2013 ~ QPORITSNL

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

SPIKE JONZE's "HER" WILL CLOSE NYFF 2013

Posted on 8:55 PM by Unknown

THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
51st NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL 2013

Closing Night Gala Selection
World Premiere of Spike Jonze’s

HER
Spike Jonze’s HER, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Scarlett Johansson will make its World Premiere as the Closing Night Gala presentation for the upcoming 51st New York Film Festival (September 27 – October 13).

Joaquin Phoenix in HER

New York Film Festival 2013

Written and directed by Jonze, HER is set in Los Angeles, in the near future and follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson), who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. HER is an original love story that explores the evolving nature—and the risks—of intimacy in the modern world.

A brief note on human-computer conversations
Almost since computers were invented, there have been computer programs that respond in one way or another to user input with output that (dynamically) simulates response from an intelligent creature.

Similarly, in films, these interactions themselves have been simulated with scripts that portray interaction between humans and computer programs.

Naturally, scripts can portray a more sophisticated interaction than actual programs can (at least for now). (It's easier to write a single scripted dialog for a movie than multiple scripts from which the dialog must be extracted dynamically by a program.)

In movies, the interaction is usually between one person talking and the computer responding vocally. Sometimes the conversation is not just with a voice from a program in a desktop or mainframe computer, but a program embodied in a robot – which is essentially a computer with a physical body. Of course, the interaction is fixed by the script. (Everytime you watch the film, the dialog is the same; as compared with a program for which every time you talk to it the dialog can be different.)

One early and very famous example of human computer dialog in movies is HAL_9000 from Kubrick’s SPACE ODYSSEY 2001 (1968), where HAL was a major villain.

A nice robot who interacted with humans was Number 5 from SHORT CIRCUIT (1986).

STAR WARS of course introduced R2D2 AND C-3PO.

Computer programs can interact with humans dynamically, to create a real-life human-computer dialog that can evolve in real time. It can use either voice input, with voice recognition to convert the speech into words, or just words themselves entered as text. Similarly the computer can respond with text or vocally, by converting its text response to speech.

The most significant current examples of real-life dynamic person-computer voice interaction are SIRI from APPLE and voice recognition programs on ANDROID devices. There is also a voice recognition program available for anyone to use or develop with called DRAGON from a company called NUANCE.

In the real world, a very famous early automated chat program was ELIZA, (specifically an algorithm called “DOCTOR”). The program simply picked a key word in an input sentence and constructed a new sentence from it in a very general way, based on a simple set of rules. But it could still produce an impressive conversation (kind of a parody of a psychiatrist talking with a patient).

For example, it could respond to “My name is Mary” with “Hello, Mary. My name is ELIZA.” (note that here, the RULE is: REPLACE “My name is NAME” with “Hello, NAME. My name is ELIZA.”) Or it could respond to “My head hurts” with “Do you know why your head hurts?” (RULE: REPLACE “My ‘WORDS’” with "Do you know why your ‘WORDS’?”) Early versions of ELIZA were chat based: that is, text input, text output.

More sophisticated, current AI (Artificial Intelligence) chats can use voice recognition for input, text to speech for voice output, and can use rule-based logic, statistical big-data correlations, and other techniques to create sophisticated computer-human interactions.

TRANSMEDIA projects are more and more using robots, as well as just disembodied voices, to interact with humans in the real world. Giving computer programs a “personality” which becomes part of the way the response is formulated is a developing field.

Artificial Life, or AL is the branch of AI that instantiates some form of “life” along with intelligence as part of the program – for example an intelligent voice or robot is endowed with a unique personality. One of the earliest problems that was acknowledged in early studies of Artificial Life is the question: when does an Artificial Life creation become sufficiently alive that turning off the computer, or stopping a computer program, becomes the “killing” of the AL creation. A similar question, which is at the heart of HER is “what happens when a human and an AL creation develop a relationship?”

Some comments about the film

NYFF’s Director of Programming and Selection Committee Chair, Kent Jones said of HER, “The tone is magical, the freedom of the narrative is breathtaking, Joaquin Phoenix continues to be one of the most adventurous actors in movies, Rooney Mara and Amy Adams are unforgettable, Scarlett Johansson’s voice will break your heart, and so will this impossibly delicate, funny, daring movie.”

