Captain America: The First Avenger review; it's a great superhero film

Captain America is one of the most beloved Marvel Superheros ever. It's kind of sad that it took this long to get his own movie considering what he represents.  The character of Steve Rogers, played by Chris Evans, is an interesting one.  He is small, puny and wants nothing more than to be a soldier in the U.S. Military.  When a doctor creates a serum to help him become physically superior soldier, that's when all the fun happens.  Let's go!

What I liked about the movie:
The Cast

The cast, both starring and supporting, were very impressive in this movie.  I didn't know how to feel about Chris Evans as Captain America.  I always thought he was a good actor for genre films, but didn't know if he could command attention as a superhero.  Rest assured, he's great!  In the first act, pre-serum injections, his acting ability really comes through.  The audience will feel sympathy for the kid from Brooklyn who wants nothing more than to serve his country.  Evans shows us that Steve Rogers was a good MAN, way before he was a good superhero.  Nicely Done!

The supporting cast was very awesome!  Hugo Weaving as the main villain, Red Skull, was great.  Even the cheesy accent was ok with me.  Weaving has the voice, arrogance and presence needed to play the villain.  I enjoyed his work very much.  Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter was a delight on screen, not the usual damsel in distress.  Tommy Lee Jones plays a perfect Colonel in the Military, he is compassionate enough for us to care about him, but stern enough to lead in a war.  Stanley Tucci... is there anything Tucci can't do?!  He's awesome as the Doctor who invents the serum for Steve Rogers.  Sebastian Stan plays Bucky, Steve Rogers best friend, nicely done by the young actor. 

The Setting

The movie mostly takes place during World War II.  The production design team does such an amazing job with the set pieces, the costumes, etc.  What's also impressive is the lighting, and camera work.  Shelly Johnson used just the right lighting that gave the movie an older feel without overdoing it.  It was nice to see a superhero film that wasn't in modern day times.

The Story / Writing

Simple, easy to follow and exciting.  Hugo Weaving's character believes in "magic" which was stolen from Odin's vault.  It is the Cosmic Cube which has been referenced in the Marvel Universe of films.  It has a great deal of power and, if harnessed correctly, could destroy every major city in the world.  Captain America and company must stop Red Skull from doing so.  The writing is clever and I never rolled my eyes at any horrible dialogue.  The writers were clever and even made fun of the Captain America suit before we could as an audience.  I love when writers acknowledge things like that without making it obvious! 


What I liked and didn't like about the film:
The Director

Joe Johnston has done a lot of work in Hollywood.  He made a great name for himself with popular films like Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, The Rocketeer, Jumanji, October Sky and Jurassic Park III.  I think he's a good storyteller, but there are aspects of his films that just don't click.  His movies always look great, he can always get a terrific cast to work with him, and the stories are usually pretty enticing.  I will tell you this, this movie is MUCH better than the atrocious The Wolfman from a few years ago.  Most of the things I enjoyed in the film are because of him.  As are the things I didn't enjoy.


What I didn't like about the film:
The Action

It's too bad, this is an action film and the action is silly.  There are multiple action scenes with hundreds of henchmen at war with our Military.  Henchmen and soldiers alike are being killed so often, we don't feel any real loss.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, action should only compliment the story, not take it over.  The final action sequence was impressive though with many intricate camera shots.  Didn't totally leave a sour taste in my mouth.

The Score

I feel I pay very close attention to film scores.  I can tell you which ones work and which ones don't in my opinion.  The average movie going public probably doesn't even care, but I do!  It didn't evoke emotion, it didn't make me care and I never felt like I was pulled into 100%.  The score should have been big, uplifting even.  This is Captain America damn it!  He's viewed as the leader of The Avengers and the score should have matched.


The Verdict:
Liked it very much

I enjoyed the movie very much.  I know I listed a few things I didn't like, but they weren't deal breakers.  It was great to see a modern day superhero in the past.  We grow with the character, figuratively and literally.  Steve Rogers is a good man who just lacked the physical stature to do great things.  He stood up for those who are bullied and did what was right.  I can't wait for The Avengers next year, it will be another chance to see Captain America in action!

