December 9th will be a good day!

That's right, it was announced The critically acclaimed The Dark Knight will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD on December 9th, just in time for the holidays. My recommendation would be to pre-order now, and prey for the poor Blockbuster employees who have to work that day!

I was a little shocked over this date because they have announced they are re-releasing the movie in IMAX theatres in January with the hope the movie will be remembered by Oscar judges. So, I'm stoked!

Valkyrie trailer

So, here is the trailer for the movie starring Tom Cruise, with Brian Singer directing.
I've already made my feelings clear on Singer, but Cruise may still be a mystery to all my readers (cricket cricket cricket Hey, where is everyone) but I think Tom Cruise fills a small niche of a pretty boy who seems to like shots of himself running a lot. He seems to be much like Denzel Washington (don't worry, that blog is coming) where it's him in every movie, just a different set of circumstances. This movie is about a German soldier who is trying to kill Hitler during World War 2. Tom Cruise at least doesn't try to insult us by trying to adopt a fake German accent, he just doesn't even bother, neither does anyone else.
This movie has had loads of controversy over filming, Germany not wanting Cruise or the crew there, along with leaked photos that make Cruise look like the original soldier, except they were poorly photo shopped and massive delays. So, here is the trailer; based on the trailer (which is often misleading, I'll give you that) this may be a Netflix rental....if I run out of Godzilla movies.
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/latest_valkyrie_trailer_is_here_and_its_intense_20080926

Johnny Depp and the Mouse

Johnny Depp and Mickey are super-tight now. That's right, Jack Sparrow is back, he announced today that he is definitely signed on for one more Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but the big announcement is he will be playing Tonto in a new Lone Ranger movie. This is just days after announcing he would be the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Clearly, it's going to be a busy year for Depp, with 3 big blockbusters to start filming one, after another.
This is from a guy that said he was pretty sure he didn't have the star power to be in a big Blockbuster movie, (which I thought was modesty run a muck) and now look at him, I mean Pirates of the Caribbean was one of the biggest grossing movies of all time, and the two sequels made tons of money, it's about time someone else signs him up besides Tim Burton.
The Lone Ranger? It could definitely be one of the few remakes that makes sense, but the problem is, how long has it been since people knew who the Lone Ranger was, 40 years? 50? I could be wrong, I also thought a movie based off a theme park ride sounded like a bad idea, and look where that got me, so I guess we'll see. One thing is for certain, however, in all 3 movies, we will get a different Johnny Depp, and that, alone will be worth the price of admission.

I am Legend 2

That's right, I am Legend is back, with Will Smith as Robert Neville in a prequel to the 2007 hit with Francis Lawrence returning to direct. This movie will focus on the final days of humanity before the virus takes everyone over.
I really loved Will Smith's performance in the first movie. He literally carried the whole movie, and put so much emotion into the film, I wanted to bust out into tears at some points in the film. However, I thought the movie completely missed the mark on the story, and with news of where the prequel is going, it doesn't sound like they will be hitting the mark here, either.
The book, and what the movie should have been is Robert Neville and these monsters, or vampires, or whatever they are switching roles from hero to bad guy, and the realization at the end is the hook. The 2007 rendition (I say that because there were 3 other renditions) was just showing Smith as a hero, and merely hinted at him murdering hundreds in his rage.
So, I guess we'll see if they can get it right this time around, but more shots of downtown New York overgrown and abandoned can't be bad.

Unbreakable 2?

Director M. Night Shyamalan has announced he wants to do a second Unbreakable movie, stating he really loved that movie and shouldn't have listened to critics after the harsh reviews pored in. "I made the mistake of getting caught up in the hype of the immediate reaction of the movie, which, experience has shown me, is not accurate to any of my movies." He also said he loved the comic book genre and hopes he can continue to express who he is in his films, because, ya know, everyone knows he a crazy, creepy guy, with a twist at the end....umm, maybe it's not such a good idea, Night.

So, I have liked a few of his movies, Sixth Sense was good, but the problem is, it turned into one, giant cliche, Unbreakable was pretty good, I like the Village quite a bit, Signs was ok, and the Happening was just awful. But, what I'm noticing as I'm typing this is, his movies have shown a constant decline in originality, execution, script writing and overall entertainment value. So, can Night turn around the downward spiral and wow audiences again, or is he just jerking off? (it's another Blazing Saddles reference) What do you think, a big M. Night fan, or one of his many, many critics?

