Thursday, September 09, 2010

Movie Review: Danny Trejo vs. The World

Click for Adam‘s review of Robert Rodriguez’s Machete!

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

First Look! January Jones as Emma Frost

When it was first announced that Mad Men‘s January Jones would be playing Emma Frost in Bryan Singer‘s X-Men: First Class, I was torn. If you’re familiar with her work on Mad Men, you know she’s pretty good at playing an ice princess, with just a hint of crazy mixed in. Who can forget this scene from the first season? But then, having seen Ms. Jones host Saturday Night Live, I’m a little concerned. Hopefully, it’s just comedy that she’s bad at, and her Emma Frost will be the perfect mix of glamour and villainy. However, judging from this shot from the set, she just looks kind of grumpy.

You can see the rest of these shots at INFDaily.com. So, what do you think? The costume is fabulous, but is it enough? And what about the guy standing behind her? Just a crew member on a break? Or her personal Twix holder. At the FBOTU Compound I make the FBOTMs carry my M&Ms. One color per FBOTM. And god help them if they get the colors mixed up. But I’m guessing I’m much more forgiving than Ms. Jones or Ms. Frost. Maybe. 

Three Is a Magic Number

It’s been a little over a month since Comic-Con, and I’m just starting to read the stack of comics I scored at the show. (Bad gay fanboy blogger! Bad!) I’ve got some fabulous books to share with you in the coming weeks, so don’t go anywhere. First up is the debut issue of Three, a new anthology edited by Curbside and Boy Trouble creator Robert Kirby. Three has a simple, yet brilliant concept: three stories by three artists per issue. It could have been two; it could have been four. Yet, three just feels right. Kirby himself alludes to the magical number of three in his short, but sweet introduction to the book. “Three new stories by three different cartoonists who are, in one way or another, queer as a three-dollar bill. Yes, the Power of THREE...”

First up is “Weekends Abroad,” an excerpt from Jerusalem Graphic Diary by Eric Orner. You might know Orner from the classic strip (and movie) The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green. “Weekends Abroad” is a world away from Ethan Green, though. A self-proclaimed “bad Jew” finds himself working a contract job in Tel Aviv, struggling with the culture and the language and kicking himself for getting thrown out of Hebrew school as a kid. “Weekends Abroad” is the best kind of autobiographical travel story, showing readers a foreign land, while keeping the experience personal, funny and ultimately thought-provoking. I have not read any other material from Jerusalem Graphic Diary, but now I’m dying to.

Next up, and the reason I grabbed the book like it was the last turnip in Scarlet O’Hara’s garden, is “Number One” by Joey Alison Sayers. We’ve featured Ms. Sayers on the site before, and I was fairly obsessed with Thingpart, before she unceremoniously killed it. But that’s...okay...because it allowed her more time to work on her autobiographical series Just So You Know, which is also brilliant. In “Number One,” Joey gives us a peek inside her day job, offering a funny, quirky and refreshingly twisted take on dealing with clients, while also trying to preserve your own fragile dignity. At eight pages, it isn’t nearly enough to satisfy Sayers fans, but it’s another fabulous addition to her canon of work, nonetheless.

The final tale in Three is from Robert Kirby himself. A contemplative tale of a young man pondering disappearing from his own life, either purposely or against his will, “Freedom Flight” is rendered in whites and muted blues, perfectly capturing the mood of the narrative. It’s the most experimental and existential of the three pieces, and serves as a wholly satisfying ending for the book. It’s a tale where a walk around New York City can seem like an escape around the world, and a chance encounter with a three-legged dog can feel like spiritual enlightenment.

Three is a diverse and rich collection, showcasing some of the best storytellers in comics today. Anyone who laments not seeing our stories told in comics should pick this up and start their journey into the world of independent gay comics and creators. Let the “Power of THREE” guide you.

Three is available at RobKirbyComics.com and PrismComics.org. Happy reading! 

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

DVD Review: Still “Evil Dead” After All These Years

I first encountered The Evil Dead while I was in line for the Haunted Trail, San Diego’s horrorfest bonanza in Balboa Park. The wait in line outside was long and cold, but they had The Evil Dead playing on a screen. The crowd in line drowned out the sounds of the movie, as did the screams from the people inside already being chased by Freddies and Jasons and whatever horror movie icons they could cram in there. I really had no choice but to watch the movie, because...my date never showed. I was pissed off. I felt betrayed. (Like when Ash‘s friends turn all demon on him.)

Whatever was happening on screen really caught my attention, though. I mean, who can resist crazy body-possessing demons? Or a book made out of skin? Or that girl getting violated by a tree? Ewww. It wasn’t until a year later that I saw the whole movie--and with sound. Needless to say, I was quite enchanted. This was some scary stuff, and it was funny, too. The acting was so-so, and these characters did all the things you’re never supposed to do in a horror movie, like GO OUT ON YOUR OWN! I mean, come on, that was one creepy forest and one creepy cabin. Over the years, The Evil Dead has proven to be a classic. It’s even been turned into a musical! What other horror movie that’s not about a man-eating plant has done that? Now we have the movie in all its glory on Blu-ray. When I got my hands on the disc, I immediately felt overwhelmed. This disc has A LOT on it. Notice how I capitalized a lot? I mean it, but more on that later.

As expected, I had a blast revisiting this movie on Blu-ray, and just like the movie Clue, the real fun happens once someone gets attacked. And in The Evil Dead‘s case, it’s by a tree. Ordinarily, it’s difficult for me to root for a male lead in a horror movie. I’m a huge fan of female leads. However, Bruce Campbell is undeniably charming as Ash. Also, it doesn’t hurt that he’s incredibly handsome. So he’s an easy guy to root for. The unintentional humor just gets funnier as this movie gets older--maybe that’s one of the reasons why it’s endured for so long. Plus, the acting really isn’t as bad as I remembered. It feels pretty genuine given the circumstances. And despite its age and laughs, it’s still pretty creepy. On the Haunted Trail, I was attacked by an army of Blair Witches played by teenage girls, so I know true horror.

The Blu-ray image is very clear, but there are a few issues that are no doubt a product of its modest budget. Some scenes and shots are a bit hazy, but I’ve never seen the movie look as good as it does here. Of course, there are loads of extra features. TONS! The first disc contains an audio commentary with the amazing Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and producer Robert Tapert. The three discuss their experiences in the film industry at the time of production and release. It’s not very scene-specific at all, though I wish it were. I would’ve loved to hear more about that tree scene. Still, it’s eye-opening and worth a listen, especially if you want a thorough view of the history of this film.

The second disc in the set contains bonus features and the bulk of the goodies:

• One By One We Will Take You - The Untold Saga of The Evil Dead: Interviews with cast and crew with some added commentary by Joe Bob Briggs and Eli Roth. Includes outtakes as well.
• The Evil Dead - Treasures From the Cutting Room Floor: More outtakes. Like an hour’s worth.
• Discovering The Evil Dead: A feature on the marketing and distribution of the film and the proper respect they gave it.
• Unconventional: Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi and the cast discuss fandom at conventions. They even give a shout-out to San Diego’s Comic-Con. Woop! Woop!
• At the Drive-In: The cast hands out copies of The Evil Dead at an event at a drive-in showing the movie.
• Reunion Panel: The cast at Flashback Weekend Horror Convention 2005.
• Make-Up Test: A short montage clip of camera tests. Really shows the love and care that went into this movie.
• The Ladies of The Evil Dead Meet Bruce Campbell: Bruce and his female castmates discuss more of the history and their experiences of making the film.
• Book of the Dead - The Other Pages: Now, this is a real treat. A clip of the eerie pages from The Book of the Dead. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but this is so creepy.

Obviously absent is Within the Woods, the original short that inspired The Evil Dead. Its absence is missed. This disc is epic; there’s so much here to explore. Also, the recording that Ash and his friends find never fails to give me the heebie-jeebies. I highly recommend this Blu-ray release. I don’t remember the name of the guy who stood me up that night at the Haunted Trail, but I’ll always remember The Evil Dead...and that tree.

Reviewed by EDUARD

FBOTU Exclusive! Nick and Kat Open Orko!

Internet sensation Nick (aka site member Havoc), along with his trusty feline sidekick Kat, open and test San Diego Comic-Con exclusive “color-changing” Orko from Mattel.

The Masters of the Universe Classics line has inspired a whole series of online videos and reviews, but most lack the charm and toy expertise exhibited by Nick and Kat. The British accent and furry chest don’t hurt, either! (Um...I’m talking about Nick. But I guess the same applies to Kat.)

Thanks, Nick! 

Open in larger window

Monday, September 06, 2010

Go Gaga for Halloween

Think Madonna‘s kicking herself for not thinking of this sooner? Rubie’s Costumes, the venerable American Halloween institution, presents their officially licensed Lady Gaga collection. The lineup for Halloween 2010 includes some of Gaga’s most recognizable fashion creations from her videos, performances and awards appearances. I kind of figure the gays who want to be Gaga for Halloween are going to put the time and effort into creating something from scratch, but it wouldn’t hurt to add a little something extra. The line also includes wigs and accessories, naturally.

I was a bit shocked at first, honestly, because as soon as there’s a Halloween costume and a lunch box, it feels very commercial to me. Is she selling out, or is it another step in her campaign to give herself completely to her fans? Or will having her fans dressed more authentically in her costumes just generate more media attention for her? I really wouldn’t mind seeing hordes of miniature Lady Gagas trick-or-treating this Halloween. If I were a little gay boy, I know I’d much rather be Gaga than Iron Man or some blue Avatar guy. If this line does well, maybe we’ll get an affordable pair of Gaga’s Alexander McQueen shoes from the “Bad Romance” video. I would wear those every day. 

The Rubie’s Lady Gaga line runs from $40 and up for costumes and $5.99 and up for accessories. The line is available at Entertainment Earth and wherever revolutionary pop diva fashion is sold. 

FBOTU’s Weekly Comics Load: Is That Mjolnir In Your Pocket?

5...4...3...2...1...Click it!

Sunday, September 05, 2010

FBOTU Book Club: Status Check #1

It’s been over a week now since we announced the latest FBOTU Book Club selection: Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse. Hopefully, you’ve purchased or borrowed the book by now. If not, you have approximately 3.5 weeks left to do that. It’s a relatively quick read, being a graphic novel and all, but you’re definitely going to want to leave some extra time to study Cruse’s intricate and highly detailed art. If you’re at all interested in the fashion and furnishings of the 60s, you’ll appreciate the level of detail and historical accuracy on display here.

Let me know if you have any trouble finding the book. It’s readily available online, plus the new anniversary edition is available in comic book stores and larger retail chains, like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Also, be sure to check at your local library. If they don’t have it, they’ll be able to get if for you via their library loan network. Cool? Cool.

Discussion of the book will begin on Wednesday, September 29 in the Forum. I’ll continue posting weekly reminders to help keep you on track. Happy reading!