WHY DON'T YOU HAUL OFF AND LOVE ME

Emerald City Comic Con, here we come. Someone ready this lady's hat to take aboard passengers...

COME SEE MYSELF AND JOELLE JONES AT TABEL H-11!

F(ile) U(nder): Borelord of Mars

DVD Talk has added a feature where we can now see Facebook comments people make when they link to our reviews. This, of course, just opens up more avenues for hilarity. It's amazing how many people link to a negative review so they can comment, "I can't wait to see this!" I'll also 'fess up to hitting "like" on really harsh comments left in connection to my work out of some sick hope that the person who made the comment will be totally confused by my response. 

This recent thread on my John Carter review was perplexing, irritating, and amusing in so many ways. The ironic thing about the accusations of "bandwagon jumping" that critics in general are receiving for the film is that the backlash against us is its own bandwagon. Plus, most of the reviewers I know, even when negative, were fair; and there were also plenty who came to John Carter's defense.

You can read my piece again and judge for yourself, but here is what one respondent had to say [I will not use his name here, and ask if you see his comments on the review, avoid engaging with him in a negative manner, please]:

What a snarky, condescending review. I think this reviewer (Jamie S. Rich) went into this with prejudice. My friend and I enjoyed this movie a lot; the acting was good and the pace was fine. My eight-year-old nephew told me he loved it! A movie can't be boring if it keeps the attention of a kid. I think JC became the unfortunate victim of a critics' bandwagon hate-fest. Critics love to snear and turn their noses up at just about anything that doesn't star Meryl Streep (one of the few A-list stars deserving of their endless fawning), especially when it comes to science-fiction. Ignore this review.

I am not sure what my prejudice was, but the defense that an elementary-aged child wasn't bored isn't much of one. My nephew is a little older than this guy's, but he likes some truly terrible movies. (Chipmunks, anyone?) I had awful taste when I was eight.

Also, I think my fawning over Meryl Streep, if it ever began, ended when I declined to see her last three films: The Iron Lady, It's Complicated, and Julie & Julia. If there's one thing I've noticed, people who get mad about a particular review rarely have any history with me as a writer. They tend to take the one review that irked them and use it to create generalities about my opinions as a whole. I rarely agree with any one writer all the time, but I tend to trust the ones I agree with--or even disagree with--over an extended reading relationship, not ones I read once.

Anyway, one of Respondent #1's friends actually had something to say in reply:

I don't know [redacted]. I was kind of disappointed with the movie. It looked so good and we were really waiting for it to come out, but when we were watching it we couldn't wait for it to be over. Lol The previews really over hyped the movie. Made it look way better than it was.

A pretty fair disagreement. But Respondent #1 was undaunted! Well...kind of.

It's definitely not going to be a classic, but it had a tight story. I was reading a review on a British website saying the movie made no sense at all, which isn't true. Like I said, I think critics are just jumping on the bandwagon because not even one wants to admit they liked the movie and they're simply reveling in their viciousness because their cronies will back them up. Not everyone's cup of tea, but would you agree it's the worst movie you've ever seen? 

They probably wait to see what powerful critic says and then the rest fall in line. For example, I haven't seen The Artist yet, but I got so sick of critics creaming themselves over a silent B&W movie just for the nostalgia of it. I haven't even accidentally heard what the movies supposed to be about! 

What fops.

Yes, indeed.

We also love to fawn over Norm MacDonald. Thusly.

Current Sountrack: Ministry, Relapse

MEANDERING THROUGH THE EMERALD TURF

My promo cards for my next online venture came in time for Emerald City Comic Con...

I'll be handing these out at the show. You're coming, right?

Emerald City is this weekend in Seattle. Joëlle Jones and I will be sharing a table. Come see us at H-11. Get a card, buy a book, and commission Joëlle to draw you a sketch. Get on her list now! (Details here)

Wanna know more about this convention? Go to their website.

Programming note. We are part of a the Friday night Oni Press event, come check it out:

The Not So Late Late Show with Oni Press
Room: 2AB
Time: 7:00 - 8:00

Join Oni Press’ marketing guru Cory Casoni for an exciting new adventure in comicon programming: a live comic book talk show! It’s just like the gabfests you see on TV, but with people talking about nerdy stuff you actually love! Cory’s guests at this inaugural event include Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley and the creative team behind Tiny Kitten Teeth, Becky and Frank. Featuring fake baking with House of Night artist Joëlle Jones, special musical guestDelta!Bravo, and a whole lot of comedy... some of it intentional.

