CBS and ABC movie nights

Liam posted about HBO specials. Well, my memory was the iconic twirling CBS 'special' logo from their movie nights, and, of course, the ABC movie nights as well. Seeing that logo meant staying up late watching an "adult" movie like 'Star Wars' or 'Superman' on national TV for the first time.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was the last film project that Heath Ledger worked on. Still a work in progress. Director Terry Gilliam was forced to recast the roll mid-shoot, so three other actors, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell each make appearances to complete the project. Evidently the story was surreal enough to begin with that the change in appearance of the title character will be accepted by the audience. Any Terry Gilliam film promises to be entertaining or at least intriguing, but it will be fascinating to see this film.

Beautiful People - Dye Laughing

It's rare these days to discover a show that is laugh-out-loud funny. Simon Doonan, now a decorator living in New York, remembers his early teenage years in Reading, England. In this clip, Simon's mother takes him to see her deceased hairdresser at the funeral home so he can experience what it's like to see a dead person.

RIP David Carradine

Terminator Rebooted

Okay, so I was a bit skeptical that McG of all directors was the one to restart the Terminator franchise. But if I had any doubts about this film, this short clip sold me...



And here is an extended trailer from G4.

Angels and Demons

For those of you who are excited to see Angels and Demons, I would avoid reading the paper or browsing on the web. Not particularly interested in seeing the movie, I broke my usual rule of reading a few reviews and have been quite entertained.

The pope has died. Even as the Vatican is in the process of selecting a new pope, a group of ancient scientists, the Illuminati, kidnap the four top candidates and threaten to kill one each hour. They also steal an antimatter bomb from the supercollider in Sweden and plan to blow up the entire Vatican. "Rather than call the police..." – a phrase that I read in every review – they fly 3,000 miles to the U.S. to recruit Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), the very guy that threatened to destroy Christianity in the DaVinci Code by uncovering the secrets of Opus Dei. Makes sense (sic). As reviewed on Ain't it Cool, "Angels and Demons is like Batman and Robin, except that Batman is played by Tom Hanks." Ouch.

NPR review. Bob Mondello

Aint it Cool review. Massawyrm

Roger Ebert.

So the lesson here, folks, is if four of your cardinals are kidnapped and an antimatter device is about to go off somewhere in the city, call the police. Or a superhero. Guess I'll go see Star Trek a second time. Oh wait, I was planning on doing that anyway!

Announcements about career goals

According to Wray Herbert of Newsweek, a new study suggests that making public announcements/declarations about your career goals (or any goals, for that matter) can actually create a hinderance to accomplishing them. Making a statement that you are a good lawyer, for example, gives you the inflated opinion that you are better than you are, and don't need to work as hard... "a legend in your own mind." 

I think this is very true. I myself made that mistake in high school/college about going into animation and working for Disney. Although I worked very hard, I think having that vision in my head distracted me from being in the hear-and-now and taking full advantage of opportunities to learn new things about other disciplines. Also, when I fell short of my career goals, a lot of people were disappointed in me; a few even called me a failure, even though I have since gone on to be quite successful in the graphics field. 

You can read the article on Newsweek's site here.

Grilled Cheese

NPR has an article on the popularity of the grilled cheese sandwich. Includes recipes. Read/listen here.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet

Yesterday, Diane Rehm had writer Rief Larson talking about his new book The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. This is a highly original story about a 12-year old boy who happens to draw maps. Without revealing his age, he submits his maps to the Smithsonian and he is invited to present his maps for an exhibition. The book chronicles his adventures as runs away from home and travels cross country by train to Washington, D.C. The book has been formatted with wider margins to make room for some of T.S.'s doodlings of maps. The book's web site itself is worth a visit. Built in Flash, it has all sorts of interactivity that appeals to kids and adults – levers, pullies and gears. Worth checking out.

On a side note, Liam has mentioned receiving "messages" ...and hearing Mr. Larson and Diane Rehm talk about being persistent pursuing your dreams and ambitions gets me to thinking... makes me wonder about my book and other creative pursuits that I've let slide over the years. Is it time to start up something again or pursue something new?

Star Trek

Spoiler alert! I reveal some plot points and opinions that you may want to read after seeing the film.

