A Serious Man - Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Set in 1967, this black comedy follows a Jewish professor as he attempts to stop his life from unraveling after his wife announces she wants a divorce. It would appear that the Coen dynasty is back in full swing after their three year hiatus between The Ladykillers (2004) and No Country for Old Men (2007). Though longtime Coen teammates Carter Burwell (composer) and Roger Deakins (cinematographer) are back again, the cast for this one is largely unknown. I can’t wait.
Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed
October 2

Whip It - Directed by Drew Barrymore, Written by Shauna Cross
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut about a punk rock outcast (Ellen Page) living in small town Texas who rebels by joining an all girl roller derby league. I’m a fan of Page and Barrymore, and though it was filmed almost entirely in Michigan and features an esoteric chick-indie-punk soundtrack, Barrymore managed to get some good names on the roster. Not cast-wise, as Page and Marcia Gay Harden are the only recognizable ones, but she borrowed longtime Wes Anderson cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, as well as editor Dylan Tichenor (Doubt, There Will Be Blood), and Art Director Kevin Kavanaugh (The Dark Knight, The Prestige). Call me impressed.
Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden
October 2

Zombieland - Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Sure, the writers and director of this Americanized Shaun of the Dead are newbies. And yes, British humor often times prevails when put toe to toe (except the Office, Steve Carrell is a silly bitch). But after watching the previews, how can you not smile and say, “Yeah, I’ll see that eventually.”? If for no other reason that watching little miss sunshine kick some zombie ass would be sweet.
Woody Harrelson, Jessie Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone, Amber Heard, Bill Murray
October 2

An Education - Directed by Lone Scherfig,Written by Nick Hornby
Wait…Peter Sarsgaard? In a low profile dramatic role you’ve never heard of until now? Yeah, that sounds about right. About a 17-year-old girl in 1960’s London who abandons her college plans for a wealthy socialite twice her age. You may not recognize any of the names behind the scenes, but Nick Hornby (author, High Fidelity) is enough for me.
Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike
October 9

Couples Retreat - Directed by Peter Billingsley, Written by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn
Apparently, Ralphie from A Christmas Story is all grown up and wants to be a director. Starting with a screenplay by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn will either be his ticket to greatness, or a nail in his mediocre comedy coffin. Still, Swingers and Made were great, and the cast in this one has me more than confident. If the plot isn’t obvious by the title, you should not see this movie, you might shoot your eye out (fuck you, you knew it was coming).
Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Ken Jeong, Jean Reno, Faizon Love, Tasha Smith, John Michael Higgins
October 9

Peter and Vandy - Written and Directed by Jay DiPietro
In the style of (500) Days of Summer, this relationship film set in New York City jumps back and forth through time telling the story of how Peter and Vandy went from friends to lovers, and how they ended up as a comfortable, yet manipulative couple. The chemistry between Ritter and Weixler looks good, and Sundance apparently loved it. My only worry is, in a non-linear feature film, editor Geoffrey Richman has been limited to documentaries. Ok, he did Murderball and God Grew Tired of Us, but still, a lot’s riding on this guy’s shoulders. DePietro’s first.
Jason Ritter, Jess Weixler
October 9

Trucker - Written and Directed by James Mottern
James Mottern’s first endeavor gives Monaghan an amazing role as a long distance truck driver who must care for the son she abandoned while his father is in the hospital. Interesting cast (I like Adams and Fillion), and behind the scenes, names like Mychael Danna (composer: (500) Days of Summer, Girl Interrupted) and Lawrence Sher (cinematographer: Garden State, The Chumscrubber) intrigue me. Assuming Monaghan’s role is as great as it appears in the preview, I will make a bold statement: If Melissa Leo can be nominated for Frozen Rivers, this might be Monaghan’s year.
Michelle Monaghan, Benjamin Bratt, Joey Lauren Adams, Nathan Fillion, Jimmy Bennett
October 9

Law Abiding Citizen - Directed by F. Gary Gray, Written by Kurt Wimmer
Gerard Butler’s wife and daughter are killed. The D.A. (Jamie Foxx) gives the murderers a plea bargain. Years later, Butler starts exacting his revenge on everyone involved…from the comfort of his jail cell. Wimmer wrote and directed Equilibrium (freaking awesome), but he also wrote and directed Ultraviolet (freaking garbage). Aside from editor Tariq Anwar (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty), everyone involved is a so-so list of random action film participants. So why would you see this one? Cause it’s Friday…you ain’t got no job…and you ain’t got shit to do.
Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Viola Davis, Regina Hall
October 16

New York, I Love You - Directed by Faith Akin and Yvan Attal, Written by Emmanual Benbihy and Tristan Carne
I’m sure even the most skeptical among you can’t say you didn’t enjoy Paris, Je T’aime. It was a great cross-sectioning of different views and stories around the city, told by some great directors (The Coen Brothers and Gus van Sant among them). I gotta say, I’m a little disappointed about the young cast and director lineup (where the F are DeNiro and Scorcese?) But as an overall project, I’m really looking forward to this film. With segments directed by Allan Hughes, Shunji Iwai, Wen Jiang, Shekhar Kapur, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Natalie Portman, and Brett Ratner.
Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Shia LaBeouf, Blake Lively, Robin Wright Penn, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, Christina Ricci, Rachel Bilson, Ethan Hawke, John Hurt, Justin Bartha, James Caan, Maggie Q, Anton Yelchin, Andy Garcia, Chris Cooper, Olivia Thirlby, Drea De Matteo, Julie Christie, Cloris Leachman, Eli Wallach
October 16

Where the Wild Things Are - Directed by Spike Jonze, Written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers
Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story about a boy who invents an imaginary world populated with large creatures who name him King. Jonze hasn’t really done many films (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation), but he’s an accomplished music video director, and with an adaptation by Dave Eggers, he can’t really go wrong. Effects look good, voice casting is solid.
Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Dano, Lauren Ambrose
October 16

Amelia - Directed by Mira Nair, Written by Ronald Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan
From the director of The Namesake, this biopic of Amelia Earhart covers her romance with flight, and her rise to the level of cultural icon. Can’t say it looks like anything really spectacular, but Swank has won multiple Oscars, Phelan wrote Girl Interrupted, and The Aviator was warmly received. Look for this to show up on some Academy Award lists regardless.
Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccelston
October 23

Antichrist - Written and Directed by Lars von Trier
Danish director Lars von Trier has won numerous awards for his films. He has also shocked a lot of people not only by his style, but by his tendency to add super realism to his films by actually having the actors doing whatever the characters are supposed to (meaning if there’s a group sex scene, chances are those people are actually having sex on camera). Antichrist is the story of a couple trying to reconnect in a cabin after the death of their son. What happens next is ridiculously graphic, violent, and spiritually disturbing. While the wide theatrical release will no doubt be heavily edited, the uncut version is something you have to see to fully understand.
Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
October 23

Saw VI - Directed by Kevin Greutert, Written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton
Don’t think I really need to explain this one. Jigsaw’s dead, but we’re gonna try to fit at least four more storylines into the original script. Director is new, writers have worked on the last three Saw films. I’ll see it, but when an original horror franchise with an awesome theme song allows a Texas Chainsaw Massacre motif into their preview, it worries me.
Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith, Betsy Russell
October 23

(Untitled) - Directed by Jonathan Parker, Written by Jonathan Parker and Catherine DiNapoli
Shelton plays an art gallery director who falls in love with a struggling artist/musician in New York. Should be good for a few laughs if you can’t stand newagepostmodernretroindieavantgardeabstracthipsterbullshit. Also, Vinnie Jones as an artist, and Adam Goldberg kicking a bucket on stage should be hilarious. Rookie writer/director.
Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, Vinnie Jones
October 23

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - Directed by Troy Duffy, Written by Troy and Taylor Duffy
We’ve had to wait ten bloody years for this film to actually see the light of day. Now it’s here. If you didn’t see the first one (what the hell is wrong with you??) it’s about two Irish brothers who are “called” by God to administer justice and vengeance to society’s scum. I’m actually impressed that after so long on the shelf, the writer/director of the first film is still on board. Can’t freaking wait.
Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, Judd Nelson, Billy Connolly, Peter Fonda
October 30

