Monday movie quote challenge #10
“No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for… for ten minutes!”
Identify who said this quote in what film in the comments!
X-Men Origins: Wolverine trailer
Courtesy of Trailer Addict, check out the new X-Men Origins: Wolverine trailer. You get a better idea what the film will be about here, plus a better look at Gambit, Deadpool and Sabretooth.
- Matt Price
Comics vodcast: Amazing Spider-Man #580, Detective Comics #851, and Secret Invasion Dark Reign.
Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss Amazing Spiderman #580, Detective Comics #851, and Secret Invasion Dark Reign.
The real reason Superman might leave the planet
DC Universe Executive Editor Dan Didio has said that Superman is leaving earth in 2009. (He last left Earth for an extended period in the 1980s “Exile” storyline, shown above.) The true reason Superman is leaving the planet may be revealed here.
– Matt Price
Hugh Jackman named Oscar host
LOS ANGELES (AP) – He sings, dances, acts on stage and screen, and he’s the “Sexiest Man Alive.” Hugh Jackman does everything but standup comedy – and that’s why the first-time Oscars host fulfills the academy’s promise to shake up the show in a way that’s as tough to predict as the winners.
Jackman was announced Friday as the host of the 81st Academy Awards, a marked departure from the academy’s standard of big-name comedians. Jon Stewart, who hosted in 2008 and 2006, and Ellen DeGeneres, the 2007 host, were the latest in a line of funny emcees since 1990. Billy Crystal did it eight times, Whoopi Goldberg took on four, Steve Martin did it twice and David Letterman and Chris Rock each had a shot.
As the parade of A-list comedians continued, ratings were in steady decline. But with new producers, a new director, new set designer and even a new music director, the academy has been hinting for months at an all-new look and feel for this year’s Oscars telecast on Feb. 22.
Having Jackman host certainly fits with that theme.
Producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon called the Australian actor “a consummate entertainer and an internationally renowned movie star.”
“He also has style, elegance and a sense of occasion,” Mark and Condon said in a joint statement. “Hugh is the ideal choice to host a celebration of the year’s movies – and to have fun doing it.”
Indeed, Jackman can be a mutant superhero (Wolverine from the “X-Men” movie franchise), a flirtatious singing barker (Billy Bigelow in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical “Carousel”), a determined magician (“The Prestige”) and a dancing penguin (“Happy Feet”).
The 40-year-old actor plays a roughhewn cattle driver opposite Nicole Kidman’s English aristocrat in the new Baz Luhrmann romantic adventure “Australia.” Jackman was abroad promoting the film Friday when his Oscar role was announced.
“Thirty years ago when I was in Sydney watching Johnny Carson host the Oscars with my family, I never imagined that I’d one day have the chance to be up on that stage myself,” he said in a statement. “I am very grateful to the Academy for giving me this opportunity. And, excited to be working with Larry and Bill on what I know will be a fun and memorable celebration.”
Having an entertainer such as Jackman host the show necessitates a change in the well-established standard of opening the show with a jokes, said Steve Pond, author of the 2005 book “The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards.”
“The tricky part is that while he’s charming, he’s not the kind of guy to go out there and deliver a comic monologue at the top of the show,” Pond said. “He’s more comfortable with a song and dance, but is a song and dance at the top of the Oscars what people want to see? It’ll be tricky adopting what he does best to what works at the Oscars.”
But with ratings dropping for all awards shows, it’s worth shaking things up to generate interest – and the Academy Awards telecast, which posted its lowest ratings ever in February, isn’t the only one trying something new.
The Emmys added a category – best reality-show host – and divvied the show’s hosting duties among the five nominees. The results were disastrous: Critics panned the format and the show was one of the least-watched Emmys ever.
The Grammy Awards spiced up its nominations earlier this month by trading its typical staid press conference for a glitzy, live concert special. Ratings-wise, the hourlong show came in fourth among prime-time contenders, behind such dramas as NBC’s “Life” and ABC’s “Private Practice.”
Bringing in Jackman to host the Academy Awards is “a stretch for the Oscars, but at this stage, it’s worth taking the risk,” Pond said. “He certainly has what it takes to do the gig if some changes are made in what that gig requires.”
Jackman also has award-winning hosting experience: He won an Emmy in 2005 for hosting the 58th annual Tony Awards in 2004, when he also took a best-actor Tony for his performance in the musical “The Boy From Oz.” Jackman has never been an Oscar nominee, but was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in 2001′s romantic film “Kate & Leopold.” He also served as a past presenter on the Oscar show.
Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have their own Oscar at home – their 8-year-old son, Oscar Maximillian. The couple also have a 3-year-old daughter Ava.
Supergirl 36 preview
For an advance look at “Supergirl” 36, shipping Wednesday from DC Comics, take a look at Newsarama, which has the first five pages posted. “Supergirl” is written by Tulsa-raised Sterling Gates, a University of Oklahoma graduate. The artist is Jamal Igle.
