Planet 46 goes live
A new entertainment project from The Oklahoman and Wimgo, Planet 46, goes live today. The site kicks off with an in-depth profile of Oklahoma entertainer Carrie Underwood. There are also articles on the Hughes brothers, Peter Jackson and Channing Tatum. Check back every day at Planet 46 for more in-depth entertainment profiles, reviews and more! And feel free to share your thoughts on the new site.
- Matt Price
Monday movie quote challenge #65
“You shouldn’t keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn’t have been that sentimental.”
Identify who said the above quote in what film in the comments!
Super Bowl ads: 5 best, 5 worst
Overall, a somewhat misogynistic and disappointing run of Super Bowl ads, though there were some high points. I was totally jazzed to see “Star Trek” after last year’s Super Bowl ad; none of the movie ads moved me as much this year. The theme seemed to be “guys in their underwear,” as no fewer than three ads went with that for comedic value. And Tim Tebow’s much-debated issue ad was soft-played in such a way that it would be hard to take offense at it. You can see this year’s ads for yourself at CBS Sports and YouTube.
The good:
1. Snickers
Betty White playing football is funny stuff. I thought this was the most memorable spot.
2. The Late Show
The shocking appearance of Jay Leno in this 15-second spot promoting the Late Show will definitely generate some talk. Too bad Conan couldn’t be there, too.
3. Hyundai
Hyundai hyped the certainty of its 10-year warranty with a spoof on Brett Favre’s tendency to retire and unretire, showing him in 2020 still not sure of whether to return to play again, or not.
4. HomeAway.com
The home-rental site brought back Clark Griswold in a new vacation, a hotel stay gone wrong.
5. McDonalds
An update of the classic Michael Jordan-Larry Bird commercial featuring LeBron James and Dwight Howard was clever and fun. Doesn’t surpass the original, but a nice homage.
The bad:
1. Dodge Charger
Being a man is terrible, and women are the reason, according to Dodge. But hey, buy a Dodge Charger, OK? Thanks.
2. FloTV
With that name, it seems like the product should be endless “Alice” reruns. This portable TV had multiple ads during the game; the one I disliked had Jim Nantz mocking a guy shopping with his girlfriend rather than watching the Super Bowl.
3. E*Trade
The talking baby thing was played out about 20 years ago, and yet I still have to watch these commercials.
4. Dr Pepper
Little people dressed as KISS sing with the actual band. This doesn’t make me want to drink Dr Pepper.
5. GoDaddy.com
The once-titillating ads have ceased being anything original. There will be a tease of nudity, then a push to the Web site.
What did you like best and worst of the Super Bowl ads?
- Matt Price
How did you like Smallville: Absolute Justice?
The Geoff Johns-written “Smallville: Absolute Justice,” guest-starring the Justice Society of America, aired on the CW on Friday night. Share your thoughts on the special two-hour event below!
Captain America Reborn 6 goes to second printing
Marvel has announced “Captain America Reborn” No. 6 has sold out at the distributor level. Comic stores may still have copies available. The Ed Brubaker-Bryan Hitch collaboration features the climactic battle between the Red Skull and Steve Rogers, the original Captain America.
The second printing, featuring a new cover created from interior art by Bryan Hitch, is set for a March 3 release date.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics Podcast: Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk 1, Captain America Reborn 6, World’s Finest 4, Supergirl 49, Superman Secret Origin 4
Planet Hulk comes to DVD, and the Hulk characters are active in comics this week as well, as Fall of the Hulks continues. Sterling Gates has two comic releases with Supergirl 49 and World’s Finest 4. Cap’s rebirth concludes, and Superman’s secret origin continues. Matt Price and Kyle Roberts bring you the updates.
DVD review – Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
David Tennant’s final turn as the Doctor comes to DVD and Blu-ray in “Doctor Who: The Complete Specials.”
The Doctor is the last Time Lord, a human-looking alien who saves the day in times of crisis and frequently travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a ship that resembles a 1950s police call box. Tennant’s wisecracking, ever-prepared version of the Doctor has provided popular with fans, and these five specials are the last in which he will star.
The first of the specials features the time-traveling Doctor in 1851 London on Christmas Eve. He meets someone else who also believes himself to be the Doctor, and the two face off against Cybermen, cyborg invaders from another dimension.
The second special, “Planet of the Dead,” features Michelle Ryan as a jewel thief who teams up with the Doctor when they are thrown through a rift in space. On an apparently desolate planet, they must find their way back to earth, along with a busload of passengers accidentally stranded.
The third special, “The Waters of Mars,” features the Doctor’s encounter with Earth’s first pioneers on Mars.
