After running errands on Saturday, I decided to visit Terry at his comic book shop. A little while later, a young mother came in with two small boys (both probably under five). They were very polite, but very curious and had lots of questions about the characters, so I decided to help.
"Excuse me!" one would say to me and then lead me to a comic. "Who is that?"
"That's Hobgoblin."
"What does he do?"
I don't really know much about Marvel characters, so my answer was vague. "Um, he's a bad guy. He doesn't like Spiderman, so flies around and throws things at him."
"What does he fly on?" he asked.
Terry helped me out with "a glider." And then the other brother had a question.
"Excuse me! Who's that?"
An easy question. "That's Supergirl. She's Superman's cousin. She has powers like Superman's."
"Excuse me! What's that?"
I turned and saw the other boy was pointing at a comic called North 40. For those of you know don't know, it's a book about librarians accidentally raising Cthulhu in a small, southern town. The cover has a deputy cowering while tentacles from offscreen slither towards him.
"Um, that's a sheriff." I deflected.
"What's a sheriff?" he asked.
"He's like a policeman."
He pointed to a tentacle. "What's that?"
"Um, that's Cthulhu," I said brightly.
"What does he do?"
I smiled brightly. "He's an elder evil god."
Before the boy could ask anything else, Terry mercifully interrupted. "He's a giant frog that lives in the ocean."
"Maybe we should look at the comics over here," his mother suggested, leading him to the kid-friendly section.
Showing posts with label fangirl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fangirl. Show all posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
How to Get Chicks into Comics
Every couple of months, someone, usually male, writes about how to get females to read comics. I find this entertaining. Usually, the article is little more than a list of “female-friendly” titles and writers. I play a little game before I read the article to see if I can guess which comics the writer will suggest. I can usually guess them all, unless the writer has really put some thought into it or likes manga (not my thing). The comics he suggests are usually good ones, some of them even are my favorites, but that’s not the point. Usually, the writer’s passion is genuine and the advice is well-intentioned, but it misses the mark. This happens so frequently that I am compelled to write about this topic from a rabid fangirl perspective. Luckily, getting a female to read comics is a two step process.
First, ask yourself one simple question:
Step One: Why?
That's right, why do you want to get females to read comics? Is it to get your girlfriend/wife/mom off your back to get rid of your 20 long boxes of comics? Is it so that your girlfriend/wife won’t roll her eyes when you want to go into a comic book store or go to a movie based on a comic book? Is it because you want to see more women at the comic book store because that’s the only place you feel comfortable but you still want to get laid? Is it because you don’t want women to go slack-jawed and dead-eyed when you go on your 30 minute tirade about how Hal Jordan is a better Green Lantern than John Stewart?
Have I offended you yet? If so, please keep that feeling in mind. It’s how we feel when someone says “all women like this or do that.” Don’t fall for that trap. If your motivation for doing this is because you want to introduce a special someone to excellent writing, gorgeous artwork and a fun medium that combines the best aspects of reading and movies, please move on to step two.
Step Two: Ask her what she likes.
No, really, ask her what she likes to do, what movies she likes to see, what she likes to read. Take a good look around her (or your) place. What books or magazines do you see lying around? What artwork is on her walls? What is/was her major or her hobbies? Chances are good that there might be a comic title or graphic novel that is related to something she is already interested in.
I lied; there is a third step.
Step Three: Better yet, bring her into a comic shop, let her look around and offer to buy something for her.
If you really want her to understand your hobby, act like a drug pusher and make the first one free.
Don’t point anything out unless she asks. Don’t explain anything to her unless she asks. If she is going to be interested, she will naturally gravitate to the things that are attractive to her, the same way you did when you first got into comics. Let her choose and don’t make fun of her choices or reasons for liking something.
Be prepared that she might never like comics. Even if she decides she does, she might not like the same comics as you or enjoy talking about them. The best that can come out of this is that she will understand your passion for comics. If she becomes a fan herself, that’s all gravy.
First, ask yourself one simple question:
Step One: Why?
That's right, why do you want to get females to read comics? Is it to get your girlfriend/wife/mom off your back to get rid of your 20 long boxes of comics? Is it so that your girlfriend/wife won’t roll her eyes when you want to go into a comic book store or go to a movie based on a comic book? Is it because you want to see more women at the comic book store because that’s the only place you feel comfortable but you still want to get laid? Is it because you don’t want women to go slack-jawed and dead-eyed when you go on your 30 minute tirade about how Hal Jordan is a better Green Lantern than John Stewart?
Have I offended you yet? If so, please keep that feeling in mind. It’s how we feel when someone says “all women like this or do that.” Don’t fall for that trap. If your motivation for doing this is because you want to introduce a special someone to excellent writing, gorgeous artwork and a fun medium that combines the best aspects of reading and movies, please move on to step two.
Step Two: Ask her what she likes.
No, really, ask her what she likes to do, what movies she likes to see, what she likes to read. Take a good look around her (or your) place. What books or magazines do you see lying around? What artwork is on her walls? What is/was her major or her hobbies? Chances are good that there might be a comic title or graphic novel that is related to something she is already interested in.
I lied; there is a third step.
Step Three: Better yet, bring her into a comic shop, let her look around and offer to buy something for her.
If you really want her to understand your hobby, act like a drug pusher and make the first one free.
Don’t point anything out unless she asks. Don’t explain anything to her unless she asks. If she is going to be interested, she will naturally gravitate to the things that are attractive to her, the same way you did when you first got into comics. Let her choose and don’t make fun of her choices or reasons for liking something.
