Author Archives: Henry Chamberlain

About Henry Chamberlain

I am both a fan and creator of comics. I believe people have come to know me as a thoughtful guy. I hope you enjoy the views expressed here at Comics Grinder.

January 20, 2016 · 11:01 am

How Modern Fans Have Come to Know Graphic Novels

Guest column by Joseph Byrd

There was a time when comic books and graphic novels seemed like old-fashioned forms of fiction and entertainment. However, thanks in large part to a modern film industry that’s become obsessed with adapting these comics and novels, a whole new generation has become attached to them. Really, it’s been a gradual but fascinating development in popular fiction.

It begins with the films themselves. Since Iron Man debuted in 2008, the movie industry has been utterly dominated by superhero cinema. The Marvel Cinematic Universe now consists of over 10 films and will only grow larger in the years to come. This article reveals that the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War (due out in 2018) will include a whopping 67 characters from Marvel Comics. And it’s not just Marvel bringing comics to life on the big screen. DC Comics adaptations provide regular competition, and there have even been other prominent examples not related to the two publishing giants. For instance, popular 2010 superhero comedy Kick-Ass was based on a comic published by Icon (which to be fair is a Marvel affiliate), and movies like Sin City and 300 were based on Frank Miller works published by Dark Horse Comics. All of these films have helped to spark a renewed interest in source material among modern fans.

It’s also become particularly helpful that a number of the most prominent superhero movies have been based on very specific comics or graphic novels. For example, while a given Spider-Man movie might pull elements from several different comics and origin stories, some projects have essentially adapted screenplays from individual editions. This list ranked Frank Miller’s 1986 novel The Dark Knight Rises as the single best graphic novel out there, and millions of fans have now come to know it nearly 30 years later through the film of the same name. Likewise, Marvel has seemingly made a clearer effort to connect its own movies to specific projects. The aforementioned Infinity War movie will be based on a six-issue series of comics published in the ’90s, and this spring’s Captain America: Civil War actually pulls its story from one of the more modern chapters of Marvel lore, published in 2006-07. As long as movies remain so deeply rooted in comics, they’ll continue to spark new interest for younger generations.

But it’s not solely the movies that are helping to spread the word about some of the great comics and graphic novels out there. The gaming industry has also played a major role, largely through famous console-based titles like those in the Arkham Asylum series (which took its inspiration from a Grant Morrison graphic novel). But other areas in gaming have embraced the popularity of comic book characters, and in doing so helped to reach out to alternative audiences. This site is best known for catering to fans of casual casino games through offering a range of bingo, roulette and poker options to suit the genre. However, it’s also expanded to include slot and arcade games that invoke images and character names from popular comics and graphic novels. Iron Man and Batman are directly used, an “Amazon Queen” game implies a Wonder Woman connection, and even the Spartan 300 are used as thematic material for a game.

And then of course there’s the outreach to young kids, which is done differently now than in decades past. When comics and graphic novels originally rose to relevance, it was at least in part because there just wasn’t as much visual entertainment available. There was no regular television or film content, let alone any fit for children. Now kids have all kinds of other ways to entertain themselves, which means comics and graphic novels have lost what once may have been their greatest advantage. Still, there are a number of ways in which these characters and stories have been made available and appealing to kids.

Perhaps the most noteworthy development is LEGO’s partnerships with Marvel and DC to create gaming content that brings characters and storylines to life in a cartoonish manner. But on a more straightforward note, we’ve also seen comics and graphic novels made available electronically through app developers who recognize their new audience. Kids as young as two or three these days are learning to use smartphones and tablets, and parents now have the ability to load those devices with age-appropriate comic book material over time. It’s essentially modernizing the concept of a comic book.

Through all these developments, we’ve seen comics and graphic novels make a pretty remarkable transition into modern entertainment. And their popularity is only growing greater.

