So, the insult "you son of a bitch"...

...isn't it kind of a fail? I mean, if you insult my mom, it technically doesn't insult me... does it?

Or am I just heartless, and if you attack my family, then I should be up at arms...?

I guess so.

25 more to go.

ADC

ps- theres a s new comic up at http://kissingchaos.com/tx/

sometimes my laptop watches me...

...while I work on a new KC installment, and a film treatment request for a Hollywood producer type.

adc

is mediocrity my "Jesus is my homeboy" t-shirt?

Pay me no mind I'm just ranting tangentally.

I hate irony.

Well, I guess I don't have beef with irony in and of itself; however, I do take issue with this sarcasm/irony as fashion in the cross media pop culture of which we are a part of, in the wake of the postmodern vacuum.

We are led to believe there is nothing new under the sun, so in the past few decades, when left to our own devices, we've resorted to reappropriating culture from generations past as our means to an end. Yes, I realize history is destined to repeat itself, and genuine influence from culture that one reveres is great, especially when it inspires the creation of something fresh, even if all it is a new take on a story we as a people all know an relate to. I figure if this is the case, the creator can spell out that influence to the tee, and why the work from which theirs is derived had such an impact on their life.

This brings me to the hipster generation, with all their trucker caps (okay, I know this is so 200x) and "humorous" tee shirts and odd fashions choices, albeit they are a catalyst for conversation. (google: hipster or special?) Here we have a group of artists, musicians and lovers of pop culture that make certain choices in attire and pop culture media preferences that are solely based on irony, and being "different". Sure, we've all heard the argument that one isn't truly different if they are part of a group/clique, even if that cliques mandate is to be different, but my deal with generation ironica is that they aren't really thinking through these choices. Not that they have to. No, if wearing a shirt emblazoned with the N-word, or "Jesus is my homeboy" is your thing, then have at it. Be my guest. And I suppose there is nothing wrong with wearing a shirt with the Pepsi logo, even if you aren't the hardest of core Pepsi drinkers. But I would ask, why bother? And if Jesus isn't actually you're Lord and Savior, for what reason other than being "funny" would you be wearing a shirt declaring that he's your dawg? At when we look at punk, or hip hop in their purest days, their fashion was an attempt at challenging the status quo. These days, I'm not quite sure what 80's neon sunglasses don't seem up to that task.

I dunno. And yes, I suppose I may or may not be a part of this generation, but I remember a time when what you wore on shirt expressed a part of who you are. Clothing was not a weapon strategically placed to increase your cache in the cold war arms race that is being cool.

But this isn't my point. I'm here to talk about movies. While I am a huge fan of EVERYTHING, and I can annoyingly find something of merit in every movie I watch; I do love many a foreign, low budget independent (I also hate "indie" used as a noun) flick. Most of my top ten all time movies would fit in those categories. But I also dearly love the run of the mill, appeal to the lowest common denominator comedies, chick flick dramas and testosterony action flicks.

Michael Bay, in particular is a personal fave, if we limit this survey to current directors. I know his flicks are pure formula, but it's a formula that's so-so good to me. Almost anything Bruckheimer produces as well. I know these flicks, while impressive in technical merit and production value, wear pretty thin in terms of depth, and emotional content. Yet, I love them with the same gusto I would a Fellini picture.

I also am a huge fan of pop music. Not "Pop Music", the umbrella term for contemporary musical entertainment, but teeny bop music, prefabricated tunes aimed at tweens, teens and college aged folks brave enough to admit they listen to Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears circa 1999.

Just as punk music. hip hop and country, to name a few, are genres meant to appeal and sell to a specific demographic, I also feel that every genre of music feeds the souls of a group of people, and is very important to each of those people's journeys in life. I see pop music as a genre filling the same social purpose.

But who knows, perhaps I don't genuinely adore these watered down approximations of true art. Perhaps I say I like Avril Lavigne as I know it will encite derision and debate. Maybe, just maybe this love of bad movies and bad music leads me to the conclusion, that mediocrity is my "Jesus is my homeboy shirt".

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