text:
Tag Archives: Kurt Russell
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood (2019) Review
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood (2019)
Directed & Written by Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
Narrated by Kurt Russell
The film is set in 1969 Los Angeles, where an aging television actor and his stunt double and longtime friend navigate the changing Hollywood film industry.
I never got around to reviewing this as I saw it a few weeks ago while on vacation in America. It's a very good film. Yes, it's probably one of Tarantino's best films overall. I can't say I loved it, though. In fact, I was a tiny bit bored and very much felt its 2 hour and 41 minute running time. But I'll be honest: I was a little bit on edge the entire time, which probably didn't help my enjoyment.
It was great being back in America for the first time in over a decade. I was in a super comfy reclining seat, which seems to be more of a "standard" thing than in the U.K., and I was thoroughly enjoying the superior (and, holy shit, one free refillable!) American popcorn. However, the main things running through my mind for almost three hours were "I wonder how many people in here have guns on them" and "There will be more guns in this showing than in other movies since we're watching a violent Tarantino film" and "I'm the closest one to the door so very likely to be the first one shot if someone comes in and starts shooting". Is this what daily life is like for everyone living in America now?
Don't worry – I am NOT about to get into any sort of political discussion. That's not me. I just want to joke around & chat with people on my blog about my nerdy love of movies. It just made me long for a more simple time as I do have some great memories of growing up in America and will always see it as my home. Which brings me back to the actual topic: I did appreciate Tarantino's obvious love for the era of Hollywood depicted in this film. The nostalgia he feels for it really does show through and I could relate to that feeling as I sat there, in the country I spent the first half of my life in, feeling nostalgic about how things used to be and knowing they'll never be that way again. Also, who wouldn't like to rewrite some of their own personal history, right? I'd like to write some happier endings to a few things from my past.
I think this may be one of my reviews where I decide by the end of the review that I liked the movie more than I realized… This is why I keep this blog going even though I don't think anyone reads it anymore: I'm sometimes able to sort my thoughts out on something as I write about it. Yes, I think Tarantino did a good job evoking the mood of that late sixties going into early seventies movie star & movie making world. As a lover of film, I always enjoy movies about filmmaking & that lifestyle. And what I was afraid would be the "central event" of the film but thankfully wasn't (I won't use the person's or the "family's" name), I guess maybe to Tarantino that event symbolized the loss of innocence and a more simple time in not only the types of movies being made but also in what it was like to live in America. So I'm starting to understand his "rewriting of history" in some films. It's fun to think that, if we could erase certain events from history, maybe the world would be a different & better place. That's the whole point of movies for me personally. I like the escapism and Tarantino clearly does too. His escapism just involves waaaaaaaaaay more violence than mine would!!
Okay, I'm now deciding that I liked this movie more than I realized. Although I was clearly a bit distracted while watching it, my experience was probably quite unique since I was in the position to be feeling the same sense of personal nostalgia that Tarantino was trying to convey in this film about a time he clearly misses as well. My main issue with the film is that the overall story is weak. The dialogue also isn't as strong as in Tarantino's other films in order to make up for the lack of story and the movie seriously drags in places, especially at the beginning (I kind of forgot that Al Pacino was even in this – I had a very hard time getting into the movie at first but I was busy scanning the audience for guns).
However, I think my old Brad Pitt crush has been renewed. Pitt is brilliant in this and the true star of the film. Don't get me wrong – Leonardo DiCaprio & Margot Robbie were also fantastic. DiCaprio gives his usual best and has to do more serious "acting" than Pitt but we've seen Leo do this sort of role so often now. Leo is one of the finest actors of our time, yes, but Pitt has the true charisma in this film. He embodies the old school "Hollywood star" vibe from the era that Tarantino is portraying, which is fun as he's just the stunt double to Leo's fading movie star character.
As for Margot Robbie, she's thoroughly charming as Sharon Tate and, like Pitt, also very much has that old school "Hollywood star" vibe. It's a fairly small role, however, which I think was the right move for this film despite people moaning about the "female role" being too small. What happened to Tate and the others was horrible and tragic and, thank god, is not the focus of this film. That story is a backdrop and not glorified or dwelled upon, which is why I think her scenes were kept more simple and less likely to be disrespectful in any way. Unlike the Bruce Lee scene, unfortunately – I can see why his portrayal upset his family and fans although I can also understand that this is an "alternate history" thing and I don't think Tarantino meant to cause offense with that bit. Enough with women's bare feet, though, Tarantino!! We get it. You like feet! Most people don't. We don't want to see feet. Please stop with the feet.
Okay, I've rambled on enough considering that I didn't even know how I felt about this movie at first. I loved its mood and its setting and absolutely loved Brad Pitt. I enjoyed DiCaprio & Robbie. I hated the "family" (but I suppose that's the point – I just could've done with less time being spent on them). I disliked the bare feet. The story dragged. It was too long. There were fun cameos (as usual). I really liked the ending, which I'd accidentally had spoiled beforehand and wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. I liked that this was less violent overall than Tarantino's other films. To be honest, this is Tarantino's most "feelgood" film and I liked that I was able to walk away from a Tarantino movie feeling a bit more uplifted and less stressed than I usually do after leaving his films. It's funny that the only stress I felt this time was the real life environment around me but I'm happy to have experienced this movie in my home country, which gave me a more unique perspective. Hell, I don't know… I think this movie is a bit all over the place and I've never felt quite so confused as to if I truly enjoyed a Tarantino film or not. Maybe it IS a damn masterpiece like so many are saying. There's a messy sort of brilliance going on and I wouldn't disagree with those who loved it even though I can't say I feel the same way. However, I think it's one that will age well and, over time, is likely to be more highly regarded than a lot of Tarantino's other films.
**I've added Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood to my ranked list of films directed by Quentin Tarantino HERE. I really didn't know where to put it and still might change my mind. I'm contemplating moving it up one space as it's admittedly a much better film than Jackie Brown but, man, I love that damn soundtrack so much…
Also, I'm really busy at the moment and don't know when I'll get a chance to do my monthly movie roundup post. So, for now, here's the ranked & rated list of all the movies I watched in August (six while on airplanes!). I'll try to do at least mini reviews of these at some point but most were very disappointing anyway. I've starred the airplane movies (sad, I know – but it's so I remember when I read this ten years from now). 🙂
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood – 7.5/10
*Green Book – 7.5/10
Sorry To Bother You – 7/10
The Hate U Give – 7/10
*Bad Times At The El Royale – 6.5/10
Crawl – 6.5/10
*Instant Family – 6.5/10
*Can You Ever Forgive Me? – 6.5/10
*Mortal Engines – 5.5/10
*Eighth Grade – 5/10
Tagged 2019, 7.5/10, Al Pacino, Austin Butler, Brad Pitt, Bruce Dern, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch, Film, Kurt Russell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margaret Qualley, Margot Robbie, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino, Review, Reviews, Sharon Tate, Timothy Olyphant
Happy New Year, everyone! 2019. Holy shit. Well, I suppose I better post my December Roundup so I can finally get on with posting my 2018 Year End Top Ten Lists. I love lists!!!! I'll be posting those the rest of this week. So first of all, here's what I watched & read in December 2018.
– Splendor In The Grass – 8.5/10
– Metropolis – 8.5/10
– Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – 8/10
– A Star Is Born (2018) – 8/10
– A Simple Favor – 7.5/10
– Aquaman – 7/10
– Mirai – 7/10
– Journey to Agartha (aka Children Who Chase Lost Voices) – 7/10
– The King's Speech – 7/10
– Ralph Breaks The Internet – 7/10
– Bumblebee – 7/10
– The Nutcracker And The Four Realms – 6.5/10
– Mary Poppins Returns – 6.5/10
– American Animals – 6/10
– Slaughterhouse Rulez – 5.5/10
– The Grinch – 4.5/10
*l'm going to sound grumpy in my reviews below since I've already reviewed the stuff I actually liked. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was especially fantastic. Believe the hype! All my reviews are linked.
– The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society – This was my "Christmas present wrapping movie" this year. It wasn't as much fun as watching Road House while wrapping presents – I'll be going back to watching that one while wrapping next year. This was still a decent movie, though, and it continues to annoy me that Lily James is so damn cute. Here's the plot synopsis from Wikipedia: "Set in 1946, the plot follows a London-based writer who begins exchanging letters with residents on the island of Guernsey, which was under German occupation during World War II." I enjoyed the story and the characters were well developed and the romance worked well even though I don't normally go for that sort of thing. It probably deserves a higher rating but it was still a bit too "chick flick" for my tastes. – 6.5/10
– Mute – Hmm. Okay – I've been meaning to watch this as I really liked Moon from Duncan Jones (plus he's cool on Twitter and of course he's David Bowie's son and that's awesome). But then it got pretty bad reviews so I waited. I can see why it got bad reviews. It's certainly no Moon! The characters are really hateful (the main guy & his girlfriend were okay, I guess. And the young girl). The story was pretty silly and felt a bit pointless after how it ended. It felt like one of those movies where the director had a vision of the backdrop he wanted for the film then wrote a story around it, which didn't really work. I did like some of the imagery and always love futuristic sci-fi so I didn't totally hate the film. But I didn't like it all that much, either. It's a poor Blade Runner imitation. Overall, it was a big disappointment but I like that Jones got to make the film exactly as he'd wanted. – 6/10
– Thoroughbreds – This movie was pretty disappointing as well. I was looking forward to it after hearing comparisons to things like Heathers. I do like a good teen angst movie! Okay – people need to stop calling every angsty teen movie the next Heathers. Nothing will ever live up to Heathers or any of the other 80's teen movies. Heathers was witty with some of the most quotable dialogue ever and fantastic characters. Thoroughbreds was mostly just boring, which I didn't expect since the story revolves around the girls planning to kill someone. I do like both these actresses fine and it was good seeing Anton Yelchin again (R.I.P.) so, like with Mute, I didn't totally hate this. It just felt a bit pointless and a little "up its own arse". Just because a plot is a little dark, it doesn't automatically make something a brilliant film. – 6/10
– Justice League – I finally watched this since I figured I better see it before watching Aquaman (which I really enjoyed!). Meh. I really can't get into the DCEU movies, although I did like Wonder Woman & Aquaman. The Batman & Superman movies have been atrocious, though, and I can't stand Ben Affleck. Like most superhero movies, this felt exactly the same as all the rest. Hell, I barely remember the stupid plot now and I only just watched this last week. These stories are getting boring as hell. However, Wonder Woman has a big role in this film and she's easily the best thing about it. She saved the movie (somewhat). It's far better than the Batman & Superman films, at least! But the MCU movies are still so much better overall. At least this one didn't totally suck. – 6/10
– The Christmas Chronicles – Well, this was silly as hell but it's the sort of thing you'd expect from a family Christmas movie anyway. And who (my age) doesn't love Kurt Russell?? He's still awesome, even when old and with hair like 70's Kenny Rogers. I was a bit like "I kind of want to f*^k this Santa". Is that inappropriate? I mean, he was in The Thing! The Thing rules. We need a Kurt Russell Santa movie directed by John Carpenter. It wouldn't have had those dumbass elf(?) rat-looking things. As for this movie, it was fine other than those weirdass elf things. Well, I'm also not so sure about Russell singing the blues in prison (the hubby & I both pointed out a few times that they seemed to be influenced by Adventures In Babysitting for this movie). The movie would've been better with less cheese as the story itself, although a thoroughly predictable "dead parent" story, was suitably heartwarming for Christmas. The two kids were quite likeable as well. Can we just have a little less cheese in our Christmas movies?? It's A Wonderful Life is heartwarming with very little cheese. And no stupid elf rats. – 5.5/10
