Here, there, everywhere.

Things:

1. Batman Begins was about as much as I can ask for from a summer movie. That sounds totally condescending, but it's not. I use to love nothing more than to escape the heat and sit in the cool air conditioning and eat popcorn and watch shit explode in a really entertaining manner. For whatever reason (mayhap it's that I'm no longer a teenager), these summer movies have faltered and lost all their fun. I've never warmed to most of the Marvel comic book movies and Michael Bay (and his clones) makes me want to kill. But I have to hand it to Christopher Nolan, he's crafted something immensely satisfying and kinetic and textured. Of course, I have my quibbles (every time the baddie reveals his dastardly master plan in these kinds of movies I hate it-- this was no exception) but they're minor in comparison to the fun I had.
   
   
2. A few thoughts/obervations from the trailers before BB:
   Dukes of Hazzard: The mental image of Lynda Carter "warming up [her] muffin" (a direct [or nearly-direct] quote from the trailer) for Willie Nelson is like anti-Cialis and ipecac combined.
   
   Fantastic Four: Have any of them heard of "vocal inflection"? I guess if your name is Jessica Alba and you're that hot, it doesn't matter.
   
   
   Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Well, the full trailer is certainly better than the wretched teaser. The production design is up to par (obvs) but why, oh why, is Johnny Depp playing Wonka as Michael Jackson? What is that about?
   
   
3. It got better: head over to lemon-red for Kanye's "Diamonds (Remix)" featuring Jay-Z. Best part: Jigga rapping about how Memphis Bleek is in his will (?).
   
   
4. Fluxblog's got a great demo version of Squeeze's "Tempted." In it, Glenn Tillbrook sings the lead and it's all Macca-sounding-goodness.
   
   
5. There's something strangely hypnotic and undeniably great about this poster. I dare you to deny it.