#Movies
Face of a Franchise: Superman
[face of a franchise presents two individuals that’ve fulfilled the same role. your task — choose the better of the two and defend your choice in the rancor pit that is the comments section]
Superman might be the hardest of all comics characters to cast. Why is that? Well, whoever plays him has to convey the power of a God while still coming across as a down-to-earth, awh-shucks farm boy. He eats mama’s apple pie and shits lightning bolts. He’s jacked as shit, but not a beefcake roid-head. Capable of pulverizing mountains, but always wears a smile that warms hearts.
Yeah, it’s a tough one.
From 1993-1997, Dean Cain graced ABC television with a magnanimous performance as the Man of Steel. So impressive was his four-year stint that he’s gone on to secure himself a spot as the host of TV’s greatest freakshow.
On the other hand, Brandon Routh graced the silver screen with his portrayal of Kal-El in 2006’s Superman Returns. While the film was a disasterpiece both financially and plot-wise, Routh should be commended for his work.
So who is it? Superman from that wacky TV show? Or Superman from that disappointing movie?
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‘Captain America’ Trailer. This May Rock.
Man, I can’t help it. The first full-length trailer for Captain America: The First Avenger is pretty fucking awesome. God damn, and I thought my low expectations were going to carry me through this movie with some sort of enjoyment. Now I’m expecting this pig to kick ass, which is, of course, the function of every trailer. To skillfully manipulate footage into giving fanboys boners.
Still though, fuck yeah.
Hit the jump for the trailer, and leave your thoughts.
Wait, Maybe Joseph Gordon-Levitt Isn’t Alberto Falcone.
The amazing adventure that is guessing Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s role in The Dark Knight Rises continues. Back in the day, he was totally the Riddler. Then he was Robin. Then he was Alberto Falcone. Supposedly. Then he was confirmed as Alberto Falcone by Variety. Now he’s unconfirmed.
Of course.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is Officially Alberto Falcon in ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’
JGL. First rumored, and now signed to The Dark Knight Rises. JGL. First rumored, and now confirmed to be playing Alberto Falcone in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan’s trilogy takes a thematically sensible turn, tying all the movies together with a throwback to Falcone in the original flick, with a son that’s inspired by Joker’s escalation of the game in the second.
WEEKEND OPEN BAR: Lucas Dies in `81
[WEEKEND OPEN BAR: The one-stop ramble-about-anything weekend post at OL. Comment on the topic at hand. Tell us how drunk you are. Describe a comic you bought. This is your chance to bring the party.]
It’s become the stuff of legend – as Star Wars neared the end of production, the pressure began to take its toll on George Lucas. The director found himself working round the clock and constantly worrying about the budget, doing everything in his power to finish the film he’d been imagining for years. Under this incredible strain, Lucas even believed that he suffered a heart attack.
The doctor assured George that he hadn’t had a proper attack, but was suffering from supreme exhaustion and hypertension. And so the film was finished.
The rest, as they say, is history.
But in this tale, it turns out that the ailments weren’t confined to fatigue and irregular blood pressure. George Lucas, despite being told otherwise, had in fact survived a heart attack. The motivation for the misdiagnosis? With so much on the line, both in terms of money and reputation, Twentieth Century Fox had greased the palm of Lucas’ physician, thereby ensuring that their product would be delivered.
Star Wars, of course, was a goddamn commercial and critical juggernaut. Lucas immediately began work on the sequel, and in 1980 The Empire Strikes Back was met with even more admiration. Personally and professionally, the USC alum was on top of the world.
But when it came time to finish the trilogy, George’s heart just couldn’t take it.
The bickering with Marcia climbed to new, more incendiary summits. George knew his wife was talented – hell, the whole world knew – but he couldn’t shake the feeling that his gut instincts were always the ones worth following. Love and work and sex made for a dangerous cocktail, and his home life was far from happy. In fact, it was pretty fucking terrible.
He and Stevie had barely finished their pet project when it was time to return to his space-epic. George was at a loss – he had some real, inspired ideas as to how the trilogy should conclude – like the serials of his childhood and the Spaghetti Westerns of his adolescence, this new movie should end on a somber, open-ended note. Perhaps the battle is won, but a new war looms on the horizon.
But he also knew what the studio executives were expecting. Cutesy. Cuddly. Lunchboxes and action figures. He was willing to bend, allowing for merchandise to made and marketed. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were trying to break him. They had come dangerously close to ruining him back in `78.
So on an October evening in 1981, when George Lucas felt those same chest pains he had experienced on the set of Star Wars, he put aside his notes and tried to relax, take his mind off the troubles at hand. He sat back in his recliner, rubbed his temples, closed his eyes, and tried to escape his woes.
George Lucas died at the age of 37.
Confirmed: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Signed To ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’
It was known that he was in talks to be up in the bitch, but now it’s confirmed. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is going to be in The Dark Knight Rises. Hell yeah.
‘Thor’ Movie Gets New International Posters.
Hot off the proverbial press! Thor has gotten itself some international posters, and they ain’t half bad. Or maybe they are, and it’s a glorious spring day as well as Friday.
Hit the jump to check them out.
Face of a Franchise: Anakin Skywalker
[face of a franchise presents two individuals that’ve fulfilled the same role. your task — choose the better of the two and defend your choice in the rancor pit that is the comments section]
In 1977, moviegoers were introduced to Darth Vader – an evil, robotic space-samurai capable of manipulating an invisible shroud of mystical energy that blankets the entire universe. Oh, and he also has a goddamn laser-sword.
In 1999, Jake Lloyd was given the opportunity to play the childhood incarnation of Darth Vader – a little boy named Anakin Skywalker. Lloyd comes across as an overly-optimistic, stiff, terribly scripted, and ultimately unaffecting playground-dweller.
In 2002 and 2005, Hayden Christensen took hold of the reins as he played the part of teenyboppin’ pre-Vader. Through his performances, Christensen proves that the Dark Lord of the Sith was once an unnecessarily moody, stiff, terribly scripted, and ultimately unsympathetic teenager.
It’s a question none of us want to think about…
Who’s better – Jake Lloyd or Hayden Christensen?
I can’t wait to see the comments on this one.
Official, Yo: Kevin Costner To Play Pa Kent In Snyder’s ‘Superman.’
It was rumored, and now it’s official. Kevin Costner is going to play Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot.
D.J. Caruso Talks ‘Preacher’, Shia LaBeouf Interested.
D.J. Caruso is directing Preacher. His previous works include stints on The Shield. Awesome. Disturbia. I liked it, I know fuck me. Eagle eye. Never saw it. And most recently, I Am Number Four. During the international press tour for I Am Number Four, he’s begun discussing this upcoming project. Most intriguing is the comment that Shia LaBeouf is interested in being in the Preacher movie, and dammit in a role that might just work.