Spiderman on Broadway

You heard it, Spiderman is coming to Broadway, as early as Spring, 2009. Marvel has had plans to make their leading superhero into a musical for over 3 years, and have The Edge and Bono, of U2 creating the score.
I love musicals as much as the next guy, but......wait, the next guy doesn't like musicals? Oh, well, I guess that phrase still works......so, this is a terrible idea. The conflict of Spiderman and Peter Parker is a good one, but it was expertly created in the first two movies (don't get me started on the third) so, I don't know what you could expect to accomplish on Broadway. I also think the target audience will be tough to convince this is worth their time. Who knows, anyone think otherwise?

no Bond, James Bond

Directors of the new Bond movie Quantum of Solace have let it slip 2 very famous lines will not be in the new movie when it hits theatres. "Bond, James Bond," and "Shaken, not stirred" will not be in the movie. The director is sited as saying they are a little old fashion for a new, modern bond.

So, what do you think, is this going to be another 'Han shot first' thing, where only the really passionate, or really anal fans will be upset, or does this take away from the image everyone knows as Bond?

I personally think its a link to previous works, an homage, or at least a bit of a tip of the hat, and it rewards the fans who look for those things. Would it take anything away? No. So, what's the harm? The only thing I can think of, is maybe they are trying to think of a new catchphrase, but I think they should not try to fix what is not broken.

Moby Dick, sorta

Universal Pictures has announced they are bringing the classic Herman Melville novel Moby Dick to the big screen. The problem is the director, Timur Bekmambetov known for a few Olsen Twins movies wants to adapt the story to make it a more action friendly story, with Captain Ahab being the more tough leader, than the brooding obsessive guy. They also mentioned they want a 300 feel to the movie.
Ok, so, your going to take a tale that is known throughout the world and has been appreciated since it came out in 1851 and you are going to 'improve on it?' I can understand taking some 'creative liberties,' but this seems just silly to me. The main part of the book is the mental aspect, not the action. Besides, if Universal wanted that, why not get Michael Bay? Ahh, no way for Whales to explode, huh?
So, what do you think? You think it could end up being a good popcorn flick, or a nightmare the Scifi channel won't touch?

Comfort movies

Ok, this one is going to require some audience participation, but I promise it’ll be interesting to see what everyone comes up with.
I was talking to some people today about ‘comfort movies.’ They are kind of like comfort foods, but they are movies, generally ones that people have seen millions of times, and can recite the entire script, beginning to end. In my case, especially, they are movies no one else will watch with me, because I provide the soundtrack, all karaoke like, and it drives people nuts. I can’t help it, these movies make me happy when I’m sad, they provide me company when I’m lonely and they make me feel comfortable when everything else is going crazy.
Now, that got me thinking about what those movies are for me. Don’t worry, I have a list. But, I was really curious to see what kind of movies other people have as a comfort movie. Are they all comedies, or ‘80’s movies, or all with the same actor? Do they all have Delorean’s in them? Hopefully, others will back up some of the ones on my list and make me feel a little less crazy, but we’ll see.
Back to the Future – Hands down, one of my favorites. The entire trilogy I can recite from top to bottom, and I often quote these movies in every day life. I am such a dork, I know, but I grew up on these movies, and they are still on some random channel all the time. The box set is already worn out, but it would be worth replacing.
Surf Ninjas – Ouch! This is one of those guilty pleasures that take me back to that time of innocence. My sister and I used to rent this movie at our local Blockbuster when we were kids and watch it over and over. If there is a way to go back to your youth or simply have a piece of it, this movie is it for me. I can easily quote the entire movie and am fine with taking the abuse for it. (But, maybe not the best thing to share with a girlfriend, just sayin’)
Blazing Saddles – This movie, no matter when you look, is always on TV somewhere. The comedic genius of Mel Brooks is very entertaining, and there is something comforting about this movie. No one can resist smiling when Bart takes himself hostage, or when Mongo punches the horse, or the toll booth in the middle of the desert, and everyone can quote this movie, so this is one of those movies you don’t have to cite, when quoting, which helps you look less like a movie dork, and more like a pop culture fan.
Better off Dead – This movie is a little-known John Cusack 80’s masterpiece. This movie helped me get over so many breakups in my high school days, that alone is worth it, but it’s also really funny and truly comforting knowing someone out there has it worse than you!
Airplane – I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley. Everyone knows this movie, it’s on TV constantly and always a good staple. I can quote it backwards and forwards and can’t help but laughing. The best part of this movies is, I always find something new to make me laugh, I mean, who doesn’t laugh when everyone lines up to smack the women to calm her down? Did you see the guy with the crowbar, or what about the Nun with the gun? Classic!
All comedies, huh, well, am I all alone on this selection (ok, I would buy Surf Ninjas, but not the rest)?

This is so gonna be money...

Universal Pictures has announced that Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn will be back together onset for a movie called couples therapy. The movie, written by Favreau will be about 4 couples going to an island, where one couple is trying to work on their marriage, and the other 3 are just looking for a good time, but are roped into counseling too. I think Favreau can do no wrong, and these two were comedy gold in the now infamous Swingers and it's lesser known sorta-sequel Made. So, I can't wait for this, look for more news on this as it develops. I can't wait to see who they cast as them female leads, it'll so be the money.

Beowulf

A CGI experience based on one of the oldest stories ever translated. This movie is more then an evolution in movie making with over 300 cameras used to capture live actors and place them in a digital realm. This movie is an epic tale, made a bit more epic with some liberties taken by the director and writers. The question is; is this movie worth looking at?
First off, the graphics are incredible. This movie takes some faces that everyone knows; Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich; these people are well known, and it’s an incredible display of confidence in the special effects because when you take a face people know, every flaw is easily recognized. Here, the battle scenes, the characters, and the land are all extremely well done. Why would you want to do a CGI movie? The answer is clear in this movie. With CGI, the battle scenes were all perfectly rendered, the characters were all clearly larger than life, and the expressions and drama are much more clearly rendered. Now, the story is as old as any story. The original has Beowulf saving King Hrothgar and his kingdom of Herot from the evil Grendel. After the monster Grendel is destroyed, Beowulf is forced to fight another demon in Grendel’s mother. Finally, it is proven that Beowulf is a true hero with the strength of 10 men, and is a legend that will be told forever. The movie, however, has a bit of a different, and I think significant twist. We find Beowulf coming to save the kingdom of Hrothgar from Grendel, who is the result of the king making a deal with the devil, in Grendel’s mother. After defeating Grendel, Beowulf is tempted by the same deal Hrothgar is, immortality, greatness, and a chance to have sex with Angelina Jolie. I’m not really sure how anyone could turn that down, she could’ve kept the whole greatness thing. Anyway, I digress. The movie ends in an interesting twist that has a Faustus-esque story with a bit of social commentary on mankind, and the temptations they face.
Now, the good in this movie is by far, the special effects. The characters are perfectly rendered and you can truly see who these people are taken from. The fight scenes are truly epic and the landscape is gorgeous. The bad, besides Beowulf fighting naked in an Austin Powers type scene, where his package is conveniently hidden by random objects, the good is also the bad. While the special effects are beautiful, it is very difficult to show all the emotions of the characters, and make it believable. Also, the end, while interesting, I think could’ve had more emotion into the epic ending of a hero. Overall, a good movie that is worth a rent, and I think, one large step for movie making in the future.

Tomorrowland, The Movie!

Yep, you heard it here, first, or rather you read it here, at some point, hopefully sooner than your local news channel. Anyway, Disney Pictures has announced that they are trying to capitalize on Pirates of the Caribbean by making another movie based on a theme park ride, Tomorrowland. The movie will star Dwayne "I'm not the Rock anymore" Johnson, and is scheduled tentatively for a late 2010 release. The movie is billed as an 'epic action adventure.'
Before Pirates of the Caribbean, I would never have thought movies based on theme park rides would be a good idea. Now, I think it will eventually turn out to be more like movies based on Video Games. Pirates was magic in a bottle, and I don't think it will be easy to have that kind of talent on one screen again. And, let's face it, The Rock is great, but he's no Johnny Depp.
Can anyone think of another ride they have that would make a good movie? I haven't been to the theme parks in awhile, so I don't know what they have, but there has to be something better that Tommorowland, right?

Rambo 5?!

Yep, you heard it. Filmdrunk.com is reporting that lucky number 5 is in the works, and is being written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, just like the last one. Did anyone see the last one? There is no possible way to put more blood, guts, gruesomeness and bullets in that movie. I mean, the body count was way higher than any other Rambo at 236! I mean, he killed more men the Cecil B. Demil! (Blazing Saddles reference) Anyway, this will be the third movie Stallone is directing, and maybe third time will be lucky.

