I made this thing!

Eyborg; The Bionic Eye

Grant Morrison talks in his new book (Supergods), about the day when superheroes become real and we begin to imitate them rather than making them seem more real. Well there are those who are taking that to the next level and becoming more like video games rather than making video games more realistic. Canadian filmmaker Rob Spense lost his eye in a accident involving a shot-gun when he was 13! If that isn't bad ass enough, he has recently replaced his missing eye with a wireless OmniVision video camera between two layers of a prosthetic eye.The camera is only 3.2MM 328 x 258.Designed by Kostas Grammastis a former Space X engineer, this is the third iteration, boasting longer battery life and better picture quality. Images from the eye are broadcast on a handheld device. The duo have formed what they're calling The Eyeborg Project, describing themselves as; "A one-eyed filmmaker, and an unemployed engineer". Aside from making headlines for his new eye Spense was commissioned by Square Enix the creators of the Final Fantasy franchise to make a short film exploring the current cybernetics revolution made possible by all of the recently limbless veterans of the last decade of war. Square Enix wanted the filmmaker with the robot eye to investigate how close we are to the games dystopian future where cyborgs rule! I wonder if in this world we each have to obtain corporate sponsorship for our machine parts?

The Apes have Risen!

The original Rise of the Planet of the Apes depicted the civil rights struggle of the sixties through the anthropomorphic actions of a talking ape who rose up and liberated his ancestors from slavery through some pretty iffy plot devices that could only work in that era. The new film doesn't quite have such a strong underlying message. It's not clear weather or not we are supposed to be for or against animal testing. I guess it all depends on weather you're for or against the apocalypse and the fall of mankind. There seems to be a reemergence of Apocalyptic culture in popular media, much like in the nineties,and I love it. I have always been fascinated with the end of the current civilization every since I saw Mad Max when I was a kid. While there are plenty of films that depict the fall of man, or the fall of modern civilization but of the current crop of doomsday summer fare I think it only fitting that society ends at the hands of James Franco. I say this even though I like him. I like James Franco despite how much James Franco tries to make me not like him. His acting is hit or miss. He was great in 127 hours, even better playing Ginsberg in Howl. He really shines in comedic roles like Date Night and (my personal favorite) Pineapple Express, but it seems every other thing he does such as his role in Planet of the Apes, he just plays this flat emotionless character. 

In Rise, a role that called for a little emotion on his characters part; dealing with a father with some how terminal Alzheimers disease and a super chimp/son that is taken from him, he just stares blankly off in the distant. You want him to act, he's got all the right tools, and a supporting cast that is simply amazing, but he won't. Perhaps he has too much going on with school, and various art projects, not to mention getting stoned and hosting the Oscars (in the most half-assed way). He seems like a perfect example of someone burning the candle at both ends. I have learned from my own experiences that it's much better for everyone involved if you focus on one particular talent at a time rather than partially participate in a multitude of fields. Your work suffers and the audience suffers. Thankfully for Franco Rise of the Planet of the Apes does not hinge on his performance. In fact he is almost more of a supporting character.Andy Serkis is the true star of this film. He is the center, the heart, and delivers the most amazing performance of his odd CGI covered career.

His Caeser is possibly the best of any PotA actor in history. Surpassing even Sir Roddy McDowall! This guy is unbelievable. His work as Gollum may have sealed his fate as the go to guy for actors covered in those little tiny light bulbs, and his work as King Kong may have paved the way for him to play the first intelligent chimp, but his work here has cemented his place as one of the greatest mimes to ever walk the planet. There were times in the film when you forget that it is a human being on green screen stage doing all of this and you actually believe there is a super smart ape on the screen. Serkis did more acting with his face than anyone else in the entire movie. Despite competing with the uber talented Jonathan Ligthow. A ton of praise goes to WETA for their phenomenal  work. Each of the Apes had a distinctive look and feel that was genuine and more real that any of the previous installments of the Apes series.

While I will always have a deep love and connection with the originals, this made me want to see the entire series redone with their masterful touch. I felt a special joy that the fall of man takes place in the city I currently call home, but there were sufficient nods to the original; like Caeser playing with a foam Statue of Liberty cut in the exact angle Charlton Heston found it in the first film. The television playing the launch of the space craft that he was on and the newspaper reporting their loss somewhere in space. The extrapolation of the plot during the final credits gives me hope that this is just a beginning for the relaunch of the iconic franchise. People often try to decry the proliferation of sequels in movies these days, but they forget that Planet of the Apes created the mold for the modern franchise film. Taking it's queue of coarse from the old black and white serials of the forties. Unlike so many Final Destinations and Paranormal Activities which seem to crank out sequels every year weather we want them or not this is a film that needs to continue. Minus Franco's flat acting this film was a masterpiece truly deserving a sequel. I'm sure all of the people screaming and clapping during the Saturday evening show that I went to here in SF wish to see what's next for Caeser and his new clan of hyper intelligent primates. And of course I can't help but think what the chemical agent that gives the apes their bonus brains in the movie  might work even better on us old world Monkees! I mean apes are big and strong, but how much cooler would they be with the use of a prehensile tail?