– Amber Lake – This was one of those movies with a decent story idea but truly hateful characters. The low budget didn't help either, I suppose. Actually, one of the Ambers was okay (Mekenna Melvin). The girls are all named Amber because their father is an asshole and you wouldn't blame any of them for wanting to possibly kill him. The movie uses the Rashômon concept of telling the same story from different perspectives. But that of course worked in the hands of Akira Kurosawa as he was a genius and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Amber Lake is no Rashômon! Obviously. Um… I don't actually know what to say about this. Here's the plot synopsis from IMDb: "Three half-sisters, after being invited to their father's lake house to meet him and each other for the first time, are each questioned by a local sheriff to explain the events that took place leading up to the discovery of their father floating dead in the lake." It's on Amazon Prime in the UK if you're interested but do yourself a favor & watch Rashômon instead. Or any Kurosawa film. To be fair, though, I've seen worse "horror" films (well, this is more of a "mystery thriller") with much bigger budgets. I guess Amber Lake did have some potential and it had a decent ending. – 5/10
– Cam – I really need to stop trusting tweets from Twitter's "horror community". I've realized that they rave about every horror movie no matter how good or bad it really is. Cam is yet another Netflix film that everyone thinks is great, probably because they get to watch it at home as part of their subscription, which is a lot easier than dragging your butt off the couch to go the cinema to watch something that's actually good. Netflix is the new equivalent of "straight to video" in the Eighties. Anyway, after all my bitching I can see why this would have some fans (especially horny guys). And, yes – it's an original story so I definitely give it credit for that in this day & age of sequels and reboots. It's a good concept but having a thoroughly annoying character as its focus didn't really work. I don't want to hate all the characters in a movie – it just means that I don't care what happens to them. To be fair, this movie did have a good idea and I think I'd have liked it okay if they'd gone about it differently. Plus the porn thing didn't work for me, I suppose, since I'm a girl. Hey – whatever happened to Babestation in the UK? Is that still around?? I haven't been channel surfing at 3am in recent years… – 5/10
– Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby – I like Nick Hornby & have read most of his books. The film adaptation of this came out a few months ago so I figured I better read the book before checking out the movie (Ethan Hawke is in it so I'll be watching it at some point). The book was okay and very "Hornby" but definitely not one of his best. I like that there's once again a music connection, as there often is with his stories. In this one, a guy is obsessed with an old rock star who had one big hit album then disappeared. His long suffering girlfriend (or were they married? I don't remember!) ends up being contacted by the rock star after she posts a review online of his new album. Hey – I review stuff online! I've reviewed several Chris Hemsworth movies. Where's my e-mail from him? Hey Chris – I'm totally up for a hot love affair! Anyway. Where was I? Oh, this book was fine but a little boring. The characters were weak compared to those in other Hornby novels but I sadly related to the pathetic guy in this & his obsession since I get kind of obsessed with stuff like that too. I mean, I obviously have a movie blog. The guy posted on a blog dedicated to the rock star. We're obsessive nerds. Hornby does seem to write the "obsessive nerd" characters well. The book was a decent enough read but I didn't love the ending. However, I do think it would make for a good movie so I'll be watching that as soon as it's available on whatever service. – 3/5
Currently Reading: Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King & Richard Chizmar
Nothing. Well, Grey's Anatomy. Ugh. And The Walking Dead. Ugh Ugh. Eagerly awaiting Game Of Thrones and Stranger Things!
I'm going to take it easy this month. I actually watched too many movies last year and plan to cut down on that as well. Fewer movies but hopefully better movies. Although I do enjoy writing a bitchy review, obviously. I'll continue with these monthly roundups and will try to review the movies I see in the cinema. I also plan to continue the Blind Spot Project. I'll post my 2019 choices for that next week after I finish posting my 2018 Top Ten Lists.
As usual, January is a weak month for movie releases in the UK. Of the below, I'm only really interested in going to see Glass. The Mule & Green Book also sound decent.
– The Favorite – Will wait for Netflix. Not a fan of the director. Hated The Lobster.
– Welcome To Marwen – Really liked the plot synopsis for this but it's had bad reviews.
– Colette – Looks like a good story but stars Keira Knightly. Yuck. So will wait for Netflix.
– Glass – The one film I'll definitely go to, even though I'm not a huge fan of this trilogy. But I do like Shyamalan for the most part.
– Mary Queen Of Scots – Again, it looks okay but it's a Netflix movie for me. I'm not big on historical dramas.
– The Mule – This stars Clint Eastwood so I can guarantee that my dad will be watching this one…
– A Dog's Way Home – Actually, I'm likely to go to this as well. It's a cute doggo story so I can guarantee that my daughter will be dragging me to it…
– Green Book – I really like the sound of this one and it's had great reviews. If it's shown near me, I may go.
There wasn't a lot of music in the movies I watched in December (other than Mary Poppins Returns, obviously, but those songs were pretty boring). So here's one of the best songs from Bumblebee's overuse of 80's music to shove all its Eightiesness in our faces. Tears For Fears are underrated. Mad World is one of the best songs ever. But they of course didn't use that one in Bumblebee…
Posted in Books, Movies, Personal, Reviews
Tagged Amber Lake, Aquaman, Blogging, Books, Bumblebee, Cam, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, December, Duncan Jones, Film, Journey To Agartha, Juliet Naked, Justice League, Kurt Russell, Monthly Recap, Movies, Music, Mute, Netflix, Nick Hornby, Posts, Review, Reviews, Santa, Search Terms, Sexy Santa, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Stats, The Christmas Chronicles, The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, Thoroughbreds, TV, Writing
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Review
**SPOILER-FREE REVIEW**
Directed & Written by James Gunn
Based on Guardians of the Galaxy by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Kurt Russell
Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
I was so unbelievably excited for this sequel. I absolutely loved the first Guardians Of The Galaxy (review HERE). I think, having become pretty sick of superhero movies doing the SAME DAMN THINGS OVER & OVER AGAIN these past several years, I really bought into these characters & this universe as it finally felt like we were getting a slightly different sort of superhero movie. I prefer lighthearted humor in my superhero movies to the dreariness of things like Nolan's Batman trilogy (those films, other than Ledger's performance, have really started to go down in my estimation). I guess I've just never taken these sort of movies seriously so, for me, one with a sense of humor works better. Plus, of course, the soundtrack was indeed awesome! An awesome soundtrack will always make me like a movie even more. And… Groot. GROOT! I love Groot. Who doesn't love Groot?
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is, exactly as I was hoping & expecting, loads of fun but not as good as the first film. Which is fine as it's hard to top that first film. I always enjoy the introduction of new characters and seeing them get to know each other, which was especially great in the first film and obviously missing from this one. We get to see our main characters' relationships with each other develop a little more but not quite as much as I'd hoped. But, hey – you know there'll be another one of these films (and I'll happily be watching it) so hopefully we'll get even more character development in the next film. I can't really say we learned much more about these characters than we did the first time around.
I'll say that, for this sequel, they've upped the humor even more. Maybe they felt the need to after Deadpool? I'm certainly not complaining – I'm loving this "funny superhero movie" thing. Between this and The LEGO Batman Movie and that great trailer for the next Thor film, I'm starting to actually enjoy these superhero movies again instead of almost finding them a chore to sit through. For example: I didn't even bother with Batman V Superman or Suicide Squad but hubby probably wants to see Wonder Woman and I suppose that means I should catch up on those I've missed, but…. Meh! Sounds like way too much work. If that's the way I feel about having to watch a movie, being a movie-obsessed blogger, they're clearly doing something wrong with those films. Right? The Guardians films aren't a chore. They're fun and I actually enjoy them. That's the way it should be.
If you loved the first film, you'll definitely like this one too. If you don't love the sense of humor thing but want to watch a superhero movie, I'd say there's still plenty here that you'll like. The story is… Okay. As far as superhero stories go, it's pretty standard stuff (to be honest, I hardly ever fully remember the stories in superhero films). But it's the main characters who really make these two films and they again don't disappoint. People my age are also gonna love the involvement of a couple of big actors in this one (I actually have no clue if this has been kept under wraps so I'll say no more other than that I felt a little funny seeing someone again at first. In a good way… 😉 ). There's also enough serious stuff going on to balance out the humor so that this feels like a Marvel film and doesn't go full-on silly like some cheesy Eighties flick. It's probably quite a hard balance to achieve and I think these films stay on the right side of the line. I love these characters and I don't think we'd care about them as much as we do if the movies were too silly.
Yes, I really enjoyed Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. As expected, it's not as good as the first but it's still a worthy sequel that will keep fans happy and wanting more. And it's a hell of a lot more fun than most superhero films these days. Give me Groot over moody Batman! Speaking of Groot, I'll finish with him and with the soundtrack as these are the two things that really make me adore these movies.
If you don't like Baby Groot, you aren't going to like this movie (or me, since we can't be friends if you don't like Baby Groot). 😉 They clearly knew they were on to a winner with this character and his adorable cuteness is used to full effect. As my hubby asked afterwards, did they rely on him a little too much in this film? Hmm. Probably. But I loved each & every Baby Groot scene. You can't have too much of a good thing! But if you prefer moody Batman, you probably don't love these films or Baby Groot anyway. I'm sure Guardians fans will love the excessive Groot cuteness as much as I did. As for the soundtrack: Once again, it was pretty awesome. But definitely not as awesome as the first one. Damn! I avoided looking at the tracklisting beforehand as I wanted all the songs to be a surprise. Maybe it was less impressive since it wasn't as unexpected the second time around? Still, though, there are some great songs and it's a lot better than 99% of movie soundtracks these days so I'm just being overly picky because I love the first film. But I'm happy with this sequel and am already looking forward to seeing these characters in more films.
Is there a scene after the credits?: Hahaha! It's a Marvel film! Do I really need to answer this? 😉 Okay… No. There isn't one. There's… Four? I think it was four. I lost count. And, yes, they are SO worth staying for. Especially two of them. There are scenes throughout the credits plus one after the credits. So hold your pee as one of the two best is that very final one.
Stan Lee cameo: Hubby loved it and said it was probably the best one yet. He knows a lot more about this Marvel stuff than I do but I'm pretty sure you can read about it if you want to as I've already seen lots of people talking about this one. 🙂
Tagged 8/10, Andy Lanning, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Chris Sullivan, Dan Abnett, Dave Bautista, Elizabeth Debicki, Film, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, James Gunn, Karen Gillan, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Pom Klementieff, Review, Reviews, Sean Gunn, Sequel, Superheroes, Sylvester Stallone, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana
The Hateful Eight (2015) Review
Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, James Parks, Channing Tatum
Narrated by Quentin Tarantino
Music by Ennio Morricone
In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.
Yesterday I reviewed Jackie Brown as part of my 2017 Blind Spot Series & for Quentin Tarantino's 54th birthday. In that review, I talked a bit about my disappointment over The Hateful Eight. It was hard to not compare the two films as I watched them almost back to back but it made me appreciate Jackie Brown even more and made me realize, in comparison, just how overblown The Hateful Eight is.
I already went on about this movie in yesterday's review so I'll keep this one short: The Hateful Eight is easily my least favorite Tarantino film (I've ranked them all HERE). It's not a horrible film but he's clearly believing his own hype too much & needs to return to the simplicity of a really good script as in things like Reservoir Dogs. His films have been getting more & more over the top and this one finally went fully overboard. It's one thing to be over the top but another to be so dragged out & rather unenjoyable, which is something that I can't say of any of his other films.
Okay – I'll try to say some good things about this movie. Well, the best thing about it is Ennio Morricone's score (but I'll come back to that). The two main reasons I watched this were for Morricone and to see Jennifer Jason Leigh's Oscar-nominated performance since I'm a fan of hers (plus to be able to say I've seen all of Tarantino's films, I suppose). The clue is in the title and all these characters are indeed hateful (which isn't going to make it easy to like a movie very much) but Leigh was great & her character was the one I enjoyed watching the most. I'm glad she got the recognition for this role as the movie itself lets its talented actors & composer down. Samuel L Jackson & Kurt Russell were also very good (although Jackson was, once again, his over-the-top Tarantino self) but no one else in the cast really stood out compared to these three. The other characters were extremely weak for a Tarantino film – he usually manages to make even the smallest characters in a film interesting. Maybe it should've just been The Hateful Three. But that's a shit title. Did he come up with the title first & then had to write in five extra boring characters? Ah ha! That must be what happened. Plus, I think there were actually more than eight so he's full of shit (you don't count, Channing Tatum! The Hateful Nine isn't a good title).
