Freedom Formula #1 Review

Radical Comics are the newest publisher on the comics market, and so far, they seem to be making waves. They have wisely partnered with the Singapore based Imaginary Friends Studios to bring in the next level of gifted creators. However, as unveiled at July’s Comic-Con, they’ll also be working with such well known names as writer Steve Niles, and director John Woo is interested in a film adaptation of their Western series, Caliber. They also have projects involving Weta Workshop (the Lord of the Rings SFX gurus) and painters Luis Royo and Jim Steranko.

After reading the first issues of both Hercules and Caliber and being somewhat underwhelmed, I wasn’t expecting much from Freedom Formula. Thankfully, I was wrong. A tonal departure from those books, this is a futuristic adventure set post world war (isn’t every futuristic tale?) where the sport of high speed competition in hi-tech bikes (VXs) rules the roost.

Courier driver Zee becomes embroiled in the race as the competitors pass through his home in the Wastelands. After hiding as a pit crew member he visits the mammoth city of Los Petropolis and gets embroiled in another accident waiting to happen, namely his death.

Subtitled Ghost of the Wasteland, this five issue mini-series shows the most promise of all Radical’s books and I wouldn’t be surprised if it it eventually becomes an ongoing. There are facets that we’ve seen before – the corporations controlling society, the division between the “norms” and the “eugenes” (genetically engineered), the popular sport of advanced racing, but with Zee’s secrets about his late father (for whom he’s delivering a mysterious package) and enough hints of more menace to appear Freedom Formula may just rise above typical sci-fi fare.

What truly makes this book rise above, however, is the art. It’s simply amazing. With an organically creepy look reminiscent of Jae Lee (Hellshock, Dark Tower) and beautifully designed pages in the vein of Christian Gossett (Red Star), Chester Ocampo and Kai stamp a very appealing visual style on the pages of this book. Each page is different enough, but not wildly so. Writer Edmund Shen is wise enough to free the pages of verbose dialogue and unnecessary exposition and lets the pages speak for themselves. After adapting Yoshitako Amano’s Mateki: The Magic Flute, he knows when to humbly let great art do it’s thing. And there’s plenty for it to do. From the intro of the racers under the bright lights, to the sparse darkness of the Wastelands, to the unveiling of Los Petropolis, your reaction will be the same as Zee’s, namely, “Whoa.” Some, if not most of that can also be attributed to Mr B (apparently it’s a prerequisite that all of Radical’s artists have names like rappers), the visual effects designer who knows when to bathe the art in light and when to be subdued. This a good package and if this standard is maintained (Radical are not flooding the market just yet) they could develop into comics’ next big thing. Director Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns) has just picked this up for a feature film at some point, so now’s the time to get in on the ground floor and see this title for yourself before Singer puts all the characters in leather and removes the fun. If you’re still not convinced, check out the nifty trailer for the series below.

August 11, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics? . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

Dabel Bros. Produce Warriors Comic

I actually watched this 1979 classic for the first time last year, and recommend it thoroughly. All the different gangs with their various themes and crazy style, all the running, all the mad violence – it’s all there. The tie-in game was pretty cool too. Now there’s a comic. Straight from the DB Bros. press release to your fanboy mind, here’s all the info you need to know.

Dabel Brothers Publishing is pleased to announce the comic book adaptation of the cult movie classic, The Warriors. The Dabels will start with an adaptation of the movie and move onto doing spin off stories based on the movie. This will be the Dabel Brothers first movie to comic book adaptation.

“Even though I love everything we’ve done up until now, I never been this excited about us picking up a license. The Warriors is simply my favorite movie from 70’s,” says Dabel Brothers Special Projects Manager, Derek Ruiz, “Seriously, who can forget the death of Cyrus or Sully banging those bottles together and asking the Warriors to come out and play. That stuff is just classic.”

For those unfamiliar with the movie, it’s about a gang called The Warriors, who are framed for killing a rival gang leader who had been trying to unite all the gangs in the area. With other gangs gunning for them they must get back to their home turf of Coney Island…alive.

