SDCC - Shilling To The Small Screen

SDCC - Shilling To The Small Screen

Look out Comic Con, cause I'm a-coming! Maybe I'll even bring a water jet pack...



I have to say as a nerd, that's a bit strange to ride on a water jet pack, but it's oh so fitting of a clip to show. Especially since it was broadcast originally on the local news. Basically the small screen - that's what seems to have taken over Comic Con this year.

Forget about big Hollywood showing up to con this year. The middle of July is just not the best time for Hollywood. Mainly because it's way too early for next year's tent pole pieces that are more than likely barely getting filmed right now and have nothing really prepared to show. And it's far too late for this years summer blockbuster films. As they have mostly already been debuted.

And while Big Hollywood may not find it the perfect time to shill its production on the consumer, the small Hollywood, as in the small screen, has no problem in taking advantage of the 130,000 nerds, dweebs, geeks, gleeks, twi-heads, trekkies, brown coats that attend this always growing convention.

And it really makes perfect sense to. While it's not great for film studios to preach to the converted, as was seen by Scott Pilgrims box office failure, the middle of July is perfect timing for Television that will be premiering or coming back in the fall to generate some buzz. And even though the television studios are bringing a good 70 or so shows, Bones won't be one of them with a Panel...



Yeah, that's odd, isn't it? They had a panel set to go but Emily and David couldn't make it. Welp. But even though they got axed, it does go to show you that 20th Century Fox loves themselves some Comic con. Especially because of the buzz it creates for the fall line up. It has been really good for the television studio.

A staple booth for comic con in the past few years has been the Warner Brothers booth. And while they have never brought Nolan's Dark Knight franchise to comic con, you better believe that they have promoted the hell out of their televisions shows in the form of turning everyone into walking billboards. And you better believe I'm gonna me a WB comic con bag!

BURBANK, Calif. (July 12, 2011) — The dynamic duo of Warner Bros. Entertainment and Comic-Con have renewed their powerful alliance for 2011, and the Studio will once again serve as sponsor of the Comic-Con International: San Diego Official Bag.

Fans Checking in at Comic-Con to Receive a Collectible Bag Designed by the
Studio, Highlighting One of the Following 10 Titles:
“The Big Bang Theory,”
“Fringe,”
“Supernatural,”
“The Vampire Diaries,”
“Green Lantern: The Animated Series,”
“The Looney Tunes Show,”
“ThunderCats,”
“Batman: Arkham City,”
“LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5–7”
and “Justice League”

More than 130,000 of the signature, oversized (24”x28”) bags — dubbed the Con’s “ubiquitous accessory” by Entertainment Weekly — have been produced, and will be available to fans attending Comic-Con upon checking in throughout the five days of the convention, including Preview Night.

For the first time, the 2011 edition of the bag converts into a backpack, making it as cool as ever — and even more functional! (And, yes, the protective poster tube remains intact.

It really is the best thing about the Warner Brothers booth and all the movie studio booths around them. That bag gets people lining up like crazy. But when you're at a convention of this size, you really do sort of need some sort of large bag to carry all of the swag you're picking up. Even if it's just going to be thrown away and the whole purpose of it is just a cheap excuse to turn you into a walking billboard for whatever shitty project they are working on happens to be.

So why nothing for Marvel? Well, there's some speculation that Disney/Paramount pulled out because Disney wants to hold out for any announcements in the Marvel department for their own D23 Expo in August.

Though I wouldn't rule everything off the table for Comic con by marvel. Look at what already has hit the streets of the Gaslamp district.



And here you thought Marvel wasn't going to show up to Comic Con. For shame. That advertisement alone has me sold a little. I mean, I was sort of on board when I heard the guys from Crank were doing Ghost Rider, but those posters are pretty bad ass.

Something odd this year for comic con is that they are really encouraging people not to shower. It seems that when you pick up your badge, they will also give you a wristband to wear. In order to get into the building, you need to be waring both the badge and a wristband.

If you have a 4 day badge, you are expected to wear that single wristband for the 4 days. If you have individual day passes, you get a new wristband for that day. The wristbands are waterproof, but it's to crack down on people borrowing passes.



