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WARNING: Parts of Tropic Thunder movie revealed.
Went to a theater to see a movie, which, by itself is some kind of miracle as I am a devoted user of Netflix. (This has been true for awhile now, which brings me to Problem #1 with waiting too long between theater jaunts: I really have to watch myself so I don't just start in like MST3K.) I wanted to see The Dark Knight, but my other half was in the mood for Tropic Thunder. OK--when I do venture out to the theater, it's to a movie that has effects. I mean, like the kind where the movie was in editing before somebody realized there should probably be a storyline. Or if Joss Whedon makes a film (see previous post). I usually wait for movies like this to come out on DVD, but I agreed to see Tropic because it has a lot of people I like, funny is good, I don't get out much, whatever. The next show time was open caption, but OK, we got tickets and $20 "worth" of nachos and Pepsi, which, incidentally, is Problem #2 with waiting too long between theater jaunts: sticker shock.
It did not take long to encounter Problem #3: there were so many ads and previews before the movie I actually forgot what we went there to see. Funniest pre-movie moment (you recall the open caption status of our screen?): the word "p*ssy" flashed onscreen during the theater's own ad. We thought someone had been effing around with the captioning software, until we saw the first segment of the movie. Booty Sweat. That's all I'm going say about that.
The movie was quite entertaining. It was a little strange (I could just leave it there, but I choose to elaborate) in that it was at times really gross, really hilarious, then managed to touch on something actually profound. (The "full retard" speech was price of admission right there.) And it was meta, too: a movie within a movie where Robert Downey, Jr., plays an Australian actor playing a black man playing soldier. What I noticed: Ben Stiller is totally ripped. Robert Downey, Jr. is so very talented. And there are some things only Jack Black can (and should) pull off. And I love Jay Baruchel from Knocked Up.
The biggest surprise: Tom Cruise. I spent the last few years avoiding him pretty actively, but what he did was so funny and against type that I am endeared. A bit. Baby steps. Bald, fat, hairy and cursing like a longshoreman on a bender (see Hollywoodland for that last gem). And there's Bill Hader (one of the cops from Superbad) as his yes-man. Sweet.
OK, Dark Knight, I'll add you to my Netflix list.
I love Dr. Horrible. I didn't love it the first time I saw it, though. It was the ending, no surprise.
After trying periodically (and unsuccessfully) throughout day one to access it for free--it was crowded in there--I caved and bought the season pass on iTunes. It was cheap, though not as cheap as free, but can you really put a price on a love for Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion? Apparently it's $3.99 plus an upgrade to iTunes that I didn't really want.
So it became mine, and I saw Act 1. Awesome. Waiting two days for Act 2 was rough. Saw Act 2. Still awesome. Love the songs, catchy little bastards. Waited two days, downloaded and saw Act 3. Um, huh? Still had love, but it was temporarily dulled by a case of WTF I came down with suddenly. It wasn't as bad as the case I got after watching Episode 3 of some other saga, but I digress.
I'm a loyal Whedon fan. Geeky on the inside, only slightly on the outside; it's most noticeable when I wear my Dr. Horrible t-shirt. I watched Buffy and Angel every week; I mourned (and still lament) the untimely end of Firefly; I paid the ransom to see Serenity released in the theater; at Christmas, I bought a copy of Serenity for anyone who had it on their wishlist. I own and from time to time re-read the comics Joss Whedon has written: Serenity, Fray, Astonishing X-Men, Buffy Season 8. So it's not like I'm new here.
I mulled my disappointment, then decided to watch acts 1-3 in succession. I started to feel better, and remembered who I was dealing with. Joss Whedon is really good at what he does. His work is the most creative stuff out there, and it is always smart and hilarious. He never talks down to his viewers, trusting us to rise to the story. It's a relief to be entertained by him.
No doubt, the ending to Dr. Horrible surprised me. But it really shouldn't have. My 3-year old has seen Act 1 (that's all I'll let him see right now), and he loves it--nothing beats a toddler walking around singing "a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" or "laundry day"--but here's where it got interesting. He asks me one day, "Is Dr. Horrible a good guy?"
Um... yes, actually. But he's the villain. Captain Hammer is technically the hero, but he's a knob. (Note: I had to go on a Firefly watching spree so I could stop seeing NF as cheesy-on-the-outside. It helps.) I do not speak enough 3-year old to explain why we're cheering for the guy called Dr. Horrible whose main career goals are to destroy the status quo, get into the Evil League of Evil, and rule the world. And how do you say "Captain Hammer is a narcissist" in toddlerspeak? So we just go with, "Yes, sweetie, Dr. Horrible is a good guy. No, it's not really about taking money. Here, have some goldfish crackers."
But, seriously, I can't wait to blow his mind someday when I take him to Joss Whedon's house. It's on the block just south of Good and north of Evil, where good guys make bad decisions, villains are not always the bad guys, a hero is "someone who gets other people killed," and so many simple but powerfully unorthodox notions that are woven delicately into beautiful dialogue and intricate, believable universes. What's not to love?
My first attempt at blogging, and I'm in a hell of a mood. Which is probably what got me here, typing to no one in particular. I suppose I should say that I am new to cynicism as well as blogging, and I do not think cynicism is particularly good for my digestion (we'll see about blogging), so I'm here to see if I expel my thoughts into the world (sort of) I can clear my head. So far I like this because I can say what I feel and not end up in a row with someone. At least, not right away.
What started this blog, really, was my new feeling of standing alone on something. What started the cynicism, unbelievably, was having two young kids. Which, of course, is completely contrary to what most people say after having kids, but let me explain. Or try anyway.
Before kids, I was a believer in the system. You are born, often you are cared for by someone who is not your parent because they are working, you get to be about four, and you go to school. You go to school for all your formative years, you get good grades, you graduate, you go to college. You graduate college, you get a job, you have kids, you go back to your job, your kids go to daycare, then on to school, etc.
There is nothing inherently wrong with this.
But to think that this is the only option seems... well, narrow-minded at best. This is where I clash with most people. Well, pretty much everyone. So I list education among other taboo topics like religion and politics. I avoid talking about it as much as possible, but every once in awhile I allow myself to get sucked in. Never advisable, since I'm hard pressed to find a receptive audience. Most of my family inexorably, passionately disagrees with an alternative to standardized schooling. Namely homeschooling.
The arguments are nothing new from when I was in school. Those kids are maladjusted. They don't fit in. They aren't socialized. Only religion nuts do that. All things that may be true from time to time, but it's funny how when I make my broad assertions about the downsides of "regular" schooling, all I get in return is about how we all turned out fine.
Are we fine? I know too many who hate their jobs, are on 15 different medications to subvert high blood pressure, anxiety, or any other ailments that come with modern life (or those caused by the medications), but that's beside the point. Speaking especially for myself, there are many who are not going to be happy sitting in a cubicle or an office for 8 or more hours a day. And some will say that work isn't supposed to make you happy, but it's two-thirds of our lives we're talking about here.
I mean, most people will get by or better with the hand they've been dealt. If you're like me, you would have maybe liked someone to show you there was an option other than the seeming inevitability of 9-5, rush hour, and casual Friday, which is what my education and my upbringing taught me to shoot for. I figure that if I hang out with my kids a little longer, teaching them myself, I will know better than anyone what they are capable of, what they are interested in, and if or when it comes to it, find the teachers and the schools that will really help them reach the potential we all hear so much about.
