Things That Make March 2016 Magic

March 13^th is Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 in the morning.  I like this concept since I have missed seeing the sun.  I kind of like seeing it.  Going to work when and coming home when it is dark takes its toll.  I’m hoping that everyone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder can catch a breather and begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Sure it wasn’t a harsh winter for us this year but it was still winter and seeing these gray days come to an end does wonders for yours truly.  It will be good to see the sun again.  “Spring forward”… you know the rest.

                                 "Little darlin', its been a long, cold, lonely winter..."

March 15^th.  Besides being the Ides of March where those in the know lord over the rest of the unwashed masses that they are aware that on March 15, 44 BC, Julius Ceasar gets assassinated and stabbed in the back; SONY is about to unveil Playstation VR.  “Cheap” Virtual Reality for us, the unwashed masses in the know.  How cheap remains to be seen but this could be big.  Oculus Rift and virtual reality are the logical step in immersive gaming.  If you get the chance to try out an Oculus take it – you will be amazed.  Having Playstation on board with this has truly groundbreaking potential.  There’s going to be a news conference on March 15^th, 2016 to show it off and, hopefully, unveil the price tag.  Virtual Reality is ground breaking but being an early innovator does not always come cheaply.  I’m hoping to hear and see great things on the Ides of March.

                                                Oh, the things we'll see...

March 25^th.  “Batman V Superman – Dawn of Justice” opens on this day.  Any Geek worth his or her salt grasps the iconic nature of finally having the trinity up on the silver screen – Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman.  They are the stuff of legend.  Marvel has had their act together for quite some time now and this, as Warner Brothers & DC hope, will launch DC Comics pantheon from page to screen.  Zack Snyder is at the helm.  It was his vision that put the, “Man of Steel” onto the big screen and started to hint at a much larger world.  Having the genesis of the Justice League unfold on the big screen is an idea whose time has come.  For one reason or another it has been a long time coming.  The stories are there but Warner Brothers didn’t jump until now.  I, for one, can’t wait.  I think that Snyder has something wonderful up his sleeve.  I’m hoping that he gets out of the way and let these icons speak for themselves.  I betting the he does.  He has his collective act together too.  We will also get a peek at some of the other players too.  Expect to see the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg make their cameos too.  Can “Justice League” be far behind?  Who else do you get to take on the “Suicide Squad”?  Fans can be cruel.  I believe this is because they have been hurt in the past and that they have ideas as to how these stories that are so close to their hearts should be told.  There is baggage too, Superman did something in the last movie that he would be hard pressed to ever do in the comics.  I’m hoping that there are repercussions and I hope they are explained in this new film.  I believe in Zack and, Lord knows, I believe in these icons.  I can’t wait to see what happens.    

                                 The trinity.  The back bone of the Justice League.

The Comic Book Project

So a friend of mine, let’s call her, “Trixie” was cleaning out an attic recently.  Her son found some issues of “Action Comics”, “Jimmy Olsen”, & “World’s Finest”.  She asked her son if he wanted them.  He said no.  She said that she knew someone (spoilers – ME) who would.  She was right.

Trixie, I love ya.

The books are from the mid to late sixties & are monthly publications and this got me thinking.  I too am from the mid to late sixties and I have an original publication date (birthday) in December.  ‘Come to think of it,” I thought to myself, “lots of people have such a publication history.”  Then I thought of my immediate family.  How cool would it be to find a comic in the birth month for each family member, frame them, and put them in a collage on a wall in the ops center at Rancho del Evil Chicken?  “Very cool, indeed.” I thought to myself.

But how does one organize such an undertaking?  Do you choose only Marvel, only DC, or do you mix and match?  Of course you go with characters that you love but what if the cover in your birth month is a little less than you had hoped – do you plan for back up covers?  Yup; you do.  My thoughts immediately were drawn to, “The Amazing Spider-Man”.  In December of 1968 the cover has Spidey with his back to the view, askew, with the gauntlets of Mysterio ready to crush him.

Not bad but then I thought to myself, “What was the HULK up to?”  Apparently he was in the Savage Land with Kazar fighting “UMBU the Unliving”!  Nice cover – looks like it’s right out of the sixties – and now I have a dilemma.

Then there is my wife.  I narrowed her down to two covers, “Detective Comics – Batman and Batgirl” 384 and, “Silver Surfer” 4.  The Batman issue has the quote, “Who is the mysterious SHE?” prominently featured on the cover so that scores some points there. 

The Silver Surfer cover is set up in a classic Jack Kirby-esqu slugfest between the “God of Thunder” and the “Sky-rider of the Space Ways!”

What about the kids!?  My oldest was born just when “Doomsday” was being introduced to the DC universe.  His arrival was big news for Superman and her arrival was big news for us.  

My middle child has a love for Tony Stark and all things, “Iron Man”.  She was born during the whole, “Heroes Reborn” saga at Marvel.  A pretty good time to be alive.  

Rob Liefeld & Jim Lee breathed life back into these guys when no one else could.

My youngest was born when “Batman Beyond” was making the transition from TV to comics.  Further, Terry McGuiness is one of her favorites.  I hope that DC does more with Terry in the future - so does my youngest.

So now I have another reason to save my pennies.  My wife has already threatened to take her issue into work – thereby throwing off the entire Comic Book Project concept in the process.  I may have to get both issues for her so she can alternate at work and not throw off the AWESOMNESS of the feng shui that the framed collage would provide.

I know that I have some of these issues in the attic.  So, if you will excuse me, Gentle Reader, I have a mission to attend to.  This project is not going to start itself.

The Dark Knight

Stop reading this Blog if you do NOT want any spoilers – in fact stop reading this blog and head directly to a high quality digital theater with crystal clear surround sound; no – hold on a tick… go directly to your local IMAX theater for the full 70 foot tall Gotham City experience.

“Why?”

Simple answer – this film is worth it. It is the best film I’ve seen this year – not just the summer popcorn movie blitz that I usually ply you with Gentle Reader. This one is the real deal. I could gush more about the movie and bleed in four-color comic book for you but that’s all been done before; even, dare I say – believe it or not – right here at this blog.

No – let’s look at the film as just that; a film. Let’s just ignore the idea that it’s a “comic book” movie. Instead, consider approaching this film like it is a psychological crime drama with excellent characterization and an actual coherent plot. Imagine that. The film is an exploration of both the truth (and our perception or it) and individuals having limits verses individuals without them.

The Joker is devoid of anything that resembles a conscience. He is a sociopath; an agent of chaos; he has no limits and that is just the way he likes it. The Batman for all his issues at his core – his heart of hearts – he does not want to see anyone hurt the way that he was and in defending this personal code of ethics the words DO NOT MURDER are at the top of his list. The Joker has no such limit, no such internal regulation. There is a certain symbiotic nature to their relationship. The Joker sees it first. He knows that they are both damaged goods when he says, “To them (the public) you’re just a freak… Like me!” He knows the limits of the Batman and he wants to test those limits – repeatedly, and this testing includes a high body count.

Let’s discuss acting. What a cast. Christopher Nolan has assembled a wonderful cast to bring the Dark Knight to the screen. Christian Bale is the best Batman who has ever donned the body armor and cowl. Could there be a better Alfred than Michael Caine? Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox the head of Wayne’s Enterprises and the designer of Batman’s arsenal. Maggie Gyllenhaal is Rachel Dawes this time out; last time Katie Holmes and she didn’t reprise her role this time out. Who knows why? I really dig Gyllenhaal though – good choice. Gary Oldman is Lieutenant and then Commissioner Gordon. Man, I really loved the scenes with Oldman. His Gordon is fair, hardnosed and smart – just like in the comic books. Imagine that. Aaron Eckhart as the tragic Harvey Dent (Two-Face). And then there is Heath Ledger. By now you have heard the hype concerning Heath Ledger and his last roll? BELIEVE IT. It’s bitter sweet since it is the last time that Mr. Ledger will play the role due, of course to his tragic demise. Now I love Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson as much as the next fan boy but the Joker has now been embodied in the person of Mr. Heath Ledger. If he does not receive the posthumous Oscar nod for Best Actor the Academy Awards should be boycotted. Seriously. In an early scene in the film the Joker introduces himself to the crime bosses of Gotham City – in an instant he sets the tone for the entire film; he establishes just who the Joker is and what he is capable of doing. Unreal. Watching Ledger embody this character is unforgettable. His performance is that good. From now on it will always be his part – his role. No doubt.

“Do you wanna see a magic trick?” Go see The Dark Knight. Get a sitter if you have kids; this in not for them. It’s the definitive Batman on the big screen and it is not to be missed. Welcome the 900-pound gorilla, ladies and gentlemen. It’s worth the wait and all the Oscar nods it’s about to receive.

I’ll see you at the IMAX for that whole 70-foot Gotham City experience. It’s worth the ride.

My Movie Wish List

“A work of art is never completed, just abandoned.” – Guillaume Apollinaire

That’s a great quote from someone I have absolutely no idea about of whom they are. I heard George Lucas paraphrase it by substituting the word “film” for “art”. Hold on a tick; let’s check out Wikipedia…

Searching…

Searching…

Ok, here we are: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Apollinaire. “He (Guillaume Apollinaire) was a French poet, writer and art critic born in Italy to a Polish mother. Among the foremost poets of the early 20th century, he is credited with coining the word “surrealism” and writing one of the earliest works described as surrealist, the play, “Les Mamelles de Tiresias” (1917, later used as the basis for an opera in 1947). Two years after being wounded in World War I, he died at 38 of the Spanish Flu during the pandemic.”

There you go; you learn something new every day.

Anyway, let me get back on topic; please forgive me Gentle Reader; I saw a bright shiny thing.