J.J. Abrams, the creator of Lost and Alias has gone out of his way to sell this as a "reboot" of Star Trek. Having grown up on Star Trek, and also a fan of Lost, I was pumped to see this movie. A word of warning, though: the film does divert strongly from the Star Trek canon. Niro, a Romulan captain from the future, comes back to the past to destroy the Federation to avenge the destruction of Romulus (which is destroyed by a natural phenomenon). His interference in the space-time continuum creates an alternative timeline, it is explained in the film. Meaning that the Star Trek that we have watched growing up is still there, just in another reality... So any differences between this film and the ten previous films and five television series is okay. Just watch the movie and enjoy it. Gotcha. Message received.

Actually, I really enjoyed this film. Kirk (Chris Pine) is still a womanizing daredevil; Spock (Zachary Quinto) still cooly logical; Chekov (Anton Yelchin) still can't say words that start with the letter 'v.' Casting for this film is excellent. Incredible action. All the characters in the ensemble get a moment to shine in this film. And some great humor as well.

Overall, art direction for this film is well done, but inconsistent. The new look of the Enterprise itself is great. The sleek, form-fitting uniforms, the communicators and phasers all harken back to the look of the original series. The bridge, hallways and medical all maintain the traditional look. The unfortunate exception is engineering, which looks like they shot it in warehouse at a chemical factory – where are the rounded slopes of the exterior hull and the matter/antimatter chamber? (Okay, geek moment over.)

While there are some issues with this film ( the whole alternate reality thing is a real cop-out on the writers' part), I really enjoyed this movie. One worth seeing again!

Live long and prosper.

X-men Origins: Wolverine

X-Men Origins: Wolverine fills in the backstory of X-men's most popular mutant, Logan (aka, Wolverine). Logan and his brother Sabertooth grew up on the run since the early 1800s. Both have the mutant powers of healing, strength and an extended lifespan – participating in all of America's major conflicts from the Civil War to Vietnam. They are eventually recruited into a secret team of mutants who perform covert ops. Logan drops out when ordered to kill civilians, and eventually settles down in a secluded lumber town with his true love. His former boss, William Stryker, tries to bring him back into the fold, but Logan refuses until his lover is killed by Sabertooth. Logan vows revenge, and agrees to having adamantium fused with his skeleton, making him near impervious. Logan chooses his codename: Wolverine. He quickly realizes he's been duped, that Sabertooth killed Logan's girlfriend on Stryker's orders. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Stryker is collecting and studying more mutants, and has been using that knowledge to create a secret weapon. Can Wolverine stop him in time?

Wolverine does an excellent job staying true to the "future history" of the X-men trilogy, with great little cameos, including Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier. This film is smart, fun and keeps moving right to the end.

O For Tuna

Cleveland Tourism Video

We Got Time and Closed Zone

As found on Cartoon Brew...

Susan Boyle rocks the world

Susan Boyle has rocked the world on Britain's Got Talent. Here is a dowdy middle-aged woman who claims she wants to be the next Eileene Paige. The results are extraordinary. Even Simon is speechless. You can view the entire clip here on YouTube.

Christian Bale Animated

A group of artists at Pixar, Spline Doctors, held a contest to see who could create the best character animation based on, of all things, Christian Bale's famed rant on the Terminator Salvation set last summer. The rant was recorded on a cell phone while he chewed out some lighting guy for walking into his eye line off camera. You can see the results here. I recommend watching the compilation film under here are most of the other entries.

Sir Sponge-alot

As found on Cartoon Brew...

Rest in Peace, Lawrence Kutner

Hope you enjoy that great White Castle in the sky!

Movie Weekend

After a fun night out Friday, I stayed in the rest of the weekend and watched a bunch of movies that have been out for a while but were new to me. Here's an overview:

Enchanted

The young Princess Giselle (Amy Adams), is banished from her animated fairy tale world to the "real" live action world of Manhattan. After wandering the streets, she literally falls in the arms of Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey), a matter-of-fact divorce attorney and single dad. Abandoned by his wife, and a divorce attorney, he has learned the harshness of the world and won't have anything to do with fairy tale nonsense. Meanwhile, Giselle's fiancée, Prince Edward (James Marsden), follows her and searches Manhattan to get her back. But now she isn't so sure she really believes in the fairy tale. Will she choose Robert or Edward? Meanwhile, after several attempts to kill the princess are bungled by her assistant, Edward's evil step mother (Susan Sarandan) shows up to finish the job.

