Prodigal Son: Inspirational Films for Space 1889

                                                                    Part Twenty One

    I’ve been thinking a lot about various roleplaying games recently, particularly about cinematic inspiration in relation to games.  I’ve already written a few articles about this, tackling player character groups, as well as specifically Call of Cthulhu and Ars Magica.  I thought this time I’d branch out a bit and do a slightly more obscure game, but one I like the setting for quite a bit.  This time around, I’m going to look at ten inspirational movies for the game Space 1889, a ground breaking early example of what would become Steampunk.

10.  Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959):  An excellent cast of characters goes on a wild adventure into the heart of our own world, discovering strange secrets, hints of ancient civilizations, weird pre-historic creatures, and dangers undreamed.  Victorian morality, self-motivated adventure, and hints of deeper history make this an especially charming tale.  (See also; At the Earth’s Core).

9.  The Jungle Book (1994):  British Colonialism meets native life in this classic tale of West meets East in India.  This film could be translated almost directly to one of the canal cities of Mars.  The British officers, their relationships with the locals, even the plot would all work.  In many ways, though the weather is different, Mars is the India of Space 1889.  (See also; Gunga-din).

8.  The Time Machine:  The Victorians were all about exploring and inventing.  In this tale of an inventor who rockets himself into the future, we see the perils of war and the potentials of Darwin’s dangerous idea.  The Time Traveler is a perfect character for Space 1889, even if he can’t get that particular machine to work (and goodness, what if he could).  (See also; The Golden Compass).

7.  The Prestige:  The darker side of invention and the wild showmanship that really came into its own during this time.  Mad science, mysticism, and the obsessions of driven men.  Plus, Tesla.  Thomas Edison plays a large role in Space 1889, but what if Tesla was luckier or craftier?  What if Tesla and Edison became epic and powerful rivals?  What would Tesla be doing in space?  (See also; The Illusionist).

6.  Sherlock Holmes (2009):  This more earthy, grimy rendition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mad genius is my favorite cinematic version, and just behind the Jeremy Brett TV version for all time favorite.  Here we see the world of the late 1800s in all its dingy, ugly glory.  Fast paced adventure that recaptures the pulpy aspect of Doyle’s work that has generally been lost in previous film versions, and excellent renditions of the various characters make for a very charming whole.  The Holmes-Watson relationship is one of the best, most honest friendships I’ve seen on screen, and the fact that Watson’s fiancé isn’t  relegated to nagging harpy was a pleasant surprise.  She’s got all the pluck (if not the screentime) of a good heroine.  (See also; The Wolfman [2010]).

5.  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954):  This action packed adaptation of the Verne novel features an excellent cast and amazing production design.  Once again, the issues presented could translate either directly to Earthly seas of Space 1889, or with very little work, into some area of the solar system.  Captain Nemo might be a disenfranchised native of Mars who flies an advanced ship through the either, blasting other ships in a protest against England’s continued expansion of influence.  (See also; Atlantis The Lost Kingdom).

4.  John Carter:  Though it fails to capture much more than the barest fraction of the magic of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novels, this film still visualizes some of the things that were obviously influences on Space 1889, including the Barsoom air ships.  Mars itself has a lot of the right look and feel, if you just put more fins and bat features on the Red Men, they’d make pretty good Martians.  The deep history implied in the film captures some of that ambiance, too.  (See also; First Men in the Moon).

3.  The Ghost and the Darkness:  Life on the frontier, building outposts of civilization can be difficult and dangerous.  It takes people with a lot of nerve and maybe too little smarts.  Capturing some of the societal situations of the day, this historically inspired yarn of killer lions also cranks up the mystery and horror.  (See also; The Mountains of the Moon).

2.  The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello:  A creepy animated story of plague and lost love, this film feels more like the tales told by children in the slums than an actual Space 1889 story.  But don’t those tales usually have a grain of truth in them?  A very creepy and dreamy film.  (See also; City of Ember).

1.  The Man Who Would be King:  Daniel and Peachy are fantastic Space 1889 characters; men ready to take on the world, looking to make their fortune, and just about mad enough to pull it off.  A beautiful epic of two mad bastards putting their mark on a mysterious land.  (See also; She).

    There have also been a few TV shows over the years that capture at least something of the spirit of the game.  The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was deeply, deeply flawed, but did have some cool elements.  The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., as well as the original Wild, Wild West give the American West a steampunk vibe that works pretty well with Space 1889.  The Amazing Screw-On Head was the pilot for what could have been a great show.  And the Sherlock Holmes TV series starring Jeremy Brett is quite excellent.

