Is There a Need for a Batman Reboot?

I had a friend ask me the other day about Affleck being announced as Batman. He said, "I feel like they should be waiting a few years before rebooting Batman again." I think that's a fair comment, but let's consider it.  We've actually known there was going to be a Batman reboot for a month or more now, but now that there is an actor cast, it's become real.

While Batman is being rebooted, we're not really seeing him in a Batman movie. Let's remember, this is Man of Steel 2. It probably won't be called that, but that's what it is. Batman is the antagonist in the next Superman movie. We also still aren't sure how big of a role Batman will have in the movie.

Still, it is a Batman reboot, however you put it in perspective. Let's look at the quickest superhero reboot. Spider-man 3 opened in 2007. I didn't like that movie for so many reasons, so I was glad they rebooted it in 2012 (five years difference). Still, it was a very quick turnaround. Dark Knight Rises closed out an amazing trilogy in 2012. While it wasn't as strong as the first two movies, it still was so much better than Spider-man 3. Man of Steel 2 is expected to release in 2015 (three years difference). The Amazing Spider-man was mainly a reaction to Sony about to lose the rights to a profitable movie franchise. If they could have had a fourth Tobey Maguire movie, they may have gone that way.  The reboot of Batman is a reaction to WB needing a competition to Avengers. 

The Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy is one of the only superhero movie series to end on a popular note. I think that's the reason there is backlash against Ben Affleck as Batman. There would be backlash against anybody other than Christian Bale. But, ending on a high note and having a director and actors that are done with the series is exactly the reason for a reboot. Movie companies want to capitalize on popularity. How can they do that with nothing to continue with? Reboot!

Additionally, Nolan's Batman wouldn't work in the Man of Steel world. In order to have it work, reboot! Why do you need Batman though? WB wants something to compete with Avengers 2 in 2015. Man of Steel 2 alone will not do that. There is absolutely no way to do a Justice League movie in that short of a time. However, they can continue the success of Man of Steel and then boost it more with the success of the previous Batman franchise. 

I think the reboot and announcements of Batman are coming at a perfect time. They have stolen any thunder from Marvel character movies. Very few people are talking about Amazing Spider-man 2 (opening in 2014) or even Avengers 2 (opening in the same summer in 2015). Both have teased big things (casting and future movie plot lines) the past couple of weeks. Now all we can do is talk about the movie possibilities for 2 years, waiting for more news (can't wait to find out who Lex is).

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Several years ago, I went to see Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.  While it wasn't a great movie, it was fun and I enjoyed it enough to start reading the book series from which it was based.  The first book was different than the movie, but I was willing to forgive the movie because movies are rarely like the books.  If you are interested in the books, they are like Harry Potter based on Greek & Roman mythology.  I love mythology.

I thought, due to the differences between book and movie, it would be hard to continue the series based on the books.  Then, they announced a sequel.  I even heard that it stayed true to the books.  It did right the course of where the first movie strayed from the books.  Unfortunately, it just wasn't fun.

About halfway through the movie, I wondered how much of the movie was left.  That's a bad sign.  Luckily and unluckily, they left out some of my favorite parts of the book.  Luckily because it made the movie shorter.  Unluckily, it may have made the movie more enjoyable.

Don't get me wrong.  I enjoyed some parts of the movie.  Nathan Fillion's role as Hermes was enjoyable, but not enough to save the movie.

I would recommend this more for children, but it's one you may want to wait until DVD to rent.  Don't worry about waiting through the credits; there isn't anything at the end.

+ Nathan Fillion
- Lack of the star power from the first movie (Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman and more)
- Lack of the fun from the first movie
- I got a little bored.

Grade: 52 (Not terrible, but I'm not interested in seeing it again)

The New Batman

Ben Affleck has been named as the new Batman to appear in the Man of Steel sequel.  After delivering hits for Warner Bros. like The Town and Argo, I thought that it was likely Ben Affleck would be one of the members of the Justice League.  I expected it to be Green Lantern, but Batman would be the only other character he could really play.

I think that some people may instantly think of Ben Affleck as Daredevil in that failure of a movie.  The director's cut is actually a little bit better, and honestly, I don't think the acting was the issue in that movie.  Let us also not forget that before Chris Evans was Captain America, he was the Human Torch in lackluster Fantastic Four films.  You can't judge an actor only by the movies that they work.  There are great actors that perform in bad movies and terrible actors that perform in good movies.

Zack Snyder believes in him (as he should), stating,

Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman.  He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne.  I can’t wait to work with him.

While Affleck wasn't my first choice for the role, he also wouldn't be my last.  It may all come down to the writing.  The character has to be written and directed a certain way.

There have been many times in the past that Warner Bros. have put somebody in a role that most said was a bad choice at the time of the announcement.  This includes the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker.  Since his performance, people will unlikely support anybody else playing the Joker (until the next one turns out great too).  There have also been times that WB has picked somebody for a role and people loved the idea.  I think people really liked the idea of Jonah Hex being played by Josh Brolin.  Anybody that saw that movie would gladly take anybody else for that role.

