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!

Check out the trailer to Batman Live: World Arena Tour

I'm sure you've read about the Spider-Man play on Broadway by now, and all its problems. Accidents, firings, delays, etc. Well, check out the cool trailer I just found for the Batman Live: World Arena Tour.  Batman is by far my favorite comic book character, I hope the show does really really well.

You have to love the costumes and characters they chose for the show.  The idea of a 360 degree show is just amazing.  I live in Southern California, near Six Flags Magic Mountain, and they have a live-action Batman show there as well.  But it is very restricted, not only due to time and money, but space as well.  Batman has a million gadgets and a great car, he needs somewhere to drive it in a live show.  It's starting in Europe and will later find its way to the United States. If you're in Europe and want ticket information, click here.  I can't wait to see it!

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

Russell Crowe as Superman's dad? Maybe

The title pretty much gives it away, but I'll repeat.  Russell Crowe may play Jor El, Superman's biological father in The Man of Steel.  The movie will of course be directed by Zack Snyder and star Henry Cavill as the caped hero.

The role was originally played by the legendary Marlon Brando in the Richard Donner film, Superman: The Movie.  For those who don't know Superman's origin story (living under a rock much?), here's how it goes:  Jor El is the father or Kal El, an infant boy.  When their home planet of Krypton is threatened, Jor El sends his only son away from harm in a spaceship.  The spaceship lands in Smallville, where Jonathan and Martha Kent adopt the infant, name him Clark, and raise him to be Superman.  Pretty cool right?

This casting news really surprised me.  It's not that I disapprove or anything, I just never really pictured Russell Crowe in a superhero film.  But after thinking about it a bit, I really like it.  I could see him being the commanding figure needed to lead the people of Krypton as well as a sensible father to the future Man of Steel.  Instead of who likes this casting choice, I suppose a better question is, who hates the idea? 

A stand alone Justice League film is in the works... for 2013?!

It feels like a case of deja vu.  A few years ago, just before the writers strike in Hollywood, we were supposed to see a Justice League film.  Now, the writers are happy, superhero films have flourished, and Warner Brothers is promising a Justice League film by 2013.

Warner Brothers owns DC Comics and is the sole distributor of all of it's films, unlike Marvel comics.  Marvel is owned by Disney.  Before superhero movies were the huge money makers they are now, Marvel licensed out its movie rights to various studios (Fox got X-Men characters, Sony has Spider-Man, etc.).  Even with various studios distributing their films, Marvel has created a film universe where all of its characters co-exist, culminating in The Avengers film. 

So is Warner Brothers taking a page out of the Marvel handbook?  Nope.  They're going to make a completely separate franchise, independent of the individual characters' films.  So we will not see Christian Bale as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman in the Justice League.

I have to be honest, at first glance, this made me upset.  Maybe because I'm a fan of continuity and love to see the same actors portray the same characters in sequels and such.  But this makes a lot more sense.  Marvel shot themselves in the foot by making Iron Man 2 a prequel to The Avengers.  That movie suffered greatly because of continuity issues (and a new actor for War Machine).  So maybe it's not a bad idea after all to make it a separate franchise.

There are multiple comic books going at once, why not multiple stories in films at once.  Everyone online seems to differ on this point, but I like it.  Hopefully the same skill, patience and story telling will go into the Justice League that Christopher Nolan has put into the Batman films.  Only time will tell.  With Green Lantern coming out this summer, Superman: The Man of Steel late next year, and a Flash film in development, this may be a BETTER culmination than The Avengers.  Your thoughts?


The picture above is from DeviantArt artist: daikaiju.

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.

First Look at Both Spider-Man and Captain America!

Click to see a much larger version of the pictures

Pretty awesome huh? Our first look at Marc Webb's Spider-Man! The picture above is that of Andrew Garfield in the first official photo of the web-slinger. I have to tell you, I like the direction it's headed. I read a lot of sites online today and they all seem to think the suite looks "more homemade". I disagree. Not too many high schoolers Peter Parker's age know how to make something look that good.

Second thing I noticed took me by surprise! Look at the back of Garfield's wrists.... there are nozzles there for his web to come out. See, in the original comics, his web was artificial, not organic like it was portrayed in the Sam Raimi trilogy. This is a pretty cool throwback for the fans, and helps to differentiate the film from its predecessor.

Then there's this gem! The first official photo of Chris Evans as Captain America! I have to tell you, I didn't like it the first second I looked at it. I thought it was too bright and too vintage (if there is such a thing). But after looking at it a bit more, I think it's great. I think it only appeared to be too bright because of the soldiers behind him dressed in black, as well as the black truck.

