Take a look HERE for yourself.

I had a posting here asking about Nightwing #133 but as the one comment points out, it's actually due out NEXT week, not this. Oops. So down comes the blog. I guess I got ahead of myself here. Can't wait, actually as I'm really loving the new story line.

As I said, I've been busy this week; there were four or five meetings on current and future projects, the fifth issue of my Raven story to complete, a few Writer's Guild functions to attend and getting together with friends in town for the big Star Wars convention or with those who live here full time but just hadn't had a chance to see for awhile. But the other day I did get a small break and made it to a Writer's Guild function starring two of those old friends I hadn't seen for awhile, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, writers of a number of my favorite films including Aladdin, Shrek 1, Mask of Zorro and Pirates of the Caribbean among others.

As they talk, Ted and Terry effortlessly pick up from each other, amplifying what the other is saying, keeping humor in the forefront even while giving solid tidbits of information, and it was obvious watching them why they work together so well. They spent about two hours talking about story, the three act structure, character, actors, thoughts that didn't make it into their films, and much, much more. One of the strengths of their current movie, Pirates-3, they felt, was that they were on the set during filming, something that often doesn't happen with writers. But because they were they were able to alter dialogue on the spot, come up with new thoughts, bridge scenes that may not have worked as well as expected, and more. Whenever I'm with any movie writer the biggest complaint is that the writers aren't always allowed on the set, or at least encouraged to come. But when they are there is always a chance that something that worked on the page might not work on the stage, so it can be altered correctly. Hopefully other directors will bring the writers in. After the formal talk we talked a bit more in the lobby where snacks and such were being served. It had been a long day, starting with a 9:15 AM meeting and not stopping till about 10:30 at night, so I made my way home and plopped onto bed and slept. Busy day but generally a good one.

Labels: Pirates of the Caribbean, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Writer's Guild

Haven't posted for a few days, mostly because I've been incredibly busy and when you're immersed in writing - or setting up a new HD TV and reconfiguring the thousand or so wires I've got running around the house - there's not much time for blog-worthy stuff to happen. Actually, Noel and I decided to take it easy for the weekend and just set up the TV, work on her website, and go out together for food, etc. No parties, no movies, just a relaxing, stress free couple of days. As for the new TV, with 4 DVRs (I had a TiVo and a DVD burner with a hard drive, and I now also have the cable company HD DVR/cable box which allows for 2 simultaneous recordings) and a VCR, a laser disc player (for some reason I still have it as well as a large number of laser discs), a CD player, two different game systems (XBox 360 and PS2), a Slingbox and a couple dozen other tech thingies I'm not even sure what they are or do, it takes a while to navigate through the jungle of RCA and Component plugs, and more. But we finally did it just in time for the TV season to end. Still, seeing the last episode of HEROES and 24 in HD was great. Also, I've learned to enjoy the Discover Channel's HD network which is simply gorgeous to watch.

I liked the final Heroes though the ending was pretty abrupt. That is Hiro skewering Sylar only once. We'll learn next year, I assume, who actually lived and died. Still, I like the characters, and I was thrilled that the young girl they introduced near the end of the season didn't suddenly save the day; she only helped the heroes find the bad guy. All in all this season has been wonderful. They've created a new approach for the material we do in comics all the time and they're doing it not only well, but with respect to the source material. Congrats to one and all.

As for 24, although it made not a whit of logical sense - Jack Bauer is obviously allowed to break every law in the world and eventually get away with it, at least this last episode, and the few that preceded it, were fun to watch. The story became about Jack and his family. I wish they never had the previous 20 Arab/Russian/Chinese terrorist episodes and the entire season was the personal story of Jack and his father and brother. That would have not only been different from all the previous seasons, but more interesting to watch than yet another "We'll chase the bad guys" story. Hopefully they've learned a lesson this season since pretty much everyone came out against them and will try something new.

After what I feel has been an incredibly disappointing season, Sopranos is finally building nicely to its ending. I'm wondering, with Tony cooperating more with the Feds, and his further problems with the NY mob, and his son's personal problems, if he will go into witness protection. Of course, he might simply kill everyone, or die, or be arrested or God knows what else, but at least it's now obvious they are leading to something instead of meandering about.

Labels: 24, Heroes, Television, TV Reviews

I guess this is why Paulie Shore was so hot for so long. God!