Rooney Mara in 2009.

Rooney plays Catherine in HER.

Photo by Eric Roffman

Spike Jonze said, “I’m very excited that it’s a premiere in the city. The New York Film Festival is where we premiered our first movie and that’s really special. It was our first U.S. premiere of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and we had all our friends there and it feels so nice to come back to NYFF.”

Rose Kuo, the Executive Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, said, "In dealing with tragi-comic puppeteers, renegade orchid growers, an island of wild things, or a man's unique love affair, visionary film-maker Spike Jonze has shown himself to be the poet-laureate of our increasingly post-human world. Jonze’s extraordinary new film, HER, features Joaquin Phoenix who delivers an unforgettable, emotionally nuanced performance."

FilmLinc Daily Managing Editor Brian Brooks spoke with Jonze about HER, looking ahead to the debut of the film. That interview can be found at

http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff2013/blog/interview-spike-jonze-her-joaquin-phoenix-scarlett-johansson-nyff

TICKETS

General Public tickets will be available September 8th. Subscription Packages and VIP Passes for the New York Film Festival are on sale now. There also will be an opportunity for Members to purchase single screening tickets in advance of the General Public. For more information about becoming a Film Society Member visit

Filmlinc.com/support/home

More ticket information for the New York Film Festival will be available on

Filmlinc.com/NYFF

CREDITS

Written and directed by Spike Jonze,

HER stars
> Joaquin Phoenix (“The Master,” “Walk the Line”),
> Amy Adams (“The Master,” “Doubt”),
> Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”),
> Olivia Wilde ("Tron", "House", the upcoming “Rush”) and
> Scarlett Johansson (“Lost in Translation”).

It is produced by Megan Ellison, Spike Jonze and Vincent Landay. Daniel Lupi, Natalie Farrey and Chelsea Barnard serve as executive producers.

The film reunites many of Jonze’s longtime creative collaborators, including production designer KK Barrett, editor Eric Zumbrunnen and costume designer Casey Storm, who worked together on “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Adaptation.” and “Being John Malkovich.” Joining them is director of photography Hoyte Van Hoytema (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and editor Jeff Buchanan (HBO’s “Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak,” which Jonze co-directed). The music is composed by Arcade Fire.

HER is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of an Annapurna Pictures Production. It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

LINKS - CREDITS

HER - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/

SPIKE JONZE - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005069/

SPIKE JONZE - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Jonze

JOAQUIN PHOENIX - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001618/

SCARLETT JOHANNSON - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424060/

OLIVIA WILDE - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1312575/

AMY ADAMS - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0010736/

ROONEY MARA - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1913734/

LINKS ABOUT CHATBOTS AND ARTIFICIAL LIFE

Posted in Amy Adams, HER, Joaquin Phoenix, NYFF, Olivia Wilde, Rooney Mara, Scarlett Johansson, SIRI, Spike Jonze, The New York Film Festival | No comments

Thursday, August 8, 2013

CORY BOOKER WINS BIG AT THE DEMOCRATIC NJ SENATORIAL DEBATE

Posted on 7:00 PM by Unknown

Mayor Cory Booker was the big winner of the NJ Senatorial Democratic debate.

He was intelligent, well spoken, dynamic, and did a great job of describing his effectiveness in bringing jobs and cultural support to Newark through his outreach to the public sector.

Congressman Rush Holt, a former teacher and scientist, was exceptionally knowledgeable about the problems that the Federal government needs to address. Unfortunately he is a poor speaker and debater. A former teacher, he should have availed himself of extensive coaching and training in public speaking and debating to present his own positions effectively and attractively.

The role of a Senator includes...
• Direct support, through his office, of the needs of the people of New Jersey
• Support for legislation and policy changes important to NJ and the nation
• The ability to convert those positions into laws
• And the ability to be an active and successful spokesperson for those issues

Cory Booker showed clearly he was the leader in each of those areas. Congressman Rush Holt did not demonstrate experience in supporting his Congressional District, (except, of course, by voting along with other Democrats in a conventional way). He supports many important positions, with sophisticated understanding, but he absolutely did not demonstrate the ability to be a charismatic advocate, much less an effective leader on the national stage.

