Buys
Books, books, books. I'm not a huge fan of the new line of Doctor Who books, but I might as well be a completist while that's possible. Chasing after New Adventures now when I remember them being in book stores at the time has taught me a lesson. So I needed to stock up after finishing the 9th one last month. Everything else that was out makes 7 books: The Nightmare of Black Island, The Art of Destruction, The Price of Paradise, Made of Steel (one of those "quick reads", as if the others weren't), The Last Dodo (if Jackie Rayner offers yet another stinker, I'm gonna revise that completist policy), Sting of the Zygons, and Wooden Heart.
As for comics, my store disappointed me again this week with no Martian Manhunter Showcase (among other new books I wanted). What gives? So instead, I got Fables volumes 4 through 6. But I would have gotten those in addition, so they still lost a sale.
"Accomplishments"
We're in the middle of a heatwave over here, so working at my computer can be painful and tiring. That should explain why I only made one card for the WhoCCG, and only went up one level on World of Warcraft (still, 60 to 61 is a long one). No, this week, I was all about crashing in front of the tv or in my bed with a good book.
To start with movies, I flipped Thank You For Smoking since it was a gift and I didn't want to wait too long. I thought it was excellent and the blackest comedy I've seen in a good long while. Warning however: Though there are two commentaries on the DVD, the one with only the director is total balls. He spends the whole time apologizing for doing a crappy commentary and repeats all the information he gave in the commentary with the actors. But the movie itself is unimpeachable.
In the middle of the week, I had a little time so I popped in Bride of the Monster from my Ed Wood boxed set since it was only 70 minutes long. You know what? Despite some terrible acting, sets, direction, editing and story-telling, it's still pretty watchable. Bela Lugosi's "Home? I have no home" speech is as engaging here as it is in the Ed Wood biopic. Gotta get through that boxed set somehow, right?
This weekend, I flipped Good Will Hunting, which I hadn't watched in years. Excellent as always, and I find myself appreciating everyone's naturalistic performances a heck of a lot. The DVD comes with a lot of deleted scenes and an interesting commentary by Gus Van Sant, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The boys aren't as foul-mouthed as they are when commenting on a Kevin Smith release, but still pretty entertaining.
After that, I was still in the mood for math, so I flipped Stranger Than Fiction, something I was putting off because I saw it so recently. Well, it's as charming and effective today as it was when I saw it in a theater last fall. I'm always up for a piece of postmodernism, and Stranger Than Fiction could so easily have been one of those stupid high-concept comedies instead of an almost-tragedy with interesting and quirky characters. No commentary, but plenty of informative featurettes. My favorite thing to come out in 2006.
Speaking of postmodernism, let's get into books. I finished Douglas Coupland's Hey, Nostradamus yesterday morning and it touched me deeply. No clever postmodern tricks à la JPod in this one, but they're not needed or wanted. The novel deal with the after effects of a high school massacre on the lives of four protagonists, but it's not depressing. Sad at times, sure, clever, funny, irreverant, but not depressing. Maybe I'm still reeling from it, but it may be my favorite book of his.
I also finished Fables vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers, in which an army of Pinnochios attacks Fabletown, and you also learn whatever happened to Little Red Riding Hood. I devoured it like the Big Bad Wold did her granny. I have to pace myself with the others, because it'll all be over too soon!
Website finds
I don't often recommend blogs under this category because, well, the ones I read are all in the sidebar, check 'em out, but I've got to mention a specific post on the Absorbascon this week: The Shape of Things to Come. That is the best theory on how the DC multiverse might be constructed. It's just lovely and I hope Scipio is tapping into Grant Morrison's mind, or that Morrison accepts Scip's invitation to steal it as his own for Final Crisis. It's too perfect.
The LEGO Gallery features some really cool customized Legos (and not just superheroes either) by artiste David J. Oakes.
And speaking of Legos, the William Shatner Lego bust is only one of many, many William Shatner portraits featured at The Shatner Show. You can see it live at the Uppercase Gallery in Calgary, Alberta, or online via this link.
