Ninja News!
Today I have a guest post with Gabi at The Write Connexion.. She wanted to know more about organizing a blog tour. Not an expert, but I gave it my best shot!
Thanks again to everyone who posted for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Welcome new members and appreciate all the support you guys give one another. I even received an email from a member who stated that not only has the group helped him to be a better writer, it had helped him to be a better person. Now that is just awesome! Special thanks also to Laura Eno for her post on Writer Etiquette. I also spent some time cleaning up the list of non-participants, so it should be much better next month.
DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude just had a short story accepting for Open Heart Publishing’s An Honest Lie anthology. Congratulations, DL!!
Cathy at Life on the Muskoka River is raising money for the YMCA Literacy Services in her area. This involves a marathon with writers locked in a room. Intrigued? Visit Cathy’s SITE for more details!
Beginning Thursday, July 26, 9 PM EST, EJ at The Open Vein will be hosting an all new regular Twitter chat focusing on New Adult literature. (Hashtag #NALitChat) Check out his site for details.
Jade Hart at Dream, Write, Publish just signed a book deal with Curiosity Quills. Congratulations, Jade!
And special thanks to Allison at Geek Banter and Rek at A Chronicle of Dreams for their wonderful reviews of CassaStar this week. You ladies rock!
Movie Review!
We didn’t need a reboot of this franchise so soon, but with so many great reviews I had to check it out – and I wasn’t disappointed. Handing over this reboot to an unknown director was a risk but it paid off. Marc Webb handled the action scenes and character development well, adding a humorous edge that was missing before. I really liked the new Spiderman – the kid was the master of snark. As much as I like Sam Raimi and Spiderman 2, this movie was better. It’s not The Avengers, but it’s really good. (And you should’ve seen all the little kids dressed as Spiderman at the show!)
Best Directors
Matthew at FilmMattic recently posted a list of top one hundred directors, so I decided to do my own list of top ten. My list is what I consider the best (and my most favorite) directors.
1 - Steven Spielberg – Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters (Because of his huge body of work.)
2 - James Cameron – Aliens, The Terminator, Avatar (The man’s never made a bad film.)
3 - Christopher Nolan – Memento, Inception, The Dark Knight (He hasn’t made a bad film either.)
4 - Peter Jackson – LOTR trilogy, Dead Alive, The Frighteners
4 - Peter Jackson – LOTR trilogy, Dead Alive, The Frighteners
5 - Guillermo del Toro – Blade II, Hellboy, The Devil’s Backbone
6 - Michael Mann – Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Manhunter
7 - Joss Whedon – Serenity, The Avengers
8 - Quentin Tarantino – Reservoir Dogs, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction
9 - Rob Reiner – The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men
10 - JJ Abrams – Super 8, Star Trek
Enjoy this week’s IWSG posts? Excited about the news? Did you see The Amazing Spiderman? (It made 35 million on Tuesday alone!) And who are your favorite directors?
Don’t forget to check out Gabi's site!
Great reviews, and news.As always something for everybody.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Gorgeous Capn Alex!! You ain't over at Rachna's yet!! I've just been!! But never fear, Old Kitty shall return like a bad smell! LOL!! I'm kidding!! I waft the scent of crushed roses!! Yay!! Take care
ReplyDeletex
Ninjaboi...brilliant post as always.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Spiderman is a must for everyone.
Wow, lots of news in this post. YAY! I'm going to have to check out that guest post later. Just stopping by your blog before I *sigh* go to bed. EEP! I know, I know. Jeez. I'm wide awake for some reason...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I didn't get to catch many of the IWSG posts. I'm going to have to get around a bit more this weekend.
Happy Friday and I hope you have an awesome weekend. :)
I didn't think Tobey Maguire really got the spidey sense of humour. Glad to hear the new guy does a better job of it.
ReplyDeletemood
Thanks for the Spiderman review. We'll check it out this weekend. And can't go wrong with your list of directors.
ReplyDeleteI like the IWSG and seeing people overcome their fears and doubts and other concerns. I do like a good overcomer story.
Congratulations to everyone with good news this week!
ReplyDeleteThat list of directors is awesome - some of my favourite films are on that list too!