But back to Ennio Morricone. Morricone is a movie music God. Like I said in my Jackie Brown interview, the one thing Tarantino always does right in his movies is the music and I know he was overjoyed when he got Morricone to agree to score this (I want Morricone to score my whole life. That would be awesome). Is it Morricone's best score ever? Well, no, but you can't really top something like The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Yes, he probably won the Oscar for this mainly because the Academy realized they'd seriously f*^kd up in never giving him an Oscar (other than an honorary one) until now. I hadn't even realized that beforehand – he's someone you'd just assume already had one. Anyway! Here's a good interview with Tarantino talking about how he got Morricone to do this score. Wow. Morricone is a true professional. It was a very last minute thing and Morricone did it in very little time & in a way he's not used to usually working. Combined with unused parts of his score for The Thing, I can't believe they managed to pull this all together so well in that length of time. Tarantino of course wants to use him again so just imagine what we'd get if Morricone is involved in the project from the very start. It gives me chills thinking about it. I just hope, if they do work together again, that the movie can live up to the score next time!
Oh. The cinematography was good too. There's one more thing! The last & final good thing. The outdoor shots were quite beautiful and the opening, combined with Morricone's score, was very good (I'll post the opening scene below). Too bad the majority of the film is inside a dark, tiny cabin!!! To start out in a rather epic sort of way with this beautiful snowy landscape and to then end up stuck in a dark little cabin for what felt like far more than the 3 hour & 7 minute running time was so damn cruel. To us. Cruel to the audience. Never mind the characters! Although I suppose they would've frozen to death outside, so…
The Hateful Eight. It's too damn long. It has a good score from a true master. It has three really good actors doing the best they can with a weak script. It's pretty to look at when they're actually outside that goddamn cabin. It's violent as f^*k. It's definitely a Tarantino film. I still like Tarantino's films & I'll still watch them all despite finding this one the most disappointing so far. To be fair, it could've been worse. But it could've been SO much better. And this review was meant to be short. Like Tarantino, I sometimes don't know when enough is enough.
Tagged 6/10, Bruce Dern, Channing Tatum, Demián Bichir, Ennio Morricone, Film, James Parks, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Quentin Tarantino, Review, Reviews, Samuel L Jackson, The Hateful Eight, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins
My Top Ten Kurt Russell Movies
Happy Birthday (soon) to Kurt Russell, who turns 66 tomorrow.
People probably first think of Russell's collaborations with John Carpenter when they hear his name. Looking at his filmography, those are indeed his best films (I do have Big Trouble In Little China a bit low but I could do with re-watching it).
You have to admit he did some truly dodgy movies in the 80s & 90s but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't find him kind of hot as Captain Ron. 😉 I've always liked Russell just fine – I won't go out of my way to watch his movies but I certainly won't avoid them. I'm happy that Tarantino has managed to sort of revive his career (or, at least, save him from the really dodgy movies). There are quite a few Russell films I have yet to see but I've just watched The Hateful Eight as I felt it was one I better see before making this list. I have to say it was a massive disappointment! Not Russell's worst but certainly Tarantino's. Damn.
Okay – enough rambling. Here are My Top Ten Kurt Russell Movies, counting down to my favorite (and including all 18 I've seen). I gotta say that numbers 1 & 2 are leagues ahead of the rest…
**Updated March 2018 with Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2**
Top 19 (11-19 are fairly interchangeable):
19. Used Cars
18. Executive Decision
17. Unlawful Entry
16. Sky High
15. The Hateful Eight
14. Captain Ron
13. Escape From L.A.
12. Overboard
11. Backdraft
10. Breakdown
9. Vanilla Sky
7. Silkwood
6. Big Trouble In Little China
5. Death Proof
4. The Fox And The Hound
3. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
2. Escape From New York
Seen But Don't Remember Well Enough To Add To List:
Not Seen:
Too many to list. I'm happy to take recommendations if you think I've missed one of Russell's best movies.
Tagged Actor, Backdraft, Big Trouble In Little China, Birthday, Breakdown, Death Proof, Escape From New York, Film, Kurt Russell, List, Movies, Ranked, Silkwood, Stargate, The Fox And The Hound, The Thing, Top Ten, Vanilla Sky
Non-Stop, The Spectacular Now & Used Cars Movie Reviews
Hope you all had a nice weekend! I have three more mini-reviews for you. This time we have a movie I was expecting to love but didnt, one I expected to like but hated, and one big 'ol MEH movie. Let's begin…
Non-Stop (2014)
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Nate Parker, Jason Butler Harner, Anson Mount
This is the big 'ol pile of MEH. I always fall behind on reviewing movies I watch at home but tend to keep on top of the ones I actually go to see. Well, I went to this one in the cinema (theatER!) last year but couldn't summon up enough enthusiasm to review it. Liam Neeson is doing his Taken role again. I don't know how he ended up being so typecast but I'm not too bothered as he was never exactly a favorite of mine anyway. At least that annoying Maggie Grace isn't in this.
The plot is… okay, I guess, but it's not helped by some lame acting and some laughably predictable moments. I mean, this is the basic plot on Wikipedia: Neeson is a U.S. Air Marshal on a flight to London when he "receives text messages on his secure phone stating that someone on the plane will die every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a specific bank account." That actually sounds quite exciting, doesnt it?! It does! That's why I went to it even though I can live without most popcorn action movies. I remember I was in the mood for a braindead action movie when I went to this, though, so I had some fun with it despite it being pretty damn ridiculous.
I was reminded when getting that plot synopsis that Neeson plays an alcoholic Air Marshal. Because he's TROUBLED & has ISSUES to overcome, people! This is why the passengers aren't sure if they can trust him when he starts acting like a raving lunatic! lol. I kind of forgot just how silly this one was. I didn't totally hate it or anything. If you want a simple action movie where you won't have to think & you like Liam Neeson being all Liam Neeson-y, give this a watch in your comfy living room.
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Directed by James Ponsoldt
Based on The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler
I was desperate to see this movie when I heard about it but then it never came out in the UK and, much to my annoyance, I wasn't able to see it for ages. All I kept hearing was that it was this generation's Say Anything. Naturally, being my age, I adore Say Anything so I was like "I must see this Spectacular Now movie!!!".
Umm… I guess I can see the Say Anything comparisons. If Lloyd Dobler (the sweetest, most perfect boyfriend in the history of film) had instead been a selfish, alcoholic prick. Yeah… the only thing this movie has in common with Say Anything is a role-reversal of the one-sided love story (Diane Court clearly doesn't love you, Lloyd. But every female my age does, at least!). 😉
I suppose my expectations were too high for this movie after the Say Anything comparisons. I've not read the (I'm assuming YA) book this is based on – maybe it does a better job with Miles Teller's character? I guess calling him a "prick" wasn't totally fair – his character is just aimless & he has issues that lead to him drinking too much but he's not exactly outright horrible to Shailene Woodley's character. Wait, no – he really is kind of a prick. He clearly likes her but she's crazy about him and he's too self-absorbed to care about any negative impact his actions may have on her. It felt like he was just using her so it was very hard to like him. I think I just expected to like & care about the characters a bit more. This may be partly down to Teller, who I just can't make myself like (even after Whiplash).
Woodley was good – this is the type of role that suits her way more than the one in Divergent. But her character is such a pushover, which was a little disappointing. I liked seeing Brie Larson, who I really liked in 21 Jump Street & Short Term 12, in a small role plus Jennifer Jason Leigh (eXistenZ!). But, if this is the current generation's definition of a love story, then young people need to lighten up & watch a proper romance film. The Spectacular Now was far too dramatic and, unlike Say Anything, had no fun moments despite the heartache. On its own, not being compared to other movies, it's certainly not a bad film. Don't let my disappointment keep you from watching it if you're interested – I know I just hyped it up in my mind too much. Just remember that it's very much a "drama" if you decide to watch it and that you may not like Teller's character.
Used Cars (1980)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerrit Graham, Deborah Harmon
This was on Netflix so I gave it a watch since I like Kurt Russell, Robert Zemeckis, and, of course, the Eighties. I figured it couldn't go wrong with those three things and maybe I'd get a few little laughs out of it. I hated it! I know that movies from my beloved decade haven't all aged well and some can contain jokes that are seen as un-PC today. That sort of thing doesn't usually bother me as I grew up with it but this movie just went a little too far with the cruel humor and outdated sexism.
First of all, (this isn't really a spoiler as it's obvious this is what's going to happen) the only character who doesn't come across as a selfish jerk (Jack Warden) dies and it turns a bit into Weekend At Bernie's with some of the antics with this poor guy's dead body (never mind the fact that he was essentially MURDERED for his crappy little car dealership. by his twin brother, no less!). I know death can occasionally be humorous in certain black comedies (Heathers rules) but this one didn't sit right with me in a silly 80's comedy. Kurt Russell & Gerrit Graham, who work for this guy and his dealership, do show a little sorrow but their main goal is to save their own jobs at whatever cost. It's hard to care about them at first as they're very hard to like but the movie redeems itself a tiny bit when the only female character who isn't there just to be a pair of tits shows up (more about her later) but they're cruel & do use her at first (luckily, they instead work with her by the end – the second half of this movie is much better than the first).
As for the women in Used Cars, they were treated no better than Warden's dead body. I'm not a girl who's going to demand that women be in every movie ever (two of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption & Stand By Me, don't even have any women in them) but I expect female characters to be treated with the same respect as the male characters. Deborah Harmon is the only important female character and she's fine but she's also seen as quite helpless & needing Kurt Russell to come to the rescue since she can't run a car dealership on her own (what do women know about cars?! actually, I admit that I know nothing about cars). I'm glad they work with her, though, (after cruelly lying to her about something important and of course sleeping with her) and as I said, the movie redeems itself a little in the second half.
Hey – can I just go off topic & mention that I immediately recognized Deborah Harmon from the TV show Just The Ten Of Us? Am I the only one in the world who watched that short-lived Growing Pains spin-off?? I loved it! It had THREE Nightmare On Elm Street girls in it (THE Heather Langenkamp wanting to be a nun, the girl who turns into a bug, and "girl on bus" in Nightmare 2 – Yes, I discovered the "girl on bus" connection years later when the Internet came around). But back to this shitty Used Cars movie…
I know guys like boobs and there are loads of naked women in movies. I didn't get that annoyed at the lead male characters in this sleeping around and using strippers to sell their cars. However, I found the very looooong scene where the male stars predictably expose a woman to a TV audience (without her approval) then actually zoom in on her breasts to be a step too far. And it went on for what felt like forever while she did nothing but scream like an idiot. Then, to top it all off, Graham's character ends it by actually "honking" her boob. Seriously. He may have even made a honking sound effect (I'd check to verify but can't be bothered). Umm. No. Unless you're in a relationship with us, never ever "honk" our boobs. Plus Harmon's character's boobs get groped by a stranger for no apparent reason toward the end of the film. WTF? Gotta love the 1980s, I guess… I suppose I was more offended than I would have been watching something like Porky's as you expect that sort of thing from that decade's sex comedies and I didn't realize beforehand that Used Cars would be like that.
Oops – this mini-review ended up being fairly long. I do go on a bit when I'm annoyed! Only watch this if you really love movies from the Eighties and you get excited by seeing people like Wendie Jo Sperber in a very small role. Yay! Wendie Jo Sperber! Luckily she went on to be in the much much much (much) better Zemeckis film Back To The Future. That movie is perfection – what the hell happened with Used Cars?! Ugh.
My Rating: 4.5/10 (it gets an extra half a point for Wendie Jo)
Tagged 4.5/10, 5.5/10, 6.5/10, Anson Mount, Brie Larson, Deborah Harmon, Film, Gerrit Graham, Jack Warden, James Ponsoldt, Jason Butler Harner, Jaume Collet-Serra, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, Kurt Russell, Kyle Chandler, Liam Neeson, Michelle Dockery, Miles Teller, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Nate Parker, Non-Stop, Review, Reviews, Robert Zemeckis, Scoot McNairy, Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, Used Cars


