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Adventure Time coming to KaBOOM! comics line in 2012

Adventure Time with Finn and Jake, one of Cartoon Network’s best new cartoons, has finally infiltrated the comics sphere. Ryan North of Dinosaur Comics will be penning the ongoing series for BOOM! Studios’ all-ages imprint, KaBOOM!. Various indie writers and artists are scheduled to contribute with covers and secondary stories, including Jeffery Brown, Emily Carroll, Scott C., Lucy Knisley, and Aaron Renier.

As a recent interview with North suggests, an Adventure Time comic could be a great platform for filling in the gaps of the show and giving more attention to underdeveloped characters.

“In addition to the on-model, issue-to-issue story that Shelli and Braden and I are working on (on-model means it’ll look like the show does), there will be a 5-8 page artist-driven story (done in their own style!) in each issue that focuses on a different supporting character, along with 1-2 special artist covers per issue,” said North. “It’s going to be awesome! We’re cramming in as much awesome per page as legally allowed.”

You can read more about what to expect from the upcoming series over at Newsarama. Now all we need is an Adventure Time video game, which honestly I’d rather choose over the in-the-works South Park RPG.

Tags: Adventure Time, KaBOOM!, Ryan North
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A note about Harry Potter 7 Part 2

So Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (or HP 7.2) succeeded not only in emptying my wallet to movie executives but also searing my eyes with action, action, ACTION.

I guess forking over ten bucks to see the Wizard Battle of All Wizard Battles is a worthwhile purchase. It certainly made good use of its 2-hour-plus running time, proving that the “Part 2″ label I had been worried about was more than a rouse to get my money and drag out the action for half a year. Most of the movie was indeed action upon action, with few of those lighthearted moments that made all the other HP movies so captivating, but I guess that’s the price you pay when the world’s about to end.

Even though everyone was busy despairing, the characters did crack some  jokes, though most of them missed the pan and spilled all over the floor, which was already covered in bloodied goblins and dead wizards. So the mood was spoiled, and even more so by the lack of tension going into a lengthy battle sequence. If the Big Battle had been tacked on to the first part of Deathly Hallows, we would be raring for a good brawl. Instead, I felt like I had taken a half-year nap and oh, okay, an apocalyptic battle, you say? I’ll just put on my shoes and be out in a minute.

I think the reason HP 7.2 wasn’t a waste of my money, since I liked it the least of any Harry Potter film before it, is because it gave us a good battle, full of heroic feats and scavenger-hunting and final glimpses of important characters before they kicked the sorting hat. My favorites were Snape and Neville, who truly shone. Dumbledore—or the “new” Dumbledore, as I call him, since no one can ever replace the charming old actor who originally played Dumbledore before passing away—was a boring schmuck, as usual, and not at all engaging.

One other note about the film: what’s with the they’re-kind-of-aged ending? Harry was the only one who looked believably aged; Ron just had a gut; and all they did to Hermione was put up her hair.

In all, the movie was okay, but I would have gladly rented it. No wonder the internet has nothing else to say about it except, “It was a good end to a great series.”

Tags: David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Warner Bros.
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Chris Nolan might pull a Bruce Wayne

I’ve been thinking about The Dark Knight Rises a lot lately. On Monday, I walked through a Pittsburgh cemetery, where areas are sectioned off for extras parking and probably some filming, and wondered what Christopher Nolan has planned for the expansive grave site.

Today’s news does not ease my worried mind.

Reportedly, Adam West will make a cameo in the third movie. As Josh Wigler of MTV Splash Page smartly observes, “Bringing West in for a small role might be fun, but it also runs the risk of ripping the committed viewer right out of an otherwise dramatic picture.”

I completely agree. In fact, many of Nolan’s decisions for his last (most likely) Batman film have me wringing my hands in concern. Bane as the choice bad guy? I used to have respect for the villain who broke Batman’s back, until contemporary writers started dismissing him as a joke (and not a deadly one, unlike the Joker’s knack for humor). He’s been reduced to a steroid-raging wrestler-type who’s all talk and no crippled Batman. Maybe Nolan wants to restore him to his old glory. Or maybe Nolan isn’t going for realism this time around, as Wigler suggested—”It just doesn’t seem like Nolan’s style.”

And the Lazarus Pit? Explain that one to me.

I’m not the biggest proponent of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, either, but perhaps she’ll surprise me. I just hope she doesn’t turn out to be another Rachel Dawes.

