Frank Kelly Freas has passed away

"Who?" you ask.

He was one of the all-time great sci-fi illustrators. He'd done work for Asimov, Clarke, Heinlen, and many others. He was also an offical NASA mission artist, translating early NASA missions into artwork commemorating the events. His space work also included designing the mission patch for Skylab I.

Along with this side of his career, Freas was also the main cover artist for MAD from issue #40 through issue #74 (with minor interruptions).

One of his paintings was used as the cover for Queen's album, NEWS OF THE WORLD, which featured "We Will Rock You," and "We Are the Champions."

Movies!!!

I've seen a handful of new movies in the past couple weeks. I should have been writing thesisesesess but I've been too worn down/lazy. Among the films I've seen:

GATTACA: What a great little movie. A sci-fi film that doesn't rely or even really much employ special effects. A well-written, smart film made even more lyrical with Michael "The Piano" Nyman's score. Great cast, especially Jude Law. I hope my car thief enjoys it, I honestly do.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: Re-watched this one for the first time in years, the old black and white classic. Still brilliant, still scary, still relevant. (note: apparently in the original, Cooper was to have turned into a zombie first and was going to be discovered eating his daughter instead of the other way around. I don't know what's more disturbing, a father eating his daughter or a zombified little girl eating her father. Guhh.)

SHAUN OF THE DEAD: One of the greatest horror comedies of all time, and like all great horror comedies (Evil Dead 2, American Werewolf in London), it's an actual horror film with comedy in it, not a parody. On par with the best of Romero and Raimi.

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE: Not for everyone. This movie joins Donnie Darko and Boondock Saints as a word-of-mouth cult movie that spreads through certain circles, gaining a loyal cult following of quoters and leaving everyone else scratching their heads. Ma and I loved it, and that's all that matters. Best romantic line of all time: "I caught you a large bass."

INTERNAL AFFAIRS: I hear this movie's a phemonenon in China ever since it came out three years ago. Martin Scorcese is currently remaking it as "The Departed," starring Damon and DeCaprio. The film's about two men, one's a mobster's right-hand man who's really an undercover cop, the other's a police detective who's actual a mole for the mobster. It's confusing as hell trying to remember who's on whose side, but it's a damn good film.

SCARECROW: Gene Hackman and Al Pacino have several times lamented in interviews "This was one of my best movies, and no one's ever seen it!" It's not a life-changing experience, but it's a nice little character piece/buddy movie between these two actors who are so young they're virtually unrecognizable.