Movie Review: Fanboys

Hey all,

Well, I have definitely seen one of the worst movies of the year so far in Fanboys, directed by Kyle Newman. Starring Sam Huntington as Eric, David Marquette as Linus, and Kristen Bell as Zoe, this was one comedy that never got out of its own way.

Linus and his best friends, Hutch played by Dan Fogler and Windows played by Jay Baruchel are a trio of serious Star Wars fanboys, literally obsessed with all things Star Wars. Eric, Linus former best friend until he stopped hanging out with them after high school, runs into them at a party. After the party Hutch and Windows tell Eric that Linus has terminal cancer and only a has a few months to live. Not wanting to get trapped selling cars like his father and wanting to make amends for not being there for his friend, Eric devises a plan that the group has had since childhood. To travel across the country and break into the Skywalker Ranch, to see a cut of the impending release of a brand new Star Wars film months before anyone else has seen it, Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. This way he can reconnect with his friends, and Linus will get a chance to see the film before his death.

Along the way they battle Star Trek fans, run afoul of the law (prompting hot nerd-friendly Zoe to spring them from jail and join their quest), smoke pot, and cause a riot in Las Vegas between a Star Trek Convention and a pimp looking to even the score until they finally reach their destination and break into the Ranch.

What kills the movie isn't the premise, its the forced Star Wars jokes and the general sense of nerdity that overwhelms the piece. The jokes seem to fall flat and all the characters are unbelievable. Hutch is way over the top, Windows is to nerdy even for life, Linus is vanilla, only Zoe manages to come across as any character who seemed to be able to hold her own in a scene. Even then though she is undermined by the horribly forced love story that she's a part of.

In terms of jokes and dialog, the film relies heavily on the minutia of Star Wars and the geek community, sending up everyone from Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News and Kevin Smith. Current funnyman darling Seth Rogan has two roles, as the leader of a group of angry Trekkies and as a Star Wars loving pimp the boys run into. Lucasfilm also gave the movie access to the library of Star Wars sound and the film takes an almost perverse joy in cramming the authentic sound effects in almost every scene. Even the groups Star Wars themed panel van sounds like the Millennium Falcon as it drives down the road. The worst part is the forced use of pop culture references, forcing any mention of any line from any Star Wars or Indiana Jones film that even remotely fits the scene. I am convinced one scene with the boys trapped in a gay leather bar was written simply to use the line," A wretched hive of scum and villainy."

The actors overall are fairly unknowns. Even the stunt casting of Rogan and Smith doesn't make anyone more likable. You don't really empathise with Linus dying, even in the end. I also think that in retrospect, most people don't qualify Episode 1 as a good film. Seeing these people obsess over a film, that while at the time may have been the most anticipated movie of all time, now kind of falls flat. A stronger cast or story might make that more workable, but here it just helps to accentuate the flaws. Another thing that hurt it was that the movie has been complete for nearly two years. The Weinstein Brothers, producers, have cut and recut this film several times, even taking out the cancer subplot at one point. The Internet hype for the film has long since cooled and that will hurt the films word of mouth, a big proponent to any success this type of nerd-friendly film would need.

If you are looking to see a funny movie, pass this one. The films only reward is Kristen Bell, and even her appearance in a slave girl Princess Leis outfit circa Return of the Jedi, isn't enough to save this film. Remember too, I can actually qualify as a Star Wars nerd and I am saying to stay away. Fanboys is just the kind of comedy that makes you feel bad about watching it.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Moon

Hey all,

I really got on a writing kick this weekend with super long posts on movies and columns. In order to break up the repetition, here is a poem I wrote today. I was inspired by the fullness of the moon driving home from dinner tonight. The moon was very overcast and gloomy and it had a very melancholy air. I tried to run some subtly through the poem to give it a varied meaning and I think it turned out okay. I like to think that even when you feel at your lowest, the moon can be a very comforting sign when all you can see around you is darkness.


Moon


A moon drenched sky obscured by fog,

Thinning branches of supple light,

Trickling through the patchy mist,

As darkness dreams across my sight.


The black unknown in shadows wait,

For clinging bright has washed away.

Only the glow from this nightly orb,

Illuminates this course I must stay.


Lost among the foggy world,

When once its fire held a blaze.

Now I wander, dusk to dark,

Trapped inside a gloomy maze.


Once eyes turned towards the sky,

And witnessed as the sun grew cold.

First red then yellow, blue to black,

'Till endless night consumed the fold.


Now I wish for that day,

With my wounds to fresh to heal,

For these scabby salves have worn me raw,

And the pain still hurts to feel.


My only friend that misty man,

Whose craters offer a lonely smile,

To far away for me to reach,

Separated by an endless mile.


I reach my arm to hold you tight,

Though my fingers clench not but air.

An image held within my grasp,

How I wish that I was there.


So light my way through this life,

In wholest orb or half-lit moon,

I take what you can freely give,

And pray that I may join you soon.


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Movie Review: Watchmen

Hey all,

Friday night we headed out to the theatre to brave a screening of the DC Comics adaptation, Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder of 300 fame. My last post went deeply into my love and reverence for the Watchmen source material and honestly I was seriously concerned as to whether or not the film version could even be in the same league as the novel.

For me at least, I thought the creative staff behind the film hit one out of the park. I loved it. Not in the same way I loved the book, but in the sense that this is about as good as you can get with such a heady and serious plot. Director Snyder has the comic pedigree with his previous hit, 300, an adaptation of Frank Miller's excellent graphic novel. In that film he was almost slavish to detail and exactingness. With Watchmen, a bigger novel and undoubtedly bigger project, Snyder walked a fine line of reverence to material and theatrical changes to make the film work for today's audience.

The film stars Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan, Malin Ackerman as The Silk Spectre, Matthew Goode as Ozymandias, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian, Patrick Wilson as Nite-Owl, and Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach. Let's start by talking about the casting. Snyder really tried to find the right actor for each role, forgoing big name stars in order to find the right actor to bring these characters to life. Haley is spot on as Rorschach, a diminutive ball of fury and anger all bottled in a series of neurosis. My biggest fear was Malin Ackerman as the Silk Specter, with little film experience, she had to carry the only female role in the film as a woman who is on one hand the only tie to humanity for the Nation's greatest weapon; and the other a lonely, embittered former crime fighter without direction in her life. Ackerman nailed it though, being both vulnerable, tough, and sexy all at the same time. Perhaps my only complaint was Matthew Goode as Ozymandias, a character who comes of in the film far darker than he did in the book. A bit more menacing than I thought he should be. Crudup is good as the dispassionate superman Dr. Manhattan, and I thought Morgan was an utterly superb Comedian, dark and twisted, but ultimately a tragic figure.

Let's look at the film itself now. The plot is almost similar to the novel. Its a dark time in 1985. Richard Nixon is in his fourth term as President, superheroes have been outlawed since 1977, with the exception of the nuclear powered Dr. Manhattan and The Comedian, both in the employ of the US government. Nite-Owl has retired, spending his weeks reminiscing with the man who first donned the cowl as Nite-Owl, before passing it on to him. Silk Specter has retired but is currently dating Dr. Manhattan who is involved in government research. Manhattan is slipping further away from humanity, and truthfully, Spectre is his last tie. Rorschach is still prowling the streets illegally fighting crime, which leads him to the apartment of a murder victim, who turns out to be his former Watchmen teammate, The Comedian.

Believing this to be the work of a "mask" killer, Rorschach launches an investigation, first warning his fellow vigilantes. After warning Nite-Owl, Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre, he begins to dig deeper into the Comedian's past. Nite-Owl, reluctant to resume the cowl, warns the final member of the team, Ozymandias. Ozymandias was the first to retire and built a huge financial empire when he unmasked himself. That combined with his sup[er intelligence and speed made him one of the richest men in the world.

As Rorschach digs deeper, we get to understand the origins of each of the heroes and what motivates them. Dr. Manhattan, almost godlike in his power, has lost faith and touch with humanity around him. Rorschach is obsessed with justice, he sees no gray areas in the world, only black and white, right and wrong. Silk Spectre, who never wanted to be a hero, but now knows nothing else. She is a woman in search of an identity. Nite-Owl, suffering through his own impotence without the cowl, and who can only feel like a man when he has it on. Ozymandias, dedicated to the betterment of humanity, but unrelenting in the face of an objective.

Silk Spectre decides to leave Dr. Manhattan after realizing that his grasp on humanity has been lost, she turns to Nite-Owl for comfort. Manhattan, hurt by her loss and accused of causing cancer in his former girlfriend and colleagues, flees Earth to Mars to contemplate his place in the world. The mask killer also strikes against Ozymandias, but fails. Meanwhile Rorschach is framed for teh murder of one of the Comedian's former enemies. Nite-Owl teams up with Silk Spectre and they decide to free him from prison. Finally finding a sound reason in Rorschach's conspiracy theories about a mask killer, the two bust him free.

When Manhattan returns and asks Spectre to come with him, they both teleport to Mars, where she has to find a way to convince him to stop the end of the world. With Manhattan gone, the Russians believe that they can move freely with America's superman to stop them. Nuclear tensions are at an all time high, and only Manhattan has the strength to stop them. When Rorschach and Nite-Owl delve deeper into the evidence, it leads them to someone they never thought possible, and someone who believes that a few millions deaths from nuclear fallout could usher in an age of peace.

I don't want to spoil the ending or the reveal. Snyder did take a few liberties with the film, cutting sections of the book, specifically the text heavy prose pieces that accompanied each issue. Tales of The Black Freighter, the pirate comic subplot that a young boy is reading in the novel, is actually a parable of the main villain and his descent into darkness. Its a pirate comic, but the characters journey runs parallel. The other prose section are excerpts from the original Nite-Owl's autobiography. Each of these are not critical to the film, but help deepen your understanding of the characters. Both will actually be released as an animated DVD in the next few weeks and will be re-cut into the films DVD release as an Absolute version of the film. The only other radical change is the ending, but this works. In the book the world is confronted by possible extinction from aliens, in the film its a much more real world threat of nuclear holocaust. While the nuclear threat is heavily present in the book, the resolution in the film version actually helps to keep the film in more of a reality.

My only other complaint in the film is some of the CGI on Dr. Manhattan. As a glowing blue naked nuclear powered character, sometimes the simple mechanics of lining his speech with his lips seemed a bit off. Otherwise I liked the run time of the film at a solid 2 and a half hours and the casting. I heard complaints that the plot was to complex or convoluted, but both people I went with haven't read or finished the novel and they followed it easy. There have also been some complaints about the sex and violence in the film. For me, that goes back to this being really the first super hero comic to be made for adults. I thought the nudity and sex actually served a purpose to each character. in Dr. Manhattan it shows how even a simple thing like the importance of modesty has been lost with his powers. For Nite-Owl, finding his manhood after putting on the cowl again is important, it is a symbol of how he values his self worth. In apathy, he is powerless, in costume he finds his purpose.

I don't think you have to be a huge Watchmen fan or a purist to enjoy this film. It finds a great balance of action and storytelling, really deconstructing the super hero myth. When your protecting the world, who protects it from you? I really just liked the movie. It reminds me of why super hero comics aren't just for children, that they can carry a bigger tale and have the depth and meaning of a a "regular" drama. Watchmen is a must see film and easily one of the best comic book movies ever made, a film to make you think, where one viewing won't cover everything that the film has to offer. The movie asks "Who Watches the Watchmen? I think the safest answer is that you should.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Word Balloon: Watchmen

Hey all,

Okay, this month there is really only one option for the Word Balloon. A book I contemplated detailing shortly after starting this column, but felt would be better served by waiting until the film adaptation was released. Of course I mean DC Comics Watchmen, by creators Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgens. First published as a monthly maxi-series in 1986, the 12 issue story has gone on to become one of the most celebrated books of all time, even making Time Magazines list of the 100 greatest English books of the modern era in 2005.

1986 was a pivotal year in terms of comic creation. Frank Miller's iconic take on Batman dropped with The Dark Knight Returns and Art Speigelman's Pulitzer Prize winning Maus also launched. It was Watchmen though that changed the way comics were both looked at and made. Writer Alan Moore had been achieving critical acclaim on his run of Swamp Thing, as well as short stints on Superman and Green Lantern. DC was eager to get him working on more things and Moore was eager to re-team with artist Gibbons, whom he had worked with on the British anthology series 2000AD. DC had recently acquired the former comic publishers Charlton Comics cast of characters. This included characters like the Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, The Question, and Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt. DC editor Dick Giordano had other plans for the characters though and convinced Moore to create his own universe from the ground up.

The characters Moore goes onto create, while becoming their own fully realized characters with flaws and their own traits can still trace their roots back to those original Charlton characters. Watchmen has six main heroes, Rorschach, an homage to The Question; a character with a strangely blank face that sees the world in blacks and whites. The Comdeian, a dark take on The Peacemaker, a patriotic hero who epitomized his country. The Comedian does the same, but the things he has done for his country have turned him. Dr. Manhattan, based on Captain Atom, a nuclear powered hero, though our version is losing his humanity. Nite-Owl, referencing the Blue Beetle. A hero who has taken the mantle from another to fight crime ala a Batman. This Nite-Owl though has a hard time finding his self worth in a world without the costume. Ozymandias is very similar to Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, Charlton's answer to Nick Fury. Super smart and athletic, he has now retired to make a fortune off his super hero image. The last character, Silk Spectre, isn't based on a Charlton comic, but instead is a mash up to the superheroines of the 1940's and 50's, specifically characters like the Silhouette and The Black Canary. Tough female fighters who fought crime has part of the family trade. Both Silk Spectre and Nite-Owl are legacy heroes, heroes who have taken up the mantle of a previous hero by that name. The Comedian bridges the gap of the formation of the original heroes in the 40's, to the incarnation seen in the book.

Watchmen is set in 1985 America. With the creation of the super-powered Dr. Manhattan, The US won the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon is still president. Tensions between the US and Russia have escalated towards the verge of a nuclear war and "masks" (costumed heroes) have been banned since 1977. Only Dr. Manhattan and The Comedian are still active under government sanction. The nation seems on the verge of a collapse. The heroes of the 40's have long since retired, and their replacements have given up the cowl. All but Rorschach, operating as a lone vigilante wanted by the police.

The book begins with Rorschach investigating the murder of a man who turns out to be The Comedian. Believing this to the work of a costume killer, Rorschach begins an investigation that people don''t want him poking into, by reconnecting with his former compatriots. Dr. Manhattan is in the employ of the US government has turned to science and exploring the mysteries of teh universe that his vast power has unlocked. He lives with the Silk Spectre, his girlfriend. A woman who feels lonely and neglected by Manhattan's increasing solitude and separation from humanity. Nite-Owl has retired, but has lost his sense of self-worth and confidence without the cowl. Ozymandias has turned into a public figure, using his looks and intellect to build a vast fortune, with little care or worry about his former comrades. The deeper Rorschach dives into his investigation, the closer the clocks ticks towards a final doomsday.

At the funeral for the Comedian, Dr. Manhattan is accused of causing cancer to his friends and family and exiles himself on Mars. Laurie (the Silk Spectre) reunited with Nite-Owl and pick up the cowl. As Ozymandias narrowly escapes an attempt on his life, Rorschach is framed for murder and sent to jail. Nite-Owl, growing to believe Rorschach's conspiracy theories, teams with the Silk Spectre to free Rorschach from prison. All the while the Earth is plunged closer to war as Russia invades other countries with America's weakening with the departure of Dr. Manhattan.

Dr. Manhattan meanwhile has analyzed his past and brings Laurie to Mars and allows her to choose his role in the fate of humanity and in doing so, she comes to terms with her own dark past with adventuring and her hatred of The Comedian. All the while, Nite-Owl and Rorschach come closer to finding the true culprit behind the murder, and who is responsible for the impending Doomsday.

What makes the book special is the inventive format. Originally DC had difficulty selling all the advertising space in the book as well as trying to figure out what to do with the space a letter column would normally take up. Since the book was a limited series they had 3 to 4 extra pages per book and a letter page would make no sense until the series was nearly over. Instead Moore created subsequent "filler" material to flesh out the world of Watchmen. He created excerpts from the original 1040's Nite-Owl autobiography Under The Hood, as well as another piece detailing a pirate story, Tales of the Black Freighter. The Black Freighter story was actually a comic within a comic. Moore, figuring that a real world with superheroes wouldn't have comics about masks, instead would have comics about adventure strips. The Black Freighter actually helps top flesh out the world of Watchmen as a secondary plot, about a young boy reading this tale that ultimately has an effect on the final conflict, a story that parallels the tale of one of the Watchmen.

Gibbons art style was also very visionary. The cover to each individual issue serves as the first panel of each comic, its the first story element even before you have opened the book. He also used a nine panel grid, which allowed Moore the opportunity to flex his story-telling and exposition skills. It was the first real world comic book, with an incredibly intricate plot featuring multiple characters with detailed and flawed backgrounds. Hell Moore's scripts for each issue were mammoth, the first issue being almost 100 pages for only 26 pages of art. Filled with detail and background information, Gibbons would have to highlight structural elements to narrow the scope into a workable format. Then take the details provided to fill in the dense imagery.

