Me gusta leer y ver la tele

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Diez pelis estupendas

Aquí tenéis mi lista de las diez películas que más me han gustado este año. La verdad es que varios puestos podrían cambiarse un poco y tampoco pasaría nada, pero como tengo que escoger un orden concreto, bien vale éste:

1. The Adventures of Tintin
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
3. Bridesmaids
4. Insidious
5. Hugo
6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II
8. Rango
9. Born to be Wild 3D
10. Paranormal Activity 3

Como ya comenté todas estas películas en su día, no voy a repetirme, así que, si estáis interesados en ver qué dije sobre cada una de ellas, no tenéis más que hacer click en la etiqueta "movies" ahí debajo, y leer la que os interese. Ya me diréis qué os parecen mis selecciones, y cuáles han sido vuestras pelis favoritas de 2011!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

La identidad de Bourne

Otra de las películas que llevaba mucho tiempo queriendo ver es La identidad de Bourne, de la que había leído muy buenas críticas y de la que solo había visto la segunda parte. Como gran seguidor de la saga de novelas de Bourne, la película me decepcionó un poco dado que es bastante inferior al libro en lo que a la intriga se refiere. No obstante, he de reconocer que es una muy buena cinta de acción, los personajes están muy bien llevados, y las escenas de acción (que suponen casi todo el metraje) son trepidantes. Matt Damon hace unas peleas muy creíbles y espectaculares por la velocidad de sus movimientos, y la persecución en coche por París es de las mejores que he visto.

Algunas cosas son chorradas, como la de meterte bajo la piel un láser donde tienes tu número de cuenta y un banco cuando los espías tienen todo eso en la cabeza, pero bueno.

En resumen: si tenéis tiempo, es una saga muy entretenida, aunque yo recomiendo mucho más los libros…. al menos hasta el tercero, pues luego ya se vuelve un poco cansina.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Family Portrait

Here you have a picture I drew for my wife as a Christmas present. It features our family in front of our house, and if it looks like it took hours upon hours to finish is because it did. I drew the whole thing freehand in pencil first, then I went over most of the lines with a ruler to fix the worst offenders, and then I inked everything with my new Copic pens freehand so that it would look a little bit more organic and there wouldn't be any completely straight lines that made certain elements look boxy or too geometrically precise.
My wife loved the picture, and I had a lot of fun working on it, so I couldn't be happier with the results. I confess that, looking at it now, I would change a couple of things that I could have done better, but I guess that's the kind of attitude I need to improve and do better every time. In any case, and self-criticism aside, I am very pleased with the picture, and my wife thinks it will look great in our living room. I hope you like it too!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Top 5 Reads of 2011

It's been a while since I've made a list of things I like, so here you have the five reads I have enjoyed the most in 2011:

1. Bakuman
I have only read the first four volumes, but I can say this series is what I have enjoyed reading the most this year. And I know it's not a book, so sue me.

2. Changes
The twelfth book in The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher is an awesome read, just like the previous eleven. Here you have my original praise for it.

3. Full Dark, No Stars
Everybody knows I love Stephen King, and this collection of four novellas I originally discussed here was a blast to read.

4. Keys to the Demon Prison
The last book in the Fablehaven series was a great way to close the saga. I already told you about it here, but don't take my word for it and read it for yourselves.

5. The Last Olympian
The last book in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series was as much fun as the previous four, and you need to start reading these novels if you haven't already, because you're in for a treat.

And that's it for this year. I realize four out of my five picks are series, two of them finite, two of them open-ended, which is not only interesting but must also mean something that escapes me. In any case, here's to hoping that 2012 brings lots of good reading material!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Spectacular Adventures

Would you think I'm crazy if I claimed The Adventures of Tintin might just be the best movie I've seen this year? I've only read a couple volumes of the comic book series, and I remember watching one or two animated features back when I was little, but that's pretty much all the contact I've ever had with the character. Put it another way, I am not exactly a fan of the character, which means I wasn't predisposed to liking this movie no matter what. However, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are two of today's most acclaimed directors and producers for a reason, and it shows. The Adventures of Tintin is a rollercoaster of a movie in the best Spielbergian tradition (it reminded me of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade quite a bit), and the action scenes are wildly imaginative and superbly choreographed. Both characters and dialogue are great, and, along with the action, they all serve a fun, intriguing story that takes you from one place to another, from one extreme situation to the next without giving you time to breathe. By the end of the movie, I was exhausted and exhilarated, and I was overcome with joy and happiness about how much fun I had just had. I could have walked back into the theater and watched the movie a second time, I kid you not. Except for A Game of Shadows, I hadn't had this much fun at the movie theater in a really long time, so, if you are looking for a movie to make you forget about the world outside for a couple of hours, do yourself a favor and go see The Adventures of Tintin. You won't regret it!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Héroes fuera de órbita

