![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjJmM2ExMDktMDQzMi00ZmYyLWI4MmQtNTVkMWE4N2RmY2UyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,140_.jpg)
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjJmM2ExMDktMDQzMi00ZmYyLWI4MmQtNTVkMWE4N2RmY2UyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,140_.jpg)
Since the first Best Actor Award was presented to Emil Jannings in 1927, 83 men have heard their names called on the big night, 10 of whom have won more than once in that category. Let’s take a look back at the 22 men in the 21st century who have taken this award. Each of those official acceptance speeches is available below to watch. We have also included one made by Anthony Hopkins, who wasn’t able to attend in 2021 to accept for “The Father,” even though it was recorded the following morning.
Katharine Hepburn is currently the only individual to win four acting Oscars, all in the leading category. However, Daniel Day-Lewis has come close, winning his third Best Actor statue in 2012, a feat Frances McDormand has accomplished on the Best Actress side. Laurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy hold the record for most Best Actor nominations at nine, while Jack Nicholson holds...
Katharine Hepburn is currently the only individual to win four acting Oscars, all in the leading category. However, Daniel Day-Lewis has come close, winning his third Best Actor statue in 2012, a feat Frances McDormand has accomplished on the Best Actress side. Laurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy hold the record for most Best Actor nominations at nine, while Jack Nicholson holds...
- 10/7/2021
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
![Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy in House of the Dragon (2022)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2QzMGVkNjUtN2Y4Yi00ODMwLTg3YzktYzUxYjJlNjFjNDY1XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy in House of the Dragon (2022)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2QzMGVkNjUtN2Y4Yi00ODMwLTg3YzktYzUxYjJlNjFjNDY1XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Carrie Bradshaw and her fashionable friends will be back in time for Christmas.
HBO Max held an event Tuesday to promote the European launch of the streaming service, and it dropped some trailers for some upcoming series.
We already reported on the House of the Dragon trailer, which was severely lacking in the dragon department in the first-look footage.
The aforementioned Sex and the City revival, titled And Just Like That..., has now been confirmed for a December bow on the streaming service, which is very soon.
A definite date has not been announced, but with Gossip Girl returning for its final six episodes in November, Carrie may pick up her story when the first season concludes in December.
First ordered back in January, the revival brings friends Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte back into the fold “as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in...
HBO Max held an event Tuesday to promote the European launch of the streaming service, and it dropped some trailers for some upcoming series.
We already reported on the House of the Dragon trailer, which was severely lacking in the dragon department in the first-look footage.
The aforementioned Sex and the City revival, titled And Just Like That..., has now been confirmed for a December bow on the streaming service, which is very soon.
A definite date has not been announced, but with Gossip Girl returning for its final six episodes in November, Carrie may pick up her story when the first season concludes in December.
First ordered back in January, the revival brings friends Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte back into the fold “as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in...
- 10/5/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTZmOGM1ZDktNDg3MS00ZmEyLWI4NTYtNzkyNDA0NTZjMzFjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
HBO Max has revealed that it will be launching in seven additional countries in 2022: Turkey, Greece, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and the Netherlands. Notably, these are countries where HBO has had little to no presence in the past, a sign of its global ambitions for the streaming platform.
At a Europe launch event on Tuesday, Christina Sulebakk, general manager for HBO Max Emea, also said that HBO Max in Europe will get Warner Media theatrical releases 45-days after their theatrical launch, matching what WarnerMedia recently announced it would be doing in Asia. The new windowing starts this year in the Nordics, and next year in Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Iceland and Central and Eastern Europe.
According to WarnerMedia’s head of HBO Max global Johannes Larcher, the company is aiming to be in 190 countries by 2026. Today’s announcements bring the European rollout total to 27 territories across phase one.
Previous...
At a Europe launch event on Tuesday, Christina Sulebakk, general manager for HBO Max Emea, also said that HBO Max in Europe will get Warner Media theatrical releases 45-days after their theatrical launch, matching what WarnerMedia recently announced it would be doing in Asia. The new windowing starts this year in the Nordics, and next year in Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Iceland and Central and Eastern Europe.
According to WarnerMedia’s head of HBO Max global Johannes Larcher, the company is aiming to be in 190 countries by 2026. Today’s announcements bring the European rollout total to 27 territories across phase one.
Previous...
- 10/5/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODcxOGU0MzMtNTg4YS00ZDVlLTg4ZjEtM2Q1MWQzZGM3YWNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,26,500,281_.jpg)
No question there’s more to learn from a live film festival than a virtual one. In 2021, live Cannes and Telluride events provided scads of intel on how movies played for audiences and media. Participants were on solid ground. You feel it in a room when a movie plays, from Cannes Palme d’Or-winner “Titane” to prize-winners “A Hero” (Asghar Farhadi) and “The Worst Person in the World” (Joachim Trier), likely Oscar submissions from Iran and Norway, respectively.
And at Telluride opening night, writer/director Kenneth Branagh’s 1969 time capsule “Belfast” played well — at the near-empty Werner Herzog Theatre during a driving rainstorm. Most everyone else was checking out either buzzy Will Smith-starrer “King Richard” or Joe Wright’s period musical “Cyrano,” complete with a tribute to “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage. By the end of the weekend, though, word of mouth caught up to “Belfast,” which was clearly...
And at Telluride opening night, writer/director Kenneth Branagh’s 1969 time capsule “Belfast” played well — at the near-empty Werner Herzog Theatre during a driving rainstorm. Most everyone else was checking out either buzzy Will Smith-starrer “King Richard” or Joe Wright’s period musical “Cyrano,” complete with a tribute to “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage. By the end of the weekend, though, word of mouth caught up to “Belfast,” which was clearly...
- 9/19/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDM1MWQxODMtMjQzZi00MDk3LTliYmItNGZmZWY1YTkyMDBmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,11,500,281_.jpg)
“Dune” has competition among the most eagerly awaited titles opening the rest of the year and most likely won’t be the highest grossing of the group. But the intensity of interest is at or above anything else ahead.
Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation (or first part of a projected two-part film) had its North American premiere last weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival. But only a select few were among the initial viewers of the Warner Bros. film, to be joined by another small number who will be able to see it at its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival October 7 and 8.
Initial results from France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and elsewhere through Thursday are positive, with France the best at a reported $2.5 million from shows starting Tuesday night. The weekend total will be needed to fully assess, but this seems decent or better for a mid-September release.
Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation (or first part of a projected two-part film) had its North American premiere last weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival. But only a select few were among the initial viewers of the Warner Bros. film, to be joined by another small number who will be able to see it at its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival October 7 and 8.
Initial results from France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and elsewhere through Thursday are positive, with France the best at a reported $2.5 million from shows starting Tuesday night. The weekend total will be needed to fully assess, but this seems decent or better for a mid-September release.
- 9/17/2021
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGQzYzg5YmMtM2YyMC00YWUyLWEyYTUtMTU5ZTAxNDJjYjNlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,25,500,281_.jpg)
As the 46th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (running September 9–18) moves forward in hybrid form with live events in Toronto as well as virtual screenings, Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, are mounting two awards tributes to follow the already announced TIFF Ebert Director Award to Canadian auteur Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”).
This year’s Actor Tributes go to Oscar nominees Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”) and Jessica Chastain. Cumberbatch stars in two films showing at TIFF, Jane Campion western “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix) and Will Sharpe’s period drama “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” (Amazon).
Chastain’s performance (and makeup) as a notorious televangelist in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (Searchlight), is picking up Oscar buzz. Michael Showalter’s long-delayed marital dramedy will make its world premiere at TIFF.
2021 Oscar-winners Sir Anthony Hopkins (Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father”) and Chloé Zhao (Searchlight’s...
