Towson gathering – 2019

the mindlab

Mike and Krissy had been planning a trip to Maryland for some time, and my mom, Al, and I all decided to coordinate so we could see each other. Brian and Buff were gracious enough to host Al and myself for a few days. We also got a chance to see aunts and uncles. Food was great:

  • Rise Biscuits and Chicken
  • Hot Pot
  • Salad for a night off
  • Cookout
  • A big crab cake

We also played a variety of games:

  • Micro Mages
  • Conan (briefly)
  • Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
  • Devil’s Level

All in all, a good trip. We should do this more often.

link to flickr album

Click on the picture to see the flickr album.

PICO-8

the mindlab

I recently bought a copy of PICO-8. It is a virtual game console that you can play on your computer, a raspberry pi, or even in your browser. It’s only $15. All of the games for it are free and written by regular people. For the most part, they are pretty simple and short. I’ve enjoyed the ones I played. Little Dragon Adventure was short and fun. All carts are downloadable from the PICO-8 interface. The cart format is cleverly some type of PNG picture, and most (if not all) can be played in a browser window as well1, so you can try it out if you want without spending any money.

I also picked up an 8BitDo SN30 pro controller. It’s a bluetooh/USB controller designed to look like an old Super NES controller, but with dual analog sticks and some extra buttons, more or less like more modern game controllers. It works with a bunch of different systems, including the Nintendo Switch. They have cheaper models too if you are looking for something less expensive. I recommend it if you want a controller.

This is the world’s lamest review, but if you are looking for a little bit of entertainment without spending too much money, I recommend PICO-8. The controller is a nice add on too if you have use for such a thing.

Update

I just found Delunky for PICO-8. Brian, I think you should give this a spin.

  1. With a gamepad too! ↩

Enter the Ninja

the mindlab

Enter the Ninja (1981) is a really terrible movie, and it’s Wikipedia page is in need of an update, but some of the sets do have pleasing mid-century modern pieces. Additionally, I inadvertently figured out where this death scene came from. And honestly, it loses something as a meme-like clip on Youtube. This is by no means a recommendation to watch this film (let alone purchase it on Blu-ray), but experiencing the scene in the context of the movie itself, caused me to rewind it repeatedly between a state of utter confusion, half-laughs, and a lot of um-ing.

Shots: What Price Hollywood (1932)

the mindlab

What Price Hollywood (1932), directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett, has a number of fascinating dissolve sequences. The first occurs when Bennett’s character Mary Evans is shown dreaming of fame in Hollywood. In a close-up, Mary repeatedly raises her head amidst glittering flashes, when a smaller full figure version of Mary is superimposed. In doubling images, a star is born 1, and a smaller Mary grows in stature as if released from her own magical Academy Award capsule.

What Price Hollywood (1932), Directed by George Cukor and Starring Constance Bennett

  1. Based loosely on silent star Colleen Moore’s experiences in the picture business, What Price Hollywood, written by Adela Rodger St. Johns, is frequently cited as the original story for the later versions of A Star is Born, released in 1937 (Janet Gaynor), 1954 (Judy Garland), 1976 (Barbara Streisand), and 2018 (Lady Gaga). David O. Selznick, the producer of What Price Hollywood, approached Cukor to direct the 1937 version, but Cukor declined as the plots were too similar. RKO thought so too and considered a lawsuit. Ironically, Cukor directed the 1954 version. ↩