The shield is a bit deceiving. We know Tony Stark builds Captain America's shield, they gave it away in Iron Man 2; so is this it? Its important to note that Captain America: The First Avenger will take place years ago, before our hero gets frozen. BUT, we know S.H.I.E.L.D. unfreezes him and brings him into The Avengers. So this may be a shield prior to the freeze, or Stark's shield, made of adamantium. Love it, sign me up!

More "Green Lantern" Pictures from Entertainment Weekly

/Slashfilm has all six new photos, these are the only two I was really interested in. All the photos come courtesy of the next issue of Entertainment Weekly. The picture above shows our main character, Hal Jordan with his Green Lantern Corp. ring. The picture below show's Hal Jordan again, played by Ryan Reynolds along with the character of Carol Ferris, played by the lovely Blake Lively. I STILL don't think she's a good actress by the way. Just had to throw that in for good measure.

The other pics show some of the co-stars of the film (Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, etc.). It's exciting to see these characters come to life. But like I said this morning, I'm so disappointed in the costume. It looks off for some reason, and the mask doesn't compliment the rest at of the costume at all. I know it was necessary to make the suit CGI because of the shape-shifting, but I don't like it so far. I hope I'm proven wrong!

First Picture of Ryan Reynolds as the Green Lantern Released

I've literally been looking forward to the image above for months, only to be let down. Now I know this is just ONE picture of the future superhero film, but still. Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern, in his CGI suit. I still look forward to footage and eventually watching the movie next year. I just didn't expect the suit to look like this.

Mark Ruffalo to Play Hulk? Please Let It Be True!

/Slashfilm is reporting via Deadline that Mark 'freakin' awesome' Ruffalo may be the next Hulk! I would love my pick of Cillian Murphy, but this will surely do! Mark Ruffalo is an underrated actor in Hollywood and I hope this news is true. Apparently he's in "late stages of negotiations" to play Bruce Banner in The Avengers! There's no other details, so here are a few roles I really enjoyed Ruffalo in:

Shutter Island: Without spoiling the ending, Ruffalo's job was not an easy one. He was to make the audience think two different things at once until the very last scene of the movie. Great job!

The Brothers Bloom: An otherwise forgettable movie, Ruffalo's con-man character was anything but. Ruffalo played the character with sincerity and made us love to hate his character.

Reservation Road: Playing a character that kills a little boy in a hit-and-run accident, Ruffalo was amazing. He and the previously rumored choice for Bruce Banner, Joaquin Phoenix, were terrific in this character piece.

The Last Castle: Playing a disgraced military man, Ruffalo played a traitor who wanted to desperately redeem himself. Ruffalo stood toe to toe with acting greats, Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

I'll keep ya posted!

Jonathan Nolan May Direct Superman Film?

Time to come out from his brother's shadow? Jonathan Nolan, 'Dark Knight' director Christopher Nolan's brother, may direct the next 'Superman' film. Jonathan is a hell of a writer, he co-wrote The Dark Knight, The Prestige, and Memento with brother Christopher; but he has never directed a film.

This actually makes a lot more sense than you think. We knew Chris was brought in by Warner Brothers to Godfather the project and play producer as well. Well he may have been brought in to help his brother direct the movie as well. I don't think it's necessarily a co-director scenario, as much as it is an overlooking the process arraignment.

I didn't want to post this yesterday because it sounded like a far fetched rumor, but now it's becoming more news than rumor. I really don't have much of a personal opinion about this. I wish Chris Nolan had a clone and he was making 'Superman', but that's not possible. So for now, I'll take his brother. If it's confirmed, I'll let you know. But for now, I'm OK with it.

"Thor" Official Photo of Anthony Hopkins as Odin!

Is it me, or is it getting more and more exciting with every released photo of this film!? Anthony Hopkins as Odin in the Marvel Comics Thor! Sick!! Courtesy of the LA Times.

Got so excited about the photo I forgot to mention that both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger will be in 3D. Marvel is cashing in! I don't really care about announcements like this, I expect it for every future tent-pole movie. I actually could see 3D working for these superhero films more so than other movies that have been presented in 3D.

We know Thor wasn't shot in 3D, so it's up to the Captain film and then The Avengers to be shot in 3D. When will this stupid gimmick go away!?

Edward Norton's Official Response to "The Avengers" Fiasco...

I read this really early in the day and wasn't sure if I even wanted to post it. But it's late, I'm up, why not? Edward Norton officially responded to The Avengers fiasco that was made public this past weekend. Here's a quick summary and then Norton's response via his Facebook page.

1. Rumor hits the web that Edward Norton will not reprise his role as the Hulk in The Avengers movie.

2. President of production for Marvel, Kevin Friege releases a statement about why they chose to "fire" Norton.

3. Norton's agent releases a statement defending his client and calling Friege's comments "mean spirited".

Now Norton's statement, my thought's after:

As most of you know, I don't like to talk much about the business of making movies because it means a lot to me to protect the audiences's fullest enjoyment of the 'magic' that films can have. But I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support from fans of the Hulk and the Avengers that I feel it would be rude not to respond. So here goes: It seems it won't work out for me to continue playing Bruce Banner for Marvel in "The Avengers". I sincerely hoped it could happen and be great for everyone, but it hasn't turned out as we all hoped. I know this is disappointing to may people and that makes me sad. But I am very sincerely grateful to Marvel for extending the offer and even more so for giving me the chance to be a part of the Hulk's long and excellent history. And I really can't thank the fans enough for how much enthusiasm you've sent my way about what Louis and I tried to do in our turn with the legend. It emans a lot to me. I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation. I'm really proud, and very blessed, to have been one of them and will be thrilled to see him live on through other actors. Hulk is bigger than all of us, that's why we love him, right?

Sincerely,

Edward Norton

I'm really surprised, pleasantly, by Norton's response to the whole thing. He's seems at peace with what's taken place, and calm about it. Other actors would have gone OFF! I think this is the best move possible by Norton. This turns Friege's comments on himself; all of a sudden Friege looks like the jerk in this whole thing. I still think all the stories about Norton are true, he's difficult, he has an attitude and ego that very few in Hollywood can match. But damn the man can act. Stay tuned in the week leading up to Comic-Con, when it's expected Marvel will announce Norton's replacement.

By the way, if you've been reading other blogs today, you read the rumor about Joaquin Phoenix getting an offer to play Bruce Banner... yeah, ummmm... that's not going to happen. Let's hope not anyway! Remember what I said... Cillian Murphy.

Superman/Batman Movie Coming In September?! Yes, but it's animated.

If I told you a Superman AND Batman movie was being released in September of THIS year, you'd probably be ecstatic right? Well then I'd have to follow it up with "not exactly". It's the latest from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment and their line of awesome animated DC Universe movies. These straight-to-DVD movies are a fanboy's dream. I have them all and think they're great translations from the comic books.

The latest is Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. It's a sequel to the successful Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. The movie will be released on DVD (1 and 2 disc) as well as Blu-Ray on September 28th. Included is an animated short featuring Green Arrow!

Later this month Batman: Under the Red Hood will also be released on DVD and Blu-Ray. You can check out these trailer here. Check this post, you can expect to get even more Batman in your living room. Warner Brothers and DC's next DVD is Batman: Year One, based on the Frank Miller novels. Like I said above, I'm a big fan of these DVD/ Blu-Ray's and love what they're doing. Let's hope Marvel takes a page from DC and helps me to forget what was Planet Hulk.

Edward Norton WILL NOT play the Hulk in "The Avengers" movie?

This is a late story lighting up the web. Fanboys like myself are cringing at the thought that this story ends up being real. Hit Fix broke the story just a few hours ago. Seems as though Marvel is back to their cheap ass ways and doesn't want to shell out the dough necessary to sign Norton to the superhero super-team, The Avengers. The movie has been set in motion for years; and as of last month, 90% of the cast was in place, now this? What's going on? What's the real story? Can we blame them?

As far as I knew, Norton was in. In most interviews he was adamant about coming back IF the story and director were right. Hit Fix reports that the rumored director of The Avengers, Joss Whedon and Norton met, and were both excited about getting started on the project. Well now Marvel is rumored to want an "unknown" for the project. What the heck happened?

My guess WAS the same as H.F., it's all about the Benjamin's baby. They don't want to pay for Norton's talents, so casting an unknown solves the problem. But after a little thought, I'm realizing that CAN'T be the problem. They already have big name actors, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, and the list goes on and on. What was Norton going to possibly make on the movie that they can't afford? It just doesn't make sense!

My theory is this; Marvel just doesn't want anything to do with Edward Norton. The man has one of the most notorious attitudes in the business. He has problems on every set he's ever worked on, including 'Hulk'.  He fought with Marvel to re-cut the movie and lost, then refuses to do press?  Wow.  American History X is a prime example of Norton overstepping his boundaries as an actor. He apparently wasn't happy with director Tony Kaye's final cut of the movie; so Norton cut the film himself with the studio behind the directors back. When Kaye discovered what was going on, he tried to remove his name from the credits, to no avail.

After Marvel brought Norton in for 'Hulk', he wanted to change the script. Marvel agreed, which I still don't know why they would. Watch the special features to the movie and you quickly get a sense that director Louis Leterrier was not allowed to do anything without Norton's approval. After disagreeing with Leterrier about the final cut of the film, Norton refused to do any publicity for the film. What the hell is up with this guy? Is it really "the passion to turn in great work"? Or is he just an arrogant jerk?

