Scott Pilrim vs The World, based on the excellent and offbeat series from Oni Press hits cinema screens with its zany tale of love, battles with ex-boyfriends and gaming on August 13. The brand new second trailer is below. That is all.
500 International Hyper Roads of Summer
500 Days of Summer. Man, Juno has a lot to answer for, as my mate Mladen will gladly tell you. Though I did enjoy the film, I’m also unsurprised at its numerous imitators. 500 Days is very much one of them. It stars Zooey Deschanel, who amps up her irresistably cute girl shtick and indie star of the moment (and possible future Joker, though I hope Batman 3 moves to a different villain) Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Zooey plays arty, flighty and frankly selfish girl Summer who JGL seems drawn to. He is nowhere near as charismatic or as interesting as her, but she takes him into her heart, or her version of one anyway, and the film then flashes to and fro the titular number of days their ill-defined relationship goes through. I hoped for more from this film, but it appears to be a cobbled together script from a bunch of inspired art students who just want to make a quirky film. Yes, there’s songs from bands you’ve never heard of to add arty credence, “witty” dialogue and scenes like playing house in Ikea that get dangerously close to making this film what it should’ve been, but alas, the two leads just have no chemistry, and the finale makes Summer quite the dislikeable character. Then again, it does have a great dance number, complete with an animated blue bird and an interesting approach, but that’s undone by the obvious attempt at cool points. I seem to be one of the rare people who didn’t like it however.
The Road. Another film I’ve been looking to seeing, and one that didn’t disappoint. Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel, The Road is directed by John Hillcoat (great Aussie flick, The Proposition). It has little dialogue and rests on the weary shoulders of Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhhe, who both do a fine job as father and son in this inhospitable world. Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce appear as unrecognisable survivors, and Charlize Theron is seen only in flashback. The pair travel the wasteland that is now America thanks to some great war. Ash, empty buildings and falling tress fill the dangerous landscape, which dad and kid must navigate with fear and caution to find food and avoid the roaming gangs of armed cannibals. It’s like Mad Max by way of Lord of the Flies. Gripping, scary and edge of your seat stuff.
Viggo carries a gun at all times, ready to kill his only son if need be, rather than give him up to the cruel flesh eating killers that roam the land, and aims to get all naivete out of him so he can fend for himself when the time comes. It’s a stripped back film, with minimal action and direction, but is extremely effective, and at times depressing, though the end offers a glimmer of hope.
Uncity Nation. I have my younger brother to thank for expanding my musical horizons as of late. I never listen to the radio, and though I was involved in community radio for 5 years, those days are long behind me. Discovering a new band I like is therefore quite similar to picking up a new comic on a whim; it gives me the pleasure of discovering something fresh, and the fact that many, many people may have discovered it before me only really adds to the satisfaction. Good artists deserve an audience, no matter their choice of media.
French band International Hyper Rythmique consist of 3 siblings with an impressive and diverse background in all manner of art forms. They’ve been performing since 2007. Uncity Nation is their first full length album. Now, I’m not a music critic, but all I can say is that it’s perfectly chilled out, serene listening, and yes, it’s in English. Plug your ears into their site to hear more from their 11 song debut.
John DiMaggio Talks The Joker
Here’s an official interview with famed voice actor John DiMaggio about his new roles as The Joker in DC’s next animated film.
John DiMaggio Undertakes a Villainous Icon as The Joker in “Batman: Under the Red Hood”
Known to adults as “Bender” in Futurama and tweens as “Dr. Drakken” in Kim Possible, John DiMaggio takes an iconic step forward as the voice of The Joker, the pivotal villain in the all-new DC Universe animated original movie, Batman: Under the Red Hood.
In the film, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two forces of justice, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.
DiMaggio gets free reign to play the iconic villain amidst a stellar voice cast that includes Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek) as the Caped Crusader, Supernatural star Jensen Ackles as Red Hood, and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Nightwing.
Best known for his near-100 episodes as “Bender,” DiMaggio has parlayed his deep, gravelly tones and versatile acting style into a major force on the voiceover scene for the past decade. DiMaggio’s credits include roles in Kim Possible, Samurai Jack, Teen Titans, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Duck Dodgers, Jackie Chan Adventures, The Penguins of Madagascar and Chowder.