-Matt

Matt’s Week in Dork! (12/23-12/29)

    Gah.  I’m not really a fan of the holidays.  It seems to be an excuse for people to be awful, for stress, and for loosing sleep.  This week kind of sucked.  Still, solace in art, right?  Couple of good movies, a good book, makes it worth the time I guess.

Inglourious Basterds:  “Well, if this is it old boy, I hope you don’t mind if I go out speaking the King’s”  What’s history?  Typical of the director, this movie is steeped in 70s exploitation and general movie fandom.  A group of Jewish American soldiers, a British spy, a young French cinema owner, and a Nazi with a head for hunting are on a collision course.  If you’re looking for a heart wrenching story of love and self discovery, set against the backdrop of world history…well, see The English Patient or something.  If you want Nazis getting scalped, Hitler loosing his shit, The Bear Jew playing a creative game of baseball, and the worst Italian accent you’ve ever heard (gore-lamby), this is your lucky day.

Provocation:  Awful people paw each other and are generally awful to each other, and a creepy kid watches.  This movie feels like the director had a couple women who were willing to take their clothes off on camera, so he tried to cobble together a script that would give them reason.  There’s little rhyme or reason for events, and the plotline is more of a vague squiggle.  They’ve got this beautiful villa to film at, and they shoot it like a soap opera, not only taking no advantage of the scenery, but actually obscuring it with bad angles and editing.  And as frequently happens in Euro films (French and Italian mostly), the ladies are very pretty and the guys look like ogres, making their awkward pawing even more disgusting.

I don't know how mirrors work.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:  Peter Jackson and crew neither reinvent the wheel, nor break it, in this perfectly entertaining first part of what promises to be a sprawling adaptation of The Hobbit.  It takes its time, sure.  But, even in the long sections that, like the book, feature little in the way of action or excitement, they’ve peppered the script with flashbacks to more exciting times.  The cast all does a fine job, with several returning characters making welcome appearances.  I imagine that when it’s done, the resulting six film series will be quite the epic masterpiece.  I’m hoping there will be a bit more of the expanded story, dashes of the Bible-like Silmarillion and the like (though, I gather Jackson and crew do not have the rights to that…sad).  I’d love to see some kind of visualization of the Ages of Trees, or Ages of Lamps.  Whatever the case, if you enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you should enjoy this return to the setting, 60 years earlier.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: “Now, do you need me to elaborate?  Or can we just crack on.”  Holmes drags his about to be married best (and only) friend Watson into a dangerous conflict with the super villainous genius Moriarty.  The caper will take them across Europe in an attempt to thwart a world spanning war.  I love the actors’ portrayals of the characters and the bond of friendship they share.  Not only that, but the portrayal of Watson’s wife defies modern film convention at every turn, as she not only doesn’t spend all her time nagging, she actually supports him (even when he sometimes screws things up).  Though the story isn’t quite as interesting as the one in the first film, it’s still quite entertaining.  It reminds me of old time adventure movies, where the heroes are actually having fun, not simply being put upon by overpowering circumstances.  These guys do what they do, at least in part, because they love it.

Django Unchained:  Tarantino is back, once again crafting a cinematic love letter to film.  He’s done crime (a couple times), Blaxploitation, Kung Fu, 70s car chase, and to a degree, Western (Kill Bill Vol. 2 is like half Shaw Brothers, half 70s Western).  Well, now he’s gone full Western, digging up classic 60s and 70s actors to play grizzled and terrible people, populating a Texas filled with baddies.  Christophe Waltz is back, but this time as a good German, working for the Law, taking out the bad guys with a smile and a sunny outlook.  He doesn’t think much of slavery, and when he seeks help from a slave, he finds a friend, a friend with a story right out of myth.  Though occasional blood geyser filled gun battles pepper the film, and the N-bomb gets dropped more than an NWA concert, I was surprised how non-exploitation the film felt.  Though it’s certainly heavily inspired by Spaghetti Westerns, there was a lot more of the classic, pre-cynicism American Western than I anticipated.  Not that this movie shies away from things.  In fact, probably the one thing that will get the movie in the most trouble is its treatment of slavery; about which it is anything but shy.  But guess what, folks, slavery was very real, and it was real f&%$ed up.  And it wasn’t all Denzel Washington in Glory, either.  There were many faces.  Not that the movie is a history lesson, but sometimes exaggeration (or what seems like it…but terrifyingly isn’t extreme enough) is illustrative.  What has been filmed here is a somewhat episodic epic of the mythological American West.  It’s not simply the revenge movie the trailer made it seem.

Fuzz:  The 70s were weird.  Be it Tom Skerritt or the fact that Burt Reynolds was cool, it was a strange time.  Like some other movies of the time (Mash, Mother Jugs and Speed,…Black Samson, etc.) it’s all over the place with tone.  Attempts to be funny are just awkward when put along side moments of horror.  It’s one of those ‘slice of life’ type movies, where we enter a police precinct, then follow various cops dealing with various cases.  Kids setting homeless men on fire, an assassin, a new paint job in the office, Raquel Welch, and other trouble.  Something about the style of this movie makes it feel excruciatingly long, even though it’s only an hour and a half.  I keep wanting to be a Raquel Welch fan (yes, in part because she’s so danged hot), but she’s in so many awful films.  I think I’ve only found like three or four really good ones so far.  This isn’t among them.

The Warrior and the Sorceress:  “I travel alone.”  A Fistful of Tereks?  In a horrible world of sand and thirst, the greatest warrior is a scrawny, middle aged guy in a cape.  A Marine and his rockstar first officer are pitted against a fat guy and his stuffed dragon, with a topless princess and a well in the balance.  Into this stupid setting ambles the lifeless David Carradine to play over-actor against over-actor in an attempt to win the day.  One of the worst film versions of Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest (Yojimbo and A Fistful of Dollars being the two best and rightly most well known), I still kind of love it.  And not just because Maria Socas refuses to wear a top (admittedly, that is a big reason…well, two).  Watching Carradine fight reminds me of Steven Segal; the way he’s so clearly not good at it and the staging is so forced.  If you’re in the mood for some Deathstalker or Barbarian Queen type fantasy garbage, this is a good choice.  Seriously, though.  Stuff like this makes me wish I made movies.  I’d like to think my scripts would be better, but this is totally the kind of low budget stuff I’d like to make.

Barbarian Queen:  “I’ll be no man’s slave, and no man’s whore.”  Some women loose their menfolk and their village, but not their hairspray, in this not quite as good as Deathstalker bit of low budget fantasy cheese.  Some truly awful dubbing lends the film that certain something special.  And why does every one of these movies have an orgy room?  For that matter, why does every orgy room have the worst flute music you’ve ever heard?  What about flute music says, ‘orgy?’  The villain, who may or may not be John Gotti in hiding, is kind of silly.  It feels like they were trying to go for a Rip Torn from Beastmaster kind of thing.  But it doesn’t work.  There’s a lot of nudity, a little blood, a lot of bad acting, and not much story.

Martial Club:  “Our lion dance is really good.”  Another Shaw Brothers kung fu classic, this one features the great Gordon Liu and some wild Lion dancing.  Lion dancing, like break dancing, BMX riding, or to a lesser degree, ice skating, is the height of cool and physical prowess, with strict rules, its own lingo, heaping piles of glory, deep rivalries, and an essential hero’s journey into ultimate wisdom.  Rival lion dancing clubs  (one honorable, one dishonorable) want to win some kind of contest.  This movie sure taught me that I don’t want to work at an herbal medicine shop.  At least, not one staffed by an abusive kung fu expert lady (cute or not).  This is one of the rare semi-comic kung fu movies I’ve seen that is actually fairly entertaining, largely because of the two leads’ almost silent movie level of expressive acting and physicality.  Plus, the movie features some epic sideburns.  And the final ally fight is awesome.  Tiger Style!!!