Labels: American Idol

From my friend Lee Nordling comes this website which answers the question we all have: how does the little computer arrow cursor really work. For the answer, click HERE.

The final episode was wonderful in every multiple hanky way possible. It serviced all the characters, in character, set us with an optimistic view of the future of the people we cared about, and left us all feeling as good a last show ever can. Most wouldn't know it from meeting me, but I'm an overly sentimental kind of person and can easily well up at touching sitcom moments. Noel teases me that about 15 years back most of my favorite shows went off the air approximately the same week and I was despondent seemingly forever.

Since watching it, I've read reviews of the final show and a few, which also quotes some of the actors, feel that story lines weren't resolved. But I think they were. Rory's future is set. Lorelai and Luke do come together. We don't need to hear him finally propose and them get married; we know he's not going to screw up again. His proposal was the goodbye party. I think the critics, and probably some of the actors, and myself, frankly, wanted more episodes, but we're not getting them and the episode that aired had a strong sense of things resolved. Even if you had to read into it more than usual.

I will miss this show and its fun, wit, characters, and most of all the town of Star's Hollow, which I think could exist as a quirky show without the Gilmores. But getting back to them, I thought the ending was perfect, and I can't for the life of me see how they thought they could have continued had it been picked up even for a shortened season. Every character wrapped up perfectly, including Emily and Lorelai. I really got to care for all those characters, even when the show's stories went astray. The final moments were perfect. Yes, I do want more episodes. I think there are still many stories that could be told. But I'd rather it ended now, and well, than dragged out as too many shows do for years after they stopped working. Goodbye, Lorelai and Rory. Have a great future wherever TV characters go.

Labels: Gilmore Girls

I've spent so much time these past months talking about how much I've disliked this year of 24, a show I used to love, I feel I should say when they're doing something good again. With the nuclear bomb storyline over - without once making a whit of sense along the way - the new retrieve the circuit board story is working out much, much better. We're back to Jack's family, his father and a personal story. This is the story that should have been running all season long. Once Jack pins his brother to a wall in act one, the story that followed should have remained on a personal level. That would have made this season different from the previous ones (save the first season) and made us care. But I do applaud the 24 folk for ending the story that didn't work and going to one that does. This gives me a bit of hope about next season. I want to like this show as I have till now.

LOST has also gotten better. In fact, since its winter break, the show has not had any failures far as I'm concerned. Even last week's episode with Ben was intriguing. As I was watching I said to myself that something wasn't making sense; what Ben was saying didn't gibe with what we're seeing. Then later Ben admits to lying. These are the kinds of stories that drew me to Lost in the first place. I'm glad you guys are back.

Tonight is the final episode of GILMORE GIRLS. Reports say they had planned this as a series finale as well as a possible season ender if it had continued. I've seen a lot of negatives about the show, but I feel the current crew of Producers and writers actually did a pretty good job with it, keeping all the characters mostly in character, certainly in the last half of this season, after they got past the marriage mistake. I am sorry to see the show go, but it's better to end on a high note than a low one and the past few months have definitely been solid.

AMERICAN IDOL has been weird. Nobody has jumped out of the pack who shouts "STAR" but there have been some good singers. Melinda and Jordin are both excellent and it would make little difference to me which one gets the top spot, though I do tend to think Melinda's a slightly stronger singer. But they are both close. Blake's a little one-note, but I think he'll make it after Idol, at least until Beat Box has gone the way of techno. Speaking of going away, whatever did happen to Taylor Hicks? He's been nearly invisible.

MY NAME IS EARL finale was really good. The show and the characters have grown. Can't wait to see what they do with adult Earl next year.

And they're also trying to make an adult out of Charlie on 2 and a Half Men, a show I shouldn't like because it's so old fashioned in many ways, but I find hilarious each and every week.

Looking forward to little next year. That would be great as I'd like more time with books and less with TV. I'm such a slow reader and my stack of books is growing.

Labels: Television

As you can probably see, here are now a few ads running down the right hand side of this blog, comfortably (I hope) sitting between the columns of links. I hope they will be unobtrusive but will have some material some of you might be interested in checking out. I'm trying to be careful which ones I accept, but if a few get through that I don't catch that might be at all offensive, let me know. The ads cycle through the day and I can't check every ten minutes or so. Purpose of the ads should be obvious, to help pay for bandwidth. This specific page doesn't cost anything, but the rest of the site does. Anyway, let me know if they bother in any way.

