dto2865's Xanga

"The Post Game Report": Comic-Con International: San Diego, Part 2 (The Positives)

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:11:11 GMT

   I know that almost a month has passed since CCI:SD ended. In my previous related entry, I discussed (OK, vented) the things that I thought were...well...negative about the show. Upon reviewing that entry, I noticed just how much I had to say then. It's kind'a humorous, actually. True though it may have been, it's still funny.

   With that said, it would be rather imbalanced of me to not cover the things that I thought were positive. While there were seemingly a lot of bad things, there weren't nearly as many good things. However, it's the QUALITY not the quanity that matters here. So, without further ado...

The GOOD:
1. Before the show began, I was told by Dennis & Lee that I was being given a promotion of sorts. For the last few years, I have been serving as the Promotions manager for BloodFire Studios. It was my responsibility to basically "pimp" our books in the best way I could. I made a lot of media contacts and whatnot.
   Well, I am now the Line Editor for our upcoming new line of anime/manga influenced products. The working name of this line is "Hakujin Press," which is ironically appropriate. (Its Japanese slang for "white guys.") I'm currently developing at least 3-5 titles for the line.
   I was also told that HSA is going to be the "flagship" title for the new line! I'm stoked about that!
2. Unfortunately, this will mean that I won't be able to really write any of the comics that I'm working on. This is because I can't be editing my own work. But, this is a very GOOD thing.
   In the capacity of my new position, I had the amazing opportunity to meet with 3 extremely well-known creators during the show. The first one is a legend in the anime world. He wants to work with us, specifically within Hakujin. This means that I will be his boss! The irony is that, several years ago, he was MY boss!
   The 2nd writer is an industry veteran who's worked for both of the Big 2 (Marvel/DC), as well as Dark Horse and the now-defunct Cross-Gen line, the latter of which she was the senior writer/editor. I spoke to her specifically about HSA because I wanted to have a writer who knows how to handle a strong female character. She was super-excited about the concept. I was really afraid that she might be turned-off by it, because on the surface, it's a "fast cars, hot babes" type of concept. About 5 minutes into what would be a 30-mins. conversation, she not only understood the concept, but she GOT what we were trying to do and say with/in HSA! Her biggest concern was the same as mine. Recently, there have been a few of car-based comics released, each of them pretty much failing miserably. We both agreed that since there has been a lot of character development, HSA should stand head-&-shoulders above the rest.
   The 3rd creator is another big name in the Americanized anime world. He wants to bring his pet project(s) to us. When Lee told him that I'd most likely be heading up those projects, this guy seemed pretty comfortable and happy about it.
   By the way, I am not at liberty to name names right now. This is because of 2 reasons. First, we haven't signed them as yet. It's all based upon "handshake agreements," nothing official as yet. Second, I don't want to jinx anything!
3. One of my friends, Parry Shen (movie actor: "Better Luck Tomorrow," "Hatchet"), edited this new graphic novel called "Secret Identities." It's an anthology about Asian-American superheroes created by Asian-Americans. (You can order it from Amazon.com)
   It was the first time that his company had a booth at the show. Add to this that he also had scheduled the various creators to do signings there. Well, Lee told Parry about how I had worked "security detail" for William Shatner during Free Comic Book Day this past May. Parry asked me if I could help out. Naturally, me being "Fanboy Supreme," said sure. So, I wound up working security on Friday for Keiko Agema (from "Gilmore Girls") & on Saturday for Kelly Hu ("Martial Law," "X2/X-Men 2: X-Men United").
   Keiko was really nice, very cool. I really didn't know what to expect because I've never seen her TV series. Her husband cracked me up. He had bought 2 T-shirts that were really funny, but she wasn't too amused. Keiko was also selling her personal line of hand-crafted jewelry. Really neat stuff.
   Kelly, on the other hand, I totally knew what to expect! I had met her 6 years earlier. Naturally, she didn't remember, but that didn't matter. She's still drop-dead gorgeous! Extremely kind & patient, most gracious. She's awesome!
   After she had completed her scheduled signing, I asked her if she'd like to meet a friend of mine. She kind'a looked at me funny...that is, until I told her his name: Billy Tucci, creator of "Shi." Her eyes lit up and her smile widened. Of all the people at the show, he was the one she really wanted to meet. So, naturally, I made that happen!
   I escorted her & Parry to Billy's booth. There was the usual large gathering there. I asked Kelly to wait just behind Billy's booth for a second. She & Parry stood back and waited. I walked up behind Billy and said, "Hey, Billy! I brought youa present!" I signaled them to come over. Billy flipped out! I had never seen him almost speechless before. Kelly was stoked, too. Once they got over the initial shock, they discussed business. Billy's been trying to produce a "Shi" movie for years. He kept saying how he'd love to have Kelly play her. Well, now that might happen! (Thanks to "Fanboy Supreme.")
4. I got to hang out with my friend Candace Kita a couple of times. However, I was a little bummed because she had brought her own entourage this time, so there wasn't as much room at her autograph area. I didn't want to crowd her, so I kept my time brief.
5. I was able to reconnect with a few old show friends & acquaintances, as well as make a couple of new friends. I was able hang with them a little bit, which is always cool. Of the new friends, Jason was the coolest. He got drafted to work security for Kelly with me. We kept cracking each other up almost the whole time, especially when the guys who worked with Parry got, shall we say, edgy & cranky.

