Henry Cavill's long journey to playing Superman

So yesterday the internet was a buzz with the news that British actor Henry Cavill was cast as the Man of Steel, Superman.  It turns out he has a pretty interesting story.  He was already cast as Superman before!  Check out this article from 2004 on MovieWeb.  He was cast when McG was set to direct.  That film (totally separate from Superman Returns) died out, and Bryan Singer took over the reigns.  Singer cast Brandon Routh and the rest was history.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as Batman!  Turns out he was on Christopher Nolan's short list before ultimately casting Christian Bale.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as James Bond, but lost the role to Daniel Craig.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as Edward in the Twilight Saga.  That went to the douche bag of a generation, Robert Pattinson.

THEN, Cavill was almost cast as the Green Lantern, but lost the role to Ryan Reynolds.

Holy mother of wow this guy's been through a lot.  I mean those are four bonafide franchises the man lost out on.  I almost feel bad being so disappointed in the casting, but I don't.  I knew they wanted a relative unknown, so I can't say I was TOTALLY surprised by Cavill's casting.  I wanted someone who was more famous, but then I read an article in the LA Times. 

The article shares an obvious point... now Superman, Batman (Christian Bale, Welsh), Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield, UK), will all be played by British actors.  Not counting Thor (Chris Hemsworth, Australian), and Green Lantern (Ryan Reynolds, Canadian).  The article makes valid points as to why Directors cast the actors they do.  Also, it looks at why the "charismatic" American actors, don't always do well, ala George Clooney's Batman.  It's an interesting article, check it out.  For now, I still don't like Cavill's casting and can only hope Producer Nolan and director Zack Snyder make me eat my words.

"The Fighter" Review. Brilliant.

It's awards season. Its the time when all the Oscar contenders come to the forefront for all to see. There are always 4 or 5 movies that get a lot of attention before the awards. One of those movies is The Fighter.

In a rare case where the trailer actually WAS an indicator of the movie, I looked forward to this one for a few months now. I have a lot to say so I'm going to jump right into my review. I'll go over a few things I like and what little I didn't like about the movie.

What I liked about the movie:
The Cast
From the first scene, you will see the brilliant performances turned in for the movie. Let's start right away with a bold prediction. Christian Bale WILL receive AT LEAST an Oscar nomination for this movie. Bale plays Dicky Eklund, a washed up former boxer who now resorts to crack to feel better. He is the older brother of Mark Wahlberg's character, "Irish" Micky Ward.

Bale turns in the kind of performance where an actor gets lost in the character. He accurately depicts the way addiction to crack, can mentally and physically break you down. Bale lost a lot of weight for the film, much like his role in The Machinist. The way he couldn't sit still or hold a thought was amazing. He's living in the past. Using his past accomplishments as a mediocre boxer to earn respect among his friends in his tiny neighborhood of Lowell, Massachusetts. He was truly lost in the character. A brilliant performance I feel lucky to have seen!

Mark Wahlberg did very well in the film. His performance will be overshadowed by Bale though (interesting because Heath Ledger's turn as The Joker overshadowed Bale's wonderful performance in The Dark Knight). Wahlberg had a difficult task of physically being prepared, and emotionally he had to bring his A-game. There are several scenes where Wahlberg doesn't speak at all, yet he conveys how confused and misguided he is. Great job!

Then there's Amy Adams, who plays Wahlberg's girlfriend. She played an emotionally destroyed young woman who is trying to reinvent herself. She's a college drop out that made nothing of her track and field career. She bar tends to pay the rent and has no aspirations for more. She plays a tough girl who stands up to Wahlberg's family after they give her crap for helping to change his mind about something important. Great performance from the fiery red head which is sure to land her her third Oscar nomination.

The rest of the family is played by people you know you've seen, but don't know their names. Wahlberg's sisters and parents round out the supporting cast which makes for some great laughs during the movie. The movie is really funny during arguments amongst the family members. This was a great break from the serious drama.

The Director

I never thought I'd say this, but David O. Russell did an outstanding job of directing this film. I did enjoy his previous film co-starring Wahlberg though, Three Kings. Personally I didn't like any of the rest of his films. It's ok, he's planning to re-team with Wahlberg for a third time in the video game adaptation, Uncharted.

Russell did everything well in this film. His choice of setting, actors, costume, lighting, etc. All of it made for one of the most realistic feelings I ever got from watching a movie. Most of the film takes place in the early 1990's and everything is reflective of that. All the way down to Wahlberg's hideous shirts. The script was great, it was written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson. But the story came to life and separated itself from other sports-themed movies because of Russell.

The Story
I usually list this as my first "like" when I review a movie I enjoyed. This time, it gets third. The story is amazing, a true "underdog" becoming something more. Other than Russell, what separated the film from other boxing movies, or sports-themed movies in general was, it's about the family. It's about the people involved. The boxing is a metaphor for the struggle. The family sticking together is what makes the prize worth winning. One thing that the Rocky franchise gets a lot of credit for was the fact that it focused on the man, not the sport. The Fighter is no exception, it made us care about the people before it made us care about the sport.


