Monthly Archive for June, 2005

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Gnomicons Update 23 June 2005

Published on 23 June 2005 in Journal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Batman Icon Batman Icon Batman Icon

Batman Wallpaper

Since I wrote my Batman Begins review yesterday, I thought I'd make icons today. And I threw a wallpaper in there, too. All in all, I added 15 icons and that wallpaper in all six sizes tonight. I've also made a few changes on the blog, many of which are clearest on the front page. Among other things, I now have two co-bloggers, Lindsey and Bandladesh. This means that the level of insanity on this blog has at least tripled. Watch out, world! ETA: If anyone wants to subscribe specifically to posts that are replacing my icon journal, they can through this RSS feed.

Testing. Can you hear me at the back?

Published on 23 June 2005 in Journal. 2 Comments Tags: , .
I've been requested by Gnome to draft a test post. Which presents me with the usual problem of whether to be deadly serious, intolerably pretentious or incredibly witty. As it's after 10.00pm, I really don't think I can be serious. Hell, I'm not even sure I can be original, never mind pretentious. Anyway, consider this to be my test post. Believe me when I promise you that you'll be sick of the sight of me before too long. I tend to waffle and ramble interminably about a wide range of things that interest, amuse or irritate me. I have been Lindsey and you have been wonderful readers. Thank you! I'll be here all week. Year. Whatever.

The Bat Is Back

Published on 22 June 2005 in Journal. 1 Comment Tags: , , .
I have to admit that, when I first saw a trailer for Batman Begins, I thought to myself, "Dear God, why are they beating a dead franchise again?" Yes, I grew up watching re-runs of the Adam West Batman series (BANG! Zap!), and I've derived a lot of entertainment from the 1966 Batman movie. I thought the 1989 Batman from Tim Burton was good, but, by the time we made it to Batman and Robin things were getting pretty ridiculous. So I was understandly nonplussed at the idea of yet another Batman movie. I mean, how many more comic book villains did he possibly have left to go through? But, no, this time they managed it. With an all-star cast and a plot that managed to explain several of the questions I'd always had about superheroes in general and Batman in particular. ("Just how do these guys get all this equipment without anyone noticing?") This is not to say that there weren't problems with the film. This brings me to spoilers, which I will be disguising below. If you'd like to read them, highlight what appears to be empty space and my thoughts will appear through the magic of CSS. Except when I haven't bothered to transfer that CSS over into a new theme.

The biggest issue I had with the film--and, for the most part, it was a non-issue--was the microwave emitter. I watched the scene with the two thugs who sneak onboard the ship, thinking to myself, "Man, that job's got to suck. They're going to turn it on and get fried." But this did not happen. Because in Gotham, microwaves only affect water that's not part of a human being. If the movie weren't so good in other respects, I wouldn't have been able to get past that. But since this movie managed to delve into the actual character of Batman and turn him into a three-dimensional being, I can forgive them.

As with most comic-book movies, the acting was not exceptional, but it was respectable. Michael Caine made a wonderful Alfred; Christian Bale looked good in the mask; and Cillian Murphy was really quite creepy as Dr. Crane/Scarecrow--I think it's in the eyes. The absolutely most important thing, though? It made me want a Batmobile. And I can't even drive stick.