BEST GHOSTBUSTERS HOMAGES

Ghostbusters is my favorite movie of all time. I felt really alone when I was a kid liking this movie so much. I didn't think anyone else liked it. It wasn't until high school when I met my best friend and we could both quote the movie verbatim. It was so much fun talking with someone else that loved the movies as much as I did. Over the years I met other people that loved Ghostbusters. I learned about the making of the movie and why there's never been an official third movie.

One of the highlights of watching various movies and TV shows over the years has been seeing different parodies or homages to Ghostbusters. There have been dozens over the years whether it's a line here or there or a straight up reference to one or both of the films. Now I'd like to share my favorite references to Ghostbusters.

CASPER

Remember the Casper movie with Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci? That movie was the shit when I was a kid. It's too bad that they never made a worthy sequel.

Instead we got this direct to video bull shit

It was a quick scene in the film where Kerrigan and Terry Gilliam's characters are trying to extract the ghosts from Whipstaff Manor and they apparently call the Ghostbusters. Ray Stanz shows up and promptly leaves. It's meant to be a quick, funny reference for the adults in the audience. Truth be told, the scene bugged the crap out of me. I know it's just supposed to be funny and poke fun at the Ghostbusters. However, I never liked that as a kid. The Ghostbusters wouldn't have given up on that! They would've cleaned up Whipstaff and kicked their asses! But hey . . . what are you gonna do?

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA

It's Always Sunny is definitely one of my favorite TV shows. The characters are so hilarious and terrible that I can't help but laugh. In a season four episode, the gang recognizes their own group dynamic citing the Ghostbusters as a reference. One of the best lines is when Dennis is upset how the gang upstaged him stating that, "the Ghostbusters would never do that!" He's right of course. Even better was at the end of the episode they played the Ghostbusters theme as they tried to confront Bruce Mathis. So funny. And the Ghostbusters would never do that!

FAMILY GUY

This is definitely one of my favorite Family Guy gags. The show is best known for its cutaway gags and random jokes. More often than not, they tend to be funnier than the plot of the actual episode. This one was when Peter suggests that Meg gets a part time job like he had when he was a kid. The scene cuts to Peter driving the Ecto-1. But it doesn't end there. He ends up busting Patrick Swayze as Ghost just as he's having the romantic pottery moment with Demi Moore. Peter busts Swayze then quotes $27.50 to Demi. That moment always made me laugh. It's definitely one of the best Ghostbusters references.

THE SIMPSONS

Despite the fact that the Simpsons is definitely not the show that it used to be, it once and a while has its moments. In the thirteenth season, the family reads from an overdue library book. Homer is Odysseus (written by Homer, haha classic), Lisa is Joan of Arc, and Bart is Hamlet. In the Hamlet story, the ghost of Homer shows up leaving a slime trail behind him just like Slimer in Ghostbusters. I immediately recognized what they were doing and thought it was so funny and cool. Even better was at the end of the episode when Homer said that Hamlet was adapted into a great film called Ghostbusters. The characters then start dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song. That song makes me smile every time I hear it. That scene made me laugh. Good stuff. Too bad the Simpsons can't be all good all the time. Oh well . . .

BE KIND REWIND 

I'll never forget when I saw the preview for this movie. Jack Black's character has become magnetized and ruined a video store's worth of movies. Mos Def decides to make the movies with his own camera. Their first film is Ghostbusters. I don't know what was better. The shitty quality of the Ghostbusters film they were making or Jack Black's version of the theme song. It was so funny and (somehow) well received that the neighborhood wanted them to do more movies. It's a great little homage to Ghostbusters and probably a nod to all the people that have tried to make fan films over the years. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Sigourney Weaver makes a cameo appearance in the film. 

ZOMBIELAND 

This is definitely my favorite Ghostbusters reference. The gang stumbles upon Bill Murray's mansion. They discover that Murray is alive but pretending to be a zombie. He welcomes his guests and even reenacts a couple of key Ghostbusters moments. Meanwhile, Jesse Eisenberg delivers one of my all time favorite lines in any movie - "This is so exciting. You're about to learn who ya gonna call. Ghostbusters!" I won't lie. This is the only scene from the movie I've ever seen. I don't really care to see the rest of the film. I feel like it won't live up to the genius of this scene. Bill Murray is so funny, Emma Stone does a great Janine impression, and Woody Harrelson dressed as a Ghostbuster is just awesome. 

