Astonished

I've been meaning to write this a couple of months ago but for no apparent reason, I happen to abandoned this post. Now, with a new spirit I am resurrecting my earlier post. The proposed post is as follows;


As a comic book geek, last week has left me with quite a mixed feeling. On one hand i am very pleased with the finale of Astonishing X-Men, i thought it was superbly done, as always, and on the other hand i was sad that the creative team of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday has left the title. The title started back in 2004, with a projected monthly issue for the next two years. And here we end up with an extra issue and an extra two years. The series undergone some major delays, which caused them to took the extra two years. However, in my opinion, the delays were always worth it.

Those of you who don't know who Joss Whedon is, he is a producer, writer, director, and show runner, most popularly known as the creator of tv shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin off, Angel. When Whedon was confirmed as the writer of the first issue, i got all excited. EVERYONE was excited by the prospect of having an experienced, and reliable writer. Although, the reliability is to the extent of some time constraints. Whedon's power has always been creating a major long plot that is built up through the subplots that exist within the stories he create. In addition, he is a well known wordsmith. I kinda made that one up, since i have no other words better to explain that kind of skill. I guess what i'm trying to say is that he always managed to construct a witty and smart dialogues. And most importantly, Whedon loves and understands the characters. That's the key ingredient.

His wordsmith and stories are backed up by the ever fantastic artist, John Cassaday. He is known for his work with Warren Ellis on the critically acclaimed Planetary. His ability to convert the story he's been given into a vast imagination of a stunningly beautiful sketch is the foundation of the Astonishing X-Men universe. I believe he is the one man that is perfect for the job.

Moving on to the stories, it consists of 4 story arc that interconnects with each other. What i love about this series, other than that ridiculously beautiful art by Cassaday, is that Whedon really know how to build up the momentum of each issues. Every issue is treated like an episode of a tv show. It usually started with some plot development, adding some action scenes in the middle, and ends up with a cracking cliffhanger. However, there are some problems toward the end of the series, which i think has taken too long to conclude. Still, i was patient enough to wait for each issue.

In terms of the characters, it's pleasing to see how deep Whedon has developed them. Cyclops, and Kitty Pride, in particular, are given so much things to do. While Kitty Pride has been a long-time fan favorite, Cyclops has suffered as one of the unlikable characters, despite his status as the team leader. But after this series, i couldn't see any reason why people should hate him anymore. He's tough, smart, and the team wouldn't function without him. Wolverine, who's often put as the main character in the X-books, is placed as the comic relief of this series. It's a joy reading his rants and his witty one liner.

Astonishing X-men is easily one of the best X-books ever. Along with Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips' Criminal, this was probably the best book on the shelf. People who don't usually read this kind of comic should start with this title. This title is comic book at its best. I salute the men behind the title, they have done a truly astonishing job.

Palinesque

Notice that lately the news reports has been focusing on the upcoming US presidential election? You should also notice that the focus is shifting away from Barack Obama, or John McCain. Here I give you the woman who stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.



I was pretty surprised by McCain's decision to pick her. I thought he would've played it safe and gone with Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, or even Arnie. But instead he opted for a woman who is practically an outsider. Apparently she's the governor of Alaska. So I thought, okay, this woman probably has the niche, or the glorifying spirit of Hillary Clinton. And she could possibly get the attention of those who are disheartened by Clinton's defeat, and wanted to give another woman a shot.

Boy, oh boy, could I be any more wrong.


Oh don't get me wrong, I love her. I really do. All of the laugh that came out of my mouth in the past 2 weeks mostly came from her prolific speeches and her sarcastic-but-not-so-bright remarks. Moreover, she encouraged the creativity of Saturday Night Live comedians to make one hell of a spoof of her (most notably Tina Fey's skit). I'll stop right here and let her quotes do the job.