Lust, Caution:  “The diamond itself is of no interest to me.  I just want to see it on your finger.”  After the New Age pap of Life of Pi (not to mention the super-dullsville Brokeback Mountain), I kind of needed a reminder of why I liked Ang Lee, so I decided to finally check out the movie I missed a couple years ago, Lust, Caution.  I generally avoid NC-17 movies, because the rating typically indicates excruciatingly boring films, but I like Tony Leung, and once upon a time, Ang Lee.  I  find it interesting how certain events, certain times leave their mark on a culture’s personality.  Japan is still haunted by the Bomb.  To a lesser degree, we still feel the sting of Pearl Harbor.  England remembers the Blitz.  And China is haunted by the specter of the Japanese occupation.  The movie is a slow burn.  A handful of idealistic student actors decide that inspiring art is not enough, so they hatch a plan to kill some traitors who are working with the Japanese.  They seem like very likable folk, if it wasn’t for the whole murder plot thing.  Things get complicated when the beautiful young woman among their ranks seduces a collaborator.  As one expects from Lee, the movie is beautiful and the performances strong.  It’s one of those very intimate dramas set against massive movements in world history.  The characters are interesting, and one can’t help but wish them well, but dread hangs over it all.  Dang, though.  I would love to have a woman sing for me the way Tang Wei does for Tony Leung.  I suppose the depiction of sex is a touch stronger than typical, but I don’t see any reason for this movie to have a stronger rating than R.

Black Book:  The Dutch resistance gets its due in this surprisingly good Paul Verhoeven movie.  Who would have thought the guy behind Showgirls and Starship Troopers could make this beautifully crafted and interesting tale of a young woman who must infiltrate those danged Nazis to save herself and her country.  The cast does a fine job and the story is pretty good.  It is loosely based on various real people and events, though mixed and matched and altered for the sake of drama.

Atom Age Vampire:  “No let’s both stay home… together… with our records.”  Life is tough for a sexy dancer when her military boyfriend gets fed up with her career choice.  Time to drive like an idiot and get in a weird car accident!  I guess facial scars drive women mad.  I don’t know, they don’t look that bad to me.  But evil science must run its course.  I guess, by movie standards, trying to do almost anything constitutes playing god.  But a Will Farrell as George Bush looking scientist is all about sloppy science and unsafe human experimentation.  A kind of surprisingly good special effect for the time, location, and budget restores her to her former beauty.  Of course, that can’t last.  Eventually, a leprous Tony Curtis look-alike goes on a murder rampage.  You know, that old story.

    I started the week with the first disk of Boardwalk Empire.  I love the music they find for this show.  Everyone is trying to get back into the swing of things after the life shake-ups of the first season.  It’s not going well.  The KKK is up to mischief, Chicago wants to cut out Atlantic City, and all the womenfolk are less than thrilled with their men.  I like that the Commodore is becoming more of a power player in this season, and that Chalky seems to have more to do than get angry all the time.

    I also started season 4 of The Clone Wars.  Even when it’s not at its best, it’s still the best Star Wars out there.  It captures that certain something that made me love Star Wars as a kid, and generally avoids the shoddy writing and poor pacing of the more recent films.  And, as they expand the universe, we’re treated to some pretty cool, grand visuals.  This is the kind of thing I want to start seeing in science fiction films again.  I wonder if, when this show reaches the idiotic turn of events that is Revenge of the Sith, they might continue the story with the rise of the Rebellion.  That might be a more satisfying show, because at least it wouldn’t be saddled with such a lame eventuality.

    Oh, man.  I finished reading Y: The Last Man.  Such a good series, such a painful finale.  I think this could make for a really excellent trilogy of films (maybe one really long one?).  In the right hands, with the right cast.  But great stuff, whatever the case.

-Matthew J. Constantine

Matt’s Weeks in Dork! (7/1/12-7/7/12) & (7/8/12-7/14/12)

(7/1-7/7)

    As the region recovered from the apocalyptic storm, I sat down to a bunch of comics and a bunch of movies.  So, I guess, same as always.

Point Blank:  Lee Marvin plays Walker (Parker from the Richard Stark novels) in this brutal tale of betrayal, revenge, and exactly what’s owed.  Stylized direction from mad genius John Boorman, a crackerjack script with lots of colorful characters make for entertaining, if sometimes uncomfortable viewing.  Walker isn’t a man.  He’s a force of nature.  You get out of his way if you don’t want him to walk over or through you.  The nightclub fistfight is one of cinema’s best.  Saturated with 40s pulp menace and 60s jet-set cool it’s a must see, frequently forgotten classic.

Repo Men:  Dystopian science fiction with a very 80s cyberpunk vibe, this flick features some nasty violence and some Cronenberg-type body horror.  If you can’t handle really nasty surgical type business, move along.  A solid cast and a really, really awesome soundtrack (not to mention a subtle but solid score), go a long way.  I’m not in love with the ending, but I really dig this film, none the less.