The movie came out in 1979 from Paramount Pictures. The 30th Anniversary is coming up in January 2009 and is timed perfectly with the release date for issue #1 of the comic book adaptation.

Dabel Brother’s Business Director Rich Young added, “The Warriors is such a great movie…it’s amazing how well it has held up over time.  We’re excited to be working with Paramount on this and we’re excited about the fact that this is our first movie-based license. This property has its origins in Sol Yurick’s novel, which is what we’re known for (working with literary authors), so we think it’s really a perfect fit for Dabel Brothers. I know we’re going to do some things that people are really doing to dig with this.”

Commenting on the deal, Michael Corcoran, president, Paramount Consumer Products & Recreation Group, said, “Paramount Licensing has an incredibly rich and diverse library of properties dating back almost a century, and we are delighted to be working with companies such as Dabel Brothers Publishing, who find fresh new ways to develop products based on these classic films that will appeal to both existing fans and a whole new audience.”

July 31, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Rambo Review

I was looking forward to this. My previous attempts to rent it were thwarted as other bloodthirsty patrons beat me to it. But it lived up to the hype. At just shy of 90 minutes, it is short in length (and plot) but makes up for it with more blood and vengeance than the Punisher in an abbatoir.

John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is a Vietnam veteran and hardcore soldier, trained to kill with reckless abandon and creative use of vicious implements. Since his last cinematic outing in 1988’s Rambo 3, he has been carving out an existence in Thailand catching snakes. He lives alone and is as surly as ever. A group of well-meaning Christians come along and eventually entice him into taking them on his boat to the Burmese border to help villagers in need. In the opening scenes we see actual footage of the atrocities there that will stir your conscience and wait for Rambo to exact vengeance.

I’ve always been a fan of Sly. More than an actor (though with Rocky and Rambo to his credit, his impression on pop culture can not be denied) he always tries to lift his films above mere action flicks. As the writer and director on many of his own features, he is a league above Seagal and Van Damme. Here, he brings up notions of identity and convinces some mercenaries in rescuing the missionaries from Burmese rebels, that “this is who we are.” Welcome the bloodlust inside you, don’t deny it is the heart warming message of this slaughter. But you can’t help but cheer Sly and the merc caricatures on as they shoot, slice and explode an endless parade of baddies. I was smiling all the way. The violence is over the top but with bullets and knives that size, blood will spill freely. And that’s exactly what it does. Not recommended for those with a weak stomach, Rambo will otherwise entertain. Sly looks considerably older than he did in his previous revamp, Rocky Balboa, and runs and leaps less. Then again, there’s no need for such activity if you have a gun and a snarl bigger than any prison could hold. The guy still looks like a mountain. There is also a fair bit of crudeness, in the foul language and brief nudity, so be warned. This is Rambo, however, not Indiana Jones. He’s never been a family friendly character, but for a good night in where you want to find yourself cheering and laughing at some brutal punishment, check it out. Then have a shower and prepare for Rambo 5, coming in 2009.

July 21, 2008
Categories: Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The Dark Knight Review

After 2005’s Batman Begins many had high hopes for the sequel. Usually in superhero films, the follow-up is better. After all that nasty exposition and the obligatory origin story is dealt with, the film-makers can then move on to expanding the cast of characters and ramping up the action. That is certainly what happens here. The Dark Knight sets the tone well early on. Don’t expect any information to bring you up to speed however. If you haven’t seen Begins, then do so before seeing this. It will help.

