Who is Running Hollywood?! How is This Movie Not Already Made?

Zombies, mobsters, action, horror and CGI animation are all proven film gimmicks.  So imagine my surprise when I was perusing the internet earlier today and stumbled upon (not while on Stumble Upon) a Kickstarter project for an animated film based on a graphic novel with all the aforementioned elements involved.

Imagine my further surprise when I learned well-known director David Fincher was involved with the project and that the production idea had actually been first unveiled at Comic Con 2010.  How could something so impressively awesome with so many aspects of current successful films and the interest of already recognized Hollywood names need to turn to Kickstarter in order to get their film off the ground?

The idea in question is a film based on the comic series The Goon.  and as you can see by the following video clip, it would be amazing to see on the big screen (WARNING: the trailer is violent and offensive and not for children):



So, if you like zombies, mobsters, foul language, violence and animation (and really, who doesn't?) and you have a few bucks burning a hole in your pocket, head over to the Kickstarter site and fund this project.  I'm sure the producers will be grateful, but more importantly, so will I because I want to see this movie...like yesterday.

Celebrate Banned Books Week

It's Banned Books Week!  Yes, it started Sunday September 30th, but it's never too late to get on board with a worthy cause.  To think that books like The Lord of the Rings, The Grapes of Wrath and Brave New World were all at one time banned or challenged is really pretty ridiculous.

While I am not currently reading a banned book, per se, the book I am reading (Supergods by Grant Morrison) explores in its early chapters the backlash against comic books and the moral outrage and vilification of comic books during a certain period.

To celebrate and to exercise your freedom to read what you want, I encourage you all to pick up a title that was at one time banned or challenged.  Check out the Banned Books Week site to get a listing.  You should also take a look at artist Grant Snider's blog, Incidental Comics, for a timely comic discussing banned books you can purchase in poster form.

Of course, I would also love to hear from you about what book you are currently reading.  or perhaps you would like to discuss one of the books you are surprised to see on the list, or maybe even a title that you can't believe isn't on the list.  Regardless of the specific topic, I'd love to hear from you about your feelings on banned books.

Unless you decided to read Catcher in the Rye.  Keep that to yourself.  I think being banned gave that book more street cred than it deserved.  Holden Caulfield is a real dick.

Anyone Who Enjoys Lego or Marble Runs Should Take a Look at This. In Other Words, Everyone Pay Attention!

While taking a look at The Brothers Brick blog, I stumbled upon this absolutely amazing, spectacular, mind-blowing...you know what, I'm going to run out of adjectives and adverbs before I can do it justice, so just go ahead and watch the video.  You're going to want to watch the full seven minutes, trust me.  It keeps getting better.



Shhhh, no words.  Let's just enjoy the fact that our worlds are now a little brighter.

TGD Goes Back to (Virtual) School

Some time ago, I wrote that I was hoping to return to school and further my education.  Many months later, due to the overwhelming responsibilities of adulthood, financial constraints, a drastic change in my work schedule and an exceptional ability to make excuses for my own laziness, I have yet to even attempt to enroll in any sort of graduate program.

Apparently seeing through me, my brother recently sent me an email suggesting I enroll in a free online course in which he was also going to be participating.  I looked up the site and, feeling inspired by the thought of learning something new on my own schedule without any financial commitment and devoid of any penalties for giving up in the middle of it (a huge selling point for me), I decided what the hell and enrolled.

For the last few days, I have been watching neatly dissected portions of lectures on my laptop at my convenience.  I have learned more than a few things and, more importantly, have come to remember the exhilaration of being a student again.  I forgot how much I really enjoy learning.

I want to pass this site on to the rest of you.  Before I do, let me assure you, I am doing this of my own accord.  Nobody has asked me to publicize this program and I am not receiving any sort of monetary or any other sort of compensation.  I merely think this has a great deal of potential and think some, if not all, of you might be interested.

The site is called Coursera.  It currently offers 123 different online courses from 16 different, well known universities over 16 different categories.  The courses are all free and some will even provide you with a certificate of completion provided you perform adequately on the course work.

So go, fellow learners and peruse the Coursera course catalog.  You may not be receiving any college credit for any of these, but they are free classes and, if you're considering going back to school yourself, perhaps it could help get you back on the horse.  Who knows, maybe I'll even see you in the course I'm taking.  I'll let you carry my books.

May the Fourth Be With You as George Intended

It is May the Fourth, which, as all good fanboys and fangirls should know, means it is Star Wars Day (May the Fourth..."May the Force"...please tell me you get that).  Many of you may be looking for a way to celebrate.  Perhaps you are holding a Star Wars movie marathon (ill-advised due to the Avengers being released today), organizing a round robin lightsaber duel tournament, playing one of the many Star Wars video games (hopefully Lego Star Wars because, let's face it, it's the best one), perusing eBay for collectible memorabilia (finally that embossed Empire Strikes Back lunch box shall be mine) or hosting an Ewok style barbecue in your backyard which will conclude with the burning of an effigy Darth Vader corpse.  Note: I suggest using a Vader made of wood or some other simple material as dressing up an actual corpse and burning it creates an awful stink.  I speak from experience.


Well, if you are doing any of the things listed above, stop immediately.  Unless you want your fan card revoked immediately, you ought to begin celebrating the most celebrated science fiction film series of all time the way the creator would have you spend it.  George Lucas didn't create Star Wars so you could sit in your basements and watch old movies.  He didn't film his space opera epic in the hopes that millions of nerds would leap at any opportunity to dress as the characters portrayed within it.  Nay, Mr. Lucas intended for the films to stir inside you one of the most basic and necessary principles of mankind.  He meant for you to be moved by the ever-lasting motivation of all good things: Consumerism.


That's right, folks, scads of online stores are holding May the Fourth sales today and Transformer Generation Dad means to hold true to the oldest Star Wars tradition of all, buying stuff, by helping direct you to some of the best.  So without further ado, here is a list of just some of the extra special deals on Star Wars goodies out there today:

• Lego
• Amazon
• Hot Topic
• Dark Horse Comics (free preview of new Darth Maul comic)
• Barnes & Noble
• Pottery Barn Kids
• Hasbro
• Williams-Sonoma

To be sure, there are more out there, but this is a pretty prime sampling and ought to put a sizable dent in your bank account.  If you need further help, let me know.  When I'm finished taking the kids to see the Avengers, I'll research a bit more, just for you.  That's the kind of blogger I am.


Most importantly, I think this proves my point.  At the bright, shiny center of the Star Wars universe lies a dollar sign, but we all knew that from the start.  Of course, if the action-figurization of every single character shown even in the background of every scene of the movie didn't convince you that consumerism was at the heart of the Star wars franchise, then I'm not sure how big a fan you really are.


So go out and spend all you Star Wars fans and May the Fourth truly be with you.


Note: Transformer Generation Dad claims all creative rights to the term "action-figurization"