“I think reading is part of the birthright of the human being,” LeVar Burton said in a 2003 interview. “It’s just such an integral part of the human experience — that connection with the written word.”
I would post an actual press release, but it has too many words and I can’t find the motivation to read it.
If only there was a t.v. show on to get me excited about reading…
Fuck you Bush administration1 you never cease to stick it to us, do you?
“The show’s run is ending, Grant explains, because no one — not the station, not PBS, not the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — will put up the several hundred thousand dollars needed to renew the show’s broadcast rights.
Grant says the funding crunch is partially to blame, but the decision to end Reading Rainbow can also be traced to a shift in the philosophy of educational television programming. The change started with the Department of Education under the Bush administration, he explains, which wanted to see a much heavier focus on the basic tools of reading — like phonics and spelling.”[back]
A good seven years or so back, my summer vacations had nothing but the dismal repetition of factory work day in and day out. Without the cash there’d be no next semester at UWO. During one of those summers, hearing about everyone’s plans and trips really bummed me out. As much as I wanted to hit the road and experience something else, it just wasn’t in the cards. That was until an ad for the Wizard World Chicago Comic Con caught my eye.
A three day pop culture extravaganza that my mind wasn’t ready for. Ever since I had started collection comics going to one of these large cons had been something I could only dream of doing. Since none of my friends were interested, I took a bus down alone and had a blast.
Where else could you witness two grown men in full Storm Trooper costumes arguing over who’s was more authentic and therefore worthy to march in Storm Trooper gathering outside the convention center that afternoon?
Where else could you see extremely over and under weight men in ill-fitting superhero duds prancing around to meet their idols be it comic creator or members of the insane Clown Posse?
Many years later, I still go, and one of the biggest changes—the number of fangirls have increased dramatically. Years before Heroes and the onslaught of successful comic book movies widened the comic book buying population, the comic con attendees objectify any woman without shame or discretion that showed up. Between the insane costumes, the desperate air of sexual frustration, and of course the comics, Comic Con’s an entertainment spectacle and self esteem builder that can’t be missed.
Embedded below nerds after my own heart, who make comic cons worth going to because ease dropping on their conversations make my day.
On Friday, Late Night with David Letterman will have Bill Hicks’ mom on to pay tribute to her late son. They will air Hicks’ twelfth and final appearance on Letterman, which was censored after it had been pre-approved and taped before a studio audience.
The set, which had Pro-Choice among other socially and pop culturally relevant jokes, created a perceived conflict with CBS’ advertisers.
Five months later Hicks died of pancreatic cancer and by all accounts was still pissed at Letterman and CBS.
February will mark the fifteenth anniversary of Bill Hicks’ death and as much as a lot of his material has maintained relevant, it’s hard to understand why Late Night has decided to dredge up something that they have always maintained an elusive distance from addressing.
Get it while you can “The Recently Deflowered Girl” (1965) illustrated by Edward Gorey. The full page scans are quite nice and the only way a lady may learn the proper etiquette following various occasions of being deflowered without her credit card taking a hit. (via Bookslut)
Samuel Beckett fans look here and rejoice. It may not be DVD quality but, it’s better than no Beckett.
Jay-Z + Radiohead = Jaydiohead. Not quite as infectious as The Grey Album, but still fun. Gotta wonder though, there’s a lot of people bringing more creative sounds to Jay-Z albums than Jigga himself as of late.
By Sunday night, if not sooner, any Hollywood executives who might’ve been in the Frank Miller Business will be quickly back pedaling after The Spirit hits theaters Christmas Day.
The adaptation of Will Eisner’s classic comic raised fan’s suspicions when early scenes were screened this summer at the San Diego Comic Con and they looked fucking terrible. As much as I’ve grown up admiring Miller’s work, this looks like a painful movie to sit through let alone pay to see.
Variety: “Frank Miller’s solo writing-directing debut plunges into a watery grave early on and spends roughly the next 100 minutes gasping for air. Pushing well past the point of self-parody” … “There’s a lot going on here, but none of it sticks — not the shopworn plotting nor the arch, stilted dialogue. The actors often seem to be delivering their lines in ironic quote marks, suggesting a straight-faced sendup of noir and comicbook conventions that, whatever the intended effect, falls mostly flat.”
AICN: “I’ve seen something that has taken the top prize from “Battlefield Earth.” … “Okay, Mr. Miller. Let’s get it on.” … “Seriously, it’s not. You clearly don’t have any idea what you’re doing. Someone, ANYONE, over at Lionsgate should have known this. Fuck, it’s their JOB to know this. But they didn’t.” … “Folks, this movie is that bad. I heartily recommend it if you have a strong stomach and an even stronger sense of Bad-Movie-Love. Otherwise, steer clear.”