   For the most part, this year's show had its fair share of pluses & minuses. But, I still had a great time. I know that next year, it's going to be different for me. I'm probably not going to be able to wander around as much because of my job title & the fact that we expect Hakujin ought to be in full effect by then. But, I'm hoping that I'll be able leave the booth to do some walkabout.

   So, there you have it. The complete summary of what happened to me at this year's show. Next year's show is going to be so exciting! I'm hoping to have at least 2-3 books form my line out by then!

   So, as usual, stay tuned.....

At the Aisle Seat: "GI Joe: The Rise of COBRA"

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:22:20 GMT

   What appears to be the last of the big summer "tent-pole" blockbusters has finally arrived. And, it's causing quite an on-line stir! I don't think that there's been such a clear-cut division amongst the so-called pundits. And, to muck things up a bit more, I'm going to add my "$1.95's" worth into the frey. And, as usual, it'll be spoiler free..!


   Where to begin? Well, if you're a child of the 80's like me, then you already have a pretty good idea about the premise. If not, here's the skinny: GI Joe is the code name of a multi-national special forces strike groups who's mission is to keep the world safe from various ruthless terrorist organizations. They have hi-tech weapons, equipment & vehicles to aid them. Each member of GI Joe goes by a "call-sign designator." (That's military jargon for "code names")

   Unlike most movies of this genre, the story pretty much hits the ground running. You get filled in as the (so-called) plot unfolds. There are plenty of flashbacks mixed in for exposition.

   The story takes place "in the near future." This is to makes things more palatable. I mean, with all of the futuristic gear used in this film, it only makes sense.

   The lead character in this film is Capt. Conrad Hauser (Call-sign: Duke), played by Channing Tatum. The story is told thru his perspective. Along for the ride is his best friend Sgt. Wallace Weems (Call-sign: Ripcord). Ripcord is played by Marlon Wayans, following in the footsteps of his big brother's shoes. (Keenan Ivory Wayans starred in the miltary action flick "Most Wanted" in the 90's)
   The GI Joe team is commanded by General Clayton Abernathy ("Hawk"), perfectly played by Dennis Quaid. The "Alpha Team" consists of Shanna "Scarlett" O'Hara (Rachel Nichols), "Breaker" (Said Taghmaoui), "Heavy Duty" (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje from "Lost") & "Sanke-Eyes" (Ray Park of "X-Men" & "Star Wars Episode 1: the Phantom Menace" [Darth Maul]).
The Joes are pitted against James McCullen ("Destro, " played by Christopher Eccleston of "Doctor Who" & "Heroes"), the CEO of MARS Industries. He's developed a new sort of "super weapon" that can destroy almost everything in its path. With the aid of the Baroness Ana de Cobray (Sienna Miller), the renegade ninja "Storm Shadow" (Korean superstar Byung-hun Lee), "Zartan" (Arnold Vosloo) & the mysterious man only known as "the Doctor" (Joseph Gordon-Lewitt of "3rd Rock from the Sun"), McCullen's plans for revenge & world domination are put into full-effect.

   If you've ever seen the original cartoon series from the 80's, then you know what to expect--more or less. However, there are some pretty interesting plot twists & tweeks that separate this from the GI Joe animated series.

   It's very appearant that the producers & director weren't inspired by the animated series, but rather the original source material: the iconic comic book series created by Larry Hama. That's where they succeeded. This is truly a live-action comic book.
   There are plenty of really cool "easter eggs" peppered thru-out the film for even the most casual to hardcore Joe fan. And, yes, there's even a "Yo, Joe!," but not exactly as you'd expect.

   However, there are a few tweekages that...well...to be honest, really gave me pause. For example, Duke's promotion from Master Sgt. (in the animated series) to Captain. This seemed a bit, well, random. It really wasn't necessary to the plot at all. It wasn't like Duke was in command of the Alpha unit.
   There were other things that sort of bothered me. Firstly, the NATO Special Ops team drove Hummer H2's (which are not even actual military spec vehicles!) instead of the normal H1's (which WERE created for the military).
   Next were the accelerator suits. They looked like a cross between Iron Man's armor & the gear worn by the really lame Marvel Comics' NFL superhero "SuperPro." I mean, yeah, OK, they kind'a served a purpose within the plot of the film. But, it seemed more like a rip-off of the Iron Man armor. At least they were only used in 1 sequence within the film, then forgotten. Let's hope it stays that way.
   The last thing that bothered me was the different "crossed up" romantic subplots. They matched up the wrong characters together. This was majorly frustrating to me.

