Hey Bees! I survived the blazing heat and the humidity to hit the gym once more. Today was another Push day, with a focus on form.
Paused Bench Press: 132.5 x 3. Oooh, this went fairly well! I was going to only go up to 130, but managed to go a bit heavier.
Weighted Dips: 25 x 5. Focusing here on form. Felt good, so I'll go up again in my subsequent workout.
Preacher Bar Curls: 30 x 6. Went light today.
Dual Dumbbell Curls: 14 x 10. Ugh, these were so much harder than I expected. If I alternate hands, I can use 18s, but under slow and controlled movements, I have to use less.
+23000 steps.
As a result of the weight lifting and the walking around, I am totally beat. Having yummy siu laap for supper tonight.
The Inside Out attraction at Time Square looks more complete now, but was only open to the media (gimme a break...), so I haven't seen it at full swing. It certainly looks interesting, even if it's mainly for the kiddies.
Have a great Wednesday, Bees!
Playing: A little bit of Hades 2 (had another successful run last night), but mostly Hrot. A dash of Fallen Aces, but I would like it more if I didn't have to sneak around so much...
Watching: On a(n absolutely wild and capricious) whim, watched Manos: The Hands of Fate; this is a 1966 indie film with a reputation as a landmark bad movie. Here's a review.
A family of three drive through Texas in search of a hotel to board in. A fateful turn off the road leads them to a sad and dilapidated lodge run by the curious and stunted Torgo. Against their better judgement, the family stays the night. However, they discover that Torgo answers to another, and that the lodge is also home to the appropriately-named "Master", an evil figure with a harem of wives. Will the family escape him? Or fall prey to the ghoulish lich?
You know, that summary I wrote above is actually more exciting than the film itself.
If you aren't aware of the film's reputation, let me put it this way: this is one of (some say
the) the worst movies of all time. It starts with the fact that all the voices are
dubbed in, which already makes for a curious omission. Scenes go on for too long (the family's drive in the beginning lasts
ten minutes), and it often cuts to characters' reactions when they have no relevance; the editing is thus total rubbish. The acting is beyond terribly bad, and the Master resembles Borat, only painted white. The plot itself is curiously empty and lacking in any dramatic heft. And there are scenes which have no relevance to the plot, like two teens who make out in
three different scenes, and a fight between the wives of the Master that was obviously filmed to titillate. Even the doberman who plays the evil dog is a poor actor, as it's obviously quite friendly and good-natured.
It's kind of entertaining in a so-bad-it's-good way, but for the most part, it just comes across as really amateurish. While many scenes are awkward, and some even verge into the surreal, it's still not as crazy and non-sequitor as, say, The Room (which was admittedly made with a $5m budget. Yikes.) I shouldn't be picking on the low budget here, but it's obvious that it didn't help; the director could not hire more seasoned hands, or even sound recording equipment. In the right hands, the basic premise of this schlock could be made into a good movie, but
it wasn't. Much like The Room, the crew knew this was going to be a bad movie, and the director, with amazingly prescient vision, said that the film might be redubbed as a comedy. Standing on its own, this film is simply dreck.
Confirming that Manos lives up to its dreadful reputation, I give it
zero ominous paintings out of five.
Oddly enough, I don't regret watching Manos. It was thankfully brief, and it satisfied my curiosity (I have an odd tolerance for really bad and quirky movies). Also watched more Seal Team at the gym, and started watching The Primevals, another independent film which contrasts with Manos.
Listening to: Icehouse - Don't Believe Anymore. I love discovering new songs! That sax! That framerate! Beyond Electric Blue, Icehouse have a lot of strong songs. This is one of the introspective songs of theirs that I have a liking for.
from
from
I was a tad scared when seeing the title of the video and prepared to skip (animal mistreatment, even if the videos or testimonies are to "alert" it exists, makes me sick to my core), then realised you were not the sort to publish true animal abuse videos and this must be a joke 
Neil!