I'll have to wait another week to see The Amazing Spider-Man. Better than Spider-Man 2? Wow, that's a pretty bold statement. We'll se about that ;)
ReplyDeleteNice list. Glad you put del Toro in it. He's amazing! With only 2 movies in his filmography. I don't think Joss Whedon deserves to be on that list but, there you go.
Kitty, you could only smell good. And I had the wrong site - Gabi's is today. Rachna is next week.
ReplyDeleteKela, go to bed!
Moody, not compared to Garfield.
Stephen, we had lots of them this week.
Annalisa, that makes you cool.
I met some new folks on this round of ISWG and those directors ARE the top ones. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing at Old Kitty's comment - a bad smell, hehe!
ReplyDeleteLook at all that news. And I haven't seen the old Spiderman, let alone the new one!
I am going to see Spiderman today!! Going with the daughter who really wants to see it. A big Spiderman fan.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Stephen Spielberg can do no wrong, but I really like Nancy Meyers and her movies the best.
T
Alex, I liked your guest post over at The Write Connexion. Of course I left a comment.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know the new Spidey wasn't a total loss -- and muchas gracias for the shout-out, Alex!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mention! I'm really enjoying the IWSG. I'll have to go check out the Ninja's take on blog tours. :)
ReplyDeleteBetter than Spider-man 2 you say...? Well, now I have to go see it for sure. Awesome Top 10 Directors list, even though Quentin Tarantino would definitely top mine, with Guillermo Del Toro coming in a close second.
ReplyDeleteTalli, we need to take you to the movies.
ReplyDeleteKaren, not all of Spielberg's films have been great, but they are usually consistently good and memorable.
Teresa, you will enjoy it.
Thank you, Edi!
Milo, you're welcome.
Laura, thank YOU!
I'll go see Spider-Man today or tomorrow. I was gonna go Wed... but I didn't.
ReplyDeleteI love your list of fav directors, I think Peter Jackson directed The Frighteners. I always loved that movie.
And I love the IWSG. It's been a wonderful journey.
Thanks for the heads up regarding the Spiderman movie. I've got to check with my Chipmunk to see if she wants to see it. She really likes the whole Spiderman franchise.
ReplyDeleteAs for directors, Peter Jackson will forever be etched in my mind for his work on the LOTR trilogy. Spielberg is simply an eternal legend and Joss Whedon has had my interest for quite some time.
It was a smart move keeping the Amazing Spiderman sharp with good laughs. I wonder does new Spidey have radioactive blood?
ReplyDeleteGreat review of Spiderman. I'll be seeing it in Spanish with English subtitles. Hmm? Don't know if snark translates.
ReplyDeleteSpiderman is on my list. I love reading the IWSG posts. Now I'm going to read about blog tours :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend!
Now I have to see Spiderman.
ReplyDeleteFor me, one of the best directors ever is Hitchcock.
I've noticed a lot of new people jumping into the IWSG. No shortage of insecure writers out there. It's good to have so much company. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
I was kind of upset they redid Spiderman so soon, but it does look good. My wife loves Spiderman like I love Batman, so we'll have to see it. I'm excited for your guest post because I need to learn more about blog tours. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteSuch great news for so many Ninjas, it's wonderful to read. Heading over to your guest post now, have a great weekend!
ReplyDeletethe previews didn't really instill great confidence in the new spider movie. Your review has made me curious though.
ReplyDeleteHey Alex, I finished CassaStar on my vacation and wrote a review on Amazon. If you like it, I'll post it on my blog too.
ReplyDeleteGreat list of directors! I agree!
I definitely agree with a lot of your picks. Harold Ramis is another one of my favorites :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMichael, go see it - better than 2!
ReplyDeleteRusty, forgot the Frighteners! Must add to list...
Spacerguy, they didn't say he did.
Leigh, hope it does.
LG, the list is huge. Smaller now that I've been pruning.
Michael, Batman is the next big movie on the horizon.
Budd, you need to check it out.
Heather, I just went and read it - thank you so much!!!!!
Randi, he did Groundhog Day!