   The acting in this film was actually better than I had anticipated. Dennis Quaid was perfectly cast as General Hawk, though he looked more like the Green Baret character "Flint" from the comics/cartoon. Quaid has a very commanding screen presence.
   Ray Park was awesome as Snake Eyes. Though the character is mute, he "speaks" with his physicality. Park was able to bring the essence of the comic/cartoon's charactization without making it too cliche.
   All of the villains were OK. Their performances weren't too "over-the-top" or campy, surprisingly enough. There was significantly more substance than their animated, cardboard cut-out counterparts.
   The Alpha team was pretty good, too. Each member had a unique personality. None of them were too distracting.
   The biggest surprises for me were the actors who played Duke, Ripcord & Scarlett.
   Wayans' Ripcord wasn't like his usual performances in films like "Scary Movie" or "White Chicks." It was like he studied his brother's "Most Wanted" film, mixed with his performance from the basketball film "The 6th Man."
   Scarlett was a mixture of brainiac, kick-@$$ grrl & girl-next-door. Nichols' performance was spot-on. She has a very sexy, smart screen presence. (Which is why I featured her version of the movie poster above...) You could believe that she could be a genius that could kick your butt.
   The biggest surprise for me was Tatum's Duke. When I had heard about his casting, I was convinced that this film was going to be doomed. I thought that the producers only cast him because of his "boy band" looks. His resume wasn't all that impressive to me. (He was in the "Step Up" films) My original opinion was that he was cut from the same cloth as those wannabe "Abercrombie & Fitch" model/actors from the Fox TV series "Prison Break." Boy, was I wrong! He was rather convincing as the military veteran Duke. It was readily appearant that Tatum not only had viewed the original cartoon, but he also did even more homework to bring a sense of believability to his portrayal of Duke. While he may not win any awards from his performance, at least he didn't screw-up here, either.

   Overall, I really enjoyed this film, inspite of itself. It served its purpose. It was light, fun, breezy entertainment. Will it change the world with its message? Defintely not! But, it comes at the right time. One last big Summer film before the onset of Autumn.

This is why I give this film a solid 3 ***'s out of 5.

   Was it great? Nah. Was it fun? Sure! Why does every movie have to be important? I mean, why can't we just go out, spend our money, and watch a movie that allows us to forget about our life stresses and let's us have some fun? That's what "GI Joe" did for me.

   Now, I know that I'm probably going to take a lot of flack for giving this movie a somewhat favorable review. That's OK. To those who will come down and criticize me, I have only one thing to say:

YO, JOE!

   So, until next time, as always...stay tuned...

"The Post-Game Report": Comic-Con International: San Diego, Part 1 (The Negatives)

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:46:49 GMT

   It's been almost a week since the close of the pop culture extravaganza known as Comic-Con International: San Diego. And, as is the tradition, it's taken me the better part of the week to recover. The event itself was a flurry of activity. Many on-line pundits have been proclaiming that CCI:SD 2009 was a massive success, while others have lamented the overwhelming Hollywood takeover of what once was an intimate gathering of fans of comics & all things pop cultural.

   I'd like to break things down into 2 very simple, basic topics: the good and bad. Let's begin with the negative, then end with positives, shall we?

