The Spotlight: Catching the Dark Knight

It's official. I have never gone to such lengths to see a film in my entire life. Being both in the film production industry and an avid comic book fan, I've been well aware of both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight long before news about either films started leaking out to the general public. And as psyched as I was for Batman Begins, I was exponentially more so for The Dark Knight.


People have asked me just when I knew I had fallen in love with the world of Batman. The first time I was posed the question, my response came so quickly that it surprised even me. I recalled watching Batman the Animated Series as a child, and being scared silly by the Clayface Origin episodes, Feat of Clay Parts I and II. Particularly when Matt Hagen was melting into his Clayface form for the first time. But more than the just fear, I was affected profoundly by the incredible sadness and tragedy contained in the cartoon. It was akin to a moment of cinematic puberty, where I was transformed from a mere child watching silly shows to an honest-to-God film buff. It was the moment where I realized just how meaningful my "entertainment" could actually be.


That said, I was more than just excited to watch The Dark Knight. I was jumping out of my skin with anticipation. After purchasing tickets online at Fandango, I went to Universal Citywalk with five of my friends to line up at 5:30pm for the 11:00pm IMAX showing. That's right, we were waiting in line for the better part of five and a half hours. We really were the ultimate line waiting party: first in line, loaded to the gills with cookies, candy, three kinds of spam musubi, and three kinds of card games. The real icing on the cake, was a laptop, two splitters, three pairs of earphones (one ear for each person), and the Batman Begins DVD. We ended up watching most of it before The Dark Knight actually started. And you'd better believe the people behind us were envious of our obvious geek-coolness. Some people even took pictures. It was like fifteen minutes of uber-geek fame.

But, alas, it wasn't to be. Halfway through our showing, the fire alarm was pulled by some punk Joker-wannabe-anarchist. And after fifty minutes of waiting in the theater (in the midst of constant alarms and strobes), we were sent home in the early AM hours with re-admit passes, bleary eyes, and bruised spirits.

Disappointing as that was, the worst part was actually in trying to find another IMAX showing to go to. It's a real credit to how popular this film is (and continues to be), that it took me over a week to find another IMAX showing that wasn't already sold out. I was literally checking theaters every day for an acceptable seat somewhere.

Now, after finally completing the entire film, I can say that it is a masterpiece. And for the record, do yourself an enourmouse favor and watch it in IMAX. The clarity and majesty of the format will drop your jaw, I guarantee it.

In case you're wondering, I won't review the movie myself here, because there are people who are much better at that kind of thing (case in point, you can read my friend Justin Chang's review of TDK for Variety here), but I will say that Batman blew my brains out for sheer lack of awesome-related storage space in my head. I waited far longer to see it than most other people, due to incredibly crap circumstances, but even so, it was completely worth the wait. And I think I know exactly where I'll be using my IMAX re-admit passes... once the lines die down... if they ever die down.

Lastly, I'm incredibly excited for what this means for comic book movie-making in the future. Chris Nolan has proved that a solid comic book film, free of infamous studio tampering, can still be profitable. And, If anything, that it's the best way to handle things. More than any other effort before him, I feel that he has legitimized the genre as both an accepted art form, and as a solid investment. Not an easy task by any means. The comic nerd in my heart is leaping for joy at the thought of other serious adaptations of well known heroes in the future.

Celebrity Trees: Chapter 02

Let's get right into it. When I first saw Kip Pardue playing Sunshine in Remember the Titans, I could have sworn he must have been Kim Basinger's son. Mainly, I see their connection in the eyes. There's a lot of leeway between a mother and son pair, but if I saw them in a film together, I'd never question it.


Next up are Kiefer Sutherland and Peter Sarsgaard. These guys look close enough that a lot of casual viewers actually confuse the two. A close inspection reveals that they actually look quite different, but their overall head shape, passably similar eyes, and near idential jaw/mouth structures still make for a great brother pairing.


This last one is almost painfully obvious, but Helen Hunt and Leelee Sobieski seem born to play family. The interesting thing is, they actually don't look as much like each other as people remember, but their eyebrows and unique nose shapes are spot on, and the rest is close enough. Taking the level of discrepancy into account, a mother-daughter match seems most likely.

Celebrity Trees: Chapter 01

One thing I love to do while watching films is creating links between unrelated actors that could, nevertheless, convincingly play family. It's not just about two people looking identical... it's about finding elements of their faces could really pass as a shared genetic trait. It takes a more focused observation to notice cheekbone and jaw structure similarities, but it's in these details that strong, believable familial resemblances are formed.

