It's not going to be a Captain America that you expect. It's something different. It is influenced by the comic book, but it goes off in a completely different direction.
This statement I find a bit unsettling. I hope we see a faithful origins story. And I will be very dissapointed if we don't see Cap in a block of ice by the end of the film.
Quotes like that give me pause as well but if Iron Man and Incredible Hulk are anything to go by, I think Marvel, which is still producing this movie, will see to it that the story doesn't stray too far from the Cap mythos.
Iron Man and Hulk both cherry picked events from those respective characters' histories for their movie debuts (like Stark going from the Mk I armor to the Mk III armor in days instead of years) and I'd expect the same thing here as you only have two hours to bring the character up to speed and tell a compelling story. I'm fine with stuff like that and as long as the character is recognizable and relatable to his four color component, I think it'll be OK.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited January 2010
Techland.com has an article reflecting back on the Worst Superhero Movies Of The Decade. Although there are some listed alot of us here have found at least some value in, there are others listed that the general populace will agree that are indeed valid "stinkers".
I wouldn't be the slightest surprised that some of these flicks made some other website's "Top Hero Movies Of The Decade"...
10. Punisher: War Zone (2008)
9. Elektra (2005)
8. Daredevil (2003)
7. Superman Returns (2006) Should have been #1! X-(
How in God's name that THE SPIRIT didn't make this staffer's list flushes all of his credibility down the toilet and he must be a Frank Miller fanboy. That film was dreadful.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I have seen most, but not all the films listed (didn't see #10, 9 and only part of #2)and I would agree that most were not very good. However, I did kind of like Hulk 2003.
Techland.com has an article reflecting back on the Worst Superhero Movies Of The Decade. Although there are some listed alot of us here have found at least some value in, there are others listed that the general populace will agree that are indeed valid "stinkers".
I wouldn't be the slightest surprised that some of these flicks made some other website's "Top Hero Movies Of The Decade"...
10. Punisher: War Zone (2008)
9. Elektra (2005)
8. Daredevil (2003)
7. Superman Returns (2006) Should have been #1! X-(
How in God's name that THE SPIRIT didn't make this staffer's list flushes all of his credibility down the toilet and he must be a Frank Miller fanboy. That film was dreadful.
I have seen most, but not all the films listed (didn't see #10, 9 and only part of #2)and I would agree that most were not very good. However, I did kind of like Hulk 2003.
Some of those movies deserve the condemnation they're getting but for me at least Hulk and Wolverine don't deserve to be on that list. The former was a very smart movie and the latter, despite its deviations from the source material, was one of the better action vehicles from the past year.
Ghost Rider and Daredevil you could take or leave; yes they have some cringeworthy moments in them but they also have some bonafide iconic imagery (Ghost Rider riding up the side of the skyscraper on a column of fire was almost worth the price of admission).
Yes Spiderman 3 had lots of problems, but I maintain that it was far superior to Spiderman II and its many scenes of ansgt that still give me a bad case of gas: Peter being fired by the pizza delivery guy (complete with gratuitous scene of sticker being ripped from dorky helment), Peter being humiliated at the party (complete with uncalled for scene of him being slapped by Harry), the wretched "you don't get a toaster scene" (what the $@#! does Aunt May needing a loan have to do with anything), the interminable "raindrops keep fallin' on my head" scene (Raimi at his sappiest and quirkiest - GOOD RIDDANCE!!!! I say), ad infinitum, ad nausem. I could go on but that movie's relentlessness in piling on the grief and stupidity makes it unwatchable. Seriously, when's the last time anybody reading this sat thru it from start to finish.
The thing nearly all the movies on that list have in common is that they were, at the time of their release, high profile features that drew attention to themselves, often for reasons that had nothing to do with their quality. Daredevil was made at the height of the let's pan everything Ben Affleck makes movement and was doomed from the start. Nicholas Cage has similarly become tabloid fodder so its only natural that Ghost Rider make the list. Ang Lee delivered a more cerebral Hulk instead of a bodybuilder in green paint and a fright wig and got panned for it, usually by people who never even read a single issue of the comic or knew anything about it beyond the old Bill Bixby show. For all its detractors, Superman Returns had almost universal positive critical response until the fanboys started chiming in on how much they hated what Singer did with the mythos. Likewise, critics seemed to take the bait follow the leade of foul-mouthed idiots like Harry Knowles who cried bloody murder in condemning Wolverine; Knowles had a longstanding agenda against 20th Century Fox in general and Tom Rothman in particular ever since Brian Singer left the X-Men franchise. X-Men 3 was similarly vilified in its day but since Wolverine is where the mutant action is these days its easier to just put Wolverine on these "worst of" lists.
