A couple of months ago, I started seeing article postings on /film about Movie 43. But just as quickly as they came, talk about the film went silent. I didn't know why- the trailer had Emma Stone, Kieran Culkin(Macaulay Culkin's cousin), and a bunch of other funny people. The concept of the film was pitched as night of a thousand stars meets New Year's Eve, many groovy people in one feature length film. But, like I said, it came and went and I never saw any theaters in my area advertise a showing.
Then I found Movie 43. Just this afternoon I got around to watching it. I now know why it couldn't last in theaters. Let me give you an almost scene-by-scene sketch to save you the time. Despite it's start-studded glory, there are only two saving moments to the film.
The concept of the film is that these three boys are "April Fools-ing" each other. To install viruses on the nerdy younger brother's computer, they make up the illusive Movie 43(a film that will make you lose your intestines and go crazy). The little brother then becomes intent on finding this "banned" film. On his way, he discovers other movie clips or shorts. This is where all of the supposedly funny moments from TV/trailers come in. Kate Winslet is there, sure, she goes on a blind date with Hugh Jackman's character. This multi-faceted, prosperous man of Gotham(not kidding, they use Gotham as a general city) but there is just one thing wrong with him- he has testicles on his throat and everyone seems to be okay with it except Kate Winslet. At this point, I almost stopped watching, I love Emma Stone, but not enough for this, I thought. But I kept watching.
Then there is a segment about homeschooling parents. These two parents are entertaining their neighbors and tell them just how they homeschool their child. I think it was meant to be funny but somehow missing somewhere amongst the parents pretending they are in high school(throwing parties, trying to have the "awkward first kiss" with their son) and their all-around bullying of their son(detentions, pushing, all-around confusing him). The scene ends with the neighbors meeting the son, whom is going out with friends and a girl- we think, oh okay they were kidding and he's normal. NOPE, instead his "girl" is a scarecrow(read:like in the fields) with his mom's face taped to the bag-head. Overall, a painful-not funny scene.
Now we get to meet Anna Faris' character. We start out at a lovely picnic scene, with chocolate covered strawberries and the probability of a proposal. The couple have been dating a year: the man wants to propose and Faris wants...him to poo on her..in the bedroom. We the watch a scene between his friends and him, who are totally cool with the idea of what she wants. We then have to watch him shovel burritos. And then instead of just getting the act over, she flirts it out and eventually is offended and leaves the house. It does end in a proposal, but not before he gets hit by a minicooper and poos in the street. This scene, if I wasn't cued in before, should have been where I stopped.
In between all of these, keep in mind the boys are still hunting for Movie 43 and instead start being intercepted by people who don't want them to watch it- turns out Movie 43 exists somewhere...
Shortly after this, we get to meet Stone and Culkin's characters. They have an odd relationship, she seems to be the one that got away. They have an exchange in a SuperMarket that catches everyone's attention. A couple of funny moments, also thinking how hard it must have been to keep a straightface as Culkin feels up her face and delivers some cheezy lines. The scene ends with the other customers covering for him so her can 'get the girl.' But we don't get to see that. Again we are transplanted.
Somewhere amidst all of this we watch a commercial for the "iBabe," an MP3 player in the shape of a full-figured naked woman. The commercial is just like an iTunes one, except this naked woman hangs out amongst them. A bit later in the film we have a somewhat funny scene that discusses how boys buying the iBabe try to ..."play" with it and therefore are loosing fingers, hands, and their penises. This scene has Richard Gere and Aasif Mandvi. It's a sort of funny concept and I admit I had a chuckle or two.
After this we have a chance to laugh, hopefully, when Justin Long appears on screen dressed as Roin- boy wonder. In a terrible costume, he is at a Gotham Speed Dating session. And, of course, Batman is there to foul it up. Batman is Jason Sudeikis. Robin ends up going through no successful dates because of Batman, who is there to stop a bomb, and even misses shots with Lois Lane(UMa Therman) and SuperGirl(Kristen Bell). When the Penguin presents the bomb on SuperGirl, Roin saves the day! And gets to make out with SuperGirl! Sounding like fan fiction? Don't worry, Batman unmasks SuperGirl as the Riddle and the whole thing was a sham. End scene.
Somewhere after this, we have a scene that I genuinely thought was the highlight of the scene. It stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Patrick Warburton. Middleschool boy kisses middle school girl. Middle school girl gets her period. Middleschool boy and older brother flip a lid and try to figure out how to stop the bleeding, which s only like a small spot but obvious in white pants. Warburton is the boys dad and he tries to explain to them what s happening to her body. Middle school girl's dad drops in and thinks they are bothering his daughter/poor hosts. Anyways, it's all pretty comical and totally realistic, at least to me.
