Beast with a Billion Backs...Better!

After the first Futurama movie proved pretty disappointing, I wasn't getting my hopes up for the second in the series of four, The Beast with a Billion Backs. So I don't know if it's just because I had lower expectations, or if it's because it really was the better "movie", but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

The plot revolves around the age old story: rift opens in our dimension, giant monster falls in love with and tries to mate with our entire universe, they break up but decide to continue dating...you get the picture. The first movie mucked about in time, whereas this movie mucks about in space. There is at least a bit more of a plot to this one, which was encouraging.

Each character gets about the same amount of face-time, too, which I enjoyed. Like the first movie, there are a lot of references to the TV show, but they weren't quite as distracting this time around. All in all, I found myself laughing and enjoying TBWABB a lot more. But full disclosure: Meine Frau hated it. I doubt I'll be able to get her to watch any of the other movies, and she loved the TV show.

Special features on the DVD are OK. There's a "lost adventure" cobbled together from a defunct video game, a brief featurette with the oft-amusing David Cross (who voices the titular Beast), and a little video of a few of the voice actors. Speaking of which, Billy West, who does most of the voices on Futurama, is quite a character. The Onion A.V. Club interviewed him recently and it's an entertaining look at a very underrated talent.

So I'd certainly recommend this movie for any Futurama fans, but I'd also suggest skipping the first movie and going straight to this one if that's still an option. Or, you could just kiss my shiny metal ass.

EJP's Top 10 Albums of 2008...So Far

Unbelievably, we're already halfway through 2008. I've been in a bit of a music buying/listening slump the last few months, mostly because my new job does not really lend itself to listening to music at work all that much. Also, April and May were kind of dry spells as far as new releases went, at least as far as I was concerned. But I still have a top 10 list and some honorable mentions, many of which I've already written about here (just links to the previous blog posts for those). These are kind of in a rough order of sorts:

10) Try Me Bicycle: Voicings
A very mellow album. Nice instrumentation...a little piano here, a little violin there, some classical guitar picking, all with just a hint of a catchy hook on a lot of songs. This is a relatively new one for me, but it's growing on me quickly. Give "Two Stern Feet" or "Big Small" a listen from the web site for a taste.

9) The Nobility: The Mezzanine

8) She & Him: Volume One
Discussed here.

7) Nerf Herder: IV
Discussed here.

6) The Kills: Midnight Boom
Several posts. Look here, here, and here.

5) Dodos: Visiter
Also several posts on this blog--see here, here, and here. Please note that as much as I like this album, I still liked their first album more. Get that one first.

4) The Black Keys: Attack & Release
There are enough drum/guitar duos out there now (see Dodos) that they could practically be their own genre at this point. But The Black Keys are really in a class of their own. Really, no white boys should be able to create and perform this type of bluesy rock fusion music so well. Attack & Release, which was produced by Danger Mouse, is a bit of a departure for the BKs, but not only did I tolerate it, I enjoyed it immensely. There are a few more instruments thrown in; it's a bit more rock-oriented. I definitely like it better than their last release, Magic Potion, and I think it's a close second behind Rubber Factory. I already know Evelyn Is Not Real is going to disagree with me on BK faves, but whatever.

3) Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend
Posts here and here.

1-tie) Thao and the Get Down Stay Down: We Brave Bee Stings and All
I posted about this album here back in April, and it's continued to grow on me ever since that first listen. It's rare that I get songs stuck in my head months after getting an album, but these songs are that catchy.

1-tie) Jim White: Transnormal Skiperoo
Discussed here and here. Still the most cathartic album I've heard in ages.

Honorable Mentions:
The Ditty Bops: Summer Rains
Headlights: Some Racing, Some Stopping (check out the video for their great song "Cherry Tulips" at the bottom of the post!)
Tilly and the Wall: o
Eef Barzelay: Lose Big
The Magnetic Fields: Distortion
Pepe Ginsberg: Red

What Science Doesn't Do

This is funny.

So Pretty

New game: name that [very, very pretty] biological function.

Retro Review: Idiocracy

Mike Judge, the man who brought us Beavis & Butthead, King of the Hill, and Office Space, dropped the cult-classic-to-be Idiocracy about two years ago. Don't remember it being in the theaters? That's because I think the the movie was released in Omaha and Boise for about a week. This movie actually made some minor headlines in pop culture circles because it was probably one of the most poorly distributed films by a relatively well-known (and well-liked) writer/director in recent history.

Which is too bad, because more people should see this movie. I hesitate to call it a "film" because it's not that good. But it was highly entertaining. I laughed out loud several times, and even managed to pour water all over my crotch at one point from laughing...which is kind of ironic considering what I was watching. The story here is pretty simple. Luke Wilson plays Average Joe Army Man who's placed in suspended animation (along with a hooker, for some reason), and pretty much forgotten about for 500 years. When he finally wakes up, the human race has grown so incredibly stupid that they can barely speak in complete sentences and the Oscar winner for best picture of the year is a 90 minute video of someone's ass. Joe has become the smartest man in the world.

Yes, the movie is high concept and low brow, but it's pulled off with aplomb. If there's anything Luke Wilson is good at, it's playing an Every Man. If there's one thing Mike Judge knows how to write, it's stupidity. The people in this future are really, really, really dumb. If I had better taste, I might write this movie off as a very long skit of people doing stupid things, which may get tiring for a lot of people. But I also choose to see it as a biting social satire. I challenge anyone to see this movie and not worry just a tiny bit about how accurate it's portrayal of the future might be.