Miller’s first foray into Hollywood came in the early 90s with his work scripting the two Robocop sequels. Unsatisfied with the experience, Miller rejected opportunities to bring his work to the big screen until Robert Rodriguez offered him the opportunity to have equal creative input. Transitioning Sin City from page to screen did accomplish bringing the specifics of Miller’s noir soaked world to life. After seeing panel after panel faithfully rendered on screen, the overwrought characters and stilted dialogue made made it hard to over look the flaws in Miller’s work. His participation in Sin City was a gesture of respect, yet it yielded the opportunity for Miller to have sole ownership of the director’s chair. Creating comics, while similar in some capacities, is not the same as directing a movie. Each requires different skills, and while it will be interesting to see what becomes of Miller’s directing career—comics has always been a better fit for Miller’s sensibilities.
Craig Ferguson’s show has never grown on me, it’s hard to follow Letterman and compete with Conan. At any rate, Ferguson’s producers wisely brought on Dennis Lehane to promote his new novel The Given Day. It might’ve been great if Ferguson had maybe read a little bit of the novel or really any of Lehane’s novels. Guess some publicity is better though, than no publicity.
It’s that time of the year again, Hollywood executives have been clearing out their desks and have been reminded of all the great scripts they passed on to Greenlight Mamma Mia or some variation of Fools Gold.
Keep in mind this is a Best Liked—not Best OfList, which reading all of the log lines might prove.
Bare in mind, the top three entries of the 2005 list where Things We Lost in the Fire, Juno, and Lars and the Real Girl, so if quality of those movies mean anything to you, read on with guarded enthusiasm.
The Beaver by Kyle Killen
A depressed man finds hope in a beaver puppet that he wears on his hand.
Status: Steve Carell is attached to star.
The Oranges by Jay Reiss and Ian Helfer
“A man has a romantic relationship with the daughter of a family friend, which turns
their lives upside down.”
Status: Anthony Bregman (Thumbsucker) and Media Rights Capital will produce.
Butter by Jason Micallef
“A small town becomes a center for controversy and jealousy as its annual butter carving contest begins.”
Status: Jennifer Garner is in talks to play Laura, Michael De Luca Productions producing.
Big Hole by Michael Gilio
“An old cowboy goes on a mission to recover his money after a million dollar sweepstakes scam cleans out his entire bank account.”
Status: Aversano Films (Failure to Launch) is producing.
The Low Dweller by Brad Ingelsby
“A man trying to assimilate into society after being released from jail discovers that someone from his past is out to settle a score.”
It’s Like: Unforgiven, only less geriatric. And much less forgiving.
Status: Relativity, Energy Entertainment, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Tony and Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions will co-produce.
F*buddies by Liz Meriwether
“A guy and a girl struggle to have an to realize they want much more.”
Status: Montecito Picture Company producing.
Winter’s Discontent by Paul Fruchbom
“When Herb Winter’s wife of fifty years dies, the faithful but sexually frustrated widower moves into a retirement community to start living the swinging single life.”
Status: Sony’s Atlas Entertainment producing.
Broken City by Brian Tucker
“A New York private investigator gets sucked into a shady mayoral election.”
I’m With Cancer by Will Reiser
“A autobiographical comic account of one man’s struggle to beat cancer.”
Status: Seth Rogen is producing and signed on to co-star.
Our Brand Is Crisis by Peter Straughan
“Based on the eponymous documentary. James Carville and a team of U.S. political consultants travel to South Abecome President of Bolivia.”
Status: Warner Bros and George Clooney’s Company producing.
rating: 3 of 5 stars
Pelecanos’ latest focuses on the repercussions a vicious assault and murder has on all of it’s participants many years later. The plotting is proficient and unsurprising, but it takes a backseat to the characters who propel the book forward.
Creating well rounded, sympathetic characters and capturing the rhythms of their speech are strengths that serve Pelecanos much more, than his exposition heavy prose. Time after time Pelecanos uses flat description instead of showing some of the richness of the characters.
“Cody called all Hispanics “Mexicans” considered them adversaries and thieves of American jobs. Cody wore his hair very short and only got it cut at black barbershops. Cody said “forf” for “fourth” and “bruva” for “brother” but to Deon it didn’t seem like he was trying to hard, like all the other white boys. It was who he was.”
With all of the skill Pelecanos puts into his scenes with dialogue, the above example among many, would seem like a great place to show us these two knuckleheads, and play to the reader’s senses instead of just another static description.
Pelecanos knows how to construct characters compelling enough that the end comes quick, even though the plot points can be seen coming a mile away.
