Dark Kaniggit Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Yeah, he's a big fan (note the Incredibles' masks...not to mention the comic appearance in the Iron Giant) and tried for years to get the rights. I heard he was pretty close around the time of Eisner's death. I even met and talked a little bit with one of Eisner's friends and biographer, who said it was practically a done deal (and even suggested that Bird might bring the property to Pixar for consideration as his next project). But I guess, being a close buddy of Eisener's, Miller was able to snatch up the rights before Bird had a chance. This is all just second-hand info, of course, but if even half of it's true, it's a damn shame. That is so true about the masks. That is so sad we would have done it such justice! I love anything Brad Bird does. The Iron Giant and Incredibles are two of the greatest animated movies of all time. And Ratatouille is truly a ma!sterpiece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) I found a site that has 13 clips from The Dark Knight that run about 30 seconds to a minute each. All of the clips are high quality, which leads me to believe that they're officially sanctioned previews and won't be immediately yanked by Warner Bros, but you might want to check them out soon just in case. There isn't anything in them that's a major spoiler, but they do add up to about 10 minutes of footage so if you want to go into the flick completely cold, I'd avoid 'em. Some things we learn from these clips (minor spoilers): 1. Anyone who didn't like Christian Bale's scary voice from Begins (I didn't mind it so much) will be disappointed. It returns. 2. If the brief fight scene in one of these clips is any indication, Nolan's greatly improved his fight direction. It also helps that Batman's new costume is a helluva lot more flexible than the last one. 3. Not that anyone needs more convincing, but Ledger's Joker really is unlike any other performance of the character. Darker, quieter, a little more grounded, and much scarier. 4. Apparently one of the Joker's big schemes is that Batman needs to go public and reveal his identity or he promises that (according to the very first teaser) "starting tonight, people will die". 5. Nolan must shoot a lot of takes, because many of the most memorable lines from earlier previews ("The dawn is coming." "This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I'm gonna give it to them." "I'll settle for his loved ones.") sound completely different in their final version. 6. Taking place just after the end of Begins, neither Wayne Manor nor the Batcave seem to be rebuilt yet, so Batman has a new lair (we've seen plenty of it in other previews already). He has, however, started putting together his classic, huge, multi-screen Bat-computer. By the way, scroll down through the site if you get the chance. Not only has this guy collected every trailer and poster that has been released (and some that haven't), but he also has a clip on there that I haven't seen anywhere else - one that shows the briefest of glimpses of Two Face himself. Edited July 5, 2008 by Silent Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 new behind the scenes watchmen video gibbons bukkakes snyder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 funnies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycaon Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 They are really promoting Hellboy II. That's a good thing, I just wasn't excepting a big campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I'm not really interested in watching previews of DK I haven't seen because damnit, it's gonna be a long week as it is. Agreed on the above point that The Incredibles was great though. That movie for me was the best pitch to non-comics people I've ever seen, and a great re-telling of a classic theme.Oh, and PS--Superman Returns sucked so bad in it's own lack of merit but doubly so because Singer left X3 to be mauled by Brett 'let's pitch superheroes to girls by having the Xmen Pirouet everywhere' Ratner to make that peesashit copy of the original movie. The only distinction between the two creatively was poor acting & absurd additions to the story of the remake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Meh, I don't understand the X3 hate. Yeah, it wasn't as good as the first two movies (what threequil is?) and it did a few things wrong (wait...Cyclops is dead?) but it was still better than three quarters of the comic flicks out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 but it was still better than three quarters of the comic flicks out there. come now, that's not very hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 No you're probably right, but it still wasn't as bad as most people say it was. Spider-man 3, that's as bad as people say. X3 is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Spiderman 3 was great. I don't understand the hate there even, since it delivered what fans had been screaming for since talk first began of a Spidey Movie, quite nicely. The actors played their parts with vigour, the story had it's weak moments but noone was going to believe Peter Parker was turning bad without resorting to 'roids, so while Emo spidey was pathetic, it was logical and the flashy dance sequence was the single most indulgent, tell-me-you-wouldn't-except-for-the-hitting-MJ(but boy she had it coming) moment in cinema. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) I actually thought emo-Parker was one of the more entertaining parts of the movie. But the plot was just terrible. Sam Raimi obviously didn't know what to do with Venom, so he threw him in for the last, what, ten/fifteen minutes? Why even introduce Gwen and Captain Stacy if you're not going to do anything with them? The Sandman killed Uncle Ben? The villains team up for no apparent reason after meeting for thirty seconds in an alleyway? And for godsakes, is Raimi ever going to let Spidey crack a fuckin' joke? The movie was a mess. Just because fanboys are screaming for something, doesn't mean that throwing it all into one movie and hitting "liquefy" will make it any good. Edited July 8, 2008 by Silent Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Well I think every fanboy baying like horny dogs for things that just won't work onscreen should take a valuable lesson from this. Now excuse me while I go boycott Dark Knight for not having him kick the shit out of Superman... Y'know, it's some kind of coping mechanism in me, but damnit I keep forgetting that the Sandman killed Uncle Ben, and whenever I'm reminded the pain from each stark realisation hits me afresh, so thanks for that. I'll admit Spiderman3 is one of the few occasions I'll look the other way on such gross misinterpretations, much like DD's cheesy-as-shit 'I got Work to do' moment, but yeah, that hurts a lot. And team-ups/superhero brawls always happen like that in the funnybooks, and where movies aren't 3-deep the way Spidey/Xmen are they need to actually show cause for a meta-fight, as opposed to comics absurdism formula where Superhero A sees Vigilante B do something = there is no god above Quesada, so Raimi just took the easy approach and translated it straight instead of dedicating precious airtime to deeper motivations. I see The Stacy's as an investment. Either dying in S3 would have been a powerful moment for any comic nerd, but completely lost on a strict movie connisuer. By sowing the seeds here(and by the way, casting was top-notch-both characters are completely charming & unforgettable) it makes the moment so much more when inevitably Norman Osbourne returns next movie and they do it true to formula(though if Raimi's still at the helm*fingers crossed* I'll expect the unexpected). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Yeah, it wasn't as good as the first two movies (what threequil is?) That's no excuse. RotK, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Goldfinger, Army of Darkness, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, um...The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and, eh...The Lion King 1 1/2. All of those are better than at least one of the previous installments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 More glowing praise for Dark Knight, this one from Garth Franklin at Dark Horizons. Doing exactly what a sequel should do, "The Dark Knight" takes the already superbly crafted world created in 2005's "Batman Begins" and corrects its few flaws while expanding on both its potential and premise. The result is a decidedly darker, richer, more ambitious and more mature follow-up. Great comic book films of late like "Iron Man" and "Spider-Man 2" may be more polished and crowd-pleasing, yet "Batman Begins" remains the most intriguing and influential effort of the superhero film genre to date. Artfully constructed, unflinchingly committed to its style, crisply shot, gorgeously designed and superbly acted - it's a film that works beautifully for what it is and remains just as strong after multiple viewings. Yet Katie Holmes' performance, awkwardly filmed action, stilted humor, and a distinct tonal shift can admittedly detract from director Chris Nolan's otherwise excellent creation. The same goes for the grand-sweeping location-heavy gritty human drama of the first half being awkwardly fused with increasingly sound stage-enclosed comic book villainy in the second. The flaws are very minor, most seemingly driven by commercial needs rather than a lack of artistic ability, but they are enough to not so much diffuse but certainly dilute the edge off the enjoyment for a decent sized portion of the audience. "The Dark Knight" has no such schizophrenic mood swings. Right from the start the film establishes itself as a sprawling epic - a gritty crime saga the likes of which Michael Mann or Martin Scorsese would be proud to call their own - and keeps things consistently at that high level despite numerous dark twists and turns. Densely layered and with fully fleshed-out characters that not only embody intricate concepts but are often placed in legitimate peril, the film makes no apologies for being too brutal and elaborate for not just kids but many adults as well. Even without graphic on-screen blood-letting and a PG-13 rating, the film manages to portray menace and tension with far more power and effectiveness than many an R-rated horror film. Chris and Jonah Nolan's remarkable screenplay both credibly and cleverly explores the power plays, moral ambiguities and inherent complexities of a city torn apart by fractured authority figures both righteous and criminal. Many will find a surprisingly deep statement about the state