What I didn't like about the movie:
The Length
You're probably going to think I wanted less right? That it was too long right? Nope, it wasn't long ENOUGH! It comes in right at 2 hours, and I'm telling you guys, it's not long enough. There's more to it, which is this... the movie is a low-budget film, maybe there wasn't any money left, maybe they didn't fill out the script, I don't know. But there are a couple of scenes that were rushed just to tie up some loose ends. I didn't enjoy that. I wish more time would have been dedicated to the training of the last fight, or even the way Wahlberg and his mother worked out their issues. Again, things I would have loved more of.

The Fighter is truly one of the best sport-themed films I have ever seen. The story of brothers. The story of the underdog. The story of a small town community. Family squabble, drug abuse, the media and its affect on America, money and its affect on people... the list goes on and on. All in 2 hours mind you. I've been wanting to see this movie for a few months, and now that I have, I want to see it again. I will root for it during awards season and hope that Bale wins his first of several Academy Awards. Thumbs up Russell for making a hater of your work, love you.

"Batman 3" Officially Named, To Be Shot Entirely in IMAX?

Who's read this blog before? Who knows how die-hard we are about The Dark Knight? All of you should have your arms up. Tonedog and FattMatt saw Batman Begins together, and were hooked. We called Heath Ledger's Oscar the day of watching The Dark Knight, and now the third film in the Christopher Nolan trilogy has been revealed. The Dark Knight Rises.

Remember the 6 action sequences shot in IMAX on The Dark Knight? Collider is reporting that Nolan was so impressed with what was filmed, he is filming The Dark Knight Rises entirely in IMAX. Whoa! No one knows who the villains will be, but there is plenty of talk about it. Most people are leaning towards Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul. People are guessing she will be after Batman to avenger her father's death. She and Batman have a storied past in the DC Universe and she would be a nice change from all the other villains we've seen on screen.

No matter the villain, It will surely be a fitting end to a trilogy that will define the character for generations to come. Much like Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve to Superman; Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have changed the perception of a character in Batman.

Picture above brought to you by "Worst Part's Almost Over" on the discussion boards at AICN.

"The Fighter" Trailer

The trailer is here. The stars are great actors. The director has an interesting resume. The story is that of an underdog. What the hell else can we ask for? A good movie, I suppose.

The movie now stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Here's what Bale had to say about the film: "It’s a true story of two incredibly gifted boxers who were half brothers. The one, Dicky Ecklund, who fought Sugar Ray Leonard at a very young age, when he was twenty-one, was an incredible natural talent. He lived a very hard life. Then he came to train his brother, Irish Mickey Ward, to the world title."

The movie has had an amazing journey to the theater, much like the story of it's underdog. A different director was attached, then dropped (Darren Aronofsky), cast members dropped out (Matt Damon and Brad Pitt), and no one in Hollywood would touch it afterward.

The movie looks amazing! Hopefully the trailer is a good indicator of the film's final look. Some online buzz has already started about Oscars for the leading cast. Can't wait to see this film!

Below is the trailer to the highly anticipated, several times delayed, The Fighter. Enjoy

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the Riddler in Third Batman?

Inception has now been released, and is the number one movie in the country. So what's next for director/genius Christopher Nolan? Let the games begin... Batman 3 rumors. This one is actually a few days old, but Comic-Con kicked my butt and I'm just now recovered enough to actually post on the blog again.

The rumor is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play the Riddler in Batman 3, the sequel to The Dark Knight. This is a great rumor for multiple reasons.

First, Christopher Nolan has always stated, 'he wont talk about the next film until the one he's working on is complete'. Well, after about a hundred million dollars in two weeks, I'd say Inception has categorically finished as far as production. So the rumor that Gordon-Levitt has shown up on casting sheets could be true.

Second, Nolan loves to work with actors on multiple projects. Christian Bale: Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight. Michael Caine: Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception. So it's not too far of a stretch to believe he would want to work with Gordon-Levitt after Inception.

Third, Gordon-Levitt could pull it off. The Riddler was never a physical challenge to Batman, just a mind game type of villain. JG-L has the physique to play the Riddler, as well as the acting chops. He's one of the few child actors that has transitioned nicely into adult roles. I would be supportive of JGL as the Riddler, even thought the masses are hoping for Johnny Depp.

That's all I have for now, just some food for thought. Would you like to see JGL as the Riddler in Batman 3? Or would you even want the Riddler as the main villain in Batman 3? Your thoughts.

Guest Review: Tanya M: "Public Enemies"

“Public Enemies” is one of the greatest ‘criminal’ movies I have ever seen.
Yes. That’s huge.
I loved so many things about this movie I don’t even know where to start.

Let's start with the story. The movie is about one of the greatest gangsters from the Depression era, John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Based on a book about Dillinger, this movie is said to be the most accurate retelling of his life. Dillinger is a bank robber whose charisma and Robin Hood-like character make him the people’s hero, but his success and ability to jump prisons make him the law enforcement’s number one ‘public enemy.’ The FBI creates a special division to bring down Dillinger and his counterparts. The man they ask to head the division is Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). That, without giving away anything, is the story.

