I started writing on CBmovie.com in August of 2010 out of frustration of the continued censorship and removal of comments I’ve posted over the years on Aintitcoolnews.com & Superherohype.com. In particular I’d read an “article” on one of these sites regarding the lawsuit filed by the Kirby estate against Marvel comics and the borderline retarded comments made by hucksters posing as fanboys.
I responded by posting Kirby’s bio in that site’s comments section and was summarily deleted. Afterward, I’d decided to just hang it up when I discovered comicbookmovie.com This site was a godsend as it allows visitors not only a chance to post comments, but also to create & manage their own sites.
I love this site … and I love being able to create my own particular nexus of reviews and articles.
Some of the content I’ve posted has been well received, while I’ve definitely incurred the ire of others.
It would seem that certain properties are a veritable hornet’s nest. I received the most derisive comments for giving the Ironman franchise bad marks, ripping Bryan Singer and Samuel Jackson, Sam Raimi & the Spiderman trilogy and of coarse … the X-Men and all their spinoffs.
What can I say?
If it weren’t for the wholesale degradation of one of Jack Kirby’s greatest creations, I probably wouldn’t be writing articles or even have bothered to set up this page. Yeah sure people rip Singer & the X-men all the time, but for every one of those fanboys, there seems to be two more supporters of those crap fest films.
It seems to be in vogue to HATE on 20th Century FOX and Tom Rothman. Fantastic Four was crap and barely eked out a profit. I would like to clarify that I do not consider myself one of the rabid fanboys denigrated by the mainstream media as legions of basement dwelling geeks.
Fox Studios which had a legacy of GREAT Sci-Fi and FANTASY movies like the Star Wars trilogy (Original version) and the PLANET of the APES (Original Series of films) has become this indifferent media giant barreling along destroying intellectual properties just for the HELL of it and regarding the movie going public as sheep with wallets.
Bryan Singer gets equal parts fanboy worship & hatred for turning the X-men into an allegory for sexual orientation discrimination while providing lip service that his project mirrors the civil rights movement of the 60’s. For the record unfortunately, Brett Ratner’s jacked up third film “Last Stand” hit the target closer with the presentation and characterization of the Beast (Kelsey Grammar).
Note: I HATE the line in the Original X-men film (2000) where Cyclops responding to Logan’s dislike of the X-men uniform remarks: "What would you prefer, yellow spandex?"
Here’s my answer for the nimrod that wrote that line.
YEAH MAN, I WANTED YELLOW SPANDEX.
Note: X-Men: First Class currently in production being produced by Singer and helmed by Mathew Vaughn has been rumored to be dusting off the old “Yellow Spandex” costumes for the movie going audience.
Go Figure?!!
X-Men: First Class gets knocked for being full of itself, meaning Singer just can’t admit that his duo of films that set up the franchise were not exactly what the fans wanted. Spiderman over at Sony set the correct tone by actually having Spiderman appear as he does in the comics.
A lot of people have argued that the X-Men would look stupid in those costumes, but I retort:
“Are you marketing these films to kids?”
“Children respond to bright colors, hence the primary color palette of most comic books.”
Singer created a hack-n-eyed series of films where the most powerful and authoritarian characters (Professor X / Magneto) are already beyond their prime at the outset.
Now, he wants to go back and tell the origin story of these two founders of the mutant struggle and resistance respectively. It’s a little ass backward, but Hey … It’s Fox right?
Mathew Vaughn gets credit for noting the deteriorating condition of most superhero films but takes a demerit as well for commenting while also having his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.
Note to Mathew Vaughn:
If you want to help Comic Book Movies survive, all you have to do is produce a simple tent pole film with lots of superhero action and a bit of character substance.
Fans have been waiting too long for an X-men movie that actually delivered the goods the way Spiderman 2, Dark Knight and your own Kick Ass did.
Even if it’s not the Original Five, I’ll take what I can get if this is the case.
I realize that I just ripped on FOX and Singer and yeah, I admit they’re easy …. So that being said, let’s take a look at Marvel Studios.
I’m glad that Marvel Studios have taken up the task of overseeing their own movies, but the gauntlet has hardly been thrown down at the other studios … at least from what I can tell. I have avoided talking in detail about Thor or Captain America in any great detail because I am waiting for the movies to premiere.
A few weeks ago, an article was posted on CBmovie.com about a television spot for old Cap on Entertainment tonight. The article had a video clip that showed just a snippet of Chris Evans as Cap [I wasn’t impressed but I realize it was an unfinished clip.].
Evans has impressed me with his physical preparation for the role of Captain America, but until I see the trailer (Super Bowl), I, going to have my reservations. Marvel Entertainment appears to be going the complete sci-fantasy route with this movie establishing Hydra as Cap’s main antagonists.
This could work in the films favor, but could also hamper it with a look and appeal similar to homogenized action-adventure franchise “The Mummy”.
I’ll take that, but what I was kinda hoping for was something iconic looking and gritty.
Just putting it out there. - Not knocking a movie that hasn’t seen the light of day yet. This is the equivalent of keeping my fingers crossed via the written word.-Good Luck to Joe Johnston.
Since Nolan popped up on the scene with the Batman franchise the stakes has been raised and I’d hoped that this would start a proverbial “Arms Race” of Comic book movies that would continually raise the bar with one-ups that progressed the art of story telling and execution of ideas in these films.
This has not been the case.
I refuse to give a movie a high grade solely based on the fact that it is a comic book movie. My criteria are as follows…
MISSION STATEMENT:
Asking the HARD QUESTIONS & making the case for simple common sense when it comes to these types of movies.
I review and comment on comic book movies based on the following criteria.
1). Does it tell a good story?
2). Casting … Is the lead miscast or the perfect fit?
3). Did the director understand the source material & “actually” stay true to the source material?
Note: I realize concessions have to be made for cinematic versions of these films (i.e.; Zack Snyder’s Watchmen / Nolan’s Batman).
4). Originality- Guiermo Del Torro took Blade & Hellboy to new heights as a director. He clearly LOVED what he was doing and it showed on the BIG SCREEN. Favreau apparently “Lost his Smile” on Ironman 2.
5).The “It” factor … How “Cool” does the movie look and was it marketed accordingly.
Is it a CRIME to be a FANBOY?
I don’t really know, but inept studio heads, producers, clueless directors, “fanboy” studio apologists and others would have you believe it to be the gospel.
I tore up my Fanboy membership card when Jessica Alba became Sue Storm (See Fantastic 4 Article for reference & clarity.).
…shadowgeek10… begins a full NEW YEAR with complete & total optimism.
Post your comments good or bad, positive or negative below.