Mark Wahlberg plays Marcus Luttrell, one of a group of Navy Seals sent on a dangerous mission in Afghanistan to remove a terrorist who routinely kills U.S. marines. Five of the Navy Seals are cut off in rough mountainous terrain and find themselves outmanned and outgunned by Afghan Taliban fighters. (When they encounter two young boys and an old man, apparently innocently herding goats, they are faced with the difficult dilemma of killing them because they are the enemy or letting them go, knowing they will alert the enemy of their presence.) Lone Survivor is based on a book of the same name by Marcus Luttrell, the only Navy Seal to survive the ordeal. After the others have been killed one by one, Luttrell, himself wounded, is taken in by non-Taliban Afghans acting in accordance with an ancient code of honor. He would not have survived otherwise.
Lone Survivor, like other realistic war movies before it, shows us how hellish war is and what a toll it takes on those who fight. It's not just a bunch of pouty Calvin Klein models playing soldier-boy dress-up for the edification of the gals back home.


text:
Q: How to target SCOM 2007 R2 monitor to monitor only one server This might be basic, but hopefully someone can help me:
We have a well-working SCOM 2007 R2 implementation monitoring our Microsoft infrastructure. Now, on one of these servers there's an event (logged to the eventlog) that I need to be alerted on.
I have created a group and put this one windows server in it. Then, I created a monitor with simple event detection, entered the event id and used the group name as "monitor target".
This doesnt work - the monitor doesn't show up in health explorer at all.
However, If I create the monitor with "Windows computers" as target it works, but that means I'll have to disable the monitor, and then enable it for the group, which is cumbersome and slightly illogical to me.
Is this by design, or am I doing something wrong?

