Archive for On Movies

Avenged

Good lord that was amazing. That may be the best movie I have ever seen. Really. I’ll write more, review-wise, next weekend.

So what comes next? We know that Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 are coming in 2013. Captain America 2 and Avengers 2 are supposed to be in 2014. There are also talks of Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, War Machine, Black Widow, and more movies in development. I have very very strong and detailed theories as to what will happen over the next few sequels/announced movies, but I won’t share those until much later to avoid any spoilers. For now, I’ll just leave tidbits that don’t spoil anything:

Iron Man 3: Not sure. Extremis? Demon in a Bottle? Something that really cuts to the core of Stark.
Thor 2: Beta Ray Bill. Nuff said.
Cap 2: Winter Soldier by way of HYDRA lead by Baron Zemo.

Now, let’s talk about other things I think Marvel should do after an incredible movie like this:

Obviously, I think Marvel needs to capitalize on the success they’ve had with The Avengers and the shared cinematic universe. One thing they can do is produce more movies in said universe (duh) but another is to do some shorter productions. They’ve started this a bit with the One Shots, but I’m thinking things like web series, TV mini-series, and other such content. Basically, longer than what they’ve done, but shorter than a feature-length movie. I think some of the minor characters would be perfect for this. In particular, I’d love a Howling Commandos mini-series, or one for War Machine.

Next, Marvel should create a shared animated universe much like the cinematic one. Structure it around the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series and do a spin-off or two. I have my doubts that we’ll ever see the long-rumored Ant Man movie, so why not make an Ant Man and Wasp spin-off series? They’re by far the most entertaining characters on the show. Since this universe is very close to the cinematic one (Watch the Avengers series, its REALLY close) it could allow for more stories to be told than the movies are able to do.

Another short-term thing Marvel should get on is reviving the Ultimate Alliance series. Make a third game, but make it GOOD. Find a developer and make this a AAA title. While they’re at it, they should make sure that the Marvel Heroic RPG stays alive and kicking as well. Tabletop may not be a huge market, but its full of dedicated people who love to spend money.

And now for the long-term play: Start getting the licenses back for other Marvel properties. Priority One should be the Fantastic Four. Without Reed Richards, a lot of things are off-limits as far as the greater Marvel universe is concerned.

Even with the death of print comics on the horizon (Not comics as a whole though. Digital is still a thing. Print media WILL die though.) Marvel has shown it knows how to do business and make people happy. Or at least they know how to make me happy.

Now if only DC could get their shit together and do something good with their properties…

Ready to Assemble

The Avengers hits theaters this week, and I really can’t put into words how excited I am for this movie. I’ve been waiting for it since the first Iron Man movie came out back in 2008, and now its just a few days away.

Contrary to what most people think, I haven’t always been an avid comics fan. Honestly, growing up, I had no connection to comics besides shows like the 90s X-Men cartoon and others like it. I didn’t develop a true appreciation for the Marvel universe until early in high school, when I would play Marvel vs Capcom and other games in the vs series on an emulator on my PC. By just playing these simple fighting games as different Marvel characters, I was hooked.

It was a long while before I really looked deep into the backstories of the various characters. Although I checked out the basics, I didn’t become obsessed until I played Marvel Ultimate Alliance. It was one of my first Wii games, but I shortly became fed up with the controls on the Wii and bought it on the 360. To this day, it remains one of the few games that I got 1000/1000 GS in. After Ultimate Alliance, I was completely hooked. Although I haven’t actually purchased a comic book, I’ve kept up with every storyline in recent history. I’ve also purchased the Marvel Heroic RPG, and I’m planning to start a campaign in the very near future.

So what am I hoping to see in The Avengers? Well for one, more badassery from Tony Stark/Iron Man/RDJ. More Hulk smash. And of course, an awesome set-up for the next series of movies (Iron Man 3, Cap 2, Thor 2, and others [Doctor Strange, perhaps?]).

Avengers, assemble!

Star Wars: A Newer Hope?

Star Wars tends to be a very touchy subject. Everyone hates Lucas for the special edition changes, the prequels, etc. Personally, I don’t mind the prequels, or most of the special edition changes (Though, Han shot first), which I think is why my brain always goes the direction it does when I watch A New Hope.

What if George Lucas re-made Star Wars: A New Hope?

I’m not talking about new cuts or scenes or stories or prequels or sequels or any of that. I’m talking a shot-for-shot remake with a new cast and modern technology.

To those of you closing this window in rage, hear me out.

Star Wars is awesome. All of it. A New Hope is such a fantastic movie on its own that it could withstand a remake without the film being devalued. That is the only one of the films that can truly stand alone. But every time I watch it I can’t help but imagine what the film and CGI techniques of today could add to the magic of this original film.

I think my problem is the fact that I still think of Star Wars as a modern film, instead of something that was made over 30 years ago. These movies are just that magical. But with each viewing, more and more things seem older about them, and I doubt I’m the only one seeing it.

The prequels taught us that you can’t just take modern technology, Star Wars, mash them together, and have a great movie. This is why a remake would ONLY be possible if it was a complete shot-for-shot remake. No alterations of the script, no new scenes or camera angles. Everything as-is, just newer.

Now, I doubt we will ever see this, but wouldn’t it be preferred to the edits and changes that Lucas has made over the years? If Lucas is making these changes just to make the films look better/more modern/truer to his vision, why not go all the way?

I think the central problem would be recasting. Who could possible play Luke Skywalker? Or voice Darth Vader? I’m not going to start spouting names, because I know I certainly couldn’t recast such iconic characters. However, the recent Star Trek movie shows that it CAN be done and people will still enjoy the film. Plus, there are certainly actors and actresses out there who could fill these roles, they just have yet to be found.

But would Lucas even go for it? He has previously said, of the special editions, “I think it’s the director’s prerogative, not the studio’s to go back and reinvent a movie.” Odds are he’s unlikely to further tarnish his legacy with a remake, as the risk/reward is so high, but with Lucas you never know.

Surely this idea has bounced around in George’s head in the past few years. If anything, I’d at least like to see a small test of this idea. Grab a few actors, pay them for a month, and shoot a few scenes, just to see how it turns out.

Who knows? If a test audience reacts positively, Lucas could be buried in a coffin made of money.

And now to begin watching another one of my favorite trilogies, The Lord of the Rings.