How to Seduce Difficult Women - Written and Directed by Richard Temtchine
Although there are no recognizable names or faces attached to this one, imagine if someone combined Hitch and School for Scoundrels, and then made a GOOD film. The main character, Pierre, decides to teach the ways of French seduction to the floundering American men who have lost the art (stupid French guys with their…sexy accents…). Interspersed with NY street interviews about sex and seduction. Could be interesting.
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Stephanie Szostak, Jackie Hoffman, Rachel Roberts
October 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Ministers - Written and Directed by Franc. Reyes
Kinda like Boondock Saints…except Latin. And they’re serial killers. And Leguizamo plays twins. And I’d bet money Keitel gets naked for no reason. Reyes is a weird cat, but he directed Empire and Illegal Tender, which weren’t bad. Leguizamo’s always good, so we’ll see. Rumored limited release date, nothing solid yet.
John Leguizamo, Harvey Keitel, Wanda De Jesus, Florencia Lozano
October 1 (Limited)

Aladin - Written and Directed by Sujoy Ghosh
Shut up and let me talk. Yes, it’s an Indian film. Yes, it appears there is a bit of singing involved. However, the story of Aladin is one of the most widely known and adaptable myths to come out of the area. And the preview actually gives me a Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer) kind of feel. Excuse the hell out of me for trying to broaden your minds. Only release date in India so far. Check it out.
Ritesh Deshmukh, Jaqueline Fernandes, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt
October 23 (India)

Pope Joan - Directed by Sonke Wortmann, Written by Heinrich Hadding
Based on the German novel, this is the story of an English woman born in Germany, who disguises herself as a man and ascends to a seat of power in 9th century Vatican. A German film about gender disguise, and John Goodman’s in it, but Hilary Swank isn’t? That’s so confusing it has to be fattening. Limited release in Germany so far.
David Wenham, John Goodman, Ian Glen
October 22 (Germany)

I wish you could’ve seen my expression last November, when I first read the Oscar nominees for 2008. I was appalled. Not only were certain films on the docket that didn’t deserve so much as an original song award, but what was almost completely absent was Sam Mendes’ gut wrenching yet brilliantly crafted period piece, Revolutionary Road. I couldn’t believe the Academy’s oversight. I mean, it’s not like his films haven’t gotten any recognition (American Beauty got a couple awards), but with the competition last year being what it was, his snubbing was inexcusable.

Also by Benjamin Anastas: The Faithful Narrative of a Pastor’s Disappearance (2001)

Suggested Readings: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (2000)

Away We Go – Directed by Sam Mendes, Written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida
About a couple expecting a child that travels around the country looking for a place to start their family. I’m still reeling from Mendes’s snubbing at the Oscars last year, and this comes out too soon for a shot in 2010, but he’s a great director, and Eggers is one of my favorite authors. The cast looks great, the tone seems heartfelt, and the music already sounds great. I can’t wait for it.
John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Catherine O’Hara, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal
June 5

Downloading Nancy – Directed by Johan Renck, Written by Pamela Cuming and Lee Ross
Maria Bello plays a depressed, self-destructive housewife who meets a man in a chat room, and asks him to kill her. Then they fall in love. Then her husband beats the hell out of him. The uncensored preview looks raw and emotional, but it has the potential to be lame. First feature film for both writer and director.
Maria Bello, Rufus Sewell, Jason Patrick, Amy Brenneman
June 5

Tetro – Written and Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Apparently, this is Coppola’s first original screenplay since 1974’s The Conversation. It involves an Argentinean-Italian family dealing with the past, and brothers dealing with their creative passions. Vincent Gallo isn’t the most reputable actor. Actually, if you’ve never heard of Buffalo 66, then you’ve only seen him for a quick second in Goodfellas. Coppola is a huge name, with a long career. However, this film opened to very negative reviews at Cannes. Haven’t decided yet.
Vincent Gallo
June 11

The Last International Playboy – Directed by Steve Clark, Written by Steve Clark and Thomas Moffett
If you actually recognize Jason Behr, you’re one of six people who ever watched the show Roswell. This time he plays Jack Frost (…subtle), a heartbreaker and womanizer dealing with his mother’s suicide. He learns that the only woman he’s ever really loved is getting married, and his life starts to spiral out of control. He turns to his friends for advice, the most meaningful of which comes from his 11-year-old neighbor. Could be a bullshit chick flick, could be a respectable indie drama.
Jason Behr
June 12

Moon – Directed by Duncan Jones, Written by Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker
Great Sci-Fi films are few and far between. Sunshine was amazing, but most of them suck. Moon looks like a cross between Solaris (the original) and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut on the moon doing energy research alone with his talking computer (Kevin Spacey). Then he starts seeing and hearing weird stuff, and thinks he’s losing his mind. Could be like Solaris (the remake) or Mission to Mars, but it could also rival Sunshine. I’m excited.
Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
June 12

