The Next Cinematic Iron Man

A lot has been said about the future of Marvel's big screen universe with regards to their trailblazing cinematic version of Iron Man, embodied so fittingly by Robert Downey Jr. - but he's getting older and his exit from the character is not too far away - as RDJ has essentially affirmed...

In response, I was thinking about who the next Iron Man could be, and after seeing a number of episodes of Fox's "The Last Man On Earth", I landed on an casting idea I wanted to throw out there - Jason Sudeikis. I admittedly haven't seen as much of his work as a lot of people, but I think it could work.

He has a voice that you could hear Tony Stark speaking in, and with the right goatee he could have the look as well. His comedic sense, delivery, and tone of character could be quite Stark-esque indeed, and his "Last Man" appearances have convinced me of his dramatic abilities. What do you think?

Quit With The "WB & DC Comics Has A 'No Jokes' Rule For Their Movies" Rumor Already!

The latest rumor going around is about how Warner Brothers and DC Comics' are imposing a "No Jokes" order for their movies - suggesting that DC movies are going to be super dramatic, serious, and humorless.

WHAT IS THIS STUPID RUMOR BASED ON?! Apparently someone was asking SOMETHING about the several DC movies that are in the works right now, and the comment from inside WB was "No jokes".

Those spreading this rumor - DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND A LITTLE THING CALLED CONTEXT? What was the actual comment or question that this "No jokes" thing was a response to? I don't know! WHO KNOWS? Nobody has provided a QUOTE for the QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED to give any CONTEXT for this apparent "No jokes" answer from WB-DC.

Do people actually think that WB is giving the order to have "No jokes" in their DC movies? Tell me, which is more likely to be the case with this apparent "No jokes" thing;

1. Reporter: Wow WB, are you really going to be making 7 or 8 DC comics movies in the next few years?
WB: We are, no jokes!

or

2. Reporter: For the several DC comics movies you have on the schedule up to 2019, are they going to have much in the way of humor, wisecracks, or jokes?
WB: Oh, our movies will have no jokes.

All the debate about this supposed "No jokes" dictum by WB are just wasting everyone's time. Think about it! The story is just CLICKBAIT, people! Don't be stupid!

Yeah, I know that all anyone seems to care about these days is the headline and pageview count, and I know "professional" journalism is in a horrifying state in 2014 - perhaps even more so in the entertainment sphere - but please folks, take a minute to ASK QUESTIONS about a rumor before you kick it down the line! You'll do your reputation a favor in the long-run.

Ninja Turtles - Fixed!

I came across this great image where a guy took the Ninja Turtles from the upcoming movie and made them look a lot more like the Turtles we already know and love. Check out both Michelangelo and Leonardo below. The difference is quite striking, It's a HUGE improvement.

JLA Adventures; Trapped in Time - Quick Review

JLA Adventures; Trapped in Time is a new animated DC film that was released just last week, in what's being called a "stealth release" as nobody seemed to know it was coming until days before it's release. This movie (to this point anyway) seems to be a Target exclusive.

Having seen this new film, I leave you with the following bullet points & review;

• It's called "JLA Adventures" - That's "JL" with an "A" at the end, as in "America". They dropped it for the "Justice League" animated series, and ever since it seems they have been shying away from that "A", but I like it.
• This one is aimed at a slightly younger or "all ages" audience. It's not "kiddie" or "dumb" necessarily, it's just not as "hardcore" as the regular DC animated films of recent years.
• In tone and in look, it's kind of a cool melding of the Superfriends, Young Justice, and Justice League animated series. You get the Lex Luthor led Legion of Doom and some high-flying adventure. You get a look at the future and a little teenage angst with the two Legion of Superheroes characters. You also get the JLA and all their gadgets, tactics, and teamwork to take down the enemy.
• Flash seems particularly similar to his counterpart in the Justice League cartoon. He, along with Robin, are the main source of comic relief.
• If you liked Diedrich Bader as Batman for "Batman; The Brave & The Bold" then you're in for a treat, because he's back as the Dark Knight in this!
• The costumes look great, taking inspiration from the New 52 versions but remaining clean and unique. I thought Robin's new outfit was especially cool.
• In any good time travel story, you have "rules" to deal with concerning paradoxes and potential alternate timelines and stuff. In this movie, they deal with it through a haunting character that is actually the living embodiment of this, acting as sort of a "time lord" (if you Doctor Who fans will forgive the expression). I thought it was a clever and interesting way to approach it.
• I know this is largely aimed at a younger audience with limited attention spans, but it does feel a bit too short. I might have liked another 15 minutes in the second half to fill the story out more.
• The way it ends leaves you with the impression that they want to do more original films in this series/universe.