Below you'll see the clip that introduces the movie (lotsa NSFW language). This was the part of Idiocracy I'd actually seen before. You'll laugh, but you'll also feel a little sick, because you'll know, deep in your heart, that this is really what's happening in the world right now. Smart people: get screwin'.

The Fart Party

So this post could have gone into my ongoing comics primer, but I'm going to give Julia Wertz's The Fart Party special attention for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it's primarily a web comic. For another thing, it's super-especially awesome.

I have mixed feelings about web comics. There's so much crap out there, I tend not to even stick my toes in the web comic river for fear of contracting some fecal-born illness. But once in a while I'll risk it when I come across a Toothpaste for Dinner or an xkcd (I just realized that my favorite web comics are the least well-drawn...go figure). I now add The Fart Party to this list. Like PBF, I've purchased and read The Fart Party book, so I feel I can write about it on this blog.

This comic has little to nothing to do with farts or parties. It's basically an autobiographical look at Julia Wertz's life, with some exaggeration thrown in here and there. She's crude, often drunk, and shares a lot of interests with your average 12-year-old boy. She's basically a fanboy's dream girl, and since this site is pretty much by and for fanboys (and fangirls!), I figured I better let ya'll know about her.

Anyway, it's 5:24AM and I've already been up for over an hour due to The Bug, who will not be allowed to read The Fart Party until he is considerably older or until he finds it by himself on the internet. I secretly hope he does. He would do well to find a girlfriend this cool and honest and funny. But I digress...it's now 5:26AM and nothing I write will really do this comic justice, so just check it out. Wertz also has a blog I just found, and that's purty amusing, too. Please take a look and maybe throw this woman some money for a book at some point.

Example (I tried to find a comic without swear words, but it turned out to be too difficult):

Movie Reviews: Iron Man And Hulk

"I'm starving...Give me a scotch."

Iron Man is that good. Best super-hero movie to date, no question. Hulk is great but not as good, and should warrant a better sequel (think the first Superman).

Best...Music...Video...Ever...

I've tried to post the video, but you can't. So click here and enjoy.

Imma [sic] do the things that I wanna do
I ain't got a thing to prove to you
I'll eat my candy with the pork and beans
Excuse my manners if I make a scene
I ain't gonna wear the clothes that you like
I'm fine and dandy with the me inside
One look in the mirror and I'm tickled pink
I don't give a hoot about what you think

Hail Weezer!

Are We Sure Whedon Is Married To A Woman?

Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

EJP's Comics Primer, Pt. 2: Hellboy, Y: The Last Man

Mike Mignola's Hellboy
OK, so Hellboy isn't all that obscure anymore thanks to the movies by Guillermo del Toro, but if you're only exposure to this character is through the movies, you're missing out. It's impossible to summarize the story of this comic without making it sound pretty out there: A demon baby is summoned from the netherworld by a secret group of Nazis during WWII. The plan goes awry and the demon baby (Hellboy) is raised by a US government group, the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). Hellboy becomes the star agent for the Bureau, traveling the world, alone or with some equally freakish agents, hunting down monsters and ghosties of all kinds.

That summary really doesn't do the comic justice though. Though there are a lot of self-contained story arcs throughout the series (which is ongoing...sort of), there's also the broad arc of finding out just who Hellboy is. Is he the son of Satan? Is he destined to destroy the world, or to save it? And what's up with the big rock fist? Besides creating a lot of memorable characters of his own, Mignola draws deeply from history and folklore for other characters and stories in general. Rasputin and Baba Yaga make frequent appearances. H.P. Lovecraft is a major influence. I wouldn't call this a horror comic--it's pretty hard to classify, actually. There are aspects of horror, but also adventure, superhero, mystery, and occasionally, comedy. Think of the old Hammer films and you're getting close.

Besides the excellent writing, the art really sets Hellboy apart from any other comic I'll mention in this primer. Mignola very much created a style of his own. With a very limited color palette and a minimalist style, every panel of these comics speaks volumes. Mignola is a master of setting a mood and leaving a lot to the imagination. He often lets the art tell the story for him, sometimes going pages without a line of dialog. His style is instantly recognizable by anyone who's read the comics, and I never get tired of looking at it.

There are several TPBs out there collecting the last several years of Hellboy, starting with "Seed of Destruction." There are also a number of spin-offs, including BPRD and the more recent Abe Sapien. Though these spin-off series are entertaining, Hellboy--and most importantly the sense of humor Hellboy brings to his own stories--is sorely missed. Also, though the art in the spin-offs is quite good for the most part, it's not Mignola. Get hooked on Hellboy first, then see where that takes you.

Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man
In a fit of laziness here, I'm just going to let the good people at Vertigo (the branch of DC Comics that deals with a lot of non-superhero fare) explain the plot of this one:

"When a plague of unknown origin instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome, unemployed and unmotivated slacker Yorick Brown suddenly discovers that he is the only male left in a world inhabited solely by women. Accompanied by his mischievous monkey and the mysterious Agent 355, Yorick embarks on a transcontinental journey to find his girlfriend and discover why he is the last man on Earth. But with a gang of feminist extremists and the leader of the Israel Defense Forces hunting him, Yorick's future, as well as that of the human race, may be short-lived."

In the wrong hands, a premise like that could have been a disaster. Instead, Vaughan has created an entertaining comic that is in many ways a huge thought experiment. Usually when something like this scenario is presented in sci-fi, it devolves into some sort of male fantasy: "I'm the only man on earth! Every woman will want to sleep with me!" But Vaughan has really put some thought into what would happen if in this world if all the men died instantly and simultaneously. Planes (the majority of pilots are still male) drop out of the sky. Tractor trailer trucks and other cars instantly crash and shut down nearly every road. Most of the world's soldiers are gone (except for Israel's, of course). Most of the US governement: gone. Suddenly, every musical group comprised of male musicians will never produce a single note again. And this all comes up in the first TPB. Far from a sexual utopia, Yorick Brown's world quickly becomes a nightmare.

I'm only halfway through the series, which just wrapped up with its 10th and final TPB this past month. I can't say I like every single issue, but for the most part it's a compelling adventure story, and I'm definitely at the point of no return. I have to know what caused the plague, how Yorick survived, and what's going to happen to him. Though the art isn't as cutting edge as Hellboy, artists Pia Guerra and José Marzá, Jr are certainly competent. But I'm really into this comic for the writing, and Brian K. Vaughan is one of the best talents out there right now. I've already read his take on the Buffyverse in a recent Season 8 story arc, and once I'm done with Y: The Last Man, I'm sure I'll move onto one of his other series.

Let's All Go to the Lobby

I have no idea what compelled me to post about this now, but I watched Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters several months ago. I see movies so infrequently that I nearly always blog about them, but I didn't write about this one at the time because I pretty much wasted 80 minutes of my life watching it. It was pure shite and I don't encourage anyone to view this movie. Ever.

That said, the first three minutes are comedy gold. I honestly think this short should be shown before every movie rated PG-13 or above. Enjoy (and please note that there is some adult language here):

Meat on a Stick

OK, I consumed my maple-bacon lollipop while I watched the latest episode of The Venture Bros. (Two, two geeky things at once!). I really like maple syrup. REAL maple syrup--not Mrs. Butterworth or whatever that stuff is at IHOP. But I gotta say, sucking on a maple syrup candy for 20 minutes...the novelty wears off. I never really got to my delicious bacon chunks until the very end. But as I'm fond of saying, bacon makes pretty much everything taste better. I overheard a woman talking on the subway the other day. A very close paraphrase: "I recently stopped being a vegetarian after 7 years of being meat-free. It was bacon. Bacon turned me."

If I could pick one of these up at Whole Foods (good lord, I'm so white), I might actually buy one of these once in a while. It beat the hell out of the absinthe one. Not so sure I'd take the trouble to order it over the internet again. How boring of me. I'd prefer to have my maple syrup on pancakes with a strip of bacon on the side.

EJP's Comics Primer Pt. 1: Intro, The Sandman

Many moons ago, Evelyn Is Not Real mentioned that he doesn't know where to start when he enters a comic shop. I'm trying to remedy that. My primer will take three or four posts since one would be too long, so let's just start...

First, some simple explanations. "Comics" is a pretty general term for illustrated stories. I think when a lot of people think comic book, they think of the 30-page books you could get on the wire rack at your local corner store when you were a kid. Then there are the "graphic novels", which is basically a novel length story told in pictures. I won't talk too much about those, though I've posted on a few good ones in the past. "Trade paperbacks," or TPBs, fall kind of in between. These are collections of serial comic books, usually gathering anywhere from 5-10 regular comics into one book for easier consumption (in my opinion). Though there are a couple series I still buy in comic book form--notably the Joss Whedon scribed comics I've posted about on this blog before--I buy most of my comics in TPB form. Some of the series I like finished a while ago, some are ongoing.

All of those I'm mentioning here are for adults, or at least young adults. I went through my Archie and Richie Rich phase when I was a kid. It's fair to say that the vast majority of comics these days are written for an older audience. I should also say that I am by no means an authority on comics in general, especially not super hero comics. I know the back stories of most of the famous supes from Marvel and DC, but even I don't know how to delve into some of these stories that have been going on for 40+ years. The comics I'm talking about here are relatively contemporary. They wouldn't be considered underground by anyone who knows anything about the comic world, but the general populace who only knows about comics through movies probably isn't aware of them. So let's start with one of the most important ones:

Neil Gaiman's The Sandman

Any geek worthy of the name has read, is reading, or will read The Sandman. In brief (very brief), this is the story of Dream, one of The Endless. Along with his immortal siblings, Destruction, Destiny, Despair, Desire, Delirium, and Death, Dream goes on many adventures.
That's the easy description. The reality is more complex. Though the central characters are all Gaiman's original creations, he also weaves in characters from super hero lore, mythology, folklore, classic literature, etc. The first TPB, "Preludes & Nocturnes," serves as an introduction. It's a bit rough at first as Gaiman finds his groove, but the series improves immediately with the next installment, "The Doll's House." The best advice I can give you if you want to start this series? Pay attention, and don't try to re-sell the early TPBs before you get to the later ones. I read The Sandman over the course of about three years, and seemingly minor characters or scenes from very early on tend to become more important later on in the series. It's as least as complex as a mid-level novel. I won't hesitate to say that the series as a whole is one of the greatest fantasy stories ever put to paper.

