2001: A Space Odyssey

I just watched the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey for Bo, who pledged in my studio's Kickstarter to raise money for a series of art books.  Thank you, Bo!

Read on for some spoiler-filled reaction comics!

I got online after finishing the film to read interpretations/theories, and I like the idea that this is actually a 3-minute close-up with the monolith.  The monolith's score is playing, after all, and a visitation from the monolith, which seems to usher in major developments, would be a fitting beginning for us as we move from nothing into the universe of this film.

 COME ON.

Oh, my poor 7th grade science teacher...are you guys ready to go to the sad place?  I have a sad story.  When I was in 7th grade, there was an initiative to re-energize (so to speak) science classrooms in my school district by plucking working scientists out of their labs and dropping them off into middle school classrooms with little-to-no training on how to teach (or control a room full of pubescent hellspawn).  This poor guy--I can't even remember his name--sat in something brown at lunch on his first day, and it only got worse from there.  He lasted 3 months before he was replaced, and his last act in our classroom was showing us 2001: A Space Odyssey.  I'm pretty sure he didn't give enough fucks at that point to even ask for permission.

I was frustrated that after investing two and a half hours in a slow movie I was left with a trippy star baby scene I didn't understand, but it's okay for a film to be ambiguous or complex, and unfold more upon multiple viewings and reading multiple theories from others.  I think Kubrick himself stated that he didn't want to spell it out for people, and was happy that people wrestled with the film's meaning and came to their own conclusions.

The Thing (1982)

I watched The Thing (the 1982 version) yesterday for another Kickstarter backer -- the lovely David Harper of Multiversity Comics! :D I've wanted to watch this movie for a long time.  I remember once being on vacation in a cabin with my family and friends of the family.  Our dads and teenage brothers watched The Thing together, but advised me not to since it was pretty scary (good call, honestly).  I missed my chance and didn't get around to seeing the film until now.

Read on for some spoiler-filled reaction comics!

Aaaaand I would be the first one to die. xD

I felt so bad for Dog Guy!  I was totally sympathizing...poor puppies. :(

*His name is "Childs", not "Giles" xD

This movie was great but it was SO SCARY to me.  Something about the suspense coupled with the gruesome, CGI-free special effects just struck a chord with me.  And that simple soundtrack with the "bump bump...bump bump"--so effective!

At the same time, it was funny how I knew what was coming, because so many subsequent works have borrowed from The Thing.  I was flashing back in particular to episodes of South Park and The X-Files.

The tropes of a quarantine situation / witch hunt work so well for developing dread...and then you've got the added time limit with the storm moving in, the communications going out, and the much larger picture of springtime taking the infection global if they don't kill the thing before it kills all of them or freezes itself...so tense!
It was dreadful watching characters turn on one another and give into their worst and most basic instincts...even our hero commits murder out of fear and self-preservation blown out of perspective.  I loved how the movie made you doubt EVERYONE--the dog sneaking up on Nauls in the kitchen fades to black rather than showing what happened, the temporary loss of lights puts everyone in the gray, Windows cuts his finger just out of view, Dr. Blair is alone in his hut unsupervised, Childs goes missing from his post and runs into the storm for some reason...we have to take people at their word, and end up trusting no one.  It's terrifying!

I'm reading the Wikipedia entry for the film, and laughing in horror at the "Annual viewings" section, which claims that The Thing and The Shining are regularly viewed by the winter crew at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station.

Gravity

I went to see Gravity yesterday with French comics superstar Boulet! I was stoked he agreed to make reaction comics after the movie together. 8-D I think they turned out great!  This was such an epic, weird movie...there was a lot to say about it.  Read on for some spoiler-filled reaction comics!

Prometheus

I went to see Prometheus last night.  Short review: I really enjoyed it and would watch it again.  Read on for some spoilerific comics that happened between 1 and 2 AM:

I will go see Spider-Man.  I smirked because I enjoy people back-talking commercials.

A race of muscle-y, alabaster Voldemorts.  Like in the Bible.

Also you are the most interesting character and I adore you.

He seriously said that.

I LOVED the gender/sex subtext in the movie, even though there was some seriously disturbing stuff (not too much worse than the other movies).  Essentially Prometheus was about creation and the conflict between parents and children.  Some really, really interesting things happened between characters.  I want to watch it again and just focus on that.

Okay, so you're not Ripley, but that was pretty cool how you were a total badass in the third act.  I so called that self-abortion in the special medical machine.  And even though it was one of the tensest scenes in the movie, I was cracking up at her having to program it for a male operation.  NICE, Prometheus.

"I want to see the baby."  "Don't worry about it."  "WHY ARE YOU SLYLY PUSHING THE MONITOR AWAY?"  "Don't worry about it. :D"

And little glowy mochi-ball eggs!

FAVORITE RECURRING JOKE.  Sassy robot strikes again!

Screaming only makes the ship want to squash you faster!!