In Defense of Ben Affleck: a Rant

Last night brought us the post heard 'round the world: Ben Affleck is the new Batman. Thomas saw it before I did, and had to double-check to make sure he wasn't reading The Onion. I was a little taken aback at first, but then I thought about it for a second...and was okay with it. While Affleck wouldn't have been my first choice (I have no idea who would have, to be honest), the casting actually makes sense. It's odd, but I questioned the heck out of Heath Ledger as The Joker, and look what that got us.

Now, before we go any further, I want to be absolutely clear that I am not looking forward to this movie. You don't want to get me started on Man of Steel, but, suffice it to say, I didn't see it twice. However, I'm going to try to keep an open mind and hope that the things I questioned are addressed and/or fixed in the sequel. I'm telling you this so that you understand that I'm not just fangirl-ing it up here, and would be happy with whomever was chosen. That's most definitely not the case, but I do agree with this particular casting decision, and here's why:

This Is Not the Dark Knight
True, Christopher Nolan's name is on the production, but this is not his Batman. Nolan is not writing/directing this movie (nor did he Man of Steel). This is Zach Snyder's baby, however you want to take that. The Nolan universe has nothing to do with this particular movie, so Affleck isn't "replacing" Christian Bale anymore than Christian Bale replaced Michael Keaton or Adam West. These are completely separate entities, with the only difference being that the movies are spaced extremely close together. Whoever ended up playing Bruce Wayne/Batman would not need to be a carbon copy of Christian Bale, because that particular version of the character might not even work in this movie. The actor would simply need to be someone capable of playing this incarnation. Now, I haven't seen the script (obviously), but if you need someone to play a mature, charming, attractive, trust-fund-type, and also happen to look decent in spandex, you could do a lot worse than Affleck.  

Michael Keaton
And while we're on the subject of former Bruce Waynes, let's look at Keaton. Prior to Batman, he had been mostly associated with straight-up comedies like The Dream Team, Johnny Dangerously, Mr. Mom, Night Shift, and Beetlejuice. Sure, he was cute, but not debonaire, and nothing about him screamed "action star"...and people loved him. For many, he was the quintessential Batman. Keaton was a funny guy with a winning smile who came out of nowhere and surprised us all. Affleck has that winning smile and charm, and, believe it or not, a resume that qualifies him to play Batman (ignoring Daredevil, because everyone else already has--ba dum bum!). In Hollywoodland, he played the first Superman, while also headlining a truly disturbing drama. In Bounce, he played a man wracked with guilt over his tragic past. More recently, The Town demonstrated his physicality and range. True, not every title on his IMDb page is a winner (or even a contender), but we tend to forget that the guy who starred in Gigli is the same guy that brought us Argo.

Kevin Smith
The Comic Book Man himself has given Affleck a ringing endorsement. Yes, they're friends, but seriously, if anyone was going to have a problem with this, it would be Kevin Smith. Also, because they're friends, and because Smith is such an ardant fan of the character, Affleck will have access to all of the research material he could ever hope for. Plus, if he sucks, he'll have to endure a lifetime of being picked on by a guy who gets paid to joke about Batman. Heck, Smith rags on his own movies!

In summation, I'm not yelling from the rooftops that Ben Affleck is going to be the greatest Batman ever. I don't know that the movie is going to be any good, or if he'll be good in it. All I'm asking is that people stop focusing on the fact that this guy has a bromance with Matt Damon, and starred in a few bad movies with J-Lo, and try to remember that he's also the guy who wrote, directed, and starred in last year's Oscar winner for Best Motion Picture. I'm not excited for the movie, but I'm going to give him a shot.

He's a Chihuahua/Spiderman Mix.



Photo Credit (All): PetSmart



I have a new puppy; a lolling, sweet, angelic, loving and affectionate little furball, who, for some reason, licks the backs of my calves and melts my heart.

Thomas has a new toy.

The two boys wrestle with Zebra and Rex (respectively, a once-stuffed zebra which now resembles an old sock, and a growling plush dinosaur), chase the laser pointer, and fight over who gets to snuggle with me on the couch (I like that game). Thomas calls Ronnie "Little Dude", and they are the bestest buddies ever.

So, of course, pup-pup is spoiled rotten. As he should be.

On our most recent trip to PetSmart (minus Little Dude. We have a budget. Bringing him would kill it), we stumbled upon a new collection of doggie products...from Marvel.

Oh. Dear. God.

There were chew toys, pull toys, stuffed toys, frisbees, bandannas, t-shirts...the works, and all emblazoned with superheroes. Thank Heavens none of the shirts in stock were Ronnie's size, because we'd be broke. I did consider bringing home a Spiderman pull toy, but it seemed too big for his mouth. Actually, I'd say that, in general, the toys seemed to be better suited for larger dogs. The stuffed animals were okay for smaller pets, but most of the other items seemed too large for our little fella to comfortable hold on to.

The prices were also a little steep, but that's to be expected for a limited-time, licensed line. Frisbees start at $3. Tennis balls run $5, with other toys in the $8-$10 range. Bandannas are $8, and a t-shirt will set you back $15. They do run sales, though, and one appears to be going on now. Some items are in-store only.

We ended up settling for a 99-cent store-brand frisbee and a sale sweatshirt (he gets cold...who knew, with all that fur?), but, for a larger dog, this line sure is super-adorable.

Why Must You Taunt Me So?

This came to me yesterday, and I have scoured the Internet like mad ever since. These items are, sadly, not available in the US...yet. I will continue to hold out hope. I give you...

Photo Credit (This and Below): Tokyo Fashion

...Batman lingerie!!!

How cute is that?! This set is from Aimerfeel's "We (Heart) Hero" collection, which also features this little number:

Look at the itty-bitty ears!!!! Oh, me wants it, my precious!!! Superman styles are also available, but I'm really digging the Batman sweetness. See you tomorrow! Same adorable time, same adorable channel!

Are You Man Enough, Cap'n?

Photo Credit (This and All): Fragrantica

Would you like to know today's excuse for not having Disney World pictures and stories? Would you really? Okay, I'll tell you. I washed a box of dryer sheets with a load of towels, and spent the morning trying to pick flakes of wet cardboard out of my washing machine. And how was your Tuesday?

As the realization of what I'd done dawned on me ("Why the heck are there dryer sheets in here? And why are there so many of them? It looks like a whole box just...oh"), strains of Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For a Hero echoed through my head. 

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

Now, I have a good man--one who, believe it or not, normally handles the laundry (he's also a dishwashing wizard)--but he was at work. Even if he had been home, I doubt he'd have been any better at removing itty bitty chunks of the lint formerly known as the Snuggle box. He's a man of many talents, but his inability to succumb to brain freeze--impressive as that may be--probably wouldn't do much good in this instance. No, I needed a superhero; someone with either alien or technologically advanced powers of...well, lint-rolling or vaporizing or time travel (to keep me from being stupid and washing the darn box in the first place). Something like that. 

How do I get bit by that radioactive spider? It would be ridiculously awesome to just stare really hard at my bathtub, and clean it with my Scrubbing Bubbles-Vision (TM). I'm sure Thomas would gladly trade the minor inconvenience of a super-secret underground medical procedure to be able to, I don't know, incinerate the garbage with a snap of his fingers. My point, is that I'm sure there are plenty of times in our everyday lives that we all wish we were superheroes. Where's that darn Easy button, Staples? Well, the folks at Diesel have decided to cash in--I mean, help us out with our wishes. If you can't be a superhero, at least you can smell like one. Sort of. 

Captain America cologne! Well, again, sort of. It's also Iron Man cologne. Well, as I said, sort of. Technically, it's Only the Brave, by Diesel, a blend of lemon, leather, violet, amber, styrax, labdanum, and cedar. I haven't sniffed it yet, but it sounds yummy (bold, masculine scents mixed with sparkling, playful notes--awesome), and reviews have been mostly favorable, so it seems to be a decent product, and not just a clever marketing ploy. Of course, it is a clever marketing ploy, but at least there's a chance of getting something quality along with the kitchsy exterior. That exterior, by the way, is a fist. The original Only the Brave comes bottled in a glass fist, adorned with a Diesel logo-as knuckle ring. The Iron Man bottle is still a fist, but a shiny, red metallic one. Captain America is metallic blue with the Star-Spangled Shield emblazoned on the side. 

It's cheesy. It's silly. It's clearly a movie tie-in, and I kind of love it. What's more, my husband would love it. Heck, it might even get my 13 year-old brother to wear something other than Axe (the angels haven't fallen, yet, but he keeps hoping). That would truly be heroic. $67.50, Macy's (not online at time of publication).

Mavel-ously Silly

Hahahahahahaha!!!! These are silly and made me giggle, therefore, I had to share. You know how the kiddie clothing departments carry pajamas that look just like superheroes' costumes, complete with capes? How about the "young men's" t-shirts that mimic comic and movie characters' iconic outfits? Well, this one's for the ladies...

Photo Credit: Spencer's

SUPERHERO JAMMIES!!!!!!!!! The above is Captain America, but they also have girly versions of :

SPIDERMAN!



BLACK WIDOW!

EMMA FROST!

AND THE HULK!

I have to say, Captain America is my favorite, but that Hulk one is a close second. Are they tacky as all get-out? Absolutely! Do I totally and completely want one? You bet your sweet bippy, I do! $24.99, Spencer's.

You Are Not Saving the World Wearing That, Young Lady!

Photo Credit: The Hollywood Reporter
Left: The new look. Right: The original concept.

"Stop a bullet cold, make the Axis fold. Change their minds and change the world!" But please, first change your clothes. The David E. Kelly Wonder Woman television remake has been in the works for some time, and recently released a picture of the new Diana Prince (Adrianna Palicki) in full Amazonian Princess regalia. The reviews were...mixed, at best. A summation of the major complaints would state that it was an unpatriotic, trampy, hot mess of a cheap party-store Halloween costume. Ouch.

To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with it. The boustier top is fine. It is slightly--okay, extremely--reminiscent of a bad fairy costume I wore to a Halloween party when Thomas and I were dating (Come to think of it, he went as Superman, so maybe we had something there?), but I can deal with that. It does look like it would allow for more movement than Lynda Carter's original bathing beauty outfit. One thing it almost had going for it, though, was the pants suit bottom half. If you're going to be out on the mean streets, kicking bad-guy butt, it'd be nice to not have to worry about a sudden wedgie or getting a run in your hose. Unfortunately, the periwinkle blue clashed so badly, my first instinct was to wonder if they pulled it off of another costume and tacked it on at the last minute. Then, they finished off the costume with matchy-matchy periwinkle boots. I realize that matching your shoes to your tights/hose/skin tone makes for a longer, leaner look, but in this case, it just looked...well, unfortunate is the only word coming to mind.

Photo Credit: Daily Postal
Above: Lynda Carter as the original Wonder Woman

Thank God someone in the costume department saw the light! The new costume is, dare I say, cute! Almost stylish, even. Sure, the bracelets are still silver, causing the actress in me to wonder why Ms. Prince would make the trim on her costume a contrasting color. What could be her motivation (I apologize for that)? Forgiving that, most of the other gripes I had with the suit have been rectified. Gone are the latex leggings, and in their place, JEGGINGS!! Alright, so maybe not jeggings proper, but darker, thicker, slightly more modest, star-studded pantalones. I'm also really digging on the red boots. She now looks less like a fetish model, and more like a young lady hitting the clubs. Sure, there's still a very high probability that she'll have someone ask what she charges per hour, but they'll probably be a nicer caliber of John than the original suit would have attracted. Really, though, it's no sluttier than most girl superhero costumes, and overall, while not perfect, it's a reasonable update to a tricky uniform. Now, let's hope we can say better about the series?

Where Did I Put Those Red Leather Boots?

Photo Credit: Temptalia

Holy hole in a doughnut, Batman! DC Comics and MAC have teamed up to bring Wonder Woman-inspired cosmetics to us lowly mortals, beginning February 10, 2011! 