I'm guessing that they're like those concert wristbands used to denote your age. Those are typically durable and I've worn them for up to 24 hours, but to keep it on for 4-5 days? Really? Waterproof or not, it's bound to get fairly tattered and funky. I assume by Saturday people will have theirs held together by tape.

Seems pretty stupid if you ask me. I hate hand wrist bands. I really do. I see no point in all this. In fact, I think that Comic Con should probably worry less about people reselling the passes they paid for and worry more about making the process of getting tickets easier. How about using that money to put towards increasing the capacity of Comic Con international? You know, so you can allow more people to be in there.

So yeah.. I suppose there's nothing left to say than see you there!

SDCC 2011 - DC's Blood In the Streets Thursday

SDCC 2011 - DC's Blood In the Streets Thursday

Last year some religious nuts went to comic con and people ironically protested their stupid protest. Something along the lines of comic con is a tool of the devil and every nerd is going straight to hell.

This year people are actually going to seriously protest DC for what they plan on doing to their entire comic franchise. In that switching them up. But even though DC Comics is getting some negative reaction, they're still going to be rolling into San Diego strong with a huge schedule of panels lined up. So if you're going to San Diego, you probably don't want to miss the DC Panels on Thursday..

Thursday, July 21

11:30-12:30 DC: Flashpoint
Moderator: Bob Wayne EDITOR: Eddie Berganza
Everything you know will change in a Flash! Flashpoint, the blockbuster comics event of the summer, has turned the DC Universe inside out! Join DCU Executive Editor, Eddie Berganza, and some of the amazing talent behind Flashpoint, for a panel that’s sure to pose new questions about this explosive event even as it answers others! Room 6DE

1:00-2:00 DC Direct
Moderator: Bob Wayne EDITOR: Jim Fletcher
DC Direct has long been known as one of the most creative companies that produce collectibles for the direct market. Come and join DC Direct Director of Product Development Jim Fletcher and artist Adam Hughes, along with DC exclusive sculptors, and more, as they discuss their line of current projects, as well as the future plans revolving around the new DC Universe! Room 5AB

2:00-3:00 DC Comics – The New 52
Moderator: Eddie Berganza
The DC Universe explodes in September with 52 new number one issues and one panel is not enough to cover it! With a ‘DC Comics – The New 52’ panel each day, there’s sure to be something for everyone! Join Bob Harras, DC’s Editor-in-Chief, and DCU Executive Editor, Eddie Berganza, for an up-close look at this unprecedented wave of new series, from the first-ever re-launches of Action Comics and Batman titles to the latest thrills from comics’ cutting-edge! Join Bob, Eddie and some of the industry’s top writers and artists as we make history together. Room 6DE

3:15-4:15 DC: Batman
Moderator: John Cunningham EDITOR: Mike Marts
Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batwoman and the rest of Gotham City’s greatest crimefighters take things to the next level in September with new battles and new titles! Now, get to know the writers and artists behind these exciting new comics, including Batman Group Editor Mike Marts, Grant Morrison (Batman Incorporated), David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight), Scott Snyder (Detective Comics), Peter Tomasi (Batman & Robin) Patrick Gleason (Batman & Robin), Gail Simone (Batgirl), Judd Winick (Batwing, Catwoman) and others answer your questions at this exclusive Bat-panel! Room 6DE

5:45-6:45 Vertigo Editorial
Moderator: Karen Berger/John Cunningham
They come from the cutting edge of comics… and Vertigo has never been edgier, with thought-provoking titles from some of comics’ most acclaimed creators. Don’t miss this panel featuring Bill Willingham (Fables) Scott Snyder (American Vampire), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth) Michael Allred (iZombie), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Les Klinger (Annotated Sandman), Rebecca Guay (A Flight of Angels), Colleen Doran (Gone to Amerikay), and many others – this is your opportunity to learn more about the entire Vertigo line! Hosted by Vertigo Executive Editor Karen Berger. Room 6DE

How the fuck... I mean, that's going to be one tough crowd. Just imagine how bad that is going to be. It's non-stop DC panels from 11:30 to 4:15, and you know that's going to be a brutal crowd.

If people are going to be setting up protest against DC's biggest moves and shake up's in their comics outside, what do you think will be the reaction throughout these panels?