– Matt Price
“Day the Earth Stood Still” tops weekend box office
Despite a rough critical reception (22% on rottentomatoes.com), “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” starring Keanu Reeves, topped this weekend’s box office. Estimates from BoxOfficeMojo.com put the film at $31 million. Here’s the rest of the top 5, also from Box Office Mojo:
WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, DECEMBER 12-14, 2008
Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #
1. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) (Fox)
$31.0 million | 3,560 | $31.0 million | 1
2. Four Christmases (Warner Bros. (New Line)
$13.3 million | 3,540 | $88.0 million | 3
3. Twilight (Summit Entertainment)
$8.0 million | 3,649 | $150.1 million | 4
4. Bolt (Buena Vista)
$7.5 million | 3,133 | $88.9 million | 4
5. Australia (Fox)
$4.3 million | 2,703 | $37.9 million | 3
Source: Box Office Mojo
(www.boxofficemojo.com)
DVD review: Wanted
James MacAvoy stars as Wesley, a put-upon loser who discovers he’s meant for something different in “Wanted,” based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones. Wesley meets the Fox (Angelina Jolie), who tells him his father was part of a secret cabal of assassins, and that Wesley himself must join with them to fulfill his destiny.
The Fraternity, led by Sloan (Morgan Freeman) lives by the credo, “Kill one, save a thousand.” An ancient loom tells them the people who must be removed from the wheel of fate to keep society running smoothly. Wesley has been chosen to find the man who killed his father, the Fraternity says – but the society also has its dark secrets.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the film removes the superhero dressing of the source material, but manages to improve on it.
“Wanted” is visually stunning, and looks sharp on DVD. There are special features including an extended scene, a featurette about adapting “Wanted,” with Millar; and additional featurettes primarily focus on the film’s visual style and effects. The two-disc special edition also comes with a code for a digital copy of the film.
– Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Are video games recession-proof?
Conventional wisdom indicates that even in tough economic times, entertainment continues to sell, as people need a break from the dreariness of their everyday lives. GamePro’s Editor-in-Chief George Jones says he expects that trend to continue in the current recession.
“Typically when there’s a down time economically, video games tend to pick up,” Jones said in a phone interview. “I’ve been doing this for 14 years now, and every time there’s been an economic downturn, that’s been the case.”
Jones said that the large number of hours of entertainment available per video game adds to the value. He also said the social gaming aspect of the Wii makes video games even more appealing.
“Families get together, they play their games,” Jones said. “I think this year will be even better because of the Wii, people’s ability to get together and play. You think about some of these games, $45, $50 goes a lot longer now. There are families still playing Wii Tennis, and that’s a game that came out (in 2006).”
What else do games have going for them in this console generation that didn’t exist before? Downloadable content. While Jones said the retail market for games still dwarfs downloadable content, having an option to download low-cost games is just another area where he expects video games to grow.
“All the consoles have an extra dimension that didn’t exist last time around,” he said. “The consoles are more robust now, which is just another feather in the cap of the games industry right now.”
Jones said the downloadable games seem to serve a more casual market and it doesn’t seem to be cannibalizing the existing market for games.
“Every projection that I see is forecasting growth in both markets,” he said. “The games you can download on Xbox Live are quirkier, usually simpler, kind of more casual. If there’s any shift, it’s that in the game industry there used to be this glut of mid-tier titles. A number of those games are starting to go away and sales are still going up.”
By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Comic-book writer Ryan Foley stays true to Oklahoma roots
Writer Ryan Foley has the power to influence characters’ lives – including He-Man – all from his home in rural Oklahoma. His first published comic book was “Masters of the Universe” Vol. 3 issue No. 8, starring He-Man and the Masters of the Universe characters, based on the Mattel toys.
The Adair native, 34, has worked with MVCreations, Image Comics and Arcana on several comic-book projects. His “Tales of Penance: Trial of the Century” was released this summer. In “Tales of Penance,” a costumed superhero is arrested in the murder of a supervillain after a videotaped battle. Police officer L.J. McCloud is tasked with finding out the truth behind the case.
Foley says being a writer based in Oklahoma hasn’t been a problem.
“Everything is done via the Internet and to a lesser extent the telephone,” Foley said in a recent interview. “I have worked with artists as far away as South America, the Philippines and Italy. My publishers have been based in Virginia, Kentucky and British Columbia.”
Foley said the cost of living is great in Oklahoma, and the pace keeps him relaxed.
“If I were based in New York or Los Angeles, I would be searching for a refrigerator box to live in,” he said. “I love the down home charm of a place like Adair. It is very calm and relaxing. There is no crime. I’ve always said that we are laid back but not back water. My back yard is 80 acres of cattle pasture. I cannot think of a better place to raise my kids.”
Foley said he believes superhero comic books should be looked at as a dynamic, positive medium.
“On the surface, I think comic books can easily be dismissed as a child’s media. But … superheroes are our modern day mythology. Apollo, Hermes, Achilles. Today, they are known as Hyperion, The Flash and Wolverine.”
Foley says he’s still growing as an author.
“My hope as an author is to one day create comics that kids look back on and say, ‘Wow, I really want to write like Ryan Foley.’ I know I’m still a long ways off but I think I get closer with every comic that I write.”
By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
