Archive for May, 2003
29 items.
Is everyone understanding the Planet of the Apes reference in today’s strip? Just making sure. It’s a pretty old movie, y’know.
Man, who would have thought that a storyline that started out making fun of The Matrix would end up here? Sometimes you gotta go where the muse takes you… kicking and screaming…
As far as The Matrix Reloaded is concerned, I think I’m seeing it tonight. At least, I hope that’s the case. I don’t know how crazy the lines will be. I gotta squeeze in Down With Love at some point as well. I’m a big fan of those old Rock Hudson/Doris Day romantic comedies. Pillow Talk is a great flick.
But I digress. Back to The Matrix. It’s been getting some mixed reviews. Some critics are complaining that the film is hollow, that there is no human element and that it’s drowning in special effects.
I can’t decide if I’m going to give two squirts of piss over this or not. I mean, I’ll be honest. The first movie didn’t really clobber me over the head with it’s philosophical ramblings and peppering of Eastern mysticism. I thought it was cool they were aware of it, but audiences acted like The Wachowski Brothers (TM) freakin’ invented it!
In my opinion, it’s the concept that propels The Matrix. And granted, it’s probably lost a little bit of its power since the Y2K heebie-jeebies everyone was worried about in 1999 proved to be nothing but a technical boogeyman. The climate has changed. Perhaps our reaction to this material will change as well.
I also have to give the benefit of the doubt that the movie I see this weekend is only PART of the finished whole. I feel like most negative reactions should be put on pause until The Matrix Revolutions comes out in November. Until then, the jury is out.
Whatever the outcome may be, it’s evident that these movies have tapped in to a “trust no one” facet of the youth zeitgeist that has not had an outlet up to this point. I foresee The Matrix spawning all sorts of extra multimedia to support the mythology. They’re already off to a rousing start with The Animatrix and the video game Enter the Matrix which both expound deeply into the lore of the series. Pretty soon you’re going to start seeing cheap-ass novelizations. R.A. Salvatore, I’m looking at you!
If you haven’t already checked it out, we now have a forum and it’s off to a strong start. I encourage you to sign up. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
You may also notice that I stripped the images from the navigation bar up top and replaced them with text links. As the site progresses, I’m becoming more and more conservative when it comes to bandwidth consumption. I’m starting to dump some of the frills and setting my sights on more fluid design and download times. We’ll see what emerges.
I’ll be back later if I can think of more garbage to spout…
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So before you start freaking out and wondering who Patti is, let me just clear the air and inform everyone. Patti is Jared’s wife and a very nice person to boot. I don’t draw her in the comics often because… hey, man. That’s my best friend’s WIFE!
Seriously though it more likely because I would hate to have her speak a line of dialogue she found offensive or make her the butt of any jokes. Even though I know she would be good-natured about such things.
As is such, today’s strip was an honest-to-goodness real life declaration on Patti’s part. I thought it insightful enough to put into cartoon form.
It’s true that when we went to see The Matrix Reloaded, we were forced to sit in the second row. And for the entire running time of the film, we were subjected to a distorted picture due to our proximity. When it was over, my back was stiff from looking up for so long. I honestly don’t remember some parts of the movie because, at that low of a perspective, the quick cuts were even MORE of a blur.
When are theater owners going to realize that packing in their audiences like sardines diminishes the movie going experience? It’s more than likely I’ll have to see The Matrix Reloaded again just so I can have another crack at understanding it all.
And now THIS is the part where I segue into my opinions of the film (WARNING: SPOILERS CONTAINED WITHIN)…
I’ll be honest and admit that I didn’t think Reloaded would have split the fan base so severely into the camps that adored it and the camps that loathed it. But after thinking about it over the weekend, I’ve come to determine neither of them are right. It is not the end all, be all of sci-fi nor should it be the focus of your utter contempt.
I think the source material is great and the concept of The Matrix is top-shelf. But the execution this time around was average.
My complaints are similar to a lot of the others you’ve probably read. I felt many of the fights scenes didn’t serve to push the story, but were mere exercises in “Lookie what we can do!”
The 100 Agent Smiths fight was impressive and I liked the way they kept ratcheting up the insanity. But, inevitably, it wore out it’s welcome.
I wasn’t impressed with Zion. I felt it looked a little too CG. Actually, it looked a little to Attack of the Clones for my tastes. Especially when the hoverships were docking.
I REALLY had a negative reaction to Morpheous’ speech to the masses and that weird rave they threw in celebration. The sex scene they threw in also felt out of place.
And speaking of sex, that whole scene with the smarmy French guy and the piece of “Coded Cake” was just – icky. It didn’t prove anything. It just creeped me out.
