Monday, August 18, 2014

RiffTrax – Godzilla, 80’s Trivia, Women’s Bodies, Monuments Men Review, and Ninja News

RiffTrax!

I hit the road Thursday night to see a live broadcast of the RiffTrax guys tackling 1998’s Godzilla. And as always, it was worth it!

It’s not a truly awful film, but it was incredibly cheesy. Some of the effects don’t hold up well, either. And no, that was definitely NOT Godzilla. (Although the babies did look a lot like velociraptors.)

If you’re a fan of RiffTrax (or Mystery Science Theater 3000) it’s a lot of fun going to see one of these films on the big screen. They do a live performance at one theater and broadcast it to many others across the US. Being surrounded by other fans while Mike, Kevin, and Bill make fun of the film is an incredible experience.

They also show slides before it begins – enjoy!




Ninja News

This Wednesday at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group site is the amazing Angela Ackerman! You don’t want to miss it.

Author Sean McLachlan is having a sale – on August 18-19, Radio Hope will be only $2.99 on Amazon and Scavengers is free August 18 at Amazon.

Check out the book trailer for Loni Townsend’s 38 Seconds at her site!

Snatched in Gullybrook by Kim Van Sickler is out now.

Fight the Beard of White by Pat Hatt is available.

Milo James Fowler’s latest short science fiction story is out, Memory Lane. You can purchase it on Amazon OR to get a free copy, sign up for his newsletter, The Crew.


Next Ninja blogfest – Underrated Treasures Blogfest
On Monday, September 22, post about your favorite unknown –
MOVIE – BAND/ARTIST – TV SHOW – BOOK
Post about one or all four – dealer’s choice!
Sign up HERE


Last Monday was Father Dragon Al’s birthday! I’d volunteered to go pillage and plunder with him, but there were stipulations…

Women’s Bodies

Stephanie Faris posted about the trend in a women’s body image, which included skinny ankles and the thighs not touching. After I left my comment (where I stated I preferred healthy curves) the truth of the matter hit me.

Men don’t care!

We don’t care if your thighs touch. We aren’t measuring ankles. Yes, looks are what attracts us to a woman, but it’s more about does she have a pretty face and some nice shapely curves. And after that, is she a nice person and fun to be around. (Because if not, that negates the physical stuff.)

So ignore the media, ladies. We don’t care.

Hope that clears things up.

Movie Review

The Monuments Men
A group is tasked with rescuing stolen artwork from the Nazis during World War II.
An interesting aspect of history, although don’t go expecting historical accuracy.
The plot was all right, although non-existent at times, and the pacing occasionally glacial. There were some good and funny scenes, just nothing coalescent enough to make a great movie.
See it for the cast, because they got some great actors for the roles.
Worth a NetFlix rental.


Trivia Time!

80’s trivia – enjoy!

1 – What city did the LA Clippers move from in 1984?

2 – This band’s debut single was Goodbye to You.

3 – This now famous actor played Chris in the soap opera Another World.

4 – This MLB manager managed a National League (Phillies) and an American League (Indians) team in the same season.

5 – Robert De Niro said the line ‘Sarrano’s got the disks’ in what movie?

6 – Comedian Sam Kinison released a remake of what Trogg’s song?

Answers next Monday!

Anyone else seen a RiffTrax movie in the theater? Picking up new books? Signed up for the blogfest? Seen The Monuments Men? Know any of the trivia? And what’s your thoughts on women’s bodies? (Please keep it PG13) 

I also updated my blogroll - if you're a regular here and don't see your blog listed, please let me know.

183 comments:

Irishredfox said...

How do you see a riff track movie in theater? That sounds like a life goal worth having.

TBM said...

Geez I am horrible with trivia! And Monuments Men sounds like a movie I'd enjoy, but the lack of accuracy may get to me. I shout at the History Channel when it's wrong. So I probably should watch this at home.

kaykuala said...

The pretty face attracts as first impression, that's universal.Other things will fall into place. Lot of book choice and trivia is out for me. Thanks Alex!

Hank

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I meant to see The Monuments Men in the theater but never got around to it. Sadly, I don't know one single trivia answer this morning. I guess I need another cup of coffee!

Murees Dupè said...

Thank you for your honest opinion about the female body issue. It is nice to know men don't really care and most of it is just media hype. One less thing for us women to worry about.

EnglishRose said...

Pleased you enjoyed your Thursday night out. Always lots going on on your blog, did try the trivial but to no avail.
Have a nice day.
Yvonne.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Bambi vs. Godzilla...ha!

I honestly have never heard men talk about women's ankles.:) Sounds a little 18th century to me...

Rhonda Albom said...

Glad to know big ankles and touching thighs don't matter. As for you Trivia I only think I know one, #5 is either Analyze This or Analyze That. I should know more, I was a young adult in the 80s and watched lots of movies.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Rifftrax sounds like fun; I should see if they have a theater around here.

A woman's body is her own, and she can do with it what she pleases.

Donna K. Weaver said...

I've seen events advertised before the movies begin, but never noticed that particular one. I don't think hubby would like that. He kind of gets into that B and C movies and for them to be mocked ... :D

Too often those models are practically prepubescent girls who haven't gotten their curves yet. And then have to starve themselves to stay that way. I blame Twiggy. She started it.

From Wikipedia--about says it all, especially the androgynous.

"known for her thin build (thus her nickname) and her androgynous look"

Mason Canyon said...

The RiffTrax experience sounds like a lot of fun, no matter what the movie is. Your trivia questions will have me thinking all day. :)

J.L. Campbell said...

Hi, Alex,

Love the cartoon. :)

Once again, we have a small bunch of people telling us what a large group likes. I totally how dysfunction gets started.