Enchanted is a fun spoof on the Disney formula. Giselle and Robert challenge one another's assumptions about the world. Giselle learns to think a little more critically about her relationships – that it's important to get to know the guy she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Meanwhile, Robert needed the opposite lesson – to accept that it is possible to fall in love at first sight. 

The animation sequences were, appropriately, directed by Musker and Clemens, the team directly responsible for the Disney renaissance of the 1990s. (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.) Music for the entire film is scored by the same musical team for those films, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. There are of course, countless visual, story and musical references to the Disney films. 

The Illusionist

Eisenheim (Edward Norton), born the son of a cabinet maker, falls in love with a dutchess, Sophie (Jessica Biel). Driven apart by class, Eisenheim leaves town and travels the world. He returns years later a great magician. He learns that Sophie is betrothed to the crown prince (Rufus Sewell), a violent alcoholic who has designs on his father's throne and the nasty habit of dispatching his lovers. Inspector Ruhl (Paul Giamatti), who himself has grown from peasanthood to a position of power, is sympathetic to Eisenheim's desire for Sophie, but is politically obligated to support the Prince. He ultimately shuts Eisenheim's show down after he publicly humiliates the Prince. When Sophie is murdered, Eisenheim begins a new type of show, where he communes with the dead. Sophie ultimately appears and implicates the Prince in her death. Ruhl is caught between keeping his job and bringing Sophie to justice.

The Illusionist is stylistically beautiful (I love the cinematographic homage to the silent era films – the flicker and sepia tones) and the acting is superb. It is difficult not to compare this film to that OTHER magician movie, The Prestige. Both films play off the slight-of-hand, The Prestige is a far more the more fluid and complex film – and more satisfying.

The Battle of Shaker Heights

This charming little indi film is about an otherwise intelligent high school student, Kelly Ernswiler (Shia Le Beouf), who finds it easier to escape reality than deal with the building anger he has toward his ex-addict father. He participates in World War Two reenactments. He convinces himself he is in love with his best friend's far older sister who is about to be married. Meanwhile, the "girl next door" invites him to a concert and he turns her down. He mouths off to the school bully and his teachers. At his ultimate low point, Kelly even disrupts the wedding.

A mix of light comedy and drama, The Battle of Shaker Heights is a charming film. It does not hit you over the head with any message. (Spoiler alert!) When he finally confronts his father at the end of the film, as much as a motormouth as he is, Kelly doesn't go into some long, heartfelt monologue. He just quietly enters his father's hospital room and sits next to him and watches TV. Nothing more needs to be said. 

Cleveland Visit, Part 2 and 3

Went to the Opera Cleveland Sunday and saw Rossini's The Barber of Seville (not to be confused with Chuck Jones' Rabbit of Seville). Here is the Dallas Opera 2006 debut, Giorgio Caoduro as Figaro, featuring the famous aria.

Went to El Rodeo for dinner. Today we wandered amongst the stores in Cleveland, including Malley's Chocolates factory outlet and a late lunch at Melt.

Cleveland Visit

My parents are in town this weekend, so I get to play tour guide! Went to the Garfield Memorial at Lakeview Cemetery Saturday. Unfortunately, the interior was being cleaned so we couldn't get inside, but the view of Cleveland from the front stairs was still amazing.

Then went on to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Saw two temporary exhibitions of photographer Lee Friedlander and art of Central African Savannah. Also, part of the permanent exhibit has reopened, which was great to see. The renovation of the 1916 building was beautifully done. Here are two of my favorite pieces:

Twilight in the Wilderness by Frederick Church (1860). This piece is breathtaking. At first one is in awe of its beauty, but it also has a sense of melancholy. The damaged tree stump in the foreground foreshadows the inevitable destruction of forests due to deforestation, a concern even in the 1860s that eventually resulted in the establishment of the National Park System.

