tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315553952024-03-19T01:52:21.333-07:00the quiet angelenoQuality ruminations on pop culture, since 2006.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-84934624347744869092008-04-15T00:10:00.000-07:002008-04-15T15:16:31.016-07:00Oh Yeaahh!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/koolaid_2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://cetialpha5.com/koolaid_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Just a quick note to let everybody know that the God-fearing, red-blooded patriots at <a href="http://la.metblogs.com/">Los Angeles Metblogs</a> finally made the right decision and asked me to join their team of writers.<br /><br />I have two posts up thus far, and I'm not out of ideas yet.<br /><br />I'd highly recommend you visit the site on a daily basis and read the musings of all the talented scribes there. But if you're a glutton for punishment, <a href="http://la.metblogs.com/author/ghidorah76/">here's</a> where all of my posts will be collected. <div><br /></div><div>See you in the blogosphere.</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-82191200413114151302007-09-14T22:32:00.000-07:002007-09-15T00:53:45.830-07:00The Goo, The Bad, and The Ugly<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/yeti_gamagoo"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/yeti_gamagoo" alt="" border="0" /></a>As a way of welcoming my beautiful daughter, Caitlin, to the world, I decided to write a story on San Francisco-based apparel company GAMA-GO's latest line of baby clothing, GAMA-GOO. The piece ran in Los Angeles CityBeat on August 30th. Cate arrived on September 5th at 12:44 p.m. (7 pounds, 1 ounce; 19 inches). Hence the two week delay in my posting this article.<br /><br />For this story, I interviewed two of GAMA-GO's co-founders, including Tim Biskup, the Southern California artist whose characters and designs are featured in both clothing lines. During the interview, Biskup said his original concept for GAMA-GO was to take Japanese imagery and filter it through mid-century modern design. He drew particular inspiration from the intriguing balance of ugliness and beauty inherent in Japanese vinyl toys.<br /><br />Here's a taste:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">[Biskup] was first introduce</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">d to Japanese vinyl toys while working at Cartoon Network from 2000 to 2002. "I walked into [</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Powerpuff Girls</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> creato</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">r] Craig McCracken's office on day, and he had these two </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">War of the Gargantuas</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> toys," says Biskup. "They were the ugliest things, and they were j</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">ust great."</span><br /><br />To read the whole article, click <a href="http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=6086&IssueNum=221">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo courtesy GAMA-GOO.</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-5897291805709958902007-07-09T12:45:00.000-07:002007-09-14T23:22:30.807-07:00Me on Me: FishbowlLA's 20 questions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/mike_tanzania.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/mike_tanzania.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Only the Shadow knows why the good folks at FishbowlLA chose me for today's 20 questions! I answered their "inane" questionnaire, which covers topics as far-ranging as car washes, the future of newspapers, and satellite radio. Read it <a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/our_town/fbla_20_questions_mike_winder_62497.asp#more">here</a>.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-25168453348000372102007-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:002007-09-14T23:06:29.278-07:00Byte Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/uwink.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/uwink.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>I have an article in this week's special summer dining issue of Los Angeles CityBeat on uWink, the latest restaurant venture by Atari and Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time Theater founder Nolan Bushnell.<br /><br />At uWink, customers place their orders on touch-screen terminals and play casual video games while they wait for their food and drinks to arrive. But why eliminate a traditional waiter in an environment that's been designed to foster human interaction?<br /><br />The article also touches on the growing casual gaming movement.<br /><br />Here's a sample:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">“We feel many people haven’t played a videogame in 20 years, or maybe they’ve never played one in their life,” Bushnell says. “They’ve determined in their mind, ‘I’m not a game player.’ We feel like we have an ability to change that. [I]n that sense we’re being somewhat evangelistic.”</span><br /><br />Read the whole thing <a href="http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=5744&IssueNum=212">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: Nolan Bushnell at his uWink restaurant in Woodland Hills.<br />Photo: Maura Lanahan</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-15853842183159745392007-05-24T08:47:00.000-07:002007-09-14T23:18:20.447-07:00You Down with MCP?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/Tron_Yori.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/Tron_Yori.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Greetings, programs!<br /><br />I have an article in today's Summer Film Preview issue of Los Angeles CityBeat on Disney's sci-fi classic "Tron," which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.<br /><br />The article includes a discussion with Richard Taylor, one of "Tron's" visual effects supervisors on the film's groundbreaking effects, as well as director Steven Lisberger, on how the narrative incorporates the Jungian concept of "individuation."<br /><br />Here's a sample:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Visual Effects Society member Gene Kozicki, of the L.A.-based visual effects house Rhythm & Hues, believes "Tron's" legacy was in moving computer-generated visuals into the realm of storytelling. "Research into this type of imagery had been going on for over 15 years, but it was more scientific in nature," Kozicki says, "Once artists began to share their ideas and treat the computer as a tool, it moved away from strict research and towards an art form."</span><br /></span><br />Read the whole story <a href="http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=5570&IssueNum=207">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: Cindy Morgan (Yori) and Bruce Boxleitner (Tron) in Disney's "Tron."<br />© Disney Enterprises, Inc.</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1176363988097884722007-04-12T08:00:00.000-07:002007-09-14T23:17:16.838-07:00Gort, the Walrus, and Gadgets Galore<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/Frys_Gunrud.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/Frys_Gunrud.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I have an article in today's "Design 2007" issue of Los Angeles CityBeat on Fry's Electronics' offbeat store decor. I go to Fry's nearly every weekend, so writing a story about their science fiction and "Alice in Wonderland" themed stores in the San Fernando Valley felt like the only sensible thing to do.<br /><br />Here's a sample:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">"The store's centerpiece is Gort, the silver humanoid robot from the 1951 anti-nuclear cult classic </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">The Day the Earth Stood Still</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">. Ironically, in that film, as a way of warning humanity not to continue down a dangerous technological path, the menacing robot momentarily switches off all electric equipment throughout the world. (Time to pick up a surge protector?)"</span><br /><br />I've been thinking about this piece for a long time, so I'm thrilled CityBeat gave me the opportunity to bring it to life.<br /><br />Read the whole story <a href="http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=5333&IssueNum=201">here</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Photo: Eric Gunrud</span></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1159921697884961502006-09-29T12:00:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:24:20.271-07:00Say it Ain't So, Al<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAsNdgMQZklYYJqk9zdMVNcHvS_CRrvjUiqR4Cer9ziggt_1Q4vnVDLkDMUkgBYtbU6BkyIe2QEKankdffNMbG8aW1MfhUyb9f-ngFiR2Xo7FX7okQ7ZoWG_6IlFPvVU83aDJ5g/s1600-h/WEIRDAL_lores.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAsNdgMQZklYYJqk9zdMVNcHvS_CRrvjUiqR4Cer9ziggt_1Q4vnVDLkDMUkgBYtbU6BkyIe2QEKankdffNMbG8aW1MfhUyb9f-ngFiR2Xo7FX7okQ7ZoWG_6IlFPvVU83aDJ5g/s320/WEIRDAL_lores.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110668547848093106" border="0" /></a>This latest article is a bittersweet one.<br /><br />As you'll see, I had the opportunity to do a tongue-in-cheek <a href="http://www.cetialpha5.com/LAA_092906_Say_It_Aint_So_Al.pdf">interview</a> with "Weird Al" Yankovic about his fantastic new album <span style="font-style: italic;">Straight Outta Lynwood</span>. It's no exaggeration to say that Al is one of my childhood heroes. His sense of humor and his spot-on parodies were a major influence during my tween years. If you haven't heard "White & Nerdy," his hilarious take on Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty," do yourself a favor and view it on YouTube. You won't be dissapointed.<br /><br />Here's a taste of the article:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">"Yes, both [</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-style: italic;">Virus Alert</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> and </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-style: italic;">Don't Download This Song</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">] are paranoid rants about digital technology, but again--jokes." Al said, "I have nothing against technology. I may look like the Unabomber, but I'm not him--I promise."</span><br /><br />That's the sweet part.<br /><br />The bitter part is that this article appeared in the very last print issue of LA Alternative. Though the publication is going to continue as an online entity, I haven't heard yet what form it will take. I'm not sure even LA Alternative knows what they're going to morph into. All I know is not being able to pick up the paper at a coffee shop, inside the library, outside the movie theater, or at an art gallery is a big loss for the city.<br /><br />LA Alternative, we speak your name.<br /><br />Editors Lesley Bargar, Lucinda Michele Knapp, and Evan George are a talented, classy group of individuals, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity they gave me to spread my silly ruminations on pop culture. I hope we continue to work together in the future.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: Fluent in Javascript and Klingon, "Weird Al" Yankovic explores his </span><span style="font-size:85%;">roots, pancreas, and the drive-thru in </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Straight Outta Lynwood</span><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1156540599322329622006-08-25T14:15:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:26:45.239-07:00Los Angeles c. 2231<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/lasat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/lasat.