What a boring halloween.

Well, just had what was the most boring halloween ever, for multiple reasons. I basically just sat around the entire evening with nothing to do. I dressed up and made my own costume (not much really, peep the pics below) but unfortunately I never really got to show anyone besides my family(maybe that's a good thing considering what the shirt says). Why? Because not one trick or treater stopped by the house. Not a single one! I guess the little punks are too good to get free candy from my house. *shakes fist in anger* Oh well, I guess it wasn't too bad of a night. I chatted with Fitz, Adam and Mike for a little bit, played the Dragon Quest VIII demo for awhile and watched an episode of AD with my parents (how much longer they'll watch it and ignore the suggestive content is anyone's guess). And now I'm gonna go get some tea because I feel my cold threatening to go into my lungs again.

Five reasons why I can't get into online gaming

1. - Combination of 2. and 3. - Quite often I'd try to play with new people, only to have major lag issues which cause my teammates to start verbally abusing me. One prime example was when I tried to play Halo 2 but started lagging so bad that the frame rate felt like it was going 2 fps. What followed was comments like this from other players. "Get the f*** out of here with your stupid f***ing lag you stupid g** d*** newbie" That was probably the biggest turnoff for me with online gaming. Anyways, maybe if I move into town sometime next year and get an xbox 360 then I'll give it another try.

2. - All the little preteen jerks who seem to thrive online. - Every time I tried to play a game without my online forum buddies, I'd have to put up with 8-16 year olds backstabbing teammates and being annoying with their leetspeak. Here's a perfect example. What sounds like an 8 year old kid shoots me. Doug - I'm on your own team you idiot. Kid - OMFG I just pwn3d j00. You are the suxx0rz.

3. Lag - My crappy internet connection probably doesn't help much, but I hated getting into a game with my friends and getting booted out of a game. Why can't I get broadband outside of town?

4. Not really interested in the most popular online game genres - MMORPGs and First Person Shooters don't do much for me.

5. High cost - Especially since I don't have an income. The $10 a month cost is bad enough without startup fees.

Doug's top 20 animated films (part 1)

Well, I finally did some work on my movie list. I figured I'd do something easy for now since I have a ton of work to do before I'm done my top 100 regular movie list, so I started with an animated film list. I'll post it in two parts, first with #11-20, and in a few days with #1-10 and honorable mentions. With this done I can now get to work on my top 100 list. So much work, so little time to do it in. And Shadow of the Colossus came in the mail yesterday, so that won't help.

11. - Howl's Moving Castle - Most people find this to be generic anime, but I love the story, characters and action scenes. The romance is very well done.

12. - Toy Story - Don't need to say much about this. I do like the sequel a little better though.

13. - Grave of the Fireflies - The most depressing animated film you'll ever see. This is the Schindler's List of animation. Which means that it's incredibly moving and is something that will stay with you long after seeing it.

14. - Monsters Inc. - What is there to say about Pixar movies? They're all amazing. I love this one for the variety of monsters, story, and all the cuteness!

15. - The Corpse Bride - Amazing animation, a great story involving death, betrayal and romance, and the usual good Danny Elfman songs. Better overall than Nightmare Before Christmas, although the songs aren't quite as good.

16. - Kiki's Delivery Service - One of Miyazaki's most lighthearted and kid friendly films. Gotta love the European style music and landscapes.

17. - Princess Mononoke - Very japanese and weird, but still great none-the-less. Like every Miyazaki film it has wonderful visuals, characters and music.

18. - Aladdin - The weakest of Disney's "big four" movies of the early 90s. Still great for it's songs, characters and pop culture gags.

19. - Finding Nemo - A visual masterpiece. Typical Pixar film. Good story, characters, and something people of all ages can enjoy.

20. - The Iron Giant - A fun and under-rated film by Brad Bird (the guy who made The Incredibles). Surprisingly moving and funny.

What are some good songs/artists?

