The Royal Decrees of Lord Spathington

Short Film Friday

2012-01-27T09:43:00.000-06:00

Pull & Hold

2012-01-25T15:59:00.000-06:00

Fantastic Four 602, FF 14, Flash 5, Green Lantern: The New Guardians 5, Justice League 5, Mighty Thor 10, Secret Avengers 21.1, Sixth Gun 18, and Ultimates 6

Also picking up:

I Swallowed the Key to My Heart, by Liz Prinze (Microcosm)
In the comic I Swallowed the Key to My Heart, Liz Prince pursues a crush on a bearded gentleman while simultaneously pining for an ex. She flirts using the age-old tactics of teasing and hat stealing, with mixed results. Liz also ends up fighting with other girls for his attention, and rebuffing the advances of an unwanted suitor, all at the same time. It's a total boy-crazy funfest set in a snowy small town where everyone knows everyone else's business. The drama!

A.D.D. (Vertigo)
The Adolescent Demo Division are the world's luckiest teen gamers. Raised from birth to test media, appear on reality TV and enjoy the fruits of corporate culture, the squad develop special abilities that make them the envy of the world – and a grave concern to their keepers.

One by one, they "graduate" to new levels that are not what they seem. But their heightened abilities can only take them so far as the ultimate search for their birth families leads to an inconceivably harrowing discovery.

Written by Douglas Rushkoff, world-renowned media theorist, Frontline TV correspondent and author (Ecstasy Club, Media Virus and Program or Be Programmed, TESTAMENT), with full color art by Goran Sudzuka and Jose Marzan Jr. (Y: THE LAST MAN).

All comics are available at Star Clipper

Trailer Tuesday

2012-01-24T09:40:00.000-06:00

Cool Covers

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-06:00

Short Film Friday

2012-01-20T09:44:00.001-06:00

Chocolates - The Movie from Andrei Popa on Vimeo.

Short Film Friday

2012-01-20T09:26:00.000-06:00

The Cosmic Return!

2012-01-18T10:53:00.000-06:00

"This Is It! Spidey Goes Cosmic"

2012 is the year everything ends, so why not begin this blog again?

After ignoring this blog for the most part of 2011 (showing remarkable consistency posting at least 205 entries 2008 through 2010), I've decided to make attempts at regular updates.

Features will include posts on comics and movies, as usual, but with slight variations:

Cool Covers brings you my favorite comic book covers from my own personal collection every Monday
Off the Shelf returns periodically, when I've read a sizable amount of graphic novels
Let's All Go to the Lobby will once again showcase my inability to write about movies in a critical fashion
Pull & Hold will showcase the new release comics I plan to pick up each week. I'll also feature potential purchases in trade paperbacks, graphic novels, or other appealing collectibles. I hope to include brief (one sentence) reviews of comics from the prior week
Capsule Movie Reviews (title pending) will chronicle my attempt to watch at least four movies a week, then succinctly reviewing those films in a 'good, bad, and ugly' format
Comic Series Reviews is an attempt to read a complete comic series, usually 50 issues or so in duration, and present a similar 'good, bad, and ugly' review
Short Film Friday shares a short film or two each week. Pieces will be narrative fiction, music videos, promotional spots, or abstract creations (this feature essentially replaces Wednesday Filler)
Trailer Tuesday is a spotlight on trailers for upcoming releases of films in theaters or DVD, as well as comic books or graphic novels given the trailer treatment.

Occasionally, I hope to post entries in the "What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?" series. This weekend, I plan to finish entries for 2011 best of movies and comics. Stay tuned!

Pull & Hold

2012-01-18T10:50:00.000-06:00

Avengers 21, Batman 5, Daredevil 8, Green Lantern Corps 5, Moon Knight 9, Ultimate Spider-Man 6, Uncanny X-Force 20, and Venom 12.

Cool Covers

2012-01-16T09:23:00.000-06:00

Short Film Friday

2012-01-13T11:57:00.000-06:00

Lakon Pada Suatu Ketika from lakonanimasi on Vimeo.

Short Film Friday

2012-01-13T10:56:00.000-06:00

It's a music video, too.

