Is Marvel Trying Too Hard To Fit A Square Peg In A Round Hole?

News broke earlier this week that Edgar Wright was leaving the Ant-Man project over at Marvel, after 8 years of development, due to creative difference. Basically, Marvel wanted Ant-Man to fit into their already established, ever expanding, Cinematic Universe, and Wright wasn't willing to compromise his vision of the film to let them do that. Rumour has it that Marvel went ahead and got an in-house writer to do rewrites on the latest Wright/Cornish script, and Wright finally said to hell with it and walked. Not that I can blame him. I mean he's been working on this project since 2006... long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a blip on the radar. And it's definitely not cool for someone to tamper with and change your work without your knowledge. So, I can understand how it came to this in the end.

I got a chance to call in and talk with Kristian Harloff and Mark Ellis, briefly, over on The Schmoes Know Movie Show this past Thursday night about this. (If you're not watching it, you really should be. It's a great show. 6:00pm-8:00pm every Thursday at www.schmoesknow.com ). I mentioned that, to me, this looks an awful lot like the problems that occurred in 2005 with Bryan Singer and Fox. For those that don't know, just before filming was to begin on the third and fourth X-Men films, Singer abruptly left the project, taking his script with him, to direct Superman Returns. The studio, in a bit of a panic, eventually hired Brett Ratner and we got X-Men: The Last Stand. Enough said! Kristian mentioned that he doesn't see it this way, as Marvel is a different studio than Fox, and that they have a better grasp on their properties. While I understand the logic, and do agree, it's still a huge gamble on their part, I think. Ant-Man is a risky enough character to begin with, but replacing a Wright/Cornish script with something written in-house and Wright as director with a capable, albeit average director (given the short-list that's going around, anyway!) is just not what you want to see happen. I liked the idea of Wright because he was outside of the box, and I think he would have brought an interesting take on the character. I also think that his name would have brought people, who might not have been interested in the character of Ant-Man but were definitely interested in the name Edgar Wright, to see this film.

But this got me thinking... Is Marvel at a place where they're now willing to sacrifice vision so that all of their properties can fit inside the little box that they've created, known as the MCU? These days, it seems that everything that they touch is forced to fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All of their Avengers related movies are included, of course, and so is their Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television show. It makes sense that their new Marvel's Agent Carter show, debuting in the 2014-2015 TV season, will also be part of the MCU, as it will follow the life of Peggy Carter, after she loses Steve Rogers, and will basically tell the story of the development of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I'm assuming, the infiltration of HYDRA. To me, that makes sense as well. The main backbone of the MCU has been S.H.I.E.L.D. from the beginning, so I understand that properties involving the agency will play a part in the bigger picture.

When the Defenders project with Netflix was announced in the fall of 2013, I was glad that we were getting something a little different. Set to air sometime in 2015, it will be comprised of four, 13-episode story arcs, featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage, culminating in a mini-series based on The Defenders. This is awesome. Netflix releases all of it's program's episodes at once, making it the perfect opportunity to binge-watch over the weekend. And then word came out that these properties too, would be part of the bigger, Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, even went as far as to say that if these characters prove popular on Netflix, that it's possible they could become feature films. And to this I say, why? Why do they all have to be related? Can't The MCU and The Defenders Universe be two separate entities?

Don't get me wrong... I love the idea of Marvel expanding it's brand and branching out in different directions. The winner in this scenario is clearly me, the fan. I just worry that things are going to get muddled, with so much going on. Let's face it, while I enjoyed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it had some serious issues in it's first season, that were only fixed once Captain America: The Winter Soldier was finally released in April, and they could reveal that S.H.I.E.L.D. was actually compromised and was virtually HYDRA. This means that everything that happened with the battle of New York in the Avengers is going to play heavily on what happens in these Defenders projects, as they are based out of New York City, as well. This is an awful lot of canon to carry around and I'm not sure that it's going to work as well as they hope. Sure, a lot of people are interested in the movies that Marvel releases. That doesn't mean that they're going to watch the television shows and streaming series, in order to remain "caught up" in what's going on in the MCU. For example, you really needed to watch Winter Soldier on it's opening weekend in April, as the two episodes of S.H.I.E.L.D. that surrounded it, played heavily into the events that happened in the film. Not everyone watches every genre with the same enthusiasm, and I know that while Marvel's is hoping for it, they are banking an awful lot on the idea that those that care about the MCU are going to automatically care about the other related projects.

I fear, in forcing these projects to fit into the box that they've created, that they may be compromising part of their individuality, as well. Up until now, I've enjoyed the fact that Marvel has let it's characters be themselves, while using the threads of the MCU to bind them together in a cohesive package. With this Ant-Man debacle currently going on, it appears that they are getting more aggressive in what they will and will not accept in their universe. A lot of people have cried foul, and said that Marvel should have just given the reigns to Wright and let him do what he wanted, like they have in the past with their directors, like Favreau, Black and Whedon. Make no mistake about it, people, while Favreau, Black and Whedon were able to bring their visions to the screen, they by no means, ever had free reign to do whatever they wanted. Marvel has always been in the driver seat when it comes to their properties and what they do and do not want to see on the screen. It just may not have been as obvious as it is with this whole Edgar Wright thing right now, but it's always been the case. Marvel is in charge, and, it looks like, right now, is not willing to compromise on it's vision, no matter what kind of talent they are dealing with. Let's just hope that it doesn't backfire on them.

Random Bits From The Week That Was...

So, here were are again... Friday! And, as always, there were a number of news stories that broke this week, that either I was too lazy to blog about, or they didn't require a full on rant, as is my usual...


Days Of Future Past Takes Off...

The folks over at Fox have to be pretty pleased with the numbers that the latest film in their X-Men franchise has been pulling in. Not only did it open with $110M domestically over the long, Memorial Day weekend, it also made a huge $171.08M internationally. This overseas number eclipsed the numbers put up by Avatar, making it Fox's biggest international opening weekend of all time. It's in tough this weekend, however, going against new releases Maleficent and A Million Ways To Die In The West. I expect that Maleficent will come out the clear winner, given it's family friendly vibe and that Million Ways will falter, as word is the film's not that good. It will be interesting to see the percentage drop for DOFP, given the strong word of mouth factor and the great reviews for the film.


Old and New Faces Will Appear In Apocalypse...

Since the release of DOFP and that post credits scene involving En Sabah Nur, speculation has been running rampant in regards to the next instalment, X-Men: Apocalypse, set for release in the summer of 2016. While nothing has been officially announced, as the project is still in the early stages of development, it has been speculated that the story will be more of a sequel to First Class, involving the main cast of that branch of the franchise. Set in the 1980's, it will be a study in the origins of the mutant species, which of course, means Apocalypse. Writer Simon Kinberg did announce this week that some of the original cast members would be back for the film, although how this is going to work, I'm not so sure. They may do another "alternate timeline/time travel" thing, which would be the only way for it to make sense, although I'm not sure that this is the right way to go, given that they just mucked with the timeline in DOFP. I had heard another rumour that Scott, Jean and Storm would be recast with younger actors, making the characters fit in with the First Class cast. I guess we'll see what happens with this one.


Fantastic Beasts Still Looking For A Director...

It appears that Alfonso Cuaron has dropped out of the next Harry Potter franchise film. Rumoured, last week, to be in deep discussion with Warner Brothers to direct Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, earlier this week Cuaron stated that he would not be directing the first film in the upcoming trilogy. It seems that immersing himself in another special effects laden project is not what he was looking for, which makes sense given the time and effort that went into his Academy Award winning film, Gravity. Of course, this leads to even greater speculation that he just may be the guy to bring the world of The Shining back to the big screen. Although he denies knowing anything about The Overlook Hotel project over at Warner Brothers, I wouldn't be surprised to eventually see his name attached. I think that this is a better project for his directing style than Fantastic Beasts (I am one of the very few people who did not like his take on The Prisoner of Azkaban) and am looking forward to hearing more about this project.


Plot Details For Pixar's "Inside Out" Released...

Sadly, there are no new Pixar films being released in 2014. However, there are a number of projects that are being geared up by the studio to be released in the next couple of years. Some that are very interesting. Set for release on June 19, 2015, "Inside Out" is one of them, and this week we got a peek at what the movie is about. Set inside the mind of 11 year-old Riley, as her world is turned upside down when her family moves to a new city. Guided by her emotions- Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness- we'll see the conflicts that arise in her head as her emotions try to help her navigate a new city, a new house and a new school. The voice cast for this project looks fantastic and I think that this is a perfect project for Pixar. Lately, some of their films, mostly their sequels, have been considered disappointments, so it's nice to see some new, interesting projects on the horizon. (Although the two sequels that they have planned next are on my must see list, Finding Dory and The Incredibles 2). Let's hope this marks a bit of a resurgence for the once, untouchable animation studio.


Del Toro's "Book of Life" Trailer Drops...

So, apparently, Guillermo Del Toro doesn't sleep. He has like 100,000 projects on the go at any one time (although one of them doesn't appear to be Hellboy 3!) and his fingers in a 100,000 others. Like this one. An animated movie, set for release on October 17, 2014, it tells the story of Manolo, a young man torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Visually, this project looks stunning. The vivid colours and imagery really pop, and the actors cast to voice the film are top notch. It has a very unique animated style, giving it an almost stop motion quality. Overall, it reminds me of Tim Burton's stop motion masterpiece, The Nightmare Before Christmas. This one was not on my radar before now, but has quickly become one of my most anticipated films of the year.


Fox Is Looking For A New Chairman of Entertainment It Seems...

Kevin Reilly will be stepping down as the Chairman of Entertainment over at the Fox Broadcasting Company. Holding the position since 2012, Reilly will depart the post by the end of June. With only three of the nine series that Fox debuted in the fall, earning renewals, it's no surprise that jobs will be on the chopping block. Returning programming at the network also took a hit this season, most of it's shows either flat or down in the ratings from previous years. Fox placed second overall in the demo this season, but fourth in total audience. Change, in the face of these numbers, was inevitable. While I enjoy programming over at Fox, it seems like the studio doesn't have any faith in their projects and they sharpen the axe quite quickly. It will be interesting to see how they handle the buzzy Gotham in the fall, if the numbers aren't what they hoped for. Of course, I'm still angry at the network and Murdoch for cancelling Firefly back in 2002. Apparently, I hold a grudge! :)


And finally...

New International Trailer For Apes on Horses Drops...

A new trailer for the upcoming Dawn of The Planet of The Apes dropped, and boy is it a doozy. Even though there is not a whole lot of new footage in the trailer, it is rearranged slightly, giving a different perspective on the film. I thought nothing of Rise of the Planet of the Apes when it was released, but was completely blown away when I eventually saw the film. It was an incredible story, told by an incredible cast and Andy Serkis as Caesar was amazing. I am greatly anticipating this one, and will be sure to review it once I finally see it on July 11th.

Happy Birthday Bro!

Today is my brother's birthday. He would have been 38 years old...

We were born 15 months apart. As my Mom says, it was like she had two babies. Growing up, we were the best of friends. Pretty much inseparable. While I was a girly-girl, and liked Barbies and dollhouses and things that were pink, because of him, and my youngest brother, I also appreciated Star Wars and He-Man and GI Joe. While they wouldn't play with my stuff... you know, it being pink and all!... I had no issue setting up Snake Mountain or taking Luke and Han out on missions. I remember once, we were playing outside in the snow and somehow Luke Skywalker got lost in an avalanche. We searched for a long time, but couldn't find him anywhere. He made his reappearance in the spring when the snow melted. We watched Garfield holiday specials and The Muppet Show together. Walked home from school, went to the movies. Regular brother and sister things.

As we got older, and became obnoxious teenagers, we drifted apart. As is wont to happen, we started becoming different people and hanging out with different crowds. Our goals and dreams became different and our personalities began to clash. We were no longer interested in the same things or the same ideas. As we got older, my brother also seemed to develop a serious case of middle child syndrome. Even though my parents treated us all as equals, he somehow seemed to feel that we, and the world, owed him something. And this used to drive me nuts! Often, we would get into fights over the stupidest things, and other times we couldn't even have a conversation without it turning in to an argument.

As we got into our 20's, we were virtual strangers. I moved away to go to University and pretty much all of our communication ceased. We saw each other on holidays and maybe had a conversation or two every year, but that was about it. I still felt that he had a huge chip on his shoulder, and he thought that I was nothing but a pretentious bitch. That was pretty much our relationship for a decade or so.  We loved each other, because we were family, but definitely weren't friends like we used to be.

He died on November 26, 2008. It's a day that is etched in my memory, and I'm pretty sure will be for the rest of my life. I remember what the weather was like that day, what I had for lunch, what I was doing when the knock on the door happened. I remember answering the door, my stomach in knots, because there was only two reasons for two police officers to come knocking that late at night, and I knew no one was getting arrested. I remember the officer actually saying the word "deceased."

I didn't cry at his funeral. I see crying as a weakness, but only in myself, not in other people. It was the first time that I had ever seen my Dad cry. There were 3 songs played at his funeral, songs that he had always had a connection with, and to this day, I can't listen to them. I haven't been to the cemetery to visit his grave, even though I heard that his headstone is beautiful. I can't do it. It's too hard... too final. My Mom stopped going because it made her too sad, but my Dad still goes every Sunday. I am just thankful that the last time I saw him, a couple of days before he passed, we actually managed to have a nice conversation. It was mundane, about chicken, but it didn't end in a big fight, so I'll take it as a win. When he reached his 30's, he changed, seemed to mature a bit, and became a lovely, interesting man. And I'm sad that I didn't get a chance to know the man that he would become.

I think about my brother every day... which makes me even sadder, because I think about him now, more than I ever did while he was alive. But I guess that's what happens. We don't truly appreciate what we have until it's gone. There's a part of me that still can't believe he's gone. There's a part of my heart that's missing, and I'll never quite be whole again. But, life does go on for those of us left behind. And while I would really rather that he be here with us, I am glad to know, since that's not possible, that he's up there, looking out for us. Someone up there is on our side.

I miss you. I love you, very much, even though I didn't say it enough. Happy birthday, little brother.

Would A Score By Any Other Name Sound As Sweet?

The score is the life blood of a film. I'm not talking about the soundtrack, although occassionally, they are one and the same thing. I am talking about the actual score. The music that plays underneath the dialogue or whatever else is happening on the screen. Music that is composed especially for that film.

Have you ever tried to watch a movie without the score? The difference is amazing and quite astonishing. Whether you realize it or not, it's that music that plays that heightens the emotion you're feeling in regards to what's happening on the big screen. It's what causes those tingles to race up your spine with suspense. It's what pulls you through when it seems like all hope is lost. It's what keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's what breaks your heart at that one critical moment. The score is what pulls you forward, the thread that holds it all together, the one constant in the ever moving, ever changing landscape.

I love music. And while I usually like lyrics, movie scores are the one time where I don't mind the lack of words. You can experience the tone and mood perfectly, without the need for verbal cues. I have my favorite composers and often turn on a score in the background, letting the music take me to far away places. Thanks to Mark Reilly over at www.schmoesknow.com I have a new composer to add to my growing list of favorites.

Michael Giacchino does masterful work. He won an Academy Award for scoring the delightful Pixar film, Up. (How it took me so long to find him, I'll never know!) Yes, he is the man responsible for the breathtaking melody during the 4:10 minutes entitled "Married Life", the beautiful and heartbreaking telling of Carl and Ellie's life together. He and the fabulous animators at Pixar studios are the reason that you always cry. He has also scored a handful of other Pixar properties, including The Incredibles, another of my favorites, and Ratatouille, which is probably my most favourite. The score to this film, with it's French flair is exquisite. He also scored both of the new Star Trek films, as well as Super 8 for J.J. Abrams and has some very interesting projects coming up this year. Now that he is on my radar (Again, what took me so long?), I am interested to see what he does with both Dawn of The Planet of the Apes and Jupiter Ascending. Makes me even more excited for Apes and a bit more curious about Jupiter.

Of course, no discussion about movie scores is complete without the mention of the incomparable John Williams. The man is a genius. Pure and simple. No question, no hesitation, no anything. He is a genius. He has created some of the most beautiful, most instantly recognizable pieces of music in history. His score for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII will be his 113th film score. Let's look at that number again... he has scored 113 films. One hundred and thirteen. That number is staggering and astonishing. And cements him as the greatest composer over the last 60 years, if not arguably, ever. Hands down, there is no way that you can argue his genius. I mean, can you imagine Jaws without those two base notes? What about Star Wars without the Main Title theme or the Imperial March? Or the five tones that repeat throughout Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Who is Indiana Jones without his theme music? How about those first few notes that play over the credits of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone? All John Williams. While I have a number of his scores (and with the list of movies that he's scored, you would be hard pressed to find anyone that doesn't!) and  I enjoy them all, my favourites have to be the scores to the Star Wars movies. All six of them. I know that the prequels had a lot of problems, but the score was definitely not one of them. One of my all-time favourite pieces of music is Binary Sunset... the bit that plays in A New Hope when Luke is watching the twin suns of Tatooine set. To me, it is the epitome of Star Wars and always brings a smile to my face and a shiver to my spine.

There are many amazing artists out there who have created beautiful music. Marvin Hamlisch, who scored such classics as The Way We Were and Sophie's Choice. Paul Williams, who scored the delightful Muppet Movie and A Star Is Born (and two of my most favourite Christmas specials, Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas and A Muppet's Christmas Carol). Randy Newman, who scored all three Toy Story movies, as well as The Natural. Hans Zimmer, who scored The Lion King and Man of Steel, although my favourite scores are his Kung-Fu Panda and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. James Horner, who scored An American Tail, Willow (another of my most favourites), Braveheart and Titanic. Danny Elfman, who scored such films as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. James Newton Howard. Rachel Portman. Alexandre Desplat. The list goes on and on and on...

My favourite all time score was composed by Academy Award winner, Howard Shore. He has scored some amazing movies, like Philadelphia, The Silence of the Lambs and Eastern Promises, but to me, nothing will compare to the music he composed for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The haunting beauty of the score holds a special place in my heart, as do the movies themselves. Listening to the score brings back all the emotion and feelings that I have when I watch the films. I can't listen to certain parts without getting emotional... The Grey Havens makes me tear up every time, and Annie Lennox's Into The West makes me bawl like a baby. (on a side note, I'm not actually allowed to watch the movies anymore, because when I do, I take the entire day and watch all 3 special editions back to back... and I pretty much bawl like a baby from about halfway through Return of the King, right to the end... so, no, I'm banned from watching them right now!)

