smiles134's recent activity
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
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Comment on 'Blue dot fever' claims Post Malone, Pussycat Dolls concerts. What's really behind it? in ~music
smiles134 LinkI am always grateful that my music tastes have generally no interest in the mainstream. I average between 2 & 3 concerts per month and they're always about $25-$50, depending on which venue and...I am always grateful that my music tastes have generally no interest in the mainstream. I average between 2 & 3 concerts per month and they're always about $25-$50, depending on which venue and how popular they are for their genre. I did go to see Waxahatchee with MJ Lendermann last month and those tickets were $100 but that was very much outside of my normal concert.
I also agree with @akir in that most concerts for major artists are extremely overproduced. I get that it's all an experience--it's the music, and it's the performance, the staging, the effects, etc., and that works for their audience usually I suppose. But I just want to see the bands I like get on stage and play the songs I like in a room with 200-1,000 fans yelling along with the lyrics.
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Comment on What was the best job you ever had? in ~life
smiles134 LinkIn high school I had what I would consider the best job I could've possibly had at that time. I worked for a budget second-run movie theater with that was still using film when most of the...In high school I had what I would consider the best job I could've possibly had at that time. I worked for a budget second-run movie theater with that was still using film when most of the theaters were converting to digital.
I started as a concession stand worker/usher and eventually became one of the projectionists. We only had eight screens, and because we were only open from 5 until the end of the last movie, there were usually only two screenings a night. Which meant my job would be lacing up the movies, hitting start on the projector at the scheduled time, and then hanging out until the first movie ended and I could lace it up again. Sometimes when we had new films come in, I'd need to splice them together and add our trailer reel, but that was only once a week at most.
Compounding this, the oldest person who worked there was our general manager who was 23 and freshly out of college. Literally every single employee was between the ages of 16 and 23. One of the managers brought their GameCube in and after the last run of movies kicked off, we'd hang out in the manager's office and play Super Smash Bros until it was time to go home. We were also a very poor performing theater so a busy day would be like 100 people in total showing up across all 8 of our movies. Weekends were obviously busier, but it was never crowded. Our primary clientele was older folks, and I swear to god The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and We Bought a Zoo played there for 3 months straight.
Sometimes I still miss that job. The pay was minimum wage but it was extremely fun, low-key. I got to do my homework in the projectionist booth while being paid. The managers could not give a single fuck about anything, so it was all the popcorn and soda we wanted, our friends could come while we were on the clock and watch a movie for free, we could come on our off day and watch a movie for free, on more than one occasion we stayed after our shift was over to watch a movie at 2am.
Sadly, there were rumors the whole time I worked there that the chain who owned the theatre was going to shut it down and sell off the land and they finally did while I was in college.
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Comment on Gothenburg promised to optimise school admissions with a piece of code. The resulting chaos showed how unaccountable systems are ruining lives. in ~tech
smiles134 Link ParentI feel like the author does a good job of addressing this:I feel like the author does a good job of addressing this:
Algorithms do not merely make isolated decisions; they generate systems of decisions. When 100 children are wrongly placed in schools on the opposite riverbank, they take the places intended for others. Those children are consequently pushed to different schools, displacing others in turn. Like dominoes, the errors cascade. By the fifth or sixth displacement, the injustice becomes almost impossible to detect, let alone to contest and prove in court.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
smiles134 LinkI put on Caught Stealing last night not expecting too much out of it (I planned to work while it was on in the background) but I ended up very much enjoying it, actually. If I hadn't known going...I put on Caught Stealing last night not expecting too much out of it (I planned to work while it was on in the background) but I ended up very much enjoying it, actually. If I hadn't known going in that it was an Aronofsky film, I don't think I would've ever guessed. I'm usually kind of put off by his style, but I didn't see much of that in here.