Be prepared that she might never like comics. Even if she decides she does, she might not like the same comics as you or enjoy talking about them. The best that can come out of this is that she will understand your passion for comics. If she becomes a fan herself, that’s all gravy.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Review of Moon (Spoiler Free)
Moon is a difficult movie to talk about without giving away too much. No, it's not one of those movies with a twist, but half of the fun is the discovery and watching how the plot unfolds. The premise is simple: in the near future, a company has discovered a way to "mine" limitless power on the dark side of the moon. A man named Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell) works at a mining station on the moon; he is near the end of his three-year contract on the station, where he has lived in near isolation. The satellite communications are down, so the only outside contact he has are occasional videos sent from the company and his family. His only companion is a cumbersome robot name Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey). While checking on a malfunctioning harvester, Sam gets into an accident. And while he is away from the station, his replacement arrives.
What makes the film so compelling is Sam, both the character and the actor. For most of the film, Sam Rockwell is alone on screen and his haggard appearance is mesmerizing. In the same moment, he can be hilarious and heartbreaking. He makes you feel Sam Bell's loneliness and desperation to go home. We get to meet and really learn about a character, something that is rare in films. The film is so beautifully well-written that even Gerty the robot is a complex character. Gerty is supposed to be a helper on the station, but ends up being more of nanny, reminding Sam to eat or suggesting he take a nap when he is agitated. On a small screen is Gerty's face, a simple yellow smiley face, which changes appropriately to frowns or other "emoticons" as needed. It would be easy to create a robot character that was simply comic relief or worse, another evil robot like HAL from 2001, but Gerty is neither. He actually makes choices within the frame of his programming, showing that he can follow the spirit of the program if not its literal intention.
The other beauty of this film is in its cinematography and design. The station is grubby, well-lived-in and full of little details: photographs, magazine cuttings, scrawled writings on sticky notes everywhere (including on Gerty), a whole garden planted in food packaging. Outside, the moonscape is silver and black, stark and alien. The earth is always in the sky, tantalizingly close but so far away.
Something I've noticed is that in the last 5-10 years, most of the best science fiction films have been low-budget, independent ones like Moon. Sometimes we can confuse scifi with special effects and explosions, but like great scifi novels, the best scifi films are really about us and our relationship with science. Moon is one of those unusual films that can make you think and feel without being heavy-handed or self-important and be fantastic and visually interesting without being overblown.
What makes the film so compelling is Sam, both the character and the actor. For most of the film, Sam Rockwell is alone on screen and his haggard appearance is mesmerizing. In the same moment, he can be hilarious and heartbreaking. He makes you feel Sam Bell's loneliness and desperation to go home. We get to meet and really learn about a character, something that is rare in films. The film is so beautifully well-written that even Gerty the robot is a complex character. Gerty is supposed to be a helper on the station, but ends up being more of nanny, reminding Sam to eat or suggesting he take a nap when he is agitated. On a small screen is Gerty's face, a simple yellow smiley face, which changes appropriately to frowns or other "emoticons" as needed. It would be easy to create a robot character that was simply comic relief or worse, another evil robot like HAL from 2001, but Gerty is neither. He actually makes choices within the frame of his programming, showing that he can follow the spirit of the program if not its literal intention.
The other beauty of this film is in its cinematography and design. The station is grubby, well-lived-in and full of little details: photographs, magazine cuttings, scrawled writings on sticky notes everywhere (including on Gerty), a whole garden planted in food packaging. Outside, the moonscape is silver and black, stark and alien. The earth is always in the sky, tantalizingly close but so far away.
Something I've noticed is that in the last 5-10 years, most of the best science fiction films have been low-budget, independent ones like Moon. Sometimes we can confuse scifi with special effects and explosions, but like great scifi novels, the best scifi films are really about us and our relationship with science. Moon is one of those unusual films that can make you think and feel without being heavy-handed or self-important and be fantastic and visually interesting without being overblown.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
A Death in the House
Fans of the TV show House got a pretty big shock this week (Monday, 6 April was when the episode aired). If you haven't still seen the episode, you have no business reading blogs right now.
So Dr. Kutner committed suicide. And judging by comments on popular web sites, people are pissed. "Kutner's suicide came out of nowhere" seems to be a common complaint. It seems like a cheap ploy by the writers.
I can respect that opinion. It does seem like stunt, to get viewership and make things happen when the writers don't know what else to do with a plot or a character.
But I was actually moved by the episode. It felt real to me: seeing the shock of Foreman and Thirteen finding his body, the way she recoiled from him when she realized she was too late to save him. I was stunned. I felt blindsided.
Suicide is like that. Sometimes it does come out of nowhere. Sometimes it does seem out of character, because, lord knows, depressed people can be really good about hiding their pain. They are very good at hiding who they really are as well. They can come off as generally likable, but aloof or shy. That was Kutner: a generally nice guy who was in always in the background, the guy you took for granted.
Strangely, one of the things I loved about the episode was one of things people hated the most; House's reaction to Kutner's death. He tried to make sense of it. He went through denial, preferring to believe Kutner was murdered. Then, worst of all, his angry, awful blaming of Kutner's parents for their son's suicide. I can remember a lot of the horrible things I thought and said when my mother died, things that I still feel ashamed of. I felt a lot of sympathy and embarrassment for House then, more than I have all season, as well as a good helping of thinking he was a total asshole.
(Yes, I am fully aware that I am projecting my feelings onto a character.)
I think it was something of a brave move to do this to a character. The writers could have simply had Kutner quit and move away, sure, and everything would have continued on as it had. But now, the characters, House included, will have to face that they never really knew him and they will never know why he did it.
I'm interested in seeing where the writers take this and what happens next. I just hope they don't fuck this up.
So Dr. Kutner committed suicide. And judging by comments on popular web sites, people are pissed. "Kutner's suicide came out of nowhere" seems to be a common complaint. It seems like a cheap ploy by the writers.