One great example that comes to mind is in The Return of the King. Denethor, Boromir and Faramir are all superbly cast. Boromir, played by Sean Bean, is the image of his father Denethor, played by John Noble. Faramir, played by David Wenham, has the same distinct nose as his brother and father, but his features are softer, and his eyes are lighter.


Seeing the similarities and the differences together, you intuitively realize that Faramir's mother must have had blue eyes, and that he takes after her. Just think of how many siblings you know where each one takes after a different parent. It's no different in this case, but there are key anchoring similarities that make the family ultimately believable.

The first people in my family casting files are Michael Caine and Maggie Smith (perhaps best known for playing Professor McGonagall). Family relation? Siblings, definitely. Their main similarities lie in the set of their eyes and the the shape of their mouths.


Here's an easy one, Christine Taylor and Katrina Bowden from 30 Rock. I don't think I have to point out just why they would be perfect to play mother and daughter on screen.


This last one, I've thought would be perfect ever since I saw 10 Things I Hate About You. Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt nail the look on so many levels. They have the same eyebrows, eyes, mouth, jaw and cheekbones. Joseph is a little thinner in build, but we're not casting twins here, we're casting brothers. And just to drive my point home, here are two sets of pics.



So that's it for Chapter 01 of Celebrity Trees. Check back often to see the next sets of actors, some of which will be obvious and, I guarantee, some that will be completely unexpected. I've already got a pretty long list to work through, so stay tuned.

DIY: Anzacs

I only recently realized that I there was one cookie (or biscuit, in this case) that I loved beyond all others: the Australian Anzac. I hadn't even thought of it in well over six years, due to living in a country where no one knows just what on earth it is. After searching high and low and in between for a retailer that sold them, it became clear that if I wanted to partake of Anzacs again, I would have to tackle it in true Do-It-Yourself fashion (which explains why a food entry, of all things, has been given the venerable DIY tag).

After much experimentation and internet research, along with helpful tips from my mate over in Perth, Australia, this is my alternate recipe. I say alternate because it's near impossible to find golden syrup here in the States.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of Flour
1/2 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Coconut Shavings
1 Cup of Rolled Oats (Quaker Oatmeal works just fine, just make sure it's not the instant kind)
3 Ounces of Butter
1/2 Tablespoon of Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Tablespoon of Honey
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
3 Tablespoons of Boiling Water


Instructions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl (Flour, Sugar, Coconut Shavings, Rolled Oats)
2. Melt the butter, Light Corn Syrup, and Honey in a frying pan
3. Mix the Baking Soda into the Boiling water, then add that to the frying pan
4. Pour the contents of the pan into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix thoroughly
5. Divide the mix up into small balls and arrange them on a greased tray (I just used Pam non-stick spray)
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes (individual ovens may vary)
7. After removing from oven, let cool, and eat
8. Start talking like an Australian for that authentic flair

DIY: Cell Phone & iPod Dock Version 2

I recently bought a new cell phone, an Asian market Samsung u100. It's thin, it's beautiful, and it doesn't do a whole lot more than make calls. It has to be the best phone for people who want to leave computing to their computers, and phone calls to their cell phones.


The best part about it? It's 5.9 millimeters thin (thinnest in the world currently) and so light that you forget its in your pocket. I think I'll love this phone forever... that is until they make one smaller. But there's a slight problem, what to do with my old DIY electronics dock? Well, it was a quiet Saturday, so I found myself sitting in my living room,tinkering around with the chest of Legos that I still have from early childhood.

The final result is a sleeker dock. It looks so happy.

From the side view, you can see the new hinge I added on the back. It swings closed to secure the phone charger plug when not in use for a much neater and organized look. It seems there's little you can't do with Legos. Except maybe eat them. And even there I'm not so sure

The Spotlight: Joss Whedon's Filmy Goodness

If you're a fan of original storytelling, character development, and sheer geek-geniusness, and don't already know who Joss Whedon is, then you really owe it to yourself to get out there and delve into one of his many fictional worlds.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which really sets the bar high for being seriously inversely proportional between the good of the show and the bad of the name, was a late find for me. But once I started to watch, I realized that under the cheesy, gooey, teenage antics, was a rich and savory pizza of complex themes, intelligent writing, social commentary and unpredictable turns. Oh, and a crust. There was crust underneath... like a pie (10 bonus points if you get the reference before finishing this article). I started season one of Buffy just to educate myself in the history of Joss Whedon's work. I ended season seven (and the following transition to graphic novel for season eight) completely hooked, adding unnecessary y's to words, and essentially ready to sign up for a Buffy fan club somewhere. Oh, and I pretty much wanted to talk like Xander all the time (and if you can ignore the geeky, you'll disover the beauty of a language Whedon-o-fied).

Finishing Buffy was one of the saddest days of my year, and I quickly had to move on to Angel to get my next dose. But really, I'm working backwards here in the Joss Whedon Chronology.

