Consumption December
December 31st, 2009 Graig
COMIC - Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1 - This felt a lot more… slight than I though it should. Rucka doesn’t tend to do slight very often and it’s kind of disappointing. Then again, this is exactly what I expected out of the Blackest Night concept, so…
COMIC - Sweet Tooth #4 - there’s something percolating under the surface… it’s less “what happened” and more “who the hell is Mr. Geppert” and “what’s his deal?”. Curiously engaging.
COMIC - Batman: The Cat and The Bat tpb - Batgirl Barbara Gordon, early in her career, faces down a minxy Selina Kyle Catwoman, and each underestimates the other. Nude catfighting ensues. I’m not kidding. Kevin Maguire draws the hell out of this mildly average, and often preposterous story.
CD - The Duloks: Children of the Sea ep - a six-track ep so quick that it’s over before you’ve gotten into the groove, but it’s a good primer on the off-beat, beat-heavy, lyrically playful comedy-punk-pop of the Duloks.
PODCAST - Rock On London #17 - Another dose of Canadiana via London as Mar interviews the Japandroids and introduces me to Beach House.
PODCAST - Doug Loves Movies (12/4/09) - Yank Hard Son, the comedy trifecta of Weird Al Yankovic, Chris Hardwick and Doug Benson talk about twitter and movies. Includes the great “live twitter follow” experiment.
(12/11/09) - “The Jew episode” with Mark Maron and Andy Kindler. Goofy and punchy with perhaps the easiest Leonard Maltin Game yet.
(12/19/09) - David Koechner and Sean Cullen guest… it’s surprising how similar these two guests are, all part of Doug’s plan.
MOVIE - Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex* *But were afraid to ask - Starts off weak and ends with a bang, literally. A septet of sketches starting with the weakest “Do Aphrodesiacs Work” in which Allen’s bumbling court jester gets his hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar. “What Is Sodomy” is more about bestiality as physician Gene Wilder falls for an Armenian sheep, a tale pushed to the hysterical brink. “Why do some women have trouble reaching orgasm” permits Allen to flex his Italian tongue in a middling sketch, while “Are Transvestites Homosexuals” owes a debt of gratitude to Benny Hill. “What Are Sex Perverts” is a clever black-and-white emulation of a 50’s panel TV game show, while “Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?” predates is like a sex-tinged bastardization of the Frankenstein monster gone awry (with credit to the Blob). The final sketch, “What Happens During Ejaculation” is the coup-de-gras and makes the other sketches seem kind of bumbling in comparison, as Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds are at the helm of spaceship man, leading the troops through their routine as their body tries to make it with a lady. It begs for a sequel from the other side.
MOVIE - The Mouse That Roared - A silly little British comedy from the late-50’s that was an early showcase for Peter Sellers’ multi-character capabilities. While generally humorous, it overplays it’s “Producers”-like concept (a tiny nation goes to war with America with the intention of losing, only to win). There’s a good sketch or two in the material, but it does get tedious. Its sequel, “The Mouse And The Moon” substitutes other actors for all of Sellers’ roles and completely misses the point.
COMIC - GI Joe Classic Vol 1 - 3 - The second volume especially is a damn fine spotlight on Larry Hama’s dense storytelling structure, playing an almost single thread over ten issues though changing the scene and the spotlight throughout. Juggling a cast of dozens never looked so easy. Volume 1 is a little dry and volume 3 suffers in the art department somewhat.
COMIC - Unwritten #8 - A diversion, spotlighting the warden, is a good enough read but frustrating as it delays the next part of the serial.
COMIC - Phonogram: The Singles Club #6 - I’m actually trying to decide if this is my most favourite or least favourite issue of the series.
COMIC - Batgirl #5 - Batgirl faces Batman and Robin. Grumbling ensues. Brian Q. Miller handles her interactions with Damian-Robin very well. It seems, actually, every issue Miller handles something very well, even if the main action tends to be exceptionally bland.
COMIC - DC Holiday Special 2009 - a mixed-bag of one-page and mid-length stories from a cast of mostly new talent. It’s 80% fluff but it did get me into the holiday mood. The best stories were the one-two war-story punch of Sgt. Rock by Billy Tucci and Enemy Ace by the Faheys and Howard Chaykin.
COMIC - Doom Patrol #5 - While I don’t really mind the dense history mine the Doom Patrol has fallen into, it’s just somewhat counter to Giffen’s proclamation that “every issue will be accessible to new readers”, and it’s hardly that. The Metal Men back-up, even without Maguire this month, still proved entertaining.
