First and foremost, I am a rabid David Sedaris fan.  I was first introduced to the humorous essayist just over a year ago with his 2008 book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames.  Ever since, I have read almost every one of his books within one sitting;  I just cannot put them down.  I expected no less from his most recent work, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, a collection of short stories that highlights questions of morality and societal ills as enacted by animals.  While no less comical than his previous stories, this brief book provides the present-day reader with opportunities to laugh and learn from the assorted creatures who share our trials and tribulations in raising children, alienation from friends, adultery, and racism.  


David Sedaris is many things: writer, humorist, and radio contributor for National Public Radio, often working with Ira Glass’ “This American Life.”  (Perhaps not well known is the fact that Glass discovered Sedaris in a Chicago club, reading stories from his diary.)  Known for his short stories which are, in most cases, autobiographical (yet exaggerated) and self-defacing, Sedaris has enjoyed several, national bestsellers with Naked, Holidays On Ice (featuring his acclaimed essay “SantaLand Diaries," which was first introduced on NPR), Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and When You Are Engulfed in Flames.  The stories feature accounts of his family’s inner-workings, his numerous odd jobs across the county, and his various follies into drugs that are downright hysterical.  The events are sometimes so far-fetched that part of the fun is wondering where the truth leaves off and the exaggeration begins.  Despite the repetition of some stories in multiple books, the occurrence only allows the reader to re-experience the humor that may have been forgotten.

As the Fanboy Comics staff takes time to revel in the goodwill and merriment of the holiday season, I have found that there is no better time than now to celebrate the movie that encompasses the true meaning of Christmas: the 1988 Bill Murray classic, Scrooged.  Here are the top ten reasons that this gem remains number one in our hearts after all of these years:

10.  Whether you currently have a job (you lucky dog, you) or even if you’re hoping that unemployment benefits will be extended, we have all had a boss who rewards our long hours of hard work with free company-emblazoned swag which probably cost about 30¢ to make in a third-world country.  Nothing says “Job well done!” during the holidays like a stress ball shaped like a globe.

9.  Who wouldn’t be inclined to tune in to A Christmas Carol that promises acid rain and drugs?!  Despite the footage of international terrorist warfare (too soon?), I think that we can all agree that the Frank Cross’ promo for IBC’s A Christmas Carol was far superior to Eliot Loudermilk’s feel-good, family trailer.

For fans of all things horror and make-up effects, the Monsterpalooza convention returned to the Marriott Hotel in Burbank, CA, providing a chance for all to mingle with independent artists and industry professionals alike in an exciting yet accessible setting.  Presented by the Rubber Room and running from April 8-10, the convention exhibits make-up and special effects artists, vendors selling creature-feature DVDs, t-shirts, and posters, make-up and digital design colleges, a monster museum, and a number of well-known genre actors.  As a special treat, guests of the con can count on appearances by industry giants like Guillermo del Toro, Jon Favreau, and Greg Nicotero, wandering through the booths, celebrating the creature genre as much as the next fan.

As a continued foray into the B-movie and exploitation films of the seventies, Robert Rodriguez’s 2010 Machete more than delivered in tastelessness and violence.  Originally opening in theatres in September of 2010, the film was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 4, 2011.  The feature-length film is an expansion of a fake trailer created for Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 Grindhouse double-feature, and, encouraged by their rabid fan base, it was quickly developed into a star-studded action movie.  Despite a cast that was riddled with Hollywood heavy-hitters and a story that included the uber-controversial immigration reform debate, Machete succeeded only in extending the same violence, nudity, and crudeness as was captured in its trailer.  

For director Robert Rodriguez, Machete was a project that was long in the making.   As a long-time friend and fan of actor Danny Trejo, who has made appearances in almost (if not) all of Rodriguez’s films, the director had intended to create an action film that encapsulated a Latin feel while geared towards a larger audience.  Although a script for the film was written in 2003 by Rodriguez, his full production plate kept him from focusing on the film until his shared Grindhouse project with long-time partner Quentin Tarantino in 2007.  A fake trailer for the Machete was included in the B-movie extravaganza, featuring actors including Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, and Jeff Fahey, all Rodriguez standards.  Over the next three years, Rodriguez assembled his cast, starting with the Oscar-winning Robert DeNiro.  After securing such a big-named actor, the remaining casting came easily.  The final cast of Machete finally formed, including actors of the likes of Don Johnson, Steven Seagal, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Tom Savini (another continued Rodriguez player), and the “prolific” Lindsay Lohan.