There are more than a few things I'm somewhat excited about seeing at this year's International Comic Convention in San Diego, beginning tonight with a three hour preview. Paramount's setup tomorrow will include 20 minutes of Robert Zemeckis's "Beowulf," for starters, some Indy IV stuff and according to one source, a look at Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd." An interesting George A. Romero spotlight and interview later in the afternoon. Also tomorrow night is the premiere of the DC animated "Superman Doomsday," during which it is rumored the teaser for "The Dark Knight" will pop up.

Friday is the big Warner Bros. presentation in Hall H, potentially revealing the "Dark Knight" teaser among other goodeis. Neil Gaiman will show up for his perennial spotlight around 2:00.

Let's see, Saturday there's some geeky comic fanaticism for me to sink my teeth into, some "Simpsons" shenanigans, a Ray Bradbury/Ray Harryhausen event that could be fascinating, some Robert Heinlein showcase in the evening, and Sunday, well, there wasn't much that appealed to me.

And that's the once over I gave this thing last night to decide which events I'd like to take in from the MASSIVE amount of shit going down in San Diego this weekend. And frankly, even speaking as a comic book lover, this is too much. This event has gotten out of hand, studios have turned it into another playground to launch product for a niche to which they despeartely want to appeal, yada yada yada. You've heard all that before. I guess my point is, beyond the hope and expectation for a "Dark Knight" trailer, I'm not totally amped about drifting down the 5 freeway tonight and taking this meccha in for the first time since I moved out west.

I'll do my best to report back on what I DO see, probably in most cases at The Blog, though something long-form might force itself out of me in this space. In any case, so to everyone who might be hitting the con as well this week, safe travels and have fun.

Phillip Noyce's "Catch a Fire" was received extremely well at last night's SAG/NOMCOM, et al screening. Rounds of applause speckled throughout as the film played to an enthusastic crowd, and to my shock, it played 100% better the second time around in my own opinion.

My initial review was certainly a negative one. This time, however...I don't know. It just got me. Last time I was undoubtedly looking with my critical eye in a tiny, kind of crappy screening room with maybe four or five other onlookers. But I don't think it was simply the crowd that got me further into the narrative last night. I think it has a lot to do with my view of our current political environment.

The recently passed Military Commissions Act might be the scariest hour in our nation's history. The notion that you or I can be jerked off the street and accused of being a terrorist, ripped of Habeas Corpus and deemed a public enemy by the order of one...solitary...man - it's terrifying. And that is exactly what happened to Patrick Chamusso. Insodoing, the Apartheid regime created a freedom fighter out of a good man, and the echoes - or at least the potential echoes - in the wake of George W. Bush confidently signing that piece of garbage into law last Tuesday really resonated with me at the Fine Arts Theater last night.

A few other things stood out as well. Like the motivations and ruthlessness of Tim Robbins' character, a character I had completely misinterpreted during the first viewing. Nic Vos's manipulations are much clearer to me now, so much so that I feel foolish for missing the beats some weeks ago.

Oh well. These things happen. I both hate it and love it when I do a 180 on a film, and this time out, I feel like "Catch a Fire" is one of the best films of the year. Go figure.

Derek Luke, Bonnie Henna and Chamusso participated in a Q&A following the screening, and the stealthy usage of Chamusso in the film's PR campaign is a stroke of brilliance. Most audiences don't expect him to be in attendance until he is announced after the credits, and it's a standing ovation each time. He's both funny and charming, has great chemistry with Luke on stage and, ultimately, adds a beautiful, human touch to the entire experience. If screenings keep going this well, Luke could slip into the Best Actor race quite easily. He's already in the thick of the hunt as it is.