Pull & Hold

2012-01-11T12:52:00.000-06:00

Amazing Spider-Man 677; Batwoman 5; Captain America 7; Demon Knight 5; Green Lantern 5; Incredible Hulk 4; Invincible 87; Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand 1 (pictured left); New Avengers 20; Reed Gunther 7; Scarlet Spider 1; Secret Avengers 21; Strange Talent of Luther Strode 4; and Wolverine 300.

Cool Covers

2012-01-09T11:38:00.001-06:00

I don't get it.

Short Film Friday

2012-01-06T14:25:00.001-06:00

"Snowballs"

2012-01-06T13:45:00.000-06:00

All Time Top Jazz Faves

2011-10-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

1.) "Desmond Blue" by Paul Desmond

2.) "Whisper Not" by Art Blakey

3.) "Blues for Pablo" by Miles Davis

4.) "Lomelin" by Gerald Wilson

5.) "Shufflin' at the Hollywood" by Lionel Hampton

Honorable Mention

"Melancholia" by Duke Ellington

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2011-04-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4DBZ2TBp-w

Wednesday Filler

2011-03-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2011/3/28/AT&T-Archives-The-Thinking-Machines

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2011-03-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgEDEFYdU_0

Off the Shelf

2011-03-17T09:26:00.000-05:00

I picked up UPTIGHT #4 from Star Clipper a couple weeks ago and am obsessed with the series now. Issue #3 seems relatively easy find, but both #1 & #2 are out of print. More often, it seems I should relax my "wait for the trade" code and just go for the single issues. How far behind am I on so many great series already (Y The Last Man, Ex Machina, King City, Chew, The Unwritten, etc.)?

I didn't miss the boat on The Intrepids #1, a heist style group book that featured an angry bear-cyborg and a fun cartoon-style art. Check it out if you are so inclined.

Recent duds include Marineman #1 by Ian Churchill. Maybe the story picks up in subsequent issues, but I just didn't catch on during the premiere. Hopefully Sea Ghost picks up the slack for all fans of water faring superhero exploits. I'm still undecided on the new Solar: Man of the Atom series. I've picked up the first two issues and was disappointed by the first book.

I'll be in Chicago for C2E2 and will report any noteworthy finds from the weekend on next week's installment of Off the Shelf.

New Comic Day

2011-03-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

The Arctic Marauder by Jacques Tardi

64-page black & white 9" x 11.75" hardcover • $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-435-1

"If The Arctic Marauder is indeed out this week – ComicList lists it, but Diamond doesn’t – I’m totally getting that too, budget be damned..." – Michael May, Robot 6

2010-12-22T08:24:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5tzMWfxens&feature=player_embedded

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-12-21T08:43:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFbde8H4rY

Cool Covers

2010-12-20T08:46:00.000-06:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-12-15T08:19:00.000-06:00

Reloaded from marieke v on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/17065636

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-12-14T08:03:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jeT4R0lNBM

Cool Covers

2010-12-13T15:26:00.000-06:00

Neat series published by IDW

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-12-07T09:08:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkodlmG1M18

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-11-30T09:06:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FAB_mM5ttU

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-11-23T08:49:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vPJkQsP20A

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-11-16T09:42:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bBpDNRP5qQ

Cool Covers

2010-11-15T09:10:00.000-06:00

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-11-09T09:33:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqX9w-0WEQ0

Cool Covers

2010-11-08T21:09:00.001-06:00

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-11-02T08:22:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUArCmcpwuA

Cool Covers

2010-11-01T21:06:00.000-05:00

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-10-26T08:41:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6dICWaA6FY

Cool Covers

2010-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-10-20T09:27:00.000-05:00

SUPERNATURAL CREATOR 2 from Mareike on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/9500433

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-10-19T08:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8QS_qQPsOw

Cool Covers

2010-10-18T17:56:00.000-05:00

2010-09-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

"Young Justice" is coming to the Cartoon Network.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOjAmXDjW4

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-09-07T09:51:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UywepYhTRE

Cool Covers

2010-09-06T08:55:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-09-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

Video Games | DC Universe Online | Exclusive Who Do You Trust Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-who-dc-universe/702049

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-08-31T09:36:00.000-05:00

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken | Movie Trailers
http://www.reelzchannel.com/trailer-clips/38456/trailer

Cool Covers

2010-08-30T09:31:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-08-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Cardboard Mechanics Installation from Sasj on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/12480554

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-08-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtaK-cwPIE

Cool Covers

2010-08-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-08-18T10:12:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi13LczGlsE&feature=player_embedded

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-08-17T08:53:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipivUGVydMY&feature=player_embedded

Cool Covers

2010-08-16T09:20:00.000-05:00

Geek Speak

2010-08-13T22:27:00.001-05:00

Interesting facts about Marvel Comics!

