The Weigh In #51

Interrupting your regularly scheduled article to bring you a very special …

Stumblebum Studios: Our first year

Next week I will pick up where I left off with the second of a four part look at the history of the horror film and the current state of the genre. But this week, a celebration, and a little look back at the first year of Stumblebum Studios.

The website, www.stumblebumstudios.com, is officially one year old this week, more specifically it is the first anniversary of weekly content on the site and this little article; “The Weigh In”. When Paul Milligan, Aaron Hall, Kevin Steele, and I decided to put weekly content on the site I really didn’t know what I was getting into, and I suppose you can tell from some of the first articles. If you want to see what I mean, check out our archives section. I clearly had no idea where I was going with this article. While you are at it take a look at some of the articles that didn’t make the one year mark or have evolved into something completely different like: “Your Biggest Fans” and “Knock-Down Drag-Out”. All I knew was that while Paul would focus on comics, Aaron on writing, and Kevin on art, I would take a weekly look at something that I enjoyed and thought I could bring to other people. Some weeks that was television, some weeks random thoughts about sports, short fiction, pretty much anything I found interesting. After a month or so, I realized that either the article needed some sort of focus or I needed to move on to other things. So, “The Weigh In” became an article about something that has always interested me, film and television. Over the weeks I have added little bits that I think help the average reader, the new release buzz and the new to DVD section, along with little things that give me my jollies (the Superman Returns news) that’ll hopefully rub off on a few of my readers (wait not that way damnit, keep your head in the game). Each week I am trying to make this article a little more structured; funny little pieces mixed in with some (hopefully) well researched information about the world of television and film that maybe leaves you with a different opinion than you started with (or at least a little to think about). I’d like to think each week I get a little better at it, and I want to thank all of you for sticking around this long. Hopefully, we’ll get to pal around here once a week for quite a while longer. I know I am having fun, hopefully you are too.

Next week: back to the grind with part two of my four part article on horror films.

Superman Returns News:
Rhino Records is releasing a “Sounds of Superman” cd for the movie here.
The art of W. Chew Chan will be featured in the opening credits for Superman Returns.
Great pic of Brandon Routh as Superman in this “Got Milk” ad.


This weekend at your local multiplex (4/21/2006):

Silent Hill: Horror
Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden, Deborah Kara Unger
Plot: Based in the video game of the same name, a woman looses her daughter in the town of Silent Hill and finds a horrific alternate dimension while trying to find her.
Buzz: I am a big fan of the video games and think they are creepy as hell. Judging from the trailers and info I have found on the net, it looks like they may have pulled off the same feeling and atmosphere from the game.

The Sentinel: Thriller
Michael Douglas, Kiefer Southerland, Eva Longoria, Kim Basinger, Martin Donovan
Plot: While trying to find out if an Aryan splinter cell has infiltrated the Secret Service, Pete Garrison (Michael Douglas) is blackmailed for sleeping with the first lady and he is framed for murder in the process. Although out of a job, he promises to find out who set him up.
Buzz: This film puts Kiefer Sutherland in a “Jack Bauer Jr. role” and looks like a lot more talky talky, and not so much action.

American Dreamz: Comedy
Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Marcia Gay Harden, Chris Klein, Seth Myers
Plot: Taking the premise that more people vote for an “American Idol” type show than for president, a white house stuck with an out of touch, slow president and tanking ratings plan to have the president on the show to boost his approval rating.
Buzz: This film seem to be a direct result of the “American Idol” craze (complete with bitter British judge) and a parody of George W. Bush’s image as kind of a dolt. All in good fun of course.

This week on DVD (4/18/2006)

Hostel (see review)
The American President
Event Horizon (se)
NHL Original Six Series
Moonstruck (se)
Breakfast on Pluto
Cross of Iron
Laurel and Hardy collection
Michael Palin: Sahara
Remington Steele (season 3)
Doogie Howser M.D.(season 4)
Mrs. Henderson Presents
The Sentinel (season 1)
Thundercats (season 2)
Bad Dreams
Return of the Living Dead 4

As always, if you have any questions or just want to chat, please email me at DPlace76@yahoo.com
and if you want a glimpse at the space between my head that seems to whistle when I walk, go to www.livejournal.com/users/bigdpimpin. Or you can always check out the latest happenings of the Stumblebum crew at www.myspace.com/stumblebumstudios and take a second to become our lifelong friends.