Yeeeeessssss...

Here is the U.S. cover for 1Q84:

Picture from here (go there for more info about the cover, including an interview with the designer).

Man, it looks great. Loving the eyes peeking through the title. Very haunting.

Apparently, it was made by the same dude who did the cover for Donna Tartt's The Secret History.

/Murakami nerd

An interesting week so far... (with the help of an old friend: the bullet list)

Here is what happened in the last four days:

• I went to two concerts in one day: a small show by Ra Ra Riot (where my sister and I got autographs) and then a full-length show by Jónsi. Both excellent shows with great music.
• That same day, I discovered I liked Ra Ra Riot more than Arcade Fire.
• Rock Band 3 came out and I've been playing with my all-girl band "Isis In Darkness" (named after a Margaret Atwood short story). The keyboards are haaaaard.
• Before that, I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas as my character, a guy named Jeremiah.
• My sister bought me this and I'm happier than a clam in smooth, clean sand.
• I did stuff at my internship, including some work on a style guide.
• I saw this commercial, which made my week suck at first. And then finding out there were two more of these, OMGwat. I'm disgusted by it, aack. I mean, I nearly puked. Yeah, lead poisoning is serious stuff, but it's paint going into a baby bottle WTF. (After seeing it again to get the link, I'm a little nauseous and lightheaded.)
• At the same time, I was in a terrible mood for a week. Then I learned I'm due for my monthly period. And I got better. How does that happen?
• I finished Mockingjay, the last book of The Hunger Games trilogy. Man, it's like The Matrix all over again: we have to pretend the last two parts don't exist. Dammit.

No more boring things to relate. And so I go.

Yeah, no.

More news about the second Silent Hill movie.

This just proves that this isn't going to work. Make it accessible? They already did that with the first film!

***SPOILER***

I mean, hello! That scene with Alessa explaining the whole damn thing. If that isn't accessible and being the total opposite to the games, I don't know what.

***END SPOILER***

*calms down* Look, I honestly believe that some Silent Hill fans (not all, but some) are in serious denial with the movie. I'll be the first (no the second, but anyway) person to say that visually... It. Was. Spot. Freakin'. On.

However, the story was about as convoluted as a labyrinth designed by a bunch of drunk monkeys. And the dialogue there makes my own look amazing (i.e. it's pretty bad).


All I wanted from the movie was an original story. All I got was a neutered take to the first game. And there's another one coming in game form, mind you.

I love all the Silent Hill games (even Homecoming), but it's getting real hard for me to remain calm about all this for much longer. Honestly, Shattered Memories (it is a remake, I don't care what the game developers claim) is not even necessary. Like another unnecessary remake of a classic first game. It's turning into Resident Evil (a series that was actually good... until the movies and the cash-in games came along).

I'm not asking for the series to go back to being a niche thing, something hipsters could latch themselves onto. I'm only asking for the initial spirit of the games to remain, something that seems to be missing since Homecoming. I ask for originality, necessary changes to gameplay that still retain the helplessness of being a "regular Joe" stuck in a haunted town. To quit explaining every damn thing, after all, the Golden Rule of horror is to "never explain or show everything". To quit using Pyramid Head and try out new villains, because creative thinkers don't rehash. To be subtle, make references to cool things (see Jacob's Ladder and Phantoms).

Is it too much to ask?

Maybe it is.

ETA: Oh, yeah. Which reminds me... there's a remake of Jacob's Ladder planned.

...

FFFUUUU... /rageguy

You knw you've been playing too much "Sims 3" when...

...don't get excited, y'all. It's only one item:

-You notice the title of one of the books Sims can purchase and wonder of its origins.

The first time I played the game and had my Sim go to the bookstore, I noticed one of the books was a romance called Special Snowflake. I couldn't help but think "Twilight"? After all, people claim Bella Swan is a special snowflake (which is effing true, but that's besides the point).

It wouldn't be surprising if it was a spoof, but it is a stretch.

~

So far, my writer Sim (named Louise) has written several things, mostly after Talking Heads songs and albums, and the music genre they represent. Why? 'Cause I'm a dork. *dork face*

Article- "Born Under Punches"
Non-Fiction- Why Art Punk Matters
Fiction- Remain in Light
Comedy- Burning Down the House

Upcoming ones:
Article- "The Heat Goes On" (clearly a sequel to the hit "Born Under Punches")
Sci-Fi- I Zimbra
Drama- Man with A Gun (it's a Jerry Harrison song, though. And a kick-ass one.)
??- Houses In Motion (last time I played her, she was writing something with that title)

She is planning to marry this guy, who also wants to be a writer, and I plan for his works to be named after Fleetwood Mac songs and albums. Why? Well, you know why.

Side note: It is a common practice to name your books after songs. May I present

Exhibit A:

Less Than Zero (Elvis Costello FTMFW)

The Shining (John Lennon lyric, but it still counts!)

~~

I took yesterday off, mostly because I was too busy playing Sims 3. Go fig. It's going well, down to the final 2,000+ words. Now, I have to get to work. Tomorrow, I have a shift at the bookstore.

That's it for now. So, good night...