Thanks for putting the word about #NALitChat out there, Alex! Truly appreciate it. Hope lots of folks will join in the discussion.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Spiderman as well. Not sure I'm ready to bump it over Spiderman 2 though. I plan on re-watching it soon, but I do tend to take the time when the movie was done into consideration when I rank them. (The original Star Wars will always be a favorite, and it simply cannot hold up to the movies of today visually, etc., it gets its grade on a sliding scale.)
I keep reminding people that the first 2 Rami Spiderman movies were cutting edge at the time, with the first simply making super hero movies relevant again. (Maybe for the first time ever?) If not for its success, we wouldn't have gotten an Avengers or X-Men. Just the occasional Batman & Superman movies. Spiderman encouraged studios to dump their money into the genre, and I'll be forever grateful. :)
Hey Alex, sorry for not being over recently. Hope you had a good holiday! School holidays started this week, and I've started reading CP's books, so been slightly swamped. Humbled by your insanely fast response to my post!
ReplyDeleteAs for fave directors, Danny Boyle, who directed Trainspotting then moved to Hollywood, is good. Erm... that's all I've got for now!
No, no Spidey in my forecast, but I did see A.L. Vampire Hunter. Fun & interesting are the words I've used to express my take on this movie. Definitely interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy 14-year old, who, before anyone screams "I can't believe you took a 14-year old to see this movie!", absolutely enjoyed it.
She's an old soul, trust me on that. She simply stated on the way home, "Well, that was unique. Kudos to the author who came up with that twist on the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and vampires." Oh, and this, too, "I love how the author put the evil back into the bloodsuckers."
FYI, my daughter was never a Twilight fan. She read it and said, "Eh."
I forgot to add, I've enjoyed rummaging around the IWSG list again this month. :)))
ReplyDeleteI can't argue with that list! But I have no desire to see the new spiderman. I'm all spidermanned out just like I'm all batmanned out. I wish they would revive Supergirl or Wonder Woman. That would be refreshing. What I really wish though is that someone would come up with some new, original movie material instead of rehashing the same story and characters again and again and again. It's discouraging.
ReplyDeleteIn my comment above, I promise I wasn't trashing S.M. w/ Twilight. I adored the series, as did my oldest daughter. I loved how it got an entire generation reading again. :) But, my Ashmaster, is a tomboy, a gamer, a tough nut to crack. Sparkles are not her thing. :))
ReplyDeleteMarc Webb wasn't unknown, just relatively unknown. He did do (500) Days of Summer.
ReplyDeleteAlthough all the directors you mentioned are great, only about half would make my top 10. I'd likely add in Billy Wilder, Hitchcock, David Fincher, the Coen brothers, and possibly Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
Congrats to the ninjas and their awesome news!
ReplyDeleteHubby doesn't want to see The Amazing Sipderman =( I'll see if I can convince him lol
The new Spiderman movie does look pretty awesome. I'm still waiting for the Dark Knight Rises, though, in a couple weeks (already purchased midnight tickets!).
ReplyDeleteAnd I would have to say my favorite director is Steven Spielberg. When I was in 8th grade, I actually wrote him and got a signed (supposedly by him) picture.
I finally saw Avengers this week. Awesome. I don't understand the need for another Spiderman movie. My daughter saw it and said it was good.
ReplyDeletetruly not interested in the Spiderman film, for several reasons Hollywood will start remaking films that are less than 10 years old... i cannot even imagine a reboot of a reboot... like next year's Texas Chainsaw Massacre or even the sequel to Top Gun. lets hope for the Rock of Ages reboot... well Glee is a hit, that means this was to be too...
ReplyDeleterant for a Friday,
Jeremy
oh great directors list... agreed!
ReplyDeleteYou know your having a great week when you make the Ninja News! Thanks for that!!
ReplyDeleteI saw Spiderman on Wednesday. Have to say there were parts that the first one did better, but there were also parts (action mostly) where the new one stood out. Even after seeing it, I still don't believe we needed a reboot. Spend all of that money on something new and fresh!
I'm going to have to start going out into the world just so I can give insightful comments on your blog ;)
ReplyDeleteI love good publishing news, so I'm SO stoked for DL and Jade! And EJ from The Open Vein is one of my favorite bloggers EVER. His posts are awesome--I'm sure the chats will be fun too. :D
Off to see Spiderman! Er... when I find a sitter and... find some money... ;)
I'll check out that guest post. I'd like to do a blog tour at some point.
