CW
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Mobile blogging!
That's right folks! The always pleasing never teasing JJ is now blogging from his mobile phone! Should be more to come so stay tuned!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
5 Reasons Green Lantern Isn't as Bad as They Say:
Now I'm sure you have seen a list or two like this before but I'm gonna make one of my own anyway. In my mind, GREEN LANTERN was one of the summer's best movies. It really bothers me that I'm in the minority with thinking that. I've seen so-so movies (DAREDEVIL, FANTASTIC FOUR) and I've seen very bad movies (CATWOMAN, GHOST RIDER) and I personally do not think that GREEN LANTERN falls in these categories. If I were to make a list of the 10 best comic book movies GREEN LANTERN would definitely be on the list. Now, it may not make the top 5 but you see what I mean? Anyway here are the 5 main reasons GREEN LANTERN is not as bad as the critics say:
5) ACTING 101:
It takes a truly talented actor to act next to nothing (in terms of green screens) and Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong did that very, very well in their scenes. Compare this to the acting in the STAR WARS prequels. Granted someone like Ian McDiarmond and Liam Neeson did well but new and upcoming actors like Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christiansen, and Natalie Portman (who are all great actors) were given poor direction and were not able to act well against nothing. I call this "Acting 101" because you are told to act when there is nothing around you. It's literally the first lesson you learn as an actor. But then again, movie acting and stage acting are two very different concepts. However, Reynolds, Strong, and even Temeura Morrison did very well in their scenes. They believed in the situations they were in and were able to look past it and give wonderful performances.
4) THE SUIT AND THE CONSTRUCTS:
Truth be told the decision to make the Green Lantern suits a CGI creation did not surprise me. It's a good idea because it totally makes sense. It's literally in the comic books that he does not put on a costume like Superman or Batman. The suit comes out of his ring. Actually seeing it move on screen I admit at first was a little off putting but the more I thought about it (and upon second and third viewings) the suit looks pretty amazing. I personally think there are moments in the movie when you can't tell that it's a CGI creation anyway. Also the constructs that Hal and the other Lanterns make look really awesome. Those are OK to be CGI creations to me simply because they need to look a bit, dare I say, "hollow?" Plus this is the one time when filmmakers can make the CGI look just a bit off and not have the audience be upset about it.
3) CHARACTERIZATIONS ARE SPOT ON:
Just about every actor cast in this movie truly understood their character and performed them very well. Ryan Reynolds is (despite his reputation) a truly gifted actor. If you need proof see the movie BURIED (but only see it if you have tissues near by). Blake Lively is actually really, really good. I admit I was underwhelmed by the previews of her and the fact that the only movie I've ever seen her in is ACCEPTED. But dammit if she didn't knock it out of the park. She really understood the Carol Ferris character and played her as more than just the "damsel in distress". Mark Strong. Eh, I'll get to him later ;) Peter Sarsgaard on the other hand - WOW. He was just about the creepiest damn thing you ever did see. And this is BEFORE his head grows ten sizes too big for his body.
2) HAL'S JOURNEY:
Hal Jordan was chosen to be a Green Lantern because he is full of willpower and has the ability to overcome great fear. But for this movie to work he had to be full of fear and doubt in order to rise above it and save his planet. Reynolds plays Hal as a man who walks away from situations if they become too hard or if he feels he doesn't have the strength to continue. I found that to be something that I personally could relate to. How many of us have had those situations where we just walk away when the going gets tough? And the best part is that since this a comic book/superhero movie - Hal has the unique opportunity to literally face his fears in the form of Parallax. While the other members of the Corps fell to his power, Hal stepped up and figured out a way to beat it. That part of the story, to me, is just great storytelling.
1) MARK STRONG AS SINESTRO
If I was making a GREEN LANTERN movie I would never have thought to cast Mark Strong. And I would have been dead wrong! Of all the actors in this movie he proved to be the most versatile and definitely has the most room to grow. From his first scene arguing with the Guardians, pleading for them to believe in him to defeat Parallax, to his last moment when he slips on the yellow ring, he NAILED IT. I couldn't have asked for a better Sinestro. Not only that, but the make up department really did a nice job of helping Strong disappear into his character and become "the greatest Green Lantern".
