The Perils of Entertainment Not Faced

Oscar predictions from me? I predict The Artist will win. Maybe Hugo, I'd prefer Hugo won, but I think the Academy will choose The Artist just to spite me.

Hugo's not a great movie, but it was better than The Artist. I'd argue too Sacha Baron Cohen would make a better silent film star than Jean Dujardin. His upcoming movie, The Dictator, looks like it may be partly a homage to The Great Dictator, even. I'm glad the Academy is letting him walk the red carpet in character now. Which is not to say I think the Academy has developed a sense of humour.



Yesterday brought the eighth episode of Nisemonogatari, the beginning of a new story arc. The previous one, involving a con man who infected Araragi's sister with a bee demon of some kind, ended rather disappointingly with a face off conversation with the con man that lasted a long time and essentially went nowhere. This new arc seems like it might be a little more promising--continuing in the Bakemonogatari tradition of analysing anime and manga trends, this one is apparently going to explore the issues of sibling incest that underlie a lot of anime and manga stories. This first episode has managed to be simultaneously disturbing, funny, and sexy.

Araragi's sister Karen asks him to introduce her to Kanbaru, but he'll only do it on the condition that she let him brush her teeth for five minutes, figuring she'll never withstand the experience--he doesn't want Kanbaru and Karen to meet because he's afraid of Kanbaru seducing her. Little does he suspect the act of brushing Karen's teeth would lead to something much worse for the both of them.

I do love an anime that treads dangerous ground. So few do. The new story arc has a good new theme segment. The right mix of creepy and cute;



Twitter Sonnet #358

Iris spirals scrunch the trash out toothpaste.
Gamera haunts the foil ear canal.
Magazine salad leaves no ink to waste.
Nostrils are run by the nosehair cabal.
Buying badges drains nature from crayon.
Your grey matter can't directly make sperm.
Soft dinosaur suits are wrong to try on.
Rubber throats do not work in the long term.
Vulture shaped potatoes await dead dirt.
Intestine banding marks a bad wet vid.
Coated rats on stilts must remain alert.
Good goats know they've no message for a kid.
Beige hats hide thinning and romantic hair.
Caramel geta will stick on the stair.