Monday, December 05, 2005
Happy Birthday! (12/5/05)
There's nothing really that I can write here that no one wouldn't already know. Perhaps the most famous man involved with animation of all time. How many other people's last name's are synonymous with fun?
So here's a "Wonderful World" of Happy Birthday to...
WALT DISNEY!
Mickey's dad would have been 104 today.
So here's a "Wonderful World" of Happy Birthday to...
WALT DISNEY!
Mickey's dad would have been 104 today.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Happy Birthday! (12/3/05)
Many remember her work in The Lost World: Jurrasic Park 2 or Magnolia or The Big Lebowksi or even The Hours, but for me, I'll never forget her lengthy full-frontal nudity scene in the excellent Short Cuts.
So here's a "no, she's the OTHER red headed actress" Happy Birthday to....
JULIANNE MOORE!
Amber Waves is 45 today.
So here's a "no, she's the OTHER red headed actress" Happy Birthday to....
JULIANNE MOORE!
Amber Waves is 45 today.
Friday, December 02, 2005
More neat Lost stuff!
Here are a couple more of those neat little Lost stuff you may have missed:
Fellow cartoonist Robert Bienvenu pointed this out on the Captain Comics message board. From this excellent Adam Hughes Catwoman cover, note her prisoner number!
And check out this still from this week's episode.
Look who's on the television set at the recruiting office of Kate's father.
Lost is one of those rare TV shows that you actually have to watch to get it.
Happy Birthday! (12/2/05)
I guess we can forgive her for appearing in those LOUSY Charlie's Angels films, since she appeared (as herself and a robot of herself) on Futurama and as Madam Wu on The Simpsons.
Here's a "Kill Bill" Happy Birthday to...
LUCY LIU!
The ex-girlfriend of Jerry Maguire is 37 today.
Here's a "Kill Bill" Happy Birthday to...
LUCY LIU!
The ex-girlfriend of Jerry Maguire is 37 today.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Happy Birthday! (12/1/05)
If you can get past all the "marrying his step daughter" stuff and just focus in on his work, like Take the Money and Run and Sleeper and Love and Death and Annie Hall and Crimes and Misdemeanors and Radio Days and.... well you're not going to see a better collection of funny movies from anyone else.
So here's a "Do the Chameleon" Happy Birthday to...
WOODY ALLEN!
The guy who wrote and performed one of the funniest stand-up bits ("The Moose Hunt") of all time, is 70 today.
So here's a "Do the Chameleon" Happy Birthday to...
WOODY ALLEN!
The guy who wrote and performed one of the funniest stand-up bits ("The Moose Hunt") of all time, is 70 today.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tis the season to see baboons...
It seems that every year that I'm scrambling about, for a decent idea for my annual customized Christmas Card. I'll usually kick around concepts and drawings, not be happy with any of them and finally come up with something I like, just days before the holiday! (and there's nothing more a printer likes to hear when you drop off artwork, "Uh... can I have this tomorrow?")
Well, not this year!!!
I actually liked the idea I came up with, while attending the SPX con in September, and finished the artwork this past weekend. It felt kind of weird, dropping off the artwork at the printers before the month of December, but I guess I was due to be early with the artwork (for at least once a decade, I guess.)
Since I'll be sending more cards out this year, as part of my promo work for Action Figure my new comic series, to comic shops and reviewers, I not only had to print hundreds of more cards but decided that a custom envelope would be appropriate.
I dropped off that artwork (along with the hundreds of blank envelopes) to the printers a few weeks ago and picked them up the other day.
Here's a close up of the Baboon Books logo in the upper left.
So who knows, if you're on my Christmas list, don't be surprised if you see this envelope in your mail box in the upcoming weeks.
Well, not this year!!!
I actually liked the idea I came up with, while attending the SPX con in September, and finished the artwork this past weekend. It felt kind of weird, dropping off the artwork at the printers before the month of December, but I guess I was due to be early with the artwork (for at least once a decade, I guess.)
Since I'll be sending more cards out this year, as part of my promo work for Action Figure my new comic series, to comic shops and reviewers, I not only had to print hundreds of more cards but decided that a custom envelope would be appropriate.
I dropped off that artwork (along with the hundreds of blank envelopes) to the printers a few weeks ago and picked them up the other day.
Here's a close up of the Baboon Books logo in the upper left.