Cupid and Psyche by Jacque Louis David (1817). I'm sorry but this piece makes me chuckle every time. I love Cupid's shit-eating grin.

Then on to Hunan in Coventry for dinner and poked around in Big Fun and City Buddha before the trip home.

Zen of Cleaning

Rainia Kelly of Newsweek wrote a fun editorial after reading a book called Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life by Gail Blanke . The very act of purging items from your home, by decluttering your physical space, and living in the present, the book claims, you will find inner peace. Writes Kelly, "...this is a racket. Cleaning and organizing and simplifying always ends up costing us lots of money and time. ...I'm not saying you should let your house fall into disrepair or keep all your National Geographics forever, but couldn't that time and money be used to more directly help a person reach her true potential? Therapy, time with friends and family, a graduate degree—they all seem much more useful than cleaning your closets."

Coming from a family of packrats, a genetic predisposition I try very hard to fight (and lose every time), I have to admit she is right. No matter how hard you try, clutter is always there. Taking time to share a moment with friends or family has its own rewards. It's all about finding a balance.

Having said that, you don't want to end up like Big and Little Edie (see below).

You can read the article here on Newsweek.

My Wacky Movie Weekend

Saw several movies this weekend, while not new, were new to me...

Twilight

Twilight... well, if you haven't heard about this one, you've been living under a rock on Mars (or you haven't been around a teenage girl in the last year). Bella (Kristen Stewart) moves to a tiny town in Washington to live with her dad. New to school and already an outsider, Bella is immediately attracted to another outsider, the James Dean-like Edward (Robert Pattinson), who is oddly both attracted and repulsed by her. He is pale, cold to the touch and always calls off sick when it's sunny. When Edward saves her from an out of control car (using his bare hands), Bella puts two and two together. He is a vampire. Rather than be scared, she is intrigued. They fall in love. Unfortunately for her, another vampire is attracted to her as well, only as a menu item.

Twilight was great at capturing that sense of isolation in high school. To the director's credit, the film had a simple, straightforward story that did not rely too heavily on special effects but focused on character. The pacing was a bit awkward in places and the transitions between scenes were a bit jumpy (one minute they are in Washington, the next they are in Phoenix). I have not yet read the books so I felt I was missing out on some more subtle story points.

Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens... where to start! A documentary film about a mother and daughter, Big and Little Edie Beale, aunt and cousin to Jackie Onasis Kennedy. Victims of both circumstance and mental illness, they grew up in privilege and were reduced to living in squalor. The film records their lifestyle in a once beautiful 20+ room mansion that is now covered with overgrown shrubbery and filled with garbage, cats and raccoons. The film is appalling and exploitative and hillarious and heartwarming all at once. As crazy as their antics are, you  can't help but be charmed by them as they relive fonder moments in their past. Jessica Lang and Drew Barrymore will be starring in an HBO film based on the Beales' life, also titled Grey Gardens. You can view clips of both the original documentary film and a trailer for the new one on Liam's blog. Yes, that is a sweater on her head!

Walt's Ashes

As found on Cartoon Brew.

Red Riding Hood

Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

Found on Cartoon Brew

The Graveyard Book

Ghost enthusiasts, have I got a book for you! The author of Coraline, Neil Gaiman, appeared on The Colbert Report last night to promote his newest story, The Graveyard Book. Nobody Owens, or Bod, is a normal boy. Normal, except for the fact that he is being raised by ghosts in a graveyard! "There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy – an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer." He is unable to leave the graveyard because the man who killed his family is waiting for him... Okay, so this book is written for kids (technically), but Gaiman is a darker, more gothic writer. In the spirit of Tim Burton and the Brothers Grimm, this story is sure to delight kids and adults of all ages. Illustrations by Dave McKean.

Consumerism Gone Amuck!