Green Lantern review; flickers more than glows

It's the Golden Age of comic book films, and it was only a matter of time before a Green Lantern film was to be made.  Quick breakdown: Hal Jordan is a Green Lantern, an intergalactic space cop who is in charge of patrolling multiple planets.  He is chosen after one of greatest Green Lanters to ever live, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), crash lands on Earth.  By wearing the Green Lantern ring, you can make your thoughts into reality (including an automatic machine gun).  Jordan is now a member of the Green Lantern Corp made up of 3600 Green Lanterns; Oa is where they call home.

I remember the news coming out about the 'terrific' script, to the casting showdown between Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper to the hiring of director Martin Campbell.  Who better to start up a new franchise than Campbell, he successfully did so for James Bond in the great Casino Royale.  A GL film should have been a piece of cake, not so much.  Let me begin my likes and dislikes. 

What I liked about the film:
Ryan Reynolds

I'm a fan of the man's work, and have been since his sitcom, "Two Guys and a Girl".  Reynolds has had a leading man charisma since the beginning, so it shouldn't have been too difficult a choice for Warner Brothers when it came time to cast the hero.  Reynolds did well creating the character.  Hal Jordan is the fighter pilot that does well to pretend he's fearless, but in reality, battles his inner fear throughout the film.  His comedic timing is as good as ever and so are his abs (which are glorified throughout the movie).  If the movie does indeed become a franchise, he will be great in the next GL tale.

Oa / Eye Candy
Warner Brothers spent millions and millions of dollars on the CG, and I could tell.  They even had last minute touch ups that really enhanced the film.  Perhaps the best part of the movie is seeing how Hal Jordan and the other Green Lanterns turn their thoughts into reality.  Everything from machine guns to swords to catapults; it shows you how CGI has made it possible to make movies of this size and scope.

The planet of Oa looks incredible in the film.  It is completely computer generated and really is eye candy.  The way Green Lantern's suit illuminates, the way he flies, etc. are magnificent.  The supporting characters such as Tomar Re (voiced by Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowag (voiced by Oscar nominee Michael Clarke Duncan) look great.  They are true to the comics and look as real as possible.  Money well spent Warner Brothers.

The Supporting Cast

This includes the aforementioned Rush and Duncan.  But those are voice actors, what about the live actors?  Blake Lively is good in this film.  I am not a fan of the actress at all, and enjoyed her turn as Hal Jordan's oldest friend/love interest.  The primary villain is Hector Hammond, played by Peter Sarsgaard, and he does a great job being as spooky as possible.  Hammond's father is a senator, played by Tim Robbins.  Angela Bassett rounds out the primary cast of characters as a doctor in charge of testing Abin Sur's body.  Robbins and Bassett don't have much to do in the film but could if there is a sequel.

I must point out Mark Strong.  He was THE PERFECT choice for the role of Sinestro, one of the leaders in the Green Lantern Corp.  Strong's performance is something to behold as he keeps us guessing which side he will end up on.  He challenges Hal Jordan and is able to intimidate without yelling, just simply being stern.  Great job.

What I didn't like about the film:
The Script / Story
Remember that 'terrific' script I was talking about?  Yeah, it must not have translated then.  The movie suffers beyond believe due to the script.  The second act is abysmal, there is no other way to describe it.  There is a whole lot of nothing going on for a good 45 minutes before an impressive action sequence hits.  In this second act, the hero is supposed to have some sort of self-discovery that never really formulates.  I was asking myself, "why did they keep this in the final cut?"

Besides the second act, the movie is so unorganized, and it wasn't due to editing.  We're on Earth, then Oa, then Earth, but back to Oa, then he quits, back to Earth, then he un-quits, back to Oa.  What the hell?  I hate when this happens in film.  Campbell should have cleaned up the story and screenplay so there is a smoother flow to the storytelling.  Again, the narrative is so weak, the main character ultimately never live up to their full potential.