Voiceover has so dominated his time that DiMaggio has virtually abandoned his on-camera career – despite past work as a regular cast member on Chicago Hope and a number of guest roles in TV series such as Becker, N.Y.P.D. Blue, Felicity, Bones, Without a Trace and My Name is Earl.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is the next entry in the popular ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video on July 27, 2010 as a Special Edition version on Blu-Ray™ and 2-disc DVD, as well as being available on single disc DVD, On Demand and for Download. But before you race to Amazon to pre-order your copy, take a minute to get to know John DiMaggio.
QUESTION: What were your initial thoughts about assuming this iconic role?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I was shocked when I got the role, shocked when I came in to record, and shocked when I saw the finished product during ADR. I just wanted to honor the real true lunacy of the character. I didn’t want to make him campy, but I wanted to pay a little bit of tribute to the past Jokers – and yet keep it original at the same time. That’s walking a fine line, if there ever was one.
It was a little intimidating because it is such an iconic role. It’s an honor to get this job — and especially to play the Joker in this version because it’s so dark and twisted. I felt like I got a really wonderful opportunity.
QUESTION: Can you remember your early connections with the Batman mythology, and how any of the previous Joker actors might have influenced your performance in this role?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I think the thing that influenced me the most when I was young is the television show, which is really sad because there have been so many great comics and graphic novels and stories about the Dark Knight that I haven’t been able to delve into yet – and yet I know about them. I actually would’ve loved to see Cesar Romero take the role to its darkness. There was a bit of Cesar Romero in what I did, but it’s Cesar Romero if he was in A Clockwork Orange. I guess my naiveté in my approach kind of kept it clean. I wasn’t trying to do a Jack (Nicholson) or a Heath (Ledger). I respect all the folks that have come before me, and their take on the character. Mark Hamill is awesome, Heath Ledger was unbelievable, and Jack Nicholson – what can you say? But I wanted to do my own thing.
QUESTION: Was there any particular direction you wanted to take this Joker?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I wanted to cover what I saw on the paper, and I wanted to ensure Andrea (Romano, casting/dialogue director) got exactly what she wanted. Usually if the script is good enough, you know where your emotions should be, where your character lies. It should all be in the dialogue, and it certainly was.
QUESTION: How do you interpret the Joker’s mindset?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I think the Joker thinks of himself, quite literally, as a necessary evil. And when I say that, I mean he really feels there is a place for him, and that he somehow balances the chaos with the non-chaos. It’s a yin and yang thing. And it’s really not personal, it’s business. Although he can get personal and he enjoys it. That makes it that much more twisted.
QUESTION: You’ve certainly done more than your share of villains. Do you prefer to go to the dark side?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I love playing the villains. I’ll play anything, I don’t care. As long as its not tons of walla or gasping, I’m good. I hate the inhale.
QUESTION: When you were a kid, did you ever imagine you’d be voicing cartoons for a living?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: I was a class clown – I basically started acting when I was a kid. I wanted to play drums, but I couldn’t afford a drum set. It was easier to be in a play, so it just kind of happened. I walked into voiceover in New York in 1994. I was doing stand-up (comedy) at the time, and was looking to get out of it and into acting. An actor buddy of mine, Zak Orth, said it was a way to make a good living between acting gigs. I moved to LA, because there’s more animation here, and the rest is history. So yeah, thanks Zak – give me a ring.
QUESTION: Your primary focus is voiceovers these days. Do you have any inclination to do more live-action acting or stand-up comedy?
JOHN DIMAGGIO: On-camera acting is fun, but I don’t miss it. Voiceovers are quicker, and you get to work with such amazing, talented people – it’s a blast to play in the studio with these actors and writers and directors. With (on-camera) acting, there so much more waiting around, and my patience has run thin. Plus it beats the hell out of slinging jokes six nights a week at a Chuckle Hut in East Bumbleblard.