ReplyDeleteEJ, that is very true! And I've enjoyed the onslaught of superhero movies since that time.
ReplyDeleteNick, that's why I'm the Ninja Captain!
Candy, good for your daughter! (My wife is a tomboy. She's so cool.) I read the Abraham Lincoln book and I know there's a lot in the movie that's not in the book.
Lisa, they keep trying with Wonder Woman.
Nate, and that movie was really good as well.
Cherie, that's awesome!
Jeremy, another Top Gun? Why?
DL, you're welcome.
Morgan, you do leave insightful comments.
Aw, I LOVE to see kids dressed up in their Spidey costumes. The Husband would still wear one if they made them in size XXL. LOL
ReplyDeleteJoss Whedan is one of my favorite producers/directors/writers, all around talented guy.
'And you should’ve seen all the little kids dressed as Spiderman at the show!'
ReplyDelete:)
I tend to make it to the movies about twice a year. I JUST saw The Avengers - now I need to go back and watch the movies with character development before that, as I have only seen the first Ironman...
ReplyDelete*sigh*, I guess I'll -have- to go see the new Spiderman though, like many, think it's too soon for a re-boot. I'll probably enjoy it, in spite of myself :)
ReplyDeleteGreat info on the blog tours, although I'm still intimidated by doing one. Maybe I'll just hire you when my next book is ready :P
ReplyDeleteI -might- be going to Spider-Man this weekend.
Alex that's a fair review of TAS. My friend's out of the hospital, but still can't go till next week. Looking forward to it now. Director list is terrific. Cameron almost made a horrible Spider-Man movie, so we dodged a bullet there.
ReplyDelete@milo @DL @cathy @jade Congrats!!!
Matthew at FilmMatic has a great director list compiled and I'd agree with many of his choices. When I saw Fellini second on his list I knew that this guy knows what he's talking about. Then he included some of my other favorites: Hitchcock, Polanski, Lynch, Cronenburg, the Coen Brothers, and many more. Yes!
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
I left a comment over at Gabi's site but it apparently went into spam like about half of my WP comments do. I really have an intense dislike for WordPress anymore. Some blogs I've just stopped visiting and leaving comments. Others accept my comments just fine so I visit those. It seems pretty random as far as being able to comment.
ReplyDeleteOver all though I'd say that WordPress sucks.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Ahhhh I wasn't going to go see Spiderman (I agree: too soon to reboot it) but I might if it's really that good... gah dilemmas!
ReplyDeleteI've heard the new Spidey is good. I'm sure I'll be there at some point with my son!
ReplyDeleteGreat list of directors!
The IWSG really has helped me as a writer because I felt comfortable airing out all the things I kind of bottle up inside because I feel people don't want to hear that kind of stuff. It really is a stroke of brilliance. I think all of us writers need permission to just relax and let those things out (like therapy) and know that there are others who are there to support us. You give us that permission once a month by allowing us to be a "Debbie Downer" for one day.
ReplyDeleteI need to go see the new Spiderman movie! And congrats to Don!
ReplyDeleteI need to see the new spiderman!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the new Spiderman movie. Seriously, edge of my seat here. So glad you thumbs up'd it.
ReplyDeleteQuite a few of your favourite directors are mine too. I am eager to see the new Spiderman movie.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that brought Spiderman's snark to the big screen. That's the biggest thing that was missing out of the original movies. Spiderman's funny. Tobey Maguire is not...
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I think I'll wait for the DVD of the new Spidey film.
ReplyDeleteyay for the good news!
ReplyDeletenot interested in another spiderman, i'm telling you, they need to make the cassa series into movies! original ideas!
and geat director list! agree 100%!
Nice reviews. I am hoping to finally get to see the new Tyler Perry movie tonight since the power has been restored from the storm last Friday night. I agree with your list of the Top Ten Directors also.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to everyone on their good news. I'm hoping too see Spider-Man this weekend. We'll see. I second all your directors. Great choices. I want to add Milos Forman somehow.
ReplyDeleteI have to go with Joss Whedon or Peter Jackson. My son went to see Spiderman last night. I haven't heard his take yet.