I could go on because there is still a scene with Halle Berry(which ends with her blind date having gone in for surgery and looking Asian and her totally Botoxed out) and Gerard Butler playing a leprechaun who is super foul and a birthday present for Sean Williams Scott from Johnny Knowxville(who's pretty cute when he's not being a jackass). Whatever you do, do not watch the bits in the credits. Jason Duhamel owns a cat who wants to do him, that's all you gotta know. It's not sexy and brinks on the edge of a horror-movie when his cat tries to kill Elizabeth Banks, his girlfriend. But the kids next door do that for the cat.
If you're curious about an ending, Movie 43 is found despite all of the warning not to, and the kids are part of a Terminator Parody. Future travelers whom made a movie to stop themselves from finding Movie 43 in the first place. By watching the movie, they have brought on the Armageddon their future selves were trying to prevent.
My rating? 1.5 stars out of 10. Why 1.? Justin Long and Emma Stone did not disappoint. And I was honestly laughing at the period scene. Besides that, I paused the movie so many times, I was not into it. I went around my house, made lunch, did dishes, went on Facebook. I feel like some of the crap I have seen on YouTube's Comedy week were funnier than this, and those were by amateurs! Anyways, before I dig too deep a comedy hole, save yourself the time and go see The Hangover 3 or something.
Better review days have been had.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
13 Facebook
As I watch YouTube Comedy Week(which is not quite kicking off like I hoped..) I have decided to make one of those "25 things about me", like you use to do via notes on Facebook. But, to keep it going, I am only going to do 13. I've got a lot on my mind and love to use my blog as a journal.
1. The semester is finally over and yet not? The grades are out(3.7!) and while I should be chilling for the summer, I have already mapped the summer classes as well as the fall classes. I feel ever-busy. And yet I like it. I appreciate my down time, but I do not want to find myself having too much of it. There is a ton of things I could watch, or read, or play, but I find myself wanting to go to work now that I have found what I want to do.
2. I am pumped for my internship. I am going to be teaching Digital Literacy courses/programs at a public library. The way it is set up is that my supervisor teaches for half the semester and I assist- then we switch. I might be able to utilize my love of music and teach an intermediate class on Spotify!
3. I'm stoked for summer because I am going to England. Here I will be taking British Librarianship and get to see many, many libraries. I already have homework for it! (Its not until July!)
4. During my trip I am going to spend time in Scotland for a little while(three days at least) Whilst here, I really want to get to know a Scottish man. They are my Achilles heel.
5. I plan to spend a lot of time outside of my room in the hopes of meeting Bennedict Cumberbatch, Matt Smith, or an on-par handsome British Gentleman. ( #romance) I also have many things I need to see architecture-wise.
6. I have become hyper aware of my use of contractions. (Examples of these I use are "don't", "I'm," and "won't.") I would like to speak more proper English. Not just because of England, but because it sounds better. This is sort of the same when I catch myself saying "legit" or "totes." Yup, it happens.
7. I really love the fact that I am taking a YA literature class this fall. It gives me an excuse to read things I might nit normally read. Currently I am reading Insurgent. I intend to read a lot more- the goal for the class is 30.
8. I want to complete both the Mass Effect series and the Assassins Creed series. Mass Effect is on pause until I have more money, I will be playing Assassins Creed II tomorrow. Its a day off.
9. I was rejected recently. I was being courted for two months, beginning to let my personal walls down, only to be hard-core turned down. I've been trying to brush it off, but everyday since(this was in the middle of this week) I have noticed a new aspect everyday. A new lesson learned, sort of. Like today, it dawned on me that I finally know I expect in an ideal mate. This guy matched a lot of them, like a lot. Too bad he wanted the other girl. Complete with her child.
10. Men are on my mind constantly. I have a lot of male friends. It is easy to do. And a lot of the BBC men I see(as mentioned above) make it hard not to think about them as well. Then there's Ryan Gosling, Olan Rogers(YouTube), Nathan Fillion, Jason Siegel, Chris Hemmsworth... See what I mean?
11. As much as I miss having a companion(being in a relationship), I do not want that any time soon. No matter how much I flirt with some of my male friends, I don't want to start anything serious before I go to England. I have hope that I could meet someone while I am there, even if it is just for a few fun dates, and I don't want to feel tied down to somebody back home. After the aforementioned #7, I think I am in the clear of my male friends' interested, but I am still going to be careful not to throw off serious vibes.