I can respect that opinion. It does seem like stunt, to get viewership and make things happen when the writers don't know what else to do with a plot or a character.
But I was actually moved by the episode. It felt real to me: seeing the shock of Foreman and Thirteen finding his body, the way she recoiled from him when she realized she was too late to save him. I was stunned. I felt blindsided.
Suicide is like that. Sometimes it does come out of nowhere. Sometimes it does seem out of character, because, lord knows, depressed people can be really good about hiding their pain. They are very good at hiding who they really are as well. They can come off as generally likable, but aloof or shy. That was Kutner: a generally nice guy who was in always in the background, the guy you took for granted.
Strangely, one of the things I loved about the episode was one of things people hated the most; House's reaction to Kutner's death. He tried to make sense of it. He went through denial, preferring to believe Kutner was murdered. Then, worst of all, his angry, awful blaming of Kutner's parents for their son's suicide. I can remember a lot of the horrible things I thought and said when my mother died, things that I still feel ashamed of. I felt a lot of sympathy and embarrassment for House then, more than I have all season, as well as a good helping of thinking he was a total asshole.
(Yes, I am fully aware that I am projecting my feelings onto a character.)
I think it was something of a brave move to do this to a character. The writers could have simply had Kutner quit and move away, sure, and everything would have continued on as it had. But now, the characters, House included, will have to face that they never really knew him and they will never know why he did it.
I'm interested in seeing where the writers take this and what happens next. I just hope they don't fuck this up.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thoughts on Let the Right One In
I'm waiting in line to see Zack and Miri Make a Porno, so I have some time to blog about the last movie I saw. I enjoyed this Swedish film about the friendship between a lonely 12 year old boy and a vampire girl more than my 2 companions did, mosly because of a disagreement about what makes a film "horror" or not. I felt this was a horror film in the classic sense, like the original Dracula or Nosferatu. There is a little gore for sure and some disturbing, creepy scenes, but no jump-out-of-your-skin scares. The stars of the film, the young actors who play Oskar and Eli, are sincere and utterly believable; in particular, I loved the weary inhumanness of Eli. With just a little make-up and oddly effective sound effects, the film makers transform her into a real monster. Even their takes on old vampire lore, like what happens when a vampire isn't invited inside, feel fresh and interesting. The real pleasure of the film is the deep friendship that develops between 2 very lonely and lost kids. It's simply a beautifully made film.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Pleasure of Being Robbed...
...is my first film viewing of the festival and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The film has an indie aesthetic, filmed on the cheap with minimal editing. The main character is a young, scruffy woman who with absolute fearlessness steals from nearly everyone she meets. Yes, she is poor, but she doesn't seem at all interested in the money or possessions. She examine the contents of purses, bags, even cars, with intense curiosity, then abandons them when the novelty or usefulness wears off. Rather than present a narrative, we watch the girl watch and pry into the belongings of others without any real consequence. Even being arrested only seems to slow her down, not stop her. The film feels very raw; without a story (in the mainstream sense, a least) the scenes feel random and I felt both curious about where the film was going and a sense of alarm at her brazen thefts. Although it was very funny and sweetly quirky in spots, I'm not sure how I feel about this film. It meandered a little too much for my taste, but it definitely kept me interested.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My Chicago Film Festival Schedule
I love October. It includes my two favorite holidays: Halloween and the Chicago Film Festival. I have put together a tentative schedule of films I want to see. If you want to join me or have suggestions for alternate films, please tweet me @eris404, email me or post a comment.
[EDIT]Jeff has helpfully pointed out that I missed SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK. Also, due to low funds, I was able to buy only a 10 film pass, which limits my options somewhat. Updated schedule below.
[EDIT TO THE EDIT] Ack! The Wrestler and Synedoche are sold out! Edits below.
Friday, 17 October
Friday is a big night, with 3 films in a row all at the same location (AMC River East).
THE PLEASURE OF BEING ROBBED
Why I want to see it: Sounds interesting and it was well received at Cannes, for what that's worth.
Time: 6 PM
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
Why I want to see it: There's been some buzz on the Intarwebs about this vampire/horror flick.
Time: 10 PM
Tueday 21 October
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
Why I want to see it: Kevin Smith - sorry, I can't help myself.
Time: 8:15 PM
Place: AMC River East
Wednesday 22 October
SLEEP DEALER
Why I want to see it: This looks like an awesome SciFi film.
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: AMC River East
Friday 24 October
THE WRESTLER
Why I want to see it: Four words: Directed by Darren Aronofsky ( who directed Pi and Requiem for a Dream). OK, that's actually 12 words.
Time: 8 PM
Sunday 26 October
This day is sort of all over the place. I'm less sure about these films, especially since they are playing at different theatres all over the city.
TERRIBLY HAPPY
Time: 12:00 PM
Place: AMC River East
TOKYO!
Time: 2:30 PM
Place: 600 N. Michigan
Monday 27 October
FEAR(S) OF THE DARK / PEUR(S) DU NOIR
Why I want to see it: The animation looks cool and spooky.
Time: 6:15 PM
Place: AMC River East
Tuesday, 28 October
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
Why I want to see it: Do I really have to explain why?
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Music Box
[EDIT]Jeff has helpfully pointed out that I missed SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK. Also, due to low funds, I was able to buy only a 10 film pass, which limits my options somewhat. Updated schedule below.
[EDIT TO THE EDIT] Ack! The Wrestler and Synedoche are sold out! Edits below.
Friday, 17 October
Friday is a big night, with 3 films in a row all at the same location (AMC River East).