Jo said...

Did you know I christened your dragon costume Toothy? I have signed up for your blogfest and already written my post.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Samuel, go to their site and click on live events - there's another one coming up in October.

TBM, you will be shouting at it.

Murees, just cross it off your list of worries.

Elsie, that's why you rock! And I'll buy that about bodies.

Donna, we'll blame Twiggy. And androgynous is so unattractive.

Sarah Foster said...

Does anybody really care about ankles??

RiffTrax sounds like a blast, since I've always enjoyed Mystery Science Theater.

ediFanoB said...

I never heard of RiffTrax before. We do not have something similar in Germany.

Woman's Bodies
I have had the same discussion with my wife years ago.
On a rational level my wife understands and accept, that men don't care when it comes to women's bodies.
But women are much more critical with themselves and there is a lot of pressure delivered daily in form of ads and more.

The only thing what men can do against it is to tell that men don't care.


Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that I didn't know any of the '80s trivia....

Saw "Oculus" on DVD - really enjoyed it, very creepy, especially the first half/three quarters of it. It got a little wonky after that, but still good. :)

Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

Tonja Drecker said...

The RiffTrax thing sounds really fun, and they broadcast, huh? Have to look into that.
*hehehe* Love the dragon costume. Very stealthy.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I laughed aloud at the spoiler alert regarding Godzilla's victory against Bambi. Poor Bambi, didn't stand a chance.

Have a great week, Alex.
xo

mshatch said...

I only know #5 Midnight Run, one of my all time favorites :)

Birgit said...

I ,l love Bambi meets Godzilla-a fun little film featuring Grieg's music:). I agree about Monument's men-a consider it a fun flick. Most films are never historically accurate but they can still be great(The Great Escape is one of many). It was a little scattered in its thoughts so the writing suffered. I knew that the 2 "foreign" guys would bite the dust. As for women's body image-I left my thoughts on Stephanie's blog. It is insane and this is driven by the fashion industry and media hype from other women and some men who are in that industry. Most men like to grab on to something and if they feel a woman's ribs or get bruises from their bones, it is not a good feeling. Funny that in this day and age of a size 0 and needing to be ultra thin but have big fake T & A, the average woman is actually much heavier than 40 years ago. I wonder why such a discrepancy? Why, also, does "Hollywood" think stars who are a size 2 are healthy and that a size 18 is curvy but a healthy star who is a size 10 ridiculed?

Annalisa Crawford said...

As a gym instructor, it's scary to hear how some women feel about themselves. I've had women in tears while they talk to me about their bodies. No one should feel like that.

Christine Rains said...

I love RiffTrax! My husband and I have all the MST3000 on DVD. Congrats to everyone on their news! Cheers to you, Alex, for sharing your opinion. Almost every single man I know agrees with you.

Truedessa said...

Good Morning Ninja Alex,

Well, I have never heard of viewing a movie in that setting but, sounds interesting. If you are a "Godzilla" fan I guess it is a win.

I want to say Goodbye to You was by the Scandal(Patti Smith) but, I could be wrong.

The cartoon was cute..I would want to be a white dragon and if you are going to be a black dragon you would need to be fierce
as that is some beast. (smiling)

Bish Denham said...

Back in the day when women were mostly covered from head to foot and well turned ankle peeking out from beneath the hem of a skirt was considered flirtatious. Now-a-days? Not so much.

I did enjoy Monuments Men. And just how many "historically based" movies have any of us seen that were totally factually? I'd guess not many.

Stephanie Faris said...

Yay! Thank you for the mention. And I've always known most men like women a little curvier. I don't aspire that crazy body type we see in movies/TV, but I know a lot of young girls do, so hopefully they'll get the message.

The 1998 Godzilla was during my moviegoing era...it seemed so amazing at the time. I actually remembered enjoying it! It's amazing how much things have evolved, but I feel like there's something very artificial about today's special effects. Almost like watching an animated movie.

Unknown said...

The Godzilla pre-film quips made me laugh!! The Monument's Men looked interested but even from the preview I can see where the pacing may be a bit slow at times. Still, due to the cast, I'll check it out on NetFlix!

Oh, and I totally saw the "Toothless" thing coming before I scrolled down. That was too funny!

Happy week!
Jen

Luanne G. Smith said...

I thought The Monuments Men was a huge missed opportunity. The script was not very good. But it's such a great story from history. I just wished they had dramatized it more, maybe added some more characterization. Yeah, I really wanted to like that one but didn't.

Mary Aalgaard said...

Thanks for your comment on women's bodies. Some men do make comments regarding our bodies, and the media is horrible. It's hard to gain perspective. I still haven't watched any Godzilla movies!

M.J. Fifield said...

I used to love MST3k, so I'm sure I'd love RiffTrax. Something to check out.

Haven't seen the Monuments Men.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Loved the pre-Godzilla slides!

I wasn't even aware you could do anything about your ankles. Ankle-reduction surgery, anyone? However, sadly, I did see a pin on Pinterest advertising how to achieve "the elusive thigh gap." I didn't click on it to find out more.

A Beer for the Shower said...

I just noticed my wife doesn't have a thigh gap. I guess I'll have to divorce her. I was really enjoying our marriage, too...

That Rifftrax is a real thing? I saw a poster up at the movies once upon a time ago, but never saw it again so I thought maybe it was just a joke. That sounds like so much fun.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

I haven't seen any of the movies, know none of the answers to the questions, but am happy to know your thoughts on women's bodies. :)
Have a great week.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Jo!

Edi, women are far more worried about it than we are, that's for sure.

Robyn, Bambi was squished!

Marcy, very good.

Birgit, well said. And I almost added that I think it is propagated by women rather than men.

Christine, you rock.

Truedessa, you are correct! And we'd be salt and pepper.

Bish, probably none.

Stephanie, you're welcome.

Jen, glad I could make you laugh.

MJ, you would dig it.

Dianne, ankle surgery sounds awful.

Leovi said...

Yes, a good experience RiffTrax! I hope you also get to Spain!

Unknown said...

love 80s trivia, though I'm more of a 90s kid I still have a soft spot for that colorful decade! and I loved Stephanie's post--it's crazy to me that this thigh gap obsession is in fact an obsession!

Old Kitty said...

Women's bodies are beautiful!!!

Men's bodies are super awesome!

All the more reason to get naked! Just look at cats!! LOL! Ahem! Oh that is so PG13!!!
:-)

p.s. I squealed when I saw a Toothless type drawing!

Take care
x

L.G. Keltner said...

Getting to see the RiffTrax guys in action must have been amazing! I grew up with Mystery Science Theater 3000, so I have a lot of good memories of that.

It's good to know that men are far less critical of a woman's size than women are. We truly can be incredibly hard on ourselves sometimes.

Loni Townsend said...

Wow, I don't know the answers to any of those trivia questions. Then again, I was born in the 80's...

Thanks for the link to my trailer! I really appreciate it. ^_^

I love those slides you posted. I had to link the spoiler alert to my brother. He's a huge Godzilla fan.

Tony Laplume said...

The more I read about Monuments Men the more I want to see it. This is exactly the opposite of a typical WWII movie in a lot of ways, and different from you'd expect from Clooney, too. It intrigues me.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I did sign up for the blog hop. It should be really interesting. I think you said the perfect thing about women. I wish there was a way to convince young women that small truth that could make their lives so much better.

Heather M. Gardner said...

1. ?
2. Scandal
3. Brad Pitt
4. ?
5. ?
6. Wild Thing

Groan. Not too good this week.

Saw GotG! SO FREAKIN' AWESOME!

Godzilla must have been funny to watch that way. :)

Blood, Boobs & Carnage!!!

HMG

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

When I lived in Whitehorse, Yukon in the early 70s, there was a band jam session every Sunday at a different bar. I don't suppose that's the same thing as a Riff. Are drinks included?

Great post, Alex. I know who Chris is!!! My mum watched the soap and was devastated when he quit to have a film career.

ilima said...

RiffTrax live sounds really fun. I bet my husband would enjoy that. I'll have to check it out.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Godzilla wins - LOL!

My husband says women obsess way too much over their bodies.

I love the cartoon Al drew.

Pat Hatt said...

haha that is the only good comment Adam Sandler will ever get,especially now a days. Thanks for the shout, true on women as well.

1. San Diego?
2. ummm
3. ummm
4. ummm
5. Midnight run, awesome movie
6. ummm

Anonymous said...

You're Toothless!!!! That was too funny. I LOL'ed.
I enjoyed that Godzilla movie when it came out. Although, me crushing on Matthew Broderick might have had something to do with it too.

Theresa Milstein said...

Funny posters/quotes on the top! Guardians of the Galaxy probably isn't much like the that owl series....

Like your comment about guys not caring. Women fall for this idea of ridiculous thinness. It's not necessarily what men are looking for, is it?

Suzanne Furness said...

I missed the dragon's birthday? Sorry Al I must still have been away. Hope you had fun.

Nothing wrong with a few curves I say.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

Well, Happy Monday... you have some great news and some cool stuff coming up. Enjoy!

~Sia McKye~ said...

Oh lord, my brain went splat when I looked at your trivia questions. It refuses to get up and work. :-)

Having grown up in a household of males, I think you're right Alex. Oh they looked and appreciated flashy but the women they chose or who chose them, lol, were pretty, had curves and inner beauty and a great sense of humor. I think they needed the latter to deal with my brothers.
Haven't seen any good movies lately tho hubs says we should go see Guardians of the Universe and have dinner. I'm game. :-)

Sia McKye Over Coffee

Rek Sesh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rek Sesh said...

Hi Alex,

It's good to be back although I am taking baby steps.

Godzilla was never a fav with me so I'll skip all the related stuff but nephews would love anything big and scary that looks like dragons or dinosaurs.

The trivia is way out of my league this time while Snatched in Gullybrook book cover looks intimidating enough.

I was the fattest newborn in my extended family (till date) and have never been skinny once I hit 14 (PCOD and chocolates take equal credit)- never bothered much about my plump figure as I valued books over boys. Still do! :P

Unknown said...

The Hubby and I have watched every episode of MST3000. He's watching the other show now on the Youtube, but I haven't seen that yet.

Unknown said...

RiffTrax sounds like a lot of fun! I'm with you on "that was definitely NOT Godzilla."

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Brandon and Bryan, it's real! Go to their site.

Kitty, it is so good to have you back!

LG, you would enjoy a live RiffTrax showing.

Loni, you're welcome.

Karen, thanks, that made me feel good.

Heather, you made me laugh. And got three right!

Joylene, great! Not the same riffs. Drinks would be cool, but not needed.

Pat, you're welcome, and got two.

Patricia, glad it amused you.

Theresa, no, we aren't looking for thin toothpicks.

Sia, go and enjoy. And women choose their men. We only think it's the other way around.

Rekha, glad you're back and don't worry about the figure.

Anne, you rock!!!

cleemckenzie said...

The slides were enough to entertain me for the whole day. A great way to start the week--laughing.

I'll stop in and catch Angela's post. She always writes interesting things.

I can't see that dragon suit without cracking up. However, that's what you described. That's what Father Dragon provided. Lesson: Be careful what you ask for.

My brain can't do trivia, so I just read the answers.

cleemckenzie said...

