A Note from the Author

I know that in January I didn't write a single review on a current film and until a movie worth reviewing comes out I won't be writing one. So until that time we continue on with our lists and profiles on actors and perhaps February will spark something new this month. Hope anyone who is reading this blog is digging it and I hope that I get some requests on what to write about.

LIST OF THE MONTH: From Comics to Celluloid

Top 30 Comic Book/Graphic Novels to Film

I don't think we will be getting a movie or TV show that I can be bothered to talk about for a bit so for now we must tough it out with another list.
I am a huge fan of Comic book and Graphic Novels. So when Hollywood decides to sink their talons into one that I hold dear to me I get a bit touchy and like to know that it is in the hands of a director who knows how to tell a story and knows how to handle the hopes and dreams of devoted fans. So without too much blustering and bitching lets get to the list. Also old chums their are massive spoilers ahead.

30.30 Days of Night: Director: David Slade Writer: Steve Niles Cast: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster
The issue: Literature is a complicated thing to transfer to film especially when you are trying to bring the feeling of a place to life and take the emotions that someone is having in a book and putting them on the screen. The setting of the small town in Alaska with the cold isolation that you get from the first time you watch 30 days of Night is expressed so wonderfully with this film by director Slade.
What makes Slade such a perfect candidate for this film is that he knows how to get past all the big budget stuff and tell the story of these people on a small level. A comic or a graphic novel past all the powers and explosions is about people and everyday problems.
With this movie you have two people who are deciding if they want to stay together in the midst of this whole trauma.
The scene above in the link is the best example of why this is a wonderful interpretation because of how fantastically unreal the characters seem and yet you feel like these vampires are more real then that Twilight crap you have seen. This also brings up the wonderful point that comics and graphic novels are just that graphic and we get to see that in this bloody slaughter.

29.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Director: Steve Barron Writer: Kevin Eastman Cast: Corey Feldman, Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, James Saito
The issue: A real kids movie that comes from a real adult comic book. Most people don't know that the Turtles friendly pun humor is not the way it is in the comics that they are more foul mouthed and have more of a pension for bloodshed.
The reason this film works is because of how it walks the line between the light and the dark and never really chooses a side. On one hand you have this story of four brother turtles who love pizza and telling jokes. On the other hand you have this violent crime syndicate run by a man who is dedicated to hunting down the turtles and taking his final vengeance on their master. This film plays very well in the Comic book world with bad one liners from our heroes and ridiculously over the top fights but we also keep the idea that death plays a very real part in this world.
The link above shows us the final fight sequence and we get a nice telling of why this film is much darker then given credit for.

28.From Hell: Director: The Hughes Brothers Writer: Alan Moore Cast: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane,
The issue: I dig Moore's style of taking real life events and bringing a very different take on them. He is a man who knows what he wants to put to paper and some times directors know what they want those sheets to look like on celluloid. The Hughes Brothers have a very clear idea with what they want to see in this adaptation about the most brutal series of unsolved murders in London.
Depp plays inspector Abberline who is put on the case and quickly discovers that he is not just investigating a series of murders but that they have meaning to them. I love the way the Hughes brothers direct certain scenes of this film especially the dream sequences. The lighting is very much of a comic book done very much in shadow with the green lighting distorting peoples faces to show that the scene is almost other worldly.
I couldn't find a scene that really brought out the best of this comic book element so watch the trailer and see what you think.

27.Iron Man 2: Director: Jon Favreau Writer: Stan Lee Cast: Robert Downey Jr. Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson
The issue: A sequel is a difficult thing to accomplish especially when the first was such a massive success. Iron Man 2 does get some things right and some it has problems getting past.
You start off with going from the very end of the last one and not missing a minute. I like this because everyone who saw the first is not treated like a johnny come lately and is brought right into the thick of it with the characters they already know. If one thing can bug me about a movie watcher it is those who don't know the back story and are expected to be caught up by the filmmakers. Don't get me wrong subtle hints and jokes to the previous films are fine but we don't need twenty minutes of flashbacks to show us how the characters arrived at this point. Iron Man 2 does a nice job of this and lets you get right into the next chapter of the film.
The story is well told as well we find Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) living the life of Iron Man and himself at the same time. He has become the biggest thing on the planet and the only thing that can stop him is himself.
I won't go much further then that in the films plot suffice to say that it does have problems with what some sequels in comic books movies have which is being silly and making fun of obvious things that we are all saying but not needing to show.
Iron Man 2 does have some wonderful moments and really should be looked at not as less of a film but a stepping stone to a third and hopefully all together decent trilogy of comic book films.