of the post-9/11 world in the film's display of a vulnerable and desperate populous tortured by its darkest impulses and facing the challenge of sticking to the moral high ground - even at enormous personal and emotional cost. Such a character and thematic driven narrative means that the general plot does become segmented and thin at times, but the pacing never falters and all the assorted threads are wrapped up in not just plausible but very satisfying ways. Performances are stellar all round - most notably Heath Ledger's definitive take on The Joker. The late Aussie actor utterly disappears into the role which smartly portrays the character as a sadistic and dangerously unpredictable wild card - a one man terrorist not driven by greed, power or ideology but his own psychotic gratification. With a deliberately conflicting and vague back story, morbid sense of humor, crumbling make-up and constant lip smacking, The Joker easily dominates all the scenes he's in and Ledger so perfectly nails this dark creation that you can quickly forgive the fact that such an impulsive villain has managed to pull off such a highly organized and well orchestrated plan. Less showy but equally important is Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart's work. Bale is the calm in the storm here - his quiet but gravitating presence not only grounds the film, but his discussions with the likes of Alfred and Lucius Fox are its heart. With Bruce Wayne firmly settled into his job as Batman, 'Knight' explores the fascinating issues related to such a character including misguided hero worship, self-doubt and the tenuous line between protecting people and violating their individual freedoms. Once again Bale has grand fun playing up Wayne's playboy persona, and his physicality in the action scenes proves excellent - he really is the bedrock of the series and Nolan thankfully never lets him get outshone screen time wise by his various antagonists - making sure that these films remain very much about our hero. The only downside is that the grizzly Batman voice, though understandably necessary, remains awkward at times albeit less jarring than previously. Eckhart as Harvey Dent slickly pulls off that character's trickier aspects such as his ego-driven showboating, effective political machinations, a genuine desire to change things for the better, and the ultimate abandonment of his own beliefs. Whilst the Two-Face make-up/FX job is remarkably done (and could've gone even 'ickier' had the film been rated R), the darker character itself is played too much like a thug and never utilizes the inherent sadness that comes with such a tragic figure. Some will not be entirely convinced of the character's fall from grace as Dent isn't portrayed as a saint in the early stages, but the transition is more believable because this isn't afraid to show Dent's more human frailties in the early stages. The trio of Oscar winning supporting cast from the last film are back with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and in particular Gary Oldman all delivering restrained and grounded work that adds emotional heft, humor and pathos exactly where needed. Maggie Gyllenhaal tries her best and easily improves on Holmes' work, but the role remains notably underwritten and the love triangle angle is easily the film's weakest aspect (and is thankfully given very little screen time). Smaller roles from Eric Roberts as a cocky mob boss to Tiny Lister Jr. as a disgruntled prisoner are played perfectly - there's no repetitive "we're right on top of the main hub and it's gonna blow" cringe-inducing style lines this time. The only disappointment is Cillian Murphy's all too short cameo returning as the now pitiable Scarecrow in an early scene. Wally Pfister’s stunning cinematography and the use of IMAX cameras means everything - including the action - is composed in smooth and richly textured wide location shots that never confuse the action, fall back on quick cut editing, or make the Gotham City of 'Knight' feel like a sound stage at any time. Even with various threads running simultaneously, Nolan now seems to properly understand the geography of action scenes and so we're rarely confused about what's going on or where we are - even in a complicated sequence such as an ambitious high-speed prisoner hijacking sequence. The visual effects are done exactly how they should be - action is all seemingly shot for real and to scale as much as possible, with green screen limited to the most minimal levels. CG appears to be restrained to background extensions, wire removals, and the foreground only when necessary and even then operates with proper weight and physicality. Only one scene towards the end involving sonar-textured visual tracking of Gotham and specifically its use in a construction site gets a little too daring - over reaching the otherwise authentic and well-explained nature of the gadgetry. Technical specs are superb across the board. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard once again deliver a rich and punchy score, building on their remarkably strong themes from the first film with new and often intense variations here which form a crucial part of perpetuating the film's tension in several key scenes. Production design drops the gold and earth tone-drenched gritty "Blade Runner" style industrial urban look of 'Begins' for more high-tech modern stylings with brightly-lit glass skyscrapers drenched in cool blues and natural hues. The 'Knight' flaw that will be most complained about is the runtime. At around 2.5 hours and with its serious subject matter, it is a long film and unfortunately feels it despite the superb pacing and tight narrative. It's a testament to the richness of the film that there is practically no extraneous elements here, every scene is crucial to the plot and characters making it very difficult to see where it can be trimmed without lessening the film in some way. Short of shaving a couple of seconds off some of the action sequences, the only possible excises could come in the form of the Hong Kong and to a lesser extent the twin barges sequences. Yet both scenes work beautifully and have elements essential enough to the plot that they simply can't be just cut out. The film sticks to its convictions throughout, coming to a satisfying but daring conclusion that both comfortably rounds off the story but effectively begs for one more film to restore that elusive hope the characters all strive for throughout 'Knight'. The final result is easily the best wide release (if not film) of the year so far, one which not only surpasses the high water benchmark set by its admittedly more introspective and accessible predecessor, but pushes well beyond its genre boundaries. Those looking for the kid-safe thrills of the Marvel films need to look elsewhere, 'Knight' takes the more serious minded tone of the early scenes of "Batman Begins" and runs with it into dark and complex territory rarely seen these days in cinema let alone in Summer blockbusters. It demands intelligence, maturity and attention, but as a reward delivers a film that will justifably sit high on many Top Ten lists at the end of the year. Certainly as major studio releases go it rarely gets better in quality than this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganny McVagflaps Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Showtime are making an Exterminators show. Where's my HBO Preacher, damn it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganny McVagflaps Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE GOOD..... Some dirty bastard took a buncha photos of The Dark Knight -> spoilerish I guess? Not so impressed with Two-Face. Oh well, it coulda been worse... I do like the nurse joker though. Will this movie hurry the fuck up and get released already... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Bob Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 whew, yanked already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalHeart Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 whew, yanked already. haha my thoughts exactly. I want to to refrain from spoilers, but FUCK if I'm able to, hahaha. The guy who posted them does a pretty good Joker though http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/joma...t=Picture94.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Kaniggit Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 (edited) I know we are on this dark knight kick right now which is fun and frustrating, all at the same time. I wish to interrupt it with an opinion. I just witnessed HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY! Guillermo del Torro has created a successful sequel, that I believe surpasses the original. As you expect it funny, but it's also got lots of heart. You can now tell this is the same visionary who directed Pan's Labrynth. The movie is grand in scope and there are interesting items and creatures to look at in nearly every frame. Though it is based on Mike Mignola great series, GDT has put his stamp on these great characters. But, he still maintains what makes the comic books work so well, which is the balance that Hellboy represents between light and dark. I saw many good things that I believe bode well for his Hobbit movies. Edited July 11, 2008 by Dark Kaniggit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalHeart Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Ooooh that makes me excited! Thanks, DK!! We might be seeing this tonight at a midnight showing. I'm so excited!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Kaniggit Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Ooooh that makes me excited! Thanks, DK!! We might be seeing this tonight at a midnight showing. I'm so excited!! I hope you do get to see it MH, I know you will enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganny McVagflaps Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Spirit trailer leak: Sorry Mr. Eisner. I will award points for all the sexy ladies though. Dirty pervey Miller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Kaniggit Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 (edited) Spirit trailer leak: Sorry Mr. Eisner. I will award points for all the sexy ladies though. Dirty pervey Miller. I think it looks interesting, it just does not look like the Spirit I know. Except for the tie of course. I understand that he wants to update it. Eisner's books had lots of style, but not hyper-sensationalized style! The jury is still out on this one. Edited July 15, 2008 by Dark Kaniggit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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