Neko on a Hot Tin Roof
I rented Onibaba (Demon Woman) because a website recommended it to fans of Yokai Monsters and Kwaidan, two movies about Japanese ghosts and monsters. Plus, it’s got a big demon on the cover! The truth is that, except for the last twenty minutes or so, it’s not about obakemono at all, and it isn’t what…
How many Spartans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
I’ve got to admit I was biased against 300 from the start, because I don’t like Frank Miller. I don’t like his art, and his writing only works for me when he sticks to one or two of his strong areas. And I can never tell where he’s coming from — he always strikes me…
The best song of the BOSTON band of all the times
John Scalzi’s blog passes along the story that Boston’s lead singer died on Friday. He also passes along some damn lies, saying that the band’s “moment is over.” Spoken like a guy who never played Guitar Hero. Or, for that matter, never heard Boston. There are very few “perfect” pop/rock albums, and Boston is one…
Flight 180 Part 2: The Pile-Up
Seems like every time I make an effort to meet Hollywood halfway, they slap me down. Last night I watched Final Destination 2, and it used up all my good will towards idiotic consumer entertainment product. In this case, Flight 180 Part 2: The Pile-Up is a better title. Partly because they mention Flight 180…
Death be not too proud for focus testing
I watched Final Destination a while back, and I enjoyed it just fine. It’s perfect for all your young-people-getting-killed-in-gruesome-ways needs. I suspect that this is one of those cases where waiting for the DVD is hundreds of times better than seeing it when it first came out. For one thing, the opening works as well…
An Evening at the Improv
Do the “Lost” guys seriously expect anyone to still believe they’re not making it up as they go along? I feel like a joiner, seeing as how it’s fashionable now to rag on “Lost,” but there’s just so much material there. They try stunt casting, and the best they can dig up is Cheech. Their…
LA Congestion
I’m currently down in the Lesser Los Angeles area (calling it “greater” just doesn’t feel right to me). The weather has been perfect today — sunny with just a few clouds, the temperature in the high 70s or low 80s with no trace of the San Francisco chill I left this morning. I spent the…
One Duuuuuhhhhhrrrr
Every year I think it’d be just awesome to go to the San Diego Comic Con, because I’ve never been to the city or to the convention. And every year I go to Wondercon here in San Francisco, and it kills every desire I have to go to a large gathering of nerds ever again…