#IReadsYou Movie Review: "THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN" is a Battle Royale

The Death of Superman (2018)

Running time:  81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action including some bloody images.
DIRECTORS:  Sam Liu and Jake Castorena
WRITER:  Peter Tomasi (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Sam Liu and Amy McKenna
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and James Tucker
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann  
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Studio MIR

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn, Rainn Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Nathan Fillion, Christopher Gorham, Matt Lanter, Shemar Moore, Nyambi Nyambi, Jason O'Mara, Jonathan Adams, Rocky Carroll, Trevor Devall, Paul Eiding, Jennifer Hale, Charles Halford, Erica, Luttrell, Max Mittelman, and Toks Olagundoye

The Death of Superman is a 2018 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and directors Sam Lui and Jake Castorena.  It is the thirty-second film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series.  The movie takes its story from “Doomsday!” (also known as “The Death of Superman”), a story arc that ran in various DC Comics titles in late 1992.  In The Death of Superman movie, Superman battling a seemingly insurmountable foe.

The Death of Superman finds Superman (Jerry O'Connell) at the height of his popularity as a superhero in Metropolis and around the world.  However, Superman has some brewing domestic issues in his civilian life as Clark Kent (Jerry O'Connell).  Clark is dating Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn), a fellow reporter at The Daily Planet.  Clark's parents, Ma and Pa Kent (Jennifer Hale and Paul Eiding), are visiting, and they will finally meet Lois, but that only forces Clark to face the fact that he has not told Lois that he is Superman.

Elsewhere, without warning, a meteor has crashed on Earth causing trouble above in Earth orbit and below in the ocean depths.  Emerging from the meteor is a gray-skinned, white-haired monster with incredible strength, stamina, and invulnerability.  Also, its skeleton protrudes through its skin in the form of multiple razor-sharp spurs.

The creature, whom Lois dubs “Doomsday,” quickly dispatches the Justice League.  Doomsday beats Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), Batman (Jason O'Mara), Aquaman (Matt Lanter), Cyborg (Shemar Moore), Flash (Christopher Gorham), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkman, and Martian Manhunter (Nyambi Nyambi) nearly to death.  Now, only Superman stands before the creature, but to defeat him, Superman may lose his own life.

The Death of Superman is not the first time that the “Doomsday”/“The Death of Superman” story line has been adapted into a direct-to-DVD animated film.  The first was 2007's Superman: Doomsday, which I did not care for all that much.  Concerning this newer film, I don't like the graphic design of the characters, who all appear to have anemic faces.  In fact, their heads are all face – odd, angular faces.  I find them a little jarring to look at, but the animation moves smoothly.

I thought the first half of 2018's The Death of Superman was dull, but the second half is a blast to watch.  Doomsday's fights with the other members of the Justice League are filled with bone-crushing blows and near-death intensity.  The Superman vs. Doomsday battle is so powerful that calling it “epic” does not completely describe the insane violence displayed in this literally to-the-death fight.

The character drama between Clark and Lois is also well-developed, and the depiction of the edginess in their relationship keeps the first half of the movie from being a total loss.  This film also includes a strong version of Lex Luthor (Rainn Wilson), one that could have taken over this film.  Ultimately, I am giving The Death of Superman a high recommendation because of the Superman-Doomsday battle.  This fight is like an animated equivalent of a battle one might find in a Disney/Marvel Studios' Avengers films.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT Powered by Strong Characters

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – video (2018)

Running time:  78 minutes (1 hour, 18 minutes)
MPAA – R for some violence
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  Jim Krieg (based on characters from the graphic novel, Gotham by Gaslight, by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and Bruce Timm and Benjamin Melniker & Michael Uslan
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann  
ANIMATION STUDIO:  The AnswerStudio

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Bruce Greenwood, Jennifer Carpenter, Scott Patterson, John DiMaggio, Grey Griffin, Anthony Head, Bob Joles, Yuri Lowenthal, William Salyers, and Tara Strong

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is a 2018 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and director Sam Lui.  It is the thirtieth film in the “DC Universe Animated Original Movies” series.  It is also a loose adaptation of the 1989 Batman graphic novel, Gotham by Gaslight, written by Brian Augustyn and drawn by Mike Mignola and P. Craig Russell.  Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is set in an alternate world in which Batman begins his war on crime in Victorian Age Gotham City just as Jack the Ripper begins killing women in the city.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight opens in Victorian-era Gotham City.  A serial killer called “Jack the Ripper” is killing Gotham's poor and destitute women, especially in the area of the city known as “Skinner's End.”  Bruce Wayne (Bruce Greenwood) is also operating in the city as the bat-garbed vigilante, “the Batman.”  One night, Batman saves an unwary couple from being robbed by a trio of orphans who are in service of an abusive criminal handler.  At the same time, Pamela Isley, a prostitute and exotic dancer who performs under the name “Ivy the Plant Lady,” encounters Jack the Ripper, who savagely kills her.

Many citizens of Gotham believe that the Batman and Jack are the same man.  Stage actress, Selina Kyle (Jennifer Carpenter), is a protector of the women of “Skinner's End.”  She berates Gotham Police Commissioner James Gordon (Scott Patterson) and Chief of Police Harvey “Bulldog” Bullock (John DiMaggio) for their failure to stop the Ripper murders.  Later, when the Ripper targets Selina, Batman rescues her, but Batman discovers that Jack the Ripper is a formidable opponent who possesses the fighting skill to defeat him.  Initially, Selina rebukes Batman, but soon the two begin working together, even as the city prepares to blame Bruce Wayne for all the Ripper murders.

Writer Jim Krieg, probably one of Warner Bros. Animation's best writers (if not the best, as far as I'm concerned), has fashioned, in Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, a Batman “cinematic universe” that could be as interesting as any other world of Batman films.  Taking the source material (the Gotham by Gaslight comic), Krieg has created a world that has possibilities rather than just being a one-off, alternate-universe spin on Batman.  Batman: Gotham by Gaslight feels like it has a tangible back story behind it and an unknown, but full future ahead of it.

Krieg fills Batman: Gotham by Gaslight with highly-developed versions of familiar Batman characters.  Here, Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same; there is no light and dark, separate personalities so much as there is a man who understands the right time and right place to put on the correct public face – or mask, as it may be.

