Middle-aged beer loving heavy metal gods

There's not much one can say. After 30 years, Tankard still rock. Respect!

Blonde Witch

Remember the 1980s metal scene? Then you must remember Warlock, the German metal band, and their amazing blonde lead singer, Doro Pesch. Well, she's back with a so-so song and a dreadful video. But she's such an eye-candy that we will forgive her everything, right? :p

Battle the Gauls

From Switzerland, Eluveitie are celebrating 10 years of career with a special release, The Early Years. This track, "Your Gaulish War" from 2006, will be included. Great Folk Metal.

The sound of the cross

Back after some time, let's update what we're listening to these days. Here's Battlecross with "Kaleb." Nice heavy sound.

Evil Retribution

Well, here's the trailer for the newest installment of the Resident Evil franchise. This is what, number 5? 6? Well, I've watched the first four now, and while getting sillier with each new movie, I've enjoyed it more and more. Resident Evil: Retribution 3D seems to be a return to the mythology's roots, including some characters from the first opus. I don't think no one really expects much from this, so let's hope it'll be so bad it becomes good. Check it out below.

Morning Upper

Morning Upper

Red Riding Hood Revisited

After the zombies in I'll See You In My Dreams, Portuguese metal band Moonspell return to horror with this "Lycanthrope," the new video for their latest CD. Check it out below. I'm sure I will be back to the Moonspell theme soon enough.

Morning Upper

Some women with PMS...

No Machine Washing

(Note: This is an old post from one of my previous blogs. I will be saving some of those elderly posts, so I can keep it all together in the same place. Luís)

Years ago I tried to reduce old Lego set 928 and make a mini version of it. This was the result. Also for a competition hosted by Comunidade 0937.

Dragonball

(Note: This is an old post from one of my previous blogs. I will be saving some of those elderly posts, so I can keep it all together in the same place. Luís)

I love DragonBall since my college days. Now it's my kid that watches it every day. Therefore, it was only natural for me to choose this anime as a hipothetical new LEGO theme. It gave me first place in my community's biannual big game (I came second, in the end).
The stickers and Piccolo's white cape were made by me. The small platform that serves as fighting arena was inspired in a Harry Potter set. The simple background structrure was inspired by a Dragon Ball video game still.

Minifigs' Home

A home for our Lego minifigs, made by the wife :)

Hopefully, this will be the first of many.

Hunting

Childhood's End

Destroying, once and for all, all childhood dreams....

(Picture by Paul Krassner, and it may be better seen, or even bought, here.)

Morning Upper

Take your kids to vomit

I just love this kind of stuff. Just take a good look at the above poster of the film Mark of the Devil. Rated "V" for extreme violence, so gruesome everyone is expected to vomit during the session. So far so good, sounds like a flick I'd love to watch. But what's that? "All ages admitted"??? Whoa. How's that for incongruity? Cute.

Pets are for life

After too many years I finally managed to read Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the story about a family that first loses their pet cat, and then their younger son, both hit by trucks on a busy road.

("Honey, did you put the cat out? It fuckin smells in here!")

I had watched Mary Lambert's movie many years ago, when it premiered, in 1989, but, as always, watching the movie and reading the original story is never the same thing. On top of that, more than 20 years between each experience make a very big difference. I am a fahter now, and that fact made King's narrative a whole lot more powerful. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a son, the extremes a parent would go to try and get him back, but Stephen King was very near that feeling, for this was somewhat based on a true story, up till the moment whan he rescued his own son from being ran over by a truck. Feelings apart, Pet Sematary is a very powerful book, where King uses his mastery as a storyteller to keep us turning pages all through the night. Too bad the ending is very weak, although it was typical of King during this 80s and 90s period, when it looked like the author suddenly thought the book was way too big and it was time to finish it. That gave us some Deus ex machina endings, like the present book's, and most notably the one in Needful Things, where literally something comes out of the sky...

("Praise the Lord, I did it again, another shitty ending!")

But nevermind the ending. It's a great read, one of King's best books.
On another note, I wouldn't be myself if I didn't bring you some strange thing for your viewing pleasure. While I was searching for the cover of the book, I came across this demented piece of Claymation based on Pet Sematary. Aptly called Postman Pat's Pet Sematary, it's a gory and very funny short, that will keep you entertained for two odd minutes. Mind the gore and the language, for it's very NSFW. Enjoy :)

Cthulhu Master

On the 75th anniversary of H. P. Lovecraft's passing (a week ago, I know, but it's never too late), I leave you a link for a text by the famous author Ramsey Campbell about the master of horror. Like I said before, why try to pay homage to someone when better words have already been written?

