Holiday Hiatus

Hey everyone! I'm going on an official Holiday Hiatus. Both Mrs Titan and I need some well-deserved R & R and want to be free from responsibilities on our work-enforced Staycation this year. The good news is that this will be my first ever Staycation, meaning I will have a lot of opportunities to explore more future content. Anyway, have a great Christmas and New Year! I will be back with new, more exciting content on January 5th!

PS. Don't lick the pole!

See you 1/5/09! Stay safe!

A Quick Plug

Hey everybody! Just a quick note today. One of my favorite websites, and one of the most useful for a TV lover like me is the Futon Critic. This website has everything you may ever want to know about what is on, what might be on, and what is no longer on TV.

The site goes into great detail on new shows, cancelled shows, and any press releases from TV networks. Every day on the calendar has a list of all new shows airing on a given night, critical information for someone recording shows on a VCR or TiVoing them with only two tuners. It is nice to see what will be on and when.

Another great feature is the DevWatch section. It opens up the TV pilot season to the public. We can read about all of the comedy, drama, and reality show pilots that are in the works. This is great fun! It is cool to see what might air in the upcoming season and to find out what is going on at each network. I really hope that someday they begin a DevWatch for cable networks as well.

You can also check out the daily next day ratings, which is fun for making sure your favorite show will survive, and probably critical for anyone with a tie to network TV. There is even a great key provided to know what the heck this means: "How I Met Your Mother" (households: 6.8/10, #5, half-hour: N/A; adults 18-49: 4.6, #2, half-hour: N/A). I'm going to assume that's good, based on this quote from the site ""The Big Bang Theory," "How I Met Your Mother" continue to see their numbers surge." And, I would actually understand it if I actually read the key!

I usually use the Futon Critic for making sure my friendly TiVo is really doing what I want him to do. I love this site! Check it out and enjoy!

Step Brothers

Hey Gang! Guess what? I have a blog, which is something I apparently forgot yesterday. Sorry for the lack of a post. Things have been a little crazy at work and Mrs Titan and I have been getting ready for the holidays, so it kind of slipped my mind. Heh, must be getting old. Speaking of which...

...we watched Step Brothers this weekend, the newest Will Ferrell movie, costarring John C Reilly. There was nothing surprising about this movie, it was pretty much exactly as advertised. It is about two forty year old guys who live with their parents and act like obnoxious and entitled teenagers. Their parents meet, fall in love, and they become step brothers.

From there, they fight (both physically and emotionally), they find a common enemy, and they work together to beat that enemy. It's pretty straightforward, and might have been heartwarming if it actually starred teens or pre-teens. But, it doesn't, it stars forty year olds, which makes it hilarious, not heartwarming. It was a great opportunity for Ferrell and Reilly to act like idiots and make fools of themselves.

I don't know what about watching men almost twice my age act like someone half my age fun, but it is. It is, admittedly, quite stupid, but there's nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone who doesn't like Will Ferrell or stupid humor, but if you want an evening of fun, check this out! Mrs Titan and I laughed quite a bit and it was a good bit of escapism in these troubled times. I would have to say this is the best Will Ferrell movie since Stranger Than Fiction.

I will try to be back with a new post tomorrow, but with work and Mrs Titan's finals, we'll see if I have any time to use the home computer.

Watching Movies

Hey everybody, on this Friday, I have just one simple question: How do you watch the majority of your movies? I have a suspicion, but I want to confirm it! Thanks everyone! Check out the survey on the right side of your screen!

I know how I will be watching my movies this weekend, do you? Have a great weekend, see you Monday!

A War of Gifts

This Chirstmas season I decided to read one of the very few Christmas-oriented books on my To-Be-Read Shelf. I picked up A War of Gifts, by Orson Scott Card, which I got last Christmas. It is a tiny book; a novella, or short story, that comes in at only 126 pages. It is set in Card's Enderverse, and features some of the supporting cast from the Ender and Bean series.

It is a sweet little story about the kids in Battle School as they deal with not being able to celebrate Christmas (and/or Sinterklaas Eve). It focuses on Dink Meeker and Flip Rietveld as they secretly celebrate Sinterklaas Eve, and lead a Santa Claus revolution at the school. And, Card shows this story through the eyes of Zeck Morgan, a right-wing, religious zealot.

The story is short and sweet and even includes a chapter which was published as a standalone story called Ender's Stocking, in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. The only problem I would have recommended this book to everyone is that if you have never dipped your toe in the Enderverse and into any Battle School book, you may not have any clue what is going on. Also, what's wrong with you? Get out there and read Ender's Game
.

Discovery Channel: Time Warp

One of the new shows that premiered on the Discovery Channel this season was Time Warp. Time Warp, starring Matt Kearny and Jeff Lieberman, has a very simple and fun premise: let's watch a ton's of stuff happen in slow motion. That's it. They use high speed cameras to capture some everyday, and some very unique actions.

Not every segment is a must see, but the majority of them are. Watching a Taser be shot, a pole vaulter jump, a car crash, and a man breaking stones with his arms are pretty incredible at 5000 frames a second. Here are some great examples:


And:


It's pretty neat stuff. And they even include some science behind what we are seeing! Check it out!

Showcase Presents Superman: Part 15

This is the fifteenth of numerous posts on Showcase Presents: Superman. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the stories.Now, this won't be like most comic blogs with scanned pictures posted throughout. Mostly because I don't have a scanner, but the stories should speak for themselves, but also because I want to go through the whole book in the next few weeks, and I want non-comics readers to enjoy the kookiness that us comics readers understand from the Silver Age. While I may mock these stories, I am not making anything up, this is all straight from the comics! I love these stories and the character of Superman. This is great stuff! The cover scans are from the Grand Comic Book Database.

Superman # 126

"The Two Faces of Superman"

Long Story Short: Both Lois Lane and Superman are truly horrible, shallow, and amoral people.