This year’s Actor Tributes go to Oscar nominees Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”) and Jessica Chastain. Cumberbatch stars in two films showing at TIFF, Jane Campion western “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix) and Will Sharpe’s period drama “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” (Amazon).
Chastain’s performance (and makeup) as a notorious televangelist in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (Searchlight), is picking up Oscar buzz. Michael Showalter’s long-delayed marital dramedy will make its world premiere at TIFF.
2021 Oscar-winners Sir Anthony Hopkins (Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father”) and Chloé Zhao (Searchlight’s...
- 8/12/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjgxMmE3MWMtMjA3ZS00NTY5LWE3ZGYtYWY4M2ZiZWU0ODMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UY281_CR2,0,500,281_.jpg)
With the Oscars coronating another winner for best original song, it’s an occasion to look back at 20 of the times when the golden guy got it most right with the tune he carried, from “Lullaby of Broadway” to “Lose Yourself.”
1: “White Christmas”
from “Holiday Inn” (1942), by Irving Berlin
It always feels strange watching the “Holiday Inn” scene where Bing Crosby, playing a songwriter, teaches this song to Marjorie Reynolds as something that had recently come off the top of his head, because implicit in the scene is the idea that “White Christmas” was written by a human, not God. The same could be said of its status of an Oscar winner, which never fails to surprise younger generations: Isn’t it from a hymnal of some sort? If it’s true that Berlin said at the time that it wasn’t just the best song he ever wrote...
1: “White Christmas”
from “Holiday Inn” (1942), by Irving Berlin
It always feels strange watching the “Holiday Inn” scene where Bing Crosby, playing a songwriter, teaches this song to Marjorie Reynolds as something that had recently come off the top of his head, because implicit in the scene is the idea that “White Christmas” was written by a human, not God. The same could be said of its status of an Oscar winner, which never fails to surprise younger generations: Isn’t it from a hymnal of some sort? If it’s true that Berlin said at the time that it wasn’t just the best song he ever wrote...
- 4/25/2021
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
![Cinderella Liberty (1973)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzUzNTU1MTEtY2JjMC00Y2RjLWE5YWItNDExYjQzZjMzMDEzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUzOTY1NTc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
![Cinderella Liberty (1973)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzUzNTU1MTEtY2JjMC00Y2RjLWE5YWItNDExYjQzZjMzMDEzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUzOTY1NTc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
This article marks Part 12 of the Gold Derby series analyzing 84 years of Best Original Song at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at the timeless tunes recognized in this category, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the winners.
The 1973 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:
“(You’re So) Nice to Be Around” from “Cinderella Liberty”
“Live and Let Die” from “Live and Let Die”
“Love,” from “Robin Hood”
“All That Love Went to Waste” from “A Touch of Class”
“The Way We Were” from “The Way We Were”
Won and should’ve won: “The Way We Were” from “The Way We Were”
The title song from “The Way We Were,” composed by the brilliant, Egot-winning Marvin Hamlisch, alongside Alan and Marilyn Bergman, is a dreamy, haunting, immensely moving piece, performed splendidly by the incomparable Barbra Streisand. The film’s leading lady strikes just the right notes here,...
The 1973 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:
“(You’re So) Nice to Be Around” from “Cinderella Liberty”
“Live and Let Die” from “Live and Let Die”
“Love,” from “Robin Hood”
“All That Love Went to Waste” from “A Touch of Class”
“The Way We Were” from “The Way We Were”
Won and should’ve won: “The Way We Were” from “The Way We Were”
The title song from “The Way We Were,” composed by the brilliant, Egot-winning Marvin Hamlisch, alongside Alan and Marilyn Bergman, is a dreamy, haunting, immensely moving piece, performed splendidly by the incomparable Barbra Streisand. The film’s leading lady strikes just the right notes here,...
- 12/4/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
By now we're well used to Margot Robbie tearing it up as Harley Quinn in her sequenced shorts and "Daddy's Lil Monster" t-shirt, but at some point in Suicide Squad we will also see her in the gold and black outfit below. Previous teasers have confirmed that this will most likely be her flashback ensemble, as she's glimpsed in in alongside The Joker as he conducts some business with Monster T. Harley has been depicted in a wide variety of costumes over the years, and we already know there'll also be a nod to her classic jester gear - could we see her don yet another of her more well-known outfits in the movie? It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on...
- 7/25/2016
- ComicBookMovie.com
DC/WB is currently in reconstruction mode, launching their new DC Film Division under Geoff Johns, who wants to bring “hope and optimism” back to the Dceu. Therefore, this is a good time to look back on one of DC/WB’s recent missteps and how they could have benefited from an examination of their earlier, lighter projects. We’re going to examine how Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice could have been improved by studying the 1997 animated film The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest.
The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest began as a 3-part episode of Superman: The Animated Series. It was released on DVD as a combined one-hour film in 1997. This excellent story has a strong 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as opposed to the pitiful 28% score that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received. World’s Finest was written by Alan Burnett, who wrote many of DC’s best animated movies, including Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Superman Unbound, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and others. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was directed by Zack Snyder, who made Watchmen, Sucker Punch and Man of Steel.
So why is World’s Finest better than Dawn of Justice and what can it teach DC during their revamp period? First of all, the makers of World’s Finest realized that the key to a great Batman and Superman story is to focus on their differences. They don't physically fight but the drama comes from contrasting their opposite natures, techniques and viewpoints.
The two heroes have often been described as “two sides of the same coin”. They are both brave costumed super heroes but in most ways, they are opposites. This does not merely refer to the fact that Superman has unlimited strength and numerous super powers while Batman is just an incredibly well-trained and brilliant human man. They also have different skills. For instance, Superman's senses enable him to read information directly from machines and, with careful usage of his heat vision, he can even reprogram machines. Batman is a genius polymath, as well as being a detective, escapologist, linguist, tactician and master of disguise.
Their greatest difference is in their outlook and attitude. Superman is traditionally optimistic and positive, inspiring hope to the world. He sees the best in people and tries to be an example, always motivated by the desire to help people and prevent tragedies. Batman is a dark and grim hero with a deeply personal vendetta against criminals. Although he has a great love for humanity, his life is rooted in the dark side of human nature. He understands the evil inherent in the human mind in a way Superman never could. In essence, Superman sees the victims while Batman sees the criminals.
When the 1990s versions of Superman and Batman look at each other, they see what they try hard to avoid in their own lives. Superman sees a man so locked into his obsessive behavior that he has no real connection to the world; Batman sees an overconfident man with great power but no plan (Superman reacts but does not plan.) However, they also see what they are personally missing. Superman admires Batman’s self-made abilities while Batman sees Superman’s amazing powers, which could certainly be handy in his quest to save Gotham city from its epidemic of crime. Each has a certain amount of envy toward the other.
In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the differences between the two are not very clear. Both are grim, glum, angst-ridden figures who see their heroic roles as a burden. They will both kill. Neither is trusted by the people or by the government. Neither ever smiles. They are both easily manipulated and overly quick to fight. There isn’t much difference between them at all. Add to that the fact that Zack Snyder decreed they shouldn’t talk much because “Guys in super hero costumes trying to act serious looks ridiculous”. The result was all action but no drama, characterization or interesting interactions.
Another good aspect of World’s Finest is that Lois Lane was utilized so much better. She adds an extra layer of competition between the two heroes when she develops a crush on Bruce Wayne. Although she is in love with Superman, she realizes that he will always have to put the good of the world ahead of her. Thus, when handsome Bruce Wayne arrives and shows an interest in her, she quickly becomes drawn to him. This Lois displays an attraction to Alpha Males, like the mighty Superman and the rich and powerful Bruce Wayne. Bruce begins by using Lois as a source of information to learn more about Superman but he comes to actually like her fiery, feisty personality and beauty. Clark has to watch while his rival romances the woman he secretly loves. In Dawn of Justice, Lois really has no purpose. She’s there because she’s expected to be there. Her investigation in the movie leads to nothing. When she stupidly tosses the Kryptonite spear into the well, it’s only done to put her in peril at an inopportune moment.
