Holy everything that is holy.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Producing 'The Sandman,' May Star and Direct

OMG.

I can totally get behind JGL starring, though both Trevor and I think my boyfriend would make an even more excellent Dream.

Now, how do we cast the rest of The Endless?

Tilda Swinton as Desire. TRUST.
Bearded Eric Northman as Destruction?
Carey Mulligan as Delirium?

??????????????

I've been cooling on Neil Gaiman lately, for ridiculous reasons unrelated to his writing that I will not go into here. Lovely bloke at each reading I've been to of his, but...oh, let's not talk about that when he's just an itty piece of my post, m'kay?

I know the departure of David "phwoar, come to my man-harem" Tennant as Doctor Who was eons ago, but as a yank I am really just getting to know Matt Smith as the new Doctor. Was very sad about the latest regeneration, but as all Doctors do, he is growing on me. Amy and Rory, however? I was on board from the beginning.

Those things said, "The Doctor's Wife" (spoilers at the link, sweetie) -- written by Gaiman -- was possibly the best episode ever. Really, truly.













I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Timelord and ran away. You were the only one mad enough.

Positively brilliant. And I mean, brilliant. Deliciously romantic and terribly clever.

So, am back in the saddle again boys, on both counts.

Just in case you didn't already know this: Neil Gaiman is the man.

This is just about the sweetest thing ever. Be sure to look at the pics.

Neil Gaiman reports that Stardust was deemed "Very Offensive" per a reviewer utilizing the moral ratings guide of the Christian Spotlight on Entertainment. I was curious to see what the criteria was for this rating, and it looks like it stems from the way women are treated in the film (geez -- classic fairy tale archetypes true to era anyone?) and, of course, the pagan aspects of Faerie.

Also curious to me was the going on and on about the horrible violence for a PG-13 film and the terrors of "fantasy violence," yet the site's sunny review of the excellent PG-13 violence-fest The Bourne Ultimatum doesn't admonish the film at all for its insuitability "for the children" and in fact deems it merely "Offensive."

I just wish Goody Hysteria would have left the Stardust review at problems with the heathens and the presentation of any worldview outside of Christianity, because we all know that's the real stinker. The hypocrisy of padding out the review with the other bits to be more well-rounded in criticism is just laughable.

Anyway, there are bigger fish to fry, heathen-hunters! Can't wait for wild-eyed hysterics over the upcoming PG-13 holiday film The Golden Compass. Never mind the daemons and organized religion-power-trippin' story -- the bits concerning The Authority can't get much more in your face for misguided people who are constantly sniffing around for "threats" to their faith. Won't say more in order to keep y'all who haven't read the series by Philip Pullman in the dark, but let's just say oh glorious impending trainwreck.

Don't hate me for saying this, but I didn't care for the book. But check this trailer yo!



Going to hike, laze around, eat caramel apples, get a massage, and see Immortal Technique this Friday and Saturday in Santa Cruz. Can't wait!

Went to a preview of Stardust tonight. Now, I don't know if it was the heavy pimping that creator Neil Gaiman was doing on his blog (heavy self-advertisement from someone as universally loved and famously level-headed as Neil Gaiman I tend to regard at times as more trepidation than triumph for some strange reason) or if it was my pessimism about most comic book movies getting to me, but I was bracing myself for a disappointment.

Well, if I were Mr. Gaiman, I would have been working it like he was too. He must be, quite honestly, very proud. Stardust the film was a perfect reproduction of the 4-part series beautifully rendered by Charles Vess. No over the top special effects for special effects sake, no fart jokes or animals voiced by Eddie Murphy inserted to play to the lowest common denominator. Just a superior story told through picturesque sets, wondrous special effects with an eye toward restraint and beauty rather than "look what we can do," nicely done action sequences, and classic character archetypes. Especially impressive -- no dumbing it down "for the children." It was, in fact, a great family film, and also a very romantic love story. Casting choices were lovely. Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer were absolutely amazing. In a word: quality.

I love stories that can so seamlessly transport you into a fantasy world and hold you there, rapt, right up until the final page. If you are familiar with Gaiman, it goes without saying that he has a gift for conjuring forth vibrant, whimsical, exhilirating, and dangerous fantasy worlds -- but with just enough of the real to seduce and allow your imagination building rights on it. And the fans' imaginations do run wild. That is why it is such a daunting task to try to put Gaiman's -- and so many other beloved authors' -- creations to film. So to take this story and make such a successful visual of it, that's something. Lovely lovely film.

Alan Moore, take note -- Neil was a producer on this one.