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Mike O

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Members
Join date
20-Jun-2006
Last activity
1-May-2025
Posts
2,346

Post History

Post
#1631535
Topic
Once Upon a Time in the West - 35mm print scanning (* unfinished project? lots of info *)
Time

I would complain that it doesn’t have the English mono, but then, technically neither does the US release, so that’s sort of a moot point. I wish I knew why restoring mono was so damned hard. I think this is the best we’re getting for a long time, there’s no way in hell Paramount will lend this out to a boutique label. I suppose if Arrow’s Dollars trilogy sells well, they might consider it, but that’s probably wishful thinking.

Post
#1628681
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

Superweapon VII said:

Mike O said:

And now I’m back to getting fucked over at work. Knew it was too good to last. I’ve tired to find another job so many times over the years, always in vain to be stuck here. Maybe this is just my lot in life, perhaps after all the years making this my only marketable skill, maybe I deserve this.

You don’t. Never believe otherwise.

Then I see whats happening in California, and it reminds me to put things in perspective, and then I feel like an asshole for saying all of this.

This speaks volumes to me. You’re a beautiful human being who loves your fellow Man. I know too many people who fixate on themselves but never consider the plights of others.

Thank you. You’re very kind. Things appear to be looking up in terms of my schedule at work, which is good, but there are other issues. I want to get out of there, but God, it’s so hard. I don’t want to work retail anymore, but it’s the only thing I’ve done for almost two decades. I just don’t know what to do.

My dad’s Parkinson’s is continuing to accelerate and I think he’s rapidly moving beyond the ability my mother and I have to help, but we can’t really afford any more help without selling the house. I don’t know what we’re going to do.

Post
#1628680
Topic
Last movie seen
Time

JackNapier said:

The film A Complete Unknown is a fantastic biopic that translates the life of Bob Dylan in a great way! A must see and a great watch. Timothee Chalamey is indeed a great addition to the great profession of acting.

Also for all the assholes who keep giving me shit for my reviews, here’s your fuckin proof: https://youtube.com/shorts/7ytqBdVYoWw?si=-AIkldGZmOY-1LVP

I’m a huge Dylan fan, and I thought that the music and performances were fantastic (Chalamet embodies Dylan), but I found that the plot never really felt like it kicked in. I felt it dragged, even for a big fan of story like I am.

Post
#1628625
Topic
Info: The films of Sergio Leone - The best available versions...
Time

jimbotron235 said:

Mike O said:

I wonder if we’ll ever get the extended cut on 4K? I know it has its detractors and that grotto scene shouldn’t be there, but I kind of love it anyway and wish that it was there for those of us who want it.

You ask and you shall receive. I pre-ordered the trilogy from Arrow UK. New 4K versions of all three movies, with three versions of GBU. Hopefully they blow away the Kino transfers. The included BD bonus features will be region locked, but the 4K discs are region free.

I’m region-free, so that’s a non-issue for me. I have all three pre-ordered!now we can only hope that they get the second trilogy.

Post
#1623691
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

And now I’m back to getting fucked over at work. Knew it was too good to last. I’ve tired to find another job so many times over the years, always in vain to be stuck here. Maybe this is just my lot in life, perhaps after all the years making this my only marketable skill, maybe I deserve this. I know I should put things in perspective, but God, it’s hard. I don’t ask to be a millionaire or a rock star. I ask for small things, and I seem unable even to get those sometimes. I realize I’m blowing things out of proportion, but I’m past the point of caring. I love my parents, I love my family, I love my friends, but they just don’t feel like enough anymore. Fuck my job, fuck management, fuck capitalism, and fuck my life. I think I’ve finally hit bottom. It’s always on us to change, never society. It’s never the fault of the broken system, always the individual. I’m sick of fighting. I can never win.

Then I see whats happening in California, and it reminds me to put things in perspective, and then I feel like an asshole for saying all of this.

Post
#1617497
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

RicOlie_2 said:

…Is that good news? I hope so.

God hasn’t given up on you. He’s just respecting your choices.

It’s very good news, for now anyway. If God’s up there, I shouldn’t blame Him for these things either. I was raised Catholic and have a fair bit of sympathy for religion in some ways, it’s given me a lot, but find it very destructive in others, so my feeling about it are very, very complex. I’m sorry if I came across like I was judging your faith. I admire and sometimes even envy people’s faith, but I’ve largely lost mine. That’s not a slight on people who haven’t, but my politics are such that I often don’t like what it makes people think and do, if that’s fair.

