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Pop Culture Randomness

This has been quite the weekend for your friendly neighborhood Geek. There hasn't been a whole lot of time to delve into the minutia of Geekdom. Course, that hasn't stopped me from rambling on and on about the various bits of Geeky news that falls my way, to say nothing of my own random thoughts...

Hollywood Thinks Action and Horror No Longer Draw Crowds

It is interesting that Hollywood likes to blame its audience for poor ticket sales (when it isn't busy trying to convict 19 year olds to 5+ years for video piracy. Good thing there isn't any real crime anywhere). Anyway, as Hollywood begins to look back on what is going to go down as one of the worst summers in almost 20 years they have discovered the primary reason for poor ticket sales is a lack of interest. I know, it used to be online file sharing, but even the Geeks aren't sharing this crap. Just what are the two genres that are bringing Hollywood down the most? Horror and action films. While I can't speak for the action genre, I can tell you that horror is a safe genre to try and make a buck in. Major effects projects not withstanding, a horror film can be crafted rather inexpensively and tends to have the most rabid and forgiving of audience. That’s not to say they are easily impressed, but horror fans and horror makers have a strange symbiotic relationship that no other genre can claim. (Although I don't know if that is necessarily a good thing). What horror fans don't want to see if yet another remake of a classic horror flick like House of Wax and no amount of Paris Hilton could prevent that celluloid trash from tanking. (Besides, we already saw her naked once and were not impressed. Although I'm sure watching her get off' ed would have been fun). Mark my words, the 2006 year will see fewer horror films and more comedies as films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wedding Crashers perform well. Well, Charlie has decent direction and the star power of Johnny Depp helping its numbers. Wedding Crashers benefited from the flapping mouth of Matt Drudge in his attempt to slander Senator John McCain, possibly forgetting that in Hollywood all press is good press. Fine, let horror take a little rest from mainstream Hollywood, be good for it. And, if politicians are good for T&A movies. Then I say we cast Bob Dole and Bill Clinton in National Lampoons Capital Vacation!

Speaking of Johnny Depp

I know I said that I wouldn't step foot into a Hot Topic anymore and while I have done my best to maintain my convictions I saw something that simply forced me to enter. For reasons that I would rather not admit, I found myself wandering the massive isles of Lloyd Center. Looking at the fabled blade of Isildur at Excalibur I caught something strange in the refection. Not one, not two, not three, but four friggen versions of Johnny Depp staring back at me. Turning I saw that Hot Topic has decided to become the personal (and over priced) fan club for one Mr. Depp. Damn man, how many merchandising items can one person have made of themselves. Entering I saw swag of Johnny himself, a smidgen of Edward Scissorhands (which gets recycle as often as The Crow swag), some Jack Sparrow shirts, and a plethora of Willy Wonka merchandise. (Including a cheap ass Wonka jacket selling for $95.00 of which I am certain the young Honduran boy who made it received a phat 50 cents). Mark my words the Deluge de Depp hasn't finished yet. Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride (which I am, admititly, jazzed to see) will be coming to a Hot Topic near you, where it will have to compete with The Nightmare Before Christmas crap. Two Goths enter, one Goth leaves!

Finally...Star Trek VI is...is...better than Star Trek II

Whoa! Whoa! Easy! Let me explain! Next time...

Feel free to blast away in the forum.