Morning Upper

The Fair Is Coming To Town

A few posts back I talked about the work that Comunidade 0937 elected as 2011's MOC Of The Year, the Bumper Cars by Nuno2500. Now I bring you a WIP (that's work in progress, for those not familiar with AFOLs terminology - adults fan of Lego, that is....), also by Nuno, that brings more life to the future fair. It's a carousel aimed mainly for kids, something that's always a part of the traditional fairs that take place in the summer all over Portugal. With movement and lights, it sure is one hell of a build.

Morning Upper

Morning Upper

ABS Merlin

I had to share this marvellous creation in LEGO bricks, by Flickr user Simon T. James. It's simply amazing, from the shapes to the color and the photography. Go check the whole photostream on Flickr.

Shitload of dementia

Right. The above movie poster is a parody, as I'm sure you've noticed. No matter how demented you may consider a good zombie romp, master Romero never got to those extremes. Now, what if I told you that someone else got to those shitty extremes, pun very much intended? Hailing from good old Japan comes Zombie Ass - Toilet of the Dead, a big pile of (literally) steamy excrements, gore and unlimited laughs. Directed by Noboru Iguchi, it premiered in Fantastic Film Fest festival, in Texas, USA, in 2011. From the looks of the trailer it's a tongue very firmly in cheek incursion in the zombie lore, guaranteed to make us sick with laughter. Why don't you go check the official website, full of information about the film, the cast, and the crew, and with a fun game of smack the shitty zombie. Too bad it's in Japanese, but what the heck, you'll have fun. Further down you can watch the trailer. Once again, too bad it's in Japanese, not only because of the language, but also because of the censorship. Keep your eyes out for the DVD edition.

Fathers' Day 2012

Bacause in the end, this is what matters :)

Dinner soundtrack

I love cooking and whenever possible I go to the kitchen and start creating. Today's dinner was pork with mushrooms, with a side of fried potatoes and a nice tomato and lettuce salad sprinkled with oregano. The final result?

It was good, I can assure you. And so can the wife and kid :) I had a nice Sagres beer, my better half had a glass of red wine, and the kid some water.

While cooking I like to listen to music. Being myself, the soundtrack, as usual, was metal. Today? Nevermore, Dead Heart In A Dead World. Published in 2000, this CD was their 4th studio work, with 11 tracks.  Nevermore was the natural evolution of Sanctuary and is Warrel Dane (vocals), Jeff Loomis (guitars), Jim Sheppard (bass) and Van Williams (drums). This American thrash band sets itself apart from many other bands thanks to its guitar work, the amazing vocals and the depth of its lyrics.

Some interesting facts: Warrel Dane has degrees in philosophy, teology, and sociology,  is a certified cook and had opera singing lessons for five years; Jeff Loomis once auditioned for Megadeth, but never made to the band. Why? He was only 16, too young to go on tour with Megadeth. Chris Broderick, now with Megadeth, was once Nevermore's second guitarist, between 2001-2003, and 2006-2007. It's hard to choose from the 11 tracks, for they are all great, but here's the title track, "Dead Heart In a Dead World," "Insignificant," and the beautiful "Believe in Nothing."

Morning Upper

Plastic S&M

And linked to the previous post ;)

From the Flickr account of nolnet. Go check it out. It's worth it.

The big tease

Just because I love Shakespears Sister and I think Marilyn Manson's ex-wife Dita von Tease is a pretty lady. Enjoy.

Still Moebius

Following the lead of this website, this is a great way to pay homage to the great artist Jean "Moebius" "Gir" Giraud. The BBC documentary Moebius Redux - A Life in Pictures will guarantee 53 well spent minutes.

Girls and Cars

Directed by Phillipe Garner, this short is a small beauty. "The Chase" is exactly what its title says: a chase, a car chase, with a gazillion police cars and helicopters in hot pursuit of four beautiful girls, each on her high horse power car. This computer animated short is a very small feature, running only 4 and a half minutes, give or take some seconds, credits included, and bets mainly on its visuals, which are stunning and flawless. Even so, it manages to include a final twist, which lets the chase make some sense. You can find right after this words. Enjoy.

Morning Upper

MOC of the year - 0937

Nuno2500 is one of the (several) great builders in Comunidade 0937, and his "Bumper Cars" were recently elected MOC of the year.

You can check out his presentation of the MOC here, where you will also find a link to the video of the little buggers moving around (yes, they really bump).



