Wonderful World of Pixels

When I was a kid I would get whatever cheap Spider-man comics I could from a local bookstore and read them over and over.  Then I discovered my father's great collection and read even more.  But somewhere along the way I lost track of comics.  I've read various Batman Graphics Novels throughout the years as well as Watchmen, but individual issues were so few and far between that I didn't really consider myself a comic reader.  So recently I've been on a mission to get in touch with my inner geek.  With that brings loads and loads of comic books.  There are some light spoilers ahead but nothing that will ruin any of these books for you.

I had gotten into the New 52 Batman series fairly recently after it came out.  I kept up with it but staying with a monthly series gettings a little difficult after a while.  So after I break I came back, sped read them up to it's current run (#25) and I must say: bravo DC.  They really are able to reboot the series in a way that they both keep continuity and create their own.  Death of the Family is the best story arc I've read in a comic in ages.  And Court of Owls, which kicks off the reboot, is a fantastic way to introduce a great new character, while weaving it into the history of the world.  The best part of the series has been that I never know what will happen from issue to issue.  And since after Death of the Family, they've gone to Zero Year, it's great seeing how they introduce the classic Rogues Gallery.  They've reworked the Joker's origins in a way that both reimagines it and keeps it the same.  Damn good writing.

Unfortunately the annuals I've read aren't very good for the series.  The Joker, so well-written in the series, is given emotion and reason in his little one-off.  It's a big turnoff if you know...well ANYTHING about the character.  So just stick with the standard continuity and you should find yourself pretty blown away by the series.

I started rewatching my favorite episodes from Buffy The Vampire Slayer so that drew me to the season 8 comic, which I'm about halfway through.  It goes a little too far at times.  And sometimes it's just the writer being a sexually frustrated male (Really, did you have to add the Buffy goes Lesbian for a couple issues plotline?)  Otherwise the story is strong enough, just very comic booky.  I've heard that season 9 takes that away and goes back to the series roots, so I really look forward to it.  It's just hard, being a diehard fan of the show, to see them in castles in Scotland and flying around the globe.  It's just not Buffy.  But viewing it as solely a comic book universe, it's rather satisfying.

In anticipation for the Marvel movie that I'm looking most forward to, I decided to start Guardians of the Galaxy.  I thought it was going to be a great movie before reading the comics but now I KNOW it will be.  It's perfect part comedy and part space opera.  The humor is spot on and is genuinely funny.  I found myself laughing out loud fairly consistently which isn't common for me.  Rocket Raccoon in particular shines through a lot of the time.  When they are picking out the name, you'll laugh your ass off at his comments.

What really helps me is that I know which characters are being played by what actors so hearing their voice while reading really helps me to see how the movie will be and I can't say I'm disappointed with the casting decisions.  They all seem to be right on the money and, as has been confirmed with the past Marvel movies, casting is close to everything.  I'm only a few issues into the 2008 series and after that I'll move onto the reboot, both of which I've heard good things about.

Did you know that Doc Ock is Spider-man?  No, I'm serious, Doc Ock is fucking Spiderman in The Superior Spider-man.  I'll admit, my reaction was mostly likely similar to yours. "What the hell is going on?"  But actually, it really adds a much needed dynamic to the character of both Peter Parker and Spider-man.  Suddenly Spider-man is doing things he never would have before.  He's efficient and won't waste his time on petty crimes, characteristics not usually present in a superhero.  I particularly loved his interactions with Mary Jane.  I mean, just think, you're an old man suddenly in a young body with a hot red-head all over you.  To say it leads to some funny moments are an understatement.  You just have to see.

I'm only a couple issues into Superior so I have an entire years run to catch up on but hopefully the writing continues to be really good.  I look forward to Peter Parker's eventual reappearance.  The character should definitely be changing some values due to this so I think the series will be even stronger if/when they go back to Peter.

Before I end, what is the deal with most artwork nowadays?  Everything looks so much different from comics of the 90's and prior.  Advancements in technology has allowed for much more detail and shading techniques but unfortunately it makes all comics look the same.  New 52 Batman looks the same as Superior Spider-man because of this and it takes a little of the uniqueness out of it.  The more independent comics are still drawn old school but, unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before all current comics have this polished over look.  Damn.


Anyway, it's just been genuinely nice to get back into comics again.   I feel like I'm getting back in touch with a part I lost.  I look forward to continuing on with these various series.

Oh Television, What Happened To Thou?

