MrAlex's recent activity
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
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Comment on For those with an alcohol problem, are non-alcoholic beverages a wise choice? in ~health
MrAlex LinkI quit cold turkey a year ago; I went on a bit of a bender, a switch flipped in my brain, and I didn't want alcohol anymore. However for me I do enjoy the social aspect of bars so I have been...I quit cold turkey a year ago; I went on a bit of a bender, a switch flipped in my brain, and I didn't want alcohol anymore. However for me I do enjoy the social aspect of bars so I have been experimenting with n/a beers and cocktails. That said, everyone's journey with sobriety is different. If it is a matter of will power for someone to abstain, then I would caution immediately replacing beer with n/a beer, as it could be too close to the real thing.
On that note, the only n/a beer that fools my brain is Heineken 0.0, many others taste either off, or like bread dough water. Though if you hate the taste of Heineken, you'll hate 0.0 as it is almost undistinguishable from regular (which can make it dangerous). A good friend of mine who is sober by necessity got got at an applebees because they mixed up the bottles and gave him a regular, he didn't even notice till he started to feel weird. Luckily it was just the one. -
Comment on What watch do you wear daily? in ~hobbies
MrAlex Link ParentThere are a few restorer/reseller accounts on Etsy that I have purchased from. If I remember correctly, two I got from an account in Ukraine, and one from Poland. If you are okay with the only...There are a few restorer/reseller accounts on Etsy that I have purchased from. If I remember correctly, two I got from an account in Ukraine, and one from Poland. If you are okay with the only original part of the watch being the movement, it's a pretty straight forward experience, though if you are more of a Soviet watch hobbyist, then there are still web forums where you can shop/trade for parts to try and reassemble a watch as close to original as possible. As far as I can tell, the red faced big zero was never available in the original runs and is a contemporary creation. Looks sick though, if I do say so myself.
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Comment on What watch do you wear daily? in ~hobbies
MrAlex LinkI wear either a Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic with a Tiffany blue face, or one of my three manual Soviet watches (original movement, rerpro faces); A Raketa Copernicus, and Raketa Big 0 with a red...I wear either a Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic with a Tiffany blue face, or one of my three manual Soviet watches (original movement, rerpro faces); A Raketa Copernicus, and Raketa Big 0 with a red face, and a Pobeda Shturmanskiye with a black face (this one is a little worse for wear and is a bit too inaccurate and likes to stop of its own accord).
I may replace the Pobeda at some point, but I'll probably go for a vintage Seiko first. -
Comment on The Watchers | Official teaser trailer in ~movies
MrAlex LinkIntriguing premise. I hope there is enough there to support a feature length runtime. I am getting "From" vibes though, which I hope I am wrong about. That show learned the wrong lessons from...Intriguing premise. I hope there is enough there to support a feature length runtime.
I am getting "From" vibes though, which I hope I am wrong about. That show learned the wrong lessons from "LOST", and neglected character to focus on mystery.As a side note: If anyone was curious, the music in this trailer is a piece called The Swan from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-saëns, performed on theramin by Clara Rockmore the GOAT of theramin players.
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Comment on Wicked | First look in ~movies
MrAlex LinkIs this...a musical? I mean, why would you cast Grande if it isn't? But, I am continually baffled by films not marketing that they are a musical, or have musical numbers. Mean girls downplayed it...Is this...a musical?
I mean, why would you cast Grande if it isn't? But, I am continually baffled by films not marketing that they are a musical, or have musical numbers. Mean girls downplayed it being a musical, Wonka downplayed that it was a musical, and I would argue that even The Color Purple downplayed it to an extent.I guess the backlash for an audience being surprised by a musical is less than the number of people who will avoid a musical at all costs...
