Superhero Movies and the Oscars

The Academy does not like comic books.  That almost goes without saying, but I'm not just talking about the Dark Knight getting shunned back in 2008.  Road to Perdition and A History of Violence were two captivating movies overlooked for no reason other than their source material.  But at this point, the Academy is starting to realize it can't fill up the Best Picture category with nothing but movies no one has even seen.  That's why they bumped it up to ten nominations after all.  Now it's unlikely a superhero movie would EVER actually win the award, but a nomination?  We can pull that off.  Let's look at the most likely contenders who can bring comic book movies some much deserved recognition.

2011
This summer we have two potential candidates with Thor and Captain America.  This summer Marvel will release their newest pieces of the Avengers franchise and both have the possibility of earning a nomination IF they achieve big success.  Thor's Shakespearean director and all star cast (including new Oscar winner Natalie Portman) could make it easier to accept, and Captain America being a period piece are both distinguishing factors.  Now, I'm just saying its possible for them to be nominated.  If the movies are just okay they obviously won't stand a chance.  But if they capture the audiences' hearts, the two Avengers might be able to be seen as more than just entertaining popcorn movies.  After the Oscar's pathetic ratings this year, they need more movies people can root for.  Sadly, I can't say the same for Green Lantern.  Even if it is good (which I'm slighly doubting, but that's just me), the Academy generally avoids science fiction like the plague.  Superheroes+Sci-Fi is too much, too soon.  Chances of a nomination for this year's movies are...decent.  But there still is a chance.


2012
With all the high profile adaptations coming in 2012, I would be shocked if at least one movie didn't get nominated.  The most obvious candidate being Batman 3.  If Nolan can do something similar to The Dark Knight, I don't how the Academy could get away with not nominating it.  Unlike Marvel's fun and more balanced approach, Nolan's more intellectual and dark take is much easier for the Academy to accept.  Also on the DC side of things is the Superman reboot, but unless Zack Snyder drastically changes his style from what he did in 300 and Watchmen I don't think the Academy would go for something so incredibly stylized.

And what about Marvel?  The Avengers could score a nomination in the same way Avatar did.  By pulling off something with a great enough scope and technical skill, Whedon could make up for the fact that his project isn't dark enough.  We also have Aronofsky's The Wolverine, which has potential to be a beautifully crafted emotional story.  And if we don't get a nomination by this point, it just isn't going to happen.

Hawkeye Steals the Black Widow From Deadpool?!?

Man, you have no idea how satisfying it was to write that title.  But it is kinda true.  Here's the thing, Scarlett Johansson (or, the Black Widow) was married to Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern or Deadpool, take your pick).  They split.  Now at the Academy Awards, Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) was apparently very close to Scarlett, and rumor is that they are now dating.  Could this just be needless speculation?  Yes.  But it's cool and funny so I'm going to go with it.

On the surface, this could end disastrously.  Say the two break up.  Great, we now have on-set tension during the entire production.  That always ends well.  But at the same time, I think it's hilariously awesome because Hawkeye and the Black Widow have a huge romantic history and I kind of want to see that carry over into real life.

So do we have like some kind of superhero dating scene now?  Because I would really like to imagine there is.  Will Robert Downey Jr. sleep with Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill) like he did in the comics?  Should Henry Cavill (Superman) hook up with Anne Hathaway (Catwoman)?  Honestly, there are so many actors who have played superheroes and villains this is a distinct possibility.

2011 Oscars: A Superhero Enthusiast's Perspective

Tonight is Oscar night.  I might tune in to watch some of it, but the really all you need to do these days is go online to see the winners.  There's too many technical awards to keep track of, and I need to see James Franco make an idiot of himself again.  Still, the Oscars are the biggest night in movies, and here are some things that you might find interesting.


Nominating the Avengers
Look at the choices for Best Supporting Actor, and you'll see that two members are the latest Avengers recruits.  Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo, aka Hawkeye and the Hulk, both scored nominations and will appear in 2012's superhero epic.  The critical acclaim they've been receiving will certainly bolster the movie's chances at winning the box office.  But don't expect either to win.  Odds are the award will go the man who deserves it.  Or should I say, the Batman who deserves it!  Christian Bale was unreal in The Fighter, and delivered an unforgettable performance.  Good to see our beloved Caped Crusader finally getting some respect.

Black Swan and Comic Books
Both the star and director of the film are soon to enter into comic book movie lore.  Natalie Portman is the frontrunner for Best Actress, and we can see her alongside the mighty Thor.  Again, her inevitable victory only helps Thor gain credibility.  And of course, Darren Aronofsky will be taking over Wolverine for 2012.  I doubt he'll win, but a nomination is still something.

Apologies to Chris Nolan
Fanboys have been complaining about this one since the nominations were released.  Somehow Chris Nolan failed to be nominated for Best Director, which is kind of mindblowing.  Passing him up for the Dark Knight is one thing, but now Inception?  This is starting to look personal.  Even worse, Inception failed to get a nomination for Editing, an award it deserved to win easily.  Still, Nolan can rest easy knowing Inception around the more than the five other guys' movies combined.  So suck it.



Only One Superhero Nomination, Is That Weird?
No.  The only comic book movie to get a nomination was Iron Man 2 for special effects.  Considering Iron Man 2 was one of the few comic book movies to be released this year and it didn't even receive quite the same acclaim as the first, this isn't unusual.  So this year I can't rip on the Academy for being bias against comic book adaptions.  But for the record, yes they still are.



Come back tomorrow as I discuss how Superhero movies will fare in the future at the Academy Awards, especially with the upcoming onslaught of moves over the next two years.

Kneel Before Mortensen

This is odd.  Zack Snyder had pretty much confirmed that General Zod would not be the villain in the latest Superman movie.  And yet now we have word that Viggo Mortensen, best know to nerds as Aragorn, will play the perfidious Kryptonian. 

Zod is unique amongst superhero villains in that he is barely known for his appearances in the comics.  When you think Zod, you think of Terrence Stamp in Superman II.  Like many DC villains, his origin story has changed several times over the years, but the key facts are that he is a Kryptonian and the you will kneel before him, or die.  Zod is one of the few Superman villains who can give the Man of Steel a physical challenge as well as an emotional one, making him a perfect choice for the reboot.

So how about Mortensen?  I think he would be make a nice fit for the dastardly villain, and his skill as an actor certainly helps his case.  Although we all remember him from the Lord of the Rings, I think his best role was actually in Eastern Promises where he played a badass Russian mobster.  I don't think he would give the same pompous, almost aristocratic performance of Terrence Stamp, but I don't think he has to.  Expect something much colder and chilling, but with all the same arrogance.  Time will tell if this rumor pans out, but I could certainly accept it.

Funny side note, in the end of the Return of the King, Aragorn tells the four the hobbits that they "bow to no one".  It's weird, yknow, cuz Zod wants the whole world to bow to him.

....
I think it's interesting....

Firefly's Sort Of Possible (But Not Really) Return

Usually when a show is legitimately great, it will be sucessful.  Unless the premise downright weird or strange, I think most quality shows generally get at least some recognition once they hit the air.  However, there are two glaring exceptions to this rule in my mind: Arrested Development and Firefly.  But while we did have three seasons of AD, we only had one precious year of Firefly.  I don't care about Buffy, Firefly is Joss Whedon's best work to date.  A strong setting and, more importantly, a wonderfully rich cast made for some damn fine television.  And for years, fans have been clinging on to hope that somehow, sometime, the show will return.
 

And that brings us to the latest attempt by Firefly's legion of fans to revive ill fated program.  What sparked this latest rush?  Series star Nathan Fillion claimed that if he magically won the lottery, his first matter of business would be to bring back the show and make it himself.  In typical fan logic, the Firefly community now thinks that if they were to raise the money, they could somehow make that solution.  Here's their website http://helpnathanbuyfirefly.com/


You can also follow the cause on facebook.  The group has gone from 40,000 to 60,000 in a matter of hours, which is downright impressive.  And you should join.  Why?  Because this is a crazy awesome show and it deserves to go on, somehow.  Now, Joss will probably be too busy to come back to it.  He's sort of directing THE AVENGERS!!!!, so he should be too focused on that to continue Firefly.  Still, I would happily pay up for a new season of such a great program, and maybe something could come of this latest fan drive.  Probably not, but what's the harm in hoping?

Characters Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Needs As DLC

For the most part, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has a solid roster of my favorite heroes and villains.  Out of the the new additions, there was a mix of mandatory inclusions (Deadpool and Thor), pleasant surprises (Taskmaster and Super-Skrull) and some who were kinda meh (X-23? Really guys?).  Still, there's plenty of room for DLC characters that can be added later on.  Here are 5 Marvel icons (or groups) I feel the game could use.


A Spider-Man villain
Out of every Marvel hero, Spidey has the largest and deepest rogue's gallery.  And not one of them managed to infiltrate MvC 3!  Either the Green Goblin, Venom, or Doc Ock have to be included.  All three are legendary villains who could translate well to a fighting game, and not including any of them is borderline unacceptable.  The developers might want to also take a look at some members of the Sinister Six, like the Rhino or Mysterio.

X-Men members
Despite the fact that half the characters in MvC 2 were members of the X-Men, mutants make up only a small chunk of playable options this time around.  Considering one of those options has the option to become a genocidal cosmic entity and the other is a Wolverine clone, that really leaves us with two reliable members.  Players NEED the option to play as a full X-Men team, and adding one or two more options would never hurt.  Mainstays like Cyclops, Colossus, Nightcrawler or Iceman are always welcome.  I'll even settle for Cable at this point.