All in all, it's a mixture of things we've seen before with some fairly cool new stuff as well. If you miss the Justice League or Justice League Unlimited cartoons, this should scratch that itch for a while.

I'll give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Have you seen JLA Adventures; Trapped in Time? Comment below to share your thoughts on it!

Ok, it's Affleck... But don't forget about Cavill!

Ok, after reading some articles, and having some time to think about it, I'm feeling cautiously-but-curiously-optimistic on the casting of Affleck as Batman. When you think about it, Ben Affleck is likely to have a lot of input as far as the direction of this Batman/Superman film, and after The Town and Argo, he's proven himself to not be a slouch in that area.

Also, Affleck will add some star power to the movie. If the reports are true, he has signed up for "multiple" films, which almost certainly includes solo Batman installments and a Justice League flick or two, which will give Batman some stability for a while.

An added benefit to Affleck's big casting announcement is that his high profile and public awareness has signified a clean break from the Nolan version of Batman, clearing up a lot of confusion for the average non-geek movie-goer when they eventually do enter the theater on July 17, 2015


Now that Warner Brothers has decided this is the way they want to go for a Man of Steel follow-up (as well as a re-introduction for Batman) all I can say is that they'd better get it right! Oh, and WB, I want you to remember something...

Ben Affleck; The New Batman!

So it was announced tonight, Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 Batman/Superman movie.

Wow!

I even know what I think of it yet, it's just such a surprise! I certainly didn't see it coming, did you?

More on this casting later...

5 Fascinating Questions Coming Off The Superman/Batman Movie Announcement

As you all must have heard by now, Warner Bros. has announced that Superman and Batman will finally be appearing in shared live-action film in 2015. This is obviously big news, I even saw them cover it here where I live during today's noon news hour.

I have to say, the announcement came as a total surprise to me , I did not see that coming at all - frankly it's still hard to believe. It is certainly an interesting development though, and it brings to my mind a few fascinating questions;

1. Who will be the new Batman? This is the first and most obvious question following this announcement. Audiences will have to adapt to a new Batman just 3 years after the end of The Dark Knight trilogy, as Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan have both stated that their vision of Batman is complete and WB will take Batman in a new direction, one in which he's more suited to a world where other superheroes exist. Will they be looking for an older actor for Batman or a younger one? Will this Batman have been "in costume" and active before the events of "Man of Steel", or do those events precede (or even motivate) Bruce Wayne's emergence as Batman? Are any of the fan-casting suggestions realistic, such as Jon Hamm, Josh Holloway, or Karl Urban? (and yes, I know my favorite of those three)

2. Will it be Superman & Batman, or Superman VS Batman? Is Batman going to be antagonistic towards Superman because of events in Man of Steel? Is the dynamic between the heroes going to be the main conflict in the film, or are they going to team-up against a common enemy? I would think the safe bet is on both. Bruce Wayne getting close to Lex Luthor through some business deal seems a very plausible scenario... could we even see a Batman villain involved?

3. When will Superman get his "The Dark Knight"?
The thought of seeing Batman and Superman together in live action makes the 5-year-old in me all giddy, but I'm curious how this affects the Superman franchise going forward. Does this movie effectively replace Man of Steel 2, or is it meant to fit in somewhere between a trilogy of Superman films? Or is Batman in reality going to play a smaller part than we're all thinking right now? Will we still get the chance to see a fully-formed, fully-realized Superman at his best, facing off (as Batman did) against his greatest arch-enemy Lex Luthor, in a spectacular, engaging film? Not a team-up, but a solo movie, one that is quintessentially 'Superman", and is as memorable and revered as "The Dark Knight" is for Batman?

4. What will the Batman franchise look like after Superman/Batman? What are WB's plans for Batman after this film? When might we see a new solo Batman flick? Will it come after the inevitable Justice League film? It will almost certainly be a more fanciful take, perhaps with more colorful versions of Batman's rogues gallery. Are we more likely to see Robin in this more fanciful world?