Of course, it doesn't matter how good the story is if you can't stand looking at the art. The Sandman used several artists over the course of its 75-issue run. I can't claim I liked all of them, but for the most part the art is very easy on the eyes, and sometimes it borders on incredible.

A post this short really can't do this comic justice. Just read it. It's awesome. If you only try one of the comics I recommend in my half-ass little primer here, try this one.

The Green Tooth Fairy

So I'm currently sucking on the absinthe lollipop I got from Lollyphile. Clyde Squid and Evelyn Is Not Real (and Wife of EINR) also got these when I visited them last weekend. I have yet to brave the maple-bacon pop yet, but I will. In fact, I think I have to soon. Since those contain real bacon, they do actually have an expiration date on them I believe.

Never having had absinthe, I didn't really know what to expect. I know when EINR had his when we went to see Iron Man (awesome movie, btw), the smell alone almost made me gag. It basically tastes like a black jellybean, which makes sense since apparently wormwood is a member of the anise family. I'm muscling my way through...at first it made my tongue numb, but now it pretty much just tastes like sugar. I can't imagine what it's going to take to wash this flavor out of my mouth.

What have we learned? When a candy store or website describes its wares as "interesting and unique", do not interpret this as meaning "tasty." Also, absinthe is gross.

Your Next Favorite Fantasy Series

This is the blurb in the Onion A.V. Club that initially got me interested in Patrick Rothfuss's debut novel, The Name of the Wind:

1. Patrick Rothfuss, The Name Of The Wind (Daw)

When fantasy series have become as ubiquitous as Harlequin romances (and twice as predictable), a debut novel like The Name Of The Wind is more than a breath of fresh air. It's a reason to live a few more years, until Patrick Rothfuss gets the rest of the story of Kvothe, apprentice mage turned legendary outlaw, into print. Combining the academic setting of Harry Potter, the tortured heroism of Frodo, and the bittersweet apocalyptica of A Song Of Ice And Fire, Rothfuss' first novel in the Kingkiller Chronicles weaves a rich, fluid, irresistible world. The Name Of The Wind is the perfect midwinter escape—although the 2009 publication date for the next installment should serve as a warning: Read slowly.

High praise indeed. And the full review of the book on the same site is even more glowing, but I'm not linking to that here because it's a)pretty long and b)a bit spoilery. The back of the book itself is also loaded with high praise from the likes of Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and Orson Scott Card.

But what did I think of it? Let's just say that I'm generally a slow reader. It's not just that I don't have a lot of time to read, but when I do read it tends to be pretty slowly. When I left to visit Evelyn Is Not Real and Clyde Squid this past weekend, I had tons of music and podcasts to listen to during the trip, several magazines to catch up on, and this book. The only thing I ended up doing is reading this book. I read this book for about 8 consecutive hours until I finished it when I was stuck in the airport the other day. I didn't want it to end.

The comparisons in the mini-review are quite apt. If you're tired of waiting for the next A Song of Ice and Fire book, look no further. The Name of the Wind is considerably more focused considering it's about one character, and there's a reasonable chance the author will finish the series within the next couple years or so without dying, since he's a relatively young dude and this was, amazingly, his first novel. This isn't to say the book is without flaws--there are a couple lines that address the reader directly that I found somewhat annoying, though they were perfectly acceptable within the narrative structure of the book. It also takes a while to really ramp up, but if you can get past the first 100 pages or so (which aren't bad, but are still mostly prelude), you're good to go. Those quibbles aside, it was one of the most entertaining reads I've had for a while. It can be exciting, amusing, heartbreaking--everything a good adventure tale should be. Highly recommended as a fun summer read.

Who wants to be a hero?

Just finished watching this documentary last night. I wouldn't say it was hilarious as Trekkies, but it was entertaining. Now, on the one hand I should be the last person to poke fun at 'these people'... I mean I have somewhat questionable hobbies (OK, I'm a nerd), but man, these peeps are a little above me.

I like my wife's comment about the film, "If these people didn't have their fantasy land to escape to, we would probably way more psychos running around killing people."

Think that dressing up like a knight and bashing skulls in is a good time? Well, if you live in the DC area, you are in luck. Darkon.

Think you deserve to join the ranks of Darkon? Go to the Ye Olde Name Generator and answer a few questions.

Thought I'd see what my name would be. Malnakur, Protector of the Hole of Glory.

Wow, wonder if that makes Clyde Squid jealous?

Things you can find in a diaper

Eric is the proud father of a happy, healthy baby, so he is probably very well acquainted with diapers. And because he is a molecular biologist, he has long been familiar with their contents. After all, Theodor Escherich isolated the bacterium that bears his name from the diapers of happy, healthy, German babies all the way back in 1885. He noted that it grew very well on all kinds of food—a convenient property for a laboratory bug. And the rest, as they say, is history... a history very engagingly presented in Carl Zimmer's new book Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life, (Amazon) which I highly recommend.

Zimmer's book has something for everyone who is interested in or acquainted with this famous bacterium. Those who, like myself, primarily know E. coli as a tool will recognize several names along the way and learn a great deal about how it came to be such a powerful resource for us. Many will be surprised to learn how controversial some activities we take for granted (transfection of exogenous genetic material into bacteria, for example) were 20-30 years ago. Readers who have very little biology background need not fret, of course. Carl Zimmer is an excellent writer (check out his blog, The Loom) who introduces all the material carefully. Only some very basic knowledge about DNA, proteins, and bacteria is necessary. Zimmer will carry you the rest of the way, from bacteriophages and flagella all the way to synthetic biology, GM crops, and gene circuits.