Watchmen was the first book to deconstruct the super hero genre. To place masks in the real world and analyze what kind of affect the would have on the world at large. It asks the questions that other comics never got around to. Yes, with great power comes great responsibility. The better question is when you have great power, who watches over you. Who watches the Watchmen? The book deals with moral grays in the world, tough issues like are your actions moral when sanctioned by the government? things like rape and is murder justified if it can save lives?

These are tough questions with clear answers. Its this morally dense, intricate story that many have called un-filmable. Elements like the Black Freighter and Under the Hood excerpts by many can be seen as superfluous, but they add such a deeper understanding of the material that cutting them detracts from the story. Rich detailed characters in such a contextually long formula (12 issues) can be tough to film. Picking up this trade is a way to enjoy the story as it was meant to be told. DC has over 1 million copies in print and it is one of the few titles to be kept in continuous publication as a graphic novel since it caused the inception of the medium in 1987.

Unfortunately, this is also the book that burned the bridges between Moore and DC Comics. Watchmen, along for his book V for Vendetta, were supposed to revert to Moore and the artists 1 year after the completion of the series to retain copyright. In Moore's contract though that would not happen as long as DC kept the book in continual print, which it has. Despite having almost free editorial control on his books, Moore walked away from DC, only returning to the fold a decade later when his own comics imprint ABC Comics, was purchased as a wholesale element from his publisher. Moore agreed to stay on as long as he was left alone, which he did. Additionally, poor theatrical adaptations of his work by DC Comics parent company Warner Brothers further drove the wedge in place. Adaptions of his books From Hell, Constantine (a character he created on his Swamp Thing run) and the dreadfully awful League of Extraordinary Gentleman drove Moore to have his name taken off any Hollywood adaption of his work. (He would donate all of his profits to the artists and collaborators on his titles.) The final straw was when producer Joel Silver said that Moore had liked and approved of Warner's V for Vendetta adaption, which he refuted and sued over. He several all ties with DC, with no mention of his name to appear on any future materials (except the comics he wrote of course).


Its hard for a comic book fan to explain why Watchmen is so important. It changed the way the industry (and the world) looked at the funny book medium. You could tell a very adult tale and not talk down to the audience. For the next decade after Watchmen, books were all about the grim and gritty. Finding the darkness of the anti-hero and generally trying to do what this book did so well. I can't honestly say that Watchmen is my favorite comic of all time, or even my favorite Alan Moore comic. It is a book that changed how I read comics, that showed me that sometimes one or two or twenty read throughs isn't enough to unearth everything a book has to offer. Its a book that each time I read it, a find some nuance or element that I didn't see before. Its a comic book in name only, its truly one of the best pieces of prose you can read. it is widely considered the gold standard of comic books, the pinnacle of graphic achievement. Please read DC Comics The Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

I'll tune in this weekend with my take on the theatrical version. Also listed above are the various covers for the Watchmen trade. The group shot is detailed on the hardbound volume, while the smiley face badge depicts the recent soft cover version, the one iconically associated with Watchmen. The version with the broken window is the original cover from the initial trade collection.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Flash Fiction: Three More Bullets

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More Assorted Nuts

Hey all,

I am kind of stuck for a topic today, but I did want to rehash a bit on my Flash Fiction posts. It was really fun to get back into The Darkest Dawn after that layoff, and I look forward to devoting some time over the next week or so to crank out the next installment. I also think I am going to finish up Three More Bullets in just a few more posts. The story is winding up into the fighting chapters and hopefully someone will enjoy it.

I have already begun the thought process on my next major Flash Fiction project, an idea that my room mate and I were floating around a few years ago as a series, though with some modifications. It would combine my love of Westerns with a definite science fiction feel, one part sword and sorcery, one part western, with a healthy dash of space fiction. I'd love to hear if anyone would be interested in that.

That's not to say that I couldn't return to the Darkest Dawn at some point, or even that I am done with that story. This would be sometime off as there is still a lot of story left in that tank. Still, I want to start gearing up instead of making stuff up on the fly and integrating it into my overall story. I keep Dawn pretty loose in terms of story structure, trying to set up each chapter so that I can write what I feel like (to an extent). This time I would go in knowing where each chapter would go from the beginning. I don't know if I can do it, but its fun to try.

Changing gears, poetry has just not been there this month. I think I overproduced last month and I am being punished with this writer's block. Tomorrow I am going to gear up for another try as well as set up for my Word Balloon column a little early this month. If anyone has watched TV this past month, it won't take a genius to figure out my pick.

I'd love to hear any input on what kind of stories they would like to read about. I am seriously open to ideas and up for any challenge. Hit me up.

Also click on the Idle Hands link on my sidebar and check out the truly awesome apples my best friend painted in Photoshop. They are amazingly accurate and I can't believe how good they are.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Flash Fiction: The Darkest Dawn

Chapter 22

The last thing I remembered before I woke up was Allegra flying away. I had been engulfed in flames, under the light of the sun and she had spread her wings, smooth wings of molten fire and left me standing in the ruined street surrounding my Father’s house.

I looked around now and realized that I was back in my room. My old room. I could see a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of beer on the stand next to my bed, and a fresh set of clothes laid out. My trusty jacket and weapons harness has also been hung on the hook of my closet. I guess someone had grabbed my guns from the foyer.

I winced as I swung my feet out of bed, I was naked, though I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. That shit usually melted everything I had on anyway when I transformed, though I caught myself wondering what unlucky bastard had to carry my naked ass to my room. My body was full of sharp pains as I stepped clear of the sheets, sort of like really bad sunburn. It would pass in a few hours, but that didn’t mean that I liked it any better. I walked into the bathroom and ran some cool water over my face, rubbing it gingerly. I spent a few more minutes cleaning up before I went back and grabbed the folded pile of clothes. It was a pair of thick black cargo pants and a black wool pullover, with a pair of new boots that I wasn’t looking forward to breaking in. I grabbed my harness and checked it over, finding all my pouches had been re-filled and loaded. That meant that Gear was here. He was the only other person who would have known what equipment I use and where it went.

I grabbed the jacket next and ran a finger over it. All the new tears had been patched up and mended, making it just like old again. I was tired, but my Second Sight caught a heavy glimpse of Green Aura in the jacket, more than normal after a repair and I made a note to ask Gear about it. Shrugging it on, I patted down the pockets and found a nice surprise, a fresh pack of smokes.

I wolfed down the sandwiches and the beer before pulling out my lighter, which I had tucked into one of my pouches. Lighting up, I took a long drag before I headed out the door and back upstairs towards my Father’s study. My guess is that was where I would find him, and Gear if he was still around. As I passed the foyer, I could see several of my Father’s underlings repairing the house and cleaning the mess. I couldn’t have been down for to long because there was still a significant part of the mess left.

I walked up the stairs and tried to avoid looking at myself in my Father’s mirror, I could see the orange tined fire a lot more privately than I had the last time I went up those stairs, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. The door to the study was cracked open and I took that as a sign to walk in, unsure of what, or who, waited inside.

What I found may have been the strangest collection of people I have ever been in company with. Dad and trusty Hood was there, Hood burrowing a gaze at Belladonna, who was pointedly not making eye contact with her Father. Gear sat to her left and had some fucking huge ass ogre I’ve never seen before lurking behind him. Next to him where two guys I took the be Vatican officers, mostly based on the collars, but one of them had a big ass sword in the shape of a cross on his back, He had close cropped black hair and definitely had some military training. I hate these guys because they always think they know the best way of dealing with people like us. A good knife and a Hail Mary. The other guy I took as maybe a monsegnouir based on his age and the tabard around his shoulders. He was very calm, sitting with his hands folded.

They all turned to look at me when I walked in, a mixture of emotions on their face. Bell lit up like a Christmas tree, a big smile and bounded to her feet to embrace me in a great hug. It looked like she had gotten some healing because her color was back and when I used my Second Sight; her Aura was flushed with color. Gear gave me a wink and a grin, while tall and ugly behind him didn’t as much as flinch. Dad just raised an eyebrow, the most emotion he was going to show that I may be up to soon. Hood gave me one of his patented withering looks that earned a big shit eating grin outta me. The Vatican people though, they were different.

Sword guy scowled at me like he had just stepped in a pile of dog shit, while the older guy rose to his feet. My Sight already flush, I could see the whirly mass of Blue that encompassed him. This guy was seriously deep in Holy magic, more than Quint, more than Father Mal. This guy was legitimately a serious User, someone on the level of Dad. I gently pulled Bella off and gave her a smile.

“Missed you to Bell. Heya Gear. Sorry you guys missed all the fun around here. Dad had a really interesting block party and you wouldn’t believe which neighbors showed up.”

I took a drag off my smoke while Bell shot me a scowl. She was clearly worried about me but I had too many questions to assure her right now. Starting with who these Vatican guys were.

“I assume you guys are the backup I called for? Vatican officials in the home of a known Ancient? This is a story I am dying to hear. Anyone want to fill in some details, seems I missed something on my power nap.”

I finished off the smoke and failing to see an ashtray, dropped the butt in an empty glass. In the past I probably would have wadded it up and chucked on the floor, but at this point, I think even I felt a bit bad for all the shit this job had put Dad through. I lit up another and pulled up one of the study’s overstuffed chairs as Bell sat back down by Gear. The old Vatican guy started off.

“Allow me to introduce myself, Monsignor Everett Malkin, at your service. I believe you once worked with my brother, Edward, Mr. Develin. The man to my left is the Vatican’s top Hunter, Father Shepard. First allow me to assure you that Father Quinton is doing well. The doctors stabilized his condition and he is receiving healing as we speak, we also healed your friend Ms. Dellacroix. When we received your call, I was dispatched immediately, due to my familiarity with both Santa Diego and yourself, via my brother. “

“We also received your belief, one which Father Quinton vehemently corroborated, that Brother Tristan was working against the Church. We are here to support you in your cause as your new Agents, until such a time as Father Quinton can re-engage his duties. We are also very interested in finding the angel Serapha, for Father Quinton has informed us of the prophecy she foretold. We at the Vatican believe this girl to be the key to unlock many of these mysteries.”

EVERETT MALKIN! I had no idea that old Mal had a brother in the service. We had shared a lot over the years and you think this is the kind of thing a guy would tell you. Still this guy was of a power level that Mal had never crested before and that in of itself made me curious. I was also guessing that he had a few questions about Mal and how he died. Questions like how good I was at my job that he wasn’t gonna like the answers to. Shepard the Hunter shouldn’t have surprised me though; no way was a guy like this traveling with a little more conventional protection. Hell, he probably had agents surrounding the place as we speak.

“Glad to know you Monsignor. Your brother was as fine a man as I have ever known and I am sure you have some questions for me about him. Questions I’d be more than happy to answer any other time, but right now we have more pressing matters. I’m glad to have you aboard.”

Malkin nodded and took his seat as Dad grabbed this queue to chime in.

“Good to see you up and about son. As you have most likely guessed, after the herald Allegra came, you collapsed in the street. We managed to drag you into the shadows and put you in your room. With the arrival of False Dawn, and you failing to appear or answer your calls, Bella brought your friends back with her, including Mr. Dent here, worried that you did not arrive.”

I shot Bell and Gear a grateful smile. We both knew what coming back here meant to her, as well as me. Though I was coming to realize that my Father may be more than he appeared to be in my youth, in any shade Hood was still a prick, doing what he had to her and her Mother.

“What you don’t know is that this wasn’t the first time a Herald of Light came here looking for you. From what I guess, before your arrival at The Academy earlier, agents arrived looking for you here, thinking that perhaps you would return home for answers as to why the Dark Walkers and Fell had turned on you. They were not as….skilled as the Herald Allegra though and we fought them off.”

I had figured as much when I saw Pop patching himself up on my arrival. That filled in some blanks, though I was gonna have to corner Gear and figure out why he was getting mixed up in this. Gear was my friend sure, but I don’t know if he knows what kind of shit we are getting into. Watching over Quint and Bell at the hospital was one thing, but coming here was a big decision. Worse yet, it painted a bigger target.
Still, knowing this group was looking to me was a first step. I knew I could trust Bella and Gear, and maybe even the meathead following him around, and if Mal Sr. and his junior sidekick were half as good as the Aura’s they kicked off, it made for a good start. I was also fairly certain that my Dad had already done about as much as he was willing, or even able to do, so now I have to figure out what the next step was. Find Tristan and Serapha and figure out the power behind them, or confront my sister and try to stop the apocalypse. I knew these two things were connected, I just was missing a few pieces, and if I remember correctly, the first step at solving a jigsaw puzzle was to fill out the borders and work your way inward. Allegra was at the heart of this matter, first I needed to get the border pieces. Then maybe the big picture would be clearer. I grabbed another drag of my smoke before starting.

“Allegra is waiting for us, for me. There’s no way we can stop her unless we know who else is involved in this fucking mess. We find Tristan, we find Sera. Tristan is the key. Whoever put the muscle behind him doesn’t want me talking to her. The same person is providing Dark Magic and worse, Dark Walkers to do a holy man’s bidding. This is the connection we need to figure out. We find the link between this; we find a link to Allegra.”

Bell was the one to ask the first question.

“Where to then Alex?”

“There’s only one place you can hire muscle like that as a norm, holy man or not. We gotta go to The Copper Cup.”

I gotta see Julien. See the man I failed most of all.


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Assorted Nuts!

Happy March Everyone!

February I thought turned out pretty well for posting, averaging about a post every other day, something I am trying to stick hard to. I mean the more posts the better, but I want to make sure that I am not just posting to post; but creating at least a passable topic.

I definitely liked the poetry output for last month. I haven't written poetry at that clip since I restarted the blog 2 years ago. I thought there was a nice range of poems, ranging from love and hope, to loss. Honestly I have taken a few cracks at writing a new poem in the last week but I haven't got a good rhythm down. I do promise to finish up Three More Bullets last couple of chapters, as well as getting back to posting up new Darkest Dawn. I am committing to posting it at least a few times a month, starting tomorrow.

You will also be getting a big drop on the Watchmen movie, as well as the comic in the coming week.

Thanks for reading.
Gerrad!

Movie Time: Rewind: Top Hat

Hey all,

Welcome to the February edition of The Rewind, where we place the spotlight on great movies of the past, specifically before the year of my birth, 1976. As this month was Valentine’s Day, I thought we should choose something lighthearted and fun, with romance, a feel-good movie. For me, that means picking out a musical and if you’re going to pick out a romantic musical, you can’t go wrong with one of the most successful on screen couples of all time, the impeccable Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Rogers and Astaire are the pre-emanate pairing, really becoming the first on screen man and woman team in the 1930’s, really since the dawn of talkies. First teaming up for cameo roles in RKO studios in 1933’s Down to Rio, they went on to make a total of 10 films as a couple. First teaming up in the Gay Divorcee, an adaptation of a Broadway play that Astaire had done in the 20’s, then onto the first picture wrote specifically with them in mind, this month’s pick Top Hat, directed by Mark Sandrich.

It is said that in cinema, dance begins with Fred Astaire. Classically trained in many styles, including ballet and tap, Astaire revolutionized dance in cinema by insisting in single takes as much as possible, and keeping the dancing always in full frame. By seeing the entirety of the dancer, instead of relying on close ups, you got to appreciate the art of the dance better. He also choreographed much of his own dance with the help of Hermes Pan, this way to better highlight both himself and his partner.

Ginger Rogers wasn’t as trained as Astaire, but is credited with being a quick learner. She adapted to Astaire in a way that made any other partner dancing with him at the time not look quite right. Primarily a singer, studio execs saw something in that first pairing that they believed would catch fire, and they were right. RKO actress Katherine Hepburn said of the pairing, Astaire gives her class, Rogers gives him sex appeal. While I don’t know if that was meant as a compliment, it certainly came true.

Top Hat, produced in 1935 was the second highest grossing film of the year bringing in over three million at the box office, a huge number at the time (especially in Depression-Era America). The third picture they had made as a team, it was the first made with both actors in mind. By many classic cinema watchers, it is also considered one of the finest examples of their work together. By the same coincidence, this feature also has the most dance numbers with them as a couple, dancing 5 times together along with individual performances for each.

It stars Astaire as an American dancer name Jerry Travers who is traveling to England to star in his friend Horace’s show (played by the wonderfully inept Edward Everet Horton). While practicing a tap routine in his hotel room one night, he accidentally awakens Dale Tremont (played by Rogers) who storms up to complain. Jerry falls hopelessly in love and pursues her all over England.

In this time Dale mistakes Jerry for his friend Horace, who happens to be married to a friend of hers named Madge (played by Helen Broderick). Dale leaves for Venice to model gowns for her friend Alberto, an Italian dandy. When Jerry learns of this after the success of his opening night show, he heads for Venice with Horace. Jerry professes his love for Dale, but she is disgusted by the behavior of what she believes to be a married man. She agrees to marry Alberto. Fortunately Horace’s valet Bates (character actor Eric Blore) has been tailing Dale at Jerry’s request and disguises himself as the minister.

When Jerry finally convinces Dale to take a gondola ride with him, he manages to clear up the confusion of the situation, and the two agree to marry, dancing off into the sunset with a final huge production number.