Labels: Ads

In Hollywood you can't swing a cat without hitting someone who works in the movie business. So because a friend of ours worked on Spider-Man 3, this past Saturday a number of us went to see the movie again - to cheer the credit and our friend - at the Arclight Cinerama Dome on an incredible screen with incredible sound. Where I think I was caught up last time with the stunning action, effects and all the spot on Spidey stuff, I sadly liked the film a lot less this time. Yes, Peter was definitely hapless Peter Parker. JJJ is perfect. God, they should bottle J.K. Simmons and treasure his performance. The Sandman was easily the best thing on screen. Gwen was sort of a cross between comic book Gwen and some version of MJ, but still good. But MJ was boring instead of totally effervescent, Venom was less interesting this time around. Ultimately on second viewing I think the story doesn't work. I still think Spidey-2 may be the best comic inspired super-hero film ever done (Batman Begins follows very closely) but this third one just never comes together. I gave it an 8.5 last time, but this time, I think it's probably closer to a 7 - 7.5.

But despite that, Sam Raimi still totally gets the character. And despite the fact that the action was unbelievable, I'd love to see him do another, slightly smaller Spidey movie next time with maybe only one villain. And definitely with a new cast (except for JJJ and Aunt May). I'd also like to see more energy in the actors. This time around they looked a bit tired. And after watching - don't ask me why 'cause I don't know why - an E-TV feature on them where both Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst pretty much say in a number of press conferences that they didn't care about doing the movie because it's not the kind of material they prefer, or, amazingly as I think they both said, doing a third film was pushing it, I definitely feel someone new and enthusiastic should come in.

Aword of advice to both actors; you make more money for a single movie than I and most others will probably make in an entire lifetime - and I've created major characters that have gone onto film and TV - but if you take a job, don't walk through it as it looked like you were doing - but more important, don't announce your disinterest in public on camera - multiple times. You not only owe it to the movie company that paid you those millions, but to the people who spend ten bucks or more to see you. I admit I saw the E-show after I saw the movie the first time, but it left a real sour taste in my mouth. Look at the interviews both Thomas Haden Church and Bryce Dallas Howard have done. They make you want to see the movie, not question your taste. That's the way it should be done.

Will I get the DVD despite this. Yeah. But I doubt I'll see it as many times as I have Spidey 1 or 2. I generally love Sam Raimi's movies, from Evil Dead on. Darkman is one of the best non-comics inspired super-hero movies ever done. Now, this wasn't awful by any stretch of the imagination, it just didn't live up to the promise and fun of Spidey-2.

Labels: Spider-Man 3

Yesterday was my 21st birthday (More of less. Mainly more) and we had a wonderful party here at Wolfmanor with tons of folk, tons of food and tons of cake. Speaking of which, you already see the cake - thanks Rob for all the great photos - with the edible Titans topper my wonderful wife, Noel, ordered God knows how long ago. We also had games, fun, talk and lots, lots more. For all those who came, thank you again. It was a great afternoon and a perfect night here in LA.

Just saw the missing episode of Gilmore Girls. A three handkerchief show. Very good!

Also saw this week's The Shield. That has been consistently one of the best dramas on TV. Where many shows, even the very best, have up and down seasons, The Shield gets better each and every year. This week's episode was wonderful as Vic starts putting together clues that are leading him to one horrible and inescapable conclusion that ups the ante on an already gut-wrenching show even higher. Congrats to one and all!

Labels: Gilmore Girls, The Shield

A friend of mine recently told me he was having problems reading this site. I checked and noticed that those of you on Macs (as I am) but for some reason use Microsoft Explorer as your web browser, see a totally screwed up version of this page. Regular PC users who use Explorer don't. So, if you use a Mac and the links column is under the main blog page instead of to the right, STOP USING EXPLORER! Do what I do, use Safari or Firefox. Explorer is evil. At least the Mac version. Throw it away! Sell it to your worst enemy. Just don't use it. Nuff said?

Labels: Explorer

First, I want to thank everyone who wrote in to say they have the Gilmore Girls and would get it to me. I am so appreciative. I got my first responses almost immediately after I posted.

