1. One of those weeks where I was very busy and productive, but feel like I didn't really get anything done. Very little actually ended up in the 'finished' pile, since I ended up passing from one project to another or deciding after a few hours' work that this one isn't going to fly after … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Federalist Papers, Mission Impossible, Trailers
Movies
Friday Flotsam: From Napoleon to Puss in Boots to Writing Advice
1. It's Bastille Day, commemorating that great day in the cause of liberty when an urban mob stormed a mostly-empty prison that was already slated for demolition, freed a handful of criminals and lunatics, then burned it to the ground. Sure, why not? 2. Speaking of which, Ridley Scott is apparently coming out with a … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: From Napoleon to Puss in Boots to Writing Advice
Meeting Nancy
Yesterday I got to satisfy a long-held wish. Pretty much ever since I first saw A Nightmare on Elm Street - which is still one of my favorite horror films - I'd hoped to have the chance to meet the lovely Heather Langenkamp, who plays protagonist Nancy. See, I'm one of those odd people who … Continue reading Meeting Nancy
Friday Flotsam: Box Office, Generational Lag, Education
1. Dipping into box office news, I'm glad to see that the lingering waste product of a failed and canceled franchise starring a violent lunatic is failing hard at the box office, despite the desperate presence of an overpaid relic from the days of comparative cultural confidence. Likewise the latest offering of the studio that … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Box Office, Generational Lag, Education
Friday Flotsam: Post Lent Crash, John Wick, and More
1. This week has been largely consumed by the post-Lent crash; where you've spent weeks holding off from various temptations, denying yourself certain pleasures, then have a few days of intense emotional energy and effort in reaching the pinnacle of the liturgical year...and all at once, you're done, and you can do all the things … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Post Lent Crash, John Wick, and More
Kaiju Appreciations: ???
My latest Kaiju Appreciation video is up; this one deals with one of the most legendary of all movie monsters! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91CV75N-U2k Keep Reading for More Yeah, it's an April Fool's joke. I've been looking forward to posting this one. For those who are wondering what the heck they just watched, let me tell you. In … Continue reading Kaiju Appreciations: ???
The 90-Year Reign of Kong
Over at The Everyman, I mark the 90th anniversary of King Kong with a retrospective: The first thing stands out, comparing King Kong to its modern progeny, is that the story is, in style at least, considerably simpler and more artificial than that of films today. There is little effort at verisimilitude in either the … Continue reading The 90-Year Reign of Kong
RIP Mr. B.I.G.
I just learned that Mr. Bert I. Gordon has passed away at the ripe age of 100. Those with even a passing knowledge of the sci-fi films of the 1950s do not need to be told about Mr. Gordon, nor those who grew up watching Mystery Science Theater 3000, of which he was a frequent … Continue reading RIP Mr. B.I.G.
Kaiju Appreciations: Legendary Kong
As I said, part of my Lenten fast is giving up most video content. However, this doesn't extend to working on my own videos, since I want to pick up on the pace on those. And today I finished and uploaded my latest one: an appreciation for Legendary Kong, the version of Kong from the … Continue reading Kaiju Appreciations: Legendary Kong
Rian Johnson: The Voice of a Generation
Over at The Everyman, I explain why Rian Johnson deserves the coveted title of Voice of a Generation: But amazingly incompetent writers are a dime-a-dozen in Hollywood these days (see also Zack Snyder). It takes more than that to be crowned the voice of a generation. He who would aspire to such a title must … Continue reading Rian Johnson: The Voice of a Generation
Serpent's Den 