Terminator 4 looking good

So, if you haven't seen the teaser trailer for the fourth Terminator movie, starring Christian Bale, here it is, and it looks good.
I wasn't a big fan of the third movie. I thought Kristanna Loken was hot, but not a great terminator, and I thought Arnold looked old, and not nearly ready enough for this role. I just thought it was a mediocre performance, when they should have been pushing the bar higher, considering the second movie. Anyway, it sounds like, given this movie does well, there will be 2 more Terminator movies, having the first 3 before Judgement day, and 3 after. That could be a bit much for me, and I think somewhere between this one and the next 2, they will lose the spirit of the Terminator movies. But, I've been wrong before.....that one time....wait, no....oh, that one time....no....well, I'm sure it's happened!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1513658671/bclid1184501682/bctid1776577579

Marvel and Ed Norton? Not so much...

Judging by the numbers of the Incredible Hulk, most people didn't go and see the movie with Ed Norton. In fact, the movie had nearly the same amount of money made as the horrible Eric Bana version, the Hulk. And, due to its less-than-stellar performance, apparently Marvel has not talked to Ed Norton about making a sequel, or making the appearance as the green machine in the planned Avengers movie, which already is slated to have the Hulk in some form.
Now, don't even get me started on the abomination that was the first movie. (Ha, I made a funny punn, or, a 'punny' if you will...cause, ya know, the abomination was the bad guy in the newer Hulk movie....ehh, whatever). The second movie simply came out too soon. Edward Norton is a great actor, and if they think they can do better than him, they have another think coming!

Captain Quint is dead?!? Nooooo!

Frank Mundus, the guy that inspired Peter Benchley's character Captain Quint in the movie Jaws has died, he was 82. Wow, seriously, I don't want this to read like an obit, I just thought it was interesting the character was based off a real person. Apparently, Mundus caught Benchley's eye after hooking a 4,500 pound Great White with a spear and a fishing real (it's sounds a bit like a fish story to me, but whatever). He took Peter Benchley out to sea several times on his boat to catch shark, with a few well over 3,500 pounds! Benchley's story would later be made into the movie we all know and love by Stephen Spielberg and the character would be played by the late, great Robert Shaw. Mundus is survived by a loving family.....sorry, it's habit! :)

XXX 3, the Return of Xander Cage

No, I'm not kidding, the title should be XXX 3, Vin Diesel's quest for more money. OK, so, it doesn't really have the ring to it, but I'll work on it. They are planning for a late 2009 release. The latest Vin Diesel rehash is clearly a realization that these roles are about all he has left, and he better capitalize on them before people completely forget about him. Vin Diesel has signed a contract for a third Chronicles of Riddick movie, don't forget Fast and Furious 4, and this movie. I swear, if there is a Pacifier 2, I'm gonna down some roids, bulk up, go to Hollywood and smack the crap outta that guy!

