Random Thoughts Thread

[elmagicochrisg]

[YoshiEgg25]

Just distract her with a Studio Ghibli movie while you go watch Gurren Lagann with your dad.

Haha, I don't like either

How do you not like Studio Ghibli?

No, you know what? We're done.

I didn't know you two had a thing.

[Erik_Twice]

I haven't watched many of their films or the best ones but the ones I have seen left me with the impression that Miyazaki is not the great director he is seen as.

Howl's moving castle, for example, was a convoluted film, lacking a connection between animation, characters and plot. The characters felt artificial making them uninteresting and even annoying to some. The "war" plot feels forced because the characters just don't fit. A common criticisim that I share of Miyazaki is that he places uninteresting characters in otherwise amazing or surprising situations, leading to a boring character taking most of the screentime.

The comparisons with Disney are deeper than most people think and not only in the positive sense. Disney has always focused too much on bland characters with a distinct lack of personality or originality, we have to remember that their flagship character, Mickey Mouse, lacks anything remotedly resembling a character trait.

I also dislike the animation used in their films, as surprising as it may be. The character design and backgrounds don't fit, one is more modern than the other. The children in Ponyo walked as if made with plasticine, for example.

Again a comparison with Disney has to be made. Ghibli doesn't have as much money, they can't afford to do some of the expensive scenes without the animation looking bad.

People may accuse me of being overly critic but in the scene where Ponyo runs over the sea/fish looks artificial and forced in it's animation. The CGI used is too noticiable in it's use. The colors are too saturated, they don't achieve the painting effect they were striving for so it just feels wrong and unnatural.

I think that they have very good ideas but the realization is too pretentious, too slow and too forced to work. It's stereotipically Japanese for the worst. The often found ecologist messages of their films don't help matters much, either.

So yeah, I don't like them because, well, I don't think they are that great. I can see people liking them but I value rhytmn and pace very highly and their films tend to lack such.

I may not be in the majority but I have my reasons to think they aren't as good as most people claim. Of course I only think so of the films I have seen, I don't criticize what I don't know.

[AppleQueso]

Not totally relevant, but it's worth pointing out that Howl's Moving Castle was adapted from the novel of the same name, albeit loosely.

(Curiously enough, the book had a sequel called "Castle in the Air", which isn't one bit related to the Miyazaki film "Castle in the Sky".)

Also I like Miyazaki I think because I'm a total sucker for whimsy.

[Snickerd00dle]

Not totally relevant, but it's worth pointing out that Howl's Moving Castle was adapted from the novel of the same name, albeit loosely.

(Curiously enough, the book had a sequel called "Castle in the Air", which isn't one bit related to the Miyazaki film "Castle in the Sky".)

Also I like Miyazaki I think because I'm a total sucker for whimsy.

It helps that he is all around fucking awesome

[lisalover1]

I haven't watched many of their films or the best ones but the ones I have seen left me with the impression that Miyazaki is not the great director he is seen as.

Howl's moving castle, for example, was a convoluted film, lacking a connection between animation, characters and plot. The characters felt artificial making them uninteresting and even annoying to some. The "war" plot feels forced because the characters just don't fit. A common criticisim that I share of Miyazaki is that he places uninteresting characters in otherwise amazing or surprising situations, leading to a boring character taking most of the screentime.

The comparisons with Disney are deeper than most people think and not only in the positive sense. Disney has always focused too much on bland characters with a distinct lack of personality or originality, we have to remember that their flagship character, Mickey Mouse, lacks anything remotedly resembling a character trait.

I also dislike the animation used in their films, as surprising as it may be. The character design and backgrounds don't fit, one is more modern than the other. The children in Ponyo walked as if made with plasticine, for example.

Again a comparison with Disney has to be made. Ghibli doesn't have as much money, they can't afford to do some of the expensive scenes without the animation looking bad.

People may accuse me of being overly critic but in the scene where Ponyo runs over the sea/fish looks artificial and forced in it's animation. The CGI used is too noticiable in it's use. The colors are too saturated, they don't achieve the painting effect they were striving for so it just feels wrong and unnatural.

I think that they have very good ideas but the realization is too pretentious, too slow and too forced to work. It's stereotipically Japanese for the worst. The often found ecologist messages of their films don't help matters much, either.

So yeah, I don't like them because, well, I don't think they are that great. I can see people liking them but I value rhytmn and pace very highly and their films tend to lack such.

I may not be in the majority but I have my reasons to think they aren't as good as most people claim. Of course I only think so of the films I have seen, I don't criticize what I don't know.

Okay, but you have absolutely no reason to hate Gurren Lagann. It is physically impossible.

[Erik_Twice]

Okay, but you have absolutely no reason to hate Gurren Lagann. It is physically impossible.

Haha, I don't hate it, I just don't like it. I haven't watched it much either, it's simply not my cup of tea.

[Ack]

Okay, but you have absolutely no reason to hate Gurren Lagann. It is physically impossible.

Haha, I don't hate it, I just don't like it. I haven't watched it much either, it's simply not my cup of tea.

Chief, I've noticed you don't seem to actually like much animation, and you tend to base this opinion off only watching one or two works from any particular area.

[Anapan]

I'll admit that I haven't read this topic until now, and it's inspired me to post some personal get-rich-quick schemes that will never happen. For further awesome ideas see the website Halfbakery.

1: Meat Chips!
Take meat byproducts, preserve them with salt and freeze-dry them. Powder them and press the equivalent of pringles, but made of 100% meat. Season appropriately. No need for the latest generation of meat flavors that Doritos and Lays has invented - these are already meat flavored. These are the chips that I'd crave the unseasoned variety. There's already a product in most ethnic food aisles called meat floss. That means it's 95% there, affordable, and ready to be implemented. A whole franchise that just needs funding for advertising.

2: Heated outdoor cat habitat!
I built one of these out of necessity. It was getting cold and my second cat (Fuchikoma Mk: II) is territorial of the back yard. She showed up there 2 years ago and hasn't left, and frequently chases other cats that enter the subdivision. The name comes from the fact that I thought she was our first housecat that had gotten outside somehow. She will not spend the night inside (Fuchikoma Mk: I owns that space). I took the heat rocks from previous pets (a lizard and an emperor scorpion) and encased them in a inverted apple crate from my dad's highschool job with some supporting structure from icecrream tubs meant for toxic waste, and some worn-out towels. She spends most of the winter there in the patio able to survey the 1/2 acre of property. These should be available for under $100. It cost me less than $50.

(2-year beta)

3: Explotato!
These are a long shot, but I've noticed certain meat byproducts are extremely explodable in the microwave. Namely Spam and Bacon. With a bit of research the right combination of smoked pork and pork fat could be put in a thick gelatin/cellulose container that is only explodable at a certain temperature/time. Mix that with sour cream and shallots/chives and you have a perfectly done baked potato in a non-ferrous foil wrap inside a plastic container with all the best flavours embedded deep into the potato. All that is necessary is a non-ferrous thick metal cap and a warning/disclaimer label and it's marketable. Imagine a potato that pops when it's done like popcorn.

I came up with these when inspired by BC greens (I've been going light on them for over a year so no great ideas have been produced recently). If I get a positive response I will post more deep thoughts the next time they come. If anyone capable of funding and making money off these excellent ideas has a consience reads them, I charge 5% and/or a 1 year unlimited supply. Plz enjoy and make them available in Canada.

[CFFJR]

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my escapism that I start to hate real life.