Breaking Bad.  Why must you leave me?  Perfect ending to the perfect show and now I'm left with a gaping metaphorical hole in my TV.  I feel like TV has peaked and there's no way it's going to be getting better.  The Walking Dead has struggled with quality issues since season one and it doesn't look to be improving.  And yet it's the highest rated show on cable.  I couldn't tell you why.  Good news is that Dexter ended so TV got a little less shittier overall. 

Nowadays there just doesn't seem to be much good new TV ever.  I can't remember the last time I saw the preview for a new Fall show and got truly excited.  And you'd think a year that included the return to Television for Buffy vets Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as Robin Williams, would be a little more impressive, but alas it's been dud after dud.  Here are some of the shows that I checked out this Fall Season, with few passing the test.

If you like Marvel's Agents of Shield then I commend you because you enjoy the simple things in life far more than I.  This show just isn't good.  You'd think that with Joss Whedon involved, this would be fun but no, it's not.  It's miscast and they try too hard to have a light tone, which clashes with what I want to see out of a S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show.  At least Coulson is awesome still, he's just in very lame situations.  And here we start the trend of bad heroines on Network TV this season.  Probably the most unlikable of the bunch, so much relies on this leads shoulders, yet she just comes off as bratty and stupid.  Maybe one day they'll remedy the situation, but I won't be around as a viewer.

Keeping with the "Modern updates to classic stories" trend that has been going on lately, Sleepy Hollow actually had a pretty solid pilot episode.  But there's one problem: This should be on cable.  It's too sleek and shiny and doesn't represent the content well.  There needs to be a layer of grain to add some atmosphere and that just doesn't happens on Fox.  Plus, it needs to be darker than it's allowed on Network TV.  But that's not what Fox is going for, and ultimately it makes for a weaker show.  And dear god, that lead.  She is absolutely atrocious.  I'm not sure how she actually made it through auditions.  I gave up on the show rather quickly mainly because of her.  Just further proof that so much is reliant on the lead.

The Crazy Ones has some charming moments but it's just weak.  Every character is weak, the stories are pointless and there is really nothing ever at stake.  Oh you didn't get that big commercial?  Oh well, we have fifty other clients.  Gellar and Robin Williams are an intriguing pairing for Network TV, and it's really the only thing in the show that works, but unfortunately neither character on their own really makes an impact.  Every scene that they aren't in together is just filler.  And don't get me wrong, it's not always magic when the two are on the screen together.  They just have good chemistry but that doesn't save the writing.  And the side characters are just godawful.  They either need to make them more unique or axe them.  I vote the latter.

The Michael J Fox Show is good but unoriginal.  Unless it starts to break free and try something new, it's not going to have much longevity.  Which is unfortunate because both Fox and Betsy Brandt really kill it.  They just need to try and get away from the typical sitcom story-lines.  Dads was a complete waste of time.  Can't believe I made it through 4 episodes till I finally gave up.  I think that says a lot about my level of boredom at the time.

Really, the only new show that has held my interest is Comedy Central's At Midnight.  And that's a cheat because Chris Hardwick combined with comedians can not possibly be bad.  I didn't even know this show was on until a week after it started.  It just kind of happened out of nowhere.  There are few episodes I'd consider duds because they always get good comedians.  This is the kind of game show I can get behind.  Glad to see it's coming back in January but until then, On Demand it is.

Other than that, nothing else has held my interest for more than five minutes.  I kept wanting to try The Blacklist but it just looks too predictable.  Spader is great but I'm not sure I can get behind another show with a weak female lead.  What happened to the days of JJ Abrams and Joss Whedon writing strong female TV characters?  Now they just think "We'll just have this girl be passionate and question authority and that means she's strong."   No, you have to give her a purpose. 

With all this said, I still watch The Crazy Ones and The Michael J Fox Show when I get a chance (and catch up with them on Demand when I don't).  I think that it's more due to my loyalty to the actors than the shows actually being good.  I'm sure I'll give up on them once my free time gets more limited.  Otherwise, I've stuck with staples like Modern Family, The League and It's Always Sunny to entertain me in the Fall.

Speaking of The League, that episode with Dirty Randy and Rafi may be the most polarizing episode of a comedy I've ever seen.  Didn't really enjoy it much during the first viewing but it really won me over after giving it another shot.  I think the problem it has to overcome is that Rafi is so over-the-top that without the normalcy of the gang to contrast his craziness, the humor doesn't come across as well.  It's there, you just can't view it as a regular episode of the series or else it most likely won't satisfy.

And what the hell happened to How I Met Your Mother?  It's amazing how much a show can drop in quality.  As soon as Ted and Robin romance was revisited for the umpteenth time, I was out.  They just can't seem to understand that it's been stretched beyond thin and the viewers are over it.  Oh well.  I'll tune back in around the finale.  Maybe they'll finally have their shit figured out.  Doubtful.

All I know is I really hope that Winter TV makes a little more of an impact with shows like Workaholics and Girls starting back up.  Then of course, a little later on Game of Thrones, which will be the greatest season of television ever.  And then 24 starts up with that miniseries which I'll watch for nostalgia's sake.  Wait, actually things could get pretty interesting on TV.  But notice all of this is going down on cable.  Network TV has yet to catch up with the times (although Hannibal will be a welcomed return) and it's really starting to show.  Thank god for stations like AMC, HBO, and FXX or else TV may be doomed.

A Good Day To Die Hard (MOVIE REVIEW)

Bruce Willis has become a joke.  There I said it.  I just can't take him seriously when he shows up in a movie nowadays.  I laughed several times during Looper.  And he has pretty much ruined Joseph Gordon Levitt for me; he is now Bruce Willis Jr.  I wanted to give a warning that I would probably go between calling him by his character, JOHN MCCLANE(!), and his actual name.  It's hard not to when they're so hard to differentiate from.  So needless to say, I wasn't really expecting very much when going to see A Good Day To Die Hard.

I'll be the first to admit that I actually quite enjoyed the last entry Live Free Or Die Hard.  It was overly CGI, a little too slick for a Die Hard movie, and featured an indestructible Bruce Willis, but I still found it to be a good time.  And the same can be said for this film.  It's not a standout, and it won't be in my top 10 at the end of the year, but it was still a rather enjoyable time at the movies.  Willis is pretty terrible for the first half and makes John McClane seem stupid by trying to be funny.  It's like the writer just didn't understand the character and just watched youtube clips of McClane being snarky.  But, as I said, that's McClane in the FIRST half.  In the second half he's pretty much the ultimate badass.  The humor is more situation appropriate and much less forced.

And while I was disappointed when contender Aaron Paul wasn't cast in the role, relative newcomer Jai Courtney does a pretty damn good job.  I can absolutely see why he got cast and that's his charisma.  He needs to match Willis, someone who is known for his charisma, and he does so.  He makes the most of his screen-time and never becomes overbearing or annoying (looking at you Shia in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).  Although there is one unintentionally funny moment that I will carry on into my daily life: "DAMN YOU, MCCLANE!"(trust me, his delivery is what sells it)

Let me tell you: the action in this movie is INSANE.  I'm talking at least $5 million in vehicular damage alone.  There is one point where Bruce Willis drives over a bunch of cars that are sitting in traffic, crushing them, in the process killing so many innocent people in the process.  Then a massive car that weighs literally tons upon tons gets flipped into the air rather than just landing on some cars, it crashes through some cement cylinder that was just sitting there on a semi, waiting to get crashed into.  That's right, a cement cylinder AKA it has two layers of cement the truck can crash into.

That pretty much sums up this movie.  Moment after movie of such ridiculous action it leaves you with an adrenaline rush.  But logic just doesn't seem to happen in this movie.  So here's where the MASSIVE SPOILERS start because there's just no way I can describe what entails without some insane spoilers.  So hopefully if I ramble enough you won't have accidentally read a spoiler through peripherals.  Whew.  I think that's enough space.

I'm 99% sure this film started out as an idea from Bruce Willis and I imagine this is how the conversation went.
Bruce Willis: "Okay, I want John McClane to go to Chernobyl."
Producer: "Great, but we can't do an entire film there though, Bruce.  It's really only a set piece."
Bruce Willis: "Okay then how bout we just do the last act there?  Really exploit the nuclear aspect of it."
Producer: "Perfect, I'll get some writer that has never seen a Die Hard movie but really likes Bourne Identity and Bond, and he'll just write the stuff that leads to that."
Bruce Willis: "A Die Hard movie in Russia? Hmm...makes sense!"

That is the gist of this film.  But let me tell you, this film is well worth it for that last act.  It is absolutely fantastic and really satisfies any action movie lovers thirst.

Back to the logic flaws, there is one point in this film where our main villains are at Chernobyl and this vault is super radioactive because it's been contained for so long (oh also THERE'S FUCKING URANIUM IN IT).  And this girls little iPad has some App that tell her the radiation levels.  So after they do some...spray...or...something?  Actually, I don't really know what happened there.  There's is apparently some device that makes things just not radioactive.  Why that hasn't been used on ALL OF CHERNOBYL, I have no idea.  Anyway, they spray this stuff and she checks her ipad, the levels start going down and before they're even down all the way she goes "Okay, we're good" and takes off her mask!  This is all in a span of 20 seconds!  WHAT!?!  Seriously, this is something that happens in a real movie.  One that's not on SyFy.

Logic flaws aside, the movie is pretty damn entertaining.  There is one shot (you'll know the one) that really stands out and will be talked about.  It's probably one of my favorite shots from a film in the past few years.  Yeah, it's that awesome.  It's hard to tell if the writer or Bruce Willis is to blame for some of the bad McClane moments but either way, I beg that they both watch the previous Die Hards before making number 6.  McClane is not an idiot, he's a smartass.  I can relate.

Crazy Little Thing Called Yoga

Yoga?

This has actually been a subject I've been meaning to write about for a while.  And I actually post-poned this blog post in order to not simply be dismissed amongst the many New Year goal posts that spring up on January 1st.

I'm not going to sit and pretend like there aren't preconceived notions when it comes to Yoga.  There are.  I know that firsthand and am aware that due to this, it's a little harder to reach the ears that have been exposed to them.  Before I started doing it myself, I always dismissed Yoga as just stretching and nonsense.  Actually, I had a pretty distinct thought as to what Yoga was and it greatly resembled this:

Okay, that wasn't EXACTLY the scene I wanted to show, but the original non-youtube pooped version was what I was going for.  Either way, some form of that is usually what people think of: some nutjob talking about being Zen and the energy flow of our bodies, and all that nonsense.  That's stupid. Sure, it may help some people to relax and meditate, but it's still stupid.  And that's precisely why yoga often gets dismissed.  These people usually taint the image and give it a bad rep.

I follow DDP Yoga (YRG Fitness) nowadays but I started off just watching some random series of videos On Demand from Comcast.  They weren't hokey, they were more exercise based but still focused on relaxation.  This was more my tune.  And I was finally able to get into Yoga due to how it was presented to me.  After switching over to DDP Yoga, I've got even more into it because it molds well with what I expect from yoga and that's the exercise.

I won't bore you with all the details about why exercise makes you happier.  It does.  Endorphins and all that shit.  But so many people don't want to exercise.  That's just too much work.  Going for a run?  I'd rather sit here and play Mortal Kombat till my fingers bruise and swell.  But what about exercise without doing much intense work?  I'm not going to say that Yoga isn't work, it is.  In fact, it can be extremely demanding on your body.  But YOU decide how hard you want to go.  Don't want to balance on one leg since you struggle doing so on two?  Fine, then do it on two.  Just work your way up.  That's the great part, it's very flexible.  Chances are, if you can't do one thing, you can do a less strenuous version of it.  And since yoga is mostly stretching, there aren't many excuses you can think of to fight it.

Here's an example of how far someone can go when it comes to doing yoga:

Wow.  Think your excuses seem pretty shitty now?  Yeah, me too.

Now, I'm no Yogi-Master.  In fact, I always used to forget to do it or my laziness would just prevent me.  Not anymore.  I've taken it upon myself to do it at least once a day.  ONCE a day.  And depending on what I have that day, I may only do the 20 minute video.  But even in that 20 minutes I notice a difference.  My body is tighter, feels like it actually got worked out and I'm happier than I would be otherwise.  And that's the main thing: the mental benefits.

I'm a person who deals with a lot of stress.  A lot.  Even the simplest of things, I get stressed about and affects me far more than it would the average person.  But through this form of exercise, I'm no longer as much of a mess.  Even taking the breathing methods and applying it to stressful situations has helped me in ways that would have been impossible before.

Then there's the case of the Winter Blues.  It happens to so many of us.  There has nary been a winter season that it hasn't crept up on me.  It just happens.  Snow is covering the ground, most remain indoors, and there's not a whole lot to do.  Depression just clings onto that.  And with the terrible weather it's easy to dismiss the gym due to simply not wanting to go out in the cold to get there.  I get it, I've been there.  Here's the simple solution: you can do yoga ANYWHERE.  Your living room, your bedroom, your basement.  Wherever you have a 3x6 area to do activities, bunk that bed and do it.

Now, you may be saying "But I just don't have the space for that."  You do, trust me.  This is the set-up that I use:

Not exactly the most appealing area but it gets the job done.  And that's all that matters.  Who cares if it looks like a yoga studio?  As long as you can do the poses comfortably, then no other excuse matters.  And even that mat is longer than the average (I have the longer one--I'm tall...shut up) one so you'd need even LESS space than that.

I've had my foot in yoga for about a year and there's been no looking back.  Not once have I thought of it as a waste of time.  EVERY time I do it, I feel awesome afterwards.  Now the main thing for myself moving forward is to keep up the routine.  It's something I would love, and plan, to carry through my life into the future.  And even if this post doesn't make you want to go out and do yoga, that's alright, that wasn't the purpose.  The main purpose here was to educate and break some of the odd characteristics associated with yoga.  I figured I'd show you the positive benefits from someone who I would consider pretty regular (did I just refer to myself as regular? Doesn't that make me...irregular...wait?)   EITHER WAY, if I've done that, my job is done.

Salmon Rolls.

Lord of the Rings Day: The After

The After

As I type this I don't want to even be looking at this computer screen.  My eyes hurt from staring at the TV all day long.  The concept doesn't seem that difficult at first but then just thinking out about it--really thinking about it.  It becomes daunting.  Not moving for 12 hours, just plopping your ass down on a couch and just watching an LCD screen.  Sure, I got up and did various things throughout, and it wasn't like I was forcibly placed there but it was rough.  I stretched when needed and even did pushups when becoming restless.  And that's how I made it through.  I didn't just sit there.  Otherwise, I'm pretty sure my back would have screamed out in agony and my legs would have fallen into a deep, dark slumber.  That's physically--mentally...

My mind, after dealing with so many different plots and stories evolving throughout the entire day on Middle Earth, began just to simply melt.  By the end of the epic showdown, I was simply sitting there, drool forming below my chin, staring at the screen in child-like astonishment.  This was not just a movie series, this was the ultimate experience in entering another world.

I had plans to watch Cloud Atlas tomorrow.  That's not happening.  I seriously don't think I could even sit through something that doesn't star Jason Segel or Hank Hill.  My attention span just won't allow it.  It needs a break.  I broke it.  This happens every time I do these marathons (the fourth since the release of the extended's) so I've grown to expect it.  But seriously, time to go watch some King of the Hill and forget about high fantasy for a bit.

Lord of the Rings Day: The King

The King

I know I'm just beating a dead horse but I'm going to just keep saying it until you get the point: Wow, this looks good.  If you love movies and care for quality then you have no excuse but to own this stunning achievement in cinema on Blu-Ray.  It is near reference quality.

The sheer scale of this film is impressive.  There are often-times hundreds, if not thousands of people (orcs) on screen at the same time.  Just makes you really glad they didn't do this series any earlier than they had.  Otherwise the story wouldn't have been done justice.  The term epic was made just for this series.  I feel a little guilty anytime I use it when referring to another film because chances are they would never reach the levels of epicness that The Lord of the Rings reaches.

Return, in particular, has more than it's fair share of moments.  Whether it's the Witch King fight, Gondor's last ride, or the entire end segment, it's hard not to catch yourself with an open mouth and dropped jaw.  "No man can kill me." "I am no man."  It's epic.  Get used to it.  Your mind gets blown by the various parts like this, just reeking of awesomeness.

Damn, this has just been one gigantic Peter Jackson handjob hasn't it?  Well, the man did it right.  Unlike The Hobbit, which I felt needed A LOT of editing, LOTR hardly ever wavers.  Sure, out of personal preference there were scenes I could have done without but never once did I question the validity of the scene within the context of the story.  The same cannot be said for a certain other film released in 2012.

There I went again, trying to come up with a negative for the thing I'm actually reviewing and going back to something else.  Okay, some parts get cheesy.  The nine different endings can be infuriating (god dammit, will you just end it once Frodo gets on the boat!) but it's easily forgiveable given all the insanity that was just delivered the previous 12 hours.  Peter Jackson, you are a god.  And while you haven't quite gotten back to this peak, here's hoping the rest of The Hobbit trilogy works it's way up to LOTR levels.

Lord of the Rings Day: The Towers

The Towers

This movie sure hasn't lost the grand scale it had going for it in the theaters.  The Battle of Helms Deep is just as exciting as ever.  Maybe even a little moreso depending on your viewing environment.  I myself was quite immersed.  These FX are absolutely breathtaking and make me disappointed in a few other movies I know from around the same time (Spiderman 1 and 2 namely).  That's how good it looks here.

One realization I had when watching this was, it's been so long since I've seen the theatrical versions that I now see the extended's as the only version I even recognize.  No longer am I viewing extra scenes as extra, they are simply a part of the film.  Indistinguishable from the story I know and love.  And that's how I believe it is for many who see no part in revisiting the theatrical versions when such superior versions exist of the story elsewhere.

And I was right, got pretty bored at the Merry and Pippen nonsense.  It's nothing against the filmmakers, they are just two rather bland characters to begin with so there isn't much for the audience to grab on to.  Sure, they aren't nearly as useless as they were in Fellowship, but they aren't exactly shall not passing anyone.  The Legolas and Gimli stuff still works why and makes you remember why you loved those characters so much in the first place.

I'm amazed at how much it feels like the budget has increased when it comes to the second film.  After the first one, you could tell they had limits.  But here, not a limit exists.  Whatever Peter Jackson wants, PJ absolutely gets.  And that's why so much of the film works splendidly.  His vision is not brought down by a meager budget.  If only he would have brought the same heart and humor to The Hobbit that he did here.  Nothing feels quite as real in The Hobbit as it does here.  I won't judge till I see the film in context of it's own trilogy (a feat not nearly as necessary as it is here for Lord of the Rings).

And now onto my favorite of the trilogy.  Onto one of the most epic, breathtaking films ever made.

Onto Mount Doom...

Lord of the Rings Day: The Fellowship

The Fellowship

Wow this film looks amazing.  Seriously, what's the deal?  I remember getting really annoyed the last time I watched it because it was so obviously green-screened.  That's gone.  It looks absolutely fantastic.  This looks like it was made yesterday.  It's that good.  And since this was put together before the success of the franchise took hold, there's this freshness and passion to Fellowship that somewhat escape the latter two.  That's not a slight against them however.  It just becomes more broad and epic and thus looking less independent.  The structure of Fellowship just greatly allows for this.

One thing that has to be appreciated about these films is the acting.  There's not a weak link in the entire ensemble (that's right, even Orlando Bloom is damn good).  When it comes to a cast this size, it's all the more impressive to think about the prestige behind the lot of them.  The pure fact that there isn't a bad one in the cast is impressive and makes the film even more special.

I can't imagine the undertaking this series must have been.  It's exhausting just reading this series, let alone paying attention to the various details that Tolkien has interwoven with the narrative.  So I applaud Peter Jackson for his faithful and entertaining tale.  The first is a great buildup for the epicness that follows.

Bring on the Two Towers...

Lord of the Rings Day: The Before

The Before

Dammit if it hasn't been years since I've done this.  I really would like to be able to do this once a year but that's just unrealistic.  This is an entire day of entirely Lord of the Rings.  You can pretty much accomplish nothing for the rest of the day if you want to do this right.  I had been wanting to do it for a while, even brought my DVDs up to school with me last Fall.  It just never happened.  Then, shortly after the release of The Hobbit, I received the Almighty Trilogy on Blu-Ray.  Needless to say, my decision was made.  Then after yet another viewing of The Hobbit (shut up, it's epic) it was set in stone.  I was going to marathon the world of Tolkien yet again.

Don't worry, my expectations aren't extremely high.  Yes, I love the films but know they have flaws.  I'm expecting to be restless somewhere around the Merry/Pippin stuff in Two Towers (that always happens) but I know I'll enjoy it nonetheless.  One thing I'm really interested in seeing is the enhanced effects.  Not sure if it's only on Gollum but my interest is peaked.  I know during my last viewing of the DVDs I was a little disappointed with the green-screen work.  Hopefully this will be rectified.  Which is odd since usually when it comes to the pure concept of this, like Lucas' abortions known as the Star Wars re-releases (they suck when compared to the actual originals) but I totally support Jackson's decision on this.  Makes sense given the higher definition.  It's not like he added a ponytail on Gollum or something.  He does it right.

Doing this right of course means no pauses.  We don't do that nonsense.  This is a MARATHON.  There is no stopping in marathons (the what?).  That is only for the weak.  Outside of the possible minute when switching over discs (each film is still on 2 discs still.  Damn you Peter Jackson!) there will be no stopping for anything.  Going to the bathroom?  You better leave the door cracked so you can hear the sounds of walking in the distance.  You can't escape it.  It's all encompassing.  And more or less you really just have to soak it in; this doesn't happen all the time.  So here we go into 12.1 hours of pure entertainment.

Time to enter Middle Earth...