12. I really miss my college radio days. While they were only like two days away, I can feel it. I am constantly listening to the radio to see what's popular, who's new, and what's on air. Macklemore, Mumford & Sons, Of Monsters and Men, new Phoenix, new Daft Punk, and SO many more.
13. I really miss Jazz Band and Concert Band. Not so much marching band, except the music was just as cool. I can technically say that I have been playing for 11-12 years(woah!) but I'm probably very rusty. I use to be first chair. If I could find a band to join at URI, I would. I don't want to pay for a class, I know how to play, but I want back in. I don't want to lose touch with my alto saxophone skills.
And that's part of my mind, I might think of some more things later- like why in the world did I have a dream about Jude Law that was about hanging out with his family instead of a sexy-time one? Or, how I have been thinking about picking up creative writing again(I have an idea in mind that involves pirates and author-reader love) or how much fun I have drumming and jamming in my car. That's all in there too. Ttfn
1. The semester is finally over and yet not? The grades are out(3.7!) and while I should be chilling for the summer, I have already mapped the summer classes as well as the fall classes. I feel ever-busy. And yet I like it. I appreciate my down time, but I do not want to find myself having too much of it. There is a ton of things I could watch, or read, or play, but I find myself wanting to go to work now that I have found what I want to do.
2. I am pumped for my internship. I am going to be teaching Digital Literacy courses/programs at a public library. The way it is set up is that my supervisor teaches for half the semester and I assist- then we switch. I might be able to utilize my love of music and teach an intermediate class on Spotify!
3. I'm stoked for summer because I am going to England. Here I will be taking British Librarianship and get to see many, many libraries. I already have homework for it! (Its not until July!)
4. During my trip I am going to spend time in Scotland for a little while(three days at least) Whilst here, I really want to get to know a Scottish man. They are my Achilles heel.
5. I plan to spend a lot of time outside of my room in the hopes of meeting Bennedict Cumberbatch, Matt Smith, or an on-par handsome British Gentleman. ( #romance) I also have many things I need to see architecture-wise.
6. I have become hyper aware of my use of contractions. (Examples of these I use are "don't", "I'm," and "won't.") I would like to speak more proper English. Not just because of England, but because it sounds better. This is sort of the same when I catch myself saying "legit" or "totes." Yup, it happens.
7. I really love the fact that I am taking a YA literature class this fall. It gives me an excuse to read things I might nit normally read. Currently I am reading Insurgent. I intend to read a lot more- the goal for the class is 30.
8. I want to complete both the Mass Effect series and the Assassins Creed series. Mass Effect is on pause until I have more money, I will be playing Assassins Creed II tomorrow. Its a day off.
9. I was rejected recently. I was being courted for two months, beginning to let my personal walls down, only to be hard-core turned down. I've been trying to brush it off, but everyday since(this was in the middle of this week) I have noticed a new aspect everyday. A new lesson learned, sort of. Like today, it dawned on me that I finally know I expect in an ideal mate. This guy matched a lot of them, like a lot. Too bad he wanted the other girl. Complete with her child.
10. Men are on my mind constantly. I have a lot of male friends. It is easy to do. And a lot of the BBC men I see(as mentioned above) make it hard not to think about them as well. Then there's Ryan Gosling, Olan Rogers(YouTube), Nathan Fillion, Jason Siegel, Chris Hemmsworth... See what I mean?
11. As much as I miss having a companion(being in a relationship), I do not want that any time soon. No matter how much I flirt with some of my male friends, I don't want to start anything serious before I go to England. I have hope that I could meet someone while I am there, even if it is just for a few fun dates, and I don't want to feel tied down to somebody back home. After the aforementioned #7, I think I am in the clear of my male friends' interested, but I am still going to be careful not to throw off serious vibes.
12. I really miss my college radio days. While they were only like two days away, I can feel it. I am constantly listening to the radio to see what's popular, who's new, and what's on air. Macklemore, Mumford & Sons, Of Monsters and Men, new Phoenix, new Daft Punk, and SO many more.
13. I really miss Jazz Band and Concert Band. Not so much marching band, except the music was just as cool. I can technically say that I have been playing for 11-12 years(woah!) but I'm probably very rusty. I use to be first chair. If I could find a band to join at URI, I would. I don't want to pay for a class, I know how to play, but I want back in. I don't want to lose touch with my alto saxophone skills.
And that's part of my mind, I might think of some more things later- like why in the world did I have a dream about Jude Law that was about hanging out with his family instead of a sexy-time one? Or, how I have been thinking about picking up creative writing again(I have an idea in mind that involves pirates and author-reader love) or how much fun I have drumming and jamming in my car. That's all in there too. Ttfn
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Relations, Not Relationships
I'm about to get philosophical and go on a teenage-rant,bare with me.
It's interesting, the way people think. You spend time getting to know them and still there is much you might never know. Some people believe that a person's past is behind them, but is it really? Their choices then(the past) influence their future choices. They might say that one girlfriend was a mistake, that the situation was undesirable, but might they not pick a future mate that is exactly the same? As I type this blog, it occurs to me that, since the time I started dating, I have been attracted to the same kind of guy. The guy who has all of the comic book geek-confidence/knowledge in the world but is trying to be something that they think is expected of them. Whether it is to go to college, run a business, be something their father could not be for them, or be "the" man, their goals, usually subconscious, keep them from seeing the future clearly. It blinds them. Again and again, the men I put time and effort into fit this ideal. (In writing this, I hope to teach myself a lesson. Stand back a little longer, observe a little more, and only go for men who are already successful maybe?)
And its a little silly too, not being able to see this (the scope of which is anywhere from two months to two and a half years) because they all have the same tell-tale signs. When I meet them, there is usually a girl they like of which there is unfinished business. But, since the past isn't suppose to matter, I don't ask. These characters play out into our conversations, either as part of a circle of college friends or the girl that is dating/married to their good friend. The point is that, for some reason, my friends can have a hunch about these women- long before they might become a problem- but I find myself continuously blindsided. They(my friends) might off-handedly tell me their concerns, but I want to give these guys a fair chance. In the most recent case, I asked the guy I was into about a girl in his profile picture- whether he was into her or not- because my friend said that was a red flag for her. In honest, he told me in detail why she was not his type. What I didn't know, what that a girl (in a closer pair of his married friends) was.
And usually when it all comes out, they still try to justify their decisions to you. "I wasn't lying to you. Everything I said to you was honest right up until..." that moment when it isn't. When suddenly the "other woman", the one that blindsides me, shares her feelings. She just can't hold her feelings for him any longer, so she tells him, and he caves because he secretly wanted her as well. Be it Christmas tree hunting with her family, about to move to New Mexico for a job, or freshly with a baby and a divorce, they make a move. Just before he is about to go on a date, move into our first apartment, prove he is a changed man- at any of these stages, she shows up and overrides any progress he and I have made.
And these guys think that it makes logical sense to lace their "sorry"s with their deep feelings for this new girl, as if it will make everything "click" to you. To tell you how much this girl means to them, that they have been there(waiting in the sidelines) for a while, biding their time until their husband, boyfriend, job, etc. allows this girl to come back to them. The worst part? You know they fear their new relationship will be doomed- subconsciously to them- because they ask you, in one form or another, to be friends. You didn't mean enough to them to continue down a path with you, but they want you to forgive them and continue being the awesome/cute/fun friend. The smart thing here, is to say no. At least 3 out of 5 times, I have stayed true and bowed out. It is tough, to come to this decision, but typically they do not really want to be friends(it was a pleasantry) or they are keeping you as a secret back-up. Either way, it hurts like hell to watch them with someone else, whether it was this girl or an entirely new one. But it is a bit easier this time because he fell for the girl with a kid. Not my cup of tea. The baby-mama drama and/or babies in general.
At the end of all of this, I find myself more glad for England and Scotland. I don't think I will want to come back this summer, but when I am there I at least want to see if I can meet a man- not a boy like these others- that proves to me there is something else out there. It would be wonderful if these men could come in the form of David Tennant, Kit Harrington, or Bennedict Cumberbatch. Anyways, as I infuse humour into this situation, I realize that there are men outside of my home-state and the more I travel the more I will likely see them. Better still, I realize that maybe I am not ready to date because the men from 22-25 are complete idiots; they have not accomplished anything with their life. You know what they say, women mature faster than men.
It's interesting, the way people think. You spend time getting to know them and still there is much you might never know. Some people believe that a person's past is behind them, but is it really? Their choices then(the past) influence their future choices. They might say that one girlfriend was a mistake, that the situation was undesirable, but might they not pick a future mate that is exactly the same? As I type this blog, it occurs to me that, since the time I started dating, I have been attracted to the same kind of guy. The guy who has all of the comic book geek-confidence/knowledge in the world but is trying to be something that they think is expected of them. Whether it is to go to college, run a business, be something their father could not be for them, or be "the" man, their goals, usually subconscious, keep them from seeing the future clearly. It blinds them. Again and again, the men I put time and effort into fit this ideal. (In writing this, I hope to teach myself a lesson. Stand back a little longer, observe a little more, and only go for men who are already successful maybe?)
