The Trailer for Tarsem's Immortals

Tarsem boasted that there was no-CGI in The Fall what so ever; there are a few shots where I have my doubts. But overall the film does carry a tangible elegance, like a classic black and white photograph, that is almost unachievable when using has CGI. The Cell was loaded with practical special effects but it was a bit too early a time for heavy use of CGI. Both where visual masterpieces (although if their stories lacked a little punch).
Unfortunately this looks a little bit more like 300 than The Fall. Not only in the use of CGI, but overall in the way it is shot and laid out. I'm still excited to it: Tarsem plus Snyder's producer should still equal awesome. But I am a bit disappointed. What do you guys think?

Tweet

Snyder to Direct Superman

It looks like acclaimed director Zack Snyder will, in fact, be directing the next Superman film. I can't imagine this to be a bad thing, as the man clearly has experience bringing comic book images to life in a way that works well. More Superman news as it breaks.

Sucker Punch

Whoa.

Legend of the Guardians

Whoa.

I don't even know what to think about this.



Also, DIRECTED BY ZACK SNYDER?

Review: WATCHMEN

30 seconds into this movie I was sold.

I literally don't know where to start with this review, there just so much to say. If you can find me a film that starts off more flawlessly than Watchmen I'll eat my ticket stub. As soon as The Comedian's signature smiley face flashes across the screen and the opening credits sequence begins, you will be engaged with this film. The inundation into the story happens so quick and smooth that you don't even notice. And pay attention, because in that 5 minute period, director Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) magnificently manifests a solid 40 pages worth of backstory art and detail in a beautiful and near flawless adaptation. There are an amazing amount of shots that are EXACT interpretations of the graphic novel frames. Fans will be furiously tapping their buddies in excitement as Dave Gibbons' art quite fantastically comes to life on screen. I know I was.

Watch For Watchmen

Graphic novel fans everywhere, rejoice! For today, is a happy day.

Watchmen is back on board for a March 6th, 2009 release. After months (well, years really) of controversy that has left nerds across the world depressed and miserable, the endless sea of confusion regarding the release is finally (hopefully!) over. The settlement was quietly reached on January 15th and the news has been slowly spreading throughout the blogosphere since. It has however come to my attention that most people are actually unaware of this development, so I am happy to further enlighten fans.

Before December of 2008, Watchmen may have been the most anticipated film of 2009. Then, as usual, Fox found a way to screw it up. This time they opted to sue Warner Brothers over the release rights, claiming that Warner Bros violated ownership. Depending on who you believe, either Warner Bros screwed Fox over or Fox punted on the film and Warner Bros picked it up. In the end however, all that matters is that the film's release was delayed pending a settlement.

It turns out though, that Fox actually had passed on the current project and Warner Bros therefore picked it up. Fox executives even went so far as to say that the script was "one of the most unintelligible pieces of shit" they had ever seen. High five Twentieth Century, remind me to review your next film accordingly.

I would like to call shenanigans in regards to Fox and Warner Bros "acknowledging that each acted in good faith in their respective claims." In this situation it feels that Fox is almost entirely at fault for any confusion or controversy, and to give them stake in the gross is, well, gross. Fox has a history of bullying and sneaking around the industry and playing dirty when they screw something up. This certainly feels like one of those times.

Who Watches The Watchmen?

When I turned the final page of "Watchmen", I had two thoughts.

First, I thought that I might have finished one of the most fantastic pieces of fiction ever written.

Second, I thought that I would end up trying desperately to justify Hollywood's right to make it into a movie.

Since 1986, Hollywood has been trying to bring this incredible story to life. The movie has been repeatedly dropped, and left in the dark. Finally, 300 director Zack Snyder has decided to undertake the task of accurately depicting what might be the greatest graphic novel ever written.

And it's no easy task. The characters of this story are so complex that in order to do them justice, the movie must match the book. Often times in Hollywood productions of comic books and graphic novels, events tend to change. I don't know what Snyder has in mind for this, but I do know this: if he stays as close to the book as he Robert Rodriguez did with Sin City, Watchmen just might be one of the best movies of all time.

I liked 300 a lot. While I have not read it, I have been told by readers that Snyder did a great job with it. Apparently, the whole movie is just a shot-for-shot reproduction of the graphic novel. Again, if he does the same thing here, the film is sure to be fantastic. I have faith in him. He also directed the 2004 version Dawn of the Dead, which was great.

Superhero movies are ascending to a new place. In the last few years, a line has been drawn between films like The Dark Knight and Iron Man and other films like Fantastic Four, and Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer. We are moving to a new place where it is not the explosions, or the cool gadgets that make a superhero movie good, but the characters.

It's as simple as this: if Watchmen is executed as well as creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons intended, then we just might have the best superhero movie ever made.



Watch The Watchmen March 6.