Posts Tagged ‘Charlie’
65 items.
Feb14
I realize today’s comic isn’t fall down funny, but I needed a way to set the scene back to the present so everyone knew Cami and Charlie were still stuck in the bathroom.
We’re nearing the home stretch, folks. Expect to see Cami and Charlie free from their water house prison by the end of the week. Give me another week for a little recap and we’re onto more topical humor!
Incidentally, I got a lot of positive feedback for last Friday’s comic. People really seem to like it when I bash Ben Affleck around. Is it possible that I may actually start feeling sorry for the guy? I mean, he gets beat up A LOT in this comic.
…
NAH!
Truthfully, I should do a comic where Ben Affleck gets beat up in new an imaginative ways each week and have that be the concept. For as much positive feedback I get when I do it, I gather it would be the most popular thing on the web.
At any rate, this is a good opportunity to mention that the artwork that was used in that splash panel of last Friday’s comic is actually up for auction. So if you ever wanted to own an original piece of artwork by yours truly, here’s your chance.
The auction ends on Friday, so step up to the plate now and blow away the competition with an awesome bid that will leave the competition to cry to Mommy.
Cami and I saw Hitch this weekend. Normally, I have a very low tolerance for Will Smith movies. ESPECIALLY when he’s in action hero mode. I didn’t like him in Independence Day or I, Robot pretty much for the same reason I didn’t enjoy Bruce Willis as an action hero in the early Die Hard days. Too glib. Too cocky. I couldn’t relate.
That aside, romantic-comedy Will Smith is one charming bastard. Despite a little too much monloguing about love and the effects there-of, I found myself really enjoying the film. Of course, it didn’t hurt that they filmed in a lot of “off-the-beaten-path” locales in New York City. Watching the movie made me want to go back there in the worst way. I love that town.
And speaking of New York City, did you know there is a really excellent web comic about life in that fair metropolis? It’s a little obtuse in and of the fact that it stars an Alien and Predator action figure, so you think it’s going to be about one thing, when it’s really about another. But what is irrefutable is that the comic is drop-down hilarious and altogether brilliant. It’s Alien Loves Predator and you need to check it out.
Actually, the thrid panel of today’s comic kind of reminded me of something I did a while ago, and I thought that was really cool. I think Bernie did it better.
Now how’s THAT for a seuge way?!
I still haven’t had a chance to color in that Constantine artwork I did for a February’s desktop wallpaper. Which means since I haven’t replaced the Elektra wallpaper that I can’t do the raffle to see who walks home with the original art. I don’t know when I can get to it, but hopefully soon.
Anyway, I just want to remind people that I’m composing these original works as incentive for you to buy stuff, donate or advertise with us. Anyone who gives Theater Hopper money for ANYTHING in the course of a given month will have their name put into a raffle to win some original artwork. All the details are at the bottom of the Walk of Fame page if you want the skinny. At the end of the year, I’m going to take all of the artwork and pull it together for a great 2006 calendar. Cool, eh?
I was going to talk a little bit about how I’ve been dreaming about redesigning the site. The layout would remain pretty similar, but I’m getting tired of the dark grey color scheme. I’m thinking of something brighter and, frankly, something where the elements fit a little better together. I’ve been practicing my skills in cascading style sheets and sketching out rough ideas, so maybe someday soon you’ll come back to the site and it will have a whole new paint job!
I think I’m going to end with that. I’m a little tired of typing now. Ta!
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I don’t know what it is about bad timing that I find so hilarious, but here’s another example for you.
What I find ironic about punch lines like this is how difficult it is to sometimes pull off a visual gag… in a visual medium. Especially when I don’t have complete faith in my abilities.
It’s really a catch 22. I become paranoid that what I’ve drawn won’t communicate with my intentions, but on the other hand, if I sit here and explain it to you, it ruins the joke.
I guess I shouldn’t dwell on it. After all, I usually get comments in the THorum like “I love so-and-so’s expression in panel three.” I didn’t even know I was capable of drawing expressions!..