It’s a simple movie of mistaken identification, very similar to the couples previous hit, The Gay Divorcee. Audiences really responded to the film though, thanks to the chemistry between Astaire and Rogers and the wonderful music of Irving Berlin. The choreography wasn’t bad either.

This is the film that established many of the trademarks of an Astaire and Rodgers film. First with the costuming. Astaire became synonymous wearing the tuxedo. White shirt and tie, with a top hat, cane, and tails on his jacket. Rodgers throughout there pictures wears wonderfully elaborate dresses, the crown of which is the ostrich feather garment she wears in the duos main dance together. It established the spectacle that became such a part of these musicals. Not a spectacle like Busby Berkley’s Follies, where it was huge shots of dancers in glitter and lighters, but the spectacle of two people in finely crafted attire dancing together like no other combination.

The dancing itself is great to. The first film completely arranged musically by Irving Berlin since the late 20’s, he created a friendship that Astaire held throughout the entirety of their life. The final dance scene where Astaire and Rodgers dance throughout the canals and waterways of Venice is awesome. The stage took up two lots at the time, unheard of for a musical production, and they use every element of it.

Though they teamed up several more times throughout the 1930’s Astaire went into an early retirement by the early 40’s, believing that his time as an actor was drawing to a close with diminishing returns on his films. Rodgers continued to act with RKO and was one of their biggest stars of the 40’s. Astaire came out of retirement in 1949 to co-star once again with Rodgers, and continued to make films into the late 50’s, filling in for an injured Gene Kelley in his biggest hit, Easter Parade, and acting with Audrey Hepburn in a highly re-written version of one of his Broadway hits of the 20‘s Funny Face in 1957.


Astaire and Rodgers have been the sum of parts of dance in movies for the better part of nearly 80 years. Treat yourself to a really fun and relaxing movie, lighthearted and wonderfully romantic. A picture from a much simpler time. RKO’s 1935classic, Top Hat.

Flash Fiction: Three More Bullets

Chapter 6

I spent another month and a half with the Lawson's before I was ready to ride. I could walk straight, shoot straight, and stand straight, it was good enough. I had managed to clean up and fix my father's gun, though it did pull to the left. I also had a nice rifle that Maggie used to hunt rabbits with. This family had taken in a complete stranger and cared for him and my repayment was to take their gun and leave them. I felt bad, but I knew Maggie felt worse.

Maggie was a beautiful girl who probably could have had her pick of any husband, but her dedication to her father's doctoring and the farm had kept her from that. I knew that she had grown fond of me. I had caught the eyes she made when she thought I wasn't lookin' and the way she held herself around me. I was flattered, and yes, maybe even a little tempted.

But That wouldn't be fair to her. Fair to my wife and daughter. I did what I had done with everything else that had happened to me. I bottled it up and wedged it deep inside myself. There would be a time for everything. Either I would find my revenge, and hopefully peace, or I would die and join my family.

I tried to avoid a tearful goodbye by slipping out in the early hours, before the roosters crowed and the sun rose. I left a note, thanking them for all they had done and slipped out the door. As I saddled up the horse they had lent me and threw my meager belongings over the mare's back, I looked back at the house and saw Maggie in the doorway. She was still in her shift, the moonlight reflecting off the thin garment. I could see the slight glisten of a tear rolling down her face. Her lips moved and i could hear her words carried by the night breeze.

"Promise me you'll come back Ethan."

I got on my horse and slowly rode away. Leaving behind Maggie Lawson. My angel.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Movie Review: Coraline

Hey all,

Last night I saw the wonderful new movie Coraline, in 3D. It literally took my breath away. To be honest, this is the first movie I have seen in 3D since like Jaws 3D, and to be fair that wasn't that impressive. Coraline blew me away.

First off, let's talk about the story. Coraline is the story of a young girl named Coraline Jones, who moves to a rural apartment in the middle of nowhere with her parents, workaholics who tend to ignore her. She meets a young boy named Wybie, short for Wyborn, who she thinks is weird. Wybie finds a doll that looks just like Coraline in his Grandmothers attic, and gives it to Coraline. The only difference is that the doll has buttons for eyes.

As Coraline explores the new house she discovers a strange half-door that has been wallpapered over. After promising her Mother that she would leave her alone if she opens the door, Coraline discovers that behind the door it has been bricked over, leaving her disappointed. As she explores the rest of the complex, she meets her strange neighbors. Downstairs are Miss Forcible and Miss Spinks, former stage actresses who have grown senile in their old age. Upstairs is Mr. Bobinsky, a former circus act who is now training a jumping mouse circus, who is also a little strange.

That night though when Coraline goes to bed, she wakes up upon hearing a noise, discovering a small jumping mouse in her room. As she follows him downstairs, she watches the mouse run into the little door, and when she opens it, a long tunnel is behind it. Following the tunnel, she emerges into a room just like the one she left, albeit slightly changed. As she explores her house, she stumbles across her Mother in the kitchen cooking up a wonderful meal. When she sees her Mother's face though, her eyes have been replaced by buttons.

This is her Other Mother, along with her Other Father and Other Wybie. Her Other Mother explains that this world is just for Coraline and exists to make her happy, with lavish meals and friends. As Coraline grows less suspicious, she enjoys the meal and is laid down to bed in a wonderfully decorated room. When she awakens, she has to wonder if it was a dream.

The next day after a quarrel with her Mother, Coraline plots to go back, laying bait for the jumping mouse. When he returns, she follows him into the Other world. There her Other Mother has created a beautiful garden in her image, and each new visit treats her to more lavish presents, including a performance from Mr. Bobinsky's jumping mice, and of Miss' Spinks and Forcible's play.

During one trip she meets Wybie's strange cat, who in this world can talk and warns her that not all is as appears. She later learns that her Other Mother wants her to stay forever, and that everything she wants could be hers, if she lets her sew buttons onto her eyes. When Coraline refuses, she is locked away, with the trapped souls of other children the Other Mother has captured over the years. With the help of the cat, she escapes and vows to never go back. Until she finds out that the Other Mother has captured her parents.

Forced to make one last trip, she arms herself with a pruning shear and a special trinket that the real Miss' Spinks and Forcible gave her, and she ventures forth into the world one more time, to free her parents, and the trapped souls of the lost children.

The story is based on writer Neil Gaimen's work and I am glad he finally broke free in movies with one of his works. Most well known for writing DC Comics flagship Vertigo book, Sandman, in recent years he has been attached to adaptations of his own work, Like the BBC miniseries Neverwhere and the theatrical release of Stardust, as well as adapting Beowolf last year. Finally a movie captures his quirky blend of goth and humor. The writing is crisp and tight, with enough danger and whimsy to offset each other.

The animation is spectacular. Especially the fact the film is stop Motion animation, and not digital. The 3D effects are in some cases mind blowing, where it feels like the movie is coming right out of the screen at you. It really made me marvel at how far 3D has come over the years. Especially as in the first few minutes of the film the 3D effects were off, I was greatly concerned. The picture was blurry and poor, but when they dropped the filter in place, the movie seemed to come alive! I actually want to see more films in 3D, it was incredible! It is also great to see that stop motion animation is not dead, the effects and animation is these puppets were just as good as anything offered in now traditional animation, or even digitally.

If you have a child, or are a fan of animated fair, this is the best animated film since Wall-E last year. Directed by Henry Selick, the director of A Nightmare Before Christmas, he creates a great bridge between the gothic sense in that film with a more universal appeal. Selick, along with Gaimen, have created a truly memorable film in the process. Also starring the voice talents Dakota Fanning as Coraline, Teri Hatcher as the Mother (and Other Mother), Ian McShane as Mr. Bobinsky, and Keith David as the Cat, Coraline is the first must see movie of 2009!


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Word Balloon: Kingdom Come

Hey all,

I thought long and hard about what book to highlight this month. There are still so many great choices out there, but I wanted to choose a creative team I haven't highlighted yet. That's why this month we are going to look at DC Comics 1996 4 issue masterpiece, Kingdom Come, by writer Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross.

The book is based of an idea by renowned comic book painter Alex Ross, who wanted to do a tale of DC heroes similar to Alan Moore's Watchmen a decade earlier, though this time using DC staples like Batman and Superman. The idea of a dark DC future was not something that was particularly associated with DC at the time, whose books represented a far more positive future, unlike rival Marvel. Kingdom Come is the story of a battle between the traditional super heroes, Like Superman and Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League, and the new dangerous and irresponsible vigilante heroes that have arisen. Caught in the middle is Batman and his group of Outsiders, who is trying to contain the struggle and stop the machinations of Lex Luthor.

Kingdom Come is a DC Elseworlds tale, that is to say a story about DC characters that isn't necessarily part of continuity or canon. The happenings in the book represent the possible future of these characters that may or may not happen. Its sort of a What If? tale that draws close lines to the then current continuity. The story itself is set 20 years in the then future of the DC Universe and draws much on biblical imagery, especially the Book of Revelations.