Hand to Hand Specialists
In this category I'm putting in Iron Fist, Daredevil, the Black Panther, and to a degree Bullseye and Elektra.  Maybe Luke Cage.  Get some good old fashioned brawlers in there who will pummel you with their bare hands or whatever else they can find.  These guys are classic Marvel characters who could use the exposure and would fit perfectly in a fighting game.  I say go for it.

The Juggernaut
Why am I explaining this?  HES THE JUGGERNAUT, BITCH!

Sci-Fi/Magical Characters
A bizarre combination, but in my mind they both bring similar things to the table.  Some fantastical and out of the ordinary characters exist in the Marvel Universe, and I think they could add something exciting to the existing roster.  Dr. Strange, Nova, Silver Surfer, Black Bolt, or even more villainous characters like Annihilus.  These guys have such crazy abilities that would fit perfectly in a fighting game.  Cmon Capcom, make it happen.

Preacher Has A Director, Probably

Preached is a beloved, legendary, and utterly insane comic created by Garth Ennis back in the mid 90's.  The story of a supernatural reverend on the road to finding God (literally), we've been hearing rumors of a live action adaptation for years now.  Ennis himself had completed a script draft in 1998, so we've seen an endless list of names attached over the past decade.  But it now looks like the director of I Am Number Four, D.J. Caruso, will be officially directing the long awaited comic book adaptation.

This comes as a slight surprise.  Caruso's name popped up last week, and it seemed like the decision would be based on the performance of his most recent movie, I Am Number Four.  Considering the movie was a critical and commercial disappointment, it's strange timing.  Well, the choice itself strange.  The last director attached to the project was Sam Mendes, a man who can craft strong, emotionally resonant stories.  Caruso's done Two For the Money, Disturbia, Eagle Eye, and now Twilight with Aliens.  And the guys name is D.J.  What's there to be excited about?

Kevin Costner As Pa Kent?

Aw shucks, it looks like good ol' Kevin Costner might be joining the upcoming Superman franchise as none other than Pa Kent.  I'm sure you know who Kevin Costner is.  His work ranges from the critically aclaimed (Dances with Wolves) to the hilariously disastrous (Waterworld).  As far as I'm concerned, he a couple of bad movies, made the Untouchables, and did a couple more bad movies.

Like this one!

That being said, this is pretty solid casting.  Costner is like, the epitome of that Midwestern, easy going earnestness I can see a Kent having.  Still, Costner hasn't done anything to impress me in far too long, so I can't get too excited about this.  Overall, it feels like a safe, respectable choice.

And let me put it this way.  The original Superman had Marlon Brando as the central father figure.  The reboot has Kevin Costner.

Captain America Writers and an Iron Man Director?

Good news everyone!  Not only did Marvel recruit the writers from Captain America for another tour of duty, it looks like they've honed in on Shane Black as director (and maybe writer) for Iron Man 3!  Black wrote the scripts for a variety of blockbusters in the late 80's like Lethal Weapon, but really made his presence known as director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.  Before Iron Man, KKBB was the first attempt by Robert Downey Jr. to reignite his career, and despite rave reviews the movie didn't receive great commercial success.  Black must have a solid working relationship with Downey, and the two probably have a great understanding of each other.  Black can hopefully bring out the best in his star performer, and should have a great grasp of story and narrative.  A rather inspired choice, I must say.

Did I mention he played one of the commandos in Predator?  Because he played one of the commandos in Predator.

But back to Captain America.  Marvel has rehired Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to start work on Captain America 2.  Clearly the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the recent trailer has satisfied Marvel.  The only thing I'm worried about is the dramatically different tone a Cap sequel might take, and if these two could adapt to that.  TFA is set almost entirely in WWII, while the next installment would be moved up to modern day.  Those are two very different settings.  However, if they have a good grasp on the character and can write a good Steve Rogers story, then this should be great news.

Now, some sites have taken the Captain America writers being rehired as bad news for Thor, which can not make the same claim.  There's an easy answer to this.  Markus and McFeely wrote the vast majority of the Cap script.  Sure, Joss Whedon came in to tweak it a bit, but the bulk of the story was those two.  Thor had a variety of different writers working at different stages of the script.  It was much more of a process, and the script evolved through various incarnations.  So Marvel would have a harder time picking a part of that group, and it wouldn't be as straightforward as rehiring the first writers.  All in all though, this should make comicbook movie fans quite happy.

The Thor Trailer I've Been Waiting For

I haven't been the biggest supporter of the Thor trailers so far, despite my unwavering fanboyish confidence in the movie.  They've been missing something.  The sense of epic scale and also a certain sense of cohesiveness a trailer needs.  Well, Marvel has given me what I've been dying for, the unbelievable new trailer filled with action, wit, humor, and Loki.  Take a look.