The villains are also much better in World’s Finest. Lex Luthor is written as cool., classy, authoritative and insidious. The Joker is wild and funny, creating chaos for both profit and for fun. The battle between their sidekicks Harley Quinn and Mercy is a fun moment. In Dawn of Justice, Lex Luthor is portrayed as a combination of Luthor and the Joker. He is rich and influential but also demented and sadistically psychotic. Mercy is killed off before she gets a chance to make an impression, and Doomsday is wasted in the final half hour of the film. The “Doomsday/Death of Superman” storyline could have been a whole movie by itself but instead it’s squeezed into a subplot. The villains in World’s Finest get sufficient screen time and remain true to their source material.
The story holds together much better in World’s Finest. The plot is linear and logical and makes sense. The bad guys have clear agendas and their actions jibe with what they want. Even the Joker, crazy as he is, remains consistent. In Dawn of Justice, Luthor’s plans and motivations seem to randomly change scene-by-scene. Unlike World’s Finest, which is trying to tell a story about the meeting of two heroes, Dawn of Justice is a two-and-a-half-hour composite trailer, interested in World Building and setting up future Dceu films, rather than being a coherent movie.
World’s Finest is about heroes learning a lesson. The duo quickly realize that their pointless competition is not useful and that each of them has something useful to offer in a partnership, even a temporary one. They learn the lesson that the villains could not learn. Luthor and the Joker are too petty to ever get along and eventually turn on each other. Superman and Batman learn to respect each other and start to work together. They even display some teamwork. Clark and Bruce part on good terms. In Dawn of Justice, Batman and Superman spend most of the movie in a contrived blood feud, which abruptly ends when they realize that their mothers have the same name. Then they join Wonder Woman in fighting Doomsday and Superman dies. There is no logical build or dramatic narrative that leads to any development in their relationship. Its ultimately unsatisfying and hollow.
World’s Finest gets it all right, including the tone, which is sufficiently hopeful while still being serious. Burnett’s script has heart and soul. The characters are handled properly and the narrative is well structured. Both the villains and supporting cast are fully-formed characters, not caricatures. Everything is done so much better than in Dawn of Justice.
If Geoff Johns and the new DC Film Division want a blueprint to look at for how they should set up the Dceu, they could do a lot worse than studying The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest. It’s everything Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice should have been, but wasn’t. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth the effort to find.
BATMANSUPERMANBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeDC ANIMATIONzack snydersuper hero moviesCOMIC Book Movie...
The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest began as a 3-part episode of Superman: The Animated Series. It was released on DVD as a combined one-hour film in 1997. This excellent story has a strong 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as opposed to the pitiful 28% score that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received. World’s Finest was written by Alan Burnett, who wrote many of DC’s best animated movies, including Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Superman Unbound, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and others. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was directed by Zack Snyder, who made Watchmen, Sucker Punch and Man of Steel.
So why is World’s Finest better than Dawn of Justice and what can it teach DC during their revamp period? First of all, the makers of World’s Finest realized that the key to a great Batman and Superman story is to focus on their differences. They don't physically fight but the drama comes from contrasting their opposite natures, techniques and viewpoints.
The two heroes have often been described as “two sides of the same coin”. They are both brave costumed super heroes but in most ways, they are opposites. This does not merely refer to the fact that Superman has unlimited strength and numerous super powers while Batman is just an incredibly well-trained and brilliant human man. They also have different skills. For instance, Superman's senses enable him to read information directly from machines and, with careful usage of his heat vision, he can even reprogram machines. Batman is a genius polymath, as well as being a detective, escapologist, linguist, tactician and master of disguise.
Their greatest difference is in their outlook and attitude. Superman is traditionally optimistic and positive, inspiring hope to the world. He sees the best in people and tries to be an example, always motivated by the desire to help people and prevent tragedies. Batman is a dark and grim hero with a deeply personal vendetta against criminals. Although he has a great love for humanity, his life is rooted in the dark side of human nature. He understands the evil inherent in the human mind in a way Superman never could. In essence, Superman sees the victims while Batman sees the criminals.
When the 1990s versions of Superman and Batman look at each other, they see what they try hard to avoid in their own lives. Superman sees a man so locked into his obsessive behavior that he has no real connection to the world; Batman sees an overconfident man with great power but no plan (Superman reacts but does not plan.) However, they also see what they are personally missing. Superman admires Batman’s self-made abilities while Batman sees Superman’s amazing powers, which could certainly be handy in his quest to save Gotham city from its epidemic of crime. Each has a certain amount of envy toward the other.
In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the differences between the two are not very clear. Both are grim, glum, angst-ridden figures who see their heroic roles as a burden. They will both kill. Neither is trusted by the people or by the government. Neither ever smiles. They are both easily manipulated and overly quick to fight. There isn’t much difference between them at all. Add to that the fact that Zack Snyder decreed they shouldn’t talk much because “Guys in super hero costumes trying to act serious looks ridiculous”. The result was all action but no drama, characterization or interesting interactions.
Another good aspect of World’s Finest is that Lois Lane was utilized so much better. She adds an extra layer of competition between the two heroes when she develops a crush on Bruce Wayne. Although she is in love with Superman, she realizes that he will always have to put the good of the world ahead of her. Thus, when handsome Bruce Wayne arrives and shows an interest in her, she quickly becomes drawn to him. This Lois displays an attraction to Alpha Males, like the mighty Superman and the rich and powerful Bruce Wayne. Bruce begins by using Lois as a source of information to learn more about Superman but he comes to actually like her fiery, feisty personality and beauty. Clark has to watch while his rival romances the woman he secretly loves. In Dawn of Justice, Lois really has no purpose. She’s there because she’s expected to be there. Her investigation in the movie leads to nothing. When she stupidly tosses the Kryptonite spear into the well, it’s only done to put her in peril at an inopportune moment.
The villains are also much better in World’s Finest. Lex Luthor is written as cool., classy, authoritative and insidious. The Joker is wild and funny, creating chaos for both profit and for fun. The battle between their sidekicks Harley Quinn and Mercy is a fun moment. In Dawn of Justice, Lex Luthor is portrayed as a combination of Luthor and the Joker. He is rich and influential but also demented and sadistically psychotic. Mercy is killed off before she gets a chance to make an impression, and Doomsday is wasted in the final half hour of the film. The “Doomsday/Death of Superman” storyline could have been a whole movie by itself but instead it’s squeezed into a subplot. The villains in World’s Finest get sufficient screen time and remain true to their source material.
The story holds together much better in World’s Finest. The plot is linear and logical and makes sense. The bad guys have clear agendas and their actions jibe with what they want. Even the Joker, crazy as he is, remains consistent. In Dawn of Justice, Luthor’s plans and motivations seem to randomly change scene-by-scene. Unlike World’s Finest, which is trying to tell a story about the meeting of two heroes, Dawn of Justice is a two-and-a-half-hour composite trailer, interested in World Building and setting up future Dceu films, rather than being a coherent movie.
World’s Finest is about heroes learning a lesson. The duo quickly realize that their pointless competition is not useful and that each of them has something useful to offer in a partnership, even a temporary one. They learn the lesson that the villains could not learn. Luthor and the Joker are too petty to ever get along and eventually turn on each other. Superman and Batman learn to respect each other and start to work together. They even display some teamwork. Clark and Bruce part on good terms. In Dawn of Justice, Batman and Superman spend most of the movie in a contrived blood feud, which abruptly ends when they realize that their mothers have the same name. Then they join Wonder Woman in fighting Doomsday and Superman dies. There is no logical build or dramatic narrative that leads to any development in their relationship. Its ultimately unsatisfying and hollow.
