Lissa's Sin City review

[TheLuckyOne]

Nice one, Liss! I'm always curious to hear how comic movies come across to, you know, "the normies," and you didn't disappoint. Good point on the character of Kevin- what you don't see IS creepier. And you were right about the traitor in Old Town- easy to identify, but logical. (And I like the fact that, instead of getting wiped out in the massacre, as in the comic, they had her escape to meet the Salesman later... nice bookend there.)

One question, though- why would usage of the term "comic" annoy us? It is a comic.


-D

[Lissa]

Thanks Drew Nice on one yours, too (and I am so glad you did all the extra stuff.)

Yeah, the whole thing with Kevin and the hand bugged me for DAYS. Ew. Even if I still think of it now my whole body just tenses up and I cringe and want to throw up. That's powerful.

And it's just the comic vs. the graphic novel thing- some people (not sure if anyone on staff, to be honest) get annoyed when people call graphic novels comics. ::shrugs::

[TheLuckyOne]

Lissa said:

And it's just the comic vs. the graphic novel thing- some people (not sure if anyone on staff, to be honest) get annoyed when people call graphic novels comics. ::shrugs::

Reminds me of this story Neil Gaiman (author of The Sandman, American Gods, etc.) likes to tell. He apparently was at a fancy cocktail party one night, and happened to start talking to a newspaper literary critic. The critic asked what he did for a living, to which Neil responded that he wrote comics, "and you could see the glaze of disinterest pass over his eyes." Just to be polite, he asked what comics Neil had written, to which Neil responded that his most famous work was The Sandman... at which point the critic got excited and said, "My God, man, you don't write comics... you write graphic novels!!!" As Neil points out, the man meant it as a compliment... but he felt like a prostitute who had just been told she wasn't a hooker, she was in fact a lady of the evening. The guy knew of Sandman and respected it; but he was so hung up on the idea that comics were stupid, kids' things, he had to change the terminology just so he could like it.


(Fun fact for the kids: technically, a graphic novel is a comic story that is told in complete form all at once, not serialized. Thus, only one of the seven Sin City collections truly qualifies as a "graphic novel." So now you know... and knowing is half the battle!)

-D

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

Yay Lissa! Yay Drew! Great work from the both of you. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who was influenced by the film to seek out the books. Although I couldn't wait for the actual movie to do it, the trailer was enough to get me looking and buying. And I bought three books on eBay (The Mask, The Mask Returns, and St. Swithen's Day), so I owe this film quite a bit.

And I also agree with your points about Kevin; creepy, yet subtly so (I'm not sure if "subtle" is an appropriate term, considering the fight scenes between him and Marv). I am beginning to respect Elijah Wood more and more with every film he does, because he is turning into a great character actor. Hopefully he will keep it going.

And about the comic book/graphic novel thing, I'm just gonna call them books.

[PoolMan]

What, exactly, is the difference between an actor and a character actor, anyways? Aren't all actors portraying characters?

I have a gut feel for it by context, but is there really a definition?

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

My perception of a "character actor" as opposed to a normal actor is when an actor takes risks and tries to pick the more interesting and challenging roles, rather than just sticking to being typecast and holding the paycheck at a higher pinnacle. Steve Buscemi and Chris Cooper are character actors. Ian Holm and Christopher Lloyd are too, actually. Elijah Wood isn't there yet, but at this rate, he will be for sure.

Again, that's my definition of it. I'm not sure if there is an official definition, so I'll just make do with that one.

[bladestarr]

So now you know... and knowing is half the battle!

G. I. Jooooooooooooe!

Anyways. to comment on the whole 'character actor' thing, just as with comics and 'graphic novels', I think the term 'character actor' has come up to describe an actor that actually ACTS like another kind of person in each of their roles (Johhny Depp, Dustin Hoffman) rather than what most actors have become now. I call most modern actors "pleasing personalities" because they are chosen for a role not because they would be good at the part, but because the public finds their appearance and personality mildly pleasing (Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck). These are people that don't really ACT, they just act like they would in a certain situation.

Prime Example: Adam Sandler - most of his movies are basically him just in different situations.

And I think that's okay, because these personalities ARE pleasing for the majority of people, so it is fun and comforting to watch them doing anything. Then there are the other 'character actors' that actually BECOME another person to play their roles, such as Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Johnny Depp as .... well anything (and I mean ANYTHING!).

.... Did I mention I think Johhny Depp is the most amazing actor (I'm sorry, I mean 'character actor') of our generation? ;D

Just think.... he began as a pretty-boy cop on 21 Jump Street, and Nancy's hunk-jock boyfriend in Nightmare on Elm Street, and now he has played a grungy drunkard pirate and a shy silent boy with scissors for hands.... oh and Willy Wonka.... and Ed Wood.... OKAY I'LL STOP! Put away the chloroform!

[pfrsue]

When in doubt... wikipedia!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_actor

[bladestarr]

Feh, I trust Wikipedia as much as I trust a bum on the corner. In their original listing for Grease 2, they said that Paulette was titled queen of the Loni K. Loni Luau, when EVERYBODY knows it was Stephanie! I made the correction on their page, but it still proved the Wikipedia to be invalid as a credible source of information.

..Besides, they won't return my calls.... I'm so lonely...