List of Things - 2024

 • The passed two years haven't helped me to readers who leave me comments telling me they at least read my blog. That's okay, tho it hurts... editions in red...blogger gives now the possibility to check how many times your blog has been read. It seems people do find my blog, but don't leave comments. Gee thnx people! Or they still don't bother to read it. Turns out, most of the visit counts come from bots using my blog to only further their own advertizing. Bots have lots interest since I don’t post all that often anymore. Might increase again. Nope, no more readers. Which is a good thing since I hardly ever write a post these days. Readers? What are those? Can I eat it? Who cares about readers? Who cares about readable texts!? Since I hardly ever write blogs anymore, checking reader count is pointless, unlike this list...I mean it doesn't service any goal but to amuse myself, but it has points, doesn't it? The only point about this list of points is 'Tradition'....a pointless tradition, but a tradition all the same.

• My computer is not ready to log on to the rkop-chatbox...still not after two years, but who cares..I don't at least...I hardly ever visit RKOP these days and I forgot what chatting is (j/k) What's RKOP? (j/k) What’s a computer? (j/k) Huh, what!? RKOP? What is that? Can I eat it? Chatting? What is that? Can I eat it? Oh no wait, I know what chatting is. We started a group chat on Google's hangout, Citizens for Boysenberry Jam. I'm a citizen....for boysenberry jam...apparently. I'm still a citizen. I'm also a Time Team fan on facebook now. I don't understand facebook. I hardly use any social media these days. I'm still a Citizen for Boysenberry Jam though. I like other jams too, but hardly ever buy them. Not much changed here. Very little chatting, even less jam.

• The new sound boxes I bought...SUCK! With a Capital SUCK and an exclamation mark...still do...still do, but I bought new ones which make me happy...The sucky sound boxes are now near the end of their lives; one has already given up completely. I'm thinking of buying a new set for in the bedroom. Now my good boxes are slowly joining the choir of dead sound boxes. I'm thinking of buying new ones for in the livingroom and for in the bathroom and maybe for in the bedroom. I still own those good boxes; they’re now in my bedroom. I bought really bad boxes for in my bathroom which produce some light and bad sound. I now also added a bluetooth version in the bathroom. In the livingroom I’m using my friend’s old boxes which have a heavy bass. Unchanged situation. Sound boxes? What are...Is this getting annoying? I don't use the bluetooth version in the bathroom anymore, because it cuts out at the wrong moments. I now carry the ones from the bedroom to the bathroom. I'm also still using my friend's heavy bass boxes. I bought new speakers for in my home office. So I can watch Time Team when I'm supposed to work. I'm not using the new sound box in my office, I'm using an old one, which is now dying. I'm now using the boxes that used to be the new boxes, but are now the old ones for work. I bought myself really nice plugin and bluetooth boxes for TV watching.

• Dennis Morris and Charlie Mingroni -without the ‘e’ at the end. I can also spell "Gyllenhaal". …and Garfunkel…I can't however, write "Roy Hal...Hall..H-hh...Hal-Halee?" Oh, fer chr...!!! Halee...I think...All that really matters is that his first name is Roy. Halee? Hallee? Hallie? No new names to get wrong, though many people have trouble with Stewart Ainsworth; they think his name is Stuart. Leonardo Dicaprio. In one go; I'm so proud...Not my current interest, but Tobey Maguire is really not hard to spell, though some people think he's Toby. I know better. I'm not even going to attempt to write his ex-wife's maiden name; she's Italian. Google it yourself!

• I was up at 7.00 am this morning....I could have been....I was awake and up at 7 am to empty my bladder, then went back to bed to play the Sims FreePlay. Bad (bed?) me. I was up real late. I really need to change my life rhythm. Maybe try getting up at 8.00 instead of 9.30. I'm pathetic. Nope, still pathetic (got up at 9.20), I just don’t care anymore. Actually, got up at 8.00 am today. There might be hope for me. There was hope. I changed my whole routine (waking up/exersizing/food) and started to get up around 7.00, do yoga, have breakfast en then go to work. However, since I'm on the edge of burning up, my schedule got wrecked. I got up at 9.00 am today. Still wrecked. I got up at 10. Corona killed my good habits. Yup, nope, I was up around 9am (woke around 4am), because I had a meeting around 9.30am. Nothing to do with me trying to be healthier and more productive. I'm wrecked, bed was warm and comfortable. Maybe one day I can rectify this again. Why am I even still writing about this? I'm a night owl! Deal with it!

