Well I haven’t blogged in a while. Been busy. So, here’s the what:

The 4H Public Presentations video is now complete and, I’m told, getting rave reviews. Making this project an even bigger step for me is the fact that it involved my first actual use of real visual effects and sound mixing (specifically dialogue looping and foley work). Most of the credit for it coming off as well as it did is due to my cast, but I consider it a personal victory all the same.

In the wake of the 4H project’s completion, I’ve sworn off Facebook, but that decision has led me to create a new website for my projects, past, present, and future. Since these are not the kind of times economically (in my opinion) to refer to oneself as “Gas Money” since… from day to day, that can be a great value or sadistically overpriced… and because no Gas Money website was available, I’ve rebranded my projects under the banner

YOST FLIX

Something like George Lucas’s shingle, but since I’m not a FILM maker, I’ll stick with the whimsy of flix. Plus, it seems to work for Netflix… So, as of now, you can log onto www.yostflix.com which will direct you back here for now, but soon enough there’s going to be actual content live & direct on the site.

Also, I’m going to be establishing a Yost Flix presence on MySpace, and fading out on this page, so be ready for your friend requests. Once I get the Yost Flix page on here up and running, shoot over there for news on the newest projects in place, because all of a sudden things are blowing up - currently, I’m in pre-production on 3 different vids, with more on the way!

Thanks for checking in again and supporting Diner Notes Productions and Gas Money Films & Productions!

-Jim (3/27/2009 – ..4:08pm..)

OK, well, I took some time off in the post-4H timeframe in anticipation of a new project... but that has yet to materialize. So, let's see what I can talk about that's good:

THE BOYS. Great comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darrick Robertson, published by Dynamite Entertainment. At first blush, it's a parody of grim-and-gritty "real-world" superhero books, but the further along the book gets, the more engaging the characters and the situations are. As proof, the most intense battle of the 23 issues currently released was fought by a resurrected-fetishist-superhero-gone-bad against a government agent tasked to take down rogue supers over... a hamster.

DEXTER. We're into season 3, and this series keeps finding ways to expand on its central conceit (a serial killer killing serial killers). There's real evolution to the characters, the performances are solid, it's shot well, and somehow even in a show about forensics and murder, it never feels gratuitous. Oh, it's in Showtime.

IRON MAN. Best. Movie. Of the year. Bought the double-disc DVD, and I'm halfway through the making-of documentary. I've watched dozens of making of's in the last 30 years, and the last time I saw a cast and crew who had such a fun time working on their project (not counting TMAS), it was RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Which goes to explain a lot about why this movie is so great. If you haven't seen this flick yet, BUY IT. Don't rent it, BUY IT. I can't see anyone being disappointed.

TWILIGHT ZONE. I'm into season 3 (of the original series), and while I won't say they're all winners - far from it - it's a safe bet that even a "bad" Twilight Zone ep is going to end with you going "Huh. Well, that wasn't great..." as opposed to so many current shows where the reaction can get to the "Why did I just waste that time?" Plus, they're 24 minutes long. A complete story with solid performances and mood in 24 minutes. How about that.

SUPERGIRL. Seeing as I named the lead character of TMAS after her, clearly this is a character I like. That said, I haven't really liked this character since about 2002. Thankfully, the overhaul of SUPERMAN (by James Robinson and  Renato Guedes which is starting to pick up steam with its latest issue, focusing on Krypto the Super-Dog) and ACTION COMICS (awesome all around work by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank) continues here with the new team of Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle. Great stuff. (from DC Comics)

So, those are a few things I've been digging.