The Supporting Cast
I know, I know.  How can the supporting cast be an aspect of the movie I liked AND disliked?  Well, because they're barely in the movie!  Ryan Reynolds must have been in 95% of the film.  Those amazing special effects featuring fully CG characters are barely on display for more than a few minutes at at time.  I wanted so much more.  What makes Green Lantern such a unique superhero is that he is a part of a team, the Green Lantern Corp.  He doesn't fight alone like Superman and Batman.  There is NO teamwork on this film whatsoever, it's all about Ryan Reynolds sporting the suit and nothing more.

The Lack Of A Real Villain

I really like Peter Sarsgaard, I do, but Hector Hammond is just not going to cut it!  He's a spooky science teacher that can read your thoughts and throw projectiles at you.  He's no Two-Face, and definitely no Joker!  Then there is Parallax, the worst possible choice for the first film in the franchise.  It is basically a cloud that eats up the souls of people who possess fear.  Remember when Fox tried this with the Fantastic Four sequel?  IT DOES NOT WORK!  Seeing hundreds of extras run through the streets is not what's scary.  Seeing the Joker threaten to cut someone's cheek off was ten times as affective and didn't require millions of dollars in CGI work. 


The Verdict:
Unfortunately, Pass (until the blu-ray)

I have to be honest, the first few minutes after leaving the theater, I think I convinced myself it was a better film than it really was.  After discussing it with my cousin Robert in more detail, I began to find more and more things that irked me about the film.  I think Campbell had a lot to do with the poor outcome of the film.  He is a very capable director, but just did not come through on this one.  Reynolds will be fine, as well as the rest of the cast, but I doubt Campbell is asked to return after the movie just opened to only $52 million dollars (on a $300 million dollar budget). 

I wish I could say it was the same caliber film as X-Men: First Class, but I can't.  Or even as good as Thor, but I can't.  All the pieces were in place: Ryan Reynolds, Martin Campbell, a cult following, etc.  But they just could not come together for the narrative.  If they're lucky to get another crack at it, let's hope they do a lot better next time. 

Good superhero movies in the Summer of 2011: 2
Bad superhero movies in the Summer of 2011: 1

X-Men: First Class is a first class film! Review...

Matthew Vaughn had a tough, tough task with X-Men: First Class.  He was asked to re-invent the franchise that was the catalyst to the superhero movie genre.  The film is actually a prequel, which has a completely different cast and a much more complex script than seen before in the franchise.  I can't wait to talk about it, so let's go!

What I liked about the film:
The Director

There were so many things working against Matthew Vaughn.  Let's start with a one year schedule from pre-production to release date.  That is unheard of in this superhero genre.  Vaughn quickly put together his cast and was off and running.  He did a lot right!  The pacing of the movie is intense.  Like I said before, the script is complex and has a lot to cover, so it was imperative to get the pacing right.  The editing, costume, set design and score were magical and helped create the world of America in the 1960's.  The casting is perhaps Vaughn's greatest achievement...

The Cast/Characters

James McAvoy plays Professor Xavier; he does a great job of being the leader of the X-Men.  You can see the character is optimistic about the future through McAvoy's eyes.  He sees the world with a bright and beautiful future.  Kevin Bacon plays the primary villain, Sebastian Shaw and does well.  He is a conniving, manipulative character pitting America against Russia during the Cold War. 

The support cast of heroes and villains are good.  January Jones turns in a mundane performance as the villainous Emma Frost, Shaw's right hand woman.  Jennifer Lawrence plays Mystique, the part Rebecca Romijn made famous in the first trilogy.  She does well playing the character as tormented and conflicted; she grew up with Professor X.  Rose Byrne is the liason between the CIA and the newly formed X-Men, she was great, I'm becoming a big fan of her work.  The rest of the heroes really only have minor roles in comparison, but did a good job.  Hopefully they will have more to work with in the sequels.   

The man who steals the entire picture is Michael Fassbender.  This man is hypnotizing on screen.  He plays Magneto, a Holocaust survivor who meets Professor X on his journey to kill the people who murdered his mother.  Fassbender portrays the character beautifully.  And I do mean beautifully.  Even though we see the character doing horrible things, we care about him, we see the pain and hurt that has scarred him for life.  He also has a swagger and arrogance; Sir Ian Mckellen showed that when playing the older version of the character.  Magneto knows he is a very powerful mutant, he knows what he's capable of and we see that in Fassbenders face and mannerisms.  I hope Michael Fassbender keeps his momentum going and continues to do great things.  Last time I said that, Sam Worthington became Genre Man with 'hits' like Clash of the Titans; hopefully Fassbender wont follow in those footsteps.

The Brotherhood

We know from the later (earlier) pictures, that Magneto is a character that was very close with Charle's X, as close as brothers.  Their ideals have always been different, but they have always had a mutual respect for one another.  There are a few scenes in the film that show you how that relationship was shaped and how it changed over time.  I loved the scenes featuring McAvoy and Fassbender just talking.  The actors nailed it!  There is just this great chemistry between the two that really helps with the emotional undertone of the film.  The scene when they meet gave me chills, excellent!

The Story

This could have been a much different movie in the hands of another director.  There is a lot that must happen during the film.  The origins of several main characters, the manipulation of Bacon's character on the Americans as well as the Russians, the training of the new recruits, the list goes on and on.  That being said, it is very easy to follow.  A lot of credit must go to the screen writers and the director.  It is a clean story that does a lot with the time he has.

The Fanboy Winks
Even if you haven't seen the original franchise, this film will work for you.  BUT!  For those of you who have read the comics, know the characters, and have seen the original franchise, you will love the 'easter eggs'.  Everything from cameos, to name dropping, to jokes about the obvious future of the character.  I really like how they included the hard core fans and made it accessible to non-fans as well.  FYI, the cameo in the movie is hilarious and I will not spoil the surprise like other idiots on-line.


What I didn't like about the film:
The Sequel Setup
I have to be very careful here not to give anything away.  I believe, by the end of the film, they've given away too much.  I wish there would have been a few open doors for future films instead of rushing to the obvious.  It's like Star Wars Episodes I-III, we know what is going to happen, but George Lucas was able to stretch it out for three films.  Not that I EVER want this franchise to become like that one, but the concept is what I was looking for.  Watch it and then email me if you agree, don't want to discuss too much here.


The Verdict:
A beautiful film in so many ways

The movie will rank among the best in the superhero genre.  The threat of a nuclear attack was very real in the 1960's.  That fear of the unknown worked perfectly for 'First Class'.  Mutants were just being discovered and no one knew what to make of it.  The relationship between Professor X and Magneto is wonderful.  The movie is not perfect, but again, considering the one year turn around, bravo.  Thank you Mr. Vaughn and company for continuing my hot streak at the movies this Summer.  Please see the movie and let us know what you think.

Writer hired for Mark Millar's comic book, "Nemesis"?

Latino Review reported on this a few days ago, and I've been too busy to post my thoughts.  Matthew Michael Carnahan, has been hired to write the script for Nemesis, the Mark Millar comic book.  We already knew Tony Scott was set to direct, now Carnahan is writing. 

Matthew is brother to A-Team director, Joe Carnahan.  Matthew has an interesting resume.  He's written such films as The Kingdom, Lions for Lambs and State of Play.  Do you know what I universally hated about all three of those films?  The writing!

I think Carnahan is the absolute wrong choice for an action adventure film.  I mean, Nemesis has an amazing premise and I've read all the books, it's an amazing piece from Mark Millar.  Millar has been made famous by other comic books he's written that have become Hollywood hits, such as Wanted and Kick-Ass. 

What if Bruce Wayne was The Joker?  In other words, what if a billionaire playboy did bad instead of good?  THAT is what Nemesis is all about.  Can Carnahan really write something like this?  I don't think he can.  This is still rumor, but so was the Tony Scott rumor that has since become fact.  I hope its not true, but we'll have to wait and see.  

Zach Galifianakis may join Ryan Reynolds in R.I.P.D.

Not a bad idea actually.  I would LOVE to see Galifianakis and Reynolds feed off each other.  The movie is R.I.P.D, we told you about Reynolds casting a few months ago.  So far, RED director, Robert Schwentke is set to take over the movie.  You never know, that might change. It's based on the popular Dark Horse comic book and it's about cops, the underworld, awesome. 