Post
#1617367
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

Well, someone at work whom I don’t like and have always had a contentious relationship with has taken up my shift. My mind is boggled.

RicOlie_2 said:

I’m very sorry to hear that, Mike. I wish I knew what to say.

I know I say this a lot in this thread, but I might as well give you your annual reminder to give Jesus a try, since I truly believe it’s the only thing that will make you really happy. It’s not necessarily the message you want right now, but it’s what I’ve got.

If God’s up there, He gave up on me a long, long time ago.

EDIT: Well, well. Maybe not.

Post
#1616978
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

I think I’ve hit rock bottom in my life. I just got a shit deal at work after working there for 18 years and I’m so miserable. I’m 37 and nothing to show for my life. I have no transferable skills other than the ones in this miserable job I want to get out of, my college degree is a decade old and worthless. I’m in therapy, I’m on meds, my life finally seemed to be looking up, and now I’ve crashed again because of this horseshit at work. I keep sleeping for 10-12 hours to get away from life. I just don’t see the point of keeping going. My life doesn’t feel worthwhile anymore. I’m sick of life and I’m sick of living it.

Post
#1609496
Topic
Sell off other region discs?
Time

Does anyone know any easy way to sell off discs which are outside of your region? I’m pleased immensely to be region-free, but when I want to get rid of DVDs and Blu-rays from out of region, I can only sell them to other collectors who are region-free if they’re interested. I’m not looking to get a ton of money for them or anything, I just want to get them out of the house and get a bit in my pocket. I try eBay, but that’s very hit-or-miss. I’m also looking to part with a player…

Post
#1605810
Topic
If you need to B*tch about something... this is the place
Time

JadedSkywalker said:

Well for starters no theatrical 1973 cut with mono mix, no 1978 theatrical cut in stereo. Only the 1998 cut with a new 5.1 mix and cgi sunset. DNR to hell and back.

Warners was gauging interest in THX for 4K, I think the George Lucas director’s cut was done in 2k probably if not 1080P how could they do that in 4K?

I want Willow, there is already a stunning release on Disney plus in 4K I just want a physical disc copy. Don’t want Lucas to get his hands on it.

There was a local 35mm screening of American Graffiti a few miles from me a few weeks who. Wish I’d gone now.

Post
#1605770
Topic
If you need to B*tch about something... this is the place
Time

JadedSkywalker said:

Not worried about James Cameron movies. They are so popular; the 35mm fan scans are numerous for them.

I’m never going to get a good copy of American Graffiti or THX 1138 that bothers me far more.

A couple of projects have come and gone like a puff of smoke. They aren’t Star Wars, their lack of popularity means they are never getting scanned.

I thought there were a few fan scans of THX 1138 floating around? What happened with American Graffiti? I heard that Lucas did the least amount of futzing with that one?

Post
#1604818
Topic
If you need to B*tch about something... this is the place
Time

JackNapier said:

Mike O said:

JackNapier said:

Mike O said:

I am so bummed about what James Cameron did to in his recent 4K “restorations.” Same with Peter Jackson. Hopefully some of the fine folks here will attempt to rectify these atrocities, but they should have to.

What did James do?

DNR and AI scrubbed the films of ALL grain and added motion smoothing and a bunch of other things. Then when he got criticized for it, he told his fans “get a life and move out your mom’s basement,” which was an incredibly low blow.

Maybe he lived in his mom’s basement and he’s deflecting.

Whatever the reason, as with Lucas and Jackson, we’re not getting proper versions of his films while he’s still alive.

Post
#1604761
Topic
If you need to B*tch about something... this is the place
Time

JackNapier said:

Mike O said:

I am so bummed about what James Cameron did to in his recent 4K “restorations.” Same with Peter Jackson. Hopefully some of the fine folks here will attempt to rectify these atrocities, but they should have to.

What did James do?

DNR and AI scrubbed the films of ALL grain and added motion smoothing and a bunch of other things. Then when he got criticized for it, he told his fans “get a life and move out your mom’s basement,” which was an incredibly low blow.

Post
#1604401
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

Channel72 said:

Mike O said:

The absolute worst news though is that I got a couple of e-mails about possibilities for my dream film critic job from prospective employers. Ecstatic, I replied and neither has contacted me again. I should’ve known it was too good to be true. But it really felt like a crushing blow. I want this so much, I know I’d be good at it, but it’s so hard to get into and I don’t think I ever will. I continue to work my dead-end job which makes ends meet, but makes me miserable. I’ve even taken to selling some of my old toys for extra money. I just feel so miserable.