   The BAD:
1. Elite Security Services. For some reason, this year the level of customer service from Elite was extremely sub-par. There were more inept Elite "red shirts" than in previous years. Many Exhibitors, myself included, were very frustrated by the complete lack of organization and preparedness of Elite. For the first 3 days, the red shirts didn't understand the difference between the "Exhibitor" & "Professional" badge designations. They would allow the Pro's early entrance, while banning, harassing, belittling & preventing Exhibitors early access so that they could get their booths ready for the day.
   Simply put, I can attribute this to what I came to call "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" Syndrome. These red-shirted jokers were all power-trippin' like their hero Paul Blart.
2. CCI: SD's PR Department. I list this under the negative because all 10 of the press junket arrangements that I had coordinated fell thru because of a series of miscommunications, misunderstadings & lack of support for the lesser-known local/regional exhibitors.
   Last year, I was instructed to seek out my own press coverage from my company. Then, 1 month before showtime, when I did a courtesy check-in with the PR Dept., I was told that I not only had been misinformed, but I was also not going to receive priority for press coverage because I had failed to folow their proceedures. In other words, I was being penalized for following the previous instructions I was given.
   Add to this the conflicting information that I was being given by both my media contacts & the PR Dept. The PR Dept. told me that they had "gone out of their way to highlight" my company to all of the media outlets. However, when I had spoken with all of my contacts, each one of them--to the person!--told me that the PR Dept. had purposefully instructed them to avoid "the small-timers" and focus instead on "the big, shiny Hollywood-type" exhibitors!
   So, who's telling the truth? Conspiracy theories abound...
3. The "Twilight" Fans. Look, I'm all for folks who are big fans of certain media franchises. After all, the show's designated the entire day of Friday to all things Star Wars, which is cool. For those of y'all who know me better, I'm probably the biggest "Speed Racer" fan in San Diego County! (Just look at the license plates of my car!)
   For the last few years, there have been students from Hogwarths mingling with Klingons, Stormtroopers, soldiers from the Halo video games, different Sailor Scouts & various spandex-clad superheroes & heroines. So, CCI:SD is all about all things pop culture.
   However, this whole "Twilight" phenomenon is something completely different. It's beyond obsessive. It's borderline psychosis! Seriously. Several days before the show even opened, these people had set-up a sort'a "Twilight shanty-town" along the harbor-side (southeast?) side of the Convention Center! I mean, on several occassions, the SDPD mistook them as homeless vagrants!
   Usually, this sort of activity is associated with kids, teenagers & college students. But, there were women ranging from their 30's-to-50's populating this refugee camp! Seriously. It was amazing! The irony is that these would be the very same sort of people who'd be mocking the "average Comic-Con attendee."
   By Saturday, there were some people walking about the Showroom floor carrying signs that read "Twilight nearly destroyed Comic-Con" & "The End is Nigh. Twilight will doom the Comic-Con" and stuff like that.
   FYI: SDPD has notificed CCI:SD that from now on, they will be arresting anyone who attempts to set up any sort of "squatter's camp" alongside the Convention Center, regardless of whether or not they have paid for attendance. They will not be allowed to line up earlier than 12 hours prior to any CCI:SD-related events.
   All I have to say is: "What in the...world...took you so long, SDPD?!"
4. The Dominance/Presence of Hollywood. As I said in #3, I am all for the presence of Hollywood at CCI:SD! It has done a lot to make all things pop culture, especially comics & manga, more acceptable to the mainstream. No longer are comics considered just for nerds, dweebs, geeks, dorks, pop culture snobs & lazy college students. Slowly, but surely, comics has become a very viable & acceptable form of entertainment. Just look at how many of the major Hollywood blockbusters since the turn of the Millenium have been based upon/inspired by different comic properties! And, look at how many more are coming soon to our TV's & cineplexes!
   But, with that said, the Hollywood studios are encroaching more and more into what used to be a show about comics, sci-fi, anime & pop culture. If they were there to only promote their next comic-based blockbuster, that's one thing. However, it's become so much more than that. The studios have decided to literally pimp their films at CCI:SD, regardless of whether or not it's related to the purpose to CCI:SD's mission statement, or even whether or not it's age-appropriate & in good taste. I mean, I don't know how many of the studios were pimping their latest power tool-toting maniac towards little children! This really has to cease.
5. The "Ghetto-ising" of (the Independent) Comic Exhibitors. This is something that has been slowly occurring for the past several years. With the larger, flashier & more wealthier comics publishers teaming-up with the various Hollywood entities, the smaller indy comcs publishers are slowly being squeezed out for the precious booth space on the Exhibitor floor, as well as the attention of the various media outlets that parade about the show.
   Rather than highlighting the backbone on the comics industry, CCI:SD spends its time catering to the massive Hollywood media machine. I mean, unless there's some sort of Hollywood-related connection, CCI:SD won't even promote any of the comics being published by Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, Viz or any other indy publisher.
   CCI:SD has completely lost its original identity. It used to about a gathering of fans who wanted to hang-out with their peers and meet the folks who created the stuff that they loved.
Now, CCI:SD has evloved into this massive extravaganza where people come to basically to see their favorite celebrities & star gaze. The local media has helped to pervert this show as well. All they do is pimp the celebrity appearences, rather than the comics that inspired the different movies.
6. The Potential Departure of CCI:SD from San Diego. During the weeks preceeding the show, all the local media could focus on was whether or not CCI:SD was going to be staying in San Diego or not. Some were making comparisons to the San Diego Chargers current contract with the City.
   Sure, the Chargers contract expires in 2010. Sure, they could bail from Qualcomm Stadium. However, the Chargers organization has been earnestly seeking various means to stay within the County of San Diego so that they could remain the San Diego Chargers! (Much like how both the Jets & Giants are still considered New York teams even though they play in New Jersey)
   The same can be said with CCI:SD. Their contract with the City expires in 2012, so they're not going to bail for a couple of years yet. The CCI:SD heirarchy has expressed their desire to discuss contract extensions. The City knows that Comic-Con is their biggest, non-sports related money-maker of the year, so they want to keep it here.
   Yes, the Cities of Las Vegas, Anaheim & LA have all been wooing CCI:SD. However, each of those cities have distinct disadvantages over San Diego.
   Let's start with Vegas. Who wants to be in Vegas in the middle of July?! With the desert heat of over 110-degrees F?! Add to that all of the various other distractions, like casinos & showgirls. Besides, Vegas has attempted on many occassions to host its own Comic-Con/Pop Culture-realted events unsuccessfully. CCI:SD won't go there.
   Next, Anaheim. They are literally & figuratively our closest competitor. They're similar to San Diego in that they have affordable lodging & restaurants nearby, as well as "the Happiest Place on Earth," Disneyland, close by. But, they have 2 strikes against them. First, they lost Anime Expo (A/X) to LA. They couldn't hold onto the largest anime convention in North America. Add to that the recent announcement that they are going to be hosting a brand-new Wizard Magazine-created pop culture show, they already have a show similar to CCI:SD--albeit a significantly smaller one.
   Finally, we have LA. On the plus side, they not only currently host A/X, but they also have a larger facility than the SD Convention Center. They also have access to the nearby Staples Center & Nokia Live! (Center). And, they are much closer to Hollywood. But they also have 3 strikes going against them. First, they lack the access of nearby lodging facilities & restaurants that San Diego has. Their facilities are located near "Skid Row." Finally, they not only recently lost the Hot Import Nights car show (which caters to the same age demographic), but the Wizard Magazine-sponsored convention, which was a significantly smaller show than CCI:SD.
   All of that being said, I honestly believe that CCI:SD will not be leaving San Diego anytime soon. The City is earnestly developing their strategies to keep it here. Like the Chargers, San Diego cannot afford to lose Comic-Con.

   OK, so that's a lot of negatives. I'll be right back with "Part 2" of my "Post Game Report" with the positives...!

