First off I just wanted to say Fanboys finally has a date: September 19th is the day The Weinstein Co will finally release the film! (Whether it's a wide release or only limited remains to be seen) But the first screening of the final cut was screened last night at Comic Con and from all accounts it was a big Geeky Hit! So congrats to all those involved!

And now is the part where I say goodbye for an extended break. Next Monday I'll be driving up to Arlington to take the Texas State Bar Exam over a three day period on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It's 15 hours of testing, so prayers are welcomed.

After that I'll be just taking some time to relax, be with friends, study for a small ethics portion of the bar, which I take on August 9th, and hopefully see some movies! Oh and I'll be looking for a job.

So if you're a reader and you know of any Attorney's in Austin, Tx, please send me their information as I need a job quickly!

Oh and I did see The Dark Knight, it was wonderful (best comic book movie ever!), and Heath Ledger deserves at least a nomination as it's the highlight of his career and one of the best portrayals of anarchic evil I've ever seen. I'll write up a full review in the near future, probably the first post back from my being away.

Also don't forget the Burn Notice Caption Contest which is going until August 4th at Midnight, and just because you've entered once doesn't mean you can't keep posting your funny (or unfunny) captions, that just helps your chances of winning!

Have a good couple of weeks everyone!

When the X-Files premiered in 1993 I was 12. When the first movie came out in 1998 I was 17. Now 10 years after that last movie and 6 years ofter the last episode the X-Files returns tomorrow for a second film. X-Files: I Want to Believe is said to be a "Monster of the week" type film, which will hopefully be an improvement over the last film.

When the X-Files premiered 15 years ago my dad and I watched very faithfully, every Friday night until part way through the 4th season when the show switched to Sunday nights. I still occasionally watched but as the show moved timeslots it also became more and more about the conspiracy and less of the monster of the week format. My dad and I didn't watch much after that, but we did go see the first movie, and neither of us were real impressed. And that was the last time I watched the X-Files.

Now a decade later I was lucky enough to get a copy of The X-Files: Revelations. The 2-Disc set is a primer for the new movie with 8 episodes from the series hand picked by creator Chris Carter and Executive Producer Frank Spotnitz and each episode is introduced by the pair.

The first episode in the set is the Pilot. After years away from the series and an even longer time since seeing the pilot I was amazed to see that not only was the Tobacco Man/Cigarette Smoking Man in the episode (although he doesn't say a word), but that the conspiracy that became the crux of the series started there as well. Maybe even more surprising was how much the first episode makes the show more about Scully's journey than Mulder's. Something that the episodes that follow on the set seem to follow.

The pilot is a perfect blend of sci-fi, skepticism, mystery, and a few frights. And the series holds up surprisingly well, except possibly the inclusion of the dates and Mulder's giant cellphone.

The rest of the episodes in the set includes Season 1 episode, Beyond the Sea, which sees Scully catching a glimpse of the paranormal when her father's death is connected to the kidnapping of a couple of kids and a supposedly psychic killer about to be put to death.  Season 2's second episode, The Host with the notorious Flukeman is also included, one of my favorites when it first aired.  Fan Favorite, Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose, a darkly comic episode is also included.  Rounding out the set are Season 4's Memento Man, Season 5 episodes Post-Modern Prometheus and Bad Blood, and Season 6's Milagro.

All in all the set features some great episodes, several of which I had never seen before.  The set also includes movie money to see X-Files: I Want To Believe for free.  For die hard fans the set is probably a bit redundant as you probably own the entire series as is.  But this set is perfect for people looking to see the movie with some background on the series, but without trying to watch all 9 seasons before hand.

The X-Files: Revelations is in stores now and X-Files: I Want to Believe opens in theaters tomorrow.

Labels: DVD review, X-Files

So this week I've bombarded you with all things Dr. Horrible, but after Saturday's Act III finale I felt it was time for a proper review of the entire 40 minute saga. But a warning: Here there by spoilers. I'll still keep things vague, but if you don't want to know anything about the show because you still haven't seen it (shame on you) then you should stop reading NOW!

As you should all know by now the plot centers on Dr. Horrible (NPH) as he tries his hardest to get into ELE (the Evil League of Evil), win over the love of his life, Penny (Felicia Day), and avoid being torn apart by his nemesis, the complete lunkhead Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion). Act I opens with Horrible sitting in front of his computer blogging about his evil laugh, his attempts at joining ELE and answering a few letters. One of the letters asks about the "her" he always mentions on the blog, which sends Horrible into the first song, "Freeze Ray" about the girl from his laundry mat, and how he'll use his freeze ray to win her over. (This is the catchy-ist song of the bunch and probably my favorite) When his song is interrupted by his pal, Moist, he receives a letter from Bad Horse, the head of the ELE saying they are watching him and considering his entry into the League. Seems this couldn't come at a better time as Horrible is about to pull a big heist (robbing a currier van) that will help complete his freeze ray (It freezes time, not people).