That was unbelievable!  We got to see a closer look at Asgard in all it's glory, as well as the human characters involved in Thor's life.  Kat Dennings in particular looks hilarious, and she plays off Thor's petulant arrogance so well.  As for the Chris Hemsworth, I think he's got what it takes.  His first line wasn't perfect, but it set up the humor of him getting shocked perfectly.  But the rest of his scenes?  I was highly impressed.  Kenneth Branagh's direction is really showing off by taking a relatively new actor and bringing the best out of him.  And Hemsworth certainly has the charisma and gravitas Thor needs, in addition being the size of a tank.

So the acting looks wonderful, the visuals are stylish as hell, but what about the action?  Perfect.  You get to see clips of Thor unleashing all of his Asgardian fury on the Frost Giants, and this will be the first time we've seen a character with so much power on the screen without it being pure CGI.  Yeah, Transformers brought that sense of scale but it's very different seeing someone made of flesh and blood doing such epic tasks.

Great, all of my doubts about this movie have finally been exorcised.  Thor is going to kick some serious ass in theaters this May, and hopefully one of my favorite heroes will finally get the respect he deserves.

A New Wonder Woman For a New Era

The Wonder Woman TV show that everyone though was dead is very much alive, and even has even chosen it's star.  Adrianne Palicki, star of the TV show Friday Night Lights and a modest collection of movies, will be playing the iconic hero on NBC.  She seems like a good enough choice.  She's gorgeous, and someone who is at least trying to become a good actress.

But to me, it didn't really matter who they chose.  This project just doesn't seem like something I'd be interested in.  I don't care about Wonder Woman in the slightest, and the idea of having her being a business executive struggling with her personal life and vigilantism doesn't seem like the best take on the character.  It comes off as terribly cliche, without any real sense of originality or excitement.

And while we're at it, what does this mean for the long rumored Wonder Woman movie?  I can't see it being a good sign.  I don't think Warners wants two high profile live action versions of the same character out at the same time, and I would guess they went with the TV show over the movie.  Since DC comics is supposed to have a cohesive, unified media effort, I would imagine they had a choice to make and passed on the movie option.  I mean, they've been trying to make that thing for 20 years, and it's little wonder why they would just go with the TV show.

Fun fact though, Palicki will appear alongside Thor actor Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming Red Dawn remake, which will be released once MGM manages to not be bankrupt.  Funny, I always thought Thor and Wonder Woman would make for one hell of a power couple.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 First Impressions

I've been talking about Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 for some time now, and the endless waiting I finally have my nerdy little hands on it.  So how is it?  After just a few hours of gameplay, not too bad.

If you've played and the of Capcom Vs. games, you probably know what to expect.  The core mechanics are mostly the same, which left me a bit dissapointed.  I know MvC2 is beloved by its fans, but this felt like close to the exact same thing.  While this isn't a bad thing per se, it's not what I was looking for exactly.  I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it, but at least spice it up a bit.

On a similar note, MvC3 has almost no variety in gameplay modes.  You have arcade, training, mini tutorials, online, and that's it.  No time attacks, survival modes, or anything to give it that extra boost in longevity.  I suppose they were more concerned with perfecting the game's main selling point, the classic Vs. mode, but they could have made a stronger product by giving players more to do outside of fighting constantly.

Regardless, the thing that impresses me the most is how every character has a unique fighting style that reflects the source material.  Wolverine fights like an angry little man, rushing at his opponent and then tearing him apart at close range.  Thor is more challenging to use, with slow attacks and moderate speed, but the combos I've been landing do crazy damage and carry all the devastating power you would expect from the God of Thunder.  The game truly shines in how much depth each character has, and I think it will takes hours of gameplay to master just one character, let alone develop a team.  I've even been having a blast with some of the newer characters like Dante, Super-Skrull, Taskmaster and Zero.

But how about style?  The game has gone to great lengths to capture the old school, comic book vibe.  Despite being a comic book fan, this doesn't really excite me.  I'm not particularly attatched to anything that look like a comic for the sake of looking like a comic.  Despite a few mishaps here and there, like them making Deadpool insanely annoying, the game does a classsy job of bringing these characters to life.

However, if the game has one flaw is that it's still very hard to learn.  Yeah, you can button mash, but learning to pull of these ridiculous combos feels like it would take untold hours of gameplay.   As someone who's much more used to shooting things in video games than punching them, I find it incredibly challenging to compete with people who actually know what they're doing.  So if you want to enjoy the game, be prepared to sink alot of time into learning the ropes.  No one said being a hero was easy.

Alpha Flight Takes Off Once Again!

Here's a blast from the past.  Marvel is announcing the return of Canada's favorite super team, Alpha Flight!  This is one of those teams that's never captured the fans' attention the way the Avengers or X-Men did, and has gone years without a book.  As Marvel preps its big event, Fear Itself, Alpha Flight will start playing a much bigger role in the world of superheroics.  That, and something to do with Canada becoming a fascist state?  What, did the Red Skull decide to go the easy route this time? 

