Coen Bros.

Somebody asked which Coen Bros. movies I had seen and not seen, and which one I did not like.

Good questions.

I am mostly just "in" when it comes to the Coen Bros. I stumbled across Miller's Crossing and Raising Arizona around the ages of 14 and 16, and it was my first understanding of anything resembling auteur-ship.

At the end of the day, I think these guys are at their best when they work in the crime mega-genre, which is more or less where they work most of the time. And of late, since Big Lebwoski, I kind of keep my mouth shut about their movies for a day or so, because I want to wait for the movie to sort itself out a little more in my head. Most certainly Blood Simple is noir, and Miller's Crossing is pure American gangster picture. I'd argue that the Coen's played with noir with Fargo and No Country for Old Men, and that's where they're excelling. They've dropped some of the post-Sam Raimi early career eccentricities for more nuanced story-telling, and I don't mind the switch.

I, initially, didn't really groove to The Big Lebowski, but a week later, I feel like I'd given it time to marinate, and the whole "it's classic noir, just with a completely detached protagonist" joke the Coens were laying down finally really caught on the gears.

Similarly, the more I think about A Serious Man, the more I like that movie, too (and I read it as sort of a modern, Minnesota-based Book of Job).

Anyway, here's a fairly complete list, omitting movies where I think the Coens were only loosely involved as executive producers.

I should note: The two Coen Bros. movies I did not see came out when I lived in Arizona. The cinemas in Chandler absolutely would not have carried a Coen Bros. movie. It was a lot of Hillary Duff, Disney movies, whatever... but that's part of how I missed them. Also, again, when movies come out at Christmas, its very hard for me to get out to see them.

At the theatrical release, neither The Ladykillers nor Intolerable Cruelty were terribly loved either by reviews or word of mouth, and I just never bothered.

True Grit - plan to see it

2009 A Serious Man - seen it

2008 Burn After Reading - seen it

2007 No Country for Old Men - seen it

2004 The Ladykillers - did not see it

2003 Bad Santa - only producers on this, but I finally saw this last Christmas, and its really good

2003 Intolerable Cruelty - did not see it

2001 The Man Who Wasn't There - this is the one I didn't like, but I saw it

2000 O Brother, Where Art Thou? - seen it

1998 The Big Lebowski - seen it

1996 Fargo - who didn't see it?

1994 The Hudsucker Proxy - saw it for my 19th birthday in college

1991 Barton Fink - seen it

1990 Miller's Crossin - seen it

1987 Raising Arizona - seen it

1984 Blood Simple - seen it

Wish It Was Christmas Today

Things I am up to that will ruin my Street Cred

1) This week, I watched The Princess and the Frog

and I really liked it. It was super cute and one of the best Disney animated movies in 10 years or so. That said, I haven't seen Tangled, but I think that Princess and the Frog made it look like Disney is back on trajectory to get somewhere near their 80's/90's hey-day that started with The Little Mermaid.

The music was catchy, they didn't depend on celebrity voices, and they didn't go for all the post-Robin Williams wackiness that eventually made Disney movies a real slog to get through. And whomever was responsible for the character of Charlotte deserves a slow clap. That was brilliant.

2) Jamie and I took her parents to see The Nutcracker

Not just going to a ballet, but to a family/ children's show with an audience at least 30% comprised of little girls in holiday dresses.

Look, the ballet was lovely, and I will fight you if you say otherwise. And I am pretty sure every one of the lead male dancers could beat me up with one leg tied behind their back.

The craziest part: the kids in the audience were so good. It was amazing. Kids can't sit through pretty much any movie, no matter how much ADHD-friendly fodder is thrown their way, but throw a tutu and slippers on some dancers and the kids, apparently, will totally will sit through a 2 hour ballet where nobody talks.

Who knew?

3) Responsibly done with my Christmas shopping

And I only did a small portion of it online. No, you aren't getting anything, so don't ask, Paul and/ or Randy.

4) Keep tuning into those sequel "Rudolph" things on ABC Family

To my credit, I never make it more than five minutes.