Batman (Christian Bale) has been fighting crime for some time now with aid from his English butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and daring new District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). As always his only love, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is also in the wings, though she is fond of the more stable Dent than playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting ways. Director Christopher Nolan returns to this Batman screen re-invention with a skill gained from his indie cinema days. Co-written with David Goyer and Nolan’s brother, Jonathan, The Dark Knight is not a typical superhero film, like Iron Man, but is far more concerned with raising morality issues rather than having the good guy beat up the bad guy. As Harvey Dent gains the public’s trust and becomes the enemy of Gotham’s crime bosses, Bruce Wayne begins to think that perhaps he can give up his nocturnal adventuring for good and let Dent tackle crime the legal way. The right way. Of course, we don’t want that to happen as we want to see Bats do what he does best – exact justice on Gotham’s crims, but we also want to see Bruce and Rachel re-ignite their love and live happily ever after. For anyone who knows Batman the outcome is obvious, but seeing Bruce Wayne understand that he needs help in his war and could conceivably hand over the reins to another is a good take. It’s not entirely new, however. Both Superman’s and Spider-Mans’ second films also toyed with the idea of retiring their superhero alter-egos, and did, temporarily. At times the film reminded me of Bourne’s fighting scenes, Law and Order’s courtoom dramas and MI:3’s daring rescues, especially the great Hong Kong sequence. And with the nifty vehicles, like the new Bat Pod and hi-tech gadgets from Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), it is also similar to a Bond film. But Nolan makes it all seem part of a cohesive whole. There are also some genuine laughs and gasps along the way, mostly due to the Clown Prince of Crime and his amusing/horrifying ways. So, what about the Joker? Fellow Aussie Heath Ledger has certainly got everyone talking and makes a startling entrance. Is he great? Sure. Oscar-worthy? No. He loses himself in the role, like no other he’s played, but he’s not this year’s best actor and to give him a win out of sentimentality would be a mistake. The rest of the ensemble do a splendid job. Maggie Gyllenhaal is superior to Katie Holmes’ outing as Dawes in the first film and both Caine and Freeman add sparkling wit.

At two and a half hours, is it too long? Definitely, but I don’t see how the film-makers could’ve cut any scenes, with the story they are portraying. If I was forced, I’d say the entire Two-Face arc could’ve been left on the cutting room floor though, as the classic villain deserves his own film, not the cameo he has here. His transformation from golden boy Dent to corrupt Two-Face is similar to his comics origin, but with a twist that works well in this cinematic context. I was disappointed that Eckhart sounds the same as Dent and Two-Face however. Apart from the physical transformation, there is no real sense of any permanent inner change with the character, post-scarring, but his limited screen time means that such conflict can not really be dealt with.

As a comics purist I was happy to finally see Batman with haunting white eyes for the first time on-screen. It always irks me seeing black make-up on the actor’s face under the cowl. Is Bruce Wayne going to apply foundation every time he dons the mask? The Joker seen here is also the most faithful one, with a genius level intellect yet an unstable, unpredictable mind and an origin that not even he’s sure of. The film’s end is a surprise (though not the only one) and takes the franchise down an interesting path, though possibly one with limited potential. For fans of dark, mature takes on superheroes this is recommended. If you’d like more Batman/Joker inter-play, follow Nolan’s example and read The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, the best interpretation of their relationship ever created. The Dark Knight may be too scary for the younger crowd though. There is no blood on-screen, but plenty of madness, corpses and flinching moments. With the notions of sacrifice, honour and integrity all mentioned, for adults there will be plenty of discussion after you leave the cinema.

July 19, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 3 Comments

Watchmen Trailer

Just released, the Watchmen trailer has already divided the comic fan community. Directed by Zack Snyder, who after directing 300 is no stranger to comic book films, it looks to be …interesting. Watchmen is to comics what Citizen Kane is to cinema. It lifted the standards and re-invented the conventions. After Watchmen, nothing in comics was really ever the same. It came along at just the right time – the original 12 issues were published between 1986 and 87 and, along with the Pulitzer winning Maus and the Batman re-inventing The Dark Knight Returns, showed the world what sequential art could be. Comics grew up after these three books and started to see, and promote themselves as adult literature, as respected as any other form of entertainment. Written by the reclusive genius Alan Moore and drawn with great realism by Dave Gibbons these two deconstructed the very idea of the superhero. Originally they wanted to use DC’s stable of underused characters they acquired from Charlton comics, such as the Blue Beetle and The Question. DC wouldn’t let them so they created their own archetypes such as the Comedian, Nite-Owl and Silk Spectre. The trailer looks cool, especially in the opening shots of Dr Manhattan’s origin, but the CGI appears dodgy later on. Watchmen has almost been made into a film for the last 20 years, with directors such as Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass attached to the project over the years. It is perhaps the most difficult comic story to adapt to cinema and Moore is not supportive of it being attempted. As a comic, it is great and deep and resonant, but it possibly only works in that format. I doubt non-comics readers will “get it” and by the looks of it some of it has been altered to make it seem more like a standard suoperhero tale, but Watchmen is so much more than that. I guess we’ll see for ourselves about this time next year.

July 18, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

Nerd Paradise

Nerds are smart. Smart people can buy expensive things. Nerds can therefore buy expensive things, right? Absolutely. The beauty of today’s hi-tech pop culture saturated world is that when you’ve made it you can customize any part of your life you like. If you want a Han Solo frozen in carbonite table – you can have it. How about a deluxe home theatre that resembles the awesomeness that is the Batcave? It’s yours.

So you like Star Trek hey? Well invite your Klingon mates over and let them gawk at this bad boy and wonder how Kirk managed to become shirtless with such regularity.

For a sneak at 8 more indulgent fantasies come to life, go here. There’s also themes for Indiana Jones, Titanic, the Death Star and more.

For those of us who can not afford such extravagance, maybe this would be a more cost effective option – a to-scale R2-D2 projector. It comes with an iPod dock, a Millennium Falcon remote control and buckets of cool. It also makes all the official sounds and can roll around the room, sensing when it’s near any dangerous objects, like thieving Jawas or coffee tables. If you’re passionate enough, this little gadget is available now.

You can also get a smaller web-cam version, with a lightsabre remote. See the video below to witness all its glory. My words can not do it justice.

July 16, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies . Tags: , , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Marvel Boss Joe Q Talks To You

A new feature of the awesome MySpace Comic Books page is the video blog from Marvel EIC, Joe Quesada, in which he answers fans questions. There are also a few preview pages from Leinil Francis Yu’s great artwork from August 13’s Secret Invasion #5, the current series rocking the Marvel Universe that has everyone wondering who can be trusted.

On an unrelated note, the new Batman: Gotham Knight DVD which has had a mixed reception has at least one thing in its favour; this great looking cover which graces the Japanese 2 disc version. It’s certainly a lot more enticing than the generic cover the rest of the world was offered.

And for your general gawking pleasure, below that are some pages from Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane,(Vol. 2) the all-ages title from writer Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise) and artist Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts). Also included is the alternate cover by Adrian Alphono. The first issue of the 5 ish mini is out on August 6.

Aww…so cute! This will be a great series for kids who like Spidey, but it is aimed at teenagers who like humour and romance more than superheroes duking it out with each other while spouting zany pop culture references.

As you can see by these pics, this series brings the regulars back to their school days, with all the lost loves and confusion that comes with it.

Volume 1 of this series will be available in collected form from August 30 and is written by Sean McKeever with art by Takeshi Miyazawa.


July 13, 2008
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Batman: Gotham Knight

Similar to what The Animatrix DVD was to the Matrix films, Gotham Knight is a direct-to-DVD animated anthology tying into the recent Batman films. As reported on Wednesday, this film is the latest after Superman and Justice League DVDs, with Wonder Woman’s turn coming next year. Containing six short films from different Japanese animation studios and American writers, they each look very different from one another. The only similarity between all six tales is Batman’s voice; that of Kevin Conroy. Initially it is jarring to hear it coming from an animated Batman that doesn’t resemble the Batman: The Animated Series version from the mid 1990s, but I eventually warmed to it.