The slides were enough to entertain me for the whole day. A great way to start the week--laughing.

I'll stop in and catch Angela's post. She always writes interesting things.

I can't see that dragon suit without cracking up. However, that's what you described. That's what Father Dragon provided. Lesson: Be careful what you ask for.

My brain can't do trivia, so I just read the answers.

Jennifer Hawes said...

"Measuring ankles" ! Ha! As for the thigh gap, you'll find that on all women--size 0. :)
I really wanted The Monuments Men to get better reviews. Haven't seen it. I'm such a sucker for anything related to art history.

Cherie Reich said...

Love those movie quotes!

It's nice to know most men don't really care. I don't know why anyone would want to be with someone who was all bones covered with skin anyway.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Ha ha. Men don't care--much, except that the woman has to appeal to him. Even then....

Godzilla gave me nightmares as a child. I imagined way too often the horror of a monster so big that he could tromp your house. LOVE IT.

Mark said...

Sounds like a great Godzilla time:) Also, thanks for reminding me about Milo's story coming out:)

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I have If I Stay (book based off upcoming movie) incoming along with Torn by Amanda Hocking. Both books I bought on special from The Book Depository. No RiffTax in Jamaica unfortunately. Mean like to see something that catches their eye first then talk to see if you catch anything else to their fancy. If not they're likely to move on. Or if the lady in nuts run.

Al Diaz said...

Today you chose a very specialized trivia. I am clueless.
Actually many men have repeatedly said anorexic type is not their type of women, but women in general seem to believe fashion magazines more than men's opinion on men's preferences. Really stupid if you ask the dragon. Best shape, dragon shape. Just look how handsome you look with wings, hahaha.

Laura Clipson said...

Glad to hear men don't care. I think it's stupid that some women believe that everyone should have the same body shape - we're all different, and some people physically can't have certain body shapes. Take my sister, for example. She eats plenty, and yet she's the skinniest person I know. She just can't put on weight, and a lot of people make assumptions about her because of it. We should all just be happy with the way our bodies naturally are.

Sherry Ellis said...

Well-said about the body image. Yes, guys are attracted to good looks, and maybe certain body parts initially (even though they're not measuring), but ultimately, it is about being a nice person and being fun to hang with.

Sherry Ellis said...

Well-said about the body image. Yes, guys are attracted to good looks, and maybe certain body parts initially (even though they're not measuring), but ultimately, it is about being a nice person and being fun to hang with.

Kristin Smith said...

That first movie quote was a "hoot"! And yes, pun intended! :)

I missed Stephanie's post about women's bodies, but I think you raise a good point. Hopefully most men are as mature in their thinking as you are. It shouldn't be about how skinny a woman is, but more so if she takes care of herself and if she's an all-around nice person.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Congrats to Kim and the other authors! Thanks for sharing your views about body image. It's more difficult than ever for young girls who are constantly exposed on social media. It would be great if their peers also followed your lead, Alex.

Julie

SpacerGuy said...

Rifftrax is fun stuff. Its neat how they make movies into gagreels. I've signed up for the Ninjafest, now where the logic in wearing a fake arrow on your head? I'm mean, okay, forget logic, I laughed.

Maurice Mitchell said...

I'll have to make a pilgrimage to a Rifftrax one day since it sounds amazing.

Karen M. Peterson said...

I wish more men would speak up and say they don't care, Alex! Thank you!

Also, that's awesome that you got to go to a live performance of RiffTrax. That must have been so much fun!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

The whole female attractiveness thing might be regional. I know here in Mormon Utah, women need to wear dresses and have long hair or many men won't find them attractive. In addition, they don't want their wives to put on any weight at all. But these are the same Mormon men who admit to manscaping and shaving their arms. So vanity is very high here. I have heard (unconfirmed) that Salt Lake City is the vainest city in the nation.

Jemi Fraser said...

I've never heard of RiffTrax before but it sounds hilarious! Love the godzilla slides too :)
Back to normal with the trivia ... nada!! :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Lee, glad I could amuse you and lesson learned.

Jennifer, it's still worth watching.

Cherie, I sure don't!

Sheena-kay, I've met a few who were nuts...

Al, Ninja wings! And you'd think women would care more what a man really wanted.

Sherry, well said. And yes, certain body parts...

Maurice, do it! Next one they're doing is Anaconda.

Karen, it was amazing.

Michael, glad I don't live there.

Elephant's Child said...

So was there enough blood, boobs and carnage for that costume? Which you rocked.
Men who are keepers don't care. Sadly quite a lot of others do.

Huntress said...

Congrats to Milo, Pat, and Kim!
Sean is one of my favorite humans and Angela's Emotion Thesaurus is always by my side.

Carrie-Anne said...

At my age, I care less I've matured into a lower plus size. I'm physically active and eat a vegetarian diet (closer to vegan much of the time), so it's not like I got to be this size through laziness and unhealthy eating habits. It's just the size my body seems to want to be at, and given my specific body build, I really don't look like an obvious plus size. Some of the weight is probably muscle mass, since one of the trainers at my gym is considered obese by the very inaccurate BMI. He's over six feet tall and has lots of muscle mass, and isn't fat at all.

Unknown said...

I love those slides. They're so funny. I'm glad you had fun at the RiffTrax broadcast. I haven't seen Monument Men but perhaps I'll watch it on Netflix. Have a great week.

Mark Means said...

I've never heard of RiffTraxs, but they sound hilarious! I'll have to look them up.

Oh, and you're spot on about women's bodies.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Sounds like a fun way to watch a movie!
Signed up for the blogfest and I always love new books. :)
I think we all need to worry less about our appearances and concentrate on celebrating the gifts and talents we all have to offer each other and this world around us. :)

Robin said...

