Spock's Pickled Brain

Alright everybody, Starbat is here! And although the Loonatic has stolen a march on me, I'd like to weigh in on the wide, wonderful world of steampunk movies (I'll be posting a couple books later on as well). In general, my view of the steampunk genre is fairly inclusive, so some of these movies are less steam-y than others, but all of them are great films on their own. MirrorMask So once upon a time, I was a weird college student. And one night, despite my packed social calendar (uh huh, yeah, right), I got bored and my long-suffering roommate decided to introduce me to this delightful little film. It's, uh... Well, maybe I shouldn't be starting off with this on a list of "steampunk" movies, but it's a weird urban fantasy, so I'm still putting it on here. Released back in 2005, this film is pretty low budget in terms of special effects, but it more than makes up for it with flair. The movie is a twisted fairy tale, telling the story of a gi...

Loonatic Favorites 1. The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter (Rod Duncan) Although this novel is set in the 21st century, this alternate history takes us into a timeline where dangerous inventions have been suppressed and technology and culture remains in a stagnant Victorian age. This is the first novel of Rod Duncan's Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire series, in which private detective and fringe dweller Elizabeth Barnabus gets involved with a case of a missing aristocrat and a mysterious alchemical device. The journey to the truth involves lots of gripping action and clever twists. It and its sequels are very good at raising the stakes and giving us the perspective of one who stands outside of traditional Victorian customs and values. Great book, pretty good series. 2. Clockwork Heart (Dru Pagliassotti) This novel is possibly the most steampunk book I've read so far. It magnifies many elements of the steampunk genre and creates a whole new world for them in which to play...

Steampunk is such a fantastic genre, but which movies truly fit the description? It's all up for debate, but I have a few favorites that in one way or another share the aesthetic, technology, themes, or adventures of the steampunk world. 1. City of Lost Children (1995) Sweet, beautiful, and eerily strange. This quirky little film easily takes the top spot in my reckoning of steampunk movies. In this twisted tale, a mad scientist's creation steals children in order to suck the dreams right out of their heads. When a circus strongman's adopted brother is kidnapped, he and an orphan girl have to overcome a cult of cyborg henchmen and scheming Siamese twins gang leaders to rescue the children. Sure that sounds surreal, but you really have to redefine that word after watching this film. For a movie involving stolen dreams, the characters, settings, and plot make it like you're walking through an even stranger dream. The plot is tangled, the meaning unclear. But it ...

Blood of the Hogfather A good cocktail to sip on Christmas Eve, or Hogswatch, or whatever winter holiday comes to mind. The base of this drink is the juniper, head-clearing flavor of gin. In it swirls the holiday sweetness of lingonberry concentrate, the spice of ginger liqueur, and the underlying herbal depth of Amaro. A little bit of lemon juice counters the sweetness without changing much else. 1.5oz gin 1oz lingonberry or cranberry concentrate 0.5oz ginger liqueur 0.25oz Amaro or other mild herbal liqueur 2 dashes of lemon juice In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lingonberry concentrate, ginger liqueur, and Amaro. Shake for about ten seconds and pour into an old-fashioned glass. Add two dashes of lemon juice, stir twice, and give praise to the Hogfather! Jack Frost Chilly, mischievous and good-natured, this concoction will have you dreaming of cool winter nights. Starbat created this by toying with the Draught of Living Death recipe. It's basically an ice cream flo...

There are plenty of go-to holiday movies out there. Miracle on 34th Street. It's a Wonderful Life . The Grinch Who Stole Christmas . All pluck the heartstrings just right for this time of year, and all safely watchable for pretty much anybody. But if you want a break from the ordinary and want to find some new or newly appreciated favorites for the holiday season, here's a few movies that could fill out your time off.   1. Terry Pratchett's Hogfather We watched this again recently and were pleasantly surprised. This TV miniseries was adapted extremely well from the source material, and includes all the eccentricity and thoughtfulness of the typical Terry Pratchett novel. Which makes sense, since Pratchett was heavily involved in the production. In this we return to the delightful nonsensical Discworld, and begin a perfectly simple tale of the happenings on Christmas Eve and end up questioning the true nature of gods, mortality, time, and belief. Great plot, cheeky c...

This is basically a spinoff of the Bowtruckle tutorial by Crafting Doctor , except with more variety in the greenery. Although we only have one example of bowtruckles in the films, it makes sense to me that there would different varieties that would camouflage themselves to certain tree species. Compared to the illustration on the Harry Potter Wiki: Materials -Floral wire -Floral tape -Pipe cleaners (aka chenille pipe stems) -Fake flowers and leaves Tools -Wire cutters -Scissors -Permanent marker -Superglue 1. Gather the materials All of these materials can be bought at larger craft stores, mostly from the floral section. You can also salvage faux leaves, flowers, and berries from thrift stores, which often have some old florals with the baskets and display pieces. 2. Cut stems The cutting of the wire pieces for the body, arms, and legs do not need to be very precise. To make a bowtruckle that is about the size seen in the films, the body is about f...

Gillywater Like most drinks mentioned in Harry Potter, many people have developed their own versions of the Gillywater. Starbat made this version, which definitely hits you in the teeth. The cucumber vodka and coconut rum meld two delicate flavors, and the gin adds some herbal edge. Hopefully Professor McGonagall would approve. 0.75oz cucumber vodka 0.75oz coconut rum 1.5oz gin Thinly sliced cucumbers Combine cucumber vodka, coconut vodka, and gin in a shaker with ice. Strain out ice and pour over sliced cucumbers in a old-fashioned glass. If you want to get fancy, serve with ice made in a sphere mold. Draught of Living Death Although this potion won't send you into a deathless slumber, it is certainly a cool and powerful libation. This drink was invented by Starbat, it's main herbal notes consisting of subtle damiana, calming lavender, and refreshing mint. The smoothness of the gold tequila deepens each of these flavors and gives the drink it's tr...