The Dark Knight Review

What is there left to say about this movie? That's the question I have been asking myself ever since I saw it on Friday (I know, what took so long). I have read countless reviews and talk of Oscar nominations and people yelling "Fear me" in a Batman voice, but if you've heard it all, what am I to say? The movie is currently at $545 million so far in Gross Domestic Box office, which means it's nearly to number one of all time, Titanic. So, the question is, does this movie deserve the insane amount of hype it's getting? Let's find out.
The curse of the sequel. By definition, generally, an inferior movie, but if you read the previous column, there are some exceptions, and this movie is one of them. This movie took what Batman Begins built, and went crazy. The story starts out about a year after the first, with Bruce Wayne waiting for his palace to get rebuilt and fully immersing himself into Batman's world. He is out nightly trying to take back the streets of Gotham, but there is one problem, he is becoming too well known. Gangsters are preparing for him, and worse, there are people pretending to be him. On top of that, Gotham is embracing a different hero, a district attorney who has a big pair of...well, he's fearless in his goal to rid the streets of the crime in Gotham. On top of that, this new attorney is dating Bruce's old squeeze, Rachel, now played by Maggie Gyllenhaal (not Mrs. Cruise). At the beginning, we meet the man responsible for the utter chaos and mayhem that is about to ensue, the Joker (on my list of the top baddies of all time, just sayin'). We see the Joker showing true genius, and a total lack of compassion for anyone in a bank heist. From that point, the Joker goes on to show he is truly evil, terrifying, extremely intelligent and a worthy foe for Batman.
The performances by all involved were truly exceptional. I was not a huge fan of removing Katie Holmes from the first, even though most think it was smart, I think it was a risky move that, in any other movie, would've hurt the continuity. Christian Bale shows there is no one else who can play Batman like he can, Michael Caine shows he is the heart of the movie, with a bit of comedic relief, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent has an incredible on-screen presence, Gary Oldman shows why he is a very appreciated veteran as Commissioner Gordon, and finally, the Joker, played by the late, great Heath Ledger is amazing. There is nothing of Ledger in the Joker that has been seen before. Ledger shows how a truly exceptional actor can do more than just play himself in a certain situation, he can truly become something else entirely. The role was great, the lines were well written, but the little things about the Joker are what truly set him apart from most bad guys on screen. So, does Ledger deserve to be only the second person in the history of the Academy to get a post-humo..humorou...uhh post-dead Academy Award? The answer is most certainly.
The direction of Christopher Nolan in this series has been exceptional, and has brought a new, grittier bit of film making that few have been able to keep up with, and very few will be able to top, the movie is well paced, if not a little long. The movie will leave you wanting more, as a good movie should and will leave you saying one word; 'wow.'
So, if you haven't seen this in theatres, and juding by the dough this has wracked up, you have, but if you haven't, don't wait for it to come out on Netflix, or appear on the wall at your local Blockbuster, go and see it now, you will be happy you did.

A bit of trivia: This is the first Batman film to not have "Batman" in the title.
And, a statement that couldn't explain Ledger's performance any better: When asked, "Why Heath Ledger as the Joker?" Christopher Nolan said, "Because he's fearless."

Top 10 sequels list

Honorable mention:
Army of Darkness 2, Bourne Supremacy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Secret of the Ooze, and Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom

10) Godfather Part 2
I am not a Godfather fan, there, I said it. However, this movie, again showed the acting and writing were far superior to the original, and arguably (by me, especially) one of the greatest movies of all time, so I guess it deserves to be on the list.
9) Star Trek 2, the Wrath of Kahn
This movie was the Star Trek movie every Trekkie deserved. The first movie was weird, and really was just an extended episode of the classic series. The second movie was truly epic, and a story worthy of the big screen. This movie was good as a stand alone, but also rewarded trekkie fans with some references to their beloved series with the inclusion of a great villain in Kahn, and some emotion in Kirk.
8) Aliens
This movie was completely different from the eerie, horror-esque first movie. This movie was an in-your-face action suspense movie that was great, and while different, I think, better than the first. It showed Ripley as truly a strong, tough leader and somebody you shouldn’t mess with. The movie also had Bill Paxton, ‘nough said!
7) Back to the Future 2
This was a classic. This movie had it all, an interesting idea of what the future holds, a dark past, Marty’s mom with breast implants, this movie was great. This movie patented the idea of making a darker movie to wow the public, and it succeeded.
6) Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
What is there to say about this movie that hasn’t been said a million times? This is arguably the best out of the series, and again, a darker movie that doesn’t end how other movies ended. This movie really established some great characters in Han Solo and Princess Leia, and finally, in my opinion showed a hero in Luke Skywalker, and you can’t tell me the surprise that Darth Vader gave to Luke wasn’t epic, I mean people quote that line daily and when I was young and saw that for the first time, it was shocking, to say the least.
5) Spiderman 2
This movie was one of the best comic book movies of all time, and one of the greatest sequels of all time. This movie found very minor flaws in the first and fixed all of them for the second. It found a really interesting bad guy in Alfred Molina’s Dr. Octopus, it has a good damsel in distress with Kirsten Dunst’s MaryJane, and it has a lot of heart in Aunt May, and it focused on the main conflict in Peter Parkers life; and that’s how to juggle Spiderman with the needs of a struggling young man.
4) Clerks 2
This movie is one of my favorites. The first movie was incredible; it was a small budget goldmine, filmed in black and white and showed that you don’t need a lot of money and big-time actors to make a funny, witty comedy. The second upped the ante 10-fold. Clerks 2 has the same clever writing of the first, but a true heart to the movie that anyone can identify with, while at the same time, injecting a bit of Jay and Silent Bob. This is a great stand alone movie, and an even better sequel.
3) The Dark Knight
I don’t like including movies that have just come out, because it’s fresh in your mind, and you are still freaking out over the experience of the movie. This movie, however, truly deserves to be on the list. The performances of everyone involved, most notably, the late, great Heath Ledger as the Joker was incredible. The special effects of Harvey Two-Face, and the explosions and the pacing of the film were all expertly directed by Christopher Nolan. Batman Begins was exceptional, and a great re-imagination of the franchise, this certainly stepped it up.
2) Terminator 2
The first Terminator movie was good, but it had a B-movie feel to it (it had Casper Van Dien). This movie had blockbuster written all over it. At the time, it blew away any budget for any film in history. The special effects were worth it, and they still hold up as outstanding, even against today’s standards. The acting was better-ish, and the bad guy was far more menacing than the previous governator.
1) Shrek 2
The gold medal winner! I love this movie. The first was absolutely outstanding, but this one, I thought, actually raised the bar a bit further. The chemistry between Shrek and Donkey was very good, and with the inclusion of Puss in Boots, this movie had a trilogy of characters that will always be remembered. Another improvement was the soundtrack of this movie, I mean, don’t tell me you didn’t get riled up and want to sing “I need a hero” towards the end of this movie….no, I said don’t tell me that!