I've made it no secret how much I like Ryan Reynolds, same goes for Galifianakis.  I also really liked the visual style Schwentke brought to RED.  If this goes through, it could be something special.  We'll see.  What do you think?

Director Simon West, Amber Heard, Red Sonja? No thanks.

First it was Rose McGowan dawning the bikini in a Robert Rodriguez remake of Red Sonja.  Then that picture was delayed due to drama in Rodriguez's personal life.  Then there was the God awful story that Megan Fox might play the comic book hero who Brigitte Nielsen made so popular.  Now now this?!

I dislike Megan Fox and her acting very much.  So today the rumor is Amber Heard is taking the reigns with Simon West directing.  I don't like Heard's acting AT ALL.  I think she's just like Fox, another pretty face that became famous and can't act.  Worst part is, she's actually getting a lot of roles, unlike Fox who can't land a movie if she paid for it.  West is an interesting choice.  He directed Con Air and the first Tomb Raider, but nothing else is really standing out on his resume.  I would have rather Rodriguez's vision, especially considering the poster below.  Rose McGowan looking bad ass!  Oh well, we'll see if this rumor is verified in the next week or so.  Your thoughts?

Photo of the NEW Judge Dredd, Karl Urban in Uniform

Here's the first picture of Karl Urban playing Judge Dredd in the upcoming, Dredd. We've been talking about this movie for awhile now. From when it was first announced, to the casting of Urban and the changing of the title to just simply Dredd. I've been pretty excited about this one for months now. I don't know why exactly. I wasn't that big into the comics, but loved the Stallone version from the 90's. There was something about that cheesy movie that I loved.

So based on nothing more than a still frame from a movie that wont be released for months, what do you think? Please share.

"Cowboys & Aliens" Poster and World Premier Trailer

There are certain guys just about everybody loves in Hollywood. And this movie contains three of them. Director Jon Favreau can do no wrong in the public's eyes (we'll ignore Iron Man 2 for the moment). Then there is the new (and improved) James Bond, Daniel Craig. Last but not least, everyone's favorite action hero, Indiana Jones/Han Solo... Harrison Ford. The three teamed up for a comic book adaptation; we knew it would only be a matter of time, Cowboys & Aliens. I mean, come on, this movie is as obvious a summer hit as Monsters vs. Aliens was an animation dream. Click the jump to see the world premier trailer and read my thoughts.

A bit Tombstone, a bit Independence Day. The trailer really don't do much for me. I do like the visual style that Favreau has created out of dust and dirt. But the trailer to Green Lantern got me excited, I was clapping at the end of it. This one seemed a like a bit of a let down. Is it just me, or does Harrison Ford sound like a bitter old man? Oh well, maybe that's what his character is supposed to be. Then there's Daniel Craig who doesn't say much of anything in the trailer, but dude looks pissed! That was awesome. The beautiful Olivia Wilde is in the film and looks great.

The movie is produced by the super-duo Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. It's executive produced by Steven Spielberg. It will most definitely make money and be a huge summer hit. I'm just curious what the aliens look like, if there's any interaction with the cowboys, Daniel Craig's characters background, etc. Stay tuned for more; if there's another trailer, I'll try to put it up.

"What if Batman was the Joker?"; Tony Scott Directed "Nemesis" Coming?

The title of the blog post is from the actual publicity for the comic book. What comic book? Mark Millar's Nemesis. What if someone as smart and with as much wealth and power as Bruce Wayne didn't become Batman, but rather the Joker?! Scary thought. Well that's exactly the concept behind Nemesis, a revenge tale brought to life in a dark, mute tone.

Today /slashfilm, via Bleeding Cool and Deadline are reporting the movie will soon be directed by Tony Scott (Man on Fire, Taking of Pelham 1,2,3, Unstoppable). Fox has the rights to the movie and supposedly they're moving head quickly on the project. I love the comic book, I only have the first of four issues and I think it's brilliant. There's a lot of over-the-top action in the comic book, and it's a different kind of over-the-top than Kick-Ass, involving presidents, planes, explosions, etc. Plus, Mark Millar knows what he's doing.