I'm trying to listen to new songs and artists that I've never given a chance before, so I thought I'd ask everyone to suggest some songs for me to download. Once I get a new computer I'll probably start burning some CDs with my favorite songs. Right now I'm focusing on Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and various video game songs, but I need help since I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to various artists and what songs are good. So any suggestions are helpful. Just make sure to leave out anything that's rap, country, metal, or techno, since I don't have much love for those genres.

This song probably has the most meaningful lyrics of any punk song I've ever heard. While most punk songs seem to be filled with bad meanings, this one actually seems to have a decent message and while it doesn't have an answer to the questions it raises, it's still nice seeing a punk song that isn't promoting drugs or ranting about girlfriends. I should probably start working on my movie list after posting this. Anyways, here are the lyrics, and the song title is The Kids Aren't Alright by The Offspring.

When we were young the future was so bright
the whole neighborhood was so alive
and every kid on the whole damn street
was gonna make it big and not be beat.

now the neighborhood's cracked and torn
the kids are grown up but their lives are worn
how can one little street
spoil so many lives

Chances blown
nothing's free
longing for
what used to be
still it's hard
hard to see
fragile lives,
shattered dreams

Jennie had a chance, well she really did
Instead she dropped out and had a couple of kids
Mark still lives at home cause he's got no job
Just plays guitar and smokes a lot of pot

Jay commited suicide
Brandon OD'd and died
What the hell is going on?
The cruellest dream, reality

Chances blown
nothing's free
longing for
what used to be
still it's hard
hard to see
fragile lives,
shattered dreams

random dull weekend post

There really isn't much to talk about right now. I'm just bored and figured I'd share some random things from my weekend. My family went out to eat and they never tell me when they're going to do that, so I'm stuck at home by myself watching Kitten chase a toy around the kitchen. I'll probably warm up some leftover spaghetti or something. This weekend has been pretty uneventful, but I did get a lot done yesterday. I cleaned my room, did most of my laundry, played DDR for awhile for some exercise, finally watched a movie I borrowed from J-Ro's dad (Magnificant Seven), and sold a few games on ebay. Nothing to get excited about, but I did feel good about getting my room and clothes done. Something that I don't get done very often.

Today I'm not feeling all that great. I ate two pieces of strawberry/rhubarb (sp?) pie last night, and I guess I'm paying the price. Maybe I pushed it by eating two pieces. Especially since it had white flour crust. Church was ok, and I really enjoyed the discussion we had in Neil's sunday school class. And this afternoon will likely be pretty uneventful as well. I think I'll play through all my games to see what I want to sell. Last night I played Resident Evil for a few minutes, and couldn't help but feel that games have lost a lot of appeal to me. This must be the path that my life is taking right now. A really weird transition period. I don't know how many games I'm gonna get rid of, or if I'll keep buying new ones. I'm just gonna take it as it comes. I was gonna go out to the falls today with my dad to take some pictures, but it's raining so that probably won't happen now (I told him we should've gone yesterday!). Tonight I'll probably go to church (they're having baked potatoes! Yummy!) and sit in Pastor Dale's class. I don't really feel like I get a lot out of that class, but I don't know what other class to go to and it's better than sitting at home.

And that's probably all that's going on this weekend. Tuesday J-Ro has a soccer game and I think I'll go watch. That way he can go with me to youth straight from the game. Although I don't know what I'll do for supper. And there's a song that I've been listening to a lot lately and will probably post the lyrics on my blog sometime. Not today since I've already said enough. Maybe in a few days if anyone's interested. And I guess that's all for now.

Is this a good idea?

Today I got the idea of making a top 100 movies list (or maybe just top 50). I recently did a crazy amount of work on a gaming top 100 list, which was enough work in itself, so I decided maybe I'd see if there is any interest first. Will any of you commenters find it interesting to read my thoughts on my favorite movies? I'd probably do a weekly installment of 10 films at a time or something until I got to the top. Here, I'll give an example by posting the top 10 games from the list I did over the summer. Anyways, tell me what you think and I'll decide if it's worth the effort. I suck at writing and it's a lot of work for me. Oh, and my movie descriptions would probably be a lot shorter. lol. :)

10. - Metal Gear Solid - 1998 - Playstation

I think Metal Gear Solid has the best story of any game. I know others won’t agree with me, but that’s how I feel. The voice acting is incredible, the plot twists sent shivers down my spine, the music is great, the characters are well developed and the gameplay is still amazing. MGS is one of the all time greats.