Trololololo! Chlidren's choir makes Christmas Magic/ Nightmare Fuel

People, I have no idea...



but I do like that V, Hilary Clinton and Superman are all in the choir.

This is some of what my brother does for a living

Hey!  I always like to trumpet the accomplishments of our SignalCorps.

It is with great pleasure that I point to this article in the Austin American-Statesman which is discussing the newly formed Veteran's Court for Travis County here in Texas.

Now, Jason isn't mentioned as the journalists seem to have interviewed the chief prosecutor for Travis County, but he's doing a lot of the day-to-day work for the prosecutor's office.  I very much like the idea behind a court centered around rehabilitation in general, but particularly for our veterans. 

So, yeah, good on Jason for being a part of this one.

So help me, this is the actual letter we sent out in cards to family this year

Merry Christmas to Our Friends and Family,

I hope 2010 has found you well. We’ve had a fine year, but an unremarkable year. Ryan is in the same job and continues to enjoy working at the Texas Digital Library, Jamie remains healthy and happy, and, frankly, if you check last year’s letter, there’s not much to update. Our two dogs mostly stick to dog-type activities, and Jeff the Cat remains, as always, Jeff the Cat.

None of that, of course, is terribly exciting. So, this year we’re providing a fictional accounting of 2010:

We were of course all thrilled when, this year, Jamie became the first woman alive to partake in a jet-pack powered flight across the length of the Ural Mountains. Many didn’t believe that Jamie had the spirit or determination, but those people didn’t know about all of the months of hard work that went into planning the flight, let alone the work she had done with her design team to perfect her “rocket wing”. 

Jamie is happy to keep the dream alive of the jetpack becoming as common as Hyundais. We’re currently considering test flights over the Grand Canyon or Mt. Fuji. Next steps will likely be determined by sponsorships and international laws regarding air space.

Early in July, Ryan was lucky enough to participate in a study at the University of Texas in which there was a terrible and unpredictable mishap that sent him spiraling through time and space. We’re glad to say that Ryan returned to the present, none the worse for wear. Legally, we’re not allowed to discuss much more, but we know the researchers are still working on their publications and we look forward to the article appearing in The Journal of Unreproducible Results. Ryan is mostly looking at his little mishap in the lab as one big summer adventure and hopes to volunteer again next year.

As the year draws to a close, we look back on all of our adventures, from the Gorilla issue we had in the yard, to the ghost of Benjamin Franklin appearing in our coat closet, and can be grateful for our friends, our family, stable livelihood, good health and the surprisingly flexible laws of physics.

Happy Holidays,

Ryan and Jamie

"Santa with Muscles" is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, holiday or otherwise

And, yes, I've seen it. Which is why The Dug and I are bad for each other.

I only ask that you watch the trailer and feel a small part of you die inside.

I plan to see True Grit

I suppose this should come as no surprise, but I'm quite excited to see the upcoming movie True Grit.

I have never seen the original, although I actually am a bit of a John Wayne movie fan.  I have seen about 80 - 90% of the Coen Bros. output, and only once have I really felt like I didn't get something out of the movie.  I'm a self-confessed Matt Damon fan, and I trust both Brolin and Bridges.

The Coens shot part of the movie in Central Texas (although from the terrain and snow seen in portions of the trailer, I can assure you, a good portion of the film was also most certainly not shot in these parts).  And while I understand some people say they don't like "westerns", its a genre that transcends itself every time someone decides not to settle for making a B-picture.

But I will go ahead and guess that I'm preaching to the choir talking to you guys.  I suspect that the same sized audience (or larger) that turned up for No Country for Old Men (one of my favorite movies of the past few years) is going to turn out for this one, too.  And I suspect a lot of you are planning to see this one.

It does remind me, though...  once again the distributors and studios are dumping movies I'd likely go see at a fairly busy time of the year.  I get that its closer to Oscar voting season, but... I kind of have stuff going on right now, and getting the family together to go see Black Swan doesn't sound like a scenario that's going to formulate in too many households (sure, I hope to make time to get out and see it - but, realistically, likely won't make it.).