Current Soundtrack: MDNA

IT'S ONLY LIFE

Illustration by Joëlle Jones

NEW TO THEATRES...

* The Hunger Games, odds are I sorta kind love this movie. A smart adaptation of the books makes for one pleasing blockbuster.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

Finishing out the Nikkatsu Noir collection of Japanese crime films with two starring Joe Shishido:
* Cruel Gun Story
* A Colt is My Passport

Speaking of noir, I also have a piece in this week's Portland Mercury about a film noir festival coming to town. Read it.

THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...
* Tyrannosaur, a brutal social drama about the cycle of violence from British actor Paddy Considine

* La Visita (The Vistor), a bittersweet 1960s romantic comedy starring 8 1/2's Sandra Milo

Current Soundtrack: The Shins, Port of Morrow

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2012 Jamie S. Rich

R U MINE?

"I want to break your heart and give you mine..."

TINSELTOWN TO THE BOOGIEDOWN

TONIGHT!

Joëlle Jones and I will be appearing on "The Karl Show! (starring Jason)," broadcast via the Portland Radio Authority live from 8-10 pm.

You can listen in here at the PRA website.

You might also check the show's Facebook page. I believe they check it for questions during the taping.

Two hours of talk and music, focusing on the creative process and the songs that inspire us. Joëlle and I have put together a pretty swell music list. I'll mostly be playing songs from my playlist for my long-gestating novel codenamed 5 1/2. 

Within a matter of days it will also be archived at the Karl Show website and I believe also uploaded to iTunes.

Here's a sneak peak, the original version of a song you might here in another form:

STILL STUCK IN YOUR THROAT

Updates have been terrible lately. I've never liked to post just to post, so when I am focused and otherwise have nothing to say...I don't post. That's what my tumblr is for! So, just a reminder, I have regular posts over there, mostly just marking what I am watching, hearing, and reading. Midi-Confessions123.

NEW TO THEATRES...

* Jeff, Who Lives at Home, a preciously magical comedy. Or magically precious. I can't remember which. Either way, it's very good.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Letter Never Sent, a beautiful wilderness survival story from the director of The Cranes are Flying. (Also at DVDTalk.)


THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* Conversation Piece, the elegant penultimate film from Luchino Visconti.

* Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, an in-depth documentary on the seminal Los Angeles rock band

* Looney Tunes Super Stars: Pepé le Pew, I should have reviewed this as if it were a tragedy, not a comedy.

* Public Image Limited - Live at Rockpalast 1983, a classic live concert from Lydon & Co.

Current Soundtrack: testing out the playlist for tonight's "The Karl Show! starring Jason" broadcast; see my next post for details

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2012 Jamie S. Rich

I DON'T MEAN TO STARE, WE DON'T HAVE TO BREED

NEW TO THEATRES...

* The Conquest, a biopic of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The satirized starts to become the seducer...

* Friend with Kids, a truly adult "no strings attached" comedy with an exceptional cast.

* John Carter, a mixed bag of sci-fi action and deathly dull exposition.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Rusty Knife, a late '50s Japanese crime picture.


THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* Downton Abbey: Season 2, or Gosford Park Goes to War.

Current Soundtrack: last night's Survivor episode

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2012 Jamie S. Rich

FOLLOW THE COPS BACK HOME

NEW TO THEATRES...

* Crazy Horse,  Frederick Wiseman's documentary about Paris' most famous erotic cabaret. A movie full of this many boobs and butts shouldn't be this boring.

* Rampart, Woody Harrelson is a bad cop on a downward slope in the new movie from writer James Ellroy and director Oren Moverman.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Anatomy of a Murder, a classic courtroom drama from Otto Preminger, with Jimmy Stewart in the lead. (Also at DVD Talk)

THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* London Boulevard, a British crime movie from the writer of The Departed. Starring Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, and a lot of great music.

* The Rake's Progress, a recent revival of the David Hockney-designed version of Stravinsky's opera.

Current Soundtrack: Shabazz Palaces, Black Up



e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2012 Jamie S. Rich