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 – Directed by Tony Scott, Written by Brian Helgeland
Remake of a 1974 heist movie starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, the new one stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Same basic story, a subway car is hijacked, and a civil servant must negotiate the demands. The original was pretty damn good, but Travolta’s character looks like a Wild Hogs/Swordfish hybrid. Tony Scott’s had some low points the last few years (Domino, Spy Game), but his last two teamings with Denzel were Deja Vu and Man on Fire, which were badass.
Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Luis Guzman, John Turturro, James Gandolfini
June 12

$9.99 – Directed by Tatia Rosenthal, Written by Etgar Keret
I know when you see stop motion animation with accents, you automatically think Wallace and Gromit (…or not), but after an overdose of Oscar animated shorts and Bill Plympton, I’m willing to give this one a shot. About a bunch of people living in an apartment complex in Australia searching for the meaning of life. Don’t judge me.
Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia, Joel Edgerton, Claudia Karvan
June 19

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Directed by Michael Bay, Written by Ehren Kruger and Roberto Orci
Yes, we all know that Michael Bay is pretty much a joke. But the Transformers kick ass, Megan Fox is really hot, and the first one was really cool. The second one brings back all our favorite Decepticons and Autobots, (even Jazz, the only one to die in the first one…you know, the only one who sounded black?). Hey, it’s summer, time for effects and explosions. It’s Michael Bay season.
Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese, John Turturro, Hugo Weaving
June 24

The Hurt Locker – Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Written by Mark Boal
Every time I see Jeremy Renner, I think of S.W.A.T., which isn’t a good thing. However, The Hurt Locker is much more serious. It is about an army bomb squad in Iraq, and the crazy shit they have to deal with every day. This has the potential to be another The Kingdom, meaning it will be really cool, but completely overlooked by the majority of moviegoers. Bigelow directed Point Break, Blue Steel, and K-19: The Widowmaker, so she’s kinda one of the guys. Boal wrote the screenplay for In the Valley of Elah. I just hope it’s not as disappointing as Stop-Loss, but it’s MTV free, so I’m optimistic.
Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly
June 26

Life is Hot in Cracktown – Written and Directed by Buddy Giovinazzo
Brandon Routh is a crackhead? Shannyn Sossamon and Lara Flynn Boyle are hoe-bags? Are we sure this isn’t a documentary? Giovinazzo also wrote this novel about several different people living in drug-infested urban areas. Feels like a much grittier version of Crash, but could just be another urban flop. Kerry Washington is hot.
Brandon Routh, Kerry Washington, Shannyn Sossamon, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Lara Flynn Boyle, Illeana Douglas, RZA
June 26

Quiet Chaos – Directed by Antonio Luigi Grimaldi, Written by Nanni Moretti and Sandro Veronesi
Italian film about a man who saves two women from drowning, then returns home to find his wife has died. Lost in his bewildered emotional state, he sits outside his daughter’s school all day every day, interacting with the people in the area. Grimaldi hasn’t done much outside of Italian TV, but Moretti is apparently a big deal as an actor, writer, and director in Italy.
Nanni Moretti, Valeria Golino, Alessandro Gassman
June 26

The Stoning of Soraya M. – Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh, Written by Betsy Griffin Nowrasteh and Cyrus Nowrasteh
James Caviezel (Passion of the Christ) stars as a man driving through 1986 Iran when his car breaks down. He begins talking with Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog), who tells him a story about her niece, who was executed on erroneous charges by the community. The story may be small, but the scope strikes me as amazingly broad. Themes of mob mentality, justice, women’s rights, and cultural pressures. Nowrasteh is new to the game, but Aghdashloo’s an Oscar nominee who’s been in everything. Looking forward to it.
James Caviezel, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marno
June 26

Surveillance – Directed by Jennifer Chambers Lynch, Written by Jennifer Chambers Lynch and Kent Harper
Serial Killer flick meets Rashomon in Lynch’s second film, about three eyewitnesses being interviewed by the FBI concerning a series of shootings they all saw, but each account is different. Jennifer appears to be daddy’s little girl already, and David Lynch is executive producing, so be prepared for a serious mind-fuck. I have goose bumps.
Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James, Ryan Simpkins, French Stewart
June 26

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Every month I do my research on upcoming projects, and every month the list seems to get longer. With each Coming Soon, however, I must leave out interesting films because either I can’t find a release date, or it’s already out, or the dates are conflicting on different sites. Well from now on, I’m just going to tell you about all these cool movies anyways. Some of them won’t be released in the US until possibly next year, if they ever come to a theater near you at all. Some of them may already be on DVD. Just keep your eyes open.