Nolan has never steered me wrong before, and I have no concrete reason to doubt his genius now. But I’m still worried. Nolan could be pulling a Bruce Wayne here: either he’s setting us up to blow our minds, just like every time Bruce steps into the Batsuit, or he’s going to embarrass us horribly at some dinner party. I’m not sure which.

Tags: Adam West, Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises
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Watch lots of X-Men this weekend

This Fourth of July, let Jubilee provide all your fireworks entertainment. It’s time to gear up Netflix for a weekend or two because X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-7) and X-Men: Evolution (2000-3) are now available on instant streaming. The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Season 1 (2010) is also newly added.

Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man (1994-6) and the three summer-slated Spider-Man cartoons are still unavailable: Spider-Man (1994-8), Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981), and Spider-Man (1981-2).

More Marvel cartoons are coming this summer and fall. The Marvel website has a full breakdown of the shows you’ll be able to watch immediately upon release (or “immedjately,” as Scarlet Witch pronounces it).

Tags: Marvel Comics, Netflix, X-Men
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The Wolverine to shoot in October, Japan unexcited

Everybody loves Wolverine. Even the people who are sick of him.

Wolverine is one of my favorite comic book characters. Hugh Jackman seems like a pretty chill guy. The two worked well for a while, but now every time I picture them together I can’t help but envision a show-stopping Broadway number.

Comic book readers have the same problem (minus the jazz hands) with Wolverine’s character in the Marvel Universe. He’s just everywhere, infiltrating everything, like the damn good government weapon he is.

When X-Men Origins: Wolverine embarrassed itself in theaters, I had hoped the mutant would hang his head and go have a beer to recuperate. I did not expect, or want, him to return in another me-me-me film.

But now his next solo venture is back on track, after the departure of director Darren Aronofsky and the earthquakes in Japan.

I’m wondering how the hell they arrived at a name like “The Wolverine.” We all know there’s only one Wolverine, best at what he does, which isn’t very nice, etc. So is he distinguishing himself from other wolverines? The kind that scurry around in the wild? Is Hugh Jackman now a wrestler?

According to MTV Splash Page, “Based on a story by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont, this movie will take Logan to Japan where he has to deal with the Japanese mafia and the problems that arise due to his own bestial nature.”

Given how goofy X-Men Origins: Wolverine was, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some bad dubbing and ridiculous stunts. It might even be better that way.

Tags: Hugh Jackman, Marvel Comics, The Wolverine
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Why You Should See X-Men: First Class (If You Haven’t)

I have no clue why people are so dismissive of Thor and X-Men: First Class. They’re about ten times better than most superhero movies, yet people are disliking them that much more. Are people getting bored with superhero cinema? Beats me.

X-Men: First Class was worth every penny of admission. I’d go see it again, right now, if someone asked me to.

(Some spoilers ahead)

Reason #1: Holy Shit Magneto

This  guy is my top reason. Michael Fassbender, the actor who played Magneto, was awesome. Whether he was drinking beer or performing coin tricks (move over, Joker), I was shitting my pants. What a fine Magneto. I guess the super dramatic music playing over his scenes didn’t help ease the tension.

One of my favorite moments was with young Erik, when Schmidt asked him to move the coin, and then the camera shifts to reveal the gigantic wall of metal objects behind them as the Nazis bring his mother in as leverage. You knew some shit was going to go down.

It’s a testament to a movie’s action when, in a day and age full of over-the-top special effects and ridiculous stunts, the action can still stun you. The scene with the metal chain and the ship? Holy smokes.

With all due respect to Ian McKellen, Fassbender is the better Magneto. He scares me a lot more. Plus, the director (Matthew Vaughn, of Kick-Ass fame) went deeper into the character’s psychology than Singer did in the first two X-Men films. Sure, Magneto’s a hypocrite because he wants to oppress a race (humans), when the same was done to him (a Jew) years ago. But in Vaughn’s film, Erik’s trauma is still fresh: brief but happy memories flickering like a candle in the dark recesses of his mind, and a hatred emerging toward those “just following orders.” Why he thinks the way he does makes a lot more sense and is shown much more honestly here than in any other X-Men film.

Reason #2: With the Grain

I found it refreshing that Vaughn didn’t contradict any cannon set up in the X-Men trilogy. Rather, he establishes a link between this film and the first of Singer’s: how Xavier ended up in a wheelchair, how the X-Men became a separate team—he even covers why Mystique is so loyal and romantic toward Magneto. Vaughn could have easily ditched Singer’s efforts and rewrote X-history completely, but he chose not to. Good move.

Reason #3: Genes and War and Mutant Men

“Realism” only goes so far when you’re dealing with comic book movies, but the storytelling was so engaging and grounded in First Class. In other words, there was no super machine that magically turned humans into mutants (X-Men 1 for you). Everything that happened was understandable in the context of the story, setting a good pace and giving each of the characters due screen time. Except for Darwin, poor guy.

Okay,  so Azazel maybe said all of two words the entire film, but screen time doesn’t necessarily equate to character building.

Reason #4: The Drunken Flirt, Xavier

This falls under the humor category. There was hardly a dull moment. I laughed my ass off. For such a serious story, the characters were generally laid back and cool, in that 60s way. They didn’t take themselves too seriously. Except Mystique, at times. And Magneto has that chip on his shoulder.

Reason #5: Nobody’s Perfect

Magneto isn’t the master metal-worker, and Xavier isn’t the best smooth-talker. They have a lot to learn before they reach the level of finesse demonstrated in Singer’s X-Men trilogy. Even the recruits are a sorry bunch at first, untrained and out of touch with their powers.

People gush over Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as the ideal Xavier and Magneto, respectively—and they are perfect for the roles of these characters’ experienced selves. But youth is when their classic friendship is formed and broken; McAvroy and Fassbender are much more interesting to watch.

Reason #6: Kevin Bacon, in Style and Money

So Kevin Bacon can’t rock the Magneto helmet. It’s not his, anyway. But he made an entertaining villain, and I like that they held off on revealing his character’s powers until a little ways into the movie.

Reason #7: Hellfire Club

The Hellfire Club was an unexpected choice, but one that worked well as the center of villainy. Comic book aficionados or fans of the 90s cartoon will place it easily.

Reason #8: Mystique Can Talk! … And Talk …

Finally, Mystique gets to do more than stand around and look blue and naked. No wonder she turns evil—no one gives her a lick of sympathy. But hey, at least she can express herself with more than just body language in this film.

Reason #9: Dead People

This calls back to the “realism” point. A lot of the deaths in First Class are graphic—people die left and right, and the survivors react to the sight as real people would: in horror. It’s no more gory or violent than any other superhero film, but the emotion makes an impact that’s hard to ignore.

Reason #10: Totally Memorable

I can’t stop thinking how damn good this movie is. There’s so much to talk about—so many good, intelligent moments; so much tension; and a healthy number of characters who get the proper attention.

It’s totally better than any other X-Men film. Sorry, Singer, but it’s true. You’ve been out-classed.

Tags: James McAvoy, Marvel Comics, Matthew Vaughn, Michael Fassbender, X-Men: First Class
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Rhymes With Bore?

First of all, that’s the best you could come up with, NYC Film Critic Ethan Alter? “Rhymes with bore?”

What’s everybody’s deal with Thor? Sure, the trailers inspired zero confidence, but after hearing that the movie was pulling 95% at Rotten Tomatoes and that the directer was Kenneth Branagh of all wondrous men, I knew it would be worth the admission fee.

Here’s my version of Thor in a nutshell (warning: slight spoilers, duh).

Story? You have Michael J. Straczynski assisting—the guy who has just about every comic book reader worshiping him for his godly writing on the actual series Thor.

Direction? Kenneth Fucking Branagh. Look him up. Enough said.

Casting? Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is more charming than Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Total win.

Natalie Portman is … well, she doesn’t exactly bring her A-grade, Black Swan material to this movie, but she’s still riding high on that Oscar-fresh respectability. Good for her.

And we have Anthony Hopkins as Odin. As the paternal figure in a family whose first language is angry yelling, no one tops Anthony Hopkins. The man’s a beast.

Come to think of it, all the casting choices are top-notch. As the pasty and much scrawnier brother Loki, Tom Hiddleston makes an excellent foil to the gorgeous Thor, who reeks of “bro” at the beginning and then eases into a more sophisticated man’s man later on. God, no wonder Jane Foster was so weak in the knees. Natalie Portman didn’t even have to act. (And she didn’t, too much, anyway.)

