The Grease Trap - If You Could Hie to Kobol

Not surprisingly the finale of Battlestar Galactica was the best thing on TV this week, and frankly, too good for the rest of the floating chum broadcast into out livingroom this week. Dr. Baltar really mucked things up big time. Not only did he become president of the colonies, but his nuclear warhead destroyed Cloud -9, he inadvertently allowed the cylons to find the fleet, and he surrendered to them like a veritable cheese eating surrender monkey. This was a phenomenal episode of Galactica, deserving of its extra 30 minutes. I just can't believe the show won't be back until October. I know this show loves being depressing and placing the characters in hopeless situations, but the prospects have never seen more grim. I can't wait to see what is in store for season 3.

On the flip side, a show that definitely sluiced right through the trap was ABC's new comedy Sons & Daughters. It was pitched as the next Arrested Development. Now why would you try and sell a show as being like another show that just got cancelled? Although, I admit, the campaign did get me to watch. Also, Sons & Daughters did have an AD vibe to it, but I finally figured out what was "off" about the show. I NEVER laughed. Looks like Sons & Daughters will be the next AD, as I suspect exile from the airwaves can't be far away.

Pajama Party - X-Mania

The new preview for X3 - The Last Stand debuted this week during a special 2-hour block of 24. Luckily, I was able to find out the precise airtime of 8:36 pm freeing me from having to sit through countless commercial breaks, or from watching 24 itself. A shot by shot analysis can be found here.

There has been a lot of negativity surrounding this film. Ever since Bryan Singer left this project to film Superman Returns, critics have been eager for this movie to bomb. Brett Ratner of Rush Hour fame was brought in last minute to direct, replacing Matthew Vaughn who dropped out after a couple of months of prep. Online script review have been bitter about multiple deaths, and too much time being given to Storm. Now, I can see that argument. I know Berry won an Oscar, but she was also Catwoman. In the best case, those two cancel each other out. Anyways, this preview looks pretty good to me, as did the teaser in December. Also, with Dark Phoenix , Beast, and Angel, what more could we ask for? (Pink spandex Gambit?) Besides, I would actually prefer some deaths, as long as they don't go out like chumps (think Mace Windu, or Wash from Firefly). Death + Storm = crazy delicious.

As it stands, the current list of mutants is as follows:
Professor X AKA 'Wheels'
Cyclops
Storm AKA 'Catwoman'
Jean 'I'm Not Really Dead' Grey
Rogue
Iceman
Beast AKA Blue 'Don't Call me Niles' Frasier
Angel
Kitty Pryde the 'Shadowcat'
Colossus
Jubilee
Artie
Siryn
Magneto
Mystique AKA 'Strategically placed Scale Woman'
Pyro
Juggernaut AKA 'No I'm Not RAM MAN'
Multiple Man
Arclight
Callisto
Quill AKA 'My Face is Full of Quills'
Psylocke
Leech

It seems the only ones not coming back are Nightcrawler, Toad, Lady Deathstrike, and Sabretooth.

In other news, a new Superman website sprung up, with a sweet Superman montage. Check it. Also, a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is in development, but no news if Vanilla Ice will return.

Disappearing Ink #3 - Grave of the Fireflies

One of the saddest movies ever made is also one of the best. Perhaps you are feeling particularly upbeat and need to come down, this is the movie for you. Originally released in 1988 as part of a manic depressive double feature with My Neigbor Totoro, this film is about two children's struggle to survive after their mother is killed in the firebombings of Kobe Japan during WWII. The film does not make an enemy out of the American's or any other nation, it simply represents the realities of War, and there are no tanukis or totoros that make everything better in the end. This definitely is NOT a cartoon show for kids. This gloomy backdrop makes the developing relationship between 14-year-old Seita, and his little sister Setsuko all the more touching.

This movie was among the first anime films I ever saw. When it ended, I was stunned with the thought, "that was not a cartoon." Not to knock the Walt Disney Corporation, but Disney has really set in Americans minds expectations for what an animated film should be. Fireflies shatters those expectations and provides a whole new scope of what we should expect. Every film produced by the Japanese Studio Ghibli is worth seeing, but none will move you like Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies. The only negative thing I can say is that this is not the kind of movie you are going to watch over and over. But when you do watch it, it will stay with you for quite a long time. This is a definite A.


Check out my past reviews:
The Iron Giant
Kaena: The Prophecy

D'oh - The Simpsons Go Live Action!

I found a little gem on the internet in the form of a live action parody of The Simpsons opening sequence. Its definitely worth checking out.

If I Were an Oscar Meyer Weiner

I must be uncivilized. I did not see any of this year's nominees for Best Picture. Did anyone? Now I realize that often times the masses have very poor taste, but it seems that one prerequisite of contention for an Oscar should be that the film was seen by more than just the elite in the academy. Otherwise, where is the fun in the awards ceremony? Perhaps they could just have a "Most Enjoyable" movie category with nominees such as Batman Begins, Harry Potter, and King Kong. Speaking of Kong, that big monkey did win 3 awards, and rightly so. But, I digress. So wait, who won again?

Also, the superb Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit won the best-animated feature. Yeah! Its funny that in the midst of the CG - animation explosion, the nominees for best picture were claymation (Wallace), stop motion(The Corpse Bride), and traditionally animated(Howl's Moving Castle). At least for the most part, the Academy has gotten this category right since it began in 2001 (But Monsters, Inc. pwns Shrek).

For the curious (winners in bold):

2005 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Howl's Moving Castle, The Corpse Bride

2004 The Incredibles, Shark Tale, Shrek 2

2003 Finding Nemo, Brother Bear, The Triplets of Belleville

2002 Spirited Away, Ice Age, Lilo & Stitch, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Treasure Planet

2001 Shrek, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Monsters, Inc.

Until next year, pay attention to the movies nobody sees. You never know if one of them is gonna take next years Oscar cake.