The story is narrated by minister Norman McKay, whom also acts as our point of view. As a longtime friend of the original Sandman (the DC version from the '40s and not there more famous Vertigo Comics take) he has inherited his ability, sharing apocalyptic visions of the future. Suffering a crisis of faith, he is visited by The Spectre, a one time hero who has lost his humanity and whose job it is to now pass judgement of the good and the wicked in the upcoming battle. The Spectre takes Norman on a journey to bear witness the coming struggle.

Ten years prior to these actions, Superman has retreated from public life, dis-enheartened by the public approval of these new vigilante heroes, like Magog, the man who killed the Joker. The Joker had just murdered many of Superman's friends at the Daily Planet, including Jimmy Olsen and the love of his life, Lois Lane, and Magog took justice into his own hands. Rejecting public life after Magog is acquitted and embraced by the public, he withdraws to his Fortress of Solitude, along with many other heroes who follow his example.

Flashing forward to the current time, Superman is coaxed out of retirement after Magog attacks the villain Parasite with unnecessary force, and in the struggle nuclear hero Captain Atom is ripped apart causing a nuclear explosion that decimates most of Kansas. Reforming the Justice League, Superman vows to capture or convert these new heroes. Recruiting many of his old guard, as well as some of the new, including the original Robin, now Red Robin, and Wonder Woman, he is rebuffed by Batman.

Bruce Wayne has been ravaged by decades of crime fighting and outed as Batman. He now uses robots to fight the war for Gotham. Infirmed and in a special exo-skeleton, he refuses to join Superman's campaign for fear that it will excaberate the situation, fearing that Superman's plan is outdated, that the mighty should not oppress the weak. HE instead forms a third faction, made up of many of the non-powered heroes, like the Green Arrow and The Black Canary.

Lex Luthor is also alive and has formed a group of former villains, like the Riddler and Vandal Savage, to regain control of the world from these supposed "heroes." Using mind control, Luthor also has control over Captain Marvel, a hero who by uttering the magic word, transforms from a normal young boy into a hero with powers strong enough to stop Superman. Batman and his forces seemingly join up with Luthor and his team in an effort to quell the heroes.

Superman's Justice League captures more "criminals" than it converts and they build a giant prison, called The Gulag in the ruins of Kansas. When the inmates riot, killing Captain Comet, the designated warden, Batman acts. Having learned of Luthor's mind control of Marvel and his plans to seize power with the fallout from a battle at the Gulag, Batman's team captures Luthor's group, but not before Captain Marvel escapes and frees the rest of the inmates.

What follows is a battle of epic scale, as all three teams face each other. Batman's group trying to create a balance, and the inmates and the Justice League clash. Batman even adopts an armored suit and clashes with Wonder Woman, while Superman battles Captain Marvel admist the chaos. When a squadron of fighter arrive to drop nuclear warheads on the the lot, Batman and Wonder Woman mange to stop two, but a third slips free. Superman manages to free Marvel from Luthor's brainwashing, transforming him back into his human form. There he is told to decide, as the only one who is both a human and a hero, he must decide to allow Superman to stop the bomb and have their war engulf the world, or allow all the meta humans to die. In the end, Marvel decides on a third option, detonating the bomb himself.

The fallout kills many heroes, though some survive with the help of a teleporting Dr. Fate and under the shields of the Green Lanterns. Superman is caught in the blast and believes himself to be the last survivor. Flying to the United Nations building in a rage, he attacks the UN building, blaming them for killing his friends. Though the other heroes arrive, it is Norman McKay who talks down Superman, showing him that his current actions are the real reason people fear humans. Ashamed, the heroes decide to use there wisdom to guide, rather than lead, leaving behind the old crime busting vigilante ways and taking a more global and political stance. Eventually Superman dedicates his life to reforming the Kansas farmlands, and Batman opens Wayne Manor to the victims of the fallout, becoming a healer. Both men taking the jobs of their fathers.

There are a lot of great things about this book. First up is artist Alex Ross. Widely considered his best work, the book is fully painted in a gouache style, creating lifelike representations of the heroes. This was Ross' second large style work, having painted a series for Marvel two years prior, but in Kingdom Come, he launched himself in the stratosphere as the pre-emanate painter in comics, and as one of the most respected artists period. The images are grand in scale, especially chapter 4, the battle of the heroes. Lush and full of color, but breathtaking. Without a shadow of a doubt, no matter how good this story is, with Ross this book would not be the success it is today.

Writer Mark Waid also does an excellent job fleshing out and giving life to Ross' story concept. He create a book so rich and thick with the history of DC characters that I was afraid it would be overwhelming and I would not know what is going on. Instead, as long as you have a basic knowledge of the big three, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, you can really follow the story. The rich history is there for everyone to enjoy, but you don't have to be an encyclopedia of the DCU to understand or follow it. The story really finds a balance in paralleling the Bible, drawing on very well known archetypes to tell a story wholly its own. This is also considered Mark Waid's most respected work.

Kingdom Come is one of those must read stories for comic fans, easily in the top five of comic book tales. Its a superhero tale with substance, where the story delves into what greatness this medium can truly accomplish. Both visually and narrativly innovating, you can follow the tale from an ordinary man's point of view, into a world of extraordinary people. Themes like the abuse of power and finding ones place in the world resonate, even when you have the power in the world of man. It shows that humanity isn't being born human, its in how you act and what you do. Kingdom Come is a can't miss for fans of both great visuals and a great story. Check out the collected edition as it is chock full of great extras, including character sketches, character bios, and bonus content.

DC Comics Kingdom Come, by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. You won't be sorry.


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Soiled

Hey all,

A very poetry heavy month so far. As I gear up to work on my next few flash fiction posts over the next couple of days, I thought I would throw this poem up there. I wrote it last night. Its definitely a return to the darker roots of poetry that I sometimes fall back on. I wanted to do something that channeled some of the different emotions that have been running through me this past week.

Between my step mom recovering in the hospital and that lonely Valentines Day, it just seemed a very natural outpouring to throw myself into. Truthfully when I wrote this poem it started as just jotting down a few lines, having taken an unsuccessful attempt at a breakup poem. Suddenly though words began a flow on their own and I went with it.

Emotionally I feel like I have very much been on a roller coaster this month. This month I think always does that to me though. February is a very lonely time for a single guy and sometimes I just don't know what else to do but write. That would explain why I have posted 4 poems in two weeks, almost doubling my monthly poetry output. The bottom line is that really I don't always know how to express myself verbally. I can't articulate the things I should for many different reasons, fear, shame, self esteem. It seems easy to lose myself in words. To take these emotions and channel them out, through fiction or poetry, helps. Even if the message of the poem doesn't apply, it still can resonate with the feeling.

Feel free to leave some feedback if you like it, or even if you don't.



Soiled


I pray the day to fall behind,

And leave me to my fate.

I'm ready now to meet the end,

To live no more, this dying date.


Good and bad are both in life,

Though there's one I've done more than favor.

Scrubbed and scrubbed but still it clings,

A darkness that my soul does savor.


My reason doesn't really matter,

I'd leave not card or note.

This failing life that I have led,

I'm lost, alone, so cold, remote.


No farewell or mentions spoke,

Of better days I've seen the best.

My future seems to lose its light,

So I lay me down to rest.


One more breath and all is dark,

My life has bled itself free.

Pumping from this darkened vein,

Bleeding out my life's debris.


As I wash into the beyond,

Said goodbye to this mortal coiled.

I wonder if the stain will lift,

Or if my soul remains too soiled.


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Jam Session

Hey all,

Sorry I was absent most of the weekend. I had a really cool opportunity to attend the NBA All-Star Jam Session. The Jam Session was held in the Phoenix Convention Center and was open for 6 days. I got a chance to attend the VIP opening on Wednesday where I hot all the booths, then actually work there for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Work was one of the sponsors of the event, and they needed experianced staf to work the event. I was actually elected one of the floor supervisors, so it was my job to coordinate my side of the store. Satuday and Sunday was busy, but we had so much staff my role was mostly supervisory, but Monday they put the screws to us, running on a much shorted staff than they had anticipated. I actually worked pretty hard for my shift, working 4 seoparate stations at once back in the production area. Then once it ended, helping with cleanup and equipment breakdown.

I think it was a lot of fun also to work with all the different staff members that were there. People from all over the state and from different store types, franchise owners to corportae members like me, young and old, it was really a slice of what makes my job great, all the different people you interact with. I got to work one day with my assistant manager, which was fun, as well as one day with my brother who came in as a support staff volunteer. It was nice being able to work with him again after all these years.

Still I made some fairly easy money, won some more money in a raffle ($100!) that maybe useful in replacing my digital camera that sadly got broken down there. I also won a track jacket and met several notable basketball players and a celebrity. We got a chance to meet Shaquille O'Neal, as well as Dwayne Wade, rookie sensation Brandon Roy, and future hall of famer Dikembe Motumbo. Sadly I was on the floor at this time and didn't get to take a picture or anything, but I did have the chance to take one with actor Chris Tucker, of Rush Hour fame.

He and I ate at the same table for lunch, and after his meal he was super gracious with his fans, taking several minutes to pose for pictures and sign autographs and make a few jokes. he smiled and treated everyone really nice, I was honestly surprised he was so cool about everything. the picture we snappped is blurry as hell, far to much light in the background and I don't think I can clean it up any better. I used the crappy camera in my phone because the good one was broken.

To be honest, I am glad I did this and the money sure won't hurt, but the days were long and I am ready to relax for a day or two befor eheading back to my own store to get everything back on track. All in all it was a really cool experiance that any sports fan should check out if given the oppertunity.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Three Little Words

Hey all,

Here is my now third Valentine's Day poem. I have now for three years in a row posted a Valentine poem. I really haven't done a straight up love poem in quite a while, though I think I have towed the water a bit. Anyway this is a holiday that typically I hate. I hate being alone, I hate having no one to share it with, and most of all I hate myself sometimes for not having more courage.

I tired to push all that aside and just do something romantic. Let me know what you think, and I hope you all have a good Valentine.


Three Little Words


On today of all days,

How can I measure my love?

Is it with angels singing,

From the Heaven's above?


I'd offer the sun and the clouds,

The moon and the sky,

Just so you'd know,

There is nothing I'd not try.


I would give you worldly gifts,

Like candy and flowers.

Even a romantic getaway,

The jewelry falling in showers.


I could sing you a song,

Or recite poetry I've read.

Write you a sonnet,

About the path our loves led.


Paint a picture to capture,

The romance of our youth.

Even make some other craft,

To tell the same truth.


Yet all of these gifts,

Would pale in compare,

To the gift you've gave me,

Of your love and your care.


The only thing that I want,

Are three little words.

A simple message "I love you,"

That's the sweetest sound ever heard.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Flash Fiction: Three More Bullets

Chapter 5

I walked away from the spot where my wife and child had been taken from me. I could see Maggie waiting nervously at the edge of the clearing. Her horse figiting, detecting the riders unease. She and her father had been good to me these past year, I felt bad about dragging her along with me. Another month and that wouldn't be a problem.

As I walked back to my horse, I saw a slight glint in the grass. Near the spot they had held me down. I slammed my eyes shut for a second, trying to block out the images of me failing my family again. But then I let them flood back, all the guilt and all the rage, flowing over me. I walked towards the glint.

There, laying in the grass, was my fathers gun. Time and weather had not been kind to it, almost a year out here in the elements. Still I picked it up, probably thrown away after he had shot me. I ran my hand over the ivory handle, and cracked the barrel open, There was still one lonly round inside the chamber. I ran my hand over the rest of the gun before tucking it into my belt.

i limped back to my horse, tired but better for the wear. I saddled up and began the trek back to Maggie's farm. We rode in silence for the better part of the day. Myself lost in my own memories, Maggie gratefully allowing me time to come to terms with what I had seen. When we settled down for camp that night, Maggie finally broke the silence.

"What are you gonna do now?"

I looked up, brush and oil in hand, cleaning my fathers gun.

"I'm gonna get three more bullets."

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Someone So Special

Hey all,

As I posted earlier my Step mom has suffered mild stroke. She is still in the hospital recovering back east but I wanted to try to do something nice for her. I wrote this poem for her in the hopes that I could lift her spirit a bit and offer support even though I am so far away. I feel really bad that I can't be there for them right now, but I wanted her and my Dad to know how much I care about them and that they are not far from my thoughts or heart.


Someone So Special


You are not far from my thoughts,

My head lowered in offered prayer,

To seek a cure for what has wrought,

And find you in the best of care.


Know that I wish I was with you,

To offer support and a helping hand.

In my heart I'll see you through,

And whatever else you demand,


I give to you my love and aid,

And whatever means I have to lend.

So that the cause of ills now made,

Are not equal to the love I send.


Keep strong of spirit and keen of heart,

And let not the days hold you down.

For nothing can keep us apart,

As long as your family is around.


So hold us tight to your chest,

And remember these words unfurled,

That we are the ones truly blessed,

To have someone so special in our world.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Introspection

Hey all,

I got word today that my step mom has suffered a mild stroke. This really caught me off guard. My step mom, Sherry, has been really good for my Dad. She came into his life at a time where he was really at a crossroads. Divorced from my Mom, who he had been with almost 30 years, working at a job he really hated. He had been on dates, some good, some bad, and Sherry really came along and did the only thing I wanted her to do. Made my Dad happy.

Sherry has always been very supportive of my brother and me, and it really pains me to not be there right now. My Dad has always been a pillar of strength to everyone around him. A person I have really admired in my life who has set the bar of fatherhood really high. Now he is thousands of miles away in Ohio, and I am here in Phoenix. I feel like I should be there for him the way he was always there for me.

Sure, he said the stroke was mild but that doesn't change how I feel or what I feel is my duty. I felt like after my parents divorced, it was my job to be the mediary. The one person that anyone in the family could turn to in times of trouble. It was my job to keep the peace when things between my Mom and brother got to rough, or offer Dad an ear to lend when he needed someone to talk to. Now Dad is a pretty stoic guy and though those times may not have been as plentiful for him as they were for me, still I like to think that he knows all he has to do is ask and I am there.

So today I find myself reflecting on the fragility of life and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who love and support you. I hope my Dad knows the thoughts and prayers I have for him and for Sherry, and that I am here if he needs me. I don't really know how to feel about this, Mostly its just frustration that I can't be there for Dad when he needs me most. I have to hope that he knows how much I love and care for them both, and that there is nothing I wouldn't do for them.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Movie Review: Taken

Hey all,

I caught the new Liam Neeson film Taken today. Written by the great Luc Besson and directed by newcomer Pierre Morel, it stars Neeson, along with Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. The story is about Neeson, an ex-CIA operative who has retired from the spy game to try to re-connect with his slightly estranged daughter. Having lost his marriage to Janssen and missing much of his daughters childhood, Neeson desperately wants to make up for lost time.

When his daughter gets the opportunity to go to Paris with her friends, he reluctantly agrees despite his hesitations, fearful that saying no will propel her farther away. His daughter, played by Maggie Grace, goes to Paris but winds up being kidnapped by Albania sex slave traders. She manges to call her Father on the phone prior to being abducted, and through that call Neeson learns of the plot to take his daughter and vows to find her.

What proceeds is Neeson on a vengeance ridden quest to track down the slavers and kill or torture anyone who stands in his way. The film is interposed with a series of action sequences, from fighting to car chases to shoot-outs. Neeson must call in his old contacts in Paris and take on the Albania mob in order to track down his daughter before the trail grows cold and he loses her forever.

This film was okay. It definitely had the stamp of Luc Besson on it, who after creating movies like The Professional and The Fifth Element, has really resorted to writing fun action films. This movie doesn't exactly break any new ground, its sort of the movie Ransom meets The Bourne Identity films. The fighting short, quick and brutal. You can feel the Besson vibe on the script beats and action sequences, though Neeson lays some weight to the role of the father, being kind to his daughter, but ruthlessly cold to his enemies. This kind of weight typically isn't what movies associated with Besson lately have been come to be known for, often going the straight action actor route. The director Morel translates the fight sequences well on film, keeping the cuts and pans fast and the camera movements very reminiscent of the Bourne films, all shaky and quick.

There really isn't much in the way of a supporting cast sadly, Janssen and Grace are rarely on camera, and the villains are mostly a parade of goons leading from one boss to another. The villains changing at as quick a pace as the action. Still, the film stays fast at a brief 93 minutes and keeps moving forward. It really gives you no reason to slow down.

All in all it was a fun action movie. Not the type i usually go for, being such a sucker for the cheesy fun of films like The Transporter and Shoot'em Up, but this film has some substance amidst the action, sort of a chewy center in an otherwise dismissed genre. Taken is a fun way to blow an hour and a half, though you may appreciate it more on DVD. If you are just looking for some fun fight scenes and fast paced action, then you should enjoy Taken.

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Concert Time: Buck-O-Nine!