"They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska." --Sarah Palin, on her foreign policy insights into Russia, ABC News interview, Sept. 11, 2008

"Nucular." --Sarah Palin, mispronouncing the word "nuclear" twice, ABC News interview, Sept. 11, 2008

"Perhaps so." --Sarah Palin, when asked if we may need to go to war with Russia because of the Georgia crisis, ABC News interview, Sept. 11, 2008

"A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made." --Sarah Palin, dismissing global warming as influenced by human activity, Newsmax interview, Aug. 2008

"I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq." --Sarah Palin, interview with Alaska Business Monthly, March 2007

"I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you." --Sarah Palin, asked by Katie Couric to cite specific examples of how John McCain has pushed for more regulation in his 26 years in the Senate, CBS interview, Sept. 24, 2008

"I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'" --Sarah Palin, as quoted by former City Council Member Nick Carney, after he raised objections about the $50,000 she spent renovating the mayor's office without approval of the city council




Still not enough? Oh don't worry, i'm saving the best for last:

"As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?" --Sarah Palin, interview with CNBC's "Kudlow & Co", July 2008

Out of the Past

The late 1940’s saw an era that redefines the world of cinema, especially in the US. It’s the golden years of film noir. Granted, that the first film noir wasn’t produced in the US, but when European directors like Fritz Lang, or Michael Curtiz came to the US with their visions and distinct style, it gave birth to numbers of film noirs in the US. Fritz Lang’s M, John Huston’s Maltese Falcon and Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity may be the ones that people always talk about when it comes to film noir, but for me, Out of the Past stands alone as the best of all time.



Robert Mitchum stars as the reluctant hero, Jeff Bailey. A man who are running away from his past and live a quiet small town while hoping to make a better future with his new girlfriend, Ann. His hopeful future is ruined when a man of his past came seeing him, asking him to see his old boss, Whit Sterling. Bailey had done business as private investigator for Sterling before. But when the job involves him with Sterling’s girlfriend, Kathie Moffat, it all went straight to hell. As Bailey told Ann about what happened then with him and Kathie, the truth of his past began to unfold. A couple of years ago Bailey fell in love with Kathie when he was working with Sterling, and they decided to run away together. But their happiness was only temporary when they were discovered by Bailey’s partner, and Kathie had to kill him. They never saw each other again after that.

The plot covers the basic storyline of film noir. It involves the protagonists who fell in love with the wrong woman, and tangled in the labyrinth of deceit and problems. While the plot is seemingly similar to other film noir, Out of the Past came out better because of superior cast, amazing direction, and the sense of moral ambiguity towards the end. Jacques Tourneur’s direction, combined with the superb cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca, created a beautiful pictures that uses extensive shadows and dark cinematography which never loses the grip of the story throughout the film. There was never a dull moment in this one, unlike other film noir (I found Maltese Falcon dull and meandering in some parts). The use of voice over narration also helps to develop the character, without losing its subtlety.

The stellar cast is led by the amazing Robert Mitchum. His deep voice, mannerism, and gleamy eyes were the highlight of the film. It makes you empathize, and feel sorry for him. To me, he is probably the best film noir actor ever, even better that Humphrey Bogart. Kirk Douglas played a great mobster/bad guy, Whit Sterling. But the real talent is on Jane Greer. Portraying the deceitful Kathie Moffat, Greer managed to put a superb performance with layers of personality for her character. I agreed with people who said that she is the ultimate femme fatale. A femme fatale is a woman you loved for all the wrong reasons. She may struck you as this beautiful, loving, and seductive at first, but she never showed her true color. That’s what Greer is portraying. You’ll love Kathie Moffat instantly when you seen her on the screen, just like Bailey did. But everything isn’t what it seems. Her motivation was never truly explained, she just acts on her best interest, and it’s hard to separate the lies from the fact. It’s hard to picture a modern day actress that can portray Moffat better than Jane Greer. Another thing that really grabs me is that all of the character was never presented in black and white. You can’t just point a finger to one man and say, “that’s the bad guy”. All of the characters are in the grey area, and they have their own sets of principles that differs them from each other. That’s why I liked film noir in the first place.

Lastly, there’s the ambiguous ending. It’s the moment when Ann ask Bailey’s deaf best friend. The answer, I’m not gonna spoil it for you, is the truest essence of a masterful story telling. What the answer means is the viewer’s choice to make. I felt this long pause after the end credit is rolled before I could come up with a possible answer and realize what a powerful scene that the ending was. After all, the movie is about a man who wants to escape his past, and a woman who wants to escape her future.

My spider sense is tingling

It's almost 2 am and my spider sense is off the hook. And it has something to do with comic book.