All the supporting characters are strong.  In fact, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight's Selina Kyle could carry her own film.  She is fierce and independent; she is beautiful and personable, even when she is being forceful in her mission to protect poor women.  Hugo Strange (William Salyers) is what some critics might call “deliciously devious,” while Alfred Pennyworth is devious in a benevolent and sly way.  And I can't help but love the “cock robins,” Dickie, Jason, and Timmy.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is pretty in its graphic design and art direction, and the animation moves smoothly.  Director Sam Liu oversees a film that not only plays a mystery, but offers an actually mystery that requires Batman and Selina Kyle to do some investigating.  The film's last act – a rousing section of prison escapes, brutal fights, and a burning park – is perfect escapism and also entertainment with a touch of art.  I thought that I might like Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, and I did.  I simply got far more joy out of it than I imagined I would.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: "Wonder Woman 1984" is Pretty, Empty and Goofy

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Running time:  151 minutes (2 hours, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of action and violence
DIRECTOR:  Patty Jenkins
WRITERS:  Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callahan; from a story by Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and created by William Moulton Marston)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, and Stephen Jones
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Jensen (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Richard Pearson
COMPOSER:  Hans Zimmer

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/HISTORICAL

Starring:  Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Lucian Perez, Kristoffer Polaha, Natasha Rothwell, Ravi Patel, Oliver Cotton, Lilly Aspell, and Lynda Carter

Wonder Woman 1984 is a 2020 superhero fantasy film from director Patty Jenkins.  The film stars the DC Comics superhero, Wonder Woman, who first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and was created by writer William Moulton Marston (with artist Harry George Peter).  It is a direct sequel to 2017's Wonder Woman and is also the ninth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film series.  In Wonder Woman 1984, our titular hero must battle a colleague and a businessman whose desire to have everything they ever wanted and much more could destroy the world.

Wonder Woman 1984 opens on the island of Themyscira, the home of the Amazons.  There, young Diana (Lilly Aspell) is trying to be the most accomplished Amazon.  In an athletic event against older Amazons, young Diana must also learn an important lesson about getting what she wants.

The story moves to 1984.  Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) works cultural anthropology and archaeology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  Secretly, Diana is also the superhero known as “Wonder Woman.”  At work, Diana meets and eventually befriends a new museum employee, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), a shy woman whose professions are geology, gemology, and lithology, in addition to being a cryptozoologist.  Barbara is barely seen by her co-workers, and she comes to envy Diana, whose radiance draws people to her.

One day, the FBI asks the museum to identify some stolen antiquities, and among them is a mysterious item, a “citrine” that turns out to be called the “Dreamstone.”  Also interested in this item is a failing businessman, Maxwell “Max” Lord (Pedro Pascal), who believes that the stone has “wish-granting” powers that can both save his failing oil company, “the Black Gold Cooperative,” and make him the powerful man he has always wanted to be.  No one really understands how dangerous the Dreamstone can be, even Diana, who gets her deceased lover, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), back into her life.

I like that Wonder Woman 1984 deals with such themes as immediate gratification, getting things the easy way without working for it, cheating to get what you want, and the desire to have something before you are ready to have it.  However, it is the execution of these themes that is problematic.  For a film that beats viewers over the head with the idea that it is bad to get whatever you wish for, Wonder Woman 1984 is filled with magical thinking.  This film's story is illogical, nonsensical, silly, and full of pretty pictures while being largely empty and devoid of substance.

Having Steve Trevor's spirit possess the body of an actual living man and control it is a horrible idea.  Supposedly, co-writer/director Patty Jenkins says that the Trevor subplot is a reference to the body-switching trope found in films like Freaky Friday: The Movie (1976) and Big (1988).  If true, this explanation is lame.  Having Wonder Woman basically hold a man hostage so that she can use his body to play kissy-face with her dead lover's spirit does not seem like something Wonder Woman would actually do.  I won't go into the non-consensual element of this relationship...

However, that is just one element of the entire nonsense that is having Steve Trevor in this film.  In one sequence, it just happens to be the Fourth of July, which leads to Wonder Woman and Trevor stealing a conveniently located jet and flying through the clouds that are lit up by the holiday fireworks below.  Wonder Woman asks Trevor what makes flying as a pilot so special to him, and the dude says that it is because of the wind and the air...

I'm not even sure why this movie is called Wonder Woman 1984, as very little about that year really permeates this film.  1984 seems like nothing more than an arbitrary date, while calling this film “Wonder Woman: The Year of Schmaltz and Syrupy Sentiment” would seem more accurate.

Nothing epitomizes Wonder Woman 1984's nonsensical, trite, contrived nature than the “lead” villain, Max Lord.  Heaven knows that Pedro Pascal gives it his all in order to fill the vast emptiness that is Max, but even his acting skills can't save this bomb of a character.  Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns' hackneyed script gives Max a child, Alistair (Lucian Perez), a pensive-faced waif who just loves his daddy no matter how much daddy ignores and minimizes him.  The presence of the child only emphasizes how lame Max Lord is.

The better villain is Kristen Wiig's Cheetah (who is not called that in the film), but the script relegates Barbara Minerva/Cheetah to side-piece status.  Minerva and Cheetah had the potential to be an excellent counter to Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, but no, the man-villain must be the center of attention.  Also, I'm pretty sure that Cheetah appears merely for licensing purposes – perhaps, as a hard-to-find, low-run, female action figure.

Just as she was the last time, Gal Gadot is gorgeous in this film, but whereas the Wonder Woman she played in the original film was so strong, independent, and fierce, the Wonder Woman of the sequel is a clueless broad who pines after the ghost of a long dead man.  Everything the heroine of this sequel does is either strange or thoughtless, and she puts herself and others in danger cause she's just gotta have her (dead) man!  Wonder Woman 1984 turns Gadot's Wonder Woman from historical in the first film to hysterical in the sequel.

The only reason that I am not giving Wonder Woman 1984 a grade of “D” or even of “F” is because I was so happy to see Lynda Carter, TV's Wonder Woman of the 1970s, in a mid end credits scene.  Yeah, that's a spoiler that I didn't warn you about, but hey, I am warning you about the rest of Wonder Woman 1984.  Now, dear readers, you can watch it while expecting much less of it than I did.

C

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE- The Joss Whedon Cut is a Dull Blade

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Justice League (2017)
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action
DIRECTORS:  Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon
WRITERS:  Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon; from a story by Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and Deborah Snyder
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Fabian Wagner (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Martin Walsh, David Brenner, and Richard Pearson
COMPOSER:  Danny Elfman

SUPERHERO/FANTASY

Starring:  Ray Fisher, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, Amber Heard, Joe Morton, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Anthony Wise, and Ciarán Hinds (voice)

Justice League is a 2017 superhero film officially directed by Zack Snyder, but completed by director Joss Whedon.  The film is based on the DC Comics superhero team, the Justice League of America, that first appeared as a group in the comic book, The Brave and the Bold #28 (cover dated: March 1960).  Justice League is the fourth film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) film series.  Justice League the film sees a group of allies slowly come together to face a threat to Earth.

Justice League introduces a being named “Steppenwolf” (voice of Ciarán Hinds).  Thousands of years ago, Steppenwolf and his legions of “Parademons” tried to take over the Earth using the combined energies of three “Mother Boxes,” but he was defeated.  In the present, it is two years after the death of Superman (as seen in the film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), and his death has apparently triggered the reactivation of the Mother Boxes.

Now, Steppenwolf has returned to Earth, and although he is unaware of Steppenwolf, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) knows that something is wrong because he has been battling the scattered Parademons that have been appearing in Gotham City and elsewhere.  Batman also knows that what is happening is too big for him to fight alone, so he has begun the difficult task of finding and recruiting other “metahumans” (superheroes) into a team that can take on the biggest threats to Earth.

Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is familiar with Steppenwolf and is ready to unite.  The new young hero, Flash/Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), is more than happy to be part of a team.  However, the mysterious undersea metahuman, The Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), brushes off Batman.  Woman Woman approaches the techno-organic metahuman, Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher), whose powers and abilities are constantly evolving, but he also brushes off the idea of joining Batman and Wonder Woman's cause.

Even if Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash can convince Aquaman and Cyborg to join, their powers may not be enough to stop Steppenwolf and the Parademons.  They need Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill), but he is dead.  So can this “Justice League” change that?

Zack Snyder's first two films in the DCEU film series, Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), are interesting films.  Man of Steel contains moments of true beauty and is an imaginative and poignant retake on the story of Superman.  Batman v Superman is filled with great moments and has several brilliantly-staged action set pieces.  However, both films are at time foolishly bombastic and bombastically foolish.

Zack Snyder began production on what was to be his third DCEU film, Justice League, in early 2016, but left the film in May 2017 in order to deal with the aftermath of the death of his daughter.  Warner Bros. Pictures brought in Joss Whedon to finish the film.  Whedon is beloved in fandom because he is the creator of the long-running “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” television series.  He also wrote and directed two films for Marvel Studios, Marvel's The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), each of which grossed over a billion dollars in worldwide box office.

Whedon apparently changed the story that Zack Snyder's version of Justice League would have told – to some extent.  I have read that as much as seventy-five percent of the Justice League film that reached movie theaters in late 2017 is the result of Whedon's reshoots of the film.

The result is a film that does not move or sound like either Man of Steel or Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, nor does it have the genuine sense of superhero team dynamics, conflict, and melodrama that Whedon's Avengers films have.  Whedon's Justice League is neither bombastic nor foolish.  It is a collection of crescendos that fade away.  Justice League seems like a collection of loosely connected subplots and action scenes taken from another movie and stuck together to make a new blasé movie.

In Justice League, the dialogue is mostly awful.  All the emotions (grief, exhalation, anger, etc.) seem forced or outright phony.  The actors struggle with the mediocre character writing; sometimes, it gets so bad that it seems as if they are struggling to act.  Steppenwolf is a scary villain that is played as comically histrionic.  Also, the film treats the obviously dangerous Paramdemons as nothing more than props to be destroyed by the powers of the members of the Justice League.

There are a few good moments in Justice League.  The revival of Superman and the subsequent battle between the League and the Man of Steel is genuinely intense.  Every time I watch it, my attention is glued to the screen.

Justice League is not a bad movie; it doesn't have the gumption to be good or bad.  It is a movie that is without a heart, and it comes across as nothing more than an assembly line product put out to benefit a movie studio financially.  It certainly was not put out to truly entertain the audiences that wanted to be entertained by it.  Zack Snyder's version of Justice League will make its debut as Zack Snyder's Justice League on the HBO Max streaming service soon (as of this writing).  Perhaps, it would have been better that Justice League been delayed than it be released in 2017 as a mostly flavorless misfire.

C

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN Has Lovable Heroes, Dull Villains

BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN – video (2017)

Running time:  74 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content, language, violence and action, and for rude humor
DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  Bruce Timm and Jim Krieg; from a story by Bruce Timm (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSERS:  Kristopher Carter Michael McCuistion Lolita Ritmanis
ANIMATION STUDIO:  DR Movie

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Kevin Conroy, Melissa Rauch, Loren Lester, Paget Brewster, Kevin Michael Richardson, John DiMaggio, Eric Bauza, Robin Atkin Downes, Trevor Devall, Rob Paulsen, Mindy Sterling, and Bruce Timm

Batman and Harley Quinn is a 2017 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and director Sam Lui.  The film shares a connection and design style with the animated television series, “The New Batman Adventures” (1997-99), and is spiritually related to that series' predecessor, “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992-95), which is the series in which Harley Quinn made her first appearance.  In Batman and Harley Quinn, Batman and Nightwing are forced to team with Harley Quinn in order to stop a global threat.

Batman and Harley Quinn opens with Batman (Kevin Conroy) and his partner, Nightwing (Loren Lester), who was once known as Robin, the Boy Wonder.  The duo has discovered that the villainess, Poison Ivy / Pamela Isley (Paget Brewster) has teamed up with Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man (Kevin Michael Richardson), an alien plant creature that shares Poison Ivy's desire to give plants supremacy of Earth over humanity.  Poison Ivy and Floronic Man plan to create their own viral version of the “bio-restorative formula” that transformed Dr. Alec Holland into the Swamp Thing (John DiMaggio).  To that end, they have kidnapped a scientist, Dr. Harold Goldblum (Rob Paulsen), and forced him to help them replicate the formula.

Ivy and Woodrue are unaware that their altered formula could destroy all life (human, animal, and plant), so Batman and Nightwing must stop them before they finish their formula.  However, “the Dynamic Duo” are struggling in their mission to find the villains and reluctantly turn to Ivy's best friend, Harley Quinn (Melissa Rauch), in the hopes that she will have an idea or two on where to find Ivy.  But Harley has gone into hiding after her most recent recent parole from imprisonment.  Finding Harley won't be easy, and who says she wants to help Batman and Nightwing find her BFF – best friend forever!  And if she does cooperate, can Batman and Nightwing trust Harley?

Bruce Timm was one of the main creative forces behind “Batman: The Animated Series” and “The New Batman Adventures,” as well as other wonderful animated television series that featured DC Comics superheroes.  So I am always happy when he returns to his corner of the animated DC Universe, this time as a writer and executive producer.  One of my favorite animation writers, Jim Krieg, co-wrote Batman and Harley Quinn with Timm.  Voice actor Kevin Conroy, who is beloved for his work playing the voice of Batman / Bruce Wayne on several animated TV series and films, also returns as the voice of Batman for this film.

So I have a few reasons to love Batman and Harley Quinn, and I did indeed enjoy it, but it isn't one of the better direct-to-DVD animated DC Universe films.  The Floronic Man is an uninteresting bag of wind as a villain despite the best efforts of talented voice actor, Kevin Michael Richardson.  Also the Poison Ivy of this film is shallow, and looks weird.

The plot is lame, but their a few things that make me like Batman and Harley Quinn.  First, Timm and Krieg offer strong takes on the characters of Batman, Nightwing, and Harley, and the relationship dynamic between them as a trio or as a trio of duos sparkles with wit and genuine feeling.  Secondly, there are some surprisingly magical moments in this film, such as the karaoke medley in the middle of the film.  The Sarge Steel (John DiMaggio) and A.R.G.U.S. subplot is nice.  Finally, I love the design of the animation and the animation in general in this film.  It is as if “The New Batman Adventures” returned from the old cartoons graveyard for an hour or so.

