The Dark Knight

This movie doesn't just make the other summer "comic book," movies look shabby, it makes all movies that have been released in the last 2-3 years look pretty pathetic. The Dark Knight not only delivers the endless thrills that a great superhero film should, but it is seamlessly woven into a gritty and beautifully tragic morality tale. I frakking loved this new Batman series because it has brought to life the actual Dark Knight landscape that Frank Miller and Alan Moore really set into motion 20 years ago. This Batman has real issues to deal with. Criminals that are competent, vicious and will hit him where it hurts.

The cast in this film was utterly amazing. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman aren't mailing it in here folks. These acting giants are given supporting role and yet find ways for these men not become cliched sidekicks. Gary Oldman is indeed a freak. The guy is beyond "method acting," and it shows because right now I can't even remember him as anything but Commissioner Gordon. Maggie Gyllenhaal, is not only a better actress than Katie Holmes/I'm trapped in a closet/Cruise but she is actually believable as a Gotham City assistant DA. Not the DA though, because that role was made for Aaron Eckhart whose Two Face almost steals the film from Batman, if it weren't for another character that you may have heard about. Christian Bale has suddenly embodied Batman without having to apologize for it (I'm looking at you Clooney). Can anyone that sees this film and even take Michael Keaton seriously in the role? I realize that those movies were done a while back, but I almost want to walk up to Tim Burton and kick him in the balls for trying to deliver an "edgy"Batman series and utterly failing. Bale's Dark Knight is badass. He's hurt, angry and just a little bit crazy but above everything he is a hero. I cannot wait to see Bale do the same with the new Terminator franchise (hopefully).

And yet any Dark Knight review wouldn't be complete without mountain of praise for the departed Heath Ledger. I don't believe the hype that Ledger killed himself after going to "too dark a place," while playing the Joker. I think this is an insult to Ledger's ability to master his craft. He's brilliant fucking actor that mixed too many pills. This Joker may prevent any other actor from portraying him ever again. I'm serious too:) He's that good. Nicholson's Joker was a comic book caricature mixed in with the "Jack" that audiences love. It was enjoyable because of the role's absurdity and wit. Ledger turned the Joker into, as the character says "a better class of criminal." I haven't been scared of a villain in a long time. He makes you laugh but it's a nervous laughter because this Joker doesn't just enjoy chaos, he needs it. This version of the Joker is an actual psychopath and the best part about the character is that we never know the "why." We never get anything resembling the "true nature" of the Joker or fully understand why he sets things into motion which makes him utterly terrifying.

Above all Christopher Nolan's team deserves the most credit because the story and script make all of these characters and the world they live in seem too real and yet unimaginable at the same time. Somebody from this film deserves one of the meaningless shiny award statues, only to prove that those contests are not completely out of the loop.

The Dark Knight reigns supreme.

Why does George Lucas hate humans?

While I will always be excited about the prospect of new Star Wars material, I have been less than thrilled with the snippets of "The Clone Wars." Specifically the latest from Comic Con. Lucas seems hell bent on using his massive team of designers to create more "cartoonish" looking characters instead of building on realism. I mean, George, I get that you hate actors and working with "actual people." But what's the point of putting all this energy into the project if your main characters are going to look like Hanna Barbara sketches plopped in front of a kick-ass backdrop?

Someone take the keys away from grandpa, please.

TRON Muthaflippin' 2!!!

JoBlo.com has a detailed description of the Comic-Con 2008 trailer that caught everyone off guard (apparently since nary a cellphone video has appeared thus far):


"After sitting through the lame RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN panel for an hour (more on that later) I thought there was nothing that could save my sanity short of a nail driven into my skull. However, just as the talent table cleared out and the anxious audience made it's way toward the exit, our host got back on the mic and told us Disney had a little something special to show us. The lights dimmed, the Disney logo appeared, and then everything went digital.... and neon. Cue the teaser for TRON 2... "

Visit http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=22180 to read the rest of the recap.

I'm suddenly very excited about TRON again. I'd scramble for my DVD of the first movie, but then I thought... do I even have a DVD copy? Did they make one? Yes... they did and apparently I already bought it.

UPDATE!!! io9 has a sneakily shot shaky-cam version of the trailer. It still blows my pants off.

http://io9.com/5029516/tr2n-rips-your-eyeballs-and-light-cycles-off

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Did Abe Sapien's voice sound less like Niles from "Fraiser"? Sure, but outside of that I have no complaints with this visually stunning, kickass and hilarious sequel. I'm more excited now to know that Del Toro is doing the Hobbit movies. That guys imagination is crazy and I dig it big time.

Ron Perlman is a really damn good actor and he'd have to be to get any emotion through the giant prosthetic that is his Hellboy uniform. Most of all the Hellboy movies know exactly when to make things light and fun. Too much doom and gloom is never a good thing these days. I really like the idea that the only hope for mankind is the spawn of the devil.

More movies like this one please. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5 cats.

Me. Like. Hulk.

"The Incredible Hulk" was awesome. On par with "Iron Man." Sure it wasn't as funny because Ed Norton isn't Downey Jr. But it fit right in with the new movie "universe," that Marvel is trying to establish. I mean how can you not love Tim Roth as a bitter strung out special ops maniac? It's Tim Roth!? Again, just based on that casting and performance alone I am flabbergasted that the critical consensus on this movie likened the film to its false-start predecessor. Did those people watch the Ang Lee's first film?

The CGI didn't take me out of the story either. In the TV series, which this movie basically mirrored, Bruce Banner and the Hulk are two separate entities loosely connected by a confused mind and soul that struggle to coexist. So I didn't lose any emotional heft when the computer characters started to brawl with each other.

Lastly, this movie was our first definitive evidence that "The Avengers" is really gonna happen. If all the same people are involved, these series of Marvel films could translate to comic geek nirvana. God bless you Marvel, for taking control of your own destiny.

There and Back Again.

Now that the "overture," to the LOTR trilogy has a release date I think it is important to find out where Guillermo del Toro got his "geek card" and what qualifies him to direct this film (if the Hellboy franchise wasn't enough proof already) . As a personal aside, I really hope he gives Smaug the dragon real personality (like Peter Jackson did to the Ents), because the Smaug is not just a Hollywood CGI effect.

Click through to find out what his intentions are for Middle Earth.

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/06/15/29024-del-toro-talks-the-hobbit-in-geek-monthly/

The Middleman

My favorite former, "Lost" writer has a new show on ABC family. If you liked the live version of "The Tick," and hated the way the X-files turned out but also secretly love the witty banter of those crazy Gilmore Girls... then this is your show.

New Hulk vs. Old Hulk

I have yet to see "The Incredible Hulk." I cannot imagine how it can be equal to, worse than or even in the same stratosphere than Ang Lee's abomination "The Hulk," in 2003. Just based on the trailers, this movie is better, because I've seen 4 different awesome trailers for "The Incredible Hulk." That net's out to about 10 minutes of Hulk-smashing goodness and a funny one-liner from Ed Norton. Point and case. That's 5 more enjoyable minutes than the entire previous film.

Now onto the acting quality factor:

1.) Edward Norton or Eric Bana? Is this even a question?
2.) Liv Tyler or Jennifer Connelly? They're both gorgeous but Connelly is a better actress. However, we are talking about a film based around a giant green angry monster who's pants never seem to completely rip apart... so I'll stick with the woman that's already mastered the art of playing an Elvish creature.
3.) William Hurt or Nick Nolte? Again is this even a question? Nick Nolte most likely didn't even realize he was acting in a movie called "The Hulk." When acting against the giant green screen he probably thought he had just mixed his diet pills with a little too much Robitussin that morning.

I will see the movie eventually and if it sucks, I'm blaming it on the French director. Seriously Marvel studios, I'm not trying to be jingoistic but how about finding an American born comic-book fan to direct. Or am I missing something? Was the tv series a ginormous hit in Belgium? Was the Hulk actually a secret communist propaganda tool during the cold war? Hmmmm... I always knew their was something fishy about Bill Bixby.

"Bite my shiny metal DVD!" The Beast with a Billion Backs!

Here's an early review of the new Futurama DVD. It's not out until June 24th, but it sounds like another craptacularly fantastic time.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/06/09/futurama-the-beast-with-a-billion-backs-dvd-review/

WALL-E extened clip

Damn it Pixar! Why can't you make a movie that doesn't look good. My summer is already going to busy.

Iron Man 2 has a start date, pending Downey's rehab.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/880/880149p1.html

This is great news for fans of the Marvel Studio's first franchise and all kidding aside it's probably good news for Downey. I've heard the key thing with successful sobriety is to stay busy and not get to "self-involved." Hopefully playing a billionaire, weapons magnate will be enough fun and we won't see Dr. Stark wandering into random people's bedrooms.

I'm really rooting for these movies because "Iron Man," has really ushered in a new style and era for superhero films. We can have it all. Good acting, good writing and huge exploding thingys.

Indiana Jones: The Curse of George Lucas

I've seen "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and I enjoyed it. It only marginally beats out "Temple of Doom" for the #3 spot in terms of Indiana-ness, but it was a far more enjoyable flick. It felt great to have the character of Dr. Jones back, period. The first time I saw the silhouette of that damn hat, I got goosebumps. Harrison Ford is frakking super old-timey, old now but he's still Indiana Jones. I loved the concept of the story, moving forward 20 years into the middle of cold war and implying that Jones had been working for the government as a spy off/on. Mostly the movie was a fun, summer time thing.

Yet, even the genius of Spielberg and Ford (plus a butt-load of CGI) couldn't prevent this movie from being cursed by the series' creator. George Lucas is like story kryptonite. I have no idea how it happened, but the man responsible for some of the most original and beloved films of all time has lost the ability to tell a full and rich tale. I don't want to spoil the ending but let's just say it felt kind of like George wanted to remake all of the Lucas and Spielberg catalog into one 2-hour sitting.

Stop it George. Just stop it. Let the writer's write and you do... whatever it is the hell that you're doing these days. South park was right, this man has be stopped. No more prequels, no more digital remasters and for the love of god no more fucking LEGO versions of my childhood heros!

The Hobbit is going to be amazing.

Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, chat online about the Hobbit.

http://www.wetanz.com/holics/index.php?itemid=695&catid=2#more

Why haven't you clicked the link yet!!!

Gotham Knight - Trailer TRUE-HD

Is is wrong that I'm more excited about this DVD than the actual Dark Knight film? I'm sure Chris Nolan's film will kick ass, there's just something about Batman in animation.

There may be some week links given that there will be six different directors but I think it is awesome that their actually telling the story between "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight."

Fringe actually looks pretty good.

This may be blasphemy to some, but I think this show looks better than X-Files and Alias (throw in a little LOST and those seem to be the ingredients). I loved both of those shows in the early seasons, but I really hope we don't get another version of the "syndicate," or Rambaldi spin-off.

One thing I will say, like every Abrams project yet, it looks damn good. That man knows his way around a camera.

The Shape of things.

This blog will be a place where we geek out, all of the time. Movies, books, TV, games and all things fantastical will be discussed. There's room for heaping praise as well as lambasting those things that suck... really bad. All doors are open.