And its a little silly too, not being able to see this (the scope of which is anywhere from two months to two and a half years) because they all have the same tell-tale signs. When I meet them, there is usually a girl they like of which there is unfinished business. But, since the past isn't suppose to matter, I don't ask. These characters play out into our conversations, either as part of a circle of college friends or the girl that is dating/married to their good friend. The point is that, for some reason, my friends can have a hunch about these women- long before they might become a problem- but I find myself continuously blindsided. They(my friends) might off-handedly tell me their concerns, but I want to give these guys a fair chance. In the most recent case, I asked the guy I was into about a girl in his profile picture- whether he was into her or not- because my friend said that was a red flag for her. In honest, he told me in detail why she was not his type. What I didn't know, what that a girl (in a closer pair of his married friends) was.
And usually when it all comes out, they still try to justify their decisions to you. "I wasn't lying to you. Everything I said to you was honest right up until..." that moment when it isn't. When suddenly the "other woman", the one that blindsides me, shares her feelings. She just can't hold her feelings for him any longer, so she tells him, and he caves because he secretly wanted her as well. Be it Christmas tree hunting with her family, about to move to New Mexico for a job, or freshly with a baby and a divorce, they make a move. Just before he is about to go on a date, move into our first apartment, prove he is a changed man- at any of these stages, she shows up and overrides any progress he and I have made.
And these guys think that it makes logical sense to lace their "sorry"s with their deep feelings for this new girl, as if it will make everything "click" to you. To tell you how much this girl means to them, that they have been there(waiting in the sidelines) for a while, biding their time until their husband, boyfriend, job, etc. allows this girl to come back to them. The worst part? You know they fear their new relationship will be doomed- subconsciously to them- because they ask you, in one form or another, to be friends. You didn't mean enough to them to continue down a path with you, but they want you to forgive them and continue being the awesome/cute/fun friend. The smart thing here, is to say no. At least 3 out of 5 times, I have stayed true and bowed out. It is tough, to come to this decision, but typically they do not really want to be friends(it was a pleasantry) or they are keeping you as a secret back-up. Either way, it hurts like hell to watch them with someone else, whether it was this girl or an entirely new one. But it is a bit easier this time because he fell for the girl with a kid. Not my cup of tea. The baby-mama drama and/or babies in general.
At the end of all of this, I find myself more glad for England and Scotland. I don't think I will want to come back this summer, but when I am there I at least want to see if I can meet a man- not a boy like these others- that proves to me there is something else out there. It would be wonderful if these men could come in the form of David Tennant, Kit Harrington, or Bennedict Cumberbatch. Anyways, as I infuse humour into this situation, I realize that there are men outside of my home-state and the more I travel the more I will likely see them. Better still, I realize that maybe I am not ready to date because the men from 22-25 are complete idiots; they have not accomplished anything with their life. You know what they say, women mature faster than men.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Jude Dream
I promised I would write about this, so here it is- my dream about Jude Law (from two nights ago).
I am walking down a road, it's very dark and rather dreary- almost like I am in Old England. As I round a corner, I bump into Jude Law. He is dressed just as dapper as when he plays Watson. We exchange hellos- I am not as nervous as I would expect to be- and walk in the same direction for awhile. Around the next bend is a large field, dimly lit by street lights. In it are colonial soldiers- or rather reenacters from the Norlands- and they are in the middle of strategizing when Jude jogs over to them. I watch from a distance for a few minutes and before I know it Jude is back. The men on the field had shooed him away because, while he is freaking Jude Law, they are using real gun replicas that fire and they dobn't want him to get hurt. We wander down the road in the same direction again.
As it turns out, we are apartment mates. He lives in the left apartment and I in the right one. I am about to go home and to sleep, but he invites me over. Excited and courteous, I accept. Inside are his two daughters and his wife, they are pleased to see they have company. I am surprised they are still awake. Anyways, we hunker down and watch some TV. As it gets later, they family decides to go to bed and I to return home. On my way, I realize that I am hanging out with Jude Law and I have paper with me! I pull it out of my bag and this is when I get nervous- I ask Jude for his autograph. He laughs, we are neighbors, but he takes a long time thinking about it. His face grows rather serious and then....I wake up.