By the way, if you want to see the aftermath of Jimmy and Charlie’s little run-in, vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix.
I know after reading today’s comic (the 22nd installment of a story arc that began here) some of you would try to ensnare me with a reference to this comic – the one where Jimmy explains how he doesn’t check the women’s restroom.
First of all, thank you. This means you’ve been paying attention.
Second of all, this reversal of status says less about Jimmy’s previous unwillingness and more about my need to tell a more economical storyline. Besides, if Jimmy thought someone was in trouble, OF COURSE he would come to their aid. Because that’s just the kind of stand up guy he is.
I’m over-explaining it again, aren’t I?
Hey, before I forget, be sure to place your bids on the little art auction I have going on. It ends this Friday. I’m hoping to take the profits from its sale to help pay my way to the Kansas City Planet Comicon comic book convention April 2-3. If you want to help me out and get some cool original artwork in the process… well, it’s a match made in heaven.
Gabe and Tycho from Penny Arcade went to Planet Comicon a few years ago. I decided to make the three hour drive from West Des Moines to Kansas City to meet them. Theater Hopper maybe had… 30 strips at the time? So I didn’t have a lot to say to them besides “Buh… guh… I like your comic. You inspired me to start my own.” Frankly, they probably get that a lot. They’ve probably stopped checking the links of sites that have cropped up in their wake.
But I guess I’ve talked to Tycho a few times since then over e-mail and he’s very generous. Not to sound like a fan-boy kiss up, but it’s very validating to exchange thoughts of an individual who was one of the crystallizing forces behind the popularity of your medium.
Anyway, Gabe and Tycho played Kansas City two years ago, so I thought it was worth it to make my own appearance.
Of course, they FLEW from Seattle to Kansas City. I’ll be driving. But why split hairs?…
That’s about it for now. Bye!
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I realized that as I was working on today’s comic, I hadn’t prepared an incentive sketch for everyone to view when the voted for Theater Hopper at buzzComix. By the time it had occurred to me, it was well past midnight and Tom’s sleepy-time.
So instead of drawing a whole new sketch, I half-assed it and reinterpreted panel 3 of today’s comic. Click on the link if you’re interested. It’s the first full color incentive sketch I’ve ever done. It’s a movie one-sheet for an upcoming action picture starring Cami and Charlie.
Gotta tell you it feels good to move the action outside of that bathroom. Now that Cami and Charlie are free from their confines, we’re one step closer to resolution and a return to more topical humor in the strip.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed bringing Charlie into the mix. But just as I felt I was repeating myself at the end of 2004, I’m starting to feel like I’m repeating myself in this longer storyline. Look over the last three strips. There’s a dramatic dramatic Dragon Ball Z Super Sayin moment in all three of them. I guess in more highbrow art circles, they would call that “a triptych”, but I’m just ready to go back to fine-tuning my strengths.
Doing this storyline was like working a different set of muscles. Let’s say the deltoids. But I’m ready to start working my biceps again because that’s what gets the ladies talkin’! The biceps or the pectorals. Oh! Oh! Or the glutes! The glutes!
Anyway, we’re winding things up. I wanted you to know that.
I’ve been really excited for this weekend because Cami and finally buckled down and said, “That’s it! We’re seeing all the Best Picture nominees this weekend and that’s final!” We’ve already seen Ray and The Aviator. This weekend we’re planning to see Million Dollar Baby and Sideways.
I know, I know. If you comb through the last few blogs and were given a nickel for every time we said we were going to see these films, you’d
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I’ll be frank and tell you that today’s comic is pretty much just me screwing with you. It’s fun to kind of hint that the arc might be ending and then pull the rug out from under you.
I know that we’ve been going with this storyline for a while (since January 3, to be exact), but the fact that we’re only two comics away from the big 400 should be a clue as to when things will wrap up.
You know what will be really cool when this story line ends – I will have started it on #375 and ended it on #400. I wish I could say I planned it that way, but I didn’t. I just love when these little milestones are book ended so well.
