The most celebrated Graphic Novel of all time, Watchmen, is coming to the big screen!  For all of you comics lovers out there, this is like a dream come true.  Warner Brothers has been in the process of putting Alan Moore's masterpiece in move format for some time now, and with the release of The Dark Knight, the world saw its first glimpse of the upcoming film as a preview.  If you are currently the owner of a first printing of Watchmen, I suggest you hang on to it, since the value is sure to skyrocket.  In addition, be on the lookout for the highly collectible and very cool collector's items set to be released in conjunction with the film.  Now, for your viewing pleasure to watch again and again.... Watchmen, in theaters March, 2009.

 

It seems to me that in recent times, hero flicks have been getting better and better.  The Spider-Man trilogy was a good start, though it did get bogged down a bit with a sappy love story and predictable dialog, and Batman Begins was in my opinion just plain awesome.  Previous Super-Hero movies just had an aura about them that made them seem stiff and unrealistic.  Now, I can already hear the chorus telling me that because they are Super-Heroes they are therefore unrealistic, but I argue that even an imaginary story and character should at the very least conform to some type of reality.  Enter Iron Man.  I went to see this movie with no preconceived notions about the things it should and should not include, which is all the rage when a movie based on a comic book comes out.  Just watching the message boards light up with supporters, nay-sayers, and pessimists was enough to make my eyes roll into the back of my head and my brain shift into autopilot.  When I go to a movie, above all else, I want to be entertained.  And that is exactly what director Jon Favreau has delivered!

    

 

        This movie gets real right from the start.  While Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), robotics genius and son of industrialist and weapons manufacturer Howard Anthony Stark, is in Afghanistan for a demonstration of the newest weapon developed by his company for the military, his convoy is ambushed and he is taken captive by a Middle Eastern Warlord.  He soon finds out that this dangerous organization is well supplied with his weapons, and he is given an ultimatum: Build us your newest weapon or die.  Instead, he builds a prototype flying suit of armor and escapes.  Hooray!  And what a great escape it was, too, with plenty of explosions and a peek into the potential of the suit.

    Upon arriving back in the good old U.S.A., Mr. Stark decides that it is time for Stark Industries to stop making weapons because of the large number of casualties his weapons have caused.  This is a major turn of character of Stark, because up until this point, he has been simply a billionaire playboy, womanizing and drinking his way through life.  He had taken for granted his unique level of genius and his status as the world's leading robotics developer.  When he is finally able to see outside his self-created bubble, he decides that it is time for him to use his talents for the good of the world.  He re-designs the mechanical suit, and Iron Man is born.

    This movie was very well written, with the actors fully owning their roles.  Though the graphics were nothing special, they were done very well and mixed into the fabric of the film with ease.  The pace was quick, with very little time wasted, but not so quick that you miss information or dialog.  Above all, this film was wonderfully entertaining.  I smiled, laughed, felt sorry for poor Tony as he realized that his life up to this point was only the shell of an existence, and soared with Iron Man through the sky, wishing that I was the man in the suit.  Fighting against all odds, betrayed by his friend, and coming to terms with his past, Tony Stark becomes hardened and determined.  I highly recommend this to anyone, not just the comics guys, and I will leave the discussion about missing elements and inconsistencies with the comic book to those guys.  GO SEE IT!

   This film is rated PG-13 for language, violence and some sexual elements (a woman's bare back is as nude as it gets, though), and is in theaters now.  I have attached the trailer below for those who have still not seen it.  Enjoy, and let me know what you think of the movie!

 

Adapting comic books to the big screen is nothing new for the comic industry. When looking at Wikipedia, one can see the recent surge in comics-to-silver screen popularity among comic collectors and movie mavens alike. Marvel has had Blade, X-Men, Spiderman, and Ghost Rider adapted just to name a few. DC's list includes fan favorites Batman Begins, Superman Returns, and V for Vendetta. But in the following case, the reverse has happened. According to the January 2008 issue of The Comic Shop's Catalog, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is set to release a 96 page comic adaptation on May 22.
According to the excerpt “the intrepid Doctor Henry Jones Jr. is back in his biggest adventure yet! This time, the world-renowned archaeologist finds himself caught in a series of events that all point to a discovery unlike any other. But will his rivals in pursuit of this priceless treasure seize his quarry right from under his nose? Not if he, and a few unexpected companions, have anything to say about it! The thrill and the humor, the action and the romance, the hat and the whip—everything you love about Indy is here! This is a tale sure to please longtime fans as well as foster a whole generation of new ones!” Sounds like an interesting read to Indy fans. Be sure to add it to your collection when you pick it up!

The Transformers DVD is set for release next Tuesday, October 16th. Although it received some shaky reviews from critics, Transformers raked in over $315 million in the U.S. Box Office. Michael Bay will contribute audio commentary to the Standard DVD, which will have both single disc and two disc editions. The Wal-Mart edition will be in a tin case with the same cover as the two disc set and will include an animated version of the prequel comic book, and an HD DVD format will also be available October 16th.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking towards collecting more, but just can't find new pieces? iTaggit has recently added an eBay sales tool option to simplify the process of selling your eBay collectibles or trading for new ones. Load your items into collections and add as much information as possible. Be sure to include pictures of your item as well. Then click the “Sell Item On eBay” button in your item view screen. Good luck finding your new additions!

 

 

Ever wondered exactly in which Springfield the Simpsons reside? Looks like it's been unveiled: Springfield, Vermont, population 9,500.

The small town beat out 13 other Springfields in the U.S. in an online vote. So the premiere is going to be held in that town. 

 Read the AP article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19695365/

 

The MPAA film rating system was instituted on November 1, 1968, as a response to complaints about the presence of sexual content, graphic violence, scatology, and profanity in American film following the MPAA revisions to the Production Code of America in 1966. Although the revisions allowed a designation of "SMA - Suggested for Mature Audiences," along with the Code seal, this warning was hardly very descriptive and its enforcement was far from standardized. The United States came rather late to motion picture rating, as many other countries had been using rating systems for decades.

The erosion of the film production code had several effects: while it allowed for certain kinds of artistic movies like Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) to be filmed, it also sparked a rise in low budget exploitation films that became more and more explicit in their sexual and violent content.

In 1967, two movies (Ulysses and I'll Never Forget What's'isname) were released containing the word "****" in their dialogue. This precipitated the public demand for the reintroduction of self-regulation. After a series of meetings with government representatives, the Motion Picture Association of America and National Association of Theatre Owners agreed to provide a uniform ratings system for all of its constituents' movies, a system that would be theoretically enforced by the film exhibitors. Film production companies that were not members of the MPAA were unaffected, and the ratings system had no official governmental enforceability due to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution as interpreted in regards to matters of sexuality, violence, and profanity in the media dating back to 1952's Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson decision.