Whether you work with E. Coli every day or just cringe when you hear those words on the evening news, Microcosm will be an engaging, rewarding, and informative read. And it just might reassure Eric that something good and useful can be found in those smelly diapers.

Comfort Food for Your Ears

Sometimes--perhaps a lot of times--a band or musician finds a formula, and they stick to it. This can mean one of two things. They're either consistently good, or consistently bad. This post is about some guys that fall into the former category.

The first, Jonathan Richman, is someone pretty much everyone has heard, whether they realize it or not. Just tell someone, "He's the guy who was singing throughout There's Something About Mary" and most people will say, "Oh, that guy." Of course, pretty much anyone who knows about the American music scene beyond top 40 knows who Richman is--he's been around for decades, starting with the Modern Lovers and continuing solo (except for Tommy the drummer). Richman's songs range from sweet, to sad, to novelty, to political, to everything between those ranges. His live shows are unforgettable. I still feel a little sick that I missed out on his latest shows in Boston (which apparently sold out instantly). I challenge anyone to walk out of a Jonathan Richman show and not feel like the world is a better place.

I could wax on for a while about why I like Jonathan Richman, but that's not really what this post is about. J.R. recently came out with a new album, Because Her Beauty Raw & Wild, and I realized something as I was listening to it that it's got a lot of the same...themes as his last album, Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love. Both have a song in French, both have a song in Spanish, and both have songs about artists. Actually artists are a recurring theme for Jonathan. This album brings us "No One Was Like Vermeer" and on the last album we had "Vincent Van Gogh" and "Salvador Dali." Richman also likes songs about parties and the beach, and on this new album we get a double whammy with "Our Party Will Be On The Beach Tonight."

Am I complaining? No. There are plenty of other interesting songs in between the rehashed staples, but I honestly think I like some of the rehashed staples best. Jonathan Richman doesn't have to reinvent himself to maintain his awesomeness. Much like another band that, as far as I'm concerned, is pretty under-appreciated: Nerf Herder.

Their newest album, IV, which came out a few weeks ago, surprised me for two reasons. First, it exists. Honestly, I had no idea these guys were still around. Their last album came out six years ago. Second, I really, really liked this album on the very first listen. Musically, Nerf Herder is no more complex than The Ramones, but dang if these guys can't write a catchy tune. But most importantly, these guys write songs for us, the nerds of the world. "High School Reunion,", "Garage Sale," and "I'm Not a Loser" all hit pretty close to home. Of course, when the name of your band is a relatively obscure Star Wars reference, you have an image to uphold. The apparent single from the album (see nightmarish video below) isn't my favorite song, but it'll give you a taste of their style at least.




Again, no new territory here. These guys are good at writing catchy, punky, funny songs about rejection and being a social outcast. They really don't need to be more than that. I heartily endorse both these albums, whether they're your first tries with these artists or your fourth.

Now, can any of you music nerds out there tell my why it's pretty ironic that I'm praising Jonathan Richman and Nerf Herder in the same post?

Consider Your Mind Blown

I try not to post too much interweb stuff, but this short animated film just happens to be on the internet, and it must be seen. Seriously. Wow. That's all I have to say.

Sickness

I watched The Inside with my Mallet friends. One left during the middle. It is unrepentant sickness. And that includes fucking brilliant camera tricks that John Carpenter could only dream of. When is the last time you ever jumped out of your seat without realizing you were about to?

I loved it: the French are slowly overtaking the Japanese in the genre of uncomfortable, barely watchable horror. I can't wait for these directors' remake of Hellraiser!

I recommend it highly...if you're a sicko...

Offspring's Back

The new anti-Iraq war Offspring single, Hammerhead, rocks. I had wondered what happened to them, since this video and song are so great.

Retro Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The other night, meine Frau decided she wanted to watch something on DVD with me. This happens approximately once every 4 or 5 months, so I told her to pick whatever she wanted. What she wanted was the DVD we got for free from sending in coupons from cereal boxes: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just so we're clear, this is the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson as Buffy, not the TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. The TV series is awesome--Annette and I bonded over the TV show, and we've watched every episode. The movie...not so much.

I'd seen the movie shortly after it first came out many years ago, but I really didn't remember much of it. I was in for some surprises. First, the movie was actually written by Joss Whedon. For some reason I always assumed JW just liked the idea of the Buffy movie and decided he could write a TV show about it, but no. It was all him from the beginning. And the movie definitely has some great Whedonesque lines in it. Second, though the movie's stars, Swanson and Luke Perry, pretty much dropped off the face of the earth in the mid-90s, the supporting cast was surprisingly strong. There's a phoning-it-in Donald Sutherland as Buffy's watcher, Paul Reubens in arguably his best non-Pee Wee role, and Rutger Hauer, who looks like he'd aged 30 years since his role in Blade Runner (which had been filmed 10 years earlier). Hauer, who could be hypnotizing in some of his films, was almost undoubtedly drunk during every scene in this movie. The biggest surprise was two-time best actress winner Hillary Swank in her first feature film role, as a ditsy valley girl with killer lines like "Get out of my facial!" Then there's Ben Affleck's uncredited role as "basketball player #10". Don't blink or you'll miss him.Though technically released in the 90s, this movie has "80s" stamped all over it. From the fashion to the big hair to the often eye-roll inducing dialogue (wow am I glad Joss Whedon improved), this movie had to have been dated before it was even released. Now it's amusing on a whole different level. And the special effects are "special" the way some Olympics are "special". It looks like one episode of the Buffy TV series had a bigger effects budget than this movie. Rough stuff.