Despite my reservations concerning its weak plot and villains, I highly recommend Batman and Harley Quinn to fans of Bruce Timm's 1990s Batman TV shows.  When it comes to animation overseen by Timm, I'll take anything and everything I can get.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: WONDER WOMAN

Wonder Woman (2017)

Running time:  141 minutes
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content
DIRECTOR:  Patty Jenkins
WRITERS:  Allan Heinberg; from a story by Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg, and Jason Fuchs (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and created by William Moulton Marston)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, and Richard Suckle
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Matthew Jensen
EDITOR:  Martin Walsh
COMPOSER:  Rupert Gregson-Williams

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/WAR/HISTORICAL

Starring:  Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Eugene Brave Rock, Lucy Davis, Elena Anaya, Lilly Aspell, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Ann Wolfe, Ann Ogbomo, Emily Carey, and James Cosmo

Wonder Woman is a 2017 superhero fantasy, war, and and historical film from director Patty Jenkins.  The film stars the DC Comics superhero, Wonder Woman, who first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and was created by writer William Moulton Marston (with artist Harry George Peter).  The movie takes place when Wonder Woman was only known as Diana, princess of the Amazons, a young, trained warrior who goes out into the world to discover her full powers and her true destiny.  Wonder Woman is also the fourth film in the DC (Comics) Extended Universe film series.

Wonder Woman opens in present-day Paris, in the Louvre, where Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) works as an archivist of some type.   Bruce Wayne has sent her a gift, a World War I-era photographic plate that contains an image of Diana and three men.

This image returns Diana's memories to her past, beginning when she was a child (Lily Aspell) on the hidden island of Themyscira, home to the Amazon race of warrior women.  Diana is the daughter of the queen, Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), who does not want her daughter trained to be a warrior.  Hippolyta's sister and Diana's aunt, General Antiope (Robin Wright), believes that Diana should be prepared for the eventual day when she will have to fight.

As a young woman, Diana rescues an American pilot and spy, Captain Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), after his plane crashes off the coast of Themyscira.  The Germans pursing Trevor invade Themyscira, but are repelled by the Amazons.  Diana interprets these events as signs that she must accompany Trevor as he returns to the world of men, where Diana believes she must confront the reason for the world war that rages across Europe (World War I).  Diana believes that Ares, the god of war, is behind the so-called “War to End All Wars,” but Diana does not realize that this journey will reveal the truth about her powers, her destiny, and her identity.

Since its release to theaters in the United States (almost a month ago as of this writing) and around the world (over a month as of this writing), Wonder Woman has received rave reviews.  Women and children, especially girls, have embraced the power of this beloved female superhero who finally stars in her own feature film.

I get it; I understand the appeal and the adoration, but for me, Wonder Woman the movie is, at best, a slightly above-average superhero movie.  Gal Gadot is wonderful as Wonder Woman, which surprised me because I thought she was all wrong when I first heard about her casting.  However, here, Gadot is so good that I had trouble imagining another actress (except maybe Linda Carter) as Wonder Woman.  Gadot embodies the strength and independence of a woman raised in a society in which women do not think of themselves as subordinate or inferior to men.

In the character drama, in the film's quiet moments, in the times when Diana fights for the forgotten and ignored (the “little” people?), director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot deliver on what Wonder Woman has meant, what she means today, and what she can mean in the future.  Jenkins and Gadot depict the ability of women to pursue the best of themselves and to pursue the best for humanity at large – with their endeavors as equal or even superior to those of men.  To nurture and to create; to defend and to take the initiative:  Wonder Woman/Diana and women can do anything men can do.

The problems with Wonder Woman the film are the men who contribute to this film.  Co-producer and co-writer Zack Snyder's handiwork is all over the cheesy, slow-motion camera fight scenes.  The fact that the last act devolves into a ridiculous supernatural battle between Diana and Ares is typical of the previous Warner/DC Comics films.  Those movies reeked with the ludicrous fights that were the climaxes of Snyder's The Man of Steel and Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as last year's Suicide Squad, which is also part of the DC Extended Universe.

Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot deliver some superb movie making with Wonder Woman.  Unfortunately, the perspective of males, one of whom is a hack filmmaker, ruins it.

6 of 10
B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-----------------------------

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#IReadsYou DVD Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 1

VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 1 (2010)

• Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens • MSRP: $19.97 US / $28.99 CAN •
DVD Release Date: July 20, 2010
Studio: VIZ Media
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC (Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1)
Number of discs: 1
Language: English and Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Running time: 96 minutes; Rating: Not Rated
ASIN: B003JSSPU2

Contents:  Vampire Knight anime – Episodes 1-4

Vampire Knight is a shojo manga written and drawn by Matsuri Hino.  It was published from January 2005 to May 2013 in the Japanese comics magazine, LaLa.  VIZ Media published an English-language adaptation of Vampire Knight as a 19-volume paperback graphic novel series from January 2007 to October 2014 under its Shojo Beat imprint.

Japanese animation studio, Studio Deen, produced an anime series “Vampire Knight,” based on the manga.  It aired in Japan for two series in 2008.  VIZ Media and Warner Bros. originally released the “Vampire Knight” anime in English via a series of DVD releases, including 2014's Vampire Knight: The Complete Series.

In 2010, Warner Bros released the first collection, Vampire Knight, Vol. 1, which presents “Vampire Knight” Season One, Episodes 1 to 4.  The episodes are as follows:  #1 “Night of Vampires,” #2 “Memories of Blood,” #3 “The Fang of Penitence,” and #4 “Trigger of Condemnation.”  Back then, VIZ Media sent me a copy of Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 for review purposes.  This is an updated version of that review I wrote over a decade ago.

Vampire Knight is set at Cross Academy, a private boarding school.  Cross Academy has two classes:  the Day Class (the human students) and the Night Class (the vampire students).  At twilight, the Day Class students return to their dorms and cross paths with the Night Class on its way to school.  The Day Class doesn’t know the school’s dark secret that the Night Class students are vampires, but the Day Class girl students are madly in love with the boys of the Night Class

The story focuses on Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of Headmaster Kaien Cross.  She partners with Zero Kiryu, a human student who struggles with the vampire’s thirst, and the two are the Guardians of the school, patrolling the hallways and school grounds to protect the Day Class students from the vampires.  Yuki and Zero form a kind of love triangle with Kaname Kuran, a pure blood vampire who is basically the unquestioned leader of the Night Class.  The series follows various intrigues related to the conflict between human and vampire, and the story also delves into the pasts of the three leads.

The four episodes included in this first DVD release introduce the plot, setting, characters, and mythology of Vampire Knight in such an easy and friendly way.  It will not be long into the first episode that the viewer will believe that she is well on her way to knowing and then loving these characters.  The series favors the Night Class over the Day Class, which seems to exist to praise and worship the Night Class.  The vampires are beautiful, sexy, and sassy, and their air of confidence is infectious.  The Day Class cast of characters is mostly dull.

The star, of course, is Yuki Cross.  In a series like Vampire Knight, what is needed is a character that is probably more nosy than curious and also brave enough to go where others will not go.  That will make viewers want to follow her quest and investigations, and Yuki will have the viewers hanging onto her.  The two male interests, Zero Kiryu and the vampire Kaname Kuran, are also quite good.  Their aloof, cocky natures are attractive, and if it is possible for an animated character to have a screen presence, they both have that.