Thor’s band of merry friends are pretty cool, too, for secondary characters. So was Heimdall the gatekeeper (played by Idris Elba).

Agent Coulson is kind of getting on my nerves, though. Blah blah blah—S.H.I.E.L.D. Do something with them already, Marvel! I’m sick of those suits standing around.

Special Effects? If anything, they’re a little too polished. A lot of the costumes/monsters and architectural designs were very cool, and Thor looked like Thor should, flying red-caped in a storm cloud, so mission accomplished. The extras were visual dessert, and they were impressive, but they didn’t overpower the rest of the film. I figured the 3D totally unnecessary, so I saw the 2D version instead. It did its job well, especially considering the 3D effect was slapped on in post-production.

Maybe that’s where the plummeting reception came from. Thor is now stuck with a 75% rating—that’s a pretty mighty drop from 95% a few days ago. Is the 3D just an ugly bruise on an otherwise handsome mug? Probably a little.

Anyway, even the Norse god/mortal beings disparity worked well … somehow. They didn’t look too silly, though, again, STOP WITH THE S.H.I.E.L.D HUMOR (“Renaissance fair in town?”). Coulson is not funny. He’s a sad, sad little man who’s resorted to stealing little black books (read: diaries) from sweethearts like Natalie Portman—think Where the Heart Is Natalie Portman, not Black Swan or V for Vendetta or Leon: The Professional Natalie Portman (jeez she’s a bad-ass when she’s not in princess buns).

Non-S.H.I.E.L.D. humor? Ipod Girl was funny when she could have easily been awkward. Rednecks lining up to lift the hammer was entertaining (you know that’s how it would happen). Thor liking coffee was a riot.

Characterization? It’s Shakespearian to the max, if you’ve watched any Shakespeare film, ever (kings and thrones and dramatic dialogue about kings and thrones—plus Loki is secretly Richard III). It makes sense with Branagh. There was great energy between Odin and especially Loki and Thor (angry shouting aside), and maybe Loki’s intent got super muddled (I expected him to side with the Frost Giants, and I definitely didn’t expect him to … you know, at the end)—but I liked that he was about twenty shades of gray instead of boring and two-dimensional. The guy cried bitter hot tears of hatred. What more do you want from him? He was great.

The movie did have a terrible and inexplicable habit of not telling people’s names until halfway through, but whatever. Raven-Haired Female Bad-Ass. Old Guy. Nerdy Assistant Girl. You got the idea.

The ending? I liked that it wasn’t fairy book happy, but still happy.

Best Marvel movie? Easily one of the best. And definitely better than Iron Man. I don’t know what people are thinking there. And I loved Iron Man.

Marvel movies are painfully cookie-cutter in their feel-good fun. Thor is no exception, but it does have more style than a lot of its peers. Just, come on. Linking movies and heroes together into a network (or “universe,” if you will) is a neat trick, but enough with S.H.I.E.L.D. They’re the only thing that dragged the movie down, if you ask me.

Tags: Chris Hemsworth, Kenneth Branagh, Marvel Comics, Natalie Portman, Thor
Posted in Comics/Manga, Movies/TV, Reviews | 5 Comments »

Popcorn-sized movie review: Buried

86% on Rotten Tomatoes

Okay, so Buried is no longer playing in theaters, but I did have the chance to watch the film recently via OnDemand.

After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, Buried (director Rodrigo Cortés) went public in late September to meet a fair degree of critical success. The curious premise—Ryan Reynolds, a mediocre actor who earns respect with this performance, buried alive in a box with only meager supplies and someone else’s cell phone—won my attention and that of many other moviegoers.

Buried rises to its own challenge, finding a middle ground between technical accomplishment and entertainment. The clever camerawork is done inside the box, sometimes inducing claustrophobia by showing all four walls and sometimes extending one side to emphasize character Paul Conroy’s isolation. Only natural lighting is used, so when the lights go out, the viewer is left scrambling in the dark with Conroy.

The film toys with the viewer’s emotions and expectations as much as it does the character’s, and it plays a particular trick exceedingly well—one that I’ll refrain from spoiling here. The real success of Buried, though, comes from how well it manages to engage your attention. It starts out slow, with little interest, and then draws you in hard. Information surfaces piecemeal, either through phone conversations or imagery (a wedding ring here, a tattoo there), and it all comes together to form a compelling story.

Tags: Buried, Rodrigo Cortés, Ryan Reynolds
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