Congressman Frank Pallone and NJ House Speaker Shiela Oliver were out of their depth, They were ineffective and did not demonstrate the stature and qualities required of a Senator.

Congressman Pallone spent a considerable portion of his time criticizing Mayor Booker for some of Booker’s actions (and non-actions), including his role in a new entrepreneurial venture**. While Booker did vigorously defend his role in travelling outside of Newark to engage and obtain support for Newark, he was silent on some of the other criticisms.

Booker, in turn, was very critical of the support by the Congressmen of the Patriot Act (and the resultant current level of surveillance), and of their support for deregulation of the banks.

Booker is a forceful and attractive candidate. It is easy to see why Governor Christie decided to hold the special election (to fill the remaining term of Senator Frank Lautenberg) for the Senate separate from the election for his own job.

The NJ Primary election is on Tuesday August 13.

FRANK LAUTENBERG - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lautenberg

MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES... FROM WIKIPEDIA:

CORY BOOKER
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Booker

(Note: Cory Booker has been promoting a rally in Hackensack:

Twitter: "Rally with @CoryBooker this Saturday, August 10th Courthouse steps in Hackensack. Starts at 7pm. 201-487-0001 for info"

But, oddly, there is no website to promote this event, just the phone number. Booker's official site is: http://www.corybooker.com/)

RUSH HOLT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_D._Holt,_Jr.

FRANK PALLONE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Pallone

SHEILA OLIVER
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Oliver

** Booker's venture was described in the NYT on Wednesday ("Tech Magnates Bet on Booker And his Future" NYT Aug 7, 2013 p1, col 5). He described it himself in a video on USA Today. The idea behind it (a site called WAYWIRE) is a very good one: it wants to be a way for people to find the videos they are interested in. It wants to be a new way for you to search and find the videos you want among the zillions that have been uploaded. And it wants to connect that to socially valuable objectives. (It should be duly noted that if the founders of the company -- that includes Booker himself --gave Booker a valuable stake for his roles as co-founder, as thinker and advocate, as funds raiser, and for the promotional value of the large presence he has on the public stage, they guessed right on every count.)

WAYWIRE HOME PAGE
www.waywire.com

BOOKER TALKING ABOUT WAYWIRE ON USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/talkingtech/2012/11/22/mayor-booker-and-waywire/1715461/

NYT ON BOOKER AND WAYWIRE
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/nyregion/tech-magnates-bet-on-booker-in-web-venture.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Posted in Cory Booker, Debate, Frank Lautenberg, Frank Pallone, Rush Holt, Senate, Senatorial Primary, Sheila Oliver, WAYWIRE | No comments

Monday, July 29, 2013

TOM HANKS STARS ON OPENING NIGHT AT THE 2013 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

Posted on 10:34 AM by Unknown

THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
51st NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL 2013

Opening Night Gala selection:
World Premiere of Paul Greengrass’s

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
starring Tom Hanks

A SCENE FROM CAPTAIN PHILLIPSOpening Night NYFF 2013IMAGE #3 COURTESY NYFF

Paul Greengrass’s CAPTAIN PHILLIPS will make its World Premiere as the Opening Night Gala presentation for the upcoming 51st New York Film Festival (September 27 – October 13).

TOM HANKS DETAIL FROM A SCENE (IMAGE #3)CAPTAIN PHILLIPSOpening Night NYFF 2013 IMAGE #3 COURTESY NYFF
Starring two-time Academy Award® winner and 2009 Film Society Chaplin Award honoree Tom Hanks in the title role, the film is Academy Award®-nominated director Paul Greengrass’s multi-layered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates.

NYFF’s Director of Programming and Selection Committee Chair, Kent Jones said, “Paul Greengrass has become a master of immersive reality-based narratives set along geopolitical fault lines – in this case, the 2009 seizure of the Maersk Alabama cargo ship by four Somali pirates. I’m excited that this tough, tense, real-life thriller, capped by the remarkable performances of Tom Hanks and four brilliant first-time Somali actors (Barkhad Abdi, Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdirahman and Mahat M. Ali), is opening the 51^st edition of the festival.”