As I said, I love Ghostbusters. Any time someone talks about it, I throw in my two cents. All these years later I still laugh out loud at the jokes, I still get scared of the ghosts, and I love the characters probably more now as an adult than I did as a kid. And yes. I'm one of the few people that's genuinely excited for the Ghostbusters reboot. It's a risky endeavor for sure but I'm confident that the people involved will give us something new, different, and (hopefully) funny as hell. 

You've got a lot to live up to, ladies! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

AFTER BATMAN: ARKHAM - ROCKSTEADY'S NEXT VIDEO GAME SERIES SHOULD BE . . .

It's the end of an era. The Batman: Arkham games have come to a satisfying and awesome conclusion. Considering that the game has only been out for a month I will not spoil what happens in it, but suffice it to say that it's Batman at his most Batmaniest.

You don't get to do this in the game (unfortunately)

So if Rocksteady is not going to produce anymore Arkham games then what should they do next? Other than include some more cool shit on the Season Pass or more DLCs. I mean those things are obvious and a good way to keep people interested in the game and the universe it created. I'd prefer Rocksteady tackle a new hero and build a new awesome world around them. So who's next? Let's speculate:

 SUPERMAN

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - The most obvious choice by far. Other than Injustice: Gods Among Us Superman has yet to star in a really cool, fun, exciting video game. He's the most recognized superhero in the entire world yet he can't get a cool video game? I mean come on! How much fun would it be to fly around Metropolis or punch a hole in a mountain? Now, granted, probably the main issue with Superman is that he's got crazy powers and the game would either need to tone them down or have every threat he faces be a huge robot or something. However, there are ways around it. The game could open with Kryptonite being blasted into the air. There could be a red sun generator that's slowly taking out his powers (done once very well on an episode of Superman: the Animated Series). 

PREMISE - Other than my other suggestions, I think a cool idea (and a way to tone down Superman's powers) is to have him trapped in the Phantom Zone. It happened a few times on Smallville where Clark would end up in the Phantom Zone and have to find a way to escape. That would be a fun, maybe even scary game to play. You could take on (or even team up) with Zod, Jax Ur, and other scary villains like that. Maybe even throw in Darkseid, Brainiac, or Doomsday. 

CASTING CHOICES - You know what, Rocksteady? Let's keep the nostalgia going. Cast Tim Daly as Superman, Dana Delany as Lois Lane, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. If Darkseid should make an appearance then definitely throw in Michael Ironside. In my mind, he's just as iconic as Darkseid as Kevin Conroy is as Batman. And yes, that's the biggest compliment I can give to a voice actor. 

GREEN ARROW

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - Yeah big shocker here! JJ wants an Arrow video game! Well duh! I don't play very many video games but I would die for a quality Green Arrow video game. This would probably be easier to pull off than Superman. Since Oliver is a human like Bruce the game wouldn't need a lot of limitations. But it would be cool to use different kinds of bows and practice archery. The game could incorporate long range "sniper" like missions, close combat fighting like in the Arkham games, or . . . 

PREMISE - David Goyer (writer of Man of Steel, the Blade films, and co-writer of the Dark Knight Trilogy) wrote a script where Green Arrow is framed for a crime he didn't commit and has to escape from a SuperMax prison with some super-villains' help. That would be an awesome game. It still has that "Escape From" tone like the Arkham games, but there's the added bonus of having to figure out who framed Arrow and restore his reputation. 

CASTING CHOICES - Again, no need to reinvent the wheel here. Stephen Amell as Green Arrow, Katie Cassidy as Black Canary, Manu Bennett as Deathstroke, and Colton Haynes as Arsenal. And since Arrow will need some computer hacking stuff done (who doesn't nowadays) Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak.

THE FLASH 

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - Ok so like my Superman suggestion this one would be tough to pull off. However, if done right, it could be a really unique and fun game. All the fun of racing games mixed in with awesome fighting sequences. The Flash is definitely getting a lot of attention these days with the CW TV show, a rumored appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and an already cast lead in Ezra Miller. Now would be a good time to capitalize on that and make a bad ass video game.

