X-Men, the movie that started it all (but that isn’t as good as you think)

X-Men, the movie that started it all (but that isn’t as good as you think)

Posted inFilms, Geek Stuff
Somewhere I posted about the fact that over the next seven days I am posting about the X-Men movies, and am doing so in chronological order rather than release order. Look for that, then read: X-Men (aka the first one) While there are arguably a few other contenders, I think it's pretty safe to say that the 2000 film X-Men ushered in the modern era of superhero movies. Without it, we wouldn't have flicks like the Avengers. So from an historical perspective, it's a noteworthy film in the genre. It's a genuine LANDMARK for the genre, and for that it…
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and why it’s worse than bad parking

X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and why it’s worse than bad parking

Posted inFilms, Geek Stuff
In some post I can't be bothered to link to, I pointed out that all week I am going to be re-watching and reviewing the X-Movies, so now you know what this is and here we go. Oh, and this assumes you have seen them before, so SPOILERS. Oh 2, I'm going to breeze through this one, especially since it sucks: X-Men Origins: Wolverine My enduring memory of this was pretty bad, so I was interested to see if perhaps I was being a little unfair and if memory and reality would end up being in conflict. Nope. It really…
X-Men: First Class, and it is good (not great) but very. Good.

X-Men: First Class, and it is good (not great) but very. Good.

Posted inFilms, Geek Stuff
My X marathon begins! And for what it's worth, I'm starting pretty shallow, with some lightweight comments and such. Totally mailing it in for the first few movies. The reason is because I am. Seriously. Ripping this one out because in truth what people REALLY want is to know why I think you're dumb for insulting The Last Stand. So to get the obvious stuff out of the way, First Class is close to impeccable. Marred only by writing that is too wink wink nudge nudge, it's got pretty much everything you want from a good mutant movie. Pathos. Humanity.…
Revisiting the X-Men flick: 7-film marathon time!

Revisiting the X-Men flick: 7-film marathon time!

Posted inFilms, Geek Stuff
I grew up a comic book geek (among other things). Growing up a geek has shaped and molded me in ways I'm still discovering today, some of them good, some of them not so much. As an adult, I remain unashamed of my geekdom, and that is likely to be the case until I die of old age at 53. All of this means I'm about to take something silly way too seriously. And I am. You'd better bet your damn life on it. This is a long-winded, pointless, unnecessary way to say that over the next seven days I'm…
So I have to be an accountant, too?

So I have to be an accountant, too?

Posted inRants, Writing
When you daydream of being a Writer, sitting at home doing Important Work and actually getting paid for it, you most certainly DON'T daydream of filing tax documents, managing bank accounts, chasing people for money, and other such nonsense. Yet you're sure as hell going to end up doing it, and plenty of it, too. They never tell you this. (Never mind who "they" is.) No one explains that if you plan to make a go of supporting yourself as a freelance writer, your days will be just as filled with "business" stuff as they will with writing. They never…