But to be far, after that scene, the movie really started picking up for me and there were several scenes that I enjoyed.
Obviously the freeway chase scene is a classic and they’ll be figuring out ways to outdo it for years to come. I got a real sense of danger from what was going on during that chase – the hallmark of any great action sequence is when they can get you to think people are under the real threat of death.
I also enjoyed the fight between Morpheous and the agent on top of the 18 wheeler. When he does that handstand on the edge of the trailer… Wow!
I liked the twins. I thought they were interesting villains and was curious how their whole intangibility trick worked.
And I really, REALLY enjoyed the scene where Neo makes it to The Source and converses with The Architect. The way the explained how “The One” came to be and how they’ve already destroyed Zion 6 times coaxed a very Keanu “Whoa” out of me. Did anyone else notice how The Architect was dressed and groomed in a manner similar to that of Sigmond Freud?
As time goes on and I think about the movie more and more, I realize how much I liked it. I probably liked it more than I originally thought I did. I’ll probably see it again if anything to correct the distorted experience I had the first time around. This time I want to make sure I’m seeing EVERYTHING.
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May21
I apologize for another Matrix joke today. I imagine by now if you’re anything like me, you’re sick of the debate over The Matrix Reloaded. Quite frankly, I’m sick of the nitpicking and the defensiveness. I liked the movie. I just wish everyone else would shut up about it.
That said, I just had to run with today’s sight gag. Mostly because I would chuckle like a drunken goat at the thought of me requesting a grilled cheese sandwich while an army of solemn doppelgangers stood behind me.
I should mention that Cami and I have already seen Down With Love and I thought it was great! In fact, I may have liked it even more than Cami did – which is a shocker because she loves romantic comedies from the 60’s.
For me, Ewan McGregor is the whole reason to go. He’s so cool and confident, it’s beyond description. Ren
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In case you haven’t gathered, today’s strip references Down With Love – a delightful little film I encourage you to see.
Cami and I caught a matinee on Sunday, and I’m still thinking about it a week later. That’s saying something since it has to compete for real estate with the revolving head game that was The Matrix Reloaded.
I knew going in to see Down With Love that it would be a confection wrapped in period costumes, but I had a lot of fun with it. I’m really beginning to warm to the idea of remaking films from past generations with a modern filter placed between them. Kind of like what they did with Far From Heaven, but y’know… entertaining.
I have to admit that Ewan McGregor is cooler than cool and I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. He carries the picture on his back and is a joy to watch.
*THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST WAS LOST WHEN THEATER HOPPER MOVED TO WORDPRESS IN JANUARY 2009*
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I’m not expecting a hell of a lot of traffic today, what with it being Memorial Day and all. So this next message is for our fans outside of the U.S.
Gee, you’re cool!
That being the case, do you think you could extend a little vote love my way so Monday isn’t a total bust? Thanks.
Gotta give props to my friend Nick who pointed out the plot hole in question from Bruce Almighty. Nick had a much more fervently negative reaction to the film than I did. I enjoyed the film, so I guess I got snowed.
Well, actually. That’s not entirely true. I really only liked the second act. The rest of the movie was crap.
Basically, the first act is all set up explaining why Jim Carrey hates God. He’s getting passed over at work. He gets stuck in traffic. He gets beaten up by a gang of Latino toughs. Typical “God is picking on me” kind of stuff. But Carrey complains so often and so LOUDLY, it’s becomes very annoying to listen to him whine for a half hour.
The second act is much more satisfying because we actually get to see Carrey use God’s powers in some imaginative ways. When he forces a co-worker who stole his position as anchor at the TV station he works for to speak in tongues, it’s hilarious. When he causes a meteor to slam into the planet only yards away from where he is covering a chili cook-off dressed as Mark Twain, it’s genius. Really, it’s all just an excuse to get Carrey to ad lib for an hour or so.
But the third act is totally lame. Realizing that he can’t handle the awesome burden of being God, Carrey learns A VALUABLE LESSON(tm) to “be the miracle” instead of bugging God to solve all of his problems. Yech!
This MESSAGE wouldn’t have been so unbearable if the filmmakers hadn’t chosen to beat us over the head with it repeatedly during the course of the movie’s last 30 minutes.
Of course, there are a million inconsistencies between being all-powerful and just plain uncreative. Within the structure of the story, Carrey isn’t allowed to screw with free will, but pretty much everything else is fair game.