Navajo Joe:  The usual Spaghetti Western elements.  Spanish countryside and Italian actors subbing for the American “Wild” West.  But this one does feature young Burt Reynolds as the title characters.  The half Native chick he semi-hooks up with is flippin’ gorgeous (and Italian).  It’s a lot of typical bits tossed into a pot and cooked for an hour and a half.  For the most part, it comes out good.

Three The Hard Way:  Jim Brown, Jim Kelly, and Fred Williamson come together to fight the forces of evil in this crazy Blaxploitation entry.  Topless S&M allies help root out the truth of a conspiracy of white supremacists.  There are lots of exploding cars, some cool location shooting in several major cities, and lots of awkward Jim Kelly fighting (and noises).  Not the best of the subgenre, but very watchable.

Black Dynamite:  At once a parody and homage, this flick is so much fun.  Michael Jai White channels Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly into one powerhouse performance.  Jokes both subtle and blatant are fast and furious.  And the whole thing looks like it might have been filmed in 1975.  Great music, great performances, and great fun.  If you enjoy Blaxploitation at all, you need to see this.

Bad Ass:  Bus fight!!!  If you like to see bearded Danny Trejo revel in being a kindly old man, who just happens to beat up a bunch of punk asses, this is the movie for you.  Trejo is oddly adorable and the rest of the cast backs him up well.  It’s not an amazing movie, or ground breaking, or even especially good.  But it’s very watchable and for a pretty violent film, it’s strangely light hearted.

The Howl:  I don’t get it.  I guess this is some surrealist mumbo-jumbo, but it just seems like a feverish dream capturing all the usual sexual anxiety of Italian (and French) film.  Sex and death.  Bodily functions.  Confusion.  Emotional dissonance.  Reactions that don’t make a lot of sense.  Characters that with no discernable personalities.  Maybe you have to be European?  I think it’s supposed to be funny.  But it’s not.  I also think they were trying to make ART, and as pretty much always happens in such circumstances, they make pretentious crap.

Key Largo:  I think I was 10 years old when I watched Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and Key Largo for the first time.  That’s when I realized Humphrey Bogart is one of the coolest dudes ever.  In the decades since, Casablanca has been an enduring favorite (it’s now my go-to ‘favorite film’), The Maltese Falcon an occasional enjoyable watch, and Key Largo…well, for some reason I just never really watched it again.  Revisiting it now after so many years, I’m struck by so many things.  Edward G. Robinson’s old-time gangster, his seedy henchmen, the hurricane, the stand-up (if he could) hotel owner, and Lauren Bacall.  Oh, man.  Lauren Bacall.  She’s got this animal hunger in her eyes in this movie that…well, let’s just say, I like it.  Robinson’s total freak-out is awesome to watch.  He’s great at playing someone who knows he’s in over his head, but can’t let himself really believe it.

The Public Enemy:  “Remember this boys.  You gotta have friends.”  Tough guy director William Wellman helped create the archetypal gangster, here played by James Cagney.  Between Cagney and Edward G. Robinson, you pretty much find the road map for mobsters than I think are still with us.  I still don’t think much of Jean Harlow.  She kind of reminds me of Mae West, who I think was largely popular based on the “implied” premise that she actually enjoyed sex.  This tale of a hoodlum’s rise to power is filled with great bit players, dirty turns, dastardly violence, and some cold cynicism.  Great finale.

Cindy and Donna:  “Hey bogart, give me the joint.”  Four minutes in and I was convinced I’d accidentally popped in a porno.  The dialog, the acting, two totally out of nowhere panty shots, and the crappiest music this side of a public domain library (in just four minutes!).  But no, it’s just low budget, low talent, low down 70s T&A.  Holy nuts, the drunken mother is bloody awful (Is she from New York?  England?  What the crap is that accent?  It’s shrill, that’s for sure.).  The movie feels a bit like we’re watching the director’s attempt to explore his fetishes, and it’s awkward.  The sex scenes in this film go on for uncomfortably long periods of time, and in the weirdest and generally unsexy of ways.  Seriously, by the end of this movie, you’d swear it was a porn flick where someone decided at the last minute to make it R rated instead.  What Donna won’t do for weed.  Man.  And seriously, what the is up with the ending?