They say the song remembers when. That just hearing a certain song or melody can take you back to places instantly, and that is never more true than with a film score. Once you take away the picture and the dialogue, and just feel what the composer is trying to tell you through their music, you'll appreciate the movie that much more. At least I know I do.
        

Review: Sometimes Your Future Lies In Your Past...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

The following is a review of X-Men: Day Of Future Past, and may contain spoilers. If you do not want to be spoiled, then I suggest you do not read any further. If, you are one of those weird people who don't mind being spoiled with things like plot details and such, then be all means, continue...

I have now seen this movie twice. It has been in theatres for a grand total of 3 days, and I have seen it twice. That is how much I loved it. This is a fantastic film... and I don't just mean genre film, or superhero film, I mean a great film, period. I honestly don't know that I am going to see another movie this year that I feel is better than Days Of Future Past. 

To me, this movie had everything that I am looking for in a great film. The screenplay was fantastic. The story is incredibly well written, and true to the feeling of the comic book characters, without coming off too campy. There have always been some continuity issues with the X-Men franchise (some bigger than others!), and Fox has always just kind of swept them under the rug and not looked back. There are a few here too, especially in the timing of certain pivotal moments that occurred in previous movies, but, personally I am willing to overlook them, as it's difficult when you are dealing with different film makers for each property, to get them to line up exactly. (Yes, I know that Marvel has managed to do it through 8 films and a television show, but give me this one, please?). And then of course, ultimately, by the end of the film, it doesn't really matter anyway, so we might as well just go with it. The way that the Simon Kinberg was able to seamlessly weave the future story arc to the past was spectacular. The pacing and cut of the film were perfect. I can't think of a point where I felt bored or that the story was dragging or I needed more action or something to shake things up. The two plus hours flew by, both times.

 A lot of people were upset when word came that Hugh Jackman, as Wolverine, would once again be the central character in the film. In the comics, it is Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat, who is the one who gets sent back in time to alter the events of the past. I understand Fox's decision to put Jackman front and centre. He is the face of the franchise. Everyone knows who Wolverine is, given the fact that he has been in all 7 of Fox's X-Men movies, if you include the brief cameo he did in First Class. And honestly, Jackman has never been better. I'm sure by now, the character fits him like a glove. And physically... holy hell! The man is perfection personified. He got into amazing shape for The Wolverine last year and just continued on through the filming of Days of Future Past. I'm all for gratuitous nudity if it looks like that!

With that being said, while Wolverine is a key character in this film, the movie actually belongs to James McAvoy, as the younger Charles Xavier. And boy does he deliver. Charles is a broken, defeated man and McAvoy oozes despair. His portrayal is heartbreaking. You feel his pain and grief through the screen. He is a fantastic actor and I am glad that he was able to show that here, bringing a new dimension and depth to a character that we thought we knew. (If you haven't seen McAvoy in Wanted, you really should. That is another excellent, under-rated movie). Michael Fassbender, as the younger Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto, is also spectacular. His portrayal of the character has always been something to marvel at, and he doesn't disappoint here. Although his character is a villain, he is also extremely sympathetic. He's doing what he thinks is right for the good of all mutants, and it's hard to fault him for that. The scene on the plane when he and Charles argue about their tumultuous past is breathtaking in it's heartbreak and intensity. (Of course, Michael Fassbender could read the phone book on screen for 2 hours and I would be mesmerized!) The rest of the cast, including Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique and Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy, are also at the top of their game. The performances that Bryan Singer was able to get from the entire cast is one of the things that make this such a great movie. Many of the characters, especially in the future scenes, like Bishop, Blink, Warpath, Colossus, Sunspot and Iceman, are not given a lot of screen time, but what they do with it is remarkable. It is seriously devastating to watch the Sentinel's tear through them at the end of the film. I am glad that Bryan Singer chose to come back to this universe and more or less make things right. He knows and understands this universe like no one else, which is evident by what he put on our movie screens.

The only issue that I have with this film, is the fact that, with the exception of X-Men: First Class, they managed to erase everything else that has happened in the universe. While I appreciate the "screw you" that Singer threw Ratner's way in regards to wiping X-Men: The Last Stand out of existence (while I didn't hate the film, and thought it had a few redeeming qualities, it is generally reviled by fans), I am disappointed that the events of X-Men, X2: X-Men United and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (again, I didn't hate this film either and do think that it also had some redeeming qualities and important character points, but again it is reviled by most, who I am sure are glad that the events depicted in it are now also wiped out of existence) are all moot, as well as the events of last summer's The Wolverine. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me for Fox to go through all of the trouble of making and marketing The Wolverine, only to have the entire thing be nothing but a memory to Logan, less than a year later. But, what can you do? What's done is done. The end scene of the movie was great though. It was fantastic to see a happy future, where everyone, including Scott Summers and Jean Grey, survived. The cameos by the original actors from all of the films was a great touch.

With the release of X-Men: Apocalypse set for exactly 2 years from now, I was slightly surprised to see that they didn't use the time travel angle to somehow get the cast from First Class in to the present timeline. It was my expectation that something along those lines would happen, as it was quite obvious, aside from Hugh Jackman, the majority of the original cast members would not be back to reprise their roles in any future projects. This movie was going to be a passing of the torch, so to speak. And I guess, in many ways, it was. Rumour has it that X-Men: Apocalypse will be more of a First Class sequel than anything else, with the surviving cast members of that movie moving forward to the 1980's. There are also plans for a third Wolverine movie, set for release in March of 2017. Many expect that this will be Hugh Jackman's final go around as the character. And while, I am hoping, that since they altered his history, and that Mystique is the "William Stryker" that takes him at the end of DOFP, they may revisit the Weapon X program storyline once more. Maybe get it right this time. Regardless, if Jackman is finally hanging up the claws for good, all I can say is, thank you, sir and bravo. While you will be missed, you will never be forgotten.  

Say It Ain't So, Ant-Man! Say It Ain't So...

Disappointing news out of the Marvel offices today. According to Variety, Edgar Wright is taking his stuff and going home. That's right, you heard me correctly. Due to "differences in the vision of their film" Edgar Wright has stepped away from the Ant-Man project that he has been working on, on and off, since 2006.

This seriously sucks! I am not happy about this news at all...

Although a large part of the Avengers in the comic book world, Ant-Man is a relatively unknown property to the general public. Much like the hiring of James Gunn to direct the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy, Edgar Wright was an orthodox, but very interesting choice to helm the project. Wright is a bold film-maker, with a distinct vision, and I was looking forward to his take on one of Marvel's more interesting characters. Apparently, that's not going to happen now.

Now, this project has had it's ups and downs along the way, so, although disappointing, in the grand scheme of things, it's not really surprising. The development of the film began back before the release of the original Iron Man, and initial word out of Wright's camp in 2010 was that Ant Man wouldn't be part of the MCU, as it didn't really fit with the origin story that he had written for the character. Needless to say, Kevin Feige and Marvel were probably not pleased to hear this, as they are working very, very hard to make sure that everything in the MCU lines up just perfectly. By 2011 there had been three drafts of the script submitted. By early 2013, Kevin Feige was still talking about the script being modified to fit into the MCU. You can see where this is going, can't you? Wright still maintained that Ant-Man was a standalone film and that "it is pretty standalone in the way that we're linking it to the others." Although Marvel set an initial release date of November 6, 2015 (which they eventually pushed up to July 31, 2015) and pre-production began in the fall of 2013, it was obvious that Feige and Wright were still at odds in regards to this property and where it would fit in Marvel's overall, big picture, universe.

And then, Paul Rudd was cast as Scott Lang... very outside the box, but very interesting!... and Michael Douglas was cast as Hank Pym... again, outside the box and very, very interesting! And suddenly, this was a very, very, very interesting property. A little unorthodox, a little quirky, it along with GOTG showed that Marvel was willing to take risks. And all of us comic book nerds held our breath in anticipation...

And now here we are, 13 months out from the release of the film, and the director has packed up and moved on to bigger? better? more interesting? things. While this is disappointing, the real problem comes in regards to the script. Is Edgar Wright pulling a Bryan Singer (who famously left the third X-Men film, taking his script with him to direct Superman Returns)? Because if that's the case, then Marvel is screwed. Like, seriously screwed! I honestly can't see, if their visions of how and what the characters are, are so different, how Wright and writing partner Joe Cornish would leave their script with Kevin Feige and Marvel, unless they were contractually obligated to. And, without a script, Marvel is never going to make it's July 2015 release date. The movie hasn't started filming yet (production isn't slated to start until the fall, although isn't that a little late? Is it just me? I mean, isn't this going to be a pretty heavy special effects laden movie? Is that enough time to do all that?), meaning there is no way to tell where exactly in pre-production they are with the project.