The effect,  I have to assume, is that accountants look at the numbers for a "type" of movie and declare it can't be greenlit because it didn't do as well as, say, Bevery Hills Chihuahua might have in December.  Which means critics beat their breast and wag their finger at the public, and we get a trend where we see a lot more talking dog movies and a lot fewer movies that make a good case for getting out to the theater for people over 30.

That's a rant and a tangent, but it also points out that, heck yeah, I'm making time to go see True Grit.  And then I'm going to watch the original to see how they stack up.

Mr. Walls ate a lot of McRibs

For over two decades, I have had the terrific pleasure of having been acquainted with Mr. Trey Walls.  I do not say this lightly, but Trey is, possibly, one of the most fascinating people on Earth.  He built a wet bar in his bedroom (for convenience, one supposes), he is the proprietor of Texas' foremost Spice Girls fansite, and he never does anything in half-measures.

Today I received this email from Mr. Walls:

Friends,

This season saw me reach a goal of 50 McRibs eaten.  I cannot say I have enjoyed the last 15, but I was set on reaching 50 and with that I am announcing my retirement from eating McRibs.  I have been to the promised land and I have seen the mountain top!  I feel that there is nothing left to accomplish with this sandwich.  I am not against doing guest eatings with my dear friends, but am leaving the competitive eating world after 3 straight championships with (name of Trey's workplace).

2008 - 37

2009 - 33 (short season)

2010 - 50

Eat well my friends! 

Walls

For those of you who do not know:  The McRib is a delicious sandwich sold at McDonald's that is not a permanent fixture on the menu.  It usually appears in Texas right around the start of the holiday season, and disappears immediately afterward.  You cannot take the McRib for granted.  And you must respect it, for it is unkind to the GI tract of most mortals.

As someone who has only ever eaten 5 of these delectable sandwiches in a year (and who swore off them after last year's 3-sandwiches-in-one-sitting debacle, but went ahead and got one this year, anyway), I can only tip my hat.

I plan to submit an email interview to Trey.  If you have any questions you'd like to ask, submit them now!

Old, Cranky Comics Fan 2: The Ambivalenting

I know I am getting old in the world of comic fans.  I'm passing through some veil that makes me the old guy wandering the aisles of the comic shop that the younger readers look at with an odd mix of pity and curiosity. 

There's a certain... dustiness to me as a comic reader.  I'm not as jazzed by particular artists or movements in comics as those 10 years my junior.  I'm as much or more interested in the nostalgia factor of the whole enterprise as I am with the latest, greatest storyline from the Big 2.  Heck, I've enough insight to trade-wait on DC's current big push with Brightest Day, knowing its okay if I miss out on the "real time" experience of keeping up.  Oh, I still pick up new issues of Superman series.  But... I mean, come on...  its SUPERMAN.

Even my nostalgia is getting old. 

There's been an interesting shift as the 20-somethings have done what they're supposed to do and replace the last batch of 20-somethings who woke up and found themselves 30 and 40-somethings.  These fans don't know a world without Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  They were kids when they saw The Matrix or The Phantom Menace.  They have nostalgia for things like MegaMan (which I guess was a popular video game) and ask questions like "when did Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers start to suck?" without a hint of irony, and which I can only stare at, goggle-eyed.  And they love Street Fighter.  Like...  they love the characters from that kind of idiot-simple video game, as if they did anything but punch and kick, and  which...  Street Fighter?*

In comics, they actually really have an affection for the 1990's.  They like the Spider-Man story of The Clone Saga, and really don't get why Vertigo might have been the big deal it was when DC created the imprint (for which I was 18 and not so sure about comics anymore, and then...  thank you, Karen Berger). 

Its a generation that can't visualize comics fandom as less than some sort of co-optive ownership.  And whether its reading manga or American comics, many read their comics for free online from illegal scans, which is considered a perfectly legitimate way of enjoying your favorite creators.**  Somedays the comics internet seems like an endless game of looking at images of superheroes redrawn as anything from dinosaurs to basic iconic components or colors.