Malibu High:  An ugly, stupid girl is unhappy her jerk boyfriend has taken up with a less ugly, stupid girl.  So, it’s time for smoking lots of pot, drinking lots of booze, and maybe thinking about being a prostitute.  When she goes to class dressed sexy…(?) she starts causing trouble.  Now that she’s sexy, what with dressing like a mom out for a shopping trip at the local Wal-Mart, all the guys want a taste of her…uh…sexy…(?) pie.  This kind of felt like watching Fatal Attraction, where Glenn Close was supposed to be sexy enough to lure Michael Douglass away from Anne Archer, but the whole time I kept thinking “it’s a MAN, baby!”  Tony the squinty, drug dealing pimp in the ripped up tank-top, is by far the least unappealing person in the movie.  Of course, one thing leads to another and CONTRACT KILLING!!!  This movie is crazy.  Not good.  Not good at all.  But crazy.

The River:  Network TV strikes again.  A potentially cool idea can never quite rise above sanitized mire of episodic TV.  It never pushes far enough.  Never goes deep enough.  Takes too long to get places.  Wraps up plots too quickly.  If it were on HBO or even AMC, it could probably could have been really good.  Instead, it’s OK, but frustrating.  Plus, the fact that it was canceled without having anything like a resolution doesn’t help.  Part of me wants to imagine it takes place in the same universe as Lord of Illusions.  But it’s not nearly as good.

Brave:  I guess it says something about the quality of Pixar’s previous films that Brave left me a bit disappointed.  It’s a really good movie, funny when it needs to be, exciting, gorgeously crafted and with some good characters.  I like the story and I like that the main character drives the story and is not driven by it.  It’s very nice to see a female character who does not spend all her time reacting.  If I had a daughter, this is the kind of thing I’d want her to watch.  That aside, the film didn’t wow me.  It’s good.  It’s a solid film.  But I guess I’ve grown used to Pixar wowing me, and this one didn’t.

    I’m starting to gear up for the next graphic novel group meeting with another pile of single issues.  I figure I’ll read through a bunch, then put together some more goodie bags for the attendees.  Hopefully folks will read them and maybe see something they like; maybe take up a series or two.

    First up was the second issue of Aquaman.  I hear good things, and so far, it’s not bad.  Geoff Johns certainly seems to be one to revitalize a comic line.  He did great stuff with making Green Lantern interesting and relevant again.  And Aquaman seems like it could be a cool line.  He’s facing off against …humanoids from the deep in this issue, so that’s cool.

    Up next was All Star Western’s second issue.  The continuing Jonah Hex story could be interesting, seeing the rise of Gotham’s criminal empire.  But I’m really curious about the El Diablo story that started in the second half.  It feels like a more traditional Western comic and I like the retro art style.  Neither story really wows me, but both are perfectly enjoyable.  I hope there’s a good reason for having Hex in Gotham, like that this story is connected to what’s going on in the modern era Batman comics, like the Court of Owls business.  Time will tell.

    I think I read Nightwing’s first issue back when this whole business started, and I don’t think I was too impressed.  Giving it a quick re-read, I see why (unless I didn’t read it…but I think I did).  Anyway, Nightwing is just one of those characters (like Green Arrow), I can’t imagine ever giving two shakes about.  I don’t even like Robin, and he has the decency to share the stage with Batman.  I really don’t care about an ex-Robin with a super 90s looking costume (seriously, he looks like Kyle Rayner, but in black).  Anyway, I won’t be reading on.

    The second issue of Justice League seems like more of the same DC stuff.  Flash and Green Lantern (Kyle Reyner, I think) are buddies.  Batman and Superman are at odds because of methods and essential world views.  Then lots of stuff blows up, tons of aliens attack, and there’s a brief preview of Wonder Woman’s arrival on the scene.  Meh.

    Issue 2 of X-O Manowar is interesting.  By the end of this issue, it feels like the introduction is over, and the story is ready to begin.  Cary Nord’s art looks great, and the writing isn’t bad.  I’m very curious to see where this series goes.  Never having read the original run, I have no idea what the deal with X-O is, but a Roman era barbarian soldier stuck inside a sacred alien tech-suit somewhere out in the larger universe has a lot of potential.

    Up next was the first in a five issue series, Six Guns.  I don’t know what connection to this has to the greater Marvel universe, though it does seem to have some.  It’s basically a pretty typical modern Western/biker gang story.  There’s some chick who I guess is some kind of superhero or something.  A Texas Ranger (oh, boy), and a biker gang leader (the cover implies one more, though they haven’t been introduced yet).  Not a lot happens in the first issue, and it’s hard to believe whatever story is being told can be wrapped up in only four more issues.  But I like the subgenre enough to be interested, I guess.