A: Trondh,
i believe it is by design, yes.
a great resource for OpsMgr can be found at http://www.systemcentercentral.com/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Duck Dynasty's Robertson clan is expanding – again!
Just a couple of weeks after Willie and Korie Robertson revealed they'd been in the process of adopting a new son since May, Willie's brother Jep Robertson and his wife Jessica introduced the newest addition to their family, their adopted son Jules Augustus.
Jules, who goes by the nickname Gus, was introduced to the world during the Wednesday premiere of the spinoff show Jep and Jessica: Growing the Dynasty and joins the couple's four other children: Lily, Merritt, Priscilla and River.
Jep, 37, later took to Twitter to show off his son, sharing an adorable selfie of the two in bed.


My words are my riot.
Exclusive Cover Reveal – LOVE ALWAYS, KATE by D. Nichole King.
I've also done another spectacular interview myself!
'KICK' back and relax in my fabulous interview session with John L. Monk!
My name is Liza Randusky. And I want REVENGE.
Lies and Legends has a cover!


text:
Q: how to set project property to remove warning MSB8004: Intermediate Directory does not end with a trailing slash. I have a vc++ project which has one warning, it is:

warning MSB8004: Intermediate Directory does not end with a trailing slash.  This build instance will add the slash as it is required to allow proper evaluation of the Intermediate Directory.

After refer other similar questions in stackoverflow, I modify the Intermediate Directory by adding a slash at the end of setting. For details, I did: in project->Property Pages->Configuration Properties->General->Intermediate Directory. Before its value is:

$(Platform)\$(Configuration)

after modification, its value is:

$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\

But the problem is warning is still there.
So can somebody tell me how should I fix this warning?

A: I think the above solution should be correct. The reason it seems didn't work is because I have lots of projects, and it has lots of such MSB8004 warning. I need to fix every project and rebuild all.
Otherwise I believe the warning information in Output dialog is very hard to locate which project these warning related to.

A: If you have updated from VS2012 or prior, it is because you cannot simply use the same pch in multiple projects anymore.
There is an MS page describing how to do it in VS2013+:
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/cppblog/shared-pch-usage-sample-in-visual-studio/


With this pocket-sized guidebook and a trusty Swiss Army Knife, readers will be ready to whittle wherever they go. World-famous whittler Chris Lubkemann shows how to carve 43 useful and whimsical objects using nothing more than a stick and an Original Swiss Army® Knife. Chris offers step-by-step instructions for all the traditional whittling favorites like spoons, forks, and flowers, plus some decidedly funny animals and the classic curly tail rooster. He also provides sage advice on how to choose wood, sharpen a blade, and safely control your knife. Published in collaboration with Victorinox® AG, makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife. 192 pages, Hardcover, Copyright 2017, ISBN: 978-1-56523-909-8.


During a week-long visit to the Big Bend area last summer, the highlight of our family's trip was an evening visit to the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. The observatory is operated by the University of Texas, and it offers star parties three nights a week (sometimes more, during spring break and other holidays). The two-hour event begins just after dusk in an amphitheater with an observatory researcher using a high-powered laser pointer to highlight whatever stars and constellations are visible that particular night.
After a 45-minute presentation, visitors can walk around and get close-up views of celestial objects through several telescopes set up around the property. Some telescopes are permanently housed in their own buildings with retractable roof panels, and others are brought out and set up specifically for the star parties.
While waiting in line — there are always lines because star parties are extremely popular and sell out weeks or months in advance — visitors can ask questions of observatory researchers who are milling about. Most folks ask about particular stars or planets or constellations that were mentioned during the opening presentation. During our time there, three young men who were in line were much more interested in the high-powered laser pointer used during the talk than they were anything else. The researcher patiently answered their questions as to where he had purchased the laser pointer — he bought it online — and how much it cost. Over the past few years, he said, the price of powerful laser pointers has, unfortunately, dropped from several hundred dollars each to less than $20.
"Why is that unfortunate?" one fellow asked.
"Because irresponsible young men like y'all can buy them," the researcher replied and then walked away.
As enjoyable as that conversation and the entire evening were, the McDonald Observatory is a seven-plus hour drive from Waco. However, there are several places that offer star parties within a couple of hours from here, and one is only about 40 minutes away.
The Paul and Jane Meyer Observatory is located at the Turner Research Station between Turnersville and Clifton, about 45 miles from Waco. The Central Texas Astronomical Society hosts an open house there once a month with a short presentation, a tour of the observatory and the opportunity to view the night sky through the 24-inch Meyer telescope. Visitors are encouraged to register online for the open house events, which are available at no charge, though donations are welcome. The 2017 open house dates are available at centexastronomy.org.
The society also hosts star parties at the Lake Waco Wetlands, Hubbard City Park and in Bell County.
Several Texas state parks within a couple of hours' drive offer star-watching parties as well. Inks Lake State Park near Burnet occasionally hosts a Night Sky Party with telescopes provided. Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars or other optics as well as blankets or chairs, if you wish. Admission to most state park events is free, though park admission is charged.
The Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas and the Fort Worth Astronomical Society co-host star parties a couple of times a year at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park in Strawn, which is north of Stephenville. The next Palo Pinto parties are scheduled for April 22 and October 14.
Information on star parties and other activities at state parks can be found at tpwd.texas.gov.
Star parties take place the first Saturday of each month at the the Rafes Urban Astronomy Center located at the University of North Texas in Denton. Starting 30 minutes after sundown, students and staff lead visitors through a tour of the night sky using several telescopes. Admission, on a cash-only basis, starts at $5. Information about the UNT program can be found at astronomy.unt.edu/ruac.
And in Austin, the Austin Astronomical Society hosts monthly star parties at the Eagle Eye Observatory at the Canyon of the Eagles Resort in Burnet. These longer events begin one hour before sundown and last for three hours. The next party will be February 18. Information on those can be found at austinastro.org.
If your child has sneakers that light up as the kid takes a step, put dark tape over those lights. (Really, they're serious about no lights in the viewing area.) And always ask before using another person's telescope. Most folks will be happy to let you view the night sky using their optics, but some telescopes might be in use doing research or they're being adjusted or calibrated.