In Sunday's Cleveland Plain Dealer, there was a detailed story about the apparent imminent collapse of the City View Shopping Center in Garfield Heights. The original concept was a great idea, in theory – take an area that is largely residential and build a large commercial zone, enabling the community to increase revenue for civic and school improvements. The complex was built on top of a landfill that many believed to be responsible for causing cancer and other diseases in residents. In cooperation with government environmental regulatory agencies, the landfill was covered by gravel and then asphalt. But apparently something went wrong. After some environmental scares, including methane leaks, Wal-mart and several other major big box stores moved out. In addition, other developments in neighboring communities have opened with success, taking business away from the fledgeling development. Meanwhile, Garfield Heights has already spent revenue it expected to earn, building a new state-of-the-art high school and other projects, putting the city into major debt. The development is now in receivership. Unless something changes, it is likely to be closed down by the end of the year.

This whole event is a reflection of the flaw in American economic thinking/planning. Ohio has over 37 square feet of retail space per person, vs. the national average of 30-40 feet (source: Cuyahoga County Planning Commission). Where is the regional planning? How many big box stores do we need? How can Ohio support that much retail with almost 10 percent unemployment? Meanwhile, most of the products in these stores are made overseas, so we have become the agents of our own demise.

You can read more here at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

CNBC gets what's been comin' to 'em

In perhaps the strangest twist in entertainment journalism, The Daily Show exposes another "news" network's faults. Jim Cramer went on The Daily Show last night for a full half-hour debate with John Stewart about the failures of the financial news network's coverage of (and apparent collusion with) Wall Street heavyweights. Humor has always been a great medium for exposing truths (look at the history of political cartoons). It is a sad commentary, though, that John Stewart is the only voice in the media that seems to be able to expose these truths.

I would encourage you to view this interview at The Daily Show's site. Here is the segment that started the whole Cramer vs. Stewart debate.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Gen-Xers get Double-Whammied

We Gen-Xers are are a resilient lot, or so says this article on MSNBC... We've survived the Dotcom Bubble and are now dealing with the worst recession since the Great Depression. We've already accepted the fact that Social Security will be, well, perhaps not non-existent, but a pittance compared to what it used to be. Unlike our parents' and grandparents' generation, there's no "job for life."

Reading about the economy doesn't help my stress levels any, so here is a list of eight Stress Busters from MedicinNet.com

Movie news

The Watchmen seems to have broken the floodgates on movie news... Tons of new movie trailers... So many I will not bother to post them here. View them by clicking the links below...

Johnny Depp as John Dillinger (and Christian Bale) in Public Enemies

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Star Trek

Pixar's Up

And the first production still from Jerry Bruckheimer produced, Prince of Persia starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Mike Newell.

Who Watches the Watchmen? I did!

Our story takes place in an alternate 1985 – Nixon has been President for three terms and the U.S. won the Vietnam War. Superheroes have been banned; the U.S. is on the verge of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, "masks" are being killed, jailed, or discredited one by one. Are their removals related to the seemingly unstoppable escalation toward war?

It has been a long time since I have had to close my eyes to get through a scene in a movie. Zack Snyder's The Watchmen, like his previous film, 300, is extremely violent and contains disturbing imagery. Despite this, it is a compelling film; great visuals and interesting characters. This is not the typical comic book film. Definitely not for kids. Not for a lot of people. Don't go in expecting Superman to save the day. Indeed, the entire theme of both the book and film is to challenge the comic book convention. If someone had superpowers, dressed up in a costume, what would make that person any less susceptible to the same moral flaws (and in some cases, mental illness) the rest of us have?

Update: Here is a review by Roger Ebert and a follow-up character analysis of Dr. Manhattan.

Billy's Balloon

Here is a repost of one of my favorite cartoons. Showed it to some friends last night... it's always a big hit!

March came in like a Lion...

...and the lion rode in on a horse?

Who watches the... Peanuts?

File this under 'What the F---?'

The Cat Piano - trailer from PRA on Vimeo.

Found this on Cartoon Brew. Had to share. Just don't ask me to explain it.

If Abraham Lincoln Owned an iPod

NPR did a great story talking about Lincoln's tastes in music. The question posed NPR's music expert, if Lincoln owned an iPod, what would be on his playlist? His tastes ranged from Classical (the lesser known opera, Martha) to popular (Genie with the Light Brown Hair). Lincoln loved the opera... and even got in trouble for going, his critics saying he should be focusing his attention on the war. Perhaps his most controversial favorite was Dixie. When the war ended, he insisted that it be played during the post-war celebration, saying that Dixie belonged to the entire Union. You can hear the story here.