My first venture into Joss' world was pure happenstance. A cousin bought me Serenity as a gift. I watched it with no prior knowledge of what was to come. Two hours later, it was as if my entire world had changed. Like a man possessed, I purchased Firefly and watched (almost back to back) the entire box set... followed by a much more informed repeat viewing of Serenity.

What you have to love (and sometimes hate) about Joss is that he's fearless as a director and a writer. He never goes for the easy gag. He'll make you think he is, but you find that he was playing on your first impression to create a much better one. He'll kill off popular characters if it serves the story... he keeps you on your toes. You hate him for it, but you love the worlds he creates all the more because they feel real, fluid, alive, and true.

His latest offering was a three act online musical (yes, really) called Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Okay, maybe this one's a close second to Buffy in its name-strength-to-show-quality ratio... but I can't say I hate the name either. It's delightfully silly... and, true to Joss' greatest strength, walks the fine line between silliness and incredible depth effortlessly.

What I love most about Joss Whedon's work is that he bends genre conventions with every artistic endeavor. Serious human drama in a vampire hunting teenage action adventure? Check. Spaghetti Western in space? Check. A show about a lonely bad guy fighting with a sadistic hero over the girl of his dreams? Double Check. The guy is a genius. Joss's most two dimensional characters, often times, have more depth than leads in other shows.

My dad used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. If I had known who the heck Joss Whedon was when I was three, I probably would have had my answer.

Film Trivia: Full House M.D.

There's no other way to say it. I love House. As far as shows with rock solid dialogue and ever-progressive character development go, it's up there in my top three of all time. After numerous complete viewings of every episode that's aired so far, I realized that one of the many strengths of House, as a show, is its ability to bring in the perfect guest stars to portray patients.


In a true streak of trivial pursuit, I did a little research to see how many actors House has shared with some of my other favorite shows (both new and old). The number of crossover actors blew my mind. Here are the findings:

Actors in both House and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Major characters: Michelle Trachtenberg (as Dawn Summers), Marc Blucas (Riley Finn), Adam Busch (Warren Meers), Ivana Milicevic (Sam Finn).

Minor characters: Nicole Bilderback (as one of the "Cordettes"), Kal Penn, Azura Skye, Joel Grey, Shonda Farr (April, the robot girlfriend). Update: Felicia Day (as one of the potential slayers) from House Season 5 Episode 2.

Actors in both House and 24

Major characters: Leslie Hope (as Teri Bauer), Sarah Clarke (Nina Myers).

Minor characters: Kal Penn (as Ahmed Amar), Harry J. Lennix (Walid Al-Rezani), Leighton Meester, Myndy Crist, Missy Crider, Brent Briscoe, Kurtwood Smith, Tracy Howe.

Actors in both House and Heroes

Major characters: Greg Grunberg (as Matt Parkman), Matthew John Armstrong (Ted Sprague), Nicholas D'Agosto (West Rosen), Thomas Dekker (Zach), Adai Tishler (Molly Walker).

Minor characters: Nicole Bilderback (as Ms. Sakamoto), Lyndsy Fonseca (April).

The next three shows have much fewer shared characters, but I felt like I had to mention them anyway... Lost, because the show is awesome, Veronica Mars, because the show is awesome, and Smallville... uhm... because the show is like comfort food? I mean, because it's awesome. Okay maybe it's not always awesome, but I love it anyway, so how 'bout you don't worry about it?

Actors in both House and Lost

Elizabeth Mitchell (as Juliet Burke), Nestor Carbonell (Richard Alpert), Greg Grunberg (Pilot Seth Norris), Eyal Podell.

Actors in both House and Veronica Mars

Amanda Seyfried (as Lilly Kane), Jessy Schram (Hannah Griffith), Leighton Meester (Carrie Bishop), Keri Lynn Pratt (Hallie Piatt), Christopher Carley (Travis).

Actors in both House and Smallville

Joe Morton (as Dr. Steven Hamilton), Shonda Farr (Sasha Woodman), Azura Skye (Amy Palmer).

Yikes. I do believe this officially puts me over my IMDB hyperlinking limit for the day. But I think it goes to prove that House is one of the hottest shows for actors to guest star in. In fact, more than a few of these actors have appeared on House while simultaneously handling lead roles in their own respective shows. Who can blame them, really, House just is that cool.

Film Trivia: Sam Neill Goes to Montana

This one reaches back in time a bit, and a few other astute observsers have already mentioned this as well, but I noticed it all by my lonesome, so I'm posting about it without guilt. If you've seen The Hunt for Red October (and a double spoiler alert and shame on you, if you haven't), you'll know that Sam Neill's character, Vasily Borodin, dies at the end of the movie. As Vasily was in the process of defecting to the United States when he gets shot, his dying words are, "I would like to have seen Montana."