Second, according to KTLA they are going to rebroadcast both GG and Veronica Mars on Saturday. Let's hope something else doesn't go wrong. And thanks to several of you for letting me know that, too. I got so many emails from other GG fans saying they were also worried about missing the next to last show. Like most, I've seen every episode and would have hated missing such a crucial one. Unlike Veronica Mars, GG is not downloadable from iTunes and I've never been able to bring myself to illegally download shows I've missed.

Labels: Gilmore Girls

I'm not at all certain how to write this without seeming callous, but I'll try. One of the things about TV is that when there's an emergency in your region, the news goes live and covers it extensively. I've been watching the terrible fires raging through the Los Feliz area of LA, by the Griffith Observatory, the LA Zoo, Gene Autry Museum and many, many beautiful homes. Los Feliz is a beautiful area and one, had I been able to afford it, would have liked to live there. You can't help but watch the helicopters dumping water trying to put out this terrible blaze without feeling for the people who live there, hoping the wind doesn't turn and move the fire closer to them.

I'd been watching the fires on Channel 5 because I had been watching Gilmore Girls, a show I've loved since the beginning. Next week is its final episode. Obviously, when something like this happens, the show is rightfully interrupted. Now here's the callous part: Does anyone out there, not in the LA area, have today's Gilmore Girls, and its follow up show, Veronica Mars, on tape or DVD? And if so, is there some way a copy could be sent to me? If you do have it, please click on EMAIL MARV and let me know. Don't leave a "comment" here because it doesn't leave your email. Send it to me directly. Thanks for anyone who sees this and responds. It's possible channel 5 may elect to rerun it, but that can't be counted on at this moment. Again, thanks.

Labels: Gilmore Girls

Labels: Nightwing

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I'm going to talk about the movie Spider-Man 3, so beware. If you haven't seen it yet, SPOILER WARNING!!! I'll warn you again when I get to that part.

First of all, my quick score. I give it a very, very healthy 8.5. I think it was great fun. Great characterization. I cared about everyone. Despite what the critics said, I had no problems with the number of villains. I thought the story worked well. I really liked it a lot. Maybe not Spider-Man 2 loved it; I'd give that film a perfect 10, but I really, really liked this one.

Throughout the Spidey films so far, director Sam Raimi, who deserves even more sackfuls of money for showing everyone else how to do it well, has made core changes in Spidey's origin that have worked. Sometimes even better than they did in the original comic. For example, I not only applaud the change to biological spider-web shooting, I am surprised it wasn't done that way in the first place.

You can accept a comic book origin, no matter how far fetched it seems, because origins, certainly Spidey's, are about accidents. Something that, because of events, shouldn't happen, does. So a spider falls in the way of a radioactive beam and later bites science nerd Peter Parker and gives him proportional spider powers. I'll buy that. I think he'd at least get some sort of welts in real life, if not get very sick, but okay. We can't know what the radioactivity did. But then teenage Peter sews a costume that most seamstresses couldn't. That's not real. Then a high school kid invents not only near perfect glue but a webshooter to fire it in. Beyond all reason, says I. I'll buy the costume because it's a comic book given, but yet another coincidence? Nah. So biological web shooters coming from a spider: absolutely perfect. Makes sense. Wrap it up and I'll take it home.

The second comic book thing Sam improved was how Uncle Ben was killed. In the comics, supposedly, for no reason, a burglar who Peter Parker sees in Manhattan and in a fit of anger refuses to stop, later shows up miles away in his Forest Hills home and kills Uncle Ben. Sam changed that to Ben driving Peter into the city to go to the library (Peter lies; he's going to fight in a wrestling match) so when the Burglar runs out of the place Peter didn't stop him, it makes sense for Ben to be there in a car and for the Burglar to kill him in order to escape. That was brilliant.

I ALWAYS had problems with the original aspect of the Burglar going to Forest Hills which makes my acceptance of what Sam did understandable. Fact is, back in the 70s, when I wrote Spider-Man, I sought to make sense of that story myself. Back then we weren't allowed to change origins, or I would have, but I tried to explain that there was hidden criminal money in the Parker house and that the gangster who hid it there was shot and arrested. That would also help explain how a lower middle class couple like the Parkers could afford to live in fairly expensive Forest Hills. Nobody wanted to buy the house criminals lived in and where a gun fight took place. Anyway, I said the criminal hid money there and that was why the Burglar went to the house. Not by accident, but on purpose. Even then I wished I could explain the coincidence of him running into Parker at the wrestling match, but at least I could solve one part of the problem. So yeah, I absolutely loved what Sam did, and had I been allowed to alter Spidey's origin, I don't think I would have come up with something as simple and elegant as he did, but I would have done something.