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews! Congrats to everyone with books and stories coming out! As for directors, I hope Rob Reiner's new movie does well. Julie
ReplyDeleteGlad to here Spidey has your thumbs.
ReplyDeleteFor directors, I'd have to add Stanley Kramer and George Cukor, but the second may be because of my love of the Great Kate.
(Yeah, I'm showing my age again.)
Wow, now that's some exciting news! THX! I'm heading over to check out Gabi's site now.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Great news and thanks for the Spidey review.
ReplyDeleteYour directors list is great!
Lots of news today! I'll be waiting until the new Spiderman comes onto DVD. I never liked Toby McGuire as Spiderman, so I hope this new guy is better. Great list of directors! They're my top ten too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked Spiderman. I'm not a fan of Tobey so I'm looking forward to a new Spiderman. IWSG was great last week. There are so many supportive authors out there.
ReplyDeleteLots of great news here, Alex. Thanks. And favorite director(s)...I'd say the Coen brothers.
ReplyDeleteCertainly for my number one is the director Orson Welles.
ReplyDeleteYou made a very good top 10 list about the directors. I love most of them too.
ReplyDeleteI heard some rumors about Spiderman maybe will get a small cameo at the next Avengers movie. There is a small chance the rightowners of the superhero movies will agree in this case.
Jaybird, that's funny!
ReplyDeleteTasha, definitely need to see all of the movies now.
Andrew, I'd help you for free!
Glad your friend's out, Maurice.
Lee, Matthew's list was great. Sorry you couldn't leave a comment at Gabi's site.
Michael, that's good to hear! All from a casual comment to Rusty...
Sarah, there's a lot of snark!
Tara, that would be awesome!
LD, I didn't even notice.
Christine, he really fit the role.
I'm loving your BD list! I have to agree with many of your choices. There are a few I haven't seen and will add to my list! (Thanks ;D)
ReplyDeleteWow, so much talent... I will be busy checking these links out!
Happy to hear about Spiderman! I was kind of surprised, but I know why...
Avengers is hard to beat...I so want to see it again! I'm in love with the actor that plays Loki ;D
Off to visit Gabi! Happy Friday~
Hey, Alex!
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing a shout-out to my blog. Much obliged.
I'm really glad my list of Top 100 Directors inspired you to create your own Top 10 list. That puts a big smile on my face :)
I have to say you furnished quite an impressive collection. Spielberg is an All-Time great. That abduction scene in Close Encounters, with the slow, methodical increase of tension and the chilly atmosphere, is one of the great moments in cinema history.
Nolan is one of my favorite contemporary directors. The Dark Knight Rises is going to do gangbusters, and I'm super happy for him because it means he can make MORE movies of his own creative volition. That's good for fellas like us who adore his craft.
Great job and thanks again,
Matt
I'm off to read your guest post on blog tours! I'm sure it will come in handy next March. :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite director? Joss Whedon!
Bump Joss and Peter Jackson a little higher on the director list, add Irvin Kershner for Empire Strikes Back, and I'm all in.
ReplyDeleteI'd go with your list, Mann, Tarantino, Whedon and throw in a Guy Ritchie....
ReplyDeleteAs much as I liked Spiderman 2 (which was the best in the first series), I agree. This was much better. This new reboot has some serious promise. I really loved it.
ReplyDeleteAlex - It's so funny you made the comment about Spiderman not being The Avengers. That was the same thought I had when it was over. Still I loved the film as well. Snark and all.
ReplyDeleteZoltan, he IS a part of the Avengers, so it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteElla, I was surprised as well!
Matthew, thank YOU for inspiring me! I know my list contains only recent directors, but I do tend to lean towards the more modern films.
Carrie, you need a stop for your tour, just let me know!
Leslie, it was difficult to put them in order!
Lurker, after the last two Sherlock Holmes films, Richie is a winner.
SL, glad you enjoyed it as well.
RaShelle, great minds think alike.
Wow, no idea Spider Man was doing so well. That's an impressive list of movies along with those directors.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby's been saying the same thing about the reboot as you, that it wasn't needed. However, I think the previews look awesome. Can't wait to see it now.
