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Blog is back!

• posted by Jon at 1:43 pm (GMT), Tuesday February 19th 2008
• (read/write comments)

Hello you,

DVDS:

RUN FATBOY RUN:
This has the same unbearable disappointment factor as Big Nothing had. When you see Simon Pegg as the star of a film, you expect it to have the quality and charm of Shaun of the Dead/Hotfuzz/Spaced. This really doesn't. It's a horrible twee script about a guy who decides to run a marathon to prove to the girl he loves (who he jilted at the altar 5 years previously) that he has the ability to see something through. The story veers between implausible twaddle and dull mediocrity. It has a few moments where Pegg shines through but generally you sit there with a grumpy frown going 'How can 90 minutes of Simon Pegg and DYlan Moran be this bland?'. I think the answer lies in fuzzy directing from Ross out of Friends and the age-old difference between a British comedy film and an American comedy movie set in Britain (the need to cast Hank Azaria as the bad guy shows a pointless distrust in a full British cast). It has that 'last act of Three Men and a Little Lady' vibe where it doesn't feel authentically British and even though they've spent their dollars on great British talent, the talent is constrained by having to present an American's view of their own culture. Possibly worth watching if only to see how badly graded the film is and watch as Pegg's hair changes scene-by-scene from blonde to brown to shocking orange.

CONTROL:
Anton Corbjin's biopic of Ian Curtis. Well, it's a miserable fucking film but it was never going to translate as much of a comedy romp. Beautifully filmed, beautifully acted and utterly engaging but, of course, it leaves you cold as Curtis's decline inevitably plays out infront of you. It depressed the living shit out of me but it's a really well crafted film. I think it has a lot to say about the current cult of celebrity too.

THE HEBREW HAMMER:
Adam Goldberg - the freaky flatmate from Friends and horrible-stabby-death-on-the-staircase-guy from Saving Private Ryan stars in a 70s style street comedy about a Jewish detective. It could be very good or very bad but I bought it on the strength of the title alone.

MR BROOKS:
Herein lies a weird one, like tuna mayonnaise porridge, the ingredients seem so wrong but the outcome is so right. Actually, I haven't watched it but I'm hearing unanimous good feedback from those braver than myself. Kevin Costner (ewwww) stars as a normal bloke who's metaphysical alter ego William Hurt (eurghghhh) is a vicious serial killer, he gets away with it for a while but then finds out that ubercop Demi Moore (good god, no) is on the case. So, it's a horible cast in a rubbish sounding film but apparently it's actually very good. I don't actually eat tuna mayonnaise porridge, by the way. But I know someone who does. Simon.

MICHAEL CLAYTON:
George Clooney continues to bury his Hollywood career by making smaller, more thoughtful films. Dontcha just love him? In this one a corporate lawyer finds his Jiminy Cricket. Supposedly it has that 1970's taut business espionage thriller stuff going on. I might watch it tonight. Oh no, I just got 14 hours of 80s sitcom Perfect Strangers in the post. I'll be watching that. Heh.

MIGHTY BOOSH 3:
Meh. Vic and Bob for the emos.

ROCKET SCIENCE:
Stuttering kid joins debating team. Heartwarming guff meets Napoleon Dynamite-esque self-concious hipness topped with a Wes Anderson bow of quirk. I'll pass, thanks.

COMICS:

SCOTT PILGRIM 4!!!!!!!!!!!:
Right, ya bastards, speaking to you non-comic geeks as, myself, a non-comic geek (I do it for the Benjamins… the Elizabeths…whatever) I have to tell you that Scott Pilgrim is the best thing you could ever read in your life ever. This is the fourth installment of what is best described as lazy Canadian Rock Band Manga. It's the ongoing story of scampish layabout Scott Pilgirm who plays bass in rubbish but enthusiastic band Sex Bob-Omb. He falls in love with a girl and finds out that to win her fully, he has to defeat her 7 evil exes. So in each volume, the slacker indie lifestyle fun is scuppered by the arrival of an evil ex intent on killing Scott with any combination of kung fu disciplines. It's funny, it's weird, it's awesome. Edgar Wright (director of Shaun of the dead/Hot Fuzz/Spaced) is signed up to bring it to the screen, and it will make an amazing film, but in the meantime, you really need to come in and buy the books (these are actually graphic novels, not just comics) you will not regret it. SO GOOD!

DAN DARE 1 & 2:
I'm very much digging this reboot of a British comic legend. Garth Ennis (Preacher) is doing a stunning job at recapturing the old Eagle comic feeling but giving it a contemporary sharpness of narrative and character. We still have copies (and rare variant covers - at the same price) of both issues 1 and 2 but they're going FAST so get in quickly or ask us to reserve you one as once these ones are gone, they're gone.

PUNISHER: FORCE OF NATURE - ONE SHOT:
This is a fun one-off Punisher adventure. Worth acquring if only for it's Moby Dick inspired cover seeing Punisher facing off against an enormous whale. Good stuff.

other comics this week:

200AD
30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BEYOND BARROW
76
AMAZING SPIDERMAN
AMERICAN VIRGIN (LAST ISSUE!)
ASTRO CITY
BPRD 1946
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS
DMZ
EVIL DEAD (we still have a few copies of issue 1 left, grab em while you can!)
FANTASTIC FOUR
FRIDAY 13TH BADLAND
GEN 13
GHOST RIDER
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY
GUTWRENCHER
JACK STAFF
JLA CLASSIFIED
NEW AVENGERS
SIMON DARK
SUPERMAN
THE SWORD
TINY TITANS #1 (cuuuuuuuuuute)
ULTIMATE IRON MAN 2
WOLVERINE
WONDER WOMAN

Graphic novels:

ARKHAM ASYLUM ANNIVERSARRY EDITION
BATMAN - THE LONG HALLOWEEN
FABLES - ALL VOLUMES
FUN WITH MILK AND CHEESE
JACK OF FABLES
JELLABY
ALICE IN WONDERLAND MANGA
POWERS - ALL VOLUMES
TWISTED TOYFARE THEATRE - ALL VOLUMES
WITCHBLADE VOL 1
Y THE LAST MAN
100 BULLETS - ALL VOLUMES
ASTERIX - ALL VOLUMES
ALICE IN SUNDERLAND
CEREBUS - ALL VOLUMES
CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD
CIVIL WAR
DEATH NOTE
ESSENTIAL ANTMAN
ESSENTIAL HOWARD THE DUCK (Howard's creator Steve Gerber sadly passed away last week. We sincerely hope to profit from this unexpected tragedy. Also, we have lots of Heath Ledger films including Candy - the one where he takes loads of drugs)
SIN CITY
HELLBOY
HELLSING
KUROSAGI CORPSE DELIVERY SERVICE
LOEG
LOVE & ROCKETS
PROMETHEA
PUNISHER MAXX
SANDMAN
SLEEPER
ULTIMATE SPIDEY
ULTIMATES

Oh, we also got a sculpted 3d Godfather movie poster thing. It's ace.

If there's stuff you want, the best thing to do is ask! We now offer a really good reservations service, where you get us a list of titles you're interested in and we make sure anything that might appeal to you is held back until your next visit. If you put in a big order, we'll even give you free stuff like comic bags and a free monthly copy of Previews - the immense comic catalog.

Please drop in and rent stuff and buy stuff.

20% OF ALL TOYS AND T-SHIRTS IN STORE RIGHT NOW.

Stay in touch!

Jon VS THE MEKON.