COMIC - Adventure Comics #5 - Superboy Prime throws down with black lanterns in the “real world” destroying the DC Comics office. It was actually quite fun.
COMIC - Secret Six #16 - Hopefully this doesn’t become part of the story because, so far, I’m not liking Black Alice much. Petulant teenagers are annoying and no fun to read, watch or listen to.
COMIC - Daytripper #1 - While I liked this issue, about a struggling writer stuck working the obituaries column in a Brazilian newspaper and now a little obsessed with death, I’m wondering if it’s stand-alone or the first part of a larger story. Next issue will tell, I suppose.
COMIC - The Shield #4 - The Shield is now on the bottom of the pile, which sounds bad but is actually a compliment. Basically, it means no matter what I read that week I know I’ll be getting a good story out of the Shield, so I save it for last. This issue, well, it’s mildly deceptive since the Great Ten, featured prominently on the cover, don’t arrive on scene until the last page, but we should get the more than cliche heroes vs. hero throw down with them next issue, which should be a nice spotlight for both the Shield’s capabilities and the Great Ten’s powers.
BOOK - Mr. Show: What Happened? - Bob met David, they made a sketch comedy show that got on television for a while. It was hard work, but a labor of love for all involved. They pulled the plug due to fading interest and lack of support from the network.
DVD - Mr. Show with Bob and David seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4 - I’ve always thought Mr. Show was conceptually funny more than it was laugh out loud funny and I still think I’m right. Though it does have plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and about 90% the sketches are funny at the very least in premise, it for some reason always feels to have a cloud hanging over it that makes it feel like it’s held back, or not living up to its potential… I enjoy the commentaries and the behind-the-scenes of the aforementioned “What Happened?” as much as the show itself. Still, one of the top 5 sketch shows of all time.
DVD - The Dark Knight - Blu-Ray actually. If there’s a reason to go Blu-Ray, this is it. I’ve read more than my fair share of the the detractors’ comments on this film and I still say they’re wrong. This is the Godfather II of superhero films. Even forgetting the whole capes and body-armor angle it’s a gripping thriller, a kick-ass action film, and the bleakest of dark comedies. It makes “Batman Begins” look like a low-budget direct-to-video enterprise in comparison. It’s the biggest movie of all-time, and there’s a reason for it.
COMIC - Ex Machina #47 - The end of this issue was gratuitous and senseless, as the ends to so many issues have been. Vaughan is really exploiting shock value in this series, but he always makes good on it. Though with only 3 issues left, I don’t really see this shock-ending being explored to the level it deserves. It made me sad.
COMIC - Captain America Reborn #5 - Hitch and Guice dish out a gorgeously laid-out book, but the story in this one is exceptionally slight, so much so that I think it read it in under 5 minutes. The series was originally supposed to only be 5 issues long and this just feels like filler and kind of annoying.
COMIC - X-Factor #200 - A mammoth-sized issue featuring an extra-sized story, cover gallery, character bios/origins, and a reprint of Madrox #1 which launched this whole iteration of X-Factor (bless it).
COMIC - Authority: The Lost Year #4 - I like Giffen, quite a bit actually, but his economy of words is non-existent. Still, I’m quite enjoying the Lovecraftian angle that this story has taken.
COMIC - One Model Nation - A fictional graphic novel set in the real late-70’s kraut-rock scene should be a fascinating exploration of a specific time and culture but is hindered by some excruciating writing and disjointed dialogue from Dandy Warhols’ frontman Courtney Taylor. On the positive, Jim Rugg captures the scene with nice detail and a good design sense
DVD - Sesame Street: Follow That Bird - A throwback classic. Not as funny as a Muppets movie, but still very engaging for audiences of all ages. Big Bird is placed into a foster home with Dodo birds, but runs away to get back to Sesame Street. Olivia, Maria, Oscar, Bert, Ernie, Super Grover and much of the gang go off on a rescue mission to find him. Cameos from John Candy and Chevy Chase, with SCTV alum Joe Flaherty and Dave Thomas as the main bad guys, the Sleaze Brothers, owners of the travelling Funfair eying up the runaway bird as their next big attraction.
DVD - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres - Really, a show whose average episode runs under 12 minutes that generally wallows in coarse and abstract humour shouldn’t logically be able to sustain a nearly 90-minute film. And it doesn’t. Its oblique forays into distraction deny the film a sense of unity (something which, actually, the original/”deleted film” restores and becomes the more entertaining film for it except that the “deleted film” uses unfinished footage). As far as ATHF goes, it’s a lesser effort. Though there are some entertaining ideas throughout, it’s tedious viewing at times. The best scene, which is oddly a deleted scene, involves the music group Cameo.
