The Next Big Thing...

You need to watch this. Some good stuff coming out of Scurlbomb Enterprises.

Who Watches The Watchmen?

I was in sixth grade when Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' masterpiece began hitting the shelves, but I didn't read the entire series until it was fully collected in trade paperback form a year later. Since that first moment when I saw Rorschach fighting for survival in prison, I have been waiting for this movie. 22 years later, I have been rewarded for my patience.

I am grateful that all previous iterations failed to get made, because I feel that they would have fallen far short of what this movie needed to be. The movie landscape needed movies like X2 and Batman Begins to ready the movie going public for the exploits of the Watchmen (a team name never actually used in the comic).

Hailed as a groundbreaking social deconstruction of the comic book super hero, the four color iteration of the Watchmen was revolutionary and one of the most relevant and important comics ever released. A simple murder mystery that transforms into a globally impactful suspense thriller, Watchmen showed that comic books were indeed not just for kids anymore. Those looking for that type of impact from the movie will be disappointed.

The average movie goer with no knowledge of the comic book roots might find this movie a little confusing and very long. Flashbacks in a movie can be confusing enough, but when the flashbacks are history changing events, like America winning Vietnam and Nixon being elected for a third (and eventually fourth) term, it can leave viewers feeling like they are missing the joke. But they should still be entertained by the mix of mystery, action, violence, drama, and intelligence that the story conveys.

Rabid fanboys will be screaming over the altered ending, but rabid fanboys scream about every movie that doesn't follow their favorite comics panel for panel. These are the same people that complained because Hugh Jackman is far taller than 5'1, as if Wolverine's HEIGHT is what defined him. The ending actually wraps things a little tighter, keeps the story a little more self-contained, and is, in my opinion, an alteration worthy of comparison to writer Alan Moore's own brilliant conclusion.

The character interaction is stupendous. From the aloof detachment of Billy Crudup's Dr. Manhattan to the maniacal determination of Jackie Earle Haley's Rorschach, most of the actors captured the true essence of the characters they were portraying. Only Matthew Goode's Ozymandius fell short, seeming more like a cunning business man overdosed on Prozac rather than the charismatic pinnacle of human intelligence and physical development that Adrian Veidt should have been.

Of particular interest was Patrick Wilson's portrayal of gadget based hero Nite Owl, who transforms from a scared retired crimebuster into the confident man of action he once was.

The nostalgic soundtrack combines with the impressive original score to perfectly accentuate the breath-taking visuals, crafting a world that matches the tone of Moore's dystopian landscape.

For the true comic book fan who knows that not every panel can make it to the big screen and that even the best stories can be enhanced without destroying them, this movie is 22 years of anticipation made worth while. Who watches the Watchmen? I do, and proudly.

Oh my God, they killed Twitter!

You Bastards!

But seriously, folks, what form of electronic communication is still functioning at 100% today? With everyone in the Northern Western Hemisphere in a country with drinkable water and no Prime Ministers was trying to tune into the inauguration today, and this reporter was no exception. (Yeah, I called myself a reporter, deal with it.)

But even Twitter cannot handle the overload a full 5 and a half hours later AFTER the actual inauguration. I guess everyone in America is trying to post their thoughts, attempting to be the one voice of history.

History will remember none of us. But we will remember it.

I felt a real sense of optimism and pride wash over me today, pride that we've seemingly overcome one of the stupidest, most petty boundaries in the history of the world. Optimism that this guy can actually deliver on half of what he has promised. And I like the fact that he didn't say everything is rosy. He knows what we all know: the US is in the shitter right now, and it's gonna take some hefty plunging to unstop the drain and get things flowing again. Roll up your sleeves, America. We only have four years to make sure this looks like it was the best idea we've ever had.

A Humbling Experience...

I went down to the beach today on my lunch break. I often enjoy taking in the view as a way to relieve the stress my job causes. As I chewed my cold Philly Cheesesteak and thought about how dirty my jeep was and how much my lower back was hurting, I saw a young man walk past my jeep and stop at the guard rail.

He was dressed in a fatigue cap, green Marine Corps T-shirt, fatigue pants, and combat boots. He stood at the rail for a moment, as if admiring the view, and nodded briefly. Then he turned around and walked back towards the parking lot.

Odd, I thought to myself, that he had only spent a moment enjoying the view. Why come down at all if you're only going to look for a few seconds?