Wednesday Filler

2010-08-11T09:28:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSEYXWmEse8

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-08-10T09:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk6dZw7wxAw

Cool Covers

2010-08-09T09:18:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Filler

2010-08-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

FLUFFY MC CLOUD from conorfinnegan on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/12699638

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-08-03T09:31:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8tzXFagaso

Cool Covers

2010-08-02T09:49:00.000-05:00

For Gerald!

Jazz Casual

2010-07-31T11:22:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jULUvCg940k

Let's All Go to the Lobby!

2010-07-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

Dinner for Schmucks

Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd goof around in this French remake directed by the man who also helmed the Austin Powers films. Rudd is a corporate hot-shot who's invited to private dinner thrown by his boss. The catch is that Rudd must bring along a 'winner' as his guest to entertain the rest of the group.

Though he's reluctant at first, Rudd relents when he meets Carrell's Barry, a nebbish, awkward fellow who takes things literally and spends his free time create mice filled dioramas. In the process, Rudd's Tim ruins his relationship with his art curator girlfriend, jeopardizes his career trajectory, and enrages a former one-night-stand. The film is filled with simple comedic bits, peppered with genuinely funny moments from Carrell and Zach Galifianakis, an IRS employee who possesses mind control abilities.

While I found the film fun and laughed quite a bit, it seemed to be more of a showcase for Carrell's goofy, slapstick humor. Rudd was bland and rather forgettable, though the supporting cast was strong with Galifianakis and Jemaine Clement providing plenty of laughs. While the end presents the moral of not using others to get ahead, which Tim learns by nearly losing his girlfriend, the film doesn't really chastise the corporate characters for the actions. Instead, in our YouTube world, the film almost makes it seem like it's natural to make fun of the different, odd, or weird. Because of that, the movie felt devoid of any real character and just a vehicle for chasing empty laughs. Skip it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FHlvEc3vaE

Wednesday Filler

2010-07-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

Super Mario Bros. from Andreas Heikaus on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/13118504

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-07-27T09:10:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v4YGFFx4g0

Cool Covers

2010-07-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

A nice throwback to the Emerald Twilight storyline.

Life Summed Up

2010-07-24T21:13:00.000-05:00

Via: Medical Coding Certification

Wednesday Filler

2010-07-21T08:42:00.000-05:00

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-07-20T09:05:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjoWs3A_QTE

Cool Covers

2010-07-19T09:13:00.000-05:00

Let's All Go to the Lobby!

2010-07-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

Inception

Christopher Nolan's latest film takes the viewer on a mesmerizing ride that questions reality, memory, perception and makes you wonder if your thoughts are your own.

A great ensemble cast takes up the task of trying to plant an idea in someone's mind while that person dreams. The film is tense and thought provoking, all while being an action heavy summer blockbuster. I won't go into much further detail, as most folks have already decided whether or not they will see it based on Nolan's previous work.

What I find to be interesting is the concept of the film. Infiltrating dreams seems like a standard science fiction premise. This, coupled with the magic and fantasy infused in "The Prestige," show a supernatural tendency that Nolan seems reluctant to introduce into the Batman universe he has carefully crafted five-plus years. It is intriguing that the projects that Nolan develops between bat-films feature plots that bend reality while Nolan strives to keep the Batman as realistic as possible.

"Inception" is an intense film that moves at a brisk pace from beginning to end. There are several well planned action sequences and it's the type of action film that doesn't come around very often - one that makes you think. See it.

Micmacs

Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings whimsy and ephemera that lifts what could have been a bland revenge tale in "Micmacs." Bazil, a video store clerk, barely survives an errant bullet during a drive by shooting. He discovers the weapons manufacturer is the competitor of the company that produced the bomb that killed his father. Bazil then sets out to bring both companies down.

