Saw it after work today. Fun. Not perfect, no, but fun. I was very amused at how simple the story was: guy wants to kill everyone on a planet. Why? Because. Moving on. No moral ambiguity.

I remember RDJ back when the first Iron Man movie came out that he thought he had a certain time frame, maybe 5 or 6 years, in which he thought he'd be young enough to play the character. I think the actors all signed five movie contracts, and with Avengers 2 that will be RDJ's final one with that deal. He may do more, he may not. Marvel has to be thinking long term, though.

Well, if it's real roleplaying then the "actors" don't know what's coming next, and are improving in character. The definition of "reality tv" has become very vague, probably intentionally.

I think this is where I'd have the advantage, as I honestly don't know what Bradley Cooper looks like. Or, to be more exact, I stopped paying attention to which person on screen had which name in the credits long ago. Too much work, and the new "stars" were only lasting a year or two anyway. Everyone, even those who get top billing, are a "that guy!" to me.

OK, about the Nazi compound. Why the hell did they think Hitler would need a HQ on the WEST coast? Can you imagine Germany trying to send a D-Day sized invasion force, plus all its supplies and re-enforcements, first TO the Pacific ocean, then across it? I think they just wanted a place to drink and bring their women.

I think the fact it was a Disney movie, back before Disney meant action film, had a lot to do with its failure. I know it kept me away. The trailer just looks... well, it screams TV movie I hadn't realized they changed the main female character. In the book, it's Betty Page, as the artist was one of those responsible for bringing her back into the spotlight in the early 80's. He was a pinup artist more than an illustrator, one reason there are so few Rocketeer comics by him. Jennifer Connelly is beautiful, but she's no Betty Page.

Bell in Buffalo developed early jetpacks. There was one at the Buffalo science museum awhile ago, which it seems is owned by the University of Buffalo. You can see it in action in the 70's kids TV series Ark II. Fun fact from the documentary on the Ark II DVDs: it only had around 30 seconds of fuel. When there was 10 seconds of flying time left, something started whacking you on the head telling you to get the fuck on the ground NOW. You didn't want to run out 100 feet up.

So... Phantom of the Paradise?

I've always been interested in seeing them try and adapt the actual book

I like tarot cards. They're no good for telling you anything about the future or other people, but ARE a way to figure out what you yourself are thinking. A meditation tool, in other words. As a teen, I had a theory that I was unconsciously stacking the deck as I shuffled, but that was just silly

(my "occult" phase didn't last long, as I found it was as silly as the religion I was leaving, but there are interesting things to be found)

The intent was to play him as a druggie without actually saying it (too keep the rating), but there may not be much difference between that and your theory

Jodorowsky's Dune

I won't speak to the technical side of this documentary, as it is your simple follow the story of the history of something with talking heads. However, that story is fascinating. It focuses on this rather crazy director who wanted to do a movie based on Dune without bothering to read the book. In fact, while someone obviously did indeed read it, Jodorowsky himself seems to have missed the actual message of the book, substituting his own. My sister commented that it seems the unmade movies tend to be more brilliant than the ones which make it onto film, and that seems to be the case here. I can't see the thing working, although it would have been a fascinating train wreck. If I have a criticism of the documentary, it is that there are no dissenting opinions. All interviewed love the director, although his son basically said he was abused a bit while "trained" to play Paul.

I will mention this quote, which takes something said on WAYDM in a slightly different direction:

"When you make a picture, you must not respect the novel. It's like you get married, no? You go with the wife, white, the woman is white... you take the woman, if you respect the woman, you will never have a child. You need to [makes a ripping sound] open the costume and to... To rape the bride. And then you will have your picture. I was raping Frank Herbert, raping, like this! But with love, with love."- Jodorowsky

Which makes Ben's fight in the Cantina all the more interesting.

Now, now. He's just saying we have to wipe out those damned natives who keep trying to drive us out of their homeland. Nothing wrong with that.