Under the Red Hood Site Now Live
The next DC animated film, Batman: Under the Red Hood is out on July 27 and the official website is now up. You can check out the awesome trailer plus 11 pics from the film, including Joker, Ra’s al Ghul, Nightwing and Amazo. Check it out here.
Predators Posters
Finally a reboot that fanboys can get excited about. Predators hits screens on July 8 and looks set to get the bad taste out of our mouths after two average AvP films. Produced by Robert Rodriquez and starring some unusual choices (Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Adrien Brody) on a desolate planet as game for the titular warriors, this could be quite awesome.
The Inception Bureau
A couple of new trailers for high concept films below. The second trailer for the mysterious Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and created by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) shows a few more plot details. It opens on July 16.
The Adjustment Bureau opens on September 17 and is loosely based on a Philip K. Dick story. It stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt in a tale entangled in free will and fate.
It looks to be a good couple of months for mind bending movies.
Kane and Lynch Movie Poster
The Kane and Lynch game launched on the next gen platforms in 2007. It was like a playable version of a hardcore action film and now Empire have the first glimpse at the poster of the movie adaptation, as seen in Cannes. It stars Bruce Willis and Jamie Foxx and is directed by former stuntman Simon Crane. There’s been some apparent uproar over the casting of Foxx, as his character in the game is quite different, but time will tell.
Iron Man 2 Review
Every pop culture aficionado knows that comic book adaptations rarely make good sequels. Both Spider-Man 2 and Superman II dealt with heroes examining their costumed roles and giving up crime fighting and the genre seems filled with blander efforts when a “2” is stamped on the title. Really, sequels should be far superior; with the origin out of the way there’s more possibilities for greater action and drama. The Empire Strikes Back and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Now, that’s how you make a sequel.
Okay then, so where does Iron Man 2 go wrong? Needless to say, SPOILERS AHOY!
Firstly, the film starts with Tony Stark’s voice-over from the last few minutes of 2008’s predecessor and then immediately stumbles with a lengthy scene in which Tony is being questioned by a parliamentary committee who see his Iron Man armour as a weapon dangerous to national security. This is fine, and Downey Jr. as always is charm in a sharp suit, but to begin the year’s most anticipated film like an episode of any dull courtroom TV show is a huge mistake. It goes on far too long, there’s no introduction of the character and his world for those who missed the first film and it’s followed by an even more boring scene. Yep, Mickey Rourke in tattoos and shadows building his own dirty suit. We saw Tony do the very same thing in a cave in the first film, but the low-tech vs hi-tech approach is never realised. One could assume that this seen-it-before intro of the villain would be expanded on later, but I’m afraid not. It could’ve been an awesome chance to show the differences between golden boy Stark and his privileged upbringing with Rourke, playing Ivan Vanko (a combo of comics’ baddies Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo) but again such heights are not only never reached, but also avoided. All we know is that Vanko’s Dad helped Stark’s Dad decades ago and never got the credit, so now Vanko goes on a Stark-centred rampage. Again, Rourke play him well and looks like a combination of an Oz character who fell into the wardrobe from Pirates of the Caribbean, but as is the problem with superhero films sometimes – another villain gets in the way. Justin Hammer is a jealous Stark rival and equips Vanko with what he needs (including a parrot) to pull Stark down a peg or two. Sam Rockwell layers Hammer with the same bravado that Stark has, but with less self-confidence and greedier motivations.
Any scene between Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts is sparkling and director Jon Favreau fulfills his beefier role as driver happy Hogan with gusto. There aren’t constant references to next year’s Captain America film, and 2012’s The Avengers, but fanboys and girls know them when they see them. There’s a handy list of easter eggs in the film here. I knew references to events in New Mexico were related to Thor’s hammer landing there (wait for that scene after the end credits, like the Nick Fury cameo in film one). I know many would’ve been like me and expecting Cap’s shield to be in the box Tony receives from S.H.I.E.L.D director Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and we do see a possible prototype of it.
