I hope everyone is catching the nod to the outstanding work of The Brothers Chaps and the infinite hilarity of their site Homestar Runner. If not, you need to check them out right now.
I don’t think it’s any big surprise that 2 Fast, 2 Furious pulled in the most bank this weekend. It faced no competition and was geared to that “target demo” that is so frivolous with its cash. And by “target demo”, I mean 15 year old boys.
It’s scary how well marketers know you and your spending habits. Don’t believe me? Look at the formula? Cars, guns, girls in tight clothes. Is that a movie for grandma? Of course not. So who goes? Kids with cash. If they have girlfriends, odds are they are dragging them along with ’em. It’s a double-whammy.
I would hope this scourge would be wiped off the face of movie screens everywhere after a week, but this weekends competition doesn’t look too strong. Dumb and Dumberer? Uh-oh.
Anyway, enough about money and marketing and all that boring crap. Let’s talk about the strip.
I was really shocked when I found out John Singleton was the director on 2F2F. It doesn’t really fit within his range of style. I mean, even when he’s pitching more toward the mainstream, he usually sticks closer to an urban theme – like he did in Shaft.
I just think it’s a damn waste that one of the most promising directors of the early 90’s – a guy who gave a very clear view into gang culture and violence in Boyz in tha Hood – could turn around and do something like 2F2F. Maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised. He DID direct Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” video. I think Wacko Jacko must have warped him.
I had a chance this weekend to sit down and watch The Animatrix. As expected, Cami wasn’t into it. I started watching it while she was reading a book. Protesting, she wondered why I didn’t wait to watch it until Wednesday night when she would be out of the house. No such luck, sweetcheeks!
For what it was worth, I thought it was okay. An interesting experiment more than anything. Some of them I had already seen online, so I kind of knew the score.
Of those I hadn’t seen, I really enjoyed “A Detective Story” and “Beyond” the most. The former more for its visual style and pacing and the latter for it’s taken on The Matrix and how it works.
If you haven’t seen it, “Beyond” sets up the premise where a house in The Matrix is “glitching” so the laws of gravity, physics, environment, et al don’t apply. Yet all the kids in the neighborhood are oblivious and just think it’s haunted. Very clever. If you’re at all interested in the mythology of the franchise, you should at least rent it.
I’m growing concerned that poster sales have stagnated. I’m curious as to why this is. I have an inkling that many of you are biding your time until the print run begins to dwindle and plan on snatching one up then. I’ve received a few e-mails to that effect.
So I’m trying to figure out a way to spur sales. Should I have Jared and Cami sign a poster, too? Should I drop the price? What are your thoughts. Hit me up in the forum and let me know.
Lastly, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who e-mailed me in regard to the whole Top Web Comics episode I spoke of on Friday. Many of you were very supportive and said nice things about the comic to boot. I appreciate that.
I still don’t know what I’m going to do in regard to the reminders (i.e. frequence, discontinuation), but it’s good to know you guys are out there reading this. It’s nice to know someone is listening.
I’m kind of in a weird place right now. Summer is around the corner and always at this time of year I step back and take stock of things. I feel like I’ve been sitting still for too long. I need to start moving again. Just to know I can. I need to do more – be more. Make things better.
Thanks for putting up with any “glitches” of my own during this period. I should be back to normal in a little while.
Desptire the great success of your latest directorial effort - 2 Fast 2 Furious - I feel the need to send you warning about the path you have taken in your career.
You started out brilliantly with your debut, Boys in tha Hood which earned you a Best Director nomination. At 24 years-old, you were the youngest in Oscar history to earn such an accolade. Why waste your talent lensing crap like Shaft and 2 Fast 2 Furious?
To help aid in your understanding of this predicament, I have attached a handy graph outlining the course of your career.
*Attach: toilet_dive.jpeg
Best Wishes, Tom Brazelton
1991 Boyz in that Hood
Oscar Nomination
1993 Poetic Justice
2000 Shaft
2003 2 fast 2 Furious