Statler: Why do they call it Most Wanted?
Waldorf: It’s the movie most wanted to avoid!
DOH-ho ho ho ho ho ho!
Alternate joke:
Waldorf: Well, it looks like Kermit’s on the run.
Statler: Too bad I wasn’t.
Waldorf: What, you want to be a wanted criminal?
Statler: No, I want to run from this movie!
DOH-ho ho ho ho ho!
Society is filled with broken people. Some are due to horrible circumstances beyond their control. Some are the result of their actions, either directly or indirectly. Regardless, broken people continue to live day to day, sometimes just trying to cope with the idea of getting out of bed in the morning. I’ve sure as hell been there.
In Gia Milani’s All the Wrong Things, we’re introduced to a quartet of broken people. At first, they seem to be unconnected, each going about their day in their own way. As the movie progresses, however, we start to see their lives interconnect: a woman struggles from day to day with anxiety while her husband struggles with a potential job promotion – to say nothing of being unable to touch his wife in over a year; a firefighter struggles with a new, disfiguring physical disability; a young mother whose former boyfriend cares little for her or her baby.
WWE has always had corporate figureheads. I grew up watching Jack Tunney making the big decisions like announcing Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI. Others maybe remember Gorilla Monsoon. Most, however, I’d hazard to guess, will remember one corporate figurehead above all others: Vince McMahon.
During the fondly remembered Attitude Era and especially during the Monday Night Wars, Vince McMahon did everything in his power to screw over various superstars including The Rock and most famously, Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Austin/McMahon feud had some of the best twists and turns of a wrestling storyline, including one pay-per-view match where the rules kept changing in favour of Austin’s opponent, Dude Love.
Nearly every wrestling fan will admit that Vince is unquestionably one of the best heels. It was great back then because he really was the boss, so it added a layer of reality to the corporate figurehead. It certainly helped that Vince was always – always – willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to get his superstars over, even if it meant peeing his pants or getting his head shoved between the buttcheeks of Rikishi or Big Show.
But WWE needs to remember something: the heyday of the Monday Night Wars was FIFTEEN years ago. With some very few exceptions, nearly every major storyline in the past fifteen years has involved an authority figure character.
In both my creative writing and chatting or posting on Facebook, I tend to avoid swearing. That’s not to say I don’t swear because anyone who’s a friend of mine on Facebook will know I swear. I’m especially potty-mouthed in person, depending on my mood. But I feel swearing should be held off for special occasions. Otherwise, the impact that swearing should have is lost.
If he lived to today, Jack Kirby would be 96 years old.
The King
Jack Kirby not only broke the mould when it came to drawing comic books, but has influenced dozens, if not hundreds, of artists. His amazing, dynamic style added a new excitement to comics in the 1950s and 60s, never seen before. He was also a workhorse when it came to production, such as writing and drawing three books a month for DC Comics in the 70s. The industry – well, Stan Lee, but it quickly caught on – dubbed him The King of Comics and it’s a fitting title. I didn’t fully appreciate Kirby until later into my comic book collecting, but now, I wish he was a household name.
Some of my co-workers were having a discussion recently about Freddie Mercury. I don’t recall the conversation entirely, but at one point, they asked my opinion. I had to tell them honestly that I didn’t know who he was. I recognized the name, but I honestly didn’t know what role he played in music. When they said he was the lead singer of Queen, I said, “Oh, okay. Queen I know…” I’m familiar with probably only one of their songs: the one that was made famous again thanks to the movie Wayne’s World.
Some years ago, I made a Livejournal post which included what music I was listening to at the time. I don’t even remember what song it was now, but it was a remixed cover of a Beatles song used in one of the Shrek movies. And a friend of mine lambasted me for it because it was a cover. At the time, I didn’t even know it was the Beatles that did the original song. (Update: I now remember that it was “I’m a Believer,” a Monkeys song, not Beatles, remixed by Smash Mouth. This further strengthens my entire point about not knowing anything about music.)
My point is: I know almost nothing about music. Let me explain.
Without going into too much detail, this past year has been a tough one for me. Career-wise, I hit a huge brick wall last Fall. Depression has reared its ugly head quite often in the last year.
Recently, I’ve started seeing a counsellor again. So far, it’s gone well. During my last session, I had a revelation about myself that explains one of my passions. People who have visited this blog have seen articles such as this regarding social injustice. Just today, my blood boiled reading about a woman’s account of cosplaying (dressing up as a character) at a convention.
It’s always upset me to see people mistreated. This goes for women being objectified, gays and transgender struggling just to be considered equal, or someone of a different race being unjustly treated. Thanks to my recent revelation, I’ve realized why. Let me explain.
It’d be a hilarious trainwreck to see Warrior back in WWE for a few matches, Though I think the most we’ll see from him are these promos for the game, similar to when Macho Man promoted WWE All Stars.
Star Wars news in the last year has been primarily about two things: Disney bought the franchise rights from LucasFilm, and a new series of movies. We’re not just getting a new trilogy in Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, though. Disney also announced the strong possibility of solo (no pun intended) movies for certain characters.
Fans are rightfully excited at the prospect, even if many were disappointed by the hit-and-miss prequels.
Personally? I can’t even call myself a fan of Star Wars anymore. Oddly, it actually has little do with the products LucasFilm. Let me explain.
Most people who know me know that Superman is my absolutely favourite character. I love that he’s this powerful being who chooses to do the right thing on a regular basis. I love that he’s just a farm town boy in a big city pining for that girl at work. I love his honesty. I love that he constantly strives and worries to live up to the standards and expectations people put upon him. Hell, I even love all the cheesy stuff about the character, like the “secret” identity (which he sees himself as more than as Superman), the Kyrptonite, and even that he has a dog with super-powers.
And I had been very apprehensive to see Man of Steel since reading Mark Waid’s very long post about it. How could the filmmakers take such a huge departure from the character? I screamed to high heavens to anyone who would listen, “That’s not Superman! That’s not MY Superman!” I’ve gone back and forth about seeing it, becoming very upset just to discuss the matter of THAT big, pivotal moment in the movie’s third act. Recently, after giving it a lot of time to consider, I was almost on the verge of seeing it. It would still likely take a friend pretty much dragging me to see it.
Tonight, my good friend Corey Nowlan dragged me to see it. He contacted me at literally the last minute – minutes before the show started – asking if I wanted to go. He gave me little to no time to think, so I impulsively agreed to see it. So I went.
And my thoughts are behind the cut, along with major, major, MAJOR spoilers. Anyone who reads past here reads at their own discretion.
The City of Smoke & Mirrors
The Dame was a Tad Polish
Nick Piers 