I still think he's one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, but I also think like this; "walk like a duck, talk like a duck", you're probably the jerk everyone says you are. I would love for him to reprise his role as Bruce Banner/Hulk, but it looks like that's becoming less and less likely every day. Comic-Con is just around the corner, and yours truly will be there. As soon as we get confirmation one way or the other, we'll let you know!

"With great power, comes great CASTING" Andrew Garfield IS Spider-Man

Tiny Update:  Here's what Webb had to say after I posted:
"Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor's work understand his extraordinary talents.  He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker."

Marc Webb and Sony Pictures have been hard at work trying to find the right man for the new Spider-Man job.  It's a tough task if you ask me.  Casting the lead in a superhero franchise film is much harder than we could ever imagine.  Looks, acting chops, bankability, all the above must be taken into consideration.  So who will play Spider-Man in the new 3D version?  Andrew Garfield.

Bet you've never heard of him huh?  Well I have and I love his work.  He was fantastic in Boy, A and he was great in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.  Apparently he's been turning heads at Sony for awhile now.  His work in the upcoming The Social Network has Sony giddy in their boots, according to an article in the LA Times. 

I approve of the casting decision, because I believe Garfield will capture Peter Parker's sensibilities and vulnerabilities of being a high schooler with such great power.  The argument all day today is that he's too old (26) to play a high school kid.  I disagree.  I think he looks the part, and will bring out the emotion that Toby Maguire was so good at doing in the first trilogy.  Kudos to director Marc Webb and Sony for getting this one right!

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?

Is a DiCaprio produced Aquaman film really that close to happening?

This post is just for kicks; but I want to talk about it anyway. A year ago we posted that Leonardo DiCaprio's production company bought the rights to produce a big-budget Aquaman film. Then about a month ago we posted that Warner Brothers is pushing to get Aquaman off the ground. I even gave my opinion on who should play the underwater superhero.

On DiCaprio's IMDB profile, it lists Aquaman as "In Development". Normally, an "In Development" status is nothing to get excited about. But, knowing that Warner Brothers wants to get this movie going, can we get SOMEWHAT excited? I want to answer yes! I was hoping for Paul Walker as the casting choice, but I doubt that will happen. How about the dream scenario of DiCaprio, Producer AND Star?!

In Entourage, the HBO show, there was a rumor DiCaprio was in talks to play the superhero, why can't that rumor be reality? Nothing is impossible. I would have never thought in a million years Edward Norton would play a superhero, and guess what? He did, a big green one in The Incredible Hulk. So this is not outside the realm of possibility.

If you read this entire post, then you're interested, so it can't be a complete waste of time. Let's hope the movie is actually made, and pray a little more that it's actually a good movie! I know what I'm going to ask Santa for this year.

Nicolas Cage is back and these guys are going to direct Ghost Rider 2?

Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the directors of Crank and it's sequel Crank: High Voltage are tapped to direct the sequel to Ghost Rider. This really worries me. I'm OK with movies like Crank: mindless, numb inducing action, really I am. But I don't think you can take that approach to Ghost Rider. What made the first film so bad was... well EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. GR has to be dark, demonic, similar to how Constantine was portrayed on screen. That battle between good and evil is how GR 2 should be done.


I already posted that the script was being written by superhero genius David S. Goyer. And I trust ANY approach he takes to this movie, because no matter what it's an improvement on the first film. Mark Steven Johnson wrote, directed, and obliterated the first movie.

Now, I guess the even bigger news is that Nicolas Cage will be back. It's in the "rumor" stage at this point, but it's reassuring nonetheless. One positive note to the first film was Cage's performance. He did what he could, but the movie was still really bad. If anything comes up, I'll post it. But for now: Neveldine and Taylor directing, Goyer writting and Cage is starring.

Big name director for the Deadpool movie, guess who?

There's news today about a Deadpool director? Who may you ask? Robert Rodriguez! Director of some awesome stuff, like Desperado and Sin City. The movie was on the fast track after X-Men Origins: Wolverine featured the Deadpool character. Ryan Reynolds signed on to reprise his role as a spin-off feature. Then a road bump... he got cast as another superhero! Reynolds signed on to Warner Brothers' Green Lantern.

There was talk that Reynolds may have backed out of the Deadpool project, but that hasn't happened. It was reported by the guys at /slashfilm that Reynolds is indeed involved and the offer is out to Rodriguez to direct.


As long as Rodriguez takes a comedy-action approach to the movie, I'm totally OK with this decision by Fox. But if he tries to pull a Gavin Hood, and make the movie too serious for its own good, "somebody gonna get a hurt real bad". Hood made 'Wolverine' way too damn serious for its own good. And the fact that the Deadpool character is in fact a comedic one, let's hope Rodriguez takes a lighter approach. Till then, we'll keep ya posted.

The image at the top of the post is by DeviantArt contributor Will, screen name deusxmachina.