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Number 10 is clearly a mistake. That should have been on the ten best list.
I agree, J.D. It's a mistake to be on this list. The movie is actually very good in an 80s action cheesefest of awesomeness.
Could it be argued that it was a movie for the fanboys only? Perhaps. I'll admit that it could've surrendered to a few sensibilities for the sake of extending its chances at the b.o. but this movie is pure Punisher Gold with the madcap action and I never tire of watching it. B-)
I can assure you that PWZ was far more entertaining than anything else on that list.
Daredevil's Director's Cut was considerably improved over the chick flick version that I paid to see in theatres so I won't be too hard on it. I've softened my reserve towards it somewhat. (except that *%$*$ mask! X-( ).
HULK was just too existential for early summer fare I'm afraid. When you bring iconic characters like Hulk and Superman to life on the big screen, the majority of viewers want you to "bring it". I still enjoyed it alot though; the 2008 reboot however, leaves it in the dust IMO if only for the simple reason that I left the theatre like a satisfied 10 year old kid. It brought it.
Everything else on his list deserves to be where it is. I just wish that Marvel could get the rights back on X-Men so that they can do them right. With the exception of Jackman, McKellan & Stewart, everyone else is expendable.
As for Superman, I still have I & II on the shelf when I want to see a quality film from him. Singer was out of his league with the mythos. Good riddance.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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JustSomeRandomGuy couldn't resisit taking a jab at the Spider-Man reboot news )
JustSomeRandomGuy couldn't resisit taking a jab at the Spider-Man reboot news )
Bless his random heart! The thing is, he's right--my reaction was, "Do we really need the origin story again?" I'd say it worked for Batman Begins, but, truth to tell, when you look at the Burton/Schumacher films, the origin of Bats was always handled as a flashback--BB really WAS about the start of our hero!
I still have mixed feelings about this, it's either going to be great or really suck. Dr Fate looks o.k. but Hawkman could be a sticking point the costume doesn't really fit with Smallvilles sensibilities
I still have mixed feelings about this, it's either going to be great or really suck. Dr Fate looks o.k. but Hawkman could be a sticking point the costume doesn't really fit with Smallvilles sensibilities
I feel the same way; this could either be very entertaining or it could end up being a real stinker. For a show that went out of its way to avoid the whole costumed superhero paradigm so much of the time it is a little odd to see heroes who actually look like their 4 color counterparts, not that I'm complaining. The fact that Geoff Johns wrote the screenplay is a checkmark in its favor since he is one of the better comic book writers out there today. I'm very curiois to see how this one turns out.
In an ideal world, this would be a hit and we'd be treated to a live-action JSA TV show set as a period piece. Now wouldn't that be something. Oh, and was that Alan Scott's power ring being aimed in that promo?
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I would be more excited for this news if not for Joel Silver's announcement recently about putting Sgt. Rock in the future for the upcoming comic book adaptation. He's a WW II badass, not a G.I. Joe/Avatar wannabe. 8-)
DC Entertainment Announcements Just Weeks Away
Source:Time Warner Inc. February 4, 2010
Time Warner Inc. Chairman & CEO Jeff Bewkes revealed during the company's quarterly earnings call on Tuesday that announcements are coming soon from DC Entertainment.
"We are going to have a fairly interesting set of announcements and presentations pretty soon like in a matter of weeks, I think, about our plans for DC," Bewkes said. "And basically if you look across the title of the whole band of hits whether its Batman, The Dark Knight, Green Lantern coming up, Superman, there have been a huge number of franchised films that have been part of the Warner [tent pole] strategy that's been the reason for Warner's unparallel high and consistent earnings advantage over the other studios and DC has already been a part of that and we are now going to outline an even more expansive plan for that in the coming months."
Earlier in the call, he said that you'll "hear more about our plans to mine more aggressively the deep catalogue of DC Comics characters across Warner Brothers' theatrical, home video, TV and games divisions and across our other divisions as well."
Stay tuned!
I'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out.
On cooler news, has anyone here checked out THE HUMAN TARGET? It's a great show on Fox if you can ignore the physics of some of the scenarios. I used to read the Christopher Chance stories in the old Detective & Action Comics for DC.
Even one of the Sisters thinks that the show is awesome...despite him cringing at the DC logo in the end credits. )
Too bad Mark Valley's too old to play Captain America.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
BIG news on the WB / DC Front. Looks like Chris Nolan will be taking charge of the Superman franchise as well as directing the third Batman movie. While he won't necessarily direct the next Superman film WB seems to trust his vision enough to give him control of the franchise. Also looks like the film will be a completely fresh start and ignore Superman Returns.
BTW, did anyone else catch Smallville featuring the appearance of the JSA last Friday? I've never been a fan of the show but I did enjoy the episode. Michael Shanks made for a pretty good Hawkman, even if he went a little heavy with the Bale Batman gruff delivery. The highlight for me though was Dr. Fate. He was always my favorite Golden Age hero and the show succeeded in showing just what a cool character he is. Good job by writer Jeoff Johns in bringing the characters to life.
I've also read that this was the highest rated episode of Smallville in well over a year; a good sign that fans still like their heroes with costumes. Could a JSA spinoff be in the realm of possibility?
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
BTW, did anyone else catch Smallville featuring the appearance of the JSA last Friday? I've never been a fan of the show but I did enjoy the episode. Michael Shanks made for a pretty good Hawkman, even if he went a little heavy with the Bale Batman gruff delivery. The highlight for me though was Dr. Fate. He was always my favorite Golden Age hero and the show succeeded in showing just what a cool character he is. Good job by writer Jeoff Johns in bringing the characters to life.
I've also read that this was the highest rated episode of Smallville in well over a year; a good sign that fans still like their heroes with costumes. Could a JSA spinoff be in the realm of possibility?
Last Friday's episode of Smallville was the very first time that I watched it in its entirety. I really liked it with the exception of Clark's Neo getup.
Question: Why did they have Hawkman doing a bad Batman imitation with the voice? It was distracting and I just don't envision him sounding like that. )
Glad they stayed faithful to the Hawkman/Green Arrow animosity. Their personalities really do clash in the comic books. B-)
Queen should wear a domino mask and not sunglasses...at night? Ugh. Give the ep a solid B.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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Guys, I implore you all to watch HUMAN TARGET! This show is such a fun ride. My Marvel fanboy son cringes that this is a DC Comics property but he cannot ignore its awesomeness. I cannot wait for the DVD because I'm getting it.
I'd probably go in full nerdgasm if they somehow got CCH Pounder to appear on this as Amanda Waller. She'd be better served on a program like this instead of Smallville. B-) B-) B-)
I love Pam Grier from the early days but she doesn't come across as coniving enough as Waller. Just have to wait and see...
DC Comics, baby!!!!! {[]
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Bruce Timm just keeps churning them out... B-)
The Los Angeles Times has a first look at Batman: Under the Red Hood, the next PG-13 DC Universe Animated Original Movie after the February 23rd release Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. The article gives some details about the new feature:
Written by Judd Winick and based on his 2005 Batman comics story line, it's Batman versus another vigilante, Red Hood, who doesn't mind cleaning up Gotham by leaving dead bodies in his wake. Animated guru Bruce Timm exec produces this pretty violent look into crime on the streets, and it's directed by "Superman Doomsday" co-director Brandon Vietti, with a cavalcade of stars as voice talent. It all starts with Bruce Greenwood ("Star Trek") as Batman, then continues with "Supernatural" star Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") as Nightwing, John DiMaggio ("Futurama") as the Joker and Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films) as Ra's Al Ghul.
If only the company took as much passion in their live action fare as they do the animated stuff.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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Just to piggyback on Tony's Superman news:
David Goyer to Write the New Superman Movie!
Source:Latino Review February 24, 2010
Latino Review has broken the news that David Goyer will write the new Superman movie, to be titled The Man of Steel!
The site's scooper said that Goyer "had an idea that actually takes the movies back to the John Byrne incarnation. Modern. Believable. FUN!"
The site adds that Brandon Routh will not star in the film and Bryan Singer is not expected to direct.
About the story, the scooper adds: "I can tell you that Goyer's story involves Luthor and Brainiac. It is NOT an origin and assumes audiences already know about Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Perry. I know the Daily Planet is struggling due to the internet. And I know it sets up a huge Kryptonian mythology."
I don't know whether to be excited or worried but I suppose as long as Goyer in penning and not directing, it might be okay.
I want to believe once again that a man can fly...not be a Peeping Tom father of a soap opera drama.
Give Routh another chance at least to prove he's worthy of the cape.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Kind of disappointed, but hardly surprised that Routh won't be back; throwing out the baby with the bathwater is typical of how Hollywood works. It's probably necessary to sever all ties and avoid any confusion with that last movie. At least we're not getting yet another reboot. I've also read reports suggesting that Goyer will pen the script in collaboration woth Jonathan Nolan; kind of makes sense since they both worked on Dark Knight but its still uncorroborated.