When Carrey mistakenly causes a riot by granting everyone’s prayers, he could easily clean the whole thing up with a snap of his fingers. But does he do that? No! Instead he runs looking for Morgan Freeman not unlike Jimmy Stewart looking for Clarence in It’s A Wonderful Life. It’s no coincidence that they reference it blatantly in a couple of scenes.
Of course, the movie wouldn’t have been very interesting if Carrey had a totally free ride. But you can’t expect the powers that allow the moon to be pulled out of orbit to be ignored by the audience when Carrey runs out of the way of a falling billboard as if he were mortal.
I kind of feel sorry for Jim Carrey at this point. He’s caught between being the funnyman everyone wants him to be and the “serious actor” he sees himself as. He’s pushing 40, folks. He can’t keep up his brand of physical comedy forever. My fear is that he’ll get stuck between genres and end up with nothing.
And that would be a shame.
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I wanted to get everyone’s attention and have them visit It’s All Been Done today. Not because their most recent strip was a subtle homage to Theater Hopper, but because Eric is closing things down and it looks like this week will be their last.
It’s always a shame when such a good comic ends so quickly. IABD had it all – great writing, great art, fleshed out characters from the word “Go” and one of the best site designs I’ve seen.
But Eric has decided to take a crack at syndication with another comic he’s putting together and I say “Good for him!” We all wish him the best.
Visit It’s All Been Done before it’s all been done.
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If you’re not catching the Dudley Do-Right reference, you’re not watching enough Boomerang.
I would like to see The Italian Job this weekend, if only because F. Gary Gray is behind the lens and because I really enjoyed The Negotiator. I know going into the theater that it will not be better than the 1969 original and that the obligatory Mini car chase will feel more like a car commercial than a true action sequence benchmark.
Still, I have to see it. Anyone who can get Mos Def and Seth Green in a movie together deserves something.
I would lump Ed Norton in that group, but in several recent interviews, he’s explained that his participating in the film was a contractual obligation and not one of choice. That sours things a little for me, because I’m a big fan of Ed’s. But it bringing the whole “mustache issue” into sharper focus. No question the thing looks like an anemic caterpillar resting on his lip, but knowing Ed, it’s an “actorly touch” he integrated into the character to piss someone off. If anything, I’ll see the movie for him. Even when he’s bad, he’s better than most. I could give a damn about Mark Wahlberg or Charlize Theron.
That said, my number one priority this weekend is seeing Finding Nemo. I’m a Pixar NUT and can’t wait to see what they’ve cooked up this time. It’ll be interesting to see how close they can get to mimicking sea life with computer graphics. I imagine pretty darn close.
Expect a Nemo strip on Friday.
Say, before I forget, if you haven’t joined the forums yet, you should look into it. We already have a crew of 50 and we’re having a blast. Check it out!
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If any of you are interested in learning more about Pixar and their chain of blockbusters over the years, it would interest you to watch 60 Minutes II tonight on CBS at 9:00 EST, 8:00 Central. They’re going behind the scenes to talk to the animators and writers to see what they do best. Here’s a quick synopsis of the story.
Personally, I’m very interested in learning about their new animation studio out in Emeryville, California. If you watched any of the commentary lead-in’s for Monsters, Inc. you got a pretty good look at the facility and how they do business there. The place is like summer camp for artists and I’ve always been a big fan of corporations who use alternative tactics in motivating employee creativity. It should be a good show.
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May30
As promised on Wednesday, here is your strip on Finding Nemo.
I had some difficulty generating a joke to coincide with Nemo as I know next to nothing about the plot. This goes deeply against my M.O. because usually I’m up to my neck in facts about every movie in production.
But Nemo I purposefully stayed away from. Most of the time I’ll say I’m not looking up information on the next Star Wars movie or Return of the King, but in truth, I can tell you what Elijah Wood had for breakfast on any given day of pre-production.
Nemo, on the other hand, I made a real effort to shy away from. I do this because I remember when I first saw Toy Story on opening day back in 1995. I didn’t know anything about the movie other than it was the first completely rendered computer animated movie in the history of cinema. If for no other reason, I would see it for that.
Imagine my surprise when the story turned out to be great, the characters were (pardon the expression) fully fleshed out and when it was over, I spent the remainder of the holiday season trying to figure out how they did it.
Since then, Pixar has kept that tradition alive and raises their game every time they put out a new movie. I forbid myself from seeing screen shots or learning plot information out of the need to regain that sense of awe when I saw their first offering.
I have high hopes for Nemo. I don’t think I will be disappointed.
One note of interest; Be sure to check out NewMoanYeah for an interview I did with intrepid reporter Jennifer. Both Cami and I sat down to talk with her and we had a blast. It’s a great article. Check it out
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