I’m about to go pack and get ready for bed as I leave for the airport at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow.  I’m both excited and nervous, but mostly jsut looking forward to the whole thing!

If you’re interested, I will be making updates, but how and when depends on my computer access for the week and weekend.  My dream goal would be to post a journal of my day after I get done, but I have to be honest: running home to post a blog most likely will not be top on my “to do” list each day.

I will, however, be sending constant updates to the Twitter page throughout the week - that’s I promise I should be able to keep.  I post where I’m at, who I’ve seen, and any valid news to Twitter first, so you may want to check it out.  The link is the first on the list of “Links of Interest” over on the right.

Also, unless I get some time to work on it tonight, the TAGTIST posts will be stopping until I get back.  I appreciate everyone who have commented or messaged me as to how much they like the feature so I regret it is taking a few days off, but what can you do….It’s gonna be a busy couple of days!

So that’s it….if your coming to the Con try to find me!  I’ll be chasing Jessica Hynes all over the place, so I should be easy to find….

oh, Daisy….

UPDATED AS OF 7/22/08; THIS SHOULD BE THE FINAL LIST!

It’s summer time and besides being a time to sit back and unwind it’s time for the big summer flicks. How do they stack up for me? Please do read on, as below is my top five movies of summer ‘08:

5. Indiana Jones and the Valley of the Crystal Skulls

The best things about this movie for me were:

-the fact that Indy is Indy.  Odd as it sounds, that was my biggest concern.  But Ford is back as Indy and in full form, albeit an older version of the character.

-the acknowledgment of time passed.  We get to hear, through conversations, what Indy’s been up to since The Last Crusade and many a comment is made on how old he is, yet he is still as tough as he ever was.  It’s makes an endearing character that much stronger by letting them grow and age.

-the acknowledgment of more story.  IN the last three movies, the only time the other adventures were referenced  was when Indy saw a drawing of the Ark on a wall and when asked if he was sure he simply said “pretty sure”.  There are many more subtle nods to the rest of the character’s history in this movie, especially references made to -which was a surprise- the Young Indy TV show and by bringing back and talking about old friends.  It’s something that is not needed to enjoy the movie, but something to remind fans that Indy is supposed to be a serial hero - the kind of character that has been on many adventures over the years, which leads to…

-the character living up to his pulp roots.  I remember an interview with Lucas years ago where he said Indy was created to be a hero for Saturday morning serials.  If you’ve never seen these types of movies, it’s a character much like comic or pulp heroes Superman or the Spirit, or other serial heroes like the Lone Ranger or Zorro: it’s not the character;’s story that is important but how the character reacts to the story they are in that made them endearing.  That’s probably why many reviews state that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn’t “feel like an Indy movie”.  And I can see that.  But what you need to remember is that Indy has been through many an adventure and the other movies only show the ones that involve three major religions of the world -Jewish, Christian, and Hindu- and I think that people are thrown that the new movie focuses on an ancient religion with possible science fiction roots.  I think it’s a big pill to swallow for some fans.  But I enjoyed it because it was a true example of a “character reacting to situation” story.

Overall, it was a fun movie.  I’m glad they didn’t try to do anything other than make another Indy movie; how could you go wrong with that?

4. Speed Racer

I know some will say “what they hell, this movie was better than (insert others on list)?!  Yep.  My site, my opinion.  And there are others that tend to agree.

Speed Racer was a movie I was actually hoping would be horrible; I was looking for a bad movie to watch just for the fun of it.  And then the reviews started to come out and it seemed like my predictions were proven true.  But then I saw the movie.  Now I’ve decided: I will NEVER trust another professional movie reviewer again; if I want to see a movie, even in the slightest, I’m so there- no matter what they say.

Speed Racer was so well done - both in design and package (story, cast, etc.)- that it was a movie I was totally swept up by.  I was so pulled into the story of Speed’s brother in the beginning I even got a little misty.  I was rooting for Speed in the races, even though I knew he would win.  But unlike other predictable movies, Speed Racer made the ride to the end so plain fun I didn’t care I knew how it would all end.

More advice on how to enjoy Speed Racer: watch it with the mind set that it is a kid’s movie (it is) and you’ll have so much more fun.  Even better: find a 5-10 year old boy -one you know, please don’t just grab one- and take them to see it.  You’ll enjoy it, but you’ll enjoy his reaction even more.

Easily, one of the great examples of a perfect summer movie.

3. WALL-E

Few movies can go from just a movie to art.  Wall-E is one such movie.

First of all, there is hardly a spoken word for the first act of this movie, aside from a few sounds that can be perceived as “words”.  But it doesn’t matter, as you still become invested in the characters and there goals.  The story is simple but very effective and, even though it is completely predictable, pulls you along until you are rooting for the ending you know is coming.

The design work in this film is also amazing.  Aside from the humans, which are the only “cartoony” elements of the movie - but they are supposed to be, you can tell so much work went into making it look and feel right.  I don’t mind it when filmmakers are hammering a message into my head if it’s done as artful and as thought out as Wall-E is.

2. Iron Man

Being the comic geek I am, it should have been a given that I would like this movie.  But those that know me know I look at these kind of films a bit differently: they don’t get a free pass and I am definitely more critical of them that I am of other movies, as they are playing in a sandbox with characters I feel like I’ve known for as long as I can remember.   Usually I have to watch them twice to enjoy them, mainly because the first viewing is spent still taking it all in and worried they won’t get it “right”.  But I was relaxed 20 minutes into Iron Man.

I can plainly say that Iron Man is the best comic adaptation I have seen.  I think this is true because A.) they made the smoothest transition form comic to screen and B.) it was made by people who truly cared for the work they were doing.  I think this is a combination that we haven’t completely had in a movie like this.  We’ve always had a studio or director try to make subtle changes not realizing those changes are huge to longtime fans, actors who “did the job (George Clooney as Batman, anyone)” and didn’t really care, or a combination of the two in some degree but never have we had everyone so into getting it right.

Iron Man is the movie I answer with when people ask what to go see, whether they are a comic fan or not.  It’s so well performed and created that is is worth every bit of praise it has been receiving.  As decent as Spider-Man was, it made me wish Jon Favreau made it instead.  It reminded me how badass of an actor Robert Downey Jr. always was.  It made a lesser Marvel character into the best Marvel movie to date.  And with it being the first movie controlled by Marvel directly, it gives great hope to the future of their movies.

1. The Dark Knight

I had a huge debate about the placement of this movie.  Everyone loved it, so that means I’m supposed to hate it, right?  But see, the thing is I can’t find anything wrong with it.  Sure, Batman sounds like he’s smoked three packs a day since he was thirteen, but is that really a valid complaint?

I’ve had an odd feeling bout this movie and how to explain my thoughts about it, and I couldn’t place what it was until I sat to write this: the movie is so good that is hasd absolutely nothing wrong with it.  Let’s run the list:  Great cast and acting?  Check.  Complex story that actually works? Check.  Moments that remind you why you love movies?  Double check.  It also is hard for me to look at this movie as a “comic book” movie after seeing it.  The Dark Knight is a movie that is played for reality with the perfect amount of substance to make a perfect movie, Batman movie or not.

I have to strongly advise that if possible you need to see this movie in IMAX.  Holy heaven did that help to make it amazing.  The opening shot of the the city made the entire -yes the entire- audience make an audible sound of “wow” once it started.  When Batman jumps of the building, you do it with him; I felt like I was falling and grabbed the arm of the seat to hold on.  It was completely amazing and is something that needs to be experienced if your a movie fan.

To finish off our tribute to SPACED, my absolute two favorite moments from the show….

Gotta go home and watch the DVDs….

….then it’s time to pack for Comi-Con!

As I’ve been counting down to my trip this week, I’ve realized a few other things on my lifetime to do list that I’m also going to accomplish by going to San Diego:

1.  Traveling further west that Texas

2.  Seeing the Pacific Ocean

3.  Seeing the Grand Canyon (very possible from the plane from what everyone says)

4. Getting sketches and such from some of my favorite artists

5. Seeing the following people live and in person:  Kevin Smith, Stan Lee, Jessica Stynes (from SPACED-along with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright the director whom I’ve met before), Robert Rodriguez, the folks from Heroes and Lost, the Mythbusters, William Katt (from Greatest American Hero), Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Doogie… I mean Neal Patrick Harris, J.J. Abrams, Dan Akroyd, Seth McFarlane, Jackson Publick, and on and on….

It’s gonna be a long fun week….

Yes, I am a nerd….

Another favorite SPACED moment…

and a bonus: one of my favorite outtakes from the show…

Still getting ready for the DVDs, another great SPACED moment.  Don’t forget the marathon is on today!

Another SPACED clip.  This is all the paintball scenes spliced together from episode 1:4.  If you’re looking for a chance to see full episodes, BBC America is running a SPACED marathon on Sunday I think beginning at 3pm EST.  Also, the DVD collection of all the episodes is available on Tuesday!

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog

The poster for a musical created by Joss Whedon and friends….

UPDATE: The episodes are now only availabe through ITunes….