The first vignette, “Have I Got A Tale For You,” is not entirely original for Bat fans. It presents a group of kids recounting their run-ins with the mysterious Batman, and shows how they view him differently – as a soldier of smoke, a monster and a robot. A similar episode was seen in Batman: TAS, but it’s a good introduction and shows how Batman has lasted through the decades. He’s simply a versatile character. He can be the gothic creature, or the street-level detective, or the traditional superhero or the man with all the sci-fi gadgetry. But it’s all still Batman, just different parts of the same whole.

“Crossfire” is written by comics scribe Greg Rucka and continues what he started with the comics title, Gotham Central – revealing how the Gotham police see the Dark Knight. He uses characters from the series that he knows well, namely detectives Crispus Allen, and Renee Montoya (though for some reason she has been renamed Anna here) “Field Test” is an interesting take on Batman’s use of, rather than reliance on, all his “wonderful toys.” Lucius Fox gives Bruce Wayne some hardware that makes him a lot more powerful, but essentially waters down the essence of who Batman is. “In Darkness Dwells” written by Batman Begins co-writer David Goyer Scarecrow shows up (in a much better costume than his Batman Begins version) as Bats travels to the sewers and briefly encounters classic comics villain Killer Croc. Comics writer Brian Azzarello creates “Working Through Pain” which picks up straight after “Darkness” as Bats struggles to maintain consciousness as he traipses through the sewers, bleeding as he does so. He reflects on training he received while in India as a young man and learns the power of mind over matter.

Finally, and probably the best of the bunch, “Deadshot” which introduces another great comics bad guy. It offers a great story and well directed action and is written by Alan Burnett who has written comics and episodes of Batman: TAS. There are two versions of the DVD available. The standard one-discer has an audio commentary, a cute Lego Batman video game trailer and a 10 minute look at next year’s Wonder Woman film. However you may have trouble accessing them as separate features and they may only appear after the end-credits. A big blundre from Wraner Bros. The two-discer contains those features, four episodes of Batman: TAS with intros by Burnett, a doco on Batman creator Bob Kane and also one on Batman’s rogues gallery. I’ll certainly check this version out. Each of the six tales don’t really tie into one another, and Alfred sounds more like a refined gent (a la TAS) rather than Micahel Caine’s Cockney speak. The artistic style is different in each take, but they still all resemble the dark detective that we all know and love. In some instances Bruce Wayne looks far too young but the Japanese artists have restrained themselves well. Yes, these versions may not be the Batman that everyone expects, but neither are they too jarring. The soundtrack throughout is also excellent, though I’m still fond of Danny Elfman’s score from the Tim Burton films and Shirley Walker’s take from TAS. Music makes the hero. There’s nothing in this collection to link it to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, as has been promoted, but it more closely resembles them than it does the current state of the comics. A pleasant enough, though short, glimpse at Batman’s life for those who feel prompted by all The Dark Knight hype. Oh, and the backgrounds are gorgeous, which can’t be said about the DVD cover. With the hype The Dark Knight has been receiving, this package deserves better. There has been no mainstream promotion and to top all the other problems off, there is no Japanese audio dub on the Blu-Ray version, in spite of the cover saying there is. WB’s marketing team have dropped the ball I’m afraid. It is the most adult and bloody animated Batman ever seen, but you could still be more satisfied by spending your money on any number of comic collections, such as The Long Halloween, KnightFall, Hush, The Dark Knight Returns or any number of recent paper escapades.

July 11, 2008
Categories: Cartoons, Comics, Movies, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

Wonder Woman – Animated!

Here’s your first look at the Amazon herself. Keri Russell (MI:3) has been cast as the voice of Diana Prince and her lasso wielding alter ego, while Nathan Fillion (Firefly) is providing voice duties for pilot Steve Trevor, who crash lands on the Amazon’s hidden island. Lucky fella. Rosario Dawson plays rival Artemis (WW’s one-time replacement in the comics), Virginia Madsen is WW’s mum, Queen Hippolyta and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2’s Doctor Octopus) plays Ares, the god of war and all round bad dude. This follows DC Comics other direct-to-DVD features, Superman/Doomsday (which recounted the awesome Death of Superman tale in a more simplified manner), the 1940’s inspired Justice League: New Frontier and the just released Dark Knight film tie-in, Batman: Gotham Knight, by a unique handful of both Japanese and American creators.

Each of these films has a very different artistic style and each one is a great introduction to the sprawling cast of characters that make up the DC Universe. Each DVD also has its own handy documentary, and interviews with the writers and artists to give you a heads up about these characters. We don’t know much about this newest film, but before it is released in February of next year, I’m sure we’ll slowly find out more.

July 9, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics? . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 1 Comment

Hop, Skip – Jump(er)

As I’ve been reading Get Smart’s reviews this week it has become obvious that some reviewers all go to the same well of uncreativity. Every single one either started or ended with the show’s catchphrase to sum up it’s disappointment-“Missed it by that much.”

The same could be said about this film, “No, it’s not a documentary on knitwear,” “It will pull the wool over your eyes,” etc. So I promise, no lame jokes here, at least not deliberately.

This really should’ve been a better movie. Somewhat based on the first in a trilogy of books by Steven Gould, Jumper concerns youngster David (Hayden Christensen) as he learns he is a “jumper,” ie, someone who can teleport at will. He eventually learns he’s not the only one and his selfish world of robbing banks and travelling the world in freedom is shattered. Roland (Samuel L. Jackson) is the leader of a mysterious group called Paladins whose mission is simply to hunt and kill jumpers. They do quite a good job too, with all their fancy gadgets. David partners with a more experienced Jumper, Griffin (Jamie Bell), he meets high school sweetheart Millie (The OC’s Rachel Bilson) and lots of jumping and running follows. It looks good and has more exotic locales than all the Bond films combined, but there is no real depth here. Millie simply follows David and we are given no reason as to why. The pair are supposedly in love (or at least, sleeping together, which in Hollywood is apparently the same thing) The opening scene sets up their relationship as children when David first discovers his gift, but there is no sense that they were nothing more than classmates, not life long friends and the rest of the film does nothing to add to this. Griffin is simply an annoying character and with Jamie Bell’s thick accent you may be reaching for that Subtitles button on your remote. We learn Griffin has been jumping since he was five, but don’t wait for any wise mentor-naive student vibe here. Griffin is the same age and hates David almost as much as the Paladins. It’s a nice surprise, but one character whom we could sympathise with would’ve been a great idea. Diane Lane also has a cameo (which I won’t spoil) and the film ends with the potential for more, which there may be. The Jumper book series is a trilogy as this film is intended to be, but I have my doubts after seeing this one. It may go some way to explaining why the film is light on exposition though – the producers are saving those details for two more films. There is no satisfying explanation as to how the jumpers can do what they can do, or why Paladins hate them so much, and no glimpse in to the history of their apparently millenia old war. The making-of feature on the DVD explains that the writers have created such details, but just didn’t put them in the screenplay. I’d also recommend watching the deleted scenes which show the better direction this film could’ve gone in.

Jumper is high on geek cred – it re-unites Star Wars actors Christensen and Jackson, it’s written by Jim Uhls(Fight Club) Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand) and David Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins) and directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) but the problem is it tries to focus so much on making jumping look cool that it relegates all the important stuff, such as back story and character to the blurry background, though if you want that stuff, there is alway the novels and the Oni Press comic series, entitled Jumpscars. It also mentions Marvel Team-Up, twice, when David attempts to convince Griffin that’s what they should do. However a few nerd moments isn’t enough to save this film. If you’re looking for great teleporting visuals with a story to boot, see Nightcrawler do his “Bamf”ing thing in X-Men 2.

July 6, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The X-Men Film of 1984

Sometime in the mid 1990s I recall reading about a proposed X-Men film that was to involve at least two actors who would’ve represented their comic characters more faithfully. Arnold Schwarzenegger was tipped to play the metal-skinned Colossus (complete with Russian accent) and Mel Gibson was to play Wolverine, in all his short-statured fury. I remember this because I was just starting to get into the X-Men at the time, and was quite excited by the prospect of this cinematic adventure. Of course, years before that I was excited upon learning of a He-Man film with Dolph Lundgren. Those were the days before the internet, where we had to wait to be disappointed until we could see the film on the silver screen. Or VHS. Now we can learn every maddening detail on-line and save our dashed hopes for other things, such as our local sports team.

1984 X-Men FilmA few years before the 90s X-Men film there was this one, or there could’ve been. Comics writers Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway wrote a script for a proposed film of Marvel’s favourite super group, but as is often the case in Hollywood, a script doesn’t necessarily mean a movie. An interesting discussion between the pair, as well as a brief history on the project is available for free at TwoMorrow’s site. The publisher has been around since 1994 and focus their magazine, book and DVD efforts on comics history and discussion from the 1970s to today. Back Issue is one of my fave reads. It’ll mean a lot to nostalgic fanboys. Draw! and Write Now! are also full of useful advice from pros to all wannabe creators. Look for the Comics Go Hollywood PDF, fill in some details and the 36 pager is all yours. It also includes an examination of the storyboards of the new Justice League: New Frontier DVD, an interview with writer/producer Jeph Loeb (Smallville, Lost, Heroes, lotsa comics) a look at legendary artist Jack Kirby and Hollywood, and the Joker’s transition from page to screen. It’s well worth a look for comics history buffs, or those who’d like to know more. I must say the X-Men film is a highlight. With giant nostrils, a walking Professor X and no mention of the word “mutant,” it’s a good thing this film was never made.

July 1, 2008
Categories: Comics, Movies . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

TobyMac: Alive and Transported DVD/CD

TobyMac LivedcTalk helped me become a Christian. I used to mock their cheesy and outdated Christian Television Association ads over a decade ago, then I saw their Welcome to the Freak Show live concert on VHS and couldn’t believe they were a Christian band. Surely Christian music had guys in braces playing harps and singing, “Hallelujah,” all the time. Right? Wrong-thankfully. I loved that album and listened to the tape so many times I destroyed it. Then when Jars of Clay, Newsboys and delirious came along all my misconceptions about Christianity were swept away. Contemporary Christian music has been an integral part of my life since.

dcTalk’s last album of new material, 1998’s Supernatural, was certainly a fitting swansong from the groundbreaking boys, and the demand for an immediate re-union was high. I don’t think many people expected TobyMac to be the most successful solo artist after the split. With the soaring voices of Michael Tait and Kevin Max “that guy that does all the rapping” had to work hard to get noticed. But he did, and it paid off.

With his three solo albums (Momentum, Welcome to Diverse City and Portable Sounds) each better than the last, and his own label Gotee Records, he continues to shine in the hip-hop arena.

Alive and Transported is his first live DVD/CD. He looks as young and as energetic as he did when he first made an impression on me all those years ago. With the hits from his albums, plus dcTalk’s anthem, Jesus Freak, this 20 song collection won’t allow you to stop grooving. The CD and DVD collect the same songs, but the DVD has a nifty bonus; an almost one hour long doco on the man himself as he discusses life, touring, family and the sometimes mundane, sometimes extraordinary ways he met his current band mates. Toby’s voice sounds more powerful than ever and he never loses a beat throughout the concert’s entirety on memorable beats like Boomin’, Made To Love and Extreme Days. It must be exhausting, but moved by the adoration of the huge crowd and his passion for Christ, the guys just keeps rocking, and rapping. It doesn’t have the fancy multimedia of a U2 show, or the fancy footwork of a Justin Timberlake show, but these guys (and girl) know how to party.