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
MrAlex Link ParentI'd put Marry Poppins as a close second. It loses points for "feed the birds" which grinds the pacing to a halt, and for Dick Van Dyke's terrible accent.I'd put Marry Poppins as a close second. It loses points for "feed the birds" which grinds the pacing to a halt, and for Dick Van Dyke's terrible accent.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
MrAlex LinkI sat down and watched The Pirates Of The Caribbean: the curse of the black pearl, on Blu-ray. I finally watched with one of the 3 (count 'em three!) commentary tracks with the four main writers....I sat down and watched The Pirates Of The Caribbean: the curse of the black pearl, on Blu-ray.
I finally watched with one of the 3 (count 'em three!) commentary tracks with the four main writers.
Firstly: I miss commentary tracks; they are like free Film School. And secondly: it cemented my opinion that POTC 1 is the single best Disney live action film. Now, I am willing to be convinced otherwise, but I doubt there is another Disney film as water tight and unbloated in writing, with such invested performances. I could go on for quite a while about how great that movie is. -
Comment on Spaceman | Official trailer in ~movies
MrAlex Link ParentMy husband is like that, really struggles with any media containing spiders. Me, on the other hand, can manage. I am the spider wrangler in our home. However, this trailer filled me with such...My husband is like that, really struggles with any media containing spiders. Me, on the other hand, can manage. I am the spider wrangler in our home. However, this trailer filled me with such revulsion at a couple spots; it was really unusual and intense.
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Comment on Spaceman | Official trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Spaceman | Official trailer in ~movies
MrAlex LinkThe premise had me intrigued: Adam Sandler and Paul Dano as an astronaut and a stowaway alien, talking about their feeeeeelings. Was not expecting Dano to be A GIANT FUCKING SPIDER. Moved it right...The premise had me intrigued: Adam Sandler and Paul Dano as an astronaut and a stowaway alien, talking about their feeeeeelings.
Was not expecting Dano to be A GIANT FUCKING SPIDER. Moved it right from a "yes" to a "only if I hear it's really good". -
Comment on What's your favorite Wikipedia page and why? in ~talk
MrAlex LinkA favorite example of a historical story (more apocryphal legend than hard fact) that falls into the "Metal As Fuck" category is the page on Olga of Kiev. The section on her dealings with the...A favorite example of a historical story (more apocryphal legend than hard fact) that falls into the "Metal As Fuck" category is the page on Olga of Kiev.
The section on her dealings with the Drevlians is very much Game Of Thrones fodder.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
MrAlex Link ParentIt really is a treat. I was curious, so I looked up photos of them (they are brothers) and I saw a lot of non smiling, too cool for school shoots. It kinda gave me whiplash.It really is a treat.
I was curious, so I looked up photos of them (they are brothers) and I saw a lot of non smiling, too cool for school shoots. It kinda gave me whiplash.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
MrAlex LinkI've been listening to The Lemon Twigs most recent album Everything Harmony. I had never heard of them until I saw the album on a year-end-best-of list; I really love those lists. If you take a...I've been listening to The Lemon Twigs most recent album Everything Harmony.
I had never heard of them until I saw the album on a year-end-best-of list; I really love those lists.
If you take a bit of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, add about half a serving of Simon and Garfunkle, two table spoons of John Denver, a dash of James Taylor, and a pinch of musical theatre to taste, you get this album.
Two big thumbs up!
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Comment on The male glance [2018] in ~tv
MrAlex LinkI truly believe you can see evidence of how incisive this essay is by how aggressively some of the comments disparage the work due to a single comparison, as if by disproving it the rest of the...I truly believe you can see evidence of how incisive this essay is by how aggressively some of the comments disparage the work due to a single comparison, as if by disproving it the rest of the essay comes apart (it doesn't), and by how many negative votes each comment has (at least -500). It truly ruffled some delicate and fragile plumage.
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Comment on How the ballpoint pen killed cursive in ~humanities.history
MrAlex Link ParentNot usually, unless it's a particularly "high maintenance" ink that needs distilled water or else it turns to sludge (Chou Kuro), or an ink known to be an extreme stainer and bleach solution is...Not usually, unless it's a particularly "high maintenance" ink that needs distilled water or else it turns to sludge (Chou Kuro), or an ink known to be an extreme stainer and bleach solution is the only thing that works (Baystate Blue). Look into De Atramentis document inks, they can take longer to dry, but are highly water resistant for fountain pen inks.
