Cinespia - His Girl Friday

Riley and me kind of winged it Saturday night and wound up going to the Cinespia screening of Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday.  This was the kind of Saturday evening where the crowds aren’t crazy packed. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed the mile-a-minute exchanges between Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant.

Coming Soon - Justice League: the New Frontier

 

I’m looking forward to this. I miss the Justice League cartoons.

I Heart The Simpsons

Nuff said.

The good folks at the Golden Apple Comics on Melrose had this display set up, so I figure I should just be like every other fan boy and get my picture taken with Homer and the gang. Haven’t seen the movie but I’m really looking forward to it.

And by the way, I would like to make it perfectly clear that the only reason I was in the store was because Riley coaxed me into entering.

“We can’t do that!” I practically hissed at him. “That would be like betraying Secret Headquarters! What would David and Dave (Secret Headquarters’ co-owners)think?”

“Aw come on,” Riley retorted. “It’s not like we’re going to get caught.”

Five minutes later, and Riley taps me on the shoulder. “We are so busted,” he whispers. “David’s here!”

Birds of Prey # 108 - Gail Simone’s Last Issue

An excellent end to Gail Simone’s run on Birds of Prey.  If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, issues have been collected into several trade paperbacks. In brief, former Batgirl Barbara Gordon, permanently crippled after she’s shot by The Joker, becomes superhacker Oracle and sets up shop sending superheroine Black Canary out of on missions. Eventually, the team grows to include Batfamily prodigal Huntress and ace pilot Lady Blackhawk, as well as a slew of occassional operatives. 

During her five year run, Simone managed to inject lots of action and humor into this book, with inspired bits of silliness (like when Black Canary and Huntress infiltrate an ersatz henchmen union meeting, dressed as Riddler and Penguin’s goons). Now she’s been tasked with revitalizing Wonder Woman. If any body can do it, it’ll be Gail!

Lotus Festival

Last night, after a matinee at The Grove, me and Riley headed over to Echo Park for the Lotus Festival. As much as I love that event, the parking, or lack thereof, drives me bananas. Making matters worse was a fire at the corner of Sunset Blvd and Alvarado that was still not completely out. Hence the massive traffic jam in that vicinity, with several fire engines blocking Alvarado. Even worse, I found out when we were walking by that the fire had razed the cluster of old buildings where the Echo Park Film Center was located. I just discovered that place! I was going to take some film classes there after Labor Day! It’s not fair!

(Ruel whines for several more minutes. )

Anyway, the festival itself was fun. Because of the all the trouble with traffic and parking, we just had time to get ourselves some grub and stake out a spot of our own on the grass as the sun went down. Then the fireworks came on, which were pretty awesome. [Note to Future Ruel: Next year, sit on the Glendale Avenue side for a better view of the fireworks.]