   So, until then...stay tuned!

"The Pre-Game Warm-up Report": COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:35:12 GMT

   Just wanted to make a very quick entry.

   Today marks the very first day of Comic-Con for me and the crew of BloodFire Studios. In a few hours, we'll be heading to the Convention Center to build our booth for the show. Or, as I like to call it, our "Comic-Con condo." That booth will pretty much serve as our home for the next week.

   We here at BFS have high expectations for this year's show. We finally have a significant amount of new product to sell. We have several meetings planned with important folks outside of the comics industry. We are planning on meeting with several comic professionals as well.

   As we prepare for our most important show yet, I am guardedly optimistic. I'm hoping that things will, at the very least, meet our expectations/projections.

   If not, I will just blame it all on Kobe Bryant & the Los Angeles Lakers. (This is in reference to comments I've been making on my Facebook profile...www.facebook.com/dto2865)

   So, if you happen to be coming to the sold-out big show, please cruise over to our place! BloodFire Studios, Booth #1621-1623. Let 'em know that I sent ya...

   Until next time, stay tuned.....

At the Aisle Seat: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:32:00 GMT

   Welcome, everyone! I've noticed that, for some reason, my Xanga has been getting a lot of activity of late. After you've visited, please feel free to either sign my guestbook or leave a comment. I'd love to hear from y'all!

   OK, I've decided to wait a week to review the new Transformers film. Mainly because I wanted to see how it did at the box office. So, without any spoilers or further ado, here we go...

   If you haven't seen the 1st film, no worries. There's a nice synopsis at the beginning to this one. It's gets you up to speed cuz you need to be prepared to hit the ground running!

   There are a whole batch of new Autobots & Decpeticons introduced in this film, the biggest of which is the main protagonist the Fallen. FYI: the Fallen is the name of one single Decepticon. Actually, he's the original Decepticon. (Before the film's release, there was some minor confusion about this. Initially, folks thought that the Fallen was a group of Decepticons that formed the gigantic Transformer. That would be wrong. The gigantic Transformer is Devistator, which is formed by the Constructicons...)
   The most contraversial Transformers are the Autobot twins of Swipe & Mudflap. They're the ones that have the gold tooths (singular for each of them) and talk & act like rejects from "Yo! MTV Raps." I'll admit, they are really annoying. They don't really serve much of a purpose to the film beyond the forced comic relief. I wished that the writers would have had some other Autobot characters instead, like maybe Kup and Hot Rod (from the animated film) and Hound (the Army jeep).

   The basic story spins from the end of the 1st film. It's all about fragments of the Allspark, the ancient Cybertronian artifact. There are 3 basic plots: the Sam Witwicky story; the NEST (military) story; & the Fallen's story. That's about all I can reveal without spoiling the rest of the film.
   What I enjoyed about this film over the 1st one is the balance in story. It was almost equally split between each of the plots. There was also a lot more (human) character development, especially Mikayla, new character Leo and Sam's parents. The writers could've easily just made this film about Sam, Mikayla & the robots. Instead, they chose to develop the human characters.
   The other thing is that this film does a "tip of the hat" to the original animated movie from the 1980's. A key element to the story is this object called "the Matrix of Leadership," which was the main story element from the animated feature.

   As with the 1st film, the visual effects are what one is going to pay to see. And, just like the 1st film, they don't disappoint. There are Transformers of all types (cars, trucks, airplanes, motocycles). Each one is unique unto itself.

   I wish that I could say more, but then I would be in danger of spoiling it. One thing that I can say is that I didn't have to pay to see this film, which is the same thing that happened when I saw the 1st one. I got free passes to an advanced screening. So, it's kind of a "tradition" now that I try to score free passes for any future Transformers movies.

   So, I give this film a solid 4 out of 5 *'s (stars). It's a fun, summer blockbuster popcorn flick that begs to be seen on the big screen before you go buy to rent the DVD later this year.

   So, that's it for now. As always, stay tuned.....

At the Aisle Seat: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "Star Trek"

Sat, 09 May 2009 02:07:36 GMT

     It's that time of year again! The (so-called) "Summer Blockbuster" Movie season has begun! And, that also means the return my blog's very own movie review column, "At the Aisle Seat."
   For this edition, I'll be covering the 1st 2 big films of this season in the order of their release dates. And, as always, I shall do my best to keep things spoiler free!

   First, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

   It's been a couple of years since the semi-disappointing "X-Men: The Last Stand" (aka "X3: The Last Stand"). I say "semi-disappointing" because there were a few really outstanding things that occurred in that film: the use of the Danger Room, more Colossus in action, and the brilliant Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/the ever-loving blue furred Beast!

   Now, with this new entry into the X-Men film franchise, the ever-popular mutant Wolverine is featured front-n-center! This film delves into the mysterious past of the primal mutant, from childhood into his maturity into adulthood.
   This film borrows a great deal from all of the various comic book stories about Logan & his past. However, it does so in such a way that fans of those tales won't be bored. To mention which stories would be giving away much of the plot of this movie. Suffice it to say, if you've ever read any Wolverine comics, there's a lot of really cool "easter eggs" for you to discover!

   The other really cool thing about this film is that it firmly entrenches itself in the Marvel Mutant Universe. There are more mutants in this film than the previous 3 X-Films combined! The best of which are Deadpool & Gambit (both of whom were featured in the film's trailers).