The story is wild but still somewhat predictable. It's not trying to be anything overly profound, but it's still a fun, darkly comic action movie. Kind of hit the same note for me as Bullet Train, which also had Bad Bunny in it
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Comment on What Google thinks you're worth in ~tech
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Comment on NCAA to expand March Madness men's and women's college basketball tournaments to 76 teams in 2027 in ~sports.basketball
smiles134 LinkThis honestly sucks so much. Diluting the quality of the playoffs by adding more teams benefits no one except advertising execs.This honestly sucks so much. Diluting the quality of the playoffs by adding more teams benefits no one except advertising execs.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
smiles134 Link ParentI think Cooper was trying to play an insufferable idiot, so he succeeded there, but it was just off-putting in context of watching the movie lol it probably wouldn't have bothered me as much if I...I think Cooper was trying to play an insufferable idiot, so he succeeded there, but it was just off-putting in context of watching the movie lol it probably wouldn't have bothered me as much if I was enjoying some other part of the movie in any way
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
smiles134 LinkLast weekend, I watched Is This Thing On? and as a big fan of Will Arnett, I gotta say, this movie was a huge disappointment. I'd go so far as to say it really sucked. I love the idea in...Last weekend, I watched Is This Thing On? and as a big fan of Will Arnett, I gotta say, this movie was a huge disappointment. I'd go so far as to say it really sucked. I love the idea in concept—as a marriage collapses, someone with no experience winds up doing comedy at stage and finds a new passion. It's a conceit that worked extremely well in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but Is This Thing On? gives you absolutely no reason to believe in what it's pitching. Arnett's character is awful at standup, and he does not get better over the course of the movie, even though he continues to find more success. He does just about the exact same bit from his first attempt to his last attempt, and it's never funny. He just delivers it with a little more confidence each time.
His relationship with Laura Dern is never really improved. They just mutually agree they'd rather stay together than get divorced. There's a whole subplot with their kids which seems entirely designed to set up this credit roll with a performance of Under Pressure (seemingly exclusively because of the lyric, why can't we give love that one more chance). I couldn't tell you what his kids names were, and I honestly could've easily forgotten they even had kids were it not for the last scene. Payton Manning shows up randomly to take Laura Dern out on a date and it literally takes five full minutes in scene for it to become clear that he's playing a character and isn't just cameoing as Payton Manning. Bradley Cooper is absolutely insufferable, as are the rest of Arnett's friends. The whole first hour of the movie is just utterly boring, too.
Huge letdown.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
smiles134 LinkI gave up on Sifu after 4 hours. I thought the aging mechanic was really cool but I was really awful at blocking specifically and found myself getting insanely frustrated by the places where I...I gave up on Sifu after 4 hours. I thought the aging mechanic was really cool but I was really awful at blocking specifically and found myself getting insanely frustrated by the places where I died. Interesting game, not for me.
I started up Divinity: Original Sin for the first time and am barely exploring outside the first city and I've already sunk about 10 hours into the game. I'm enjoying learning the mechanics and especially using the environments for creative approaches to combat.
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Comment on Very Important People: Boris Tarshkokan in ~tv
smiles134 Link ParentThe Game Changer episode that Play it By Ear spun off from is fantastic, but I haven't seen any of Play It proper yet. I'm always a little hesitant to recommend it cause you have to both like...The Game Changer episode that Play it By Ear spun off from is fantastic, but I haven't seen any of Play It proper yet. I'm always a little hesitant to recommend it cause you have to both like improv and musicals, which is like niche on top of niche lol
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Comment on Very Important People: Boris Tarshkokan in ~tv
smiles134 Link Parentas I was typing out that initial comment, I was watching the Escape from the Green Room episode for the first time which immediately became a top episode for me. My stomach hurt from laughing so...as I was typing out that initial comment, I was watching the Escape from the Green Room episode for the first time which immediately became a top episode for me. My stomach hurt from laughing so much lol
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Comment on Very Important People: Boris Tarshkokan in ~tv
smiles134 Link ParentI subbed to Dropout after exhausting all their Dimension 20 content that's free on YouTube (I think like 4 full campaigns and 2 shorter campaigns). I don't play D&D (though I love CRPGs) so I...I subbed to Dropout after exhausting all their Dimension 20 content that's free on YouTube (I think like 4 full campaigns and 2 shorter campaigns). I don't play D&D (though I love CRPGs) so I didn't think this stuff was for me until I saw some random clips on social media.
Since subscribing I started watching Game Changer and Make Some Noise as well which are both great. I haven't even dipped my toes into VIP yet.
Game Changer is an improv game show where each episode is a different game that the players learn on the fly. (Usually) they have no idea what the rules are until they're rewarded or penalized based on what they do during their turn.
Make Some Noise is a spin off of a Game Changer episode that's more or less Whose Line is it Anyway where the players act out a scene based on a prompt. Lots of impressions and funny improv.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
smiles134 Link ParentHell yeah, thanks. I've seen some of these (can't believe I forgot to include What We Do in the Shadows in my pantheon!) but not a lot of them. Some of them are unfortunately on HBO I think but...Hell yeah, thanks. I've seen some of these (can't believe I forgot to include What We Do in the Shadows in my pantheon!) but not a lot of them. Some of them are unfortunately on HBO I think but were on my radar, but a lot are viable options I think
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
smiles134 (edited )LinkI would love some TV show recommendations, preferably a series that's not ongoing, as I watch most of my TV during my lunch breaks and would rather have something that I can watch every day and...I would love some TV show recommendations, preferably a series that's not ongoing, as I watch most of my TV during my lunch breaks and would rather have something that I can watch every day and not wait for a new season to drop a year from now. I have several streaming platforms (US) but not HBO or Showtime which does limit some of my prestige show watching.
Shows that I would consider in my pantheon:
The Americans
Andor
Bojack Horseman
The Good Place
Seinfeld
Friend
Mr. RobotShows that are always on repeat, more or less:
Parks and Rec
Psych
Scrubs
Brooklyn 99
Bob's Burgers
New Girl
Criminal MindsShows that I've watched somewhat recently and enjoyed:
Reservation Dogs
The Bear (esp. seasons 1&2)
Ted Lasso (esp. season 1)
Brockmire
Dark Winds
Battlestar Galactica
Stargate SG1 and Atlantis
The Mandalorian (esp. season 1)
Breaking Bad
Better Call Saul
Long Story Short
FargoI'm also a big fan of limited series, and have enjoyed these:
Watchmen
The Patient
Ripley
The Dropout
Under the Banner of Heaven
Band of BrothersShows I'm currently watching:
King of the Hill
The Shield
Abbott ElementaryShows I've watched recently that I was kind of indifferent on, or felt like they dragged on too long (or just straight up didn't like):
Homeland
The Good Wife (I really liked the first couple of seasons of this show but the less they were focused on actual court cases, the less I cared)
Inside Man (just watched this this week and actively disliked it)
Broadchurch (season 1 was good but season 2&3 were not great -- season 3 was a little better than 2)
Severance
The Handmaid's Tale
Big Mouth -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
smiles134 LinkI wrapped up Mad Max this week, and ultimately found it disappointing. For an open-world game devoted to driving a car and blowing up other cars, none of the car driving, car combat, or world you...I wrapped up Mad Max this week, and ultimately found it disappointing. For an open-world game devoted to driving a car and blowing up other cars, none of the car driving, car combat, or world you explore were remotely interesting. The first hour or so is identical to the next 18 hours. Lot of potential, poor execution.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
smiles134 LinkI watched Saturday Night last night which I know got a pretty tepid response when it was released but I actually really enjoyed it. I don't have a ton of nostalgia for SNL, particularly for that...I watched Saturday Night last night which I know got a pretty tepid response when it was released but I actually really enjoyed it. I don't have a ton of nostalgia for SNL, particularly for that era since it was about 20 years before my time, but I do think this movie was the best version it could've been with this conceit. Sure, it dramatized things but they really really nailed the casting.
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Comment on Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" as his threatened attacks on Iranian infrastructure loom ahead of deadline in ~society
smiles134 Link ParentTo be very clear, I wasn't suggesting this was an actual course of action. I thought that was obvious.To be very clear, I wasn't suggesting this was an actual course of action. I thought that was obvious.
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Comment on Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" as his threatened attacks on Iranian infrastructure loom ahead of deadline in ~society
smiles134 Link ParentShort of an actual armed civil uprising, there's nothing we can do. We have no mechanism to stop any of this other than plead with our elected officials to do something. And a majority of our...Short of an actual armed civil uprising, there's nothing we can do. We have no mechanism to stop any of this other than plead with our elected officials to do something. And a majority of our elected officials endorse Donald Trump.
I live in DC. There are protests here all the time, and most of them don't make the news. Like others have said, a huge majority of the country doesn't live anywhere remotely near DC.
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Comment on Breaking down Jo Adell's three home run robberies in ~sports.baseball
smiles134 LinkThis is maybe the most improbable accomplishment in a single game. I honestly cannot believe it happened, let alone to preserve a 1-0 win.This is maybe the most improbable accomplishment in a single game. I honestly cannot believe it happened, let alone to preserve a 1-0 win.
Over the weekend, I rewatched Hell or High Water, and man, what a spectacular movie. Not a moment is wasted. Chris Pine is incredible. Ben Foster is incredible. Jeff Bridges, incredible. That final standoff is chilling, too. So, so good.