After a controversial run on Batman that ended with Bruce Wayne sort of but not really dying in another title, Grant Morrison launched the new Batman and Robin title from DC this week with frequent collaborator Frank Quitely. Spoilers ahead…

So there’s a new Batman and Robin showing up in Gotham for the first time in this story. The original Robin who has been running around the DC Universe for the last 25 years as Nightwing, Dick Grayson, has taken over as Batman and is joined by Bruce Wayne’s evil brat son, Damian, as Robin. In contrast to the classic team, the new Batman has a sense of humor and the new Robin is a violent, psychotic, ten-year old, trained by Ninja Assasins who thinks he should be Batman. The Batmobile flies. The villain is called Mr. Toad and looks exactly like you’d expect.

It sounds stupid. Well, it is stupid. But in the capable hands of Morrison and Quitely, it works. And by the way, Morrison’s last run on Batman works better than you think it did too. Go back and read it one sitting. Seriously. Try it. It’s not nearly as incoherent as it seemed while reading it on a monthly basis.

Anyway, where was I?

Quitely’s art is a style all his own. Undeniably ugly… And yet I can’t get enough of it. His characters ooze personality.

Morrison in one issue has written the most interesting Dick Grayson we’ve seen in years. And while he’s treading on dangerous territory by making Robin such a brat… (Fans voted for the last brat Robin to be beaten with a crowbar and blown up…) I believe he has a plan for Damian. Whether that plan will be satisfying for readers or not, I guess we’ll see.

The master villain we’re introduced to at the end of the issue looks to me like someone from a horror movie and his actions seem to confirm we’re about to see the equivalent of Batman vs. Leatherface or the villain from some torture porn flick or something. The scene was sufficently creepy and sold on the strength of Quitely’s characterization.

In conclusion, it’s interesting that Dick Grayson is running around as Batman now (for the second time… See Batman: Prodigal), when just a few years ago we saw his death scene in Infinite Crisis. A scene that DC thankfully wimped out on following through with, as we saw Dick alive a few pages later. But make no mistake, Dan Didio intended to kill Dick Grayson off once, this story could just as easily be his swan song.

I spent the first half of Away We Go, trying to decide if the film is a chick flick. I think maybe its themes are too mature for the typical drag your guy to the theater kicking and screaming date movie, but it might qualify for the see it with your sisters while the guys go see Watchmen or Star Trek type chick flick.

The indie-feeling “dramedy” stars Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live fame and John Krasinski of the American version of the Office in the most serious roles I’ve ever seen either of them play. While the film features hysterically funny moments, I was impressed with the skill both actors displayed in performing the more dramatic material.

They play a couple expecting their first child who come to realize they have nothing tying them to their home and decide to hit the road in search of a new one. In reality, the couples’ tour coincidentally leads them to encounters with different styles of families as they try to figure out exactly what type of family they want to build for themselves.

On the way we get a funny and way over the top performance from the late Rachel Dawes, a terribly sad scene in a club in Canada, and a hysterical little kid discussing what he knows about babies. Actually, I may have been the only one laughing at the kid, but I thought he stole the movie.

In the end, the film made me laugh, made me feel selfish for like ten seconds, and made me want a kid for like half a second… That’s more than I can say for most flicks.

This is the greatest video I have ever seen on the internet to date.  Now if only we could get a copy of our wedding video….Where in the world is Matt Johnson?

Brian & Eileen’s Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

I’m surprised I’m the first MLDer to write something about UP. I would have thought with the rate at which the other MLDers seem to see movies, I’d be merely joining THEIR conversation. As it turns out, I’m first. Yep, I have a short memory. Angie was INDEED first, and it seems I’m echoing her feelings!

Pixar is the best animation studio out there, in terms of consistent hits. It’s not just the excellent CGI/cartoonistry, it’s the solid story writing and perfect casting. It isn’t all princesses and heroes. It’s small stories, small people/things/toys/animals writ large, speaking to the universal person in all of us. Pixar doesn’t deny the existence of sadness and death, either. Even though UP, and the other Pixar films, are animated features, there’s a lot more reality to them than even live-action movies anymore.

I don’t want to give anything away about UP, but I have to say I fought back tears several times during the film, especially during the opening 20 minutes. Masteful mix of backstory, montage and segue back into present day that didn’t feel hokey and easily sold me on the emotional merits of the film.

And honestly, I also like the film because when my hair grows in, I look a lot like the chubby Wilderness Explorer Russell. Also, I’ve wanted to hang out with Ed Asner since I saw reruns of FISH when I was 6.

Go see UP.

I promise I have no personal interest in either of the above bands.

And mostly I’m just interested in hijacking Pete’s Facebook status and Twitter account.

For music samples check out:

The Silence Kit – www.myspace.com/thesilencekit

Bleed Radio Bleed – www.myspace.com/bleedradiobleed