26.Batman: Director: Tim Burton Writer: Bob Kane Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger
The issue: There is a reason Nicholson gets billing before Keaton in the opening credits of Burton's 89 masterpiece that brought us as close to the killing joke as we may ever get. It is funny how Burton started off with such an amazing ability to direct a film but over the past five years has spiraled down into pure crap. I wonder why that is? I could do an entire post on Burton worst to first but we are talking about Batman.
This performance from Nicholson is nothing short of amazing. If you watch him before he falls into the vat of chemicals and then you see him after that you realize what acting is and what great makeup can do to enhance a performance. I don't want to put out that Keaton doesn't give a solid performance as the Dark Knight but it is just so overshadowed by this massive Nicholson element.
Also you feel that every deatil of this script was overseen by Burton from the way the sets feel like they are sort of this painted on backdrop to the way we see the close up details in the smaller sets. This film is a wonderful example of when you have nice guidelines to follow and put your own creative spin on them.
The scene above is the only one that fits why this is such a great comic book movie. It is the entrance of the Joker into the film. It plays so like a comic in the way that you don't see the character until the absolute highest moment of tension. I could easily see this being set to paper and not a single thing being cut because it is not on film.

25.Creepshow: Director: George A. Romero Writer: Stephen King Cast: Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, E.G. Marshall, Ed Harris, Ed Harris, Ted Danson, Stephen King, Tom Savini
The issue: I really enjoy reading a good Horror comic. It's weird to say that because I only read them because I enjoy a good scare and it seems that literature can do that better then a film can because I can envision in my mind what it is that is in the box and it is far more terrifying then what can be put on film. In Creepshow however they do a nice job of bringing these tales to life with a real sense of gallows humor to them. I am a big fan that these little shorts are also a who's who of actors and you can see where some people got their starts and also see others doing something very different from anything else you see. The third story "Something to Tide You Over" is a wonderful example of how to put a horror comic on the screen. It dosen't have any over the top monsters or weird unbelievable plot turns it has a simple idea revenge. It also has Nielsen doing one of his best non comedic roles. He plays it semi hammy but also with this real vicious side to him. You can almost see the character on the pages leaping off into the screen.
I have linked up the first part of the film above you can watch the entire thing on youtube so enjoy.

24.Batman Mask of the Phantasm: Director: Eric Radomski, Bruce W. Timm Writers: Alan Burnett Cast: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Stacy Keach, Abe Vigoda, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Mark Hamill
The issue: I didn't think this was a great film when it first came out in 1993. I thought there was too much talking and not enough of Batman busting some heads. I watched it several years later with an appreciation for the what a flashback can do to enhance a film I realized that I was watching the first of what DC would later begin to release as small animated movies. This in a lot of ways plays more for adults then kids. It is about revenge and the madness that only the world of Batman can bring us.
I really like this because they bring us a new villian and at the same time we get a new unseen foe. What the writer also did very well was bring back the crown jewel of their voice cast with the Joker playing a very intricate role to bring this wonderful animated film together. I linked up the first part of the film on youtube enjoy and see why animation sometimes out does real life performances.

23.Men In Black: Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Writer: Lowell Cunningham Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Florentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub,
The issue: A different kind of comic book and funny how unknown it was until it became one of the biggest films of 97. This film plays like a classic comic book with the idea of a professional hero bringing in a young ward and training him to be the next hero in a long line. I really dig the chemistry between Jones and Smith because Jones plays it like the classic square jaw hero and Smith plays it more like a modern day plays by his own rules hero. This makes for such a good pairing because of how the two must deal with not only each other but also the villain in the film.
This is the second point of why this film plays like a comic book because the villain follows the classic example of a man who is turned into something not so human by one thing or another and throughout the film begins to show signs of the monster he is becoming. D'Onofrio should have gotten some sort of an award for this wonderful and wacky performance that he lays out.
The final reason this movie plays in the Comic realm so well is because of how it takes technology and gadgets and turns it on its ear.
The clip above is a great example of how wonderfully funny it can be and keeps it self on the comic edge at all times.

22.The Mask: Director: Chuck Russell Writer: Michael Fallon Cast: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Greene, Richard Jeni
The issue: Carrey was born to play this role no doubt about that but Chuck Russell is the reason that he pulls off more then he would without excellent direction and some amazing special effects. This was the first time that I ever took notice of a movies use of special effects. The other thing I noticed was Diaz in what might be the sexiest role I have ever seen her in.
The story centers around a lowly and lonely bank employee who one day finds a magical mask that turns him from wimp to champ in five seconds. It does play like a comic movie or even more so a Saturday morning cartoon. The way this movie plays so over the top is fantastic and also boasts one of the greatest showdowns between hero and villain who has taken the heroes powers. The clip I'm putting up is from the great dance scene that shows a much funnier super power.

