I probably will talk myself into blowing money on the DVD pledge level, because, you know, DVD. Luckily, the last thing I pledged for flopped, so that money is still available

What's the Tom Lehrer line?
"It's people like that who make you realize how little you've accomplished. For example, it's a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years."

Life is ambiguous and often doesn't end satisfactorily. I do agree that artists that try to mimic that do so at the peril of annoying their audience.

The police detective is playing the same role he had in an earlier Lang film, intensionally leading viewers at the time to think the story was going one way instead of where it eventually did.

I saw a report today that the BBC is doing a TV movie about the creation of Doctor Who. Great idea, the story of how something that wacky got on the air is a good one. But, here's the thing. They're going to be casting actors to play the roles of the original cast. The Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara. So... wouldn't it be a shame to have that, and NOT do a multi-Doctor episode of the current series? Think of the FUN they could have! Hell, if you REALLY want to tie up loose ends, have Susan in fact be the current Doctor's Granddaughter, and he leaves her with his original self!

(I so want the show, at some point, to deal with the whole Susan thing. You'd think the Doctor would have bumped into her again some time other than the 5 Doctors...)

I'm used to them coming out later and later, so it wasn't until Tuesday was past that I considered it past due

Well, kind of. People, once they're adults, aren't really living longer. That is, once you get to 30, you'll probably live about as long as someone a hundred years ago would have, maybe a year or three longer. The real change is more babies are living to adulthood. (and, probably, the last few years of life not being as horrible as they used to be)

The competition between the two prototypes for that fighter helped give us the incredible anime movie version of Macross Plus, though, so it was totally worth it.

Apart from the obvious that Spielberg didn't write the thing (he had the general concept, while Harrison Ford's future wife did the script)

Expectations change based on context.

For example, when watching 80's TV anime I know there will be animation mistakes. Something will change color for a frame or two. A cel won't be aligned properly. No problem. It's part of the charm. But, let's say I then put in Disney's Rescuers Down Under. Great film, underrated. But, in the middle, TWICE there's major animation errors. First the eagle feather is on the wrong cel layer in the nest for a few frames, then later it shows up in the bad guys hat before he puts it there.

Now, it's the same problem in both cases. But, the difference is, the second is a fucking DISNEY movie! You expect BETTER from them! What is fine in one place, is inexcusable in another.

The adaptation of Year One was disappointing, but yeah, I hope this is good. WB keeps making them change the cast for each direct to video movie, so they can have stunt casting. I'm not sure Conroy would be right for this particular Batman, though. Not that I wouldn't want to hear his take on it

If it has judges to determine a winner, it's a popularity contest, not a sport.

I enjoyed the episode for the seeming theme, "if you don't have to pay and don't care if you see anything, Comic-Con is great!" As neither would be true for me, I think I'll avoid it

Regarding the Torgo sighting, for those that don't know Rifftrax is doing a live riff of Manos: The Hand of Fate on August 16th. Check to see if your local theater is showing it.