My question was answered when this young Marine walked BACK past my jeep towards the beach again, this time carrying a large bundle and a helmet. He set the bundle down and unwrapped it, revealing a suit of combat armor. He dressed himself in this cumbersome armor, donned his helmet, and took a run down the beach, through the small stream that divided one half of the beach from the other, down a ways, and back again. When he got about 300 feet from the parking lot, he stopped, and did sit ups, crunches, bicycles, and push ups.

He then grabbed a log that was laying in the reeds, and dropped it in the sand. He walked another 50 feet closer, and placed a piece of driftwood in the sand. He did this again with a clump of seaweed 50 feet later, and another piece of wood 50 feet after that.

Then he went back 50 past the log and laid on his back. After a few seconds of laying there, this Marine sprung to his feet, sprinted to the log, and dove for cover. He took something out of his gear, slapped it, and placed it on the ground. Then he got up and sprinted to the driftwood, and repeated the maneuver. He then went to the seaweed, and the other piece of wood, each time taking an item from his gear and slapping it before dropping it into the sand.

After the last item was placed, he got up, brushed himself off, collected the items, and went back to the start. He did this about a dozen or so times, sometimes belly crawling from the log to the other locations, sometimes sprinting.

After this impressive display of endurance and stamina, he dropped to his knees in front of the log and pressed it into the air over his head several times. Then he hefted it back into the reeds, collected his gear, and began trekking back towards the parking lot.

I got out of my jeep. I felt compelled to say something to him.

"Excuse me," I said, stepping towards the guard rail.

"Yes sir?" he said, as if I wasn't the one who should be calling him sir.

"I hate to bother you," I said, "but my name is Kenn Beck."

"Mike Coble," he said, shaking my hand. His grip was strong and confident. (The spelling of his last name is conjecture on my part.)

"Mike, I just wanted to say 'Thank you.' "

I was trying to think of the best way to explain why I was thanking him when he simply said "You're welcome." You see, this guy knew exactly why I was thanking him.

"I saw you doing the drills, and I was impressed," I said.

"Yeah," Mike said, "It's tough, they just cleared me to do PT (physical training) so I wanted to get my butt back in gear."

"Oh?" I said.

"Yeah," he said, pointing down to his left leg. "I was in Iraq and my Humvee blew up. Busted up my leg pretty good."

"Wow," was all I could muster. "Are they sending you back?"

"Yes," he replied, "They're doing a redeployment to Iraq. Iraq was easy, we got lucky over there," he said. "They're redeploying us to get our gear. I don't know if I'm going back for that one, but they're pulling all our gear and troops over to Afghanistan. It's like the Wild West over there."

"What did you say your name was?" I asked him.

"Mike Coble," he replied.

I shook his hand. "Be safe, Mike, and thank you again."

He smiled and said "you're welcome" again.

I got back in my jeep. Suddenly, my job wasn't so stressful. Suddenly, my cold Philly Cheesesteak was a banquet compared to the rations this guy lives off of when in the field. My jeep was dirty; his ride BLEW UP BENEATH HIM. I don't like doing my physical therapy exercises because my back is sore; this kid is SPRINTING THE BEACH IN FULL COMBAT ARMOR TO REHAB HIS LEG WHICH WAS BUSTED UP IN AN EXPLOSION.

I started my jeep, full of a bizarre mix of shame and pride. I am shamed by the fact that I have never done as much for my country or fellow man in 34 years as Mike Coble has done, and if this guy is over 25, I'd be surprised. And I am proud that I had the chance to meet and thank a guy like Mike Coble, who stands up for his beliefs, and has the courage to fight for those who are unable, and in some cases, unwilling to fight for themselves.

Please keep Mike Coble in your thoughts, and hope he and his brave fellows make it back safely to the U.S.

Playlist for a Break-Up

Everything Changes - Staind
Who Wants To Live Forever - Queen
Goodbye - Hootie & The Blowfish
And So It Goes - Billy Joel
At This Moment - Billy Vera & The Beaters
Tonight I Wanna Cry - Keith Urban
Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
She's Out Of My Life - Michael Jackson
Cryin' - Joe Satriani
I'll Be Over You - Toto
You'll Think Of Me - Keith Urban
Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
Where'd You Go? - Mighty Mighty Bosstones
No Easy Way Out - Robert Tepper
Everybody's Fool - Evanescence
Should've Listened - Nickleback
End It On This - No Doubt
Party Like A Rockstar - JTX
Cold Shower Tuesdays - Bowling For Soup
I Miss You - Blink 182
Life After Lisa - Bowling For Soup
Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
Walk On - U2