I can't say I'm especially interested in this team's revival.  I have nothing against Alpha Flight.  It's just that I don't see what makes them special or unique.  So they're like the Avengers....but Canadian?  Unlike teams such as the Fantastic Four or the X-Men, this is a Marvel team that doesn't have an obvious purpose or mission statement.  It would be cool to see the new creative team establish that sense of meaning, so I won't discount the book altogether.  More realistically, I'll wait to look at the previews before deciding whether or not to pick it up.  But for Alpha Flight fans, I hope this new book is worth the wait.

Spider-Man Reboot To Be "Amazing"

Fans have long wondered what the upcoming Spider-Man reboot would be called.  "Spider-Man Begins" doesn't exactly work for a whole bunch of reasons, so what ever is Sony to do?  Easy, use one of the many prefixes that goes behind Spidey's name and appear on the comics.  Really, the only question was whether they were going to use "Amazing" or "Spectacular".  Spoiler alert: they're using Amazing.

I'm not sure if I want to congratulate Sony for this one or not.  It's like giving someone points for not being a colossal failure.  They did exactly what they were supposed to do, and what fans sure as hell expected them to do.  What I will congratulate them on is the full costume.  I wasn't completely sold when I saw Spidey in the mask-free outfit, but the mask somehow brings everything together.  It's also cool to see much more skinny, acrobatic take on the hero.  Although his shoulders could be just a bit broader, it's a good look nonetheless.  I'm still partial to the Sam Raimi version of the costume (which was flawless), but I'm incredibly confident in the guy under the suit this time around.

I am a little sad though.  In some ways, this reboot is doing so many things right.  I just wish they could have waited a bit longer before they started from scratch, or if they had used some of these elements in the first movie.  Still, I'll be there when it comes out in 2012.

No Multiplayer For Arkham City!

The sequel to the phenemonal Batman: Arkham Asylum is well under way, and fans have been questioning whether or not we'll see multiplayer in the latest installment.  Game developer Rocksteady hasn't exactly denied those rumors either.  Until today that is.  In a recent interview with IGN, the developers confirmed that we wouldn't be seeing multiplayer anywhere in Arkham City.  Woe to us gamers!

Or not really.  I'm actually very happy about this.  Game developers don't suddenly decide "lets add mutliplayer!" and have it magically appear.  No, making a solid multiplayer experience requires enormous effort, not to mention additional playtesting and online support.  And those are resources that have to come out of the single player development.  I would rather they focus on creating a memorable single player campaign than adding a half decent multiplayer mode that I never play.

It will be a long wait till next fall, but I can't imagine this game not being awesome.  Arkham Asylum is one of my favorite games of all time, combing intense combat with stealth that actually felt like stealth.  All the developers have to do is add some more depth to the system and it's good to go.  Sounds like surefire success to me.

Team Ideas For Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 will be coming out in less than a week, and I think it's time to start planning teams of characters to use.  Now, people who actually know how to play fighting games will probably want to stay away from this list, since it is no way founded on gameplay performance whatsoever.  What it is founded on is creating cool themes, which I sincerely hope you enjoy.

Avengers Assemble
Captain America, Iron Man, Thor
The most predictable Marvel team, but the one I'll be playing with 90% of the time.  These guys are the classic Avengers trinity, the Big Three of the Marvel U.  I could go on and on about how these three work so well together despite the fact that their partnership makes no sense.  Somehow, it just works.

All 90's, All the Time
Deadpool, Taskmaster, Zero
For some reason, I think these characters embody the spirit of the 90s.  Swords, guns, explosions, bizarre technology and even more attitude.  I know Taskmaster was made during the 80's, but he's got plenty of 90's vibe to go around.

DOOMBOTS!
Dr. Doom, Dr. Doom, Dr. Doom
Doom is infamous for using remote controlled "Doombots", and they also serve as a convenient way to "kill off" the villain and bring him back pretty much whenever you want.  An army of Doombots?  Probably boring as hell to use, but an awesome concept nevertheless.

Demon-Born
Dante, Dorammu, Akuma
Although a mix of heroes and villains, the team relies on dark magic, daemonic abilities, and all sorts of nefarious qualities that warrant exorcisms.  A very diverse team, and one that looks sinister as hell.



The Noble Warriors
Ryu, Wolverine, Amaterasu
Both brutal and noble, these three are downright terrifying.  All three are fundamental ferocious creatures tempered by the steely discipline of the samurai. Oh sure, one of those three is an actual wolf and Logan is prone to berzerker rages, but all three have strong connections to Japan's martial tradition.

Heavy Sci-Fi
She-Hulk, Super Skrull, Sentinel
All three of these characters look like cheesy old school Sci-Fi tropes.  We have a muscle bound green bombshell, a little green man from outer space, and a giant robot.  You know what we call that?  1950's science fiction.