World’s Finest gets it all right, including the tone, which is sufficiently hopeful while still being serious. Burnett’s script has heart and soul. The characters are handled properly and the narrative is well structured. Both the villains and supporting cast are fully-formed characters, not caricatures. Everything is done so much better than in Dawn of Justice.
If Geoff Johns and the new DC Film Division want a blueprint to look at for how they should set up the Dceu, they could do a lot worse than studying The Batman/Superman Movie: World’s Finest. It’s everything Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice should have been, but wasn’t. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth the effort to find.
BATMANSUPERMANBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeDC ANIMATIONzack snydersuper hero moviesCOMIC Book Movie...
- 6/14/2016
- by [email protected] (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
Above: Italian 4-foglio for The Joker is Wild (Charles Vidor, USA, 1957). Art by Enzo Nistri.Frank Sinatra, arguably the most important entertainer of the 20th century, was born 100 years ago today. I’ve become a little obsessed with him over the past week after watching Alex Gibney’s terrific 2-part, 4-hour HBO portrait Sinatra: All or Nothing at All. This of course got me thinking about Frank in movie posters, and I realized that I could barely come up with images of Sinatra posters in my head. While his best album covers are indelible and iconic, his movie posters tend to be less so. Scrolling through his filmography I realized that part of the problem is that his greatest films—On the Town, From Here to Eternity, Guys and Dolls, Some Came Running, Ocean’s 11—were almost always ensemble films in which Sinatra was never the standalone star, and so...
- 12/12/2015
- by Adrian Curry
- MUBI
Above: Italian 4-foglio for The Joker is Wild (Charles Vidor, USA, 1957). Art by Enzo Nistri.Frank Sinatra, arguably the most important entertainer of the 20th century, was born 100 years ago today. I’ve become a little obsessed with him over the past week after watching Alex Gibney’s terrific 2-part, 4-hour HBO portrait Sinatra: All or Nothing at All. This of course got me thinking about Frank in movie posters, and I realized that I could barely come up with images of Sinatra posters in my head. While his best album covers are indelible and iconic, his movie posters tend to be less so. Scrolling through his filmography I realized that part of the problem is that his greatest films—On the Town, From Here to Eternity, Guys and Dolls, Some Came Running, Ocean’s 11—were almost always ensemble films in which Sinatra was never the standalone star, and so...
- 12/12/2015
- by Adrian Curry
- MUBI
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Jokers, circus masters and demonic dolls. Which TV characters terrify you? Den Of Geek asked its writers that very question…
The subconscious is a terrible place; dark, mysterious and peopled by spectres from the past. As a bit of a laugh then, we sent our writers journeying into theirs and asked them to drag out any TV terrors they found lurking in the shadows.
Some television fears had been ensconced there since childhood, others were more recent tenants. Some were morally terrifying; human beings with icy hearts capable of atrocities, others were simply… atrocities.
Join us as we count down in order of terror from the sort-of-creepy to the downright terrifying, the 50 TV characters that, for whatever reason, give our writers chills. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, so feel free to fill in gaps by adding your own peculiar television nightmares below…
50. Charn -...
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Jokers, circus masters and demonic dolls. Which TV characters terrify you? Den Of Geek asked its writers that very question…
The subconscious is a terrible place; dark, mysterious and peopled by spectres from the past. As a bit of a laugh then, we sent our writers journeying into theirs and asked them to drag out any TV terrors they found lurking in the shadows.
Some television fears had been ensconced there since childhood, others were more recent tenants. Some were morally terrifying; human beings with icy hearts capable of atrocities, others were simply… atrocities.
Join us as we count down in order of terror from the sort-of-creepy to the downright terrifying, the 50 TV characters that, for whatever reason, give our writers chills. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, so feel free to fill in gaps by adding your own peculiar television nightmares below…
50. Charn -...
- 10/29/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
The Simpsons has pastiched hundreds of movies in its time. From Hitchcock to Kubrick to Disney, we select our top 30 favourites...
The Simpsons has a long history of peppering its stories with pop culture references, and some of the show’s finest gags stem from the world of cinema. These have ranged from the briefest of quotes, to full on shot-for-shot parodies and extended episode-long homages.
Most striking in trying to put this list together was the sheer volume of movie references there are to choose from. In pretty much any given episode of The Simpsons, there are at least a couple, with nods to James Bond, 2001: A Space Odyssey and the work of Alfred Hitchcock proving three of the most regular candidates. The tributes to numerous great horror movies in the show’s Treehouse Of Horror episodes could have been used to fill this list all on their own.
The Simpsons has a long history of peppering its stories with pop culture references, and some of the show’s finest gags stem from the world of cinema. These have ranged from the briefest of quotes, to full on shot-for-shot parodies and extended episode-long homages.
Most striking in trying to put this list together was the sheer volume of movie references there are to choose from. In pretty much any given episode of The Simpsons, there are at least a couple, with nods to James Bond, 2001: A Space Odyssey and the work of Alfred Hitchcock proving three of the most regular candidates. The tributes to numerous great horror movies in the show’s Treehouse Of Horror episodes could have been used to fill this list all on their own.
- 4/23/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Clips of It’s A Wonderful Life appear in all sorts of TV shows and films, some predictable Christmas fare and some you might not expect…
Thanks to NBC’s long-standing tradition of airing Frank Capra’s 1946 festive fantasy drama every 24th of December, It’s A Wonderful Life has become a Stateside Christmas institution. The film’s story of a small town family man facing financial ruin being coaxed back from suicide by an angel who shows him how important he is to the world is now as festive as overspending and overeating.
Its ubiquity means that It’s A Wonderful Life is one of the first ports of call when shows and movies want to inject a festive feel into their fictional worlds, hence it having been subject to more on-screen references, quotes, parodies and homages than you can shake a jingle bell at. The Muppets, The Simpsons,...
Thanks to NBC’s long-standing tradition of airing Frank Capra’s 1946 festive fantasy drama every 24th of December, It’s A Wonderful Life has become a Stateside Christmas institution. The film’s story of a small town family man facing financial ruin being coaxed back from suicide by an angel who shows him how important he is to the world is now as festive as overspending and overeating.
Its ubiquity means that It’s A Wonderful Life is one of the first ports of call when shows and movies want to inject a festive feel into their fictional worlds, hence it having been subject to more on-screen references, quotes, parodies and homages than you can shake a jingle bell at. The Muppets, The Simpsons,...
- 12/19/2014
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
By Todd Garbarini
The 60th anniversary of Walter Lang’s 1954 film There’s No Business Like Show Business, which stars Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Marilyn Monroe, and Mitzi Gaynor, will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at the Regent Theatre in Los Angeles at 7:00 pm. Scheduled to appear at the screening in person is actress Mitzi Gaynor who played Katy Donahue in the film. From the press release:
There's No Business Like Show Business. This Cinemascope musical hit from 1954 (nominated for 3 Oscars®) chronicles the ups and downs of an Irish showbiz family over the course of many years. The outstanding ensemble cast includes Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe and Johnnie Ray. The music by Irving Berlin includes the title song performed by Ethel Merman, "Heat Wave" performed by Marilyn Monroe, "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," and many other standards.
The 60th anniversary of Walter Lang’s 1954 film There’s No Business Like Show Business, which stars Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Marilyn Monroe, and Mitzi Gaynor, will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at the Regent Theatre in Los Angeles at 7:00 pm. Scheduled to appear at the screening in person is actress Mitzi Gaynor who played Katy Donahue in the film. From the press release:
There's No Business Like Show Business. This Cinemascope musical hit from 1954 (nominated for 3 Oscars®) chronicles the ups and downs of an Irish showbiz family over the course of many years. The outstanding ensemble cast includes Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe and Johnnie Ray. The music by Irving Berlin includes the title song performed by Ethel Merman, "Heat Wave" performed by Marilyn Monroe, "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," and many other standards.