You had me with Women's Bodies. Why? Because I am just like that and had to know what you were going to say on the subject. I have thought for a long time that women NEVER dress for men. They always dress to impress other women. You're right. Men don't care. They can love you like crazy and it is all over their heads. I guess I figured that one out as teenager. It was always a game with my dad.

Me: Dad, what do think of my new look?

Him: New outfit?

Me: Nope.

Him: Ah... I love your shoes.

Me: Wrong again.

Him: (scratches head, clearly out of his depth) I give up.

Me: I cut six inches off of my hair! Jeez.

Him: Oh, yeah. It looks great honey.

That tells me that ankles... don't care... and if they do (watch out! foot fetish!!!) and thighs. Heck, they are just glad you have legs. Hahahaha.

Carol Kilgore said...

I agree with your review of The Monuments Men, but maybe I liked it a little more than you did.

Congrats to those with new books, and a belated Happy Birthday to Father Dragon!

Andrew Leon said...

There is actually quite a lot of statistical data to show that men really do look at the face most. Face "weight" can affect the attractiveness of it, though.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday to Father Dragon. I always like seeing a new comic strip.

I don't mind some cheese in entertainment.

J E Oneil said...

I saw the Nostalgia Critic's review of the 98 Godzilla. That's as far as I'll go :).

I would hope women don't care that men don't care. Our looks should only matter to us.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

Boy, I am a dork... nice robot response this morning. I am have made like 30 upcoming posts for all the sites and I am a dork for stating the obvious.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elephant's Child, plenty! And thanks.

Carrie-Anne, some shapes just can't be forced.

Mark, now we need to convince the ladies.

Tyrean, Amen!

Robin, exactly. I think it's women who perpetuate the images. most of the stuff we don't even notice.

Andrew, that's the first place I look. (The butt is second. Hey, what can I say? I like a nice ass.)

Jeremy, no worries - you're never a dork.

Jenni said...

Thanks for the review of the Monuments Men. That's one I've been wanting to see, because I'm fascinated by the whole Nazi art stuff, but good to know that it's glacially paced.
And I appreciated your comments about body image!

CLL said...

Dare I admit that, although I am quite the feminist on many issues, I'm not typically irritated by exaggerated cartoons or cover-art images of women's bodies. To me, all cartoons or cover art engages in exaggeration of all aspects of human appearance.

Arlee Bird said...

Kinison did "Wild Thing" but if he had did a version of "I Can't Control Myself" that might have been even more fitting--that guy was out of control. And "I Can't Control Myself" was one of my favorite song by The Troggs.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

We don't get anything as cool as RiffTrax here in Oz. At least, not that I'm aware of.

Brian Miller said...

monuments men was an entertaining flick..and it did have a good cast....

ha hope you found enough blood and boobs to make up for that...lol...

and was just talking to my student about riftraax....our theatre has godzilla on rifttrax right now as well...

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jenni, it's the truth.

CLL, especially superheroes...

Lee, you're correct. At least he got his life together before dying.

Lynda, that's just wrong...

Brian, go see it! And yes, I found enough.

Helena said...

I've never been to a RiffTrax movie, but you made it sound like fun so I should look one up.

I enjoyed Monuments Men, but then I'm a history nerd and a WWII buff.

And thank you for pointing out that men are not finicky about women's bodies--they pretty much just like bodies in pretty good shape. However, I'm still convinced your wife is built like Kate Beckinsale.

Cherie Colyer said...

I haven't heard of RiffTrak, I'm going to have to do some Googling. Thanks for then entertaining slides.

Botanist said...

Re, women's bodies, I think you summed it up admirably. But one of the commenters also nailed it by saying women don't look good to impress men, they're out to impress other women. That puts a whole other spin on the question.

Unknown said...

Live RiffTrax would be amazing! Mystery Science Theater is hilarious. I have yet to listen to a movie Rifftrax style but I plan on doing that very soon.

John Holton said...

#1 is San Diego, #4 is Pat Corrales (1983) and #6 is "Wild Thing."

Whatever monster that was in 1998's "Godzilla," it wasn't Godzilla...

John Holton
The Sound Of One Hand Typing

Michelle Wallace said...

That comic is hilarious!
... and you have WINGS?!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - the way we look .. ah well - thank goodness we can engage in other ways. Glad you elaborated and Botanist put another spin on it ...

Monuments Men wasn't brilliant - but told a story (badly) - still at least it highlighted the stolen and pillaged art and treasures ...

Father Dragon made you a delightful suit - hope it comes off .. ?! Cheers Hilary

Sheila Siler said...

I know NONE of those trivia questions! I do want to see Monument Men - looks like a great cast!

Unknown said...

The cartoon skit was fun to read, Happy Birthday Father Dragon.

The trivia questions were a bit difficult for me, didn't know one answer.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Helena, she's not - much shorter, more curves. And I think she's hotter.

Botanist, that's what I was thinking but didn't state.

Julia, they have so many available.

John, spot on!

Michelle, I do now.

Hilary, it does come off.

Shell Flower said...

I've heard of RiffTrax, but never seen one. The Monuments Men seems to have a good premise. It's crazy that some art & antiquities were also lost in Iraq during the war much more recently. As for women's bodies, there's someone out there for everyone.

PK HREZO said...

I didn't know they did that live! How cool! Loved MST when I was in college. Spent many a late night watching.
I agree about 98 Godzilla. I wanted so badly to like it but meh.
I think women are a much harder judge of beauty than men, which is crazy since it's what we all wish was less of an issue at the same time. We are fickle beings... :)

Dean K Miller said...

Big fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000, so the riff trax would be awesome. Still thinking of the blog fest. I'll leave the "woman's body" debate for the others.

