A Scanner Darkly mystery artists
Apr 09
So, I’m pretty excited about the new Philip K. Dick-based movie, A Scanner Darkly. It’s hard to say why, other than a) I’m a fan of PKD and b) the art-style looks fantastic. The picture is rotoscoped, which according to a recent article in RES magazine, let them shoot for under 9 million, and still visually achieve some of the crazy effects the story calls for (most notably the scramble suit) – not to mention the effect lends itself to a story centered around a group of drug addicts.
I wrote a whole big, long bit, but you can read that after the jump – right now I want to talk about the trailer and a mystery it contains – well, a mystery to me. And mysteries where there’s an explaination within reach just drive me nuts. I’ve been watching both trailers over and over. I’m too busy to totally obsess, but if I had the time, I would. Actually, after you read this, you may decide that I did obsess, but trust me, I’m fine now.
Jay is my hero.
Apr 09I remember watching Kevin Smith’s DVDs and making a point of watching them a second time with the commentary on, because you could be certain of two things – One, Kevin’s commentaries are always equal parts entertaining and informative. Two, you never know what Jason Mewes is going to be like. It was hilarious, sitting there with a group of friends, laughing, because Jason had undeniably fallen asleep mid-movie.
I’d like to take it all back now – not because it wasn’t funny. There’s no two ways about it, it was funny. But because I’d like to make some small gesture that I now know what the full meal deal was and since I can’t stand up and clap, I’ve got to do something. So, I’m taking it back.
Y’see, Jason Mewes is a full blown drug addict. Not a little, not a cute stoner – he is an addict. Failed rehabs, teeth lost to heroin, chemical tolerance levels that freak the shit out of anybody with even a little medical horse sense.
And, he’s been sober for three whole years now. Which is to say that if you saw Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he was in serious trouble and if you saw Jay and Silent Bob Do Degrassi, he was doing AOK.
I know all this, because Kevin has been writing it all down and laying it all out, over the last two weeks – his intent was to wrap it up on Thursday, Jay’s anniversary, but it’s a big story and it’s gone a bit long.
If you’re familiar with Smith’s works, it’s a good read – if you’re a fan, then it will leave a lump in your throat. Some of the professional high points for Smith and Mewes were happening concurrent with some crazy personal lows.
Happy Anniversary, Jay.
Got It Covered
Apr 08Sigh. Recently, I’ve discovered that certain key titles have somehow gone missing from my graphic novel collection. These aren’t just any ol’ GNs, but much-beloved favorites, which indicates to me that I probably loaned them to someone in a “you must read! You will loooove it!!!” frenzy and then promptly forgot about it. The missing titles are (oh, this breaks my heart): Blue Monday: The Kids Are Alright, Box Office Poison, and the X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga. Sob!
The plan is to thoroughly search our comic archives and bookshelves and if that fails, I may just have to replace them. I can’t not have these things in my collection. Anyway, the dilemma I’m facing is that all three of these things (I think) are currently in re-print mode, which means I could either hunt down the editions I previously owned (which aren’t all first editions or anything, they just have sentimental value) or just get the newer editions, which have different covers. I’m not sure how much I care about this.
Like, for example…this is the cover of the Dark Phoenix trade I originally owned. Kickass, right? There is something undeniably classic and elegant about the cover. And yet…there is also something old-schoolish and crazily awesome about the cover of the newest re-print, which comes out next week. A little more neon, yes. But still neat.
What would YOU do?
The Movie Wasteland
Apr 08Fandango just invited me to “purchase advance tickets to The Benchwarmers today!”
Um, I don’t think so.
I hate the springtime. Yeah, shit blooms and grows and gets all green. Big damn deal. I live in California. Shit here is ALWAYS blooming and green.
What I need are those big phat summer blockbusters. X3, Superman Returns, Cars, and whatever else the movie industry sees fit to hurl in my face three times a day until I have no choice–none!–but to report to my local multiplex for active vegetative duty.
It should be an okay summer. Well, for me, it will be the greatest summer of my life, because my first child will be born in June. (Say it with me now: “Awwwwww.”) But for me as a moviegoer addicted to the mainline crack of summer films, it looks average to good at this point. X3? VERY doubtful. Cars? Probably fun. Superman Returns? Better kick my ass.
Otherwise, what do I need to daydream about while I wait for cinema to cough up its pretty, popular children? The Star Wars TV series? Yeah, right.
This one’s for Matt.
Apr 07Read faster, fanboy!
[UPDATE] And this one’s for Sarah. SARAH!!!
And just because there’s etiquette to these things, hero puppets are here, and angel icons are here.
