The Resurrection Clause

For those of you who were not apprised of the situation, note the following:

A former cult member has pleaded guilty to child abuse in the starvation death of her one-year-old son, but the plea includes a clause that charges against her should be dropped if he should rise from the dead.

You’d think there would be larger concerns if her son, two years dead, came back from the mysterious beyond.  Like maybe he’d be a little annoyed at being starved to death because he wouldn’t say “amen”.  And let’s face it, he probably wouldn’t smell too great, even if his corporeal form had been lovingly preserved in a roller suitcase using mothballs, dryer sheets, and Lysol.  There’s a product placement for you.  Lysol: keeps earthly shells fresh until the rapture.  It’s the best thing that’s happened to a major brand since grape Flavor-aid had a brief and short-lived boost in Jonestown, Guyana, or Nike was chosen as the official athletic shoe of the Heaven’s Gate Away Team.

Because Killing Entertainment is the Key

I understand that the sky is actually falling.  I’m not denying that we’ve screwed up our economy rather royally at this point.  But at what point are we cutting off our noses to spite our faces?

Today I was informed of two state of Kansas entertainment cuts; the first is the University of Kansas notifying employees via e-mail they were cutting $451,000 worth of ticket subsidies given to employees for athletic events and theater programs– they cite this as “saving eleven jobs”.  The second, the city of Pittsburg is cutting a 40 year old 4th of July celebration due to the $17,000 price tag– which the city says will save “a job”. 

Call me crazy, but aren’t these the sorts of events where people SPEND money?  People travel, buy refreshments, maybe even have to get a new set of clothes to get prepared for and participate in public social entertainment.  Entertainment is one of those difficult things that requires the existence of currency instead of simple trade and it has always thrived during economic downturns because people need / value escape.  Pittsburg residents are already attempting to solve their problem through private means, but I still have to ask: save a job today perhaps… but at what cost tomorrow?

The Beginning of the End: Good as It Ever Was

FUNimation had an official United States screening of the new “Rebuild” Evangelion movie, “You Are (Not) Alone” last night… and while I could not attend, I finally succame to less legal means of viewing the feature.  FUNi needn’t worry, though– they’ll still be getting my coin.

“Evangelion” remains “the” franchise.  Much has changed in the anime viewing landscape since I first encountered the franchise a decade ago, but there’s something timeless about the story of autistic children in an alternate future Japan using giant robots to fight the angels of Armaggedon.  Every character, even the whiney lead, holds an absolute and unwavering status as an icon.  The story has, and will continue, to impact lives with its rough-and-tumble emotional tale shrouded in ungraspable and vague religious mystery.  So the question with this “rebuild” franchise is whether or not this is a George Lucas punch to fond memories, or something that was a worthwhile endeavor.  For the first of the four feature films, I have to tip my hat with respect– it’s good.

Sure, there are things that are glossed over in the transition from six twenty-two-minute episodes into a ninety-eight-minute format.  But the decision to move as necessary from eye-popping frame-for-frame refreshing / reproduction to all-new (and no less eye-popping) transitions is damn near flawless.  The film moves at a mile a minute, but unlike some retellings (the surprisingly soulless “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” movie-versions come to mind) there is plenty of character introspection as well.

What stands out?  The animation quality is brilliant, and when coupled with the original timeless movements and poses, it only is more dramatic to those who have previously experienced the material.  The soundtrack is attention-grabbing; this time utilizing the London Symphony Orchestra to bring life to the haunting themes.  The film’s two truly new themes– “Angel of Doom” and ending song “Beautiful World” deserve special mention for blending flawlessly into the whole.  “Angel of Doom” in particular gave me goosebumps I couldn’t shake.  Those goosebumps were enhanced by this version of the story being “grander”– while the original was supposedly about mankind’s last efforts, it sure felt like mankind might just be thirty people living in an abandoned city, but that is no longer the case here.  Human beings are casualties of the ongoing destruction displayed, and the story is better for it.

The story makes no major diversions in this chapter, although the ending sniper operation feels very different because of the scale.  Throughout the film the creepy “living” element of the Evangelion mecha is toned down in what I must assume is an effort to conserve for later features.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, the unusual religious and supernatural elements surrounding the conflict are brought center stage near the film’s end via an unusual showcasing of Lilith and a brief cameo by everyone’s favorite “angelic” boy wonder.

With all of this said from the view of an unabashed otaku fanboy, I must say I think this would be a wonderful introduction to the tale for the completely unintiated.  My only caveat is that the film ends somewhat abruptly as to a “greater” resolution, and any new fan would be forced to wait such a long time to get the satisifaction of conclusion. That, and I hear they’re changing the last name of my dear Asuka in the next film along with other bigger changes, and that just might make me pissy. :P

For the time being, however, “You Are (Not) Alone” gets my highest recommendation– both for those of us who just need to get back to the emotional touchstone or those who are just curious what the fuss is about.

Dolphins are Assholes

For thousands of years, dolphins have been portrayed as benevolent helpers of humankind, protecting us from the cruel violence of the sea.  Today, dolphin devotees spend hundreds of dollars for twenty minutes in the water with one of these aquatic altruists.  There is a growing trend toward Dolphin-Assisted Therapy for everything from autism and depression to cancer.  Women who give birth in the ocean with dolphins present may expect an easing of birth trauma and an acceleration in the development of their babies.  

Okay, it’s reality check time.Read More »