The final two specials, “The End of Time” parts one and two, feature the return of the insane Master (John Simm), who is intent on taking over the Earth. But the Master is just a pawn in a larger play. The first of the two-part episode feels oddly paced, but it all comes together in the end, as Tennant’s final episode of “Doctor Who” sends him out with emotion and grace. Fans also get the first look as Matt Smith as the new Doctor.
Extras include Doctor Who Confidential, deleted scenes, video diaries with Tennant, audio commentaries and featurettes.
- Matthew Price
Monday movie quote challenge #64
“None of you seem to understand. I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me!”
Identify who said the above quote in what film in the comments!
50 Grant Morrison graphic novels you should read
Happy birthday to Grant Morrison, who turns 50 today. In celebration of a half-century of the acclaimed Scottish comic-book writer, here are 50 Grant Morrison graphic novels you should read.
1-2. All-Star Superman Volumes 1 and 2.
A new take on a classic; Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely take the things that made Superman charming in the Silver Age and blend them into a dazzling modern story.
3-9. The Invisibles (7 volumes)
A secret society called the Invisibles work against forces who aim to suppress humanity. “The Invisibles” was Morrison at his most ambitious and complex.
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum
A sales juggernaut when released in the Bat-frenzied era of of 1989, in “Arkham Asylum” the inmates take over the asylum on April Fools Day and demand Batman face them before they release their hostages. Drawn by Dave McKean, this is often considered among the very best Batman stories.
11.-16 JLA (6 volumes in softcover)
Morrison brought back DC’s biggest hitters to the Justice League of America and instantly made it a hit. Focusing on high-octane threats, this JLA is superhero adventure done right.
17-23. New X-Men (7 volumes in softcover)
Grant Morrison took the original concept of the X-Men and made it relevant: With a new evolution of humanity on the horizon, Charles Xavier’s school is for those mutants who are the harbinger of humanity’s next level.
24.-26. Animal Man (3 volumes)
B-list superhero Animal Man explored animal rights and the nature of fiction in three volumes from Morrison and artists including Chas Truog, Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood.
27-32. Doom Patrol (6 volumes)
Surrealistic superhero fiction that marked Morrison as a writer to watch in the U.S.
33. The Filth
Something of a companion piece to “The Invisibles,” The Filth features another secret organization and bizarre sci-fi tropes.
34-38. Zenith (5 volumes)
Impossible to find due to legal issues, but well-worth reading if you can find it. Zenith is a superpowered, self-centered pop star who fights evil reluctantly, at best.
39.-42. 52 (4 volumes)
Co-written with Mark Waid, Geoff Johns and Greg Rucka, “52″ followed up on “Infinite Crisis” and provided a superheroic tour of the DC Universe minus its big 3 – Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. It was an experimental form of storytelling at the time – a weekly continuity series with four writers, a layout artist and an assortment of finishers – that’s fascinating in its anything-goes nature.
43.-45. Seven Soldiers of Victory (3 volumes)
Morrison’s revamp of lesser-known DC heroes intermix across genres and settings.
46. We3
Three bioengineered pets just want to find their way home.
47. Kill Your Boyfriend
A black comedy filled with over-the-top teen rebellion.
48. The Mystery Play
A murder mystery about the death of God – or the actor playing him, perhaps.
49. Seaguy
Undersea adventure with an unusual twist, featuring a soft drink that comes to life.
50. Vimanarama
A young man nervous about an arranged marriage finds out a superpowered being desires his bride, as well.
Worth noting is Morrison’s “Flex Mentallo,” which due to legal issues hasn’t – and won’t – be reprinted, but is worth diving the back issue bins to find.
- Matt Price
DVD review – The Philanthropist: The Complete Series
The eight-episode series of “The Philanthropist” comes to DVD, but is it worth the donation?
Inspired by the real-life philanthropic work of Bobby Sager, “The Philanthropist” stars James Purefoy (“Rome”) as Teddy Rist, billionaire bad boy who decides he must do more with his life.
Rist is dealing with grief and guilt from the death of his son, and when he sees a child in Nigeria after the effects of a hurricane, he decides he’s going to use his money and power to help the boy and others like him. Throughout the series, he traipses off to new locations, aiming to provide hands-on philanthropy to those in need.
The cast is well-known: James L. Martin and Neve Campbell as Rist’s associates; Michael Kenneth Williams (“The Wire”) as Rist’s right-hand man; and Krista Allen (“Days of Our Lives”) as Rist’s ex-wife.
The show had a complicated genesis; it was originally developed by Tom Fontana (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), who was replaced by David Eick (“Battlestar Galactica”) who was then replaced by Fontana.
It’s beautifully shot, and Purefoy is well-cast as the good guy who isn’t always so pure of heart. The show has its share of dopey moments, but the feel-good premise and the talented cast push their way through them.
Despite the flaws and a lack of special features on the DVD, the short-lived series is worth a look, especially for Purefoy fans.
— Matthew Price