21.Watchmen: Director: Zack Snyder Writer: David Hayter Cast:Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson
The issue: They said it was the unshootable graphic novel. They said that casting it would be impossible. They said that it was going to be a huge failure no matter how you look at it. They didn't count on Snyder being at the helm of the project. Snyder is one of the most talented directors working today. He is responsible for the remarkable remake of Dawn of the Dead and the visual masterpiece 300. In Watchmen we get the story of an alternate reality where Nixon is president in the 80's and the world has and is inhabited by superheroes who are amongst us everyday. We come into the story with the Keen act very firmly in place which states that superheros are outlawed. This should have been a long drawn out movie that no one except hardcore fans would have loved but somehow Snyder manages to bring this wonderful cast of performers together and brings us a unique look at the world that most have only seen on paper.
The scene I'm putting up is the Intro to the film and is a fantastic example of what putting Comics to celluloid is about and how to tell a back story in only a few minutes.

20.300: Director: Zack Snyder Writer: Zack Snyder Cast:Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham
The issue: It's odd that both of Snyder's films go back to back. He is a very interesting director in how he can get the most graphic images and the most beautiful images in the same film. The story is that of 300 Spartans who march to meet the entire Persian nation. They are outmatched 1000 to 1 and there is no hope of victory and yet they hold there ground like true warriors and die a warriors death.
This was the first time we ever really noticed Snyder's ability as a director and it was certainly the first time we saw Butler as a leading man and all around bad ass. The movie is a visual masterpiece and really can't be flawed in any visual sense. It doesn't hold up as well the second time and you feel that the story drags upon second viewing. The clip I'm putting up is that of the last stand of the 300 spartans. It really shows the transfer of comic to film very well and also we get a great sense of how a story is told in monologue.

19.The Incredible Hulk: Director: Louis Leterrier Writer: Zak Penn Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
The issue: In 2003 Ang Lee brought us one of the worst comic book films with Hulk. Critics said that he had killed the character before he could even be born. Others said it set the comic book movie back ten years. We then have a new film come to the scene from french director Leterrier who brings us a new and way more interesting take on the jolly green giant. Norton tones down the over top acting that Eric Bana couldn't seem to get under control. We also get a realistic seemingly plausible hulk that you could buy into seeing in the real world. I think why this one works better then the first is because they tone down the camp and turn up the drama. The other thing that this film succeeds at is giving the supporting cast something to more to do then just look dumbfounded when the hulk shows up. Roth really gets to do some great villain work and really gets to play with the transformation from man to monster. I'm putting up the cameos from the film because it really shows us how much fun a comic book movie can be and where we could be going with the marvel universe. So watch the movie. You wouldn't like me if you didn't watch the movie

18.V for Vendetta: Director: James McTeigue Writer: The Wachowski Brothers Cast: Hugo Weaving , Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt
The issue: I went into this film with the fear that the Wachowski's were going to butcher a classic and make me hate them even more. I walked out with two of my friends asking how can we possibly not go see that again. I saw this three times in the cinema and was entertained every single time. The film takes an alternate take on London and being under a dictator like rule. The London is dark and grimy and everyone is living in fear of their government. From the shadows of this government comes an anarchist who is bent on bringing the government down and creating a new system. This mysterious character known only as V brings an amazing screen presence to this film with the fantastic voice casting of Weaving. He plays the character so well both crazy and right at the same time. The thing that also makes this work is the performance we get from Portman who does hold up a good chunk of the movie. What Vendetta bring to the table is that like the shark in Jaws we don't see V all that much he is the background setting up thing and waiting for the right moment to strike. This movie is pretty close to the graphic novel has a few changes to it for the purposes of time. I really enjoyed how well it plays and the very comic book dialogue that the characters spout. The clip I pulled from this one is the introduction of V to Portman and in a larger way the audience.

17.Blade: Director: Stephen Norrington Writer: David S. Goyer Cast: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, Udo Kier,
The issue: Oh sure Norrington did helm one of the most disappointing adaptations of a comic book in 2003 with LXG. Before he went soft and let the studios cut his nuts off with their PG-13 ratings he really took a great comic book character and turned out one of the darker comic book movies with the 1998 adaptation of Blade. The story of a half man half vampire who has all the strength none of the weakness is a wonderful idea and Norrington brings it home so well. The plot involves Blade hunting down vampires and trying to make New York a safe place. He is drawn into a plot with a new vampire known as Deacon Frost (Dorff) who wants to raise an ancient vampire god to return the world to the vampires.
What each blade movie has done so well is that they have taken Snipes as the action side of the franchise but mixed in an equally talented acting based supporting cast. Dorff is the perfect opposite to Blades tough guy side. He isn't tough or big or physically intimidating but he does have intelligence on his side. This is what makes him such a formidable foe. The movie is wonderful and really isn't afraid of the gore or the violence which keeps it running at a smooth pace.
The clip I put up is of the opening scene which really does a nice introduction of our hero and the thing that he is facing down throughout the movie.