It's really going to be a tough crowd. I mean, you're not going to be able to get into that room between panels. Everyone will be attached to their seats to see how much nerd bitching will be happening in there.

Let's just say that there's going to be a lot of people who wish that they were a fly in the room for that whole blood bath.

Obama Says The Darndist Things

Obama Says The Darndist Things

Later today President Obama will be making a personal announcement in Rose Garden. Well, that's according to NBC News. And while I was going to write a long piece about how the 405 closure was so not an issue in the L.A. traffic scene and how we're morons for feeding into the hype, let's take some time to speculate about the announcement before it gets leaked out.

But before that, my first question is why the rose garden? Why can't he do it from an aircraft carrier like the last president did when expressing empty promises and worthless lies. Anyhow, on to the speculations. He's probably going to open up with this:

"The revolution begins now. destroy capitalism"
-Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack H. Obama, opening fire onto the press.

Though it's much more likely that he'll surprise us with the news that we're invading someone else. Or maybe he's finally going to spend all the political capital he's been building up and saving under the mattress.

Because really, announcing that we are putting ground troops in Libya would probably be the most grunt inducing news possible. Though it's probably just going to be yet another boring talk about the debt ceiling that leads to nowhere.

Probably something along the lines of "In the spirit of bipartisan compromise" with him burying poor people alive in a massive pit in Kansas. Because that wouldn't surprise me.

Nor would it surprise me if he just passed legislation that outlaws Russia from existing. The bombing begins in five minutes.

But wait, this was suppose to be a personal message. Maybe Michelle is preggers!? Sasha's knocked up? No, that's just wrong. Maybe he'll respond to Charlie Sheen...



He's probably going to walk towards the camera, clear his throat and look straight into the lens, seemingly staring into the soul of each and every citizen watching and announce

"My fellow Americans," he begins, and in one swift motion he grabs his chin, tears his face off, and flings it aside. But what he has revealed underneath is not a skull of a human - It is the cackling face of Ronald Reagan.

Okay, that's what my worse nightmare is.. oh wait, that's reality. Maybe he'll just go ahead and apologize for the crimes of the imperialist states of America and do something strange like kill himself live on camera.

Or he could just get to the podium and start screaming until he's led away by secret service. Either of the options would make him look as sane as he currently does.

You want to really find out what he's going to say? Look no forward. This is exactly what he will be saying in front of the camera.

The Closures, They're Folding

The Closures, They're Folding

In a really strange turn of events, it seems that home foreclosures are on a downward trend lately..



Very strange, don't you think? So what's the story behind all this? Here's your pro-read of the day:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Foreclosure filings fell dramatically during the first half of the year as processing delays at the banks, which are strapped with excess inventory of repossessed homes, continued to skew the numbers -- and falsely raise hopes that the housing market is staging a recovery.

Foreclosure filings plunged 29% compared with the same period a year ago and were down 25% from the last six months of 2010, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties.

Through June 30, 1.2 million U.S. homeowners -- or one in every 111 households -- received a foreclosure filing, according to RealtyTrac.

The deceleration in defaults continued as the year wore on with second quarter filings -- at 608,235 households -- marking the lowest quarterly total since the end of 2007, when the mortgage meltdown was still in its youth.

Squatter nation: 5 years with no mortgage payments

RealtyTrac's CEO, James Saccacio, sounded a sour note, however, contending that the drop-off in filings can be traced not to economic improvement or a pick-up in the housing market, but to processing delays brought on by the robo-signing scandal in which it was discovered that bank employees were signing foreclosure documents without following proper protocols.

"[That's what is] pushing foreclosures further and further out -- we estimate that as many as 1 million foreclosure actions that should have taken place in 2011 will now happen in 2012, or perhaps even later," Saccacio said.

As a result, it will only prolong the housing slump, he said.

Housing prices: No rebound in sight

"This casts an ominous shadow over the housing market where recovery is unlikely to happen until the current and forthcoming inventory of distressed properties can be whittled down to a manageable number," said Saccacio.

Evidence of delays

In the past, banks acted rapidly, often sending out notice of default a few weeks after not receiving a check. These days, they wait much longer, according to Rick Sharga, a spokesman for RealtyTrac.