Oh, and another reason why the arc has to end on Friday is because the Oscars are being broadcast on Sunday. Which in turn means that I will OFFICIALLY have something worth while to comment on in the world of movies. Hey, when they’re dumping steaming turds like Are We There Yet? and Son of the Mask into theaters, I’ll take anything I can get!
As I mentioned previously, I watched a virtual butt-load of movies this weekend.
We started out Friday night by trying to go to Sideways, but the movie started at 7:05 and we got there at 7:20. Everyone I was with said “So what? We’ve only missed the trailers.” But of course, as a completionist, I threw a big fit and we went to see Million Dollar Baby instead.
What can I say about this film? It’s probably my favorite dramatic piece this year and I think it should win Best Picture for sure. I think Academy voters will give it to The Aviator for its sheer spectacle, but that’s a mistake. I don’t think I have ever been as emotionally invested in a movie like this for a long time.
I had read advance reviews that explained how the movie is set up one way for the first two acts, but totally turns you on your ear in the third act. So I knew there was a twist, but I didn’t know what.
As the movie gained a wider release, people started writing about the third act and tried to stir up controversy around it. I deliberately avoided these articles and, actually, I’m kind of proud of myself for it. Usually I gobble up every bit of advance press I can find, but this time I exercised a little willpower. I’m happy that I did. The third act wouldn’t have as much emotional power if you knew what was coming.
All I can say is that if you haven’t seen this movie, please, please, PLEASE see it before Sunday. You won’t regret it.
Anyway, after seeing Million Dollar Baby Friday night, Cami and I caught a matinee of Sideways on Saturday. One of my co-workers told me that he had seen the movie and didn’t think much of it. He commented that all of the characters were pretty miserable and unlikable. But I’m an Alexander Payne fan, so I kind of knew what I was getting into before I checked it out.
Although I imagine I could have gotten more out of the film if I were perhaps middle-aged, I really liked Sideways. The ending really did it for me. I thought it was note-perfect, and that goes a long way toward leaving a favorable impression in my book.
I think a lot of people can recognize Paul Giamatti’s character from their own experience. Devastated by a divorce, he becomes sad, defeated, damaged and intent on destroy himself in small increments – he becomes everybody’s burden. You sit there and watch him and hope for him to overcome his struggle. You want him to hook up with Virgina Madsen’s character. You want him to be happy and dispose of that voice in his head that says he doesn’t deserve it.
Giamatti’s character represents this grand struggle I found very relatable. He wants to be more than he is but feels held back by life or circumstances. When really, he’s the only one holding him back.
I know that sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but that’s what I got from it.
The only movie I didn’t see this weekend that I wanted to was Constantine. Cami read some negative reviews and signed off on it. I wasn’t surprised. Her interest in it was tenuous at best. It’s a comic book movie about demons and stars Keanu Reeves. It doesn’t exactly have “chick flick” stamped all over it.
But despite my better instincts, I still want to see it. I think I’ll go see it by myself tonight while Cami is at her night class. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to the theater by myself, but I’ve missed too many crappy comic book adaptations to let one more slide. Oh Blade: Trinity and The Punisher! I hardly got to know you!
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Feb23
So it’s settled. Cami and Charlie’s triumph over adversity has cemented a bond between them and they are now friends. Deal with it, homies.
But the surly theater owner seemed to let them off the hook without much fuss. Be sure to check back on Friday for an epilogue of sorts. After that, the story that took nearly two months to tell will be OVER!
I made another full-color incentive sketch for you to look at if you vote for Theater Hopper at buzzComix. That could be a dangerous habit for me to get in to, but it just felt right for the Lifetime Movie of the Week send-up I was making.
I saw Constantine by myself Monday night and have some thoughts on it, but I want to tie it in to what I finally accomplished with the donator desktop wallpaper. Expect a recap later today. Right now, I want to tell you a different story.
If you came to the site on Monday, you would know that the buzzComix incentive sketch was one of my beagle Truman wearing a birthday hat and blowing a noise maker. I drew it to commemorate his third birthday, which was Tuesday.