Okay, The Dark Knight turned out to be a HUGE success. It surpasses the expectations, even created a bigger fan base for the character. Now the studio executive geniuses (pardon my sarcasm) at Warner Bros. are attempting to use the same formula from The Dark Knight, and try to apply it to revive the Superman franchise. They said that the “dark, and brooding nature” of The Dark Knight are the key ingredients to successfully resurrect Superman franchise.


Now that’s what I called stupid.


The very nature of Batman IS dark and brooding. Superman? Not so much. The guy is the biggest Boy Scout on the planet. He endorsed justice, the American way. He is the very role model of the perfect human, though he isn’t one technically. Come on, we’ve already seen emo Spidey, and melodramatic Superman in the past 2 years, have people learned nothing from that experience? The problem with Superman is not on its presentation of the character, but on the inability to provide Superman with worthy villains. Lex Luthor is treated like a real estate mogul, rather than an evil genius that wanted the world. Luthor should be the evil version of Tony Stark with the wit and manipulative skill of Ben Linus of Lost, at the very least, and it would be good to throw in Brainiac or General Zod into the mix just so Superman can have real ass to kick.

Here’s a more preferable solution. First they need to reboot the Superman series. Forget the continuity of the whole series until Superman Returns, and start fresh. Try to explore more on Clark Kent’s motivation to become Superman, develop Lex Luthor into a worthy villain, add one extra supervillain, and do a recast the entire characters, although I wouldn’t mind to see Brandon Routh back as Superman. I think he’s the best thing on Superman Returns. The rest of the cast, however, needs to be recast, especially the disaster that is called Kate Bosworth. A capable director is also needed,someone who’s in the same league as Chris Nolan, or Jon Favreau.

Now if those solutions above are somehow read and understood by one of the studio executives, though it would be very much improbable, I may regain my faith in humanity. Or at least what’s left of it.

Politic Has Never Been This Great

I don't usually make a political comment, not that i don't have any opinion or anything, but I just don't think what i say will make any difference. And of course, politic isn't really my cup of tea. However, the recent US democratic national convention has made politic a bit more interesting subject. Obama's speech on the convention is pretty much encouraging, and sounded very convincing. I'm not gonna discuss his agenda, but a couple of things that he said actually hits me. If I were an American, I'd be very proud of him.This is what he said:

“It is that promise that has always set this country apart – that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

“It is why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women – students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

“We meet at one of those defining moments – a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more."

“America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.”

“This moment – this election – is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”

Pretty neat, isn't it? Another thought that i had is that younger people will tend to put their vote on Democrats. The thing about Democrats is they usually oppose war, violence, promising peace, and support diplomacy rather than go strength to strength with their enemies. These are the kind of things that great presidents of the states like Roosevelt or Kennedy often stressed on their speech. I agree on most of that but sometimes I think Republicans are more willing to go the distance to deal with certain situations. Their actions, in my point of view, are more extreme in some ways, but all of it came from their love of their own country. They'd done stuff that Democrats don't have the guts to do. However, their actions are often unjustifiable, and deeply hurting a lot of people for their own good. I've been having this thought for a while now, that kinda left me pondering. And today, Obama kinda answer my doubt;

“We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans – have built, and we are to restore that legacy.


“As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

“I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing so that America is once more the last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.”

My doubts and questions has been answered. Is he really gonna do what he said he's gonna do? Only time will tell. May them (Americans) chose what best for them, and they should also keep in mind that their choice will influence the shape of this world.

Now, the fun part. I just found out that the Democratic Convention is also supported by the performance of a couple of artist, and musician that i really, really like. They are Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie, Zooey Deschanel, of She & Him, and Jenny Lewis, of Rilo Kiley. It's not all, Jonathan Rice, Nada Surf, and Cold War Kids also highlighted the convention. Holy shit, this is bigger than Big Day Out! I've been dreaming to watch them perform live, and now they're actually performing TOGETHER on the SAME STAGE? Be still my heart. All it takes is one hell of a presidential candidate with inspiring words. Who thought politics can be this fun?

Weekly Recap #2

Okay, i haven't done this in quite a while, but i think it's worth writing. It's the weekly recap thingy that i did back a couple of months ago. I just assumed that somebody really did read what i wrote in this blog. Anyhow, this is the latest scoop on my week:

Movies
I saw just one film on the cinema this week, which is Wanted. I have to say that it's pretty disappointing. They changed the story too much from the comic book. I'm not saying it's a bad adaptation, but it lacks the thrills and excitement of the comic book. I think the story is there, but the execution isn't right. The bullet bending, the train action scene, are wasted. It's full of slow motion, exaggerated action scenes that are out of place. I guess it's better if Bekmambetov uses the conventional hard boiled action like in the first Die Hard movie. That said, i still recommend you to watch this film, solely because of Angelina Jolie's perfect ass.

On the DVD, i'm still going with the Woody Allen marathon that i started a couple of weeks ago. The last of his film that i saw was Play it Again, Sam. I am really surprised with this movie. I thought his best work was in Annie Hall, or Manhattan, but Play it again, Sam actually has more laughs than the movie i mentioned before. I mean, that movie is basically Allen's homage to Casablanca and Humphrey Bogart, but he wrote it perfectly that it fits his comedic style and richly filled one liner that will make you laugh so hard, it hurts. Of course, you have to watch Casablanca first to get the majority of the jokes. Now, Woody Allen has emerged as one of my favorite director, despite some of his weak films during the 90's.

Music
I haven't heard anything new, just some old stuff from Wilco that was released last year, titled Sky Blue Sky. It's a pretty solid album. Highly recommended for those who like easy listening, yet deep and soulful music, with the touch of folksy tune. Meanwhile, i am still in awe after watching Sigur Ros performed live at the Festival Hall last week. It was just beautiful. There's just no right word to describe their music, let alone their live performance. It's safe to say that their live performance is one of the better of all the bands that i've seen performed live.

TV
One show that caught my eye this week is Pushing Daisies. I rarely see a love story on tv medium that i liked. But this one is an exception. This cute little show has its own unique presentation by blending comedy and drama. It mostly attracts me because of the quirky characters, great lines, and adorable chemistry of its cast. The other thing that i liked is Anna Friel. She really got Zooey Deschanel vibe in this show. I found her character to be bearing a resemblance with Audrey Tautou's Amelie. This is definitely a worth watching tv show. At least, this can keep me accompanied while i wait for the fifth season of Lost.

Highlight of the Week
The one thing that would be the highlight of this week is the trailer of Watchmen. Being skeptical at first, the footage and trailers has proven me wrong. The set, costume, even the environment that is captured in the film is like a panel of the comic book. I wonder if the final film will be as good as it looks in the trailer.

It's no secret many people do not believe that Watchmen is filmable, like i said in previous post, including me. This is probably the most complex graphic novel ever written. It deals with complex issues, layers and layers of story, loads of philosophy, and to think that all of it can be packed into two hour long feature is just seem very improbable. This is the book that changed the face of comic industry forever. This is where comic book was acknowledged not only as kid's read, but also as a work of classic literature.

Back to the trailer, i think it really capture the dark world of Watchmen. The characters look very much alive, as well as the set design and the overall feel of the world within the film. And the most interesting part is the soundtrack for the trailer. It's the other version of Smashing Pumpkins' The End is the Beginning is the End, which coincidentally was the soundtrack of the worst superhero movie of all time, Batman and Robin. It's very gloomy, and somewhat managed to set the tone for the trailer. So, here ya go, here's the link to that trailer; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3orQKBxiEg

I'm gonna leave you with a word of advice, READ.THE.GODDAMN.BOOK. It's worth it, believe me. I, myself, had just finished reading it for the sixth or seventh time. And i still got something new every time i read it.

Office Poem

I love the Office very much. I started out watching the US version, and i just recently watched the UK version. Both are brilliant, with their own unique style. And this is the one of the funniest moment of The Office UK, where David Brent, the socially inept office manager, read his own poem to his secretary, Dawn;

'EXCALIBUR' by David Brent I froze your tears and made a dagger, and stabbed it in my cock forever. It stays there like Excalibur, Are you my Arthur? Say you are. Take this cool dark steeled blade, Steal it, sheath it, in your lake. I’d drown with you to be together. Must you breathe? Cos I need Heaven I literally rolling on the floor laughing after he read his poem with such seriousness and intensity. Only one thing that comes to my mind after that, Ricky Gervais is a genius. Bloody genius.