The single most greatest t-shirt, ever.

It's almost as if God created the devil himself and gave him this t-shirt.

Dragonball: Evolution: A not-so-quick review.

Movie: "Dragonball: Evolution"
Year: 2009
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Action, stupid
Director: James Wong
Writer(s): James Wong, Ben Ramsey.
Based on the Manga by Akira Toriyama.

In a misguided attempt to find a bad movie to mock, my friend, Stephen and I rented the live-action adaptation no one was really asking for; Dragonball: Evolution.

Surprising as it may be, I have never really been a Dragonball fan. I have never read any of the manga (manga is by and large something I yet to fully embrace) and I've watch only about a dozen episodes of DBZ, a few from GT and none of the original series. I know only the basics: the character names and, in the broadest sense, the premise.

Now, this shouldn't be a problem. Any decent adaptation will take it's time to tell you what you should know, and why you should know it. Who is who and what they do. Most importantly and utterly essential, why you should care about anything that is happening on screen.

Confusion starts to set in after about 5 minutes. After a pointless fight scene, Goku; the film's protagonist, and Goku's grandfather; the film's protagonist's grandfather, start to talk about the power and purpose of the Dragonballs. Whoa, wait a minute... Who are you people? Where are we? How can you do all those cool martial arts moves? Is this the future? The past? Is this even Earth? I guess so, because that's what the prologue said. Besides that, none of these questions are answers.

Needless to say, I kept asking Stephen; a big fan of Dragonball, questions during almost every scene trying desperately to make heads or tails of the mess I was viewing. He assured me that everything was either completely changed or changed only slightly, but still, bared no real resemblance to any of the DB's original incarnations.

To go further into this movie's plot would be like walking into a black hole. Why? Essentially, there is none. A random sequence of events occur in order to create this movie. Is any of it related to each other? Is there any semblance of narrative story-line running through it? Will we ever get an expository scene explaining (or, over explaining as these things usually go) what the fuck is going on? Sorta, not really, and no.

To make matter worse; not only does this movie have no plot but it has no action. Nothing really happens. Nothing... at... all... and thing's get boring. V E R Y B O R I N G.

I will give this movie 2 points for the following: It's short and feels short. A meaningless sense of pride washed over me when I figure out a glaringly obvious plot point about 20 minutes before it occurred.

Not being a DB fan all I can really say is this movie is lame. That's it. I don't feel like any part of me has been hurt in anyway or that anything I hold close was cut to pieces. I just feel bored. Bored with the luck luster fight scenes, vacant plot, and acting that ranged from over-the-top to underwhelming at best. I want this movie out of my system and hopefully this review will help, although I not sure how necessary it is for that. A good night's sleep or a cold soda could purge this movie from you. In a word: Forgettable.

Something I've been waiting for!

This mixed with Where the Wild Things Are = our childhoods live again!

A graphic that made me laugh.

I have no problem with Comic-con. I just have a feeling that being there would be an almost Hell on Earth experience for me. I couldn't take being around that many people, all of whom mostly likely far nerdier than I.

Still, the allure of a con is something not to pass up. I would like to venture fourth and tackle a few.

A weird feeling of Joss.

So tonight I saw Taking Back Sunday? Why? Beyond it being free, I really don't know.

JOSS WHEDON RELATED MEDIA TIME!


Yes, as you can see; the Whedon penned The Cabin in the Woods has 3 new, self-aware posters out; yay! and boo! Yay, because I'm a fan of both Whedon and director Drew Goddard; who also wrote Cloverfield.

Now, why boo? These poster are emblematic of something I don't personally find appealing about Whedon's work: The wry, sometimes too self-awareness to it all. I honestly have no problem with things being a bit tongue-in-cheek. A light smathering of fourth wall breaking is par-for-the-course. However, when everything and everyone involved knows it's in a form of media it's, for me; impossible not to feel like something is being pulled over on me. That I'm being fucked with.

I know horror as a long standing tradition of knowing it's surroundings. But come on, Joss; you're the guy who usually pushes genre's into new territory. This feels like a lazy attempt at fan service. Using the weakest chain to pull in the Evil Dead crowd. But I'm not sure I should solely blame Whedon for this.

I'm one who has defended and ridiculed camp. For one, camp is not nearly as bad as people like to think. There are times when things get inordinately campy that they cross the boarder into being inspired or even genius. Other times, usually when Joel Schumacher is involved; (yeah, Sam, I went there) where everything becomes so overloaded it's abysmal torture.

I think, probably wrongly so; that being self-aware, breaking the fourth wall and tongue-in-cheekness is a style of camp. Postmodernism has been described as kitsch mixed with high art. I'll agree with it being kitsch. I've never felt any real form of non-accidental intelligence coming from anything postmodern excluding Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West.

But maybe I'm pontificating here for no real reason. These are early posters for a movie that is coming out in a year. What are posters? Advertisements. Maybe they are less important because of trailers and review aggregating websites such as Rotten Tomatoes. Still, posters play an important role, kinda. These posters grabbed me. They got me thinking, they slightly angered me, but most importantly: They make me want to see this film.

So, I guess they won.


EDIT: The original title to this entry was, 'A weird feeling of loss.' I have changed it to, 'A weird feeling of Joss' because I thought that was clever. I am a shithead.

A movie no one was asking for that doesn't need to happen.

Wait for it...

1..
2..
3..
4..
5..

BOOM!

OMG WANT!