I Come with the Rain – Written and Directed by Tran Anh Hung
Josh Hartnett gets a bum wrap, but he’s been in some cool movies (Lucky # Slevin, 30 Days of Night, Black Hawk Down). In this one, he’s the token white guy. He plays a cop-turned-P.I. who left the force after killing a serial killer he was fixated with. He travels to Tokyo to find the son of a billionaire, and the lines between reality and fantasy, and good and evil are blurred. Vietnamese writer/director Tran hasn’t done much, and the 5-minute-long promo trailer kind of gives up the whole movie, but it has a lot of potential.
Josh Hartnett, Elias Koteas, Byung-hun Lee
June 6 (Japan)

The Countess – Written and Directed by Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy (actress in The Air I Breathe, Before Sunrise, 2 Days in Paris) tackles her second project as a director with the story of Hungarian Countess Bathory, who thought the key to maintaining her beauty was to bathe in the blood of a young virgin every night (more proof that virginity is harmful to your health). Doesn’t have a US release date yet, but it’s already been to a couple European festivals, so look for it on DVD soon.
Julie Delpy, William Hurt, Daniel Bruhl, Anamaria Marinca
June 25 (Germany)

Fireflies in the Garden – Written and Directed by Dennis Lee
Based on a Robert Frost poem, this is the story of a family dealing with emotional turmoil and internal conflict in the aftermath of a sudden tragedy. The cast alone is worth checking this movie out (when is the last time Julia Roberts and Willem Dafoe were in the same movie?) This has been released in every other freaking country, so I may be really late. Check imdb, or your local Blockbuster.
Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Julia Roberts, Ioan Gruffudd, Hayden Panettiere
May 29 (UK), possible June 26 release in US.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee – Written and Directed by Rebecca Miller
Robin Wright Penn plays a loving wife and mother who, at age 50, starts to unravel when her much older husband (Alan Arkin) wants to move to a retirement community. She must look into and deal with the wild behavior and harsh realities of her past, and still hold on to her present. Miller wrote Proof, and directed The Ballad of Jack and Rose, and this looks like a slight departure for Arkin as an actor. It could be another The Life Before Her Eyes, or it could be really freaking good. Also, I’m in love with Monica Bellucci. There, I said it.
Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, Julianne Moore, Winona Ryder, Maria Bello, Monica Bellucci, Blake Lively
July 10 (UK)

Yeah, I know, you can’t hear that title without singing Tenacious D’s catchy song. It’s all I heard in my head for the week I was reading this book, though I tried not to let it detract from the story.

As with most of his novels, Michael Chabon’s story in Wonder Boys is immediately personal and broad. The protagonist, Grady Tripp, is a college English professor in Pittsburgh who is experiencing writer’s block (7 years of it, to be exact) on his latest novel, entitled Wonder Boys. Grady’s fourth marriage is falling apart, primarily due to his affair with the Sarah Gaskell, the married Chancellor of the college. His editor, Terry Crabtree, is visiting for the week, attempting to read Grady’s “almost completed” novel. James Leer, a strange student of Grady’s, is attempting to find approval and answers after finishing his first as-yet-unpublished novel. Throw in prescription pills, transvestites, theft, dog murder, Marilyn Monroe, and a ton of weed, and you have a fun, heartfelt novel about dealing with life, defining yourself, and learning your lessons.

Written from the perspective of Grady (first person), the story almost forces you to sympathize with him. He goes through so much in a short time, but most of it is his fault. It’s not easy to write a character that doesn’t learn from most of his mistakes, and still earns the encouragement and fondness of the reader. But Chabon does this very well. The characters are all very different on the surface, but very similar when their layers are pealed away. They are all looking for an escape. Crabtree’s drugs and questionable sexual practices, Grady’s weed and affairs, even James Leer’s compulsive lying, suicidal tendencies, and sexual ambiguousness are all ways to get out of a rut that we all find ourselves in without knowing how we got there.

