Selkie

hmm....Mine went back into that other dimension I just returned from and they haven't come back yet.

That probably doesn't help you out....That probably just freaks you out...and you know? Sometimes, that's OK!

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Your response freaks me out all right, just not for the reason(s) you probably think. Don't want to tell more till the beastie is completed - let's just say there's an other-dimensional component to her make-up, and it's one I hadn't originally intended.

A personality test? Now there's an option I hadn't thought of. Hmmm ...

No, in fact, I'm working on a sculpture. It's almost finished, except for this absolutely crucial detail. I started it one way, then second guessed myself and now don't know what to do. Based on the input I've received thus far, both here and elsewhere, I'm feeling reassured that there might be no *wrong* way to do this. The sculpture isn't of a human, but it (and will be) impossible to find pictures of this animal in this position, so human is the next best thing, espcially since this isn't a strictly realistic sculpture. The sense of the body straining upward, pulling itself up with its own arms and hands, is absolutely key to the entire work, and I want it to be believable. Given the way the real animal is shaped, I suspect fingers facing toward each other is what would would really happen, but fingers pointing away from the body is a little more dramatic, and this one's all about the drama.

Deep in my heart, I know I'm overthinking this, but can't stop myself.

Answers may affect events in the real world....

Imagine that you're boosting yourself up into a flat, horizontal surface, like the giant stairstep or the top of a fence. The catch is, you're doing so without using your legs or feet - just your hands, arms, and chest. As you do so, do your fingers point slightly toward each other, or away from each other?

I told you it was the strangest question you'd hear all day....

If you're counting Elseworlds, Gotham by Gaslight is worth a look.

Prudence, you missed out on Batman/Grendel OA?!

OUCH!

I'd just about kill for a good page from that series (assuming you mean the first one, at least). I missed my absolute favorite page on eBay a couple of years ago, and have never forgiven myself. And never will.

$2.20 and rising for the cheapest grade of gas here in the Chicago 'burbs.

Can I consider myself a Hellblazer fan if I only like some of the books, plus the movie?  And more importantly, is there a nifty keen handshake and membership card?

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Genevieve: ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Ahem.

Stand inside a pentagram of lit candles when you handle the membership card. Just, um, be careful, OK? Warning about secret handshake not being performed in front of children is so true. Trust me on this. Best not to do it in front of perceptive pets, either.

And the bit with the cats? Strictly optional. Don't let the boys tell you otherwise.

Josh, you really think Delano's run is one of the less gory ones? Are you trying to scare the poor newbie half to death?

Well, it looks like my theory about who did and din't like Spider-man 2 has just been killed. Drat. I finally dug up an old post I wrote when the movie was released. Not as detailed as I remembered it being, but here goes:

OK, it's official. I'm a grouch. A grump. Impossible to please. I wanted to like this movie, but couldn't. In some respects, this movie was the flipped image of the first. I thought the human angles (especially superhero powers as puberty metaphor) of the first movie generally worked, whereas the action sequences left me flat cold. In this, the action worked well but the human areas didn't. The improvements in the CGI were quite striking, and welcome.

 

But first, some gushing over Alfred Molina's performance is in order. Whether as Dr. Octavius or Doc Ock, I was absolutely riveted every moment he was on-screen. Every nuance in his expression was pitch perfect throughout. *His* character's perspective on the story I would have desperately loved to see, because I think it would have been much more interesting than Spider-man's. I would have loved to see a fuller exploration of his character's shift from arrogant but humane scientist to super-villain. The "the arms were controlling his mind until the end" bit didn't quite cover it for me. I think the self-justification of his increasingly violent actions could have been quite something to watch.

 

That's the only point in the movie I would have liked to see more of. Everything else was driven home once (or twice, or three times) too often. Even I, the queen of bad luck, can't relate to character who's quite as hard luck as Peter Parker was portrayed Was anyone else waiting for him and his friends to break out into a rousing rendition of "It's a Hard Knock Life"? His incessant whining about "When do I get what I want" didn't strike a particularly sympathetic chord either.

 

Don't even start me on Mary Jane. Just how stupid is this woman? She gets her face plastered all over New York in an ad for an international perfume company, but she still has no money? She's *engaged* to someone who seems to be a really nice guy who treats her well, but she waits to throw him over for someone else *on their wedding day* (and doesn't even have the guts to show up in the church herself - she sends a note?!)