ABS Pos-Apoc

Being a big fan of LEGO and of Post Apocalyptic settings, it's no wonder that this work by brickshelf's user a-tree (Nannan-Z) has caught my attention.

The contrast between the stern darkish look of the outpost and the garish pink of the flowers lends the build an appeal that many other works lack.

I also call your attention to the parts-made weapons, simple and effective.

More images in a-trees folder on Brickshelf.

Atrium 0937

Like LEGO(r)? Wanto to see some amazing works made with LEGO(r) bricks? Then Coimbra, in Portugal is your destination during the weekend of the 24th/25th March 2012. Awesome works by the members of the Portuguese LUG (LEGO Users Group) Comunidade 0937. Check it out. You won't regret it.

Samurai X hits the screens

I remember some years ago watching the anime show Samurai X, which adapted the manga Rurouni Kenshin. How I loved that show. Now I find that Warner Bros. Japan is adapting the show to a live action movie.
The movie is being directed by Keishi Ōtomo, and stars Takeru Satoh as Rurouni Kenshin, Emi Takei as Kaoru Kamiya, Yuu Aoi as Megumi Takani, Munetaka Aoki as Sanosuke Sagara, and Taketo Tanaka as Yahiko Myōjin.
Here's the first trailer, with English subtitles. Rurouni Kenshin will premiere in Japan on 25th August. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

How to perk up your LEGO(r)

If you are into model building and LEGO, and want some good ideas about how to customize your minifigures and/or models, The Brothers Brick are currently posting a series of tips on how to do it at home. This link will lead you to the first post on the series. Be warned though, if you're a purist, you may be in for some shocking sights.

(image: Light Tent Test, by JasBrick)

Morning Upper

Morning Upper

RIP Jean Giraud

Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, aka Gir (8/5/1938 - 10/3/2012) died. The world knows it. Being one of my favorite all time authors, I planned on writing a few lines about his work, his legacy, some kind of homage, or tribute. Of course, many have said much more than I could ever try to. The best homage? Go read his books. It'll be worth every second spent.

R.I.P. Gir

The Spell From the Moon

Hey, you! Yeah, you from some other country than Portugal. Are you into Metal? Do you like bands like Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir,Paradise Lost and what not?
Ever heard about Moonspell? You should. It´s a great Portuguese doom metal band, known all over the world.
Check them out down here :)

WHYYYYY?

Porque é que não há mais filmes com a qualidade deste "mero" trailer de jogo de vídeo? Se pelo menos a saga Resident Evil no cinema se aproximasse disto....

Come to me

Só porque gosto bastante e me fez lembrar Fringe.
Lacuna Coil, "Trip the Darkness," do novíssimo Dark Adrenaline.

Fevereiro - Mês Horrível

E não é só por estar "um frio do cu da Sibéria", como diriam os Gato Fedorento.
O mundo cultural não gira apenas em torno de Lisboa e Porto, e prova disso é a iniciativa da Casa da Cultura - Bedeteca de Beja "Fevereiro - Mês Horrível."
A partir de hoje, 1 de fevereiro, até ao final do mês terá lugar em Beja uma série de atividades em torno do terror, mais centradas na BD, como seria de esperar, mas também com incursões no cinema, por exemplo. Podem visitar aqui a página do FaceBook da iniciativa, com a programação detalhada. Se puderem, não faltem.

Old Geezers' Last Stand

Nem só de tripas vive o geek, embora o que se segue tenha o seu quê de sobrenatural. O que também conta para alguma coisa :)
Sunshine Girl é uma curta/vídeo musical coreana, realizada por Yoon Jung Wook para a banda The Baits. Nela conta-se a história de uma jovem que morreu a caminho de um concerto. 70 anos depois, a rapariga aparece aos elementos já idosos dessa banda, que têm a oportunidade de atuar finalmente para a fã. A animação é excelente, e a música até se ouve bastante bem.
Esta curta venceu o Prémio Excelência 2010 do Festival Internacional de Animação e Cartoon de Seul.
Tocante? Decrépito? Talvez, como eu, fiquem divididos, mas prefiro ver uma mensagem de esperança, que nos diz que a vida só acaba quando chega mesmo ao fim. Há sempre tempo para mais um espetáculo...

SUNSHINE GIRL from yamamba on Vimeo.

