Watching the Watchmen

From the first trailers which aired before Game of Thrones last season, I've been pretty excited about HBO's attempt at making a Watchmen television series. Like most fans of the original comic, I was hugely disappointed in the movie several years back, partially because there is no way to tell that story in a two hour movie.

I started watching this show a few weeks ago, but wanted to wait until I'd seen at least three episodes before writing about it, and I'm glad I did, because episode 3 really pulled together what had been going on and gave glimpses of the direction the show is going. 

One thing I'm thrilled about is how they decided not to simply redo the movie, or bring the comic to life, but to expand on the universe and simply use it as a springboard for telling a new story, one that feels incredibly relevant to our society today.

So far, this show is incredibly compelling. The acting is top notch, the sets and costumes are amazing, and most importantly, the story is engrossing. 

Something big here is happening...more to come.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spiders...

I'm not the biggest Marvel fan. I was never a comic book guy. I have not kept up with their cookie cutter blockbuster franchise...actually, I've only seen maybe three Marvel movies. It's just not my thing. But animated movies are my thing, and if they involve Spider-Man, that's even more so my thing. 

I'd been wanting to watch this movie even before it shocked everyone by winning Best Animated Feature at the Oscars this spring, and I finally got the chance to watch it last week. I was totally blown away by the sheer brilliance of this movie, both in its storytelling and in the animation. The story was complex and compelling, and best of all, kept you thinking even after the film ends. 

I loved the varied Spider-Men (and women) from the various dimensions and how they came together in the end. They each had their own quirks, but were unmistakably Spidey. It mixed edge-of-your-seat action with touching relationships and hilarious one-liners. Basically, it's the perfect Spider-Man movie.

Picture That! Picture Book of the Week!

This week I was once again reminded of how diverse and interesting the world of picture books can be. Not that I ever really forgot, after all I wouldn't bother to do this post each week if I didn't love picture books. But this week I spent several quality hours with non-traditional picture books, that is to say, they were not storybooks, and was once again struck by the fact that there is often as much to learn in a picture book as a novel. This week's pick is a slice of life cartoon book that is furry bundle of funny. Enjoy.

Cats Are Weird by Jeffrey Brown

(Chronicle, 2010)

This comical study of cat behavior looks at the many remarkable qualities of feline nature. Staples of the animal's evolutionary oddities such as the inexplicable fear of the vacuum, the inability to sit without wandering in circles first, the impromptu sneak attack, and a cat's instinctive desire to prevent humans from accomplishing work at a desk are all covered here in hilarious detail.

Any cat owner will recognize the many instances that Jeffery Brown chooses to illustrate. The take on peculiar cat behavior is spot-on and the simple, expressive drawings capture the joy we find in observing such peculiarities. Told in one page cartoons, or two-page spreads, the panels tell a slice of life story in comic strip fashion. Readers of all ages will find some moment in these pages to laugh out loud.