BASIC PREMISE - If we're sticking with the "Escape from" idea then it should definitely be the Speed Force. Barry gets trapped in the Speed Force by the Reverse Flash and has to fight other speedsters, monsters, and other crazy stuff. However, if that's too trippy, then maybe the game could just be a "Revenge of the Rogues" type thing where all the Flash's rogues team up and take over the city and you have to take them out one by one. Yeah, that's pretty much the idea behind Batman: Arkham Knight but it's not like there's a lot of ideas in terms of a video game plot! So sue me! 

CASTING CHOICES - Not a tough one at all! We already have a great cast so let's utilize them: Grant Gustin as the Flash, Candice Patton as Iris West, Tom Cavanagh as Reverse Flash, and Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold. 

WONDER WOMAN 

WHY IT SHOULD HAPPEN -Ok here me out. This game would be freaking EPIC! I mean that! Diana is an amazon and daughter of Zeus. The game could incorporate elements of Greek and/or Roman mythology mixed in with some DC Comics mythology (as the comics have been doing for the past few years). Plus fighting, flying, and basically kicking ass as Wonder Woman would be a great way to spread the news of her new movie coming out in 2017. Plus you can never have enough strong, female characters for young women (and young men) to look up to. Showing a strong, independent female hero in a successful video game would definitely get people interested. 

PREMISE - Something simple like the island of Themyscira has been attacked by the Titans and it's up to Wonder Woman and her invisible jet to save the day! 

What the hell is she doing in there? 

Seriously though, the game would be similar to the Lord of the Rings games where you have to fight monsters, demons, and eventually the gods themselves to save your family and the world. Plus having the game take place on Themyscira would be a similar approach to Arkham Asylum but different because there's no technology. Just you, the lasso, a sword, and Wonder Woman's fists of justice! 

CASTING CHOICES - Once more with the nostalgia: Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, John Rhys-Davies as Lord Hades, and Susan Sullivan as Queen Hippolyta.

Sure there are a ton of characters that I didn't name that would make awesome video games. DC is full of amazing heroes and villains. Any one of them could star in a bad ass, fun, challenging video game. These four are some of my favorites. If Rocksteady announced a game based on one or more of these characters I would lose my mind. Let's hope they're reading this! But for now, I'm gonna go play Batman: Arkham Knight and scream, "Damn this game is hard!" 

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie! 

2ND BATMAN V SUPERMAN TRAILER: JJ'S REACTION

Black and blue. Night vs Day. God vs Man. Batman vs Superman. This is the movie I've been waiting for my entire life. Christopher Nolan gave me the perfect Batman movies. Now I'm counting on Zack Snyder to deliver a worthy follow up with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I'm one of the people that genuinely enjoyed Man of Steel. I thought it was a great re-introduction to Superman. I like that BvS is following up on the events of that film and putting Bruce Wayne directly in the conflict. It's a great way to bring Batman into the film without shoehorning him in just for the hell of it. It makes the VS in the title seem legitimate.

As I said before, I'm a sucker for a good preview. I mean, this is freaking Batman and Superman in the same movie! The trailer could've just been Ben Affleck in the Batsuit staring at the camera for 3 minutes and I'd say it was the greatest thing ever.

What's up, baby? How you doin?

The new trailer definitely gave us a better idea of what to expect from Batman v Superman. In those few minutes there is a lot to take away. This is what I noticed:

BRUCE WAYNE V SUPERMAN / BATMAN V CLARK KENT

Like I said at the beginning of my post, the trailer gives us a clear reason why Bruce would want to take on Superman. He was there the day that Superman and Zod leveled Metropolis. He knew people that were killed that day. He witnessed firsthand just how destructive an out of control Kryptonian can be. And because he has the resources, training, and steel will, Bruce will take it upon himself to stop Superman for good. On the flip side of that, Clark is not comfortable with a crazed vigilante dispersing "justice" on the streets. That goes against everything he believes in. And although Perry tells him to drop it, I have a feeling Lois's gusto will have rubbed off on Clark and he'll want to investigate this "Bat-guy." It's interesting that Clark has a reason to want to fight Batman and Bruce has a reason to fight Superman. It's not the superheroes that start the fight, it's the men behind the masks. 