Now, I looked online and Jude Law had a wife but currently has four children. I have been meaning to watch Anna Karenina, but haven't really had it that on my mind. I am not sure how the sexy Brit wandered into my dream, but it certainly was amusing!
I am walking down a road, it's very dark and rather dreary- almost like I am in Old England. As I round a corner, I bump into Jude Law. He is dressed just as dapper as when he plays Watson. We exchange hellos- I am not as nervous as I would expect to be- and walk in the same direction for awhile. Around the next bend is a large field, dimly lit by street lights. In it are colonial soldiers- or rather reenacters from the Norlands- and they are in the middle of strategizing when Jude jogs over to them. I watch from a distance for a few minutes and before I know it Jude is back. The men on the field had shooed him away because, while he is freaking Jude Law, they are using real gun replicas that fire and they dobn't want him to get hurt. We wander down the road in the same direction again.
As it turns out, we are apartment mates. He lives in the left apartment and I in the right one. I am about to go home and to sleep, but he invites me over. Excited and courteous, I accept. Inside are his two daughters and his wife, they are pleased to see they have company. I am surprised they are still awake. Anyways, we hunker down and watch some TV. As it gets later, they family decides to go to bed and I to return home. On my way, I realize that I am hanging out with Jude Law and I have paper with me! I pull it out of my bag and this is when I get nervous- I ask Jude for his autograph. He laughs, we are neighbors, but he takes a long time thinking about it. His face grows rather serious and then....I wake up.
Now, I looked online and Jude Law had a wife but currently has four children. I have been meaning to watch Anna Karenina, but haven't really had it that on my mind. I am not sure how the sexy Brit wandered into my dream, but it certainly was amusing!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Iron Man
Obviously, spoliers. Read at your own risk.
3..
2...
GO!
From the moment the film started, playing a typical 90s song , I knew I was in love with this movie more than the last film. Now don't get me wrong, I like ACDC, but it was too much to theme an entire movie's soundtrack around them. Rather than keep moving forward with the Tony Stark we see, we were transplanted to the Tony Stark from the first movie(much of his comic book life(origins story)) I loved the narrative for this. Robert Downey Jr. has a very funny acting style(straight-faced sarcasm) and a way of enticing you to listen. Which I did, straight through from 1999 to Present.
For a story, the arc of Iron Man 3 was much stronger than Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2 had it's moments, but it was not as memorable as, say Iron Man(the original). Why? Well when Rhodes was changed I was a little thrown and it also felt like everything was okay and Iron Man always had a handle on things. Which, we want the super hero to make things okay, but it didn't really feel like he was ever out of control. That fight, that willingness to prevail, is what makes us love comic books. Amongst many other things, of course.
So what did Iron Man 3 do right? The first thing is the humour. From the narrative to Tony Stark's uncanny ability to just not give a damn, or the "villain" in his natural habitat(yes I mean Mandarin), there was always a splash of laughter. Maybe some of it was not meant to be funny, like Tony Stark crash landing in Tennessee, but when a child in the theatre laughs- it makes it okay for you to do the same. Once you see the film, or maybe if you have, you will find many moments hilariously pleasing. It goes without saying, Robert Downey Jr. is definitely back and a solid Iron Man.
Next, things were well thought out. Here I mean the script and the practicality. Not everything from The Avengers was solved and there was a lot that happened. Normally in a film, the film ends and everything that happened is in the past. Not this time; In The Avengers Tony Stark finds himself having to deal with going into galactic space(facing near death once more) and coming to terms that there is more to handle than life in his world. Thor's world is the unimaginable, but what comes for The Avengers is beyond that. I think that would give anyone anxiety attacks. Which is what makes this superhero flaw work- it is realistic and gives Tony Stark that much more to work through. He's got Pepper and he needs to keep her, but when past history and recent history collide it makes for some epic character discovery. Not to mention he got 42 suits out of it...
Lastly, graphics. I know, CGI. A feature that many movies rely on too much. But from the botany/ficus flame-ons, to the many versions of Iron Man, I never found myself getting hung-up on the graphics. I didn't see the film in 3D, I am not sure that is an option for this one, and I didn't need to. The stunts were great, the fight to survive Tony's house was heart-racing, and everything just felt like it came together. This is a second addition to the idea that things were thought out. So not only did the plot make sense, the 300+(an exaggeration, but did you see that Design Graphics list?!?) graphic designers had me convinced that Iron Man was real.
