The Wall Vs. Gator

* = Maybe I'm more a victim of atavism then I would like to believe.

‘The Crud’ that has been knocking me around is finally subsiding. I’m still gunky, and still have a bit of a cough. I spent a great deal of time in bed this weekend feeling physically and emotionally crappy. I think I’m depressed. I’m having some trouble sleeping, and I just feel crappy. I miss my dad.

You know there are few people you can count on to be friends in life, but there are even fewer that care for you unconditionally. My father was that guy for me. I could gleefully argue with him and not get tired of it. I could be infuriated with him and in the end it didn’t matter because we’d have a laugh and it would be done. I’m a right bastard to get along with, it’s a wonder anyone can or wants to deal with me most of the time. He did because he was my dad, but also because he was my friend.

In the end he was so fucking selfish to let himself go, to let his health, mental and physical, get there. And in the end I’m so selfish because I would rather he was here and miserable than dead. I’m really struggling with this unnamable thing that darkens the very sun. I just want this to go away.

Anywho’s…

So while I was doing nothing this weekend Cassandra and I watched a few flicks;

- Wolfman (** ½ out of 5) – I was expecting this to be atrocious, but the reality was it just wasn’t good. The acting was bad, the story very contrived, and end lacked any punch whatsoever. The actual Wolfman looked decent enough, and the mood was good, but the movie just was “blah”. It’s a damn shame as well because it did really have everything going for it. Here’s Cassandra’s take:
o I don't hate this movie, but it made it really hard to love it. What keeps me on the fence about this movie is the mix of digital special effects and old school make-up - it didn't work. For example, there is a moment the asylum where his face starts contorting and his jaw is shown to grow, but when the transformation is complete there is no change to his facial structures. Instead all you have is a hairier Benicio Del Toro who looks like an adult version of Michael Landon from "I Was a Teenage Werewolf." I can dig the old school homage, but then you have to commit all the way and avoid the digital effects that promise something cool but leave you hanging when they go no where. The pros: the movie was visually very attractive, I dig the walking wolf to running wolf digital transitions and the story was very even paced with no real lulls. The cons: Anthony Hopkins' character was expendable, the audience had to be told plot points instead of being lead to them and the mix of digital effects and make-up effects was off-putting. To steal Ben's rating system, I give it ** out of 5.

- John Carpenter’s The Thing (Infinite *’s out of 5) – I’ve seen this movie hundreds of times and it never ceases to raise the cackles on my neck and make me feel uneasy. In a perfect world I’d be able to grow a sweet beard, get some big ole’ sunglasses, and a sombrero and be J.R. McCready for Halloween. Kurt Russell had a run there for a while with Carpenter that is truly amazing. This is the perfect mix of paranoia and Lovecraft put to film. It’s just a fantastically intense, gory, and suspenseful flick. Cassandra had never seen it, here’s what she thought;
o There is one thing about this movie I should make very clear; I did not see the beginning. With that being said, I am very surprised on how well I caught up to the plot (with some minor explanations from Ben) and enjoyed it. My general experience with Kurt Russell is "Overboard", "Captain Ron" and "Big Trouble In Little China", so I was not prepared for a serious movie - but I liked it. The pace, suspense and paranoia played out well enough that I could forgive the gore, which isn't my thing. I delight in a movie that has enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes. For a movie made in the 80's, I was impressed. I give it *** out of 5.

Sunday I kept to myself and watched the first two seasons of the British superhero drama Misfits (**** ½ out of 5, first two seasons). I had somewhat low expectations going in thinking this would be some type of combination of No Heroics (***** out of 5), some type of teen comedy, & Heroes (** out of 5 Stars). I was completely incorrect. This little show is graphic as hell; verbally, sexually, blood and guts wise it’s off the charts. The other thing I found myself being shocked by was how decent the story was. The characters grow and change, and sometimes not for the better. The basic premise is a group of young people who are doing community service for various criminal activities gain super powers from a freak storm, insanity ensues, and so does hilarity. I thoroughly loved this show. I won’t say anything more because it would spoil too much, I’ll just say it’s a different take on the super hero genre and it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

I really just want to curl up with my body pillow in my room and do nothing for the foreseeable future. Instead I’m morally obligated to give you your

RANDOM CRAP!

- I need to fix my Mohawk ASAP.
- Cassandra started putting the basement back together this weekend. It’s going to be fantastic once it’s done.
- Viggo Mortenson is going to be General Zod?! I’m confused and pumped.
- Ninjadog on Board Game Geek dot com has put together some Event Decks for the D&D Adventure System board games. I was lucky enough to help out and they are fantastic. It’s amazing to be part of a community that has taken the tool set of this game and made it into something truly spectacular.
- I accomplished nothing I set out to this weekend.

I’m sure there is more that is going on, it’s just right now I don’t seem to care about it…

“Descending and turning
A shadow with soles in his hand
Standing alone by the garden I hear his command
Swaying blindly, under a moribund sun
Strangely the pain has only begun

Painlessly crossing the yard-lines,
the ball in his hand
Piles of bodies dispatched in the grass
and the sand
Helmets crashing, under the weight of the one
Vaguely aware the pain has begun

Out of the window the sirens of slaughter begin
Whistling alone in the silence
I hear them come in
Fading, blinded, foraging under the leaves
Strangely the pain is finally relieved”


* = Greatest Beard EVER!