablanca (1942)
8. Seven Samurai (1954)
9. Star Wars (1977)
10. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
11. Memento (2000)
12. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
13. Rear Window (1954)
14. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002)
15. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
17. Usual Suspects, The (1995)
18. Amelie (2001)
19. Pulp Fiction (1994)
20. North by Northwest (1959)
21. Psycho (1960)
22. Silence of the Lambs, The (1991)
23. 12 Angry Men (1957)
24. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
25. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
26. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
27. Goodfellas (1990)
28. American Beauty (1999)
29. Vertigo (1958)
30. Pianist, The (2002)
31. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32. Apocalypse Now (1979)
33. Some Like It Hot (1959)
34. Matrix, The (1999)
35. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
36. Taxi Driver (1976)
37. Third Man, The (1949)
38. Paths of Glory (1957)
39. Fight Club (1999)
40. Boot, Das (1981)
41. L.A. Confidential (1997)
42. Double Indemnity (1944)
43. Chinatown (1974)
44. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
45. Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
46. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
47. Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
48. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
49. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
50. All About Eve (1950)
51. M (1931)
52. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
53. Raging Bull (1980)
54. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
55. Se7en (1995)
56. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)
57. Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
58. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
59. Vita e bella, La (1997)
60. American History X (1998)
61. Sting, The (1973)
62. Touch of Evil (1958)
63. Manchurian Candidate, The (1962)
64. Alien (1979)
65. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
66. Rashemon (1950)
67. Leon (1994)
68. Annie Hall (1977)
69. Great Escape, The (1963)
70. Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
71. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
72. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
73. Sixth Sense, The (1999)
74. Jaws (1975)
75. Amadeus (1984)
76. On the Waterfront (1954)
77. Ran (1985)
78. Braveheart (1995)
79. High Noon (1952)
80. Fargo (1996)
81. Blade Runner (1982)
82. Apartment, The (1960)
83. Aliens (1986)
84. Toy Story 2 (1999)
85. Strangers on a Train (1951)
86. Modern Times (1936)
87. Shining, The (1980)
88. Donnie Darko (2001)
89. Duck Soup (1933)
90. Princess Bride, The (1987)
91. Lola rennt (Run Lola, Run) (1998)
92. City Lights (1931)
93. General, The (1927)
94. Metropolis (1927)
95. Searchers, The (1956)
96. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
97. Notorious (1946)
98. Manhattan (1979)
99. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
100. Graduate, The (1967)

And now the worst…

1. From Justin to Kelly (2003)
2. ‘Manos’ the Hands of Fate (1966)[M]
3. Future War (1997) [M]
4. Gigli (2003)
5. Space Mutiny (1988)[M]
6. Troll 2 (1990)
7. Eegah (1962)[M]
8. Hobgoblins (1987) [M]
9. Backyard Dogs (2000)
10. Santa with Muscles (1996)
11. Werewolf (1996)
12. Going Overboard (1989)
13. Glitter (2001)
14. Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
15. Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997)
16. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)[M]
17. Kazaam (1996)
18. Leonard Part 6 (1987)
19. Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (2000)
20. Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996)
21. Hercules in New York (1970)
22. It’s Pat (1994)
23. Baby Geniuses (1999)
24. 2001: A Space Travesty (2000)
25. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
26. Cool as Ice (1991)
27. Bolero (1984)
28. Mitchell (1975)[M]
29. Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989)
30. Teen Wolf Too (1987)
31. Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The (1994)
32. Smokey and the Bandit III (1983)
33. Vercingetorix (2001)
34. Steel (1997)
35. Captain America (1991)
36. Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)
37. Mannequin: On the Move (1991)
38. Cat in the Hat, The (2003)
39. Rollerball (2002)
40. Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981)
41. Ringmaster (1998)
42. Problem Child 2 (1991)
43. Master of Disguise, The (2002)
44. Spice World (1997)
45. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
46. Cop & 1/2 (1993)
47. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
49. Street Fighter (1994)
50. Jaws 3-D (1983)
51. Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992)
52. Double Dragon (1994)
53. Crossroads (2002)
54. Bats (1999/I)
55. Barb Wire (1996)
56. Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn, An (1997)
57. FeardotCom (2002)
58. Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
59. RoboCop 3 (1993)
60. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
61. Mangler, The (1995)
62. Mac and Me (1988)
63. Iron Eagle II (1988)
64. Best Defense (1984)
65. Mr. Magoo (1997)
66. Grease 2 (1982)
67. Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
68. Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1999)
69. Ticker (2001)
70. Mr. Wrong (1996)
71. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
72. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987)
73. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
74. Avengers, The (1998)
75. Jury Duty (1995)
76. Glen or Glenda (1953)
77. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
78. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
79. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
80. Weekend at Bernie’s II (1993)
81. Omega Code, The (1999)
82. Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
83. Caddyshack II (1988)
84. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
85. Endless Love (1981)
86. Derailed (2002)
87. Kangaroo Jack (2003)
88. Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)
89. McHale’s Navy (1997)
90. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
91. Nothing But Trouble (1991)
92. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
93. On Deadly Ground (1994)
94. Batman & Robin (1997)
95. Pet Sematary II (1992)
96. Leprechaun (1993)
97. Stupids, The (1996)
98. Soul Survivors (2001)
99. Dudley Do-Right (1999)
100. Bio-Dome (1996)