 

But mostly, the thing felt like it needed another round in the editing room to trim the flab. Landlord's daughter served no purpose, unless she's set-up for the next movie. Too many superfluous scenes that worked fine on their own, but cumulatively were too much (e.g., the woman butchering the Spider-man theme song. Once was plenty). The audience's snickering over the "passing Spider-man from hand-to-hand-overhead was an excellent signal that it, too, needed to be altered significantly.

 

From cringe-inducing dialogue to downright silliness like a bank vault full of sacks of gold to outrageously unbelievable relationship material, the film felt hokey. I'm told that a lot of the material was faithful to the comics of the 1970's. Perhaps that's so, but if they wanted the attention and respect from this 21st century audience member, some serious updating and overhauling was needed. Why does the superhero genre get so little respect? Stories like this one.

true fact : every time an orthodox priest sees me, he makes a gesture to ward off evil spirits - something to do with the medallion i wear around my neck, some sort of aztec, inca or mayan symbol.

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I used to get that reaction from ordinary Catholics while I was in junior high school just for wearing a Tardis key around my neck. Apparently there was even talk amongst the teachers at some point about whether it was a "cult symbol" and I could therefore be banned from wearing it.

I wish I were making this story up.

I made it through Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower is just a hairsbreadth over a week. I feel like I deserve some kind of medal for that feat. Still haven't decided whether to be pissed at the direction King took with the series, or agree that it's the only way the story could have gone.

I do think the coda to the last book is *exactly* what it needed to be, but the rest? Can't make up my mind. Glad I rented these from the library rather than paying for them.

My discount card with Blockbuster is about to expire, so plan on seeing me post often on this thread!

Uzumaki was not all that I'd hoped for. I wondered how the manga's Lovecraftian sense of dread would translate to live action. While there were moments of genuine creepiness, I found most of them were outweighed by often unintential silliness. I know a lot of horror fans love this movie, but IMHO, stick to the manga.

Wicker Park. I don't know what to say. If one strips away the non-linear storytelling method, the underlying plot is wretched on a variety of levels. At the same time I've got to admit, I enjoyed the film as I watched it. It's only later, when all the pieces were available to be reassembled, that its trainwreck quality is revealed. I plan on seeking out the French original, which by all accounts is a far superior movie. Somehow I don't think my Bloackbuster card is going to be any help on that one.

Didn't he kiss her before he went into the building to face Balthazar?

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No. He leaned close and the audience was set up to expect him to kiss her - not unlike what he did at the end when he gave her the spear - but all he did was put the amulet around her neck.

Too right. I think the artwork of the earlier issues would be better suited to black and white. The paper and the coloring technology of yesterday were nothing like we have today.

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Another vote for B&W for early Hellblazer, and, while they're at it, Sandman Mystery Theatre and absolutely anything (else) illustrated by Guy Davis. I'd love to see the Alan Moore Swamp Thing issues in B&W. If they felt that B&W wouldn't sell, I'd like to see them recolored, the way Dark Horse did with the early Grendels. I had no idea about the B&W Titan TPBs. Anyone know what issues they cover? I might try seeking those out.

I own the original art to one of the Ridgway pages from HB #9, and it's *amazing* in black-and-white as opposed to color. Compare even this lousy low res scan to the printed page for some idea of the difference.

Can't for the life of me find my original review of this film, but to make a long story short, I thought it was one of the worst superhero films of the last five years or so.

I enjoyed the movie, but I'd love to read your review. 8-)

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I'm still searching for my original comments, because they'll be much more specific than anything I can come up with now. Let's start here: did you watch the Spider-man cartoon as a wee one? So far, everyone I know who did loves the movie, and everyone who didn't hates it. I am in the latter category.

Well, I hate it except for Alfred Molina's performance. I kept hoping Doc Ock would finish off Spider-man so the movie would finally end.

I have a REALLY hard time seeing how a sequel could possibly rectify the bad points, since they've written themselves into a corner through the christian overtones and ridiculous "half-breeds" system, which excludes the plethora of other mythologies HB otherwise explores.

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Red, thanks for the review.