Don't know who Mark Millar is? Don't read too many comics? He's the man responsible for awesome comic book-to-movie translations such as Wanted and Kick-Ass. The man can write a comic book, that's for sure! His style of writing is almost as if it's meant to be translated into feature films. I have no doubt Nemesis will be a good movie, especially if done correctly by someone of Tony Scott's expertise. I'll post if it becomes official. This is some pretty cool news.

Why Angelina Jolie Is Turning Down "Wanted 2"

Wanted was a comic book movie adaptation that I really enjoyed. Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy were great in the film. The movie was profitable, so a sequel was inevitable right? Will everyone be coming back? The answer is no. Angelina Jolie will not be. Then there were rumors Kristen Stewart would be joining the sequel. Let's make sense of all of this.

[SPOILER ALERT]
Angelina Jolie's character, Fox, dies at the end of Wanted. So I thought this was always a stupid story. Why dig so deep to make her character come back to life or any of that stupid stuff. During a press junket for the upcoming spy thriller, Salt, Angelina Jolie sat down with comingsoon.net. She commented on the sequel, and her rejection of it.

Being dead makes it difficult. They were (trying to bring me back) but I kind of feel like if I die in a movie, I should die actually. I'm that way, and that character is not as complex as Salt. It would just be doing the exact same thing in another movie, so it's not that interesting to me.

[END SPOILER ALERT]

I already liked Angelina Jolie before this, now I like her even more. How refreshing is it to hear an actress or actor say, "I'm not just going to take the money, this has to make the most sense in the movie". I completely agree with Jolie's decision and think it's the right thing to do.

A few weeks ago I presented a way to make a sequel work for Jolie's character. How about a prequel? Kristen Stewart could show us the Fox's younger years and her inception into the fraternity. That would be pretty cool! We'll see what happens.

Nathan Fillion and Eva Longoria added to The Avengers?

No, please God NO.  The rumor about Fillion is OK, but come on, Longoria?!  Why?!  Last month I posted about Fillion possibly playing Ant-Man in The Avengers movie, that's cool.  But today the rumor online is Longoria will play his wife, Wasp.

Superhero movies are getting better and better actors as the genre comes into its own.  Why Longoria?  Because she looks the part?  Maybe.  Can she act?  No.  My personal opinion, she's just another pretty face in Hollywood that got lucky.  Every movie she touches flops (i.e. Harsh Times, Over Her Dead Body), her TV career is a part of an ensemble, and she can't carry anything on her own.  Not that she would have to carry The Avengers, but why go sub-par for this role?  I don't know.  Am I the only one that's so against this?

Kristen Stewart for Wanted sequel? How about a prequel?

So I guess the rumor lately is that Kristen Stewart is replacing Angelina Jolie in the sequel to Wanted, the comic book adaptation. Access Hollywood asked Stewart if she'd take the role and here's what she had to say:

Yes. Definitely, as long as it was good, Wanted was a great movie, James McAvoy makes that movie different than most other action movies because he's a real guy, and I feel like most action movies don't have that.

Without giving anything away, Jolie's character needs to be replaced. But I have a more compelling idea. This idea of mine is not good news for James McAvoy. How about a prequel about Jolie's character, Fox, and her first few years in The Fraternity. That would be sick! We got a glimpse of her childhood in the first Wanted, but there's more they could do.

I really enjoyed the first film, and agree with Stewart's comments about how the movie follows just a regular guy. I liked that. Not to mention all the crazy action! I'm OK with this sequel, although I'm sure others wont be.

Judge Dredd remake a reality?

Maybe I'm just nostalgic. But I really enjoyed the 1995 Judge Dredd. Sylvester Stallone starred as the comic book hero who was judge, jury and executioner. Pretty cool concept for a futuristic comic book hero. The movie didn't do well, and I think a lot of that had to do with studio involvement. They took a "buddy" comedy approach that just didn't feel right considering the source material. So yesterday came news of a remake! That exclamation mark is on purpose.