5. Why does WB feel this is the right time for a Superman/Batman Movie?
How long has the studio been planning to make this move? Was it a decision that Zack Snyder and David Goyer were involved in, or did the idea come down from WB higher-ups? Did they count on "Man of Steel" making more than it has (which has actually not been bad at all!) at the box office, and are looking to give the next film the "Batman Bump"? Are they just really eager to get the shared DC Universe moving on the silver screen the way Marvel has? Perhaps they just came up with a great story for these characters that they are anxious to show moviegoers. Frankly, I don't know whether it is or is not the right time, but like the rest of the world I'll be watching the developments closely!

Are You A Nitpicker?

Do you see yourself as a nitpicker? I think when it comes to nitpicking - especially when it comes to movies and tv - the Nostalgia Critic puts it well. Give his editorial a watch;

A Question for Jim Carrey...

So apparently Jim Carrey's latest movie role has troubled him. He has had a change of heart with respect to the level of violence portrayed in it.

As he says in his tweets on the subject, he just "cannot support" it;

I haven't seen the first one, and don't really care to see the 2nd, but in response, I do have to ask this question;

You surely didn't act in this movie for free, did you Mr. Carrey? If the level of violence in this film is something you "cannot support", tell me, is this film something you're going to let support you?

Shredder... Is a White Guy?

So a few days ago we got the news that William Fichtner has been cast as The Shredder in the new Michael Bay produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie... and I'm confused.

Now, I've seen Fichtner in a bunch of different roles - most notably the angry, shotgun-wielding banker from the opening heist scene in The Dark Knight. I like him, he's a good actor. But his being cast as The Shredder raises some big questions for me.

If Shredder is not Japanese (or asian at all), what does that imply?

 Is he no longer Oroku Saki? Is this Shredder a white guy who went to Japan and recruited a clan of ninjas? Did he know Hamato Yoshi back in Japan? Has he even been to Japan? What will his motivations be? Will 'honor' be important in Shredder's mind? Is there a foot clan at all, or are Shredders' minions just mercenaries or something?

Will we see Shredder's face at all?

I mean, I really don't anticipate them using make-up to make Fichtner look asian, that would be weird - among other things. If Fichtner's casting is to be taken at face value (and we'll wait to see), then - whether for good or for bad - it seems like we're in for some pretty radical changes to the Turtles stories we know and love.

In Man of Steel, I found the traditionally white role of Perry White to be played wonderfully by Lawrence Fishbourne. In that case though, his ethnic background is not an integral part of the character or his character's history. I think the same applies to Samuel L. Jackson's casting as Nick Fury.

No, this is something else entirely.

So what is the motivation behind this casting? Are the producers just "trying something new"? Are they attempting to make a Shredder more "relevant to the times"? Are they softening him a little for the kids?

Or maybe they're afraid of a villainous Japanese Shredder offending a large cinema-going asian audience? I donno, if that's the case, you still have Hamato Yoshi (later Splinter, or in some iterations Splinter's old caretaker/master) to be a positive, heroic Japanese character. 

Or maybe I should just wash my hands of the whole thing and say "Well, Michael Bay's an idiot."

I just don't know

"Man of Steel" Brings the Fight!

I saw Man of Steel on Friday! I'll simply offer my 5 word review - I really, REALLY liked it!

At first I was put off by many critics' frosty reception to the film - but having now seen it for myself, I don't know what I was worried about!

It appears Superman saw fit to bypass the professional critics as well. If the opening box office is any indication, average people like me are believing in the Man of Steel too.

Am I un-biased? No. Are you? I doubt it. We filter things differently. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for superheroes. I filter movies differently than many critics do, that's for sure. In that sense, they really didn't see the same film I did.

Anyway, I could attempt a point-by-point rebuttal to many of the criticisms pointed towards the film, but that really seems silly. You know what you like and what you don't like. Trying to talk someone into liking a film they didn't like to begin with? Where's the enjoyment in that? Trying to talk someone out of liking a film that they clearly do like? What's the point?

To the Man of Steel devotees and detractors on forums and messageboards - whether you loved it, hated it, or otherwise; the film is 2hrs & 23mins out of your life, please keep it in perspective.

DC vs Marvel at the Movies - Who Wins?

The movie Man of Steel is almost upon us, and I'm eagerly waiting with tickets in hand. I've been carefully navigating the comic book movie sites online, and while trying to avoid colliding with spoilers, I witness a lot of arguments about whether it's DC or Marvel that "wins" when it comes to the movies. Sometimes I have to roll my eyes...

Everything in pop culture is cyclical. A movie about Superman or Spider-man "wins" for the moment, and then, sooner or later, people get excited about something else. Then, Superman and Spider-man eventually come back.