I came home Tuesday after work, particularly jazzed from a good day at the office and ready to celebrate with Man’s Best Friend.
Imagine my horror when I went to let Truman out of his crate and discovered this scene:
It’s insane, right?
I don’t know how many of you out there own dogs, but this was a first for me. You can’t tell it from the pictures, but Truman’s crate was right up against the corner of that wall. He had either clawed or chewed a hole about a foot wide and about 6 inches tall through our dry wall!
Needless to say, I was pretty pissed and we didn’t quite get around to celebrating Truman’s birthday properly.
Now, to be fair, we recently moved Truman’s bed into our dining room, out of the kitchen where he had been for three years. So maybe that’s what upset him. Perhaps it was the air vent next to his crate. Who knows? When he was in the kitchen, his crate was no further from a wall or an air vent and he never tried this, so it’s a mystery to us.
It’s hard to be mad at the little guy because he’s just a dog and he doesn’t know better. He’s totally forgotten about the damage he caused when you come home to find about half a pound of drywall all over the carpet and inside his crate. It’s not like you can discipline him two hours after the fact.
Incidentally, I called the veterinarian as a precautionary measure. I didn’t know how much of this dry wall and paint Truman had ingested, if any. The vet told me over the phone that he should be fine, but look for signs of vomiting or diarrhea. If he starts pacing in circles or acting funny in any other way, you know he’s eaten something that disagrees with him.
Well, I’m proud to report that Truman has not fallen ill, so he probably didn’t eat any pieces of the wall. He also ate an entire bowl of food for his dinner, so he’s probably fine.
But it’s when the animal you share your space with commits gross property damage that you start looking at old photos and wish you could have kept him this size forever…
Oh, Truman. What am I going to do with you?
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Feb25
So it turns out Tom was the architect of Cami and Charlie’s predicament the whole time, eh? Sure puts another spin on his aloof attitude from back in January, doesn’t it?
Quick question: What do you think the old, crusty white guy has against Lifetime Original Movies? Do you suppose he worries their overwhelming quality will lure people to their basic cable subscriptions and away from his $8 admission prices and stale popcorn? I bet I could tell another epic storyline based just around that!
Joking aside, that’s it folks. That’s the end of this story arc. Two months in the telling. 25 strips in the can – from #375 to #400. I know the telling was slow going at times. I received my share of e-mails telling me that people weren’t enjoying the comic like they used to. Well, it’s over now. And thanks to the Oscars on Sunday, I’m going back to more topical and timely gag-a-day strips. The critics get way they want and I get the sense of accomplishment from trying something I never did before – Telling the longest story I’ve ever told and introducing a new character to boot. Everybody wins.
I guess I don’t know what else to say. Pardon me if I feel a little defensive. I know this arc wasn’t as entertaining or as emotionally invested as when Jimmy lost his job back in September. But I don’t regret it. If anything, it has crystallized my purpose now that I know what kind of strips I’m more adept to writing and what kind of strips you guys are more fond of reading.
Actually, I’m kind of looking forward to it. I can go back to developing wit brevity while putting pathos on the backburner. If you guys wanted a soap opera, that’s why TiVo was invented.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for sticking it out and letting me try something new. Thanks for being honest and thanks for being fair. As potentially alienating as this arc could have been, I never received a more strongly worded e-mail beyond “It’s just not my cup of tea.”
You guys are awesome. Keep up the good work.
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I like to think I learn from my mistakes, so here’s Friday’s comic – on time!
I don’t know if you want to bother voting for Theater Hopper at buzzComix today. I was totally bankrupt for ideas when it came to penciling today’s incentive sketch, so I tried to draw a picture of Darth Vader from memory. It’s kinda close, but that’s a generous assessment. It’s like saying Joan Rivers looks kinda like a human being.
I thought we were at a safe enough distance away from the Charlie storyline to bring back our title character in a more casual context. In some respects I felt like a lot was sacrificed to bring this new voice to the comic and then felt guilty for not utilizing her in the last month. So here she is. Don’t worry. We’re not embarking on some giant storyline again. This is just a casual insert of a regular cast member no different than Jared or Jimmy.