Which leads to the SPOILER WARNING. This is your last warning. Read at your own peril.

I had one huge problem with the film that leads to one smaller problem. The smaller one is connected to the first. Here goes. But remember first that I love the film. 8.5 is real, real good.

I hated. Absolutely hated that it's revealed that Sandman killed Ben Parker and not the Burglar. I'm not saying this on a fan basis. I'm saying this because it completely invalidates the very tenet of Spider-Man's origin. The very reason he exists. The very moment where he learns that with great power comes great responsibility.

Spider-Man's whole existence is based on the fact that he let the Burglar run past him - despite being told by a guard to try to stop him, and that Burglar later kills his uncle. He failed to use his power responsibly. If the man he lets run away is only the partner of the actual man who kills Ben Parker, it completely removes Peter's direct responsibility for his uncle's death. I don't care that Sandman and the Burglar were connected. I don't care that Sandman wouldn't have killed Ben Parker were it not for the Burglar. In this telling Peter did not let the man who shot Ben Parker get away. He in no way is responsible for his uncle's death. He has no guilt. He learns no lesson.

I have to assume they were searching for some way to emotionally connect Sandman to Peter. Poor Sandy's daughter dying was not enough. But I think they made a drastically wrong decision. Does it hurt the movie overall? No. 8.5 remember? Will most people care? No. But this page is primarily read by fellow comic book buffs, not "most people."

I believe this tampered with the core of Spidey's origin in the wrong way. It doesn't matter who specifically killed Batman's parents. What Bruce Wayne learned from their deaths is revenge, not social responsibility. It doesn't matter exactly how Krypton blew up. What's important is that baby Kal-El is raised by two wonderful human beings who imbue in him a sense of right and wrong. But it does matter in Spidey's origin who killed his uncle, because Spidey needs to feel guilt over the fact that he didn't stop the man who would later kill Ben Parker, the man he loved. As Stan Lee says in the movie, 'nuff said. (BTW, great cameo, Stan. Almost as good as the one you make in our Condor film).

I said there was a second, minor problem, one connected to the major one. Since the story is as the story is, my problem with the end is that Spidey lets Sandman go. I'm sorry. "My daughter was dying and I was screwed up" is not any kind of legal excuse or moral excuse. Spider-Man can understand that Sandy has already repented, but he could have said, "I understand. I'm sorry. But you killed a man. You just spent 2 hours destroying New York. I don't know if anyone else has died in your rampage. I'm sorry your little kid bit the dust, but hey, you can't walk away just cause you feel bad about what you did." That would not be a responsible use f his power.

My after-the-fact way of doing this would have been to have Sandman dying when he tells his story. Spidey could easily say he understands, and though Marko killed his uncle, he will forgive him for his sins. And with that Sandy dies. Forgiveness is fine. Letting the guy walk? Or scatter to the four winds, not so much.

SPOILER WARNING OVER. Despite that, I still love this movie. The acting, especially on Sandman, is solid. I even liked MJ this time around. Sam Raimi 100% gets what makes Peter Parker tick. He understands how you give Peter a bone then lace it with poison. He understands how to mix humor, drama, character, soap opera and heroics. And the special effects this time were beyond incredible. Despite how good they were in the first films I never fully believed Spidey was anything but CG. He felt weightless in motion. Not a problem; the movies were great, still the best super-hero films ever in my opinion, but the CG was only as good as technology allowed. This film the integration between live action and CG was incredible. I truly felt the weight of the character. And the CG on Sandman was breathtaking.

Spider-Man 3 is Spider-Man. It's the Spider-Man I grew up with. It's the Spider-Man Stan lee wrote and Steve Ditko then later John Romita drew. Taken together, the three Spider-Man films are a wonder.

Labels: Movies, Spider-Man 3

You're in a space ship on a three year mission to Mars. Nine months in one of the astronauts gets incredibly sick. What do you do? What do you do?