redwall_hp's recent activity
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
redwall_hp Link ParentOh, that's out already? That's on my to-watch list, because I am a big Vocaloid fan. Though I feel like I should watch another adaptation of the original story first, like the Ghibli one.Oh, that's out already? That's on my to-watch list, because I am a big Vocaloid fan. Though I feel like I should watch another adaptation of the original story first, like the Ghibli one.
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Comment on Catherine O’Hara - legendary actress dead at 71 in ~movies
redwall_hp Link ParentThey should release Home Alone 2: Special Edition, with someone else CGI'd over the orange menace.They should release Home Alone 2: Special Edition, with someone else CGI'd over the orange menace.
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Comment on Best gas masks in ~society
redwall_hp Link ParentYep. Tear gas isn't even gas: it's a fine, irritating powder. Even a good old COVID-ready mask will help keep it out of your nose...and anyone who deals in paints probably sells cartridge...The trick is calling them "gas masks" on the news I guess.
Yep. Tear gas isn't even gas: it's a fine, irritating powder. Even a good old COVID-ready mask will help keep it out of your nose...and anyone who deals in paints probably sells cartridge respirators with eye coverings, to keep solvents out of your lungs.
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Comment on Terry Pratchett’s novels may have held clues to his dementia a decade before diagnosis, our new study suggests in ~books
redwall_hp LinkObligatory: GNU Terry Pratchett Another confounding variable is the editorial process: maybe an editor changed, or developed different preferences and advocated for a simpler style. Readers'...Obligatory: GNU Terry Pratchett
Another confounding variable is the editorial process: maybe an editor changed, or developed different preferences and advocated for a simpler style. Readers' vocabularies have been on a downward slide for decades.
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Comment on Curl will end its bug bounty program by the end of January due to excessive AI generated reports in ~comp
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentAnd open source software. The only reason these things can program is because they've ingested tons of source code that people gave away for free, under licenses intended to keep it that way, as a...And open source software. The only reason these things can program is because they've ingested tons of source code that people gave away for free, under licenses intended to keep it that way, as a generous gift to society. Now companies generate code that they intend to sit on and profit from, laundering copyright and laying people off.
Before ChatGPT, when GitHub Copilot was first released, people very quickly noticed that it frequently generated code with comments identical to open source projects.
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Comment on Youtube channel recommendations 2026 in ~tech
redwall_hp (edited )LinkI intentionally avoid anything science or technology related on YouTube, because I live that all day at work, so my recommendations will be around music production. Doctor Mix: an extremely...I intentionally avoid anything science or technology related on YouTube, because I live that all day at work, so my recommendations will be around music production.
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Doctor Mix: an extremely enthusiastic Italian guy talking about analog synthesizers and doing meticulous reconstructions of classic synth songs.
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Captain Pikant: Analysis and recreation of drum machine patterns.
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Bad Gear: This channel has kind of a satirical angle. It's presented in the form of reviews of hardware synthesizers, but it's kind of roasting them in an unserious way.
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12 Tone: Music theory videos analyzing popular songs, in the form of the presenter doodling on staff paper while he talks, and also using it as a visual aid where applicable.
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Bthelick: An industry professional giving advice on dance music and audio engineering. All streams are just a recording of Ableton with narration over it, in a format that's more conversational than your typical YouTube tutorial type thing. He does monthly Q&A streams, where he'll field live questions from the chat.
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Comment on Anyone want to share their thoughts on the latest Dresden Files novel, Twelve Months? in ~books
redwall_hp Link ParentThe last one I read was Skin Game. I should probably get caught up sometime...I had no idea there was another one coming already.The last one I read was Skin Game. I should probably get caught up sometime...I had no idea there was another one coming already.
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Comment on Wilson Lin on FastRender: a browser built by thousands of parallel agents in ~tech
redwall_hp Link ParentAI code in a nutshell. It's copyright laundering.AI code in a nutshell. It's copyright laundering.
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Comment on When buttons were the hottest new thing in radio in ~tech
redwall_hp Link ParentThose buttons came back again for cassette players. I remember having decks in the 90s that had transport controls that operated like the older radio buttons. Some had soft controls, but that sort...Those buttons came back again for cassette players. I remember having decks in the 90s that had transport controls that operated like the older radio buttons. Some had soft controls, but that sort of locking button that would pop back up when another was pressed was very common.
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Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro
redwall_hp Link ParentYep, that's how I read it, as expanding. I was just brain dumping some assorted tips that might be useful to have in some situations (more from a driving context than a survival one). I definitely...Yep, that's how I read it, as expanding. I was just brain dumping some assorted tips that might be useful to have in some situations (more from a driving context than a survival one). I definitely agree that that particular one is probably a last resort for most people, and probably should have noted that.
Proper winter apparel is another good addition...that's something I just assume, but my observation from the South/Midwest is that people are not at all prepared in that regard.