Honestly, I'm excited.  Casting Ben Affleck helps the star power of this film.  It also means that we will soon start to see other announcements (like Lex Luthor) and then production will begin shortly.  I'm looking forward to hearing more about Man of Steel 2.

X-Men & Fantastic Four Team Up

SFX Magazine had an interview with Mark Millar, comic book writer and the overseer of Fox's comic book movie properties.  Joe Steiner asked, "Will the upcoming reboot of the Fantastic Four share a universe with the future X-Men films?"  The following is Millar's response:

Without question I think you have to see some of these guys showing up in each other’s movies. I think the most exciting thing in superhero movies, until The Avengers came along, was when Nick Fury showed up in Iron Man. Even though it was a guy with an eye patch it was really cool – and I expect we will see more of that.

Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar, unverified) then followed with two tweets stating,

I keep seeing 'news' that X-men & FF movies are crossing over.  No, they're not.  They exist in same universe but movies stand alone.

Note to the web journos: FF & X-men are NOT crossing over.  Existing in a shared universe does NOT mean a crossover movie, excitable ones...

What can we discern from all of Mr. Millar's comments?  The Fantastic Four reboot will be a stand-alone movie.  X-men: Days of Future Past will be a stand-alone movie.  So, how is it a shared universe?

Fox will no doubt want to capitalize on the success that Marvel has had with The Avengers.  I see both movies having stand-alone films and then the movies will start bleeding into eachother.  We may even see a teaser scene for Fantastic Four in the X-men: Days of Future Past credits.  Or we may see a teaser for the next X-men movie in the Fantastic Four reboot. 

I don't think that you can have a "shared universe" without having some crossover at some point.  It would take away from the story if you included X-men characters in the Fantastic Four reboot.  You have to introduce the characters first.  You can't just say that it is a shared universe without showing that somehow.

I think that we may see these characters showing up in the other's movies someday.  It would be in Fox's best interest to make the most with what they have, especially as we see changes in actors for some of the main X-men characters.  Plus, I just want to see a Fastball Special with Thing and Wolverine.

Jennifer Lawrence Gets it...

Understanding Katniss in the book is the key to portraying Katniss in the movie

During the 2013 Comic Con convention, the stars and director of Hunger Games: Catching Fire held a panel to discuss their upcoming movie. There were some interesting answers to some of the questions asked, but a few responses gave me a good feeling about how I can expect Jennifer Lawrence to portray Katniss Everdeen in this installment of the Hunger Games trilogy. 

Responses from the questions from the Comic con convention

Here is Lawrence's response to her view of Katniss in this movie.

"She's struggling with post-traumatic stress from the Games," Lawrence said, "and she has this new life now where she never has to worry about food. She's living in the Victors Village, and that kind of leaves her feeling useless."

Absolutely! 

In the first third of the book, Katniss is trying to find her place in District 12. She's different, everything is different. While she desperately trys to live her past life hunting the woods with Gale. She knows deep down that everything is different. Gale is now in the mines. Peeta hasn't spoken to her in six months. Now that she is a Victor, Katniss will never have to worry about food and now lives in the Victor's Village. 

As for the post-traumatic stress, we can see this too. Katniss can't sleep. Her only joy in winning the Hunger Games is the once a month shipment of food for the rest of District 12. Who can blame her. This hits upon one of the main overall themes of the entire trilogy and that is the concept that war changes people. Often times on the most basic, emotional, and psychological level. The book is more graphic and bloody than the stylized vision of past director Gary Ross.

  
Discussing Katniss's love triangle with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), she continued: "She has to adapt to this new life. She's now experienced something with Peeta that only the two of them can understand.

"So with Gale, who she's known most of her life and who she always felt understood certain parts of her, now really Peeta understands a part of her that Gale never will."

Exactly!

While I scoff at the notion that this love triangle storyline is just a Twilight knockoff, the relationship Katniss has with Gale and Peeta becomes clearer in that there is a better focus at juxtaposing their relationships. Since Peeta is also a Victor, he is the only person who understands Katniss' emotions and experiences. For anyone who has read the book, the only time Katniss can ever get a good night sleep is in the arms of Peeta. On the Victory Tour, Katniss and Peeta sleep together a lot. No, literally sleep together a lot. Both finding comfort in each other. 

I'll be curious to see if the movie will address this facet. Only because it succinctly portrays Katniss' post-tramatic stress and her very rational response to want to be close to Peeta because only he knows what she went through. As for Peeta, well, he's always been in love with Katniss,  their relationship grows deeper throughout the entire book.