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Filed under comic books, Comics, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, graphic novels, Iron Man, Marvel Comics, movies

Tagged as comic books, comics, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Entertainment, graphic novels, Iron Man, Marvel Comics, Movies, Pop Culture

January 18, 2016 · 4:00 pm

Review: ‘A Year of Movies: 365 Films to Watch on the Date They Happened’ by Ivan Walters

Watching “Groundhog Day” on Groundhog Day! Illustration by Henry Chamberlain

On February 2nd, Groundhog Day, if it’s cloudy when the groundhog emerges from its burrow, spring will come early. If it’s sunny, then the groundhog will see its shadow and there will be six more weeks of winter. So goes the folktale. What better way to celebrate this holiday than by viewing 1993’s “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell? It’s an idea that totally makes sense to author Ivan Walters. He takes that even further by offering you a movie for every single day of the year. He provides vital info on his featured choice, a synopsis, plus an alternate pick. The book is entitled, “A Year of Movies: 365 Films to Watch on the Date They Happened,” published by Rowman & Littlefield.

It’s quite a brilliant concept. The trick is to find an explicit mention of a date in a movie. Inevitably, the date is either crucial to the plot or is part of a pivotal moment in the movie. For instance, say you wanted to view a movie that has a significant attachment to the day that this review is posted, January 18th. That date leads you to 1976’s “Logan’s Run.” and a pivotal scene. To quote the book: “Logan, Jessica, and the old man return to the city on January 18th, 2274 (1:43:40 to 1:56:39), for a confrontation that will change their world forever.”

This book has a high fun factor to it. Many of the movies are within the last 20 to 30 years with a generous helping of older classics like 1941’s “Citizen Kane.” It is a refreshing and entertaining way to look at movies. It becomes an offbeat game anyone can enjoy while also providing insight. I like how the book kicks off with 1976’s “Rocky.” January is so symbolic, full of hope and fresh starts. I think of “Rocky” as that quintessential shaggy dog story about self-empowerment and beating the odds. Great idea to have set the big fight on New Years Day, January 1st, 1976. Not all the dates are so easy to spot. In the case of “Citizen Kane,” for example, it is attached to December 4th 1919, the date that Kane’s mistress-turned-wife has a nervous breakdown and ends her floundering career as an opera singer. Kane’s world steadily darkens from that point onward.

“A Year of Movies: 365 Films to Watch on the Date They Happened” is a 454-page hardcover. For more details, visit our friends at Rowman & Littlefield right here.

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Filed under Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Groundhog Day, Hollywood, Illustration, Logan's Run, Movie Reviews, movies, pop culture, Rowman & Littlefield

Tagged as Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Groundhog Day, Hollywood, Illustration, Media, Movies, Pop Culture, Publishing, Rowman & Littlefield

January 11, 2016 · 2:00 pm

Review: IDW’s THE SHRINKING MAN

IDW’s graphic novel adaption of Richard Matheson’s classic 1956 novel, “The Shrinking Man,” holds up very well. Ted Adams, IDW’s CEO and Publisher, has written a script that is faithful to the novel and to the unique pace of comics. Mark Torres (Judge Dredd) provides artwork that zones right into the stifled suburban living of 1950s America. Our main character, Scott Carey, cannot cope with his environment in an extraordinary way: Scott is regressing, reverting, literally shrinking away! No more life as husband, father, breadwinner, and symbol of masculinity. He is going, going, gone. Adams says it was a thrill to bring the novel to the comics page and it shows.

Richard Matheson is an exceptionally vivid writer. He has you experiencing every detail, whether it is a man attempting to survive a vampire apocalyse as in “I Am Legned” or a man confronting a demented truck driver as in “Duel.” Whatever it is, you will believe and be on the edge of your seat as you read it. In this case, the Matheson meticulous attention to detail is focused upon Scott Carey, reducing in size by 1/7” per day. The story alternates between the early stages of Carey’s condition and once he’s near the end, stuck in a cellar, and easily food for a spider.