So is it worth watching? Or watching again, for those people who haven't seen it for 15 years? Unless you're a huge Joss Whedon fan are have a high tolerance for 80s camp, probably not. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, but I won't be watching it again for at least another 15 years. Or at least I'll watch the whole TV series again first, to remind myself how awesome this character is, and that Joss Whedon is one of the best writers working today. The dude had to start somewhere.

Personal BSG Update: Done With Season 3, Watching Season 4

I finally finished Season 3 of BSG, and I'm almost caught up with Season 4. I have all of the episodes of the latter on my DVR.

Who still has VCRs? And of those, who wants tapes of Season 4? I'm debating buying a DVD recorder, but I question whether I can get it to work with my ancient TV. Thus, I'm also debating buying a new TV...

You really, really should see this shit.

We Are So Insignificant, Yet So Precious

Retro Review: Ratcatcher

So besides a few TV shows on DVD that I'm trying to catch up on, I also have a small number of movies that have yet to come out of their plastic wrap. Some I've seen, but not for a while. Some I basically purchased on spec. They're from several different decades and several different genres. Over the next few months I'm hoping to catch up on those and write quick reviews if I deem them review-worthy.

I started tonight with Ratcatcher, the 1999 debut feature film by writer/directer Lynne Ramsay. I'd never seen it before tonight, and I basically got it on a whim after reading a bit about the movie and the director.

Though certainly not something that would appeal to mass audiences, the movie is definitely worth watching for anyone who enjoys quality film making. Set in 1973 Glasgow during a garbage strike, the movie follows a young boy through a summer of ups and downs in a poor, urban neighborhood. There's not much of a plot to give away here--as I said, this isn't a mainstream film. A good portion of the film's appeal is the imagery. Some of the images from this movie have been burned into my brain, like young James's first bus ride, or his friend Kenny's pet mouse taking a special trip. Though filmed in color, the palette consists primarily of browns and grays. When we do a see a "real" color, it usually packs a wallop.

I'm assuming most of the cast were and are unknowns--this was the only movie for nearly all of them. I was actually surprised to see that on the IMDb. Considering how little dialog there is (and everything is mercifully subtitled, since the thick Scottish accents are difficult to understand), the sheer breadth and depth of the emotions conveyed is remarkable.

This is, by most standards, and artsy-fartsy film. But it's beautiful, and powerful, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to see some quality before we're bombarded with this summer's watch-it-and-forget-it blockbusters. I'm looking forward to watching Ramsay's short films that are included on my version of the DVD (from the Criterion collection).

They Say...

...that Kids in the Hall will be performing in Nashville on May 25. We're trying to get a trip organized to go.

Ice Cream Review: Ben & Jerry's ONE Cheesecake Brownie

I'm going to keep this short and sweet (pun intended). Ben & Jerry's new ONE Cheesecake Brownie might be the best friggin' ice cream flavor I have ever shoved into my gaping, ice cream-loving maw. My metabolism can no longer tolerate eating an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting, but dang--I would if I could. Verdict: Like eating delicious cheesecake with a brownie crust but...you know...cold.

Mesonychoteuthis

For Clyde Squid:

Scientists are thawing a behemoth of a squid (34 feet long) and getting ready to dissect it.

I'd probably crap my pants if I saw a giant squid, much less a colossal one.

Edit 04.30.08- Apparently they have huge eyeballs as wells, like 10 inches across.

Mr. Bungle: Pink Cigarette

I've been a fan of Mike Patton since high school (Faith No More's Angel Dust ranks in my top 10 albums of my youth), and I DON'T recommend Mr. Bungle unless you like real crazy. Not acceptable crazy...crazy crazy.

I do love this video.

PS: If anyone can find a hard copy of the Angel Dust CD, I'll pay you whatever it takes to buy it plus 50%.

A Comic to Make You Feel Illiterate

The stereotype is that if you read comics, you're essentially illiterate. Anyone who actually believes that has never read an Alan Moore comic. Or specifically, any of his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics. If the title makes you think of the shite movie that came out several years ago, don't be scared away. The movie was crap and Moore had nothing to do with it. The general plot is the same--a group of characters ripped from late 19th works of fiction (Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, Allan Quartermain, the woman from Dracula, and Captain Nemo) are assembled as a super-duper spy team by the British government. They go on many adventures. The stories are clever, violent, sexy--everything you could want from a good comic. But the stories are secondary to the real reason for the comic's popularity.

You read TLOEG for the references. The lead characters are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of literary references. Every secondary or tertiary character, ever locale, practically every picture or object drawn into the background, is a literary reference, usually matching pretty closely in time to when a particular story takes place. I consider myself a relatively well-read person, yet compared to Alan Moore, I'm an idiot. I reckon I get about 20-40% of the references. At times it's frustrating, but usually I'm intrigued by how much he's able to squeeze into every panel. This dude's like the James Joyce of comic writing.