In other news, I came across this on Trekmovie.com - it supposedly is a piece of concept art from the upcoming Thor movie. Looks pretty good to me but take it with a grain of salt for now...
Hmmm...can't say I care for Mjolnir in that concept art...I always preferred the 'classic' Marvel design, and not so much the newer look.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I love the costume, hate the hammer. Traditional Mjolnir please. Guess we'll see if this holds up once the movie set pics are finally leaked onto the net.
If this news below holds any truth, the Sisters will have a cow for sure :
The Nolans Directing The Man of Steel & Justice League?
Source:IESB February 26, 2010
IESB has posted some interesting rumors about DC Entertainment's upcoming slate. The site says it's all still unconfirmed, but these items could potentially be part of the announcements that the studio is expected to make soon.
Yesterday, the site reported that Greg Berlanti, co-producer and co-writer of Martin Campbell's Green Lantern, is the frontrunner to direct Warner Bros.' The Flash.
Earlier this week, it was reported that David Goyer will be writing the new Superman movie, The Man of Steel. What we didn't catch then is that Jonah Nolan, who together with Goyer is writing the script for Christopher Nolan's next Batman movie, is also on board to co-write the Superman film. Of course, this follows the news from earlier this month that Chris Nolan will play a "godfather" role in getting The Man of Steel going.
Which brings us to the really interesting parts. IESB is saying that Chris Nolan is mentoring the movie because his brother Jonah Nolan may make his directorial debut on The Man of Steel.
Adding to that, the site says that there's a possibility that Chris Nolan will direct the Justice League movie after The Man of Steel and next Batman movie are released.
True or not, we think we'll be hearing official word soon.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
My brother and I just bought Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Taking its cue from DC's classic multiverse stories, the JLA travels to a parallel Earth where Lex Luthor is a good guy and our superpowered friends are a bunch of homicidal hoods. What starts out as a relatively straightforward mission to bring some criminals to justice quickly takes on a much more dire tone when one of the villains discovers the key to destroying not just one world, but every Earth in every universe. DC/WB have been riding a good streak of straight to video presentations lately and Crisis continues the trend with good animation, rousing action and some very well done performances. James Woods as Owlman (Batman's evil doppelganger) is particularly good here. About my only minor reservation/complaint is that while everyone in the JLA makes some contribution to the story, the final confrontation is
strictly a Batman / Owlman encounter; it's well done but belies the title of the show.
As good as Crisis was, there's a second story on the disc, a "DC Showcase" featurette featuring The Spectre that is even better. This short feature has DC's resident spirit of vengeance meeting out his particular brand of justice to some thugs who murdered a movie producer. In a very original touch, the short is presented as a 1970s grindhouse style presentation, complete with "film blemishes" and the funkiest soundtrack this side of Shaft.
If you're a DC comic book fan, BUY THIS DVD / BLURAY RIGHT NOW!. I'm talking to you RogueAgent; I guarantee you'll love this one.
Several sites are reporting that Chris Evans, previously seen as Johnny Storm in Fox's Fantastic Four movies, has been signed to play Steve Rogers / Captain America. Given some of the other names bandied about (such as master thespian Channing Tatum) Evans looks to be a far more solid choice.
Several sites are reporting that Chris Evans, previously seen as Johnny Storm in Fox's Fantastic Four movies, has been signed to play Steve Rogers / Captain America. Given some of the other names bandied about (such as master thespian Channing Tatum) Evans looks to be a far more solid choice.
Well...with that incarnation of the FF in the past...I think he's a pretty good choice. Hope he goes 'hi protein' and bulks up a bit B-) Plus...Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull?!? Holy S**t!
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Joss Whedon, creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse," not to mention one of the biggest geek icons in Hollywood, has been tapped to direct the "Avengers" movie, Variety reports. Commence dance of joy in 5, 4, 3...
But seriously, this is probably one of the smartest moves Marvel Studios has made in its short history - yes, even smarter than hiring Jon Favreau to direct "Iron Man."
"The Avengers," for the uninitiated, is Marvel Comics' supergroup of heroes, in this case consisting of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. In short, it is potentially the Marvel Comics superhero movie to end all Marvel Comics superhero movies.
Robert Downey, Jr. will, of course, play Iron Man, along with Chris Evans, recently signed to play Captain America in the movie of the same name. Chris Hemsworth will take on the role of Thor, after his own movie in 2011. (One big question mark is whether Ed Norton, who reportedly refused to promote 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" due to a dispute with producers, will return as the Hulk.)
One need look no further than the t-shirts that say "Joss Whedon is My Master Now" to see why this is a genius move by Marvel. The core fanbase will now be itching to see what Whedon does with "Avengers," especially after his well-received feature directorial debut for "Serenity" (box office receipts notwithstanding).