This one is especially weird. Lois gets a phone call from Chet Hartley. Her friend set her up on a date with him as a favor to him if he came to Metropolis. She doesn't want to go, but agrees anyway, even though she has a date with Superman later in the night. Apparently they can date, but they can't marry, why buy the cow Superman? Anyway, Lois makes herself look like a maladjusted eight year old to scare Chet away. They go out dancing and it works, Chet is so embarrassed that he takes her home in time for her date with Superman. However, Clark saw her there with Chet, and felt like he needs to avenge poor Chet, by playing a prank on Lois.

On the beginning of their date, Superman proposes to Lois, but says she needs to know something before she can answer. She agrees, so he takes her back to a fake apartment that he rented earlier that night and shows her some flesh colored Superman masks. You see, he wears a mask to protect his secret identity, who looks exactly like Alfred E Newman. Seriously.

Lois, being the incredibly shallow person that she is, is horrified! She cries, is embarrased to be seen with him in public (so much for a secret identity), and even has a hard time kissing him. She finally realizes that it must have been a rubber mask (they must have had incredibly realistics masks in the '50s), so she agrees to marry him.

Now Superman has to get out of it! He tells her to meet at the Justice of the Peace at noon, and if she is one minute late, he'll call it off. So, he goes about sabotaging Lois, by welding her in her car with heat vision. He is then able to get out of it. He then pulls off his mask and shows Lois what she already knew, that he was tricking her to teach her a lesson. She is upset, but realizes that she can never trick him into marrying her, she'll have to get him to ask when he really means it.

Fred Claus and Radio

We got to watch two movies this weekend that have been clogging up the Netflix Queue. The first has been on the queue since last Christmas, Fred Claus. Since it's now almost time for presents, I figured we should watch it. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I liked it. It was kind of hard to get a feel for it though, because it was part kids movie and part adult comedy. With Vince Vaughn's rants and wisecracks, it felt like a Vaughn comedy. It was funny and he was his usually charming self, the same character he is in almost all of his films.

Paul Giamatti was a little weird as Santa, and didn't seem to be too comfortable in the role. Although, that might have been the point. Kevin Spacey as the efficiency expert with a vendetta against the North Pole, however, was great. He and Vaughn both led this film and made it fun. It did seem a little childish and out of place a couple times when we got weird cartoon sound effects for the action on screen. It made me think that there were going for a movie like Elf, but didn't quite get there. It was fun, but it won't be making my required Christmas movie list.

The next movie we watched was Radio. Now, before I am berated and mocked, this was Mrs Titan's pick. And before she is berated and mocked, it was her parent's recommendation. Against my better judgement, I put it on the Queue. Ultimately, this was Cuba Gooding Jr's "mental illness film." He plays a "retarded" boy (he was never diagnosed in the film, so we have to stick with that, sorry) who likes to hang around the school and watch the football practice. Plus, collect radios.

Anyway, he is eventually befriended by the football coach/athletic director and becomes beloved to the entire school. All of the cliches are there, he is mocked, the coach sets the kids right, they love him, a parent wants to be rid of him, happy ending where he is loved (at least he never plays).

Gooding Jr is kind of embarrassing to watch in this film. He is hard to understand because of his awful accent and his grotesque fake teeth. (I should point out that this movie is based on a true story and at the end they show a video of the real Radio. He did not have those wacky teeth.) The supporting actors, like Ed Harris, were great, but I couldn't understand their attachement to Radio. The movie wasn't the worst thing I ever saw, but it wasn't really worth watching, avoid it if you can.

Mass Effect

Well, after about 30 hours of gameplay I finally beat Mass Effect. It is a pretty amazing game, and I have to thank Skoth (aka Mr Little Sis, a name which is apparently "weird" and not good enough, we wanted to be called "my brother-in-law", but that's stupid!) for letting me borrow it. It is the best game I have played in a long time.

Once you choose your sex, appearence, history, and character type, you go on your first, exciting mission for the Human Alliance marines for this innovative action role-playing game. This mission is, obviously, where you learn the basics of fighting and playing, and also where you become very important to the galaxy, by recieving visions from an ancient artifact. It is also where you get the first glance of the main antagonist in this epic story.

Once this mission is completed, you get to see the headquarters of civilized life in the known galaxy, the Citadel. This is your real introfuction to the galaxy. And what a galaxy! This game has one of the most fleshed-out and fully realized universe of any game, and even more so that many books, movies, and TV shows. There are multiple alien species to interact with, and all of them have their own history, culture, economy, religion, military, and alliances. If you spend the time to read all of the detailed Codex logs, you will learn everything you could ever want to know about this universe.

I spent at least six hours on the Citadel, doing different missions, shopping and learning everything I could before finally setting out into the galaxy. Once you take command of your own ship, you can choose where to go and what order to perform the main story missions. I, of course, wanted the broadest experience of the game, so I did every side mission I could before attempting the first story mission. These were great. Basically, you pull up in a solar system, and get to explore. You can survey planets and read details on the history and composition of these systems. Almost every system also has a planet that you can land on and explore in your dune buggy/tank, the Mako. This is great fun! There is a mission on almost every planet as well, and they are not all the same, there are a variety of mission types and objectives.

As you go through the missions, you are able to make choices. These choices generally fall into two categories: Paragon Renegade. For my first playthrough, I went straight Paragon and I had a great time. The characters were believable and interesting, thanks to some fantastic voice acting, and the choices seem to make a difference in the outcome of the game. I have evern decided to replay as a Renegade to see if this is actually true.

I truly loved this game, and enjoyed every moment of it. I only wish that there were a few more story missions (there were only 5, but were about 2-4 hours of gameplay each) and that it was a little longer. This is a universe I would revisit in a second and I can only hope they are making a sequel. Oh wait! I might even consider reading a Mass Effect novel (!). Anyway, check this one out, and enjoy! You can get it for only $25 at Amazon!

Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars Volume One: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh

This is the first Star Trek book I have ever read. After being a fan of the show for as long as I can remember, and missing it since Enterprise was cancelled, I decided to start checking out some of the numerous books.

That said, I have no idea why I picked this one first, but I am glad I did, because Greg Cox is a great writer. I have never seen a complete episode of the original series (I know, geek blasphemy! Sorry.). I know of Khan from Star Trek II, and that's it. So, it was odd that I picked it up a few years ago.

