Friday, May 22, 2009

Whole Lotta Shakin' Going on

As my Hook Me Up! readers already know, there's a lot going on in Gini's Web Wonderland.

First off, my fabulous editor has confirmed that "Touched by an Alien" will be DAW Publishing's April 2010 release. And there was much rejoicing! All that info's up on Bookstore, Deathless Prose and Newsy Stuff. I also have a new Playlist up.

AND, because my life isn't complete without it, we have more news from the world of Kiki. "Alas, Poor Pigdin" is up on Expanded Universes, under The Misadventures of Kiki. Read and enjoy.

So, tiptoe through the web pages and have a look!

Love,
Gini

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

In the Pink

My daughter is wonderful.

As many of you have managed to guess, I'm into the pink. It's starting to really take over, too. Why ask why, right?

So, I asked for a variety of things for Mother's Day, because the hubs has trained me into providing a list. Without a list, the man is helpless to shop for his beloved (me, in case you weren't sure) and would come home with the collected works of The Three Stooges if left to his own devices. With a list he did a fine job, presents-wise.

My daughter, however, is possessed of much more shopping savvy. It helps that she's a girl, I'm sure, but she just knows how to actually look at something and go, "My mother would love/hate this." She resists the list. I give it to her and she ignores it. Because she knows she can find something not on the list that will be a total, happy surprise.

This year was no exception. I'm proudly wearing a beautiful heart pendant that says "Mom" on it that has...wait for it...three pink sapphire hearts in it. (Pink!) And she saved up and bought it with her own money, too. (Bonus!)

Of course, I have no other pink jewelry. I know! Unbelievable! I'm feeling confident, however, that come my anniversary and the Holidays, that will be rectified.

By my daughter, of course. I expect the hubs to still need a list. And jewelry doesn't belong on a list. As my daughter knows, it's better when it's a surprise.

Love,
Gini

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Saturday, May 2, 2009

Movie Review: Wolverine

Warning: Major Spoiler Alerts from a Major Comics Geek Girl

(That is, spoilers that will tell you nothing about the actual narrative of the movie, but which will, for some of you, spoil the overall experience. For the rest of you, it'll make it better. Trust me.)

The hubs and I just saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I'm huge into comics but I lean towards Marvel over DC (and, yes, there are many others besides the Big Two, but this isn't a comic book blog post, so deal), ergo I know a lot about the Marvel Universe, and the X-Men Universe in particular. Ergo again, I'm an educated viewer, at least in terms of the source materials -- my people are the people the movie-makers of this sort of movie are terrified of enraging. So, let's get some things taken care of right up front.

Most Important Selling Point for Instant and Repeated Viewings: Hugh Jackman is NAKED in this movie! Oh, sure, not for too long, but we definitely see bare butt and total bare torso, and for more than one scene, too. And we get to see his naked chest a LOT. So, the movie is awesome and I will own it the moment it comes out on DVD.

Most Outrageous Trampling of Comics Fans' Precious Memories: What they've done with Deadpool is a travesty. It ruined the movie for the hubs and the chicklet, since Deadpool, aka The Merc With A Mouth, is a family favorite. He's awesome at the start of the movie, but trust this comics geek girl when I say that what they do with him at the end is NOT Deadpool. Why bother to cast the perfect guy as Deadpool -- Ryan Reynolds -- and then proceed to do what they did with him? Travesty doesn't begin to cover it. (And Ryan wasn't undressed nearly enough, either.)

Most Relieved Moment: They didn't screw up Gambit. Taylor Kitsch wasn't my idea of Remy LeBeau -- but Hugh Jackman wasn't my idea of Wolverine, either, way back when -- but he does a great job and is allowed to stay. (Taylor's clothes remained on. This is a bad trend, movie-makers.)

Best New Hottie: Daniel Henney, who plays Agent Zero, is a total and complete babe. The movie's biggest failing, right after the Deadpool stuff? Zero was never naked. In fact, they barely let him unbutton the top button of his shirt. I want to see more of Daniel Henney and by that I mean I want to see a LOT more. (It's now official -- the movie-makers need to reshoot a great variety of the supporting actors' scenes. Maybe the deleted Black Ops shower scene will make it into the DVD extras. A girl can dream.)

Best Uber Villain: Liev Schrieber was awesome as Sabretooth. I've seen him be a villain before (Phantoms -- Affleck was da BOMB in Phantoms...points to those who know where that line comes from) so I know he can do it. But he was amazing and added much needed depth and layers to the Sabretooth character. (For those keeping score, Liev's also not naked in this movie. For shame, movie-makers! Hugh's a big enough guy [heh] that I'm sure he was willing to spread the on-screen nudity around to the other guys. I expect the next movie to be X-Men Origins: Mutants Take Showers, or there'll be some s'plainin' to do.)

Special, Personal Note to the Movie-Makers: I'm enraged about the total lack of male nudity of the hottie supporting characters. We'll cross blades over what you did to Deadpool, but if I get naked pics of Ryan Reynolds and Daniel Henney in the mail, all might be forgiven.

Now, for the stuff movie critics are supposed to care about -- the narrative, the story arc, the effects, the production values, the acting, the stunts.

Movie was awesome, Travesty Moment and lack of supporting hottie nakedness aside, and I suggest you see it pronto. Hugh's naked scenes start early and come often, so no bathroom breaks. Hugh Jackman is NAKED in Wolverine. Truly, 'nuff said. (Hey, I'm an author and a comics geek girl, not a critic.)

Love,
Gini

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