Amateur human
COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK
"Rational romantic mystic cynical idealist"
COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK
I watched 2025 Oz shark movie "Fear Below". Different! Set in the '40s, killer critter (giant bull shark) is in a river, part hard-edged crime drama, historical touches... The online scores are low, but I reckon you need to be Aussie to appreciate it.
Went to the "Brian Robinson: Multiverse" exhibition at the Newcastle Art Gallery. His lino cuts were the stars of the show, and trust me when I say the digital example below (2012's "Navigating Narrative: Nemo's Encounter In The Torres Strait") has only a fraction of the impact of seeing the real deal - bigger and blacker and bolder - up on a gallery wall, alongside its equally strange fellows. I adore BR's style, which evokes ancient Greek pottery, while carrying on Indigenous artistic traditions (tribal figures, X-ray views, emphasis on sea and sky) and sneakily throwing in loads of pop-cultural refs from "Star Wars" to "Pokemon".
Japanese film "Exit 8" (2025), based on the cult indie videogame, is quite good. It elevates the simple source material into something more. Nails the ending, too.
BEER OF THE WEEK
I developed a fondness for this American drop at the Hunter S. Thompson-themed cafe Bat Country in Randwick (Sydney). For a while, it became difficult to get here in Australia. That's no longer the case...or overpriced four-pack. Still an all-timer in my beer book!
Rewatched feature-length spin-off "Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door". Listened to the fourth and final box set of "UNIT: Nemesis". Don't wanna talk about those. Instead, today's topic is -
A 2025 Belgian flick about a retired male spy who suspects foul play - and old enemies - when a young woman goes missing? Cool! An homage to the ultra-sexy, ultra-stylish Euro thrillers of the '60s (the poster clearly references legendary Italian comic "Diabolik")? Even cooler! Shame they push the level of sadism into the horror realm. Definite Giallo vibes. And as for the level of surrealism...every time you think it's starting to makes sense, there's another inversion of reality. Then another, then another, then another. It's fucking mental, basically. A unique viewing experience for sure, with some cinematic techniques that genuinely wow, but by the end I was sick of all of the shenanigans. Not to mention all of the violence against women, however symbolic or illusory. The fact a chick is wearing a rubber mask doesn't make it any less disturbing when some dude takes a knife or whatever to her face. I wish they'd played it straight. For a great spin on an ageing female spy, check out "Velvet" from Image Comics.
RS2 and I finished our rewatch of Season 2 of "Blake's 7" on Blu-ray. Alas, S3 won't be out until December (sources say).
Watched four of the buggers in 16 hours. They went from educational to light-hearted to crazy fun to deeply creepy. From artist biopic to kids' flick to scifi sequel to the hundredth (200th? 300th?) possible explanation for the Jack The Ripper murders.
COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK