Comics for 01/05/2011:
The Heavy Rotation:
I kept waiting for Bale to drop his voice and growl "I am Batman!"
The Fighter
starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, Mickey O’Keefe, Jack McGee
directed by David. O. Russell
Boxing movies; there’s something inspiring about them, isn’t there? That, or maybe America just loves to get off on two people beating the life out of one another. Either way, it seems not a year goes by without some sort of boxing film hitting theaters: 2009’s Phantom Punch, 2008’s documentary Thriller in Manila, 2007’s Resurrecting the Champ, 2006’s Rocky Balboa, 2005’s Cinderella Man, 2004’s Million Dollar Baby,…the list goes on and on. 2010’s major entry into the genre will be The Fighter, now nominated for six Golden Globes.
Ahem...um, is this thing on? Ahem...I'm looking for Bridget Jones...
The King’s Speech
starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Geoffrey Rush, Michael Gambon, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall
directed by Tom Hooper
With this year’s Academy Awards fast approaching, I’m switching my gears a bit and trying to catch the limited release films that have been wide released due to Oscar buzz surrounding them. I messed around and missed The Hurt Locker in theaters because of that last year. So, what better to see first than a film that has been nominated for seven Golden Globes? The King’s Speech is a true story about royalty, world war, and hope; sounds like a winner to me.
The Dude takes on the Wild West in retribution for his lost rug.
True Grit
starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper
directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Talented though they may be, you either love or hate the Coen Brothers. Rather than focusing on an interesting story with meaningful events, the Coens prefer interesting and unique characters that happen to be in a normal story, often with meaningless events. The emphasis on character driven flicks offsets some viewers. Take Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Ladykillers, or Burn After Reading for example; there’s no fence riders with these flicks. You either like them, or you don’t. The Coen Brothers’ remake of True Grit isn’t likely to be any different.
I'll admit it; if Angelina Jolie tried to hit on me, I wouldn't ask any questions either.
The Tourist
starring Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Steven Berkoff, Rufus Sewell
directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
When it comes to Hollywood heavy hitters, it’s safe to say that you could put Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp’s name somewhere at the very top of the list. Depp has been nominated for the Oscar thrice-of which he was robbed twice- and Jolie actually won it for her role in 2000’s Girl, Interrupted. With these two headlining the new thriller The Tourist, who really cares what the plot is about? All you have to say is Depp and Jolie, and I’m there.
Dark Knight #1SleeperWolf Listenz To:
SleeperWolf Quote: “Julian Assange is my favorite Bond villain yet!”
You'll think twice before bashing your software again.
Tron: Legacy
starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain, Michael Sheen
directed by Joseph Kosinski
Seriously; who was expecting a sequel to Tron?! Its not every day that you see a franchise revitalized after twenty eight years. Unless you’re George Lucas. Regardless, I was stoked all the same, especially with the return of original cast members Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner. Thirty years ago, the technology to bring Tron to the big screen barely existed. Seeing that same idea with today’s tech can’t help but be a spectacle of epic proportions.
As it turns out, THIS world IS flat. So saith Aslan!
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson, Simon Pegg
directed by Michael Apted
After having really enjoyed both The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, it really disappointed me when Disney decided to back out of producing the third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia. Quite frankly, I thought that would be the death of the franchise. But low and behold, Fox stepped in to help Walden Media make The Voyage of the Dawn Treader a reality, much to my and many other fans of the C. S. Lewis stories delight. But with a new director and one of the most difficult stories to adapt for the screen, it remains to be seen whether the quality of the former films can remain intact through this sequel.
Amazing Spider-Man #650SleeperWolf is currently listening to: Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy OST, Anything DFA Label, How to Dress Well, Ringo Deathstarr, !!! and Wise Blood. End Line.
My 2011 Oscar Picks
Read More »