- 11/24/2014
- by [email protected] (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The wait is over for Batfans eager to experience 1960’s Batman TV series like never before, as today Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Batman: The Complete Television Series on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD for the first time. To celebrate the home media immortalization of the fondly remembered series, four new clips have been unveiled that feature Adam West reflecting on the show’s pop culture ties, being behind the wheel of the Batmobile, working with Cesar Romero, and acting alongside other legendary guest stars.
“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) sets a new standard for accommodating Bat-fans from the uber-avid to caped-casual with the upcoming release of Batman: The Complete Television Series on November 11, 2014. The most anticipated home entertainment release of all time will be available in several distinct packaging choices with varying content and bonus materials. These offerings include multiple national physical options – most notably, the Limited...
“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) sets a new standard for accommodating Bat-fans from the uber-avid to caped-casual with the upcoming release of Batman: The Complete Television Series on November 11, 2014. The most anticipated home entertainment release of all time will be available in several distinct packaging choices with varying content and bonus materials. These offerings include multiple national physical options – most notably, the Limited...
- 11/11/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Martha Stewart: Actress / Singer in Fox movies apparently not dead despite two-year-old reports to the contrary (Photo: Martha Stewart and Perry Como in 'Doll Face') According to various online reports, including Variety's, actress and singer Martha Stewart, a pretty blonde featured in supporting roles in a handful of 20th Century Fox movies of the '40s, died at age 89 of "natural causes" in Northeast Harbor, Maine, on February 25, 2012. Needless to say, that was not the same Martha Stewart hawking "delicious foods" and whatever else on American television. But quite possibly, the Martha Stewart who died in February 2012 -- if any -- was not the Martha Stewart of old Fox movies either. And that's why I'm republishing this (former) obit, originally posted more than two and a half years ago: March 11, 2012. Earlier today, a commenter wrote to Alt Film Guide, claiming that the Martha Stewart featured in Doll Face, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now,...
- 11/11/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Batfans have only a week to go until they’ll be able to experience Batman: The Complete Television Series on Blu-ray for themselves. In the meantime, we have a clip that shows the quality difference between the original footage and the remastered, high-definition version. A second clip has also just been released, where Adam West talks about his favorite episode of the TV series. We also have the final word from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on release plans, including bonus features:
“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) sets a new standard for accommodating Bat-fans from the uber-avid to caped-casual with the upcoming release of Batman: The Complete Television Series on November 11, 2014. The most anticipated home entertainment release of all time will be available in several distinct packaging choices with varying content and bonus materials. These offerings include multiple national physical options – most notably, the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ box set...
“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) sets a new standard for accommodating Bat-fans from the uber-avid to caped-casual with the upcoming release of Batman: The Complete Television Series on November 11, 2014. The most anticipated home entertainment release of all time will be available in several distinct packaging choices with varying content and bonus materials. These offerings include multiple national physical options – most notably, the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ box set...
- 11/7/2014
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) sets a new standard for accommodating Bat-fans from the uber-avid to caped-casual with the upcoming release of Batman: The Complete Television Series on November 11, 2014. The most anticipated home entertainment release of all time will be available in several distinct packaging choices with varying content and bonus materials. These offerings include multiple national physical options – most notably, the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ box set – as well as varying digital selections, and a few specialty alternatives.
“We understand the widespread demand for Batman: The Complete Television Series, and we also appreciate the varying degrees of fandom surrounding this release,” said Rosemary Markson, Wbheg Senior Vice President, TV Brand Management and Retail Marketing “To that end, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has created an option for virtually every fan’s level of interest, whether that be basking in the highly collectable Limited Edition Blu-ray set or simply enjoying...
“We understand the widespread demand for Batman: The Complete Television Series, and we also appreciate the varying degrees of fandom surrounding this release,” said Rosemary Markson, Wbheg Senior Vice President, TV Brand Management and Retail Marketing “To that end, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has created an option for virtually every fan’s level of interest, whether that be basking in the highly collectable Limited Edition Blu-ray set or simply enjoying...
- 11/4/2014
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Warner Bros.
Regardless of how you might feel about all of the directors who have handled the Batman franchises – and those who will in the future – one unavoidable thing is that each of them has created something that pays open homage to the source. Such is the nature of the beast – the films are interpretations, and even the most removed – the films of Nolan – had to express similarities to keep the Batman fans engaged.
Yes, some – Schumacher – lacked the restraint and self-awareness to really make anything good, but he showed exactly the same joy for Batman, and indeed for film-making as a whole as Burton and Nolan did. He just got over-excited and nobody told him to calm down.
As a result of that filmic awareness and passion, each of the Batman films, from 1989 onwards, were positively rammed with in-jokes, references and Easter Eggs, and as Batman film fans we...
Regardless of how you might feel about all of the directors who have handled the Batman franchises – and those who will in the future – one unavoidable thing is that each of them has created something that pays open homage to the source. Such is the nature of the beast – the films are interpretations, and even the most removed – the films of Nolan – had to express similarities to keep the Batman fans engaged.
Yes, some – Schumacher – lacked the restraint and self-awareness to really make anything good, but he showed exactly the same joy for Batman, and indeed for film-making as a whole as Burton and Nolan did. He just got over-excited and nobody told him to calm down.
As a result of that filmic awareness and passion, each of the Batman films, from 1989 onwards, were positively rammed with in-jokes, references and Easter Eggs, and as Batman film fans we...
- 9/2/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
The 75th anniversary celebration of Batman continues. Many lovers of the recent grim takes on Batman first took an interest in the DC Comics character via a much more lighthearted look: the campy 1960′s Batman TV series that starred Adam West and Burt Ward. The infectiously fun comic book adaptation is coming to Blu-ray, and fans of the cowled crusader should be excited by the special features and collectibles that range from new interviews to vintage trading cards.
Batman: The Complete Television Series will be available as a limited edition 13-disc box set Blu-ray release beginning November 11th for $269.97, and it can be pre-ordered now on Amazon for $189.99. The show will also come out on DVD and Digital HD on that day, making its debut on all three formats. The entire 120-episode run of the show will be remastered in high-definition, brining West, Ward, and the show’s plethora...
Batman: The Complete Television Series will be available as a limited edition 13-disc box set Blu-ray release beginning November 11th for $269.97, and it can be pre-ordered now on Amazon for $189.99. The show will also come out on DVD and Digital HD on that day, making its debut on all three formats. The entire 120-episode run of the show will be remastered in high-definition, brining West, Ward, and the show’s plethora...
- 7/25/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The new episode of The Capones sees Uncle Lou trying to revive his singing career, which culminates in a public performance at the Green Mill Lounge, an Uptown Chicago bar that was frequented by Al Capone. While Uncle Lou is no stranger to dangerous professions, we started to think of movies that revealed the pitfalls of a professional music career. We should warn, however, that you just might learn something from our list of cautionary tale movies about singers.
Family, Food, and... Singing?
Returning with new episodes in March
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 2/11/2014 by Ryan
The Capones | This Is Spinal Tap | 8 Mile | The Joker Is Wild | American Dreamz | Crazy Heart | The Bodyguard | The Blues Brothers...
Family, Food, and... Singing?
Returning with new episodes in March
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 2/11/2014 by Ryan
The Capones | This Is Spinal Tap | 8 Mile | The Joker Is Wild | American Dreamz | Crazy Heart | The Bodyguard | The Blues Brothers...