Well, that's my list. I have many other reasons to like this movie but these are the most important I feel to get the average person excited for a movie that is very good despite critics bashing it. So hopefully you will have the opportunity to enjoy the movie as much as I have. Till next time!
5) ACTING 101:
It takes a truly talented actor to act next to nothing (in terms of green screens) and Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong did that very, very well in their scenes. Compare this to the acting in the STAR WARS prequels. Granted someone like Ian McDiarmond and Liam Neeson did well but new and upcoming actors like Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christiansen, and Natalie Portman (who are all great actors) were given poor direction and were not able to act well against nothing. I call this "Acting 101" because you are told to act when there is nothing around you. It's literally the first lesson you learn as an actor. But then again, movie acting and stage acting are two very different concepts. However, Reynolds, Strong, and even Temeura Morrison did very well in their scenes. They believed in the situations they were in and were able to look past it and give wonderful performances.
4) THE SUIT AND THE CONSTRUCTS:
Truth be told the decision to make the Green Lantern suits a CGI creation did not surprise me. It's a good idea because it totally makes sense. It's literally in the comic books that he does not put on a costume like Superman or Batman. The suit comes out of his ring. Actually seeing it move on screen I admit at first was a little off putting but the more I thought about it (and upon second and third viewings) the suit looks pretty amazing. I personally think there are moments in the movie when you can't tell that it's a CGI creation anyway. Also the constructs that Hal and the other Lanterns make look really awesome. Those are OK to be CGI creations to me simply because they need to look a bit, dare I say, "hollow?" Plus this is the one time when filmmakers can make the CGI look just a bit off and not have the audience be upset about it.
3) CHARACTERIZATIONS ARE SPOT ON:
Just about every actor cast in this movie truly understood their character and performed them very well. Ryan Reynolds is (despite his reputation) a truly gifted actor. If you need proof see the movie BURIED (but only see it if you have tissues near by). Blake Lively is actually really, really good. I admit I was underwhelmed by the previews of her and the fact that the only movie I've ever seen her in is ACCEPTED. But dammit if she didn't knock it out of the park. She really understood the Carol Ferris character and played her as more than just the "damsel in distress". Mark Strong. Eh, I'll get to him later ;) Peter Sarsgaard on the other hand - WOW. He was just about the creepiest damn thing you ever did see. And this is BEFORE his head grows ten sizes too big for his body.
2) HAL'S JOURNEY:
Hal Jordan was chosen to be a Green Lantern because he is full of willpower and has the ability to overcome great fear. But for this movie to work he had to be full of fear and doubt in order to rise above it and save his planet. Reynolds plays Hal as a man who walks away from situations if they become too hard or if he feels he doesn't have the strength to continue. I found that to be something that I personally could relate to. How many of us have had those situations where we just walk away when the going gets tough? And the best part is that since this a comic book/superhero movie - Hal has the unique opportunity to literally face his fears in the form of Parallax. While the other members of the Corps fell to his power, Hal stepped up and figured out a way to beat it. That part of the story, to me, is just great storytelling.
1) MARK STRONG AS SINESTRO
If I was making a GREEN LANTERN movie I would never have thought to cast Mark Strong. And I would have been dead wrong! Of all the actors in this movie he proved to be the most versatile and definitely has the most room to grow. From his first scene arguing with the Guardians, pleading for them to believe in him to defeat Parallax, to his last moment when he slips on the yellow ring, he NAILED IT. I couldn't have asked for a better Sinestro. Not only that, but the make up department really did a nice job of helping Strong disappear into his character and become "the greatest Green Lantern".
Well, that's my list. I have many other reasons to like this movie but these are the most important I feel to get the average person excited for a movie that is very good despite critics bashing it. So hopefully you will have the opportunity to enjoy the movie as much as I have. Till next time!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
JJ Reacts To:
The “New” DC Universe!
My first guy reaction was – WHAT. THE. FUCK. You’re restarting ALL of your comics at #1? That’s . . . insane! Even Action Comics? That’s the longest running comic book in American history! What about Batman Inc? Are there still gonna be Batmen all around the world? And will somebody please think of the children!!!!!!! (then there is prolonged sobbing)
But then the more I got to thinking about it the more excited I got. The truth is (whether the naysayers want to admit it or not) numbers in comic books really don’t mean anything in the long run. Really think about it. BATMAN: HUSH started at like 600something but if you pick up the graphic novel at Barnes and Noble or a similar bookstore it’s the first thing you’d ever read and you can follow it pretty easily. True comic books are serial in nature but they always seem to lend themselves to letting new readers in no matter what the number is. THAT being said, I totally get DC’s logic with this decision. It’s about attracting new readers and wanting to excite their current fans. The reactions whether good or bad show just how passionate their fans really are.
Truth be told some of the decisions I’m kinda bummed about such as – Stephanie Brown is no longer Batgirl, Swamp Thing has his own comic (seriously, he is a stupid character to me), Wally West is MIA, and Dick Grayson is no longer Batman (although truth be told I knew it was coming [that’s what she said]). Stephanie is an awesome Batgirl to me and that title is one of my current favorites. Swamp Thing is just a stupid character and I feel like Brightest Day was this huge waste just to bring him into the DCU. If that’s what they were doing then it could have just been like a six issue mini series called The Return of Swamp Thing (boom! I’m brilliant). Where is Wally West? He has not been mentioned in any of the solicitations. As much as I love Barry Allen as the Flash I still wish Wally could be apart of it in some form or fashion. But hey, what do I know right? Also, I feel like Dick has really come into his own as Batman. He is a very different Batman than Bruce and I feel like that’s what that particular character needed. But then again, Nightwing is a great hero and I look forward to him returning to that role.
As much as I’m not pleased with some of the changes there are a few that I’m very very excited about – Superman’s new costume and history, the return of the classic JLA and a new origin for them (by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee!!!!), Barbara Gordon being Batgirl, Damien being Robin to Bruce’s Batman, and the new Aquaman series. Superman (in my opinion) was in desperate need of something fresh and different. Grounded started off pretty awesome but has since been kinda meh (at least to me – but I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that). Grant Morrison being on Action Comics seems like the best idea since Geoff Johns being on Justice League (the announcement was only a week apart . . . ). But still! It’s very exciting to me. Also, Superman’s history is so well known that at this point it’s pretty stale so a new history along can bring along new stories. That just gets me excited as a fan. I’m also tired of reading the same old – I’m Superman and I’m awesome and everyone loves me stories. It’s about time we got back to some – Well I dunno about this guy kinda stuff again. I’ve stopped reading Justice League since Dwayne McDuffie left the book because I felt like the stories weren’t up to par with what they should be. Like, in my mind, the Avengers books were FAR superior because the characters were examined alongside of crazy action stories taking place. I feel like Johns will be able to bring that back to the book. And Jim Lee on pencils is just icing on the cake (the best icing ever by the way). Also, I agree with Lee and Johns that the JLA never had a truly kick ass origin. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in store. Now, as much as I loved Stephanie being Batgirl I’m REALLY looking forward to Barbara putting on the cape and cowl again. Since I’ve been a comic fan I’ve never actually read a story with her as Batgirl. This definitely gets me excited to see where the story is gonna go. Also, Gail Simone writing Barbara Gordon is just genius!! I’m glad that Damien is sticking around and is gonna continue being Robin. The truth is that I really really HATED this character when he was introduced. I actually hated him until Batman and Robin #1. That’s when I really started to like the character. He was no longer just a brat who happened to be Bruce Wayne’s son – he was now a young man trying to find his place in the world and live up to his father’s reputation. THAT’S good storytelling! The one comic I was truly looking forward to was Aquaman if only for the inclusion of Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. They MADE Green Lantern for me. They really took this character from “eh, the comic is pretty good I guess” to “Holy shit! This is the best comic ever!!” From Blackest Night to Brightest Day I’ve never been disappointed with their storytelling abilities.
Granted, this change may end up not being everything I hope it will be. But I have high hopes that DC will make this worth our while. I’ve been promoting this a lot to my friends and family hoping to get some new faces in my local comic book store on Wednesdays. Good luck DC! I’m excited to see where this is all gonna go! :D
Ps – When the HELL are we gonna get a release date for Batman: Earth One??
Monday, June 13, 2011
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