It’s great to see War Machine and Black Widow, but strangely those characters aren’t even referred to by those names. The action is fine, the SFX are great but what’s really annoying is the missed opportunities. If they dropped Hammer and focused on Vanko and Stark’s relationships with their respective fathers, and did more with Tony’s drunkeness and poisoning from the arc reactor in his chest the drama would’ve been more intriguing. Tony’s slow death, until a rescue by Fury, should’ve been at the heart of the film, but it was bypassed to show more drone designs.
It’s not a bad film, but sadly not as good as 2008’s surprise hit. Half the people in my cinema stayed until after the closing credits and there were many excited whispers as to Mjolnir’s owner, so that’s a good thing. Creating the first movie universe will at least hint at what’s going on in today’s comics. On that note, if you want a good Iron Man fix this week, grab Invincible Iron Man #25 by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca. It’s a double sized issue and features movie-friendly concepts such as Pepper Potts as C.E.O of Stark’s company, Hammer’s relatives, military drama and a hulking suit variant known as Detroit Steel.
The Empire Strikes Back With You
Yesterday was Star Wars Day, as those like me who received multiple May the 4th Be With You e-mails would know. In honour of that, and the 30th anniversary of one of the best films ever made, (or the best as voted by the hepcats at Empire magazine) the folks at JibJab have put together a rather amusing summary of The Empire Strikes Back. As with all JibJab’s fine short videos, you can put yourself and your mates in, as seen below. Nifty.
First Thor Photo
Here’s Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth (Kirk’s Dad in Star Trek) as Marvel’s god of thunder, Thor. Looks like a very faithful representation of his current costume. On a related note, if you’re watching Iron Man 2 this weekend, make sure you stay after the credits.
Jonah Hex Trailer
Opening on June 18 is this long in development film based on DC Comics’ Jonah Hex. It stars Josh Brolin as the titular scarred bounty hunter, Megan Fox with a Southern accent and John Malkovich as the baddie. Hex has had very little promotion and the trailer makes it seem like a bland revenge film rather than the great combination of the Western and horror genres that it purports to be.
Kick-Ass Review
I won’t necessarily say that I can’t see what all the fuss is about, because I can understand how seeing a pre-pubescent girl wielding a samurai sword, and a variety of guns while swearing can be jarring. However, I’ve read all the issues of the comic and it’s a lot more in your face on the page. What is sorely lacking from the transition to celluloid is the dark humour, and the likeable aspects of protagonist and titular vigilante Dave Lizewski.
It’s certainly a fanboy film, and comic creators Mark Millar and John Romita Jr, and film director Matthew Vaughan (Layer Cake) know their target audience well. From the Superman-like intro credits to the many scenes set in Atomic Comics, it is an experience for comic readers who can embrace the silly aspects of the superhero, with Nic Cage doing his best Adam West Batman impression, and Kick Ass hitting the streets in a green wetsuit. What is missing is the sense of fun, which does arrive too late at the film’s emotional and satisfying climax. Aaron Johnson is a fine actor, but he’s overshadowed in his own film, by baddie Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the fumbling Red Mist. It’s not long into the film that Kick Ass deviates from the source material (particualarly in who dies and who lives) but with only 8 issues released in 2 years, the film makers had a lot of room to move.
It is an enjoyable film, but not as ‘out there’ as I expected. There’s no nudity or excessive swearing or intestine spilling. And that’s certainly a good thing. Any Tarantino film pushes the envelope more than this in respect to blood letting. Raising issues of family, friendship and standing up for your fellow man may get lost in all the gaudy costumes and gunplay, but don’t dismiss this film straight away. It’s not another great cross-over film with daring and artistic mass appeal like say, Sin City was, but at the same time, it does stand out more as a parody amongst the horde of comics films that have landed on cinema screens in the last few years and proves that even sequential art can be self referential rather than self reverential.
Batman: Under the Red Hood Trailer and Pics
They keep cranking them out, but they keep getting better. Thanks DC! Details below about July’s animated film based on the resurrection of Jason Todd, the second Robin.