Bazil soon falls in with a street performer who introduces him to an underground group of circus-esque vagrants who pledge their support and particular skill set to help Bazil exact his revenge. Jeunet has proven his knack for utilizing quirky characters, extravagant sets, and peculiar stories in an entertaining and dazzling fashion. See it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHVG1JmbU30

Wednesday Filler

2010-07-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

http://vimeo.com/11833361

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-07-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvOvVtE4rgI

Cool Covers

2010-07-12T08:57:00.000-05:00

Let's All Go to the Lobby!

2010-07-09T14:35:00.000-05:00

Despicable Me

Steve Carrell leads a comedic cast list who lend their vocals to the latest 3D animated film. While the 3D effect doesn't do much for the experience, there's little else to keep an adult audience entertained for 95 minutes. "Despicable Me" tries to do for evil villains what "The Incredibles" did for superheroes: show a human fragility behind otherwise epic feats.

The film follows Gru, a would be nefarious mastermind who finds his career being eclipsed by a young upstart known as Vector (voiced by Jason Segel). To regain his spot as an evil genius, Gru decides to shrink and steal the moon. He soon becomes saddled with three orphaned girls who complicate matters as they complicate his heart.

There isn't much plot to the film and it's riddled with weak plot devices. The overall concept is basically "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" meets "Annie" with scifi elements mixed in. The story is simple, even for a kids movie, and most of the action and the comedic lines seem to pander just to get a reaction out of the audience. I expected more, especially with Steve Carrell on board, but the film just didn't deliver. Skip it.

The Killer Inside Me

Casey Affleck delivers a stirring performance in an otherwise disappointing film from Michael Winterbottom. Winterbottom is a director who likes to push the envelope, challenge the audience, and open a dialogue about the film's subject matter. "The Killer Inside Me" meets all three criteria in explosive fashion.

Affleck plays Lou Ford, a deputy sheriff in a small town who's all smiles and yes, ma'am's. Throughout the film, we discover the dark persona hiding behind the sparkling eyes and wide grin. Ford has a long history of conducting physical abuse against women and he's never able to bring himself to stop, no matter the cost. The film features several visceral scenes of intense physical foreplay and sexual content. You can see Ford delights in the displays, but is tormented at the same time. By the time the film starts, he realizes he's reached a point he can't turn back from and hatches a plan to settle a grudge with the town's richest man.

There are quite a few things I like about this movie. The cast is strong, the design is flawless, the music and opening title sequence are both enthralling. Based in Texas, the film plays on the moral ambiguities prominent in the Old West and leaves the viewer with many questions. Some of those questions, however, would have been better answered in the film. Certain sequences left me puzzled and Bill Pullman's performance didn't mesh with the rest of the film. Those questions are part of the allure of the story, however, and makes it worth revisiting. See it.

Predators

Robert Rodriguez is sure to sucker a few folks into watching the newest incarnation of the Predator franchise. Going the route of Guillermo del Toro (not actually directing a film, but instead presenting or producing it), Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios put Nimrod Antal in charge of revitalizing the property after two stalwart installments that featured the eponymous creatures facing off against the aliens from the Alien series.

Adrien Brody, with chiseled abs and grizzled voice, leads a cast of mercenaries, assassins, and all around bad people who find themselves stranded on a distant planet, hunted for sport, and limited on options. Once this ragtag group gets its bearings, they try to turn the table, to little avail. Guided either by supernatural intuition or an extremely weak script, Brody is able to discern his compatriots pasts and the Predators plans. Topher Grace plays a supporting role in the film with little to no apparent means of defending himself, let alone ability to take on creatures such as the Predators - but that doesn't stop him from being involved an extremely weak third act plot twist that soils much of the film to that point.

Luckily, there wasn't much to ruin. The structure is generic: the cast is whittled down one-by-one, plot devices are showcased in overt fashion, and the ending is confusing as it is disappointing. "Predators" had decent action and special effects, but it didn't sustain interest like the original film. The Predators weren't as frightening, the cast wasn't as engaging, the film not as good. Skip it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igKKWJw88Kk

Wednesday Filler

2010-07-07T08:50:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkuszoQV5F8&feature=player_embedded

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

2010-07-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7lYbb4okY

Cool Covers

2010-07-05T18:59:00.000-05:00