Word is that Marvel already has a new director mind, so I would expect an announcement of some kind in the next few days. It will be interesting to see who they have chosen to replace Wright. No matter who it is, there will always be the rumblings of "But what would we have gotten if Wright had chosen to complete this project?" As sweaty movie nerds, we never seem to be content. And when studios make decisions like this one, I can understand our anger and confusion. Let's just hope that, whomever they choose, that director knocks it out of the park, and the only question we ask is "Edgar who?"

Random Bits From The Week That Was...

So, here we are again. It's a rainy Friday here at home and there have been bits and pieces of pop culture goodies that have come in over the week that I have either been too lazy to blog about, or they just didn't warrant a full on rant. So, here we go...


Gareth Edwards Set To Direct Star Wars Spin Off...

So, news broke last night that Disney has signed Gareth Edwards, the director of the recently released Godzilla, to helm their first Star Wars spin off movie. Set for release sometime in 2016, there have been very few details released in regards to this, or any other Star Wars project. Personally, I think that Edwards is a good choice for this project and that it will fit his directing style well. I thought that Godzilla was visually stunning, and while I understand some people's issue with the characterization, I personally didn't have a problem with the way that the characters were portrayed or developed. It will be interesting to see what project this actually turns out to be. A lot of people are speculating that it may be the much anticipated Boba Fett movie, which would be a great fit for Edwards. Disney is going to have to move forward pretty quickly if they want to make their 2016 release date, however, so I expect more news to be released soon.


Disney's "Big Hero 6" Gets Teased...

So, the House of Mouse has really stepped up their game in the animation department over the last couple of years, and I love it. Following the success of Wreck It Ralph (which I loved!) and Frozen (which I liked!), Disney is set to release another charming tale this November, entitled Big Hero 6. Based on a Marvel comic book of the same name, it's the story of brilliant robotics prodigy, Hiro Hamada, and his companion, a robot named Baymax, as they join forces with a team of first-time crime fighters trying to save their city. The animation looks great, a mix of contemporary and anime styles and so far, the characters look amazing, in what little glimpse we got of them, anyway. This is definitely on my must see list for the fall, and I am looking forward to a full trailer, so that I can get a little more in depth knowledge of the actual story.


Alfonso Cuaron Courted For 2 Big Projects...

So, it looks like Alfonso Cuaron may be headed back to the world of Harry Potter. Warner Brothers is said to be in deep negotiations with the Oscar winning director to helm their new Harry Potter based film, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Cuaron also directed the third Potter movie, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. To be perfectly honest, this news doesn't thrill me. While I get that Cuaron is a world class director, Azkaban is actually my least favourite film in the series. What others seemed to love about it, the artistic flair and tone, are the things that pulled me out of it. To each his own, I guess, and if this happens, I won't lose any sleep over it. The other big announcement involving Cuaron this week is that Warner Brothers is also courting him to direct their The Shining prequel, The Overlook Hotel. Apparently, Warner Brothers not only wants to be in the Ben Affleck business, but the Alfonso Cuaron business as well. I think that this is a better fit for Cuaron, and if he had to chose only one, I hope that it would be this one. I think his style is perfect for this kind of project and his take on it will be very interesting. I guess we'll see what happens.


The Coen Brothers Seem Set To Write Tom Hanks To Another Oscar...

Word has leaked that Dreamworks has hired Joel and Ethan Coen to do some additional writing on their Steven Spielberg directed, Tom Hanks starring Cold War political thriller, expected to start production in September. Holy dream-team, Batman! Based on the true story of prominent American attorney, James Donovan, who is enlisted by the CIA to negotiate the release of a pilot who was captured when his spy plane was shot down over Russia, this is definitely an Oscar buzz worthy project, and it hasn't even started filming yet. The combination of all this talent is mind-boggling and it will be interesting to see if the project lives up to the hype and expectation. I expect way more information to be released on this project and it's high-profile list of collaborators, in the coming months.


First Trailer For Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman: The Secret Service Released...

So, apparently, Matthew Vaughn is sticking with the comic book adaptations. His follow up to X-Men: First Class, Kingsman: The Secret Service is based on Mark Millar's comic book series The Secret Service and depicts a veteran secret agent who leads a young protege into the world of espionage. To be perfectly honest, this is the first I've heard of this project, but it looks really good. The trailer is fun and the cast is stellar. Vaughn is one of my favourite directors, (he not only directed X-Men: First Class, but also Kick-Ass and one of my most favourite movies, Stardust, which if you haven't seen, you should really check out, by the way!) so I am looking forward to the release of this project in the fall. This one might be an opening weekend kind of thing, actually.


More Godzilla Coming Our Way....

After the massive success of Godzilla, ($93M domestically and $103M internationally in it's opening weekend), Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures announced they are developing a sequel to the monster movie. No word as of yet if Gareth Edwards will be back to direct (he's going to busy directing the new Star Wars spin-off, after all!), or any of the cast members will be returning, as this is still in the very early stages of development. But, let's face it, this is a no brainer. The movie opened with better opening weekend numbers than The Amazing Spiderman 2! Of course they're going to start production on a sequel. It's obvious that the general movie going audience is excited to see these big, epic monster movies and if they are done as well as this one, then all the better. It will be interesting to see how much the numbers drop this weekend, with the opening of X-Men: Day of Future Past, and what the second viewing numbers are like.

Justice League Light Gets An Official Title...

So, Warner Brothers stunned everyone and actually, out of the blue, dropped the official title of the Man of Steel sequel, set for release on May 6, 2016...

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Hmmm, interesting. But I will admit, I'm not a fan. First off, why are we still considering this a Man of Steel sequel, because it's clearly not. Zack Snyder can talk about it being a MOS sequel until he's blue in the face, and yet, when your film's title doesn't even suggest anything close to that, it's kind of hard to swallow. Yes, yes, I know that it's possible that Snyder and Goyer didn't actually have any say in the matter, that this was completely Warner Brothers doing what they do. Regardless, I'm still not sold.

First off, if it's his movie, why is Superman playing second fiddle to Batman? Is it an alphabetical thing? A bigger star-power thing? A character recognition thing? (Although how you can argue that one, I have no idea. I mean, yes Batman is Batman... but Superman is SUPERMAN! Probably the most recognizable superhero on the planet!) Okay, I get it. By putting Batman before the versus, it looks like he's the aggressor, the one doing the pushing. But then, how is this a direct sequel to Man of Steel? It's obvious that Batman is going to play a huge role in this movie, possibly a bigger one that most of us expected... okay, so maybe that was just me, but I was actually hoping for a true sequel to MOS. I think that Superman deserved that much, at least!... And, while I wasn't a huge fan of the first Man of Steel film, I was looking forward to the film makers exploring the ideas and threads that I did like, in greater detail in the sequel. Now, it looks like Superman is going to have to share a great deal of his screen time, and character development with a brand new Batman. And while we've seen Batman before, and know the general gist of his story, this will be a new Batman to the movie going audience, so regardless of back story or not, his character is going to have be developed to a certain degree, pulling even more screen time away from Superman. Because let's face it, the Kal-El/Superman that we saw in Man of Steel was still coming in to his own. His character was far from complete, and now instead of watching him grow and adapt to his powers and what they mean to both him and the world around him, instead of building and growing his relationship with both Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, instead of watching him struggle to keep his identity secret, we're going to get he and Batman, (instead of Zod this time) punching each other through buildings. Yes, I know that Clarke Kent/Kal-El/Superman can do all of those things with Batman hanging around, I just wish that he didn't have to.

Now, on to the "Dawn of Justice" bit. Could you be any more blatant, Warner Brothers? Why don't you smack us in the face with the fact that this is leading directly into a Justice League film? Oh wait, you already did. So, not only is Kal-El getting screwed out of his own sequel with the addition of Batman, you're also going to throw Wonder Woman and Cyborg into the mix, just for good measure. And, believe me, I'm pretty sure that we're going to hear about the addition of an Aquaman or a Martian Manhunter or a Green Lantern pretty soon, too. So, now, instead of a Superman movie or a Batman versus Superman movie, we're now talking full on Justice League territory. Regardless of the amount of screen time they get, just the addition of these extra characters changes the way that this whole thing is going to be perceived. And as their new title suggests, that's exactly what Warner Brothers wants. So what's with the charade? Let's call a spade, a spade, and stop fooling around. This is no longer a sequel to Man of Steel, it's a prequel to the Justice League. Plain and simple.

Did we learn nothing from this whole The Amazing Spiderman 2 debacle? Sacrificing your story for set-up is definitely not the way to go. And I truly hope that this isn't what's happening here. I hope that they did learn from TASM2 and are looking at alternative ways to tell a great story. And I get it, no matter what they do, they're going to be compared to Marvel, and that really does suck. If Warner Brother's starts their cinematic universe with origin stories, then they're just copying Marvel. If they try something different, then they don't know what they are doing, and why don't they do it like Marvel did? It's a no win situation for them. These days, Marvel is a well oiled machine and let's face it, they make it look easy. And it's definitely not.   

So let's hope that Superman doesn't get lost in the midst of everything going on in the background. Because I can guarantee you, when Ben Affleck gets to do his Batman solo film(s), he's not going to have to battle for screen time with anyone. He will not be second fiddle, that's for sure. I think that Warner Brother's owes it to Kal-El to treat him with the same amount of respect. Although it doesn't look like it'll be this time, maybe eventually he'll get there. 