He can more or less do no wrong among his fanbase (myself included, though the early episodes of "Dollhouse," and a couple of seasons of "Buffy" and "Angel" left much to be desired).
What's left to determine? How closely will this movie adhere to some of Whedon's signatures: Will the Mighty Thor burst into song, a la "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog?" Will one or more major characters get killed out of nowhere in the last third of the movie?
Exactly how much of Amy Acker or Alan Tudyk will be in it (the correct answer is "as much as possible")?
Personally, I do not like the idea of Joss Whedon being given the reins to the Avengers movie. The guy's stuff is just too quirky and offbeat. He has his followers but their numbers are infinitesmal and most of his attempts at courting mainstream audiences have been abysmal failures (Dollhouse and Serenity being but two recent examples). His attempts at writing for other franchises have been equally disappointing (Alien Resurrection). He spent years spinning his wheels trying to get a Wonder Woman movie off the ground (he wanted Sarah Michelle Gellar to be WW) before the project was taken away from him. He's something of a polarizing figure in fandom and there's nothing in his resume to suggest he can craft a movie that will appeal to the masses as well as the hardcore fanbase. Bad, bad move in my opinion. Marvel would have been wiser if they had gone with Louis Letterier or continued to try to convince Jon Favreau to direct.
I'm not a Joss Whedon fan myself. I don't dislike him, but I never had anything against him. The Avengers film is still a ways off. Marvel still has a Captain America and a Thor franchise to launch (IMO probably the two most difficult films in the pre-Avengers gauntlet - excluding Ant-Man). If those two films don't hit the ground running, I wouldn't be surprised if an Avenger film never sees the light of day.
Additionally, it wouldn't surprise me if Whedon gets dumped or leaves voluntarily because the task of merging four different director's visions of the characters into one film is simply not something he wants to deal with.
As for the cast, outside of Downey, Jr. and Norton's Banner, I'm not imagining very much chemistry for a team film.
Still want to see it, though!
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Not having seen anything Whedon's ever done, to the best of my knowledge---apart from Alien Resurrection, which I found to be underwhelming---I'm about as indifferent to this news as I can possibly be. An Avengers film is an exciting prospect with a great deal of promise, but they've got to get over the not-inconsiderable hurdles of the Cap and Thor films first...and somebody needs to do something to convince Ed Norton (a fine potential Oscar Jade, BTW :v ) to stay aboard as Banner....
My ticket, like Daren's, is presold
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
On cooler news, has anyone here checked out THE HUMAN TARGET? It's a great show on Fox if you can ignore the physics of some of the scenarios. I used to read the Christopher Chance stories in the old Detective & Action Comics for DC.
Even one of the Sisters thinks that the show is awesome...despite him cringing at the DC logo in the end credits. )
Too bad Mark Valley's too old to play Captain America.
This started tonight in the UK. Have taped the first two episodes and will hopefully have time to watch them tomorrow.
By way of Latino Review, here's a link to a new pic of Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex. To me it looks...cheezy; no buck-eye, obviously fake skin. I wasn't expecting much from this movie (there were reportedly 50 pages of reshoots) and this pic has brought my already modest expectations down even further.
Comments
Quotes like that give me pause as well but if Iron Man and Incredible Hulk are anything to go by, I think Marvel, which is still producing this movie, will see to it that the story doesn't stray too far from the Cap mythos.
Iron Man and Hulk both cherry picked events from those respective characters' histories for their movie debuts (like Stark going from the Mk I armor to the Mk III armor in days instead of years) and I'd expect the same thing here as you only have two hours to bring the character up to speed and tell a compelling story. I'm fine with stuff like that and as long as the character is recognizable and relatable to his four color component, I think it'll be OK.
I wouldn't be the slightest surprised that some of these flicks made some other website's "Top Hero Movies Of The Decade"...
10. Punisher: War Zone (2008)
9. Elektra (2005)
8. Daredevil (2003)
7. Superman Returns (2006) Should have been #1! X-(
6. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
5. Spider-Man 3 (2007) Eat your heart out, Dan!
4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
3. Hulk (2003)
2. Ghost Rider (2007)
1. Catwoman (2004)
http://techland.com/2009/12/14/top-10-worst-superhero-movies-of-the-decade/
How in God's name that THE SPIRIT didn't make this staffer's list flushes all of his credibility down the toilet and he must be a Frank Miller fanboy. That film was dreadful.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Some of those movies deserve the condemnation they're getting but for me at least Hulk and Wolverine don't deserve to be on that list. The former was a very smart movie and the latter, despite its deviations from the source material, was one of the better action vehicles from the past year.