9. - Final Fantasy IX - 2000 - Playstation

For some odd reason, I skipped FF9 when it was first released. I didn't play through it until last year. After experiencing the game I have come to the conclusion that it is the best Final Fantasy since FFVI. It has an endearing cast, a great story, excellent visuals (for the time), and the usual great score that you can expect from Nobuo Uematsu. The best thing though, is the return to the old school setting. From the crystals, to the airships, and the return of the black mage, everything is a throwback to the older games in the series.

8. - Panzer Dragoon Saga - 1998 - Saturn

One of the most amazing RPGs created, Panzer Dragoon Saga was unfortunately made in very low quantities, leaving most people doomed to paying insane Ebay prices. For those who were able to find a copy, they got to experience a world unlike any other. Instead of being stuck on a path like the other games in the series, PDS takes away the on-rails gameplay of the previous games and it lets you explore the 3D environments. This really makes the game more immersive (if you can imagine that) than the other games in the series. It really is hard to explain how brilliant this game is. The battle system is perhaps the greatest ever designed. Every boss and enemy has a weak spot that you are able to exploit. Hopefully Sega will bring out a sequel, so that more people will be able to experience the wonderful world that was revealed in this game.

7. - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - 1997 - Playstation

The best game in the series, Symphony of the Night is an incredibly deep platformer that borrows heavily from Super Metroid. What it lacks in story and voice acting (which is absolutely horrid) it makes up for in its detailed 2D visuals, haunting score, huge bosses, and excellent level design. The best feature (which I'm sure most people know of by now), is that the game doubles in length if you meet a certain requirement. This gives the game great replay value.

6. - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - 1998 - Nintendo 64

Zelda: OoT is probably the most well made game that I’ve experienced. While the graphics have aged slightly since its release, every other aspect is near perfect. The gameplay successfully took LttP and made an amazing 3D world. The dungeons are brilliantly designed, the music is amazing (as usual), and the battles are intense. There isn’t a thing that I dislike about this game. I’ll continue to replay this classic throughout my life.

5. - Radiant Silvergun - 1998 - Saturn

Probably the most well known import of all time, Radiant Silvergun is a game that most people will never have the chance to play thanks to its outragious price. Having spent the required amount of cash on it, I've concluded that it is not only the best shmup ever made, but also one of the best games period. The graphics are still incredibly good for being seven years old, the control is perfect, the weapons system is probably one of the best ever created, and the overall gameplay is perfect. I insist that anyone who is even remotely interested in shmups try to get a chance to play it.

4. - Super Mario Bros. 3 (All-Stars Version) - 1993 - Super NES

Super Mario Bros. 3 is my second favorite game in the series. I chose Mario World over this, but that doesn't mean that I like it any less. I love the level designs (although some levels are rather short) and the addictive gameplay. Throw in the multiple suits that give you different abilities and you have a masterpiece. Oddly enough, I never beat the game until a few years ago. I guess it's because I never owned an NES and I just never got around to playing through the game.

3. - Super Mario World - 1991 - Super NES

I really don't need to give an explanation for this game. I'm sure every one of you reading this knows exactly why it's on the list. As for its place when compared with the rest of the series, I'd say it slightly edges out Mario 3 as far as gameplay and fun factor. I still play this game at least once a year and it never gets old. There are basically no flaws whatsoever. The controls are as can be expected in a Mario game, the graphics are colorful and detailed, and the secrets are plentiful. It has everything that a Mario game needs.

2. - Super Metroid - 1994 - Super NES

I missed playing this until a couple of years ago. I must say I really missed out on a wonderful game. It's truly one of the greatest pieces of software I've ever had the pleasure of playing. The level design is perfect, the boss fights are as intense and strategic as any in the Zelda games, and the music and graphics make for an atmospheric experience. No matter how many times I play through this game, it never gets old. It's a masterpiece that deserves to be played by any who haven't experienced it.