Deadline first reported that financing and a script are ready. The financing doesn't come from a major studio, but rather an Indian entertainment corporation with a budget around 50 million dollars. The script has been turned in by Alex Garland, writer of The Beach, 28 Days Later and the upcoming Halo. A director is rumored as well; Pete Travis, director of Vantage Point. Another rumor is that it will be brought to life in 3D (booooo).

That's all there is for now, if anything comes up, I'll be sure to let ya know, cause this sounds like it could be good.

Tony: Kick-Ass review

Sorry for the delay everyone, but I've been a bit busy with the family business to be online blogging. So here it is, the Return of the King... my review of the comic-book film, Kick-Ass.

I know at this point I'm being redundant but, our blog is more about opinion than plot. Let's get right into what I liked and didn't like about the movie... let me give you a heads up, my likes far outweigh my dislikes!

What I liked:
The Concept/Story
The story is simple, but enticing. It tells the story of a kid who chooses to dress up as a superhero and fight crime against a Mob boss. Craziness ensues when the superhero (Kick-Ass) is joined by Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz). Like I said, the story is simple, very funny, and kept the audience engaged for the entire movie. I loved the pace of the film. It only slowed down to build up the characters, which is great. The rest of the time the movie moved forward very well. 

The Characters
Ho-ly moly! Hit Girl is one of the best, most bad ass characters in the history of cinema, and she's only 11 years old!!! That's right, Chloë Grace Moretz is only 11 years old calling people names that I'VE never used before. Nicolas Cage is awesome in this movie! He has to be tough, weird, a little creepy, but loving to his daughter, amazing job. Finally a movie OTHER than National Treasure where he does well. There is a scene between Cage and Moretz that is one I will never forget, just a hint... it involves him training her using a gun! I wont say anything else because it will give away the hilarity of the situation.

Now when it comes to Kick-Ass himself, great casting and a great job by Aaron Johnson. The rest of the cast is rounded out with some great performances... the mob boss played by Mark Strong, Red Mist played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kick-Ass's real world friends played by Clark Duke and Evan Peters.

The Action
The action is great. The violence is over the top, but I think it has to be. You're trying to make us believe an 11 year old can kill 30 guys in a run down the hall, why not be over the top? Guns, check. Knives, check. Swords, check. There is nothing missing from the action in this film. Pay attention to an action scene that involves Nicolas Cage that feels like one long cut up and down a two story building, just fantastic!

What I didn't like:
Screen Time
Not really a complaint so much as wishing. I wish Nicolas Cage was in the movie more! Yeah, I never thought I'd say that either! Cage is so good as this character! I know this section is about what I didn't like, but I really really liked the movie. There's nothing else I could think of!

Go see this movie! And be ready for a ride. You'll laugh, you'll cheer and you'll clap your way through the movie. It's the most fun I've had at a movie since Iron Man two years ago; I mean it!

Quickie: Harrison Ford joining Cowboys & Aliens

Jon Favreau just confirmed it via Twitter: @Jon_Favreau: Please stop asking if Harrison Ford is in Cowboys & Aliens. Okay? He is. Please don’t tell anybody.

Ford is joining Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde in the comic book adaptation. Robert Downey Jr. was originally linked to the project but had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts. No more details right now, but I like the move and after the "Indy" films, it's easy to see Ford playing a cowboy.

"RED" Cast = Holy Crap

A few of you might remember my posting on the upcoming film Red.

Basically, Summit Entertainment is bringing to life Warren Ellis' graphic novel Red.

As I mentioned before, the film will star Bruce Willis as the main character with Morgan Freeman co-starring.
Well, now you can also add to the lineup Helen Mirren, John C. Reilly, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss, and Brian Cox!
Also joining the cast are Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), and Mary Louise Parker (Weeds).

Once again, here is the basic story:

"As a C.I.A. operative, Paul Moses’s unique talent for killing took him around the world, from one hotspot to another, carrying out the deadly orders of his superiors. And when he retired, he wanted to put his bloody past behind him. But when a new administration takes over the White House, the powers that be decide that Moses knows too much, forcing him back into the game against the agency that trained him."