It's at this big heist he runs into both Penny (who he officially mets for the first time, telling her his name "Billy") and Captain Hammer. The latter of which tries to foil the robbery, but gets distracted when he sees Penny. The two sing a duet and are clearly falling for each other. Act I end with Horrible a little bruised and realizing he's just introduced his nemesis to the girl of his dreams.

Act II opens straight into a song "On the Rise" which lets us know that Billy/Horrible has been following Penny & Capt. Hammer and that Penny is falling hard for the "Hero." But at the same time Billy and Penny have become close friends and laundry buddies. But while his relationship with Penny has gotten better, his relationship with the ELE has started to deteriorate.

It seems that Horrible's latest caper, to use his freeze ray at the Mayor's ball has been thwarted. Apparently the LAPD and Capt. Hammer also read his blog and were there to stop him, a performance the ELE saw and were not impressed with. Instead the ELE commands that he assassinate someone in order to join the League. As we've seen thus far Billy is really just a good kid with a great heart, so to him killing is really out of the question. So he's not sure what to do, something he confides in Penny, without giving her the details.

It's during this laundry session that Penny tells Billy that things will be ok. She tells of her own troubles and how happy she is now that she's found "love." But as she sings this to her "Billy Buddy" its apparent that she may not be so happy after all, especially when she and Billy almost kiss. But before they do she remembers that her beau is on his way to met her and her good friend. Billy is clearly not ok with this and tries to leave but Hammer arrives before he can.

Hammer doesn't appear to recognize Horrible when Penny introduces them, but when she walks away it's apparent that he not only recognizes him, but he plans to sleep with Penny simply because Horrible wants her. It's in this moment that we finally see just how much of a self-involved, sleazeball Hammer really is. And this revelation brings about a realization in Horrible, if he has to kill someone it might as well be Hammer. End Act II.

Act III finds the city abuzz with news of Hammer and his new girl, Penny. Hammer has helped Penny get a building donated for the homeless and there's to be a ceremony in his name honoring him for his great work. Meanwhile Horrible is working on something big, in order to kill his nemesis at this ceremony. Also we see Penny alone at the laundry mat waiting for Billy, and wondering is Hammer is really the guy for her.

At the ceremony Hammer gives a big, musical speech about how wonderful he is for helping the homeless and once again shows us how much of a tool he really is. And finally Penny seems to realize it too (and I think she finally realizes her feelings for Billy as well) and she slinks off the stage while Hammer continues to sing.

Enter Horrible and his freeze ray, which works and stops Hammer in his tracks. For the first time we are catching a glimmer of evil in Horrible, not a lot, but some. At this point I'll skip over some of the details and say Horrible finally gets his wish to join the ELE. And the series ends with him singing about finally making it. But as we're shown him gaining power, respect, money, and entrance to the ELE, we also see that the cost of it all might not be worth the gain. In a haunting last shot we cut from an especially evil Horrible entering the ELE to Billy sitting alone in front of his computer and clearly upset.

You see in the end while he got what he wanted he lost the one thing that he REALLY wanted. Before when Billy is in front of his computer he's always in costume as Horrible, but in that last shot he's just Billy in normal street clothes. I read a comment on IMDB which really seems to nail it. Before he was just sweet natured Billy dressing as Dr. Horrible, because he wanted to be something more. But in the end Dr. Horrible has become his life and he really just longs to be Billy once more.

The series really takes a dark turn in Act III, while up until that point it had been funny and whimsical. And while many writers can rip your heart out of your chest, the Whedon Bros. have a unique gift of pumping your heart full of love for their characters so that when they finally rip your heart out it, it's as painful as possible. And I mean that in a good way, for while it hurts to watch something like that it's a testament to their writing that they can make you care so much. In the end the series boils down to one main thing, it's the origin story of a Supervillian, and a dang good one at that.

Labels: Dr. Horrible, Joss Whedon, NPH

With the weekend upon us and my Bar Exam in a little over a week, I don't have enough time for several large posts so here's all that info in one Mini-Splotion, Digestible Form.

