Race to World First (2011)

  A documentary about the top players in World of Warcraft seems horribly stupid and as if it would contribute to the all too fun stereotypes that most people have of WoW. I had just the opposite though of that, as someone who has played the game in the past, and was on a very dysfunctional team, the amount of time and effort that goes into these players being the best is nothing short of astounding.
  The camera follows several top rated guilds through their experiences in raiding while they start their journey the second an expansion launches. Members of guilds talk about the game means to them, what others think about it, and in some cases, will it actually get them anywhere. I found it odd how at times leaders gave inspiring speeches about how they can be first if they work together as a team, but after all but one group fails, they all say that it isn't worth anything but memories and friendships.
  I wouldn't that a non-WoW player would be very interested in this movie, but if you have never played the game, and have a desire to know what it takes to be the best, this is for you. If you do play WoW, and you want an insight about what the guilds everyone looks up to are doing right, this could also be for you. The movie also features podcasters from a very prominent WoW based podcast, although all they really do is an intro and exit to the movie.

Laziness / Helvetca.

My lack of posts this week and the end of last has been mostly due to laziness. I'm not too happy too admit it though. I could blame it on school starting back up, and me not having any good topics to post about (the former is time consuming and the latter is not true).

Helvetica.

This is a documentary about quite simply, the typeface helvetica. Although it sounds boring, I thought it was fairly clever and gave some pretty good insight into the history of the typeface and how it is used. It pointed out how helvetica is the most used font for a logo for corporations, it's simple and clean looking and has a great effect on people. There were designers who talked about what you might call "anti helvetica movements", that prominently featured more out there designs with funky fonts.

As I stated before, it sounds boring, but I atleast found it worth watching.

Do the laws of retribution still apply.

I was thinking about this today after I accidentally did something that someone claimed was hurtful to them. Once they brought it to my attention, I said I was fine with them doing something of equal hurtfulness back. Which is is reasonable since they claimed I hurt them. As with every other time I have said this, they declined looking horrified that i would even suggest such a thing. It kind of seems like alot of people are taking the nice guy approach, whether it's genuine them having no desire to get even, or trying to send me on a guilt trip that in no way is going to happen.
The first (problem) I see with this, is that if someone did hurt me in a major way I would have no problem with doing something satisfactory back. The second point, about them genuinely not caring I believe. But the part of me that occasionally sees the worst in people can't help but think that they are trying to make me feel bad about them just taking it.

In the end it's not a big deal at all, but at the time it just seemed strange. Having not done anything terribly interesting aside from going to school, I thought this might make a good open discussion if there's any to be had.

New banner background.

I tried my hand at making my own backdrop instead of the basic color scheme that I chose.
I don't really think it's all that great, but I like it a lot more than some basic text.
If you have any crazy thoughts on it, whatever it may be, just mention it.

Primer.

When I finished watching Primer, I couldn't even hope to understand what I had just saw. Being the typical person who wanted to understand it, I read it on wikipedia, and am watching it a second time while I write this now. The basis of this movie is that four guys make a box, it started out by growing enough bacteria of some sort in 5 days that professional labs can grow in 6 years. I'm not entirely sure how, but they learn that when they go into the box, a double of them leaves the box. Since they are in the box, they control the double. What they have done, is go back for a certain amount of time, and be the double to get a more desirable outcome then what originally happened.
 They've pretty much gone and done this a bunch of times, and as their understanding of the box grows, they venture out to change more.

That's really all I can think of saying without actually ruining anything. If anyone in the comments has more to add, feel free to do so.

That being said, I thought it was a very good movie despite my somewhat lack of understanding. The fact that it was made on an under 10,000 budget adds to this, and I do think anyone who hasn't yet should see it

Network (1986)

Network is about a seemingly prophetic news anchor who gets his own show because of the messages he is trying to send to the American people. The corporation he works for is really just milking his show for the money, while he stands up on stage and yells his ass off about the country's problems and how he's mad.
   There are some sub plots within it, but Howard Beale's rantings are a focal point. He makes a good point most of the time, and as the movie goes on his message is distorted by orders from the higher ups in this corporation. This shows how the networks can and will twist the concept of a show because one man is saying too much. It also shows how TV is all about the ratings, and the money.
  The movie starts with Howard saying on national television that he is going to kill himself on a broadcast. The day after, the ratings jumped tremendously and the network had an absurd amount of investors at the ready.
  I took this whole thing to be showing of how only one man cared for Howards rantings, every other executive only wanted him around long enough to make them money. I would say if you haven't seen it, go do it. There are a few great moments of Howard's ranting where he points out how the TV is everything to some people and how they should turn it off, and yet they still get more viewers. If you take anything out from it, take either Howard's message, or the ideas of the corporation to make money off of howard. Both are more or less negative, but one gives a better outlook on how to fix it.

Requiem for a Dream.

Having nothing to do with anyone who fits that junkie sort of persona depicted in the movie (that's what its about by the way), I actually found this really interesting. My understanding of the movie was just a well enough produced tale of 4 addicts with their own problems, and how their dreams were shattered. I see how the title more or less fits, but it seems a little ominous (good thing).
 Knowing very little of this lifestyle as I said before, I can't say anything about the accuracy or style of the story. I just found it not quite fun, but intriguing to watch. It seemed like a documentary almost, but without a voiceover by a famous voice actor. More controlled by the characters. So it's a movie that had that feel to it.
  If any of that made any sense to you, congratulations, you now have an insight on how I think. In a way that makes no sense. Though I will say you should probably watch this if you live that lifestyle or not. It was eye opening in a sense that most other movies have not had for me.