THE PLEASURE OF BEING ROBBED
Why I want to see it: Sounds interesting and it was well received at Cannes, for what that's worth.
Time: 6 PM
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
Why I want to see it: There's been some buzz on the Intarwebs about this vampire/horror flick.
Time: 10 PM
Tueday 21 October
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
Why I want to see it: Kevin Smith - sorry, I can't help myself.
Time: 8:15 PM
Place: AMC River East
Wednesday 22 October
SLEEP DEALER
Why I want to see it: This looks like an awesome SciFi film.
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: AMC River East
Friday 24 October
THE WRESTLER
Why I want to see it: Four words: Directed by Darren Aronofsky ( who directed Pi and Requiem for a Dream). OK, that's actually 12 words.
Time: 8 PM
Sunday 26 October
This day is sort of all over the place. I'm less sure about these films, especially since they are playing at different theatres all over the city.
TERRIBLY HAPPY
Time: 12:00 PM
Place: AMC River East
TOKYO!
Time: 2:30 PM
Place: 600 N. Michigan
Monday 27 October
FEAR(S) OF THE DARK / PEUR(S) DU NOIR
Why I want to see it: The animation looks cool and spooky.
Time: 6:15 PM
Place: AMC River East
Tuesday, 28 October
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
Why I want to see it: Do I really have to explain why?
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Music Box
Sunday, June 22, 2008
My New TV Boyfriend
Yes, I such a geek girl that I develop crushes on TV characters. My newest crush is Marshall Mann, one of the U.S. Marshals on the show In Plain Sight. Of course, I like the main character, Mary, his partner, too, but Marshall has slowly been winning my heart. He has a dry voice, a quirky sense of humor and a head for trivia. This last episode, poor Marshall got shot and he walked Mary through inserting a tube in the wound to help him to breathe, all the while explaining the science behind it. I think I fell in love with him when he was explaining to Mary why he was considering leaving the Marshals: "It's like you're this exotic animal I'm in charge of and I have to protect you from the world and the world from you." Not exactly poetry, but it is delivered with such pain that you could really see how much Marshall loves Mary. And dammit, I have a really big soft spot for protective guys.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Summer 2008 will be amazing
This summer is going to be crazy-busy and fun.
For one thing, there are so many movies coming out that I think I will be back to seeing at least one movie a week, something I haven't done since my film school days. Off the top of my head, I can list at ten movies I am dying to see and there are probably ten more that I am forgetting or am not as excited about but will probably see anyway.
On the top of my list (and probably everyone else's) is The Dark Knight. I saw I Am Legend at the IMax just so that I could see the "trailer." I put the word trailer in quotes because it was about 5 minutes of actual, completed footage from the movie. You can find some pretty awful video of it on YouTube (think hand-held camera smuggled into a theater) if you want to see it, but trust me, it was well worth the inflated IMax ticket price alone.
At the very least, I have to see my city stand in for Gotham. I can't tell you how proud I am that Chicago is Gotham; I truly love this city and it's nice that someone else appreciates it enough to use it as the Batman's city.
True story: my friend Keidra attended a meeting recently and realized that it was being held in Bruce Wayne's "bedroom." How cool is that?
Aside from movies, Lollapalooza happens in August and I have to see Nine Inch Nails play in Grant Park. Also in June is Wizard World Chicago, our answer to ComiCon - that deserves a post of its own for several reasons. And summer wraps up with Nick Cave and Bad Seeds playing down the street from me at the Riv in September.
This is going to be spectacular.
For one thing, there are so many movies coming out that I think I will be back to seeing at least one movie a week, something I haven't done since my film school days. Off the top of my head, I can list at ten movies I am dying to see and there are probably ten more that I am forgetting or am not as excited about but will probably see anyway.
On the top of my list (and probably everyone else's) is The Dark Knight. I saw I Am Legend at the IMax just so that I could see the "trailer." I put the word trailer in quotes because it was about 5 minutes of actual, completed footage from the movie. You can find some pretty awful video of it on YouTube (think hand-held camera smuggled into a theater) if you want to see it, but trust me, it was well worth the inflated IMax ticket price alone.
At the very least, I have to see my city stand in for Gotham. I can't tell you how proud I am that Chicago is Gotham; I truly love this city and it's nice that someone else appreciates it enough to use it as the Batman's city.
True story: my friend Keidra attended a meeting recently and realized that it was being held in Bruce Wayne's "bedroom." How cool is that?
Aside from movies, Lollapalooza happens in August and I have to see Nine Inch Nails play in Grant Park. Also in June is Wizard World Chicago, our answer to ComiCon - that deserves a post of its own for several reasons. And summer wraps up with Nick Cave and Bad Seeds playing down the street from me at the Riv in September.
This is going to be spectacular.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Iron Man
Here's the short, spoiler-free review: it's really good. Go see it.
I was very surprised by how much I liked this movie. Sure, I love comic books and I love movies and I like Jon Favreau. I even used to watch his Dinner for Five television show, even if it did get pretentious at times (as an aside, watch any episodes with Peter Berg - the man tells great stories). But, I did go in knowing next to nothing about the Iron Man character, and I had read some advanced reviews that were mixed, saying the pacing was off or some such. And in the end, the movie is about superheroes, a subject matter for Hollywood that tends to be hit or miss. Superheroes are often dismissed as fluff or worse, escapist fantasies for overgrown boys; the much-maligned, garish and vapid Batman movies produced by Joel Schumacher come to mind as falling into both categories.
I think what surprised me about this movie was how much soul it possesses. There is a sincerity to the actors, who seem to be both having fun and taking the material seriously. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man is especially good. He is at his witty and charming best as the womanizing, boozing Stark, but he also gives the character depth. Stark, a brilliant weapons inventor, is kidnapped by warlords/terrorist group while on a promotional tour in Afghanistan, and his fear (and later outrage) is nearly palpable. He has excellent chemistry with Gwenyth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts, Stark's capable and quick-witted assistant. Romance in action movies often feels ham-fisted and tacked on, an afterthought, but here the budding relationship is actually touching. "I don't have anyone else," Stark admits to her, and though he states this as a simple fact, we can also detect the loneliness lying beneath his admission.
The dialog is where this movie really exceeds. It reveals the development of the characters with grace. There are two "monologues' that really stand out. The first is a speech from Raza, the leader of the terrorists, to Stark while in captivity. Unlike his men, Raza presents himself as a confident, polished and cultured man. He talks of history, particularly of Genghis Khan and the conquering of Asia. In a lesser movie, this would have been the rantings of a power-hungry mad man, but Raza is a practical man, shrewd and ambitious.
The second monologue comes from an exhausted Tony Stark, having returned to the U.S. after a harrowing escape. Surrounded by reporters, Stark is not his flippant, party-boy self. He is introspective and begins by saying "I never got a chance to say good-bye to my father." Stark's late father, a genius who worked on the Manhattan Project, haunts his son throughout the movie. Stark is always reminded of his father's brilliance and his father's belief in the weapons their company produces. But after his three-month ordeal, Stark wonders aloud to the press how his father truly felt about being one of the inventor's of the atomic bomb and the suffering it caused. Having seen his own weapons being used against U.S. soldiers (ones he had only moments before had been joking with) and Afghani civilians alike, he realizes he wants to make up for the pain and destruction his inventions have caused.
This scene underscores what I feel is the message of the movie. In one sense, Stark is the United States - selfish, wealthy, shallow and profiting from war. But underneath that indolent exterior, is a good heart, ingenuity and sincere desire to atone for past mistakes. Stark wants to turn his genius towards solving problems, like finding new energy sources. Ultimately, he takes on the role of Iron Man to destroy the weapons he created, protect those whose lives are threatened by them and thereby be redeemed. In this movie, I found a message of hope for my country, that we can turn away from war and use our superpowers for good instead of evil. It's not too late for us to be redeemed.
If I find any fault with the movie, it lies with the characterization of Obediah Stane, Stark's erstwhile mentor, business partner and friend, but also the real villain of this story. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job with what he's given, but the character descends into the mindlessly-greedy, jealous, insane, corporate villain used many times before. I think had Stane been portrayed more like Raza he would have made a much more interesting, and in the end effective, antagonist for Stark. We don't really get to see Stark deal with Stane's betrayal in meaningful way and I think that was a missed opportunity to elevate Stane to the true villainy he deserves.
My rating: 9 out of 10
I was very surprised by how much I liked this movie. Sure, I love comic books and I love movies and I like Jon Favreau. I even used to watch his Dinner for Five television show, even if it did get pretentious at times (as an aside, watch any episodes with Peter Berg - the man tells great stories). But, I did go in knowing next to nothing about the Iron Man character, and I had read some advanced reviews that were mixed, saying the pacing was off or some such. And in the end, the movie is about superheroes, a subject matter for Hollywood that tends to be hit or miss. Superheroes are often dismissed as fluff or worse, escapist fantasies for overgrown boys; the much-maligned, garish and vapid Batman movies produced by Joel Schumacher come to mind as falling into both categories.
I think what surprised me about this movie was how much soul it possesses. There is a sincerity to the actors, who seem to be both having fun and taking the material seriously. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man is especially good. He is at his witty and charming best as the womanizing, boozing Stark, but he also gives the character depth. Stark, a brilliant weapons inventor, is kidnapped by warlords/terrorist group while on a promotional tour in Afghanistan, and his fear (and later outrage) is nearly palpable. He has excellent chemistry with Gwenyth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts, Stark's capable and quick-witted assistant. Romance in action movies often feels ham-fisted and tacked on, an afterthought, but here the budding relationship is actually touching. "I don't have anyone else," Stark admits to her, and though he states this as a simple fact, we can also detect the loneliness lying beneath his admission.
The dialog is where this movie really exceeds. It reveals the development of the characters with grace. There are two "monologues' that really stand out. The first is a speech from Raza, the leader of the terrorists, to Stark while in captivity. Unlike his men, Raza presents himself as a confident, polished and cultured man. He talks of history, particularly of Genghis Khan and the conquering of Asia. In a lesser movie, this would have been the rantings of a power-hungry mad man, but Raza is a practical man, shrewd and ambitious.
The second monologue comes from an exhausted Tony Stark, having returned to the U.S. after a harrowing escape. Surrounded by reporters, Stark is not his flippant, party-boy self. He is introspective and begins by saying "I never got a chance to say good-bye to my father." Stark's late father, a genius who worked on the Manhattan Project, haunts his son throughout the movie. Stark is always reminded of his father's brilliance and his father's belief in the weapons their company produces. But after his three-month ordeal, Stark wonders aloud to the press how his father truly felt about being one of the inventor's of the atomic bomb and the suffering it caused. Having seen his own weapons being used against U.S. soldiers (ones he had only moments before had been joking with) and Afghani civilians alike, he realizes he wants to make up for the pain and destruction his inventions have caused.
This scene underscores what I feel is the message of the movie. In one sense, Stark is the United States - selfish, wealthy, shallow and profiting from war. But underneath that indolent exterior, is a good heart, ingenuity and sincere desire to atone for past mistakes. Stark wants to turn his genius towards solving problems, like finding new energy sources. Ultimately, he takes on the role of Iron Man to destroy the weapons he created, protect those whose lives are threatened by them and thereby be redeemed. In this movie, I found a message of hope for my country, that we can turn away from war and use our superpowers for good instead of evil. It's not too late for us to be redeemed.
If I find any fault with the movie, it lies with the characterization of Obediah Stane, Stark's erstwhile mentor, business partner and friend, but also the real villain of this story. Jeff Bridges does an excellent job with what he's given, but the character descends into the mindlessly-greedy, jealous, insane, corporate villain used many times before. I think had Stane been portrayed more like Raza he would have made a much more interesting, and in the end effective, antagonist for Stark. We don't really get to see Stark deal with Stane's betrayal in meaningful way and I think that was a missed opportunity to elevate Stane to the true villainy he deserves.
My rating: 9 out of 10
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Heroes - Episode 3
I wasn't watching as closely as last time, so I may miss some details.
Synopsis:
Claire continues her quest to be a popular girl and fit in, in spite of her friend's urging to embrace her powers. At a bonfire/rally, she hooks up with a boy she likes and leaves the party. He comes on to her, but when she asks him to stop, he becomes suddenly insistent and then violent. They struggle and he hits her head on a sharp object that penetrates her skull. She is still and seems dead. Later, she wakes on an autopsy table after the object is removed from her skull. In a very gross and intense moment she finds herself flayed open. (This was pretty horrific)
Mohinder can't make any sense of his father's program and in frustration throws his computer, breaking it open and discovering a book concealed inside with a key. This leads him to Silar's (apparent) apartment, the walls of which are covered with Silar's rantings ("I am sinner" etc.) and a map like the one on his father's wall. Mohinder leads the police there later, but the place is empty and the walls have been painted over.
Niki takes her son to her mother-in-law's house. They fight. The mother-in-law wants to keep Niki's son, Noah, and tells her she can't stop her from seeing him. Niki tells her about the body she found in the desert; it was wearing a ring that she recognized as being worn by her husband's "crew" and Niki believes this is proof that he is guilty. Both her mother-in-law and Noah believe he is innocent and will continue to evade the authorities.
Matt is being questioned by an FBI agent and he tells her the truth, that he can hear people's thoughts. She taunts him, asking him to tell her what she's thinking now. At first, he hears nothing and then hears her worries about being taken seriously. He tells her that no one takes him seriously either. She is surprised and decides to trust him, asking him to talk to the little girl he rescued. Although reluctant at first, he agrees to help. The girl is in protective custody, but when they reach her, they hear her screaming and see a hooded man carrying her away. They chase him down an alley, where he drops the girl. The FBI agent points her gun at him, but he uses an apparent mental powers to shove her away and make her point her gun at her own temple. Matt catches up and empties his gun into the Hooded Man (Sylar?). He drops, but when Matt turns his back, he gets up and disappears.
Matt gets home later and finds his wife in an angry state; he missed a therapy session and she is hurt by what she interprets as thoughtlessness and hostility from him. Hearing her thoughts that she wants him to leave, he does so and winds up at a bar. He can clearly hear all of the thoughts around him, the dispair of those around him depresses him. Looking around the bar, his eyes settle on a man who seems to be watching him. From him, Matt hears no thoughts, only complete silence. He passes out.
Hiro brings the comic book from the future to show his friend as proof. At first, his friend is skeptical, but Hiro decides to try to prove his powers to him, by following the actions in the comic book. According to the book, he is supposed to save a little girl from being hit by a truck. He finds the girl at the last second and uses his time-stopping power to stop the truck and pull her out of harm's way. His friend can no longer deny his power and agrees to come with him to New York to find the artist.
Simone fights with Isaac over his drug use. He claims to need it in order to see the future and she, out of fear for his life, has flushed his stash. She refuses to believe that his paintings show the future (including one that shows a nuclear bomb going off in New York). Later she runs into Peter who tells her he is quitting his job. She is truly disappointed that she won't see him, but he tells her they will run into each other again.
At his brother's fundraiser, he does see Simone again. Nathan talks to the press about his brother's hospitalization; he tells them about his father's depression and suicide and announces that Peter is also depressed and tried to commit suicide. Peter is enraged and embarrassed; he confronts his brother after the party and slugs him for lying and betraying him. Afterwards, he sees Simone and tells her it isn't true, that he isn't depressed and didn't try to commit suicide. They kiss.
Isaac looks over his drawings and finds a picture of Simone and Peter kissing under an umbrella in the rain.
Thoughts: A good episode, even if I was distracted. Lots of mysteries still unexplained - is Sylar behind the killings and why? Was the Hooded Man really Sylar? Who is the Bald Man who can guard his thoughts from Matt?
The special effects were particularly striking this episode, too. Hiro's time-stop power looks particularly awesome, especially with the girl caught mid-jump. Claire's autopsy was pretty gross, but the scene does show a weakness to her power - an object can impede her rejuvenation power if left inside her long enough. My favorite scene was probably the most lo-tech: after the noise of the thoughts around Matt, the silence around the Bald Man made the hairs on my neck stand up.
Synopsis:
Claire continues her quest to be a popular girl and fit in, in spite of her friend's urging to embrace her powers. At a bonfire/rally, she hooks up with a boy she likes and leaves the party. He comes on to her, but when she asks him to stop, he becomes suddenly insistent and then violent. They struggle and he hits her head on a sharp object that penetrates her skull. She is still and seems dead. Later, she wakes on an autopsy table after the object is removed from her skull. In a very gross and intense moment she finds herself flayed open. (This was pretty horrific)
Mohinder can't make any sense of his father's program and in frustration throws his computer, breaking it open and discovering a book concealed inside with a key. This leads him to Silar's (apparent) apartment, the walls of which are covered with Silar's rantings ("I am sinner" etc.) and a map like the one on his father's wall. Mohinder leads the police there later, but the place is empty and the walls have been painted over.
