Like James Brown, I'm Back!

Hatesexy folks!

Back finally after a delightful and mostly internet-free trip to Minneapolis. Spent some A-1 quality time with the kiddo, which after like a month and a half was much necessary. Drove up to Trix' folks' cabin and frolicked amongst the trees. Saw a bear. Swam -- or, well, in my case, since I *hate cold water*, floated on a floaty thing. Drank some beer. Got fat. Watched fireworks from the campus of my old college. Delightful. The only thing that sucked is that I didn't get to see -- well, anybody, really. I was so into spending every possible moment with the young 'un, I ended up blowing off far too many folks, and that sucked. I'm comin' back next month, though, I swear!

Brief summary of movies I saw this week:

Wall-E -- kind of a masterpiece. A gorgeous, cute, slightly surreal and disturbing but utterly heartwarming little film. Proof positive that dialogue isn't the be-all end-all -- the two main characters, whom, if you have any heart at all you'll fall in love with by the end of the film, basically just say their names over and over, and yet by the end of the movie their characters are enormously well-drawn and sympathetic and, well, cute. My thing now: I kind of want Pixar to make a bad film, because I just wanna see what a bad Pixar film would look like, as they haven't even remotely approached one yet.

Get Smart -- Disclaimer: I watched them film part of this on a set visit a year or so ago. Also, I ineptly flirted with Anne Hathaway, which was one of the stupidest things I've ever done -- like she'd care, right? But never mind my foolheartiness, back to the review -- Being a huge fan of the TV show, I kinda went into this one expecting a butchery. And I kinda came out of it not hating it. I mean, laugh-a-minute-wise, it ain't the funniest movie I've ever seen. But, okay, Steve Carell in anything = great, and trust me -- Alan Arkin steals the show. Having just watched the original In-Laws this last week, I gotta say I'm in an Arkin mood. I'd watch him read the phonebook. There's a lotta stupid shit, but there are moments of awesome, and I kinda like the controversial decision to make Max not a complete bumbling idiot. Final analysis: not great, doesn't suck.

The Incredible Hulk -- well, come the fuck on, you know I loved this one. I mean, I'm a well-known comic book movie apologist anyway, being one of the only people in the world that will cop to having enjoyed Fantastic Four on some level. But honestly -- this is a tremendous movie. Unlike the last Hulk, which got mired in metaphor and darkness and weird child-abuse stuff, we get plenty of HULK SMASHING SHIT which is kinda what you want out of a Hulk movie, and plenty of Bruce Banner on the run like in the TV show, and plenty of General Ross and Betty Ross and even a Tony Stark cameo. Ed Norton's great, 'nuff said. Can't wait for the Avengers movie.

I'll blog more later, but -- hello! I'm back.