The beauty of this movie is not so much the story but the way in which the director brings it to life. Michael Mann takes an epic movie and adds the artiness of an indie. He seamlessly weaves different forms of storytelling, with random shots that should seem out of place but instead just create a beautiful, eclectic piece of art. And that is what this film really is – ART. So, while I can understand how some people might find parts of the story a bit slow, or things a little too mismatched, I find that those elements made the story that much better.

Then there’s Johnny.
I was trying to explain this to someone but couldn’t but I’m going to try again. Ok. So, there’s a scene in the beginning of the movie and Johnny has to make this decision in the back of a getaway car (that’s all I’ll say) and after he makes the hard, but right, call he turns and just frowns… but I swear I’ve never seen this man’s face frown this way before. Like I’ve never seen his mouth bend down on the sides that way before. I have this innate ability to catch on to mannerisms in different actors but this man does what an actor is supposed to do and creates new mannerisms for each new character he portrays. I’m telling you, and I know how crazy this sounds, I saw this scene and my mouth dropped. I could go on about his accent, his walk, the way he jumps over the bank counter… but I’ll just say that Johnny Depp does not disappoint in this one. The same goes for Christian Bale, again, another amazing performance. Also, for the people who care, the scenes they share are fun to watch – but there aren’t nearly enough. The star-studded cast also includes the amazing Marion Cotillard. No one disappoints. Oh and for the fans of Channing Tatum – he’s in the movie! It’s short, because let’s face it the man has the looks but that’s about it at this point.

Something that really made the movie amazing for me is the way they played with the music and sound effects. Some scenes were eerily quite, reminiscent of “No Country for Old Men,” they rely exclusively on the power of the actor’s voice. Other scenes not only use music to explain things, the music becomes a part of the storyline. I can’t explain it better than that.

After the movie was over I learned some interesting things like the fact that the whole movie only covers a 13-month period – which doesn’t mean much until you see the film. Also, a number of scenes were filmed in the actual locations in which they occurred.

I went to see "Public Enemies" with two other girls who have very different tastes in movies, and all three of us loved the movie. I’ve read the reviews, I understand what the critics haven’t liked and I understand that this story has been told before, but I disagree with the argument that this movie is unneeded.

“Public Enemies” is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-made movie that serves as a much-needed break from this summer’s line of cheap commercial hits.

FattMatt: "Terminator: Salvation" Review

OK, here we go, folks.
Tony already mentioned a bunch of plot details, so I'm just going to jump right into this one.

"Terminator: Salvation" is the fourth of the "Terminator" movies, as my comrade mentioned down there, and I must say the second best of the bunch after "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." In this film we finally get to witness a grown-up John Conner, kicking machine butt instead of hiding behind the Governor, as played by a slimmed down Christian Bale fresh off the success of “The Dark Knight.” I think Bale does a great job in the role. He gave the character just the right emotional oomph it needed, without overdoing the badassedness that I can imagine a different actor would have felt like exaggerating.

Sam Worthington was perfectly cast as the new main Terminator. He fit the role very well, and I think everyone should keep an eye out for him. This is definitely going to blow him up big time. It's disappointing that the trailer for this movie totally ruins what I thought they were trying to keep a big secret - spoiler alert! (if you haven't seen the trailer) - that Worthington's character is not actually 100% human.
Everyone else was cast fairly well, from the little girl to Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese, (who we recently saw as "Chekov" in the EXCELLENT "Star Trek"). I would have liked to see more of Michael Ironside, though. His talent is kind of wasted here, as is Helena Bonham Carter's.
Also, Blair Williams' character could've been better without the cheesy love-affection, although I see why they wrote it that way.

Now let me get one thing perfectly clear: This movie is action-packed with special effect goodness. All the effects look awesome and director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") really does his best work there. The crashing helicopter sequence that Tony mentions is just memorably different and fresh when you consider that it was also done in one take. The giant Terminator robot that harvests humans also sets off a great, seemingly non-stop action sequence involving robot motorcycles, flying fortresses, a car chase and a lot of stuff blowing up.

The story went exactly where it should have. Everything seemed to make sense and fit together nicely, which is harder than it seems when you are dealing with time travel and characters during so many different time periods. I disagree with Tony that the story feels "re-hashed." It was a well written continuation of the story of Humans vs. Machines. It's distinct in its respective timeframe of the story and leaves an exciting landscape to pick up from next time.

I'm a "Terminator" fan, and overall, I liked this latest film a lot. It had everything a "Terminator" film should have and then some. You'll also love it if you're not too familiar with the franchise but just want a fun flick to enjoy with your friends. Special effects and action movie fans will also be highly pleased.
It's not very full with substance because it's falling back on the fact that it's a sequel that just needs to continue a story line, not re-invent the whole genre. Don't go in expecting anything as deep as "The Matrix" which will leave you analyzing and interpreting for days. Just check your brain at the door, and hang on for a fun summer adventure.

I agree to DISAGREE with Tony and recommend watching this one in theaters. The eye candy surely deserves a big screen to be fully taken in. Go see it while you still can.