The Comic Critic Reviews Metropolis

Part of me wishes I could have been there for Metropolis’s debut. It was a time of explosive imagination. It was at the very start of film. No rules had been set to govern it; no preconceptions were available to hamper it, even the definitions of new words to describe it were in flux. And into this brand new media came this extravagant science fiction drama, filled with cultural, philosophical, ideological, and artistic references, some old and others just entering public discussion. It’s no wonder that nearly all of its imagery has become iconic. Yet, because Metropolis’s influence on the science fiction genre was so enormous, part of me is grateful that I wasn’t there in 1927. If I were, I couldn’t help but compare everything that came afterward to that first awe-inspiring viewing experience.

A little personal note here. I have a tremendous love for movies. But if I collected a DVD of every movie I enjoyed, there wouldn’t be any room in my house for furniture. So, it was a strictly survivalist decision to limit it, using personal nostalgia as my guiding factor. After a lot of thought, I realized two qualifiers that would allow a movie to enter my collection:

1. Any pirate movie.
2. Movies in which robots are the primary focus or are heavily featured.

You might think that the first thing I did was pick up a copy of Pirates of the Caribbean, but you’d be wrong. I established my video collection rules two years before Pirates of the Caribbean was released. No, the very first was Metropolis.

The Return of Stickman, guest strip by Bart

Special thanks to Bartosz Solodkowski for sending in a guest strip for Stickman. It made my life easier today. Thanks, Bart! Fame and fortune will soon be knocking on your door!

The Comic Critic will be at Jet City

On Saturday, September 24th 2011, The Jet City Comic Book Show is going to be held in Seattle at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall located at 299 Mercer Street from 10am to 6pm. Tickets are only $8. If you pre-order your tickets you will receive a free Bomber Girl print by Matthew Clark. This will be the second year I’ll be attending the show. You can find me in the Artist’s Alley at table AA25.

I will be doing drawing/signing for those who buy my book. Almost everyone who subscribes to this blog knows what my book’s about. But, if you don’t, then check out this video.

It’s one in a series of reviews that tag into my book, “The Comic Critic Presents Seldom Seen Films.”

Special thanks to Adam the Alien for producing this and the other movie review videos for me, to Joe Izenman who created my jingle, and of course my good friend Joe Manfredini whose been my right hand man at so many conventions.

The Comic Critic Reviews Wristcutters: A Love Story

I thought that Wristcutters: A Love Story would be a small, slightly sad art-house film. The initial setting lures you into thinking that you’re watching a purposefully dismal story. Then you get surprises. They aren’t big surprises, more like hints of surprises. And you can’t tell if they are dark or light surprises. Either way they are piling up and engaging in ways you didn’t expect. And the next thing you know, you’ve had a perfectly delightful experience.

I’m still mulling over how a dog ends up in a world inhabited by suicides.

The Return of Stickman #1317

My friend Larry Erhardt asked on his Facebook page today whether if it's ethical to euthanize a dying insect? First I remembered that Larry is an atheist and a vegetarian. Next I briefly thought about euthanasia, then about a commonly reported dying experience, and lastly I thought about the ironically named Circle of Life. And that, that right there, is the moment when today's strip completely formed in my head.

The Comic Critic Reviews Skyline

My friend Chuck Messinger, comic book writer, owner of Comic Evolution, co-founder of Creator’s Edge Press, likes Skyline. I can’t tell you why he likes this movie because that would be a spoiler. I go out of my way not to drop spoilers. I’d love to describe this alien invasion movie by referring to other movies, but even those hints would be spoilers. The plot is so thin that if it were paint being applied to a wall, it would need a second coat. Let’s just say that this is meant to be a good movie and ended up being one of those bad movies that’s fun—that’s how bad it is. I finally found a few obscure, yet more-or-less accurate references to use. Oh, and I hear that Skyline 2 is in development.

My friends Gordon and Paul are part of the Norman Tweeter Productions. When they hit the movies they are merciless with their raw spewing of spoiler-filled comments - usually done in the back of their car in the theater parking lot while emotions (or other things) are high. Here is their video review of Skyline. By the way, Paul and Gordon are puppets.

The Return of Stickman $1216

Here is the news story that inspired this strip. What I want to know is what nine-year-old walks around with $300 dollars on them? I’m a full-grown man and whenever I have that much money on me it’s in a money belt. This kid needs a bank account. Of course the last time I lost my wallet it had $86, and if you factor in inflation it would probably be around $300.