THE HIJACKERS

AS PORTRAYED IN A SCENE FROMCAPTAIN PHILLIPSOpening Night NYFF 2013 IMAGE #2 COURTESY NYFF

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS is—through Greengrass’s distinctive lens—simultaneously a pulse-pounding thriller and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalization. The film focuses on the relationship between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two-time Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks), and his Somali counterpart, Muse (Barkhad Abdi). Set on an incontrovertible collision course off the coast of Somalia, both men will find themselves paying the human toll for economic forces outside of their control.

From a screenplay by Billy Ray, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS is based upon the book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty. The film is produced by Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, and Michael De Luca. The Sony Pictures release is due in theaters October 11.

Note: See below at the end of this story (after a list of NYFF Opening Night films) for links to more information about Tom Hanks, the Director Paul Greengrass, the film, the story of the hijacking, and Captain Richard Phillips!

The screening will mark Greengrass’s return to NYFF following his film BLOODY SUNDAY in 2002.

FilmLinc Daily Managing Editor Brian Brooks spoke with Greengrass about CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, the film’s selection for NYFF’s Opening Night Gala and looking ahead to the debut of the film. That interview can be found at www.Filmlinc.com

General Public tickets will be available September 8th.

Subscription Packages and VIP Passes for the New York Film Festival are on sale now to Film Society Members. There also will be an opportunity for Members to purchase single screening tickets in advance of the General Public.

For more information about becoming a Film Society Member visit

www.Filmlinc.com/support/home

More ticket information for the New York Film Festival will be available mid-August on

www.Filmlinc.com/NYFF

New York Film Festival Opening Night Films

The Opening Night Films have come mostly from the US, next most often from France, and have been productions or co-productions from 12 other countries:

US - 18

France - 15

USSR / Soviet Union - 3

UK - 3

Italy - 3

Czechoslovakia - 2

Spain - 2

Poland - 2
Japan, China, Mexico, West Germany, Denmark, Algeria - 1

Truffaut had three Opening Night films. Almodovar, Altman, Ang Lee and Greengrass have each had two.

Here's the list:

1963    The Exterminating Angel (Luis Buñuel, Mexico)
1964    Hamlet (Grigori Kozintsev, USSR)
1965    Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, France)
1966    Loves of a Blonde (Milos Forman, Czechoslovakia)
1967    The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, Italy/Algeria)
1968    Capricious Summer (Jiri Menzel, Czechoslovakia)
1969    Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (Paul Mazursky, US)
1970    The Wild Child (François Truffaut, France)
1971    The Debut (Gleb Panfilov, Soviet Union)
1972    Chloe in the Afternoon (Eric Rohmer, France)
1973    Day for Night (François Truffaut, France)
1974    Don't Cry With Your Mouth Full (Pascal Thomas, France)
1975    Conversation Piece (Luchino Visconti, Italy)
1976    Small Change (François Truffaut, France)
1977    One Sings, The Other Doesn't (Agnès Varda, France)
1978    A Wedding (Robert Altman, US)
1979    Luna (Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy/US)
1980    Melvin and Howard (Jonathan Demme, US)
1981    Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson, UK)
1982    Veronika Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany)
1983    The Big Chill (Lawrence Kasdan, US)
1984    Country (Richard Pearce, US)
1985    Ran (Akira Kurosawa, Japan)
1986    Down By Law (Jim Jarmusch, US)
1987    Dark Eyes (Nikita Mikhalkov, Soviet Union)
1988    Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)
1989    Too Beautiful For You (Bertrand Blier, France)
1990    Miller's Crossing (Joel Coen, US)
1991    The Double Life of Veronique (Krysztof Kieslowski, Poland/France)
1992    Olivier Olivier (Agnieszka Holland, France)
1993    Short Cuts (Robert Altman, US)
1994    Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, US)
1995    Shanghai Triad (Zhang Yimou, China)
1996    Secrets & Lies (Mike Leigh, UK)
1997    The Ice Storm (Ang Lee, US)
1998    Celebrity (Woody Allen, US)
1999    All About My Mother (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)
2000    Dancer in the Dark (Lars von Trier, Denmark)
2001    Va Savoir (Jacques Rivette, France)
2002    About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, US)
2003    Mystic River (Clint Eastwood, US)
2004    Look At Me (Agnès Jaoui, France)
2005    Good Night, and Good Luck. (George Clooney, US)
2006    The Queen (Stephen Frears, UK)
2007    The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson, US)
2008    The Class (Laurent Cantet, France)
2009    Wild Grass (Alain Resnais, France)
2010    The Social Network (David Fincher, US)
2011    Carnage (Roman Polanski, France/Poland)
2012    Life of Pi (Ang Lee, US)