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Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentYes, that's very situational. I grew up in Maine, where if you get stranded, it could very well be on a rural road where nobody is going to be coming for a long time. You have to weigh the risks...Yes, that's very situational. I grew up in Maine, where if you get stranded, it could very well be on a rural road where nobody is going to be coming for a long time. You have to weigh the risks of being out in the cold or getting snowed in worse and not having heat anyway. The state driving manual also strongly suggests keeping chemical heaters, a shovel and a mylar blanket in your car. (And, of course, nobody there would go anywhere without a heavy winter jacket and boots.)
In a city or interstate context, hazards on and calling for assistance is usually the safer move. I honestly would probably never change a tire myself either, for that reason. It's safer to get a tow.
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Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentTrail braking: brake into a turn, then gradually lift off and start accelerating at the apex of the turn. This will shift more of the vehicle's weight onto the wheels that steer you, and applying...Trail braking: brake into a turn, then gradually lift off and start accelerating at the apex of the turn. This will shift more of the vehicle's weight onto the wheels that steer you, and applying acceleration (gradually, so you grip) at the apex will maintain your traction and pull you through the turn without the backend sliding out on you.
Slowing down on icy hills: shift down (CVTs and modern automatic transmissions all let you move to a lower gear) and engine brake to slow down without losing traction.
If you do get stuck: accelerating more will just spin your tires and overheat your engine (surprisingly quickly). Take the floor mats out and put them under the wheels.
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Comment on Razzie Awards nominations: ‘Snow White,’ Ice Cube-starring ‘War of the Worlds’ lead with six nods each in ~movies
redwall_hp Link ParentMy girlfriend was in a car accident the day she saw it (totalled car, broken wrist) and said this gem after: Snow White was still worse. I haven't bothered to watch it after that lol.My girlfriend was in a car accident the day she saw it (totalled car, broken wrist) and said this gem after: Snow White was still worse.
I haven't bothered to watch it after that lol.
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Comment on Lord of the Rings Extended Editions returning to theaters with a 4D twist in ~movies
redwall_hp Link ParentI haven't seen how it looks on a non-HDR TV, but my assumption is it's at least more faithful to the theatrical release than the original BluRays. And I quite like how it turned out with HDR. The...I haven't seen how it looks on a non-HDR TV, but my assumption is it's at least more faithful to the theatrical release than the original BluRays. And I quite like how it turned out with HDR.
The DisneyPlus versions of a lot of Disney animated films have botched colors too. Because they were intended for film, or VHS, colors were intentionally over saturated so they'd look good on those media...but in a modern format they're very wrong looking. In some cases, it's subjective, but in others it looks egregiously bad. Like objects that should be white or nearly so, like the snow in Mulan or columns in Aladdin, are very blue or red tinged.
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Comment on Lord of the Rings Extended Editions returning to theaters with a 4D twist in ~movies
redwall_hp Link ParentThe 4K BluRays fixed it. They redid the color grading because they were setting them up for HDR anyway. Moria looks way more eerie with more of it in shadow, and the more gradual fade into...The 4K BluRays fixed it. They redid the color grading because they were setting them up for HDR anyway. Moria looks way more eerie with more of it in shadow, and the more gradual fade into darkness from the illuminated characters. Skies look less washed out.
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Comment on 2026 Oscar nomination predictions in ~movies
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentI haven't seen the Chainsaw Man film, but I've seen the other two multiple times. Demon Slayer, I watched twice at different theaters. I saw the English dub at the local Alamo, as it was the...I haven't seen the Chainsaw Man film, but I've seen the other two multiple times.
Demon Slayer, I watched twice at different theaters. I saw the English dub at the local Alamo, as it was the earliest available, and I watched the subtitled version (better) at an Atmos theater (though the venue itself was less comfortable).
I've been watching Demon Slayer since the first season dropped, and have watched it grow into an international phenomenon. I watched Mugen Train in a theater when it came out, and remember thinking Ufotable had achieved something visually spectacular at the time...and going back, I can see how incredibly far of a leap they've made with Infinity Castle. This is basically the cutting edge of 2D animation, and it's really something to behold when you compare it to their prior works. Consider Disney's first steps, decades ago, to integrate CGI with traditional animation, in the "Renaissance" films...and then see how every shot in this film is a blend of intricate CGI environments with many layers of hand drawn work over it. And having CGI elements not stick out like a sore thumb is a technical feat in itself. Non Photorealistic Rendering is something that the CGI industry has grossly overlooked, and takes extra effort to achieve still, with custom shaders and meticulously prepared materials.
I should have prefaced this with saying that I'm first and foremost a Ufotable fan. I really like their work with the Fate series, and I've also see Kara no Kyoukai.
Story-wise, it was good. It wrapped up some characters' arcs, in a way that makes sense for a movie, but seemed a little abrupt and out of nowhere in the context of a larger series. (Though maybe that's more true to life than dramatic expectations...) It's good at emotional punches, and I really like how they handled Akaza. One of the weaker points of Demon Slayer as a whole is that they kill a demon and then the audience gets the backstory flashback, every single time. I really like that we got, perhaps the most tragic one to date, and with someone who Tanjiro has a personal vendetta against, during the drawn out fight. Every part of that fight, in the present, is just foundation to show us that story and add a ton of depth to a character that Tanjiro had wanted dead as much as the Big Bad.
Kpop Dmeon Hunters...I was very early to that one. I saw it on day one, thought it was funny and enjoyable, but then have been forced to experience the film and the music over and over again since. (And people don't even like the good songs, which are definitively Soda Pop and How it's Done.) They criminally underutilized SungWon Cho.
The animation was good, and I like how they stylized it, but it's ultimately still CGI, and isn't doing anything that wasn't already done (on a higher budget) with the Spiderverse films. The animation for fights also lacks...weight?
Story wise...it's fairly basic stuff. The plot's on a rail and doesn't have much time to breathe, taking us through a mix of an idol anime and a shounen type story. Which, in principle, I'm all here for, but I guess it only 75% landed. I think Zoey would have been a more interesting character for it to focus on.
The music was well done and integrates well with the film. I'm generally of the opinion that not enough films are musicals.
So, I'd say it's very good, not amazing, and not doing anything too spectacular with the art...but where it's picked up a lot of steam is as a more kid-friendly movie that's freely available on one of the largest streaming sites. Which means it's going against Zootopia 2, which was also a good film, a very anticipated and now high-grossing one, with some interesting technological advancements. (That snow!)
And on that note, I'm going to go see the new Zombie Land Saga movie tonight and go from two films about slaying demons to a film about zombie idols...maybe fighting invading space aliens.
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Comment on 2026 Oscar nomination predictions in ~movies
redwall_hp LinkI only know what the first two animated films are (which were goth good), but Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is a glaring omission. Not only did it break records for a Japanese film at the US and...I only know what the first two animated films are (which were goth good), but Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is a glaring omission. Not only did it break records for a Japanese film at the US and global box office, but it pushed boundaries of the art and is basically the beginning of a finale of one of the most popular anime series in the past eight years. (Also technically the highest grossing comic book film of the year, beating Superman.)
It's guaranteed at least a nomination, I'd think, given they put a ten minute video up on the Oscars YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FLB_sLTgbPk
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Comment on ‘Marty Supreme’ becomes A24’s highest-grossing film at domestic box office with $80 million in ~movies
redwall_hp Link ParentI'd describe the whole thing as "chaos." It's just one continuous ride of one thing after another. It gets pretty crazy. The last film I saw like that was Saturday Night, which is basically one...I'd describe the whole thing as "chaos." It's just one continuous ride of one thing after another. It gets pretty crazy.
The last film I saw like that was Saturday Night, which is basically one continuous scene of Lorne Michaels trying to herd cats and make the first episode of Saturday Night Live happen.
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Comment on Star Wars shake-up: Kathleen Kennedy steps down as George Lucas protégé Dave Filoni, exec Lynwen Brennan take over Lucasfilm in ~movies
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentThe lack of Jedi is what has bothered me about basically everything Disney has does with Star Wars. I can look past it for Andor, because it was excellent, or Mandalorian for being one of the...- Exemplary
The lack of Jedi is what has bothered me about basically everything Disney has does with Star Wars. I can look past it for Andor, because it was excellent, or Mandalorian for being one of the first shows to do something a bit different...
The films Lucas made have always revolved around the central concept of a monastic order of space wizard samurai roaming the galaxy as peacekeepers. This idea was heavily borrowed from Kurosawa's films, to the degree that the first pick for Obi-Wan was Toshiro Mifune. Star Wars is a superhuman ronin wandering into town and messing up some bad guys. It's kendo-derived sword action over a bottomless pit.
Disney has fallen down hard on fight choreography, and they seem allergic to the ideals of the Jedi. (Also, they won't stop trying to tack an "S" onto a word that's already plural, which just comes off as fanfiction-y.)
I think setting something in the Old Republic or Hyperspace War would be interesting. Any time before the OT instead of directly after would be nice at this point.
I saw, on the only day it was shown at the local theater, the new Zombie Land Saga: Yumeginga Paradise movie. It continues where the previous season of the show left off. If you've seen the absurdity that is Zombie Land Saga, it's the continuation you've been waiting (for years) for.
If you haven't seen the show, it's about someone trying to restore Saga to its former glory the only way he knows how: starting an idol group by raising zombies from the dead. Each one an idol from a previous time, plus Sakura. And now they're fighting aliens, because why not.