December | 2009 | the m0vie blog

Who Killed The Golden Compass Franchise?

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Darren

It’s like a Hollywood blockbuster murder mystery brought to life. I can see it now: Bruce Willis as a cocky private detective investigating the dispatching of a controversial emerging star. A lot of people are mumbling in their drinks, but everyone’s afraid to say what they know. That is, until a surly-voiced stranger straightens up and says what’s on everyone’s mind. Cue Sam Elliot:

The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I’m concerned. It did ‘incredible’ at the box office, taking $380million. Incredible. It took $85million in the States. The Catholic Church … lambasted them, and I think it scared New Line off.

Did the Catholic kill The Golden Compass, a potentially viable fantasy franchise in the mould of Harry Potter or The Lord of The Rings (or at least as far as fans would have you believe)? Let’s investigate.

An un-bear-able crime?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: catholic church, chris weitz, controversy, films, his dark materials, his dark materials trilogy, hollywood, Movies, new line, northern lights, philip pullman, phillip pullman, religion, sam elliot, sequel, the golden compass, the subtle knife | Leave a comment »

All Along The Watchtower – The Perfect Anthem For Battlestar Galactica…

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Darren

I just published my review of the third season of Battlestar Galactica and I thought I’d keep it rather short by divorcing this aspect from my discussion of that year. Basically, anyone familiar with the show should be familiar with the use of All Along The Watchtower at the climax of the third season finale, Crossroads, Part II. Basically four members of the crew start hearing it and quoting it and humming, drawn together by some sort of invisible force, realising that they are indeed four of the five hidden Cylons (the fifth would not be revealed until the final season). What makes the Bob Dylan classic such a perfect song for this fantastic space opera?

What's the score?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Television | Tagged: all along the watchtower, battlestar galactica, bob dylan, meaning, song lyrics | Leave a comment »

Battlestar Galactica – Season 3

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Darren

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief,
“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.”

– The “Mysterious” Song, Crossroads, Part II

The series continues to be one of the most interesting television phenomenon of the last decade as it enters what is, technically at least, it’s penultimate season. This is the point where mythology-based shows typically come apart, crushed under their own weight – the point where they have to start answering at least some of their own questions, rather than simply posing them to the audience. The problem is, as many shows have found out, answering questions isn’t nearly as fun as posing them. Battlestar Galactica, seemingly afraid of the potential comfort that giving those answers would offer, instead opts to delve even deeper into the rabbit hole – picking answers to questions suggested by earlier events and then using that to move the show forward in a fascinating momentum. Because of this weird combination of answers and deeper questions, the show somehow manages to increase its complexity and its fascination year-after-year.

Full of nebulous concepts...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Television | Tagged: all along the watchtower, battlestar galactic season 3, battlestar galactica, cylons, drama, exodus, humanity, new caprica, review, sci-fi, Television, themes | 3 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Role Models

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Darren

There’s nothing really wrong with this movie – per se. At least nothing that isn’t wrong in just about every comedy that’s been released in the past few years. Taken in context, Role Models is a slightly above average slice of amusement. It’s not particularly memorable, but it should bring more than a few smiles to you’re face, provided you’re not expecting anything groundbreaking. It’s a by-the-numbers comedy, the kind of movie which an average movie-goer could tell exactly what’s happening (and what’s going to happen), even with the sound turned off.

Suit up!

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Bobb'e J. Thompson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, comedy, jane lynch, Movie, non-review review, paul rudd, review, role models, sean william scott | Leave a comment »

The History of the “R” Rated Blockbuster

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Darren

It looks like The Wolfman, the first monster movie reboot due from universal, has just secured an ‘R’ rating State-side. In Ireland and the UK, we’re used to blockbusters receiving higher film ratings (12s, 15s, 18s), but in the US it’s unheard of for a major motion picture intended to make loads of money to go out with a rating higher than PG-13. It’s bizarre, as technically an adult can take a child to see an R-rated movie, whereas over here, back in the old days, it didn’t matter who you were with – if you weren’t the age on the poster, you didn’t get in. So what’s with this recent trent towards selling big budget movies with the R rating on them serving not as something to be downplayed by the studio, but actually used as a major selling point? Hell, we’re even seeing more redband trailers.