LINKS

TOM HANKS - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000158/

TOM HANKS - WIKIPEDIA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hanks

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Phillips

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535109/

PAUL GREENGRASS - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0339030/

PAUL GREENGRASS - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Greengrass

MAERSK ALABAMA HIJACKING - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maersk_Alabama_hijacking

BOOK: A CAPTAIN'S DUTY: SOMALI PIRATES, NAVY SEALS, AND DANGEROUS DAYS AT SEA - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Captain%27s_Duty

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

BOOK:

A CAPTAIN'S DUTY: SOMALI PIRATES,

NAVY SEALS, AND DANGEROUS DAYS AT SEA

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS - PREVIEW (DVD NOT YET AVAILABLE)

TOM HANKS

THE TERMINAL - TOM HANKS(Does this film suggest Edward Snowden's current residence?)

Posted in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, New York Film Festival, NYFF, Paul Greengrass, Tom Hanks | No comments

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

SUMMER THEATER IN NEW YORK - 2013

Posted on 11:46 AM by Unknown

New York City is host to a tremendous amount of theater in the summer. Here is a guide to some of the major theater festivals in NY this summer. Of course, Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway continue playing through the summer as well! (We've also listed the Williamstown Theater Festival, one of my favorites: an important festival not too, too far from NY.)

(Special Freebie Note: Check their websites: many of these festivals have free and open special events before and during their festival!)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
Now thru Aug 18
http://www.shakespeareinthepark.org/#!calendar/cfvg

WILLIAMSTOWN THEATER FESTIVAL
Now thru Aug 18
http://wtfestival.org/2013/season

BRICK THEATER GAME PLAY FESTIVAL
JULY 5 - 28
http://bricktheater.com/

LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL
JULY 6 - 28
http://www.lincolncenterfestival.org/

NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATER FESTIVAL (NYMT)
JULY 8 - 28
http://www.nymf.org

EAST TO EDINBURGH
JULY 9 - 28
www.59e59.org

MIDTOWN INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL (MITF)
JULY 15 - AUG 4
http://www.midtownfestival.org/

BETWEEN THE SEAS
JULY 22 - 28
http://betweentheseas.org/home/

SAMUEL FRENCH OFF-OFF-BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL
JULY 23-28
http://oob.samuelfrench.com/index.php/the-festival-schedule/

NEW YORK FRINGE FESTIVAL
AUG 9 - 25
http://www.fringenyc.org/

Posted in Between The Seas, Brick - Game Play Festival, East To Edinburgh, Lincoln Center Festival, Midtown International Theater Festival, New York Fringe, Shakespeare in the Park, summer theater, transmedia | No comments

ADL LIVE STREAMING A REVIEW OF THIS YEAR'S SCOTUS RULINGS

Posted on 8:14 AM by Unknown

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is holding a live streaming event today at 12:00 p.m. EDT!

Legal scholars Erwin Chemerinsky, Frederick M. Lawrence, Lyle Denniston and Jeffrey Rosen will examine several significant rulings of the Supreme Court (SCOTUS)'s 2012 - 2013 term, including decisions on affirmative action, voting rights, and marriage equality.

The event will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and will be streamed live across the country from this site:

www.adl.org/supremecourtreview

Posted in ADL, affirmative action, Anti-Defamation League, marriage equality, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, voting rights | No comments

Sunday, June 30, 2013

PLANETARY RESOURCES (RISKS INCLUDE DINOSAUR RAMPAGE)

Posted on 2:42 PM by Unknown

Planetary Resources (PRI) is a company working to capture an asteroid, bring it back to Earth and capture the mineral resources on the asteroid. It is one of the founding/entrepreneurial/pioneering companies for commercialization of space.

The list of officers, developers and investors is a "who's-who" of technology and space experts and zillionaires.