• I reviewed my passed two years using my review from a couple of years ago which I recycled as well...I actually took the time to review several lists and brought them back together in a list that lists what is applicable now. I used that last revised list, see the link below. Still old list. Might add another point. Yeah...why would I change the list? Let's face it, it's a tradition now. Good traditions should live on!!! History! Archaeology! Continuation! Stratigraphy! In this edition that line goes here, because...Sad to see I didn't change much; just moved points around. Stratigraphy! (points up)

• I'm too lazy to write a completely new review...I thought it would be funny to use this list again...See previous addition...and again. I'm wondering when this stops being funny. I might have reached that point already. Personally, I still think it’s funny. I love the fact I can now trace the history of a personal futility; my speakers. This is now a habit really. No concern at all if it's funny or even read by anyone but myself. History! Habit! Tradition! (throws hands up in the air) History! Archaeology! Continuation! Stratigraphy!!! This list is now part of my life. Deal with it! I will start writing a continuation plan for after my death.

• I hate the font I used for this list. Maybe I should change it. I did start to use more colours; might get a bit much after a while. For the sake of stupidity and to clearly mark the additions, I added green. If it hurts your head, send me your address and I'll reply with painkillers. Orange! To add to the pain and discomfort! Once again brightly blue, because I don't know which other color to do. Bright pink! More pain! More painkillers! Long live all the clashing colors! I actually hurt my own eyes!!! Where are those painkillers!?

Previous version: Wiwipedia: List of Things - 2022 Edition

Happy Birthday

 It’s funny how humanities need to put people into boxes can deprive you. Actually, it’s not funny at all, it’s actually quite sad. How many missed opportunities, because we failed to see the many colours and qualities of a person? How often have people ended up in the wrong place, the wrong job, the wrong team, because someone failed to see the whole package or because people got mispresented? The word ‘typecasting’ is specifically used for the film industry, but I’m sure you can apply it all across the board.

 I was deprived from seeing some really good films. Luckily, I got the opportunity to catch up. The internet might spread a lot of misinformation but can also guide you in the right direction if you let it, if you are willing to be critical and put an effort into it.

 I moved on. I firmly landed in my sentimental fase, for I became interested into another actor whose name and face I’ve known for years and years. I never paid much attention to him, because he was always presented to me as a romcom actor. I was one of those people who looked down on romcoms and definitely the actors who did romcoms. I really shouldn’t, but I can’t deep dive into every actor’s career, so I let fate decide.

 A few years ago, after a hiatus, Hugh Grant came back to my attention with films that were not romcoms. I love it when actors spread themselves, do something they’re not known for, something new and unexpected. And even though I always only had a passing interest in Hugh Grant, and it’s still only passing, I was happy for him. I was even a little bit excited to see him do more interesting roles, with more depth and complexity. He had his birthday yesterday, turned 64. Happy belated birthday, sir!

 When you say Hugh Grant, you say ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’. I never saw that film. I think I attempted it once, because it is a classic, but didn’t get through it. Away from specific films, when you say Hugh Grant, you say romcoms. When you say romcoms, you either say Hugh Grant or possibly Colin Firth. Well, here we are. I never gave the man a second thought. I always thought of him as plain looking, not particularly attractive or handsome. Not ugly either, but rather uneventful, non-offensive, not-quite-intriguing, just-there? He was just another actor mainly known for romcoms, so he held no interest for me.

 Of course, both came to prominence during the romcom fase. A fase during which a new romcom was churned out every 5 seconds. Those were good times for soppy, romantic escapism and I allowed myself to dream away on some of them. Those were the kind of films I would watch on a Friday evening after a long week hard work. They required no thinking but did supply you with romance and a promise that maybe, this could happen to you. I had my favourites, but none featured Colin. No, I lie, I watched Love Actually, faithfully, every year, in Oktober or November. Colin’s story was my favourite. Not for Colin, but for the girl; she was really pretty. Of course, the story was very romantic and had the ‘they-lived-happily-ever-after’ ending. I accepted Colin as a romcom actor, but that was it.

 I remember Mamma Mia coming out. I remember hearing about the plot and thinking ‘Oh hell NO!’ and I scuttled off into the opposite direction. I didn’t pay any more attention to it, though I did notice the ads on the side of walls and buses for the musical. I didn’t go see it. I also heard when the sequel was released, and I remember thinking ‘We needed a sequel for this!?!?’. I did not go see it.

 As you may remember, I’m a follower and Patron for the channel Cinema Therapy. They’re fun, informative, helpful and fun…and I trust their judgement. They reacted to Mamma Mia (only the first one) last May and enjoyed it thoroughly. They convinced me to watch it, after more than 10 years. I fell in love. The film is so silly, so not serious, so cheerful and bright. It’s not trying to be anything more than fun and entertaining, and it is.