The quality of the animation is good.  It emphasizes style and stylishness over movement and features vivid colors, lush background details, and elegant sets.  This look is perfect for the Gothic moodiness and romantic melodrama that defines the look and feel of Vampire Knight.

Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 will reveal some secrets, expose Zero’s affliction, and give viewers a shocking look at a kind of vampire that isn’t a sexy, laid back student.  While aimed at young women, Vampire Knight is a surprisingly engaging melodrama and will please anyone interested in soap operas – with vampires.  This is a cool take on vampire fiction similar to the tales of vampire romance that readers will find in Young Adult book series such as Twilight and Vampire Kisses.

EXTRAS:  This is a no frills DVD without any extras, although viewers are offered the option of watching episodes in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed versions with voice actors providing English dialogue.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Updated review:  Thursday, December 17, 2020: by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: SUICIDE SQUAD: HELL TO PAY

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)

[Please, visit the "Comic Book Movie Reviews" page here.]

Running time:  86 minutes (1 hour, 26 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, sexual content, brief graphic nudity and some drug material
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITER:  Alan Burnett (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinsk
COMPOSER:  Robert J. Kral
ANIMATION STUDIO:  DR Movie

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Christian Slater, Vanessa Williams, Billy Brown, Liam McIntyre, Tara Strong, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Gideon Emery, C. Thomas Howell, Jim Pirri, Dania Ramirez, Dave Fennoy, Greg Grunberg, Cissy Jones, Julie Nathanson, and James Urbaniak

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a 2018 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation.  A part of the “DC Animated Movie Universe,” this film stars the DC Comics antihero super-team, the Suicide Squad.  Hell to Pay finds the squad on a mission to obtain a powerful mystical object that a lot of other powerful people also want.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay opens three years in the past.  Amanda Waller (Vanessa Williams) has dispatched Task Force X, her “Suicide Squad” of super-villains and disgraced superheroes, to retrieve stolen intelligence.  By the end of the mission, Floyd Lawton a.k.a. “Deadshot” (Christian Slater) proves his absolutely loyalty to Waller.

In the present, after learning that she is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Waller reassembles Task Force X with a new roster:  Harley Quinn (Tara Strong), Captain Boomerang (Liam McIntyre), Killer Frost (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Copperhead (Gideon Emery), and Bronze Tiger (Billy Brown), with Deadshot as their leader.  Their mission is to find a man whose current identity is that of “Steel Maxim” (Greg Grunberg), a male stripper/dancer.  By a chance of … fate, Maxim is in possession of a mystical black card with the words, “Get Out of Hell Free,” emblazoned across it.  The card is indeed a magical item that will allow a person who is damned, upon death, to get out of hell free.

Task Force X, however, is not the only party interested in obtaining Maxim's card.  Professor Eobard “Zoom” Thawne, also known as “Reverse Flash” (C. Thomas Howell), and his two cohorts, Silver Banshee (Julie Nathanson) and Blockbuster (Dave Fennoy), have been chasing the card for some time.  Plus, Scandal Savage (Dania Ramirez) and her brawny girlfriend, Knockout (Cissy Jones), have their own specific reasons for wanting the card.  But there is one who seeks the card who is so cunning and so powerful that it may take all the other seekers' powers to stop him from getting it.

I rented Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay from DVD.com (Netflix) because I thought I would enjoy it and because I really enjoyed the Suicide Squad's previous appearance in an animated film, 2014's direct-to-DVD film, Batman: Assault on Arkham.  Turns out that I really enjoyed Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay.

The story, focusing on the quest for the card, is a mere contrivance, but the action, especially the brutal fights and violent battles, makes this movie a joy to watch.  There are some dry patches in this film, but the superhero-fantasy violence and the impudent, rude, murderous, and entertaining characters make up for the times when the film slows down.

Tara Strong is … strong in her voice performance as Harley Quinn.  Billy Brown is all righteousness and pathos as the thoroughly likable Bronze Tiger, and Christian Slater is surprisingly slow and steady as Deadshot.  Slater is successful in making Deadshot the center of this 15-ring circus of crazy super-powered people looking for that magical card.  I hated that live-action Suicide Squad film from 2016, and I find the Suicide Squad comic books that DC Comics has published over the last decade to be a bore.  But I am down with animated Suicide Squad.  The best thing that I can say about Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is that after it ended, I really wanted more.

8 of 10
A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Movie Review: "TEEN TITANS: The Judas Contract"

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract – video (2017)

[Please visit the "Comic Book Movies Review" page.]

Running time:  84 minutes
MPAA – PG-13 for language, some violence, sensuality, thematic elements and brief drug use
DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  Ernie Altbacker (based on the comic book story by Marv Wolfman and George Perez and on the DC Comics characters)
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinsk
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann
ANIMATION STUDIO:  The Answerstudios

Starring:  (voices) Sean Maher, Kari Wahlgren, Stuart Allan, Taissa Farmiga, Brandon Soo Hoo, Jake T. Austin, Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer, Gregg Henry, Meg Foster, Masasa Moyo, Jason Spisak, Crispin Freeman, and Kevin Smith

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is a 2017 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation.  The films stars the DC Comics superhero team, the Teen Titans.  The film's story is based on “The Judas Contract,” the 1983-84 story arc that was published in The New Teen Titans #39 to #44 and in The New Teen Titans Annual 3, which were created by the writer-artist team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez.  Teen Titans: The Judas Contract the movie focuses on the Teen Titans and their battle against an insane cult leader and his conspiracy against them.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract opens with the original Teen Titans:  Robin/Dick Grayson (Sean Maher), Speedy (Crispin Freeman), Kid Flash (Jason Spisak), Beast Boy (Brandon Soo Hoo), and Bumblebee (Masasa Moyo).  During a mission, the Titans rescue an alien princess, Koriand'r of Tamaran (Kari Wahlgren), also known as “Starfire,” from her captors.

Five years later, Dick Grayson, now known as “Nightwing,” rejoins the Teen Titans, who are led by Starfire.  In addition to original member, Beast Boy, the team is now comprised of Raven (Taissa Farmiga), Terra (Christina Ricci), Blue Beetle (Jake T. Austin), and the current Robin, Damien Wayne (Stuart Allan).  The Titans have been battling a high-tech terrorist organization called “H.I.V.E.” and are trying to find its leader, “Brother Blood” (Gregg Henry), the head of a terrorist cult.

Brother Blood has grown tired of the Titans interfering in his plans, but he desires to possess their powers.  Blood hires the mercenary/assassin, Deathstroke (Miguel Ferrer), to capture the Titans, and to that end, Deathstroke has a spy inside the Titans.

For most of the 1980s, The New Teen Titans was one of DC Comics' most popular comic book titles, and for awhile, it was the publisher's most important and popular title.  “The Judas Contract” was The New Teen Titans' signature story line.  Teen Titans: The Judas Contract the movie is true to the spirit of the original story, both in depicting how close a team of disparate individuals can become and in depicting the sting of betrayal committed by one member against the rest of the team.