This book includes an introduction by Peter Straub and an afterword by David Morrell. I read the singles which included Morrell’s afterword which explores the novel’s existential underpinnings. Morrell discusses the 1942 philosophical essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus,” where Camus compares daily life to eternally pushing a boulder around a dial. The essay was translated into English in 1955 and Morrell considers if Matheson may have read it. If not, then perhaps it was one of those concepts in the air. And, most certainly, existential ideas were not foreign to Matheson.

I believe that Matheson did not care for being labeled a genre writer at all because of how the term is lobbed at writers in a pejorative sense. What the Morrell afterward makes clear is that Matheson was working at a sophisticated level no matter what you call his writing. According to Morrell, Matheson was breaking new ground by including existential themes in a mainstream novel. On top of that, Matheson’s narrative structure, with its flashbacks within flashbacks, predates widespread use of metafiction techniques by some thirty years.

I believe that to label Matheson as a genre writer is very problematic. The actual writing in the 1956 novel, “The Shrinking Man,” is not particularly elegant, per se, but that can be said of any number of so-called “serious” writers. That said, even at this early stage of his career, Matheson does reach lyrical heights. In fact, Matheson reaches a perfect hard-boiled, yet metaphysical, pitch with this novel. Ultimately, as IDW’s Ted Adams states, reading Richard Matheson is time well spent.

THE SHRINKING MAN has recently been collected into a 104-page trade paperback, priced at $17.99. For more details, visit our friends at IDW right here.

You can also get the complete 4-part series through Amazon right here.

2 Comments

Filed under Comics, Comics Reviews, IDW Publishing, Richard Matheson, writers, writing

Tagged as comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Entertainment, graphic novels, IDW Publishing, Media, Movies, Pop Culture, Publishing, Richard Matheson, Writers, Writing

January 10, 2016 · 6:00 pm

Golden Globes 2016: Some Notes After the Big Party

Saoirse Ronan defiantly, and elegantly, posing to her left despite yells to pose to the right.

Saoirse Ronan defiantly, and elegantly, posing to her left despite yells to pose to her right.

First observation: The Red Carpet

You have to watch the red carpet coverage, at least some it, to start off your Golden Globes viewing. I watched the live streaming despite that French woman constantly yelling for celebs to shift their poses “To your right! To your right!” Wouldn’t an off-camera prompt have been so much better? I think it annoyed everyone, including such talents as Saoirse Ronan, nominated for Best Actress in “Brooklyn.” What awards has that French cameraperson won? Maybe she’ll win an award for her photo of Saoirse Ronan defiantly, and elegantly, posing to her left despite yells to pose to her right. I may have nightmares. No more “To your right!” in 2017.

Ricky Gervais, the gift that keeps on giving.

Next Observation: It’s all about Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais seems to have become an overnight sensation from his hosting the Golden Globes which he peppered with his trademark scathing jokes aimed at the Hollywood elite. He was the host in 2010, 2011 and 2012. And now that everyone is in on the act, here are some of the best jokes from the Gervais monologue…

“I just want to go into hiding. Not even Sean Penn will find me.”

“What a role model Caitlyn Jenner is. She didn’t do a lot for women drivers but you can’t have everything.”

“‘Spotlight’ is great for speaking to the five percent of Catholic priests who prey on children. Roman Polanski called it the best date night movie ever.”

“I support equal pay for men and women. I am getting paid the same amount as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler got paid to co-host the Golden Globes. Not my fault they had to share the earnings.”

Jonah Hill and the bear hat moment.

And then, the game changer, Jonah Hill upstages the salty Gervais:

It was to be a simple presentation for Best Supporting Actress with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill until Hill stepped up as The Bear in “The Revenant.” Hill, wearing a bear hat, riffed about a lot things that were completely bleeped out. It began with Hill referring to a green ribbon he was wearing for Honey Awareness. That was followed by a close-up of a slack-jawed Jane Fonda. Is it possible that Hill was referring to the arguably hyped cameo by Fonda in “Youth”? That’s my guess but maybe it’s too esoteric. He definitely said something.

