Archive for February, 2004
16 items.
I’ve been playing a lot of Prince of Persia on my PS2 lately, so today’s BuzzComix voting incentive sketch reflects that…
Today’s comic refers to the forthcoming travelog/sex romp Eurotrip landing with a *SPLAT!* into theaters this Friday. To me it looks a lot like the American classic (note:sarcasm) Road Trip except… y’know, in Europe! I guess it doesn’t help that this impression is re-enforced by the advertisements which freely proclaim that the same producers behind Road Trip are behind this pale imitator.
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Another thing the film seems to be freely proclaiming is co-star Michelle Trachtenberg’s sexual independence. Every time the ads come on TV, I do a double-take and say “Is that who I think it was?” And then Cami, in her indicate patience, explains that “Yes. This is the same girl who just a scant 5 years ago played Penny in Inspector Gadget.” At this point I crawl into a corner with a blanket I shake in terror at the prospect of raising a daughter who will grow up in this kind of culture.
I mean, this was the same girl who portrayed the precocious star of the children’s book favorite Harriet the Spy. Now she’s tramping it up across Europe!
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I know some of you are going to fire back that she was approaching more adult themes when she was on Buffy the Vampire Slayer playing Buffy’s long lost sister Dawn. Maybe. But to me, this is a much more aggressive maneuver. The Eurotrip poster is practically THREE DIMENSIONAL when you consider the pose they have her sitting in. What I really like about the poster is the guy who is pointing off into the distance totally oblivious to the miracle of modern science known as the Wonderbra taking place just beyond his periphery.
I don’t want to seem like a fuddy-duddy or, frankly, anything less than 100% American Stud – but these kind of attention-getting tactics are so transparent to me. It makes me sad. I mean, if that’s the route you’re going to take to get noticed, why not just sign up with Playboy and get it over with? This isn’t saying I probably won’t see Eurotrip this weekend. I’m in the mood for a dumb comedy right about now. But for God’s sake, Michelle. Cover up!
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Theater Hopper: First Blood! At least the Rambo vibe was what I was trying to achieve with today’s buzzComix voting incentive sketch…
I know it’s kind of cheap to make a Roger Ebert fat joke, especially considering the man just had a stroke and that Ebert fat jokes are a tired cliche when it comes to mocking film reviewers. Coupling the irony, since his stroke, Ebert has lost a lot of weight and looks fabulous!
Well, the hell with it. The vision of being consumed Burmese python-style by Roger Ebert was just too good not to commit to paper. So, here it is.
Truthfully, I like Ebert a lot. He’s one of the most educated film reviewers and historians out there. If I’m not mistaken, he’s the only film reviewer to have won a Pulitzer Prize. Not too shabby! Then again, he wrote Beyond the Valley of the Dolls for Russ Meyer. So I guess you take the good with the bad.
I actually find myself agreeing with Ebert more now than I used to. Certainly more than that jackal-faced co-host of his Richard Roeper. I think Ebert does a better job of looking at films from the entertainment perspective. By that I mean, he’s perfectly willing to discount a totally non-sensical plot as long as he was entertained in the end. He’s more of a believer in the “magic” of movies – a romantic notion I can totally get in step with.
Roeper on the other hand, often over-intellectualizes things and tries to compare Martin Lawrence movies to Fellini. He’s constantly trying to flex his knowledge. Ebert doesn’t have to. We all know he has the chops.
Nothing much else to mention on the home front. I probably won’t be seeing any movies this weekend unless I can get to the local art house and catch The Triplets of Belleville. I’ve been chomping at the bit to see it but I haven’t worked it in my schedule.
Beyond that, I plan on enjoying the 40+ degree weather we’ve been having in Iowa of late. Compared to the weeks and weeks we were getting dumped on with snow, it’s a welcome change. There’s a good melt going on out there.
Oh, before I forget, be sure to check out our latest sponsor JDizzle Comics. It’s a great strip. Well written and very funny! I like it a lot.
Take care, babies! See you on the flip side!
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Feb23
Our beagle Truman celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday. To commemorate the event, I drew a little portrait of him you can sneak a peek of by voting for Theater Hopper at BuzzComix.
I didn’t get around to seeing any movies this weekend, but I’m not feeling too bad about it. I’m sure Cami and I will make another run through the theaters to catch up with all of the Oscar nominated films they’ll be handing out awards to on next Sunday.
This weekend was all about Sex in the City at my house. I know it’s a television show and not a movie, but once your cultural radar has been saturated with one kind of news story, it’s hard to make room for anything else. I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve come across hailing Sex in the City as the show that changed the television landscape. Cut me some slack. They’ll make a make a movie of it eventually.
I think it’s inherently difficult for those of the XY chromosome persuasion to fully grasp the importance of the show for the fairer sex. Just chalk it up on the list of other things we don’t understand about women.
For example, Cami and I gathered with a bunch of friends tonight to watch the finale. Right now, Cami is in bed watching a rerun of the show that was just on a few hours ago. I guess I have no room to be harsh. I’ll watch the same Simpsons episode on an infinite loop – even the unfunny ones.
