Roderick

That would make far too much sense!

Another one I never heard of, looking forward to it! I love being surprised by films.

Patrick, any update on which movie it'll be? I think it'd be good to post the next one around Thursday, since there are people who can't or won't sign up for Hulu and they have to get the films through less... savory means >_> *cough*

Yes, I've been going down that dark alley as well. I love upgrading my cities so I immediately focus on that at the cost of not building armies. It doesn't take long before I'm completely out-numbered, even though I'm ahead in tech. I'm in level 2 of the campaign and already this is hard as nails. Gotta get those siege engines in place, and some extra stacks of dudes before I take on an enemy on at least three fronts. Aaaaaaand it's 1:30 in the morning.

Yes, I loved that it is a wholly unique thing in this age. And again, I was so smitten by the dancing scene, I totally bought their love for each other. They were incapable of resisting.

Incredibly true! I never watch the credits at home, but I always linger until the final burst of music in the cinema. I love it, I always want to hang onto the vibe of having gone to the cinema.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about dildomancers (I'm an expert), but

I honestly laughed at the robot that was supposed to make me laugh. We're doomed.

Nintendo actually made a game that did away with the acceleration button: Kirby Air Ride. It was aimed at really young kids and it's not very good. You get into a whole host of issues and it takes away a lot of the control of a racing game.

Yes, that's how it is, but I'm just amazed that you can already go through the entire tech tree in the first campaign mission. I'd have preferred slowly unlocking units and options, which as a mechanic I like because it forces designers to think of specific challenges and it forces players to really learn about a unit.

Thank you, I'd forgotten about Suckbox.

Then to Matthew because he turned to the bible. His name was originally Broderick Broderick.

Yeah, I don't feel it's very different in the Netherlands, barring a few awesome cinemas that do things like introducing the film by an expert. Yes, most of the time I prefer sitting in an almost-abandoned theatre, without the hassle of tons of people around me, but when they keep quiet it's fine. I LOVE going to the movies though, there's nothing like it. The big screen, the excitement that - still - surrounds it, and hopefully a good theatre with a luxury vibe... splendid.

I hope you'll forgive me for reposting my thoughts here, I forgot that we were supposed to make a new topic. This is also the reason I've chosen to be magnanimous and forgive Tycho his tardiness in the matter. Since this topic is all about the film, I'll be open about it and forego the spoiler quotes. -- Quite a shocker ending! I think the most immediate puzzle of this film is how to place it in our modern minds. I get the feeling this story makes a lot more sense viewed in its proper time. First you have to get into the mindset of an age where women were these dainty, oft-fainting creatures - or at least, that was their outspoken role in society and they had to act by it. This Madame de is certainly a character. She's represented as a somewhat spoiled thing, desperate for love and affection in a marriage that doesn't seem to thrill her all that much. She's at first depicted as lying, deceitful and untrustworthy, but we verrrrry slowly get to know her great affections. The romance she has with diplomat Donati is passionate and beautifully constructed (that dance scene/montage!). We know she's an adulterer in thought, but so is her husband, the general. I get the feeling this isn't a morality play in the sense that it's an obvious good versus bad thing. In part it means to illustrate how frivolous the upper classes are, but also how they're ensnared in the bonds they create with others and society. Even the general only at the very last chooses to become outraged (and kills Donati in a duel). For the longest part he remained perfectly stoic and upbeat about the affair; knowing full well it was going on and even arranging for its demise in the least emotional way possible. These people are entirely concerned with their standing and their image. Narratively it reminded me of a farce, but there's no jokes and no happy ending here. The two couples do not end up switching places; instead there's a deadly climax where both Madame de and Bonati (apparently) perish. Is this the penalty for their sins? Or a grave mockery aimed at the general, who ends up losing his wife no matter how he strives to control the situation? -- Now that a few days have passed, I have come to like this film better and better. I already thought quite a bit of it, but it has grown on me. I believe that's especially because of the way the characters were written and performed. All three of them truly encompass who they are. I think of Donati and see him casually lounging in a chair, cigar in hand and smiling that riveting smile. André, terse and extremely satisfied with himself. Madame de Je Ne Sais Quoi, more and more teetering on the edge of losing it. I didn't catch the slanted shots (a moderate Dutch angle) you mentioned when I saw it, Tycho, but it's really interesting to see. I love how films are often so utterly holistically conceived, that the minutest positioning of the camera helps lift the story.

Completely at a loss for gaming time in these last months, I nevertheless got AoW3 during the Steam sale (50% off, but it was already reasonably priced). I've only just begun to dabble in the campaign to learn the ropes. The interface is simple enough, I get most of what's going on. The unit descriptions are quite densely packed, but not necessary to ingest fully to operate them. What does strike me as downright bizarre is that I'm in the first introductory campaign, and it's very clearly a tutorial explain how to move and everything, yet I have full access to what I can't imagine not to be the full tech tree. Strange! I like the gradual build-up of powers over the course of many levels, and this is tempting me to just research everything while I think I scarcely need it.

I love it. I love it. This is the Nintendo thing, the magic, the element that no other company has. They can turn around a console with a single game, an 8 in a franchise no less, just by being Nintendo, by being the best at what they do.

If Tycho doesn't come in right away to keep to the rules, there will be severe repercussions. One of which is I might pretend-faint to spoil the party mood.

Fan service is when the contraption you use to transport air from one place in the room into your direction falters, and you need a handyman to come fix it.

Hey thanks for forever spoiling Ferris Bueller! (No you haven't) Broderick is a weird name, that's just Roderick with a goof. As for Rodi, meh, I kinda outgrew it as a nickname.

Part of the thing I love about latter-day Tom Cruise is that he's often doing kind bizarre roles, that really play with his earlier squeeky-clean image. The spoiled rich/psycho in Vanilla Sky, the crazy cameo in Tropic Thunder and even in Edge of Tomorrow he's a super smarmy asshat in the beginning. It's fun. And when he does play the American Action Hero (Mission: Impossible), he's so ludicrously intense and in the zone that it's easy to go along.

Shipping is the process of bartering in the Steam economy by the ubiquitous currency of 'The Ship'.

I recently thought about a certain shipping in Pokémon. Protagonists Ash and Misty are never explicitly 'in love' in the series, not even close, but it's an obvious match if you're into shipping. However, this song from the official Pokémon CD clearly explores Misty's unspoken love for Ash. That's not a tear in my eye, YOU'VE got a tear in your eye! Juvenile series notwithstanding, what I found interesting is that this is apparently an officially sanctioned shipping. As in, the original text (i.e. the series) never even implies a relationship, but the official 'expanded text' (or what-have-you) is quite outspoken on it. Is it shipping at all? Is it sanctioned? IS IT CANON? (Also, that Sayounara Zetsubou-sensei scene is blecch. When did that show jump the shark? It started out a lot more subtle than overt parody of Evangelion.)

Tycho, you're already breaking the rules. You were supposed to and I quote « write at least a paragraph by Sunday to get all the boys to the yard », and yet here we are on Monday and all we have is a tub of broken promises. You're like some untrustworthy French lady, all selling earrings and no writing paragraphs.

That is AWESOME. I've got this one (plus new hairdo) for my Goodreads profile. I needed a 'brooding, possibly sexual novelist' picture and this is the closest I got. It lacks a calabash but it'll have to do.

Yikes. Can't look away from the train wreck...