HOWEVER I will point out that today’s comic tells you a lot about Charlie. Probably more in a few panels then I was able to achieve in 6 comics during the storyline. That’s right. Charlie’s a nerd.
For those of you with active imaginations, let me say right now that Tom and Charlie will not hook up. That’s not the kind of show we run here. If you want quasi-angsty relationship humor, there are plenty of other comics that fill that niche. I just thought it would be a fun bit of contrast to take this kind of vapid, looks-obsessed character and make her a nerd at heart. Nothing more, nothing less.
Anyway, I don’t have a lot to talk about at the moment that’s movie related. But I think you can forgive me for being less pre-occupied with that and more interested in the fact that Cami and I are celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary today!
At the risk of sounding overtly sentimental, I look forward to our anniversary probably more than my birthday, Christmas or even Halloween. If there was ever an event to set time aside for to recognize, I think wedding anniversaries should be at the top of the list.
I talked about this in the THorum, but if you’re celebrating a birthday, that’s a singular achievement. Basically, people congratulate you for not dying that year. A wedding anniversary, on the other hand, is a celebration of the effort TWO people make to keep a union strong. It’s not a given. It’s not this arbitrary route-marker on the road of life. Every year is a milestone and worthy of your attention.
I’m not a real religious guy so I don’t have the threat of God looming over my shoulder on this one. So don’t think I’m expounding on the sanctity of marriage from a secular perspective.
No, I’ve always been enamored by couples who are able to make it work. I look in the paper for anniversary announcements and see people who have been together 50 or 60 years. Optimistically, I think they’re the lucky ones.
So happy 5th wedding anniversary, Cami! I love you!
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Jun10
Taking MTV to task for no longer playing music is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. Added to that, it’s not very original.
But for better or worse, The MTV Movie Awards was a big-ticket news item in the world of movies this week and it’s what I decided to spoof.
I suppose I could have taken shots at Mr. and Mrs. Smith, coming out today. But would anyone be interested in another commentary about celebrity hook-ups immediately following the shot I fired across the bow of TomKat in Wednesday’s strip?
I am 27 years old. I’ll be 28 in December. The closer I get to 30, the further I fall outside of MTV’s target audience. On the surface, I’m fine with this. Call it “The Circle of Life.” But underneath, there is a little resentment. Growing up as part of the “MTV Generation,” what does it feel like when Mommy and Daddy don’t love you anymore?
I could have cared less about The MTV Movie Awards last night. I didn’t even know they were on until I stumbled past them on the dial. However, there was a time when the MTV Movie Awards were very important to me. I remembered the skits they did and how the whole affair seemed like a grand zinger fired in the face of conventional award shows – and specifically, the stodgy Oscar telecasts. With bright, flashy graphics and set designs that looked like they threatened to tumble into the audience and crush Adam Sandler, it was aimed straight toward the visceral sensibilities of a 14 year-old boy.
And it worked.
Watching it now, I can see through all the glitz (or do they call it “bling” now-a-days?) In fact, the proceedings show its hand so transparently, it’s like playing poker with a moron who will lean over and ask you “Are these four aces any good?”
The show used to be live. That’s out the window. Now it’s taped in advance and all the news outlets report the winners. No reason to watch now!
Even if you did watch, you can tell that all of the winners have been notified in advance that they’re taking home “The Golden Popcorn,” so they’d better be in attendance. You’ll notice that there’s never a shot of the multiple nominees glaring expectantly at the podium when the winner is announced. The people who win couldn’t look more unsurprised. What reason does that give me to be invested in their achievement?
At least in years past the skits between awards were good for a laugh. I will still never get over The Brady Bunch re-enacting the interrogation scene from Basic Instinct. Classic. This year? Nary a titter. My funny bony remains unmoved.