 

If you're like me, the prospect alone makes you want to slide on your patriotic bathing suit, gas up the invisible plane, and head to the nearest MAC counter to lasso up some pretty potions. However, we have to wait a little while, so let's take this opportunity to preview the merchandise.

 

The collection consists of Lipsticks, Lipglasses, Eyeshadow Quads, Penultimate Eyeliner, Pigments, Blush Duos, Opulash Mascara, Nail Lacquer, Lashes, Reflects Glitter, and Mineralize Skin Finish, as well as various makeup bags, brush sets, a mirror, and t-shirt.

 

In keeping with Wonder Woman's "larger-than-life" image, several items, namely the Mineralize Skinfinish, Eyeshadow Quads, Pigment, Opulash, Lipsticks, and Lipglass, have been super-sized.  Of course, their prices were also inflated, so there's no "33% More Free" deal here. 

 

Obviously, all shades and product names carry the Wonder Woman theme. According to Gordon Espinet, vice-president of Global Makeup Artistry for MAC Worldwide, "For spring, we have seen that one of the biggest outstanding trends is a very early, fresh '70's look. Think a shampoo commercial from 1972, or a Cheryl Tiegs or Farrah Fawcett type of girl."  That screams Diana Prince, don't you think? Look for sexy nudes, power-packed reds, and sassy purples, bearing names such as Secret Identity, Spirit of Truth, and Star Studded. One of my all-time faves, Russian Red lipstick, is featured in this collection, so at least one color is definitely awesome.    

 

As for the packaging...this appears to be a bone of contention, at least on the fabulous Temptalia blog. Readers seem to have sectioned themselves off into Team Nostalgia and Team Tacky camps: Team Tacky thinks the packaging looks like it came from a dime-store toy aisle, and Team Nostalgia argues that the childlike packaging is part of the charm.  

 

Now, I've only seen photographs, so I really can't comment on the quality of the packaging. I do recall being quite disappointed in the packaging for the Disney Villains collection, so I'm a little wary. However, the photographs look adorable, and I love the cartoonish, playful, comic-book vibe they were going for.  I guess this is just a "wait and see" area.  

 

One more thing: if you're in the market for MAC brushes, now's a good time to snap some up. Sets of three (eyeshadow or face) in cute "Utility Belt" pouches are going for $40 through this collection. A single brush can run close to that, so this is a steal. 

 

For pictures of the entire collection, check out Temptalia.    

Lord, Grant Me Serenity (Or At Least a Comic)

To quote Garfield, "I hate Mondays." It's been a crazy busy day, so please forgive my shorter than usual post. Between Charlee duty (babysitting my li'l brother's adorable-beyond-belief, yet super-hyper terrier puppy), anything that could go wrong going wrong at work, and a dozen or so errands, this post has been put off and put off. I am so very sorry. Still, I am also so very busy, so let's get to it, shall we?

If you happen to not be busy today, or just need a little pick-me-up, USA Today is running an exclusive, limited-time Serenity comic. The first half ran today, and the second-half will be in tomorrow's issue.

For those of you not familiar with Serenity, it was a movie based on a very (ridiculously) short-lived but brilliant television series by Buffy creator, Joss Whedon. It was a steampunk-laden look into the future that paralleled the exploration and civilization of planets with that of the pioneers on the Oregon trail. In other words, you might still die of dyssentary, but it'll be in a spaceship, not a wagon. It's the Old West meets Star Trek, with a raggamuffin league of theives, a prostitute, and, just for fun, a preacher, and honestly, it's some of the most fun you can have watching television. It was canceled during it's only season, but fan-demand brought about a DVD collection and the film. If you haven't seen either, do yourself a favor and give 'em a shot.

The comic was written by the creator's brother, Zack Wheadon, and has the crew of the spaceship Serenity stranded in a snowstorm. In other words, they have a little downtime on their hands. I'm sure they'll think of something to keep occupied.

In other news, I have officially hit the two-week mark, and have seen absolutely zero progress from the L'Oreal Collagen Filler. Zilch. Zip. Nada. I'll keep on trucking with it until I run out, but I picked up some Lumene Time Freeze serum. It's supposed to help with the wrinkles you have and prevent new ones from forming. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.