Marvelous Royalty
Dr. Doom, Thor, Storm
Three characters, three rulers.  We have the Lord of Latveria, Queen of Wakanda and the Son of Odin.  Representing the three most unique realms of the Marvel Universe, these three command undisputed respect from friend and foe alike.

New and Improved Captain America Trailer

I didn't think the Captain America trailer could get any better, but I've been proven wrong.  Witness the new and improved (fan altered) version.




Now just tell me that isn't awesome.

First Class Trailer Hits!

So here we go, the trailer to the latest installment of the X-Men.  Take a look!



My overall thoughts?  Looks alright.  To be honest, there isn't too much to go off of here.  It's a 2 minute trailer.  The first 30 seconds don't do much other than remind us that it's a prequel.  Not much to go off of there.  We then have JFK's speech from the Cuban Missile Crisis as we show clips of each character.  Is this supposed to get a non-comic fan excited?  Sure, most comic book geeks will be ecstatic to see more legends on screen, but unless you have a pre-existing interest you're just seeing close ups of a bunch of different people you know nothing about.  We then see a couple of clips of the team using their powers, and also some wartime action on Cuba.  There are a few sour notes here and there.  Mystique's transformation sequence looked a little shoddy, and I don't know what's going on with Beast.  Professor X's last line to Magneto was both cliche and delivered pretty poorly.  But those are minor things in the big picture I suppose.

So none of the footage is actually "bad".  I just have no idea what the hell this movie is about, and I've been the following the movie since the beginning.  I understand that we'll see how Charles and Magneto go their separate ways, but what does the Cuban Missile Crisis have to do with anything?  I'm going to assume the red teleporting dude (Azazel) is a main villain, even though we don't know anything about him. Simply put, I don't feel any suspense watching this.  The Cap trailer got me pumped up and excited, showing me exactly what the movie was about and boasted some high octane moments to boot.  First Class lacked that shock value.  I'm looking forward to Michael Fassbender as Magneto, and there's so much potential with that character it would be a shame for them to mess it up.  But I'm not exactly rushing to go see this movie the day it comes out.

Waiting on the X-Men Trailer

So today was supposed to be the day that Fox impressed us with the brand new X-Men: First Class trailer.  Due at 3 PM EST, this was their chance to get fans back on their side amidst a summer of heavy competition.

It's close to 5, and the trailer still isn't up.  Now, I'm not terribly concerned.  I was never dying to see this trailer, but there are plenty of fans who are.  This is a project already plagued with rumors of troubled production, and not being able to produce a simple trailer when promised doesn't exactly inspire confidence.  Realistically, there is probably some kind of simple tech problem, but the only thing fans know is that the trailer was due at 3 and they have yet to see it.  I don't want to sound overly pessimistic, but the entire thing feels messy and unorganized.  Still, if the footage is good, all will be forgiven.

The Future Of the Fantastic Four, Including Spider-Man!

After the death of one of their best and brightest, the Fantastic Four are no more.  Instead, they've adopted the moniker of Reed's burgeoning organization, the Future Foundation.  Throwing off their old uniforms, they've adopted some swanky new threads and a whole new direction.  Also joining them for the time being is the Spectacular, the One and Only, the Amazing Spider-Man!

Exciting times.  Hey, wait, why is everyone smiling!  Johnny just died you animals!  I'm almost certain Annihilus' hordes haven't even finished eating him yet.  You should still be grieving!

Oh well.  I think the new look is pretty cool, and even if it isn't permanent it's still a breathe of fresh air.  Change might not always be for the best, but if Jonathan can keep the momentum going from this month's ground shaking issue I'll welcome it.  Although some are saying Spider is the new fourth member, I don't see him taking Johnny's place.  If you look at Reed, Ben, and Susan's uniforms you'll see that they each have a different part of the team symbol filled in.  Those three will still be the heart of the team, with characters like Spidey serving a more supporting role.  I see him having a strong role with young Franklin Richards, because if anyone can relate to Franklin's loss of an uncle it's Spidey.  And Spidey's been dying to get on that team for years now.

We knew things would change, and Hickman wasn't lying.  Exciting times lie ahead, including the return of Dr. Doom.  I don't see any reason not to give this a shot.

Ryu Vs. The Devourer of Worlds

Eating one planet at a time is fairly inefficient for a god-like being, so Galactus has decided to double up the ante.  In Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Galactus will enter the fray as the game's final boss, threatening both realms.  Personally I would just let the big guy indulge himself by devouring Capcom, and I seriously hope that's an option when I'm playing as Dr. Doom.

But congratulations Galactus!  You've joined the list of top tier bosses in the MVC series which includes such beloved icons as Onslaught and the nightmarish, slightly forgettable Abyss!  So far the series doesn't have the best track record outside of Apocalypse's appearance in X-Men vs. Street Fighter, but Galactus is a welcome change to that.