Why Marvel's Winning The War....

So, the second Guardians of the Galaxy trailer dropped today...

Yeah, it's fricking amazing! Add that to the amazing first trailer that we got back in February... and I mean, yeah... this is... yeah, it's just.... YEAH! FRICKIN' YEAH!

Now, those that know me, know that I am a self-professed Marvel fan-girl. I like Marvel, always have, always will. That doesn't mean that by default, I hate all things DC. That couldn't be further from the truth. I like DC properties... I mean, what's there not to like about Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman? They are incredible characters, and are a huge part of comic book lore, both past and present. Arguably the three most iconic comic book characters in history, they cannot be discounted, ever. I do, in fact, collect a number of DC titles currently... just not any of those titles and not as many as the number of Marvel titles I collect.

That being said, it's no secret that Marvel is winning the war between the two comic book giants, when it comes to big screen adaptations. (I wrote another blog post earlier this month on how DC is king of television, so you should check that one out!). Yes, I know that Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy was extremely successful, as was Man of Steel. I'm not discounting those things, even though neither were my personal favourites, by any stretch of the imagination. I know there are many, many people out there who love them, and I can see the appeal. It's just that, the beast that is Marvel Studios has been relentless in it's plan, and have, for the most part, been releasing different, top notch comic book adaptations since 2008.

Kevin Feige had a plan. In hind-sight, it was brilliant. A quick, 30 second shot of Nick Fury in Tony Stark's living room... "I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger initiative." Those ten words changed everything. They altered our perceptions about what a comic book movie was, and more importantly, where they could lead. And then, systematically, Feige and his team ticked off the boxes as they released movie after movie, each separate, but with intertwining threads, all leading to something bigger, something huge. They named it the Marvel Cinematic Universe and history was made. The massive success of The Avengers cemented the idea that it was possible to bring different aspects of the comic books to life and that the general movie going audience was willing to go along for the ride.

DC and Warner Brothers, at this time, were basking in the success that came with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, awaiting the release of The Dark Knight Rises. Extremely successful and critically acclaimed, the Nolan trilogy set the standard for comic book projects over at the WB. Which was one of the reasons that the disaster that was the Green Lantern in 2011 stalled any future projects. While I didn't hate the film, I do recognize that it did have some serious flaws, and so did the rest of the movie going audience. A flop financially, it made the WB wary about diving back in to the world of superheroes and virtually shut down their Justice League plans. It was only after the release and success of 2013's Man of Steel that the wheels on the Justice League bus began turning again. The WB, afraid to commit to anything until they saw the reception that their new Superman property received, was finally willing to green-light a sequel. And the sequel they had in mind was going to blow the socks off of everyone. Using a quote from The Dark Knight Returns, Zack Snyder announced at Comic-Con that Superman was going to battle Batman in the summer of 2015, pitting it directly against The Avengers sequel in the battle for the box office title. And the internet exploded...

By this time, Marvel had not only released Iron Man 3, but already had 5 other movies in different stages of development, four of which would lead up to the Avengers sequel, The Age of Ultron. At this point, even after the Comic-Con announcement, it wasn't even a contest... Marvel was so far ahead, that Warner Brothers couldn't even see them on the track. Again, the intertwining threads of the MCU were building towards something grand. Although the Batman vs. Superman news overshadowed everything else, Feige refused to panic and continued on as planned.

And then it happened... The WB realized that it over-played it's hand and wasn't going to be ready for a 2015 release date. Pushing the release of the Man of Steel sequel back by almost a year, they showed a chink in their armour. It was now going to be almost 3 years between the release of Man of Steel and the next movie in Warner Brothers arsenal. In that three year period, Marvel will have released 6 new titles. Yes, I said 6 new titles. We will get 2 new DC movies and 6 new Marvel movies. In terms of output, Marvel is miles ahead of DC. And it's not like they're putting out crap, either. Each title that has been released, so far, has been well received by audiences overall. And there is no indication that any of the remaining titles will be received any differently.

And while the WB is sticking with Zack Snyder to direct both the Man of Steel sequel and the announced Justice League movie after that (he also directed the first Man of Steel film), Marvel will have had 5 different directors direct their projects, each bringing a different take and flavour to their different characters. Names like Joss Whedon, Joe and Anthony Russo, Alan Taylor, James Gunn and Edgar Wright. Directors that you wouldn't automatically think of when you mentioned comic book movies. Directors with their own style and vision, who will take these characters that we know and love in directions that we never dreamed of. It's this diversity, this thinking outside the box that helps to push Marvel that much further ahead in the race. I'm not a huge fan of Zack Snyder, and I am not sure that keeping him on for all of your movies is the best course of action. But that's just me, and it's more of a personal preference.

But it's not just directors that Marvel is thinking outside the box with. They are making some interesting and daring choices in the properties that they are choosing to release as well. The addition of The Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man to the MCU are surprising and a little unorthodox. I get that Marvel, due to it's past successes, is in a position to gamble a little and I'm glad that they are willing to do so. By hiring Gunn to direct GOTG they are taking their properties in a whole different direction. It's funny, the WB is still dragging it's feet in regards to it's properties, especially a Wonder Woman stand alone film, as they are unsure if the movie going audience would be willing to accept a female driven comic book movie. Marvel counters that by bringing in a talking, foul-mouthed, machine gun totting raccoon, who's partnered with a walking tree. What the hell? But by the look of the above trailer, it's going to work and it's going to be amazing!

Earlier this week, the first pictures from Batman vs. Superman or whatever they are eventually going to call the Man of Steel sequel, were released. I will admit, Ben Affleck looks amazing in that Batsuit. And I really do hope that the movie is a huge success and that I truly enjoy it when I go to see it. As a comic book fan, I am the one who wins when these things work. And I love nothing more than being swept away by a fantastic story, with great visuals, with a bit of fantasy thrown in for good measure. This is what I get when I go to see a Marvel movie. Only time will tell if Warner Brothers figures out their own formula for success. But until they do, and they show a little more faith in their properties, Marvel will continue to win this war. Movie, after movie, they have the formula down pat. And apparently, Feige's plan stretches forward for many years to come. If they continue to think outside the box and make interesting and different choices, they may be impossible to catch. I guess we'll see...

Review: Frat Boys, Frat Boys Everywhere...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

So, this post is going to contain spoilers about the new Seth Rogen/Zac Efron comedy Neighbors. If you haven't seen Neighbors, I recommend that you do not continue to read this post. If, you have seen Neighbors or you don't really care, then of course, continue at your own risk...

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the R-rated comedy. Crude, sexual humour is not really my thing, as I am not a 20 something year old boy. And that's okay, I'm not really the demographic that they're aiming for anyway. Now, with that being said, I saw Neighbors because I have heard really great things about it, and because of Zac Efron. 

I am a big fan of Zac Efron, and am glad to see that he is branching out and trying new things. While I am not a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks movies (even though I manage to somehow see all of them!), he was a real bright spot in The Lucky One and I also enjoyed That Awkward Moment with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan. This news that Marvel may be courting him to be their new "heartthrob" is interesting, so we'll see what happens with that.

Conversely, I am not a real fan of Seth Rogen. I did not care for Knocked Up and just recently saw Pineapple Express, which I thought was okay. I did, however, really, really like Paul, with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but that may be because he was only a voice. (Although, I will admit, I actually really liked the guest spot that he did on The Mindy Project last year. He was very charming and adorable).

That being said, I really liked this movie. It was actually quite charming and I think that there was a quite a bit of character development throughout. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play characters at a cross roads in their life. That space between being young, hip adults and boring, responsible parents. Their chemistry, as a married couple who are new parents to the cutest baby in the world, was great. And the way that their relationship was portrayed was refreshing. It was nice to see a comedy where the wife of the main character isn't such a nagging, whiny bitch that you wonder what he ever saw in her in the first place. Their relationship was a partnership, much like it would be in real life. They were a united front against the world. And Rose Byrne was amazing. It was great to see her actually get to use her natural Australian accent and nice to see her comedic side. She usually plays either more serious roles or the straight man, so it was nice to see her let loose a little bit. The breastfeeding scene was very unexpected and very intimate, and she just went for it. Kudos to her for putting herself out there, both literally and figuratively.

Zac Efron, as the head of the frat, was also an interesting character. He should have been the bad guy, the jerk with no regard or respect for anyone else. But he wasn't. He was actually an interesting character, with a number of layers, that made him surprisingly multi-dimensional and little bit sympathetic. His Teddy is a boy on the cusp of manhood, who wasn't quite sure what to do next. He's a compassionate young man who let's his pride and sense of honour get the best of him.

The problems start when, after partying with the frat boys one night, Mac and Kelly (Rogen and Byrne) break their promise to not call the police later on, when the noise gets out of control. The neighbors then go to war with one another, each trying to out do the other in the hopes that one of them will finally break and give in by moving out. The gags and jokes are quite humorous, culminating in a hilarious fight between Efron and Rogen near the end of the film. The final scene, outside Abercrombie & Fitch is also extremely amusing.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie and would recommend it. Again, it is nice to see Zac Efron branching out from the mainstream "romantic lead" trap that many attractive Hollywood men get sucked into. It was also good to see Seth Rogen doing something where he wasn't actually the stoner for once. This movie was way more entertaining then I expected and had way more heart and depth than movies like this one usually do. Kudos to director Nicholas Stoller for bringing more to the party than just a few penis jokes.