As a sideline, and to popularize what they are doing, they have begun a Kickstarter campaign to partially fund putting a telescope in space, and providing opportunities for some institutions (and some people) to do some astronomy from a space based telescope. The Kickstarter campaign will not fully fund this project. Users of the telescope may have to pay more for serious time on the telescope, and PRI is likely to be spending a lot of its own money to support this initiative.

In describing the risks of this project, on Kickstarter, the usual "we may not be responsible because" boilerplate/small-print/legalese does include the phrase..."events or conditions beyond PRI’s reasonable control such as explosion, acts of nature, war, civil disturbances, acts of civil or military authorities, legal or regulatory changes, asteroid impacts, alien invasions, dinosaur rampages or other causes beyond PRI’s control."

The goals of the company and this Kickstarter campaign are terrific, very important, and very exciting.

The Kickstarter campaign, unfortunately, got off to a terrible start with a truly lame kickoff event that seemed modeled after (but was less interesting than) a blender/juicer infomercial; and was so technically inept that the live streaming didn't work, and the edited version, later, left out some critical audio.

The project has also been under some acute questioning as to how valuable it will be for anyone or any institution that is not really well-funded. In other words, critics ask whether it is genuine citizen science.

The Kickstarter site has been getting better and better since it was launched with more and more valuable-sounding information and clarifications.

The Kickstarter campaign is coming to a close.

It is going out with another attempt at a live streaming event.

UPDATE insert: 10:15 6/30 -- Today's live video webcast was way way better than the first. First of all, it worked. It was produced by Spacevidcast (spacevidcast.com) that did a good job running it. As a telethon or infomercial it was fairly successful, putting the Kickstarter campaign over $1.5 M. The content was better than the first time, but still lacking in imagination and depth. It did have a moderately natural geekness... which is good: though limited in general appeal, it is honest both for much of its target audience as well as the participants. The show -- or future shows about the project -- could really use a good writer and a good director. I do hope the projects -- both projects: the mining project and the ARKYD citizen science project -- succeed!

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE LIVE STREAMING EVENT CLOSING THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8gyBQrNPOg

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN ITSELF: (IT CLOSES LATER TODAY; IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, DO SO NOW!)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1458134548/arkyd-a-space-telescope-for-everyone-0

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE PLANETARY RESOURCES HOME PAGE:
http://www.planetaryresources.com/

Posted in Arkyd, asteroid mining, asteroids, astronomy, citizen science, KickStarter, live streaming, Planetary Resources, PRI | No comments

Friday, May 31, 2013

KING LEAR ON DVD

Posted on 5:14 AM by Unknown

KING LEAR ON DVD

2008 L- Ian McKellan D- Trevor Nunn - RSC

1997 L- Ian Holm D- Richard Eyre - BBC

1984 L- Laurence Olivier D- Michael Elliott - British TV

1976 Patrick Magee Tony Davenall

1974 L- James Earl Jones D- Joseph Papp ( PLUS Raul Julia, Rosiland Cash, Paul Sorvino, René Auberjonois, and Lee Chamberlin) - NYSF

1971 L- Paul Scofield D- Peter Brook (NOTE: This is B& W on VHS only)

1953 L- Orson Welles D- Peter Brook/Andrew McCullough - TV Omnibus

1916 L & D - Ernest C Warde - Silent

QPORIT:

www.qporit.com

http://bobooblog.blogspot.com

twitter.com/qporit -- @qporit

QPORIT -- Quick Previews Of Random Interesting Things is all about finding and PREVIEWING interesting things and interesting people. Anything interesting that can be PREVIEWED is material for stories, including films and filmmakers, web video, theater, books, events, conferences, new media, new products, discoveries, science, and important issues.
www.qporit.com <http://www.qporit.com/>

BOBOOBLOG - The Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway BLOG! with news, information, credits, features, and reviews of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway theater!

http://bobooblog.blogspot.com/

We use print, photos, and (2D & 3D!) video posts. QPORIT & BOBOOBLOG stories are available immediately, online, with permalinks and can be referenced and linked to at any time.
Please let us know about films, plays, concerts, people, events, books, productions, red-carpets and openings that will make interesting posts!

