Black Adder Obsession

April 13, 2010 · Posted in General · Comment 

I’ve been obsessed with Black Adder — especially series 2 — ever since Netflix added all four series to streaming a couple weeks back. I had been obsessed with it years ago when it was on BBC America — back when BBC America played stuff other than Gordan Ramsey cooking shows, Top Gear and Doctor Who (not that I’m complaining.) It’s just one of those shows that’s downright looney, but in a brilliant, extremely clever way. And of course its main character is a scheming bastard, so no surprise I like it. Been considering getting this Black Adder Remastered just for the commentaries, and for Blackadder Back and Forth, which isn’t being streamed. Of course, my birthday is quickly approaching… hint hint.

In the Company of Idiots – Yep, back to this, after getting 27% into the first draft of Fear and Shopping on Planet Earth and realizing it sucked. I’ll probably return to it someday. Like I’m returning to In the Company of Idiots. Did 850 words this morning, so the 1st draft’s 1% done. Any bets on how far I get before switching to “The Confounding Exploits of Dr. Harvey Morbid, Esquire”?

Arkham Polytech – Just wrote the script for the 50th strip. 50 frickin’ strips. Didn’t think I’d keep up with it this long, frankly, but still having fun. Thanks to all for the feedback and comments and just plain reading it.

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You Must See Black Dynamite

April 4, 2010 · Posted in General · 2 Comments 

So, Black Dynamite (official web site) has kung-fu chopped its way onto my top 100 movies of all time list.

It’s dead on parody/spoof of ’70s blaxploitation… down to boom mikes in the shot, stunt doubles being swapped mid-fight, stock footage car chases and explosions, and every cliche you can think of. But it’s what they do with the cliches that makes it hilarious. Intentionally hilarious — these guys know what they’re doing. The script’s inherently funny, the acting’s spot on, and it’s just a fun ride.

To spill the beans on any of the gags would just ruin the fun. All I’ll say is this: Just when you think it couldn’t get better… they go to Kung-Fu Island. Literally. It’s an island. They go to it. And that’s NOT the film’s climax. The climax… that gets even, impossibly, better than that. I know, better than Kung-Fu Island — impossible! But it is possible. It is!

So, Netflix it. Or just buy it (Amazon DVD | Blu-ray). Seriously. You will watch it multiple times.

Dynomite! Dynomite!

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It Ain't Clash of the Titans Without Stop-Motion Action

April 3, 2010 · Posted in General · Comment 

Still debating whether to bother seeing Clash of the Titans on the big screen. Heard from multiple sources to avoid the 3D version. But the 2D version is being bandied about as a decent mind-numbing popcorn movie.

To watch or not to watch… The original (Amazon DVD | Blu-ray Book) was not a great movie in any sense of the word, so I don’t particularly care it was remade. Rewatched it last week to confirm that long held opinion. But it did have Harryhausen’s stop motion. And that makes anything worth watching multiple times. And then there’s Sam Worthington. He was awful in Terminator 4. He was horrible in Avatar. I imagine he lives up to those two performances in Clash.

Oh, what to do, what to do… Probably should just see How to Train Your Dragon, or better yet, rewatch Black Dynamite (Amazon DVD | Blu-ray) again. Awesome flick.

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