Héroes fuera de órbita es una de esas películas que llevo intentando ver desde que salió, y que nunca he conseguido ver por diferentes motivos. La película es una comedia ácida que arremete contra todos los actores que viven de firmar fotos en convenciones dado que participaron hace años en una serie de éxito (véase Star Trek, Star Wars, y posiblemente todo lo que empiece por Star), y que no han vuelto a tener un éxito en sus carreras. Los protagonistas, Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, y Tony Shalhoub encarnan a los actores de la serie Galaxy Quest, que en sus tiempos fue un éxito, y que ahora están prácticamente acabados hasta que una raza extraterrestre que cree que lo que ven en la tele es cierto les construyen su nave y los llevan al espacio para que les salven del malo maloso de turno. La película es divertida, tiene buenos efectos especiales, está repleta de guiños a las series mencionadas, y cuenta con más de una escena memorable, como la del pasillo lleno de fuego y planchas metálicas que chafan gente.

En resumen, Héroes fuera de órbita es una peli muy entretenida para verla un fin de semana.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Game of Shadows

My wife and I went to see Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and I loved it almost as much as the first one. Everything worked for me: the acting, the dialogue, the plot twists, the characters, the music, the action pieces... The chemistry between Holmes and Watson is one of the moving forces behind the movie, and Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law were once again perfect as the main characters, and their "relationship," as Holmes himself puts it in the film, was funny, moving, complex, and thoroughly enjoyable.
In sum, I found this second chapter in the series very well crafted and entertaining, and I recommend it to everyone. One of my top ten movies of the year for sure!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Anthology

The second volume of the 11 O'Clock Comics Low Concept anthology is going to feature a five-page story written and drawn by yours truly. If you would like to support me and the book, please go here and pledge your contribution. There are several options, the cheaper ones being:

1. $3 for an electronic version of the comic book (pdf file), and your name in the "thank you" section.
2. $13 for all of the above, plus a printed copy of the comic book.

The book will come out on April 13th, 2012, so it will still be a few more months, but you can pre-order it now and feel better about yourself!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Guardian of the Gateway

Here you have another picture for Gateway 2 Nowhere. They keep asking me to be "more metal," but I am afraid this is as metal as I can get. In any case, the picture was fun to draw, and I hope they like it at least as much as the previous drawings I've done for them!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Casconauta

Aquí tenéis un dibujillo de esos rápidos que me gusta hacer en las reuniones de profesores para escuchar mejor y prestar más atención. La idea era dibujar un astronauta, pero el casco acabó pareciéndose más a un casco de motorista que a una escafandra sideral, con lo que el cosmonauta terminó teniendo un aspecto un tanto extraño. El dibujo está hecho directamente a bolígrafo, y aunque me gustaría añadir un monstruo a la composición, no creo que suceda jamás, así que tendremos que conformarnos con lo que hay. Enjoy!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Butlers of the Sea

Here you have a picture I finally found time to draw after having had it in my head for about two months. Back in early October, when my wife and I went to Cumberland Island, the armies of crabs who live there made me realize that crabs look like butlers, what with the way they walk and how they hold their big pincers up. Next thing you know, the idea for this picture had formed in my head, but I've been busy pursuing other artistic endeavors and it is only now that I've found the time to commit it to paper. I think the picture turned out cute and funny, and I hope you both like it and join me in thanking crabs for all they do. We really appreciate it.

Friday, December 09, 2011

El anillo de Salomón

El anillo de Salomón es una precuela de la primera saga de Bartimeo ambientada en Israel, cuando el rey Salomón mandaba por esos lares. Nos trae una nueva y divertida aventura del genio de Uruk, en la que debe enfrentarse a un nuevo amo, cruel y despiadado, al que no le hace ni puñetera gracia el sentido del humor y el sarcasmo de nuestro genio favorito.

La novela es bastante entretenida, y cuenta con diálogos muy divertidos (sobre todo los de Bartimeo), con acción a raudales, y con un planteamiento, que, desafortunadamente, resulta un poco simple. Los personajes son muy interesantes, tanto los principales como los pocos secundarios que aparecen.

