Rebooting the Man of Steel.

This will be tough. Check this out.

Superman, being the iconic hero that he is, has the reputation of a wholesome boy scout. Very different from Batman. That's no longer working in this day and age. The Christopher Reeve movies were stellar for its time, but it hardly made use of Superman's rich history. Superman Returns was indeed a jumping point for bringing Clark Kent back (excluding Smallville), but it turned into a sloppy, sappy lovefest. I loved Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman, but I was disappointed in everyone else. Especially Kevin Spacey's interpretation of Lex Luthor (the Justice League animated series had it down!). The writing was just bad. Plain and simple. No wonder the movie tanked. It was a joke and a slap in the face for Superman fans, who had high hopes in a movie that does Kal-El justice.

Don't even get me started on Kal-El Jr. DUMB!

So will a reboot work? It did for the Hulk. Batman Begins was technically a reboot of the Batman movie franchise. So I don't why not. It couldn't hurt. It might even succeed. Superman does indeed need some of his other enemies making an appearance and leveraging the Man of Steel.

The same can be said for Wonder Woman.

Nolan's Best!

Now THIS is what a superhero-based movie sequel should be.

Taking place 6 months after the events of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight (Christian Bale|Michael Caine|Heath Ledger|Gary Oldman|Aaron Eckhart|Maggie Gyllenhaal|Morgan Freeman) ensembles an incredible cast for another round of Batman adventures. While Batman is the title character, he takes a backburner role in this movie. This time, the focus on the genius that is Joker and the downward spiral of Two-Face. Great stuff. Go see it.

Also, this is, unfortunately, Heath Ledger's final performance. He'll be hard to replace, for sure. I wonder how Jake Gyllenhaal is feeling.

Hulk Smash! + I'm Sorry ...

I've been behind on my movies lately, so these last 2 weekends, I (being the comic-book geek that I am) managed to catch up on these two before they disappear.

The Incredible Hulk (Edward Norton|Liv Tyler|Tim Roth) isn't necessarily a stellar comic-to-screen movie adaptation, but it is still very well done. Directed by Louis Leterrier, it is much better than its previous predecessors. The story line and plot is fundamentally simple effective, with emphasis placed on good character development. Instead of Bruce Banner fighting his condition, he seeks to control it, and we get a glimpse into his dedication to achieving that goal. On the other hand, other characters in the movie are obsessed with his curse (to him), seeking to harness it for themselves. Adding in a nemesis that is suitably comparable to the Hulk himself certainly helps make the movie more balanced and believable. The CG effects are much better this time around. Be sure to look out for a cameo from another popular Marvel character. All in all, I was entertained.

Wanted (James McAvoy|Angelina Jolie|Morgan Freeman) was also a lot of fun, thanks to director Timur Bekmambetov. Taking the ordinary office cubicle-monger and thrusting him into the world of an ancient underground society of assassins (The Fraternity) is certainly a very graphic novel approach to things, keeping it in line with its origins. We get to witness Wesley Gibson go through his assassin training and honing his skills before taking on the ultimate mission: to avenge his father. Or at least, that's what it seems like. The effects and stunts are absolutely fantastic, as is Angelina Jolie's performance as Fox. A good twist and satisfactory ending wraps it up nicely. I have no regrets seeing this one in the theaters.

Overall, two movies that I am happy to have watched. More to come. Soon.

Alpha Kitty Awesomeness!

So check out Alpha Kitty on YouTube. They've got an absolutely series on NYC Fashionistas being themselves and sharing their passions. It can be anything and everything. It's very clean, simple, basic, and yet has a style that doesn't obstruct the message, yet gets the idea across. Very fun, pop, kitsch ... just pure genius at a raw level. This one here is one of my favorite, and has a very important message as well.

Mokona + Alethiometer + Straight Razor + Book of Spells = Entertainment!

So I recently got in some DVDs. Much needed. I'll post my thoughts soon.

xxxHOLiC volume 1 + Artbox

The Golden Compass Exclusive Best Buy 3-Disc Edition

Sweeney Todd 2-Disc Special Edition

Tweeny Witches volume 1 + Artbox

Speaking of animation ...

... I can't wait till the new Batman: Gotham Knight dvd shows up. Think Animatrix. Comprising of six short anime segments, each directed by a different director and studio, they bridge the gap in between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. And from the clip that WB released so far, it's gonna be awesome! Batman Begins is by far my favorite movie from the franchise. It was real, gritty, Batman wasn't a demigod and Ra's al Ghul and Scarecrow were pretty formidable. I love Tim Burton, but his takes were pretty 'phantasmagorical,' to say the least. I'm not even gonna comment on Schumacher's Batman and Robin. So, this has me excited.

Also, Ultraviolet is being given the anime treatment as well. Ultraviolet: Code 044 will be based on the movie. Will Milla Jovovich reprise her role?