Hey all,

So last night I headed out to see my first new show of 2009, and my first show since my birthday back in October. Playing down at the Marquee theatre in Tempe was the Ska is Dead show, featuring 5 ska bands on one card. I missed the opener and since all the bands were not listed on the ticket, I don't know who the first act was. The other 4 acts were all known quantities in the ska scene, including the slightly lesser known Deals Gone Bad, plus Buck o Nine, The Voodoo Glow Skulls, and The Toasters.

To be honest it wasn't the best show I have scene. Deals Gone Bad was an average act and I didn't know much of their music. The Glow Skulls and the Toasters had a lot of good tracks that you could dance to, but again they are not huge acts that I really like. The main reason I went was for Buck o Nine. They played a great show early last year and I was hoping for a repeat. Despite not being quite as good as the previous performance, they were still the best act of the night. Truthfully, they should have closed the show instead of playing third and there set should have went for at least an hour instead of 45 minutes. A few more songs or an encore would have been great.

Still they played two of my three favorite songs of theirs, including Irish Drinking Song and Water in my Head so that was really fun to sing along to. I can also say that I am pretty sore from dancing and moving all night. I am not a big dancer, but being in the concert environment really makes me want to get my big ass in gear you know.

The show wasn't huge, maybe 300 people at the most were there. Ska may not be dead, but its certainly on life support. The big time acts like Reel Big Fish or Less Than Jake can still pack them in, but its hard to see a style of music that I really like sort of fade away. I guess its good to have a range of musical tastes so that I'll always have something to like.

At any rate it was a good way to kick off the concert year, and I am already planning on trying to see Rancid in the spring, as well as the No Doubt reunion show this summer (mainly for the awesome opening act that's touring with them, Bedouin Soundclash!) I am sure there will be a few other shows that will catch my eye this year. I am hoping to catch some new acts, like Jenny Lewis or Rilo Kiley if they tour.

Stay tuned this week, I am going to start new flash fiction this weekend and hope to return to the Darkest Dawn by next Wednesday. Thanks for sticking around!

End of Line.
Gerrad!

Flash Fiction: Three More Bullets

Chapter 4

I eased off my horse and took in the surroundings. It had been almost a year since I had last seen the place. From the looks of it they had looted the place before burning it to the ground. I tied my horse off at one of the trees at the edge of the clearing and looked over my shoulder at Maggie. She had hung back, respecting my need to do this alone.

I had spent the last month helping them plant and prepare for spring. Doing what chores I could and helping Maggie with the plow as long as my strength held out. It was hard work but I knew it had to be done for two reasons. I would need my strength if I wanted to get back at the people who had done this. The other reason was that i owed them. I should have died, and while I thought that my purpose here on Earth was for revenge, it didn't change the fact that a man paid his debts.

This was the furthest away from the house I had been, and I was tired. The horse ride had taken its toll but I knew the time was now. I had to see for myself. I walked further into the clearing. Emma, my wife, had chosen this spot herself just before our marriage. The plot of land had a small grove in front with a path that led to a small stream, just a short ride away from the main river. Behind was a parcel of land perfect for farming and cattle raising. We had bought it from one of the local cattle barons who had owed my father a favor from the war. It was a prime piece of land, land that had cost me more than money in the end.

Inside the house was ruined, our furniture burnt and broken, rain water resting on the floor. I could still see traces of the yellow sheets Emma had made for our bed fluttering in the wreckage. I picked up a broken picture frame and pulled the photo free. The picture had been burnt badly but you could still see Emma in it. She had given it to me the day of our wedding, to remember how beautiful she had looked that day when we were both old. I ran my thumb over her face as I wiped away a lonely tear from one eye.

I walked out of the farmhouse and started back to my horse before stopping short. Steeling myself I went to the spot where he had defiled them. You couldn't see any sign of it now, but I would always remember it. I closed my eyes, trying to cut out the images flashing back, and dropped to my knees.

"I will make this right Emma. I swear to you. I will make this right."

End of Line.
Gerrad!

400!

Hey all,

WOW! This marks my 400th post to the sight, another great milestone for me in terms of creating. I really liked marking my 100th and 300th posts with poems (and regret not doing the same for 200!) so I thought to continue that trend with another numerically titled poem. My poem 100 was very much unique in that it wasn't reflective on the website at all, though 300 turned into kind of an homage to all the stories I have posted about and the different topics of the blog. 400 here is more or less a reflection of where I was about a month ago, really reflective on what I was doing and why I continue to post for what in essence is an audience of maybe 3 people.

Sometimes I forget that the reason you do something you love isn't for others peoples enjoyment, but for your own. In that sense the point of my blog is to stay true to me and what I want to do. Even on my worse day I like to write and in that sense it has to be my own reward to create, even when I doubt myself or feel like I am no good.

I think this poem is even a bit more poignant for me when I realized how many aborted attempts at writing this poem I have taken in the last 5 or 6 days. Literally attempt after attempt that met with little or no success, until breaking through today. Maybe you will like the poem, or maybe you won't, either way that is okay, because this poem really was just for me.


400


I look to the past to see what I've done.

And gaze towards a future I haven't begun.

I could write a small story of love and of loss.

Or of the strange tales my life has come across.

Sometimes their said in poetry and rhyme,

Others are a missive best told over time.



Better days may still lie ahead,

Though I'll not forget the path I've led.

A life I've lived, both full and true,

Of happy days and of times turned blue.

The choices I've made, both the wrong and the right.

Sometimes chose well, others not in hindsight.



What will I do in the days to come,

What kind of person am I in sum?

Maybe a poet, or a writer or hack,

Cashing on a talent I probably lack.

Has this venture been just for pleasure?

Or did someone find these words worth measure.



400 down and still I write on.

Composing for readers that may have withdrawn.

Sometimes I'm ready to no longer write,

And lay down my pen and keyboard to the fight.

For what is the point of rendering a tale,

If in finding an audience I have come to fail.



But when my will has turned its darkest,

And my confidence is at its starkest.

I reflect on the reason I started this all,

And that to succeed you must sometimes fall.

The point of my work and the tales I've sown,

Is that writings the only place I feel at home.


End of Line.
Gerrad!

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Hey all,

The same day that I posted my top 10 of 2008 I saw the last film of the year that I really wanted to see, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. With all the Oscar fervor surrounding the picture, I had high hopes for the film. Hopes that were then tempered by my father's reaction to the film and pretty much hating it. I usually find that he and I have the same tastes in film, appreciating the classics, but fans of blockbusters and sort of campy action movies and gross out humor. For him not to like it kind of had me worried.

For my own opinion, I ended up really liking the film. Directed by the great David Fincher (of Fight Club fame) it was based of a short story by one of the 20th centuries most celebrated novelists, F. Scott Fitzgerald. It starred Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, a man who is aging in reverse. Born as a baby, he was considered deformed, his body breaking down even as he was birthed, racked by arthritis and cataracts. Abandoned by his father at an old folks home when his mother died in childbirth and his father fearing the baby's deformity, he was raised by one of the homes housemaids. As he gets older (or younger by the measure of it, he learns how he is different and comes to have a different view of death as the people who help raise him pass out of life as he grows younger.

It was here that he meets the love of his life, a young girl named Daisy, played wonderfully by Cate Blanchett. As she grows older and he younger, this is the story of what Button does with his life and how their paths are meant to cross. The entire story is told as a flashback by Blanchett in the modern day as she lays on her death bed. We learn of the truly sad tale of heartbreak and sorrow and how two people who love each other can't be right for one another.

The film is shot perfectly. Starting off with Button's birth at the close of World War 1 and passing through the 20's, 30's and so on, there is an extraordinary commitment to maintaining the look and feel of authenticity. The clothes and expressions, the things the characters eat and drink. Fincher really keeps a tight reign on a plot that could lose a lesser director. Perfectly timed moments of comedy intersect the times of sorrow, and Pitt and Blanchett have great chemistry. Cate as the world wise girl who isn't afraid of living her life, and Pitt as the world traveled man who doesn't wasn't his condition to burden anyone.

The film is long at almost 3 hours, but it moves quickly. I never felt dragged down or that the pace was slow despite the movie not really containing any action. You are compelled by the character and the pathos on screen. The special effects to age and youthen the actors are some of the best jobs I have ever seen, a mixture of CGI and prosthetics that is really convincing.

Truly I think next to Fight Club that this is Pitt's best film and if it wasn't for Mickey Rourke's performance in The Wrestler, I think he would be a shoo-in for the Oscar. Cate is certainly deserving of a nomination despite the snub. She plays the ages of her character better than Pitt even, from youthful ballerina to love lorne mother.

I can recommend this movie. Its not the kind of movie you go to to feel good, but rather the kind you go to see remember why they make movie. Its both an epic tale of a man's life journey, and a very small film about the romance between two people. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, directed by David Fincher. Go check it out.

End of Line.
Gerrad!