I really enjoyed this movie, and I am surprised that I liked all the characters and all the voice actors' performances.  Christina Ricci does stand out and conveys the pathos and conflict within Terra Markov, while Brandon Soo Hoo gives comedic depth and dramatic weight to Beast Boy.  I will note, however, that film director, Kevin Smith, appears as a cartoon version of himself, and Teen Titans: The Judas Contract could have done without him.

Fans of the direct-to-video, DC Comics animated films will find that Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is a high point in this long-running series.  Teen Titans fans will also find that, although the film changes the original story quite a bit, this version of The Judas Contract maintains the core of the comic book original, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract.

8 of 10
A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Superman Leads Latest "We Can Be Heroes" Charge

Superman Takes Centerstage as DC Entertainment Kicks-Off “We Can Be Heroes” Crowdfunding Campaign to Benefit Horn of Africa

Fans Get One-of-a-Kind Items by Donating to the Cause Including Limited Edition Commemorative Artwork, Access to Comic Creators and Other Rare Comic Collectibles

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A hometown visit by a legendary comic book artist who will paint a one-of-a kind art piece on an entire wall, sneak peeks at one of the industry’s most anticipated video games and a custom bedroom designed for the kid that always wanted their own Fortress of Solitude. This is just some of what lies ahead in the Superman-themed wave of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros.’ We Can Be Heroes charitable giving campaign announced today by DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson.

Following the success of the campaign’s first Batman-themed wave in April and May, the second installment is focused entirely around the Superman character, aligning with the June 14 premiere of the Man of Steel film and ongoing activities in 2013 celebrating the global icon’s 75th Anniversary.

The “perks” that will be made available to DC Entertainment fans over the next four weeks are a dazzling array of the assets and talent that make up the DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. universe. The perks range from unlimited items at $10 apiece to once-in-a lifetime opportunities for $25,000. As with the first wave, the campaign will be hosted on Indiegogo, the world’s largest crowdfunding platform (www.indiegogo.com/at/WeCanBeHeroes).

“The generosity from the fans of DC Comics during the Batman wave was outstanding and challenged us to create another wave of unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” said Nelson. “The first wave of the campaign eclipsed its initial goal of $50,000 in just three days and ultimately raised more than $150,000 in less than six weeks. We continue to be overwhelmed and appreciative of our fans who are helping to make a difference in millions of lives.”

Among the perks highlighting the Superman wave of We Can Be Heroes are:

•A hometown visit by legendary DC Entertainment artist Jim Lee, who will paint larger than life, custom artwork on a 10x10 wall

•More than 50 beta keys providing advance access to the upcoming Infinite Crisis video game

•A Superman-themed dream bedroom for kids

•The opportunity to be drawn into an issue of Action Comics

•Scores of signed issues of iconic Superman comics and theatrical posters from “Man of Steel”

In its second year, We Can Be Heroes (http://www.WeCanBeHeroes.org) is the largest charitable initiative in the history of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. The funds raised will benefit the campaign’s nonprofit partners (Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps) to deliver food, medicines and other resources critical to the survival of people in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.


About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

New Superman 75th Anniversary Logo Revealed

Warner Bros. Entertainment & DC Entertainment Celebrate Superman’s 75th with New Logo and Company-Wide Commemoration for Beloved Iconic Character’s Milestone Anniversary

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Superman, Warner Bros. Entertainment and DC Entertainment have revealed plans befitting one of the most popular and enduring Super Heroes of all time.

To honor Superman—the world’s first Super Hero—for reaching such an incredible milestone, the companies are kicking off a year of celebration including a new commemorative Superman 75th anniversary logo as well as an animated short tribute chronicling the rich 75-year history of the character, it was announced today by Kevin Tsujihara, Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment.

First appearing in the comic book Action Comics #1, dated June 1938, Superman quickly became a cultural icon, winning fans around the world in live-action and animated form in nearly every known entertainment medium. In feature films, TV shows, radio, video games, publishing and merchandise, he has battled some of the greatest villains ever created in his endless pursuit of truth, justice and the American way.

Tsujihara stated, “Warner Bros. is privileged to be home to the global Superman brand, which has had an unparalleled impact on popular culture for 75 years. We are proud to commemorate this milestone with exciting entertainment across the entire Studio and across the globe, ensuring this enduring icon reaches new generations of audiences.”

DC Entertainment and the Studio’s various divisions, including Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will mark this extraordinary anniversary with a range of highly anticipated events and products, kicking off with the release of the much anticipated summer-blockbuster “Man of Steel.”

The new animated short, currently in production, is being produced by Zack Snyder and pays homage to Superman and many iterations of the Super Hero throughout his 75 years. A sneak peek of this short is planned for Comic-Con International: San Diego in July and the finished version will debut late summer.

The new commemorative logo takes its cue from the iconic Superman costume, featuring predominantly blue coloring with a splash of red and highlights a bold silhouette of the Man of Steel with his cape waving behind him and the block-style lettering of “75 Years.” The mark will be rolled out by all the divisions on Superman-related promotions, products and initiatives. DC Entertainment will be the first to feature the new logo on the upcoming Superman Unchained comic book by artist Jim Lee and writer Scott Snyder, on sale Wednesday, June 12.

“Superman is undeniably the greatest Super Hero in the world and likely the most influential comic book character of all time,” according to Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment. “In addition to being an enduring presence in pop culture for the last 75 years, he continues to be a commanding global icon. DC Entertainment and all of Warner Bros. look forward to celebrating this important, year-long anniversary for Superman.”

In tandem with the various special celebrations comes the release of this summer’s tent pole action adventure feature “Man of Steel,” opening in theaters nationwide June 14.

Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, stated, “Superman is a larger-than-life figure, making the big screen the perfect place to experience his adventures, and ‘Man of Steel’ delivers with first rate story-telling that is broadly entertaining. It couldn’t be more fitting that the centerpiece of our summer slate hits theaters during this commemorative year.”

“It’s a great honor for all of us involved in ‘Man of Steel’ to carry on the tradition of Superman for longtime fans as well as a new generation of moviegoers,” director Zack Snyder said. “I’m so excited to share the movie with them and to be a part of this celebration.”

Superman enthusiasts can also look forward to much more, including:

•“Injustice: Gods Among Us,” a new fighting game franchise that allows players to experience the power, gadgetry and unparalleled strength of some of the most popular DC Comics Super Heroes and Super-Villains such as Superman and Lex Luthor, was released on April 16 from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

•“Superman: Unbound,” an all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie that pits Superman against Brainiac—a devastating force of flesh and machine with Earth squarely in his sights—was released on May 7 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

•“Man of Steel” and Superman products are available for fans of all ages, including toys, costumes, apparel, party goods and publishing from Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

•“Superman Unchained,” the much anticipated new comic book series that centers on a mystery that is frustrating the hero in both the Superman and Clark Kent aspects of his identity ultimately revealing a brand-new villain, debuts on June 12 from DC Entertainment.

