Forum Warz is a great online game in the style of Kingdom of Loathing.
Only instead of a stickfigure RPG character, you are a forum poster archetype.
This game really takes the piss out of online communities in a fun and definitely NSFW way. Try it out.
Now this is a season opener. Last episode felt like a bridge between season 3 and 4, but now we’re now fully into this new fast-paced, the end is in sight, territory. And I like it, I like it very much.
A spectacular blend of mindfucks (Polar bear in Tunisia, opening shot of 815 underwater) and moving the story along (Why the freighter people are here, more information on who that Abaddon-fellow is).
An excellent moment in this episode is Jake’s mirroring of the season 2 mr. Friendly scene in the jungle. Our people have turned into the Others. The tables have turned, we are now the ones more familiar with our surroundings and are trying to stop the new arrivals from finding out too much.
This episode was (and this was scientifically measured) at least twice as good as the previous episode, so I have high hopes for the remaining six episodes. And maybe, if Eisner isn’t lying, a few more.
Elephant’s Dream is a pretty interesting little short film. The Dutch accents of the voice actors are pretty grating, but nonetheless an enjoyable couple of minutes.
Microsoft has put in a bid to buy Yahoo. Which isn’t that surprising at all if you’ve been following this industry for more than a couple of months.
However, it wouldn’t be the internet if a ton of nerds didn’t get in a tizzy over it. Tons of horrible, horrible photoshops protesting, using memes that haven’t been hip since Clinton was in office.
Microsoft can’t design a user-friendly interface if their life depended on it, but do these Flickr users truly think Microsoft is a company that is bad at business? They’re not, of course they aren’t going to change a thing about Flickr.
First of all, look at the backlash it would create. The mere idea of Microsoft owning the damn site elicits this kind of a response. Secondly, they would be stupid to change a thing, since the site has been proven to work.
Also remember when Yahoo took over Flickr? I remember a somewhat similar response. That didn’t work out to be so bad, did it? Just relax already.
Cloverfield like Snakes On a Plane before it, was subject to massive amounts of internet geek hype. I ignored most of it, J.J. Abrams’ and Drew Goddard’s involvement was enough for me to get excited. The released trailer just solidified my decision that I had to see it.
Plot-wise the movie is incomplete. And I love it that way. The cameraman character, Hud, has an an obvious crush on one of the other survivors, but this never gets resolved. We never find out where the monster is from, or why it is doing what it’s doing. What exactly happens when you get bitten by one of the parasites never gets fully explained. And it’s perfect that way. Not only would it not fit in the format of the movie (shot handheld by one of the characters), but it adds a sense of realism. A sense of confusion that allows you to identify with the characters more.
Another excellent attribute of the movie is its pacing, or rather its lack thereof. While it’s the usual “high tension followed by calm recollecting” formula, the frequency and length of these vary so much it feels very arhythmic.
There’s not much to be said about the cinematography, aside from the fact that we get enough shots of the floor and the like to successfully uphold the illusion that this is an inexperienced individual filming.
Now, there is the matter of the supposed 9/11 allegory. Aside from the very beginning where people are running away from crumbling buildings and huge clouds of ash, it never really seems to live up to this idea. It’s just a good ol’ fashioned monster romp.
With all that said, there a few minor nitpicks that I have with the movie. Which mostly have to do with the fourth wall being broken. The opening card claims that the format of the recording is on a SD card, yet characters keep referring to a tape and occasionally bursts of video shot earlier come through, as if it were shot on tape.
Also, the military seems to be awfully quick to allow a few civilians to go out on their own in a warzone. While helpful to get the plot moving along, I just couldn’t buy it (I know, I know, 7-story tall monsters, you bitching about that, blah blah).
And finally, there is talk of a sequel, and I really don’t want that to happen. It’ll inevitably succumb to fan pressure and start to explain things. Let Cloverfield stand as a single experience and keep it all mystery.
In the end I’ve got to give Cloverfield a big FSFunky’s stamp of approval.
For some additional viewing and exactly why I feel this way, I recommend J. J. Abrams TED Talk. There is some interesting stuff in there.
I’ve always hated the idea of focus groups and this video just cements my belief.
The worst thing is the fact that they don’t seem to get the drones aren’t supposed to represent Apple (why put the Apple logo on them?!) and the fact that’s an animated storyboard, not the finished commercial.
This is one of those YouTube videos I wish were fake.