Anyway, the book is actually all about Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln. After a prologue featuring Kirk and the gang, the book is set in the late twentieth century, spanning almost 20 years. Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln had the use of a supercomputer, transporters, and a "servo" (basically fancy phasers). I didn't understand why they had these things in the 1970s, so I did some research. I found out that these are canon characters from an episode of TOS, Assignment Earth, where the crew heads back to 1968.

I guess Gary Seven had been sent to Earth to keep humans from destroying themselves. In the show he prevented a nuclear missile from launching. In the book, he, along with Roberta and his alien cat Isis, is a super agent in the vein of Bond. Well...the old Bond, you know, with gadgets. And teleporters. Anyway, many adventures are alluded to, and we get to see all those that involve the young Khan.

The book uses real world events, such as nuclear testing under the Indian desert, the chemical plant explosion at Bhopal, and the Reykjavík Summit to frame Khan's development from a sweet super-powerful genetically enhanced kid, to an angry super-powerful genetically enhanced teen. It is neat how Cox was able to tie in real events into Star Trek mythos. The book ended in a cliff-hanger, and after I finish the book I am reading now, I will pick up the sequel. Even if you aren't a Star Trek fan, check this one out, it's a lot of fun!

Discovery Channel: Storm Chasers

After Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs, the rest of the Discovery Channel shows are all just about on equal footing. Storm Chasers is all about...well...storm chasers. Specifically, Sean Casey and Dr Josh Wurman, and this year we have the welcome inclusion of Reed Timmer. Last season was the first year I watched this show, and last year we didn't have Reed.

The premise then, and mostly now, is that Casey, a filmmaker, travels in his giant eight ton TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle), attempting to get a shot from inside a tornado. He is directed by Dr Wurman from his DOW (Doppler on Wheels), a giant semi loaded with a radar and tons of computer equipment. What makes it kind of fun is that Casey is a nutty artsy type who wants to go go go while Dr Wurman is all about the science. He is much more conservative in his actions and takes his time. His goal is collecting data while Casey's is getting "the shot."

This clash of personalities is interesting, but it can be a little grating. The inclusion of Reed Timmer helps to aleviate this because he is laid back and young. He cruises in his SUV with his friends and is able to move quickly and directly. He is also much more of a risk taker, getting as close as possible to the actual tornadoes. He actually sells the footage he makes and has been able to turn his love of chasing into a business. His enthusiasm is infectious and it is fun to watch people enjoy themselves on these kinds of shows.

The nature of a show like Storm Chasers is interesting. There is only a short filming season where there is not a guarantee of excitement. I imagine much of the chasing season is actually quite boring, waiting for weather to go after. The inclusion of multiple teams (we follow at least five groups as part of the two teams) really keeps things interesting. The action is usually intense and the footage of storms is pretty amazing. It is qute fun to see (as long as I only see it on the TV!).

There is only one new episode left, next Sunday, so check it out, and then watch reruns and watch for the show to come back next season.

Showcase Presents Superman: Part 14

This is the fourteenth of numerous posts on Showcase Presents: Superman. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the stories.Now, this won't be like most comic blogs with scanned pictures posted throughout. Mostly because I don't have a scanner, but the stories should speak for themselves, but also because I want to go through the whole book in the next few weeks, and I want non-comics readers to enjoy the kookiness that us comics readers understand from the Silver Age. While I may mock these stories, I am not making anything up, this is all straight from the comics! I love these stories and the character of Superman. This is great stuff! The cover scans are from the Grand Comics Database.


Superman #126


"The Spell of the Shandu Clock"


Long Story Short: There is no supernatural, and a Superman story is never as interesting as it first looks.


This short back-up story is kind of dark and gloomy looking, like an old EC horror story. It starts with a "tense" audience watching Shandu, a master illusionist, while he performs a show. Shandu causes a table to burst into flames and begins to float when Superman flies in, exposes his tricks (like that Breaking the Magician's Code guy), and calls him a fraud. Shandu admits he cheated this time, but claims that he will prove it to Supes.


Superman then goes to the Daily Planet and Perry White tells him that Shandu died at sea, and left a message for Superman that he will prove that the supernatural is real from beyond the grave. He then asks Superman to take Jimmy and Lois to Shandu's house for a story. We then learn that Shandu built a supernatural clock before he died. When they get to the house they see a giant, hideous clock, and when it a metal Superman rings a gongs, Superman falls into a trance.


He then flies off into a distant valley and smashes a boulder with his head in front of some shocked cowboys. When he makes it back to the clock he decides he wants to see what's going on inside, but can find nothing unusual about the interior. The metal Superman rings the gong again, and yet again, Supes falls into a trance. This time he burns a hole into a pile of sand (seriously). Jimmy, Lois, and Perry all gather together to worry about what will happen if Superman is in a trance when the Fallon Gang activate their new "crime machine." I don't know what this is, but they "invented" it. Cool. I want one.


Anyway...Superman decides he needs to destroy it, so he makes a giant hammer. I have no idea why he needs that, but there you go. He is unable to follow-through though, due to an invisible force holding him back. Before Superman can figure out how to destroy it, he tells Lois to leave him alone and then the gong rings again. This time the Fallon Gang is watching and they decide to used their "Sonic Vibrator" hi Googlers! to zap Metropolis National Bank.


Superman then shows up, but he is covered in metal. It's the Superman from the clock. The crooks blast him with the vibrator and the metal breaks off. Ah, of course, like all of these old Superman stories, it's just a giant prank. The Superman in a trance was a robot, and Shandu was a fake. They were all working together just to capture the Fallon Gang. Well, that was a lot of build-up for another fake out. Oh well.

Kung Fu Panda

We only watched one movie on this long and relaxing weekend, Kung Fu Panda. This animated, Jack Black film didn't look all that interesting to me when I first saw the previews for it. It kinda looked a lot like a lot of other animated movies and Jack Black hasn't really had a ton of appeal for me since School of Rock.