What I find interesting is seeing the difference in the relationship between Katniss and Peeta as it relates to the Hunger Games. Outside the Hunger Games and Capitol, Peeta and Katniss are distant. They didn't talk during the six months after the Hunger Games. It's weird, but on purpose. I can't think everything is wonderful and perfect after going through the trauma of the Hunger Games. At their core, both Katniss and Peeta are different people. He has blond hair and blue eyes, she has olive skin and gray eyes. He is part of the better off merchant class of District 12, she is a part of the working class, poor Seam. She is an outdoor hunter, he is NOT and outdoorsy type of guy. However, in the context of the Hunger Games and Capitol, both Katniss and Peeta grow closer. I look forward to seeing how this relates and is portrayed in the movie.  

As for Gale, he is now 18 and working in the mines. Their only interactions is on Sunday when they both go into the woods to hunt. It is clear that Gale is also in love with Katniss. (Remember at the beginning of the Hunger Games, when Gale asks Katniss to just run away with him) Game even sneaks in a kiss one day while he and Katniss were done with hunting. Katniss spends some time trying to internalize the kiss. It's meaning. Her reactions. This relationship comes to a head when Katniss attempts to ask Gale to run away with her. Her reactions, when Gale tells her he loves her, is not what Gale expected.

As a fan, its good to know that the main actor, Jennifer Lawrence, understands her character. It shows that she respects the book and story. Having won an Oscar, I have no doubt Ms. Lawrence will be able to handle the emotional heavy lifting the role of Katniss Everdeen comes with. 

And thats not even addressing the craziness of Mockingjay...

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be released on November 21 in the UK, and November 22 in the US. 

Hello Flick Nerd Universe

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting on my couch watching Tron:Legacy when my phone rang. It was the Flick Nerd Home Office asking if I could give my insight into the world of movies. I said, "My opinions are not free." Bossman Bob, then said "I will pay you $0". I said "I'll take it." I'm doing this for the love of the Movies.

The Bossman Bob gave me instructions as a new contributor to the Flick Nerd Universe:
1. Continue to be awesome
2. Write insightful commentary
3. I look forward to hearing EVERYTHING you know about the Hunger Games trilogy
4. Don't screw it up

So with my newly given instructions, I will proudly take the opportunity to give you in the Flick Nerd Universe the highest quality reviews/insights/opinions I can muster. Sci/fi, Hunger Games, Comic book movies, Hunger Games:Catching Fire, Action will be my main focus. However, I do love the comedies so you might hear from me on that.

I'm glad to now be a part in the Flick Nerd Universe.

We're the Millers

This was definitely a movie I was looking forward to this summer, one of the few comedies that I was excited to see this summer.

I'm very happy I went to see it. I laughed a lot. Jason Sudekis is becoming one of my favorite comedic actors. I was glad that it was a solid performance in his first lead. I enjoyed seeing Emma Roberts in a slightly different role than she's played. Jennifer Aniston has found her niche in these comedies. Like Horrible Bosses, she delivers. In fact, if you enjoyed Horrible Bosses, this is right up the same alley. 

This isn't a movie that I'm going to run out and buy, but it is definitely one I'll watch over and over on TV. If you're looking for a funny movie to see in the theatre, this is it. But if you're just looking for a good summer movie, I might wait until video and see one of the blockbusters instead. 

+ Jason Sudekis

+ Jennifer Aniston

- the plot seemed a bit off from what I was expecting after they crossed the border

- they crossed the border too soon

Score: 82

Older Batman?

Some of the recent rumors regarding the Batman vs. Superman movie suggest we might be seeing an older Batman in the movie. If true, is this a wise move?

We haven't seen much of Batman's preparation for becoming Batman in movies. There was Batman Begins which shows Bruce training with the League of Shadows. In the comic books, Batman trained in martial arts, escapism (I think that's the right word), and various other skills that make Batman such a threat. Assuming that Bruce begins his training at 18 when he graduates from college, it could take him years to master these skills. I think the youngest Batman could possibly be is around 30. 

I like the idea that Batman has operated in Gotham for a few years. He may still be just an urban legend. This would lead to Superman truly being the first public superhero even if Batman has been operating for years. 

For Batman to be believable in the Man of Steel universe, he has to be able to do amazing things. You can't have the Batman that we've seen in most movies so far. He has to be able to turn his neck and move fluidly. 

Jackie Chan has performed amazing moves well into his 50s. I honestly don't think most actors could do this though. I don't want to see Bruce Willis or Sly Stallone as Batman. Heaven forbid we see George Clooney back in the role. It gives me nightmares just thinking about it. Could I see a 40 year-old like Ben Affleck in the role? Absolutely. Would somebody like that be my first choice? Absolutely not. 

Honestly, my ideal Batman has always been around 35 or maybe a little older. If this is what they mean by an "older Batman," I'm all for it. I don't want to see some 20-something don the cape and cowl. I also don't want to see the Batman of The Dark Knight Returns, gray hair and old enough to be a grandpa. These are all just rumors though. I won't believe anything until I see it.