h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Neat!

Not a fan of Russell Crowe, so perhaps it's for the best I haven't seen Romper Stomper.

Watched a rather silly mid-60s Japanese spy film "spoof" type flick night before last. "Black Tight Killers". It was actually quite engaging, and a couple of the weapons were inspired.

Hey, hope you had a good weekend.

Watched The Butterfly Effect yesterday. Didn't have much optimism for something with Ashton Kutcher in it, but the boy done well. I thought it was great - taut, intelligently written, well worth a look. The only let down for me was the soundtrack which made me want to hurt someone. It finishes on an Oasis song for Christ's sake. Still, excellent by my estimation, and a good lesson in You Can't Go Back.

Have you seen 28 Days Later? Now there's a zombie flick and a half.

I have seen "28 Days Later". It was OK... I didn't *love* it, but it was entertaining. Shortly after watching that one, I watched an Australian one called "Undead" that was a real hoot.

Oof. I wasn't quite finished just yet.

Anyway, I hope you had a good weekend, too, besides movie-watching. I watched a mockumentary on Friday night, "Incident at Loch Ness", with Werner Herzog. Zack Penn is an annoying little , but the film was pretty funny. Yesterday, watched "Andrei Rublev"; it's a very well-made film, and the subject matter is interesting... but it's 3 1/2 hours long, and subtitled, so there was a lot of hitting of the pause button for relieving of one's self, and rewinding after being distracted by a disgruntled (and apparently horribly neglected) kitty.

Saturday afternoon, we hauled way down to the south suburbs to visit a couple K went to high school with. Such an economically depressed and bleak little town- but they seem happy and their kids are awesome. I ate grilled mushrooms and zucchini until I was about ready to puke.

Sounds fun, up to the wanting to puke bit..

My weekend was a bit of a non-event really. Did a bit of shopping, on Sunday watched Butterfly, then 28 Days, then Mirrormask. But one highlight was ringing in my meter reading and finding out my next electric bill a vast improvement on the last, leaving me enough room to go to Eastern Haze after all.

It's always rewarding when bills total less than budgeted. I won't see an electric bill under $200 until autumn, when the A/C shuts off, but hopefully we won't see any $400 ones like last year.

Found this last evening, at a local comic shop:

http://opheliapayne.blogspot.com/2007/06/from-dark-corners-of-world-to-my-living.html

Of course, I had to get it. Now they're taking over my living room!

That's so cute!

I was in the local comic shop recently (whenceforth Ophelia) and saw a couple of very cute, but unnervingly large Cthulhu toys. One dressed up as a secret agent (Blues Brother, Reservoir Dog, MIB), the other as Santa Claus.

http://www.iguk.co.uk/products/plush-toy-santa-cthulhu-983.aspx

Apparently there's also an Elvis one and a Superhero one.

Googling around I also saw this..

http://www.myconfinedspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/hello-cthulhu.gif

What I would not give for air conditioning round here. It's a very rare luxury in the UK, though that really should change. There are times I've thought about getting a job in a certain book shop, just for the privilege of standing underneath the fans.

Ah, yes, Hello Cthulhu. I've got that in my bookmarks at home.

I've seen the Santa and Elvis Cthulhu dolls at a sci-fi/fantasy/comic book shop in Evanston, called "Something Wicked". That's where I bought my vicious Monty Python Killer Bunny and my Marvin (the h2g2 movie Marvin), as well as more than a couple of books.

Honestly, I think I'd die without air conditioning. Your summers seem to get pretty warm there, though perhaps with not as long a stretch of hot weather? We're averaging only about 31° or 32° C this week, but it gets rather humid, too. You know how that brings on the wheezing...

Working in a bookshop, with fans, probably isn't the worst situation a fellow could find himself in?

Well apart from the minimum wage, it would definitely be a good deal - though if I'm honest with myself, even then I probably wouldn't read much more than I do now... shredded concentration span, and just plain lazy. I've been ignoring the same book for over a month.

Oh dear oh dear...

>>We're averaging only about 31° or 32° C this week

Sure, England has an occasional peak time, more regularly these days, when everybody (me first, it has to be said) falls apart. But "only about 31° or 32°" translates to us as imminent apocalypse.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5137982.stm?ls

That said, I went on safari in the Zambezi valley with my Auntie in '01, when it was 50°, and I was having a whale of a time. Dry heat making all the difference.

I missed the boat on the Marvin dolls but just this morning picked one up from ebay. Only my second online purchase ever. Very chuffed.

>But "only about 31° or 32°" translates to us as imminent apocalypse.<

For some reason, I thought your heat wave last summer was a lot warmer, on average, than that. Whatever- it depends more on what you're used to, I suppose. And it is easier to cope when you have A/C- which is why it's more common over here (and if things keep up at the rate they've been, y'all will be seeing more air conditioners over there, I'll bet).

I can handle 31° or 32° C outdoors- I manage the 3/4 mile walk from the train home in the afternoons with no ill effect (and rarely break a sweat until I get into the cooler air inside). But I can't sleep very well if it's much above 23° C indoors.