However, once the movie started, I was hooked. It opens with a dream sequence with Po the Panda fighting along side his heroes, the Furious Five, and kicking butt. He is "bringing the awesomeness" to his enemies. You know, just like I do here on the Titan blog! The sequence has a really stylistic design. It was part anime, part hand-drawn animation, and part CG. It was really unique and very cool.

Then...we get the rest of the movie. We see that Po actually works in his dad's noodle shop, and idolizes the Furious Five, he is no Kung Fu master. In fact, if you have seen the trailer, you know that he is fat and clumsy. He tries to get up to the see the ceremony where the Kung Fu masters choose the next Dragon Warrior. It is pretty obvious from the get-go that Po will be chosen, but when he is, things start to get a little more interesting.

You see, Po is the ultimate fanboy. He recalls with awe the battles that the Furious Five have fought like a comic book geek can recall all the first appearances of their favorite villains. He interacts with the FF (hmmm...coincidence?) as if they are heroes, and it is kind fun to watch them get annoyed at him and then slowly warm up to him. And, the FF aren't unknown actors either, they are all A-listers: Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, and Seth Rogen (!). Dustin Hoffman even voices their master.

Ultimately this movie is great fun, if a little predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed it the whole way through and I thought the fight scenes were a lot of fun. I can't stress enough that I loved the opening sequence. This is definitely one to check out!

Happy Turkey Day!

Well everyone, I am going on a little Thanksgiving hiatus here. I will be back next Monday with a bunch more content for you to waste your time with. For now, enjoy this pretty picture of a turkey and wants you to be happy while eating him. Stupid turkey...

A Little Old...A Little New

When Paul Newman died back in September, I realized that I had never seen a Paul Newman movie (well, except for Road to Perdition and Cars, but really...). So, I decided to remedy this by checking out some of his best-of movies. Starting with...

Somebody Up There Likes Me

Somebody is about the true story of Rocky Graziano. Rocky is a young hoodlam in NYC. He and his gang steals and cheats and robs from everyone they meet. He doesn't have any respect for his parents or any other authority figures. He is arrested and continues to get in trouble in jail. Immediately after being released he is drafted into the army. He goes AWOL and begins to do a little boxing for some easy money. The army eventually finds him and it's off to prison, where he begins to realize his potential when he starts boxing.

Paul Newman is pretty great in this movie. Early on, you really get the sense that the doesn't care for anyone but himself and trying to get by. He really seems like a thug. The way he grows throughout his life is organic. He doesn't go from a jerk to a great guy. It takes big changes in his life for him to even begin to change. It really is a fantastic movie.

It's not a boxing movie at all, it's all about Rocky and his life, boxing is just what he turns to to get by. Mrs Titan and I were both glued to this film. It didn't feel slow like many movies made before 1990 can sometimes feel for me. It was a great two hours and worth it for anyone, Newman fan or not.

Quantum of Solace

We also got out to see the new Bond movie this weekend. I'm not really sure what to say about it. It was good, but a lot like Casino Royale. There was plenty of action, and all kinds of world hopping excitement. Daniel Craig is the model of ice-cold killer/secret agent. He will do whatever he needs to to get the job done.

It's a good movie, but reminds me much more of a Bourne movie than a Bond movie. It has the same jerky-camera action shots, which is not my kind of thing. I kept wanting the camera to pull out so that I could actually tell what was going on. I also misss the light-hearted goofiness of Bond. I want gadgets and girls with silly names (although Strawberry Fields ain't bad). I want more witty banter and wild evil minions.

Overall, it's a very good movie. I know the Bond series is growing and changing, but it still takes some getting used to.

A Message From My Past

A couple of days ago I got an email from someone I knew years ago. I haven't talked to this person in three years, but the message was clear. It was from me! Yes, Tom the Titan, before he was Tom the Titan sent me a message through Forbes E-Mail Time Capsule. So what did Tom the Titan from three years ago have to say? Here is the email in full, honest. The text in red is my modern day responses:

Hey You,

Boy, you are a great guy! I am aren't I? You sure know how to pick a winner past me!

What have you been up to for the last three years? I graduated and I got a job and I got married and I bought a house and I started a blog!

Really? Yeah, seriously dude! Huh. That's odd. No, it's not, it's great, you're odd.

Anyway, hope things with [future Mrs Titan] are going great. They are, it worked out great! I told you it would!

She's a great girl huh? Duh, and I totally love making her read my blog and probably embarrassing her! Yeah, I know!

Anyway, you are probably all busy now with work and stuff right? Yeah, totally, and blogging, and all the crazy pop culture that we always loved!

You are working I hope! I am, and thank goodness you learned how to use question marks and commas. Idiot.

You better be, I'm counting on it! I know, cause you wasted too much money!

Are there any good shows on there in the future? Well, yeah, some. You would love HIMYM dude!

Are you still watching them? Duh, that's part of what this blog is all about. Not as many as you though, what were you at, like 40 hours a week?

At least the good ones, right? Yeah, I'm pretty much down to just the good ones now.

Do you even care about TV anymore? Yeah, but not as much as you.

Man, you've changed man, I don't even know you any more. True, I'm way cooler now.

Or maybe I do, who knows, guess we'll just see in three years. Good
luck! Things have been awesome, way to not suck it up dude!

Your Friend,

[Future Tom the Titan]

Geek Alert!

If you are a hardcore geek or if you have been to the new Bond movie already, I'm sure you have seen this, but for all of you softcore geeks (that sounds dirty) or wannabe future geeks, the new Star Trek trailer is out!

Now, this may be geek blasphemy, but I have never seen a single episode of Star Trek (the original series), so I don't much care about Kirk, Spock, and the original Enterprise. I plan to remedy this at some point, I promise, and I will talk a little more about this sometime soon. Anyway, because of this, the trailer looks pretty awesome. I just hope it gets more people interested in more Trek!

Click Here to go see the trailer and enjoy!

Discovery Channel: Dirty Jobs

Last week I discovered that the Discovery Channel is apparently my favorite channel. I also talked about Mythbusters, my favorite Discovery Channel show. Today I get to tell you about my second favorite show on DSC, Dirty Jobs.