- 2/11/2014
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
As if you hadn’t already noticed, we are going through a boom of films made from comic books or graphic novels. On the whole, they’re quite a popular choice for cinema goers and to that we say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Next up is Rurouni Kenshin, which is based on the popular manga of the same name by Nobuhiro Watsuki; and tells the story of ex-assassin Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satô) who has made a vow never to kill again. Now a wandering samurai, Kenshin protects those in need in hope of reparation. Finding a home at a failing dojo, he becomes entangled in a string of murders related to a drug ring. His vow is put to the test when those he’s come to care about are threatened by his troubled and violent past…
With Rurouni Kenshin hitting the big screen on October 4th,...
With Rurouni Kenshin hitting the big screen on October 4th,...
- 9/30/2013
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
by Ryan Rigley
"I am vengeance. I am the night. I am... Ben Affleck." That's right, folks. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder have officially announced who our next Dark Knight will be and it's neither Josh Brolin nor Ryan Gosling. Apparently, Oscar-winning director Ben Affleck has officially signed a multi-film deal with Warner Bros., meaning he'll play the Caped Crusader in the next few Batman films— including Snyder's "Superman vs. Batman" and the highly-anticipated "Justice League."
So far, reactions to Affleck's new role have been pretty mixed with several online petitions being made to recast the Dark Knight. Lest we forget, there have already been a few different interpretations of Batman throughout the years, including Adam West's Batusi-doing do-gooder. Speaking of which, here's a look back on the super campy, yet super awesome "Batman" TV series from the 60's.
Series Statistics
Network: ABC
Broadcast Date: 1966 - 1968
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 120
In...
"I am vengeance. I am the night. I am... Ben Affleck." That's right, folks. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder have officially announced who our next Dark Knight will be and it's neither Josh Brolin nor Ryan Gosling. Apparently, Oscar-winning director Ben Affleck has officially signed a multi-film deal with Warner Bros., meaning he'll play the Caped Crusader in the next few Batman films— including Snyder's "Superman vs. Batman" and the highly-anticipated "Justice League."
So far, reactions to Affleck's new role have been pretty mixed with several online petitions being made to recast the Dark Knight. Lest we forget, there have already been a few different interpretations of Batman throughout the years, including Adam West's Batusi-doing do-gooder. Speaking of which, here's a look back on the super campy, yet super awesome "Batman" TV series from the 60's.
Series Statistics
Network: ABC
Broadcast Date: 1966 - 1968
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 120
In...
- 8/27/2013
- by Splash Page Team
- MTV Splash Page
Chicago – This weekend is the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Classic Film Festival, and few movie stars alive represent that classic status better than Miss Mitzi Gaynor. Whether co-starring in movies with Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, or starring in the film version of “South Pacific,” Mitzi Gaynor always inspires the old “razzle dazzle.”
Francesca Marlene de Czanyi Von Gerber – nicknamed Mitzi – was born in Chicago, and her family moved to Hollywood when she was eleven. She started singing and dancing with the Los Angeles Civic Opera at age 13, and managed to get a contract – and a new last name – with 20th Century Fox Pictures at age 17. Her star shined during the last gasp of glitzy movie musicals in the 1950s, co-starring with Marilyn Monroe in “There’s No Business Like Show Business” (1954), Frank Sinatra in “The Joker is Wild” (1957) and Gene Kelly in “Les Girls” (1957).
Gaynor was the...
Francesca Marlene de Czanyi Von Gerber – nicknamed Mitzi – was born in Chicago, and her family moved to Hollywood when she was eleven. She started singing and dancing with the Los Angeles Civic Opera at age 13, and managed to get a contract – and a new last name – with 20th Century Fox Pictures at age 17. Her star shined during the last gasp of glitzy movie musicals in the 1950s, co-starring with Marilyn Monroe in “There’s No Business Like Show Business” (1954), Frank Sinatra in “The Joker is Wild” (1957) and Gene Kelly in “Les Girls” (1957).
Gaynor was the...
- 4/26/2013
- by [email protected] (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In light of Leonardo DiCaprio’s most recent Oscar snub for a performance that our very own Simon Gallagher called ‘the most skin crawlingly evil Tarantino creation’, which is incredibly high praise when you remember Tarantino’s cameo in Pulp Fiction… That performance was affecting and entertaining, and DiCaprio’s performance was incredible, especially when you consider that this repugnant character was created by the same actor who brought wholesome, hunky hero Jack to life in Titanic.
This latest snub has got me reminiscing about an actor who has carried blockbusters, been a conduit between small movies and high returns whilst also being an incredible actor. Just how has this incredible talent, who has been a brilliant representative of Hollywood over the last 20 years, gone without academy recognition?
For people interested in the long version of this I have a 2 ½ hour musical number called ‘LeoW!’ in the works, for those...
This latest snub has got me reminiscing about an actor who has carried blockbusters, been a conduit between small movies and high returns whilst also being an incredible actor. Just how has this incredible talent, who has been a brilliant representative of Hollywood over the last 20 years, gone without academy recognition?
For people interested in the long version of this I have a 2 ½ hour musical number called ‘LeoW!’ in the works, for those...
- 1/12/2013
- by Luke Stevenson
- Obsessed with Film
![Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWQ0OTQ3ODctMmE0MS00ODc2LTg0ZTEtZWIwNTUxOGExZTQ4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAwMjU2MTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWQ0OTQ3ODctMmE0MS00ODc2LTg0ZTEtZWIwNTUxOGExZTQ4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAwMjU2MTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
I must admit that among America’s superheroes, I have a special fondness for the Batman. This is not only because he does not sport America’s colors as Superman and Spiderman do and wears stranger attire but also because the idea of a billionaire industrialist as a superhero is hugely appealing. Surveying the various superheroes coming out of America after 1945 it is evident that most of them emerged as patriotic responses to America’s international conflicts – World War II and the Cold War.
Spiderman’s working class background may have been a way of telling the Ussr – a state claiming to represent the international working class – that the American worker saw salvation only in his/her own country. The Batman may have been a way of drawing attention to the philanthropic impulses of American capitalism, which had been represented by socialists across the world as rapacious. The superheroes on...
Spiderman’s working class background may have been a way of telling the Ussr – a state claiming to represent the international working class – that the American worker saw salvation only in his/her own country. The Batman may have been a way of drawing attention to the philanthropic impulses of American capitalism, which had been represented by socialists across the world as rapacious. The superheroes on...
- 8/4/2012
- by MK Raghvendra
- DearCinema.com
![Swamp Thing (1982)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTNhYzZkNjQtODExZS00OTc4LWJhNDAtMjI4MWQ3ZjA0ZjViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMDUzNTI3._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
![Swamp Thing (1982)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTNhYzZkNjQtODExZS00OTc4LWJhNDAtMjI4MWQ3ZjA0ZjViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMDUzNTI3._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
Most news coverage of San Diego Comic-Con is saturated with celebrity sightings and Hollywood movies. Magazines report on ridiculous cosplay, digital spectacle, and the publicity tidal wave of Hall H. But on the floor, the experience is different. There are stories on every corner that have nothing to do with film promotion; there are passions that bypass traditional t-shirt bargains and get straight to the meat of what comics are about; there are people who wait all year before finally getting the chance to have a serious discussion about Swamp Thing. This blog is about them. Posted in reverse chronological order (most recent post is at the top of the page).
Thursday P.M. After hours we all headed over to crowd into the Haunted Hotel for the Heavy Metal party. Kevin Eastman was there, along with scores of friends from my comic shop back home. It was a sweaty,...
Thursday P.M. After hours we all headed over to crowd into the Haunted Hotel for the Heavy Metal party. Kevin Eastman was there, along with scores of friends from my comic shop back home. It was a sweaty,...
- 7/13/2012
- by Holly I.