 Around the same time, I was transitioning from Tobey to something new. I wasn’t sure who yet, no-one quite caught my fancy, but I was open for someone new. For a bit I was watching Oscar Isaac fuelled by his performance in Moon Knight. However, I couldn’t find the hook that would draw me in. Not that Mamma Mia immediately supplied that, but I was transitioning so open for someone new and out of boredom I started watching interviews for Mamma Mia, specifically the dads.

 That was when I started to realize I had known Colin’s name and face for a long time but had no clue what other work than Love Actually and Bridget Jones he had done. I had only just found out he was in Mamma Mia. Oh, I was aware of the King’s Speech, but had never watched it. The first thing I realized was I had a completely wrong image of Colin in my head. He turned out to be chatty, charming, funny and outgoing. Quite the opposite of how he had always been presented to me. Then I had a look at his filmography and found out he has done more dramatic roles than comedy roles. Someone, or several someones, decided he was just a romantic lead and that was how he was presented. Having played catch up for the last three months, I now know it was a very simplistic and misdirected view of him. I’m glad I corrected that for myself; otherwise I would not have seen ‘A Month in the Country’ or ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ or ‘Operation Mincemeat’.

 Oh, btw, it’s Colin's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Colin!!!

...Where the Sidekick Deserved the Oscar and the Lead's Salary

 

Source: 10 Book-to-Movie Adaptations That Outshone Their Source Material (startefacts.com)

Saving Rooster Tobey Maguire

 On a regular basis (every workday and sometimes even in the weekends) I do a search for anything new Tobey. With Tobey being very happy in the background news tends to be slow and repetitive. Today however I found a new website and it's surprising in a number of ways.

First of all, surprising thing is, it has its origin in German and I read the whole article in German without too many problems. I'm proud of myself. Though I needed a second reading to get the whole story. 

The second it's not actually about the Tobey Maguire I'm searching for, but rather another Tobey Maguire. 

Third, it's about a rooster, Tobey Maguire the rooster. I love chickens, roosters usually not so much, because they tend to be much more aggressive and quite loud, very early in the morning. I don't like aggression and I don't like to be woken up very early in the morning. 

The fourth surprising thing was, once I finished reading the article, I was invested. Now I want to know on a regular basis how Tobey is doing. This rooster just seemed uncharacteristically endearing. After reading his story, or what they know about his story, I couldn't help but feel bad for the poor animal. In the end, to me, he's a bit like the Tobey he was named after. For both I wasn't sure at first; neither of them seemed naturally particularly nice, but in the end they both won me over. And both turn out to be quite sweet, actually....

Does that make sense? Probably not, but I don't care and I'm sticking to it. It must be in the name...

I just realized another similarity, they both had difficult youths, but with a bit of help eventually blossomed.

Yeah, I don't know. Let's not think too much about it and just enjoy both of them.

Here is the article: DIE RETTUNG von Hahn Tobey Maguire

Note: The article is in German, so you either need to be able to read German or use Google translate. I guess I could add a translation here, but I'm not even sure how many people are going to read my blog or the German site.

Babylon review

 As you can guess I was looking forward to seeing Babylon, the new Damien Chazelle movie, because, you know, Tobey. I’ve been watching the trailers, featurettes and reviews ever since the first trailer was released and ever since the first screenings were held. The mixed reviews at first worried me, because they were not quite all over the place, but in extremes. People either loved or hated the movie. Over time, as I watched and read more reviews, it started to intrigued me. I read and watched the reviews carefully, comparing other people’s notes and opinions. There’s something interesting happening here.

 Because I’ve seen so many reviews I had some expectations, but I tried to be careful. Mainly, because most reviewers avoided spoilers, which made getting the plot difficult. I didn’t want to walk into the cinema with an idea about the plot, more than that we got to follow five characters. My expectations did influence how I experienced the movie, but it didn’t necessarily spoil it for me. For instance, the movie wasn’t quite as extreme as I expected; there was definitely not as much nakedness as I expected. However, I might have been desensitized to nakedness through my slash fanfic writing and regular trips to spa’s and nudist beaches. Also, I’m European; usually more desensitized to a lot of things compared to Americans.

 The ending(s)

There are too many endings (not starting at the end to be contrary, but this is the one point most people talk about no matter if they liked the movie or not).

 Duration

The movie is too long. I only partly agree with that. The pacing for me was just fine; I wasn’t a moment bored and somehow Tobey, who appears to the end of the movie, managed to creep up on me. However, I watch a lot of Classic Doctor Who where the pacing can be that of a snail. So, don’t take my word for it.

 Performances

The performances are great by the whole cast. This is the point where I did experience some underwhelment. Obviously, in the trailers and featurettes, they showed the best clips and with that the best part of the performances. Tobey really shone in the trailers and it made me really look forward to his performance. Me being underwhelmed had nothing to do with Tobey’s performance; he really is brilliant. I just somehow expected more (quality, not quantity) from Tobey.