•“Infinite Crisis,” an all-new multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that delivers a heart-pounding competitive player vs. player battle experience set in the legendary DC Multiverse, a world in which familiar DC Comics characters such as Superman have been reimagined in startling ways, debuts in fall of 2013 from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

•“DC Nation” Superman Shorts, a series of all-new Superman-themed animated shorts produced by Warner Bros. Animation and airing on Cartoon Network’s DC Nation block throughout the year.

•DC Entertainment’s “We Can Be Heroes” giving campaign launches its second crowdfunding initiative in June focused on Superman and featuring one-of-a-kind experiences and limited edition merchandise to engage, excite and empower legions of fans. Get something good. Do something great.

To stay up-to-date on all things Superman and the celebration activities, please visit www.Superman75.com.


About Warner Bros. Entertainment:
Warner Bros. Entertainment is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, and broadcasting.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

BAFTA Nods for "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises"

The nominations for the 66th EE British Academy Film Awards were announced yesterday (Wednesday, January 9, 2013).  Two comic book films, Marvel's The Avengers (known in the U.K. as "Marvel Avengers Assemble") and The Dark Knight Rises received nominations in the "Special Visual Effects" Category.

Here are all the nominees in that category:

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

• THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Peter Bebb, Andrew Lockley

• THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White

• LIFE OF PI - Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer

• MARVEL AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - Nominees TBC

• PROMETHEUS - Richard Stammers, Charley Henley, Trevor Wood, Paul Butterworth.

Go to http://www.bafta.org/ for a complete list of nominees or go to Negromancer.

DC Comics Super Heroes Inspire Fine Art and Tour

From left to right: Movie director Zack Snyder, DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee in a May 22 2012 Business Wire photographic image.


Original Fine Art Inspired by the Universe of DC Comics Super Heroes Kicks Off a Multi-City Tour

The “Darkness & Light” Art Exhibit Features an Awe-Inspiring Collection of Pop-Culture and Fine Art Interpretations of the World’s Most Iconic Heroes as You’ve Never Seen Them Before

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment yesterday premiered “Darkness & Light: Art Inspired by Heroes & Villains, Hope & Heroism,” a collection of original artwork inspired by the universe of DC Comics and its iconic characters, including JUSTICE LEAGUE super heroes Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and re-imagined by exceptional contemporary artists from around the world. To celebrate the unveiling of this one-of-a-kind collection, DC Entertainment opened the doors to its new Burbank headquarters at The Pointe with an open house and private reception.

“We work with many of these amazing artists day-in and day-out. With this project, we gave them the free rein to interpret the universe of DC Comics super heroes as they see them in their medium of choice. What we got back was a fascinating collection of visually stunning pieces, each offering a completely unique perspective on these universally recognized characters,” said Brian Deputy, Vice President of Creative Worldwide for Warner Bros. Consumer Products and curator of the “Darkness & Light” exhibit.

The collection, which includes more than 100 original works from artists spanning the globe and ranging in various forms, from graphic designers and painters to sculptors, will also raise awareness for DC Entertainment’s WE CAN BE HEROES giving campaign (http://www.wecanbeheroes.org/).

The participating artists hail from around the globe—as well as within the halls of Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment—and bring their diverse backgrounds, unique artistic styles and perceptions of the universe of DC Comics to this collection. Some key artists involved include Kiyoshi Nakazawa, Martin Ontiveros, Mike Palermo, Nathan Sawaya, Bwana Spoons and Amanda Visell.

The collection includes a piece by Martin Ontiveros called “Order/Chaos,” which depicts good and evil together, rendered in ink and paint on board; Kiyoshi Nakazawa combined various media in his dramatic interpretation of Batman in “A Great Sense of Humor”; working in steel, wood, paper, plaster and resin, Mike Palermo created "Man of Steel" that shows that there is a hero in everyone; Amanda Visell’s piece, “Wonder Woman,” uses paint on board to show this female super hero’s stoic but sexy power; and an oversized original work of art by legendary comics artist and DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee, which utilizes spray paint and acrylic on canvas to highlight the profile of Batman with a color scheme inspired by the colors of Africa – yellow, green, red and black.

“This distinctive collection unites the comic industry with contemporary artists, highlighting each artist’s individuality and style,” continued Deputy. “The creators each had a deep connection to the characters and worlds of DC Comics and this passion is brought to life and captured for all to see through this incredibly vivid collection.”

Up next, “Darkness & Light” will take to the road with a series of public exhibitions that will continue to benefit and raise awareness for WE CAN BE HEROES, including a showing in San Diego at the premier Michael J. Wolf gallery during Comic-Con International from July 13-15. Additional exhibition dates and locations to be announced this summer.

WE CAN BE HEROES utilizes the iconic JUSTICE LEAGUE to help raise awareness and funds for three nonprofit partners – Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps – who are delivering aid to millions of people in need of critical assistance in the famine-ravaged Horn of Africa. For more information on DC Entertainment’s WE CAN BE HEROES campaign, please visit http://www.wecanbeheroes.org/.

To learn more about DC Entertainment and its iconic characters, please visit http://www.dccomics.com/.


About Warner Bros. Consumer Products:
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

Negromancer at the Movies with "Dark Shadows"

On Friday, I saw the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp Dark Shadows.  I reviewed it at my movie blog, Negromancer, which you can read here.

The gist of it is that I really like Depp as Barnabas Collins, but otherwise, the movie is something of a clunker.

Green Lantern Film Reviewed

I saw Green Lantern and posted a review at Negromancer.  The movie has its moments, and it is visually striking, but way too noisy.  The visual effects are mostly good, but some of them are surprisingly bad for a big budget flick from a major studio.

The script is bad, although, by the end, Green Lantern becomes the hero he is supposed to be in a rousing finale.  Mark Strong is utterly wasted as Sinestro.  Most of the characters are extraneous, and once again, the very talented Angela Bassett is way under-utilized.

So far, the box office looks good, perhaps coming in at $55 to $60 million for the weekend.  This may be enough to get the studio to greenlight a sequel - hopefully with at least new writers.

"Green Lantern" Star Honors Military Dads

Warner Bros. and Ryan Reynolds Join Forces to Honor Military Dads

“Green Lantern” Star Flies by Miramar to Kick Off Father’s Day Weekend with Advance Screening

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ryan Reynolds, the star of Warner Bros. Pictures’ epic action adventure “Green Lantern,” made a special appearance at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar today to herald the opening of the new film and introduce an advance screening in the on-base Bob Hope Theater. In appreciation of our troops, he also announced that the Studio will be hosting Father’s Day weekend showings at 12 additional military bases around the country, in recognition of the “Joining Forces” campaign initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden (www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces).

At today’s screening at Miramar, Reynolds announced that screenings will be held on Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19, for the servicemen and women and military families who are currently stationed at Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard bases from coast to coast. Screenings will take place on either Saturday or Sunday at the following locations:

Army: Ft. Belvoir, Alexandria, Virginia; Ft. Campbell, Clarksville, Tennessee; and Ft. Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Air Force: F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming; Little Rock AFB, Jacksonville, Arkansas; and Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldboro, North Carolina.

Navy: NAS in Fallon, Nevada; NAF in El Centro, California; and NAS JRB in Fort Worth, Texas.