At first glance, Dirty Jobs looks like a show I would hate. It appears to be about a guy who goes around to try different gross jobs and show off the ick factor at each one. And, I guess technically, that is what Dirty Jobs is all about. But, it's also more than that. It stars Mike Rowe, who is one of the most literate, intelligent, and witty TV show hosts that I have ever seen.

Rowe got his big start narrating some of Discovery's earlier shows, and still does narration on a few. And he makes the show. He is the show. He is able to make anyone he visits like him almost instantly, from hippies building their homes with poo to hunters who clean and package their animals. They all take to him instantly and he gets along with almost everyone. The back and forth teasing is one of the best parts of the show, and is tons of fun.

I, personally, do not think I would care about Dirty Jobs if it weren't for Mike Rowe, it would get mundane quite quickly. Rowe, however, brings to the table his comedy (he was on an episode of one of my favorites, Dr Katz!! I have to look that up), and his cheerful (most of the time) attitude. He was even an opera singer for a while!

Anyway, I love this show and you should see it. Also, if you work a dirty (or semi-dirty) job, go let Mike know so he can keep making this show!

Just Blame Mr Lil' Sis...

...cause if it wasn't for him, you would have a full post. But he had to lend me this:

Now I am hooked unitl I can stop Saren and his evil plans. Then I have to stop Mr Lil' Sis from his evil plans to stop me from ever being productive again. Darn you!!

Zack and Miri Make a[n Adult Film]

One of the first "adult" comedies that I ever saw was Kevin Smith's Mallrats. When I say adult, I mean that it was a comedy written for adults. Unlike the moves I was watching at the time, which were kids movies, things like Blank Check and other kiddie fare. I loved Mallrats when I saw it and soon got my hands on Clerks and Chasing Amy.

I became a Kevin Smith devotee. The movies spoke to me, even thought they were full of cussing, drugs, and nudity. I enjoyed the witty banter back and forth, I liked the kooky scenarios, and I really enjoyed the slight inter-connectedness of the films. I have seen every Kevin Smith movie in theaters since Dogma. Heck, Mrs Titan and I went to see (the very underrated) Jersey Girl on our first date (when she liked it I knew I had a keeper).

So, it was inevitable that I had to go see Smith's new movie, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. If you have seen the trailer you know the plot: best platonic friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) can't pay their bills and they determine the best way to make some money quick is to make their own homemade porno. It is a fun film, and not nearly as raunchy as I was expecting (that's a good thing).

The biggest problem for me is that I think I have (gasp!) matured since Smith's last films. I no longer find his kind of comedy as funny as I used to. I enjoy a more subtle humor that goes beyond the cussing for cussing's sake and the nudity and the gross-out humor. Now, don't get me wrong, there will always be a special place in my heart for Smith's movies, but now that we have entered the age of Judd Apatow and his crew, I just don't think comedy can ever be the same.

The one other small thing that disappointed me was the lack of any appearence (or reference) of any of the characters or events of any of Smith's other films. I know Smith wants to get away from the adventures of Jay and Silent Bob and the rest of the New Jersey bunch, but it would have been nice to have him throw his long-time fans a bone.

All-in all, this was a good movie. My expectations were very high, and they were not quite reached. If you are looking for a good, and kinda dirty, comedy then check this out now or rent it when you get a chance.

The Discovery Channel: Mythbusters

Well, after yesterday we learned that I have an undying love for the Discovery Channel by regularly watching nine of shows on that channel. And that's not counting the shows we watch just when they're on, like How It's Made. And the min-series, like Planet Earth.

So, what got me addicted to the Discovery Channel? Well, I would have to say that was Mythbusters. It was the first Discovery Channel show I watched regularly, and it led to my ongoing love of the channel. I started watching it 4 years ago when there was a marathon on while we were staying at the in-laws. For those of you not watching Mythbusters: what's wrong with you?! This is a show for everyone! I want you to set up a Season Pass or VHS cassette now so that you can watch it! I'll wait...
..., back? Okay, the show is really about Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, two special effects wizards who decide to test all kinds of myths to see if they are confirmed, plausible, or busted. After the first or second season they picked up some helpers, Kari Byron, Tory Belleci, and Grant Imahara to round out each epiode. These five have the coolest jobs ever. They get to build, blow up, destroy, and test everything!

There have been seven seasons and there don't seem to be signs of slowing down yet. They have moved on from pure urban myths to: movie myths, a ninja special, pirate special, the moon hoax, and other event episodes. Some of the more recent, and fun myths are: exploding fire extinguishers, catching an arrow in mid-flight, beer goggles (!), and sobering methods.

Even if the myths seem a little boring at first, each episode is a lot of fun, with Jamie, Adam, Kari, Tory, and Grant really adding to the fun. They really know how to have fun with each myth and really bring that excitement to the show. And, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the great narrator, Robert Lee. He brings a little bit of additional fun to the goings-on.

Anyway, if you have never seen this show, you really need to find it, and watch it. You will not regret it. It's fun for the whole family and you might even learn something too!

I think I will try to talk about some more of the Discovery Channel shows and why I love them over the next few weeks.

Where I Watch What I Watch

So, this afternoon I was going through my TiVo Season Pass Manager to get rid of a show. For those of you non-TiVo people, this is where I can set my TiVo to record every episode of a show so I don't miss it. And, so you don't have to ask, the show was Fringe, another "sci fi" show that just isn't living up to its potential. Darn you JJ Abrams for getting my hopes up!

Anyway, before I start ranting, I was looking at all of the shows that I have a Season Pass for and decided I was curious to see which channel I watched the most of. So, I made a list. Just to be clear, not all of these shows are on right now, and some of the obscure cable shows might have been cancelled already. Also, HGTV, TLC, and Bravo shows are Mrs Titan's. I swear...don't look at me like that. Without further ado, the list, from least to most:

ABC Family

1

Cartoon Network

1

The CW

1

VH1

1

E!