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Comment on How to find new music in ~music
MrAlex Link ParentI have a friend who does something similar. He creates a playlist called "newfound tunes" and then labels it with the month and year. He has like 5 to 7 years worth of playlists in this format. It...I have a friend who does something similar.
He creates a playlist called "newfound tunes" and then labels it with the month and year.
He has like 5 to 7 years worth of playlists in this format.
It seems to work well for him as the playlists aren't too long, but I tried it and fell off pretty quick. -
Comment on The Abyss | Remastered 4K, in theaters Dec 6 | Official trailer in ~movies
MrAlex Link ParentOh my goodness that is good news! I will be voting with my wallet and adding both the abyss and aliens to my non delete-able, physical collection.Oh my goodness that is good news!
I will be voting with my wallet and adding both the abyss and aliens to my non delete-able, physical collection. -
Comment on The Abyss | Remastered 4K, in theaters Dec 6 | Official trailer in ~movies
MrAlex LinkI really really hope this will become available on physical media, hopefully with the theatrical cut included, but I'm bracing myself for disappointment.I really really hope this will become available on physical media, hopefully with the theatrical cut included, but I'm bracing myself for disappointment.
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Comment on What furniture do you like? in ~life.home_improvement
MrAlex LinkIn have been fortunate by inheriting several pieces of wooden mid-century modern furniture. I have two pieces of the Esperanto set by Drexel, a modular teak curio, and a danish modern fold away...In have been fortunate by inheriting several pieces of wooden mid-century modern furniture. I have two pieces of the Esperanto set by Drexel, a modular teak curio, and a danish modern fold away dining room table.
I am also fortunate to live next to a furniture store that has excellent vintage furniture at a decent price, so we also have a craftsman sofa, and a desk-in-a-box.
I have seen two movies at far this year that really blew my socks off!
The first is Mars Express (dir. Jérémie Périn), which is a French, animated, sci-fi, neo-noir.
The plot follows P.I. Aline Ruby as she and her robot (this is complicated) partner Carlos as they investigate the disappearance of a college student who got herself involved in some serious robotics hacking. It is a very satisfying and twisty-wisty mystery, as well as clearly being influenced by previous sci-fi greats such as Ghost In The Shell and Blade Runner, lesser works like Minority Report and i-Robot, and what feels like perhaps a slight nod to...Coneheads?
This film has some of the best world building in have seen in a very long time, not just in how this future world uses technology, but also in how the human characters are indifferent to it in certain ways. The robots for example exist in two clear categories; those that were made to be robotic servants and helpers with clearly robotic aesthetics, and what are called "back-ups" or robots that have had the memories of humans uploaded into them after their death. You or I would probably see these two types as quite different, but the humans in this world treat them exactly the same, and it's through this indifference that the ideas and themes of the film really show through.
All in all, everything comes together beautifully in a powerful denouement set to a wonderfully French electronic score.
The second film is I Saw The TV Glow (dir. Jane Schoenbrun), a dreamy and hypnotic exploration of finding identity through media, and a cautionary tale of living a life untrue to ones-self.
Set in the 90s suburbs, Owen and Maddie are two youths who form a bond over their shared love of a very 90s teen TV show, and how they come to see themselves, but with some very strange and evocative visual and story elements, and a banging original soundtrack.
This feels to me like the memory of watching 90s teen television, not the shows them selves, and I found it to be very effecting. It has caused me to look within myself and explore my own feelings of gender and gender expression.
This movie is WEIRD, with very strange delivery of dialogue. So if realism is your bread and butter, this might leave you hungry. Just know that this filme is not for Everyone, but it is also not For everyone.
I am excited to see what this director does next! Three cheers for new queer cinema!