text:
Home∕Plurality and Politics∕Hannah Arendt and the Love of the World – Labor, Work, Action
The Love of the World – The Human Condition – The Distinction between Labor, Work and Action.
Hannah Arendt considered calling "Amor Mundi: The love of the world" to her book "The Human Condition"1; and said at that time: "What is most difficult is to love the world as it is, with all the evil and suffering in it."2. She did it and she wanted that we should love the world, which does not mean accepting it without criticism, nor reject it with contempt. Above all, it means a firm confrontation and an understanding of what the world is. She wants everyone to think about how human activities have been understood throughout Western history to rethink the role and place of human beings in the world and to be able to act better and with more commitment at the present time.
Arendt in this work "The Human Condition"1 makes an essential distinction, which helps us to put things in their places and makes us try to understand the state of humanity in the contemporary world we in which we live. She wants us to think about what we are doing here and contemplates the human condition from the point of view of the activities that the human being is capable, which have nothing to do with human nature.
There are three fundamental human activities – labor, work and action. They are fundamental because each of them corresponds to one of the basic conditions by which the human being lives on the earth – to labor corresponds life; to work corresponds worldliness; and to action corresponds plurality. We should never forget that one of the main characteristics of human beings is plurality, each of them being capable of original perspectives and actions that do not fit in any type of arrangement or prediction model.
The three capacities and their corresponding conditions together constitute the Vita Activa, which is defined in juxtaposition to the Vita Contemplativa. And the discussion about the relative importance of these two does not interest Arendt, as this has led to the abandonment of many important ideas about them and about how the Vita Activa has changed since ancient times, which is what she studies in "The Human Condition"3.
Arendt also remembers us what other thinkers considered and what importance they gave to each human activity. For example, Adam Smith regarded the Vita Contemplativa as unproductive. All thinking activities or the like, given that they have no materiality, cannot be transformed into products, nor exchanged in the market or measured, are seen as unproductive labor. So with Adam Smith the focus turned to productive labor, production and work, because he "wished to explain and to secure the unhampered progress of a limitless accumulation of wealth" 4.
Regarding Karl Marx, he already thought that Vita Contemplativa should be considered, because ideas, knowledge and ideologies are very important, but they are always contingent on base, which is labor. For Marx, the most important thing to understand historical development, the way humans shape the world is labor. According to Arendt, we have then "the sudden, spectacular rise of labor from the lowest, most despised position to the highest rank, as the most esteemed of all human activities". "Labor found its climax in Marx's "system of labor", where labor became the source of all productivity and the expression of the very humanity of men."4
In modern times, the main characteristic of the human condition is that humans have focused on labor to the detriment of other forms of human activity. But if what was important to Marx was labor and to Adam Smith was the production of work using labor, in Arendt's case she was more concerned with action. She wanted to understand how we can pass on the ideas we have for practical life, to do something with them in the world. Action is for her to bring thought, the space of freedom of each, to the world which is also characterized by plurality.
To see more about the action that happens in freedom and plurality, which is the experience of doing politics, and what is this freedom, see our post "Creativity in different Human Activities".
Filipe Novais, Porto, Europe.
Note: This text is part of a Paper I wrote and presented at a management and arts conference in June 2018, titled "Creativity in the World and Leadership in Organizations" (22 pp). If you want to read the Paper, I can email it if you contact me to filipe@insperatus.org.
1. Arendt, Hannah, "The Human Condition", Ed.1998 (1st ed.1958). The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
2. In a letter of Hannah Arendt to Karl Jaspers on August 6, 1955, "Out of gratitude, I want to call my book about political theories Amor Mundi." In "Correspondence 1926-1969". Mariner Books, NY; Ed.1993.
3. "Barak Kalir presents the work of Hannah Arendt"; in Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam; March 2017. This conference is a very good introduction to "The Human Condition" and other works of Hannah Arendt. Video on:
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJKNgE5WyJY"
4. Based on Arendt, 1998, op.cit.; pp.101.
Image: Hanna Arendt; from RTP, Câmara Clara, 2006.
Joseph Beuys and "Creativity in the World"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


STATESVILLE, N.C. (May 24, 2016) – Landon Cassill's No. 38 team will pay tribute to a fallen soldier with a Front Row Motorsports family connection for the Memorial Day weekend Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Cassill's MDS Transport Ford Fusion will carry the windshield name decal of Pvt. Earl Platt, a World World I Army infantryman who fought in two of the Great War's biggest battles before dying from the effects of mustard gas poisoning.
Pvt. Platt was the great uncle of Gwen Bartley, the wife of Front Row Motorsports suspension mechanic and U.S. Air Force veteran Kurt Bartley.
Pvt. Platt, from Vestaburg, Mich., served in the Army from 1918 to 1919. He fought in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which was the largest offensive in U.S. military history. His family likes to tell a heroic story in which Pvt. Platt ran out of ammunition behind enemy lines, but captured a battery of German soldiers after constructing an imitation Tommy Gun out of a lawn mower wheel and an axle.
His combat years included exposure to mustard gas, a chemical weapon used by the enemy, and Pvt. Platt succumbed to the effects of the poisoning after returning to the States after the war.
Cassill's No. 38 MDS Transport Ford will run a patriotic paint scheme for the Memorial Day weekend race, promoting the transportation company's support for the U.S. military.
The Coca-Cola 600 airs live on FOX Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.


Edgar Scholler founded Getaway in August 2015, after building up Lottoland, one of the leading iGaming platforms, as co-founder. With Getaway he is now on the mission to democratize the range of mobility services in Germany in order to improve it sustainably by making the use of existing private cars more efficient. He wants fewer cars on the streets by enabling people spontaneous access to any car listed on the platform in order to enjoy a wonderful freedom. Edgar has studied Business Administration (TU, Berlin), has been accepted into the fellowship of the Stiftung des Deutschen Volkes and holds a B.A. in Social and Business Communication (UdK, Berlin).


Travail Global Agence de Placement Inc. is a recruitment and placement agency located in Montreal. Travail Global ensures that its clients' recruitment needs and objectives are met, simultaneously saving them time and money.
Recruitment is Travail Global's main priority! We maintain a computerized database of applicants which allows quick access to qualified, competent and experienced, management and entry-level applicants. Travail Global recruits manufactory, industrial, health, legal support, administrative and information technology professionals. We offer our clients permanent, temporary/contractual or seasonal personnel placement including candidates who are available on a full-time or part-time basis. Travail Global is conscious of their clients' expectations and is not only selective in their recruitment efforts, but also provides training to their candidates to better prepare them for their work assignment.
We would like to thank you for having chosen to join our team and together we will continue to be attentive and responsive to the varied needs of the clients and communities we serve. We look forward in collaborating and we are confident that you will become an integral part of our success and that of our clients.
Travail Global's mission is focused on servicing our clients to their utmost satisfaction. To attain this level of satisfaction, we are first and foremost committed to employing professional recruiters and treating them as valued associates. Moreover, every member of our team values honesty and professionalism in all of their business transactions.
With this solid foundation in place, our team's mission is to build long term relationships with our clients and candidates, to meet and exceed their expectations, and to be an active participant in the industries and communities we serve.