Review: Oh, Godzilla, You're Such A Tease...

**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********

This post is going to contain spoilers about the new Godzilla movie. If you have yet to watch Godzilla, and don't want to be spoiled, I suggest that you turn back now. If, you have seen Godzilla, or you don't care whether the movie gets spoiled for you, then by all means, continue...

So, Godzilla. 

The king of monsters makes his triumphant return to the big screen, and it is definitely a triumph. There are a lot of things to love about this movie. I mean, visually, it's stunning. The destruction is breathtaking in both it's scope and spectacle. This is a true monster movie and disaster movie all rolled in to one. The monsters, and especially Godzilla, look spectacular. The visual effects are stunning and the visual effects team went above and beyond to bring these characters to life.

I enjoyed this movie. It is a big, old popcorn flick, meant to be nothing more than a good time. And that's exactly what I got.

The movie starts off with a great montage of stock footage from the 50's about nuclear testing and a couple of quick glimpses of what may or may not be the monster. We then switch to 1999 and an introduction to the main, human characters. 

Apparently, as the lore goes, millions of years ago, when the world was nothing but radiation, giant creatures who used it as a food source, roamed the Earth. As the planet evolved, and the radiation on the surface decreased, these creatures burrowed under the ground, towards the Earth's core, where radiation is abundant. During a mining operations in the Philippines, a cave in exposes a cocoon of some sort that, of course, scientists must study. This leads to the scenes in Japan involving a Nuclear power plant. Apparently, there were two cocoons, the first of which hatched before they could get down there. The monster, needing food, made it's way to Japan to burrow in a nuclear power plant and absorb the radiation. This is where all hell starts to break loose. I think that Bryan Cranston was a brilliant in these scenes. The emotion and the depth that he brought to the film were spot on, and it is a terrible tragedy that they killed his character off so soon in to the film. Although I do like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, I'm not sure that making him the main protagonist was the right way to go. Besides the fact that I had a problem seeing he and Elizabeth Olsen as a couple... of course, that is only because I already think of the two of them as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the upcoming Avengers movie, and those characters are brother and sister... just me? Yeah, that's a possibility!... I think that the movie might have had a bit more depth of character if Bryan Cranston had remained the main focus. Ken Watanabe was also fantastic as the scientist that has spent his life studying this possibility of these creatures. 

Of course, in any good Godzilla movie, Godzilla should really be the main character. In this iteration, Gareth Edwards gave us the slow burn... the tease... it takes until about the last 45 minutes or so before we get a really good look at Godzilla. And I am okay with that. Because once he makes an appearance, it's all good! :) I enjoyed the build-up to the main event and think that, overall the movie was paced quite well. It is more or less an origin story after all, and I think that the introduction was just fine. I will admit that some of the human elements to the film were a little on the weak side, but this really isn't about that, anyway. The human bits were really more like filler until we got to the big show down. 

And boy, do they deliver.

Downtown San Francisco is decimated as the three creatures converge in an epic battle. Buildings are crushed. Planes fall out of the sky. Utter chaos ensues. It's glorious! The scene that they alluded to in the trailers of the Navy Seal's HALO jump in to the city is breathtaking in it's entirety. The fall through the storm clouds towards the destruction, is undercut by the view from Taylor-Johnson's character, Ford. You experience the free fall from his perspective, the rush of the wind, the view of the monsters slugging it out in the distance... it's an amazing scene. I'm sure the visuals are great in 3D as well, but since I don't really care for the format, I saw the film in just regular old 2D, and it was still great. The fights between Godzilla and the MUTO's are epic. Apparently, in this world, Godzilla is the king of monsters, the guy that keeps the balance when the other creatures get out of line, and you know, try to take over the world. So, in essence, he's the good guy. And, even though we see that he's trying to help, in typical ignorant fashion, we, as humans, try to destroy that which we don't understand. Needless to say, we're idiots. 

There are a few things in the movie that bothered me, like one of the end scenes where the nuclear war head miraculously makes it far enough away from the mainland to safely go off, even though the timer was down to like a minute and half and that apparently, it's really easy to be reunited with your loved ones during the apocalypse... no frantic searching or anything required. But I'm willing to overlook those nit-picky things because of my overall enjoyment of this film. 

I've never been a huge monster movie fan... in fact, I never even saw the train wreck that was the 1998 Godzilla, but I will admit that, if the movies remain this entertaining, I am a convert. Word has now been released that a sequel is in the works. This is awesome news. I am looking forward to visiting with the King once again. This time, maybe a little more screen time for the big guy will occur, making it even bigger and better. If that's even possible.

Random Bits From The Week That Was...

So, here's my take on the random bits of news that I ran across this week, and was either too lazy to post about, or didn't require a full blog post to discuss....


Zack Snyder unveils the Batmobile...

Earlier this week, Zack Snyder hinted, via twitter, that it might be time for the tarp to be lifted. His tweet, accompanied by a photo of a tarp covered Batmobile, sent the internet into a tizzy. Not quite the tizzy, of course, that was caused the next day, when the picture he released was not only of the Batmobile, but a very buff and intense looking Ben Affleck as Batman. Now, I have not been a huge fan of this project from the outset, as I think that Superman deserves his own sequel... one that doesn't involve other Justice League characters and plots. As much as I didn't like the first Man of Steel, (it's not like I hated it or anything... I just think it had a lot of issues and they made it hard for me to love it). I still think that Supes is getting a bad wrap. That being said, Ben Affleck looks amazing! The black and white photo that was released is absolutely stunning! (I would frame and hang that guy on my wall!) The image invokes a tone and a feeling that I don't think all of us were expecting. While I wasn't a huge fan of the casting of Affleck at the time, upon further contemplation, I have come around to the idea. It's definitely going to be interesting, to say the least.


Channing Tatum is the new Gambit...

This news makes me less excited. While I like Channing Tatum and think that he's really grown as an actor over the last few year, I honestly don't see this as a good fit. I agree with Kristian Harloff over at The Schmoes Know, who thinks that the character is not well enough known by the general public to be played by such a popular actor. The audience is not going to see Remi LeBeau on the big screen, they are going to see Channing Tatum. And, if I'm being perfectly frank, I can't see him mastering Gambit's Cajun drawl, either. I personally believe that, while the movie wasn't well received (although I really liked it!), that the powers that be should have stuck with Taylor Kitsch, who played the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The issue with that incarnation of Gambit were not Kitsch's fault and I do think that he's a better actor than Tatum, overall. I think that the recast will be kind of confusing and I think it was completely unnecessary.


Neighbours kicks the crap out of TASM2 at the box office...

Okay, so it didn't exactly kick the crap out of it, but it did do some damage. In it's second week, TASM2 fell behind the Seth Rogan/Zac Efron comedy Neighbours, which debuted last weekend. Neighbours opened with a strong $49M domestically, surprising both the studio and forecasters alike. Dropping a whopping 61%, The Amazing Spiderman 2 brought in only $35.5M domestically in it's second weekend out. (Although, honestly, Sony can't be happy with the $92M it made in it's opening weekend, as that didn't even top the opening weekend numbers put up by the far superior Captain America: The Winter Soldier). Although it is being pulled along by the foreign markets, with stiff competition being released in the next few weeks, this movie might be hard pressed to top the box office results of the first Amazing Spiderman. Sony has got to be disappointed in these results. As of now, it is still trailing behind The Lego Movie and The Winter Soldier in regards to overall box office totals. It'll be interesting to see if it will surpass them or not, and what happens to Spiderman's numbers once both Godzilla and Days of Future Past are released in the next couple of weeks.


TV Trailers galore are dropped...

So, with the up-fronts done by all the major networks over the last few days, all kinds of juicy tidbits about the upcoming TV season have been dropped. The trailer for Gotham, debuting on Fox in the fall, looks amazing. The story of a young Detective Jim Gordon as he starts on the Gotham City police force, it's looks to be an origin story of sorts, of not only Batman, but all of his arch villains, as well. I was a little less enthused about the trailer for Constantine, debuting on NBC in the fall. Although the trailer looks interesting, this one I will have to watch a few episodes of first to fully get the tone and a feel for the series. The CW released a teaser and a full 5 minute trailer for their upcoming Flash series. The story of Barry Allen and his transformation into The Flash, this one is a spin-off of the CW's Arrow. The trailer looks fantastic, and I am optimistic, since the showrunners are virtually the same, that this will have the same kind of tone and feel as the aforementioned Arrow, which if you're not watching already, you really should be! Of course, there are many more bits and pieces out there on all the new shows that are coming, but these ones were the ones that caught my attention the most. I guess we'll see how everything looks in the fall. Usually, the ones you're looking forward to the most are disappointing and the shows that really catch your attention weren't even on your radar. Only time will tell on these ones.


Marvel's looking for a heart-throb...