As a Fan Boy and Movie Geek it occurs to me that there are certain movies that I would like to see happen; certain films that just ache to be made – stories that deserve to be completed and told. The last blog got me to thinking what other movies need to be completed, or rather, which films would benefit from having their plots move forward. Sequels are rarely as good as their predecessor; that being said, here is a list of films that I would like to see come to fruition. Yes, the majority of this list may be pure adolescent wish fulfillment but I’m ok with that. I’ve always enjoyed the concept of being entertained at the movies – if I wanted to weep I’d watch the news. I would pay hard money on opening night to go see at the local multiplex and I think the viewing public would be too. Without further ado here’s my list in no particular order…

1. Blade Runner II. Ridley Scott needs to be at the helm once more. I want more replicants, an older Gaff (portrayed by Edward James Olmos once more) who is a Blade Runner himself and the final answer as to if Rick Deckard was a replicant or not. For the record – I think he was.

2. Snake Plissken. John Carpenter needs to come out of his self-imposed retirement and make this movie. Kurt Russell needs to reprise this role one more time. There were plans at one time to make “Escape from Planet Earth” but they fell through when “Escape from L.A.” went belly up in the theaters. It did well on DVD and the anti-hero, Snake has always been one of my personal favorites. I'm with ya Kurt... or rather, Mr. Russell.

3. The Dark Knight Returns. How’s this for a recipe – make the third film in the current trilogy with the Riddler as the bad guy and then take some time off. Really. Now transplant the exact cast and crew into the future and make Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns”. It simply could not miss. Amazing stuff and worth the wait.

4. Hellboy III. See: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2008/07/hellboy-ii-golden-army.html for all my reasons.

5. Iron Man II. John Favreau must helm and Robert Downey Jr. must reprise his role as Tony Stark – in fact, the whole cast needs to return. It has been reported that they don’t want to rush into a cookie cutter sequel and this brings a smile to my beating geek heart. With the momentum of Iron Man II they just need to keep rolling and make “Ultimate Avengers”. It looks like Marvel Films is gearing up for this to happen and I’m all a-tingle. This will Rock. Favreau should helm the project. He gets it; not only that – he wants to share it. “What’s ‘it’?” you may ask. ‘It’ is a love and appreciation for the characters and world of Marvel Comics. ‘Nuff said.

6. Mad Max IV. You could argue that Mad Max has already had his transition from losing his humanity (Mad Max), discovering that he is still part of the human race (The Road Warrior), and rejoining humanity (in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome) but there is a part of me that just wants more. Mad Max needs to restart civilization; that would be a good destiny for Max.

7. King Conan: Crown of Iron. Sure Schwarzenegger is the governor of California but this is more important. Since the presidency in the United States is out why not a kingdom? Conan, in Robert E. Howard’s series becomes King so why not have it happen on the big screen? John Milius would be my choice to direct.

8. Evil Dead IV (or Army of Darkness II). Sam Rami must direct and Bruce Campbell must reprise the role of Ash. I’d love to see an older Ash up to his elbows in Deadite bad guys at the S-mart. Sharpen the old chainsaw and clean the boomstick. Groovy.

9. Indiana Jones. Yep, I don’t want to see it end and if the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull showed us anything, then there is still a lot of life left in this series. Now there’s another generation of Jones’ to keep up with.

10. Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League. This will never be made since I believe I am the only Buckaroo Banzai fan on the eastern seaboard. I’d love to see it happen but this is the long shot on a list of long shots. It would be great to see as many of the original cast reprise their roles for the twenty-first century though. Make mine Yoyodyne.

11. Goonies II. Hear me out – who wouldn’t want to see this film happen? It would need the original cast and their kids as they protect the “Goon Docks” from some new threat. If I were pitching it I’d call it “The Big Chill” meets… well, “The Goonies”. It would be a fun night at the movies.

12. 2061 – Odyssey Three. I’d love to see this one happen; of course I wish that Roy Scheider was still with us to reprise the role of Dr. Heywood Floyd. It would be great to see what the aliens from the monolith and the HAL 9000 are up to on the big screen once more. Hey – who knows, it could happen.

So there’s my dozen. I know that there is nothing new under the sun and it’s hard enough to launch anything that is ‘new’ in the movie marketplace today but still there’s a place in my matinee heart for these potential flicks.

So, did I miss anything?

The Joker Says, “Happy Halloween”

Yes this is a viral marketing campaign for a movie that doesn’t come out until next year (The Dark Knight – the next Batman movie) but what a cool scavenger hunt. There’s even coordinates for a phone in Washington DC. Check it…

http://www.whysoserious.com/

Click on one of the cut photos that boarder the screen for the clues. It looks like the Joker is sending his minions on the hunt all across America today. It starts at dawn.

Brilliant. I wish I could take part but I can’t. Perhaps you can, Gentle Reader. It should be fun.

Happy Halloween!