1

Bravo

2

AMC

2

TLC

2

FX

2

Animal Planet

2

HGTV

3

Comedy Central

3

History

3

Scifi

3

Fox

4

CBS

5

ABC

6

NBC

8

Discovery

9

Yeah, I'm as shocked as you are. First, holy crap, that's a lot of shows! Remember, not all of them are currently airing new episodes. But also, Discovery wins! A non-network show is our most watched channel. I love what Discovery is doing right now. I will have to write a post about them tomorrow. In the meantime, what's your most watched channel? And, do you have any questions about what the heck I am watching on some of these networks?

The Best Show...That You May Never See

In 2002 Fox released one of the best shows I have ever seen, Andy Richter Controls the Universe. This was a goofy sitcom starring Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien's longtime co-host. The show was all about Andy, a technical manual writer who aspired to more. This was an office comedy, but kicked up a level.

Richter narrated his thought process and there were numerous imagination scenes, leading to some great laughs. One of my favorite scenes is when Andy fantasizes about what he will do with a large sum of money. He wants a new TV for his bedroom. You see...he already has one at the foot of his bed, but he wants one on the left side so he can flip over and watch that one too. But then, he realizes that that might not work either, because he would need one on the right side too!

It's great stuff. There are all sorts of great clips on YouTube, but it has still not been released on DVD. It ran for two whole seasons, and only 19 episodes, but it's a travesty that we can' watch this show whenever we want! Darn it!

Here is a Best of YouTube Clip, watch it and enjoy:

Also, go to Amazon and sign up for the Alert so you'll be notified when it is finally available. Plus, the more people to sign up, the more likely it will actually come out someday.

Showcase Presents Superman: Part 13

This is the thirteenth of numerous posts on Showcase Presents: Superman. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the stories.Now, this won't be like most comic blogs with scanned pictures posted throughout. Mostly because I don't have a scanner, but the stories should speak for themselves, but also because I want to go through the whole book in the next few weeks, and I want non-comics readers to enjoy the kookiness that us comics readers understand from the Silver Age. While I may mock these stories, I am not making anything up, this is all straight from the comics! While I may mock, I love these stories and the character of Superman. This is great stuff! The cover scans are from the Grand Comic Book Database.


Superman #126


"Superman's Hunt for Clark Kent"


Long Story Short: Super-amnesia!


Once again the story starts with Clark Kent taking off for a two week vacation. His plan: spend the vaction trying to find an antidote to kryptonite. Fun! I'd rather do Hawaii. He is in the middle of an experiment when, due to a "queer twist of fate" there is an explosion and Superman awakes with amnesia!


He is soon attacked by a polar bear which forces him to realize that he has super powers. He makes it back to Metropolis ("instinctively") where he overhears someone call him Superman. So he heads to the nearest Superman Museum (seriously, he calls it "a" Superman museum, not "the" Superman Museum) where he studies posters of all his powers. He also learns he has a secret identity.


As Superman is wandering around he realizes that he wants a secret identity again and since he can't remember his old one he becomes a blonde Brit named Clarence Kelvin. He then gets a job at the Daily Planet and is assigned Clark's desk while he is on vacation. Two things: everyone at the Daily Planet is an idiot and Metropolis is a small, small place. Kelvin has to run off to save some sailors from a whale and when he returns Lois immediately claims that he must be Superman (again, idiots).


He has to get his memories back, so he goes to a scientist who 1.) explodes a bomb with him in a shatterproof bell-jar, 2.) shoots him headfirst from a cannon into a steel plate, and 3.) dips him in liquefied hydrogen (that's really cold for you non-sciency folks). Still no memories.


Then...out of nowhere...a solution! He will "fly at super-speed," overtaking "light rays that left the Earth long ago" and see things with a "collecting lens" Yeah, I don't get it either. Anyway, he sees that he is Clark, which makes him remember everything, then he fakes being Clarence Kelvin one more time so he can reveal himself to Lois. Kelvin leaves and is never seen again, Clark returns, and no one has a clue.


Whoa.

Princess Mononoke

Princess Mononoke was the first anime I ever watched. This was back in the early 2000s when I was in college. I had no idea what was going on. Since then Mrs Titan and I have watched Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and a few others. I decided to get it again to share it with her and to see it myself again.

The story is about a young man who teams up with the forest Gods and creatures to fight back against the human "Iron Town" exploiting its resources. I think.... A whole lot more is going on. The woman who runs the town is kind to women, hiring them from brothels and arming them. There are sentient wolves, boars, and gorillas who are often at odds witrh each other. There is a crazy monk, and samurai. There is a lot going on in this film, and, like most of Hayao Miyazaki's films, it doens't always make sense to Westerners (or maybe just me).

Now, don't get me wrong. I have loved all of the anime that we get. It may be a little confusing at times, but these movies are magical. They are incredible creative and unique. They are action-packed and funny. And, most of all, they are beautiful. The animation in these films is incredible and really make watching them a great occasion.

I really only had one complaint with Princess Mononoke. I got distracted by some of the voice acting. Because of the popularity of this film they signed some famous actors to so some of the voices. Billy Bob Thornton and Jada Pinkett Smith were the two worst offenders in the sense that they didn't fit. Thornton's southern drawl made no sense in the historic Japanese setting and Smith's sassy black woman style didn't fit the white woman she played. I really like Thornton and Smith, but not when they are in anime. It would have been much less distracting if they cast unknowns in these parts.

If you've never seen an anime, check this out. It will open your eyes and your mind and it should be a lot of fun in the meantime!

Miscellany

Just a couple of quick notes today:

• It looks like I'm not the only one who feels the same way about Heroes. Dr K feels the same way that I do, but as an English professor, he sure has a better way of saying it. Thanks for being a better writer than me Dr K!
• The new Futurama movie was released on Friday. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure it's great. Don't forget to buy your own copy so they will keep making them! I love Futurama and you should too!
  
  
• One last reminder: Don't forget to watch Whale Wars tonight. Or, at least record it so you can watch it later. It is well worth an hour of your TV time!

Have a great weekend! Don't do anything I wouldn't do and be safe!

Break Up Time!

That's it, it's over...I can't do it any more. I have tried and tried and given it multuple chances, but that's it. I just can't bring myself to watch Heroes anymore. I realized this when I was much more interested in an article in a financial magazine about the LA Real Estate market than the show. I live in Colorado. 'Nuff said.

