The MRFH 2003 Revue

Well, if you're any kind of MRFH fan (and hey, odds are you are!), you know 2003 was a year with an awful lot of change to it. We sadly said goodbye to two of our oldest friends. DnaError was our handpicked Forum-dweller with an eye for art and a penchant for buggery, and Andie was our queen of both burlesque and family entertainment (if you look closely, you can see her dancing in the background in the "We Put the Spring in Springfield" episode). We also had an all-too-short fling with California Girl Bobby, who was the easiest person on staff to draw for the webcomic (say, did I even DO any webcomics in 2003?).

But to help us deal with the pain, we picked up three more diamonds in the rough in the form of Anglo-Saxon Overlord Rich, Horn-Helmeted Alex (what IS it with the asexually named females around here?), and Doctorate-Decorated Lissa. These three are definitely Mutant Material, and Justin and I are proud of them all. I personally get a great kick that Rich and Alex seem collectively hellbent on successfully reviewing every single vampire movie ever made, and I swear one day the Great Canadian Mail System will successfully yield Lissa's ooey gooey brownies upon me.

In other MRFH news, what started as my bitter complaining that our old Mutant Forum was a little lacking in the features department turned into a full scale move into the current (and in my opinion, far cooler) Mutant Forum. Hey, they should be called the MRFHorums! (Sorry, channeled Kyle there for a second...) Anyways. It's everything I was hoping for... feature rich and filled with great chatters. Except that annoying "Head Mutant" character... man, I better not ever run into THAT guy in real life.

Speaking of which, Mutant Summit III - Try to Roll When You Hit the Ground was a great success, marking Justin's return to Vancouver. Honestly, I think he enjoys Canada more than his rhetoric lets on... he's dating a Quebecker and is tight buds with a Vancouverite. He's even become an avid hockey fan! Next thing you know he'll be hanging out in Tim Horton's 24 hours a day drinking double-doubles!

Justin will actually be making a THIRD trip to Vancouver this summer. This time, though, not for a simple visit, but to take part in what was probably the biggest personal change that came to me in 2003. Last July, I got engaged to be married to my beautiful girlfriend of nearly 5 years, and this July we're doing the deed. I really can't wait for married life, although I quake in fear every night for the ribbing I'm going to take from J. Although I'm not the first married Mutant (that honour would be Clare's), it will be the first Mutant wedding in history, and you can bet I'm not going to bring that up with my fiancée.

In addition to preparing for wedded bliss, I've also taken up acting this year. Some of you may remember me rambling on about being part of a British pantomime (NOT MIME) group last year, in the sound department. Well, they invited me to the stage this year, so I'll be playing the King in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It shall indeed be glorious. I'll be singing made up lyrics to "Faniculi Fanicula", and I promise, if there's a way of putting it online, I'll do so, so everyone can enjoy me in tights singing opera style. Seriously.

Wooly Booly

As far as movies went in 2003, it was a surprisingly good year. Pirates of the Carribean taught us the value of being stranded on a tropical beach with a gorgeous woman and a lifetime supply of booze. League of eXtraordinary Gentlemen showed us that it's not only wise to leap from a speeding car, it's downright studly. Daredevil revealed that it's okay to lose your sense of sight, so long as it's because of radioactive waste.

Before he became The Governator, Arnie bestowed upon us the third Terminator movie, Rise of the Machines. It was a slick film, but it leaves me wondering if our dear Governor Schwarzenegger will ever try anything that doesn't rely on bullets, cigars, or kindergarten children to further his career. And speaking of furthered careers, X2 was good enough for people to actually hope for future movies featuring Halle Berry. If that's not movie magic, what is?

We all got to see a little history in the making as not one, but two film franchises promised sequels within mere months of one another. The Matrix series capped itself off with Reloaded and Revolutions, parts 2 and 3 in a trilogy that I think most people will remember as a single movie: the original The Matrix. Kill Bill's first Volume dropped in the fall, and I think there's more people excited for the conclusion of the Bride's quest than there were waiting for Neo to do his thing.

Oh, and hey. Gigli.

But the real kicker for movies in 2003 was the long awaited Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Peter Jackson and company have turned in one of the greatest gifts geekdom has ever inherited, so much so that as of the time of this writing, the entire Trilogy has grossed $876.6 million worldwide. RotK isn't even out of the theaters, and it's nearly pulled all the way to a billion frigging dollars. I know box office isn't the key the life, but to give you a point of reference, the original Star Wars Trilogy grossed a total of $1.060 billion by the time Return of the Jedi left theaters... in 1997. That's right, counting the entire second run of the trilogy in theaters, George Lucas is fast getting all caught up to (all figures IMDb, as of Jan 7, 03). It's become my ambition to somehow get a letter to Peter Jackson personally to thank him for just the sheer effort and quality of his work, it's that good. It'll be a long time before we get another treat anywhere near as tasty as this one's been.

So it's been a good year, and a busy one. Between all this hiring of new staff, learning about stage production and acting, the tattered remains of my former kickboxing schedule, and of course the preparations that come with getting married (trust me guys, it's all worth it), I've been a very busy bee. But one thing remains constant in a swirling sea of change. I love being a part of the Mutant Reviewers From Hell, and I look forward to another great year in 2004. Happy New Year, everyone!