interviews -- with writers, directors, actors, scientists, explorers and others with interesting stories

events -- always a source of interesting posts

previews -- feature stories on productions in rehearsal

news and news releases -- of all future events

features -- interesting people, ideas, and productions

We're just starting to interview backstage and on the Red Carpet in 3D! Lot's more 3D coming!

www.youtube.com/qporit3d

YOUTUBE CHANNELS:
QPORIT
QPORIT3D
SONNETSBYSHAKESPEARE

VIDEO INDEX

http://qporit-index.blogspot.com/2013/02/qporit-video-index.html

Posted in DVD, Ian Holm, Ian McKellan, James Earl Jones, Joseph Papp, King Lear, Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles, Paul Scofield, Peter Brook, Trevor Nunn | No comments

Saturday, May 18, 2013

SNL -- MAY 18, 2013 -- HOST: BEN AFFLECK with musical guest KANYE WEST -- SEASON FINALE

Posted on 8:57 AM by Unknown

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

SEASON FINALE

SNL -- MAY 18, 2013

HOST

BEN AFFLECK

with Musical Guest

KANYE WEST

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/

Ben Affleck (40, 6' 3" tall)) is an actor, writer and director. He won the Oscar for screenwriting with Good Will Hunting, and the Oscar for directing with Argo (not to be confused with Fargo).

He has more than 50 acting credits, notably

Live by Night (in development)
Runner, Runner (in development)

2012 Argo
2010 The Town
2009 State of Play
2009 He's Just Not That Into You
2006 Hollywoodland
2006 Clerks II
2004 Jersey Girl
2003 Paycheck
2003 Gigli
2003 Daredevil
2002 Changing Lanes
2001 Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
2001 Pearl Harbor
2001 Saturday Night Live
2000 Bounce
2000 Reindeer Games
2000 SNL Fanatic (TV short)
1999 Dogma
1998 Shakespeare in Love
1998 Armageddon
1997 Good Will Hunting
1997 Chasing Amy
1995 Mallrats
...
1981 The Dark End of the Street

BEN AFFLECK - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Affleck

BEN AFFLECK - IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000255/

Konye West (35) is a musician, filmmaker, producer, and fashion designer.

The debut of his new song was just projected on buildings all over the world. Here's the video:

KANYE WEST - WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_West

KANYE WEST - OFFICIAL SITE
http://www.kanyewest.com/

Here's a recap of the show:

This was kind of a strange show. Ben Affleck threw himself into nearly every sketch, with energy and no lack of self-parody. But most everything seemed under-written and under-directed: amusing, but more suggestive of a great sketch than realizing any of its comic (or dramatic) potential. Reading through the descriptions of the scenes, many seem to promise more humor than the scene actually delivers. Lot’s of gay themed sketches.

But perhaps what was most conspicuous about SNL tonight was the large number of film and video ad promos and previews. Moreover, there was a cacophony of catastrophes: one film was about the overrunning of the White House (White House Down) and three films were about the end of the world, more or less: World War Z, (Z is for Zombies.) M Night Shyamalan’s After Earth with Will Smith and his Son, and This Is The End, (a comedy) with James Franco, Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, and other celebrities all playing themselves.

COLD OPEN: POLITICS NATION – An amusing but somewhat incoherent sketch with no teeth. The IRS affair could be skewered, but this sketch did not do much more than parody Al Sharpton’s misuse and mispronunciation of a few words.

MONOLOG -- On his fifth gig hosting SNL, Ben Affleck reflected on the lack of a celebration for his joining the 5 timers club. Then he was joined by his wife, Jennifer Garner, to reflect on having said at an Awards show that he was “working on his marriage”. It was a little strange.

BENGO F#@#!K YOURSELF--A film starring the Iranian President, explaining how Argo was made of lies.

XANAX FOR GAY SUMMER WEDDINGS – A sedative for anyone who cannot cope with attending a bevy of perfect, absolutely perfect, gay weddings this summer.

NY 1933 – A strange scene with Affleck trying to hire a guy who is out-of-work, but who turns out to be too lazy and too interested in his career as a mugger to take the job. (I think the description is funnier than the sketch.) This seemed under-written and under-directed. It did not quite make it to either funny or dramatic, and just barely made it to interesting enough to wonder if it could have been better.