The DVD needs big speakers and a big TV to really show the power and enthusiasm coming from the stage. The editing adds much colour and motion to the event and it is a feast for your eyes as well as ears. Though he has had moderate success in the mainstream music scene, with songs being used in TV ads and films, Toby doesn’t shy away from his Christian roots. He’s not ashamed of the gospel, and like his friend and collaborator, the equally awesome Kirk Franklin, he spills out spiritual authenticity along with his creativity. One of the greatest blessings of being a believer is that we have music like this, that honours God and gets your body moving.
And, just so you know, I used one of his songs on the Supanova Perth video seen below. Like me, you may just be surprised that there’s no harps and Hallelujahs here, but you won’t be disappointed. Give it a shot.

June 30, 2008
Categories: Movies, Music, Reviews . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Definitely, Maybe-Certainly

I hate most rom-coms (um, romantic comedies-yeah) My house-mate loves them and put on Fool’s Gold recently. I gave it twenty minutes and could stomach no more. Most are bland, predictable and written for 11 year olds. The quirky cast of supporting characters, the lame physical comedy, the same upbeat strings on the soundtrack, the break-up, misunderstandings, new partners followed by jealousy, the dash for the airport. This genre is the most formulaic in all of Hollywood. The only films that can beat them for mindless entertainment would be anything starring a Van Damme or a Seagal. However, sometimes, we need good old fashioned mind numbing, don’t we? After a long day at work we can plonk ourselves in our fave chair, press play and expect happy endings and pretty people to wash over us for the next 90 minutes. I just try not to make a habit out of it. I will say though, I loved The Notebook (perhaps the only film that guys can admit they cried to) and adored Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise and Before Sunset films. I didn’t expect much with this latest Ryan Reynolds vehicle, though he was in Blade: Trinity and was the forerunner for Wally West in The Flash film, so he’s got geek cred in my book.

The premise is this: Ryan is getting divorced from his daughter’s (Abigail Breslin) mother and tells her the story of the three most important romances in his life, leaving her to guess which one is her Mum, with the choices being Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks and my fellow Aussie, Isla Fisher. Well written and directed by Albert Brooks, the film gives you enough reasons to like each of the three female leads and also enough reason to want the final outcome to not be them. It’s a delicate balancing act with a few surprises thrown in. All the characters are fully developed, with intelligent engaging dialogue, rather than the usual fluff that spout forth from rom-com leads. Fisher is the highlight of the cast. She just can’t seem to turn off the cutesy charm no matter what role she’s in. The final scenes offer nice icing on the cake. I stayed through the whole film, so that’s high praise indeed. It only ventures toward typical territory of this genre in two early scenes involving slow clapping and rowdy singing, but it isn’t a comedy as such, more of a drama. The flashbacks will be a nice bonus for Gen Xers too, with familiar 90s staples such as brick mobile phones, Cobain and Clinton. Definitely, Maybe is a nice breath of fresh, minty air in a crowded shelf of feel-good movies.

June 23, 2008
Categories: Movies, Reviews . Tags: , , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 2 Comments

Tropic Thunder Promo

This looks like it could be a funny film. Ben Stiller stars as action man Tug Speedman, Jack Black is the funny guy Jeff “Fats” Portnoy and an unrecognisable Robert Downey Jr portrays the award winning Aussie, Kirk Lazarus. From the names alone its obvious this film will be mocking blockbuster conventions.

The somewhat unique set-up is this; the three actors are making a Vietnam war film when their director (Steve Coogan) gets fed up with their antics and drops them off in a real war zone, without telling them.The “viral video” was shown at this year’s MTV Movie Awards. It goes for childish humour, but it works. Jack Black is always funny (apart from Nacho Libre) and Downey Jr continues to surprise us. It seems that there’s no genre he can’t be seen in. Stiller directs and co-writes the film and it’s due for release on August 15. There is also an R-rated “redband” trailer which looks quite bloody. Hopefully what we’ve seen thus far is just a promise of more laughs to come.

June 22, 2008
Categories: Movies . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

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