Whether deliberately or not, I think the script would allow other mythologies to be used in subsequent movies. I don't think that's what will actually happen, mind you - Christianity sells - but the door is open. Note how many times the movie uses conditionals like "If Isabelle were a Catholic and committed suicide, then ..." It wouldn't be too hard to use argue later that a person's religious beliefs determine which set of "rules" they're judged by.

Mind you, I still can't figure out what Papa Midnite, described as a "witch doctor" would be praying over Chaz and Constantine, unless that's not the Christian god he's addressing. (Damn my all-too-rusty Latin).

Just added a second person to my "Ignore" list in the course of less than a week. <sigh> Anyone else remember when we could discuss the most intimate details of our beliefs (and even practices) without anyone calling another poster an asshole, a racist, or other label? It didn't seem that long ago...

Josh, that's an interesting Oscar story you have there. Do you know whether a similar sentiment exists amongst the lesbian community? I ask, because for all these years it's never occurred to me that my high volume movie and Oscar watching might be one of the reasons people always assume I'm gay.

My sister questioned the bags of gold. I pointed out that a man with metal tentacles was fighting a teenager with spider powers and she shut the fuck up.

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The fact that it's a man with metal tentacles fighting a teenager with spider powers is precisely why stuff like the bags of gold bothers me. I'm a big believer in the idea that a superhero movie set in anything resembling the "real" world gets to have one aspect that requires a huge suspension of disbelief. Everything else must flow naturally, logically, and realistically, and that's where Spider-man fails for me. It relies entirely too much on coincidence, contrived situations, a bunch of relationships that I didn't buy for a bit, and more. That's on top of the fact the movie was too long, and contained extraneous stuff like the scenes regarding the landlord's daughter, which felt like a subpplot that was partially but not completely excised on the cutting room floor.

Finally saw Spider-man 2. Loved it! How many of you miserable bastards didn't?

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So am I officially the one person in the entire universe who hated every scene of this movie that didn't include Alfred Molina?! Gods, I thought this thing was an overly long cheesefest in all the wrong ways. Why all the anachronisms like the bags of gold in the bank? Hello?

Can't for the life of me find my original review of this film, but to make a long story short, I thought it was one of the worst superhero films of the last five years or so.

Thanks so much for letting us know Capalert had gotten around to posting their review. I've been dying to see what they'd say. Given their history, I'm surprised their outrage wasn't stronger than it was. although there's plenty of room for merriment.

Color me amused, for all the wrong reasons. Capalert has provided me with so much entertainment over the years I've been half-tempted to make a donation.

I've been a diehard Oscar junkie for as long as I can remember. I don't mistake it for a stamp of quality or anything, but I've always gotten a huge kick out of predicting the winners (I'm normally unbeatable) and haven't missed it since 1979. All I can say is:

Note to Chris Rock: You're black. We get it. Those of us watching might have noticed a good comedian instead of a black man if you'd let us, but you didn't. Between race-baiting that would have gotten a white man booted off stage, and your startlingly unfunny commentary, if you ever host again even I will not watch the Oscars. I had no opinion as to the quality of your work before tonight, but you're now on my permanent ignore list.

Ahem. As for the actual awards. I thought this year was an unusually weak one for Oscar bait films, and the win of MDB for Best Picture clinched it. Not only was it not even close to the BP of the year, it wasn't even in the top three of the nominated films.

Nice to see Morgan Freeman get an Oscar, I just wish it weren't for a film in which he plays Morgan Freeman. Nice to see Eternal Sunshine get its well-deserved screenplay award, which was one of the few wins I could enthusiastically support. Ditto for Jamie Foxx in Ray.

What was with all the drunken presenters on stage? I don't think it's ever been so obvious. Sean Penn, lay off the sauce already!

Not a good year.

Has anyone heard from Keeyah since she watched Gothika? I say we all band together and buy flowers for her room at the hospital.

Keeyah, take a deep breath and relax. It'll all be over soon. It won't feel soon, but it will be - take it from another Gothika survivor. Focus on Robert Downey Jr. and block out everything else.

We're here to help you during your recovery.

In the last two weeks, EW's given positive reviews to Epileptic and Persepolis. I certainly didn't notice any bias in favor of Gaiman, but may have missed some.

The big comic review section disappeared into their monthly "Listen2This" section that subscribers could opt into, but I believe even that section no longer exists. A shame, because the reviewers were not only bringing mainstream attention to comics, for the most part, they were selecting good ones.