Rachel Bloom wins for “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

What a refreshing and authentic acceptance speech. Bloom shared with the audience the fact her new show had been rejected left and right before the CW picked it up. I like Rachel Bloom!

Amazon wins for “Mozart in the Jungle”

Amazon is in it to win it. Happy to see this show get more viewers from this win.

The best thing about the Golden Globes is supposed to be that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gets to give out well-deserved show outs:

“Son of Saul,” wins for Best Foreign Film.

“Mr. Robot” wins for Best Television Drama.

Lady Gaga wins for her role in “American Horror Story.” She sounded like she really wants to focus on acting.

Aaron Sorkin wins Best Screenplay for “Steve Jobs.” He made a point of saying how he did not expect to win. They all say that, of course, but still.

Denzel Washington wins the Cecil B. DeMille Award. I loved the introduction by Tom Hanks.

And there was a truly bear hat moment for Gervais later on in the show when he got to introduce Mel Gibson. It did not go well the last time he did that and so it went again. After giving it some thought, the best Gervais could say about Gibson was, “I would prefer having a drink with him over Bill Cosby.” Gibson’s response was, “Good to see Ricky every three years. It reminds me to get my colonoscopy.” Gervais’s response was long and bleeped out and appeared to have gotten under Gibson’s skin.

Review: ‘The Arab of the Future: A Graphic Memoir’ by Riad Sattouf

“The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984: A Graphic Memoir,” by Riad Sattouf, is a must-read for anyone interested in a story that helps to illuminate the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. As I was preparing this review this weekend, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran over events that heated the tension between the Sunni majority and the Shitte minority. Brought down to an intimate level, in the spirit of Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis,” Sattouf’s graphic novel takes us into a part of the world many of us would like to understand better.

Riad Sattouf provides us with a amazing tale spanning his earliest years, from birth up to age six, in this first part to his memoirs. Told from a child’s point of view, it is eye-opening and honest. But it’s also told from a no-holds-barred adult’s point of view. Sattouf was a contributor to the controversial satirical publication, Charlie Hebdo. What this extended narrative helps to do is give some insight into a certain way of seeing and a certain sense of humor that may challenge readers the further away they are from the scene. Sattouf is in a unique position to undertake such a work having been born into a family with a Syrian father and a French mother.

No doubt, this is not a sentimental journey. And, while it is educational, this is not suitable for children. I’d say late teens on up. Above all, this is a fascinating story with a whimsical and surprising energy. We follow little Riad literally from his earliest days as a cute towhead frolicking in innocence. And, little by little, we see that innocence chipped away.

Sattouf depicts his father as both bookish/academic and crude/uncouth. His mother he depicts as refined but ultimately subservient to her husband. And Sattouf cannot help but dwell on the backwardness and the darkness he believes he may have witnessed in the Middle East at such a young age. He regularly describes the Arabs he comes in contact with in terms of the sweat he smells from them. While that is more of the child’s-eye at play, it speaks to a special tension the author is dealing with. Sattouf sees himself, like Marjane Satrapi, as an ultimate outsider. As the book’s title ironically states, it is little Riad who is in conflict with the idea of being the Arab of the future.

Aside from the portrait of young Riad, the portraits of Libya under Gaddafi and Syria under Assad are quite interesting. We get a firsthand look at Gaddafi’s attempt at creating a utopia with free housing for everyone. There’s only one catch: you can’t lock your home. So, if someone else comes by in need of a home, and you’re not around, they can take it over. Assad’s Syria, during a relatively peaceful time, looks like a war zone.

Sattouf’s father, full of idealism and for his own selfish reasons, brings his family to live in very challenging conditions in Libya and Syria. To make it worse, Sattouf would be moved back and forth so he had life in Paris to factor in as well. It was to be a life layered in conflict on many levels. Which brings us back to Sattouf’s connection with Charlie Hebdo and its controversy and tragedy. The biggest problem that a provocative one panel gag cartoon has is that it is a provocative one panel gag cartoon. However, with a graphic novel, you have a much better chance to deal with a myriad of thoughts and emotions running a lifetime, running generations. So, yes, this book will provoke. You should know that. But it is definitely worth reading.