DVD - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - I’ve never seen this before, can you believe it. I’m not really much of a Bond connoisseur, though I like Bond films quite a bit, and you know, this might just be one of my top three favourites. People like to piss on George Lazenby but he does a remarkably good job for a credit-less actor in his first film role. The chemistry between him and Diana Rigg is painfully lacking though, however it certainly sparks between him and Joanna Lumley (Rigg and Lumley in the same film, I must be dreaming). Curiously the rhythm of this film is not all that different from the recent Casino Royale.
Podcast - Comedy Death Ray Radio #32 - Brendan Small, Aziz Ansari and Stan Lee (Hal Rudnick) have much inane banter and mispronunciations. Hilarity ensues (until Small decides to get into character as Mr. Moustache, a brutally stagnant Neil Hamburger-esque “legendary” comedian)
#33 - Kyle Kinanane, Paul F. Thompkins and special guest Ray Romano (Scott Aukerman) count down Rolling Stone’s top 100 songs of the 00’s, or die trying.
#34 - Doug Benson, Jon Hamm, radio host El Chupacabra (Nick Kroll), Jesse Ventura (James Adomian), and John C. Reilley (Paul F. Thompkins). On the unfortunate side, Scott Aukerman sings a spoof/parody medley to close out the show.
“Best of 2009″ - As I fell behind in my podcast listening for this month I didn’t get a chance to vote, but by and large I’m okay with most of the results. Comments below. Guesting on this episode: Huell Howser (again as played by James Adomian), Ice-T (played by Paul F. Thompkins) and Bobby Bottleservice (Nick Kroll).
.10. Andy Daly’s “Life of the Party Inc.” - quite funny but not one of my favourites
.9. Andy Dick and Bob Odenkirk play “Would you rather” - like this one a lot
.8. Matt Besser’s Bjork impersonation - Absolutely brutal to listen to. Boo-urns.
.7. Jon Daly as Bill Cosby presenting “the Bill Cosby Remote Control Fart Machine” - surprisingly hilarious (featuring Paul F. Thompkins as John C. Reilley)
.6. Sarah Silverman and Andy Richter play “Would You Rather” - weak, I think there was another WYR they did that was much funnier.
.5. Nick Kroll as El Chupacabra with John Hamm - to me, this is top two (his El Chupacabra with John Hamm from last week was just as good).
.4. Tom Lennon as Little Gary - Apparently divisive, but I liked Little Gary a lot… Mott Skaukerman indeed.
.3. Jerry Minor sings “Poppin’ Bottles” - also top two for me. Catchy and so much fun.
.2. Huell Howser goes apeshit - and does again for a third time. It’s funny but getting overplayed, as he’s appeared three times in two months at this point.
.1. Ice-T plays “would you rather” - I like the interplay between Aukerman and Thompson but number 1?
So what was missing? The fact that Bobby Bottleservice didn’t get in the top ten is a shame, the Cyberthug/Bobby B “desert Island” chat with straight man Jerry O’Connell would be in there too, and even the Sklar Bros. Pizza Hut bit.
DVD - Sleeper - Another entry from my childhood book on Science Fiction movies checked off. This one a lesser Woody Allen feature that I liken to that era’s “Idiocracy”. I’m sure were I a more studious man I’d develop a deeper thesis of comparison, but I think just the blunt allusion is quite enough.
COMIC - Detective Comics #870 - Good thing for my wife that Batwoman is gay… not to mention fictitious, because I’m completely smitten. Just kidding beloved. I’m disappointed to hear that Batwoman will be leaving ‘Tec for her own series, as I think that’s kind of a demotion. ‘Tec is the tentpole series at DC (it’s what the company is named after, afterall) and it’s a testament to the strength of this new Batwoman iteration that for seemingly the first time since issue 27, another character other than Batman is carrying the book.
COMIC - Chew #7 - Oh? OH! oh… she’s dead? Darn. But still the best new series of 2009.
COMIC - Beasts of Burden #4 - And thus ends the second best new series of 2009. It should be an ongoing series… it really should. Because it’s amazing.
DVD - Extract - Mike Judge returns to the working world presenting Jason Bateman as the owner of an extract bottling factory whose life and good fortune are falling apart around him. It’s not as pop-culture-ready as Office Space or even Idiocracy but it’s a charming, subtle and entertaining comedy with a great cast (including Kristen Wiig, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, Gene Simmons and J.K. Simmons).