SUPERMAN: FRIEND OR FOE?

That's the big question on everyone's mind when the film starts. Both trailers have showed us that not everyone trusts or even likes Superman. Given the damage done by Zod and the other Kryptonians, it's hard to blame them. Yet, Superman literally wears a symbol of hope on his chest. He's here to protect us. The trailer shows us that there are people who look to him as a savior and hero. Batman may want to fight him, but Lois and Martha still believe in Superman. Hopefully, Clark will be able to plead his case that he's on humanity's side and will fight to protect us.

THE VOICE OF REASON

Alfred Pennyworth. Loyal butler, father-figure, moral compass, all these things and more. Alfred, if written properly, is probably the best character in the Batman world. When Bruce gets a little too crazy, he can step in and talk him down. When Bruce needs a guiding hand, Alfred will stretch his arm out. The trailer shows us that Alfred is deeply concerned for Bruce. "That's how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerless that turns good men cruel." He recognizes that Bruce's crusade against Superman can only end badly. "This man is not our enemy!" Alfred is a wonderful judge of character. He recognizes that Superman, like Bruce, is only trying to do good in the world. But then again, Bruce is nothing if not stubborn, so more than likely, Alfred's warnings will fall on deaf ears. Of course when he's resetting Bruce's bones and stitching him up, a couple of "I told you so's" will be in order ;)

YOU MUST WRITE YOUR OWN DESTINY

Ok, so I stole that line from Smallville. It's fitting though. Here we see Martha trying to encourage Clark despite the fact that the world seems to hate him. However, she's quick to remind him that he can always choose to hang up the cape. Just like with Jonathan in the first film, I feel like this moment is going to be divisive among the fans. I like to think of it as Martha reminding Clark that he is in charge of his own destiny. If he wants to be Superman, fighting the good fight, then good for him! But if he wants to call it quits, then that's his choice. After all, Clark is her only son. She'll support him no matter what. But for real . . . she should probably encourage him to keep being Superman. 

BRUCE WAYNE IS ALWAYS BATMAN

As I said, the trailer shows us that Wayne was there the day Metropolis was attacked. While everyone else is running away from the debris, Bruce runs toward it to save anyone he can. Because he's the motherfuckin' Batman! From what we know, it seems like Bruce is semi-retired as Batman. The trailer seems to imply that after the death of Robin, Bruce hung it up. This may or may not be the case in the film but it makes sense given that Clark is reporting on a "Bat-vigilante" as opposed to "the Return of Batman." But Bruce never really stops being Batman. He's a hero first and foremost. When he sees people in danger, he's going to run to help them. Again . . . because he's the motherfuckin' Batman. 

WONDER WOMAN V SUPERMAN? 

The funny thing about trailers is that they show you everything and yet nothing all at once. Lots of times dialogue is strewn together to say one thing, but when the movie comes out it's totally different. In this case, the trailer is cut together to make it look like Wonder Woman is fighting Superman. Or possibly she's fighting both Batman and Superman. Or she's fighting alongside Batman against Superman. Or all three of them are fighting together against someone else (rumor has it that Doomsday is in the film, more on that later). Either way, we've been given our first glimpse of Wonder Woman fighting in the film. The producers say she plays a very important part of the film. Perhaps she's the one that gets them to be Batman AND Superman instead of Batman VS Superman. That would be my guess. Either way, Wonder Woman is FINALLY in a DC Comics film and that's good enough for me.

BODY OF ZOD

This joke was funnier in my head. See, in Church, when you receive the Eucharist they say, "Body of Christ" not "Body of God." So I've ruined my own joke. Fuck me. Anyway, what the fuck is this guy doing in the movie? The rumor is that Lex has his body and uses it to create Doomsday. Granted, that would be fucking fantastic, but hopefully Superman learned his lesson and will take the fight out of the city this time. 

KRYPTONITE 

There it is! The big green, glowing elephant in the room. The producers were smart to keep it out of Man of Steel, opting instead for Superman to fight other Kryptonians without a handicap. Of course this time around with actual humans taking on Superman (Batman and Lex Luthor), kryptonite will have to make an appearance. I'm excited to see what Lex will do with it and where he got it from. 