This is partially due to the fact that banks are already saddled with a large number of repossessed homes and aren't eager to take on more. Following the robo-signing scandal, banks are also taking longer to process foreclosures that are filed to make sure they are done legally. [ed: good, you fuckers]

The average time to process a foreclosure -- from the initial notice to the final sheriff's or trustee's sale -- rose to 318 days in the second quarter, up nearly 7% from 298 in the first quarter and 15% year-over-year, according to RealtyTrac.

In New York, the process now takes an average of 966 days -- or more than two and half years. In New Jersey, it's 944; and in Florida, 676. The Great Shit Wastes is quickest out the door with a scant 92 days, followed by Virginia at 106.

Due to this slowdown, the number of homes that were repossessed by the banks has been declining, too. During the second quarter, a total of 203,876 homes were taken back, down 5% from the 215,046 recorded in the first three months of the year.

Even initial filings, the notices of default banks send borrowers who start to miss payments, are being delayed.

In California, RealtyTrac found the average amount of missed payments documented in notices of default had jumped to $70,000 in 2011, up from $17,000 in 2007.

Sharga believes the disparity is not due to an increase in loan value, which was only 10% to 15% higher in 2011, but because the initial foreclosure filings come at a much later stage of default, when many more monthly payments had been missed.

Delaying the inevitable

Ultimately, the artificial foreclosure delays are prolonging the housing market's ills, said Arnold Kling, an economist with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and formerly with Freddie Mac.

"The government should be trying to speed foreclosures, not stop them," he said. "Postponing foreclosures may simply be putting off the inevitable market bottom. We need to remove barriers to foreclosures."

In fact, he believes the litany of government foreclosure prevention programs are doing more harm than good.

"Instead of housing returning to somewhat normal condition by 2014, we're looking at 2015 or even 2016," he said.

Would you look at that, a whole nation of empty homes while the number of homeless, desperate and poor continues to increase. If this isn't a random happenstance then I don't know what is. Maybe we need to put those two stats together and make it work.

What surprises me the most.. and this is just strange and makes me wonder if I'm reading it correctly, but if I am, then just under 1% of American homeowners were foreclosed upon in the month of June.

Through June 30, 1.2 million U.S. homeowners -- or one in every 111 households -- received a foreclosure filing, according to RealtyTrac.

Yeah, that does seem to be what the article is saying. Of course it's poorly written, so I think what it intends to say is that 1.2 million foreclosures happened in total through the current year, not in just June.

And considering that this is during a slow spot in foreclosures, I wonder what the total percentage is since 2008. Please, nobody tell me. I'm not sure if I feel like drinking myself to death today.

No wait. I'm sure I wouldn't drink myself to anything because of the news. Maybe at one time I would have been shocked or angry by all this. And then for a while I just would have laughed at all this in an attempt to try to cover up the tears and crushing depression it would have caused, but now I have very little to no response to all this.

Why are you acting surprised? We all eventually face outrage burnout. It happens. We just cope in different ways. Some try to get re-assured amongst the other people they talk to. You may even laugh it off and stare at a wall for a few seconds as you let it all sink in.

But to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't be surprised by anything anymore. Like, if I found out that those millions in jails were actually in mass graves, I'd be "Yeah, that makes sense." I'm not sure if it's turning me into a monster, or if it's just me not giving a shit about humanity anymore.

Well no. strike that. This shit is not turning you into a monster, it's simply destroying your ability to see the boundaries where most people think they exist. Mainly because they don't actually exist there. Just a few years ago the whole concept of things like high frequency trading was a foreign concept. Now it's just something you joke around about. I may sound callous, but I sort of have to have those small awkward pauses during which we all mutter "Fuck the world". It's basically just a way to cope with all this bullshit.

What is really fucked up and again, funny, is that the mortgage situation is so fucked, that we're going to eventually end up having to reset the whole notion of lockean property rights.

This whole notion of the American version of resetting property right is continually increasing the span of time in which nobody's paying for the property. Nobody can figure out who legally owns it and thus nobody maintains it and if someone decides to squat on it, they'll be shot several dozen times by a privatized paramilitary swat team made up of dropout speed freaks hired by judges who are taking kick backs from the nobody listed above with the most money.