“The Arab of the Future: A Graphic Memoir” is a 160-page trade paperback published by Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Henry Holt. For more details, visit the book’s site right here.

9 Comments

Filed under Charlie Hebdo, Comics, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Middle East

Tagged as Charlie Hebdo, Entertainment, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Libya, Media, Middle East, Paris, Pop Culture, Syria

January 3, 2016 · 1:10 pm

An Interview with Donald J. Trump

Donald Trump has been in the news a lot, don’t you think? But why? Such an obvious question and yet it seems like there’s no clear answer. Well, I had the opportunity to interview Donald Trump and ask him those sort of questions and a whole lot more. In the interview, Mr. Trump seems candid. He is certainly confident. I hope you enjoy this fictitious, and oddly insightful, interview:

Henry Chamberlain: Thank you for doing this interview, Mr. Trump.

Donald Trump: Glad to be here.

HC: I wanted to start with an observation I made some years back. It was on an episode of “The Apprentice.” I remember that you fired a team leader over the name of the brand he chose to use. He went with a name that began with a lower case letter like, or example, he used “munchies,” instead of beginning with an upper case letter, like “Munchies.” You said you couldn’t work with someone who would make such a huge mistake. But it wasn’t a mistake. It was a style choice. You insisted that it was a flat out mistake and that you’d never seen such a style choice made before.

DT: Do we use a lower case letter to begin the word, America? I rest my case.

HC: I have friends who support you.

DT: Of course you do!

HC: I don’t question their integrity or anything like that. What I think has happened is that it’s so easy to get caught up in the hoopla of your campaign.

DT: Look, we’re going to be doing great things, really fantastic stuff.

HC: I liked the interview you did with Jimmy Kimmel.

DT: I like Kimmel.

HC: At least, he was able to bring up the fact that the character of Biff in “Back to the Future” is supposed to be based on you.

DT: Sounds like fun.

HC: I think the problem is that the media does not want to be too hard on you in fear of tearing down such valuable entertainment content. At the end of the day, you’re an entertainment goldmine.

DT: Listen, it’s going to take a gold standard in leadership to get us out of this mess we’re in.

HC: Every time it looks like you’ve stepped on a political landmine, you survive. If the media wanted to focus on your outrageous statements alone, they could. But they keep moving on. Just the one statement you made about viewing thousands of Muslims celebrating on September 11, 2001 would be enough to end the career of most politicians. Just the video of you mocking the disability of a New York Times reporter which you don’t like would be enough to end the career of most politicians.

DT: Look, what this country needs is less of your typical politician. Remember, I am not a politician. I am beholden to no one. When you get me, you get one hundred percent me.

HC: It’s interesting how your outrageous proposals, by default of the media’s inaction, are given credibility. It’s like out of a bad movie to propose a wall along the Mexican border. It’s like out of a bad movie to propose to keep Muslims out of the country.

DT: Listen, these are extraordinary times that demand extraordinary vision.

HC: When do you think your campaign will come to an end?

DT: I’m sorry, I don’t follow.

HC: When will you have had enough fun with this?

DT: Believe me, I’m having a lot of fun. People are having a lot of fun, feeling good about America. I’ve only just begun.

HC: Do you really believe you’ll go head to head with Hillary Clinton?

DT: Please, such a low energy person and with a whole lot of other problems, if you know what I’m saying.

HC: Is there a place for Jeb Bush in a Trump administration?

DT: Ah, a little joke. I appreciate that. Well, you know, I think he’s proven it’s time for him to retire.

HC: Will Trump Force One replace Air Force One?

DT: We’re looking into that.

HC: Thank you for your time, Mr. Trump.

DT: Glad to do it.