Captain Fresh Prince?

Ok, so I guess I need to work on my headline writing, or hire the guy that does the army mission names to do my headlines....ya know, something like "operation bad mother....shut your mouth," or ya know, something cool! So, Marvel, the brains behind movies like Spiderman, Iron Man, Punisher, and Fantastic 4 have already announce they are making a Captain America movie. This is amongst the new theme of recreating the Avengers. Sources have stated that the top person on their list to play the original boyscout with the shield is Will Smith. Yes, you read that right, Captain America played by Will Smith......I'll let that sit for a moment....
So, the question is, what do you think about that? It is certainly a bold move, perhaps in an attempt to show how far society, and in particular film has come by hiring an African American to play a character that was always white. And, let's face it, he is Mr. July, the guy has the highest return for movies out of any main actor, especially in July. And, of course everyone loves Will Smith; he is one of the few actors who has an 'every man quality' about him, he doesn't have a demographic. Oh come on, don't tell me it's not cool to like Will Smith, he is truly one of the best actors of my time. So, would you see a Captain America movie with Big Willie himself? I would, provided they don't try to do the whole dark is better movie, it's Captain America, it needs to be lite, fun, and have an infallible hero.

Iron Man 2 update

So, I read an interesting interview with the director of Iron Man, Jon Favreu (heh, he was Bateman in the Replacements, hehe, he had to be told to go sit down...). He was talking about how, in the comicbook world, generally the second movie is usually the best, and he's very excited about being a part of that. He had said he was very surprised with the stellar reviews his movie got, and he is now trying to figure out how to raise the bar even further. There is speculation that the big baddie in this film is the Mandarin (like the orange), this fact was eluded to in the first movie with a reference to a terrorist cell called the Ten Rings, which was the source of the Mandarins power. The problem here, is even though he was one of the biggest baddies in the Iron Man universe, his powers are mystical and alien in origin. The trick is fitting something so fantastical into a universe that was portrayed in the first to be pretty realistic, and less fantastic. There were no superpowered people, just very smart people with a lot of money and some really cool cars....and a hot secretary, uhh...anyway. The other plot discussed is that of War Machine. This is James Rhodes (played by Terrance Howard) armored suit, built while Tony Stark is dealing with an alcohol problem, a common theme in the comics.
So, we have a very real, common place problem in alcoholism mixed with a mystical bad guy....that could be.....what's the word....interesting. Let's hope they get the kinks worked out soon, they have already announced a release date, which I think won't stick, but it's April, 2010. And, hopefully, it will be as incredible as the first, which comes out on DVD September 30. Tell your friends..

