Creativity

“Turbo” Isn’t Doing So Hot. Insert Your Own “Slow” Joke Here.

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Adjusted for inflation?  Worst Dreamworks opening ever.

I think there’s several factors here:

  1. The general movie meltdown occurring.
  2. It’s a new property that  . . . is about snails.  
  3. It’s also competing against animated sequels to well-loved properties – Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University.  I can also say that DM2 is excellent and deserves it’s praise.
  4. I can’t say the marketing campaign seemed effective (after seeing Pacific Rim‘s dismal campaign I wonder if this another Hollywood Problem).

But another sounds-sure/sounds-big property doing so hot.  I feel kind of bad for Ryan Reynolds, who just cannot catch a break here.

– Steven

 

How To Create a BAD Crime Fiction Series With Jackie Speel

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(In the grand tradition ofJohn Van Sickle’s Grand list of Overused Science Fiction Clichés, the Grand list of SF clichés, Things I learnt at the Movies, and Not So Grand Cliché List, Jackie Speel is here to make her own contributions to literature – and what not to do – at MuseHack)

This is an attempt to create a list of clichés and tropes to be avoided in crime fiction, whether written or onscreen. As with other such lists it is the way in which the cliché is handled that is the key factor. Even middling to good series are likely to have the occasional episode which ‘ticks several of the boxes.’

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Taking My Date To Cantown. Homestuck Creator To Work On Datesim

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No.  Really.

Now I’ll remark that this is great.  Andrew Hussie is clearly a dynamic and energized person who can create things and to say the least stick with a project.  I’m glad to see him getting even more to do, even if I’m not really into Homestuck.

So kudos for his one phenomena leading to another job!

Except it’s a datesim where, and I’m not making this up, you date Namco-Bandai characters.  Really.  In a High School.  I’m not even sure how to process this level of strangeness yet, except maybe it’s some kind of hope to move datesims over here, influenced by School Doll Culture (Monster High/Ever After High/Equestria Girls), or . . . the super robot games.  Or something.

Look I have no idea.  But maybe this’ll open up datesims more in the American market.  Or something.

Man, the “homestuck” part of this is unsurprising.

– Steven