It’s been awhile since I posted on this site … six month to be exact. I haven’t been spinning my wheels or anything. I’ve just been generally dissatisfied with the state of the CBM (comic book movie) and all comics related material in general. Well, I’ve finally gotten some distance from the whole thing and … shadowgeek10 is BACK !!!
It all started with the season finale of Smallville when most loyal fans of the show were royally screwed by the producers of that show. Some have written it off, but I was so jaded after that less than stellar review that I haven’t watched the CW since.
Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders, SMALLVILLE’S show runners immediately backpedaled from massive fan dissapointment and disgust by claiming that there was never any intention of showing Clark Kent evolve into Superman by putting on the “Iconic Costume”.
When I saw Tom Welling running towards the camera at the conclusion of this “series” only to reveal a underoos type SUPERMAN t-shirt underneath … I was a little more than upset.
I had braved ridicule and scorn from most of my friends and family loyally following this show all because I wanted to see Clark in that suit, even if for a fleeting moment… and the producers, show runners, the CW, WB and Tom Welling decided to give me and my numerous like minded associates, the middle finger.
This pretty much sums up how I feel about Smallville’s “Season Finale” …
Currently there’s a “New” Superman movie being filmed which has been touted as a New Superman for a New Decade … Well, Ill buy that for a dollar.-literally. Directed by Zack Snyder, this new film boasts a cast that includes Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Russel Crowe (Of all people), Amy Adams and new “Man of Steel” … Henry Cavill.
I gotta admit .. Cavill looks the part, but I’m not enamored of the costume. The problem is that Superman is case 0 in the comic book genre … “The Protoype” .. He really doesn’t have to change with the times. I had hoped that Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan would be smart enough to realize that you change Superman by changing the world around him.
But, nope … Apparently they’re going to follow in the countless footsteps of so many others by filming another Origin Story. This gives my the “Smallville Dryheaves” and currently I have no plans to view the film considering how badly the small screen version was handled.
… ZOD !!
WHOSE WONDER WOMAN ?!!
The boys over at Time Warner & DC weren’t through having fun during the summer of 2011. They decided to “Keep up the Good Work” … by producing a pilot for a “New, Updated for Modern Times” version of every one’s favorite Amazon Princess, Wonder Woman.
Now, this couldn’t be that bad could it?
How hard is it to find a beautiful actress capable of pulling off the character. It’s really not all that hard is it? It was done before with the Linda Carter show of the lae 70’s and quite well as a matter of fact. Linda Carter for my generation (X) is the definitive Wonder Woman and even though I feel this way, I believe that the cinemnatic and small screen could use a new Wonder Woman.
See what I mean?
EPIC FAIL !!!! – While the new stuff certainly doesn’t lack for excitement and superhero thrills, it’s just missing something..that intangible quality that all of these projects should possess … and Padilicki is well, just plain to look at. There’s nothing breath taking in her appearance or the way she carries herself. Her take on Wonder Woman leaves much to be desired. Just not feeling the “Butch” version of this character. Maybe hisory will repeat itself and somebody else will create the perfect Wonder Woman for this new genration.
Just to be fair to Ms. Padilicki, Linda Carter didn’t get her chance to be a superhero until the network decided to redue the original Wonder woman pilot film featuring Cathy Lee Crosby. Have a Look.
Pretty bad huh? It had it’s merits at the time … and Kahn (Star Trek’s, Ricardo Montaban) as the the bad guy.
This pretty much sums up how I feel about the Wonder Woman 2011 pilot.
… and on to our next subject …
GREEN LANTERN … Really?!!
What can I say? The movie came … and went. Quickly … It BOMBED with the force of a nuke. It was simply a bad film, poor thought out, realized and executed. Who’s fault is it? Martin Cambell? WB? … maybe Ryan Reynolds, voted one of the sexiest men alive by numerous supermarket rag tabloids?
Maybe they should have got somebody like Ridley Scott to do the movie.
Maybe they should have shied away from all the green screen work and picked a better villian for the Lantern. Hector Hammond was just –gross.
I like to think that it was the casting of Reynolds that ultimately bogged the troubled project down. He’s perpetually over booked in the superhero genre having appeared in Blade 2 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine already. Why wasn’t an unknown cast ? Heck, I’d even have settled for Chris Pine (JJ Abrams Sar Trek) !! Everything about the project seemed off and I think that’s a shame. Studios annually waste hundreds of millions of dollars on failed tent pole projects. Green Lantern is exactly what it appears to be to the trained eye … A product.
The Big Studios seem to think that they can simply manufacture these movies en masse without any soul or creativity and turn a profit. They think that little of their audience.
I always use the Harry Potter franchise as an example of things done right. Unfortunaely, I have to add the Twilight franchise as well (Believe me, I don’t want to.). On the other end of the spectrum, I’d have to poin out the two failed Fantastic Four movies by none other than serial geek offenders, FOX STUDIOS.
Do the math … If you have an intellectual property worth a billion dollars and you make a hundred hundred million …. Are you turning a profit?
BANE of the BAT !!!
Christopher Nolan is poised to complete his series of BATMAN films during the summer of 2012 and if the world hasn’t ended by then, I intend to be firmly in place ticket in hand. If for nothing else, hen to see if this prolific CB movie director can complete his trilogy with a thrilling and logical conclusion to the series. History would tell us that it isn’t possible and that all number threes “SUCK” when it comes to cb, scifi and fantasy films … Think Superman 3, Batman Forever, Blade 3 and one of the worst .. Spider-man 3.
The villian of this new film is Bane fronted by the Leauge of Shadows who appear to be intent on tearing down everything Batman has managed to achieve in Gotham City. He has made some changes to the look of the character and I was initially alarmed, but then I remembered what Nolan had accomplished with Heath Ledger as the Joker.
Nolan has included Catwman as well, but cast-Anne Hathaway.
The stills released of this woman in costume have been less than impressive. Nolan seems to have a thing for flawed looking women. Katey Holmes is no serious looker, Maggie Gyllenhall is a chore to behold and Anne Hathaway … looks somewhat off kilter. I’m predicting a red herring and calling it here first. I believe that her version of the Catwoman will be a decoy, while Marion Cotilard will be the real menace … The “REAL CATWOMAN”.
A lot of people have ripped and parodied film series star Chritian Bale, bbut I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed him as Batman (snarl notwithstanding…) and will gladly tip my hat to him when he takes his final bow as the character. Think about it, Bale gave us a three dimensional portrayal of the ICONIC character that included vulnerabiliy coupled with great menace. Finally, a Batman worthy of the title .. A Batman that could actually take your head off if he wanted. Bale definitley brought the edge to this character and made him fresh again.
Thank You Christian Bale.
So, the questtion of the day will be … Is Nolan the “REAL DEAL”? Can he complete his series of movies with a BANG and go out in style?
TO BE CONTINUED …
RELEASE DATE: July 20,2012