17 Comments

Filed under Donald Trump, Humor, Interviews, Jimmy Kimmel, politics, Satire

Tagged as Brexit, Campaign 2016, Donald Trump, Election 2016, Entertainment, Hillary Clinton, Humor, Jeb Bush, Jimmy Kimmel, Media, Politcs, Political Humor, Pop Culture, Satire, Trump

January 1, 2016 · 6:30 pm

Book Review: ‘Perchance to Dream: Selected Stories by Charles Beaumont’

Charles Beaumont on the set of “The Howling Man.” Illustration by Henry Chamberlain.

How do you describe the distinctive character of the landmark television series, The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)? Well, it has everything to do with its unique literary quality. And how to best speak to that? Charles Beaumont (1929-1967), one of its celebrated writers, is a perfect example. Let’s look at a new collection of his work, published by Penguin Classics, “Perchance to Dream: Selected Stories by Charles Beaumont.”

“Perchance to Dream” by Charles Beaumont

What a treat this book is for any Twilight Zone fan since here you have some of the original stories by Beaumont that went on to become classic episodes. And you also get them in the context of his work for various magazines of the era, a total of 23 stories in this collection. Consider the title piece, “Perchance to Dream,” first published in Playboy, October 1958, and then turned into a TZ script and broadcast November 27, 1959. A distraught man enters a psychiatrist’s office in fear that he will die if he falls asleep. He is certain this will happen since he sees things that tell him so. For instance, if he stares long enough at a painting, the figures will move around and talk to him. Here, perhaps Beaumont borrows a little from “The Golgotha Dancers,” by Manly Wade Wellman, first published in Weird Tales, October 1937. It’s just enough to fuel another strain in the tradition of weird fiction dating back to Gothic literature. In this case, we have a man in a contemporary setting who has been reduced to a quivering heap as his only solace, to dream, has been denied him.

Rod Serling was a writer on the rise, already with a reputation for first-rate work like “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” when he decided to try something new. It was to be an anthology series of science fiction and fantasy, the best possible route for him to continue to pursue his social commentary. When Serling approached Ray Bradbury for advice, Bradbury presented him with four books by authors he should know: Ray Bradbury, John Collier, Richard Matheson, and Charles Beaumont. Dark fantasy is what Serling was seeking. Beaumont seemed to be dark fantasy incarnate. He was a brash young aspiring writer when Bradbury took him under his wing. In a year’s time, Beaumont was well on his way. In 1950, at 21, he sold his first story to Amazing Stories. And, in 1954, Playboy magazine selected his story “Black Country” to be the first work of short fiction to appear in its pages. His astonishing trajectory would end by a mysterious condition that would cut his life short, at 38, in 1967. A fascinating documentary by Jason V Brock provides great insight into this unique life and career.

Browsing through the titles, you’ll find a wealth of creativity spanning many genres, all of them embracing a sense of the macabre. The opening lines to “The New People” (1958) lure you in with the misgivings of Hank Prentice over buying his first home, that embodiment of the American Dream. Instinctively, he fears for his wife and son: “Too late for what? It’s a good house, well built, well kept up, roomy. Except for that blood stain, cheerful.” And so commences a fine piece of horror with a fine bite of social commentary. Conformity has brought each member of the neighborhood together. However, in order to cope with and stave off boredom, we discover this group gives new, and bloody, meaning to the quaint notion of “community.” In the same spirt as Richard Matheson, Beaumont conjures up a fable that questions our so-called dreams and aspirations.

Charles Beaumont’s work has a distinctive style and it is far from formulaic. What he did was follow a certain way of revealing a greater truth. Beaumont confronted that clean wall of 1950s conformity. He looked closer to see the stress cracks forming. He responded with fiction that helped to tear that wall down.

“Perchance to Dream: Selected Stories by Charles Beaumont” is published by Penguin Classics. For more details, visit our friends at Penguin Random House right here.