Allow me my geek moment...

Update 2/17: Read the review on NPR here.

Boy Photoshops Girl...

To celebrate Valentines Day, here is a true romantic story about a young couple falling in love across an ocean. Aaron Nace, 24 lives in North Carolina. Rosie Hardy, 18 lives in Buxton, England. Up until a few months ago, they had never met in person. They met online and fell in love. The only way they could be together was to send one another photos of each other and Photoshop themselves together. The results are quite extraordinary. Some are so realistic you would never guess they were shot separately. Some poses are pure fantasy, some make a social statement, but mostly it is about them being together and in love. They posted the results here on Flikr. The online community has embraced the couple; they have developed quite a following of their visual journal. You can read the complete story on msnbc here. They have since met and have formed a joint photo retouching business, called ARF, and plan on eventually getting married.

Coraline

Coraline is a must-see for animation fans. It is truly a unique film. Directed by Henry Selick, (Nightmare Before Christmas), and based on the book by Neil Gaiman, this film is a darker brand of storytelling than most animated films. More in the spirit of the original Grimms' Fairy Tales. A young girl, Coraline, and her parents move from Pontiac, Michigan to a new town. Coraline is lonely and bored, impatient for attention from her parents, who are preoccupied with finishing their book on deadline and don't want to be bothered. Coraline discovers a secret door. She climbs through to a mysterious parallel world, where everything seems better... more colorful and magical. There, she meets her "other" parents and "other" friends, who lavish attention on her and give her extravagant meals and gifts. Only one thing... everyone in this world has buttons where they should have eyes. Creepy!

The rest you have to find out for yourself. Go see it!

Update 2/17: Read the review by Bob Mondello on NPR here.

Facebook

I finally broke down and joined the world of Facebook. Totally awesome! In just a few days, I've reconnected with almost 20 people I haven't spoken to in close to ten years! What a great site!

Use caution! Zombies ahead!

MSNBC is reporting that people are hacking into road signs to post humorous messages. What the government won't tell you is that these messages are not hoaxes, but REAL warnings. Drivers beware!

Trickle Up Economy

Lawrence B. Lindsey, a conservative columnist for the Washington Post, proposed an interesting idea for creating a stimulus that would have an immediate impact: cut payroll taxes in half. Employees and employers would both have the immediate benefit of more money in their pocket. Employees can use that extra $1500 or so to pay off debt (and therefore solidify struggling banks) or spend, pumping money directly into the economy. Employers would be less likely to lay people off because they would have more capital to continue to pay their employees. Rather than give money directly to banks and hope they spread it around, the little guy would get the opportunity to take care of their own debt/mortgage. Lindsey calls this a "trickle up economy." To compensate for the loss of revenue for Social Security, which comes out of payroll taxes, Lindsey suggests taking money that would have gone toward a stimulus package and put that money into social security. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Having said that, I do think that some kind of stimulus and investment in our infrastructure is overdue – repairing bridges and roads and upgrading our electrical grid so we can be competitive (and safe) is a no-brainer. Creating a greener, healthier environment SHOULD be a no-brainer.

A disclaimer, Lindsey DID work for the Bush administration, and I don't pretend to understand everything he has to say in his article, which you can read here, but it certainly offers a fresh perspective.

Watchmen: The Comic

With the movie coming out in about a month, like many, I ran out and picked up the classic comic The Watchmen, so I could enjoy the book before seeing the movie. Now that I have finished reading it, I can see why so many are excited about this film – the trailer is incredibly faithful to the book – shot-for-shot, borrowing imagery directly from the comic – as it should be.

The Watchmen has been ranked among the top 100 novels of all time by Time magazine (that's all books, not just graphic novels). The story takes place in an alternate 1985 in which Richard Nixon is still President and the world is on the edge of nuclear armageddon. Superheroes, or "capes," have been outlawed and driven into retirement. A group of retired capes have suddenly become the target of an assassin. One by one they are targeted... Will they discover who is behind the plot, and why it seems to be tied to the growing escalation of rhetoric between the two superpowers? Will they be able to stop the inevitable march toward certain doom?

Each chapter weaves back-and-forth through time, from 1950s to present day, revealing each character's origin and how they fit into the larger plot. Dialogue and images interweave into a complex tapestry. The book reflects not only the anxiety and politics of the Reagan era, pre-Glastnost, but mirrors the present day War on Terror as well. What freedoms are we willing to give up for security? Are we happier in our ignorance? Do we need (or want) others to take care of us? Do we need superheroes? 

 

Soft Drink Branding

Pepsi and Coke are both changing their logos/branding this year. Pepsi has already released theirs. Looks familiar...

After twenty years of trying to forget the "New Coke" debacle in the 80s, Coca-Cola has finally decided to remove "Classic" from the label. No visual of the new branding is available.

Feelin' Mellow?

Today is the 5oth anniversary of Miles Davis' groundbreaking album, Kind of Blue. So if you're feeling especially mellow today, that's why.

You can read/listen about it here on NPR.

Animated films of interest

I am very excited about two new stop-motion animated feature titles and another (sort-of) animated film... the first being Coraline, from Henry Selick, the director of Nightmare Before Chirstmas...

There is also the film Mary and Max, directed by Adam Elliot, which apparently did quite well at Sundance. It is only the second feature-length animated film to come out of Australia, and is visually inspired by the photography of Diane Arbus. Mary and Max stars Toni Collette, Phillip Seymore Hoffman and Eric Bana. Looks fun and quirky - right up my alley!

Then there is Ari Folman's Waltz with Bashir...a very different film. Technically not animated, but roto-scoped (meaning movement is captured from a live action performance), and therefore ineligible for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It has, however, been nominated for Best Foreign Language film. Waltz with Bashir retells the actual story of a young Palestinian soldier surviving the Middle East conflict.

Happy birthday, Wolfy!

Today is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 253rd birthday. Mozart's father believed that Wolfgang and his sister were blessed by God (Amadeus means 'beloved of God') with their musical talents, and that these talents should be shared with as many people as possible. They toured all over Austria. Sadly, his frequent travel at a young age may have contributed to his early death – he contracted TB as a young boy and suffered illness often. In his short life, he created some of the greatest, and most moving, musical works of all time. You can learn more here at The Mozart Project.

First, a clip from Peter Shaffer's Amadeus (dir. Milos Forman):




'The Queen of the Night' from The Magic Flute, as performed by Luciana Serra:




'Papagena' from The Magic Flute, as performed by Roth and LeRoi:

Frost/Nixon

Frost/Nixon is the story of the famous interview between British talk show host David Frost and former President Nixon, in which Frost ultimately is able to coerce an apology from Nixon for his wrongdoings to the people of the United States. Frost is a playboy talk show host, more famous at that time for his fluff celebrity interviews than any actual journalism. Ultimately, his pockets prove deeper than the networks, and he is able to buy an interview with the scandalized ex-President. Nixon, meanwhile, is depicted as eager to rehabilitate his image...and get his hands on some cash. However, Nixon is not to be underestimated. From the very beginning, Nixon makes it clear to Frost that he expects a worthy adversary – any interview should be thought of as a battle – a battle he intends to win.

The film is brilliant in it's simplicity. Frost/Nixon is a fascinating character study of these two titans of intellect. Who will win? The "soft" media darling or the calculating politician? As expected in a Ron Howard film, all the actors shine in their portrayals, particularly the two leads, Michael Sheen and Frank Langella, who have reprised their roles from the stage play. While perhaps not the best film of the year, it is, nonetheless, a great film of an important moment in history and politics.

Ouch

The Lost premier turned out to be quite a ride.

Happy 10th Birthday, Dr. Manhattan

thenewfrontiersman.net

Another passing

Andrew Wyeth died at the age of 91. He was the youngest son of the famous illustrator/painter N.C. Wyeth (illustrated Treasure Island). Perhaps Wyeth's most famous work is Christina's World, above. Using tempera paint instead of oils, his paintings tend to have a more tactile feel. Apparently his father, who taught him, didn't care for the darker color schemes and melancholy subject matter. After N.C. died in a tragic accident, Andrew's work only grew darker. Andrew denied that his work was dark; he considered it more contemplative.