1. - Final Fantasy III - 1994 - Super NES

This is my favorite game of all time. Final Fantasy III truly is an amazing experience. It has an amazing story and well developed characters (each with their own abilities). There are so many memorable moments, that it's hard to name only a few. But my favorite scenes are undoubtedly Kefka poisoning Doma Castle's water, Celes attempting to commit suicide after Cid's death, the wonderful ending, and the amazing Opera scene. The game also has the best soundtrack in the series, well balanced boss battles, and a ton of side quests. I also like the way that the game is linear for the first half of the game and from there the game lets you do things in any order that you like. In any case, anyone who has not experienced this game needs to give it a try.

Don't be surprised if I disappear.

Because my computer is slowly dying on me. This morning it kept on freezing up on me for no apparent reason, but then I realized the fan had quit (again) and that the computer was so hot I could hardly touch it. I'm sure the weird smell coming from it wasn't a good sign either. So I shut it off and after letting it cool down I used a can of air on it. The fan's going again now, but it's hard to say how long that will last. So if I suddenly disappear from MSN and my blog isn't updated for a long time then you can probably assume that the computer died for good. Maybe I should stop buying games and movies for the rest of the fall and start saving for a new computer. Heck, maybe I could put it in my room and not have to get off msn at midnight. I might as well ask what everyone thinks is a good computer to get next. I know as much about the different brands of computers as I did about digital cameras.

The start of a long winter?

Well, my cold finally seems to have gotten the better of me and is (seemingly) moving into my lungs. This usually means I get bronchitus or a lung infection and stay home for long periods of time so that I don't upset people who don't want to be around me while I'm sick. For now I'm only coughing occasionally and my lungs feel tight, but it's only a matter of time before I start coughing up lovely green gook and sounding like a machine when breathing. I can't wait *end sarcasm*. I guess I'll just have to keep popping vitamins down me and taking that oil crap that burns my mouth. Hopefully I can still fight this.

On a brighter note, I went to see W&G again, this time with Josh and Joel. It was just as good the second time and I'm glad that they enjoyed it. Church was also very good this morning, despite me having the usual stomach problems. Lots of great music and an excellent message from Neil. And I didn't completely screw up the powerpoint this week. Always a good thing. I've also discovered that I can have videos of my favorite Arrested Development scenes by using my digital camera. So if anyone is interested in seeing some hilarious scenes I'll likely push it on you anyways. Must create new fans to keep the show alive. I might as well get to work finding my favorite scenes until I find someone to talk with on msn. The few people I talk to on a daily basis are rarely online anymore.

Anyone want to see Wallace & Gromit?

This is rather short notice so I don't expect any replies, but J-Ro is being annoying again and I want to see the movie again before it leaves. When I called him tonight he was totally clueless about his plans for the weekend, so I'm just gonna have to call him tomorrow at lunch. Chances of him being home and not with his "hartland homies" are pretty slim though. So is there anyone out there at all who wants to catch the movie with me? Dang it, I don't want to be stuck at home all weekend as usual. The movie is awesome, really. Funny. Sad. Charming. Brilliant. Moving. All those things. You WANT to see this movie.

EDIT - It looks like I might be going to see the movie with Dan tonight. If he's able to go I'll try calling some other people and see if they're able to go. If not, maybe tomorrow afternoon or next weekend...

Wes Anderson movies rock.

Seriously. The four films that he's made so far are all spectacularily awesome in their own dry and comedic way. I encourage everyone to watch his films. Just be ready for some REALLY dry dialogue and a small amount of R rated content. I'll summarize my thoughts on all four films for those who aren't familiar with them.

Bottle Rocket - His first film. It doesn't have the spectacular cast of his later films but it still has the brilliant writing and characters. Most surprisingly, Owen Wilson is actually a decent actor here (he also co-wrote three of these movies). I still have to laugh at the scene at the end where the heist goes all wrong. Overall I rate this 8/10.

Rushmore - My favorite of Anderson's films. The writing, cast, soundtrack, pacing, story, and everything else is amazing. It's also one of Bill Murray's best films. Really, he's hilarious. I also have to mention the brilliant musical montages. One of the things that I love about Anderson's films. You'd have to see them to understand. Overall - 9/10. I was tempted to give it a 10.