Niki takes her son to her mother-in-law's house. They fight. The mother-in-law wants to keep Niki's son, Noah, and tells her she can't stop her from seeing him. Niki tells her about the body she found in the desert; it was wearing a ring that she recognized as being worn by her husband's "crew" and Niki believes this is proof that he is guilty. Both her mother-in-law and Noah believe he is innocent and will continue to evade the authorities.
Matt is being questioned by an FBI agent and he tells her the truth, that he can hear people's thoughts. She taunts him, asking him to tell her what she's thinking now. At first, he hears nothing and then hears her worries about being taken seriously. He tells her that no one takes him seriously either. She is surprised and decides to trust him, asking him to talk to the little girl he rescued. Although reluctant at first, he agrees to help. The girl is in protective custody, but when they reach her, they hear her screaming and see a hooded man carrying her away. They chase him down an alley, where he drops the girl. The FBI agent points her gun at him, but he uses an apparent mental powers to shove her away and make her point her gun at her own temple. Matt catches up and empties his gun into the Hooded Man (Sylar?). He drops, but when Matt turns his back, he gets up and disappears.
Matt gets home later and finds his wife in an angry state; he missed a therapy session and she is hurt by what she interprets as thoughtlessness and hostility from him. Hearing her thoughts that she wants him to leave, he does so and winds up at a bar. He can clearly hear all of the thoughts around him, the dispair of those around him depresses him. Looking around the bar, his eyes settle on a man who seems to be watching him. From him, Matt hears no thoughts, only complete silence. He passes out.
Hiro brings the comic book from the future to show his friend as proof. At first, his friend is skeptical, but Hiro decides to try to prove his powers to him, by following the actions in the comic book. According to the book, he is supposed to save a little girl from being hit by a truck. He finds the girl at the last second and uses his time-stopping power to stop the truck and pull her out of harm's way. His friend can no longer deny his power and agrees to come with him to New York to find the artist.
Simone fights with Isaac over his drug use. He claims to need it in order to see the future and she, out of fear for his life, has flushed his stash. She refuses to believe that his paintings show the future (including one that shows a nuclear bomb going off in New York). Later she runs into Peter who tells her he is quitting his job. She is truly disappointed that she won't see him, but he tells her they will run into each other again.
At his brother's fundraiser, he does see Simone again. Nathan talks to the press about his brother's hospitalization; he tells them about his father's depression and suicide and announces that Peter is also depressed and tried to commit suicide. Peter is enraged and embarrassed; he confronts his brother after the party and slugs him for lying and betraying him. Afterwards, he sees Simone and tells her it isn't true, that he isn't depressed and didn't try to commit suicide. They kiss.
Isaac looks over his drawings and finds a picture of Simone and Peter kissing under an umbrella in the rain.
Thoughts: A good episode, even if I was distracted. Lots of mysteries still unexplained - is Sylar behind the killings and why? Was the Hooded Man really Sylar? Who is the Bald Man who can guard his thoughts from Matt?
The special effects were particularly striking this episode, too. Hiro's time-stop power looks particularly awesome, especially with the girl caught mid-jump. Claire's autopsy was pretty gross, but the scene does show a weakness to her power - an object can impede her rejuvenation power if left inside her long enough. My favorite scene was probably the most lo-tech: after the noise of the thoughts around Matt, the silence around the Bald Man made the hairs on my neck stand up.
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Lost: Season Three, Episode One
First, great opening, although I suspected from the beginning that we were looking at the Others' camp. I liked how normal it all looked, especially with the bungalows, the middle-class-nice furniture and book club.
This episode is also a bit scary for me, because they are essentially torturing/brainwashing Jack, Kate and Sawyer. There's a neatness to how they tailor their methods to the person. Jack is held in solitude and darkness and being perhaps the most stubborn and rebellious of the three, he has to be broken in a bunch of little ways (like making him put his back to the wall when they bring food in). For Kate, it's a kind of humilation - she's strong and capable and something of a tomboy, so making her wear a dress is a painful reminder that they can make her feel vulnerable. And putting Sawyer in an animal cage is a pretty strong statement, even if he doesn't get that yet. I also think it's very telling that they put Kate in the cage outside of Sawyer's; they realized immediately she is closer to him than Jack and I think they're going to exploit that to its fullest.
Some other tantalizing details: I think there is a power struggle between Ben and the blonde woman (did we ever get her name? - EDIT: Yes, Juliet!). I think the woman is the leader or has assumed leadership, especially since last season the others deferred to a mysterious "she." I'm also not sure how much her heart is into the operation: there's something about her interactions with Ben that makes me think she doesn't approve of him.
But having said that, I really hope the story picks up. Intriguing as this episode was, the few little clues and answers we got just weren't enough. We need to see what's going on with the other castaways and what happened to Locke, Eko and Desmond, and I hope they don't drag out the resolution of that storyline too long.
This episode is also a bit scary for me, because they are essentially torturing/brainwashing Jack, Kate and Sawyer. There's a neatness to how they tailor their methods to the person. Jack is held in solitude and darkness and being perhaps the most stubborn and rebellious of the three, he has to be broken in a bunch of little ways (like making him put his back to the wall when they bring food in). For Kate, it's a kind of humilation - she's strong and capable and something of a tomboy, so making her wear a dress is a painful reminder that they can make her feel vulnerable. And putting Sawyer in an animal cage is a pretty strong statement, even if he doesn't get that yet. I also think it's very telling that they put Kate in the cage outside of Sawyer's; they realized immediately she is closer to him than Jack and I think they're going to exploit that to its fullest.
