Rise of the Best Summer Sequel (So Far)!

No the scene of Johnny Storm (aka Chris Evans) coming out of the shower wrapped only in a towel wasn't gratuitous. We've come to expect such crowd pleasing fare from a Fantastic Four flick (though in my humble opinion we shouldn't have had to wait so long for said scene), good honest comic book movies with a little style, very little substance, but a very fun-filled 90 or so minutes nonetheless.

The 7:30pm Friday night audience at The Grove was packed with kids (and a spattering of homos), the target audience for this popcorn tale that introduces the iconic Silver Surfer (herald of the storm-cloud like Galactus, an Ultimate Universe-esq. departure from his classic pointy-helmeted appearance), cures Victor Von Doom of his facial deformities (so that the stunning Julian McMahon, who I'd never really considered that handsome before, can play him mask, and makeup, less), and brings the Fantasticar to the movie mythology.

Like Spider-man, New York City is the home base for this super foursome, however unlike most Ameri-centric comic book movies, FF2 turns into a truly global venture with spectacular set pieces at the London Eye, the Great Wall of China and some other Asian city. Like the recent Spider-man 3 however, FF2 also features a dancing superhero (this time Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards), though this time its totally played for nothing but laughs (and to show off Reed's stretchiness).

With an estimated opening weekend gross of $57.4 million in the US, it looks like I wasn't the only one to actually like the Rise of the Silver Surfer, despite mediocre reviews. If I had one real complaint about the entire movie it would be this: Jessica Alba's blond locks really bothered me (with a Storm circa X-Men 1 and 2 feel)!!!

(But best summer sequel (so far) you ask, well Spidey 3 just couldn't, and didn't, live up to its previous installments, and Pirates 3 beached itself on a sandbar of confusion and boredom. Next upJohn McClane dies again.)

Just for Alex: The Altoid Boyz!

When I happened to mention at the end of last week at work that I might not make it to the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, Alexandra said to me, with a somewhat forlorn look on her face, "But what about the Altoid float?" So the following are just for her!

Goddamn that Paris!

I'm glad she's back in jail!!! Hopefully that'll mean the (temporary) end of those bloody low-flying helicopters over my house!!!

And judging by this press release (which I have copied below) other West Hollywood residents feel the same way about the unnecessary press this spoilt cow is getting!

Dear Neighbors:

I have received an enormous number of calls and e-mails today about the helicopters hovering over the City. As you may know, Paris Hilton lives in Los Angeles, just off the Sunset Strip and immediately adjacent to West Hollywood. Given the publicity and controversy surrounding her recent incarceration and re-assignment to house arrest, the media has converged on our community, including a flock of helicopters.

Like many of you, I too was woken this morning about 5:30 AM by helicopters. However, I want to let you know that the City of West Hollywood and the Sheriff's Department, as well as the City of Los Angeles and their Police Department, have no authority or jurisdiction over airspace and helicopters hovering overhead. Aircraft remain under the exclusive control of the federal government and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

West Hollywood and hundreds of other cities have protested the serious impacts of hovering helicopters, particularly news and paparazzi helicopters, for many years to no avail.

While we shall again register our objections to our federal representatives and ask for more local regulatory authority, I also want to offer some suggestions for you. If you feel strongly that helicopters hovering over densely populated residential neighborhoods is a problem that needs fixing, please contact West Hollywood's federal representatives and the FAA:

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
U. S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
U. S Representative Henry Waxman

You can also call the "Assignment Desk" at local television stations and register your complaints about their news helicopters and their negative impact on the community.

I regret that I cannot do more as a member of the City Council to help relieve our neighborhoods of this problem, but I am certain that our representatives and the news stations would be pleased to know your views on the subject.

Best regards,
JEFFREY PRANG
Mayor Pro Tempore

Countdown to Celebration: It's Almost Here!!!!

Is Tales of The New Republic a second official animated offering that has been kept on the (very) down-low or just another very cleverly done fan film?

Which Drew Struzan designed stamp will get it's very own stamp sheet, as voted on by the American public?

What further delights will Hasbro astound us with in their unveiling of the remainder of the 30th Anniversary Collection action figure line?

How will The Vader Project impact our lives and just what insightful and amusing anecdotes will Princess Leia herself enthrall us with during A Conversation with Carrie Fisher, Saturday evening at the LA Convention Center.

All will be revealed this weekend!!

Hulk Smash!!!

Countdown to Celebration: The Little Menace!

South Park Park Wars

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Since I've Been Gone: Pure Beef!

Having spent almost the entire morning at a Toyota dealership in North Hollywood yesterday, come lunchtime I was starving, ready to eat my own hand off if need be. MacDonald's was the only recognizable eatery in the vicinity, so there we stopped, and there I inhaled an Angus Bacon & Cheese Third Pounder (one of those burgers the cute Boston boys rant about in the commercial - and it was in fact truly delicious).

Talking of pure beef, the 2007 IFBB New York pro bodybuilding show took place this past weekend at the Tribecca Performing Arts Center in the city, featuring such massive meatheads as King Kamali, Silvio Samuel and Dennis James.

Number one meathead of the night however was my man, Branch Warren! Pocketing the $15,000 paycheck, the NY Pro Ring and receiving the Best Legs award, Branch puts a disappointing 2006 season (and a poor 7th place finish at March's Arnold) behind him.

However even with his awesomely freaky mass and conditioning, Branch ended the night just four points ahead of runner-up Dennis James, and according to Flex Online, Branch only won the contest during the final posedown round (which is something that rarely happens, the winner is usually clear after pre-judging and the compulsories).

So lets hear from the big man himself talking to former pro, turned Muscular Development reporter, Flex Wheeler: