I just finished shooting a short film that I wrote two years ago on a $75,000 RED camera. Having come from a school where a Canon HD camera was the highest of luxuries, it was quite the experience. I am sunburned over 60% of my body and have mosquito/spider bites all over. We shot the entire damn thing in just under 24 hours. This is the life I’ve chosen for myself. A life of exhaustion, pain, and exasperation. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
I have to say that after a somewhat lackluster ending to last week’s episode, I was worried that Season 5 of Rescue Me would fail to go out with a bang. They proved me wrong. Quite literally.
Placing your main character in mortal jeopardy and ending a season without allowing the audience to know whether they survive or not, is quite possibly the sleaziest and most cliched way to end a season. But like all things in Rescue Me (especially this season) this tactless ploy is accomplished with so much style that you can’t help but love it.
Throughout the season I became aware that Leary and Tolan were really playing around with the style of the show more than ever. In fact, the entire season seemed as if it were an extremely well written play. Most episodes utilized only three or four locations for the entire 40 minute running time and everything was built off of the strength of the dialogue and acting. Both of those things were absolutely stellar this season. Leary especially, showed that he is one of the most versatile actors working today in any industry. The only show I can compare the strength of this season to is The Wire. It really was that good.
It’s been announced that Rescue Me will be ending in two seasons, so there’s very little chance that Tommy actually dies right now, but what a twist it would be if he did. (For good or bad? I’m not quite sure.)
From Batman and Robin #3 - Written by Grant Morrison with Art by Frank Quitely
Let’s get something straight right off the bat. If in one week, a comic book comes out which is written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely, you can bet your ass that it’s gonna be my page of the week. Need a reason why? Look at the picture posted above. Better yet, go out and buy the damn series. These two men are at the top of their game right now, and though Quitely is taking some time off (FUUUUCKKKK) he’ll be back in seven issues.
The other great thing about this issue? It brings the opening page of Batman R.I.P full circle (finally). If we had to wait over a year, just to see Quitely draw this small masterpiece, I’m more than happy to say that the wait was worth it. Here’s hoping that Morrison is able to carry this series on his own for half a year. (But let’s be honest, he will.)
From Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #2 by James Robinson and Bernard Chang
I’ve never been a huge Jimmy Olsen fan, but I have to say that I never imagined this happening. I love it when a comic uses the title of the issue as punctuation to the story that unfolds before it. And this might be one of the best usages of this technique that I have ever seen. I don’t really think that you’re dead, but…
And while at Fan Expo I also got to see this man and attend his hour long Q&A session. For the first ten minutes or so, (fuck that, the entire hour) I was in a state of Euphoria. It really seemed unreal. God damn I love Bruce Campbell. Best $50 I ever spent.
While at Fan Expo in Toronto I got to see Ethan Van Sciver face off against Ivan Reis in Sketch Off. While it wasn’t as competition based as I thought it’d be, (they each basically just sketched a different character, Ivan - Kilowog and Ethan - Sinestro, while answering questions for an hour) it was a great time. Both of these men are extremely talented (though in a pinch, I’d go with Reis) and have a great sense of humour. Oh and Ivan Reis can barely speak a word of English, but he seems like the nicest guy in the world. (I got him to sign a Blackest Night poster!)
Ethan’s artwork has progressed by leaps and bounds from his earlier work on Grant Morrison’s New X-Men to his present work on The Flash: Rebirth.
I stumbled across this group looking for new music at the local HMV. They sort of sound like Rilo Kiley with a dark twist. (The main singer sounds exactly like Jenny Lewis.) Some of the songs on their new CD (Radio Wars) are hit or miss, but this one works extremely well. If you like Rilo Kiley or Jenny Lewis’ single work, give it a listen.
And just to show you that they can do “dance-till-you-drop” songs as well… here’s an awesome pop song about the imprisonment of a man that some see as a notorious tyrant. (Yeah, they’re that diverse.)
This is one of those songs that leaves you a changed person once you’ve heard to it. So simple, so elegant, so god damn amazing. It’s a miracle when a song can be depressing as hell and still leave you with a smile on your face.
Find this CD, buy it and marry it. That’s how fucking beautiful the music contained within is. Honest to God. It might be hard to find in America (cause they’re Canadian) but that just means download it. You should not be without it in your life.