Star Trek not the wrath of Shatner

In a recent interview with J.J. Abrams, of whom I'm a huge fan, Abrams was talking about having a small cameo in his new rehash of Star Trek for William Shatner's famous Captain James T. Kirk. However, according to Abrams, William Shatner would settle for nothing less than a major roll. Abrams also said that writing him in would be too tricky and would mess up the continuity of the story, after all, Kirk did eventually die on screen, and even though it's a new crew, in sort of a prequel movie, the movie is rumored to be sometime after the original series and it's movies (so Kaaahhhnnnn still dies) with an interesting way to go back and revisit how the original Enterprise crew got together.
See, Shatner can turn this down, because there will be plenty of additional opportunities for him to sit back in his old captains chair again, right? Besides, it's not like death has ever stopped any character from returning *caugh caugh Spok caugh caugh*.
Do you think a Star Trek movie will really be a Star Trek movie without Jean Luc Picard or James T. Kirk? What about Sam Beckett...uhh Johnathon Archer?

Shrek can sing?

So, they are currently working on a Broadway show for New York . This is based off a little known animated movie called Shrek. The word on the street (doesn't that sound all detective-ey) is they have the 2 acts down and have some very interesting numbers, with some incredible sets. Apparently the chandelier shot for this play is with the dragon and the stained glass at the end. The singers are supposed to be excellent, however, there is some debate over whether or not you can really turn this into a Tony-winning musical. They've done it before with a few Disney classics, but can the humor of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy be put on stage? Can the beauty of Dreamworks translate to a stage? Can you really give a guy in a big green fat-suite personality? And, if so, would you see it?
Personally, until recently I've never really taken notice of movie-turned musicals/plays, but after seeing Lion King, which was incredible by the way, I seem to be interested; and Shrek is one of my favorite animated movies ever, but I don't know the two could combine into a fun play. So, if this play takes off, or if you happen to travel to New York, would you see Shrek?

The Dark Knight...again

So, apparently, there is no end to the greed over at Warner Brothers. They have announced they are bringing the Dark Knight back into theatres in January, just to remind the Oscar judges the movie was here, ya know, cause the fact they made over $500 million in domestic gross wasn't enough. The good news is you'll get another chance to see this, the bad news, it will almost certainly delay the DVD release.

Fast and the Furious 4: The revenge

or, maybe More Faster and really, really furiouser...yeah, my day job is thinking up movie titles...you could tell, couldn't you? You better be careful with all those 'No's!
So, I saw the trailer for the new Fast and Furious movie you can find it here http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809989992/video/9607435. So, this looks pretty good, it looks like it's getting back to the original, which, was ok, I mean, a lot like Point Break, but with cars. Even though I don't like Paul Walker or Vin Diesel, I think they have their roles, and both were exactly the right fit for the first movie. Now, if we can only get past the second movie and the MST3K fodder that is Tokyo Drift. Anyway, let me know what you think, you think they can make a good 4th movie? I mean, lets face it, usually the 4th in a series is a bad thing, Alien Resurrection anyone? Jaws 4, Superman 4, Lord of the Rings 4...wait, what? There was only 3? I'm sorry, but the 6 hour, directors special extended, uncut super version with 16 hours confused me, I thought it was 2, put together. Anyway, usually the the magic has been worn out by lucky number 3, so I guess we'll find out if there is anything left in the tank.....hehe, that was a pun, that's one for me!!!

Brian Singer Who?!

Alright, I have heard enough about this guy, I have to chime in. All these movie critics and fanboys praise Brian Singer as the next coming of Jesus for some reason, and I have no idea why. Lets look at some of his movies, thanks to IMDB.
His most reason box office attack is the dud, Superman Returns:
First of all, I did sorta enjoy this movie, although it was a terribly done movie, and an even worse comic book adaptation. The only good that came out of this movie was Brandon Routh, who played the Man of Steel, and of course, the legendary Kevin Spacey, who played Lex Luthor.
Now, while I can see some really good ideas in this movie, there were too many scenes that were to pay homage to the original. Now, I normally love those things, but like fast food, it's gotta be done in moderation, or it makes people sick. The rest of the cast was sub-par, along with a mediocre script making Superman look too much like a stalker. But, the worst part was the part that is controlled by the director, and that was the shooting of the movie. I thought the pace was slow, the costume was kinda lame, and the the movie just didn't pop like a good comic book adaptation should. I think there were some good ideas here, the execution just fell short.
X2: X-men United: Again, I love the source material. I was a huge X-men fan as a kid, but once again, the execution fell short on this one. I know everyone loves the first 2 movies, but I thought they were a bit slow, and they only touched on what made the X-men a good story, and that's segregation. I mean, this should be a story about how this group of people are protecting the very people that want to hang them. But, instead we get a poor government corruption story and the Captain from Super Troopers using Captain Pica...uh Charles Xavier to kill all the mutants, with a side-note of the bad guy from the first film. Again, great ideas, poor execution with a slow movie, and not nearly enough special effects to call this a visually stunning movie. I don't need Michael Bay explosions every other second, but a bit more action, a little less moping around would be nice.
X-men: At the time, this movie was the formula for all comic book movies. The idea was that it would take an entire film to show off such a vast universe. The downside is, you have to sit through a slow movie, but the second would be worth it. This idea has changed drastically with the conception of Spiderman, and I believe, more successfully Iron Man. This movie does do a good job of setting up 2 characters. You would've thought, however, at 2 hours, you could do a bit more. And, for God sakes, would someone ask Joss Whedon to pencil one of these scripts, it feels like they were written by an 80 year old.
I'm gonna skip Apt Pupil and go to what Singer is known for, and that's the Usual Suspects:
I think this was his claim to fame, and rightly so, I thought this movie was very well done. However, I don't see that there is much he had to do with it, looking at the rest of his movies. I don't see a similar style at all, but the performances and the script were spot on in this movie.

So, if we can get out of the Delorean from that trip in time, in the present, he is currently trying to get a take-2 on Superman, except darker, like Batman. The thought is simple: 'Batman Money, Batman Dark. Superman, no dark, Superman no money....Superman go dark, then get money...so easy caveman do it...' Yes, they all think like that. However, Superman, like Spiderman is not a dark book, and not a dark hero. He's a boyscout, he's social commentary, and he's the icon of a hero, not a dark, brooding guy, clashing with his past. It works for Batman, not here.
So, I haven't really seen anything good about this guy yet, but if anyone thinks of something, please be sure to point it out!

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Ok, so please tell me you have seen this, or at least heard about this internet phenomenon. This is an Internet only TV show. There are 3 episodes of about 15 minutes long. The TV show stars the amazing, the talented NPH (yep, good ol' Doog' himself!) and one of my favorites, Nathan Fillion (Capt. Mal of Firefly) and Felicia Day (of, well, she was on some stuff).
So, this is a musical. I'm usually not the biggest musical fan in the world, even though I have seen the classics, and I know the Men in Tights song like the back of my hand. This, however, is nothing like anything else I have seen. The story is of Dr. Horrible (NPH) trying to take over the world, and it starts off in a video blog format, just a supervillain talking about taking over the world, ya know, normal stuff. His plans are side stepped by the fact he has a crush on a girl, Penny. Now, every villain has to have a nemesis, and his is the infamous Captain Hammer (Fillion). Captain Hammer is not your typical superhero, he's full of himself, and couldn't really care too much about anyone else....come to think about it, I do see a few similarities, but I digress. So, after some shenanigans, Dr. Horrible has the opportunity to get into the evil league of evil, all while his crush starts going out with his nemesis, Captain Hammer.
This show is great, it was created by Joss Whedon, who did a little-known show call Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it's spin off Angel; my personal favorite Firefly, and the movie Serenity. Whedon nails the musical parts as everyone is amazing to listen to, and he nails the comedy, with enough drama to make you really care about these characters. If you have not checked it out, after commenting on this blog, click here: http://www.drhorrible.com/
Let me know what you think!

Ghostbusters 3?

So, the Chicago Tribune has an interview up from Harold Ramis (Egon) that there will be a third Ghostbusters movie, and that the original cast will be back, atleast in some aspect.
So, I'm sure this will be a common theme on this blog, but what do you think about going to the graveyard and digging up 80's magic and giving it another whirl?
First of all, I am a huge fan of Ghostbusters. The first movie was pure gold with great characters, some good acting (I loved Louis Tulley, played by Rick Moranis) and a fun story. According to IMDB, this was the highest grossing comedy before Home Alone came out. Damn you Macaulay Culkin, anyway. The best and one of the most iconic scenes in the movie is when the Stay-Puft Marshmellow man comes walking through downtown New York. It's classic.
I don't think, however that magic can be made twice, and I think, like too many remakes, it will fall greatly short of the original. Remember, for every Batman remade, there are 50 Psycho remakes. I guess we'll find out eventually, since I hear this project is moving forward. The only thing I am really excited about is the proton packs they wear. With some really sweet special effects, those things could look amazing. So, call up George Lucas, he needs our money somehow, he sure as heck isn't going to get it from any more Clonewars movies, and maybe this movie could be ok!