So far the Blackest Night is pretty good. Issue #1 is largely a build-up issue, reintroducing us to the DC world, complete with who's dead, should be dead and who isn't but might just be soon. I was pleased with the introduction of the Black Lanterns. Though zombies and the fact that their rings say "Flesh", I found them to be a nice alternative to regular living dead. They talked, told some crafty jokes and altogether knew how to kill.

Intelligent zombies + Green Lanterns + a bunch of other lanterns = good stuff

Someone did something I would never have the patience to do.

Mario Family Tree.

Or maybe not

Remember when it was reported that Comedy Central had renewed Futurama for 26 episodes? As it turns out, the budget for the show has been cut drastically. A major outcome of this is the possibility of the main cast being replaced.

Is there really any point of even bothering to produce new episodes anymore? It won't be the same. Another setback of the budgets is a smaller writing staff and shorter delivery time for the new episodes.

I have a sinking feeling this will be a huge disaster. A faint echo of what the show once was, completely ruined by its newest incarnation. Sorta like, I dunno, the Simpsons.

Another article.


It's too hot to do anything.

Because the "Blackest Night" (for those of you who aren't super nerds, DC"s big summer event, centering around Green Lantern) drops tomorrow, I was inspired to make this short comic. In the Blackest Night, a bunch of newly colored corps appear, each powered by a new emotion. Hal Jordan, the popular peter that he is, gets to somehow try on all of the newer rings, resulting in this: Identity Crisis!

With Pictures

Being men about town, like Howard Moon, Sam and I have little time to squander. However, putting aside precious time to work our fingers to the bone. With an almost heavenly grace and ease we create masterworks. Or, silly comics about silly things.

After finishing the inking process on the story we are currently working on, Sam scanned everything into his computer. After a bit of a discussion, we decided to add color. For the time being we'll be using color sparingly for a more impressionistic look. We both have a bit of apprehension towards using color completely.

Regardless, we'll probably try out both options. I may post pictures of both and try to get some feedback, but, ultimately, the decision is ours. I have a feeling, for each story, we'll use a different color palette and style accordingly.

So we are making real progress here.


The Clash are the best band ever.

Green Lantern News

Hey Everyone

So casting for the new Green Lantern movie has been announced and the Winner is.....

Ryan Reynolds

I am unsure how I feel about this one. While he has charm that I could argue might be a plus for the film, it doesn't necessarily meet the character of Hal Jordan. All the choices they have made so far have more been Guy Gardener characters, focused on humor to draw in more crowds and make more money. Meh.

A few great things to enjoy.

First off, we have a new District 9 trailer. Surprise, it's rated R!

The more I see of this movie the less I think I know what it's about. I have to admit, seeing that guy in that mech worries me greatly. I really don't want another robot fighting movie. The first time I saw the teaser, I was soo happy. A slick science fiction movie THAT'S ABOUT SOMETHING AND HAS A THEME THAT GOES DEEPER THAN A THROW AWAY LINE SPOKEN BY A CHARACTER, WHO, YES, IS A GIANT ROBOT! Let's hope they do this right. If not, I will cry.


Second, and the best, Doctor Doom's stand up.



Sam and I need to get out act together but we have a good many video ideas. I've been slacking lately, but I'll whip myself into shape soon, you'll see!

EXCITING NEWS FROM VIZ ABOUT ONE PIECE!

VIZ MEDIA DELIGHTS FANS WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACCELERATED PUBLISHING SCHEDULE FOR HIT PIRATE MANGA SERIES ONE PIECE

Company Rolls Out Most Aggressive Manga Publishing Schedule Yet With 5 New Volumes Of High Seas Action/Adventure Saga To Debut Each Month Throughout The First Half Of 2010

San Francisco, CA, JULY 6, 2009 – As first detailed this past weekend at Anime Expo® 2009, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announced a significantly increased publication schedule for the hit pirate manga series – ONE PIECE – delighting fans everywhere. Beginning in January 2010 and continuing through June 2010, five new ONE PIECE manga volumes will be published each month, for a total of 30 new volumes. The new schedule will launch with volumes 24-28.

To further complement these releases, VIZ Media has launched a brand new, dedicated ONE PIECE web site at OnePiece.VIZ.com that will be updated regularly with plot and character information, and will also provide special free manga chapters.

ONE PIECE Rated ‘T’ for Teens takes readers to a world populated by pirates and filled with adventure. As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming the King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Now Luffy, with the help of a motley collection of pirate wannabes, is setting off in search of the “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world.

The manga ONE PIECE was created by Eichiro Oda, a comic creator and artist, and debuted in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997. One of the most popular comic artists in Japan today, Oda started out by winning the Hop Step Award (a monthly award given by Shonen Jump for amateur artists) as well as the esteemed Tezuka Award. His art style is reminiscent of Akira Toriyama, Sergio Aragones, and the movie Yellow Submarine.
“This will be our most ambitious accelerated manga publishing schedule for any property thus far, and we are confident it will be a huge success, as ONE PIECE is an exciting series that enjoys a large and very dedicated following in North America,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Marketing for VIZ Media. “Pirate stories are known and loved the world over and ONE PIECE, with its zany cast of characters and high seas action, enjoys more than 177 million copies in-print in Japan alone. We look forward to new and old fans alike exploring these fun adventures as each month Luffy and his cohorts search for the elusive One Piece treasure.”

For more information please visit the dedicated website at www.onepiece.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

4th of July.

So, yeah. America. Great country.

I've decided not to do a Public Enemies review. It was a really good movie, but Sam and I have come up with a few really good video ideas and I want to focus on those.

I had a great fourth. I hope you did too.

I'm really kinda drunk.


LOVE YOU READERS!