   Ryan Reynolds was excellent as Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, "the Merc With the Mouth." He really nailed the character without making him too campy/comic-booky. So, for those of you that are expecting a mutant-powered version of "Van Wilder," forget about it! Reynolds' Deadpool is spot-on with the original comic character! Oh, and just so you know, yes! He does deserve his own spin-off movie, which is now in pre-production!

   One of the biggest surprises, for me, was the performance of Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau (aka Gambit). While he was rather light on the Cajun accent, Kitsch brought out the mutant's "devil-may-care," debonaire nature rather convincingly. Obviously, if you're familiar with this character, there were some minor tweeks made to his physical appearence. However, much like the leather uniforms from the previous X-Films, the adjustments made to bring Gambit to the big screen doesn't detract from the original's character design at all. Confused? Well, when you see this film you'll understand what I mean.

   Regardless, this is the best X-Film since X2: X-Men United. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

   Oh, and by the way, you should really watch the entire film! Much like last year's "Iron Man," there are some pretty cool things in store for those who sit thru the end credits! Trust me!

   Next is the new "Star Trek."

   Now, before I go any further, I'd just like to state that I'm not what you'd call a "hardcore Star Trek" fan, otherwise known as a "Trekkie/Trekker." Granted, I'm a fan of the film franchise(s) and some of the various comic book lines. I also have a more-than-passing knowledge about the various Trek franchises. But, I cannot quote "chapter & verse" all things Trek.
   Basically, I'm not a "closet Trekker." I've, like most people who are into pop culture, enjoyed the previous 10 films.
   'Nuff said. With that out of the way, we now return to your column, already in progress.....

   For the better part of a year now, all I've heard from the Trekkies/Trekkers are the moans and groans about how this new film was going to suck, that it wasn't really "Star Trek" anymore because the original cast wasn't going to be in it.
   To those people, I say this: The original cast of actors are either too old to carry a film of this magnitude or dead. This new film is not your "grandfather's Trek."
   While I understand and feel your pain (I still really dispise the new so-called "Battlestar Galactica"! [Starbuck's supposed to be a guy, not a biker chick!]), in this case, i really believe that the moderization of the Trek franchise works...and it works really well!

   Unlike how Ronald Moore jacked up "Galactica," JJ Abrams & company fine-tuned the original characters and brought them to the 21st (23rd?) Century! They didn't do anything too radical, such as arbitrarily change the gender of any characters (Starbuck & Boomer aren't supposed to be women!).

   We finally get to see the earliest days of the Enterprise's crew, as well as the starship's maiden voyage. We are introduced to the first (?) commander of the USS Enterprise, Capt. Christopher Pike. We witness the origins of the various relationships (Kirk & McCoy, Kirk & Spock, Kirk & Scotty, Sulu & Kirk, etc.) between crew members, as well as see some very interesting new ones.

   This film borrows all of the best & coolest elements from all of the lore of the Original Star Trek, as well as from Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan & The Next Generation.
     For example, the villain Nero is cut from the same cloth as Khan. As a character, his motivations are not necessarily evil, per se. To himself, Nero, like Khan, is trying to do what he believes is the greater good.

   The main plot device in this film could be considered "classic Trek." It's one that has been utilized before and this film does so just as effectively.

   Like I mentioned earlier, there are plot twists in this film that the mainline Trek fans won't expect! in my opinion, they work and work well! (Again, in keeping with my spoiler free promise, I'm not telling what they are!)

   Visually, this new Trek is spectacular! The revised Enterprise is very cool. It doesn't stray away from the original design. The set design is brighter than previous versions, which the hardcore Trekkers have come to call "iPrise" (a fusion of iMacs & the Enterprise).
   The visual effects are outstanding. The CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) doesn't look too clean, nor does it distract from the visual impact of the story. The various starships move about much like how current naval vessels & submarines would if they were not having to deal with the principles of hydrodymanics.

   While this film may seem like a non-stop rollercoaster ride-style of action movie, don't be fooled! There's so much intricate character development within, some familiar, some brand new. All of it works well to make this the best Trek film since "The Wrath of Khan."

   Overall, I really enjoyed this film. It was fun, entertaining and well done. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

   So, there you have it! My first 2 reviews of the year! So, what'chu waitin' fer?! Go out and see dem films, then come back and tell what ya thought! I look forward to receiveing your feedback!

   Until next time, as always, stay tuned.....

Couch Potato Chronicles: What's Wrong with "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 02:37:28 GMT

   With Conan O'Brien taking over the "Tonight Show" from Jay Leno, NBC decided to hand over the reins of "Late Night" to former SNL'er Jimmy Fallon. I suppose that, "on paper," it seemed like a good idea. I mean, he was amusing on SNL, especially during his "Weekend Update" sketches (with Tina Fey). However, after about a month or so, it's become glaringly obvious that Fallon is...well...terrible.

   Then again, it's not exactly his fault. Keep in mind that each new host of "Late Night" franchise is notorious for taking an awfully long time to find his groove. Both David Letterman & Conan O'Brien suffered for years before they were able to find their individual niches.

   However, now-a-days, TV networks completely lack the patience for nurturing new talent. In fact, they're rather brutal when it comes to unceremoniously pulling the plug on something when it's not working right away.