NEW BEGINNINGS: FLAGSTAFF – A camp for turning gay campers straight. Except to give Ben Affleck a chance to almost kiss another guy, this sketch had no real point. The setup and the execution were both kind of phony.

KANYE WEST – A high energy performance. The video that was screening behind Kanye, as a moving background, made this kind of a livemusic video.

WEEKEND UPDATE – Most of the jokes were pretty lame. REALLY WITH SETH AND AMY (Amy Poehler came back to guest on UPDATE) was really not as sharp as usual. STEFAN was as silly as usual. WEEKEND UPDATE paused in the middle for a parody of the climax of The Graduate, in which Seth went running after STEFAN to stop him from getting married. It was strange.

THE GREG PULINO FUNERAL -- Another strange under-written sketch in which people gang up on GREG PULINO for having been an awful person, while GREG (Affleck) who is still alive comes in “disguised” as Greg’s Uncle to defend him(self).

HERMES HANDBAGS – The ex-hookers perform a “commercial” they wrote so that Hermes will send them handbags. Affleck comes in to help them, but talks about herpes, not Hermes.

ENGAGEMENT PARTY– A family of emotional cops can’t get the words out to toast the engaged couple.

BRIT BAND: IT’S GOING TO BE A LOVELY DAY – Rather a sweet end to a rocky show as the final number of the season is a whole bunch of people on stage singing that no matter how bad things really are, “It’s going to be a lovely day”… and “It was a lovely night with you.”

Well… He could have used more support, but Affleck was a game host. There were no bad sketches, no great ones (XANAX and the final BAND were my favorites). The show wasn’t very funny, but it was consistently amusing.

It seemed like a missed opportunity, because there were hints that Affleck could be a great comedian with the right material.

This was the season finale. Several current cast members are reportedly leaving, so it may be a new and different SNL next season.

Here are links to some other SNL stories on QPORIT:

SNL -- MAY 11, 2013 -- HOST: KRISTEN WIIG with musical guest... VAMPIRE WEEKEND (Fun Show!)http://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/05/snl-may-11-2013-host-kristen-wiig-with.html

SNL -- APR 13, 2013 -- HOST: VINCE VAUGHN with musical guest... MIGUELhttp://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/04/snl-apr-13-2013-host-vince-vaughn-with.html

SNL -- MAR 9, 2013 -- HOST: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE with musical guest... JUSTIN TIMBERLAKEhttp://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/03/snl-mar-9-2013-host-justin-timberlake.html

SNL -- FEB 9, 2013 -- HOST: JUSTIN BIEBER with musical guest... JUSTIN BIEBERhttp://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/02/snl-feb-9-2013-host-justin-bieber-with.html

SNL -- JAN 26, 2013 -- ADAM LEVINE with KENDRICK LAMAR (Great show! & lots of clips!!)
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/01/snl-jan-26-2013-adam-levine-with.html

SNL -- JAN 19, 2013 --JENNIFER LAWRENCE with THE LUMINEERS
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2013/01/snl-jan-19-2013-jennifer-lawrence-with.html

SNL -- DEC 15, 2012 -- MARTIN SHORT WITH PAUL MCCARTNEY
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/12/snl-dec-15-2012-martin-short-with-paul.html

SNL -- DEC 8, 2012 -- JAMIE FOXX WITH NE-YO
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/12/snl-dec-8-2012-jamie-foxx-with-ne-yo.html

SNL -- NOV 10, 2012 -- ANNE HATHAWAY WITH RIHANNA
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/11/snl-nov-10-2012-anne-hathaway-with.html

SNL -- OCT 20, 2012 -- BRUNO MARS
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/10/snl-oct-20-2012-bruno-mars.html

SNL -- SEP 22, 2012 -- JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT WITH MUMFORD & SONS
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/09/snl-sep-22-2012-joseph-gordon-levitt.html

SNL -- SEP 15, 2012 – SEASON PREMIERE! -- SETH MACFARLANE WITH FRANK OCEAN
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/09/snl-sep-15-2012-season-premiere-seth.html

Posted in BAND: It's Going To Be A Lovely Day, Ben Affleck, Heremes Handbags, Kanye West, NY 1933, Saturday Night Live, Season Finale, SNL, XANAX for Gay Weddings | No comments

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