Both premiers are great, you can check out my Psych Review Here. As for Monk, I didn't get a chance to post a review, but I watched it last night and it was very good, although it was a bit sad. The episode centers on a murder mystery, as usual, but really it centers on Monk dealing with the loss of his good friend, and psychiatrist, Charles Kroger (Stanley Kamel, who sadly passed away unexpectedly just before cameras rolled this season). It was touching to see the episode deal with the loss of Kamel in such a way (because it is clear that it's really about him more than the character) The episode ends in such a poignant way, I was really touched. And that doesn't even touch on guest star Brad Garrett or new cast member Hector Elizondo as Monk's new psychiatrist.

It's finaly here and if everything goes well I'll get to see it tomorrow afternoon! Fingers Crossed. Come back here to tell us how you felt, just please keep Spoilers to a minimum! And when you do see it, maybe give a moment of silence for Heath Ledger as the film ends. We truely lost one of the best actors of a generation in January and I look forward to seeing his penultimate performance tomorrow.

Yes I know I've posted numerous times this week about this wonderfully, hilarious and catchy web series, but it's just to good not to continualy mention. So swing on over Here (or just pick it up on iTunes) and see what the whole internet (and much of the real world) is talking about.
And just to show how much I love it, I went out and got my own Ph.D in Horribleness:


And of course this Saturday, July 19th is my wife and I's 5th Anniversary. So I'd like to say to Jeri, I love you and thank God that I have you every day. You are the 2nd best thing to ever happen to me, and thanks to you we made the 1st best thing together. I love you and thank you for giving me such a beautiful little boy. Here's to 75 more years!

Have A Wonderful Weekend!!!

Labels: Anniversary, Dr. Horrible, Jeri, Monk, Psych, The Dark Knight, TV Reviews

Do you like Joss Whedon?
Do you enjoy Sci-Fi?
Do you enjoy the shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, or Firefly?
Do you Love Musicals?
Do you love the movie Serenity?
Do you have an affinity for Neil Patrick Harris?
Do you like Good Music?
Can you not get enough of Nathan Fillion?
Do you love the Buffy musical episode, Once More With Feeling?
Do you like Superheros and Supervillains?
Do you like Good TV?
Do you like Free Stuff?
Do you enjoy having fun in any way, shape, or form?
OR
Are you human?

If you answered Yes to any of the above questions, then why aren't you watching Act Two of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Right Now?
If the answer is you already watched it, then I approve, otherwise GO THERE NOW!!!
If your answer is I haven't watched Act 1 yet, why would I watch Actt 2? Then Your Killing Me Smalls - Get on over to Act 1 NOW!

Labels: Dr. Horrible, Joss Whedon, Musical, Nathan Fillion, NPH

And having just watched Part 1, It's Brilliant!!! The show is quite funny and the singing and songs are great. I can't wait to take a study break later and watch it again. NPH, Nathan Fillion, and Felicia Day all do an amazing job. Oh, and for you Big Bang Theory fans, the one and only Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) is Dr. Horrible's roomate, Moisture Man (or something along those line, come on I watch this at like 3am, I can't remember everything)
So what are you waiting for, click the banner to the right and watch it while you can.
Part 2 is up Thursday, Part 3 is up Saturday and Sunday it all disappears!

bustablog_com_JG8D69D

Labels: Dr. Horrible, Joss Whedon, NPH

I ain't afraid of no ghost! But this haunting episode of Psych really did have me a bit scared! Psych returns this Friday, July 18th with it's third season premiere and it's up there with the first season episode "Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast" in terms of combination of mystery, laughs, and genuine scares.

The episode picks up where last season ended, with the return of Shawn's (James Roday) mother Madeline (Cybill Shepherd) and Shawn doesn't seem to excited about it. While Madeline and Henry (Shawn's dad) relax downstairs with a bottle of wine Shawn is hiding in his old bedroom talking on the phone to Gus (Dule Hill). We soon learn Henry has known of his ex's return of some time, but never managed to inform Shawn of this information, and Shawn seems none to happy that his dad is trying to monopolize his mother's time. Madeline has been brought back to Santa Barbara to evaluate some of the city's finest. She's a psychologist and one of her charges is the wonderful Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) which provides for some hilarious therapy sessions.

Meanwhile, Gus is going through some problems of his own, as his bosses at the pharmaceutical company he works for have recently found out about his side job, teaming with Shawn to run Psych, which is of course the name of their (fake) psychic detective agency. His bosses point to the clause in his contract which says that he's not entitled to work anywhere else while employed by them. Gus is given an ultimatum: quit Psych or get fired from his job.