    Thanks to Brad, I got to read another SPX treat.  Several people had commented that The Gremlins Movie Incident by Cara Bean was one of their favorite comics from last year’s SPX, but I didn’t get a copy.  Now, I’ve read it, and it’s extremely cute.  There’s a high school news paper quality to the art that is quite charming, and the story is one I totally connect with.  Just a simple tale (a recollection, really) of going to see Gremlins as a child, and how flippin’ terrifying (but awesome) that movie was.  It seems like Gremlins did to this woman what Something Wicked This Way Comes did to me (read: haunted/scarred me for years).  Again, very cute.

    I know it’s receiving lots of negative press (didn’t see that coming), but I’ve been curious about this whole ‘Before Watchmen’ thing since I heard about it.  How are they going to make a go of doing a prequel series to one of the most beloved graphic novels, held in perhaps too high esteem, but a classic for certain?  Obviously, the people they want to read this are the very people who will never like it…even if they actually do like it.  So, I read the first issue of Minutemen, and you know what?  I enjoyed it.  I like Darwyn Cooke’s retro-style art and his writing is fine.  Nothing especially amazing, but perfectly fun to read.  I like the original Night Owl, and I’m curious what they’re planning to do with the original super team.  Was I blown away?  No.  Did it suck?  No.  Will Watchmen fans ever accept it?  No.  Will Watchmen fans secretly buy, read, and at least somewhat enjoy it?  Of course.

    All right, so I’m always a bit curious about cross-over stories, and alternate universe stories.  And I do love me some Star Trek.  So, IDW’s Star Trek crossing over with DC’s Legion of Superheroes?  Sure; why not?  Well, read it and you’ll have an answer.  I didn’t know anything about the Legion of Superheroes before I read this, and all I know now is that they’re lame.  There’s really not enough story to be even a bit intriguing.  The issue also has an 11 page preview of a comic called Memorial, which feels like an early 90s urban fantasy story.  Meh.

    I liked the movie Kick-Ass, but honestly, never felt the need to read the comic it was based on.  Nor its sequel…or anything.  But I was handed a copy of Hit-Girl Issue 1 and I gave it a go.  It’s OK.  The art is pretty good.  There’s a lot of swearing and some violence.  I guess it takes place pretty close on the heels of the first story (not sure when Kick-Ass 2 takes place).  There’s nothing wrong with it, I guess, but I don’t feel any need to read on.

    I finished listening to The Strain (read my review here).

    Anthologies have always fascinated me.  By their nature, they’re uneven and inconsistent, but you can usually find some gold.  Strange Adventures is an anthology comic from Vertigo that seems to focus on science fiction, including a preview story for Spaceman.  Post Modern Prometheus feels like something Bernie Wrightson might have done.  It’s sort of a cross between Heavy Metal and Eerie.  And while it’s not all good, overall, I enjoyed reading it.

(7/8-14)

    Not too much going on this week, though I did get some movie watching in near the end.


Prince of Persia:  I love the exotic and strange worlds conjured in the Arabian Nights as I do those of the Brothers Grimm, and I loved Ray Harryhausen’s Sinbad films.  So, as a young man, I had fun playing the side-scrolling video game Prince of Persia that was inspired by them.  I never would have guessed then that a big budget special effects extravaganza would be made based on it.  For such, this is actually pretty good.  It’s fun, action packed, beautifully designed, and perfectly enjoyable.

Knight and Day:  “Excellent driving.  Over a dead guy no less.”  A goofy, light hearted spy adventure that gives the two leads plenty of time to be silly but also to get into some over the top action sequences.  Look, you can’t enjoy yourself watching a movie like this if you’re going in with the wrong expectations.  This isn’t Citizen Kane.  This is the essence of popcorn entertainment.  But it’s well written enough to rise above garbage like the Transformers films.  It’s also nice to see an action movie where both actors are over 40 (Diez is over 40, right?…well, she’s not 20, anyway).

Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen:  I really like what little I’ve been able to see from Patrick Troughton’s tenure as the good Doctor.   But sadly, it’s spotty and disjointed thanks to so many stories being missing or incomplete.  I like his companions and many of his stories.  And his portrayal of the Doctor is certainly a lot more fun.  This one is pretty good, and there are plenty of twists and turns.