It's all about real estate horse shit on top of banks getting into the business of slum lording. It's only a matter of time before this shit is going to explode. I give it at most a year. And while I'm not sure if this is the case for most people, it's the case for everyone who's probably reading this. Especially as we get to see more and more of the world and you just see the grim reality of it all.

I hate to break it to you, but that's the damn truth there. I guess my advice would be to squat in homes, plant landmines in the yards and call the cops on yourself. I know what you're thinking, now that the swat helicopters are after you what then?

Simple. You hijack a hummer and take the side streets until you lose a few stars.

One Last Friday Night Lights

One Last Friday Night Lights

Last night NBC finally caught up with DirecTV and aired the final episode of Friday Night Lights. Watching it cause I didn't make it to see the other franchise that is ending in the big screens had me with nothing else to see. Man, how that was a great series as well as a great season finale.

So here's the article I wrote a bit back about it.

For me Football didn't end on Sunday with the Superbowl. No sir, I didn't even care about the players, teams or anything behind the scenes of that four hour block of commercials.

For me, Football ended on Wednesday night when the 101 network aired Friday Night Light's 5th season and series finale. How could you not have been invested in this show with such a great season so far leading up to the final State Championship game.



It's really amazing that we even got to five seasons of this show. After the first season the ratings weren't all that great but they still allowed a second season to go on.The quality of that one seemed to dip a little as they were trying to appeal to the more CW audience and then the writers strike happened.

NBC was going to let it die but then they struck a deal with DirecTV who would share the cost in order to get first run episodes on their 101 network in what should, by all account, have been their last season. The third season was even looking like a proper way to end it. I was more than happy to let it go at that point as getting two more seasons was icing on the cake before they threw a curve ball of an ending at us.

Then DirecTV came back happy with the deal and ordered two more seasons and here we are now with what is a completed story for what can be considered one of the best television shows that has been made.

I'm ranking that up with Six Feet Under, The Wire and any other highly praised show that you probably didn't watch. It's really that good. The acting is amazing and aside from a few story arcs in season 2, it didn't lose itself in terms of quality throughout the whole series.



If you haven't seen this show, I would suggest going out and renting it. You don't have to like football. Hell, I didn't care for the sport at all, but this show is so much more than just football. You'll actually care about these characters from a small Texas community.

The dvd for the 5th season comes out on April 5th. The 5th season starts on NBC on April 15th. It's pretty clear that they don't give a shit about the ratings. They're letting it air and that's all that really matters. Though, to be honest the real way to see it after it started on the 101 network was exactly on that.



For some reason NBC felt the need to change some of the music and they cut out a lot of it. The music itself was just one of the best things of the show. It seemed like they always knew the perfect song to go with the scene to just heighten the whole scene so well.

So with that, it's time to say goodbye to one of the best shows that ever was and that got to finish its story.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

I really can't stress how amazing this show was and how much I loved it. If you liked any of it, perhaps a nice little behind the scenes thing would be how they got the actors together:

This is well worth reading..

Linda Lowy (casting director): Pete and I talked a lot about who was going to play Coach Taylor. He had ideas for people who were Billy Bob Thornton-like. Kyle Chandler couldn't be less like Billy Bob Thornton.

Berg: I said, "Kyle Chandler?" I only knew him from [late-'90s CBS drama] Early Edition. I was not a fan of that show, and I was not a fan of Kyle Chandler.

Aubrey: I think Pete was concerned that Kyle was too pretty. But a couple weeks later, Pete met him for lunch.

Berg: He rode up on a motorcycle. He'd been drinking for two days with his buddies. He had a beard and bags under his eyes. He was clearly hung-over as shit. I was really surprised, because I remembered him as this fresh-faced, boyish, charming young man. And here he was looking like one of the Baldwin brothers after a hard weekend.

Kyle Chandler (Coach Eric Taylor): Pete said, "Kyle, what the hell's wrong with you?" I said, "I apologize. I was out with my friends." We had been consuming a considerable amount of alcohol, smoking cigars, and playing poker. I'd been up all night.

Berg: He looked like a mess, and I just said, "You look like a Texas high school football coach!"