It started out as such a good show. Normal people get super powers and have to deal with them. The first season had a variety of powers, a super-villian, action, and even a decent mystery. I enjoyed the show even if it got a little tedious near the end.

The second season went downhill fast. The "mystery" wasn't resolved well, the super-villian was never defeated and character interactions and motivations began to make little sense. We get even more paintings about the future and more inane and boring plots. But I waited some more. I sat through it for more episodes than I should have.

Well, I just started watching the first episodes of the third season a week ago. I was watching alone because Mrs Titan had given up on the show half a season ago (I always knew she was smarter than me). I sat through three episodes. And what did I get? More paintings of the future, more time travel for no reason and with no consequences, and more pointless character interactions.

It saddens me. I love sci fi and feel that I almost have a moral imperative to watch all the sci fi I can on network TV so they will keep making it. But I just can't do it any more. I have given up on the show, deleted all of the other episodes on the TiVo and called it quits. I know someone could do this kind of show really well and I hope someone will someday, but I can't keep waiting for Heroes to live up to its potential. It has let me down too many times.

Whale Wars

Recently, Animal Planet sent me a screener copy of the first episode of Whale Wars, a new show premiering on Friday, November 7, at 9 pm. This show is all about Paul Watson, a co-founder of Greenpeace who was kicked out of that organization because he was too radical (!) so he forms his own organization, the Sea Shepherds. They have one goal: to harass the Japanese whaling fleet and keep them from whaling for as long as possible. We learn fairly early in the show that there is a law allowing around 1000 whales to be harvested for scientific research, but none of the meat can go to waste. So, the Japanese harvest these for "research" and are then able to turn around and sell the meat for up to $1,000,000 per whale. Big business, as you can see.

The show starts out quite dramatically, with the Steve Irwin (Watson's boat), pulling up along a Japanese boat. The Sea Shepherds begin throwing things at the boat and the whalers begin to throw something back. These things explode in a flash of light, flashbangs. There are soon load bangs, gunshots, and a shout, "The captain's been shot!" Then we get a little fade to back and a title card: "3 Weeks Earlier." Whoa. I was hooked...or at least quite intrigued.

The Sea Shepherds technically have the law on their side (in terms of not breaking it flat out). They use non-violent techniques and in this first episode we get a nice little overview of their tactics. They use stink bombs to get the Japanese off their decks and if there is meat on deck it will be tainted and ruined. They use a helicopter for reconnaissance and filming, and a Zodiac to get in the way of harpoons and run distraction maneuvers.

The Sea Shepherds, and there are at least 30 of them on board, consider themselves the only enforcement of the whaling laws. The are technically non-violent, but they are willing to die for their cause, and they use some pretty extreme tactics. In fact, they consider themselves a kind of modern pirates, which you can see from their logo:

This show really has a little bit of everything. There is some beautiful footage of Antarctic scenery and wildlife. It is much more dramatic than I expect these kinds of shows to be, with a major accident that puts crew life in jeopardy (seriously, not like most "reality" shows). There is even crew dissension, which could hurt their mission. This show is truly different from anything I have ever seen. The people have a clear mission that they are zealous for. They will do anything to accoplish their goals and how far they are willing to go is a little scary.

I do agree that whaling at this point in the evolution of our civilization is a little silly. I don't particularly agree with the Sea Shepherd's tactics, and I think they could even be considered eco-terrorists. However, the show is pretty great. I can't wait to see what happens next, and the drama and excitement is genuine, and not manufactured like in most reality or documentary shows. Check out this quick preview:


Seriously, it is as exciting as it looks, I promise. Also, if you get a chance and want to learn more, check out the website by clicking here. And make sure you watch it on Friday!

I have to say I have been impressed with Animal Planet lately (and not just cause I got to see Whale Wars early, although that helps). They have began to make shows that are about people and their relationships to animals, instead of just being animal documentaries. With Grizzly Man Diaries, Living with the Wolfman, and now Whale Wars, we get to see unique people with unique relationships to animals and the world around them. Keep it up Animal Planet!

I Voted...

Did you? If not, you better get out there. This is an incredibly important election and as a (semi-)non-partisan blog I say get out there and vote, no matter who it's for. You owe it to all those who came before us. And that ends this special election message. More pop culture tomorrow.

Iron Jawed Angels

This weekend we decided to get all civic-minded, so we got HBO's Iron Jawed Angels. This movie is all about the women's suffrage movement in the 1910s. It stars Hilary Swank as Alice Paul and Frances O'Connor as Lucy Burns. These women were strong independent women when strong, independent women were considered hysterical or mentally ill.

It is amazing to see what these women went through to get a constitutional amendment passed. You see, they didn't want it to be an issue left to the states, they wanted more than that. And to get a constitutional amedment passed, they had to turn away from the old guard women in the suffrage movement and start their own political party. This means they not only went against established social norms and the men in power, but also against their own leadership.

Soon after splitting off, they begin to picket the White House. They decide to keep up this picket line even after the US enters WWI. They are picketing a war time president, which is "akin to treason." (Oh how things have changed.) They are soon arrested for obstructing traffic and over 200 women are thrown into prison. There they are tortured and even forcefed after they begin a hunger strike. We get to watch eight years of these womens' lives and it is really great to watch.

The really interesting thing is that this movie doesn't play like an historical drama, but like a modern film. The soundtrack is made up of modern pop songs and the women act with modern sensibilities (probably even more than they really did). However, this really worked to the film's advantage because it helps viewers to truly relate to the women in the movement. These aren't historical characters, they are just like us (or, like the female version of us, right Mrs Titan?).

This was a great film to watch right before the election and it should make us all proud that we now have universal suffrage, and even women in serious contention for the top offices. If you're a woman, you owe it to yourself to check this one out, and if you're a man, you definitely need to watch this to appreciate this country.

Happy Halloween!

Have a Mario-rific Halloween! Be safe and eat lots of candy! See you on Monday!