Ghost Rider and Daredevil you could take or leave; yes they have some cringeworthy moments in them but they also have some bonafide iconic imagery (Ghost Rider riding up the side of the skyscraper on a column of fire was almost worth the price of admission).
Yes Spiderman 3 had lots of problems, but I maintain that it was far superior to Spiderman II and its many scenes of ansgt that still give me a bad case of gas: Peter being fired by the pizza delivery guy (complete with gratuitous scene of sticker being ripped from dorky helment), Peter being humiliated at the party (complete with uncalled for scene of him being slapped by Harry), the wretched "you don't get a toaster scene" (what the $@#! does Aunt May needing a loan have to do with anything), the interminable "raindrops keep fallin' on my head" scene (Raimi at his sappiest and quirkiest - GOOD RIDDANCE!!!! I say), ad infinitum, ad nausem. I could go on but that movie's relentlessness in piling on the grief and stupidity makes it unwatchable. Seriously, when's the last time anybody reading this sat thru it from start to finish.
The thing nearly all the movies on that list have in common is that they were, at the time of their release, high profile features that drew attention to themselves, often for reasons that had nothing to do with their quality. Daredevil was made at the height of the let's pan everything Ben Affleck makes movement and was doomed from the start. Nicholas Cage has similarly become tabloid fodder so its only natural that Ghost Rider make the list. Ang Lee delivered a more cerebral Hulk instead of a bodybuilder in green paint and a fright wig and got panned for it, usually by people who never even read a single issue of the comic or knew anything about it beyond the old Bill Bixby show. For all its detractors, Superman Returns had almost universal positive critical response until the fanboys started chiming in on how much they hated what Singer did with the mythos. Likewise, critics seemed to take the bait follow the leade of foul-mouthed idiots like Harry Knowles who cried bloody murder in condemning Wolverine; Knowles had a longstanding agenda against 20th Century Fox in general and Tom Rothman in particular ever since Brian Singer left the X-Men franchise. X-Men 3 was similarly vilified in its day but since Wolverine is where the mutant action is these days its easier to just put Wolverine on these "worst of" lists.
Could it be argued that it was a movie for the fanboys only? Perhaps. I'll admit that it could've surrendered to a few sensibilities for the sake of extending its chances at the b.o. but this movie is pure Punisher Gold with the madcap action and I never tire of watching it. B-)
I can assure you that PWZ was far more entertaining than anything else on that list.
Daredevil's Director's Cut was considerably improved over the chick flick version that I paid to see in theatres so I won't be too hard on it. I've softened my reserve towards it somewhat. (except that *%$*$ mask! X-( ).
HULK was just too existential for early summer fare I'm afraid. When you bring iconic characters like Hulk and Superman to life on the big screen, the majority of viewers want you to "bring it". I still enjoyed it alot though; the 2008 reboot however, leaves it in the dust IMO if only for the simple reason that I left the theatre like a satisfied 10 year old kid. It brought it.
Everything else on his list deserves to be where it is. I just wish that Marvel could get the rights back on X-Men so that they can do them right. With the exception of Jackman, McKellan & Stewart, everyone else is expendable.
As for Superman, I still have I & II on the shelf when I want to see a quality film from him. Singer was out of his league with the mythos. Good riddance.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg6v1dgTcxw&feature=video_response
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Bless his random heart! The thing is, he's right--my reaction was, "Do we really need the origin story again?" I'd say it worked for Batman Begins, but, truth to tell, when you look at the Burton/Schumacher films, the origin of Bats was always handled as a flashback--BB really WAS about the start of our hero!
http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/01/26/new-smallville-absolute-justice-trailer-now-with-more-dr-fate-hawkman-and-star-girl/
I still have mixed feelings about this, it's either going to be great or really suck. Dr Fate looks o.k. but Hawkman could be a sticking point the costume doesn't really fit with Smallvilles sensibilities
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
I feel the same way; this could either be very entertaining or it could end up being a real stinker. For a show that went out of its way to avoid the whole costumed superhero paradigm so much of the time it is a little odd to see heroes who actually look like their 4 color counterparts, not that I'm complaining. The fact that Geoff Johns wrote the screenplay is a checkmark in its favor since he is one of the better comic book writers out there today. I'm very curiois to see how this one turns out.
In an ideal world, this would be a hit and we'd be treated to a live-action JSA TV show set as a period piece. Now wouldn't that be something. Oh, and was that Alan Scott's power ring being aimed in that promo?
DC Entertainment Announcements Just Weeks Away
Source:Time Warner Inc. February 4, 2010
Time Warner Inc. Chairman & CEO Jeff Bewkes revealed during the company's quarterly earnings call on Tuesday that announcements are coming soon from DC Entertainment.
"We are going to have a fairly interesting set of announcements and presentations pretty soon like in a matter of weeks, I think, about our plans for DC," Bewkes said. "And basically if you look across the title of the whole band of hits whether its Batman, The Dark Knight, Green Lantern coming up, Superman, there have been a huge number of franchised films that have been part of the Warner [tent pole] strategy that's been the reason for Warner's unparallel high and consistent earnings advantage over the other studios and DC has already been a part of that and we are now going to outline an even more expansive plan for that in the coming months."
Earlier in the call, he said that you'll "hear more about our plans to mine more aggressively the deep catalogue of DC Comics characters across Warner Brothers' theatrical, home video, TV and games divisions and across our other divisions as well."
Stay tuned!
I'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out.
On cooler news, has anyone here checked out THE HUMAN TARGET? It's a great show on Fox if you can ignore the physics of some of the scenarios. I used to read the Christopher Chance stories in the old Detective & Action Comics for DC.
Even one of the Sisters thinks that the show is awesome...despite him cringing at the DC logo in the end credits.
Too bad Mark Valley's too old to play Captain America.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
This is being reported by several sites including AICN:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43932
BTW, did anyone else catch Smallville featuring the appearance of the JSA last Friday? I've never been a fan of the show but I did enjoy the episode. Michael Shanks made for a pretty good Hawkman, even if he went a little heavy with the Bale Batman gruff delivery. The highlight for me though was Dr. Fate. He was always my favorite Golden Age hero and the show succeeded in showing just what a cool character he is. Good job by writer Jeoff Johns in bringing the characters to life.
I've also read that this was the highest rated episode of Smallville in well over a year; a good sign that fans still like their heroes with costumes. Could a JSA spinoff be in the realm of possibility?
Last Friday's episode of Smallville was the very first time that I watched it in its entirety. I really liked it with the exception of Clark's Neo getup.
Question: Why did they have Hawkman doing a bad Batman imitation with the voice? It was distracting and I just don't envision him sounding like that.
Glad they stayed faithful to the Hawkman/Green Arrow animosity. Their personalities really do clash in the comic books. B-)
Queen should wear a domino mask and not sunglasses...at night? Ugh. Give the ep a solid B.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'd probably go in full nerdgasm if they somehow got CCH Pounder to appear on this as Amanda Waller. She'd be better served on a program like this instead of Smallville. B-) B-) B-)
I love Pam Grier from the early days but she doesn't come across as coniving enough as Waller. Just have to wait and see...
DC Comics, baby!!!!! {[]
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The Los Angeles Times has a first look at Batman: Under the Red Hood, the next PG-13 DC Universe Animated Original Movie after the February 23rd release Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. The article gives some details about the new feature:
Written by Judd Winick and based on his 2005 Batman comics story line, it's Batman versus another vigilante, Red Hood, who doesn't mind cleaning up Gotham by leaving dead bodies in his wake. Animated guru Bruce Timm exec produces this pretty violent look into crime on the streets, and it's directed by "Superman Doomsday" co-director Brandon Vietti, with a cavalcade of stars as voice talent. It all starts with Bruce Greenwood ("Star Trek") as Batman, then continues with "Supernatural" star Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") as Nightwing, John DiMaggio ("Futurama") as the Joker and Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films) as Ra's Al Ghul.
If only the company took as much passion in their live action fare as they do the animated stuff.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100222/ap_en_ot/us_superman_first_issue
David Goyer to Write the New Superman Movie!
Source:Latino Review February 24, 2010
Latino Review has broken the news that David Goyer will write the new Superman movie, to be titled The Man of Steel!
The site's scooper said that Goyer "had an idea that actually takes the movies back to the John Byrne incarnation. Modern. Believable. FUN!"
The site adds that Brandon Routh will not star in the film and Bryan Singer is not expected to direct.
About the story, the scooper adds: "I can tell you that Goyer's story involves Luthor and Brainiac. It is NOT an origin and assumes audiences already know about Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Perry. I know the Daily Planet is struggling due to the internet. And I know it sets up a huge Kryptonian mythology."
I don't know whether to be excited or worried but I suppose as long as Goyer in penning and not directing, it might be okay.
I want to believe once again that a man can fly...not be a Peeping Tom father of a soap opera drama.
Give Routh another chance at least to prove he's worthy of the cape.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
In other news, I came across this on Trekmovie.com - it supposedly is a piece of concept art from the upcoming Thor movie. Looks pretty good to me but take it with a grain of salt for now...
