One for the Watchmen fans

Being quite the fan of the novel, I've been watching the development of the movie version of Watchmen with some trepidation. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that you couldn't turn the story into a good movie, it's always seemed to me that part of the reason the story works so well is the format in which it takes place - comic books defined the superhero, after all, so it makes sense that a story exploring what might happen in a world where superheroes actually existed would be written as a comic book. The surprisingly polarized reviews are also giving me pause; while I'll definitely go see it this weekend, I'm not going to hold any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at how watchable 300 was; we'll see if Zack Snyder can pull the same trick twice. And hey, if the movie sucks, it's no big deal - the novel is still a fantastic story.

All that aside, Slate has a hilarious slideshow up: "What would Watchmen look like if it had been directed by __________?" The text descriptions are funny, but it's the illustrations that really make it. I think my favorites are Woody Allen as a skinny, paunchy, glasses-wearing Dr. Manhattan and Seth Rogen as Nite Owl - which, if you think about it, isn't that different from the source material.

One for the Watchmen fans

Being quite the fan of the novel, I've been watching the development of the movie version of Watchmen with some trepidation. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that you couldn't turn the story into a good movie, it's always seemed to me that part of the reason the story works so well is the format in which it takes place - comic books defined the superhero, after all, so it makes sense that a story exploring what might happen in a world where superheroes actually existed would be written as a comic book. The surprisingly polarized reviews are also giving me pause; while I'll definitely go see it this weekend, I'm not going to hold any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised at how watchable 300 was; we'll see if Zack Snyder can pull the same trick twice. And hey, if the movie sucks, it's no big deal - the novel is still a fantastic story.

All that aside, Slate has a hilarious slideshow up: "What would Watchmen look like if it had been directed by __________?" The text descriptions are funny, but it's the illustrations that really make it. I think my favorites are Woody Allen as a skinny, paunchy, glasses-wearing Dr. Manhattan and Seth Rogen as Nite Owl - which, if you think about it, isn't that different from the source material.

Why I love my weird friends #428: I get the most hilarious voicemail messages.

My cell phone rings here at work, and since I don't generally answer said phone unless I recognize the number, I let it go to voicemail. Surprisingly, the caller actually leaves a message (usually this time of day all I get are telemarketers). I dial up the voice mail system and listen to the following (and for those of you who don't know him, I should point out that Justin is a soft-spoken individual who doesn't ever seem to get upset by anything, so the following was all said in a very laid-back, bemused tone):

Hey Rose, it's Justin. I just set my hair on fire...it smells kind of funny and is all singed now. But I love the way it feels when you've set it on fire, all crumbly and soft and ashy...Anyway, I have Saturdays off now, except for the 28th I'll be having Saturday off and working Sunday...so I was wondering if you'd like to get together, maybe go see a movie, like that there Watchmen everyone's talking about...send me an email, or call and talk to my family, or get in touch somehow. See you later...

Why I love my weird friends #428: I get the most hilarious voicemail messages.

My cell phone rings here at work, and since I don't generally answer said phone unless I recognize the number, I let it go to voicemail. Surprisingly, the caller actually leaves a message (usually this time of day all I get are telemarketers). I dial up the voice mail system and listen to the following (and for those of you who don't know him, I should point out that Justin is a soft-spoken individual who doesn't ever seem to get upset by anything, so the following was all said in a very laid-back, bemused tone):

Hey Rose, it's Justin. I just set my hair on fire...it smells kind of funny and is all singed now. But I love the way it feels when you've set it on fire, all crumbly and soft and ashy...Anyway, I have Saturdays off now, except for the 28th I'll be having Saturday off and working Sunday...so I was wondering if you'd like to get together, maybe go see a movie, like that there Watchmen everyone's talking about...send me an email, or call and talk to my family, or get in touch somehow. See you later...