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In less than two weeks, the crown jewel of the Pacific Rim, Los Angeles, celebrates her 225th birthday. In my latest article for LA Alternative, <a href="http://cetialpha5.com/LAA_082506_LA2231.pdf">Los Angeles c. 2231</a>, I celebrate the City of Angels' past by taking a look at possibilities for her future as envisioned in three science fiction novels: <em>Parable of the Sower</em> by <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/members/butler/">Octavia E. Butler</a>, <em>Snow Crash</em> by <a href="http://www.nealstephenson.com/">Neal Stephenson</a>, and <em>Virtual Light</em> by <a href="http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/">William Gibson</a>. Mix and match to create your very own dystopian nightmare.<br /><br />Here's a snippet:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">In a Southern California where climate change has made water a scarcer commodity than gasoline, and civil society has been replaced with a predator/prey/scavenger nightmare, carbon emissions and long commutes are the least of people’s concerns. Far from being congested, freeways have turned into efficient, albeit dangerous, means of getting around—by foot.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: What might Los Angeles look like on her 450th birthday? Is she destined to lose her small-town charms?</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1153697466283728472006-07-14T12:00:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:28:44.631-07:00Happy Happy Joy Joy Redux<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/renseeksHelp3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/renseeksHelp3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This was a real treat. For my latest article for LA Alternative, <a href="http://cetialpha5.com/LAA_071406_Happy_Happy_Joy_Joy_Redux.pdf">"Happy Happy Joy Joy Redux,"</a> I interviewed <a href="http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/">John Kricfalusi </a>(aka John K.), the creator of <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>.<em> </em>John K. has a new DVD, <em>Ren and Stimpy: The Lost Episodes</em>, coming out on July 18, so it was a great opportunity to ask him about his creations, his influences, and his thoughts on the current state of animation.<br /><br />Here's a tease:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">“There’s no such thing as a writer-driven cartoon,” says Kricfalusi. “There’s only the non-artist-driven cartoon. The big misconception about animation is that if it’s drawn poorly then it must be written well. And I say ‘no.’ It’s written poorly and it’s drawn poorly. [Cartoons] are a visual storytelling medium.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: A still from "Ren Seeks Help" from the new <em>Ren and Stimpy: </em></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>The Lost Episodes</em> DVD.</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1153695710215646122006-06-23T12:00:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:31:57.347-07:00Sexy Beast<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/godzillastill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/godzillastill.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here's <a href="http://cetialpha5.com/LAA_062306_Sexy_Beast.pdf">"Sexy Beast,"</a> an article on Godzilla that I wrote for LA Alternative. <em>Godzilla: King of the Monsters</em> (1956), <em>Godzilla 2000 </em>(1999), and <em>Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack!</em> (2001) are all being screened as part of the <a href="http://www.americancinematheque.com/">American Cinematheque's </a>"Giant Monsters on the Loose!" film festival.<br /><br />For this story I interviewed the festival's co-organizer and editor of <a href="http://www.scifijapan.com/">SciFiJapan.com</a> Keith Aiken; journalist and film historian Steve Ryfle; and editor of <a href="http://www.g-fan.com/">G-Fan Magazine </a>J.D. Lees.<br /><br />Here's an appetizer:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">“With <em>Gojira</em>, you’re watching a film made by people who experienced a nuclear holocaust,” says Aiken. “The film was made nine years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was very fresh in people’s minds.” A visit to the aftermath of Hiroshima left a powerful impression on <em>Gojira</em> director Ishiro Honda, adding an unexpected gravitas to scenes of crowds running for their lives, children being measured for radioactivity, and the injured masses suffering in hospitals. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: Still from <em><a href="http://www.godzillaondvd.com/">Gojira</a></em> (1954), which Classic Media is releasing on DVD </span><span style="font-size:85%;">on September 5.</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31555395.post-1153694933362282932006-05-19T12:00:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:34:44.034-07:00Los Angeles Plays Itself<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cetialpha5.com/smoothmoves.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://cetialpha5.com/smoothmoves.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here's <a href="http://cetialpha5.com/LAA_051906_LA_Plays_Itself.pdf">"Los Angeles Plays Itself," </a>an article I wrote for LA Alternative on the Electronic Entertainment Expo (aka E3), which takes place every year in downtown Los Angeles.<br /><br />Here's a sampling:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">As if the rising cost of gasoline and housing weren’t enough, Sony announced at a pre-E3 conference that their fully loaded Playstation 3 would be released in November at a jaw-dropping cost of $599. Now comes a difficult choice: send your kid to preschool or be the first on your block to play <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>.</span><br /><br /><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Image: Squatting may become the next big thing when Nintendo releases </span><a href="http://wii.nintendo.com/games_wwsm.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Wario Ware: Smooth Moves</em> </span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">for the Wii<em>.</em><br /></span><br /></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15722953015992209038noreply@blogger.com0