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floating_jetsam
Musically, I enjoy Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Laurie Anderson, Susan Crowe and even the defunct Split Enz. Other notables include Peter Gabriel, Shankar, The Who and Arlo Guthrie.
I enjoy computer programming (do that for a living) and painting on canvases (instead of houses). A good book (like The Counte Of Monte Cristo) can be a lot of fun for me too.
Reviews
Bu san (2003)
Patience please, This film requires patience.
There has been both glowing and dismissive reviews of this film.
If you want to be entertained and shown a good time, then this is not the film for you. This film is on the other end of the spectrum than the average action film.
This film lays down a subtle tapestry of images whereupon the characters drift about and interact (often without words) as they go about their separate quests or duties.
A quiet film with quiet rewards for those with patience to finish it.
Sometimes sparseness of action on the screen is needed. It's the difference between looking at a snap shot, and experiencing the stillness of the scene. The world is not always filled with action, it often has periods of reflection and meditation. Avoid using the Fast Forward function of your DVD player.
Gran Turismo 4 (2004)
Driving game with a lot of replay value
The best part of this game is the realism it imparts to the driving experience. The game has a range of cars spanning over 100 years and over 1000 HP (starting at 1 hp). It has tracks ranging from simple to complex monsters (accurately based on the real life Nurburgring in Germany.) Tracks can be tarmac, dirt, ice, snow, wet tarmac and sometimes a mix. It has driving licenses which help you learn to drive better in the game (I've passed them all, but not gotten perfect in more than half...) It has room for 1000 cars in your garage (I'm at about 800) There are plenty of races that are snap easy, medium, or difficult, short or long.
Most cars can be modified by adding suspension, drive-train and engine upgrades.
So there is a lot of variety in this game. You are not stuck driving one of 10 cars or something, though some races restrict your options to one or more cars, but that is just for that race or series of races.
Above all it's the physics that drives this game above the field. A nice selection of cars is nice, but the feel for the road is the best thing this game has for it.... As the car accelerates or decelerates, you can see the car lunge or dip on screen. As the wheels start slipping, you hear it, and if you don't correct it, you might just loose it. As you hit a depression in the road or crest a hill too fast, the tires loose grip a little, and it just might be enough to spill. Just like real racing, the driver must know the road and the car. Knowing and staying in the limits is vital to racing at your full potential.
This game is NOT an arcade game where you just floor the gas and steer. This game requires you to be more subtle than that. As it's not an arcade game, it won't be for everyone. Even those who don't like driving (like me) may really enjoy the game, as you can get the feel of the race, with out the risk (to your life and property...)