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Filed under Book Reviews, Books, Charles Beaumont, George Clayton Johnson, Penguin Random House, Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone

Tagged as Charles Beaumont, Dark Fantasy, Entertainment, Fantasy, George Clayton Johnson, Media, Penguin Random House, Pop Culture, Rod Serling, Science Fiction, Television, The Twilight Zone, Writers, Writing

December 31, 2015 · 11:11 pm

DVD Review: BIG GAME

One of the strangest and most wonderful movies I’ve ever seen is 1969’s “Pippi Longstocking.” I barely remember a thing about it except that it involved the misadventures of an odd Swedish girl who liked to dance on rooftops. I recall, as a kid, that the movie was subtitled and looked like it had originally been released many years prior. Just like “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” was released on PBS many years after its original run, so too with this oddball family movie.

What if some of that Pippi magic could occur today? Hey, how about if Pippi rescued the President of the United States? Well, that amazing scenario is indeed played out in 2014’s “Big Game.” Yes, the same Scandinavian eccentricity that gave us the little ragamuffin in pigtails, now gives us a totally weird and awesome kid adventure movie. And the best thing of all is that Samuel L. Jackson is the President!

“Big Game” is now my favorite strange and wonderful movie. Oskari, the 13-year-old Finnish boy who saves a president, (played by Onni Tommila) is a new generation’s Pippi Longstocking! I don’t say that lightly. The fanciful quality to this movie is so uninhibited that it immediately took me back to the closest thing to it, Pippi. It is such an outrageously whimsical plot and yet it runs on a sound logic all its own. Sure, why not, a boy’s rite of passage, of shooting down a moose or bear, is abruptly interrupted when Air Force One comes crashing down into the tundra. Assassins are on the loose since POTUS survived the crash. It will be up to little Oskari to foil their plans.

There is some real nail-biting tension as POTUS and boy get to know each other while, unbeknownst to them, killers are in hot pursuit. The story reads like a fable but there are a number of nuanced moments and a worldliness running throughout. These are not just assassins but terrorists with a twisted cause. So, even in this faraway land that may seem so innocent, the war on terror is not far behind. Another nod to realism is Jackson’s understated demeanor. He has to hold back on the macho stuff. He is, after all, the leader of the free world. Maybe he doesn’t know how to use a machine gun the first time he uses one. But, push come to shove, Mr. President can handle himself.

The ugly realities of the world have now intruded upon a world that Pippi only knew as silly and fun. I never bothered to question whether a little boy should be fighting terrorists in the Finnish tundra. It was just meant to be.

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Filed under Movie Reviews, movies, Samuel L. Jackson

Tagged as Entertainment, Media, Movies, Pippi Longstocking, Pop Culture, Samuel L. Jackson

December 28, 2015 · 9:30 pm

Movie Review: STAR WARS: EPISODE VII – THE FORCE AWAKENS

And so it begins, a Disney Star Wars movie. Disney had its share of false starts when it started venturing away from such titles as “Superdad” and “The Apple Dumpling Gang” to its first PG-rated movie, a sci-fi action flick no less, the box office flop that was 1979’s “The Black Hole.” At the time, it was deemed too expensive for Disney to use some Star Wars magic and rent equipment from George Lucas and his Industrial Light and Magic. Of course, all that was a long time ago. After the Disney buyout of Lucas to the tune of $4.05 billion, would Disney gain some real Star Wars cred? The goal seems to be met.

This Star Wars movie had to be better than the last three installments and it had to harken back to that something special from the original, without kowtowing to it. Were the Egyptian pyramids this intimidating to build? Yes, I think so. When I read Lev Grossman wax on about Star Wars in Time magazine, it felt like he was describing something too big to fail. When I saw the Star Wars special edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live, I saw in J.J. Abrams one relieved dude. The major players from the cast were there with Mr. Abrams. And they too looked relieved, after having carried a mighty weight upon their shoulders. They had all survived an enterprise involving enough money to bankroll a number of countries’ annual budgets.

Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

This movie was designed to not disappoint anyone. And, if you believe the speculation from diehard fans, the opening line says it all, “This will begin to make things right.” The opening line is recited by Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow) at the prospect of finding a gone missing Luke Skywalker. But, as core fans will tell you, it sure sounds like a coded message related to fans’ distaste for the Star Wars prequels. This is something that Abrams certainly took to heart.

Finn (John Boyega)
and Rey (Daisy Ridley) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

There is no doubt that the shadow of the Star Wars legend looms larger than life here. An answer to R2-D2. Check. An answer to Han Solo. Check. An answer to Yoda. Check. And so on down the line to the Mos Eisley Cantina and Luke Skywalker’s X-34 Landspeeder. The sense of urgency to get it right is ferociously palpable. It is directed into every single scene by J.J. Abrams. Abrams wrote the final script with original trilogy writer Lawrence Kasdan. The two best new additions to the franchise: John Boyega as Finn, a runaway deserter; and Daisy Ridley as Rey, a reluctant new hero in touch with The Force.

In simpler times: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford

Star Wars was never true science fiction. It was fantasy and, more to the point, a comment on fantasy. At its core, Star Wars was a quirky tribute by George Lucas, a nostalgic look back to Buck Rogers and action-packed pulp fiction. It was a nostalgia for childhood entertainment that was then reconfigured into something even more enchanting. By the time that the original trilogy was completed, George Lucas was done. So, it’s hard to really blame him for the direction he took with the prequels which was as far removed from the original source as possible. It was simply too early to get all nostalgic over something that was nostalgic to begin with. And, anyway, Harrison Ford would never have reprised his role at that point. More time would need to pass which brings us to what amounts to this fun revisit.

But how often can you successfully tap into nostalgia with a franchise like Star Wars? As the James Bond franchise has learned, it all needs to be measured out in proper doses. For now, it looks like a new trilogy has been mapped out that holds on to what made Star Wars worthwhile to begin with. In the end, at its best, Star Wars was an eccentric notion by an eccentric guy named George Lucas. It’s now a franchise designed to not disappoint anyone.

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Filed under Disney, George Lucas, J. J. Abrams, Movie Reviews, movies, Star Wars

Tagged as Disney, Entertainment, Geeks, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Marketing, Media, Movie Reviews, Movies, Pop Culture, Star Wars

December 25, 2015 · 5:25 pm

George Clayton Johnson (1929-2015), RIP

“Nothing in the Dark” by George Clayton Johnson

Writer George Clayton Johnson past away this Christmas day at 12:46 PST. His son, Paul, posted an announcement. He said of his father, “He was more than a reknowned writer, fan & hemp legalization advocate, he was a truly loving father & husband. Dad understood some truths deeply….understanding, tolerance & love, and above all, we’re all the same and should be cared for as human beings…no homeless…no hunger, but charity for all.”

For those of you new to George Clayton Johnson, he was, and will always remain, a spirited beacon. He was able to take his love for science fiction and fantasy and realize some excellent writing. A prime example is his work on The Twilight Zone. He wrote some of the most memorable episodes, including “The Four of Us Are Dying” (1960), “A Game of Pool” (1961), “Nothing in the Dark” (1961), and “Kick the Can” (1962).

Of this work for The Twilight Zone, it was “Nothing in the Dark” that was his favorite and, perhaps, his all-around favorite of everything he wrote. The story has a favorite theme for him, the game of trying to cheat death. In the episode, Gladys Cooper (played by Wanda Dunn) is doing her best to avoid death by remaining in hiding. Attempting to reassure her is a handsome young man, Harold Beldon (played by Robert Redford). If only Gladys will give herself over to Harold’s logical and gentle words, she may find peace. Of course, this is the off-center world of The Twilight Zone with nothing as it may seem.

In the end, this is a story with an unpredictable and satisfying resolution. In a similar fashion, George Clayton Johnson bid farewell. He was in hospice care and it was assumed he was near the end a number of times. Ultimately, it seems, he got his wish, hung on until Christmas, and left on his own terms.