Hmmm. It looks like "Hot Fuzz" will be out on DVD here sometime next month. I've added it to the Netflix queue, but I'm not holding onto much hope. I have yet to stay awake through "Shaun of the Dead"- I fall asleep 10 or 15 minutes into it. But, K wants to see it, eventually. I suppose I ought to bump it so we see it before "Hot Fuzz".

Also found a used copy of "Spaced" (three discs). I remember hating it before, but to be fair, it was only the first episode. So, I bought it, to give it another go. I can't say I *hate* it, but I'm not sure I like it, either. I did manage a couple of guffaws, but had to stifle a few yawns, as well. And part of me just wants to kick Simon Pegg in the teeth, no matter what he's doing.

But I'm *trying*.

Hey, don't try too hard! A lot of it is boy-geek, in many ways, and highly English and provincial. There's one episode of Spaced where he has a shootout with a gang of kids, but everyone's packing two pointed fingers. The references can get a bit infuriating sometimes, I expect some you won't get.

I've not seen Hot Fuzz yet but I doubt I'll not love it, for many of the above reasons. It just came out on DVD here, I expect I'll get it when it's a bit cheaper.

Well, the pretentious arty-farty types make me snicker, of course. And I'm not unfamiliar with comic book and gaming geeks. But yeah, I think some of it I just don't "get". And it's no fun when someone has to explain all the jokey bits. Oh, well. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Black Books and Father Ted still get played on an almost daily basis- generally to fill in between Netflix arrivals and departures. And of course, Father Ted every Sunday morning.

I finally got a chance to watch some of "The Day Today", and "Super Banzai Video Show". While "The Day Today" was OK enough (and possibly a good start before I watch another recommended show called "I'm Alan Partridge"?), I have to say that "Super Banzai Video Show" nearly made me shit myself laughing. I especially enjoyed the wheelchair chicken race, the synchronized swimmers (rofl), and the shopping cart jousting. Oh, and the three "lonely" men... with the magazines and the Erlenmeyer flasks... .

Great if you can get some mileage out of The Day Today. I got cheesed off with Alan Partridge (there's also Knowing Me, Knowing You...); it is car-crash comedy of the first order (much like the Office) which try as I have, pretty much does nothing but depress me. Too much of it reminds me of my Dad, I think. Though I know you've got a thing for Steve Coogan (wtf?) I wouldn't recommend it myself.

The Day Today is a classic by my estimation, but it's a gentle tease compared to what Chris Morris did next, Brass Eye. *That* is gold.

Figured you'd love Banzai and very glad Father Ted and Black Books were such a hit.

My fave bit of Banzai, thinking about it, was the mad bald chop-socky guy. So much character!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIvMrLSUtMU

Will have to check that out from home later on...

I don't really have a "thing" for Steve Coogan (though I thought he looked hot in "Coffee & Cigarettes", he also looks kinda dorky in other things). I'll have to see what I think of him as Alan Partridge- my friend Edward the Bonobo suggested I have a peek somtime, at that and a show called "The Green Wing". Sadly, "The Green Wing" isn't available here, and I'm leery of ordering a brand-new DVD from SendIt, on the off chance I don't like it and would be unable to sell it later. You know what I mean?

Not a fan of "The Office" (and less so of its USAnian counterpart). "Office Space" did it so much better- and was actually funny. If only they'd cast the waitress with someone with acting ability instead of that Aniston bimbo, it'd get 10 out of 10 from me. The printer scene was especially inspired... percussive maintenance is, in fact, the preferred office equipment maintenance method here at the office.

BTW, had a chance to browse that online shop you linked me to last week- Know Your Product. I did find something in their inventory I'd be interested in, but I'm not sure it'd be worthwhile your looking into it for me. It looks like I could get a used copy here for about $15 or $20. It's the Wire DVD "On the Box".

Sounds like Ed is on the money. Green Wing is excellent, though the fancy editing can get a bit annoying. I reckon you'd have a whale of a time with that. It includes the girl who plays Fran in Black Books, and the guy who plays Brian in Spaced (who also plays Chob, in the above link). There's actually only about 24 comedy actors working in England today... most of them are in one scene, in an alley, in Shaun Of The Dead.

Mary *adores* Green Wing, and it's on her Amazon wish list, so if you didn't like it you'd have a sure-fire taker, if it's R2.

Maybe I'll give it a chance, then. It sounds pretty entertaining, though I've taken into consideration that Edward seems to be more than a little partial to Tamsin Grieg (sp?). I think I'll give it a go, knowing that someone would take it off me if it turned out to be a bust.

I think I can safely go with your assurance as well, since you do tend to suggest things I wind up enjoying.

I do notice a lot of the same actors/actresses appearing in various things. The first thing I noticed about "Spaced" was that the "daisy" woman is the yoga chick from Black Books, only she'd subsequently gotten really fat.