Reviews and criticism are increasingly less a part of the landscape, and the self-deprecating admission of their internet forebears that they were just suckers for certain characters, etc... by insisting certain characters, etc...  were always "awesome" has come to take the place of anything resembling online discussion.  Writer Brian Michael Bendis wasn't actually wrong when he said that there isn't much out there for longform comics discussion.  The geeks got upset because, apparently, putting up tumblr posts declaring ironically cool hero of the week awesome isn't longform criticism, and they didn't quite get that.  And The Comics Journal guys got wound up because it means (a) no, really, nobody is reading us anymore so much that bendis forgot about us, and (b) if every article you publish for fifteen years is about how comics that actually sell suck and all this hip indie stuff or stuff that's impossibly hard to get due to age or limited availability or price is awesome...  sooner or later you've niched yourself into irrelevancy, then... 

yeah.  You know, I thought we had a shot at that back when I wrote at Comic Fodder, but I'll be honest.  (a) Its not so much fun tow rite term papers on superhero comics every week as you'd think, and (b) nobody cares, so you might as well have fun by scanning in images of the Avengers as dinosaurs.

The kids pick up old battles as new ones, because that's what you do.  And they assume nobody ever noticed the outrages of society, and that if you're not furious, too, you didn't notice...  because that's what you do.   I'm glad they're doing it, and I'm glad nothing is ever settled in comics, just as its never really settled in the world.  A fresh batch of female readers outraged at the depiction of women in comics is a good thing.  Readers demanding prices stabilize to whatever price they were when they started reading is also good (and voting with your wallet is even better, but be prepared for the return to quality of presentation on paper what it was when I started reading comics.  Don't worry, you'll barely notice it.). 

The thing is, I don't really care so much.  I click on a lot fewer things online these days, just as I pick up a lot fewer comics.  I'm 35, soon to be 36.  I think I've figured out what works for me and what doesn't.  I'm imminently more aware of my complete lack of relevance as a guy with a keyboard and an opinion on comics than I was 5 years ago. 

And in some ways I'm having more fun with comics than I have in a while.  In some ways, less.  The rush of "oh, gosh, Wednesday!" isn't a part of my life, the occasional and often invigorating bouts of internet-based debate have dried up, but I think that was something that almost distracted me from enjoying comics the way I did when I was a kid.

I don't know how many comic readers were kids like me, I've genuinely no idea.  I read and traded comics with friends for maybe two years, and that ended by high school.  Since then, its been a fairly solitary thing.  At 35, I still read a lot of stuff I don't talk about here, both comics and stuff about comics.  Its never been a terribly social experience no matter how much I've tried to make it so from this and other sites.  Certainly the friends I see in person here in town really don't care about comics at all (although they're keenly aware of both my love of comics and especially Superman, and occasionally get more of an answer than they bargained for when they ask a question).  And that's sort of a standard operating procedure with which I'm very comfortable because, heck, its always been that way. 

I simply do not expect anybody else to give a flip about musty, old Jimmy Olsen comics.

Sure, I'd like more longform comics discussion online.  Sure, I'd like to not feel ancient when I see somebody waxing rhapsodic about the MegaMan cartoon or video game rather than pondering health PSA's on the Super Friends, which is something I could understand. 

But mostly I'm just sort of trying to understand my position in this odd little hobby.  I guess in many ways, since I underwent a sea change in my comics buying and spending habits over the summer, the return of this blog, and, sincerely, my utter shock at seeing 20-somethings sort of shrug off The Dark Knight Returns this summer, I've been trying to sort things out.

Thank you for bearing with me on this post.  Its been a long time brewing, in many ways.




*and not the Jackie Chan movie of the same name
**I hear nightmare stories about Manga "scanlations" and how the audience doesn't understand that they're killing the American manga market while simultaneously being a vocal fanbase who likes to give publishers lots of grief