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
What's Jack Nicholson's secret? Maybe it's the eyebrows, hovering like ironic quotation marks over every line reading. Maybe it's the hooded eyes, which hold the threat of danger or the promise of joviality -- you're never sure which. Same with that sharklike grin. Or maybe it's the voice, which has evolved over the years from a thin sneer to a deep rumble, but is always precisely calibrated to provoke a reaction. Put them all together, and they say: "I am a man to be reckoned with. Ignore me at your peril." Nicholson, who turns 75 on April 22, is often criticized for relying on his bag of tricks, for just showing up and doing Jack Nicholson (though indeed, he often seems to have been hired precisely for that purpose). But he's also capable of burrowing deep into a character, finding his wounded heart, and revealing the ugly truth without fear or vanity.
- 4/21/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
The Believer's 2012 Film Issue is out and you can sample every essay, interview and list that's in it, though only a handful of texts are online in full. Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, for example, talks with Peter Doig, "a figurative painter whose lush dreamscapes at once evoke his medium's past and suggest the feel of photos and films," who also co-runs the StudioFilmClub in Trinidad: "In an airy old rum factory with a digital projector on one wall, a large screen on another, and a homey bar stocked with coconut water and local Stag beer, he hosts free screenings. Each Thursday night, FilmClub's patrons thrill to independent and art-house films ranging from Killer of Sheep and Klute to — on the night of my first visit a couple years ago — Nagisa Oshima's 1976 classic of sensual obsession, In the Realm of the Senses." You can see more of the flyers Doig's painted for the FilmClub here.
- 3/5/2012
- MUBI
And here we are again, with all the new product coming from DC.
We have a tip of the hat to the original Justice League of America #8, the first endings from the New 52, and… oh heck, let’s just dive in, shall we?
As usual, spoilers lurk below.
Justice League #8
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Carlos D’Anda
Backup story art by Gary Frank
Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
1:25 Variant cover by Mike Choi
1:200 B&W Variant cover by Jim Lee
On sale April 18 • 40 pg, Fc, $3.99 Us • Rated T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 Us
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
In the five years that the Justice League has been a team, Green Arrow has never once been a member. And he intends to rectify that right here, right now! One member against his candidacy: Aquaman!
We have a tip of the hat to the original Justice League of America #8, the first endings from the New 52, and… oh heck, let’s just dive in, shall we?
As usual, spoilers lurk below.
Justice League #8
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Carlos D’Anda
Backup story art by Gary Frank
Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
1:25 Variant cover by Mike Choi
1:200 B&W Variant cover by Jim Lee
On sale April 18 • 40 pg, Fc, $3.99 Us • Rated T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 Us
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
In the five years that the Justice League has been a team, Green Arrow has never once been a member. And he intends to rectify that right here, right now! One member against his candidacy: Aquaman!
- 1/17/2012
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
After stellar reviews the likes of which no other game has received in recent memory, including our own five star review from our Gaming Editor Simon Gallagher this week, Warner Bros have announced that 4.6 million copies of Batman: Arkham City have been sold in the first week of release.
Backed by a stronger marketing campaign and of the course the success of the original game and the fans that game bred, Batman: Arkham City has sold the twice the number of Batman: Arkham Asylum after the same period. This could make it a contender for the top-selling game of 2011 if it sustains or at least there or thereabouts.
You can read our review of Batman: Arkham City Here and we’d love to hear your feedback on your experiences with the game so far.
The full Warner Bros press release is below;
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today...
Backed by a stronger marketing campaign and of the course the success of the original game and the fans that game bred, Batman: Arkham City has sold the twice the number of Batman: Arkham Asylum after the same period. This could make it a contender for the top-selling game of 2011 if it sustains or at least there or thereabouts.
You can read our review of Batman: Arkham City Here and we’d love to hear your feedback on your experiences with the game so far.
The full Warner Bros press release is below;
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today...
- 10/25/2011
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
A couple of weeks back we heard Bond 23 screenwriter John Logan heavily hint towards a familiar villainous face returning to torment the world’s most famous spy in the next 007 movie that begins filming very soon. Right now director Sam Mendes and his Bond team are kicking pre-production into a higher gear, recently securing up shooting locations and no doubt putting the last minute casting details in place. We could be just days away from a firm title announcement on the film along with a reveal over who the new villain is. Could it be a return for Blofeld for the first time since the early 80′s?
So as we like to do around here with our Fantasy Casting series, we have put our heads together collectively and come up with 10 actors who really would make great contenders to stroke that white cat and plot world domination.
These choices...
So as we like to do around here with our Fantasy Casting series, we have put our heads together collectively and come up with 10 actors who really would make great contenders to stroke that white cat and plot world domination.
These choices...
- 10/3/2011
- by WhatCulture
- Obsessed with Film
Wanda Sykes taped an episode of Ellen on Friday in which she talks about being diagnosed with breast cancer and having a double mastectomy. She was back out on tour a month after the surgery.
David Kohan and Matt Mutchnick have sold two comedy pilots, both of which have gay potential. Well, the first, based on two friends, one gay, one straight, has more than potential, and is based on their own lives. The second is called Help, and is about a dysfunctional fashion design family and the people who work for them. And fashion always has gays right? Well, except The Bold and the Beautiful.
The FCC has finalized a set of rules designed to help with net neutrality. In theory it would keep your ISP from throttling your connection if you use Netflix as opposed to their VOD service. In practice, publishing the rules just allows the ISPs to sue to block them.
David Kohan and Matt Mutchnick have sold two comedy pilots, both of which have gay potential. Well, the first, based on two friends, one gay, one straight, has more than potential, and is based on their own lives. The second is called Help, and is about a dysfunctional fashion design family and the people who work for them. And fashion always has gays right? Well, except The Bold and the Beautiful.
The FCC has finalized a set of rules designed to help with net neutrality. In theory it would keep your ISP from throttling your connection if you use Netflix as opposed to their VOD service. In practice, publishing the rules just allows the ISPs to sue to block them.
- 9/23/2011
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
We’ve received all the covers for DC Comics August solicitations, and Flashpoint promises that worlds will live, worlds will die, and the DC Universe will never be the sa– oh, sorry, that was the tagline for Crisis On Infinite Earths, back when I worked at Flashpoint. I’m so confused…
My favorite item for the month is pictured above, the Sergio Aragones version of Batman from Batman: Black & White. But there are some absolute art gems here, including Darwyn Cooke’s Jsa cover, and Frank Quitely’s redoing of Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson’s cover for Green Lantern #52.
As for the rest of the books, take a look… as usual, spoilers ahead:
War Of The Green Lanterns Aftermath #2
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Miguel Sepulveda
Cover by Tom Fleming
1:10 Variant cover by Miguel Sepulveda
The blockbuster “War of the Green Lanterns” event has rocked the...
My favorite item for the month is pictured above, the Sergio Aragones version of Batman from Batman: Black & White. But there are some absolute art gems here, including Darwyn Cooke’s Jsa cover, and Frank Quitely’s redoing of Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson’s cover for Green Lantern #52.
As for the rest of the books, take a look… as usual, spoilers ahead:
War Of The Green Lanterns Aftermath #2
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Miguel Sepulveda
Cover by Tom Fleming
1:10 Variant cover by Miguel Sepulveda
The blockbuster “War of the Green Lanterns” event has rocked the...
- 5/16/2011
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
Jack Nicholson wasn’t particularly good looking, muscular or indeed an early screen success story when he won his colourful, breakthrough supporting role, at the age of 32, in Dennis Hopper’s 1969′s road-trip classic Easy Rider. But his remarkable presence in that film and future prominent roles in Five Easy Pieces, Carnal Knowledge, The Last Detail, and Chinatown along with his Oscar winning turn in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest subsequently cemented him as one of the finest leading actors of the era.
Some 40 years (and 40 odd films… including iconic turns in The Shining, Batman, A Few Good Men and The Departed) later, even in semi-retirement, the legendary 73 year old with the killer grin, is still considered an undisputed king of the screen. And here are 50 reasons why I think he could just be the greatest living actor today.