   So, with that in mind, I believe I may have some possible solutions to help Jimmy Fallon stay with "Late Night."

   First, dump the opening monologue. He really sucks at it. He lacks the stand-up experience. Not only that, but the material he's given is terrible. This writing staff really sucks.
   Instead of forcing a "topical" monologue down our throats, just let Fallon do what he does best. Cut to the chase and get to the celebrity guests. Fallon is very good at chatting up his guests. Not only that, but he's very creative in how he handles them.
   For example, this last week, he had future NFL (#1draft pick?) player Matthew Stafford. After the interview, he "challenged" him to a unique "quarterback challenge": it was a cross between skeet shooting and passing accuracy. It was awesome!

   Second, stop trying so hard to be funny. A lot of the so-called comedy sketches seemed like rejected sketches from SNL. And, they run really long! The best thing for this show is to just forget about trying to be funny. It's obvious that the writing staff lacks the experience. If anything, if you have to insert comedy bits, then go with some variations to the "traditional" tried-and-true bits, like "the man on the street" or "weird/stupid news stories" type of sketches. Since the show is located in NYC, a variation of "the man on the street" bit is a natural!

   Finally, redesign the set. Get rid of the traditional desk & sofa set-up. Do something bold and contemporary. For example, how about something like a bar with stools? Fallon could be behind the bar "tending" to his guests? (Obviously, he wouldn't be serving alcoholic beverages...) Or, maybe a large, modular style sofa/couch type set-up? Personally, I like the bar set idea.

   By thinking outside the box, I believe that Fallon will eventually find his groove. However, if he doesn't do something soon, he's gonna be yet another late night talk show failure like Chevy Chase, Joan Rivers and Pat Sajak.

   So, until next time, as always, stay tuned.....

My First Xanga Blog "Swipe"...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:00:46 GMT

     This morning, as I'm doing my daily (internet) 'trolling [patrolling], I came across this blog entry from the ever-lovely Miss youngvan. I subscribe to her xanga because she's such a joy to read.

     In her latest entry, she posted this fun list called "Four things..." Well, after reading hers, I decided to riff it. However, I'm placing my own spin on it (natch!). And, I'm not going to answer to all of her topics. So, without further ado, here it is...

3 NAMES I GO BY
1. Dexter (my given name)
2. Dex (my 1st syllable)
3. "Hey, you!" (which is usually followed with finger snapping...)

3 JOBS I HAVE ENJOYED
1. My current gig with Bloodfire Studios, San Diego, CA
2. Working at the various comic book retailers over the years
3. (Bonded) Courier for Replica Printing Services, San Diego, CA

3 PLACES I HAVE LIVED
1. Vista, CA (My hometown near Camp Pendleton, North San Diego County)
2. Long Beach, CA (Hated it here!)
3. San Diego, CA (HOME, bay-bee!)

3 TV SHOWS THAT I CURRENTLY WATCH (Cannot miss them! Must see!)
1. Chuck [Mondays on NBC]
2. Dancing With The Stars [Mondays/Tuesdays on ABC]
3. Smallville [Thursdays on the CW]

3 TV SHOWS THAT I MISS
1. Knight Rider (2008)
2. Overhaulin'
3. Pimp My Ride

3 RECENT FILMS THAT I REALLY ENJOYED (at the cinema)
1. Fast & Furious
2. Watchmen
3. the Spirit

3 FILMS THAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2. Star Trek
3. GI Joe: the Rise of Cobra ("Yo, Joe!", "Cooooo-bbbrrrrrr-aaaaahhhhh!")

3 PLACES I HAVE BEEN
1. Disney's California Resorts (Disneyland/Disney's California Adventure)
2. Las Vegas, NV (It's been way too long ago, though...)
3. Japan (Hiroshima/Yokohama/Tokyo/Kobe/Osaka)

3 PLACES I WANT TO GO
1. Japan (I loved it there...)
2. Walt Disney World, FL
3. New York City

3 OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
1. Gohan (rice)
2. Spam
3. Bacon!

3 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
1. Comic-Con International: San Diego (mid-July, bay-bee!)
2. NFL Draft (Get it right, Chargers!)
3. My next birthday (2/8/2010)

3 FAVORITE BANDS/ ARTISTS
1. the Traveling Wilburys
2. the Wonders (from the movie "That Thing You Do!")
3. BOND (the British all-woman string quartet. They are gorgeous & awesome musicians!)

3 FAVORITE DRINKS
1. Pepsi Lime (I miss that flavor of soda...)
2. Crush sodas (only the orange & grape, tho)
3. NOS Grape-flavored Energy Drink

3 BIGGEST REGRETS
1. "The one who got away..."
2. Not being able to give my father a proper good-bye
3. I wish that my parents would have allowed for my brother & I to have bonded like normal siblings, not rivals

   So, there you have it, folks! If you're feelin' it, please feel free to riff this list. Post your own responses. Oh, and please remember to let me know that you did. I'd like to see your lists!

   Until next time, stay tuned.....

Couch Potato Chronicles: What's the difference between "Smallville" & "Heroes"...

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:51:09 GMT

This is a topic that has been perplexing me for a couple of years now. And, actually, I've figured it out a while ago. However, it wasn't until the last couple of weeks (read: episodes) that it was truly confirmed for me.

