Pop Culture Updates
Yay, Borat opens in South Africa today. Paul and I are doing something a little different and we’re going to the Saturday early morning show at Musgrave. That’s 9:15. Anyone is welcome to join us.
Other than that, on Saturday evening Paul and I are dressing up and going to the Durban Pops for a little bit of year-end culture. It’s an annual event at Durban City Hall where the KZN Philharmonic orchestra and guest singer and musicians perform extracts from popular operas, musicals, movie themes and assorted ‘safe’ pop songs that middle-aged whiteys with expanding waistlines love (Ricky Martin, Bette Midler etc.). No doubt we’ll be among the youngest people there, as usual.
Otherwise this weekend I’ll be tweaking my next GEAR column, due on Monday, and maybe (considering the weather is going to be miserable in Durban again this weekend) doing some miniature painting, drawing and reading.
I realise now I didn’t say anything about my ‘cultural’ exploits last weekend, and during this week. I finished reading the Nightwing/Huntress miniseries, written by Devin Grayson, and pencilled and inked by Greg Land and Bill Sienkiewicz. I’ll admit that after reading Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s 300, work by two genuine Artists, Nighwing/Huntress felt pretty flat.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with the atmospheric artwork and colouring, which went a long way towards reminding me why I’ve always preferred superheroes to traditional fantasy (the classically beautiful, muscled bodies).
The main storyline though seems to have plenty of gaps in it and character interactions are typically quite artificial and clichéd. There is some exploration of Nightwing’s psychology though which may please fans of Batman’s original, grown up ward, and I certainly found that aspect interesting. I think if you’re fans of the characters, and can actually appreciate a Batman-free Gotham, you’ll get more out of Nightwing/Huntress than a casual reader.
On Sunday evening, a new TV series debuted in MNET’s late night timeslot (formerly occupied by Rome). I was actually extremely impressed by the first episode of HBO drama series, Big Love, starring Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Harry Dean Stanton.
Essentially the series deals with a rather unusual suburban family – a man with 3 wives and 3 families living on the same property. You’d think that the series would give into all kinds of salaciousness, but the topic of polygamy is treated with surprising maturity, and insight. What is it like sharing the man you love, and constantly being in contact with your ‘rivals’? Is it possible to keep 3 women happy at the same time?
It really is a fascinating show, free of the forced kookiness of Weeds, as well as Desperate Housewives’ slapstick. Big Love is a refreshing change, and well worth following.
On Tuesday evening, Paul and I finally got around to watching Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. It’s utterly forgettable, but a decent few hours of amusing comedy. When discussing Will Ferrell movies, most things seem to automatically be compared to Anchorman, which fans rave about as something you enjoy the more times you see it. I’ve only seen Anchorman once, and wasn’t overwhelmed. Talladega Nights is a far more gratifying first-time experience, with some great small roles for Molly Shannon and Gary Cole, especially.
Although, this said, it’s not the best NASCAR movie of the year. Not that I’m a fan of the sport at all (I hate all motor racing), but I thought Pixar’s Cars better captured the atmosphere and excitement that people obviously enjoy about NASCAR.
Talladega Nights does at least seem to have a moral core, which most of today’s frat pack comedies seem to skim over. The film is about humility. It’s about being happy with yourself, and being proud to be an American without striving to be a winner all the time. While Sasha Baron Cohen is positioned as Ferrell’s nemesis, a gay, cultured French Formula 1 driver, he doesn’t come up for nearly as much criticism as the rude, junk food munching, flag-waving rednecks Ferrell has to distance himself from if he is to become a better person.
Other than that, on Saturday evening Paul and I are dressing up and going to the Durban Pops for a little bit of year-end culture. It’s an annual event at Durban City Hall where the KZN Philharmonic orchestra and guest singer and musicians perform extracts from popular operas, musicals, movie themes and assorted ‘safe’ pop songs that middle-aged whiteys with expanding waistlines love (Ricky Martin, Bette Midler etc.). No doubt we’ll be among the youngest people there, as usual.
Otherwise this weekend I’ll be tweaking my next GEAR column, due on Monday, and maybe (considering the weather is going to be miserable in Durban again this weekend) doing some miniature painting, drawing and reading.
I realise now I didn’t say anything about my ‘cultural’ exploits last weekend, and during this week. I finished reading the Nightwing/Huntress miniseries, written by Devin Grayson, and pencilled and inked by Greg Land and Bill Sienkiewicz. I’ll admit that after reading Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s 300, work by two genuine Artists, Nighwing/Huntress felt pretty flat.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with the atmospheric artwork and colouring, which went a long way towards reminding me why I’ve always preferred superheroes to traditional fantasy (the classically beautiful, muscled bodies).
The main storyline though seems to have plenty of gaps in it and character interactions are typically quite artificial and clichéd. There is some exploration of Nightwing’s psychology though which may please fans of Batman’s original, grown up ward, and I certainly found that aspect interesting. I think if you’re fans of the characters, and can actually appreciate a Batman-free Gotham, you’ll get more out of Nightwing/Huntress than a casual reader.
On Sunday evening, a new TV series debuted in MNET’s late night timeslot (formerly occupied by Rome). I was actually extremely impressed by the first episode of HBO drama series, Big Love, starring Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Harry Dean Stanton.
Essentially the series deals with a rather unusual suburban family – a man with 3 wives and 3 families living on the same property. You’d think that the series would give into all kinds of salaciousness, but the topic of polygamy is treated with surprising maturity, and insight. What is it like sharing the man you love, and constantly being in contact with your ‘rivals’? Is it possible to keep 3 women happy at the same time?
It really is a fascinating show, free of the forced kookiness of Weeds, as well as Desperate Housewives’ slapstick. Big Love is a refreshing change, and well worth following.
On Tuesday evening, Paul and I finally got around to watching Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. It’s utterly forgettable, but a decent few hours of amusing comedy. When discussing Will Ferrell movies, most things seem to automatically be compared to Anchorman, which fans rave about as something you enjoy the more times you see it. I’ve only seen Anchorman once, and wasn’t overwhelmed. Talladega Nights is a far more gratifying first-time experience, with some great small roles for Molly Shannon and Gary Cole, especially.
Although, this said, it’s not the best NASCAR movie of the year. Not that I’m a fan of the sport at all (I hate all motor racing), but I thought Pixar’s Cars better captured the atmosphere and excitement that people obviously enjoy about NASCAR.
Talladega Nights does at least seem to have a moral core, which most of today’s frat pack comedies seem to skim over. The film is about humility. It’s about being happy with yourself, and being proud to be an American without striving to be a winner all the time. While Sasha Baron Cohen is positioned as Ferrell’s nemesis, a gay, cultured French Formula 1 driver, he doesn’t come up for nearly as much criticism as the rude, junk food munching, flag-waving rednecks Ferrell has to distance himself from if he is to become a better person.
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