So who knows, if you're on my Christmas list, don't be surprised if you see this envelope in your mail box in the upcoming weeks.
Happy Birthday! (11/30/05)
In the early days of the 1980's and MTV (back when MTV used to run those things called... music videos, I believe they were called) he was at the top of the heap. Well, for a little while, anyway. With massive hits like White Wedding, Dancing With Myself and Eyes Without A Face you couldn't avoid him in those days. (I did see him during his Whiplash Smile tour when The Cult opened for him, great show!)
Here's a Mony, Mony Happy Birthday to.....
BILLY IDOL!
The former lead singer of Generation X is 50 today.
Here's a Mony, Mony Happy Birthday to.....
BILLY IDOL!
The former lead singer of Generation X is 50 today.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Really Good (with no Grief!)
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I was able to get some reading in (and help clear away the pile of "books to read" on my night stand). One I was looking forward to, and really enjoyed, was Volume 4 of The Complete Peanuts, covering the strips of 1957-1958.
I've mentioned before how great this reprint series by Fantagraphics has been, from the book designs by Seth, through the clean reproduction of strips that haven't been seen in over 50 years.
By this volume, Schulz has set upon a visual look for the characters that will stand through the next 40 plus years. Gone are the large "bobble-head-like" heads for the kids, they're now more proportioned and streamlined. As for the kids ages, both Lucy and Linus were introduced as tots but have now caught up to the rest of the gang. (well except Linus though, who will always remain a year behind, retaining his little brother status to Lucy).
Through the seventh and eight years the cast has settled with four dominating, main characters. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy (who' s begun to establish the hind-leg walking, highly imaginative character taking on forms of a vulture, polar bear and a penguin, that will make him the star of the strip.)
The supporting cast consists of Schroeder (seen mainly with Lucy at the piano and as the catcher on the ball team), Pig Pen (when a "dirt" joke is needed) Violet & Patty (who are virtually interchangeable by now, used only to taunt Charlie Brown) and finally Shermy. Shermy, who in the first year was a main character, second only to Charlie Brown, is seen now only in the background and in a non speaking role.
While these are great reads and are highly recommended (and I'll definitely continue to pre-order from Fantagraphics so as to get them when they come hot off the press) I'm still a bit skeptical of whether they'll finish the job, by reprinting the entire 50 year run of the strip. Fantagraphics no doubt does quality work but they have left us hanging before, by beginning classic comic strip reprint runs (Pogo and Little Orphan Annie) only to stop without warning.
Until then though, I'm looking forward to Volume 5 (1959-1960) which includes, among other things, the first Great Pumpkin story.
I've mentioned before how great this reprint series by Fantagraphics has been, from the book designs by Seth, through the clean reproduction of strips that haven't been seen in over 50 years.
By this volume, Schulz has set upon a visual look for the characters that will stand through the next 40 plus years. Gone are the large "bobble-head-like" heads for the kids, they're now more proportioned and streamlined. As for the kids ages, both Lucy and Linus were introduced as tots but have now caught up to the rest of the gang. (well except Linus though, who will always remain a year behind, retaining his little brother status to Lucy).
Through the seventh and eight years the cast has settled with four dominating, main characters. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy (who' s begun to establish the hind-leg walking, highly imaginative character taking on forms of a vulture, polar bear and a penguin, that will make him the star of the strip.)
The supporting cast consists of Schroeder (seen mainly with Lucy at the piano and as the catcher on the ball team), Pig Pen (when a "dirt" joke is needed) Violet & Patty (who are virtually interchangeable by now, used only to taunt Charlie Brown) and finally Shermy. Shermy, who in the first year was a main character, second only to Charlie Brown, is seen now only in the background and in a non speaking role.
While these are great reads and are highly recommended (and I'll definitely continue to pre-order from Fantagraphics so as to get them when they come hot off the press) I'm still a bit skeptical of whether they'll finish the job, by reprinting the entire 50 year run of the strip. Fantagraphics no doubt does quality work but they have left us hanging before, by beginning classic comic strip reprint runs (Pogo and Little Orphan Annie) only to stop without warning.
Until then though, I'm looking forward to Volume 5 (1959-1960) which includes, among other things, the first Great Pumpkin story.
Happy Birthday! (11/29/05)
When he's tried a motion picture career his choices have been less than.....stellar. (Hurlyburly and What Planet Are You From?) But television, now that's another story.