The person who underwhelmed me the most was Brad Pitt, because to me it felt like he was playing Brad Pitt. Diego Calva was great, especially since it was his first Hollywood (leading) role and he held his own among the more experienced big names. My favorite performance (besides Tobey’s) was from Jean Smart. She has some of the best lines and wonderfully funny delivery like (paraphrased): “To be a witness of moving pictures and magic…Ah, who am I kidding; look at these idiots!!!”

 The Extravaganza, gore and dirt

In one review someone said: “In some scenes, he goes too far and somehow doesn’t go far enough at the same time” I agree with that. And this coupled with another reviewer who said: “A Scorsese coke film by a squeaky clean director.” sums up the problem with Babylon, I think. It feels like Damien Chazelle put things in there just for shock value, but doesn’t understand how to do this engagingly, or something. I don’t know. It just didn’t quite work for me.

 Characterization

Several reviewers felt the characters weren’t explored quite enough. Especially Sidney Palmer, played by Jovan Adepo, and lady Fay Zhu, played by Li Jun Li, got lost in the movie. I think they were there to highlight the roles different ethnicities played in early Hollywood and maybe how they got sidelined? I don’t know, the movie is not really clear about what it wanted to say about these two characters.

 Story telling

Quite a few reviewers complained there’s not enough focus and therefore the storytelling is all over the place. I can see why people felt like that, but to me it felt like a natural (chronological) flow of people going through life. To me it felt like I (time) travelled with them into the talkies era till it all ended for every single one of them. I do understand the criticism, because it’s not always clear what a character is doing at a certain time or why a character is doing something at a certain time. The story can feel a little dislodged and random at times because of this. But isn’t that how life works as well?

 Legacy

It’s not the greatest movie I have ever seen, but it’s definitely not the worst either. I believe this movie will have some staying power and build up a cult following. I hope it will.

In one review the reviewer, who did not like the movie, said he would change his opinion if Damien Chazelle, in about 5 years time, comes forward and says (paraphrased): “I intented this movie to be meta and ironic in the light of today’s movie climate”. I think this might happen. Apparently Chazelle anticipated the mixed reactions and even welcomed it. And the movie climat is rapidly changing at the moment with streaming services taking over. Some reviewers pointed out we are in a similar transition right now and the box office results of Babylon are a result of this. In other words, this is a movie about suffering the fate of great transition itself suffering a similar fate of another great transition. That’s why I believe this movie will eventually be seen as a masterpiece.

The Pussy Posse in Babylon

 There is one thing I don’t like about Tobey’s behaviour (and his good friend Leo’s) and that is his insistence to go out with girls that are half his age or less. It’s creepy and weird. On the other hand, I am wondering what women my age still go out to clubs like the ones Leo and Tobey visit? I don’t anyway, not anymore. However, it does look like these two haven’t grown up much when it comes to going out and chosing their company. At least in Tobey’s case, they don’t have to be super models whereas for Leo that seems to be a must. That is full on Hollyweird.

 Just like everybody I’m (eagerly) watching the Babylon trailers and featurettes. Just like a lot of people I’m looking forward to seeing more Tobey.

 Yesterday, YT comments. Most comments are like: “Looks like a combination of <insert Leonardo DiCaprio movie> and <insert Leonardo DiCaprio movie>.”

 Most listed Leonardo DiCaprio movies:

-       The Great Gatsby;

-       Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

-       The Wolf of Wall Street;

-       The Aviator.

 One comment asked: “Why isn’t Leo in this?” and my reply would be: “Because Leo thought ‘I’ve already done this 4 times…Why don’t you cast Tobey? …. And Lukas!”

 When they were younger they were so proud in stating they were outside of the Hollywood clique. It’s also widely known they help each other getting roles. It almost looks like that is what happened with Babylon which puts two of them right in the middle of the clique with another one already there, just not in the movie. Their lifestyles might not be quite as wild as depicted in Babylon, but they still have their asses firmly planted in Hollyweird! HOLLYWEIRD!

Clear the Cobwebs

When was it announced Tobey was going to be Spider-man? If it was well after 1999, then this comment is hilarious:

"Ulrich is good, too, although Tobey Maguire's tone--tight, inward, controlled--is beginning to wear on me after this and "The Cider House Rules." It's time for him to make a dumb teenage comedy (not because I want to see it, but more to clear the cobwebs)." 

Source: Ride with the Devil movie review (1999) | Roger Ebert

And what we got was more "tight, inward, controlled" tone with a lot of cobwebs.