So, apparently, Marvel is looking to shore up it's superhero properties, in the looks department, anyway, and has Zac Efron in mind to fill that position. I am actually a huge fan of Efron and think that he's a really solid actor. While I'm not adverse to this idea, I do think that it is almost the same issue as with Channing Tatum playing Gambit. I'm not sure if Zac Efron is too big to play a superhero or not. Rumour has it that Marvel is courting him to play one of it's heroes on their new Netflix Defenders adventure, so it will be interesting to see if there is any truth to it. I'm not sure that, at this point in his career and with the huge success of Neighbours, that Efron would be willing to take a part on TV, even if it is on Netflix. I guess we'll know soon enough, as the plan is for the first 13 episode run, rumoured to be Daredevil, to be released next summer. 


Roberto Orci confirmed as director of Star Trek 3...

So, looks like Paramount is willing to gamble with the future of their Star Trek franchise. It was finally confirmed that writer/producer extraordinaire, Roberto Orci, will be helming the next Star Trek movie. With JJ Abrams off to direct a little flick entitled Star Wars Episode VII, Orci lobbied hard to be given this project. Paramount finally made it's decision and decided to give the $200M project to a guy who has never directed anything before, in his whole entire life. Seriously, not even a commercial or a sitcom episode. Nothing. While I actually really like Orci's work (I have been a fan since he and Alex Kurtzman began writing for Hercules and Xena in the 90's), I'm not sure that this is the right move for either him or the studio. While he knows this world inside and out, having written the screenplays for the first two movies, it is a lot of pressure for a first time director. I really hope that it all works out, as I love the new Trek franchise. It'll be interesting to see what happens.


And finally, the first trailer of Interstellar drops...

So, today, the first official trailer for Christopher Nolan's hugely anticipated film, Interstellar, dropped. And boy is it amazing. There has been a lot of secrecy surrounding this project, building the anticipation to astronomical levels. And, given the fact that it's Nolan's follow-up to the spectacular Inception (the Dark Knight trilogy was not my favourite!), a lot is riding on it. From the looks of this trailer, I think it is going to live up to the hype. While it is easy to get excited for a trailer, only to be disappointed by the final product (Michael Bay, anyone?), I have a feeling that there is no reason to worry in this case. My goal now is to try and avoid any further promotional information in regards to this one, as I want to go in with no pre-conceived notions or preconceptions. We'll see how that works out! :)

So, these were the news items that caught my fancy this week... although there were many, many more exciting tid-bits that were dropped about all kinds of projects going on out there. Check out the sources that I use for my movie and television news... I promise, you won't regret it!

www.schmoesknow.com

www.youtube.com/AMCtheatres
 

Tuesday Quickies...

So, I woke up on Sunday with a bit of a sore throat and some chest congestion. What's a girl to do, you ask? Well, this girl high-tailed it over to the closest Redbox and had a field day! Grabbing five titles that I had been wanting to see, I headed home and settled in for a movie marathon. The following is a quick take on each of the titles that I watched:

**********Spoiler Warning!!!!!**********

The following may contain slight spoilers for the five movies listed. I will try to keep it to a minimum, but there is the possibility that some information may be spoiled for you. Keep that in mind before proceeding, with caution, of course....


The Escape Plan

Starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Escape Plan is your typical action flick. Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a guy who breaks out of prisons for a living. He owns a security company that is hired by the government to find weaknesses in their maximum security prisons, ensuring that the criminals that are sentenced to time behind bars, stay there for the duration. Ray's company is hired by the CIA to "test" a new facility that houses those criminals that "no government wants released into society." Needless to say, once inside, things go terribly wrong. Ray is befriended by Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger), a man sent to "The Tomb" because he has failed to give up his boss, notorious hacker Victor Mannheim. After some scheming and planning, they come up with a plan to break out of this so-called, escape proof prison.

I enjoyed this movie, for the popcorn flick that it was. It's an interesting take on the prison break formula and there are a couple of interesting twists that happen towards to end, making it an enjoyable viewing experience. Stallone and Schwarzenegger make for an interesting partnership, and the two of them can still do action like nobody's business. 3/5


The Wolf of Wall Street

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, the Wolf of Wall Street tells the unbelievably true story of the rise, and somewhat fall, of Jordan Belfort. Set in the late 1980's and early 90's, it is a drug and sex fuelled romp through the high-stakes and even higher reward game of stock brokering. Illegal, immoral and unforgiving, Belfort is everything that made the 80's the decade of excess. And Martin Scorsese does not disappoint in his showcasing of everything that that entailed. Securities fraud, sex, insider trading, drugs, drugs and more drugs... Nothing is off limits. Eventually, the FBI and the Securities Commission catch up to all of them, to varying degrees.

This movie made just about everybody's top ten list last year, with a great deal of the people who's opinions I admire, setting it in their number one spot. Personally, I don't get it. While I enjoyed the movie, and would recommend it, I definitely would not consider it the best movie I saw in 2013. (Maybe, it's a guy thing, as most of the reviewers that I tend to watch/read are men). It's definitely an interesting story and unapologetically over the top, but I do understand where some of the controversy surrounding the movie came from. To that I say, suck it up, it's a movie. I did find myself feeling sympathetic towards Jordan Belfort near the end of the film, a testament to the fine acting of DiCaprio. 4/5


Captain Phillips

Starring Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips tells the harrowing, true life tale of the hijacking of the MV Maersk Alabama container ship off the coast of Somalia. Taken by armed Somali pirates, the story mainly follows Captain Richard Phillips and the lengths that he went to in order to protect his crew. It also showcases the Naval operation put in place to rescue the Captain once he is taken hostage by the pirates in an attempt to escape.

This was a very good, if intense, movie. It is an extremely intriguing story, one that you honestly wouldn't expect to happen in today's day and age. Tom Hanks gives a wonderful performance, highlighted in it's breathtaking beauty during the last 10 minutes or so of the film. I can't say that I'll be clamouring to watch this film again, but I have no regrets in seeing it to begin with. 4/5


Grudge Match

Starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro, Grudge Match tells the story of two over the hill boxers on their trek towards that one final bout to glory. Pittsburgh boxers, Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) and William "The Kid" McDonnen have always been rivals. Each winning a decisive fight in the 80's, Sharp inexplicably retires from boxing before the third and deciding bout can be fought. Fast forward 30 years, and a Youtube video of the two scuffling goes viral. Enter promoter, Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart), the son of the boxer's previous promoter. Each of the fighters agree to the fight for different reasons, and the film follows their journey to the ultimate grudge match.

I enjoyed this film. It's a tale about redemption and getting older, as well as forgiveness and understanding. I will admit, it was cool to see Rocky fight it out with Raging Bull. This film is funny and charming and I promise, there is an eventual winner of the grudge match. No, "oh it's a tie" pandering in this one. 3.25/5


Gravity

Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, Gravity tells the story of a space mission gone terribly wrong. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is on her very first mission, to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, the same mission being the final spacewalk for astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney). Things do not go as planned, and the two of them find themselves stranded in space, their mission now to find a way back to Earth.

I will admit, I found this movie just okay. I understand that my 47" TV, that is not 3D by the way, cannot be compared to the visual feast I would have gotten had I actually gone and seen the movie in IMAX. While the visuals were still gorgeous, I think that something might have been lost in the translation from movie theatre to home theatre. Without the groundbreaking visual effects, the story was a little weak and the characterisation a little lacking. While I would recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it, it is another one that I'm not sure I'll be eager to watch a second time around. 3.5/5   

And Marvel Comes Out Swinging...

So, word broke last night that, not only has ABC renewed Agents of SHIELD for a second season, but that they have also ordered to series, Marvel's Agent Carter. Apparently, the House of Mouse is taking their foray into TV seriously.

Marvel's Agent Carter will tell the story of Captain America's love, Peggy Carter, and her struggles to fit into a post-World War II world, where women who had stepped up, were expected to step back, now that the men were home. A founding member of the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve... Which goes on to become SHIELD) she must balance her administrative duties with the covert operations that she and Howard Stark continue on the side. An interesting premise, to be sure, and a bit of an unexpected one. There have been rumblings of this since sometime last year, and I am glad that Disney has followed through. I like the fact that the focus of this series is going to be on a female character, and that it is going to be a period piece. It will be very interesting to see how tightly it's tied to the MCU and Agents of SHIELD. As we follow SHIELD from it's humble origins, might we see the start of the infiltration of Hydra that has thrown the current MCU into a tailspin?

And speaking of Agents of SHIELD, I must admit that I am glad that it has been given a second season. Unlike a lot of viewers, I have stuck with it this entire season, and will admit that I have been rewarded with some great TV recently. I do, however, understand why some people jumped ship. It took SHIELD a while to find it's footing and get the audience invested. Disney, in my opinion, did two things wrong with this property. Firstly, they marketed it as a Joss Whedon show, which, it was not. Yes, Joss wrote and directed the pilot and it is a Mutant Enemy production, but the day to day show-running was actually done by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tanchareon, Joss' brother and sister-in-law. People were expecting something along the lines of Buffy or Firefly, and were disappointed when it turned out a little differently. Their second mistake was thinking that the general public was going to be interested in the behind the scenes, day to day stuff of the non-superhero characters of their franchise. While I enjoy the in and outs and knew what I was getting in to, I think a lot of people were disappointed when the focus wasn't on the Iron Man's and the Thor's of the MCU. What exactly people were expecting, I don't know, but it definitely wasn't what they got. Although the ratings have dropped throughout the season, the show still puts up decent numbers, and a second season is justified. Especially now that it's core is directly tied to the MCU. I think it ups the stakes a little bit.