Books, books, books. I'm not a huge fan of the new line of Doctor Who books, but I might as well be a completist while that's possible. Chasing after New Adventures now when I remember them being in book stores at the time has taught me a lesson. So I needed to stock up after finishing the 9th one last month. Everything else that was out makes 7 books: The Nightmare of Black Island, The Art of Destruction, The Price of Paradise, Made of Steel (one of those "quick reads", as if the others weren't), The Last Dodo (if Jackie Rayner offers yet another stinker, I'm gonna revise that completist policy), Sting of the Zygons, and Wooden Heart.As for comics, my store disappointed me again this week with no Martian Manhunter Showcase (among other new books I wanted). What gives? So instead, I got Fables volumes 4 through 6. But I would have gotten those in addition, so they still lost a sale.
"Accomplishments"
We're in the middle of a heatwave over here, so working at my computer can be painful and tiring. That should explain why I only made one card for the WhoCCG, and only went up one level on World of Warcraft (still, 60 to 61 is a long one). No, this week, I was all about crashing in front of the tv or in my bed with a good book.
To start with movies, I flipped Thank You For Smoking since it was a gift and I didn't want to wait too long. I thought it was excellent and the blackest comedy I've seen in a good long while. Warning however: Though there are two commentaries on the DVD, the one with only the director is total balls. He spends the whole time apologizing for doing a crappy commentary and repeats all the information he gave in the commentary with the actors. But the movie itself is unimpeachable.
In the middle of the week, I had a little time so I popped in Bride of the Monster from my Ed Wood boxed set since it was only 70 minutes long. You know what? Despite some terrible acting, sets, direction, editing and story-telling, it's still pretty watchable. Bela Lugosi's "Home? I have no home" speech is as engaging here as it is in the Ed Wood biopic. Gotta get through that boxed set somehow, right?
This weekend, I flipped Good Will Hunting, which I hadn't watched in years. Excellent as always, and I find myself appreciating everyone's naturalistic performances a heck of a lot. The DVD comes with a lot of deleted scenes and an interesting commentary by Gus Van Sant, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The boys aren't as foul-mouthed as they are when commenting on a Kevin Smith release, but still pretty entertaining.
After that, I was still in the mood for math, so I flipped Stranger Than Fiction, something I was putting off because I saw it so recently. Well, it's as charming and effective today as it was when I saw it in a theater last fall. I'm always up for a piece of postmodernism, and Stranger Than Fiction could so easily have been one of those stupid high-concept comedies instead of an almost-tragedy with interesting and quirky characters. No commentary, but plenty of informative featurettes. My favorite thing to come out in 2006.
Speaking of postmodernism, let's get into books. I finished Douglas Coupland's Hey, Nostradamus yesterday morning and it touched me deeply. No clever postmodern tricks à la JPod in this one, but they're not needed or wanted. The novel deal with the after effects of a high school massacre on the lives of four protagonists, but it's not depressing. Sad at times, sure, clever, funny, irreverant, but not depressing. Maybe I'm still reeling from it, but it may be my favorite book of his.
I also finished Fables vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers, in which an army of Pinnochios attacks Fabletown, and you also learn whatever happened to Little Red Riding Hood. I devoured it like the Big Bad Wold did her granny. I have to pace myself with the others, because it'll all be over too soon!Website finds
I don't often recommend blogs under this category because, well, the ones I read are all in the sidebar, check 'em out, but I've got to mention a specific post on the Absorbascon this week: The Shape of Things to Come. That is the best theory on how the DC multiverse might be constructed. It's just lovely and I hope Scipio is tapping into Grant Morrison's mind, or that Morrison accepts Scip's invitation to steal it as his own for Final Crisis. It's too perfect.
The LEGO Gallery features some really cool customized Legos (and not just superheroes either) by artiste David J. Oakes.And speaking of Legos, the William Shatner Lego bust is only one of many, many William Shatner portraits featured at The Shatner Show. You can see it live at the Uppercase Gallery in Calgary, Alberta, or online via this link.
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