I have to admit, as far as final episodes go, it was very fulfilling. Much higher on my list than, say, Seinfield. I’m sure it will be more emotional resonant than the maple syrup fest that will be the Friends finale in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, that’s all I have for now. Sorry I don’t have more movie news. But when you’re staring down the barrel of a weekend where Ray Romano and Lindsay Lohan are your only two options for new cinema experiences, you’d turn to television, too.
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Maybe I’m inviting trouble by poking fun at Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ, but I figure if Penny Arcade can insinuate a business owner expires canines for sexual gratification, I can take my chances poking a bear with a short stick.
Clearly if you haven’t heard of Mel’s “labor of love”, then you’ve been living under some kind of rock for the last 5 months. No movie in recent memory has generated this much publicity – this much controversy – without being viewed by a mass audience.
The Pope has seen it. The President of the United States has seen it. Now it’s our turn.
I don’t know how much of my personal beliefs are fit for public consumption in this context because generally I’m not interested in what entertainers have to say about these things. I’m not particularly interested in investigating Mr. Gibson’s persuasion nor am I convinced my audience should care about mine. But let’s just say that if I make it out this weekend to see the film, I’ll cast a very skeptical eye on it.
I’m sorry, but as he ages, I view Gibson in a much harsher light. We Were Soldiers was a particularly distressing film for me to watch because I felt it put a high gloss on the complicated issue of Vietnam. In retrospect, it’s probably one of the more fierce PRO-Vietnam movies since John Wayne’s The Green Berets – a film viewed by most as propaganda hogwash. It’s this same rah-rah, conservative lean that makes me wary of Gibsons post-Braveheart directorial efforts. I simply don’t trust him to handle the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life without bias. This is explicitly the vision of MEL GIBSON.
For example, much has already been said about the level of gore, violence and torture in the film. If you follow The Bible, that’s how it was described. We’re all taught of His sacrifice. But in most Bible films, the crucifixion is seen in much less catastrophic light. Gibson has freely admitted to ratcheting up the shock value of these images to hammer home the point that Jesus suffered for all of our sins.
That sounds like a good reason. But if are we supposed to register this as historical fact or artistic interpretation? If money is the objective, I’m leaning toward the latter.
Of course all this debate is conjecture on my part. I haven’t seen the movie, so I don’t know if it’s good, bad or neither. If anything, Gibson has succeeded in making a very important movie. Clearly if it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be spending so much time discussing it!
I’m not looking to draw out anyone into a confrontation, nor am I here to debate what you believe. Just trust that I am sold on my convictions as you are in yours. We won’t change each others minds. But when it comes to the realm of cinema, this needs to be explored. If we can poke a little fun at it along the way, then the road becomes easier to tread.
On a totally unrelated note, please check out Syntax Error Comics. They’ve advertised with us before and now they’re back again! This time they’re doing some great Oscar-related comics I think you will all be interested in.
Any if you’re looking forward to any Oscar shenanigans around this web site, don’t worry. They’re coming soon!
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This is just a quick afterthought, but I felt it would help explain the comic a little better.
I decided to depict Mel Gibson as Ned Flanders-level religious co-dependent because it seemed to make sense in the context of the interviews Mel has been giving lately. Keep in mind this is a man who stated in interviews that he felt his Episcopalian wife would be going to hell – even though he admitted she’s much more pious than he.
Reading stuff like that made me think Gibson couldn’t pinch a loaf without getting approval from the Vatican first…
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Kind of funny that I’m taking pot-shots at Mel Gibson for The Passion of The Christ, then turn around and pen a comic where my character is attempting futile correspondence with God, eh?
Looks like ol’ Melly-Mel is going to make back that $30 million of his own money he sunk into The Passion. It did something like $26 million in it’s first day of release. Some people have said that tackling this heady material (in conjunction with the increasing bizarre interviews he’s been giving) are enough to bury Mel’s movie career. That’s a load of bull. Hollywood will forgive any amount of weird behavior as long as they’re taking your cash at the box office. Mel will be fine.
I don’t think Cami and I are going to get around to seeing The Passion this weekend. It looks like we’re about to undertake some massive home-improvement projects. We’re going to paint a couple rooms two different colors and install laminate wood flooring into one of them. I must have a hole in my head because we went through this exact same routine about this time last year and Cami and I nearly murdered each other.
Let’s get one thing straight. I am NOT Bob Vila.
The Oscar ceremony is this Sunday and I’m actually looking forward to it this year! I’ve said it before, but I think the nominations were sublime. Positive buzz has been surrounding Bill Murray. for Best Actor since Sean Penn. has been hinting he won’t make an appearance. If Bill won, it would be a victory for Midwestern smart-asses everywhere. Go, Bill, Go!
Other than that, not much to report. I guess if you’re interested you can check out a couple of t-shirt designs I submitted over at Threadless.com. It’s a cool little art/commerce community. You can view my designs here and here.
Take it easy!
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