ReplyDeleteTop ten list rocks :) I was nodding the whole time reading it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I so want to see spiderman! Even though I'm not a little kid, I'm still going to look cute in the costume ;)
Great choices for directors. Makes me excited for the Hobbit to come out all over again! :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I wasn't going to see the new Spiderman, but now maybe I will...I do think it's sad that Hollywood has so little imagination it keeps having to do the same thing over and over...kind of like the publishing industry.
ReplyDeleteHelping someone be a better person--that really is awesome, Alex!
ReplyDeleteMonti
Donna, go see it!
ReplyDeleteCassie, I would comment on that, but it might get me in trouble...
Anne, true! But the reboot is really good.
Monti, that just blew me away!
I'll check out that guest post since I want to do a blog tour myself one of these days.
ReplyDeleteAlex,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting over at my blog. I'm not as familiar with the Insecure Writer's Support Group, but you've peaked my interest. And I'm glad you liked Spider-Man as much as I did.
Congrats to everybody. Lots to celebrate, it seems. I don't follow directors too much, but I've loved every James Cameron movie ever made. I didn't have any opportunity to check out the other IWSG posts as I had to deal with an unexpected death in my family. I really miss it, too. I usually make a few new friends every month. There's always next month. But my commenters sure helped me deal with my insecurities. Especially you, Alex. Thanks for that!
ReplyDeleteThat is an awesome director list. I was a little nervous before I read it wondering what you were going to put but just reading the names gave me chills. I did that director dirty dozen awhile ago. Here's the link if you were curious
ReplyDeletehttp://reviewsyoucantuse.blogspot.com/2010/08/director-dirty-dozen.html
I'm so far behind on my super hero movie viewing that I fear being barred from the genre! I only happened to score points recently with Thor being on Netflix Instant Play. For shame, Jeffrey!
ReplyDeleteThe new Spiderman is AWESOME. I lovveed the new actor; he was hilarious, and totally new and fresh. I can't believe I'm saying this, because I thought the redoing thing would flop, but it was realllyyy good. That was an awesome movie :)
ReplyDeleteI do not know how you write and keep up!~ Tell us your secret! I am amazed at your in the know powers :).
ReplyDeleteWow, lots of good news this week. Congrats to each of them on their successful sales. Good news always inspires me. My hubby was telling me about the new Spiderman movie. We'll have to go see it. I agree, Spielberg rocks. Heading over to read your interview and then I want to read that Writing Etiquette post. Thanks, Alex. Have a super weekend!
ReplyDeleteSpiderman does sound good... now i need to convince hubby to watch it.
ReplyDeleteSpacerguy tagged me, and now I'm tagging you.
ReplyDeleteDave
Dave Wrote This
All your ninjas are getting published - see you have the Midas touch! Glad you liked Spiderman - it's on my list.
ReplyDeleteBarrowblade, feel free to join us.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I'm sorry!! Prayers for you family.
PTM, you should know by now we have similar tastes in movies!
Jeffrey, you might lose your geek card if you're not careful.
SC, that's exactly how I felt.
Ninja skills, She Writes!
Lynn, go see it!
Dave, no! Not the tagging.
Susan, I'm just here to report the news.
Great review! Awesome news for all those bloggers! Spent the 4th of July at Disneyland with a giant crowd (and my family too) but managed to ride more than a dozen rides, smile, watch a parade and fireworks, and even sing a silly song or two.
ReplyDeleteWow, so much awesome information. I'm especially interested in your guest post on blog tours as I'm thinking of self pubbing. I just joined twitter and haven't tweeted yet so I think I'll check out the one on NA. Congrats to the new releases and pub contracts!
ReplyDeleteWith all the July 4th festivities, I neglected to post for the IWSG:-( Sorry, Alex--I promise to next time! Seeing Spiderman today with the fam . . . better not mention you seeing all those kiddos dressed up or hubby (AKA Kid #3) will get some ideas. Congrats to Jade--happy you're joining the A*W*E*S*O*M*E CQ team!!!
ReplyDeleteI got some really good feedback from my IWSG post, so thanks!
ReplyDeleteSpiderman, I agree a remake not needed just yet, though I am intrigued to see it. Glad it wasn't diappointing. Your comment reminds me that hubby and I once went to see Princess' Diaries before our flight (because there was nothing else on that we preferred) and three little girls ran ahead of us with tiaras on. We felt decidedly under-dressed!