NET - Christmas Eve on Sesame Street - This special used to creep me out when I was a kid, especially towards the end when Big Bird is sleeping on the roof in the middle of snowstorm with icicles hanging off his nose and the haunting calls of the cast on the street below echoing around him, then the eerie shadow of, presumably Santa looms over him. Brr. Scary shit. Probably one of the most maudlin of Christmas specials, with a plethora of lilting, morose songs with the exception of the positively chipper Oscar-sung “I Hate Christmas”. The opening sequence of the “life sized” costumed Bert, Ernie, Oscar, Count and Cookie Monster bothered me even as a kid, and looks positively silly today.
NET - A Muppet Family Christmas - As a kid I used to love big event comic books that would feature as many characters as they could cram into the pages, even if most of them had no word balloons, their mere presence was enough to excite me. “A Muppet Family Christmas” is a “big event” for Muppets, featuring the bulk of the Muppet Show regulars, the majority of the Sesame Street cast, and even the Fraggles. Even better, there’s (surprisingly) no celebrity guest stars to age it, giving the special an almost timeless feel (although Piggy’s poodle hairdo does give it away as an ’80’s creation). Seeing Jim Henson at the end brings a tear to my eye. It’s bright, quite funny and really captures the feel of family for the festivities. It’s perfect for getting anyone into the Xmas spirit.
DVD - Funny People - Yes, it’s long, clocking in at about 150 minutes, but it’s not a straight comedy or a straight drama, but something in-between, but alternating between being more one than the other. The first third of the film deals with an Adam Sandler-esque stand-up turned superstar (played by Adam Sandler) discovering that he’s dying, and realizing how very alone he is. Taking a young, unrefined comedian (Seth Rogen) under his wing and as an assistant/best friend, there’s an excellent tour of the stand-up comedy process and community, but it sadly doesn’t last. The latter 2/3s find Sandler’s character reuniting with an old flame (Leslie Mann), now married with kids, and looking for something more meaningful. It’s not a diversion, as it really does become the centerpiece for the film, and it’s a well told story, but it’s not what’s interesting about the film, and it would seem that Judd Apatow really didn’t know which story he wanted to tell more and where to turn his focus. It’s an enjoyable movie (Eric Bana puts in a great performance, and Rogen shows some great depth) but not as good as it could have been were it two separate, more focussed films.
NET - Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special - an absurd special that’s decidedly 80’s, with a 50’s twist. Plenty of guest stars (most of whom anyone born after 1980 won’t have a clue who they are) and lots of silliness.
BOOK - More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman - The Hodg-man is back with the second installment of his Almanack series of made-up information. This volume features a “fact-a-day” that seems obsessed with a strange weather competition between Milwaukee, WI and Richmond, VA. Also, gone are the hobos, in are the Mole men. And curious facts about every POTUSA in history, oh, and crystal skulls containing vodka (which isn’t made up). Useless but highly entertaining.
PODCAST - Radio Free GAK ep 93 - chillwave/glo-fi spotlight takes things blippy and downtempo. Quite of soothing, if you’re into that sort of thing… which I am.
ep 94 - year in review/The Road - some of GAK’s favourite tunes of the year, plus a spotlight on Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ soundtrack to the Road, which is depressing, anxious listening indeed.
ep 95 - a honky Christmas - a semi-personal and absolutely fantastic stroll through the melancholy country Christmas tunes. Not quite what you need to get you into the spirit, but a decidedly different Christmas compilation.
Magazine - Empire Magazine December - the “Icons of the Decade” issue features a lot of jibber jabber about nothing particularly insightful (the “Fantastic Mr. Fox” press conference and the interview with the Coens on “A Serious Man” were, well, fluff… still need to read the story on “Where the Wild Things Are”). Still, I enjoy the Magazine’s geek slant and the many, many, many reviews of films I haven’t seen but want to keep tabs on.
DVD - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 7 - Disc 1 - good thing my wife remembers what happened previously because, after a 3+ year hiatus between season 6 and 7 I couldn’t remember any of Dawn’s backstory, or who Willow killed, or how Spike got his soul back or why Xander left Anya. Even still, I have to say that season 7 has enraptured me like season 5 or 6 didn’t so much.
DVD - 500 Days of Summer - The best “guys’ chick flick” since High Fidelity. Some dudes may deepen their already deep crush on Zooey Deschanel, but me, I’m just further sinking into my admiration for Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Rise of Cobra forgiven and almost forgotten). What a wonderfully quirky, eccentric and enjoyable tale of love and loss.
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