Any dream job like this will require a lot of trial and error, failure and rejection. You will likely have to get rejected like 10 or more times before you find that one opportunity leading to success. But if it’s really your dream, it is probably worth it to keep trying (within reason). Obviously, it’s easy to get discouraged and give up after experiencing failure and rejection. But the reality is that most people who successfully realize their dreams are ridiculously persistent. They fail and experience rejection over and over and over. But eventually, through persistence and sheer probability, they find some opportunity that finally leads to success. The key is not to get overly discouraged by rejection and failure, because repeated rejection and failure is pretty much inevitable, especially when it comes to pursuing any kind of job in media or a creative field. But stubborn persistence maximizes the probability that eventually someone will give you a chance. When you apply somewhere, just pretend to yourself that you were already rejected, so that each rejection becomes no big deal and you don’t care so much about any individual employer’s response. Then just keep pursuing other positions while waiting for responses and improving your craft/portfolio.

Also, an employer not getting back to you is not necessarily a guaranteed sign of rejection. I realize you’re trying to “take the hint” and not feel stupid, but sometimes it’s better to be a bit of a persistent pest than it is to just shrug and give up because a prospective employer didn’t get back to you yet. Remember, the people sifting through resumes and making hiring decisions are just employees too. They don’t care about you personally, they just have a job to do. It’s possible they won’t get back to you promptly simply because they got busy with their own problems and they aren’t thinking about you. It’s completely fine to send follow-up emails if you haven’t received a definitive answer yet.

Thank you. You’re right, of course. And the field I want to get into-film and TV writing-is ridiculously competitive. If I’d started this when I got out of college like I should have done, I might be somewhere by now. I’m 37 and I’m still stuck in the same place I was. Part of it is because of the misery and depression of my dead-end job, but most of it is fear on my part. I can’t blame anyone else for that, I have to take responsibility. I’ve destroyed the prime of my life, and what’s left is damaged so badly it may not be worth salvaging anyway. But I’m running out of sites to which I can even apply, even with an English degree. My job is becoming increasingly difficult to bear, and I feel like I’ve pretty much hit bottom. My depression and anxiety make what little time I have left feel less worthwhile. I’m in therapy and on meds. I am trying. But it’s much too little, and much too late, I fear. I just feel less and less like my life is worthwhile.

Post
#1603619
Topic
The Place to Go for Emotional Support
Time

I really, really maxes gigantic ass of myself online the other day. I was just writing about mastering video to a DVD, it NEVER should’ve gotten to where it did. I don’t blame the other person. I behaved like an immature asshole and used misinformation because I was uneducated on the subject. I took my lumps. I apologized after the fact to the person and they accepted my apology. But the posts are there and keep thinking about them. I seriously doubt that anyone will ever see them, and it’s not like they’ll affect my ability to get a job or something. But I thought I was past this. I thought I was mature enough not to get into incredibly stupid fights abut trivial things on the Internet and act like an ass. I just should have been more mature. But the worst thing is that it has basically re-triggered my OCD and now it’s cyclical in my mind and I keep fixating on it. It’s going to be a few weeks before I can see therapist because of her new schedule, but I see my psychiatrist on Monday and I may have got to talk to her about boosting my OCD med, and this feels like an incredibly stupid reason to have to.

Speaking of being immature, I was equally so during fighting with my mother. She wouldn’t let me put my AC unit in my bedroom window because of her new windows. I was furious since I had a perfectly fictional and very expensive unit in the garage. We agreed that I could buy one that didn’t go in the window and go 50-50 on it, but when it arrived, she didn’t like the condensation and had me pay half the price to return, so I only got about 2/3 of my money back. I was apoplectic at her for going back on her word, and my therapist sided with her because it’s her house, so I basically sleep in an oven all summer. It has cooled off now, but given that I’m pushing 40, this is probably God’s way of telling me to get the fuck out of the house. And I keep trying, but it’s so hard financially.

The absolute worst news though is that I got a couple of e-mails about possibilities for my dream film critic job from prospective employers. Ecstatic, I replied and neither has contacted me again. I should’ve known it was too good to be true. But it really felt like a crushing blow. I want this so much, I know I’d be good at it, but it’s so hard to get into and I don’t think I ever will. I continue to work my dead-end job which makes ends meet, but makes me miserable. I’ve even taken to selling some of my old toys for extra money. I just feel so miserable.