Chandler: He said, "Whatever you did last night, I want you to do that every night. I want you to look exactly the same you do right now when you do the show." A big Cheshire Cat grin came across my face, because I envisioned telling my wife that that was part of the job.

If that doesn't make you a fan of Kyle Chandler, I don't know what will. Goodbye Friday Night Lights. You were an amazing show that I'm got got to go out the way it wanted to.

Good Night, And Good Luck

Good Night, And Good Luck

Here's hoping that you hugged and kissed your friends who live on the West side of Los Angeles goodbye. For the next two days they will be on their own. They will be completely in the dark. They will be consumed by Carmageddon.

Like any Hollywood film about impending doom, we need a pussy leader to calm the masses. So here's our worthless mayor who is the only person I am glad was hit by a car on a bicycle.



As you can see, this weekend will see the end of the west side. No longer will you have beautiful Santa Monica to get harassed by the cops. No longer will UCLA students be able to.. well, to be Asian. I guess. I'm not sure.

Maybe they can use this as an excuse as to why West Wood is a ghost town at night. Right this moment they are starting to close down the on-ramps to the 405 between the 10 and the 110. Right now, if you're still on the West side of town... well, I hope you brought rations and I hope you have found shelter. Because I'm pretty sure you're hearing the sirens and last call to escape alarms going off.

My suggestion to anyone on the west side - Just grab yourself a Popov straight from the nearest CVS that hasn't been looted for all it was worth and drink it straight from the plastic pint bottle. All while sitting under the light of a single bare bulb.

Why am I so mean to the west side on this one? Because of The Daily Truffle basically did a bit of a rant saying good riddance to all of the outsiders.

Since I was a young girl forced to carpool at John Thomas Dye, since my favorite tanning hole on Bellagio Road was rendered useless by 405 traffic noise and pollution, since the prices of homes in Bel Air plummeted because of said freeway hauling in the world, since housing developments appeared up and down the Mullholland overpass (a development is a development even if it has a golf course), since I started having to outrun GP in my earliest of club days, I have been waiting for this day.

Like, fuck these assholes. Whatever, let them deal with gaining tax dollars from visitors again with this sort of attitude. Then again, it is on the boarder of Santa Monica, so I shouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

So what is traffic going to look like? Who knows, but enjoy this trippy show of traffic problems on a normal day..



One thing that I wish did happen would be to use the highway as an extended bike riding path. In fact, the good folks of Los Angeles did ask for permission for such an act. They requested permission to hold a block party on the Santa Monica Blvd. off ramp and to take a joy ride on their bikes over the hill, but all of those ideas were tossed out. Only to be followed by a stern warning that they were going to fuck you if you tried such a thing.

...anyone who thinks it would be fun to have a impromtu block party worthy of a beer commercial or zip their bike or skateboard down the freeway should expect "a swift and certain police response," [said LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith].

I have to say, you're no fun, Los Angeles. You make us deal with a closed down highway for a weekend and you don't let us fuck around on it? Well piss off, you no fun having mother fuckers!

Either way, I don't know where I was going with this other than to suggest that you tuck your head between your legs and kiss your not-sitting-in-traffic ass goodbye.

Harry Potter - More of My Ranting

Harry Potter - And The Deathly Boring Ranting

Hey, don't blame me that I decided to spread my rambling on to another blog post on this subject. I got the idea directly from the movie. Sadly though, I think more of the books should have had the two film treatment.

To be honest, half of the last book was complete and utter trash. Okay, a little more than half of it. I would probably read the parallel story to Ron/Hermione/Harry on a scavenger hunt that lead to nowhere, in which it would take place during that time with Nevile and Ginny stuck fighting a guerrilla war at Hogwarts.

In fact, this is exactly what everyone I know who has read the 7th book has said. Just picture it. Neville all stalking the halls of Hogwarts, killing dudes and then carving the dark marks off of their arm and forging a grotesque necklace out of the flaps of skin, a wooden canister at his waist full of the wands of those he has bested that he just plays like a shaker as he stalks his prey from the shadows.

Tell me that would not be shit loads better than having to deal with Ron, Hermione and Harry bitch and moan to each other while being completely fucking lost in the fucking forest.



