I saw Watchmen today. Can't give much away (bad form in the journalism biz). But liked it; not crazy, ecstatic love, but definitely intense like. Very faithful to the book (to its detriment at points). There's even one major element that I think improves upon the graphic novel. So I think we can call this a geek victory.
A few things to keep in mind…
—Six hours after leaving the screening and I've already heard/read three joking references to Doctor Manhattan's blue penis (which is quite visible at many points in the movie). This will be the juvenile Watchmen meme in our pop culture of the coming weeks, mark my words.
—One actor in the movie gives an especially bad performance, nearly ruining the character. I will not say whom for now, but this person is my new archnemesis (the hated Alex Trebek is laying low at present).
—That crappy actor is not Jackie Earle Haley; dude is awesome. He shares my birthday: He's 14 years older, and 14 is my lucky number (we were born on the 14th). I am cosmically linked to Rorschach. Back to therapy for me!
—I plan to see it again at some point, after the mania has died down a bit. Who wants to organize a BQT fan outing?
—Some trivia (how about that?): The Watchmen characters were based on heroes DC purchased from Charlton Comics in the early '80s; Alan Moore was given them to play around with, then DC changed its mind, deciding the work the heroes into the fabric of their fictional universe. Basically, the Comedian = The Peacemaker (Moore has said that Watchmen started as a murder mystery, "Who killed the Peacemaker?"), Rorschach = The Question, Nite Owl = Blue Beetle (both), Doctor Manhattan = Captain Atom, Silk Spectre = Nightshade, Ozymandias = Thunderbolt, and the Squid Monster = Mr. Muscles (might be wrong about that last one). I'd love to post photos/links of all these characters, but it's late and I'm hungry, and you know how to use the Google.
February 25, 2009
Men. Watched.
February 12, 2009
Abe Lincoln, 20 decades young!
Today would have been Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. I love it when people say that: "it would've been his" some impossible number birthday. Yeah, he was so close. Besides, let's face it, Lincoln was great, but the dude looked like death by the time he was 40. If anyone was making to to 200, it would not be him.
Apropos of this, some interesting presidential birthday factoids:
– Your homeslice and mine, George W. Bush, was born on July 6, 1946 (a Cancer, like me–no pun intended). This was the exact same day that Sylvester Stallone was born.
– Three Presidents have died on the nation's birthday, July 4: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson famously both kicked it on 7/4/1826 (famously, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence), and James Monroe followed them five years later to the day. But the only President born on July 4 was Calvin Coolidge: July 4, 1872.
– Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961. This makes him only four days older than the Edge of U2. And this guy is the fucking President!
–November 2 is the only birthday shared by two different Presidents: Warren G. Harding (lame) and James K. Polk (awe-soooome!)
– John F. Kennedy will always be thought of as a "young" President: first Prez born in the 20th century, little kids running around the Oval Office. But he was 43 when he took office, making him the second youngest ever (the first is the best; Obama clocks in at fifth). Interestingly, while it's hard to remember him as anything other than a jowly old codger, Richard Nixon was also considered young during the 1960 election; only four years older than JFK, and a fellow WWII vet.
–I share my birthday with Gerald Ford. And Ford was President when I was born. I was born on the President's birthday. I am a presidential trivia buff. Coincidence?
I swear, more Whopper lust later.