If this news below holds any truth, the Sisters will have a cow for sure
The Nolans Directing The Man of Steel & Justice League?
Source:IESB February 26, 2010
IESB has posted some interesting rumors about DC Entertainment's upcoming slate. The site says it's all still unconfirmed, but these items could potentially be part of the announcements that the studio is expected to make soon.
Yesterday, the site reported that Greg Berlanti, co-producer and co-writer of Martin Campbell's Green Lantern, is the frontrunner to direct Warner Bros.' The Flash.
Earlier this week, it was reported that David Goyer will be writing the new Superman movie, The Man of Steel. What we didn't catch then is that Jonah Nolan, who together with Goyer is writing the script for Christopher Nolan's next Batman movie, is also on board to co-write the Superman film. Of course, this follows the news from earlier this month that Chris Nolan will play a "godfather" role in getting The Man of Steel going.
Which brings us to the really interesting parts. IESB is saying that Chris Nolan is mentoring the movie because his brother Jonah Nolan may make his directorial debut on The Man of Steel.
Adding to that, the site says that there's a possibility that Chris Nolan will direct the Justice League movie after The Man of Steel and next Batman movie are released.
True or not, we think we'll be hearing official word soon.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
As good as Crisis was, there's a second story on the disc, a "DC Showcase" featurette featuring The Spectre that is even better. This short feature has DC's resident spirit of vengeance meeting out his particular brand of justice to some thugs who murdered a movie producer. In a very original touch, the short is presented as a 1970s grindhouse style presentation, complete with "film blemishes" and the funkiest soundtrack this side of Shaft.
If you're a DC comic book fan, BUY THIS DVD / BLURAY RIGHT NOW!. I'm talking to you RogueAgent; I guarantee you'll love this one.
Several sites are reporting that Chris Evans, previously seen as Johnny Storm in Fox's Fantastic Four movies, has been signed to play Steve Rogers / Captain America. Given some of the other names bandied about (such as master thespian Channing Tatum) Evans looks to be a far more solid choice.
More info here: http://www.superherohype.com/news/captainamericanews.php?id=9193
Well...with that incarnation of the FF in the past...I think he's a pretty good choice. Hope he goes 'hi protein' and bulks up a bit B-) Plus...Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull?!? Holy S**t!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/geek-out-joss-whedon-to-direct-avengers/
Geek Out!: Joss Whedon to direct 'Avengers'
Joss Whedon, creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse," not to mention one of the biggest geek icons in Hollywood, has been tapped to direct the "Avengers" movie, Variety reports. Commence dance of joy in 5, 4, 3...
But seriously, this is probably one of the smartest moves Marvel Studios has made in its short history - yes, even smarter than hiring Jon Favreau to direct "Iron Man."
"The Avengers," for the uninitiated, is Marvel Comics' supergroup of heroes, in this case consisting of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. In short, it is potentially the Marvel Comics superhero movie to end all Marvel Comics superhero movies.
Robert Downey, Jr. will, of course, play Iron Man, along with Chris Evans, recently signed to play Captain America in the movie of the same name. Chris Hemsworth will take on the role of Thor, after his own movie in 2011. (One big question mark is whether Ed Norton, who reportedly refused to promote 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" due to a dispute with producers, will return as the Hulk.)
One need look no further than the t-shirts that say "Joss Whedon is My Master Now" to see why this is a genius move by Marvel. The core fanbase will now be itching to see what Whedon does with "Avengers," especially after his well-received feature directorial debut for "Serenity" (box office receipts notwithstanding).
He can more or less do no wrong among his fanbase (myself included, though the early episodes of "Dollhouse," and a couple of seasons of "Buffy" and "Angel" left much to be desired).
What's left to determine? How closely will this movie adhere to some of Whedon's signatures: Will the Mighty Thor burst into song, a la "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog?" Will one or more major characters get killed out of nowhere in the last third of the movie?
Exactly how much of Amy Acker or Alan Tudyk will be in it (the correct answer is "as much as possible")?
Additionally, it wouldn't surprise me if Whedon gets dumped or leaves voluntarily because the task of merging four different director's visions of the characters into one film is simply not something he wants to deal with.
As for the cast, outside of Downey, Jr. and Norton's Banner, I'm not imagining very much chemistry for a team film.
Still want to see it, though!
My ticket, like Daren's, is presold
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This started tonight in the UK. Have taped the first two episodes and will hopefully have time to watch them tomorrow.
Have a look if you like: Jonah Hex
James Bond- Licence To Kill