Gaming has fallen by the wayside around here in the past several months. No board or card games, and no computer gaming, other than to wander around old stand-bys like Myst, Riven, and Uru. I got bogged down in Botanicula, where I completed certain goals but the game never let me advance. So we loaded Eastshade, a game built for people who loved Myst. One wanders around a truly beautiful landscape as a painter, often selling art for cash or favours, without fear of dying. Goals are clearly laid out, the inventory menu is clear and easy to use, and the scenery is breathtaking. There are seaside landscapes to explore, and villages, hilltops, forests, rivers, and mountains. Days are sunny, with an eclipse each day that changes the light and mood. Nights are cold, and you have to have shelter by the time it is dark, or else have a glass of mead with you as you wander about. Best of all, the items players need to gather are easy to find and clearly differentiated from the surrounding flora and fauna. Walking here is very restful. Here are a few screenshots.
Last Friday was the third gathering of the newly formed Windsor/Essex piano performance fellowship. We met at Paula's home and studio. Four turned out this time, the largest gathering so far. There are seven of us now, including three doctors. Next meeting is at Dr. Rob's home, where we will get to play on his Fazioli piano!!!!!!!!! Everyone is looking forward to that!!!!!!
Astronomy begins this week, and with the start time bumped up to around 10 pm, my entire schedule will be thrown off again when a clear spell arrives. Thursday morning our tree person will be here to clean up storm damage from February, and of course it looks to be clear Wednesday night. Not much sleep ahead, I am afraid. It also bumps heavily into my reading time. But I love being out at night with the telescope. There is nothing quite like it.
My April film festival finished up with another Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Sansho The Bailiff is from 1954, and ranks 75th on the Sight and Sound best 100 films list. It is a retelling of an old oral folktale about slavery in medieval Japan, and is quite a dark film. Well acted for the most part, and beautifully photographed again, the film would seem to have much to say to most of civilization, even today. While it's discouraging to see so few kind males in the film (they are all brutes), most of the women are portrayed with greater sensitivity and positive human-like qualities. Definitely a recommended film to watch (our 2nd time, at least), but doubtful as to whether or not it would make our top 100 film list.
Now that the festival choices were complete (3 films along with 10 short docs accompanying them), I still had my two regular choices remaining. One choice can be from any source, while the 2nd choice must come from the leaving soon list from either Criterion or Mubi. My first pic was a truly crazy animated feature called Mind Game, from 2004. From Japan and directed by Masaaki Juasa, it is a mix of styles and techniques. This would be a good contender for the animated equivalent of "Everything, Everywhere, All At Once," only it came out 17 years ago, and it works for animation. The story is simple; a group of three people (a guy, his girlfriend, and her sister) run from the yakuza after killing one of their hit men. Their speeding car goes off a bridge and they are swallowed by a whale. Inside the whale, an old man is living comfortably, after having been caught 30 years earlier. This is one of the wackiest features ever made, and often very funny. Often you just sit back and watch some of the weirdest imagery and nonsense flash before your eyes. Needless to say, the credits are long for this one. Highly recommended.
More movie news next time. Next time may be delayed by clear skies.
Mapman Mike
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