I am out of excuses, but I would like to state that despite overwhelmingly negative reviews from friends and general word-of-mouth, it tops my list of must-see summer films.  I. Have. To. See. It.

This delay is painful, believe me. It is akin to missing a new episode of Lost. 

So of course I will provide a full report after I drag myself to the theater.

p.s. I added this Polish poster because it’s far cooler than the U.S. version.

The lighthearted host montage is over. There is a palpable electricity weaving throughout the crowd; the buzz is hushed and respectful. Everyone in that room is quite aware which category begins the evening, which golden statue will be handed out first.

The nominees each offer a polite smile when announced, but have no intention of taking the stage.  It is not their turn. Not this year.

Even before Javier Bardem opens the envelope, he knows.  The eyes of the world are upon him, awaiting his delivery of the most anticipated name in award ceremony history. Heath Ledger.

The Kodak Theatre erupts in thundering applause and a lengthy standing ovation accompanies Michelle Williams’ short walk up to the podium. There are quiet tears streaming down the faces of the millions across the globe who are glued to their televisions, as well as silent fists of victory thrust in the air from myriad viewers. She accepts the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight on his behalf, and dedicates it to their daughter.  Her words are as brief and poignant as his might have been.

It is an honor which somehow eluded him the first time around, but one which he deserves both in life and in death.

A man capable of such magnificent and mesmerizing transformation, Heath Ledger is recognized and remembered. Finally and forever.

If I counted the two hours I spent during Preview Night last night, technically this report would be from Day 2.  Either way, I will attempt to summarize my Comic-Con experience thus far.  And please excuse the lack of close-up photos, as well as those with less than stellar quality; even after waiting in lines for each panel, I was not able to secure great seats all day and some pictures are of the screen.

By the way, I am not using the word ‘dork’ in a disparaging way in the title of this post. I feel quite conservative among the very devoted and disguised; it is intended as a complement.

In three words: overwhelmed, ill-prepared and crowded.

This has been everything I expected (the costumes and long lines) and more (casually meeting very cool people I admire).

In addition to the panels, here were some highlights from the day:

a) The  surprise guest appearance by Stan Lee at the’ LGBT in Comics’ panel [see yellow sweater below]! When a legend enters the room and speaks, it is electric. I had goosebumps. It sounds like he will be adapting a version of Perry Moore’s acclaimed young adult novel Hero [the lead character is a gay superhero, so I applaud Stan Lee for taking that risk with this genre].

b) Randomly running into and meeting one of my favorite TV reporters,  Kristin Dos Santos from E! online. She had just arrived, and even though she was about to moderate the Dexter panel, she took a moment to say hello to a dorky fan [hi, that would be me]. 

c) Meeting Lori Petty and getting an autographed Tank Girl photo for my best friend Jo [that's right, there are two of us; it's scary].

So, I attended 3 television panels today. This is exactly why I’m here; I get to sit down in an air conditioned room, watch exclusive clips and interact with the cast & crew of some of my favorite shows.

THE MIDDLE MAN
If you’re not already watching this, set your TiVO. It might be the only series I watch that deserves to be described as ‘fun” (imagine Alias if Sydney Bristow were younger…and had a sense of humor). At the panel, they showed a few scenes from upcoming episodes, followed by a Q&A with creator/exec producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach and lead actor Matt Keeslar. Although I wasn’t able to properly form my question due to nerves, I had the opportunity to ask Javi if he was enjoying the lighter tone of The Middle Man compared to his previous stints working on Lost and Medium. The answer was yes, even if I didn’t phrase the question correctly. Overall, it was a a very entertaining hour.

TRUE BLOOD
You may not have heard of this one yet, because it premieres this fall on HBO. From Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball, it is a new series based on the graphic novels of Charlaine Harris. In addition to Ball and Harris, the new cast was on hand to field questions from fans who are obviously emotionally invested in the books. They premiered the trailer, which looks damn good (and frankly, HBO is in dire need of a new high quality series and hit).  Anna Paquin plays the lead, and not only is she blond (see photo below), she appears to have lost her New Zealand accent completely. Whatever, she was born in Canada anyway. Regardless…I will be on board for a Season Pass when this debuts. Oh, and here’s a new catchphrase that made me laugh: fangbanging. That’s right, this one involves vampires, but not in a traditional way…

DEXTER
First of all, I love the new slogan for Season 3:

Now I will state the obvious. Michael C. Hall is amazing (as well as quite fit and charming in person), and Julie Benz is beautiful. I look forward to further development of her character on the show, and to watching Dexter unravel in the aftermath of Doakes and Lila.

We got to see a preview of the upcoming season, and it looks just as fantastic as the first two. Bonus: Jimmy Smits has joined the cast!

I’m sure I’m forgetting details, but I’m adjusting and adapting as I go, and must get some sleep before another big day. Tomorrow I am thrilled to be joined by my brother-in-law, who speaks the same pop culture language and is a huge sci-fi geek. Team JOpinionated will be in the house!

In addition to the ‘EW Visionaries: Showrunners’ panel featuring the Lost exec producers, I will be attending a panel featuring author Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide and a college friend whom I haven’t seen in 14  years. I’m sure he’ll be quite surprised to see me, especially in this capacity.  The Bones panel will be the last of the day for me.

Phew. The lines and crowds only increase from here.  Bring it on. I’m having a hell of a good time.

Because as you can see below, in my Week 2 self-portrait of the Great Grow-Out 08, I am blessed with fast and furious follicles.

The thing is, growth will have progressed far beyond Wolverine style, come October.  And I am certain that my sideburns are incapable of transforming into mutton chops. And truly, no one needs to see me in an entirely leather ensemble.

Phew. This is going to be a long process, but it’s worth every inch toward the 10 required for Locks of Love.

Because I heart Jackie.

So what have I been doing? Sadly, not much other than working and preparing for Comic-Con next month; contemplating what kind of branded swag to offer up, coordinating logistics, etc.

The two films I can’t wait to see this week are Wanted and Wall E. Three episodes of Swingtown are gathering digital dust on my TiVO, indicating a lack of interest. We’re currently enjoying reality TV in the form of Kathy Griffin and The Next Food Network Star. But I’m sorry, but I refuse to get on the So You Think You Can Dance train.

Speaking of Kathy Griffin, last night we watched the GLAAD Media Awards on Bravo. Quite touching and well presented. It kicked off what looks to be a very proud weekend for us. We are heading into San Francisco this afternoon to attend some of the annual festivities. Although we tend to be domestic and boring in the ‘burbs, the landmark marriage ruling has propelled us to increase our support of and visibility in the community.

This concludes the most random blog in recent memory. Have a nice weekend!

I’d seen an adaptation of Sweeney Todd on HBO when I was younger, and given the gore, it wasn’t exactly kid-friendly fare. It still isn’t. But I really enjoyed the film version of  this Broadway musical.

Johnny Depp continues to choose roles which fit him perfectly; odd and quirky characters which I cannot imagine any other actor playing with such success.  Sweeney Todd marks his 6th collaboration with director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride), and together they are the goth alternative to DiCaprio and Scorsese.

But my favorite among the cast in Sweeney Todd is Alan Rickman. I have been a huge fan of his since the little-seen but fantastic indie film Truly Madly Deeply (1990). Yes, the original Die Hard put him on the map, but I prefer him in Love Actually and as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films.

As for Helena Bonham Carter, this is the first time since 1992 (Howard’s End) that I’ve actually enjoyed her in a film. Everyone probably associates her with Fight Club these days, but that wasn’t my favorite role for her. Like Depp, she is a better fit in musicals like Sweeney Todd and costumed period pieces like The Wings of a Dove.