Lisa said...

Never even heard of Riff Trax, but sounds fun, like when I saw Rocky Horror Picture Show in California, everyone in the audience was dressed up like the characters in the movie. Thanks for the tip on what men don't care about!! My husband says the same thing, so I'm listening to you two! And I signed up. Know exactly which band I'm going to blog about...

Patricia Stoltey said...

I just watched Monuments Men on DVD and enjoyed the story in spite of the sad parts.

Chrys Fey said...

Men don't care? Hallelujah! I'll let all my girl friends now. :P

I've never seen RiffTrax, but that's not surprising coming from me, is it? haha

Charles Gramlich said...

Never heard of Rifftrax.I never quite got Mystery science theater either. I guess I never quite saw the purpose in making fun of works that aren't your own. Lana likes it, though. Of course, Lana and I do this on our own from the couch on occasion.

Morgan said...

Hahaha… isn't Al awesome??? I love his work.

And it's always fun to get a guy's perspective on women and body issues. I know I'm not alone that image is one thing that's always on my mind, and it's interesting how DIFFERENT the man's view on the topic is than the woman's. :)

Unknown said...

Already signed up for the blogfest- am looking forward to it. new books- I just got 7 new books in all related to writing and picked a few up from the library for reading pleasure. have a great day!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Glad to hear that men don't care about thigh gap or ankle size. Its time women stopped obsessing about such silly things and started thinking on the lines of a healthy body.
Loved the dragon suit :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

PK, agree about the harsh. Now, go watch some RiffTrax!

Lisa, awesome!

Charles, and that was probably the appeal. They did (really well) what we've all done for years...

Rachna, Amen!

Jeff Chapman said...

The adds for Monument Men looked interesting, but I think I'll give it a miss based on your review.

Kelly Polark said...

I want to say that #2 is Scandal.

I sometimes think that some women compete with other women regarding their bodies, not necessarily always for men. Which is not cool either.

Vanessa Morgan said...

So loving that Alan Smithee/Uwe Boll quote. By the way, most of Uwe Boll's movies may not be recommendable (though he did make a few good ones), but he's such a cool person; very friendly and fun to be around.

Cindy said...

Anytime someone obsesses about themselves too much it can become self-destructive. Weight is just one thing. For example...people who dwell on negative thoughts and worry about themselves a lot tend to become depressed.

DMS said...

Hmmm- I don't think I know any of the trivia this week. Yikes!

Thanks for the note to women. :) I think we can become a little crazy with the images the media tells us we "should" look like. I like that more stars are requesting photos be shown of them not wearing makeup and not touched up. Good to know that most guys don't care about superficial things like ankles and thigh gap!
~Jess

Gwen Gardner said...

HeHe. Cute little cartoon with you and Father Dragon! And body image--so many people have unrealistic expectations. You've got it right, though. I actually saw a psychiatrist on tv yesterday saying that Michelle Obama is fat. What?! No way. She's healthy, buff, and looks great!

Kathe W. said...

I figured Monument Men would be snoozer!

Jennifer Lane said...

"Sarrano's got the disks!" is from Midnight Run--love that movie!

Research backs you up--men don't want women to be as thin as women think they need to be. That thigh touching thing is seriously cray cray.

Trisha said...

I hadn't heard of RiffTrax before now. Sounds like a heap of fun!

I saw the Monuments Men in theatres - thought it wasn't bad, but it wasn't DVD-buying worthy for me.

I definitely agree that, in many or even most cases, women probably care more about their inner thighs touching than men do. :P

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Kelly, correct, and I think you're right.

Vanessa, wild that you've met him.

Cindy, very true!

Jess, it is all just superficial.

Gwen, that's insane.

Jennifer, you got it.

Trisha, and why would they care? I don't get that.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Oh good heavens am I tired this morning. I read "skinny ankles and the thighs not touching" and thought ankles don't tough thighs do they? Wait is this some new weird thing.

Yes, long night!

Unknown said...

You sound just like my husband, Alex! He never gets why the women in his life, aka me and his daughters, fret about our appearance so much. He just sees us as beautiful.

Mason T. Matchak said...

I've never seen Rifftrax in the theater, but I've seen a few on DVD. Those guys are still hilarious. ^_^

As for the thing about women's bodies - hell, about peoples' bodies - everyone has their preferences, but it's not like we're out there with measuring tape and calipers. If you're genuinely attracted to someone, it's a lot more than just physical, and whoever you love becomes more beautiful to you because you love them.

Crystal Collier said...

How did I miss Stephanie's post? I'm going to head over there and check it out.

I want to sign up for the blogfest, but I'm going to have about 20 family members in town around then. I'm thinking my virtual presence is going to be rather limited...but I hope it is epic!

mail4rosey said...

I knew the thing about men not caring. ;) Now if I could teach it to my teen daughter who thinks size 3 is fat. -_-

It's nice that writers are so supportive of each other. And bloggers too. :)

Johanna Garth said...

Thanks for clearing that body image stuff up, Alex. Now if we could just put you in charge of how we're all depicted we'd have a healthier happier group of women!!

Melissa said...

Bloodn boobs and carnage. LOL Now I see where Tina got it. :P

Jennie Bennett said...

You got see them live? That is so cool! I wish I was in the audience! Those slides were fun too, thanks for sharing. Also, great insight one what men think. we women really need to hear stuff like that.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

The body image thing is worrisome. Oh, no. You can't be too thin. Yes, you can. Thanks for voicing your opinion, Alex.

The movie about WWII stolen art sounds interesting.

Mary Montague Sikes

Pat Tillett said...

I so badly wanted Monuments to be a great movie. Oh well...