ReplyDeleteWell it's certainly all happening here in blogland all these successful e-books popping up. I've chosen my launch date as 1st Aug, so I'll be in the fray soon.
Hey Alex!! Thanks for the IWSG!! I have really enjoyed it so far, and the person who said it's helped him be a better writer is absolutley right!
ReplyDeleteAlso, my eight year old grandson went with his parents and a friend to see Spiderman,in 3D, yesterday, and they all said it was, "AWESOME!"
Myself, I don't go for superhero movies much, but they sure are popular!
Thanks again Alex for all your hard work in creating platforms for the rest of us to be heard. Much appreciated!
Interesting book Milo James Fowler.
ReplyDeleteOne of my fav directors is the late Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail). 'Chick flick' director extraordinaire!
ReplyDeleteGreat links, Alex, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't disagree with Spielberg - just watched Jaws again this afternoon!
Hey, stranger! That's a pretty good list of directors you've got there. In my mind, I'm thinking there should be some older directors in that list. Was it supposed to be a list of just current bosses or all of film history? Just curious. Who would you include from the past? Hitch? David Lean?
ReplyDeleteMy 14 year old saw Spider Man last night and won't stop talking about it. I guess I'll have to see it now, huh? Take care, Alex.
-Jimmy
The Amazing Spiderman came out yesterday where I live and that's where I went. To the movies at 9am. I wasn't disappointed either. Now that there are four to compoare with, which was your favorite? I have to stay with the first one.
ReplyDeleteTyrean, I bet there were a lot of people at Disneyland that day!
ReplyDeleteJamie, next time is fine.
Madeleine, that's great!
Eve, really glad you've enjoyed the IWSG posts.
Deniz, I meant to include Jaws in the list!
James, it's a good movie. And sorry, my favorites are all within the past thirty-forty years.
Karen, I like this latest one best.
Congrats to Jade! I've been away so I missed the news.
ReplyDeleteProud new member of ISWSG. Can't wait for next month's posts.
ReplyDeleteYeesh, I've never found myself one of the few people to dislike a movie that everyone else seems to love. I really did not care for the new Spiderman movie. As someone who grew up reading the Spiderman comics, I was thrilled for this one, because I thought they would do the story right.
It just didn't feel like a true Spiderman movie to me. It felt more like a hipster, new millennium take on Spiderman. Just my two cents.
Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteThere have been some great IWSG posts.
Kids dressed as Spiderman!!! That would be worth the ticket alone. Nice to know you liked it. My 12 year old wanted to see it but I was like, "Meh, we've seen 100 Spiderman movies." Maybe I'll pry open the dusty wallet and take the boys.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the updates, Alex, and congratulations to our writer buddies for their great news!
I really want to see Spider Man, too. I didn't until I heard all the great reviews.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the awesome Ninja's!
I'm glad to hear that Spiderman was good. I hated those other ones.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful news you bring to us again. So happy people are out there doing well. It gives us all hope.
Thanks, Alex.
HMG
I'm glad the new Spider-Man was funny, as I thought that was missing from the Raimi versions. Spidey was always making wisecracks in the comics.
ReplyDeleteI also met new people during IWSG this month, which is awesome! I think I mentioned somewhere before that they have made the new Spider Man movie to tie in with the next Avengers movie as Spider Man is only young kid in Avengers the comic.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add Tim Burton to the list of directors, he has made some fine movies, even though some people haven't liked his most recent efforts.
That's a great list, Alex. I'm glad to see Rob Reiner on it too. I've always liked him; he's a down-to-earth genius.
ReplyDeletePS Sorry to be so late to drop by.
xoRobyn
I knew you'd be pleased.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout-out, Alex! Taken me a few days to get around, but I really appreciate it!!! Thanks again! :)
ReplyDeleteStephanie, that's all right.
ReplyDeleteJulie, take them!
Heather, in that case, I think you'll really like the new one.
Bryan - exactly! This one has that same snark.
CM, Burton would be in my top twenty. And yes, The Avengers is the reason Spiderman got such a quick reboot.
Robyn, I'm just glad you did!
Jade, you are welcome.