I just finished the latest installment, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier. There have been two trade paperbacks collecting previous comics in the series, but this addition was different in that it was published all at once and really is assembled as a dossier of The League itself. I'm embarrassed to say how long it took me to read, but in my defense, this wasn't just a comic. There's a lot of prose and even a short play in there, too. I would certainly say it was not as fun as the TPBs, largely because there's not much of a story here. It's essentially a book of exposition, describing the exploits of the League we're familiar with from the previous comics, as well as earlier incarnations of the League from other time periods. I basically had to read the comic with Wikipedia open next to me, because the percentage of references I understood plummeted (though there's lots of James Bond references in this one, since it takes place in the 20th century). All in all, it was a challenging but satisfying read, and the epilogue was actually pretty profound. And also just pretty. Artist Kevin O'Neill is quite impressive throughout the whole series, and the last dozen pages or so of BD are in 3-D. The glasses are kindly provided.

I highly recommend the first two TBPs for any literary, comic-reading types. I'd only recommend Black Dossier for established fans. And for the record, everything I've read by Alan Moore has been good (Watchmen, V for Vendetta). Verdict: Like listening to a punk rock album and realizing it's more cerebral than Bach.

Arcade Fire/Superchunk in Carrboro

So it turns out that I'm gonna be in NC in early May, and I hear that AF/Superchunk are going to play at an Obama rally in Carrboro while I'm there. Naturally, I look into said event, but cannot find out specific details. So I put a post up on InsideCarolina asking if anyone has more info. The video below is someone's response. Amusing.

Bring it strong or don't bring it at all...

Jay Retard (Reatard, but you know everyone thinks that) is playing at a local venue in Nashville at the end of the month. Better pack the brass knuckles if I go. Damn, this video of his show at the Silver Dollar... he knocked that punk out. Damn.

It's worth the few minutes of your life to watch this.

Rites of Thundering

This is sort of an odd post for this blog, but it definitely fits the description of artistic/cultural. My friend Carmen, who lives in Seattle, sent me the link to this video recently because she's one of the participants (the video was made at a Japan in American concert in Seattle). She's banging the middle drum on the right and sits down at the 5:24 mark after her solo. She's a doctor in real life--I had no idea she also did this kind of thing.

Anyway, I'd never seen anything like this, and I thought it was cool. Carmen says her arms are still sore, and this demonstration was weeks ago. I got tired just watching it.

Frank Black Is Satan

And Iggy Pop is Donald Rumsfeld.

Turning the Dial: Cut, Copy, and Paste

Some music of the moment for me:

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours. I'd call it a playful summer pop record, with synthesizer/electronic house undertones mixed in with a DJ remixes, vocal distortion-type feel. It reminds me of all those 80's bands I still love to listen to. I almost feel guilty because I'm into it so much. Whatever, Pitchfork gave it a 8.8, if you care. Recommended tunes: "Unforgettable Season," "Heart on Fire," and "Feel the Love."

Eagle Seagull - I Hate EPs. No PF review, but they've been getting the love from the blogosphere (see KEXP or You Ain't No Picasso). Saw them open up for Tokyo Police Club last week, and honestly, I think they were the better band (surprising for me since I usually never like music the first time I hear them, especially live, but I'm so-so on TPC). No new full length album out yet, but I've been into their new EP. They get style points for lengthy song titles. Recommended tunes: "I Don't Know If People Have Hated Me, But I Have Hated People," "Your Beauty Is a Knife I Turn On My Throat," and "I'm Sorry But I'm Beginning To Hate Your Face," and "You're The Reason Why I'm Afraid To Die."

Nerd Rant Jr.: The Office

This is only a nerd rant junior because I still like The Office, but I think it has some issues. I finished watching the third season this past weekend, so like most TV posts I do, I'm a good year behind. Obviously, that won't keep me from writing about it in a whiny, fanboy manner.

I'm firmly in the "the British version was better" camp, but I don't even know if it's fair to compare them anymore. So I won't. I'll just list my gripes with this third season:

• The extended episodes were kind of lame. I realize NBC wants and/or needs to squeeze every possible advertising dollar out of this show, but even on DVD without commercials, the extended episodes felt overly long.
• I've never really worked in an office, but seriously, who wants to date someone with whom they work? Nearly every major character as well as several secondary characters are dating a co-worker on this show. Lame. The show stopped being even remotely realistic a while ago, but since it's still filmed in this vaguely documentary style, you'd think someone would pipe up about how incestuous it is at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton office.
• Also (and this is gonna get really nerdy here), the whole Jim/Pam thing kind of reminds me of the Kevin/Winnie thing from The Wonder Years. Kevin Arnold passed up some fine women over the years due to his crush on Winnie. I think they made Karen almost too likable on The Office, 'cuz I was rooting for her the whole time. The last episode of season 3 made me not like either Pam or Jim as much.
  
• The shark was jumped, as far I'm concerned, in the episode in which Michael wants to show the warehouse guys that working in the office is dangerous, so he threatens to jump off the roof onto a bouncy castle. That was probably my least favorite episode of the whole series, because suddenly Michael Scott became Homer Simpson-stupid. Bleh.