Marine Corps: MCAB in Yuma, Arizona; and MCAS in New River, North Carolina.

Coast Guard: USCG in Petaluma, California.

“Green Lantern” opens nationwide in 3D and 2D tomorrow, June 17, 2011.


About the Film:
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, an elite, powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. Warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him the ability to create anything his mind can imagine. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Bringing the enduringly popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, “Green Lantern” was directed by Martin Campbell, from a screenplay by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg, screen story by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim, based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.

“Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins. The film was produced by Donald De Line and Greg Berlanti. Herbert W. Gains and Andrew Haas served as executive producers, with Lucienne Papon and Geoff Johns co-producing.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, a De Line Pictures production, “Green Lantern.” The film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

“Green Lantern” has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

http://www.greenlantern.com/

Warner Bros. Wants You to Join the Green Lantern Corps

Secret Locales Illuminated by “Green Lantern” Symbol Will Recruit Fans in 11 North American Cities to Join the Corps

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of the June 17th theatrical release and big-screen debut of the popular superhero “Green Lantern,” Warner Bros. Pictures will electrify 11 North American cities on Monday, June 13, encouraging people to Join the (Green Lantern) Corps. Markets include: Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, San Diego, Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, Sacramento, St. Louis, and New Orleans, where the film was shot.

To Join the Corps, fans will be invited to decipher local clues leading them to a secret location where the “Green Lantern” symbol will be projected from dusk until midnight. Those attending the events, sponsored by Kodak, will have the chance to win fantastic prizes, including an opportunity to be among the first to see the film at local preview screenings, limited edition T-shirts, light-up “Green Lantern” rings, “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” Blu-ray combo packs and more. And some people who are photographed with the projected symbol behind them will have their photos posted on the movie Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/greenlanternmovie. Select markets will also give people the chance to record the “Green Lantern” oath which will be added to the Infinite Oath app on the movie website: http://www.greenlantern.com/.

“Green Lantern” opens in theaters nationwide in 3D and 2D on Friday, June 17, 2011. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.


ABOUT “GREEN LANTERN”
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, an elite, powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. Warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him the ability to create anything his mind can imagine. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Bringing the enduringly popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, “Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds in the title role, under the direction of Martin Campbell. Campbell directed the film from a screenplay by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg, story by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim, based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The film also stars Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins. “Green Lantern” was produced by Donald De Line and Greg Berlanti. Herbert W. Gains and Andrew Haas served as executive producers, with Lucienne Papon and Geoff Johns co-producing.

WonderCon Goes Green - as in "Green Lantern" Movie

“Green Lantern” Shines Bright at WonderCon

Stars of the Upcoming Film—Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard—Kick Off the Weekend and the Super Hero’s Multi-Platform Presence at the Con

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fans attending on Friday, April 1st, the first day of WonderCon, will be treated to a special “Green Lantern” talent signing and panel featuring the stars of the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures feature film: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard. The signing begins at 4 p.m., followed by the panel discussion at 5.

The highly anticipated “Green Lantern” movie, in theatres on June 17, 2011, will be the first live-action feature film to star the popular DC Comics character. The film relates the origin story of alter ego Hal Jordan (Reynolds), a test pilot and the first human chosen to wear the ring that provides him his superpowers.

Following the opening day panel, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps will have a deep and diverse presence throughout the weekend due to the combined efforts of DC Entertainment (DCE) and the various divisions of Warner Bros. Entertainment, including Warner Home Video (WHV), Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) and Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP).

WHV will present the World Premiere of the Blu-ray and DVD feature “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” on Friday evening in the Esplanade Ballroom, immediately followed by a panel discussion featuring filmmakers and voice cast members. Panelists will also take part in an autograph session on Saturday. The all new DC Universe Animated Original Movie weaves six interlocking stories of the Green Lantern Corps’ rich mythology around preparations for an attack by an ancient enemy.

Also on Friday, DC Comics will host a panel about the Green Lantern comic books and the 2011 War of the Green Lanterns crossover event. The DC booth will host Green Lantern-themed signings and giveaways throughout the weekend.

WBIE and DCE will showcase “Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters,” an action-adventure videogame that will be available in conjunction with the theatrical release of “Green Lantern.” Throughout the Con, visitors to the DC Comics booth will be able to get hands-on time with the game that delivers an immersive experience for Green Lantern fans of all ages.

WBCP’s worldwide licensing program for the highly anticipated “Green Lantern” film has already taken the industry by storm. Product manufacturers around the world have come together to capture and unleash the power of Green Lantern, who lit the way at this year’s Toy Fair, with master toy licensee Mattel bringing to life a comprehensive toy line inspired by the upcoming film. Visitors at WonderCon will get a sneak peek of the toy line, along with the opportunity to be “chosen” to win some of the popular products, long before they hit retail shelves.

All this and more begins with the “Green Lantern” signing at 4 p.m. and panel at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2011. WonderCon opens the doors to the main floor at noon. The event runs all weekend, through Sunday, April 3rd, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Go to http://www.comic-con.org/wc/ for tickets to the “Green Lantern” opening day panel and for information about all of the Warner Bros.- and DC Entertainment-related events.


About the feature film “Green Lantern”
“Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Jay O. Sanders, Temuera Morrison, Taika Waititi, Jon Tenney, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins. Martin Campbell directs the film from a screenplay by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg, story by Greg Berlanti & Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim, based upon characters appearing in magazines published by DC Comics. The film is being produced by Donald De Line and Greg Berlanti. Herbert W. Gains and Andrew Haas serve as executive producers. The film will open in 3D and 2D on June 17, 2011. “Green Lantern” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.greenlantern.com.

About “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights”
As the battle approaches, Hal Jordan (voiced by Nathan Fillion) mentors new recruit Arisia (Elisabeth Moss) in the history of the Green Lantern Corps, telling tales of Avra (the first Green Lantern) and several of Hal’s comrades, including Abin Sur, Kilowog, Laira and Mogo. In the end, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help Hal, Sinestro and the entire Green Lantern Corps save the universe from the destructive forces of Krona. The cast also features actor/spoken word artist Henry Rollins, Jason Isaacs, legendary professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Arnold Vosloo, Kelly Hu and Wade Williams. Bruce Timm is executive producer, and the directors are Lauren Montgomery, Jay Oliva and Christopher Berkeley. Penned by comic book luminaries Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons, Peter J. Tomasi, Eddie Berganza, Alan Burnett, Todd Casey and Michael Green & Marc Guggenheim, “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” will be distributed June 7, 2011 by Warner Home Video as part of the build up to the release of the highly anticipated live action film, “Green Lantern,” in theatres June 17.

About “Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters”
The game is inspired by the feature film. Players will utilize over a dozen constructs and take flight across the deepest parts of the universe to restore intergalactic order by wielding the ultimate weapon: the Green Lantern power ring. The game will be available this summer for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ and delivers an immersive experience for Green Lantern fans that the entire family will enjoy. For more information, visit http://www.greenlanternvideogame.com/.