Bats in the Belfry

Ora vamos a mais uma curta.
Bats in the Belfry foi a vencedora do Prémio MOTELx - Melhor Curta de Terror Portuguesa da edição de 2010 do MOTELx, Festival de Cinema de Terror de Lisboa.
Realizada, escrita e animada por João Alves, esta magnífica peça de animação narra a história de Deadeye Jack, que chega a uma pequena igreja em busca de sacos de dinheiro para gastar em jogo e miúdas. O problema é que lá dentro, nem tudo é celestial.
Com uma animação primorosa e uma história simples, mas cativante, Bats in the Belfry mostra que não é preciso ser um profissional para fazer grandes obras de cinema.
Destaque para o final, delicioso.

Bats in the Belfry from João Alves on Vimeo.

Marretas e traumas

Já aqui disse que 1973 foi um ano marcante. Era lançado o primeiro LP dos Queen, morria J. R. R. Tolkien, era editado Carrie, o primeiro romance de Stephen King, e estreava The Wicker Man, realizado por Robin Hardy, com Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee e Britt Eckland. Mesmo sem mostrar sangue e tripas, este thriller marcou os apreciadores de terror, tendo um final chocante, que dificilmente se esquece.

O argumento fala-nos de um agente da polícia que chega à ilha de Summerisle em busca de uma jovem desaparecida. Os ilhéus não se mostram, de todo, prestáveis e o crescendo de tensão vai ter um desenlace inesperado e terrível.

Serve este intróito para dar a conhecer não o filme, mas uma versão fotográfica do mesmo, protagonizado pelos Marretas. Isso mesmo, os Marretas. Da autoria de Paul O’Connell, A Muppet Wicker Man segue fielmente os acontecimentos do filme. E é chocante. Aviso desde já que quem ainda tem o imaginário de infância intacto pode ficar irremediavelmente traumatizado. Porquê? Digamos apenas que envolve a Miss Piggy. Vejam por vossa conta e risco.

Geekices...

Juntemos o geek que há em nós a um caderno de qualidade para registar o que vai na alma.

O belo do Moleskine com tema Lego parece-me muito bem. Se não houver grande predileção pelo ABS, também temos Star Wars.

Para satisfazer a criança que há em nós :)

O Leilão de uma Relação

Em outro local comentei que Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry foi uma das coisas mais interessantes que tinha lido nos últimos tempos. Pois esse livro já foi editado em Portugal e no Centro Cultural de Cascais está patente, até 4 de março, uma exposição com alguns dos objetos presentes no livro. Aqui podem ler uma entrevista da autora.

Professor, porque é que tem uma boca tão grande?

Mais uma prova de que os japoneses são alucinados no que diz respeito a filmes. Este de certeza que bate novos recordes de demência. Segundo diz o trailer, Red Sword foi baseado nos contos de fadas dos Irmãos Grimm, que já sabemos não serem exatamente para crianças, mas que não chegavam a este ponto. Liceais, katanas, mamocas e gore, muito gore, ou não fosse este um maravilhoso splatter movie do país do sol nascente.

A Alice e a Anti-Alice

O que aconteceria se a Alice se encontrasse com a Anti-Alice, a que está do outro lado do espelho?

Tendo como mote o aniversário do nascimento de Lewis Carroll (a 27 de janeiro de 1832), o site i09 publicou um interessante artigo sobre matéria e antimatéria. Prova da importância, ainda hoje, da Alice que chegou ao outro lado...
Para ler aqui.

Coisas e coisas

Lembram-se de The Thing - Veio do Outro Mundo (1982), de John Carpenter? Gostaram?

Se sim, imagino que vão gostar deste conto de Peter Watts, intitulado "The Things." Trata-se do ponto de vista da "coisa" que surge na estação norueguesa e que é levada, inadvertidamente, para a estação americana na Antártida. Todos os que viram o filme sabem o desenlace, mas Watts consegue criar um enredo que nos prende e faz com que sintamos alguma compreensão para com a criatura. Mais não digo, mas talvez as coisas não sejam como parecem à primeira vista. Vão ler este excelente conto, disponível gratuitamente aqui.

Happy B-Day, Mr. Dodgson

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson nasceu há 180 anos, a 27 de janeiro de 1832. Porquê referi-lo aqui? Talvez faça sentido se nos recordarmos do seu pseudónimo, Lewis Carroll, autor de Alice's Adventures in Wonderland e Through the Looking Glass.

Aqui ficam as ligações para entrada sobre ele na Wikipedia, para um artigo simples acerca do surgimento da Alice e para a entrada no Projeto Gutenberg, com várias versões das obras de Carroll.
Se nunca leram aconselho-os a fazê-lo, pois é dos mais geniais exemplos da literatura do absurdo.