Courtesy of Walyou

Rollback

Rollback by Robert J Sawyer is one of the first sci fi books I have read in a while. It's set in 2048 and follows a couple in their old age. Don and Sarah Halifax are celebrating their 60th anniversary when they get a phone call. It's a grad student calling to tell Sarah that there has been a response. You see, in 2009 Sarah was a member of SETI and they received a message from Sigma Draconis. Sarah decoded it and sent the official response. A dialog has been started.

The message back from the Draconians spurs the interest of a billionaire who feels that Sarah is key in decoding the second response, which has an additional layer of encryption. He offers her a new procedure, a rollback. The rollback is intended to rejuvenate the elderly and essentially de-ages people. It is incredibly expensive and only the richest of the rich can get the procedure. Sarah agrees on one condition: that Don can get one too. The billionaire reluctantly agrees.

The book then continues in a series of real-time events and flashbacks. We get to see Don and Sarah as their relationship grew. Soon we realize, however, that the rollback worked on Don, but not on Sarah. He becomes physically 25 and she remains 87. This is where the book splits into what are essentially two different sci fi stories that are interconnected.

The first follows Don. How does a man who is physically 25, but mentally almost 90 get by in the world? He has no employable skills as he has been retired for over 20 years and has a hard time even understanding youth culture. The second relates to the alien contact and decoding another message. Both are very interesting, but combined, they create one key flaw. The relationship between Don and Sarah that is so important to the book is sort of dropped temporarily and then picked up again later. I think I would have enjoyed it more if they had been separated chronologically in the book.

I really liked Sawyer's writing. It was very easy to care for the characters, they were some of the most relate-able I have read in recent memory. I also really enjoyed the inclusion real history, pop culture (duh), and products. This really helped to ground the story in reality. It was also quite Canadian, which I enjoy, even if I didn't understand all of the details (Who was the Prime Minister when you were born? Yeah, thought so).

All-in-all this was a very enjoyable book. One of the two story components had a very predictable ending and the other had quite a unique twist. I was able to finish it in just a little more than a week and occasionally had a hard time putting it down. Check this one out! You won't be disappointed.

It Was Funny Sixteen Years Ago...Right?

Can you name a few timeless TV shows? I think, of thinks like I Love Lucy, Mr Ed, and even Star Trek as timeless shows. These are shows that you can appreciate even now, years after they were created. These are the classics, the shows that everyone knows about and many people love.

Well, Mrs Titan and I recently came across a show that was way more topical than anything I can think of in recent memory. We wanted something to replace 3rd Rock From the Sun so we went for The Ben Stiller Show.


Every skit in the first episode was like a time capsule of the early nineties. There were U2 jokes (and not about the charity stuff), Calvin Klein cologne skits, and other bizarre flashy colors, akin to the opening theme of Fresh Prince. It wasn't bad comedy, it was just hard to find too funny.

I had fun seeing a young Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Bob Odenkirk, and Jeneane Garofalo (back when I thought she was funny), but this fun just wasn't enough to watch more than the first episode. Half of the references and jokes made no sense to me (I was only 10 when this first aired), so that was it. We quit after only one episode.


If you love the nineties and long for very out of date jokes, then check out this show, you will love it. If not, skip it. I'll be watching sketch comedy made this century (well, or SNL or Kids in the Hall or Monty Python...huh...)

Showcase Presents Superman: Part 12

This is the twelfth of numerous posts on Showcase Presents: Superman. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the stories.Now, this won't be like most comic blogs with scanned pictures posted throughout. Mostly because I don't have a scanner, but the stories should speak for themselves, but also because I want to go through the whole book in the next few weeks, and I want non-comics readers to enjoy the kookiness that us comics readers understand from the Silver Age. While I may mock these stories, I am not making anything up, this is all straight from the comics! While I may mock, I love these stories and the character of Superman. This is great stuff! The cover scans are from the Grand Comic Book Database.

Action Comics # 247

"Superman's Lost Parents"

Long Story Short: "Superman can never be happy and never be reunited with either of his sets of parents."

For once this story starts in Clark's apartment instead of at the Daily Planet. Clark is reading a paper in his apartment when his adoptive parents Ma and Pa Kent, long thought dead, appear in a bubble, right outside his window. They tell a story about how they were sent from the past into the future (while little Clark was at school).

He decides to talk them to his Fortress of Solitude where he shows off by riding a dinosaur, playing tug-a-war with a dozen "atomic-powered robots," and his creepy lifelike dioramas (seriously!). He then takes them back to his apartment for dinner, when Lois shows up! They scare her away so Superman can save the day and as soon as he takes off...

...Well, it turns out they aren't really Ma and Pa Kent, but Millicent and Cedric, a couple of crooks who have to recap everything with a tiny pen projector as soon as Clark is gone. They found out his secret identity so that they can sell his secret to the underworld. They quickly trick Superman into getting them some kryptonite so that they can make an antidote. They then roll away in their bubble, right behind Clark's back (again, seriously!).

They then blackmail Superman repeatedly so that he will bring them things. You know, like ancient artifacts. Anyway, Millicent takes off to buy some mink coats, so Superman moves in with his plan! A Ma Kent robot that super-hypnotizes Cedric and a Pa Kent version for Millicent. He then returns all of the stolen goods and mopes. Poor sad Superman.

The Squid and the Whale

What happens when you are a selfish parent? When everything you screw up is your kid or your spouse's fault? Well, The Squid and the Whale is about the most dysfunctional family ever, with two parents, played by Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney, who are the most selfish people ever.

They are both literature professors who compete between themselves for their kids attention and for literary greatness. These are the "academic elite," where something is only good if it is "dense" and hard to understand. They teach their children only to value "dense" academia, and not follow any other goals. It is a sad thing to see.

The parents split up early in the film,and everything ultimately becomes a competition. Which kid wants to be with dad and which with mom? The kids are messed up as well, with neither of them being able to function socially.

This is ultimately a hard movie to watch, there are many awkward, and real-seeming, moments. It was really interesting to see, I think both Mrs Titan and I enjoyed parts of it and were glad to have seen it, but will never want to watch it again. It was just a little to quirky and out there for us. If you want a quirky and weird movie, check this out, but be prepared to be grossed-out and saddened.