It does seem very unlikely that the evil wizards could ever conquer the whole world because there's like 30 of them and their best attack spell is slightly better than a medium-caliber handgun. Which also brings up a good point. What the fuck are the rest of the wizards doing? There's clearly at least several thousands of them in England alone vs. a couple dozen dudes. Most of whom are barely a match for children.

And another thing, I never actually got the point of the curses. It's such a lame cop out. For the longest time the kids are told that these curses are unforgivable and can never be used for any reason, but then every character uses them constantly for the rest of the series. Even when they're used by the good guys they're all justified and forgiven. So... kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

It's also way too easy for anything. All you have to do is know how to wave a stick and mutter some fake Latin and you can pretty much make anything and then enchant it to do everything else. Like, somebody who isn't shitty at school could just grab a matchbox and turn it into a really rad truck an enchant it to fit an entire house then shrink the whole thing back to matchbook size and carry around their house full of stuff wherever they went.

orrrrrrrrrrrr you could spend a year learning Fera Verto, a spell that makes animals into water goblets.

Which I have to admit I never fully understood. You can't turn nothing into food, but you can make a rat a fucking Goblet? What the fuck kind of sense did any of that make? But you see, all of these are pretty justified reasons to pick at the franchise. As a fan it's only natural to critique it a bit.

I just find it funny that after all this negativity, I can still defend the films.. well, at least the franchise. Cause yeah.. the films were... well, they're the films alright. But to all those folks who keep on harping on how this is a kids book. Guess what, that was the case 12 years ago when it was released in 1999. Guess what age those 11 year old readers of the franchise are now?

Yeah, that's right. the majority of those kids that were young and got into Harry Potter are now doing upside down keg stands at your local university and are in their early to mid 20's.



So by discarding this franchise as something only for children, you pretty much have alienated yourself from a perfectly good pool of hot young women. Way to go there, champ.

It's the best choice a single guy can make towards getting a geek girlfriend. And hey, I hear being a geek isn't a bad word anymore.

But basically it's true. Being a geek, nerd or whatever towards something like Harry Potter or Star Wars just means you're normal and like pop culture type of things. Remember that the next time you meet some fan of the franchise and roll your eyes.

Besides, it's like you're stepping in time when you read Harry Potter. Especially since the HP stories take place in the 90's.

Yeah, that's right. The books take place in the 90's. Harry Potter started Hogwarts in 91, and he defeated Voldemort in 98. Oddly enough when the first book actually started coming out. And oddly enough when I graduated High School.

The 90's were also the last time period where magic makes any sense anyway. If you set Harry Potter in 2011, all the muggle born wizards would refuse to give up their internet and iPhones for this sort of whimsy magic bullshit.

And since this is potentially my last sort of rant on Harry Potter, I gotta say it again, Goblet of Fire is one of my least favorites of the Harry Potter films. It felt seriously rushed and has some really strange pacing issues. It starts off even stranger than you would expect. Harry waking up at the Weasley's house, then they are teleporting somewhere else before going into a tent. Then it jumps to the stadium and back to the tent all within moments. Then you have the explosion and death eaters are all around with Doctor Who making a cameo all before they are whisked away and on the train to Hogwarts.

Would it have killed you to add two minutes of the Quiddich World Cup? It may have helped convince the audience that it's an actual sport and not just dodgeball on broomsticks that magic students play.

The ending made no sense if you haven't read the book. Harry and Voldemort duel, some ghost show up and something happens. Later Harry ask Dumbledore what happened, he mumbles a line, doesn't explain anything and moves on. If you haven't read the books then I'm sure you would be wondering why ghost suddenly showed up.

Goblet of Fire could have used at least 20 more minutes tacked on to it. Hell, just split the movie into two parts, it really needed it. In fact, all the movies after the third could have used some more run time on their film rolls. I'm not sure why they were afraid of making a longer movie. People will still watch and there's a lot of stuff happening in them to keep kids entertained. It all comes down to wanting to have the most turn around for times played per day and how much you can make per day in box office take in's.

Though I'm really glad that Snape's back story is apparently getting its due. It's probably the best narrative the entire book has going for it. So to finally have the films catch up, that's good news.

And with that, Harry Potter comes out tomorrow... and that's that.