If you're laughing at DC for not getting many movies out for their characters, just take a step back and remember that there was a time when Marvel basically had nothing going on movie-wise, apart from some dreadful direct-to-video releases.

The Christopher Reeve Superman, and later the Micheal Keaton Batman were the kings of superhero cinema for quite some time. Who's the "winner"? The argument seems a little silly. These images from Marvel's old "What The--?!" parody series provide some context for the whole debate;

Whether it's Marvel's fun and fantasy, or DC's complexity and emotional engagement that push the right buttons for you, does it have to turn into a flame war? Marvel (Disney) or DC (Warner Bros.) could change their approach to their respective movie franchises anyway. If you know what you like, (or even if you like both) can't we just leave it at that?

Few of us have any financial interest in Marvel or DC, so we don't "win" in that way... But if the competition brings us even better movies about the characters we grew up reading, then we all win!

Back to Vulcan!

A while ago I recounted my trip to Vulcan, Alberta where I got to experience Leonard Nimoy's visit to the community and take in the sights of the day. Well I visited the Star Trek themed town again this weekend for their annual Spock Days! It was my first time for the town's summer celebration and I snapped a few pics to share with ya... (click images to enlarge)

Upon first arriving, I could see the town's parade sailing down main street - headed by a "USS Vulcan" float that was actually kind of awesome. 

Yeah, someone should have told Captain Kirk about getting his Tribbles neutered!

Also of great note in the parade - the guests of honor for Spock Days 2013 - Star Trek Voyager's "The Doctor", Robert Picardo, and "Neelix", Ethan Phillips!

 Later there were some photo ops with both actors, held at the new "Trekcetera Museum" - which unfortunately did not open to the public as scheduled because it "wasn't quite perfect yet". Bah, just open it!

 

Later there was a garage sale at this church, and on the outside of the building I saw a bewildering sign. "Star Trek service"?

 Ok, I have to say something about this. What the heck, people! Besides just being lame, don't you know that this kind of junk diminishes both Star Trek, and more importantly, the things of the spirit? Ugh... Anyway...

A beautiful print depicting the Vulcan Enterprise monument.

I was pretty amazed by this sight! You never see a spread of comics like this in a grocery store any more! But there it was, right in the Market Street grocery. Comic fans visiting Vulcan, go get your titles here! Wow.

It's been a hard day's trekkin'. (Your captions welcome!)

 Anyway, I hope you go visit Vulcan, Alberta some time. Oh, and don't forget to stop in at the bakery, mmmm!

Thoughts on the Upcoming "Man of Steel"

Back some time ago, I added a Man of Steel version of Superman to my Springfield Punx blog and on that post I mentioned how much I'm looking forward to this film and that this could be the right movie at the right time. 

We'll see how it actually turns out, but having seen more interviews and trailers for this movie, (while trying to avoid spoilers) my anticipation has certainly increased.

I said in that post that I thought people are ready for a symbol of hope - and since then we've all seen the trailer where Superman is explaining to Lois that it's not an "S" on his chest, it's his world's symbol for hope. That's exactly the kind of stuff I was *hoping* to see!

We need some hope right now. For the past several years, the real world has been especially disheartening for a lot of people. Some of us are even afraid to go outside. The paycheck can't pull the weight it once could. Politicians reassure us about things they know are not true, and they go back on what they said they would do - or they expose how wrongheaded their plans were in the first place.

Preachers become more decadent as their teaching becomes shallower. Ratings-driven, polarized name-calling has replaced the desire to hash out the truth in rigorous debate. We've given up the whole idea of truth.

We sit back impatiently waiting for the other guy to do what we should be doing. We let ourselves down. We buy into the fashion of the day without asking "why?" We don't stand on anything, or for anything.

I want this movie to show me what really is so great about Superman, why he's an important symbol for today.

Superman puts no stock in focus groups or fashion. He doesn't take polls. He doesn't care about a bleeding heart politician's approval rating, or a defense contractor's stock numbers. He knows that truth and justice are not "to each his own" and arbitrary - but real things. He acts with certainty and with conviction. He knows that right is right and wrong is wrong, not because he gets to decide it, not because majority opinion or a UN panel decides it, but because it's something higher. He knows the pain of loss, but keeps moving anyway. He's unchanging, unflinching, compassionate resolve. He can't be bought and he can't be bent. He's not just strong, he's solid. He's a Man of Steel.

How did I not see that before?!

I love thematic echoes in movies.

Something was brought to my attention in The Dark Knight. I had to create this image to show it...