I've had quite a few conversations about the TV series "Heroes." Mostly, folks have asked me for my take as to why "Heroes" isn't as good now as it was during the first season. Well, in order for me to answer that, I want to make a comparison between "Heroes" & "Smallville," which is in the middle of its 8th season right now.

Simply put, I am of the opinion that the creative braintrust of "Heroes" have been taking themselves way too seriously. They seems to believe that every episode must be of "earth-shattering" importance (to use the comic book cliche). And, because of this so-called significance, each episode of "Heroes" has getting more and more darker & heavier in content & tone.

This is something that used to plague comic stories since the late-80's. Comic book creators/writers believed that the comic stories had to be more darker, grittier, edgier--just like Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight" and Alan Moore's "Watchmen." The reality was that these comic creators became so self-aware, so pious, that they almost single-handedly caused the hobby to implode upon itself.

Fortunately, there was this "little" thing in the early-90's called "the Image Revoultion" which helped to change this attitude. In spite of the fact that the stories became more artistically-driven, comics became fun again! The stories were exciting to follow. The best example of this was the epic "Death of Superman" stories. Yes, it was kind'a darker & edgier, but not do much as to drown out the characterizations, which allowed the reader to care about the events which unfolded.

What does this have to do with "Heroes" & "Smallville"? Elementary!

The reason why "Smallville" continues to be popular & successful, even after 8 seasons, is simple. There's a balance in story content. The tone of each episode strikes a balance of light & shade. Yes, there's a lot of story details. There have been some seriously dark story elements; for example, the recent Clark/Lana plotline, as well as what's going on with Chloe's marriage to Jimmy Olsen. However, there's always some really cool, lighter story elements, such as Clark's trying to keep his secret from the ever-curious Lois.

In "Smallville," there's no dwelling on the heavier aspects of the story. Why? Because the "Smallville" braintrust knows what the fans want. They do not want to be constantly emotionally hammered, nor do they want constant silliness. They want a balance. And, "Smallville" regularly scores that balance.

What made "Heroes" great during that 1st season was that there was an attempt to strike a balance between light & shade. For example, while Peter was dealing with his powers and Sylar was continuing to menace the world, there was Hiro's journey to becoming the hero that he was destined to be. I think that the mid-1st season mantra pretty much says it all: "Save the cheerleader, save the world." There was balance.

However, because of its overwhelming success, "Heroes" began to take itself way too seriously. It grew to be darker & heavier. It ceased being fun. Every episode was about uncovering more details of the overall conspiracy. It almost became some sort of "superhero soap opera."

I don't know about you, but I grew mentally exhausted of the same thing, episode after episode. So much so that, when the 3rd season started, I just gave up trying to follow it. The stories made my head hurt. I plan of watching it once the season is completed, either by renting the DVD's or watching on-line. This way, I don't have to wait for a whole week or whatevers to follow the stories.

I believe the best thing that the producers of "Heroes" can do for next season, should there be one, is to return to trying to achieve that balance between light & shade. Make the show fun again. Stretch the story concepts. Return the tone of the show back to the "Save the cheerleader, save the world" days. Get off of the whole self-importance kick. Not every episode has to be of "earth-shattering" significance.

By doing this, I believe that "Heroes" could return to its glory days of the 1st season.

So there you have it. My take on this topic. I'd love to hear your take.

Until next time, as always, stay tuned...

Better late than never....

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:13:48 GMT

OK, so this is my first "real" blog entry since the middle of last year. The question that's most likely on you, the reader's, mind is "why was there such a huge lag time between entries?" Fair enough.

Simply put, I've had to deal with a lot of...drama until recently. I mean, A LOT!

First off, I had to deal with rather personal financial issues. I have been unemployed from full-time work since May of 2008. I was laid-off from my previous job because of budgetary issues. However, I have been subsisting on occassional, infrequent odd jobs & unemployment benefits.

Then, I learned that my living situation had becomes rather...complicated. For my own legal protection, I will not go into any more details than that. The situation became so complicated, in fact, that I had to move out. This was a seriously major ordeal.

However, I was fortunate enough to find a better living situation. One that suits me much better. I moved into a nice 1-bedroom/1-bathroom apartment in south San Diego. I like it much better than my previous residence. And, most importantly, I have no roommates. I no longer have to rely on finding new people to help me make rent payments. The only downer is that I am paying significantly more for rent, but I can deal with that.

This all went down around the time of my birthday, which totally sucked big time. The fact that I pretty much spent my birthday alone didn't help me feel any better. There was one exception, though. The single most important person in my life, Connie (who's like family/a daughter to me) took me out that night for a nice treat. It really made me feel a lot better, knowing that at least someone was able to spend time with me on my birthday.

I apologize for being so vague about the details. However, because this is a "publically" posted blog, I cannot express my opinions or feelings about all of this. This is because, on the off-chance that the "wrong people" happen to somehow read this, I could be in a world of legal problems.

So, if you want to know the inside details, please feel free to contact me directly. I am more than willing to share the intricate details with y'all.

My goal is to try to be a little more frequent with my blog entries this year. However, be warned. I'll only post entries when I feel like I have something to say.

So, until then, stay tuned.....