There is a bootleg video from this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego that is showing the first ever preview of Tron 2. And like Giz where I read this first, I too am “wetting myself” so to speak on the eventual release of this film. You see it was Tron and War Games that got me into technology and made me into this feverish gadget hound of today. I will never forget after watching the first Tron over and over as a child in Germany during my father’s military tour how the colors hypnotized me and what the humanization of technology did to my imagination. My friends and I would put cards in our tires and long streamers on our bmx bikes and race down the street cutting each other off until the falls would hurt too much. We then would have Frisbee wars as we threw our discs as hard as we can at each other using other discs to deflect them, yeah that hurt too. Then came the desire to try to create some type of interaction with the only computer I had at the time, the Atari 800. Basic was my friend.

I am looking forward to this movie. Not to re-live my youth, but to introduce an aspect of it to my son and daughter, both who are also smitten to tech because of dear old dad. Yes I am excited.

Several months ago while driving home on RR 620, a 7-11 type store was blocked off as a movie set was filming. In the area were two cars, a yellow late model hotrod and a dark gray car. As we pass, we thought nothing about it other than wondering which movie it will be in. Today we settled down and watched Death Proof by Quentin Tarantino. During the second half of the film where they claim to be in Lebanon Tennessee, we recognize our section of the road. In fact it was nice to see the south Congress Bridge and downtown. This was the third film we saw with scenes that are from our area. The Hitcher, The Return were the other two that had shots of areas around our town. It was cool to know that not only are we known for our live music but you might see the mighty Ruiz’s minivan in an upcoming Hollywood flick. Watch out, we are coming to a silver screen near you!

Netflix sent us Monster House on Blu-Ray over the weekend and I have to say the sound quality on uncompressed 5.1 was by far one of the best I’ve heard in awhile. Not sure if purist could call it ref material but to my ears, the effects from this movie were well placed and strong. A movie any child at heart can relate and relive, Monster House was an enjoyable ride. The video presentation was punchy and sharp, but that is expected with cgi presentations.
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Movie: The Hitcher (2007)

Director: David Meyers

One Sentence Summary: UT student and boyfriend leave Austin to Lake Havasu for some spring break fun only to run into a guy that is determine to play road games by killing everyone around the teens as the two college students, not utilizing sound logic, avoid all contact by police and others as they try to employ the basic premise of if they run, they will be able to outrun the killer only to end with the boyfriend split in half and the killer’s brain splattered on the asphalt by a very pissed off girlfriend that is now going to miss out all the fun the lake could have brought.

Three words/phrases: d’oh, dumb, ‘what the hell?’

Personal note: It was cool to see the opening scene in the movie showing areas of north Austin Keyla and I are very familiar with.

Movie: Feast (2005)

Director: John Golager

One sentence summary: A rundown bar in the middle of nowhere is attacked by demon creatures that have an insatiable appetite for human flesh which was easy to acquire due to the sheer joy the people had getting near windows where they were plucked from and devoured at speeds equivalent to eating popcorn in the most gore-like fashion filled with blood, guts and crushing bones only to be outsmarted by a grieving mother, a wanna-be player and…a guy in the wheelchair, by outlasting the onslaught till daylight.

Three words/phrases: hilarious, fast-paced, enjoyable