CatBusRuss was able to participate in a lot of panels at ATL Comic Convention for movies that he loves, but one of those panels was for a feature not enough people have seen. He was honored to get to chat with the co-creator of the comic "Blood Orange", Tim Avers about Rian Johnson's 2005 debut feature, "Brick". Hopefully, the two were able to convince those who were early for the anime voice actor panel that followed them that they were missing out on a classic.

There was no audience to start, but since the two had a movie that they both adore, who needed them. Johnson sold this story as "A Detective Story", but if you were combing the aisles of Blockbuster in 2005, was Joseph Gordon-Levitt name enough to get you to rent this flick? CatBus really thinks that the ad campaign for this Sundance darling should have really pushed that this is film noir for high schoolers. Both panelist agree that this is a feature that soon-to-be freshmen should watch to better understand the drama of high school.

At ATL Comic Convention, CatBusRuss attempted to hold his own with "Star Wars" experts by being a panelist on "20 Years of Revenge of the Sith". He seemed to have held his own when discussing "The Last Jedi", but this third prequel of the Skywalker Saga may have held a more personal place in the hearts of his fellow panelists.

CatBus was joined by the hosts of the "Full of Sith" podcast, Bryan Young (writer for StarWars.com) and Holly Frey (an executive producer for the iHeartRadio podcast network), and Maggie Lovitt (deputy editor at Collider). After their resumes, Russ acknowledged that he may have only been on the panel for the hot takes. Since he is a pro-35mm film fan and his topical comparisons to current events in the 2nd Trump administration were shutdown, perhaps he served his role.

He felt like he was up against the cult of Lucas, but he could not help but admire the passion for the sixth best "Star Wars" feature (per Screen Drafts). Is the CatBus just another jaded, childless Gen Xer?

CatBusRuss may still be recovering from Fan Expo Chicago 2025. At 45 years-old, jumping into foam-sword combat for 45 minutes was too much since its been six years since his brief indoor soccer return, but not getting to contribute to the convention still pains him as well. Then again, you get to hear the nicest question John Cena has ever been asked in this episode, so he may have still won the weekend.

Our host could not have much to do on the final day at the convention. He had to handle all the hotel terms and baggage for the stays he and ThePoeticCritic had, so he was not going to make the early panels. Shopping was something he did not want to do for the majority of the day, but fortunately, there are holidays, nieces, and nephew to look forward to pleasing. Was too much money spent? Of course, but that is the price of being the cool uncle. He cannot wait to provide them with Geek Punk Store apparel to make sure they are the coolest kids in a small, conservative town with 37 churches.

Fortunately, rocking out to Galactic Empire the night prior and Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen being super cool made up for Russ not getting to take part as a panelist...mostly. It is still tough for him to shake the feeling that Fan Expo cares more about the commercialism than the fans' experience with each other.

If you are a like minded fan, CatBus provides you a break from his convention ranting with a review for "Red Lips", a 1995 lesbian-vampire movie that may have been a mockbuster to Abel Ferrara's "The Addiction". After that watch, our host is ready for the next Vinegar Syndrome sale.

Is it a good thing when a comic convention encourages one to sleep in? As long as the best content is available to a rested podcaster (at the price of $40), CatBusRuss shan't complain.

Our host did not watch "Suits", so he may not have been the best audience member for only knowing Rick Hoffman from "Hostel" and "The Condemned", so his primary goal was to capture the "Hooked on a Feeling with the Cast of Guardians of the Galaxy: Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, and Michale Rooker" panel. He was kind of let down that they kept the Rook confined to a chair, but how could you not have fun with such talent?

After a blah visit to the show floor, CatBus patiently waited an extra 35 minutes in the query queue for John Cena. He may have been the only one to ask the 17-time world champion an acting question. Thus, he will count that as a W.

And he needed a W as Bootleg Safari topped wicked "Simpsons" masks with the terror of Bruno Mattei's "Terminator 2". Fun was had. Knowledge of the Canadian tax shelter was gained. But reliving any element of that nightmare may have been too much for our host.