Fortunately for Gus his boss' boss (Shooter McGavin himself, Christopher McDonald), conveniently has a mystery to be solved. It seems his wife thinks their house is haunted and has moved in with her mother until something can be done about it. But the real challenge may be for Gus (a renowned scaredy cat) , who must keep his boss thinking he lives up to his work nickname, "fearless."

The episode reminded me how much I love Psych. Roday and Hill are brilliant as always and the shows mix of comedy and mystery is pitch perfect. My only complaint with this episode is the lack of Maggie Lawson's Juliet, who was seriously underused here. I realize the plots really didn't have a place of her, but she was still missed.

Can Shawn and Gus find out whose behind the haunting, and can Gus do so without showing his true colors? What exactly is Shawn's problem with his dad wanting to spend time with his mom? For these answers and more tune in this Friday on USA at 10/9c.

And for your viewing pleasure the wonderful "Ebony & Ivory" video featuring Shawn and Gus.

Labels: Psych, TV Reviews

Some of you may remember way back in January I broke the story that The Weinstein Co. had decided to hand Fanboys over the Judd Apatow crew and drop the cancer storyline that was the heart of the movie. That story set off a firestorm of media coverage (including this New York Post Article which mentions this very site!) that lead to a group of real life Star Wars Fanboys heading up a boycott of all things Weinstein.

Well It's time to Celebrate! Today the boycott ended with the announcement that Fanboys had been given back to original director Kyle Newman. Here's the release from the boys over at Darth Weinstein.

Fellow Star Wars Fans,

The battle to save Fanboys is over! AND WE WON!

The Weinstein Company has decided to listen to the outcry from Star Wars fans around the globe! They have restored the original plotline and have given the movie back to the Star Wars fans who made it!

The film has been given back to the original director and he is currently editing the final version at Skywalker Ranch! The original cut of the movie will be released in theaters later this year! And there are rumors of a sneak preview of the film happening at the San Diego Comic-Con!

We hereby end our boycott of the Weinstein Company! The studio has earned our respect and gratitude by actually listening to their target audience.

Our thanks go out to everyone who lent their voices to the Stop Darth Weinstein campaign, and to the thousands of fans who took the time to email the studio.
When the original version of Fanboys is released later this year you should all take pride in knowing that you helped make it happen!

When the official release date for Fanboys is announced we will post it here!

May the Force Be With You Always!

Sincerely,

Jek Porkins Zev Senesca Biggs Darklighter Dack Ralter & the SDW Squadron

All I can say is thank goodness that the movie we all really want to see is coming to theaters. Hopefully they'll get rid of the added material that made it a hard 'R' (Re: Sex, Nudity, Repeated use of the "f" word)
I can't wait to see how it all turns out. (Especially Kristen Bell's role!)

Labels: Fanboys

Just a friendly reminder that the excellent season 2 premiere of USA's Burn Notice is tonight at 10/9 central. And speaking of BN here's something fun to try out.

Labels: Burn Notice

So it's July which means, I'm taking the bar in 3 weeks, and that the year is half way through, so in honor of that I'm swiping the idea from Cinematical.com and giving you my top 5 films of 2008 (That I've seen and maybe a few of the worst I've seen this year.)

#1 Iron Man
Hands down the best film of the first half of 2008. It took a comic character I could care less about and turned out a movie that was a must see. Jon Favreau chose wisely in his casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and then filled the movie with a brilliant cast all the way around. This is one of the best roles of RDJ's career and he was flawless.
In my book it's tied with Batman Begins & Spider-Man 2 as the best comic book movies of all-time, although I'm fairly confident that title will have a new, sole holder come July 18th.

#2 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Did it live up to the Hype? No (How could it) Did it live up to the nostalgia? No (How could it?) Was it still a fun, action filled thrill ride? Heck Yes!
Sure it's MacGuffin was kind of hokey, sure the movie was a little too sci-fi, and sure there was some George Lucas Scenes that were too over the top (Mutt-Tarzan and Gophers to name two), but that stuff just doesn't override all the good.
Kingdom still had the great action sequences in moving vehicles, the great Indy humor, it brought back Marion, gave us Harrison Ford as Indy again, and of course had Shia Labeouf. There was no way the movie could ever have lived up to the expectations that were set up for it. If you were disappointed I recommend seeing it again. After seeing it once, I was able to set aside all my expectations, all the things that I hoped for that weren't there, and just enjoy the movie for what it was, and really well done addition to a hugely successful franchise.