Although I'm happy the game will have a cool boss character, I'm not so sure he's the best choice.  Galactus may be an epic threat and one of the greatest villains in Marvel comics lore, but he's never been truly "evil".  He's just hungry.  As a cosmic entity who's been around for eons, Galactus has no choice but to eat planets for survival.  Fighting Galactus is more like fighting a natural disaster, rather than a malicious final boss.  That being said, Galactus is by far the most iconic villain in the Marvel universe who could threaten the entire world so easily.  I say bring him on.  Doom is looking forward to outdoing that pesky Reed Richards by mauling Galactus with his bare hands.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is only a week away, and boasts almost 20 of Marvel's finest legends, and a bunch of Capcom characters I'll be employing as punching bags.  I also love how the MvC games are the only time Shuma Gorath EVER appears in any medium, including comics.  MvC2 was an awesome fighting game to begin with, and new additions like Thor, Deadpool, Taskmaster and the Super Skrull sound epic.  I already knew I would be picking this game up, and not much is going to stop me at this point.

COBIE SMULDERS IS IN THE AVENGERS!

OMG COBIE SMULDERS IS GOING TO BE IN THE AVENGERS!!!.........wow, that was all in caps, wasn't it?  Well I don't care.  Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother fame will now be playing SHIELD agent Maria Hill.  This is wonderful news, because I'm madly in love with that actress and think she's freaking amazing.  She's got such a fun sense of humor and looks unbelievably gorgeous.  Maria Hill may not be as exciting as Hawkeye or the Hulk, but just look at this girl.

Adding the character of Maria Hill was kind of a no brainer for this movie.  SHIELD will play a huge role, and Maria Hill is arguably their top agent in recent years.  So if Nick Fury needs someone to help run the program, Maria Hill is just such an obvious candidate.  She also banged Tony Stark, so you know she has good taste.  But then again, who in the Marvel U hasn't?  In fact, Maria Hill is the team leader for the main Avengers team in the comics right now, although don't expect her to play more than a supporting role until SHIELD gets its own movie.

Yet again Marvel blows me away with perfect casting.  Joss Whedon knows what nerds want, and damn is he delivering.  Although if you don't want Cobie Smulders in the Avengers, just look at that picture again.  I didn't think the casting of Maria Hill could get me so excited, but clearly I've been mistaken.

Superbowl Movie Rundown!

The Superbowl is still going on, and while I watch the game I figured I would bring up some of the epic trailers we're seeing for summer 2011.

First thing I want to bring up is Transformers 3.  I'm not a huge fan of the first two installments, but what they have always promised are mind blowing special effects.  And the newest trailer managed to raise the bar even higher.  We see Decepticons invading Earth and laying siege to our cities, while Optimus Prime starts tearing apart enemy robots left and right.  I wouldn't expect the franchise to suddenly gain though provoking writing, but the action sequences should keep crowds happy.  This trailer convinced me to check out a movie I had mostly written off.

We also have a new Thor trailer, which is mostly a shortened version of the theatrical trailer with a few new scenes here and there.  The Thor trailers have been just alright so far.  All of the individual scenes are fine and the visuals are incredible, but the trailers are just missing something.  Part of the problem is that it might be a bit too ecletric, shifting from scene to scene too quickly.  Giving us a solid chunk of a single action sequence might be just what we need, or something truly epic to set the tone.  I still think this movie will rock, but Marvel needs to start communicating with the mainstream audiences more effectively.

Cowboys and Aliens continues to impress with the overwhelming audacity of it's premise (and title!) and overwhelming star power.  It don't know exactly what the finished product will be, but I can't help but shake off how fun the whole thing feels.

Speaking of Aliens, JJ Abrams' Super 8 continues to confound audiences by showing close to nothing.  I know the guy likes to build mystery, but without any actual substance I just don't care about it.  It feels too bland right now, so I'm struggling to get excited about it.

And I saved the best for last.  I'll break down the trailer more completely after the game, but Captain America completely blew me away.  The whole thing feels like this fantastical fusion between Saving Private Ryan and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and I'm 100% on board with Chris Evans as the eponymous hero.  Everything from the visual style to Stanley Tucci as the wizened mentor felt....right.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  Now I'm simply dying to see more, and 2011 is looking to be one hell of a summer for movies.

Captain Otter Triumphant!

It was a long struggle, but Captain Otter is officially going to San Diego Comic Con!  It took close to 3 hours of navigating the constantly crashing servers, but I have my tickets and will be heading to sunny California this July.

Normally, I would recommend that all you guys should get a ticket for yourselves and check out the nerdy-mecca that is Comic-Con.  However, all of the main days for the event are already sold out.  The 4-day passes went out within half an hour, and the individual tickets for Saturday and Sunday lasted for 3 or 4 hours.  Considering it's one of the largest conventions in America, that's kinda scary.  I've never been to the mega-event before, and am pretty excited to see it for the first time.  Regardless of whether it's fun or not (although how can it not be?), it should be a once in a lifetime experience.