So, go see it. Please watch Iron Man 1& 2 as well as The Avengers. The references to New York and the Pepper Potts' relationship won't make a heck of a lotta sense if you don't. Nor will the zinger after the credits for that matter. It's well worth the $9 I paid!
Good night!
End Spoilers.
3..
2...
GO!
From the moment the film started, playing a typical 90s song , I knew I was in love with this movie more than the last film. Now don't get me wrong, I like ACDC, but it was too much to theme an entire movie's soundtrack around them. Rather than keep moving forward with the Tony Stark we see, we were transplanted to the Tony Stark from the first movie(much of his comic book life(origins story)) I loved the narrative for this. Robert Downey Jr. has a very funny acting style(straight-faced sarcasm) and a way of enticing you to listen. Which I did, straight through from 1999 to Present.
For a story, the arc of Iron Man 3 was much stronger than Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2 had it's moments, but it was not as memorable as, say Iron Man(the original). Why? Well when Rhodes was changed I was a little thrown and it also felt like everything was okay and Iron Man always had a handle on things. Which, we want the super hero to make things okay, but it didn't really feel like he was ever out of control. That fight, that willingness to prevail, is what makes us love comic books. Amongst many other things, of course.
So what did Iron Man 3 do right? The first thing is the humour. From the narrative to Tony Stark's uncanny ability to just not give a damn, or the "villain" in his natural habitat(yes I mean Mandarin), there was always a splash of laughter. Maybe some of it was not meant to be funny, like Tony Stark crash landing in Tennessee, but when a child in the theatre laughs- it makes it okay for you to do the same. Once you see the film, or maybe if you have, you will find many moments hilariously pleasing. It goes without saying, Robert Downey Jr. is definitely back and a solid Iron Man.
Next, things were well thought out. Here I mean the script and the practicality. Not everything from The Avengers was solved and there was a lot that happened. Normally in a film, the film ends and everything that happened is in the past. Not this time; In The Avengers Tony Stark finds himself having to deal with going into galactic space(facing near death once more) and coming to terms that there is more to handle than life in his world. Thor's world is the unimaginable, but what comes for The Avengers is beyond that. I think that would give anyone anxiety attacks. Which is what makes this superhero flaw work- it is realistic and gives Tony Stark that much more to work through. He's got Pepper and he needs to keep her, but when past history and recent history collide it makes for some epic character discovery. Not to mention he got 42 suits out of it...
Lastly, graphics. I know, CGI. A feature that many movies rely on too much. But from the botany/ficus flame-ons, to the many versions of Iron Man, I never found myself getting hung-up on the graphics. I didn't see the film in 3D, I am not sure that is an option for this one, and I didn't need to. The stunts were great, the fight to survive Tony's house was heart-racing, and everything just felt like it came together. This is a second addition to the idea that things were thought out. So not only did the plot make sense, the 300+(an exaggeration, but did you see that Design Graphics list?!?) graphic designers had me convinced that Iron Man was real.
So, go see it. Please watch Iron Man 1& 2 as well as The Avengers. The references to New York and the Pepper Potts' relationship won't make a heck of a lotta sense if you don't. Nor will the zinger after the credits for that matter. It's well worth the $9 I paid!
Good night!
End Spoilers.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Don't You Miss Typewriters?
First I want to start off by saying thank you for over 1000 pageviews. While it isn't followers, I definitely feel noticed. As long as someone is reading, that's enough for me.
In bigger news, I completed the first year of my masters program last night. While the grades aren't all in- I am waiting on the presentation I gave last night(more on that in a minute) and a reflection paper of my Collection Development class- I can safely say I passed. I still remember last summer when I began writing about my thoughts towards graduate school. My concerns, my hopes, the idea of going back for school while having senioritis. And now here I am. "A"s in most of my classes, a member of the Student ALA, worker of(now two, I finally quit Dunkin Donuts, which made three) part time jobs, I have been to several "Rhode Island only" places, like Fat Belly's Pub, O'Brien's pub, and OrangeLeaf. Okay, well OrangeLeaf(a fro-yo shop) isn't in Maine so, to me, it's a Rhode Island thing. I have completed six courses, with five or six more to go. I have paid my tuition to attend King's College in England for a summer course. I'm finishing the paperwork for a Digital Literacy internship this fall. I still get along with my roommate. And I am "in-like"(also known as a crush) with someone back home, which is funny because I don't spend that much time in Maine since I moved down here.