Some other tantalizing details: I think there is a power struggle between Ben and the blonde woman (did we ever get her name? - EDIT: Yes, Juliet!). I think the woman is the leader or has assumed leadership, especially since last season the others deferred to a mysterious "she." I'm also not sure how much her heart is into the operation: there's something about her interactions with Ben that makes me think she doesn't approve of him.
But having said that, I really hope the story picks up. Intriguing as this episode was, the few little clues and answers we got just weren't enough. We need to see what's going on with the other castaways and what happened to Locke, Eko and Desmond, and I hope they don't drag out the resolution of that storyline too long.
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Well, okay...
So I watched the next episode (from 2 October) of Studio 60 last night.
OK, it was a little better.
But they still talk about Harriet being Christian waaaaaaaaaaay too much for my taste.
Oh, yeah, and it still isn't funny.
OK, it was a little better.
But they still talk about Harriet being Christian waaaaaaaaaaay too much for my taste.
Oh, yeah, and it still isn't funny.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Why Studio 60 disappoints the hell out of me
Fantastic pilot opening aside, I'm not liking this show much.
Mostly, I'm annoyed with the religion angle. First, I don't think the character of Harriet Hayes is, as the wiki entry states, an "effortlessly sexy", "multi-talented" performer. In fact, I find her intensely unlikeable and not because she is a Christian character. I just think her performance is forced and it is not entirely the actress' fault. She mentions Jesus, her religion and being Christian pretty much every scene she is in. We are constantly hit over the head with this storyline and not even real-life Christians talk about God, Jesus and their religion this much. This character is more than her religion, right? Then show us that - if she is "effortlessly sexy," show us how and it has to be more than just seeing her pretty face. Show us how talented she is and for Jesus's sake, let her be funny!
Also, the dialog that seemed so snappy on The West Wing just seems very out of place here. When, in the second episode, Harriet says to Jeanie "I wish I had your body" and Jeanie replies "I wish I had your talent," I threw up a little. This isn't how people talk. Well, maybe in Hollywood.
No, not even in Hollywood.
While we're at it, can we talk about how unfunny this show is? I get that it is a drama, but it is a drama about a comedy show. And it has funny actors on it! Show us how they write (and really write, not the after scenes where all of the hard work is already done). Show us the actors bombing or doing really well.
Show us the show, dammit!
Mostly, I'm annoyed with the religion angle. First, I don't think the character of Harriet Hayes is, as the wiki entry states, an "effortlessly sexy", "multi-talented" performer. In fact, I find her intensely unlikeable and not because she is a Christian character. I just think her performance is forced and it is not entirely the actress' fault. She mentions Jesus, her religion and being Christian pretty much every scene she is in. We are constantly hit over the head with this storyline and not even real-life Christians talk about God, Jesus and their religion this much. This character is more than her religion, right? Then show us that - if she is "effortlessly sexy," show us how and it has to be more than just seeing her pretty face. Show us how talented she is and for Jesus's sake, let her be funny!
Also, the dialog that seemed so snappy on The West Wing just seems very out of place here. When, in the second episode, Harriet says to Jeanie "I wish I had your body" and Jeanie replies "I wish I had your talent," I threw up a little. This isn't how people talk. Well, maybe in Hollywood.
No, not even in Hollywood.
While we're at it, can we talk about how unfunny this show is? I get that it is a drama, but it is a drama about a comedy show. And it has funny actors on it! Show us how they write (and really write, not the after scenes where all of the hard work is already done). Show us the actors bombing or doing really well.
Show us the show, dammit!
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Pop Culture Hits Chicago
Holy cow, there is so much going on both in the City in general and the world of pop culture.
For one, Lollapalooza is this weekend in Grant Park and I really wish I could go. It's a great place to have it, although downtown can get congested under the best of circumstances. But being outside in a really beautiful park, surrounded by magnificent buildings on one side and the Sea of Michigan on the other - what could be better? The lineup this year is really good, too, which makes me even more bitter about missing it. I was surprised to see Smoking Popes on the roster (they're still around?!?) and seeing Wolfmother listed just made me smile. It's nice to see old faves like the Reverend Horton Heat and Violent Femmes along with some of my new faves, Dresden Dolls, Gnarls Barkley and She Wants Revenge. If you're going, you're a lucky bastard.
I will, however, be going to the geek festival know as Wizard World. Make fun of me all you want, but Wizard is far cheaper for me ($25 versus $65 for one day) and takes far less time, which means I can squeeze it into my already packed weekend schedule. I have a short list of comics I'm looking for such as the last half of the Ocean mini series that I missed, for example, and all of the issues of 52, since I've managed to miss those as well. I hope I find some deals!
For one, Lollapalooza is this weekend in Grant Park and I really wish I could go. It's a great place to have it, although downtown can get congested under the best of circumstances. But being outside in a really beautiful park, surrounded by magnificent buildings on one side and the Sea of Michigan on the other - what could be better? The lineup this year is really good, too, which makes me even more bitter about missing it. I was surprised to see Smoking Popes on the roster (they're still around?!?) and seeing Wolfmother listed just made me smile. It's nice to see old faves like the Reverend Horton Heat and Violent Femmes along with some of my new faves, Dresden Dolls, Gnarls Barkley and She Wants Revenge. If you're going, you're a lucky bastard.
I will, however, be going to the geek festival know as Wizard World. Make fun of me all you want, but Wizard is far cheaper for me ($25 versus $65 for one day) and takes far less time, which means I can squeeze it into my already packed weekend schedule. I have a short list of comics I'm looking for such as the last half of the Ocean mini series that I missed, for example, and all of the issues of 52, since I've managed to miss those as well. I hope I find some deals!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)