The Royal Tenenbaums - I tried watching this with J-Ro and Jody and they were bored to tears, which is a shame. I guess it really is an aquired taste. Personally I think this film is almost as good as Rushmore. It has a brilliant ensamble cast, and has the same quirky dry humor as the previous films. The story here is also very moving and you find yourself relating with the characters by the end (as twisted as they are). Overall - 9/10

The Life Aquatic - Probably my least favorite of the four movies, but I still find it very enjoyable and it has the same trademarks as the previous three films. Most notably the ensamble cast, dry humor, and crazy attention to detail. I also find it to be rather slow and hard to get into. But it still manages to score around an 8/10.

So yeah, I have to give mad props to these films. Even though I know they are an aquired taste. Or maybe J-Ro and Jody just don't appreciate good movies. I guess I hated these types of movies when I was younger as well.

Got Castlevania: DoS!

Doug am in 2D heaven! I'll likely be playing it non-stop until it's beaten 100%. Oh my goodness, the animation! The amazingly detailed 2D sprites! The tough bosses! The mesmorizing 2D trail that follows Soma! The incredible soundtrack! *head explodes*

Anyways, I had a fun time last night with Josh. I picked him up after school and he watched Arrested Development on my portable DVD player (well, my dad's portable DVD player, but he doesn't use it much) until we got to Freddy. There I made a beeline for EB and got one of the last copies of the game. Then we headed to Wal-Mart and talked with Greg for a few minutes. I cracked some annoying jokes about him slacking and then we headed back to EB to meet up with Hooper so he could get his copy of the game. After that Josh and I grabbed some supper and went to see Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride was awesomeness squared. Josh said it kinda creeped him out. I guess I knew what to expect from the movie because of Nightmare Before Christmas. Personally I thought Nightmare is way creepier. The skeletons jumping into song and dance at random times didn't throw me off at all. Overall, I'd say the animation rocked, the songs rocked, and the story (something girls would love, since it's a love story) was pretty awesome as well. Better overall than Nightmare in my opinion, although they are completely different films. You girls who said it looked creepy (you know who you are) should give the movie a chance when it hits DVD. Heck, I almost was moved to tears near the end. Almost.

Today I'm back to the usual day of babysitting, but I got Castlevania to keep me busy. Lots of castle rooms to explore, zombies to kill and medusa heads to curse at. I guess I should be happy that my weekends are dull and boring and use the time to rest and be lazy.

Oh, and I also had a nice chat with Pastor Brett yesterday. We went to Subway and I had a nice salad. Chatted about everything from Atari games to plans for Booster weekend (which is going to rock btw). Anyways, I'm going back to Castlevania. ^_^

Some more pics.

Adam requested some more pics, so here they are. I still need to get out to the Jennings Falls to take some pics there, and I'm still messing around with the camera's features. I'm definitely enjoying this. Otherwise not much is new. I decided to go to a men's group tonight since I'm not going to Fredericton (stupid game delay). I already went through the book (Every Man, God's man) and loved it, and I figured it'd be fun to go through as a group. Not sure what my dad will think of me being away three nights in a row for church related things, but I guess he'll have to deal with it. I'm 24 after all. I hope everyone enjoys the pics I'm taking. More pics as I get better ones.

What a bittersweet day.

I was all psyched about Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow coming out today, only to be disappointed when I found out that it was delayed until Friday in Canada. Adding insult to the injury, I also found out that I probably won't be able to go to Fredericton this week, since Gemma and J-Ro can't go and Josh Hopkins isn't sure if he'll be able to or not. If anyone else wants to go, let me know! My mother told me that she doesn't want me going this week unless I go with friends, since I'm going again next week for a doctor appointment.

Anyways, one good thing DID happen today. I found out that Final freaking Fantasy VI is coming out for Game Boy Advance. It's arguably the greatest game ever made so I can't frickin wait! Portable FF6? Yeah, I'm all over that. Not much else happening lately besides Youth, which went pretty well last night and I can't wait for games night and some free pizza event next week, should be fun. That's all for this post I guess. Yay for bittersweet days. o_O

Finally got myself a digital camera. Woot!