The only question remaining is whether or not I get a costume for it....

Comic-Con Ticket Disaster

Although there are tons of comic conventions, there is only one "Comic-Con".  San Diego boasts one of the biggest conventions in the world, and is more of a pop-culture convention than a straight up comic convention.  So I'm dying to get tickets for my first trip out there, but have run into a bit of a snag.  You see, the past two times they've tried selling tickets, the servers have crashed.  Guess what's happening now?

For 40 damn minutes I've been pressing the registration button, and for 40 damn minutes have gotten nothing but "Try again later".  Let's hope for some better luck...

Captain America: First Poster

Wow, movie overload right now.  With the upcoming superbowl spot, Marvel also has released the first poster for Captain America, and holy hell, does it it look unbelievable.

That's just really, insanely badass.  The costume's color palette is so distinctly WWII, and with the gray skies and debris flying all over this feels like it's captured that wartime atmosphere.  And every photo I see of Chris Evans in costume fills me with more and more hope that can pull of this role.  Captain America has so much potential to be a truly brilliant film, and I think the visuals are a step in the right direction.  The challenge will be getting the story right, and if Joe Johnston can bring it all together then Marvel will be moving full steam ahead for the Avengers.

Bucky: Coolest Sidekick Ever

In the classic comics, the Captain America sidekick Bucky epitomized the whole boy wonder stereotype in a way only rivalled by Robin.  Seriously, just look at him!

Pictured: Lameness Personified

Other than the critical misstep of putting a 15 YEAR OLD CHILD IN WWII, they put in him in one of the most flamboyant costumes imaginable.  I mean, when I was 15 my biggest problem was an emerging case of acne.  This kid was apparently shooting Nazis, and there's no way the Bucky in the picture above could pull that off.  I kinda hate the whole boy-wonder sidekick thing, and Bucky was no exception. That is until Ed Brubaker came around and completely reinvented the character as a badass who would do some of the more morally dubious actions Cap couldn't be seen doing.  Oh, and Brubaker also revealed Bucky was still alive in present day, now as a brainwashed soviet assassin codenamed "The Winter Soldier".

Definitively Not Lame

After regaining his memories, it was in fact Bucky who took on the mantle of Captain America after the death of Steve Rogers, a role he continues to rock to this day.  But why do I bring this up?  Just to set up context for why the boy adventurer looks so freaking pissed off in this pic, our first image of Sebastian Stan as Bucky!

So while we have Chris Evans lookin' all hero-y n'stuff, Bucky is apparently staring death at some poor fool off camera.  Joe Johnston described Stan as bringing a dark side to the role, which sounds perfect for the character if you ask me.  I'm hoping Stan impresses us so we can see the Winter Solider as a villain in a future Captain America movie.  Although I doubt we'll see Bucky become Captain America in any of the movies (killing Cap on camera would almost be as bad as murdering Optimus in the Transformers animated movie.  Almost), he's too a cool supporting character to lose after the first movie.  The Captain America trailer will premiere during the Superbowl, which means if you were planning on not watching the game before you should absolutely reconsider.

Josesph Gordon-Levitt To Join Batman 3?

Talk about a pleasant surprise.  With the addition of Tom Hardy as Bane and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, I had assumed the cast for Batman 3 was mostly complete.  Oh sure, there was a rumor that Robin Williams would be joining in as Dr. Strange, but that would surely be a minor role.  Now we're hearing that Inception's Joseph Gordon Levitt is in talks to join another Christopher Nolan blockbuster.  I don't care who he would play, I'm in.

First off, Gordon-Levitt is a fantastic actor.  Whether it's a more serious indie flick like The Lookout or a quirky romantic comedy such as (500) Days of Summer, he continuously kicks ass.  Before the villains were announced, I had him as my pick to play the Riddler alongside Bane for the two villains.  Even if the Riddler is no longer an option, I'm still happy the actor might join the superhero epic.  And that reminds me, will there be more of the bromance we saw in Incecption between him and Hardy?  There better be Mr. Nolan.  There better be.

So who could the actor play?  My best guess is Hugo Strange.  That's a part that has been brought up so frequently I would be surprised if the character didn't show up in some fashion.  And I don't think Strange will be nearly as much of a villain as Bane will be.  I expect Strange to work with the Gotham Police Department as he's done in the comics and never appear outright evil.  Someone has to lead the manhunt for the Batman, and I would love to see Gordon-Levitt hunt our hero down.  But what other options?  He could be the next Gotham mob boss (Rupert Thorne?) or maybe a cop (think Harvey Bullock, but thinner).  Regardless, I'm certain Gordon-Levitt could play just about anyone, so I'm taking this as good news.