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arkratirmaEarly this morning, Kat kept me distracted and cheered me up over Messenger as I waited for Aunt Pam and Uncle Larry to return home (thank you again SO much, Kat!). They arrived just as I was taking off my glasses and necklace to head to bed; I heard the Astro's doors shut outside, then ran to the front room to unlock the door for them. Uncle Larry's kidney stone was confirmed, but he now has a much stronger medication to handle the pain. He felt great when I asked them about the visit.
Went to bed at 4:37. Hadn't been up that late in a couple months, I think.
I remember waking up at 10:something this morning, then thinking I'll just sleep until 12:00. HA. I got up just before 2:00.
I showered, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth, and took Uncle Larry to Oregon City to pick up his prescription at Albertson's. We headed to Fred Meyer as the prescription was filled; I deposited a check I recently got for leftover loan money for the quarter (the most I've received yet; I'm going to put about half of it into my savings), and Uncle Larry picked up cat litter. Got his prescription from Albertson's, then we were off for home.
It was stunningly beautiful today, warm and practically cloudless, just above 60 degrees F. I took advantage of the mild weather and went on a bike ride. Did my stretches once home, ate a bit, then finished reading Little Children with Harley on my lap.
The novel is wonderful, but I honestly prefer the film's ending. Its shock value is so much more pervasive, so much more shattering. I won't give any spoilers except to say that both Ronnie, the convicted sex offender, and Larry, the lapsed cop, are far more unpleasant in the novel than they are in the film; it only brings a deeper significance to their personalities which I found refreshing and unsettling. Ambivalence and conflicting emotions can be thought-provoking. I don't feel I should be entirely pleased with everything I read.
Tom Perrotta's Little Children is the second satire I've read (since reading Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" in Mr. Elkin's senior year English class), and it's the first satire I've read of my own accord and interest. I like branching out. I was a Koontz-head for a long time (well, I still am a Koontz-head), and it feels good to read novels I wouldn't imagine myself reading a few years ago. Of course, my interest in the novel came from my appreciation of the film*, and I like the differences between the two. The scenes that are included in the film translate almost word-for-word from the novel.
*Silly as it is, my desire to watch Little Children stemmed from wanting to see what Jackie Earle Haley's acting would be like: I wanted to get an idea for how he'd handle Rorschach (and Kat said it was a good movie - AND SHE WAS RIGHT). Needless to say, I knew after watching the film once that he'd nail the role (AND HE OWNED IT). Whee!
As long as I'm on the subject of movies, Bolt is absolutely adorable. It would feel right at home shelved next to Pixar movies. HUGE improvement, both technically and in terms of story, over Chicken Little. Incomparable, really. I found it grimly fascinating that, in order to make Bolt truly believe that Penny was in mortal danger, he was never allowed off the set. The scene of Dr. Calico's cats taunting the little dog in his trailer is hilarious. :D
AND OH MY GOD RHINO. BACK THE FUCK UP, IS THAT A TV-OBSESSED, HYPER-ENTHUSIASTIC HAMSTER IN A PLASTIC BALL I SEE? WHY, YES. YES IT IS. GIVE IT UP FOR RHINO!
Bolt and Mittens are precious, and I LOVE the pigeons. Goddamnit, those pigeons! The animators caught every single imaginable nuance of pigeon behavior in those delightful little birds! - constantly rotating heads and necks, puffing chests, fluttering feathers.... Lord. The Hollywood pigeons cracked me up the most. "HOsnap!"
I'll go ahead and include my unfinished post from Friday evening in a cut.
A CHALLENGER APPEARS! Scanned Rorschach icon replaced with good ol' JEH.
Got up late Thursday: 12:00 [ha, it doesn't beat freaking 2:00 in the afternoon!]. I decided that I would head up to the Clackamas Town Center and see Watchmen again. After studying the roads on Google Maps and Google Earth, I let Uncle Larry know where I was headed.
I was too late for the 2:55 showing, but I wasn't going to drive back home. No way. I resolved to hang around for the 6:30 showing. I settled in Barnes & Noble after a few minutes of wandering and made my way to the graphic novels section.
I was delighted to find Brian K. Vaughan's Pride of Baghdad amongst the various titles. I had tried finding it in Powell's last Friday while hanging out with my friends, but it was far more difficult to try to sniff it out of Powell's vast selection. I picked the book out, flipped through the first several pages, and began reading it, standing in the aisle. I knew I'd have enough time to finish the novel, so I found a chair by a window at the far end of the floor and sat down.
Pride of Baghdad is astonishing. It's based on a true event: in April 2003, during the American bomb raids on Iraq, four lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo. The starving animals were later shot and killed by American soldiers. The tale is an allegory that puts to question the true nature of freedom. Publishers Weekly hailed it as "Simple, lavishly drawn, and devastating." IGN.com raved, "You can put it right next to Watchmen. It's that good."
Like Watchmen, Pride of Baghdad defies the simple "graphic novel" designation and truly belongs in the realm of literary achievements. The hardships our heroes face mirror the hardships faced by the Iraqi people during the raids. Through clear-cut dialogue and mesmerizing artwork, Vaughan and illustrator Niko Henrichon bring to life a tragedy that absorbs and engrosses. I knew I had wanted to buy it even before I read it, but now it's a novel I cherish.
The more I learn about these literary graphic novels, the more inspired I am to make Brainsick something special.
With Pride of Baghdad in tow, I looked at the Watchmen tie-in books and picked out the Film Companion as a belated birthday gift for Cammy. I'll read it, then mail it to Mom and Dad; they can relay it to Cammy. The photographs are lovely (WTF RORSCHACH JACKIE EARLE HALEY) and I think Cammy will get a kick out of it. I also looked through Watchmen: The Art of the Film, but its retail price is $40. I may get it someday, but through Amazon (or someplace else if it beats Amazon's price of $26.40). I LOVE "art of" books. This book includes the raw 3D models of Bubastis, which made me drool. I want to draw that lovely purple genetically altered lynx.
My second viewing of the theatrical cut of Watchmen left me hungering for the director's cut (even if the damn thing is only going to have a limited release - bollocks!) more impatiently. Snyder has promised "a lot more Rorschach" (including, I presume, prophet-of-doom mock-hobo Walter Kovacs - YAY), extended scenes on Mars with Dr. Manhattan and Laurie, and, of course, poor Hollis Mason's death. Here's an article for those interested.
But there's no mention of the Bernies! WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE BERNIES?! BEEEERNIIIIES! D:<
I'm still irked that Dr. Malcolm Long's role in the story is cut so short. Dr. Long interviews Rorschach, is spotted when Rorschach demands to know where his face is, and then is gone.
YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF THAT?
"FFFFFFFFFFF!"
^GOOD GOD, this clip both disturbs and amuses me. Rorschach's face is all scrunched up like that because he's about to yell "[...]FACE!"
I fucking adore the lighting in this scene. EMPHASIS ON THOSE EYES.
Mr. Haley, sir? - you kick ass.
I'll get my thoughts out about Malin Ackerman as Laurie. Why she is billed first is beyond me; Laurie is a main character, but not THE main character. I mean, the graphic novel begins and ends with Rorschach. I guess the only bit of her acting that convinced me most of Laurie's character is when she realizes that The Comedian was her father. Some of her lines - "Do that thing you do" and the whole "pity fuck" thing - made me cringe... but what are you gonna do?
There are some changes made that I liked. When Rorschach is explaining the Blaire Roche kidnap case to Dr. Long, Gerald Grice's German shepherds are shown gnawing on the little girl's leg bones with a foot and shoe still attached. I thought that sold her demise so much more starkly than in the novel.
Still can't get over "The Ride of the Valkyries" or "Hallelujah". No way in hell.
Um... well, I should get to bed soon (though I'll probably sketch a bit first).
The director's cut of Watchmen would be fantastic in IMAX format. ;__;
Went to bed at 4:37. Hadn't been up that late in a couple months, I think.
I remember waking up at 10:something this morning, then thinking I'll just sleep until 12:00. HA. I got up just before 2:00.
I showered, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth, and took Uncle Larry to Oregon City to pick up his prescription at Albertson's. We headed to Fred Meyer as the prescription was filled; I deposited a check I recently got for leftover loan money for the quarter (the most I've received yet; I'm going to put about half of it into my savings), and Uncle Larry picked up cat litter. Got his prescription from Albertson's, then we were off for home.
It was stunningly beautiful today, warm and practically cloudless, just above 60 degrees F. I took advantage of the mild weather and went on a bike ride. Did my stretches once home, ate a bit, then finished reading Little Children with Harley on my lap.
The novel is wonderful, but I honestly prefer the film's ending. Its shock value is so much more pervasive, so much more shattering. I won't give any spoilers except to say that both Ronnie, the convicted sex offender, and Larry, the lapsed cop, are far more unpleasant in the novel than they are in the film; it only brings a deeper significance to their personalities which I found refreshing and unsettling. Ambivalence and conflicting emotions can be thought-provoking. I don't feel I should be entirely pleased with everything I read.
Tom Perrotta's Little Children is the second satire I've read (since reading Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" in Mr. Elkin's senior year English class), and it's the first satire I've read of my own accord and interest. I like branching out. I was a Koontz-head for a long time (well, I still am a Koontz-head), and it feels good to read novels I wouldn't imagine myself reading a few years ago. Of course, my interest in the novel came from my appreciation of the film*, and I like the differences between the two. The scenes that are included in the film translate almost word-for-word from the novel.
*Silly as it is, my desire to watch Little Children stemmed from wanting to see what Jackie Earle Haley's acting would be like: I wanted to get an idea for how he'd handle Rorschach (and Kat said it was a good movie - AND SHE WAS RIGHT). Needless to say, I knew after watching the film once that he'd nail the role (AND HE OWNED IT). Whee!
As long as I'm on the subject of movies, Bolt is absolutely adorable. It would feel right at home shelved next to Pixar movies. HUGE improvement, both technically and in terms of story, over Chicken Little. Incomparable, really. I found it grimly fascinating that, in order to make Bolt truly believe that Penny was in mortal danger, he was never allowed off the set. The scene of Dr. Calico's cats taunting the little dog in his trailer is hilarious. :D
AND OH MY GOD RHINO. BACK THE FUCK UP, IS THAT A TV-OBSESSED, HYPER-ENTHUSIASTIC HAMSTER IN A PLASTIC BALL I SEE? WHY, YES. YES IT IS. GIVE IT UP FOR RHINO!