#3 Cloverfield
In this day in age it's very rare that a movie can come along that catches everyone off guard and can hit theaters with hardly anything being known about the film. And yet, in January Cloverfield was able to do just that.
By appearing with a trailer that gave away nothing, including no title, and cleverly using the internet to entice audiences into trying to unravel a mystery that went no where, JJ Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Drew Goddard created a phenomenon that paid off in a huge way.
Sure it's just a Monster movie in the end, but it's concept, having the movie told completely from the POV of a camera being carried around during the events, made it something much more. It was a perfect mix of ingenuity, comedy, suspense, and cleverly hidden monsters.

#4 Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Another Home Run from the Apatow Crew. Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Jonah Hill and Mila Kunis all do an amazing job, but it's England's Russell Brand who steals the show as the crass rocker, Aldous Snow. Snow could have been just another new boyfriend that you hate, but instead he becomes a really nice guy who you can't help but love. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Paul Rudd as the stoned surf instructor, simply brilliant.
Thinking about this movie makes me long for August's Pineapple Express.

#5 Son of Rambow
A small indie film from England, it tells the story of two boys, one a bully, the other a dreamer, who set out to film their own sequel to Rambo. But really it's about the boys friendship, their home lives, and how much they really need each other.
Probably the most touching film of the year, one to seek out and find either in theaters (it's still in limited release) or on DVD.

#6 Charlie Bartlett
Yes I said top 5 and this is #6, get over it. Probably the most overlooked film of the year so far. Another brilliant performance from RDJ and the uber-talented Anton Yelchin is brilliant in the film. It's a film about high schoolers and popularity, and how much one person can change a school with that popularity.

The Worst of the Year so far:
The Happening
Simply the most awful film I've seen in a long time. Bad Acting, Bad Writing, and Bad Suspense.

Speed Racer
The more I've thought about it the less I've liked the movie. It's really just some really pretty lights and a few cool effects. Too long to be a kids movie, too childish to be for teens or adults. Matthew Fox is the best part of the film.

And Finally What I'm looking forward to in the last half of 2008 (In release order).
The Dark Knight
The X-Files
Pineapple Express
Tropic Thunder
Hamlet 2
Burn After Reading
Eagle Eye
Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist
Quantum of Solace
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Bedtime Stories
The Spirit

Labels: best of, best of 2008

Want to Win some Serious Swag? Like USA's show Burn Notice, or wanting to try it for the first time? Then I've got a giveaway for you.

USA NETWORK's hit series BURN NOTICE returns Thursday, July 10th at 10pm/9c. Why was Michael Westen burned? And what's he gonna do about it? The answers every Burn Notice fan wants begin to take shape with the Season Two premiere. The new season also welcomes Battlestar Galatica's Tricia Helfer as well as existing cast Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless. Join other fans on the official Facebook Fan Page or visit the official site at burnnotice.usanetwork.com.

One winner will receive a USA Network Burn Notice Beach Bag filled with:

§ Burn Notice Season 1 DVD

§ Burn Notice Book

§ Branded Towel

§ Branded T-Shirt

§ Branded Frisbee

And all you have to do to make all this yours, is to be funny. I've posted a photo below and all you have to do is leave the funniest caption (along with your e-mail address) and the one that makes me laugh the most will win. You have until Midnight (Central time) on Monday, August 4th to leave your caption. The winner will be contacted on August 5th.
Please either leave your e-mail address or e-mail me using the button at the top after leaving your comment. Otherwise I can't contact you to let you know you won!

Labels: Burn Notice, Giveaway

Labels: Burn Notice, TV Reviews

You read that right Judd Apatow, the ubiquitous producer of film comedy, has found a new comedy film to produce, one featuring the creations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And although this isn't the first time Holmes and life-long companion Dr. Watson have been played for laughs (Doyle himself wrote several short story spoofs, and in cinema one can check out Without a Clue, starring Michael Caine and Ben Kinglsey, a movie I myself may have to rent.), it will be the first time they've been portrayed by the likes of Sacha Baron Cohen (Holmes) and Will Ferrell (Watson).

Personally I think this premise alone, with these two will be hilarious, but some of youwill probably want to wait and hear the premise, which we don't have details of right now. What we do know is that it's been written by Etan Cohen who wrote the upcoming Ben Stiller comedy, Tropic Thunder, which looks hysterical.

Hopefully more details of this will continue to surface. But it seems like Apatow is really starting to stretch out past the movies he's done so far like The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, as he's got this on the line as well as his next directorial release, Funny People, about a group of stand-up comedians including Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen (Of Course), and Eric Bana. Bana (who American audiences know from Black Hawk Down, Hulk, Troy, and Munich) might seem like a strange choice for a comedy but he began his career as a comedian in his native Australia.

So what do you think of a comedic take on Sherlock Holmes with Baron Cohen and Ferrell in the lead roles?

Labels: Casting, Judd Apatow, sherlock holmes

Here are some beautiful new posters to start off your day. First up is the brilliant new poster for The Dark Knight. I'm sure you can figure the rest out from there.

Could it be that DC is looking at the success of the rebooted Hulk franchise as a way to do the same with their Superman franchise?

If comic all-star Mark Millar is to believed, they just might be. Millar, the mind behind the recent film Wanted, apparently told Scotland's Daily Record that he's part of a small cabal working to pitch a new take on Superman to Warner Brothers.

Millar has apparently dreamed of this since he was a boy living in Scotland, saying "I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost 200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it. Sadly I can't say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas. But fingers crossed it could work out, that would be my lifetime's dream."

Millar then clarified his remarks on his own site, Millarworld, saying "That Superman news is interesting, isn't it? In the interests of clarity (because I'm sure this will be picked up somewhere) a very well known American action director heard about my love of Superman, approached me and asked me to team up with he and his producer to make a pitch for this. We've been talking for several weeks now and, if this is going to happen, we'll know by Christmas. He has huge pull at WB so fingers crossed. But this is nothing more than a huge US name pulling me into his fold and making me part of a package."

If Millar's remarks are true (and who am I to doubt the man) this might be news to Bryan Singer, who recently said publicly that he was still committed to making a sequel to 2006's Superman Returns. That film wasn't real well received, although I enjoyed it, and regarded as a failure even though the movie made over $390 million vs a $270 Million Budget. But would Warner and DC really through away a $270 million investment? And would the entire cast be thrown out, or retained?

Personally I would love to see what Millar could do with Superman, a big budget, and a big action director. The last time Millar tangoed with Supes the world was given a Russian Superman in the Elseworld series, Superman: Red Son. While I haven't read Red Son, I've heard nothing but good things, so I may have to check it out, especially if Millar ends up taking on this project. Heck I'd love to see Red Son turned into a movie. I think it would be interesting to see DC do a series of Elseworld movies with different actors, writers, & directors taking on each project.

What about you, do you long to see Routh pull on the tights one again, or would you like to see a whole new take on the franchise, maybe even an Elseworld's version?

Labels: Rumors, Superman

That's the question on a lot of minds now that Variety has announced that Matthew Fox is in talks to play Billy Smoke for Warner Bros. Well the answer lies in, what else, a comic book. But the reason you wouldn't recognize the name is the comic hasn't even hit stands yet.

In what is quickly becoming a trend Warner has snapped up the rights to a series that has yet to publish a single issue, in fact the first issue won't his shelves until sometime next year.

Billy Smoke comes from the mind of B. Clay Moore, co-creator of Image Comic's Battle Hymn and Oni Press' Leading Man. Smoke is an assassin who has a life altering near death experience while on an assignment. Afterwards Smoke comes to the conclusion that the only way to redeem himself is to rid the world of all assassins.

This sounds like it has the potential to be a pretty awesome action movie. I really like Fox and it would be nice to see him in a big action spectacle. I think I can already smell the popcorn.

Labels: Casting, Deals

Robert Zemeckis has directed some really great films over the years, but recently he's taken to only making motion capture films, and has gone on record stating he will never make a film without motion capture again.

Currently Zemeckis is currently wrapping up his next motion capture extravaganza, an adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Months and months ago it was announced that Jim Carrey would be appearing in the film as Ebenezzer Scrooge, with rumors of Bob Hoskins involvement, and cameos from BTTF alum Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Then it was announced that Carrey would be playing the 3 ghosts of Christmas on top of Scrooge.

Rumors have swirled that Carey Elwes was involved in some way with talks that he was both playing several characters and that he was only standing in for Carrey in some scenes.

Now it's been announced that Oldman (who joined the cast back in November) would be playing the main characters left over by Carrey, namely Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Marley.

So basically it's become a two-man play. What this means for the involvement of Fox, Lloyd, Hoskins, and Elwes is not clear. Either way the movie sounds like another interesting undertaking from Zemeckis. I guess we'll just have to wait until November 6th of next year, when the film is scheduled to open.

Labels: Casting