Sherlock Holmes: Darn it, but I like this movie.  It’s such a fun adaptation of the classic tales.  Much more lively and exciting than a lot of versions, which is, I think, more in keeping with the stories.  The relationship between Holmes and Watson is excellent.  Gone is the genius Holmes/buffoon Watson shtick of the Rathbone era, replaced with one of the best onscreen friendships I’ve ever seen.  A great score, fun style, a tight script.  Good stuff.  Maybe the so called purists should go back and read the stories again.

Beyond Tomorrow:  A documentary about The Tomorrow People, this isn’t especially interesting, though it’s kind of fun to see the actors as adults.  Fairly typical interviews.  Remnants of old friendships, rivalries, pleasantries, and regrets.  A few anecdotes and glimpses behind the scenes.

Punch:  A crazy girl with a weirdass relationship with her dad goes all kinds of spaz in this awkward, creepy danged movie.  This flick has the weirdest vibe.  Like it’s trying to be a touching Lifetime flick about a troubled family, but it’s also about topless boxing.  There are some oddly effective scenes.  Frankly, I don’t know what to think about this movie.  No shock it’s Canadian.

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows:  The follow-up to the surprise hit, this film is just as much fun, moving the action to the Continent with explosive consequences.  The actors are all back, and the style remains.  I could come back for another one of these every couple of years for sure.  The intellectual fight scenes, the twisting chess game between super-geniuses, the fantastic friendship between Holmes and Watson, and one of the better wife characters to grace the screen in a while (she’s great in the first film, too).

Kiss Me Deadly:  I darned well love this slice of brutal 50s.  Horrible people get into some dangerous situations, and treat each other pretty poorly.  Right off the bat there’s a genuinely disturbing (though not graphic) murder, and things just keep getting tougher.  Great location shooting and fantastic stylized set work.  The actors are all top notch and the script is heartlessly intense.  This movie goes dark.  Then it goes frickin’ CRAZY.  The finale, man.  Wow.

Southland Tales:  It’s funny watching this right after Kiss Me Deadly.  I didn’t realize it had several references to that film.  More than most odd films, I have to say this one is really not for everyone.  A sprawling epic in surreal alternate reality, it takes several viewings to really start piecing it all together. There’s a massive cast of unreal characters played by against type actors.  Not a lot of explanation, so you’ve got to pay attention and use your noggin.

The Getaway:  I’ll say it again.  Forget Bullitt.  The Getaway is Steve McQueen’s badass movie to beat.  All kinds of brutal people come together in a bad situation that spirals out of control.  McQueen plays an oddly restrained thug.  The look of the movie is lush, the action occasional but intense, and the characters colorful.  Lots of great moments.

Stephen Fry- 50 Not Out:  Celebrating Fry’s 50th year, this roughly hour long special assembles an amazing group of celebrities of all types (even Prince Charles!?) to say lots of good things.  Getting behind the expected gladhanding, it’s an interesting look at a fascinating and fun Renaissance man.  An actor, comedian, writer, and public intellectual.  We need more people like him.

The Killing:  Crime doesn’t pay, man.  Stanley Kubrick’s violent odyssey of thievery and betrayal is tough as they come and shows early signs of the director panache.  The music is jarringly grandiose and the ‘You Are There!’ narration gives it an almost documentary feel.  But the lighting, nasty characters, and building tension are all soundly Noir.  And man, Kubrick sure loves his wild and weird endings.

Killer’s Kiss:  A hard luck boxer gets mixed up with a dame and things don’t go too well. Typical Noir stuff.  Story wise, there’s not too much going on here.  But the look and feel, and the amazing glimpse into New York City make it a heck of an entertaining watch.

    I started watching Outcasts, a UK science fiction series.  It’s well made.  Looks like they styled the production design after Battlestar Galactica.  In fact, it almost feels like that season where the crew is stuck on New Caprica.

    On Sunday, I finished reading Christopher Hitchens’ biography of Thomas Jefferson.  It took me a dog’s age to read it, but not because it wasn’t good.  I just kept getting distracted or grabbing graphic novels.  I’ve been bussing less, so reading less of the stuff I normally take with me on the bus (history books).  More graphic novels and comics these days.  Anyway, read my review of it here.

    While Brad and Lisa were out of town, I ended up staying several nights at their place, while my place swelters without AC (should be fixed in a couple days!).  Didn’t get too much reading done.

-Matt