So, like I said, my last course for this first year was last night. It was great- seven people presenting for 15 minutes a-piece on a project in which they organized some type of information. For me, I created a comic book store, called The Comic Vault(yes that's now my copyright) and told the story of a man "who recently came into money" and bought an old borders. I made it all up, but the narrative was necessary to transition from my initial Case Study to my paper(or research). I split it into four rooms, as opposed to a full, open floor of space. I gave it nerd-motifs and basically tried to convince people that comic book stores aren't dead, they just have to try new things- like selling Doctor Who merchandise or hosting a gaming night. Not so new, but highly overlooked.
At one point there was a presenter who talked about the concept of a "Writing Gym" and how he might have a free-write station, of which would have a typewriter. This got my roommate and I talking on the carpool home. We more or less felt it was a lost art of sorts, not having used our mother's typewriters since we were kids. (My mum use to sell Mary Kay in the late 90s and, since we didn't have a computer at the time(IKNOWRIGHT!) she used a typewriter for work. I used it for fun. Until she taught me how to erase the type, at which point I went through two erases and I don't remember playing with it after that.) So in memory of typewriters, I wrote this blog in courier.
Last on the menu, I wanted to let you know you can look forward to more book reviews, and maybe a few movies as well, because I will be reading plenty of Young Adult literature in preparation for my Young Adult Public Library course this fall. (30 books + 13 weeks = start now) Luckily, I have read some in recent times and remember plenty, but I want to read more. This class will be a great excuse. First on my list are Divergent and The Disaster Diaries: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse. The Great Gatsby will be coming out soon, so I might reread that as well as watch it. Now You See Me is due out soon as well as Iron Man 3 and others. I am also attending free comic book day, so whatever I get for free I will read and tell you my thoughts.
I think that's about it for now. Back to work!
In bigger news, I completed the first year of my masters program last night. While the grades aren't all in- I am waiting on the presentation I gave last night(more on that in a minute) and a reflection paper of my Collection Development class- I can safely say I passed. I still remember last summer when I began writing about my thoughts towards graduate school. My concerns, my hopes, the idea of going back for school while having senioritis. And now here I am. "A"s in most of my classes, a member of the Student ALA, worker of(now two, I finally quit Dunkin Donuts, which made three) part time jobs, I have been to several "Rhode Island only" places, like Fat Belly's Pub, O'Brien's pub, and OrangeLeaf. Okay, well OrangeLeaf(a fro-yo shop) isn't in Maine so, to me, it's a Rhode Island thing. I have completed six courses, with five or six more to go. I have paid my tuition to attend King's College in England for a summer course. I'm finishing the paperwork for a Digital Literacy internship this fall. I still get along with my roommate. And I am "in-like"(also known as a crush) with someone back home, which is funny because I don't spend that much time in Maine since I moved down here.
So, like I said, my last course for this first year was last night. It was great- seven people presenting for 15 minutes a-piece on a project in which they organized some type of information. For me, I created a comic book store, called The Comic Vault(yes that's now my copyright) and told the story of a man "who recently came into money" and bought an old borders. I made it all up, but the narrative was necessary to transition from my initial Case Study to my paper(or research). I split it into four rooms, as opposed to a full, open floor of space. I gave it nerd-motifs and basically tried to convince people that comic book stores aren't dead, they just have to try new things- like selling Doctor Who merchandise or hosting a gaming night. Not so new, but highly overlooked.
At one point there was a presenter who talked about the concept of a "Writing Gym" and how he might have a free-write station, of which would have a typewriter. This got my roommate and I talking on the carpool home. We more or less felt it was a lost art of sorts, not having used our mother's typewriters since we were kids. (My mum use to sell Mary Kay in the late 90s and, since we didn't have a computer at the time(IKNOWRIGHT!) she used a typewriter for work. I used it for fun. Until she taught me how to erase the type, at which point I went through two erases and I don't remember playing with it after that.) So in memory of typewriters, I wrote this blog in courier.
Last on the menu, I wanted to let you know you can look forward to more book reviews, and maybe a few movies as well, because I will be reading plenty of Young Adult literature in preparation for my Young Adult Public Library course this fall. (30 books + 13 weeks = start now) Luckily, I have read some in recent times and remember plenty, but I want to read more. This class will be a great excuse. First on my list are Divergent and The Disaster Diaries: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse. The Great Gatsby will be coming out soon, so I might reread that as well as watch it. Now You See Me is due out soon as well as Iron Man 3 and others. I am also attending free comic book day, so whatever I get for free I will read and tell you my thoughts.
I think that's about it for now. Back to work!
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