Hey, Guess What? I'm Sick

Physically ill, that is. But that's what I get for watching "Stars Without Their Makeup."

Actually, I'e been sick since Sunday. The illness wasn't life-threatening, just the common cold, but man, it was one nasty bug. I just felt awful and couldn't move out of this little corner I had dug for myself. There, I eat, drank, watched television, and, for the most part, slept. Oh, and take drugs. I did take a lot of drugs.

Thankfully, my family was there to help me. If not for them, and the heating pad, it would have surely taken another week or so for me to heal. Or die. For some strange reason, I find it totally plausible that I'd die from something as lame as the common cold.

According to my estimates, I drank, in five days, four gallons and lay waste to at least two boxes of Kleenex. (Actually I think they were Puffs.) Tuesday and Wednesday were the worst days, but ever since then I'm been getting better.

But seriously, is any of this really interesting?

TCM's Poor Timing

It's that time again. TCM's month of Oscar-winning movies, but most of the more obscure films are getting lousy placement.

Movies like the Seven Samurai which was shown at three in the morning. Tonight was TCM's "premiere" of Burton's Batman, and it got a 10:15 PM timeslot. Even James Cameron's Aliens should get a better ranking than half past midnight.

Why are all these great films, which TCM usually only shows once a year anyway, get these bad times? Is it because they're too "modern" for TCM? Or because they're not done by Hitchcock? I enjoy the occassional "modern" movie on TCM, like Beetlejuice, while it still retains the dignity that AMC has lost years ago.

But it seems that TCM is far more cautious with the more current films they show. TCM, please treat your more modern "classics" with the same respect as you do with your usual movies and occassional art/foriegn film.



(No, seriously. TCM once showed Beetlejuice, widescreen and everything. I'm not making it up.)

This Week in Comics

Daredevil #70: This is the storyline I've been waiting for since Bendis came aboard this title. Intricate flashbacks and era-influenced art enhances this story of revenge as Bont, the first Kingpin, is finally released from jail and seeks vengence on the man who put him there all those years ago: Daredevil. All things that make Bendis a great writer with none of his super-slow pacing. A

Green Lantern #4 of 6: Sinestro beats up Green Arrow and Kyle Rayner, while Hal Jordan frees himself of the Parallax parasite and the Spectre to become Green Lantern once again. I'd have thought that Johns would have waited for the penultimate issue to make Hal GL again. Same solid storytelling, but this issue seemed to have become more slugfest than plot. B

Spectacular Spider-Man #25: It really hasn't changed much since last issue. blah blah blah Where's Jenkins? blah blah Wasted talent blah blah When will the hurting stop? D-

Street Fighter #13: Ken's getting married, and Guile, Ryu, and Sakura are invited to the celebrations. But Balrog and Vega show up with some thugs, and things get messy. Same great characterizations and enjoyable action sequences. Not much Chun Li though. B+

Wolverine #25: Wolverine vs the X-Men. People uncharacteristically cursing. Northstar's dead. Mark's writing is nothing new. Romita Jr's really wasting his time here. C

Julie and Elliot

I've been recently listening to the Frida soundtrack with music by Elliot Goldenthal and other Hispanic songs featured from the film. The songs are pretty good, but I usually focus on Goldenthal's score. Some of my favorite tracks are the lyrical "The Floating Bed" and the eerie "La Calavera." "Burn it Blue" also a pretty good song with Goldenthal's music and lyrics by director Julie Taymor.

I find that working with Taymor brings out Goldenthal's best, having worked together on many projects over the years. Her first film, an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Titus A.," resulted in a schizophrenic score that has cues from a traditional orchestra, swing bands, and industral sound. As you may guess, it's my favorite Goldenthal score.

What you may never guess from reading the linear notes that Julie and Elliot write about each other but they're actually a couple. I thought that they were married, but according to Internet Movie Database, they're not. In fact, the IMDB states that a "mutual friend" introduced them in 1980 because the friend thought that "they shared a similar sence of the grotesque."

Anyways, I look forward to their next collaboration, which should bring about the usual artistic excellence.



Still reading? Here's some interesting trivia:

Julie Taymor graduated from Oberlin College, Ohio. (Ohio's cool.)

Elliot Goldenthal was a student of Aaron Copland. Yeah, that Aaron Copland.