16.American Splendor: Director: Shari Springer Berman Writer: Harvey Pekar Cast: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis
The issue: This is such an interesting slice of life comic that really is ripped from life itself. So much so that we actually get some face time with the real guy. Giamatti does such an amazing award worthy performance by literally becoming Harvey Pekar. It is sometimes hard to recognize which is character and which is real life Pekar. The film is sweet in that very real life problems Pekar encounters are downright hilarious. The animation throughout the film is very nice because of how it interwoven itself into the film is very clever. I really can't say much more then see this very real and very well made movie. The clip is the trailer because the film is not really a film that can be summed up in one part just watch and enjoy it.

15.Road to Perdition: Director: Sam Mendes Writer: Max Allan Collins Cast: Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Daniel Craig
The issue: It seems that sometimes really classy directors get involved with very obscure comic book projects. Mendes who did American beauty took on this small comic book project about a small town in the depression and a family who's father works for the local mob boss. In the comic Hanks is only known as the Angel of death. Mendes tuned down the over top comic like moments and made this into a dark drama but kept some things that could still be considered comic like. The character Law plays reminds me very much of something you would see in a graphic novel.
This brings me to why I like this movie so much and after all this time find is so watchable is that it gives a fair share to both heroes and villains and in some cases forces you to sympathize with the villains. Throughout the film you become so used to both sides that it is difficult to see which side is which by the end of it. The clip I put up is massively filled spoilers and is the end of the film so please watch the whole thing first. Suffice to say that it really shows a nice way of doing a final scene to a comic in a film sense.

14.A History of Violence: Director: David Cronenberg Writer: John Wagner Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello Ed Harris, William Hurt The issue: This film builds so like a comic book with the final confrontation between good and evil. It also plays in the side of a man leaving one identity and taking on another. This film also boasts an amazing performance from Harris as one of the better henchmen of all time.
What this film does like so many comic books do is that it takes a character who wouldn't normally be a hero and forces them into that situation. Mortensen plays his role so well as almost a Bruce Wayne on the outside but is really a Batman on the inside. He does this so well and eventually we get to see the real him for a short time its a wonderful performance but unfortunately it is dwarfed but the reveal of the villain.
Hurt gives this performance that is half psycho and half businessman. You can't get the images out of your head that he speaks of because of how well he describes what it is he wants you to see.
Cronenberg is the perfect director for this film because he knows how to do violence in that way that a graphic novel shows but also he keeps it just real enough not to be overdone. How do you ***k this clip up?

13.The Punisher: Director: Jonathan Hensleigh Writer: Jonathan Hensleigh Cast: Thomas Jane, John Travolta, Kevin Nash, Ben Foster, Rebecca Romijin, Roy Scheider The issue: We are getting into some of my favorites and while this little bit of bloody fun didn't crack the top ten it does hold up as one of the few comic book movies my father and I saw half of at 1opm and then watched the whole thing when it came on again right after. My dad was not only cheering for our hero but also laughing uncontrollably at some scenes.
The film tells the origin story of one of the darkest characters in comics history. Jane stars as Frank Castle an Federal agent who's family is gunned down by a mob boss (Travolta) seeking revenge on Castle. The only thing the fail to kill is Castle who survives and vows to punish all who are involved in his families death.
The reason I dig this film so much is because they play it like an old western with the hero and villain not seeing each other until the very end of the film in a glorious shoot out scene. Something else that really plays to the films strength is how great some of the secondary characters are and how they support both heroes and villains in their goals that they are trying to accomplish. The sub villains that are sent to deal with the Jane are nothing short of fantastic.
The scene I put up for your enjoyment might be one of the most pure examples of a movie entering a comic book. It is nothing too showy or too action packed but it does show what a perfect casting choice Jane is for the Punisher. It also shows how great a simple one note villain can be if he is directed the right way. I hope you like the clip I'm going to show it at your funeral.

12.Superman: Director: Richard Donner Writer: Jerry Siegel Cast: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty, Margot Kidder The issue: If the tagline to this film doesn't get you pumped then I don't know how you can get behind what may be the best performance by an actor portraying a superhero.
Christopher Reeve was just an unknown actor who they thought was a decent choice to play the man of steel. If only the people knew at the time how successful he was going to be by leaving his mark on society in this iconic performance. Also watching this film you realize what amazing special effects they had back in the day. The first time you see Superman fly is nothing short of amazing and just how real you feel it looks and how badly you want to be able to fly yourself.
For this one I didn't put up a clip I put up the score to the film by John Williams because I mean if nothing else it really shows what a hero should be played into when you are watching a film. enjoy folks and I know you will believe a man can fly.

11.Spider-man: Director: Sam Raimi Writer:Stan Lee Cast: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, J.K. Simmons The issue: This is another origin story that is nearly done perfectly. This is also is a film where they might have one of the most accurate retelling of an origin story. If you read the original comics you can see how close Raimi came to showing us how Spiderman rose up to be this hero we all know and love. I love Spiderman as an idea because unlike other heroes he isn't tough from the get go he doesn't have much of a reason in the beginning to be a hero he is a normal guy.
I really enjoyed how they did the special effects in this film because it is one of the most important parts to the character and his alter ego. If Spiderman doesn't look good swinging through the sky then we as an audience can't buy into 90% of the action scenes. Thank god we were at the time when the web slinging scenes were able to be done correctly.
The battle between hero and villain is maybe my one complaint about this film because I can't possibly get past that stupid mask that the green goblin wears They picked a wonderful person to play the bad guy but we never get to see him do any acting under that power ranger mask. I put the trailer up as the clip because it shows a nice smattering of all scenes from the film.

10.Kick-Ass: Director: Matthew Vaughn Writer: Jane Goldman Cast: Aaron Johnson, Clark Duke, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Nicholas Cage The issue: I really enjoyed this film last year. What makes it such a great comic book film is that they make it so violent and over the top but also they get the humor of the film and make it work so well with how great and foul it can be. The movie is about a nerdy kid who gets hit by a car and becomes pretty tough to any injury. He takes his new found "power" and becomes a hero proving that even the most common people can be a hero. It's too bad they called this movie Kick-Ass because it should have been called Hit Girl. The young and very talented Moretz steals the show as the ass kicking violent Femme Fatale who is just hell bent on killing any and every man woman whatever who stands in her way. I loved how much this comic just plays so well to its strengths and leaves all the extra at the door. I put up the clip of hit girls first fight and good lord is it worth a watch so hope you enjoy the clip.

09.The Crow: Director: Alex Proyas Writer: James O'Barr Cast: Brandon Lee, Michael Wincott, Ling Bai, Ernie Hudson, Jon Polito The issue: This is such a dark comic book movie that most people don't realize it is a comic book movie. It is so very much a product of its time in the way that it feels like a nighties comic book film and yet it plays very much in the darker elements. It does feel like your looking at a very raw first film by a director who is hell bent on breaking all the rules and not apologizing for a second of it.
The story of two young lovers murdered by a street gang on devils night and one year later the boyfriend rises from the grave to exact vengeance on the gang who took him and his lady's life away. Director Proyas comes out with such a wonderful character driven story and gives us a fantastic performance by the late Lee who in this we see could have given us a wonderful actor if not for his untimely death.
I put up the clip from the first time we see the crow interact with one of the members of the gang. Watch how the scene where he leaps off the building and laughs and tell me it doesn't feel like it was ripped right off the pages of a comic.

08.Sin City: Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller Writer: Frank Miller Cast: Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Clarke Duncan, Josh Hartnett, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Nick Stahl, Bruce Willis The issue: Just look at the cast and tell me you aren't interested in looking into this gem from the very talented Rodriguez. He sets up three stories that interweave with one another and never overpower and in many ways complement each other. This is also one of the finest Ensemble casts to come together with such a large project. Also everyone nails their parts with such precision. The reason it is cast so well is that the writer and co director Frank Miller is also the creator of the world. It plays so well in both hard boiled cop and at the same time this very dark Gothic horror. The scenes are beautifully shot in black and white with some hint of color which makes the film pop at just the perfect times. I love how it also is acted like a noir film with everybody over playing their parts just a little. This is the film that looks the most like its comic book predecessor. Some of the scenes feel like they were ripped right from the page.
I put up the opening to the film because it has some real great acting and it was the first thing Rodriguez shot to convince Miller to let him adapt the novel.

07.Batman Begins: Director: Christopher Nolan Writer: Christopher Nolan, David S Goyer, Cast: Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Ken Watanabe The issue: In 1997 Joel Schumacher brought us Batman and Robin. Warner Brothers saw this and it was the end of the Batman franchise for eight years. In 2005 a very new and practically unknown director who had some success with his first two films was rumored to be bringing his version of the caped crusader to the big screen. Upon hearing this everyone and their mother rushed out to rent his second film that had come out five years earlier. We saw that with Memento he was capable of telling a story but we were wondering could he be tasked with bringing the the Dark Knight back to the character that we know and love not some over muscled jerk with bad one liners and nipples on the bat suit.
In 2005 we received our answer with the first of Nolan's Gotham trilogy Batman Begins. What Nolan has done so much better then any director before him is he has taken us back to the beginning and shown us where the character of Wayne came from and where he went to become the worlds greatest detective.
What drives this film is Nolan's ability to take everything you know about the character and world of Batman and make you forget everything you know about it. This is a truly great achievement by him and his team.
The cast is also nothing to laugh at Nolan goes right for character actors to fill the most important roles in his film. He also brings us Christian Bale and shows us how to make someone play both Bruce and Bat without overshadowing the other. This film almost breaks out of the comic book genre and goes into a hard nosed crime movie. He also turns down the camp of first few films and brings us a twisted look at the mean streets of Gotham city.
Nolan is so talented with bringing about the best of a good situation and has shown us that their is a place for this masked vigilante in today's modern world.
The scene I have picked out is the end of the film so be aware spoiler galore but I feel it shows the relationship between Gordon and Batman that we never got to see. Where as in the past we had Batman almost ordering Gordon around now there is a mutual respect and alliance being formed.

06.X-Men: Director: Bryan Singer Writer: Tom DeSanto Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin The issue: This might be the film that revamped the comic book craze in film. We have such a wonderful and diverse cast with such a talented young director that the film nearly makes itself. We have such a wonderful working dynamic with the interplay between characters both heroes and villains alike. Also the casting director deserves to work for the rest of his or her career for making what may be the perfect comic to film cast.
Each one is perfectly selected to give us that memorable performance of the iconic mutant. Of course you have your Magneto and your professor X plus all the others but when this film came out it was the role of Wolverine that needed to be executed perfectly or the film would be flawed the whole way through. Not just because he is the most likable character but because the story of all three films follows his point of view in a lot of ways. I had never heard of Jackman before this and had never seen anything he had done before but I won't say a thing but say watch this man tear up the screen both emotionally and literally.
I have placed the clip that shows the introduction to the character of Wolverine and it really is a nice example of not revealing the hero until the last possible moment. Take a look for yourself bub.

05.Spider-man 2: Director: Sam Raimi Writer: Stan Lee Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kristen Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, J.K. Simmons The issue: Its so strange that four of my top five are sequels to other films but in a way it makes sense because with a sequel several other things come into play. We enjoy sequels more because the story and characters have been set up so we don't need a whole lot of back story we just need to get to the meat of the story. Also with a sequel they can correct the things that might not have gone so well in the first one.
With the second installment of our web slinging friend we get a much better plot and a villain that makes the first one look downright silly.
Molina does such a fantastic job showing us how to chew scenery and play a very nasty villain who also has a soft side to him. He is far and away the best foe that Spider-man has had to confront in the three movies.
I also think the plot is much stronger because of how we know the characters so we can focus on them and not the things that are happening around them to make them the people they are.
this sequel also gives us an update in the technology so we get to see a cleaner sleeker looking web slinging. Also the Arms for Doc Oct are nothing short of eye popping.
I put up the bank robbery scene from the film because it just shows how awesome the technology has come in a few short years.

04.X2 X-men United: Director: Bryan Singer Writer: Zak Penn Cast: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin Rebecca Romijin, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, The issue: This is such a wonderful sequel because the director takes the enemy that was in the background for the first film is brought into the foreground for the second installment. The enemy this time is man and to a larger degree intolerance of the mutant race. Also what I love is that the main villain this time is far more terrifying with the performance by Cox as William Stryker.
Also they bring up the action in this film. A complaint I heard from a bunch of people was that we didn't get to see Wolverine become released from the chain. In this film we get to see that several times and we also get some pretty sweet action scenes from the other characters.
I also dig that they brought in a bunch of new mutants into the thing and made them human especially the most inhuman looking one who is played beautifully by Alan Cumming.
I have to say that what really makes this a better second chapter is that we get to see too sides of the Mutants join together. The cast is so wonderful and makes me really hope that the new one coming out in June 2011 is going to follow this trend with more dialogue in between the action that actually drives the plot.
The clip I put up is the fight scene between Wolverine and Deathstrike which may be one of the greatest comic book face offs in history.

03.Batman Returns: Director: Tim Burton Writer: Bob Kane Cast:Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, The issue: I can't believe how Burton has made two really fantastic comic book films that stay so true to the original ideas that the creators of these characters had. Also what the studio did right for the first time is they let Burton takes us far deeper into the dark and make this film so much more Gothic and set in a Gotham that we are all wanting to see more of.
Burton also ups the anti this time by putting two foes for our caped crusader to thwart.
This is where I want to begin with why this is such a fantastic film and sequel. Burton had a lot to live up to with the first one and the performance he got from Nicholson. So what does is he gets two character actors who have done solid work in the past and puts them in two of the most accurate and dark portrayals of Catwoman and the Penguin. I love how you don't even recognize either actor in these roles especially DeVito with his perverted and underhanded performance.
The other thing Burton does so well is that he brings us a great set of secondary villains with the Red Triangle Gang. Each character looks very hand picked and bizarre in their own Burton like way. This movie also looks cleaner then the last one as well with the city seeming more real and not painted on a back drop. The city feels more real and you get this sense that everything is a little more expensive.
The clip I put up is a scene where Batman takes on the Red Triangle Gang. You don't really think he'll win do you?

02.Iron Man: Director: Jon Favreau Writer: Stan Lee Cast:Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, The issue: The reason this film ranks so high is because the original story takes place during the Vietnam era and the writes took the same idea and updated it perfectly not only in changing who the conflict is with but also updating the technology our lead character uses in this first installment of a wonderful trilogy.
When the role of Tony Stark was being shopped around for it was clear that only one was capable of playing this larger then life figure who would rise from wealthy arms dealer to Hero extraordinaire.
Downey is the perfect person he gets the character of Stark in all of his womanizing and drunken stumbling. Also though he shows us a side that most don't see in the character the human side of Stark who has a huge change of heart throughout this first film and brings to life this wonderful hero who is still very flawed but is also trying to atone for past sins. The other thing that Downey does with this role is that he has fun with it and never gets to over the top or lets the character slip away from him.
The supporting cast is nothing to scoff at with a very nice performance especially from Bridges playing one of the more measured villains Obadiah Stane. He plays it almost jokey and at the same time so wonderfully nasty with all his ideas being bent on the almighty dollar.
What really works for this film is that the tecnology was ready at the time and it looks so good with the suit and all the special effects that come with it.
I put up the clip of Iron Man doing some serious ass handing to a tank and showing that bigger is not always better.

01.The Dark Knight: Director: Christopher Nolan Writer: Christopher Nolan Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer Cast: Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy The issue: If you didn't enjoy this film I don't know what to tell you about how you view the world of comics and comics to film. At best I will do an average job at being able to say how much joy this film brings me and once again it stems from Nolan bringing us a fantastic script heavily set in the comic world but with many strokes of reality to it. The sequel to Begins starts off with a Bank robbery with five men entering a bank and one man leaving it. Throughout the beginning of the film we are shown this character of the Joker who our anticipation has been built up over several months before with trailers and snippets of audio we had heard. When we finally see the joker sit down at the table with the rest of Gotham's scum we are shocked into silence as he makes these mobsters look like children in suits.
Love or hate the movie everyone can not fault the performance of Ledger in his wildly original and fantastical take on Gotham's most notorious villain. What Ledger does so well with this charater is he gets little inflections down and keeps reusing them to keep the audience set with this character. Now no disservice to Jack Nicholson who gave a fine performance with his interpretation of the film but Ledger had the impossible job of erasing the Nicholson joker from peoples mind and putting in this new and all together terrifying look at this character.
Nolan deserves everything he is going to win at the Oscars this year for Inception but it is clear that this film is his masterpiece of film making. He has brought us a different Gotham completely from the first one. The first one looks like a dingy city that is about to slip into the second layer of hell. In this film Gotham looks more clean and has this feel that people are more safe to come onto the streets. This is such a magnificent technique that Nolan implies with his cinematographer. I love every frame of this film and it continues to be one of the best examples of not only comic book films but modern film making today. The clip I put up is the finest action scene shot in several years and one of the better tension builders as well hope you guys enjoy this clip and it puts a smile on that face.

Next months list will have to answer to someone else cause it's not in charge.

An Actors Profile Part 6

January 27th Kevin Costner in...
Field of Dreams

I have to admit it I nearly cried during our final film from Mr. Costner this month. We began with a great film and I'm happy to say that we are ending it on a magnificent one that for a few moments makes you forget your watching a movie and you think your seeing magic before your eyes.
Costner plays a farmer in Iowa who has some serious issues with his father. One day while tending his crop of corn he hears a strange voice in the field saying "If You Build It he Will Cum". Costner doesn't know what to make of this until he is given a vision of a baseball field in his corn. Against all logic he builds this field and along with wife and kid the impossible happens as baseball players from the bast including shoeless Joe Jackson arrive to play in this field.
Why is Costner so good in this I have no idea but he really brings the drama in a big bad way and makes you care about every goal and every thing he is trying to do. The other thing is Costner once again is supported by a wonderful secondary cast including the fantastic James Earl Jones Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster. All of these actors play their parts well and really make Costner shine in his lead role. I can't say enough about this movie so please go watch it and see why the game of Baseball is such an important past time to all of us.
Hope you guys have enjoyed this Profile on the sometimes brilliant actor Kevin Costner and we will see you in February when we give Hanks for our next profile.

An Actors Profile Part 5

January 25th Kevin Costner in...