Chabon’s prose is consistent with most of his other works: Sometimes dry, sometimes engaging, but generally even-flowing and readable. I usually have few complaints, but there were parts of this one that didn’t feel right to me. There were many places in the novel where the dialogue and prose didn’t match up quite right. It’s like Chabon was trying really hard to maintain an intellectual, vocabulary-laden narrative, but every now and then he’d lapse into a simpler form of writing that didn’t have any relevance to the story or character. His dialogue is generally good, but not his strong point. A lot of it comes across as too breezy, too casual, to the point of contrived and awkward.

There are also several places in the story where the author spends ten pages rambling about something that isn’t necessarily related to the narrative or the plotline. For example, when Grady, recovering from a dog bite, a joint, and a filing Seder, sneaks a peek at James Leer’s novel, it seems like a random bird walk that – for me personally – detracted from and bogged down that part of the story.

Wonder Boys is not Michael Chabon’s best work, but I like him overall. I think his style is well-developed and intelligent, with more direction than Dave Eggers, and bigger words than Chuck Klosterman. If you’re a fan, I’d definitely recommend it. If you haven’t read any Chabon yet, I’d start with The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.

Final Grade: B-

Film Adaptation:

Also by Michael Chabon:

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

A Model World and Other Stories

Werewolves in Their Youth

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Summerland

The Final Solution: A Story of Detection

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union

Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure

I never really got into comic books. I’ve always loved superheroes, I know most of the back-stories and storylines, but I only actually read them for a few years, and I stopped when I was 11. I’ve seen all of the big comic movies the last few years, and most of them were awesome (the most evil super villains in the films are still Joel Schumacher and Ang Lee). But none of them made me want to run to the store and grab the latest issue of Action Comics. Until Watchmen.

As a writer and a fan of literature, I don’t pay attention to comic books. Graphic novels, however, are an underappreciated medium, and there is a difference. Comic books are generally between twenty and thirty pages, an ongoing plot with silly dialog, at least one fight, and its pretty much fluff. Graphic novels, however, are between one hundred and three hundred pages, much more intellectual, violent, and in depth. The writing is the best part of a graphic novel, and the really good ones have amazing artwork to match. For those of you who love Frank Miller’s films, I have news for you: he is a graphic novel writer, and he’s even done work on comic books. Though Miller is probably my favorite, a close second now is Alan Moore, writer of Watchmen.

Allan Moore

A big name in comics for decades, he’s penned some amazing novels that have been turned into films. V for Vendetta, From Hell, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen were all Moore’s creations. He has a broad career as a writer, and an impressive resume. His books are always dark, profound, multilayered, and entertaining. There is no question, however, that Watchmen is his seminal masterpiece. It was originally released in twelve separate chapters, each around forty pages long. Excerpts from fictional memoirs, scientific papers, and news clippings, adding an element or realism to the story, separate the chapters in the complete novel. This makes reading it a challenge, but his ability to make readers relate and feel comfortable in such an outlandish story is commendable.

The Story

Watchmen is one of the most complex and well-rounded stories I’ve ever read, involving a complete alternate history of America starting in the late ‘20’s. With the emergence of several masked heroes, the government decides to sanction groups of heroes as minutemen, only operating in times of crisis. None of these people have superpowers; no radioactive spiders, space anomalies, or mutations. They are normal people who dress up to protect society. In 1959, a scientist named Jon Osterman is trapped in an atomic experiment, and vaporized. Days later, he reappears as a being of pure energy, with the ability to move things with his mind, teleport, and experience time omnisciently. His presence in America fuels the nuclear program, he is used by the government in Vietnam, and this stirs up the Russians, bringing them to the brink of nuclear war with the U.S. President Nixon, in his fourth presidential term, allows a bill to be passed effectively disbanding the Watchmen, due to public fear and outrage. In 1985 (Nixon’s fifth term), after eight years in retirement, one of the Watchmen, The Comedian, is murdered. This causes the rest of them to once again don their cowls and uncover an evil plot.

The Characters

Dr. Manhattan is the name given to Jon Osterman after his transformation. He has amazing powers that he generally uses to aide humanity (via the U.S. government), but he is detached. His ability to see the future, to understand existence and the universe on another level alienates him from the rest of mankind, causing him trouble in relationships as well as in the public eye.

Rorschach is pretty psychotic. He was raised by a prostitute, who kept him in the brothel with her. This and the absence of his father resulted in the inability to connect with people on a meaningful level. He sees the world as a horrible place, full of vice and crime, and the people as childish sheep. The most interesting part of Rorschach’s story, though left out of the film, is that his mask is a piece of fabric he cut from a dress made by Dr. Manhattan with fluid woven into the fabric that is constantly changing shapes. Dr. Manhattan originally designed this dress for a woman named Kitty Genovese. For those of you unfamiliar with history and psychology, Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death outside her apartment in 1964. Thirty-eight people watched out their windows, but no one called the police, allowing the mugger to come back and finish her off. This gave birth to the psychological term, “the bystander effect”. Hence Rorschach’s mask being constantly changing, but always black and white; never gray. He swears he will always be a vigilante, no matter what the government says, and he will never compromise, not even in the face of Armageddon.

Ozymandias is rich, powerful, and his body extends to the outer limits of human physical prowess. He started the last chapter of The Watchmen, and was sort of their leader. He works with Dr. Manhattan on several nuclear projects, and is the only Watchmen to reveal his secret identity after retirement. He is the quintessential superhero, and he uses different methods to accomplish the same goals.

The Comedian is one of the Watchmen veterans. He went back and forth between being a hero and a government spy/assassin (the film implies more that The Comedian shot JFK). He has a fatalistic view of humanity, even feels himself superior to them. He’s pretty much an asshole with a gun, but there’s always something under his scowl that you can’t quite put your finger on. He attempts to rape Silk Spectre, he shoots a Vietnamese woman pregnant with his child. This is all seen in flashbacks, as The Comedian is the one murdered at the beginning of the book.

Silk Spectre II was bred to be a hero. Daughter of Silk Spectre, a Watchmen in the forties, Silk II was forced into heroing by her mother. As a character, the only overtly interesting thing about her is that she is Dr. Manhattan’s girlfriend, and she chain-smokes. What’s more intriguing than her as a person is her past. Her mother, the mystery of her father, and her friendship with Night Owl II make her thought provoking, but not sympathetic.

Night Owl II is a one-dimensional character. He’s like the Superman of the group, but without the superpowers. Gadgets are his strong suit, relationships are not. His only contribution to the story is his connection to Hollis Mason, the first Night Owl and author of Behind the Hood, a memoir of his hero days. This connection to the past, the purity of the Watchmen, is the only thing he’s got going.

Good vs Evil

Unlike most other comic books, Watchmen doesn’t really focus on the bad guys. Sure, they mention their foes from time to time, but since these heroes had no superpowers, neither did their counterparts. The main theme of this book is ideological: good vs evil. It’s actually very deep, and well developed in the novel, and it’s different for every character, but there are basically three sides: Black, white, and grey in the name of white. Obedience to the government, bonds of brotherhood, responsibility to humanity as a whole, and responsibility to people as individuals are all elements in the ideologies. It has some big questions in it. Is doing evil things in the name of good still good, or is it actually evil? Is apathy even worse then evil acts? Does one act of contrition clearly establish your moral lines and forgive your past? Or is the act of contrition itself an admission of wrongdoing that should never be made? I won’t ruin the ending (the mechanics are different than the movie, but the basics are the same), but the turning point for all these characters is when a grey area is introduced, and they all must take sides. Do the ends justify the means? Can you operate in this grey area while still claiming the white side? The conclusions they come to are unpredictable and complex.

Man as God

Jon Osterman walks into a room in 1959, and comes out an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent being. “God is real, and he is American.” He experiences time all at once, instead of linearly, so he is always telling other characters what is about to happen, how things will turn out. They complain that they have a choice, that it doesn’t have to be that way, but he is right every time.

Even more interesting, as a god figure, he tries to help in human affairs, working mainly with the U.S. He fights in Vietnam, does his duty in the cold war, and is America’s secret weapon against deflecting a possible Russian nuclear strike. Yet he slowly drifts away from humanity, and takes a stance of fatigued indifference. One great part of the book is when the Comedian shoots his “baby mama”. Dr. Manhattan is standing right there, and tells him not to shoot. After she is dead, he tries to condemn The Comedian, but he argues, “You could’ve stopped the bullet, took apart my gun, frozen time, but you didn’t.” He is accusing Manhattan of being out of touch, apathetic, and cold. When he is on Mars, talking to Silk Spectre II about the fate of the world, he asks her, “Why would I save a world I no longer have any stake in?”