Andrew's sister, Carolyn, was also a successful painter. His son, Jamie, is a well-known painter in his own right. It's nice to think that the Wyeth legacy will live on through his son's work.

Obit here on MSNBC.

 

On to Fantasy Island

Ricardo Montalban (a.k.a., Khan Noonien Singh) passed on to the great Fantasy Island in the sky today. He was 88.

Update 1/15: Aintitcool has a great obit and collection of clips of Montalban here.

Obama and Lost encourage you to Read More About It

Two related articles of interest on NPR: Two media forces have been credited for increasing interest in reading books – Barack Obama and the hit TV show Lost. According to publishers, when Obama has been seen carrying various books, they report a surge in sales for that particular book. Obama apparently prefers mostly non-fiction – biographies of Lincoln, FDR and Thomas Friedman's Flat and Crowded. Lost draws on several literary sources, and pays homage to them throughout the series – including The Third Policeman, Slaughterhouse Five, Turn of the Screw, Watership Down, The Watchmen (which I just started reading), and Stephen King stories. Lost has an official book club (you can read an article about it here). Publishers have been jokingly referring to Obama as the "next Oprah."

Click here to read/listen about Obama's influence on reading, here to read/listen about Lost's influence.

Terry, the bi- bi-polar polar bear

Top 25 Warner Bros. cartoons

Jerry Beck of Cartoon Brew is writing a book about the top 100 Warner Bros. cartoons of all time. He invited all Brewers to post their own lists of favorites in an effort to create a master list for his book. This is not an easy thing - there are hundreds of shorts to choose from! Here is my list. I only did 25, and I am probably leaving some out. (I am kicking myself because I forgot Witch Hazel... and I couldn't think of a favorite Sylvester and Tweety short. Oh well.)

Long-Haired Hare
Bully for Bugs
Rabbit of Seville
What’s Opera, Doc?
One Froggy Evening
Duck! Rabbit! Duck!
Buccaneer Bunny
Fast and Furry-ous
Super Rabbit
Easter Yeggs
Duck Dodgers in the 24th-1/2 Century
Duck Amuck
Zoom and Bored
Steal Wool
Bugs Bunny Rides Again
Mouse Wreckers
Terrier Stricken
For Scent-imental Reasons
Herr meets Hare
Bugs Bunny gets the Boid
Robin Hood Daffy
Walky Talky Hawky
From A to Zzzz
The Dover Boys
The early BB/Clampett cartoon where Bugs dresses as a mermaid (title?)

For my favorite, I listed Long-Haired Hare, one of Chuck Jones' many friendly jabs at opera. Just listening to this cartoon with sound only is funny. Bugs' impression of Leopold Stokowski is brilliantly funny, even if you don't have a clue who he's parodying.

Rent

Saw the musical Rent last night at Playhouse Square, featuring two of the original cast members. Really amazing cast and music. The story is based on Puccini's opera La Bohéme, covering a year in the lives of a group of bohemian artists – black, latino, white, gay, straight – struggling to succeed while dealing with poverty, drug addiction and AIDS.

It is important to note this is definitely not Gilbert and Sullivan or Rogers and Hammerstein. The people sitting in front of us left during intermission, expecting more traditional fare, I expect. While perhaps a bit jerky in spots (characters were broken up and back together again so often it was hard to keep track) and the sound was a bit too loud so it was sometimes difficult to understand the lyrics, overall a great performance. The actors were all over the stage, climbing and jumping as they were singing without missing a beat. Despite the heavy subject matter, it did have some great humorous moments as well. The audience was encouraged to clap (and at one point even sing) along. A lot of fun!

The Real West Wing

The West Wing was possibly my favorite television show ever. Here it is updated for the late 00's.

Want to buy American... but not from the Big Three?

Want to buy American but uncertain about buying from the Big Three? Want to buy something with minimal environmental impact? Click here to find out some alternatives manufactured in North America on msnbc.com. My favorite is the Tesla, which I saw featured on TV earlier this year... Besides the fact that it's the coolest looking, I like history behind the name.

Click here to learn about Tesla Motors.

Hal-le-lu-ia...

My sister-in-law had this on her blog. I am shamelessly stealing it and posting it here. Too funny!