We can't wait for a trailer to see how they'll transfer the comic's unique look to the big screen!

We told you... Jeffrey Dean Morgan would make a great Lobo!

Last week we told you about the new comic book adaptation by Guy Ritchie; for the anti-hero, Lobo. In our posting we mentioned that "he has a very distinct look and sort of reminds me of 'the comedian' in Watchmen." This week, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played "The Comedian" in Watchmen, gave an interview with Collider, and here's what he said:

...they’re making “Lobo” right now. That would be cool. “Lobo” would be very cool. I don’t think that I’m as big as Lobo is, but if you could, like, transplant Mickey Rourke’s body on my head, that would be just great... Comic books are really the thing right now and I don’t see that going away for at least the next couple of years.

Well we obviously know what we were talking about. "The Comedian" wants to play Lobo, how great is that? Morgan has the look, the physical build of the character, and has experience in this comic book genre. Guy Ritchie should listen!

Guy Ritchie to direct comic adaptation of Lobo

Ever heard of the comic book character Lobo? No? Don't worry, neither have a lot of people. The only way this comic book loving nerd knows who he is, is because of an appearance in Batman (the comic book) a few years ago, Superman too. Lobo is an alien mercenary and a bounty hunter. The character is pretty cool, an anti-hero of sorts. He has a very distinct look and sort of reminds me of "the comedian" in Watchmen.

Guy Ritchie has signed on to direct the movie according to latinoreview.com. Here's a direct quote from the trades:

Don Payne wrote the most recent script draft, and Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona will produce. Pic is a co-production between Silver Pictures and Weed Road.

Ritchie will make the film his follow-up to “Sherlock Holmes,”...which Warner Bros. opens Christmas Day.

So there you go. The movie is going to be Guy Ritchie's follow-up to Sherlock Holmes; and production begins early next year. The studio wants a PG-13 rating, of course, and the movie will have a heavy load of visual effects. I'm excited about this one folks. Based solely on the Sherlock Holmes trailer, I strongly believe Ritchie is the right man for the job.

DC's Green Arrow movie coming soon?

Well it seems as though a Green Arrow film is in the works. For those who don't know who the Green Arrow is, he's like the Robin Hood of the DC Universe. The project is actually Super Max, and was supposed to star the Green Arrow, but was rumored to have other characters from the DC Universe as well. There were rumors of Lex Luthor, The Riddler and the Joker being in the movie as well.

/slashfilm is reporting that the project is still a go, and David Goyer (The Dark Knight, story) is still attached to produce. He had this brief yet poignant thing to say:

We’re working on that. We’re about to bring on another writer. Obviously, Warner Bros. is now heavily into mining all of the various DC properties.

Warner Brothers is not going to let go of any rights to any comic book movie that's for sure! There is just too much money to be made from these movies. So even though the movie has slowed its pace to theaters, it is definitely still a go!

Jonah Hex becoming more and more real

Jonah Hex is a western comic book series that is published by DC Comics. The character made his first appearance in 1972 and quickly became a fan favorite. Now, of course he's not as popular as the other DC properties like Superman and Batman, but I think that's because he's a little different. He's an anti-hero of sorts, kind of like Wolverine is to the Marvel Comics universe.

Nonetheless, the movie will be out shortly. Here's a couple of tid bits about the movie:

It will be directed by Jimmy Hayward, who comes from an animation background with Pixar. He's animated on movies like Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monster's Inc., Finding Nemo, Robots and Horton Hears a Who. Wow, good list of movies.

The movie stars Josh Brolin from No Country For Old Men (a personal favorite of Matt and I).

Also stars the always terrific John Malkovich, you all know him from Con Air and maybe even Rounders.

Eye candy: Megan Fox... a freakin' terrible across who built a career solely based on her looks. Oh well, she wont have to do much in this movie OTHER than look good.


We just discussed in the posting prior to this one, how the comic book genre is in full swing, and we don't see any signs of it slowing down! Warner Bros. is taking on the film, and they know a thing or two about superhero movies.