this is what happens when leslie leaves me to my own devices

People always ask me how I stay so thin and fit. Here’s my secret diet. Today I ate:

Breakfast
1 glass of coca-cola
2 glasses of ginger ale
2 slices of margarine-and-peanut-butter toast
1 thick-and-juicy cheeseburger on a gigantico seasoned bun
1 bag of chips

Lunch
3 glasses of coca-cola
1/2 medium pizza
12 hershey kisses
2 packages of sweettarts

Dinner
4 glasses of coca-cola
1/2 medium pizza
1 twix chocolate bar
1 cookies-and-cream chocolate bar

Sweet jesus am I ever going to die young.

From DB (post in progress)

Most people don’t know it, but when you pay for major label music you’re supporting some pretty nasty stuff. It boils down to two main points:

1) The major labels pay radio stations to play their songs. This is sketchy in itself–shouldn’t the music on the radio just be the best stuff? But the worst part is it means other labels are locked out of radio. If musicians don’t sign an exploitative contract with one of the majors, they don’t get on the radio.

2) This fall the major labels starting suing fans. So far, they’ve sued over 300 people, mostly working families with young children. And they say the suits will continue indefinitely. Whatever you think about filesharing, it’s just not okay for giant corporations to sue people with kids, living paycheck to paycheck, who can’t afford a defense. The lawsuits are literally pushing families into bankruptcy.

I have about 50 of these stickers, and I’m going to be making another (much larger) order very soon. [info]liquidab, [info]dirtybunny and I are going to be hitting some of the major retail stores before the x-mas rush, and we welcome and encourage anyone else who wants to contribute to our renegade sticker-the-fuck-out-of-walmart-and-hmv operation. If you want to get some stickers, you can order them at Downhill Battle, or you can contact me and I’ll add your order to my next one. The more people that order, the cheaper they’ll be.

how is it that you can survive here?

She’s beautiful, the most beautiful person I’ve ever known, and she has no idea.

I look at her and I can’t imagine ever wanting anything more.

…

Every year at this time, I have to catch myself.

The days get shorter, the wind grows teeth and draws a grey coat around the world.

I can see it happen. I can watch insomnia and illness bleed me dry. I don’t think I have what it takes. I don’t think I can do what I need to.

Even with her beside me, I don’t know how I’m going to make it through, this time.

ALIEN SEX FIEND – WORLD’S FIRST 11″ RECORD – LIMITED EDITION #1

I am surrounded by about five to seven thousand dollars worth of water-damaged vinyl.

This, of course, is a pretty conservative estimate, seeing as there’s no real way to place a dollar value on some items, as they’re too rare to have a common market value.

(Edit: I updated the price estimate, as I realized I had failed to convert from USD to CDN.)

graffiti continued (or: designated riot zone)

Robin Banks (pun intended) AKA Banksy is my favourite UK graffiti and stencil artist. Activist, artist, and part of the growing movement to reclaim ‘public’ space.

“Graffiti writers are not real villains. I am always reminded of this by real villains who consider the idea of breaking in someplace, not stealing anything and then leaving behind a painting of your name in four foot high letters the most retarded thing they ever heard.”



208

Elves in Iceland.
Many modern Icelanders either believe in or won’t rule out the existence of supernatural beings like the álfar, or elves. In the town of Hafnarfjordur, they are respected citizens. If you want to learn more, consider attending the Álfaskólinn, the Icelandic Elf School. (Iceland also has trolls, but then don’t we all.)
(This link will self-destruct in twelve hours. Lifted directly from MeFi.)