1. San Diego
2. Patty Smythe
3. no idea
4. Pat Corrales
5. no idea
6. Wild Thing

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Being surrounded by men, I can assure you- once again, you are sooo right!! Men are NOT the problems. Every single one of the men in my house prefers curves to skin and bones. But it seems we women are more concerned with impressing other women.

I'll have to check out the new books and such. I've been on a life induced blog hiatus.

M Pax said...

Sounds like a fun way to see a movie.

I've not heard of the ankle, thigh thing. I'm so out of the loop. Honestly, I think only other women care.

I know that Kevin Bacon was once on Guiding Light. Does that count? He played Cliff Werner. I think it was Cliff. I know I have the last name right.

Christina Mitchell said...

I'm such a huge MST3K fan, so I'm squeeing for you getting to see RiffTrax. That's awesome!

As far as the body thing for women is concerned, I had that same epiphany a few years ago, when I thought about how ridiculous the clothes, hair and makeup were in the 80's. I'm sure the blue eyeshadow and monster shoulder pads did not stop anyone from getting laid.

I have never dated a man who cared if I wore makeup, shaved my legs or put on lingerie. No one worried about the shape of my boobs or if my thighs touched.

The problem with these body image discussions comes in the assumption that women think that men want these things. I think most women know that men are not really caught up in stuff like that. They're happy to have a nice person in their general vicinity and if she's nude, that's a bonus. Thigh circumference be damned.

More often than not, women obsess over these things and do unhealthy stuff to compete and or get validation from other women. I don't put on makeup for my husband. It's to get compliments from my lady friends. I don't buy cute shoes hoping some guy will like the rhinestone bows on the toes. That's for other women as well. So those body things, the thin thighs and the skinny ankles and the big boobs or small boobs or whatever kind is in style this year, they tend to be for other women too. We want their approval, their jealousy, their admiration. The bars to the cage might have been put there by men a long time ago, but the key is in the lock and we are choosing not to let ourselves out. That's my two cents anyway.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Holly, that made me chuckle though.

Melanie, as he should!

Mason, you worded it perfectly.

Crystal, no worries.

Rosey, a size three is really thin...

Melissa, I started a trend.

JA, live on the screen. But I will really see them live for their next show!

Pat, three and a half right! I think you're in the lead.

Elizabeth, you ladies need to impress men instead. And most of you already do.

Mary, I have no idea...

Christina, you would dig RiffTrax. Nude a bonus - that made me laugh! I think your two cents is very accurate.

Chemist Ken said...

The cartoon with Toothless is priceless. My daughter has made me promise to build a retractable set of reticulated wings for her Halloween dragon costume. At least she found some instructions to do this online.

Mark Koopmans said...

Dude,

I'm going to start calling you Dr. Al - as in Dr. Phil should quit and call it a day :)

You are, of course, correct. Physical attraction is important, but great personality outshines good looks :)

PS... *Nice* outfit :)

Hahahahhaahaahhaaaa :)

#AlRocks :)

Gossip_Grl said...

That was a very nice comment you left on Stephanie's post. Society makes it very hard on women. They dictate what the ultimate woman should be and look like and if we don't then feel full of flaws which causes us to obsess too much about it. I've forgotten what the guy to girl ratio is but I think a lot has to do with competition.

Julie Dao said...

I saw Monuments Men when it was in theaters and really enjoyed it!

Leovi said...

Yes, I also prefer the bodies of women with curves!

Anonymous said...

I've never listened to RiffTrax, but I'm sure it's enjoyable! My brother-in-law is always talking about it, but he usually just listens to their comments without the movies, lol. He talks about his podcast sometimes, Three the Hard Way, if you ever want to check it out. It's three geeky guys talking about nerdy things :-)

D.G. Hudson said...

I adore the comment on women's bodies, Alex. Social media has made body image become a social fixation.

Raquel Byrnes said...

I've heard of the thigh touching dilemma but ankles? Well, it was nice get some male perspective on that.

I'm not a fan of the new Godzilla, but my teenage daughters thought it was a lot of fun to watch with friends. They all did the commentary thing so that probably helped. :)

Raquel Byrnes

Tara Tyler said...

about to sign up for fest!
- rextrax? i avoid those, they most likely lead to a t-rex!
after three kids and middle age, i don't worry about my body image much any more...

thanks for the faithful visits, my friend!

Melissa Sugar said...

Wow, I forgot how many comments you get. Thanks for visiting my blog after my super long disappearing act. You made me feel very welcomed upon re-entry.
Also, very nice comments about women and our images but I'm afraid the media has ruin it for us.
I need to hop over and wish Al a belated bday .
I think I know a few answer this time, which is rare for me.
The Clippers were in San Diego as the San Diego Clippers until their move to LA in 84.
Another 80's answer. I think the band was called Scandal, if it's the 80'a rock band I'm thinking of.
And I'm not easily stumped on his movie quotes - it's from one of my all time favorite movies, Midniight Run.
Glad to be back . I've missed a lot , I've noticed . The IWSG has it's own website . Cool. I will visit as soon as I stop by Al's blog. Thanks again.

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed Monuments Men, but I'm an Art History lover... so I got pretty into it from that perspective :)

Also, can't wait for the Underrated Treasures Blogfest! I signed up. Thanks for running it :)

Unknown said...

I haven't seen a RiffTrax movie in theater -- I didn't know it was a thing! Sounds fun, though :) Enjoyed the slides of the movie quotes and Hollywood lingo etc ;) Aaaand ... it's good to know men aren't measuring our ankles!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Beate said...

I love your mentioning of Stephanie's post! It's so sad to see what media and the fake pictures of perfect models do to women nowadays. It's always good to hear from men that it doesn't matter to them! :)

Anonymous said...