NO MORE WORDS

Probably the biggest thing I took from the trailer is the fact that Batman and Superman never actually speak to each other. In fact, they barely speak in the preview at all! This could just be a coincidence, but I think it might be deliberate. It says right away that this will be a VS film and not a debate. It's not going to be 2 hours of men in capes arguing. It's going to be 2 hours of Batman and Superman beating the crap out of each other. And man oh man . . . that's what I want to see! 

Like I said, this is the movie I've waited my entire life to see. I'm so glad that it's finally happening. I know a lot of fans are skeptical but let's face it - it's freaking Batman vs Superman. If nothing else, it definitely looks like it will be a hell of an action film. Ben Affleck looks amazing as Batman and Henry Cavill looks like a Jim Lee drawing come to life. 

There they are! 

Now if you all will excuse me, I'm going to watch the trailer for the 30th time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbw248zapbI

Till next time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

THE JOKER IN GOTHAM SEASON 2

The producers of Gotham have announced that season 2 will focus on the origins of the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker. I'm not surprised by the Riddler. After all, I've spoken before how I think he'll be the big bad of season 2 (to an extent). Mr. Freeze is certainly an interesting choice. Maybe they'll show him as a loving husband to his sick wife Nora while he's body building.

Ice to see you again, Detective Gordon!

And then there's the Joker. I had a previous post how I felt that the producers should leave the Joker alone. A little mystery here and there is cool but let's not give him a name or a recognizable face. Part of the Joker's appeal is that we know very little, if anything, about his past. There have been multiple origins in some form or another. There's the Killing Joke which gives an origin for the Joker. He later claims it could be not real though. There's the 1989 Batman film, which says that he was a gangster driven mad by the chemicals Batman dropped him in. There's the recent Zero Year story which expanded the Red Hood storyline, directly tying it into Batman's origins. All of these are, as the Joker would say, "multiple choice." 

Since the producers are ignoring my blog (no matter how many times I retweet this shit!) I'm going to accept the Joker as a major character during Gotham's new season. The question now becomes who is he (or she if they really wanna fuck with us) going to be?

JEROME 

He's definitely the most likely candidate. Having already been introduced and teased as a teenage (possible) Joker, we'll definitely be seeing more Jerome. Coming from a circus family, he couldn't take his mother's shall we say, promiscuous nature any more and killed her. In one scene, he proved to the audience that he was a more than a little crazy and could one day put on the purple pants. I think it would be cool to see him come back and really mess with the GCPD and really pull some major strings. The Joker is a very manipulative and brilliant man. Seeing Jerome get under Gordon or Bullock's skin would be really exciting and could make for a total mind fuck of an episode or two. 

RETURN OF THE RED HOOD 

One of my favorite episodes of the first season featured the origins (so to speak) of the Red Hood Gang. In the episode, one member of the gang wears a red hood and claims that it gives him extra confidence and luck. During the episode, one by the one the gang kills each other off until they've all been killed. The episode ends with a young boy finding the Hood and pretending to shoot at the police. One of the reasons I love this episode so much is that whoever wears the Red Hood embodies some aspect of the Joker's personality. It's almost as if the Hood is already gifted (or cursed depending on how you look at it). It would be pretty awesome if whoever is wearing the Hood breaks Jerome out of prison and he steals the Hood for himself. 

JACK NAPIER

Maybe Gotham will totally shock us and go a totally different route with a new Joker identity. Well, not new per se, but one that has not been seen in a long time. With the Penguin claiming to be the "King of Gotham" it stands to reason that someone would rise up to challenge him. Because that's what mobsters do. They challenge each other. Plus, Napier is a character that we haven't seen since the original Batman film. He was briefly mentioned in one episode of Batman: the Animated Series but other than that, he's never been used. Plus the name Jack Napier would immediately get fans excited and intrigued. Plus, it would cause more suspicion and mystery to which character was actually going to become the Joker or not. 

MELVIN WHITE

Briefly mentioned in The Dark Knight, Melvin White was the name that Bruce and Alfred found while trying to find the Joker. It was never stated that this was the Joker's true identity or even a known alias. I think it was the name of one of Joker's goons. However, it was used to track down the Joker, and therefore I think it gives a link to him (kinda). Regardless, it would still be cool if the name Melvin White appeared during season 2 of Gotham. Like with my Napier suggestion, it would raise the eyebrows of die hard fans and set the internet on fire with speculation. 

A TOTAL MYSTERY 

Maybe the whole thing is a just a fun cat and mouse game that the producers are playing with the fans. Maybe the Joker is all of the above or none of the above. Maybe he's a brand new character that we didn't see coming. Maybe he's just gonna show up in all his Clown Prince of Crime gloriousness. This would be my vote (if I had a say). I'd like us to never really find out who the Joker is but we have multiple candidates to choose from. There have been a few comedians in Penguin's nightclub. Maybe one of them falls into hard times and picks up a mysterious Red Hood.

 Yo, this dude looks fuckin crazy!

For all we know, the producers are going to spend the whole season making us dig for clues and make us play detective. That would be pretty exciting actually. I'm not sure exactly what route Gotham will take next season, but I'm sure it's going to be interesting! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

BATMAN FOREVER: 20 YEARS LATER - A COMIC JUNKIE'S RETROSPECTIVE

Batman Forever. For most fans it's either love it or hate it. Maybe both. But there's no denying that it was something special when it was released. This was at a time when big budget movies weren't a weekly summer occurrence. Big budget movies were like events. I remember the first time I heard of this movie I was in Washington DC with my family on vacation. We were in a shop and I found this poster:

Nowadays, when I hear about a new Batman film it's from www.superherohype.com, www.newsarama.com, or www.batman-on-film.com (usually all of the above cuz I check those sites daily). Back then, it was a random poster my dad bought me while on vacation. I remember waiting for the train and seeing the poster there too. We all talked about the different characters and what was going to happen in the movie. I don't think I ever actually saw a preview. I just saw TV commercials, posters, and action figures. Remember how I said I had a ton of Batman Begins stuff in 2005? Yeah well . . . it was worse when I was a little kid in 1995. Haha . . . good times . . .

I loved this fucking toy

I want to share with you the things that I think still hold up about Batman Forever. Some of you may have written it off after the Batman and Robin fiasco (and please read my blog for further clarification on that) but the film is actually pretty well done. Yes there are some weak parts, but the truth is that the movie was actually pretty deep and interesting. It explored the Bruce Wayne character in a way the previous films did not and gave us a great origin for Robin. So without further ado here we go:

VAL KILMER AS BRUCE WAYNE / BATMAN

It's incredibly frustrating that Kilmer only had one shot at being Batman. He's a great actor and his take was very good. He might have had a lackluster script but he still pulled off a wonderful Bruce Wayne. The scene where he has his first flashback to his parent's murder is really great. "I killed them." It's a great line that says a lot about Wayne's character. He takes on the responsibility and guilt of Gotham City. Any crime he can't prevent haunts him. Plus the dude was buff! He looked like he actually hit the gym before filming started. Rumor has it that he and Joel Schumacher didn't get along and that's why he wasn't in Batman and Robin. I don't know, but I watch the film now and love Kilmer's performance. 

THE SECRET ORIGIN OF ROBIN

It's a shame that Chris O'Donnell didn't get more screen time as Robin. He had a great performance as Dick Grayson. He was angry, vengeful, but willing to learn from Bruce to be a hero. You can see his progression from angry young man to hero by the end of the film. Despite it's cheesiness, the scene where he steals the Batmobile is pretty cool. When he fights that (weird) neon gang and then tries to beat up Batman is fantastic. It shows just how angry he really is. When he suits up, it's iconic and awesome. He gives a great performance and I really looked forward to him interacting with Batman in a sequel . . . Hey it was great while it lasted. 

STUDYING BATMAN'S PSYCHOLOGY

The main reason for having the love interest in this film be a psychologist is to explore Bruce Wayne's psyche. And having her be played by 90's era Nicole Kidman is just . . . It's just great. The scenes between Bruce and Chase are really well done. You learn a lot about Bruce's past and the guilt he has for his parent's death. As I said before, this film did a great job of exploring Wayne's origins and well as Grayson's. Kidman's performance is a little over the top but she still does the part well. She's fascinated by Batman and later by Bruce due to his traumatic past. It works well in the movie. 

JIM CARREY AS THE RIDDLER

 Jim Carrey killed it as the Riddler. I mean yeah, the performance is pretty much 90's era Jim Carrey but there are some truly creepy moments. The idea of him being obsessed with Bruce Wayne and then trying to replicate his success is really well done. He gets a Bruce Wayne haircut, a fake mole like Kilmer has, and wears glasses when Bruce puts on his glasses at the Ritz Gotham. The first scene with him is brilliant. I love his line, "You were supposed to understand. I'll make you understand." You see the transformation from lowly tech at Wayne Enterprises to the Riddler. Carrey gives us a somewhat sympathetic villain due to his delusions and the fact that he hates Bruce's "ignorance" toward his work. I think Carrey was great as the Riddler. He was evil, cunning, brilliant, and of course funny. Like I said, some scenes are a bit ridiculous (it was Jim Carrey on the rise after all) but he still stole the show as Batman's smartest adversary. Despite their feud in real life, he had great chemistry with Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face. The characters seemed to fit together well and were fun to watch. 

This film will always hold a special place in my heart. I showed it to my nephew recently and he fell in love with it. It's a great way to get kids into Batman. He hadn't quite reached the super-campiness of Batman and Robin and the nipples are barely visible. 

They are however, still there . . .

Happy 20th Birthday Batman Forever! I will always love you!

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

BATMAN BEGINS: 10 YEARS LATER - A COMIC JUNKIE'S RETROSPECTIVE

I will never forget the hype for Batman Begins. The movie was sold on the idea that it was going to be a completely different Batman film than we had seen before. Many were skeptical. Some were excited. Me? I KNEW we were in for a treat. Batman has always been my favorite character in any medium. I like the idea of a man shrouded in darkness but he brings hope and inspires courage to the world around him. I loved the original films growing up and Batman: the Animated Series. Before this movie came out the new cartoon was The Batman. Despite it being a little campier than the original series I still enjoyed it. However, there's something about seeing Batman on the big screen that gets me more excited than anything in the entire world.

My makeshift Batman costume from New York Comic Con 2014

Way back in 2005 there was no YouTube, the internet was still mostly dial up (at least in my house), and very few reliable comic book sites. My source for all news regarding Batman pretty much came from batman-on-film.com. The guy who runs that site, Jett, kept his information strictly to official stuff and non-spoilers. I checked his site every single day from when Christopher Nolan was announced as director, to the casting, filming progress, official press releases, and finally the film's release. I was so excited for this movie. The summer of 2005 was going to be incredible. And man oh man . . . I was not disappointed

I've never told anyone this but after the film I went home and cried a little. It was the perfect Batman movie. Better than that, it was the perfect Bruce Wayne story. We got to see Bruce's motivation, his anger, his fears, his hopes, and his demons. Villains like the Scarecrow and Ra's Al Ghul (two of my favorites) finally got to make their live action debut. The casting was pitch perfect. Gary Oldman was perfect as Gordon (which shocked the hell out of me). Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox was great and added legitimacy to a previously underused and, frankly, underwhelming character. Liam Neeson as Ducard/Ra's Al Ghul was exactly as he should have been. Fatherly, supportive, and then, once betrayed, evil as hell! I mean, I could go on and on about this film and how perfect it is. 

And then there's the man himself - Christian Bale. He was/is Bruce Wayne to me. I mean he nailed it. From the young, angry Bruce to the older, more mature Wayne that became the Dark Knight. People get all up in arms about the voice but the performance was pitch perfect. Ben Affleck has a tough act to follow. 

Argo fuck yourself. I'm Batman now!

Anything and everything Batman Begins related I gobbled up that summer. Action figures, posters, magazines, you name it, I either owned it or coveted thy neighbor that owned it . . . Ok so it wasn't that bad! But still . . . I had a lot of Batman Begins stuff.

I saw the film 5 times in the movie theater. Every time I loved it more than the last. I've always said that the film has a great pace. It's equal parts exciting and interesting. Nolan brought his indie-film sensibilities to a big budget blockbuster and it paid off in spades. Batman Begins now serves as the template for how to do a successful superhero film. 10 years later and the film still stands up. It started one of the greatest film trilogies of all time and will always have a special place in my heart. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch it for the 40th time . . . 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie!