Only one more day until X-Files: I Want to Believe comes out! The closer it gets, the more I geek out about it. I’ve got myself intently wondering now who from the series will be making guest appearances. I read a recent interview with Chris Carter who hinted that one and only one character from the series (besides Mulder and Scully, obviously) would be in the new movie. Could it be that the “missing agent” that Mulder and Scully are searching for is FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner? Or maybe it’s John Doggett. Weeks ago the iMDB page for the new movie had listed Mitch Pileggi (Skinner) as a cast member, but that is no longer the case. Certainly, Mulder and Scully wouldn’t need any extra motivation to search for a missing Skinner, but what about Doggett? Mulder never really knew Doggett that well, so why would he search for him? Maybe the fact that Doggett had searched for Mulder when he was missing would be enough motivation. Turn about is fair play and all that. Whatever. It’s all just speculation. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

A while back I decided that I would try to re-watch all nine seasons of The X-Files before the second X-Files movie is release on July 25. Well, I tried, and it looks like I’m just not going to get it done. So far I’m only halfway through season seven. Getting all the way through the rest of the series in the next few days seems like an impossibility. I do have to work after all. If I wasn’t going to be going to Comic-Con on Saturday, I would spend the day finishing up. Yes, I’m that nerdy hard core. But I guess it’s just not meant to be. Who know, though. I might just pull an all-nighter.

It has been a great summer for movies based on comic-books, and it has culminated with this weekend’s release of The Dark Knight. I have to admit that I was skeptical of the hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker. I assumed that early screeners and critics were being overly exuberant on account of the late actor’s untimely demise. However, after seeing The Dark Knight, I can honestly say that Ledger’s performance is one of the best I’ve seen so far this year. Is it Oscar-worthy? Yes, I’d have to say that, out of what we’ve seen in 2008, it is probably on the top of my list. Will he be nominated? Possibly, but you just never know with these things. We still have half the year to go, and the movie studios typically save their big dramatic pieces (the ones that tend to get nominated) for the holiday movie season. Who knows what great performances lay in wait for us? Furthermore, by the time the award season rolls around next year, the Academy may have forgotten all about poor Heath’s brilliant performance. Only time will tell.

Anyway, I would have to say that The Dark Knight is a major success. It’s not your typical flashy comic-book hero movie. It is a gripping crime drama with a dynamite ensemble cast. And though Heath Ledger shines brightly, his supporting cast members are no slouches. The story is compelling and relatively believable. One of my favorite things about the two Christopher Nolan Batman epics is that the villains are not the “over-the-top” cartoon characters pulled directly from the pages of the comics. They are much more realistic and, therefore, scarier. And the motivations for them becoming what they have become are entirely believable.

The Dark Knight is ultimately the story of a tragic love triangle… actually, I guess it’s a love quadrilateral. Bruce Wayne/Batman loves Rachel Dawes. Harvey Dent loves Rachel too. Then there’s The Joker, who, in his twisted way, loves Batman. He can’t bring himself to eliminate Batman because, in his own words, Batman “completes” him. It’s bloody brilliant. And its tragic climax is downright Shakespearean (or at least The Empire Strikes Back). If you don’t understand, after seeing it, why this film is so great, there is probably something wrong with you. It has everything that makes a really great movie: good story, good writing, great performances.

I never thought I’d see a year where my three top favorite films would all be comic-book movies. It’s nice that somebody is finally getting it right.

If you haven’t already done so, hasten thy little typing fingers to point thy browser to drhorrible.com where you can view Joss Whedon’s latest little project, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. It’s a short musical in three acts. Acts I and II are available for free viewing now (for a limited time), or you can download them from iTunes for a modest fee. If you’re at all a Joss Whedon fan, then you’ll enjoy Dr. Horrible. It stars NPH (or Neil Patrick Harris as some refer to him), who has a really surprising great singing voice, and Nathan Fillion and was written by Joss and his brothers during the recent writers’ strike. So far, Acts I and II are amazing, especially for something that was “thrown together” in a very short amount of time. Definitely check it out. It’ll make your day.

I can’t help but like this guy, even though he is kind of a bum. He’s probably done more for diplomacy than any politician alive. It’s silly, I know. To learn more about the guy in the video (Matt), check out his website wherethehellismatt.com.

P.S. I think my favorite part was the DMZ and the gothic lolitas in Japan.

Well, this has been a positively craptacular weekend. As per usual, I really didn’t get anything productive done this weekend. Well, to be fair, I was fairly sick most of the weekend, and even now I don’t feel all that great. I was stricken with some kind of unknown stomach ailment, probably something that was referred to back in the day as “the vapors” or whatever. Actually, my specific symptoms consisted of a splitting pain in my side (too high for appendicitis) that became what I would categorize as acute earlier this morning. The pain had, in fact, spread to the rest of my abdomen. Also, I’m quite sure I was running a fever as I was getting the chills which required me to put on a sweatshirt and sweats and burrow under my covers. I felt better in the afternoon and ate some soup and watched an episode of The Dog Whisperer and also Definitely, Maybe on DVD. It was okay. I still have the lingering pain in my side that hurts especially when I take a deep breath. It kind of feels like how I imagine it might feel if someone had slugged me in the stomach.

Anyway, despite all this, I did manage to get out of the house yesterday to see Hellboy II with my brother. It was pretty good. I put it on about the same level as the first film. I really love Guillermo del Toro’s imaginative vision. But I’m not sure the film achieved its goal in the end. It’s an enjoyable popcorn movie to say the least. Well, that’s all for now. Hopefully I’ll feel okay in the morning so I won’t have to call in sick for work. What is it with cheap-ass employers who don’t give their employees sick time? I was spoiled when I used to work for the Probation Department, and I didn’t even know it.

I’m starting to fear that the mortal sin of greed is overwhelming Apple, Inc. I refrained from buying a new iPhone 3G, mostly on principle. In fact, I’ve completely given up early adoption entirely. I’ll still buy operating system updates right away (though I didn’t do so with Leopard, and I most likely won’t with the upcoming Snow Leopard), but with computers, game systems and other various gadgetry, I think I’ll just wait for the now all-too-common backlash to occur before making a decision on a product. It seems to be starting early with the release of the iPhone 3G. Apparently, many early adopters were unable to activate their new phones due to the overwhelming strain on iTunes servers worldwide for which Apple was appallingly underprepared. Whose great idea was it to release the iPhone 3G globally? I think even I would have been able to pick out a few potential hick-ups with that can o’ worms.

Anyway, I had said that I’m not initially going to buy the 3G because of principle. I’m referring to the hidden costs associated with the new phone. Yes, the 8 gig model is only $199, but the AT&T price plan for the 3G is $10 more than the one I’m on now with my iPhone classic (yeah, that’s what I’m calling it–got a problem with that?). Over the two-year contract period that adds up to $240. Um… where’s the savings again? Oh, and I also heard that the 200 (formerly included) text messages per month will now cost 3G users an additional $5 per month. So, you’re really paying $559 for that new 8 GB iPhone 3G. Enjoy.

All this is not to say that I won’t eventually buy the new 3G. The thought of faster 3G speeds on my iPhone is very appealing, not to mention GPS and a louder speaker (which is one of my biggest complaints about the iPhone overall). But other than that there’s not much advantage. Plus, I’m fond of the aluminum back on the original iPhone rather than the “we’re getting chintzy now” plastic back on the new ones.

I updated my iPhone classic with software version 2.0 this morning, though I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet. I was actually late to work because of it (it’s no 10-minute download and install, let me tell you). My boss thought maybe I was waiting in line at the Apple Store. No, just trying to update my current mobile device, not get a new one. Anyway, I’m really looking forward to my first shopping experience at the App Store which will happen as soon as I’m done writing this entry. Which is now.

So, my DSL was down all week. It just got fixed today. Apparently, my phone lines were completely corroded. The phone jack had to be replaced, but now everything works. Yeah, so this is what high-speed internet is supposed to be like. Very fast now. Oh, yes.

As you may know, Sigur Rós is one of my favorite bands. Their music is unlike anything I’ve ever heard, entirely inventive and completely evocative. So, I’m always happy when they release something new. Their latest album, Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust, released last Tuesday, is possibly as strong as any of their other albums. It’s not my favorite (I loved Takk), but it’s still really, really amazing. I believe it is entirely impossible for Sigur Rós to make a bad album. They’re too creative, too talented. If you’re a fan of the band, you won’t be disappointed with their latest.

Also, I’m extremely excited that I have tickets to see Sigur Rós in L.A. in October. I’ve been wanting to see them for such a long time. I’m so glad that they finally decided to come back to So. Cal. They’re playing at the Greek Theater: an open-air show under the stars. It’s going to be awesome. Funny thing: Sigur Rós is playing the Greek on a Thursday night. Two days later, on that Saturday, I’m going back to the Greek to see Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, also known as The Swell Season. If you’re a fan of music, you should definitely familiarize yourself with Glen Hansard. He’s the guy from that amazing little independent Irish film, Once, and also the band, The Frames. He, along with Marketa, also happened to win the Academy Award earlier this year for Best Song. I’m totally looking forward to that show as well. Two shows in one week is going to be a lot of fun.

I’m now convinced that Fed Ex has implemented a policy to employ only morons or at least a high percentage of morons. For the second time I’ve had to deal with a package that has been delivered to the wrong address. Now, granted, the way my complex is set up, it’s a little confusing. But still, if you put a little effort into it, it’s entirely within the realm of feasibility to get it right.

Two days ago, when I checked the status of some RAM that I ordered from Crucial.com, the Fed Ex website said that it had been delivered. Strange, considering I hadn’t received anything. Again, this is the second time this has happened to me. I immediately called Fed Ex and was assured that they would follow up with their delivery personnel the following morning. The next day (yesterday) I called several times in an attempt to get an update as to the status of my package, but nobody seemed to know anything, kind of like when cops canvas a ghetto neighborhood after a crime has been committed: “I ain’t seen nothin’, officer.”

Finally, late in the day, somebody called me back to tell me that the delivery driver had returned to my complex to verify he had delivered to the correct address and had indeed confirmed that the delivery had been made to the right apartment. The only remaining possibility was that the package had been stolen after it had been left outside my door. When I asked why the driver hadn’t been required to obtain a signature for the delivery, I was told that the sender hadn’t required it of them. I was informed that obtaining a signature for a delivery is an extra service that Fed Ex provides at an extra cost. I was told, “we weren’t paid to do that”. What?? You weren’t paid to guarantee that a package was delivered to the intended recipient?? Isn’t, or at least wasn’t, that the entire purpose of independent parcel services to begin with? To guarantee that packages made it to where they were going? I guess not anymore. Un. Be. Lievable.

Long story short: when I got home last night, I found a note on my door from a neighbor saying that my package had been delivered to them by mistake and that I should call them to make arrangements to get it. So. Obviously, the Fed Ex delivery guy was full of crap and had probably lied about confirming that he had delivered the package to the right address to begin with. The moral of this story? Fed Ex sucks. Use UPS or the USPS whenever possible.