Analyzing the show as if it had any merit is frustrating to an alarming degree. I’ve been hip to this scam for a while, but looking back on how much B.S. I was willing to ignore for the sake of being entertained tells me what a dumb teenager I really was. It’s embarrassing.
Thinking about the kids who are growing up with this kind of low-grade – Nay! – almost narcoleptic marketing makes me think that they won’t have a chance at all when it comes to maturing into independent thinkers.
I guess that explains how someone like Britney Spears could become popular…
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I was totally at a loss as to what kind of incentive sketch I could draw that could be associated with this comic. So, facing a complete lack of ideas, I drew a quick sketch of Iron Man for your viewing pleasure.
…because I can.
I don’t know if real-life Jared is as much of a Joss Whedon fan as I’ve depicted him here. I’ll have to ask him. Although I am aware that he is somewhat fond of Alien: Resurrection, based off his screenplay.
Some of you who visit this site won’t know who Whedon is because his official, credited track-record in the film world is spotty at best.
In addition to penning Sigourney Weaver’s last romp in space as Ripley, he also wrote Titan A.E. and wrote a treatment for Atlantis: The Lost Empire. He’s been brought in as a script doctor on high profile films like Toy Story because of his signature command of snappy dialogue. He’s probably be brought in to touch up many more, but only the good folks at Pixar have credited him.
Film work aside, he’s best known for his work in television as the creator and head writer of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He’s also recently gotten into comic books, writing the wildly popular Astonishing X-Men – a brand new monthly title created just for him to play around in.
Needless to say, nerds love him.
And while I have a passing admiration for the guy, I’m not a big follower of his work. I never really got into Buffy because we didn’t have the WB in these parts when it first came on. By the time we got it, the show had moved to UPN. I’ve caught a few episodes here and there in syndication, but there’s a whole mythology in place there that I could never crack. Renting the DVD sets of each season was just out of the question. I didn’t have the time.
Anyway, after Buffy and (sorta) after Angel, Whedon took another stab at television with a "space opera-slash-cowboy" adventure program called Firefly. Don’t ask me what it’s about. I never watched it. The show ran on the Fox network from 2002-03 and, in typical Fox fashion, they promoted the hell out of the premiere episode. When it didn’t draw huge numbers, they shuffled it off to Saturday night. A dead zone. And there it expired.
Like so many "brilliant but canceled" television shows these days, the entire run was put out on DVD and drew big numbers from fans devoted to all things Whedon. Fast forward a few years and a movie starring the cast of Firefly has been reborn on the big screen under the moniker of Serenity.
Clear as mud? Good.
This has been a very… specific process for bringing this concept from the small screen to the big screen and in that respect it becomes a curiosity. As I said earlier, I admire Whedon. I’m familiar with his "voice" if I’m not overtly familiar with his body of work. He’s like Mamet in a way, to me. I’ll see one of his films every so often, but the dude is out there writing stage plays that I will never hear.
So I’m interested in what kind of activity Serenity my conjure up this weekend, but remain pragmatic in the regard that this film is pretty much strictly for fans who felt burned by Fox’s decision to ax Firefly.
So, those marketing the film are left with a couple of options. Do they try to bridge the gap to lure in casual fans like myself or even those less familiar?
Or do they aim straight up the middle and only attempt to draw in those already up to speed with the franchise?
Based off the trailer, I would say the latter. And this will make for a quick burn through the multiplexes, mark my words.
This, of course, is a shame. I think Whedon is a talent strong enough to be introduced to as many people as possible. Now that his profile is raised, he needs to approach his next project holistically and call attention to himself that way. A film adaptation of Wonder Woman is next on his docket and that might do the trick. But for the immediate future, Serenity is not that picture.
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Some people might view today’s comic as insensitive to those with cleft lips – or harelips, as they are sometimes known. I hope I’m not offending anyone. In fact, I tried to put Tom on the receiving end of his own insensitivity in today’s incentive sketch. It’s my odd way of trying to strike a balance in the universe.