Dances with Wolves

If there was a movie that Costner was going to win for it was going to be this epic of epics. It begins with a man wanting to die and instead finding a new life by being reassigned to the frontier. When he arrives at the front no one is at the fort and he is forced into a life of solitude with no one but his horse and a wolf he names two socks. Eventually he comes across a tribe of native Americans who come to slowly understand and connect with him.
Why this ranks amongst Costner's greatest films is because even though like most Costner films it starts off at a crawl, the crawl is necessary for you to learn to walk with this character through the struggles he encounters along his road to redemption.
The other thing that is so good about this one is that he surrounds himself with a fantastic supporting cast who really runs the full circle of emotions including the wonderful Oscar nominated performance by Graham Greene as Kicking Bird. Costner as a director does know what he wants to see and get from his performers and in this he gets a solid days work out of each one of them.
Costner Also loves to play with long scripts and maybe that is his problem as an actor that he likes to see himself on screen a lot and I think sometimes that can be a bad thing but for this I really like how he separates himself from the tribe for a decent chunk of the film it makes the film seem more believable that he has to earn his way in with the tribe.
The clip I put up is from the first few moments of the film you won't get why I put it up but enjoy for how weird and wonderful it is.
Well I have one more post to do with the Costner and I hope it turns out to be a grand slam.

An Actors Profile Part 4

January 9th Kevin Costner in...
THE POSTMAN

I want to cut out my eyes and have someone step on them so that I can't even accidentally see a single frame of this abomination that is called film again. Ok perhaps I'm being a bit over dramatic but this film is bad and I don't want any of you being suckered in without knowing what your getting into. We begin with Costner heading around the barren post apocalyptic wasteland of America after something terrible has happened. He goes from place to place performing theater and getting what little food he can. He is suddenly drafted into an army by a ruthless general (Will Patton) who is bent on keeping former America set in the futile system with his band of soldiers riding about terrorizing the local towns. Costner escapes the army and finds an abandon Post Office truck and take the clothes off the body. He comes to the next town posing as a postman telling the town that the USA has gotten back on track and is becoming a nation again. The film the tells about how Costner lead the battle with the Postmen to fight the evil army Patton is leading.
The film in a word "SUCKS" and I can't say much more then that without getting mad and going into Hulk smash mode.
Once again Costner attempts to surround himself with better performers but this time none of them can out act the ludicrously bad plot of the film. Also most of them are B rate TV stars and people who haven't been in enough to hold up this terrible film. The only person who really has any sort of chops in this is Patton as the maniac general.
My biggest problem is that the film follows into so many bad cliches and scenes that you can see coming a mile off.
The film overall is just bad and has bad pacing so I don't know what else to say about this film other then WORST COSTNER FILM EVER.
Lets hope the next film we see can shuffle its way back into our hearts.

An Actors Profile Part 3

January 7th Kevin Costner in...

ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES

Upon entering our third in the celebration of the Costner we come across one of the epics that paid off for him the 1991 classic tale of Mr. Hood and his merry men. This takes the franchise of Robin Hood in a much darker direction.
We begin with Robin in jail during the crusades he narrowly escapes with his new buddy Azeem (Morgan Freeman). They return home to find his lands sacked and his father murdered and called a devil worshiper. Robin quickly becomes an outlaw and takes to Sherwood forest where he bands with others and leads them to take on the evil sheriff (Alan Rickman). The story also follows Robins growing relationship with the maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio).
What is so great about this look at the legendary Archer is that even though Costner can't do an English accent to save his life he really has surrounded himself with many people who can distract from his less then convincing Englishmen. The cast is really fantastic and it was the first time I ever got to see Rickman just tear up the screen by playing a really bad ass sheriff of Nottingham.
Not only does it have some excellent drama to it the action scenes are wonderfully done. It is almost shocking that director Kevin Reynolds who also directed Waterworld is responsible for this decent adaptation of the man from Sherwood.
This is one of Costner's better films even though like everything else it runs far over two hours but unlike Waterworld you don't feel like there is much that can be cut out. I really enjoyed this one and it brought me back to my childhood so check it out and look for my next Costner film which may or may not DELIVER.

An Actors Profile Part 2

January 6th Kevin Costner in...
WATERWORLD

I was small when I first say this abomination of a film and upon watching it again at the age of 23 at least ten years later this film has not held up any better. The movie is a long conservation message with some explosions and some very bad performances. I look at this film as one of the films Costner will try to forget and one of the films they will run at 2am on TCM.
The film follows the adventure of Costner a loner simply known as The Mariner. He sails the unending sea and stops at different ports trading what he finds. At a certain port is their is a child with a tattoo on her back that is foretold to be the way to what they call dry land. Costner escapes with the girl and the woman and promises to take them to dry land. The entire time they are being followed by a group called smokers and their evil leader The Deacon (Dennis Hopper).
Why this film fails so hard like other Costner films is because it doesn't know how to edit itself down to a manageable time. It goes and goes from one battle sequence to another with small bits of annoying plot in the middle to some what connect things together.
The other thing that this film has going against it is how bad some of the acting is. Costner is on the other end of JFK and plays this character that is so uninteresting and spouts bad one liners that you don't care if he lives or dies. Also this is one of the worst Hopper Performances I have seen since Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. He plays this villain who is just silly at times.
The film is downright terrible and you feel like you are drowning throughout it Hopefully Costner brings us something better that will elevate us to a more noble movie.