Now pop in Jurassic Park, and at the beginning of the movie, you'll see an overhead shot of a bunch of people brushing sand off dinosaur bones. The words "Badlands, near Snakewater Montana" will appear... and just who stands up into frame not long after? That's right, good old Sam Neill. Looks like he made it to Montana after all. Although, nearly getting blown up in a submarine and nearly getting eaten by a T-Rex are both pretty bad in my book. Maybe he should have just opted instead to open an ice cream parlor in some sleepy midwestern town.

DIY: iPod Shuffle

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have a serious problem with Apple products. As a general rule, I steer clear of them, and I advise most people I meet to do likewise. And don't even get me started on the actual reason why, that's another rant for another post.

Yet, in the face of my general disdain of all things Apple, I did break my own rule and buy an iPod Shuffle. My rationalization is that of all their products, it is the least Apple-y of all of them. There is no Mac OS to deal with, no Mac software interface, nothing. It's just the smallest, most stripped down portable music player I could find, and I was satisfied with the purchase because of my targeted consumer ethic: "know what you need... get what you need."

Still, even after all that, the Shuffle bothered me on a purely aesthetic level. What is it with Apple's dislike of anything black? I've noticed that Apple products only employ black as an absolute last resort... and if it's one thing I love, it's matching the look of all the things I buy. Call it electronic cross-accessorizing. Honestly, if you had the choice, wouldn't you want everything to match?

So began my quest. First I looked for a skin or case for my silver Shuffle. I didn't find anything that I liked. I had to take more drastic measures, so I set out to actually give my Shuffle a custom paint job. After looking up some how-to's online, I proceeded to take my Shuffle apart.



It took a bit of doing, but the side strips came off without a hitch. Those screws, though, they were ridiculously tiny. If you don't have a jeweler's screwdriver, you'll find the unscrewing part a little tricky.



I finally got the entire thing out of the casing, and I was ecstatic. It was then that I realized two things. Firstly, that it would be easier to spray paint the thing if it were all back together again... and secondly, that it still wasn't a total waste of time to have done it. You see, I learned that underneath the control ring is an elastic membrane that seals the buttons off from the actual circuit board underneath. That was crucial to know, because it would mean that any overspray into the cracks wouldn't drip onto any of the internal circuitry. Armed with that knowledge, I painstakingly put the whole thing back together.

Spray painting the darned thing was a trial and error process. If you try it yourself, here's a tip, spray the inside of the clip first. Anyway, after three coats of semi-gloss black and one coat of clear gloss enamel, I was ready to start customizing.

I toyed with different ways of transferring a floral motif onto the black, but considering the difficulties that come with the tiny scale, I decided to go with the most low tech approach: x-acto knife.


After hours of eye-straining detail work, I finally carved away enough of the spray paint to reveal the floral motif made of the original silver of the case. Since there was no way to use the pattern I had created in Photoshop, I had to eyeball and freehand it. Here's a shot of the finished product.



Once I was finished carving, I applied one last top coat of clear enamle to prevent any of the designs from scratching off. To top it off, I got a pair of noise-blocking V-Mode Vibe earbuds in gunmetal black, and now the entire package is customized exactly to my liking. The added perk: that pesky Apple logo is now effectively covered on the back of the clip.

The hardest part, really, is covering up the necessary faces as you spray. I also found that clipping the entire Shuffle to a chopstick was the easiest way to not touch the casing as it dried. Beyond that, all you really need are a couple cans of spray paint, a touch of OCD, and a moderate investment of time. I'd like to say that I'm going to keep customizing Apple products, but I seriously doubt that I'll ever purchase any more of them to begin with. The only reason I decided to go ahead with this case mod was because I was half okay with the idea of breaking it in the first place. But things turned out well enough, and now I've got a killer MP3 player/conversation piece.

DIY: Cell Phone & iPod Dock

I am a firm believer of order and structure. Add one part DIY and two parts Legos, and you get the DIY electronics dock. Really, this was just me sitting around one day thinking that it'd be nice to have an actual place to put my electronics when I get home from work. Ten minutes later, I had lugged out my chest of Legos (I keep telling myself that I'm going to give it to my kids one day, but who am I kidding... I need little goading to bust them out again), and two hours later, I had made this:


It's nothing particularly special, just a sleek designated area for my stuff to go. The left side is for my cell. It's actually very practical considering that when I plug it in, it's facing me like a clock (I don't have one in my room). The right side is just a glorified mount for my newly modded shuffle. Nothing to it! Never underestimate the power of Legos.