Republican Economic Policy

Pretty much in a nutshell how those pricks see the world! #fuckwashington isn't just for the racist who hate Obama it's for all of us! You wanted a divided government well you got it. It matches nicely with the divided country. The Republicans have consistently proven that they care only about the top 1% of this country and are willing to kill us all to protect them. Those duped into supporting them through the racist Koch Brothers funded Tea Party will rue the day they threw in with this lot. Honestly as much as I would love to see them eat it when Obama wins a second term I almost want just as much to see them regret everything if some Republican puppet is installed and they show them what a real Death Panel is all all about!

Jack of All Trades, Master of None

"Rising" Kalup Linzy featuring James Franco (Kalup & Franco)

This is the first single from James Franco and NY drag queen Kalup Linzy's forth coming EP Turn it up! It seems James Franco is a lot like me when I was a young Monkee. He fails to see that dabbling a little bit in all sorts of mediums just produces half-ass-ed results. It took me until my 30s to understand that focus creates great work. But then again, he's famous and I am not so what ever floats your boat I guess. It's not a terrible tune, kinda reminds me of Soul 2 Soul era British R&B. And who would have guest old James Dean Jr. is hanging out with drag queens!?! Well you can't be that pretty of a man without attracting other men and I'm sure James has tried everything once!

The Day After the Day Off!

 

I went to see the 25th Anniversary showing of Ferris Beuller's Day Off at the Ernst & Borgnine Plaza in lovely downtown L.A. tonight. Because I love that movie growing up, and also because it was free and I have 8 dollars in my bank account right now. It was cold, almost too cold to wait for the part at the end where he comes out and ask the audience why they are still there. It was far too cold for the silly karaoke and inane antics of the host prior to the show. As I sat alone sipping on my cheap whiskey shivering I imagined the non existent sequel to Mr. Buellers hilarious day off, a darker film where young Cameron Frye sits alone waiting for his overbearing father to return to see that his previously shy, quite son has done to his most prized possession and the only thing in this world that brings him joy. More than just a car this a something he has worked his entire life to own and cherishes it more than he does his own family. The two argue at first, but the verbal war soon turns physical. Young Cameron, now empowered by the destruction he has caused to his fathers beloved Ferrari, he unleashes years of pent up frustration and kills his much older father. He doesn't stop with a simple blow, but leaps upon his father, mad with passion never felt before and mutilates the body. Soon a calm rushes over Cameron and he decides to visit his friends. First he pops in on young Sloane Peterson and professes his love for her. Today was not the first time he has spied on her changing. He admits that he has watched as she lay with Ferris on several occasions. Frightened of her now murderous friend, Sloan tries to rebuff Cameron's advances without provoking his now violent rage. She fails by the time she arrives at Ferris's door she is nothing more than a head in a bag. Enraged that his love was unrequited and his anger now taking the form of jealousy over the one man he feels has gotten all the breaks. "everything always works out for Ferris." He says menacingly, "Not this time" He lunges at his friend who wasn't even taking his claims of homicide seriously. The two battle throughout Ferris's room, but just like the master, he has many resources in his lair and after a valiant struggle he uses his trickery to subdue the enraged Mr. Frye. Cameron does not wish to face a life with the consequences of his actions and leaps out of the second story window head first committing suicide. Ferris of course is unscathed and hailed as a hero. He wins again. 

As a back story we see Ferris's sister Jeanie as she blossoms from a prude to a knife wielding bad-ass with her boyfriend a young tough Charlie Sheen. The two almost thwart Cameron as he makes his way to Ferris only to fall victim themselves to the unstoppable rage that has built within him for years. We also see the suicide of Ed Rooney unable to cope with his humiliating defeat at the hands of a teenager. All the while Ferris parent's remain oblivious to the going-on's and unaffected by their daughters demise. And we are still left wondering why the most popular kid on the planet has a Cabaret Voltaire poster in his room!

Caine off Kung-Fu World Tour

“Caine off Kung-Fu” adventure blog; Day 2 | Thee Monkee Armada Word

“Caine off Kung-Fu” adventure blog; Day 2 | Thee Monkee Armada Word

R.I.P. Gil Scott Heron

The man had a lot of personal demons that he wrestled with, but he spoke the truth quite a few times. He will be missed! Rest in Piece gentle poet.

Kibot; The Monkee Robot watches you while you sleep.

Korean kids had better be on their best behavior, the Monkee is watching! Kibot the monkey-faced robot, sings songs, reads fairy-tales, takes pictures and makes video calls. The former state-run firm KT Telecom began selling the monkey-bot in April for $447 (plus), with a wireless package that comes in 12 or 14 month installments. Aimed at toddlers (age 3-7) it runs on a rechargeable battery and has plenty of other tricks up its sensor-enabled sleeves, too. Parents can control the 8-inch-tall wheeled robot via mobile phone and, use Wi-Fi to monitor their children with the 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera which also lets kids make calls simply by touching an RFID card bearing the picture of a familiar face to the device. Why these parents aren't watching their 3 to 7 year old's in person is beyond me, perhaps they're too busy with work. They may just be too busy in another room to give their child any attention, never fear though the robot acts as a surrogate, it even responds to gestures, such as pats, by turning and pleasantly saying, "It feels good." When it encounters an obstacle, it can change direction to avoid it. It can also take pictures and record and play back customized voices. It can serve as a language tutor for Korean and English. Seo Yu-Yeol, head of KT's home business group, told reporters. "Kibot will be like a friend for kids, who constantly need something by their side to touch, see and play with." So you have been warned children of Korea, this cute little monkey can sing to you, but it can also watch you while you sleep.