Usually when I’m trying to come up with ideas for the strip, I’m stuck between two worlds. I mentioned in Wednesday’s blog that on days where I don’t feel up to putting a lot of detail into the art, I at least try to compensate by presenting a topical issue or by being wordy.

Alternately, when I feel like the joke may be particularly weak, I’ll usually conjure up a little extra elbow grease to try and create something a little more visually arresting. I hope today’s strip does the trick. Forced perspective is a devious devil to charm…

As most of you know, January is a dumping ground for all the bad movies studios want to unload after blowing their wads with Oscar contenders in December. There is no grander example of shameful studio spending than the film which is the topic of today’s strip – Kangaroo Jack.

If you haven’t seen the incredibly annoying trailers, the premise is as follows. When he was a kid, Jerry O’Connell was saved from drowning by a clumsy but well-meaning fat kid. When they grow up, the fat kid comes calling to collect a favor. Somehow it involves the mafia and a big envelope of money that needs to be delivered to Australia. The money ends up lost when the fat kid throws his hooded sweatshirt around a kangaroo to pose for a picture and said kangaroo takes off – with the money inside the sweatshirt! Wacky hi-jinks ensue tracking down the beast and I’m sure at some point crocodile dung will be involved. Estella Warren tries to pretty up the place by standing quietly in the background.

I really don’t have any commentary beyond that. I think the insipid description does enough to harm the credibility of the movie all by itself. I’m just going to leave it at that.

I’m still catching flack for Wednesday’s “May/December” rant. Phil from Kenisia pointed out another generation gap in romantic casting when he pulled the Arthurian tale First Knight out of his bag of tricks. “Sean Connery and Richard Gere both trying it on with Julia Ormond in ‘First Knight’,” wrote Phil. “Connery’s old enough to be her grandad, and Gere her dad, so you’ve got a whole incestuous can of worms right there.”

He’s got me there.

While still not trumping Pete’s notice of Connery and Cathrine Zeta Jones in Entrapment (there is a 40 year difference there instead of the 35 year difference with Ormand), Phil scores points for drawing Gere into the mix. Ol’ Gerbil-Butt has a good 16 years over her. Still, not a shocking as Connery, but better than my Jason Lee/Julia Stiles comparison. Kudos to Phil.

All this talk about “May/December” romances has led me to one conclusion: Sean Connery is the man. He must still have that James Bond mojo working. Why else would a man aged 73 still be doing so well with the ladies? I’m secretly beginning to believe he really is a Highlander…