Of course, we can't talk Marvel and television, without bringing up The Defenders. Announced back in November, this joint venture with Netflix will see the characters of Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage brought to the small screen. Set to air sometime in 2015, each character will get a set number of episodes to tell their story and then will come together for a mini-series event, The Defenders. The bonus of this format is that, with Netflix, all episodes are released simultaneously, so you can binge watch to your heart's content. According to Marvel, these will also tie in to the MCU, making the whole thing one big happy family.

I wrote earlier this week about how, even though DC's Cinematic Universe is a mess, they are still head and shoulders above Marvel when it comes to TV. I still believe that. While Marvel is trying, putting things out there, I worry that they are placing too much of the emphasis in their Cintematic Universe. By linking all of these properties, it is creating something huge... filling the canon and making things difficult to understand, if not lined up exactly right. It also forces viewers to at least keep up with all of the goings on in the various branches, whether they are avid watchers or not. This may alienate viewers, who don't have the time or inclination to catch everything that is produced. Warner Brothers, on the other hand, is spreading their properties around, leaving each incarnation as a seperate entity. What happens in one world, has no affect on anybody else's. With the trailer drop for "Gotham" and the news that both The Flash and Contstantine, at The CW and NBC respectively, have been ordered to series, DC/The WB are in good shape when it comes to TV. Now, if they could just get their crap together and get their movie properties in order...

I guess we'll see who actually wins this war once the ratings are in. With the arrival of the "comic book series" to television, the true winner is us, the fans. We no longer have to wait to see our old, or new, favourite characters on the big screen. Soon, they will be in living rooms everywhere.

Seriously? Is Nothing Sacred?

So, word just broke that Warner Brothers and Joel Silver are looking to reboot the Lethal Weapon franchise... or re-imagine... or re-tool... or re-make... or whatever you want to call it, and I only have one thing to say to that:

Dear God, why?

Why are Hollywood execs insisting on retreading ground that has already been covered? Everyday, news breaks about a reboot or a sequel or a prequel to some, usually 80's, property. As of right now, off the top of my head, I can think of a number of reboots that are in the works: Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Beverly Hills Cop, Power Rangers, Dirty Dancing, Flash Gordon, Police Academy, Scarface, Terminator... and then of course there are the ones that have already been released: Robocop, Dredd, Total Recall, Footloose... The list goes on and on and on...

It's getting to the point of ridiculousness. So, please, Hollywood... Please, just STOP ALREADY!!!!

I get it, it's easy to get behind something that already has brand recognition going for it. It's way easier to market something that is already identifiable to part of the market, and throwing in the nostalgic factor is just icing on the cake. And I understand wanting to bring these stories and characters to life for a generation that may not know who or what they are. To that last one I say, isn't that the point of DVD and Blu-Ray? I don't know that I want an entire generation of people not knowing the pain and heartache, with a little side of crazy, that Mel Gibson brought to the character of Martin Rigg's. Of not falling in love with Patrick Swayze's Johnny Castle as he swept Baby off her feet in the Catskills in 1963. Of not witnessing the beauty of Kathryn Bigelow's foray into surfing and the genius of casting Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze against type.

There are so many talented writers and directors out there, with their own stories and visions to tell, that it's a shame when we get recycled crap thrown at us because the big Hollywood execs think that that's what we want to see. It's lazy and disappointing on so many levels. There are thousands of scripts out there, just waiting to land across the desk of someone that matters in the business. It drives me crazy when, instead of taking a chance, they turn to something that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, other than the fact that it's easy.

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that reboots and remakes make sense, in certain circumstances, and that some great movies have been remakes of previous films. It's just that, it seems like everywhere you turn, Hollywood is trying to cash in on the "nostalgia" factor and is rebooting things left, right and centre, with little or no regard to the actual property itself. Or the market place today. It was successful 30 years ago, so why wouldn't it be successful now? The list of reasons would be far too long for this little blog to handle... And it's that short-sightedness that is dooming them to fail miserably.

They say that Hollywood has "run out of ideas". To that I say, bull-shit. There's no such thing as "out of ideas" when you're dealing with art... and make no mistake about it, writing is an art form. There's a lot that goes into telling a good story, whether it be through prose, a screenplay or a novel, and it takes a great deal of time, effort and courage to actually get to a place where you can say you're finished and it's ready for public scrutiny and consumption. (I should know, I finished my first novel a few weeks ago, and I'm still not at a place where I am ready for anyone else to read it!). The fact that these stories don't get any consideration, get turned aside or ignored as studios rush to try and recreate magic from decades ago is really frustrating. If they just opened their eyes, and their minds, to what is in front of them, they would be able to see the possibilities that they already hold. Instead of trying to create new magical moments, however, they are choosing to try and relive their glory days. Like that middle aged guy, with the beer gut and receding hairline, who talks about nothing but his triumphs on the football field decades ago...

It's time to grow up, Hollywood, and leave the past in the past. Embrace the opportunity to build something new, make something fresh and original. You never really know when magic is going to happen, but I can tell you one thing, it won't happen if you don't believe in it.

So, I beg of you... stop shelling out the $12 to go and see these abominations in the theatre, making the Hollywood bigwigs think that this is actually what we want to see them spend their resources on. Pop in a DVD or cue them up on demand instead. Watch them just as they are, and enjoy them like you did the first time that you saw them. The really good ones hold up against the passage of time... and even if they don't, appreciate them for what they are. And remember, at one time, they were the new and fresh ideas that we, as film fans, are clamouring for today.

OOhh, DC, What Have We Here?

So, I've been pretty hard on DC and Warner Brothers in regards to their Cinematic Universe and some of the choices that they have made. The lack of confidence they've shown in their properties, the lack of direction and planning that they've presented to us and some of their suspect casting choices are just a few of the things that I have issue with. I mean, seriously, who casts an underwear model as the most iconic female superhero ever? Who does that? That's not creative casting (like the Paul Rudd as Scott Lang in the new Ant-Man in the MCU), it's bizarre and kind of insulting...

Anyway...

Whatever the shortcomings that the WB and DC have in their movie universe, they more than make up for in their television properties. Over the years, the WB and DC have created some seriously awesome programming for the boob tube, and it doesn't look like they're stopping any time soon.

Now, I have never watched Smallville, although I have always heard really good things about it. The untold story of Superman's early life on Earth, it follows Clark Kent, before he donned the cape and tights, as he traverses the trials and tribulations of being a teenager and a young adult. It was just one of those things that I was going to watch, and then it got a couple of seasons in and there was a lot to catch up on and I never got around to it. Maybe, eventually, I will. :)

Birds of Prey, however, was a series that I loved, and watched faithfully for the very brief time that it aired. The story of Helena Kyle, aka Huntress, as she takes over the mantle of protecting New Gotham City. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman, she, along with the Oracle (Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl) and Dinah Lance help take down the metahuman criminals that the police can't handle. Although it only lasted for 13 episodes, the creators had enough thought and foresight, from the time cancellation was announced to rewrite and film a proper ending for the series. It was great to see a superhero series where all of the main characters were female and it is unfortunate that it never found it's audience.

Which leads us to the fantastic, Arrow, currently airing on the CW. The story of Oliver Queen, as he returns home from being shipwrecked on a "deserted" island, to fight the crime and corruption that is destroying his city. He becomes known as the Arrow (or The Green Arrow to you comic book purists!). The action and dialogue come fast and furious, with nods to and the introduction of many staple DC comic book characters. The plot lines and story arcs mesh beautifully, and it's obvious that the creators have a very distinct vision and direction for the series. If you are not watching it, I highly recommend it. Season 2 is just wrapping up, so it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on this highly entertaining series.

And how can you talk about Arrow, without bringing up The Flash. Created by virtually the same team that brought us Arrow, it is currently in the pilot stage over at The CW. A spin-off of Arrow, it will form a shared television universe for the DC characters on the CW. The character of Barry Allen was introduced earlier in this season of Arrow, and we were witness to the accident that is eventually going to turn him in to the Flash. Currently his is still in a coma, awaiting pick-up of his series, I assume.

And so here we are... on the verge of what has got to be the biggest and most interesting news to come out of the DC camp in regards to television in a long while...

The first teaser and trailer for the upcoming Fox series Gotham premiered last night. And boy, does it look fantastic. Already receiving a full series order, Gotham tells the story of a young detective, Jim Gordon, in his early days on the Gotham City police force. It appears as if it will also be an origin story of sorts, for not only Batman, but other Gotham characters, like The Riddler, Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman and The Joker. How exciting is that? Now, I am not a huge fan of Fox, as they have a tendency to jump ship pretty early on a lot of their series (it's been 12 years, and I'm still traumatized by the cancellation of Firefly!). Although, with the success of the fantasy/sci-fi driven Sleepy Hollow last year (another show that I completely recommend... and only like 13 episodes to catch up on if you need to!) and the name recognition and inclusion of the Batman Universe, this one just might last. If the trailer is any indication, we are in for quite a treat. Click on the link below to view both the teaser and the trailer at Schmoes Know:

http://schmoesknow.com/gotham-gets-its-first-full-trailer/22633/