He's had two excellent shows (It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show) that have bent the rules of on air TV and were VERY funny.
So here's a (don't forget, he's done some great stand-up too) Happy Birthday to...
GARRY SHANDLING!
Warren Beatty's good friend is 56 today.
He's had two excellent shows (It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show) that have bent the rules of on air TV and were VERY funny.
So here's a (don't forget, he's done some great stand-up too) Happy Birthday to...
GARRY SHANDLING!
Warren Beatty's good friend is 56 today.
Monday, November 28, 2005
The Ice Harvest will leave you cold.
But not in a good way.
I'm a fan of dark humor or black comedy as it's often called. Especially movies like Fargo, Dr. Strangelove and Bad Santa which involve difficult to obnoxiuous/bad characters involved in situations that you laugh at and cringe at, at the same time.
This can be difficult to achieve.
When the writing and acting work, this can make a terrific black comedy. When it doesn't, you get The Ice Harvest.
Seemingly, everything was laid out for this film to work. A good cast (John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt) who have done excellent work in the past. A favorite director in Harold Ramis, who along with his movie work did some great stuff on the original SCTV, so how could this fail?
The story, a Wichita Falls lawyer and strip club owner (Cusack and Thornton) partner up to swindle over 2 million dollars from the local mob. They collect the cash on Christmas Eve, and then.....
Well, nothing really. The characters meander around town in a (not necessary) ice storm. Along the way, Oliver Platt joins (for no story apparent reason) to meander with them. There's some violence, with characters killing, maiming and threatening other characters, but... big deal. We have no concern for any of these one dimensional protagonists, so who cares what happens to them?
The Ice Harvest is the blueprint of how NOT to make a dark comedy. They fail on all counts as every supposed funny line and bit falls flat on it's face.
I should have known though, really I should have. Despite the talent involved, the advertising should have warned me. Both the television and print ads described themselves as this years' Bad Santa or as the anti-Christmas film. Anytime films immediately begin comparing themselves to something that was much better or as "this years ____", you know that you're in trouble.
Now I'll never get that time (and $9.25) back that I wasted on Friday. The Ice Harvest gets a frozen:
I'm a fan of dark humor or black comedy as it's often called. Especially movies like Fargo, Dr. Strangelove and Bad Santa which involve difficult to obnoxiuous/bad characters involved in situations that you laugh at and cringe at, at the same time.
This can be difficult to achieve.
When the writing and acting work, this can make a terrific black comedy. When it doesn't, you get The Ice Harvest.
Seemingly, everything was laid out for this film to work. A good cast (John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt) who have done excellent work in the past. A favorite director in Harold Ramis, who along with his movie work did some great stuff on the original SCTV, so how could this fail?
The story, a Wichita Falls lawyer and strip club owner (Cusack and Thornton) partner up to swindle over 2 million dollars from the local mob. They collect the cash on Christmas Eve, and then.....
Well, nothing really. The characters meander around town in a (not necessary) ice storm. Along the way, Oliver Platt joins (for no story apparent reason) to meander with them. There's some violence, with characters killing, maiming and threatening other characters, but... big deal. We have no concern for any of these one dimensional protagonists, so who cares what happens to them?
The Ice Harvest is the blueprint of how NOT to make a dark comedy. They fail on all counts as every supposed funny line and bit falls flat on it's face.
I should have known though, really I should have. Despite the talent involved, the advertising should have warned me. Both the television and print ads described themselves as this years' Bad Santa or as the anti-Christmas film. Anytime films immediately begin comparing themselves to something that was much better or as "this years ____", you know that you're in trouble.
Now I'll never get that time (and $9.25) back that I wasted on Friday. The Ice Harvest gets a frozen:
Happy Birthday! (11/28/05)
Until he began scoring motion pictures like The Natural and Toy Story he was mostly known for penning and singing songs laced with sarcasm and cynicism. He actually hit the pop charts with the vertically challenged single, Short People.
Here's an I Love L.A. Happy Birthday to...
RANDY NEWMAN!
The guy who broke the all-time record for most Oscar nominations without any wins is 62 today.
Here's an I Love L.A. Happy Birthday to...
RANDY NEWMAN!
The guy who broke the all-time record for most Oscar nominations without any wins is 62 today.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
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