…[W]e have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all….For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
If you're like me, then at this time of year you go through the futile ritual of The Filling Out Of The Brackets.
For the uninitiated, what I'm referring to us the practice of filling out a bracket for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament — March Madness. You start with the 68 teams that made the tournament, and then you try to predict the winner of each game until you get to the National Champions. The trick, of course, is that you have to pick every game — 67 games, if I've done my math correctly — before the first one tips off. You can't go back and change your picks after the games have started; if you do it online, the websites usually won't let you. The odds of picking all 67 games correctly are hard to calculate, but they're astronomical. If every game was a coin flip, you'd expect one perfect bracket for every 9.2 quintillion filled out.
I don't even know how to write that in numbers.
Needless to say, there's never been a verified perfect bracket in the history of the 68-team tournament. The closest anyone has come seems to be 39 games.
If, like me, you're already unreasonably furious at Greg Nigl, then this won't make you feel any better. He says he almost didn't even fill the bracket out, and he hasn't even looked at it since. He had no idea what he had done until someone from ncaa.com contacted him. He also says he makes his picks partially on which cities he likes better. What, uniform color is too complicated for you, Greg?
Next year, I'm filling out my bracket on the basis of which mascot would win in a fight. I couldn't do much worse.
In fairness to Greg Nigl, he does acknowledge that his "perfect" bracket has as much to do with luck as anything else.
I suspect that's true about human "perfection" in most of its forms. I mean, you wouldn't know it by the way we defend our decisions, justify our mistakes, and generally try to project an air of infallibility, but I think most of the time what we call "perfection" is a cocktail of skill, hard work, having good people around us, positive factors that we can't control, and luck.
Please understand that I'm not trying to discount the amazing things that people can accomplish, that you've accomplished. I'm just saying that we vastly overestimate the degree to which and the frequency with which we're actually perfect.
It isn't possible to draw or trace a perfect circle. You can't create a perfect black color. Perfect pitch exists — though musicians prefer the term "exact pitch" — but doesn't make a person a perfect musician. To us, a movie or TV actor may look perfect; but without the makeup, lighting, and cinematography we'd see the same kinds of flaws the rest of us have.
Sometimes perfection has more to do with the terms we use than anything else. In 1941, Joe DiMaggio was "perfect" in getting at least one hit a game for 56 straight games. Incredibly impressive; the closest anyone has ever come to it since still fell 12 games short. Still, he wasn't "perfect" during that streak; he went 91-223, an average of .408, so almost 60% of his at-bats ended with outs. In fact, Ted Williams had a higher average over that period, though he wasn't perfect, either.
Even when we are perfect, it doesn't last. Perfection is fleeting; it evaporates the inevitable moment that we make a mistake. Like Greg Nigl: in between the time I started writing this and the time I finished, Greg's bracket was busted. He picked Tennessee to beat Purdue.
In spite of this, in spite of the fact that "perfection" is a difficult and elusive idea, we still put a lot of pressure on ourselves to attain it. We sometimes beat ourselves up when we fall short of perfection, and we sometimes make others miserable in our quest for it.
How's that quest for perfection worked for you? You've worked hard, done everything right, and still failed, haven't you? Or you had a bad day, or cut a few corners? Or you've been the victim of a blown call or a bad break? And probably at least once or twice, you've blown something so monumentally that you really doubt anyone will ever forget it.
It's hard to be perfect, even for a little while. And it's impossible for us to maintain for very long.
And that's why it has to be God's work.
But that's not all. We've been made perfect, but we're being made holy in Jesus. Again, it's God's work. He's the one who separates us out from the world so that we'll be fit for his purposes. And that's ongoing. That's where the places where we don't look too perfect are dealt with. In the process of making us holy, God confronts our selfishness and sin. He reminds us that we are his and that our purpose is nothing more or less than to be living temples from which his glory shines. One day, when his work is finished, we will be exactly what he intends for us to be. We'll be perfect.
In Christ, the issue is settled. The conflict is over. As long as we're in him, you and I are perfect, and nothing anyone can say or do, and not even our own failures, can change that. So give yourself a break. Give everyone around you a break. You don't have to achieve perfection, and you really gain nothing by putting on a front.
In Christ, you're perfect as you are.
Aren't you looking forward to what you're going to be?


Like many other regions of the world, Southeast Asia has been experiencing something of a drone boom. Hobbyists and professionals are becoming airborne in increasingly large numbers, militaries are vying to acquire or develop capable military unmanned aircraft, and governments are working to develop drone regulations as quickly as possible. Here's what you need to know.
A U.S. drone strike reportedly killed five people in Yemen. The strike destroyed a vehicle traveling in Mukalla, the capital of the southern Hadramawt province. According to an unnamed local official who spoke with Agence France-Presse, the individuals who were killed were suspected of being members of al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula.
An email sent to Hillary Clinton during her tenure as secretary of state discusses the U.S. targeted killing program. The email includes a copy of a news article about a suspected U.S. drone strike, and possibly references classified information. According to several experts who spoke with the Associated Press, however, it is unlikely that the information was taken from a classified document.
Meanwhile, a medical helicopter nearly collided with a drone in Southern California. According to local officials who spoke with the Los Angeles Times, the helicopter was carrying a snake-bite victim to a hospital in Fresno, California when the pilot spotted a large drone flying at around 1,000 ft. The pilot managed to avoid the drone by approximately 20 ft.
The Guardian reports that tech giant Google has been testing drones inside the United States as part of a deal with NASA. Google is working on a drone delivery project similar to Amazon's but, unlike the Seattle-based internet retailer, it has not received permission from the FAA to fly drones. Instead, over the past year, Google has tested drones under the auspices of NASA's exemption from the blanket ban on non-recreational drone activity.
At Marketplace, Ryan Calo and Brendan Schulman discuss the rising number of drone sightings and the pace of drone regulations.
At the Atlantic, Zach Musgrave and Bryan W. Roberts argue that it would be dangerous to weaponize artificial intelligence.
At Open Society Foundations, Richard Weir argues that a clear U.S. policy guidance on targeted killings has still not materialized, setting a dangerous precedent for other nations.
At the Intercept, Sharon Weinberger writes that millions of dollars were misspent in an attempt to combine the U.S. Air Force and the Army's Predator drone programs.
At War on the Rocks, Paul Scharre argues that manned aircraft of the future are likely to be teamed with unmanned aircraft on a regular basis.
At Forbes, Gregory S. McNeal argues that a proposed bill in California meant to protect individual privacy goes too far in restricting drones.
At the Washington Post, Gordon M. Goldstein reviews William M. Arkin's Unmanned: Drones, Data, and the Illusion of Perfect Warfare.
At Wired, Tim Moynihan takes a look at several new services that seek to pair expert drone pilots with customers.


text:
Lawrence Borthwick Kelly (29 April 1883 – 5 May 1955) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly  from  1947 until his death. He was a member of the Labor Party (ALP).

Kelly was born in Dumfries, Scotland and was educated to elementary level. He worked from the age of 12 as a coal-miner. In 1911 he arrived in Australia and after initially working as a miner in the Hunter Region, found employment with the New South Wales Government Railways. He joined the Labor party and became an official with the Australian Railways Union. Kelly was a councillor on the Bulli Shire Council in 1927-32 and 1935–47.

He was the shire president in 1929-31 and 1945–47. Kelly was elected to the New South Wales Parliament as the Labor member for the  seat of Bulli at the 1947 state election after the sitting Labor member John Sweeney retired.

He retained the seat for the Labor Party until 1955 when he died in office. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office. His son also, Laurie Kelly was the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in the 1980s.

References

1883 births
1955 deaths
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
20th-century Australian politicians
Mayors of places in New South Wales
Scottish emigrants to Australia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Taking SQL SERVER Database backup without Logs I have a database "DBName" on SQL Server 2008. I want to take backup of it without logs(.ldf file). Because this log file is around 20 GB and I don't want to increase the size of backup file.
I also want to do this without truncating logs from current Live database.
Meaning, the backed up copy shouldn't contain transaction logs but the live database "DBName" should remain unaffected.
P.S. - I am taking backup through following script. Variables are set from UI in WPF.
exec('BACKUP DATABASE '+ @DBName +' TO DISK ='''+ @DBBackupPath +'''')

Thank you.

EDIT
Should SQL Server Simple Recovery Model help ?

A: A full backup only contains the portion of the log that was generated during the backup. Should be very small.
If you enable simple recovery that will throw away all logs that are not backed up and break the log chain. Is there a reason to be in full recovery mode? If yes you should probably make yourself more familiar with how to not break the log chain.