GOTHAM CITY MEETS A NEW VIGILANTE WITH A MYSTERIOUS, VIOLENT TWIST IN
BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD STELLAR VOICE CAST FEATURES BRUCE GREENWOOD, JENSEN ACKLES & NEIL PATRICK HARRIS IN
ALL-NEW DC UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGINAL MOVIE FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO ON JULY 27, 2010
SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY AND 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD INCLUDE DC SHOWCASE SHORT, JONAH HEX
Batman confronts new enemies, old foes and painful memories when a powerful vigilante with a penchant for violence comes to Gotham City in the intense graphic-novel-come-to-life Batman: Under the Red Hood, the next entry in the popular ongoing series of DC UNIVERSE Animated Original PG-13 Movies coming July 27, 2010 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition version on Blu-Ray™ and 2 disc DVD for $29.99 (SRP) and $24.98 (SRP), respectively, as well as single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP). The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.
The stellar voice cast has Bruce Greenwood (Captain Pike in the 2009 blockbuster Star Trek) donning the famed cowl as the voice of Batman. Supernatural star Jensen Ackles is Red Hood, and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) voices Nightwing. John DiMaggio (Futurama) and Jason Issacs (the Harry Potterfilms) round out the main cast as The Joker and Ra’s Al Ghul, respectively.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is scripted by award-winning comics writer Judd Winick and based on his popular 2005 comics storyline and subsequent comics graphic novel of the same name. Animation guru Bruce Timm returns as executive producer, as he has for all eight DC Universe animated original movies. Director is Brandon Vietti, who served as co-director of Superman Doomsday and was responsible for the first one-third of that film, including the fatal battle between the two title characters.
In Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.
Fans will be treated to an incredible package of DC Universe storytelling as the Special Edition Blu-Ray and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD include the second animated short in the all-new DC Showcase series – which features the popular DC Comics character, Jonah Hex. The short is scripted by renowned author Joe Lansdale and stars the voices of Thomas Jane (Hung), Linda Hamilton (The Terminator), Michelle Trachtenberg (Mercy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Michael Rooker (Days of Thunder).
Batman: Under the Red Hood – 2 Disc Special Edition DVD will have more than two hours of fascinating bonus features, including:
- Featurette – Robin’s Story – It was decided it was time to add a fresh face into the story mix, which turned out to be Dick Grayson, aka Robin. This is the story of Dick Grayson and how he transformed into Robin, with Batman as his father-figure role model.
- Extended Sneak Peek at the next DC UNIVERSE Animated Original PG-13 Movie.
- Widescreen (1.78:1)
- Two title-themed episodes from of Warner Bros. Animation’s 20-year history of Batman television series, hand-picked by animation legend Bruce Timm.
Batman: Under the Red Hood Special Edition Blu-Ray will have more than three hours of bonus materials, including all the great extras from the 2-disc Special Edition DVD as well as:
- Featurette: Death in the House of Batman – The story of how DC Comics heard the fans’ cry that the new Robin was not going to fit the cape, and how the Boy Wonder was scheduled to die.
- Two additional bonus Batman-themed episodes personally selected by Bruce Timm
- Digital copy
“Batman: Under the Red Hood is another terrific entry in the groundbreaking series of DC Universe animated movies, a shining representation of the adult storytelling that comics-turned-to-film has to offer, and further evidence of the combined creative power within the collaboration of DC Entertainment, Warner Premiere, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere.
“Judd Winick’s and Doug Mahnke’s story of a Robin gone wrong introduced Batman’s most personal enemy to date. It’s unbelievably cool to see it brought to life like this,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment.
“With each exciting new chapter of the DC UNIVERSE films, fans have come to expect more – and Batman: Under the Red Hood delivers with an action-packed tale of mystery and emotional struggle brought to animated life by an outstanding filmmaking crew and voiced by the all-star talents of Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, Neil Patrick Harris and John Dimaggio,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brand Marketing.
“In his feature length solo directorial debut, Brandon Vietti has brought this dark, psychological thriller to the screen with all the action and emotion of a great Batman story,” said Sam Register, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Animation.”
Superman Web Series
Up now at the new and improved Broken Frontier is my interview with film director Steven LaMorte, all about his new 12 part web series focused on Superman. Check out the interview here.
comicbookjesus 