Pop Culturnalist http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com Comics, films and television...oh my! posterous.com Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:26:07 -0800 Film Countdown: Monsters University http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-monsters-university http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-monsters-university

Oh Pixar you do treat us.

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Tue, 15 Jan 2013 04:57:32 -0800 So Jodie Foster Came Out http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/so-jodie-foster-came-out http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/so-jodie-foster-came-out

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At the Golden Globe awards the other day, Jodie Foster finally acknowledged her sexual orientation after, frankly, decades of the whole world knowing. Whilst I'm impressed that she's finally come out to the whole world, I must confess a certain disappointment that she did it as easily and consequence-free as she chose to. As Patrick Strudwick says:

Without visibility we would have nothing. Without millions of ordinary people, kids in British state schools, activists in Uganda, married Christians in the Bible belt, saying, "Actually, I'm gay," Jodie Foster would not be able to stand up, resplendent, creaking open the closet door free of consequences. She surfed the wave of others' courage and gave back only when she felt like it.

It is every gay public figure's social responsibility to be out, to make life better for those without publicists and pilates teachers. Those who cry, "It's none of your business! Who cares who I sleep with?!" shirk their public duty, and deny the shame that keeps the closet door shut. Do straight people consider their orientation private? You cannot skip the tough part of a human rights struggle. I long for being gay to be nobody's business, to not matter, but we're a long way off. You either do your bit, and in the case of an A-list actor, that means blazing a trail for other performers, or you remain concealed, bleating about privacy.

I completely agree with him. She's unarguably done good by coming out at all, but it's true that, like it or not, as a major public figure she's in a position of responsibility. She does indeed have a right to privacy but a human rights struggle indeed affects everyone - there's no avoiding it with any honour. To those who cry 'it's no big deal, why should she come out' I point them to the persistence of homophobia (and heterosexism) in numerous industries, and not just her's. The only point at which being an out gay Hollywood actor is not worth acknowledging, reporting on or celebrating is when it's commonplace. I'm glad she's out but she should have done this years ago.

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Fri, 07 Dec 2012 03:24:19 -0800 Film Countdown: Star Trek Into Darkness http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-star-trek-into-darkness http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-star-trek-into-darkness

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Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:11:11 -0800 Star Trek Into Darkness Poster http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/star-trek-into-darkness-poster http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/star-trek-into-darkness-poster

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Dear God how can you not be massively excited about this?

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Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:48:00 -0800 House of Cards (US) Trailer http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/house-of-cards-us-trailer http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/house-of-cards-us-trailer

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Sun, 30 Sep 2012 09:56:00 -0700 Doctor Who 7:5 - The Angels Take Manhattan (Spoilers) http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-75-the-angels-take-manhattan-spoil http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-75-the-angels-take-manhattan-spoil

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What a devastating episode, penned of course by shown runner Steven Moffat - an instant improvement over the previous three dud episodes. But of course with this the final appearance of the Ponds it was always going to be a tough hurdle to get through, and Moffat doesn't scrimp on the drama. The Weeping Angels attack the time travelling trio in New York (great use of the location shoot), attracting the attention of a later incarnation of River Song and it fast becomes a fight to the death.

It's a little contrived - The Doctor really didn't know about an Angel energy farm in 1938? - but it's hugely emotional. Facing the end what are Rory and Amy prepared to do to save each other and the city? What fixes a point in time? How much of what we're presented with can any of the trio change? What does River Song already know? Moffat uses his standard timey-wimey manoeuvring to keep us on our toes, in an enjoyably hard boiled tale in the past.

I'd never thought Karen Gillan or Arthur Darvill were that good the last couple of years but here they positively shine - their loss is real, their heroism triumphant. It's a shame both decided to leave, but it puts The Doctor in an interesting position, particularly with the 'Doctor Who' code words used a second time in this run (no doubt, Bad Wolf-style, foreshadowing a possible resolution to the Silence subplot). So the Angels seemed less threatening, sure, but after repeated use they were always going to be.

It was a good episode, offering the cinematic experience Moffat said he wanted this year for the first time, with superb direction and significant character development (for River Song too). Having said that I've not engaged with the non-Moffat episodes at all this year, and I hope the opposite is the case in 2013. Christmas and a new companion seem such a long time away.

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Sun, 02 Sep 2012 01:50:25 -0700 Doctor Who 7:1 - Asylum of the Daleks (Spoilers) http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-71-asylum-of-the-daleks-spoilers http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-71-asylum-of-the-daleks-spoilers

P249

First off I loved it. There was misdirection, dark suspense and a shift of tone from series 6. With Rory & Amy on the skids, there was a sense that anything could happen. No hint of River Song either, which also gave Matt Smith more space to shine in his own right than I've been used to.

Most enjoyably though was rather than play outright 'wibbly wobbly timey wimey' games, Moffat has set up devious ones. His new companion was unexpectedly introduced this episode but just as quickly dispatched. The ominous question which was to trigger 'silence' falling was asked by the memory-wiped Daleks, their hive memory having been wiped by said companion. Moffat clearly has a series long thread (or series of threads) he wants to pursue, but isn't over playing his hand.

