Monday, August 14, 2006

FUN FUN FUN

I was re-reading some recent postings and it's nothing but a litany of the drudgery of moving. Bleh. I said from the outset that it would be some heavy lifting, but I didn't mean for it to come back to Loyal Leaguers as a dull recitation of our status.

So what's fun?

"Talladega Nights" turned out to be really funny. I usually want to hit people with a frying pan when I hear that they aren't going to the movies for any reason other than to be passively entertained. I do not accept that you should "turn off your brain" when you sit down in a movie theater. Usually that's the last, gasping excuse someone uses when you start to tear apart a movie for being woefully inconsistent and insulting to the viewer's intelligence. I don't think "Talladega Nights" is the Citizen Kane of NASCAR comedies (that title now and forever belongs to "Six Pack", starring Kenny Rogers). But Talladega Nights does well what so many Apatow/ Ferrell movies have done over the past few years: it manages to make jokes that work terrifically well as part of a very silly universe just next door to our own. The story isn't anything we haven't seen before, but it also isn't just a lame excuse to foist a character upon us and then let the character appear in set pieces (just think virtually any SNL skit-to-movie translation). In short, the movie has it's own internal logic and character arcs that are all tied up neatly in order to ensure that everything else can hang on the internal structure.

I'm overthinking this. Anyway, the movie is funny. Go see it. Everyone in it is hilarious. For some reason they cut Michael Clarke Duncan's funniest part and put it back in during the closing credits. You still get to see it, so I guess that's okay. I'm a fan of the "Smokey and the Bandit" insert of outtakes for comedies.


Rumors are swirling for a Superman Returns Sequel. I'm also eagerly awaiting the final announcement from Warner Hoem Video regarding what DVD's we can expect for the Fall. There's a new boxed set of the Reeve movies with a lot of additional material set to be released, the Donner version of Superman II (the Zod movie), and, of course, whatever they decide to do with Superman Returns. There was supposed to be a 14-disc collector's edition of Superman Returns, plus the Reeve movies, but I have no idea if that will happen now or not. I'm seeing a lot of conflicting reports.


Yes, I will be going to see Hollywoodland.


I am now obsessed with the idea that I chose NOT to pick up New Gods #1 at Austin Books. Argg... and I also thought I had Mister Miracle Vol. 3, Issue #7.... but I don't. So now I need to get that issue to truly complete my Mister Miracle collection. Then I shall feel free to move on to New Gods, Forever People and Jack Kirby's Fourth World.


The item I still dream about, my personal Holy Grail? Action Comics #252.

Also, DC Presents #87.

I found the Action Comics with the debut of the Supermobile over the weekend. As a kid I had a toy of the Supermobile. I think it's in my parents' attic with my Matchbox cars. I've been meaning to retrieve it for years, but it was too darn hot in Houston when we were home last time, and there were too many boxes of Christmas decorations between me and the toys.


I saw over at CBG's blog that JAL and CBG have somehow found one another once again, and I like to blame LoM for the happy reunion. JAL, CBG, Michael and The League were all once co-contributors to media projects in the glory days at UT-RTF, and also, once upon a time, watched "The Price is Right" together between classes. Truly, it was CBG and JAL who got me onboard with PiR as the ultimate gameshow. I used to be a "Sale of the Century" and "Jeopardy" kind of guy, but now I'll take Plinko any day.

Oh, and CBG... Hope you're feeling better. Very sorry to hear about your incident.


Oh, and before I close up... "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" is shaping up to be a really unique gameshow. Even by the third episode, some of the contestants haven't quite clued in to what's going on. Backstabbing and the usual machiavellian tactics for winning reality shows aren't going to work here. Superheroes don't operate that way. Nor do they swear revenge, Fat Momma. And poor, poor Monkey Woman. Exposed as a fraud!

The producers have an excellent understanding of the unwritten code of superheroics, and the traits akin to true superheroes that joe-average on the street doesn't usually contemplate. The twists and turns of the comics creep their way into the story in a well-timed manner... right down to me asking out loud "How long before we see Ty'Veculus again?" Sure, he learned the value of honesty, but he failed to get the idea that self-sacrifice doesn't just apply to civilians.

Anyhow, I hope the show has a long life ahead of itself. The League can admit when it's wrong...

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