Author: Michael

This isn’t a review of this weekend’s summer blockbuster, FANTASTIC FOUR. Just click on the title and you’ll see that. As I read review after review about editing, plot and character development and very little about how much fun the film is, it suddenly struck me. Most critics are reviewing FANTASTIC FOUR as a movie, while I am reviewing it as a summer blockbuster.

I am an avowed movie snob who rarely shows his face in a multiplex. It takes a comic book adaptation, or going to a movie with Scot’s Mom to do it usually. I am so immersed in independent, quasi-independent or foreign-language films that I have very little time to get to the Hollywood blockbusters. Even films like SPIDER-MAN and its sequel, despite being comic book adaptations, are on my Netflix queue because I didn’t want to devote the time to a big summer blockbuster, no matter how good it was.

When I do go to a Hollywood summer smash, you can be sure I have supremely low expectations. Add to that, the story of FANTASTIC FOUR seems impossible to me to make into a serious film that grown-ups are going to enjoy unless they have already been immersed into the comic mythos. The filmmakers of FANTASTIC FOUR went the only way they could given these challenges: a big, slightly silly and fun-filled action film that your kids can enjoy. What’s wrong with that? FANTASTIC FOUR isn’t a dark comic like BATMAN. Giving it a serious, dark undertone would have been completely laughable. It worked for SPIDER-MAN 2, and it could work for FANTASTIC FOUR 2 if there is one, because the backstory is out of the way and there can be a focus on character development and the darker side of life. For a film that has to introduce us to these characters and get them through the motions of gaining their powers, enjoying some superheroic action and fighting their nemesis, it does a damn good job.

Was I expecting a great film, well-written, elegantly made? Absolutely not. The fact that X2: X-MEN UNITED was that as well is pretty amazing, but it does happen. Did the fact that it wasn’t lessen the enjoyment for me? Nope? And if you want to know why, check out my review.

Take a look. It’s pretty silly, but pretty funny. Thanks to Corky for posting this.

I just read a most amusing news bit from Contact Music. Apparently the filmmakers responsible for the much-anticipated (by me) film THE FANTASTIC FOUR were concerned that Ioan Gruffudd genitals were too large and pronounced in his spandex Mr. Fantastic costume and they would alarm young moviegoers.

The Welsh actor did find the costume to be pretty revealing so he started to wear a codpiece under the skintight suit. “Then memos started arriving from the studio that we needed to make it smaller and smaller until I was like Action Man,” Gruffudd explains.

Well, either Gruffudd is pretty fantastic in his own right, or the actor shares some of that fantastic stretching power his onscreen alter ego possessses. Remember David Lee Roth in his Van Halen days? I don’t think Roth’s spandex wrapped package scared any kids away. Hey, Gruffudd is playing a superhero. Comics tend to de-sex these characters; it’s too bad the movies do too.

Of course there’s the next question to come from this news report: why didn’t Chris Evans, who plays the Human Torch have the same problem? Perhaps he simply knows how to tuck.

Just puts a smile on my face when I think of the issues these Hollywood producers worry about.

Canadian singer/songwriter/musician/producer Emm Gryner is currently my favorite recording artist out there, displacing the relatively inactive (recording of new, original material-wise) Jane Siberry and Kate Bush. There are very few musicians that can get me out to a club on a weeknight, but Emm Gryner is one of them. Chris, Scot, and I had the pleasure of Emm’s latest sojourn to Boston/Cambridge Wednesday night at Club Passim. This is the fourth time I’ve seen Emm perform live and she never disappoints.

For this show, Emm played piano and acoustic guitar and was backed up by a cellist and violinist. She is touring in support of her latest album, Songs of Love and Death, her album of Irish covers from which she played two or three songs. Emm has such a huge repertoire of songs, both recorded and unrecorded that I didn’t know what to expect. She played a sprinkling of her back catalog, including “Hello Aquarius,” her “hit” from Public, the album she released for Mercury/Polygram in 1998, “Headline Girl,” taken from her debut independent release, The Original Leap Yearand “Symphony,” the lead track off 2002’s Asiablue. The remainder of songs were made up of new songs Emm is currently recording for a new album, and miscellaneous unrecorded material. A couple of highlights from the unfamiliar included a song called “London Boy,” written for her new husband, and “Killing Spree,” a new song that builds menacingly and is sure to rock out with a full band.

Emm is such a talented musician, songwriter and vocalist. Her voice is unique and captivating. She blends thoughtful lyrics with pop melodies with effortless ease. She even gave a nod to her home country of Canada for allowing anyone to marry. Go Emm! I will continue to catch Emm’s live performances whenever she stops by the Boston area.

There were two opening acts in this “Canadian sandwich.” Halifax-based Rose Cousins was cut directly from the folky girl-with-guitar mold, but featured lovely gentle songs and a dry sense of humor reminiscent of Janet Young. The Tennessee filling in this sandwhich was called The Everybodyfields whose twangy Americana boasted gorgeous three-part harmonies around a condenser mike. All in all a terrific night of music.

So I got this meme from both Jennifer and Becki, so I thought I’d post it here. Oh, what’s a meme you might be asking? Well the Wikipedia gives the casual definition of “referring to any piece of information passed from one mind to another.” This applies to a lot on the internet, but I’ve seen meme referring to those lists of things you say about yourself then pass to 10 friends, etc. Strangely enough there were a couple letters missing here (G or T anyone?) so I’ve made up my own. Here’s the alphabetical meme.

A is for age: 43
B is for booze: Sidecar (the Cognac version)
C is for career: Librarian
D is for dad’s name: Gerald
E is for essential items to bring to a party: Good music
F is for favorite song at the moment: Disco Lights by Emm Gryner
G is for Guilty Pleasure: Supergirl
H is for hometown: Reading, Ma
I is for instruments you play: Piano, Guitar, Bass, Baritone Horn, Viola
J is for jam or jelly you like: Strawberry
K is for kids: Nope, just two kitties.
L is for living arrangement: Apartment with my Hubby.
M is for mom’s name: Frances
N is for name of your best friend: Oh, come on.
O is for overnight hospital stays: Broken wrist
P is for phobia[s]: Loud motorcycles
Q is for quote you like: “Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion!”
R is for relationship that lasted the longest: 8.5 years, but this one is going to last a lot longer.
S is for siblings: Two brothers and one sister
T is for Title of last good book read: The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
U is for unique trait: Getting someone to drive the getaway car just by asking.
V is for vegetable you love: Brussel Sprouts
W is for worst trait: I can be controlling
X is for x-rays you’ve had: Lots at the dentist, and more that I can?t really think of.
Y is for yummy food you make: Hmmm? I?ve got a bunch, how about Teriyaki Mushroom Walnut Loaf
Z is for zodiac sign: Taurus

Firsts

First job: Paper Route Sub
First screen name: MikeyMA
First piercing: And only? left nipple
First tattoo: do not have any…
First credit card: I can?t remember
First kiss: You know, I think it was Rhonda Dantas
First favorite musician/band: Emm Gryner
Last kiss: Scottie
Last movie watched: Or (My Treasure)
Last beverage drank: Raspberry Lime Rickey
Last food consumed: Bailey?s Irish Cream Cheesecake
Last phone call: Chris
Last Shower: 7:30 this morning
Last CD played: Lamb ? Between Darkness and Wonder (but I just got home from an Emm Gryner show, does that count?
Last web site visited: Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film
Single or Taken? Married
What do you miss? Time to relax
Hair color? Right now? Shaved.
Natural color? Black & White
Eye color? brown
Makes you sad? The United States of America and their position in the world
Are you happy? Yep