Grace Perez has advocated against violence against women, particularly in Latina communities, for over 30 years. She helped organize the first Annual Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Walk in 2001 to remember Gladys Ricart, who was murdered by her abusive former boyfriend on the day she was to marry her fiancé. Each September 26th, hundreds of women and men parade through New York City dressed as brides or in black to mourn and memorialize Ms. Ricart and the many other victims whose lives have been taken through domestic violence. The Walk raises awareness about the devastating effects of this horrific crime on families and communities.


text:
Da' Hammer Roots For Abraham Ohene-Djan
Jan 26, 2017 Entertainment
Astute sound engineer, Da' Hammer has added his voice to the ongoing conversation over who should be considered a deputy minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture by recommending Abraham Ohene-Djan, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ohenemedia.
His choice is on the basis that, Ohene-Djan's expertise in all sectors of arts is highly remarkable.
"I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me that he [Ohene-Djan] is intelligent, very experienced, he is one of the pioneers of this whole thing, he really understands what we need. He is like a father to us all. He is also a fine gentleman, very distinguished personality," he told Ghanaweb.
After President Akufo-Addo announced Catherine Ablema Afeku, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Evalue Jomoro-Gwira as minister, two names have become resounding in the race for the deputy ministerial position.
While some industry players are supporting filmmaker, Socrate Safo, others are for Kojo Antwi, a marketer.
But Hammer is of the view that Ohene-Djan is more than capable.
"I will actually trust him with the ministry itself. I think he can run the ministry proper… From the arts industry, Abraham cuts across. He's been involved in movies, music, he's supported this whole generation with his vast knowledge," The Last Two boss noted.
I'm Ever Ready To Act In Kumawood Movies Again – Mr. Beautiful
Victor Owusu-Bediako


text:
In situ formation and characterisation of singly ionised atomic europium in rare gas matrices-Luminescence spectroscopy and MP2 calculations
Byrne, Owen and Davis, Gary and McCaffrey, John G. (2015) In situ formation and characterisation of singly ionised atomic europium in rare gas matrices-Luminescence spectroscopy and MP2 calculations. Journal of Chemical Physics, 142. 054307. ISSN 0021-9606
Irradiation of atomic europium isolated in the solid rare gases, with low intensity laser excitation of the y8P ← a8S resonance transition at ca. 465 nm, is found to produce singly charged europium cations (Eu+) in large amounts in xenon and in smaller amounts in argon. Confirmation of the formation of matrix-isolated Eu+ is obtained from characteristic absorption bands in the UV and in the visible spectral regions. The luminescence produced with excitation of the cation bands is presented in greatest detail for Eu/Xe and assigned. Excitation of the 4f7(8S7/2)6p3/2 absorption bands of Eu+ between 390 and 410 nm produces emission which is quite distinct from that resulting from excitation of the 4f7(8S7/2)6p1/2 absorption (430 to 450 nm) features. The latter consists of narrow, resolved emission bands with Stokes shifts ten times smaller than the former. The observed spectral differences are discussed in relation to the different spatial symmetries of the p3/2 and p1/2 orbitals in these j-j coupled (7/2, 3/2)J and the (7/2, 1/2)J levels. Møller-Plesset calculations are conducted to obtain the molecular parameters of the neutral Eu-RG and cationic Eu+-RG diatomics (RG = Ar, Kr, Xe). From the short bond lengths and the strong binding energies obtained for the Eu+-RG species, these values suggest the isolation of the ion in small, possibly interstitial sites especially in xenon. In contrast, but consistent with previous work [O. Byrne and J. G. McCaffrey, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 124501 (2011)], the interaction potentials calculated herein for the Eu-RG diatomics suggest that the neutral Eu atom occupies tetra-vacancy (tv) and hexa-vacancy (hv) sites in the solid rare gas hosts. Possible reasons for the facile production of Eu+ in the solid rare gases are discussed. The mechanism proposed is that atomic europium is also acting as an electron acceptor, providing a temporary trap for the ionised electron in the matrices.
atomic europium; rare gas matrices; Luminescence spectroscopy; MP2 calculations;
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4907201
Journal of Chemical Physics
http://aip.scitation.org


text:
Bertrand Russell: Face to Face
Sundays with Riki
Random events
Las del diente
A fanatic against fanaticism, and other pleasures of Bertrand Russell in his own words
After 378 pages of intensely intricate logical proofs, one comes upon a triumphant sentence: 'From this proposition it will follow, when arithmetical addition has been defined, that 1 + 1 = 2.' The purpose of Bertrand Russell's Principia Mathematica (1910-13), co-authored with Alfred North Whitehead, was to find a logical foundation for mathematics, what is known as the logicist programme. In pursuit of this, the book took 10 years to write and launched modern mathematical logic. For the lay reader, it is the height of esoteric philosophy: hundreds and hundreds of pages of dense logical symbolism, much of which the authors created specifically for their purposes. That is why it comes as something of a surprise to learn that Russell's political activism earned him two bouts of jail time – one in 1918, the other in 1961. There are not many logicists so willing to get their hands dirty in the muck of the real world. But Russell was much more than a mere philosopher.
In this 1959 interview from the BBC programme Face to Face, Russell recounts episodes of his long and spectacular life. Born in 1872 to a powerful family (his grandfather was a prime minister), he involved himself in many of the most significant political issues of the next century, from the First World War to the Six-Day War, always from a liberal or Left perspective. He was a passionate pacifist (the stance that can be partially blamed for his jail sentence in 1918), an atheist, and supremely moral man whose passion for knowledge was matched only by his empathy for his fellow human. 'It just won't do to live in an ivory tower,' Russell says. 'This world is too bad, and we must notice it.'
'You wanna get rid of me?' When the time comes to move mom into assisted living
During their weekly Sunday breakfast together, Ivy discovers that her octogenarian mother Riki is losing her memory. Soon after, Ivy decides that Riki would be better off moving out of the cozy Brooklyn apartment where she lives alone, and into an assisted living community in the Bronx, closer to Ivy's own home. But, of course, when it comes to big family decisions, nothing is ever quite that easy. Ivy is making the request out of love, but Riki – resistant every step of the way – thinks her daughter is being controlling. When the time for a trial run at the community arrives, Ivy's siblings start to question whether the move is premature, while Riki's neighbours suggest that she'll never be back. These delicate interpersonal dynamics are skilfully explored in this short documentary by New York-based filmmaker Brandon Barr. A tender and intimate portrait of ageing and the complexities of familial love, Sundays with Riki is likely to resonate with anyone who has helped to care for – or just cares about – an elderly relative.
Director: Brandon Barr
Producer: Max Mooney
Colorist: Anthony Riso
The Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) was formed in 1956 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the mission to create science-education materials for US high-school classrooms. In this PSSC film from 1961, the physics professors J N Patterson Hume and Donald Ivey of the University of Toronto deploy their expertise – as well as some seriously elaborate sets – to demonstrate how, with enough data, highly predictable patterns can emerge from unpredictable events. This version of Random Events has been visually and aurally enhanced by the Aeon Video team. For more elaborate educational wizardry from the PSSC, watch Frames of Reference.
Director: John Friedman
Visual restoration: Tamur Qutab
Audio restoration: Adam D'Arpino
'Girls are weird. Babies are weird. Bodies are extra weird,' says the Spanish animator Ana Pérez López. In Las del Diente, she uses excerpts from candid conversations with three women as a canvas for a refreshingly honest and unapologetic meditation on modern womanhood. The anecdotes are enriched with hallucinatory animated sequences and percussive interludes, transforming their conversations about social pressure and biological anomalies into a surreal celebration of being female, in all its multitudes – from having your body treated like a business to contending with deeply conflicted feelings about having children.
Video by Ana Pérez López
'Where is it that we are?' A poet conjures a journey along the waters of the afterlife
The short film The River evocatively adapts the US spoken-word poet Anis Mojgani's performance of 'To Where the Trees Grow Tall' from his book In the Pockets of Small Gods (2018). Mojgani invokes a surreal scene of confusion, mystery and casual conversations between newly deceased strangers in a piece that envisions its listeners in their coffins, 'clanging down the river, with all the other coffins in the water of the next world'. The US filmmaker Kristian Melom pairs this performance with split-screen images of the poet navigating a cityscape and a journey down a serenely flowing river. Through Mojgani's words and Melom's images, death – like life – is rendered as at once mundane and deeply enigmatic.
Director: Kristian Melom
Producer: AIR Serenbe
Executive Producer: J Brandon Hinman
Before 'government cheese' was a punchline, it was an experimental economic plan
How wonder – the linchpin of inspiration and inquiry – makes humans unique
Computing and artificial intelligence
Why artificial neural networks have a long way to go before they can 'see' like us
Thinkers and theories
Marxism and Buddhism
Life is suffering, whether you sit under a Bodhi Tree or stand with the workers. But do the two schools agree on the remedy?
Adrian Kreutz
Logic and probability
How ad hominem arguments can demolish appeals to authority
Moti Mizrahi
When Chomsky met Foucault: how the thinkers debated the 'ideal society'
Impossible choices
Learning from his family, his animals and his work with tribal people, Gregory Bateson saw the creative potential of paradox
Tim Parks
To all intensive purposes, you might have another think coming about how idioms work
Richard Feynman was wrong about beauty and truth in science
Massimo Pigliucci