My husband and I recently watched The Monuments Men. It wasn't my husband's first time seeing it as he saw it in the theater when it first came out. I liked it and would watch it again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the movie.

Michael Di Gesu said...

HEY ALEX!

Another fully packed post! LOL..

Congrats to Kim, Pat, and Milo.... ALL THE BEST!

Happy Belated birthday to Father Al! May his scales forever shine!

Meeting Melissa today.... Thanks for posting on the blogfest.... Yes, we're looking for comical, inspirational, and uplifting stories about Cancer... All will be featured in the anthology! We need to give Cancer a good kick in the pants! Proceeds will help Melissa and her favorite cancer charity, Gilda's Club Chicago.... a fantastic organization in memory of the amazingly talented Gilda Radner who died of ovarian cancer.

Intangible Hearts said...

Thanks for sharing your healthy perspective on the female form and come to think of it, I saw Bambi Meets Godzilla in 1977. Talk about ancient! LOL Bambi has skinny ankles and his thighs don't touch. Interesting.

Toi Thomas said...

I've never seen a RiffTrax in the theatre,but I'd like to.
I figured Monuements Men would be a good Nexflix rental. It's a great cast.
I don't know any of this trivia, but I think #6 is Wild Thing.
As far a womens' bodies go, I think women do stress too much about it. I think you're right. Outside of extremes, guys don't really care. If a woman has a nice smile and will talk to a guy, most guys are happy with that. I do think it is important for women to be comfortable in their bodies though. I want to lose weight, but I'm not losing sleep over the idea.

Catherine Stine said...

Yipes, I am so bad at trivia stuff that I'm embarrassed to say I cannot answer one of those. Even though the Goodbye to You song is now playing in my head.

The Happy Whisk said...

Forgot to tell you, finally saw Galaxy. It was a fun movie to just go and not care about plot or anything else. And I loved the tree. So great.

Blue Grumpster said...

Of course we aren’t measuring... ankles. Plus when Godzilla has babies, you know it's time to leave the theater.

farawayeyes said...

I read this while I was 'on the road' and just now remembered to come back and comment.

'Monuments Men' - I thought it was an interesting cast and and interesting show of their talents, but I take exception when 'the movies' take so much license with history.

You comment about women's bodies was really sweet. It's too bad we have such a hard time believing those things.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Kim Van Sickler rocks! Gotta love her. So is Godzilla a dragon? :P

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I had no idea the MT3K guys were doing that! My entire family are cult followers of the original MT3K shows. I think my sons have every one of them taped on VHS.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ken, good luck!

Mark, thanks!

Jamie, your brother-in-law rocks. And I will check out his podcast.

Tara, you made me chuckle.

Melissa, welcome back! And you rocked the answers.

Emilyann, thanks for joining us.

Michael, I will promote it big time next week. Gilda Radner was such a funny lady.

Hearts, I guess he did!

Toi, correct. And yes, just having one talk to us is sometimes all it takes!

Ivy, glad you finally saw it!

Elizabeth, in that version, Godzilla was a mutated iguana. Yeah, right.

Karen, so do we! You would dig RiffTrax.

Leovi said...

Yes, The Monuments Men are better actors !!

SK Anthony said...

Glad you had a good time last Thursday, that sounds fun!

I'm happy curves are what matters. Round counts as curvey, right? LOL And goodness thigh gaps and skinny ankles? That just makes me want pizza. Like right now.

I'm drawing a blank with this week's trivia o_0

Tracy Jo said...

Love those slides! Literally Lol'd. :-) Have a great weekend!

Unknown said...

Love the comment about women's bodies. You will have cheered many a woman up with comments like that. A healthy attitude. Thank you.

Suzi said...

I haven't see The Monuments Men but it looked like a good movie. And I don't expect historical accuracy much from Hollywood movies. They put their own spin on everything. :)

kimlajevardi.com said...

Sounds like a fun Thursday.

Women really are too hard on themselves. We try to be perfect in an imperfect world.

Brandon Ax said...

Man you have me really missing Mystery Science theater. I loved watching that.

I saw this at the previews for other movies I have watched the past few weeks.

Carrie Butler said...

Thanks for your take on women's bodies, Captain. It helps to hear these things from people whose opinions we respect. :)

Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, I don't know the answer to any of your trivia questions :O!
Interesting comment about women's bodies.

Laura Pauling said...

I really enjoyed Monument's Men although it had a much different tone than I thought it would. I loved the story, but the move was almost comedic. I do agree it could've been better.

Tammy Theriault said...

I'm looking forward to seeing and discovering new bands!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

SK, go enjoy a pizza!

Rebecca, I hope so.

Brandon, you need to check it out.

Laura, it was a misfire but watchable.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the shout-out, Alex! I also found Monuments Men to be underwhelming.

Anonymous said...

Hey Ninja Captain. Love the Bambi vs. Godzilla! Heeheehee. I also love your feelings on women's bodies; that most men don't care! I'm gonna take your word for it cuz you're the MAN!! :D

I'm also going to sign up for the Sept. 22 blog hop as soon as I remember my favorite unknowns!! :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Eva

Unknown said...

I haven't seen any version of Godzilla, but I really want to.

Nicole said...

Those movie quote spoofs were pretty funny. I wonder how long that guy with the "Guardians of Ga'hoole" quote stayed. Haha!

Blue Grumpster said...

Bami vs Godzilla... Reminds me of me and my wife.

Mina Burrows said...

Bambi should kill Godzilla with his cuteness. Or is that Rudolph I'm thinking of...

I still haven't seen the latest Godzilla. Maybe when it comes out on cable I can watch it.

LynNerdKelley said...

Bambi vs. Godzilla! So funny! I love Loni's book trailer. Super cool!