1. Charisma
Jack Nicholson is one of the most charismatic actors in the business.
Some 40 years (and 40 odd films… including iconic turns in The Shining, Batman, A Few Good Men and The Departed) later, even in semi-retirement, the legendary 73 year old with the killer grin, is still considered an undisputed king of the screen. And here are 50 reasons why I think he could just be the greatest living actor today.
1. Charisma
Jack Nicholson is one of the most charismatic actors in the business.
- 3/19/2011
- by Oliver Pfeiffer
- Obsessed with Film
#5 – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
Directed by Edgar Wright
The Comic:
Creator Bryan Lee O’Malley was inspired to create the series and eponymous character of Scott Pilgrim after listening to Canadian band Plumtree’s 1998 single “Scott Pilgrim”, a song then-Plumtree singer Carla Gillis describes as “positive, but…also bitter sweet.” In particular, O’Malley was inspired by the lyric, “I’ve liked you for a thousand years”. The graphic novel consists of six digest size black-and-white volumes, released between August 2004 and July 2010, by Portland-based independent comic book publisher Oni Press. The series is about 23-year-old Canadian Scott Pilgrim, a slacker and part-time musician who lives in Toronto and plays bass guitar in the band Sex Bob-omb. He falls in love with American delivery girl Ramona Flowers, but must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her.
The Movie:
Director/producer/co-writer Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead,...
Directed by Edgar Wright
The Comic:
Creator Bryan Lee O’Malley was inspired to create the series and eponymous character of Scott Pilgrim after listening to Canadian band Plumtree’s 1998 single “Scott Pilgrim”, a song then-Plumtree singer Carla Gillis describes as “positive, but…also bitter sweet.” In particular, O’Malley was inspired by the lyric, “I’ve liked you for a thousand years”. The graphic novel consists of six digest size black-and-white volumes, released between August 2004 and July 2010, by Portland-based independent comic book publisher Oni Press. The series is about 23-year-old Canadian Scott Pilgrim, a slacker and part-time musician who lives in Toronto and plays bass guitar in the band Sex Bob-omb. He falls in love with American delivery girl Ramona Flowers, but must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her.
The Movie:
Director/producer/co-writer Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead,...
- 3/9/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
click the above title to read the full story
Don't forget to visit our official fanpage for Batman: Under the Red Hood on Legions of Gotham Click Here
Casting/Dialogue Director Andrea Romano Finds The Perfect Blend Ofvoice And Character For “Batman: Under The Red Hood,” The Next DC Universe Animated Original Film Coming To DVD July 27, 2010
Few individuals understand the intricacies of the voice of Batman better than Andrea Romano.
Arguably the top animation voiceover director in the business today,Romano has been instrumental in orchestrating the vocal tones behind the character’s non-live appearances for more than two decades. From Kevin Conroy and Rino Romano to Jeremy Sisto and William Baldwin, Romano knows precisely what voice will best fit the tones of a particular story or series.
Enter Batman: Under the Red Hood and all of its deep, emotional
undertones. Romano has outdone herself once again, balancing the...
Don't forget to visit our official fanpage for Batman: Under the Red Hood on Legions of Gotham Click Here
Casting/Dialogue Director Andrea Romano Finds The Perfect Blend Ofvoice And Character For “Batman: Under The Red Hood,” The Next DC Universe Animated Original Film Coming To DVD July 27, 2010
Few individuals understand the intricacies of the voice of Batman better than Andrea Romano.
Arguably the top animation voiceover director in the business today,Romano has been instrumental in orchestrating the vocal tones behind the character’s non-live appearances for more than two decades. From Kevin Conroy and Rino Romano to Jeremy Sisto and William Baldwin, Romano knows precisely what voice will best fit the tones of a particular story or series.
Enter Batman: Under the Red Hood and all of its deep, emotional
undertones. Romano has outdone herself once again, balancing the...
- 6/4/2010
- by THE LEGION fan network
- Legions of Gotham
![Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2MwOGIyZGYtNzgxZC00N2Q5LTllYjItM2U4MTkwMDBjYzUyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzA5NjUyNjM@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2MwOGIyZGYtNzgxZC00N2Q5LTllYjItM2U4MTkwMDBjYzUyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzA5NjUyNjM@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
To help celebrate Entertainment Weekly’s 20th anniversary (one more year and we can finally drink booze!), the writers and editors have carefully curated a list of the 100 greatest characters in pop-culture over the last 20 years. Whether the fictional women, men, ogres, muppets, babies, and cartoon rockers who made our list were initially created before 1990 didn’t matter so long as they made a lasting impact in the culture after 1990. Some characters were so inseparable in our minds and hearts — like a certain highly articulate TV mother and daughter, for example — that we simply listed them together. (Hey, it’s our list,...
- 6/1/2010
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW.com - PopWatch
This is my third and final attempt to get you to see "Kick-Ass" this weekend. Chances are your mind is already made up, you're either waiting to see how the movie plays and already half in-love with it or completely uninterested at this point.There are a few reasons why I've developed a man-crush on this movie and the one that might be overlooked is "Kick-Ass'" origins as an independent film. Matthew Vaughn and his motley crew of filmmakers self-financed the pic, then a good showing at Comic Con and Butt Numb A Thon drummed up enough interest to bait Lionsgate.Everything that happened to the film after the Lionsgate buy is less consequential than the idea that we might be looking at the business plan that could fill the gap left by the closing of Miramax. Buy a film "low" and sell it high - use marketing to widen the gap.
- 4/14/2010
- LRMonline.com
. Mitzi Gaynor with Cinema Retro contributor Eddy Friedfeld in New York.
By Eddy Friedfeld
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 “I never worked with a stinker- how great is that?” Mitzi Gaynor said as she recalled working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Cole Porter, Rogers and Hammerstein. Probably because the legendary actress, singer, and dancer never worked on any project that she did not make better.
In New York City celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the film South Pacific on Blu-Ray disc, Ms. Gaynor was radiant, charismatic, and vibrant, still possessing all the energy that could “wash that man right out of her hair,” recalling her iconic character, Nellie Forbush.
Filmed on location on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i, the classic and enduring South Pacific is about a young American nurse from Little Rock (Gaynor) who meets the handsome and mysterious...
By Eddy Friedfeld
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 “I never worked with a stinker- how great is that?” Mitzi Gaynor said as she recalled working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Cole Porter, Rogers and Hammerstein. Probably because the legendary actress, singer, and dancer never worked on any project that she did not make better.
In New York City celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the film South Pacific on Blu-Ray disc, Ms. Gaynor was radiant, charismatic, and vibrant, still possessing all the energy that could “wash that man right out of her hair,” recalling her iconic character, Nellie Forbush.
Filmed on location on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i, the classic and enduring South Pacific is about a young American nurse from Little Rock (Gaynor) who meets the handsome and mysterious...
- 4/12/2009
- by [email protected] (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
(from left to right) Shannen Dougherty, oil painting of Heath Ledger as The Joker, Eliza Dushku from "Dollhouse", the Enterprise, Jack Bauer, Daredevil, Feast, Transformers First off, a little release date housekeeping... The Wrestler is set to hit theaters on December 19, 2008. Land of the Lost has been moved to June 5, 2009. Fast and the Furious has been moved to June 12, 2009. Next, if you are interested in seeing an encore presentation of the first episode of "Fringe" as well as the first four minutes of the series'second episode, an extended scene from the upcoming film The Day The Earth Stood Still and a preview of "24: Redemption" then tune into Fox on Sunday, Sept. 14 (8:00-10:00 Pm Et/Pt). Now, to the rumors and online linkage... The trailer for Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones has been seen and said to "give away Way too much of the plot" by someone that hasn't seen it.
- 9/13/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
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