More Movie Stuff
Johanna over at Comics Worth Reading went and saw Surrogates. She gives a thorough review and now I kind of want to see it. So I’ll add it to the list. In case you’re wondering, the list looks like this:
I know, it’s a short list but movies don’t really do much for me. I generally like the movie once I’m there but all the work of getting inside, finding a seat, brushing arms with strangers, then staring at a screen just makes me really uncomfortable. Plus I have a weird paranoia of having to find the exits and if I don’t see at least two I spend the whole movie thinking about fires. What really sucks is a small theater with shared armrests, one exit sign and a scene with a building in flames.
Plus, these days all the movies seem to be based on books. So, I just read the book. I know comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. After all, movies don’t strive to be the book and books don’t generally read like they are movie treatments. But I get this feeling that Hollywood thinks that since graphic novels are visual then they translate directly to movie form and that’s just not right. In fact, good graphic novels rarely make good movies. It seems like bad graphic novels fare better because they kind of have room to grow – Wanted anyone?
The problem, at least to me, is that graphic novels are visual because they use artists. So you can’t just plop some movie star down in a frame, even a painstakingly recreated frame, and have it reach the same level of beauty and context that the artist did. So it’s better to just throw out the whole idea of recreating what an artist attempted. Sin City looked cool and all but, it looked like Sin City so I would tell people to just read it.
The other issue I have with movies is that sometimes, most times you need time. I know while reading Pluto I might spend a good five minutes looking at a picture, searching for clues. A movie will never offer me that time.
Still, movies can be exhilarating. I enjoyed the 300 more on screen. It was like watching moving paper and besides being visually stunning I actually got involved in the fight scenes which I had a hard time doing with the book.
What graphic novel to movie did you enjoy or not enjoy? What’s on your to-see list?
Movies! Movies! Movies!
Last night I caught the previews of a couple graphic novels to movies. Well, technically Cirque De Freak was a novel series then a graphic novel series but still…
First Astro Boy. My initial reaction isn’t good. The animation looks chintzy and doesn’t offer anything we haven’t seen a million times, which is strange because, being based on a manga/anime, you would think they would take the animation seriously. I don’t think the cg really works in this case. They all look like they came from the Toy Story toy bin and that’s not a good thing in this case. Plus, just from the previews, it looks like they borrowed the Toy Story script as well. The screaming at each other, the flopping around. I just expected more since they had such an amazing mythology and plot lines to choose from. Still, previews aren’t always indicative of what the movie is actually like.
Then there’s Cirque du Freak:
Which looks awesome!
Both movies have famous casts which is a pet peeve of mine. Mainly because I know there are some amazing voice actors out there (and yes, live actors can be good voice actors too) but I have to listen to the annoying voice of someone famous instead. But still – Cirque Du Freak!!
Ryan Reynolds cast as Green Lantern
According to Reuters, Ryan Reynolds has been casted as Green Lantern.
If you’re unfamiliar with Reynolds, go see X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He’s Deadpool. Actually, go see Origins anyway, just for fun. He does a decent Deadpool and is getting a spinoff movie. Then he’s also Green Lantern? Others were up for the role: Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, even Justin Timberlake. I gotta be honest I see all of those guys as Hal Jordan before I see Reynolds.
What do you think? Will he make a good Green Lantern? Will Ryan Reynolds really became “that guy who does the superhero movies”?
Wolverine = Awesome
X-Men is hands down my favorite comic. I love mutants doing mutant stuff. I could talk about the ethical issues or the love triangles or the science but really? Mutants.
*spoilers* – this post is filled with them so just be warned
Wolverine delivers big time on the mutants. If I had one giant gripe it’s that there’s too much time spent on Logan being “human” and not enough time on Gambit. Let’s get the whining out of the way. Yes, the plot is full of holes and contrivances. Like any moronic villian, Stryker can build a multi-million dollar experimentation lab but can’t get decent security. Yes, the dialogue is kind of cheesy but what do you expect someone to say when he’s got the spine of another charater in his hand? Are there really elequent words for that? And yes, it is bizarre that Logan chooses the name Logan over Howlett seeing as he clearly views Howlett as his real, if not biological, father but a Wolverine named Howlett is just silly. Hee, see it makes me giggle just thinking about it. Finally, the nudity (and please don’t get me wrong, I appreciate nudity) was the sort where the character runs likes he’s trying to hide his junk and not like he’s fleeing for his life. If you aren’t going to commit then just skip it all together. Get a rubber speedo or something.
Let’s move on to talking about the good stuff. Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, was a nice surprise. He was funny and seriously worked his blades. He’s got one of the best scenes in the whole movie. He also made a formidable opponant as Weapon XI.
Sabertooth a.k.a. Victor Creed was also pretty damn scary. A definite far cry from the overly hairy, somewhat wussy Sabertooth in the first film. Some have complained that in the first film Wolverine’s relationship with Sabertooth isn’t acknowledged; I think you can explain that by saying that Wolverine’s memory is gone and Sabertooth had bigger things to worry about.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is always good to see, even in the awful X-Men: Last Stand. Whoever cast him deserves a medal. He reminds me of Michael Keaton’s Batman. Jackman manages to be both large and ferocious in one minute then small and hurting the next. It would have been easy to cast someone like the Rock but Jackman brings a humanity and stillness to the character. It serves him well here where Logan experiences his long and painful life prior to joing the X-Men.
Then there’s Gambit. When he finally shows up he puts on a great show. I was really curious to see how they would make throwing cards look badass and the answer is – by doing it. They needed about 2 more hours of him though.
The only female presence in the film, Silverfox, was nice and perky and good storyteller. Kinda weak though. Her power was persuasian which isn’t nearly as cool as being able to BAMPF! I normally appreciate the time spent on developing relationships, especially romantic ones. But, hello? MUTANTS!
There’s a lot of fun mutant cameos (watch for a young Xavier) and if nothing else you can walk out knowing that poor Cyclops had a strong but limiting power, even as a kid.
Live Action Ninja Scroll
So in addition to the rumored Akira live-action film, it looks like actor/producer/whatever Leonardo DiCaprio is doing Ninja Scroll.
DiCaprio Considers SMAP for Ninja Scroll Film Updated – Anime News Network
I’m not all that surprised. I don’t believe I’ll see either film though. I’ve seen the anime movies and they warped my sensibilities so I really don’t need to see all that acted out “live”.
The comments afterward are insteresting and suprisingly positive. I guess anime fanboys are a little more forgiving and optimistic than comic fanboys. Oh, the article also broadened my anime horizons; I had no idea there was a Diary of Anne Frank anime. How weird is that? Does anyone else think that’s a strange subject for an anime movie?
WE3 Live Action Film
Ok, I’m going to talk about Thomas the Train for a minute but I swear this has a point, so bear with me. In 2000, Thomas came to the silver screen in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. In 2009, my son discovered that he loved Thomas (all trains really) more than anything. He watched the dvd and had some kind of freak out when the trains left the screen. Unfortunately for him, there’s not really a ton of train action in the movie. It’s filled up with stupid people.
Which brings me to this:
‘We3’ Lands ‘Kung Fu Panda’ Director John Stevenson
A live action WE3 film? Interesting…interesting. I like how the article is quick to point out that it will be R rated. Duh. How could it not be?
WE3 is a thin masterpiece (in my opinion) that turns three animals into weapons. Once these fluffy killers escape the lab they try to find their way back home, using their instincts which are now attached to guns. The result is bloody and heartbreaking. Each animal has it’s own personality, not based so much on emotion but those qualities which make them what they are. For example, the dog is a needy creature, bred to please it’s master.
As the animals pretty much plow their way through the city, there is very little human interaction in the book. There doesn’t need to be. It’s a catastrophe of human hubris as seen through the eyes of the weapons.
So, my concern for the movie would be, like Thomas, that in order to flesh out a small book they add more human characters. They turn the doctors into central characters. I hope not. I can’t wait to see a preview.
Elliot Stabler is the Green Lantern!
The New Green Initiative | Graphic Novel Reporter - New Green Lantern cartoon movie coming to DVD!
The above article includes an interview with Chris Meloni, or as I like to call him angry Elliot Stabler. You may also recognize his name from Harold and Kumar go to White Castle - yes, that was him!!
He sounds all excited about the prospect of voicing a superhero, “You become a kid again. I’m doing what my five-year-old son does in his bedroom. Only I get paid for it. That makes it even more fun.”
I think Meloni is a great choice. He’s got a strong voice but it isn’t too deep (think Batman) or too unsure (think Superman) or too high (think Spiderman).
Green Lantern is certainly getting a lot of attention. I read the beautifully illustrated and mythos heavy Sinestro Corps War. I was confused, it’s true, but enjoyed it none the less.
Books/comics that became Bad Movies
David Welsh, the Precocious Curmudgeon, has a fun post about books that became bad movies. It got me thinking about what books to movies I loved and hated. Quite a few people mention ones I would have over on David’s blog – Golden Compass blech – so I won’t repeat them. Instead I’ll list the ones that I’m too afraid to even attempt and you tell me if they are any good ok?
Bridge to Terebithia - This book ripped my heart out, stomped it into the ground, then picked it up and begged me to take it back. I’m afraid the movie will just do the stomping it into the ground part.
City of Ember - I loved this sci-fi tale of people living underground, as well as, the sequal People of Spark. I’m afraid Bill Murray as the corrupt mayor might make me want to bury myself alive.
Akira – Ok, this is still just in the rumor phase but what I’ve heard is that Leonardo DiCaprio’s studio is doing a live action, set in New York! WHAT? This article doesn’t really make me feel any better about it.
Hoot – Even if the movie hadn’t gotten terrible reviews, the book was so charming that I didn’t ever need anything else. Ditto Tale of Despereaux.
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist - A stunning example of why my husband should talk to me before he watches something. He had no idea this was a book and had to listen to me rant about the book’s flaws then decide (without seeing the movie mind you) that it was better to have a flawed book than an unwatchable movie.
Choke – ewwww.
Now here’s one I do want to see:
Coraline - who’s with me???
Neil Gaiman interview – L.A. Times
Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. I read American Gods in grad school, at a time when all I really wanted to read was manga and young adult books, so I approached it with a sort of ‘meh this is pretentious’ feeling. Then came Neverwhere, Anansi Boys and my favorite, Coraline. His latest, Graveyard Book, is waiting on my shelf. But you can’t really talk about Gaiman without mentioning Sandman. This weird twisted series has kept me up at night. Not because I’m afraid but because Gaiman’s dreams are so much better than my own.
Here he discusses his career, the movies and what he hopes for the future. I’m looking forward to the Coraline movie, especially because the graphic novel was a disappointment.
Watchmen delayed?
In this slow news week, the Watchmen movie fight is all over the headlines. Now Fox is planning to seek an order delaying the movie’s release. Warner Brothers is pretty much like, ‘bring it on’.
What does this mean for moviegoers? One commenter pointed out that this could become internet piracy heaven. How long can they keep the fully completed film under wraps?