I don’t have a problem with harelips. It just that in Walk the Line, it’s a very noticiable character trait of Jaquin Phoenix’s that is very hard to ignore when he’s supposed to be playing Johnny Cash. That would be like doing a Nirvana biopic and having the actor who played Kurt Cobain have a lazy eye. I’m just saying it was a distraction, is all.
For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ve linked through to WebMD’s clinical description here. I try to be of help when I can.
And if anyone is still really, REALLY upset… then please forward all your letters to the writers of the "Moley-moley-mole!" joke from Austin Powers in Goldmember because that’s essentially where I stole this from.
The only reason I’m teasing Jaquin at all is because I thought Walk the Line was an exceptional film. One that all of you should see. Cami and I went on Friday and were thoroughly entertained by it. Walking out of the theater, you feel the distinct compulsion to go out and buy every Johnny Cash record you don’t already own.
There’s tons of great music in this film, especially at the begining. It was very interesting to watch Jaquin-as-Cash go out on his first tour with the likes of June Carter, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Who knew they all shared a car driving from gig to gig in the early days.
That’s where all the good-hearted fun lies early on in the movie. All those great songs… it sucks you in! Eventually the movie settles into a lower speed and becomes more of a love story. Cash becomes infatuated to with Carter and seeks to marry her despite his own burgeoning family and wife at home. Carter is especially wary after two marriages end in divorce and the scornful eye "fans" cast upon her because of it. This painful societal pressure of the era is something the film captures well.
As most people know, Cash was an amphetamine addict . This aspect of his life folds neatly into the middle of the latter two-thirds of the movie, but it’s also where the film begins to paint itself into a corner. Cash takes drugs casually at first, but eventually consumes them as a way to medicate the pain of rejection he suffers at the hands of Carter who spurns his advances over the course of 10 years. The film makes a point out of portraying Carter as a paragon of virtue, but she comes off as totally oblivious to the pain she’s inflicting on Cash. She’s the reason he’s destroying himself as a means to get her attention and care.
Details aside, I think it’s the larger dramatic device of the love story that may divide people on this movie. I personally enjoyed this angle quite a bit because I know something about Cash and Carter’s time together and how utterly devoted they were to each other. It’s very sweet. But the movie doesn’t show us that. Basically, Cash proposes to Carter on stage in Canada, she says "yes" and the movie gives us title cards informing us that essentially they lived "happily ever after for the next 35 years." Maybe it was meant to prompt the audience to explore their life together more on their own time. But it ends up feeling like "Crap! This movie is already 2 hours long! We gotta cap this off!"
I think that’s where people kind of throw their hands up if they aren’t thrilled about the love story. I’ve talked to a few people about it already and some complained of expecting something different. What, exactly, they can’t pinpoint. I think these people were looking for more hell-raisin’ in the picture when that’s not really what it’s about.
That said, each of the performances are top notch. Everyone has made a big deal out of Jaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon singing all the songs in the film and with good cause. While Witherspoons voice is a little high and reedy to synch up perfectly with Carter’s, Phoenix’s portrayal was so spot on in points, if you close your eyes, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Although his performance is not an impersonation like Jamie Foxx’s was of Ray Charles in last year’s Ray, I think his is a more accurate re-creation. Foxx got Charles’ mannerisms down – the swaying of the head, his speaking tone and whatnot. But not being able to do the same vocal tricks Charles could do was a sticking point. If they’re handing out Oscars for what Foxx did, Phoenix should be a lock for sure.
Not much else to say at the moment. I got word from my printer over the weekend that the last batch of t-shirts, baby doll tees and hoodies I ordered have been shipped. So I’m expecting those sometime this week. That means those of you who have been waiting to see your order filled will most likely receive a package either late this week or early next. America’s Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday will probably throw a monkey wrench in things, so be patient. You’ve been so tollerant with me so far. It won’t be long now!
For those who like to keep track, it is exactly one month to my birthday today. I’ll be 28 on December 21st. I don’t know if that’s worth anything to anyone, but I felt like mentioning it. After taking pot-shots at the cleft lip crowd, I’m begining to doubt if anyone will get me any presents this year!
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