The three leads were uniformly excellent, Karen Gillan again making a quantum leap between series, leaving me quite frustrated by her imminent departure. She, Darvill and Smith gelled better than ever before, and it was a sublime start to what promises to be a great series.

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Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:39:00 -0700 Justice League of America (2013) http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/justice-league-of-america-2013 http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/justice-league-of-america-2013

OK so I'm a little less annoyed about having to drop Aquaman now. But it does mean I'm unlikely to drop the main Justice League book...

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Wed, 15 Aug 2012 02:17:00 -0700 Joe Carnahan's NC-17 Daredevil Pitch http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/joe-carnahans-nc-17-daredevil-pitch http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/joe-carnahans-nc-17-daredevil-pitch

It's over to you now Marvel, it seems! Can we?

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Mon, 13 Aug 2012 02:11:00 -0700 RIP Joe Kubert http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/rip-joe-kubert http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/rip-joe-kubert

I met Joe Kubert at the very last UKCAC I attended, and he drew an amazing Sgt Rock for me, going well past closing time, and infuriating the overzealous organisers. He was a kind, talented gentleman whose company I briefly enjoyed, but whose work will awe me forever.

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Fri, 10 Aug 2012 07:05:00 -0700 Leinil Yu's Indestructible Hulk http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/leinil-yus-indestructible-hulk http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/leinil-yus-indestructible-hulk

Now this is genius. I haven't touched this book or character since PAD was forcibly retired from it, but with Waid and Yu together again on it, and (from the looks of it) plenty of unexpected twists and turns, I can't dream of saying no. Really super excited about this.

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Fri, 10 Aug 2012 06:39:00 -0700 JRJR on Captain America http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/jrjr-on-captain-america http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/jrjr-on-captain-america

I've wondered for years when Johnny would make it onto the two big titles he's never touched - the Fantastic Four and this. I don't think he's as strong an artist as he was a couple of decades ago, but I'm still all over this. Well done, Marvel.

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Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:05:00 -0700 Allred on FF http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/allred-on-ff http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/allred-on-ff

Groovy doesn't even come close to describing this. A hit in the making for November!

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Thu, 02 Aug 2012 01:17:00 -0700 Doctor Who Series 7 Trailer http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-series-7-trailer http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/doctor-who-series-7-trailer

Yup I see River Song. The question is though, why would the Doctor want to do again what he seems to do?

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Tue, 31 Jul 2012 07:33:00 -0700 Film Countdown: Skyfall #2 http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-skyfall-2 http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-skyfall-2

Oh WOW.

Ben Whishaw - YES! Naomi Harris - YES! A winking Bond! YES! Nasty as hell? YES! OK so Bardem looks as frustratingly camp as Jonathan Price, but I bet that's not necessarily the case. October seems so far away...

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 01:53:33 -0700 The Return of Gaiman and the Sandman http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/the-return-of-gaiman-and-the-sandman http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/the-return-of-gaiman-and-the-sandman

All I can say is...Gaiman & J H Williams III? OMFG!

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Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:53:05 -0700 Super Golden Friends http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/super-golden-friends http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/super-golden-friends

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Mon, 25 Jun 2012 05:54:05 -0700 Prometheus Species Chart http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/prometheus-species-chart http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/prometheus-species-chart

P242

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Mon, 25 Jun 2012 04:44:38 -0700 Comic Review: Earth 2 #2 http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/comic-review-earth-2-2 http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/comic-review-earth-2-2

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I don't really know how to review comics, other than to say 'I liked that', so forgive me if this doesn't read as well as others'. James Robinson's universe-building book could have been such a misfire, but rather than taking a traditionalist approach to the Justice Society he's giving us an all-new reason to love these characters. Used to the elderly Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash? Say hi to the Mercury-empowered, everyman Flash of Earth 2 (who's much younger). Used to Marty Nodell's Golden Age Green Lantern? Welcome to young, hot and coincidentally gay Alan Scott. We're two issues in and with such great dialogue and sensitively drawn art by Nicola Scott, I really want to know more about these people. It helps that their world bears no resemblance to the 'New' Earth 1 - with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman apparently dead and the world damaged and unbalanced by the Apokolips invasion we can take nothing for granted (as this issue's finale shows). 

So many books take their audience for granted - the rebooted Justice League is a prime example, offering next to no character definition or meaningful interplay, with the hope that the 'hot' art and popular characters will sell themselves. But this issue was the 'New' DC at its finest, gradually building mysteries, offering believable dialogue and presenting some of the best art DC currently has on its roster. Where is Steppenwolf? With two of the book's number (Power Girl & Huntress) currently leading their own adventures in Worlds' Finest, how will these characters interact with their Earth 1 counterparts? How will the Justice Society form (if at all)? That you're left more interested in how this world develops post-invasion shows just how good the creative team is. 

9/10

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Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:15:00 -0700 Film Countdown: Dredd http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-dredd http://pop-culturnalist.posterous.com/film-countdown-dredd

Will Karl Urban turn out better than Stallone?

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