So, CatBus fondly remembers his experience watching "Cyber Vengeance", to get over the Italian trauma.

When CatBusRuss is at a comic convention where he is not serving as a panelist, the experience can be about remembering the sweet is never as sweet without the sour. (Anyone want to Zoom about "Vanilla Sky"?) This trip is virtually all inclusive (sans alcohol), so can there really be much to be sour about? Then came the journey of finding a Funko Pop! for an actor who was a last minute scratch from the Fan Expo Chicago line up (after he did the same at ATL Comic Convention).

Fortunately, the cosplay was great for the first day of a con (an anomaly), the visitors and exhibitors were friendly, the booze was easy to find, and CatBus got to end the night wailing on millennials and gen Z kids with foam swords and shields for 45 minutes. Aside from chasing Darkseid, it was a grand time.

There was no tattoo alley at this Fan Expo Chicago (a first), so maybe he will use the extra funds to get that Ewan McGregor autograph.

Hopefully the next day's panels will be as fun as "The Voices of Your Childhood: Bob West, Phillip Glasser, and Kate Micucci" and "Bursting into the Scene with the Cast of Aliens". They better be because its costing Russ's sponsors $40 to see one of them.

For those who cannot be sold on spending a grand for hotel and merch, our host has included a review for a giallo classic, "Torso". As these Fan Expo episodes drop, the films will only get weirder.

It is a #TossBackTuesday for "I Dig Crazy Flicks" as CatBusRuss gets himself in the mindset to just hang out at Fan Expo Chicago by revisiting the first Fan Expo Chicagoland ever hosted.

Russ is a little bit in the dumps since this is the first time that Fan Expo has rejected his panel suggestions, but he looks to have a fun time seeing the likes of Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Orlando Bloom, John Cena, etc. Of course, once you here about 2022's event, you may appreciate the irony of attaching a review to Bobcat Goldthwait's satire "God Bless America" to this rewind rendition of "Ninety For Chill - The Podcast".

CatBusRuss was able to binge "Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi" in 48-hours to prepare for Fan Expo in Rosemont, IL. Did he have the energy to thoroughly enjoy the reskin of Wizard World (and Chicago Comic Con before that)? There was Carl Weathers, Ron Perlman, Boyd Holbrook, and a bunch of Hobbits, but since there is only one "Return" (and it is not "of the King"), Russ was dedicated to the Kevin Smith content. Was he willing to put up with the challenges and lack of encouragement to get his Bluntman and Chronic Funko Pop! 2-Pack autographed? Here is his story.

The crew in Lansing, MI, called the panel "Hollywood Squares", but we are not risking any infringement in this podcast episode's title.

For CatBusRuss's friends, this may have been the panel they were most intrigued by when he was invited to the Capital City Comic Con. Fans of the podcast get the show's gimmick, so who can blame them for wanting to be here rather than his pro-90-minute movie TED Talk?

The "I Dig Crazy Flicks" host had a ball getting to be the center square of the tic-tac-toe board. He hopes he can reapply for this panel in 2026 because he left knowing the character work that should be involved. If he knew he was going to be played in each round ahead of time, effort would have been taken to present a Paul Lynde impression or, at the very least, Roger from "American Dad".

It was also odd for Russ since after his square is called, the content was pretty much provided by the great talent around him like:

• Author and illustrator, "The Badger", Rob O'Neil;
• Owner of The Crooked Feather, costume maker and cosplayer, Alexis Noriega;
• Lansing visual artist, Ryan Holmes;
• Author, playwright, and teacher, Jason Douglas.

To make up for his lack for the lack of his voice on this episode, CatBus attached a review for the 2014 music-based comedy "Frank", a story about an unlikely band member trying to push his band leader into the world to be accepted. A guy who refuses to take off a paper-mache head would be far better suited to be at such at the welcoming Capital City Comic Con than SXSW.