En resumen, me lo he pasado muy bien leyendo este libro; pues es como reencontrarte con un viejo amigo al que no ves hace mucho tiempo. Sólo espero que la próxima novela no tarde tantos años en llegar.

Muy recomendable.

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Artist vs Artist

The fourth volume of Bakuman is the best one so far, which is saying a lot, because the previous three volumes were amazing. I found myself helplessly turning the pages, feeling for the characters, laughing with their triumphs and being saddened by their failures. And not only did I root for the main characters, Mashiro and Takagi, but for the supporting ones as well, such as Fukuda and Mr. Nakai. I wanted them all to get their own series so bad, I was devastated when some of them didn't get one. Fortunately, there is always next volume.

The artwork in Bakuman continues to be terrific, and the story is extraordinary. As a matter of fact, I think this is the best series I'm currently following. Every chapter is an exhilarating read, a storm of laughs and success, of failure and disappointment. Every character is interesting and compelling, and I follow each one of them with a heretofore unseen passion. Artists, editors, main characters, supporting characters: it matters not, because I am so invested in all of them that, by the time I reach the last page, my whole body is coiled with tension, hoping for the best but trying to steel myself for the worst. Then I need to remind myself these people aren't real, and that this is only a manga. "Only a manga," what a joke. This series is a must-read for everyone who has even the most passing of interests in comics, art, chasing your dreams, and life in general. If you like any of those things, you will absolutely adore Bakuman. I promise.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Who Let the Demons Out?

It had been two years since I had finished the fourth volume, but I just finally finished reading the fifth book in the Fablehaven series, Keys to the Demon Prison, which was as fun a read as the previous four books were. The characters were great, and Seth's knack to get in trouble leads him to do terrible things in this last volume of the series. (Or things with terrible consequences, to be more accurate.) I won't say anything else because I don't want to spoil the story for you, but if you haven't read the series, you're in for a treat. I wish some studios would turn these books into movies, because they would be visually arresting and tremendously compelling films, and I would love to see them on the big screen. However, while we wait for that to happen, pick up the first book and prepare to have the time of your life!

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Hugo

Siguiendo con películas cuyo título empieza por H y coincide con el nombre del protagonista, hoy tenemos Hugo, la nueva película de Martin Scorsese que mi querida esposa y yo fuimos a ver la semana pasada. Ni habíamos visto trailers ni sabíamos de qué iba, pero las magníficas críticas que había recibido nos animaron a pasarnos por The Rave, por donde no nos habían visto el pelo desde la terrible secuela de The Hangover. Y menos mal que fuimos a verla, porque tanto a Crystal como a mí nos pareció una de las mejores películas del año.
Cuanto menos revele de la historia, mejor, así que solamente diré que es una película de lo más entretenida e impredecible, con personajes únicos y peculiares en situaciones inesperadas e interesantes. Hugo es una de esas películas originales como pocas, en la que nunca sabes qué va a pasar porque nunca has visto otra película remotamente parecida, y que te mantiene con los ojos pegados a la pantalla preguntándote qué pasará a continuación y cómo van a salirle las cosas al entrañable personaje protagonista.

En resumen: si os apetece ver una película magnífica y diferente, no lo dudéis ni un momento y pasaos por el cine más cercano, que por algo es Scorsese uno de los directores más respetados del cine actual. Ya veréis cómo la historia os sorprende, os engancha, y os hace pasar dos horas de lo más gratas.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Hanna

Hanna es una película con un planteamiento no muy original: ex-agente de la CIA se escapa con su hija huyendo de una jefa malvada, la cual mata a la madre de la pequeña. Lo nuevo es que el amigo entrena a su hija como una asesina brutal para vengarse y librarse de la ex-jefa.

La actuación de la niña Saoirse Ronan es realmente buena. Eric Bana, como padre, lo hace bien, y Cate Blanchett como zorra sin escrúpulos está genial. Mención especial a la familia de hippies/pijos que se encuentran en Marruecos: lo bordan.

Otra mencion especial a que pasan por España y como no se encuentran con un campamento gitano con bailaoras, gente haciendo palmas, una hoguera....les falta la cabra.

La película está muy bien llevada, aunque es un tanto inverosímil, y se ve que tiene un presupuesto un poco bajo, pero al final la cagan y no hay nada peor que terminar una buena peli con un final cutre y contradiciendo muchas de las cosas que hemos visto durante la película.