Because red is just sexier...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: films, motion picture association of america, Movies, mpaa, pg-13, R, rating restricted, ratings, the wolfman, violence | Leave a comment »

Daredevil by Frank Miller Omnibus Companion

Posted on December 12, 2009 by Darren

I’ve always seen Daredevil as a peculiarly Catholic superhero. Don’t ask me why. Maybe it’s the devil imagery. Frank Miller clearly sees the character as an Irish Catholic (he admitted that he believes the character practices) in an interview at the end of the first omnibus. It just seems to fit. There’s just something so human and organic about the character – so vulnerable and flawed – that he seems like some sort of lost soul amidst the pantheon of god-like superheroes. A man torn between heaven and earth. The fact that probably the greatest story told using the character is titled Born Again and his mother is a nun (as close as you can plausibly get to a virgin, I suppose) doesn’t exactly hurt, either.

Daredevil puts a novel twist on flag-burning...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Comics | Tagged: Bill Sienkiewicz, born again, comic books, daredevil, daredevil by frank miller omnibus, Daredevil by Frank Miller Omnibus Companion, daredevil: born again, daredevil: love & war, daredevil: love and war, David Mazzucchelli, frank miller, kingpin, love & war, love and war, marvel, marvel omnibus, review, the man without fear | Leave a comment »

Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Omnibus

Posted on December 12, 2009 by Darren

Comics twenty-five years ago were a very different place. Wackiness was more than welcome – it was encouraged. Deus Ex Machina endings were so common it was a wonder that they ever put the god back into the machine in the first place. The thought bubble hadn’t quite faded from use. But – most importantly – the colours were all bright and cheerful and the phrase “grim and gritty” hadn’t yet entered mainstream vocabulary.

Enter Frank Miller.

Frank Miller wasted no time making his mark on the character...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Comics | Tagged: bullseye, daredevil, daredevil by frank miller, Daredevil by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson Omnibus, daredevil by frank miller omnibus, Daredevil by Frank Miller Omnibus Companion, daredevil omnibus, elektra, frank miller, kingpin, klaus janson | 2 Comments »

Early Avatar Reviews Are In; Nerds Everywhere Sigh With Relief…

Posted on December 11, 2009 by Darren

It’s not easy being green. I imagine it’s even harder being blue. It’s almost as hard being a film nerd, with all the news and speculation that’s been going backwards and forwards about Avatar, James Cameron’s triumphant return to filmmaking. There was a lot of hmm-ing and hah-ing, a lot of speculation about the film’s budget and about the director’s excess. Too late to do anything about that. The first reviews are sneaking in. And I think we can all rest a little bit easier.

Apparently James Cameron is still king of the world...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 3d, avatar, avatar reviews, films, james cameron, Movies, review | 1 Comment »

The Vulture(s) Circle Spider-Man 4…

Posted on December 11, 2009 by Darren

It’s been a while since I looked at the possible villains lined up for Spider-Man 4. With the shooting date drawing dangerously close, I’ve bowed out of all the rumours we’ve been hearing about the film – mainly about whether The Lizard would be appearing or who would be playing the Black Cat. But, as far as rumours go, this one is too juicy – and too close to the deadline – to avoid discussing. Basically two Oscar-nominated actors – John Malkovich and Anne Hathaway – are playing a pair of villains. Malkovich will be playing Adrian Toomes, and Anne Hathaway will be playing Felicia Hardy – but the character apparently won’t be sharing her comic book counterpart’s secret identity (the Black Cat), instead getting an entirely new secret identity (something called ‘the Vulturess’).

Somebody finally figured out that the only way to make John Malkovich more badass was to strap wings on him...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: anne hathaway, black cat, comic book films, films, john malkovich, lizard, marvel, Movies, raptor, sam raimi, sequel, spider man, spider-man 4, spiderman, spiderman 4, the lizard, the raptor, the vulture, the vulturess, villains, vulture, vulturess | Leave a comment »

Will Warners Reboot Batman?

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Darren

My spidey-sense is tingling. Word on the rumour mill is that we’ll know next month if Christopher Nolan will be making a Batman trilogy, or simply leaving it at a duology. There’s all manner of discussion about what will happen if he isn’t back – but I think it’s looking increasingly like we may be moving away from the Zack Snyder’s The Dark Knight Returns approach, which means a new Batman movie relatively similar to the last two (because nothing succeeds like success). But part of me is wondering what the plan is beyond that. Are we going to see a direct sequel or a reboot? Would Warner Brothers reboot Batman so quickly?