Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Pop Culture Audit

I found this meme on Michael May's site and I do love to answer questions. What the hell does 'meme' stand for anyways?

1. What has been your biggest pleasant surprise of the last three months? (This takes you, so you don't have to do math, back to late May.)


'District 9' - such an un-Hollywood type of picture that challenges our perceptions of those that are different while being a kick ass science fiction adventure. I so don't want a sequel to this but it appears to be inevitable.

2. What has been the rudest surprise of the last three months?


That for all its hype and talk, that has been non-stop for a year, the first trailer for James Cameron's 'Avatar' looks really weak. Just a prettier version of standard video game images and a story I could totally predict just from the teaser. But don't take my word for it. After the trailer look and listen to what a real 'Avatar' fan has to say.





3. What are you most looking forward to between now and New Year's?


'Sherlock Holmes' and something great that I haven't even seen the trailer for yet and will only be charged for it when I do. Also the 'Planet Hulk' animated feature that tells one of the great Hulk stories in 20 years. I think it comes out before New Years. I also want to see more episodes of 'Burn Notice' and 'In Plain Sight'. (Maureen's character can't be dead. I want to see how her relationships with her family and friends changes in the post-shooting period).

4. What are you dreading most between now and New Year's?

Another season of American Idol. Ugh. And the first month of 'Dancing With The Stars' when we have to endure the no-talents that get eliminated early.

5. If, at this moment, you could only watch television between now and December 31, or you could only see movies between now and December 31, which would you choose if you knew you couldn't go back later and catch up on what you missed?


TV because the variety is there to entertain at any moment, anytime of the day, week or month. I could never go back to regular TV after having a satellite dish. I can't. I won't. The new TV season is a neat time of the year that I always look forward to.

6. If you could press one book you have read this year into the hands of ten strangers when they were trapped during a blackout with nothing to do but read, what would you give them?

'The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon. Great story based on the lives of real life comic creators Joe Simon and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman. Chabon's 'Escapist' character is the freshest hero to never have existed although he does have comics of his adventures out now. Chabon creates an entire new mythology out of the real life events we comic fans all know.


Also Brubaker's entire run of 'Daredevil' and 'Captain America'. The best consistantly excellent run of storytelling in any comic book run this decade. Daredevil is particularly satisfying and challenging. The perfect combination of character and writer.

'Iron Fist' story arc - 'Seven Cities of Heaven'. A great Kung Fu adventure with a character that never seemed to break out of the mold he was trapped in until now. Ramped up the mythology of the 'Iron Fist' character to an 11.

7. What are you currently trying to like and finding it difficult to like?


Marvel Comic's 'Dark Reign' storyline. I so wish it would have been contained but like all of these 'events' it forces all titles across the line to be on board. When that happens everything you read seems the same - Norman Osborn is in charge, Norman Osborn is bad...blah blah blah. Nothing fresh or original when most creators just go through the motions since they are slaves to the wider epic being created. I am exhausted with comic book 'events'. Let each creative team do what they do best without a mandate from on high to follow a particular path.

8. If you could guarantee that five people -- actors, writers, directors, whoever -- would have their calendars filled with funded projects for the next five years, to whom would you grant full employment?






Kat Dennings, Milla Jovovich, Christina Hendricks, Robert Downey Jr, Johnny Depp. (I would say Samuel L. Jackson but what's the point. He's gonna be working non-stop till he dies anyways)

9. What do you love in spite of being outside the target demographic? (Example: "I am a nineteen-year-old dude and I loved The Proposal.")


The new incarnation of DC's 'Super Friends'. They are designed for those under six but I love their whole polite, all ages vibe. Smiling 'Batman' is the best.

10. If you could personally wave your wand and stop one trend -- toy movies, remakes, crime procedural -- what would be your target?

_______'s Got Talent Shows. Where is the gong?

3 comments:

Wandering Coyote said...

A meme is the contracted form of "me me" - as in, "it's all about me."

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

AH...cool..good to know. Thanks Canus Lupus.

Wings1295 said...

Fun stuff Cal, may do this one myself! And yeah, I would pick TV over movies, too!!!