I'm very. very late to the party. Sorry! Matt's list was great, I love a lot of the directors on there. Joss Whedon is one of my absolute faves.
ReplyDeleteIWSG was fantastic this month. I look forward to it each time.
Going to see Spidey this weekend, will probably enjoy it, but it's the cardboard lining for me between the real superhero flicks this summer, Avengers and Dark Knight Rises. 12 more days til TDKR! Whoo Hoo!
Completely agree on the choice of Nolan (though I'd probably bump him up a place). He hasn't done a bad movie yet.
ReplyDeleteThe simplicity and intellectual acuity Eric Rohmer make one of my favorite directors, the dialogues in his films are excellent.
ReplyDeleteHi ALex! I am have missed you but hopefully I am back for awhile! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDelete--BB
Melissa, and it's not bad for cardboard lining!
ReplyDeleteJamie, no, he hasn't.
Hey Betty! Glad you are back.
Great post over at Gabi's! I am seeing Spiderman on my bday. Very excited!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even bother to see Spider Man 2 because I so disliked how Toby played him. But holy crap, I loved how well cast the new one is. And the chemistry between two main characters was good. Loved the swinging scenes!
ReplyDeleteNext on the list is Magic Mike. No reviews of that here???
As always, any amazing things going on! Congrats to DL!
ReplyDeleteI still need to see Spiderman. In fact, I just saw Avengers this week, so I have a lot of catching up to do...
I'm not sure I've seen the last SPIDERMAN remake...another one? So soon? Will probably check it out eventually.
ReplyDeleteHey Alex, man Have I missed your site. Thanks for the lead on another Milo book...I have read a bunch of his stuff recently. I still think I am going to wait on Spiderman for DVD. I don't get remaking successful movies so soon. But I am sure I'll watch. I think your list of directors is pretty spot on. There is only one or two of those movies I have not seen...but I will now! How's the book coming?
ReplyDeleteI agree. He was a much better Spiderman. And for the record, my dressed in his spiderman shirt too.
ReplyDeleteHey there!
ReplyDeleteI've actually just come back from watching Spiderman and I have to say, in spite of some serious doubts about ANOTHER spiderman movie, I loved it!!!
Also....seriously, if you're lacking story ideas, I have too many by far. I'd be more than willing to give you a couple of prompts. (insert manic grin here)
Thanks for the review Alex. My best friend will be thrilled to hear it's good. She's a huge Spiderman fan. Hope you have a great week :)
ReplyDeleteAlexia, you will enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteTerry, sorry, not into male strippers.
Elana, yes you do.
Chuck, nearing the end of the first draft!
Elizabeth, that's great.
Tessa, I'll take all the help I can get.
I was very happy to hear DL's news as well! And I completely concur on your choice of directors :)
ReplyDeleteI'll probably see spiderman now after your review. I wasn't going to bother before plus I was a bit unimpressed by the 3D in the trailers for it too.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the IWSG posts but I've been without the internet for 5 days so didn't get to check many out this month. Just glad I had prescheduled mine before I left Oz. I still hope to do a read of many more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the info!
Denise
Hi! I was wondering if there were more blog hops like IWSG that I could take part in? If you see this and know of one, please let me know! (And yes, I am following you)
ReplyDeleteLynda, don't bother with the 3D. I didn't miss it.
ReplyDeleteDenise, there were some powerful ones this month.
Avantika, there are quite a few going on right now. Check a couple older Ninja News updates for more.
Hi, Alex! Thanks for sharing your review on the Spiderman movie. I'll share it with my hubby and son. They may decide to go and see it. I'll wait until it is out on DVD.
ReplyDeleteInteresting list of directors. For some reason that reminded of when my son was in elementary school and he had to portrait someone famous (could be living or dead). My son chose to portrait Steven Spielberg. Had to have a short speech ready to share with anyone who stopped at his display. It was pretty cool.
Great list of directors! I've been curious about this new-and-improved Spiderman, so thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all you do and I look forward to a cleaned-up IWSG list (although I can't imagine where you found the time to go through them all).
ReplyDeleteokay, just have to update you then, Alex. Magic Mike was FANTASTIC!
ReplyDeleteNow the wait for Total Recall!