Well, I finally got myself a digital camera today. I went into the dreaded Radio Shack (I will NOT call it The Source) and got a Canon Powershot A510. It was recommended on that site that Jonathan mentioned and it was one of the cheapest Canon's I could find, so I figured it'd be good. I've already taken like 30 pics so far today and I think I may have found myself a new hobby. Now I just need to get some decent rechargable batteries and a larger memory card. Anyways, here are a few pics I took. I wish I could post more than a few at a time. And I'll try not to always have my camera with me taking pictures of everyone. I know that could get annoying.

And is it just me or has everyone else besides Jess, Jonathan and myself stopped posting comments and updating their blogs? If these people (Darrek, Becky, Gemma, Fitz) don't start getting back into it I'm gonna say that they suck just like J-Ro and Jody.

A few movie reviews

I have nothing interesting to talk about until Monday (something big is taking place, more on that in a few days) so I'm just gonna post my review scores for most of the movies that I've seen. Well, the movies I remember seeing off the top of my head. If anyone disagrees with my scores, then they can slap on a diaper and go cry to their momma, because it's my own opinion. This'll be part 1, because I'm tired and it's too long.


Braveheart - 9
Spartacus - 7
Glory - 7
The Mission - 8
Saving Private Ryan - 10
Schindler's List - 10
From Here to Eternity - 7
The Bridge on the River Kwai - 8
Fargo - 8
Pulp Fiction - 7
The Godfather - 8
The Godfather Part 2 - 6
The French Connection - 9
Heat - 9
To Kill a Mockingbird - 9
Rocky - 9
On the Waterfront - 10
Howard's End - 7
Citizen Kane - 7
The Shawshank Redemption - 10
Quiz Show - 7
Chariots of Fire - 7
In the Bedroom - 7
The Insider - 8
Sling Blade - 8
What's Eating Gilbert Grape? - 7
Driving Miss Daisy - 7
Chocolat - 8
The Green Mile - 9
North By Northwest - 8
The Bourne Identity - 7
The Bourne Supremacy - 7
Titanic - 7
Lawrence of Arabia - 8
Ben-Hur - 8
The Wizard of Oz - 8
The Sound of Music - 8
Mary Poppins - 9
Moulin Rouge - 8
Singin' in the Rain - 9
White Christmas - 8
Raiders of the Lost Ark - 10
The Princess Bride - 6
Iron Monkey - 7
The African Queen - 7
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 6
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - 9
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - 10
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - 10
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - 10
Amelie - 8
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 9
Hotel Rwanda - 8
The Pianist - 9
Spirited Away - 10
Million Dollar Baby - 7
The Incredibles - 10
Kill Bill Vol. 1 - 5
Kill Bill vol. 2 - 7
Donnie Darko - 7
Finding Nemo - 8
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - 9
House of Flying Daggers - 7
Hero - 9
Batman Begins - 9
Finding Neverland - 8
Mystic River - 8
Big Fish - 8
Edward Scissorhands - 8
The Silence of the Lambs - 9
The Matrix - 8
Se7en - 9
Leon: The Professional - 10
Life is Beautiful - 7
Ronin - 8
Princess Mononoke - 8
Akira - 8
Forrest Gump - 8
Terminator 2 - 10
The Sixth Sense - 9
Unforgiven - 9
Run Lola Run - 8
Toy Story - 9
Toy Story 2 - 9
Groundhog Day - 9
Porco Rosso - 9
Twelve Monkeys - 7
Amadeus - 9
The Shining - 8
2001: A Space Odyssey - 7
Aliens - 9
Blade Runner - 9
Grave of the Fireflies - 9
My Neighbor Totoro - 9
Back to the Future - 8
Back to the Future 2 - 7
Nausicaa - 8
Castle in the Sky - 9
Rain Man - 8
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - 9
Chinatown - 10
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 10
The Sting - 7
Alien - 8
Jaws - 10