Bolt and Mittens are precious, and I LOVE the pigeons. Goddamnit, those pigeons! The animators caught every single imaginable nuance of pigeon behavior in those delightful little birds! - constantly rotating heads and necks, puffing chests, fluttering feathers.... Lord. The Hollywood pigeons cracked me up the most. "HOsnap!"
I'll go ahead and include my unfinished post from Friday evening in a cut.
A CHALLENGER APPEARS! Scanned Rorschach icon replaced with good ol' JEH.
Got up late Thursday: 12:00 [ha, it doesn't beat freaking 2:00 in the afternoon!]. I decided that I would head up to the Clackamas Town Center and see Watchmen again. After studying the roads on Google Maps and Google Earth, I let Uncle Larry know where I was headed.
I was too late for the 2:55 showing, but I wasn't going to drive back home. No way. I resolved to hang around for the 6:30 showing. I settled in Barnes & Noble after a few minutes of wandering and made my way to the graphic novels section.
I was delighted to find Brian K. Vaughan's Pride of Baghdad amongst the various titles. I had tried finding it in Powell's last Friday while hanging out with my friends, but it was far more difficult to try to sniff it out of Powell's vast selection. I picked the book out, flipped through the first several pages, and began reading it, standing in the aisle. I knew I'd have enough time to finish the novel, so I found a chair by a window at the far end of the floor and sat down.
Pride of Baghdad is astonishing. It's based on a true event: in April 2003, during the American bomb raids on Iraq, four lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo. The starving animals were later shot and killed by American soldiers. The tale is an allegory that puts to question the true nature of freedom. Publishers Weekly hailed it as "Simple, lavishly drawn, and devastating." IGN.com raved, "You can put it right next to Watchmen. It's that good."
Like Watchmen, Pride of Baghdad defies the simple "graphic novel" designation and truly belongs in the realm of literary achievements. The hardships our heroes face mirror the hardships faced by the Iraqi people during the raids. Through clear-cut dialogue and mesmerizing artwork, Vaughan and illustrator Niko Henrichon bring to life a tragedy that absorbs and engrosses. I knew I had wanted to buy it even before I read it, but now it's a novel I cherish.
The more I learn about these literary graphic novels, the more inspired I am to make Brainsick something special.
With Pride of Baghdad in tow, I looked at the Watchmen tie-in books and picked out the Film Companion as a belated birthday gift for Cammy. I'll read it, then mail it to Mom and Dad; they can relay it to Cammy. The photographs are lovely (WTF RORSCHACH JACKIE EARLE HALEY) and I think Cammy will get a kick out of it. I also looked through Watchmen: The Art of the Film, but its retail price is $40. I may get it someday, but through Amazon (or someplace else if it beats Amazon's price of $26.40). I LOVE "art of" books. This book includes the raw 3D models of Bubastis, which made me drool. I want to draw that lovely purple genetically altered lynx.
My second viewing of the theatrical cut of Watchmen left me hungering for the director's cut (even if the damn thing is only going to have a limited release - bollocks!) more impatiently. Snyder has promised "a lot more Rorschach" (including, I presume, prophet-of-doom mock-hobo Walter Kovacs - YAY), extended scenes on Mars with Dr. Manhattan and Laurie, and, of course, poor Hollis Mason's death. Here's an article for those interested.
But there's no mention of the Bernies! WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE BERNIES?! BEEEERNIIIIES! D:<
I'm still irked that Dr. Malcolm Long's role in the story is cut so short. Dr. Long interviews Rorschach, is spotted when Rorschach demands to know where his face is, and then is gone.
YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF THAT?
"FFFFFFFFFFF!"
^GOOD GOD, this clip both disturbs and amuses me. Rorschach's face is all scrunched up like that because he's about to yell "[...]FACE!"
I fucking adore the lighting in this scene. EMPHASIS ON THOSE EYES.
Mr. Haley, sir? - you kick ass.
I'll get my thoughts out about Malin Ackerman as Laurie. Why she is billed first is beyond me; Laurie is a main character, but not THE main character. I mean, the graphic novel begins and ends with Rorschach. I guess the only bit of her acting that convinced me most of Laurie's character is when she realizes that The Comedian was her father. Some of her lines - "Do that thing you do" and the whole "pity fuck" thing - made me cringe... but what are you gonna do?
There are some changes made that I liked. When Rorschach is explaining the Blaire Roche kidnap case to Dr. Long, Gerald Grice's German shepherds are shown gnawing on the little girl's leg bones with a foot and shoe still attached. I thought that sold her demise so much more starkly than in the novel.
Still can't get over "The Ride of the Valkyries" or "Hallelujah". No way in hell.
Um... well, I should get to bed soon (though I'll probably sketch a bit first).
The director's cut of Watchmen would be fantastic in IMAX format. ;__;