Otherwise, I still think it's a funny show, though I can't say it's currently the funniest show on TV since I have no basis of comparison outside of Adult Swim. I might give 30 Rock a try, but for the most part I'm not too pumped about TV comedies. My real life is hilarious enough.

Maybe current watchers can assure me that the fourth season is still funny, without giving away much of what happens in terms of the ongoing story arcs. Just wondering.

Check'em Out: Studio 360 and Thao Nguyen

Does anyone else out there listen to NPR's Studio 360? If not, I highly recommend that you check it out, via podcast or whatever means you can find (I suppose you could even use the radio). It's essentially a radio version of what this blog aspires to be, with stories about literature, pop culture, and the arts. And by "the arts", I mean every aspect of the arts, including music, film, design, architecture--virtually anything that involves creativity. The host, Kurt Andersen, is usually an excellent interviewer--better than Terry Gross, in any case--and is neither fawning nor overly contentious with any of his guests.

Over the past year or so, they've devoted entire episodes to their "American icons" series, which focus on such diverse icons as the film "The Wizard of Oz", F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and recently, the Lincoln Memorial. The producers of the show do an excellent job of demonstrating how these "icons" have contributed to the American cultural landscape over the years. The show also has a recurring feature about science and creativity, often talking to a scientist or engineer who was influenced by a particular work of art. So many people fail to see the connection between the world of science and the world of art, when really they're very closely intertwined. I could write oodles on that topic, but in the interest of brevity I'll just say that I appreciate it when anyone, Studio 360 or otherwise, is willing to highlight the interdependence of science and art.

I'm writing about Studio 360 because it's one of many places I go to find new stuff to like, in case anyone is the least bit interested in how I "discover" new bands, movies, or whatever. The program has introduced me to a slew of authors, film makers, musicians...even new comics. One musician in particular that I recently discovered through Studio 360 is Thao Nguyen and her band, The Get Down Stay Down. Listening to the segment I heard is a much better introduction to the woman and her music than anything I could write here, so check it out below:


I liked their latest album, We Brave Bee Stings and All, instantly. Lots of great hooks, a simple but engaging musical style--I'm not saying everyone will love it, but I'd be surprised if anyone could actively dislike it. The video below will give you just a taste. More songs and video on her MySpace page.

My New Favorite Band Ever Of Today For This Month For Now

Black Tie Review...fun rock-n-roll.


Not to be confused with the awesome Jesus and Mary Chain-esque Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Pegged My Geek-O-Meter

I saw this bumper sticker on my way out this morning and tried to take a picture of it.


It reads: gorram = frell x frack^2. Only in a NASA engineering town...

I want one.

Someone Else Missed Something: The Nobility

Why hasn't Evelyn Is Not Real told us about The Nobility (formerly called Jetpack, apparently)? Hailing from Nashville, I just got their 2007 album The Mezzanine, and I want to put this CD on repeat all day. They're a bit Beatles-y, Kinks-y, and maybe a tad Elvis Costello-y, but it's an incredibly fun listen whoever you think their influences are. I wouldn't say every track is great, but 80% of them are, particularly the title track, "Halleluiah Chorus", and "Skeleton Key." I highly encourage you to give them a listen at their MySpace page.

Maybe EINR has heard of these guys and just didn't deem them worthy of mention. Too bad...I think they sound cool, and by cool, I mean totally sweet.

Finally, An Album Written For Me

Equation:

old-school R.E.M. idioms + new-school hip punk (ex, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Kills, The Liars, etc) + awesome rock-n-roll "Frank Black" rowdy guitar + angry homo lyrics = too close to home

I wept, I rocked, I did both again...sometimes at the same time

Finally, an album too me for me.

Cross-posted. And see R.E.M. holding their own against Stephen Colbert here.

You Woke Up The Baby

I will watch this movie. I will watch this movie as hard as I can. Even if you're not familiar with the comic (though you should be, cuz it's awesome), and even if you're not familiar with the director, Guillermo del Toro (and you should be, because he directed the excellent Pan's Labyrinth as well as several other cool movies), this trailer should get any fan boy (or girl) at least a bit excited. Behold, the full trailer for Hellboy II:

Sorry I couldn't imbed it, but I suggest watching the unimbeddable hi-def Quicktime version anyway.

It's On Like Donkey Kong.

BSG Season Four, tonight. Got some high abv Weyerbacher courtesy of Sir Widget? Check. Rewatch Season Three? Check. OK, I'm ready for tonight. Quick read via the NYT on our space opera.

On another note has anyone seen King of Kong or watched Weeds? I would highly recommend both.

A Message from Beyond

I realize the general "rules" of this blog have discouraged posting internet stuff, but I'm going to make an exception here. As someone who is immersed in the world of Dr. Seuss on an almost nightly basis, I'm constantly reminded that the dude was just awesome. I'm not saying his every book was a masterpiece of children's literature, but I genuinely enjoy reading "Green Eggs & Ham" several times a week.

And I've been sincerely dismayed that his books have been turned into crap-ass movies. Not that I've watched any of them (nor will I, ever), but one simply can't turn a children's book composed of silly rhymes into a decent film. I honestly believe it's impossible. Apparently, the brilliant folks at The Onion think so, too:

Stop Making Movies About My Books

On the fourteenth of March, in towns nationwide, In every cinema, multiplex, on every barnside, Gleamed another adapting of...