Chapter IV was, to me, the best in the novel, for the way it handled time, Manhattan’s flashbacks and flash forwards, and gave you a window into the psyche of a god. He feels isolated from everyone. Its not that he doesn’t care, he does. It’s that he’s not sure why he cares, if he cares for the right things or reasons, and if his responsibility is to directly help people, or to sit back and let them determine their own futures. This theme, though profound, is not overdone or overcomplicated. Good job Moore.

The Black Freighter

Another interesting part of Watchmen was the parallel story The Black Freighter. This is a comic strip that an incidental character is reading periodically throughout the graphic novel. In the panels, the internal dialogue from this comic book is run alongside actual dialog from Watchmen characters. It is the story of a ship captain whose entire crew is killed, and he is stranded on an island. He forms a raft out of the dead bodies around him, and sails home to warn his family of the approaching Black Freighter. This may seem unimportant, but this narrative was inserted into Watchmen at key plot points, and if you read the novel through, in the end you understand another parallel of Watchmen morality. (This was actually turned into a short animated film by Zack Snyder featuring Gerard Butler and a great song by Nina Simone.)

Novel vs Film

The film was condensed, entertaining, and a little more realistic at the end. The novel was extensive, elaborate, and included elements that, though their absence didn’t detract from the movie, would’ve made things a little clearer, and a lot cooler. Overall, I would say that the two are different halves of the same whole, and the best way to understand either is to enjoy both.

Final Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The art was fantastic, the narrative was amazingly deep without being cumbersome, and the flow was smooth. All the major elements of a great book are here, and so many minor elements are added that the realism and cohesiveness are almost perfect. Some of the panels actually look like a well-developed storyboard for a film, and the writing is so flushed out that Ayn Rand and Dave Eggers would both be proud. Though my exposure is limited, this is my favorite graphic novel so far, and one of the best stories (as far as material and character development) that I’ve ever read. My only criticism is that the ending in the novel was a bit ridiculous and underdeveloped. Objectively, it could have been better, but the film made up for it, so I’m happy.

Final Grade: A

Pariah

noun

Definition: An outcast.

Half the people I know can’t spell pariah, let alone tell you what it means. Which is why it’s so strange that so many people my age make me feel like one.

I struggle to find the time for books just like everyone else these days. Fortunately, I ride public transit to work, so I have at least an hour and a half everyday to read. I have varied interest in material; from current affairs, to biographies, new short stories, and old classics. So when I’m sitting on the train reading Ayn Rand’s We the Living, I’m all of a sudden very aware that the other twenty-something’s around me are reading He’s Just Not That Into You, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Eat Pray Love, and things of this nature. Not that I have a problem with these books, I just have a problem with this gap that seems to get wider every year.

When I get off the train, I sit outside Starbucks reading, and a woman passes me.

“That’s a great book, she’s my favorite author,” she says.

She looks 45.

I’m 24.

Granted, I’m not normal. I was reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the unabridged Les Miserables when I was 12. I’m no wunderkind; I just didn’t have any fucking friends. But now I’m in my mid twenties, and I can’t talk to anyone my age about the birth of Rand’s Objectivism in Soviet Russia, or why I prefer Poe’s Cask of Amontillado to The Raven, or why The Ox-bow Incident’s moral subtext can still be applied to society today.

And it breaks my fucking heart. (to see what breaks The B I G Gypsy’s fucking heart, click the link!)

I know, I’m an elitist. And I do appreciate modern literature. But literature, as with anything else, is an ongoing movement, built upon everything that came before it, carved out of the social, political, philosophical, and economic climate at the time. It’s like comparing Quentin Tarantino to Sam Peckinpah, or Souljah Boy to Ice T.

It’s true that I might identify more with Amory from Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise than with any recent characters, but there are still authors out there keeping wit, intelligence, and overall literacy alive. Dave Eggers, Michael Chabon, Chuck Palahniuk, Nick Hornby, just to name a couple. Here at sexy gypsy, we’ve decided to branch out and start talking about these and other authors who are making their mark on our generation’s literature. We’ve already given a nod to Hornby’s High Fidelity, and we all know that reading takes infinitely longer than watching a movie or listening to a new album, so give us a little time, and let’s hope Voltaire wasn’t totally right (I don’t have to explain myself to you, go read a fucking book).

-The Great White Gypsy