Blade Runner

I went with friends to see Blade Runner: The Final Cut last night.

To be honest I don't remember a lot of specifics about the previous versions, possibly because the book it's loosely based on, Philip K Dick's _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_ was (and still is) one of my favorite pieces of writing and the movie felt to me like a sketchy illustration.

The film I saw last night, aside from being a truly astounding visual realization that's both gritty reality and completely artificial stylistic noiresque every-frame-a-masterpiece, was telling a different story but a strong one that had character arcs, morals, and heart-rending sadness.

I never knew that Rutger Hauer rewrote his lines in the ending of the film; his performance, especially at the end, and those words, are the soul of the film and were, to me, moving enough to cause me to tear up. Which I do somewhat easily but still.

I'm sure this will be great on home viewing when the DVD comes out - it's sharp enough now to look great on a video iPod but if you can possibly see it in a theatre I'd highly recommend it.

Long but worth it

I wasn't sure where this article, a transcript of a talk given by Sam Harris called "The Problem with Atheism" was going to go given the title.

I'm still digesting it (it's 8 pages printed out) but it addresses a number of issues that I've been pondering - specifically "spirituality" in the context of not believing in spirits.

Thanks to mai_neh for the link.

The voice

This whole situation is is awfully sad (although for some reason I think this guy is going to make it in some way...) but after seeing this yesterday in xgrinch's journal my internal voice has taken on his voice.

eeeeeeeeeeeee

Watch on YouTube

Today's question

This morning, someone was talking about their fears that people didn't like them or found them unattractive, and they shared that a friend asked them:

So what if it was true?

And it would never change?

What then?





Indeed.

Japan and Wall of Voodoo

More videos seem to have shown up.

Watch on YouTube

I loved this band.

And Wall of Voodoo! This first EP was revelatory at the time.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube