Across a Year and Through a Day

When I was a kid, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are was one of my favorite books. I never had my own copy, but I obsessively kept it tied up and checked out of the school library, literally, for like, years. It was that kind of book for every weird kid, I guess - every kid who didn't quite fit in here, never really felt at home inside the mendacity of the everyday life of a child. Every kid who felt like, secretly inside them, they could take care of things themselves, that they didn't really need grownups as much as grownups told them they did. It's all about the fearlessness, and audacity, and adventurous spirit of youth. It's about seeing more than is really there, and being right.

When I did grow up, and had kids of my own, it was the first book I made sure they read. I have two children, but I don't have one copy for them to share, or even two. There are copies floating around all over the place here. It's been read for countless bedtime stories, and like me, it's turned out to be one of their favorites. It's timeless, and beautiful, and the truest vision of childhood I've ever encountered.

So, I was understandably worried when I got wind of a film version, as all lovers of beloved books-to-film type projects are. I have to say, though, that after viewing this new trailer released by Warner Brothers a couple of days ago, I am hopeful. Very hopeful. Check it out:

26 March 2009

Marking Time

Rainy day here, which is a good thing for two reasons. One, we need the rain - the area is already in a moderate drought for 2009. Two, during the month of March, I have a very hard time staying indoors. The warm sun and the greening Earth are far too tempting. I want to be outside after the long, cold winter. I want to feel the warm breeze on my skin, and dig in the dirt. I want to be a part of the world waking up again. The fact that today is nasty out at least ensures that I'll be inside getting work done, which in my case is a very good thing, since I did in fact spend most of last week outside.

Watched "Flash of Genius" last night with the LOML. I thought it was a pretty good movie, which surprised me because of its low performance at the box office. After we were done I looked up the New Yorker article on which the movie was based, and found it very interesting. You can check it out here.

I did manage to get my website updated yesterday with publication news. Today is set aside to write, write, write, as well as sending a couple of stories back out into the wild. And maybe later on, a walk in the rain. Just for a little while. :)

14 March 2009

Review: The Dark Knight

This weekend, like 60% of the rest of America, the LOML and I went to see The Dark Knight at our local mega-superplex. Now, keep in mind that we are comic book/graphic novel fans. We have The Absolute Dark Knight on our shelves, sitting nicely and chatting with The Absolute Watchman, and three published-so-far Absolute Sandmans (and that's not all, folks). So we know this story in the way Comicon fans know these stories, and can be critical of them on more than one level.

In any case, to get to the point: I liked the movie very much, but I didn't LOVE it. I like the direction this new franchise is going in - darker, more interested in exploring the psychology behind someone who feels the need to dress up in a bat costume in order to do good things. There are some great themes at work here, and the movie explored them well, like the fact that there's really only a fine line that exists between the Joker and Batman, and how Harvey Dent/Two-Face embodies that line. I loved the visual, visceral feel of the movie, the sets, the costumes. I even liked the little FISA moment. And of course, I'll get to the BIG THING. Let me talk about the cons first, however.

It was just too much. Too many twists and turns, too many crimes and stunts. There were story lines that weren't fully wrapped up. The Joker, while claiming never to plan and waxing about his role as a simple anarchist, somehow managed to plot out amazingly intricate Evil Deeds, orchestrating the downfall of Gotham like a mad conductor in Hell. It was a lot to take in, sometimes, literally, more than I could keep up with. I think the film would have worked beautifully if it had been kept just a tad simpler, spending more time on the characters than on the too many chase & escape scenes.

Now, of course, the BIG THING. Heath Ledger, the performance and tragedy that has almost overshadowed the movie itself. Before I went, I was a fan. I loved him in Brokeback Mountain. Hell, I even remember a Knight's Tale. I have to admit, however, that I was skeptical here. I mean, of course everyone's going to praise him, the poor guy died tragically just a few months ago. No one's going to say HE SUCKED. But after having seen his performance, I can say with all honesty - Heath Ledger MAKES this film. He brought this campy, silly villain alive in a way that sent shivers down my spine every time he had a monologue. He was sick, twisted, believeable, and in a word, brilliant. As a fan I grieved a second time after leaving this movie. We've lost an incredible talent. Only now do I really appreciate that.

21 July 2008