| [+/-] |
Marvel Heroes DVD Collection for $28 |
The collection includes all the Fox-based Marvel films: X-Men, X2, X-Men 3: The Last Stand, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Daredevil, and Elektra. Not all the movies are quality films, but you’re still saving money if you were to buy half the films separately.
| [+/-] |
Watchmen Ending Changed? |
And there really is no way of talking about the ending of a film without spoilers being involved. That said, you have been warned. Story after the jump.
SPOILERS…
Yes, Spoilers…
Skip the rest of the story if you don’t want to know.
A couple of people who attended the screening posted reports on the IMDb message boards, only to have their posts quickly removed. Nothing has been officially confirmed, so PLEASE consider this with a grain of salt for now. According to the reports, the climax of the graphic novel where Veidt releases his squid in New York City, was not in the movie. Instead, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias build a machine that mimics Dr Manhattan’s powers and Ozy uses the machine to set off atomic bomb like explosions in various cities around the world.
The exclusion of the squid is very puzzling, especially considering the numerous reports from a variety of sources that the squid was included in the film. Even cast members have made mention of a beastie in the film’s climax. Who knows, there is always the possibility that Snyder shot multiple endings, although I’m doubtful. The amount of money it would take to film either ending would be substantial. So I doubt Warner Bros would have allowed him to film both.
I’ve talked with a couple of my friends who are fans of the book, and many of them were quick to admit that unleashing the squid was probably not the best way to go. The new ending supposedly works thematically, and isn’t that what is really important? I understand that part of being a fanboy is to expect a big screen adaptation to be an exact replication of what he’s read on paper. I mean, what would fandom be without the constant bickering over the different changes made from book to screen? But is it possible that Snyder could have went for a better ending?
Update: Our friends at Collider have an interview with Kevin Smith, where he talks about having seen Watchmen. Here is his response to the question about if the ending is different:
“It's a little different. While it is a slight departure, it actually makes sense in the context of the story because it brings the characters back into it. It kind of makes the movie more about them by the end of it because of the switch they made. I would never say that Alan Moore fucked it up or something. I love the ending of the Watchmen comic book, but I think this ending works just as well.”
User comment: By: Rama's SCREEN » Snyder Changed WATCHMEN Ending?[...] gonna have to be away for a short while today but check this out, according to slashfilm, apparently, some of the lucky audiences who got to see the Test Screening of WATCHMEN in Portland, [...]
User comment: By: Dreibergwhat I inferred from Peter's post is that Ozymandias uses the machine to fool the world into thinking that Manhattan himself has intervened, from his self-imposed exile on Mars. this has the effect of establishing the other-world external threat to humanity Wehtam rightly identifies as central to Watchmen's resolution. the issue for me is why Manhattan would be complicit in the creation of this machine. presumably Ozymandias fools him into believing it is for another purpose. but could you ever really deceive Dr Manhattan? I agree with Diesel, only I'd go further - take it with a mountain of salt at this stage ≠ )
User comment: By: Jarrad WilkesWho gives a funk? Materialising a giant squid in New York was the lamest part of the book - really stupid and totally at odds with the realistic treatment of the characters etc. Idiot comic book fanboys need to get over themselves.
User comment: By: WehtamThe thing is it's not supposed to be a squid it's supposed to be an extra terrestrial (possibly extra dimensional) attack i.e. an other worldly, external threat to humanity, that's why it's supposed to bring us all together, it's a common fear. Setting a bunch of nuclear style explosions off in various cities around the world would be more likely to cause a nuclear holocaust through retaliation...but then I guess it depends how it's handled in the film!
User comment: By: diesellike peter said: take it with a grain of salt.
User comment: By: kaneoz1980If there is no squid in the movie there wouldn't be a secret island where all the writers, artists and scientists etc for the comedian to find and then why is the comedian killed at the beginning? removing the squid really rips the thread out of the movie and a lot of stuff would need to be changed so that if flows again, cause if its replaced with devices that Dr Manhattan and Ozymandias are building it will really change Dr Manhattans story. Also why would Dr Manhattan need help 'building' a machine? he can do it with his mind.
User comment: By: Mr. BThe film is the film and the novel is the novel. As long as it plays well and doesn't pull some shit like the ending of The Golden Compass, I'm not too worried. I don't need the film to fullfill the ethos and mythos of the novel, I have that on my shelf. What the film can do for me is show me a larger than life and spectacular painting of the story.
User comment: By: LazarosI know i know they want to make a sequel do i win a lollipop (not a Lolita ) ?
User comment: By: RaerthJesse M hit it on the head.
User comment: By: Jesse M.My main problem with this: in the comic, I think part of what horrified the Comedian so much when he discovered Veidt's plot was that killing millions with a fake alien squid is such a crazy idea that it really does seem like a sick joke on a huge scale, hence his lines to Moloch "I mean, this joke, I mean, I thought *I* was the comedian, y'know?" and "I mean, what's funny? What's so goaddamned funny? I don't get it. Somebody explain...somebody explain it to me." I think this may have been part of Moore's motivation for having a character called "The Comedian" be so central to the story in the first place, because it ties in with the enormous joke Veidt pulls on humanity at the end. Whereas, just faking some explosions due to experiments with high-tech forms of energy isn't weird enough to have that "joke" aspect, it's more like the plot of a Bond villain or something. And of course, making Veidt's plot no longer seem like a bizarre joke also takes away most of the relevance of the bloody-smiley-face motif which appears throughout the comics and is sort of the "logo" of the entire series.
User comment: By: DavidThanks to Empire Magazine for the photo above. And Christopher Ms scanner.
User comment: By: fraiseri think shia getting teleported and dying would bring the world together. sounds global enough to me.
User comment: By: orange cinemai'll wait to see it before i decide. but i will say that changing such a crucial part of the story, and saying things like "But is it possible that Snyder could have went for a better ending?" is exactly why alan moore gets upset, and why he has taken his name off this project. i cringe at the visual of Ozy & Dr M building a machine together, but we will see.
User comment: By: dreibergand above ≠)
User comment: By: dreibergi think you only touched on the real story here - 'everyone says the film is awesome'. you only have to watch the teaser trailer to see that Snyder has shown a slavish devotion to the graphic novel. it will be fascinating to see if and where he has changed it, and to think (and talk endlessly) about his reasoning for doing so. see below ?)
User comment: By: YoungZeI hear Alan Moore being pissed again.
User comment: By: cinemaniac1979My biggest concern is that this new ending might take out the "other worldly" threat that the giant "alien" squid presented. One reason that Watchmen hit me so hard when I read it is how it ties in to "real world" conspiracy theories. The story goes that Wernher von Braun (famous German/American rocket scientist) was quoted in the sixties that their were forces orchestrating various threats in order to bring the world together under one government. They started with Communism, then went to Global Terrorism, then to an extra terrestrial threat. He supposedly said this in the 1960s. I just don't see how a Manhattan Machine is going to work to incorporate that threat and keep that otherworldly element in place.
User comment: By: NishI consider Watchmen to be a fairly hard comic to get accurate on the big screen in terms of sticking to the plot, so I think going for an ending that works on screen better than the squid is a good idea and fine by me. However, it will ruin the one line summary of the Watchmen: psychic space vaginas save the world.
User comment: By: prophecy_projectzThe change probably does work for the film's context, but now you've officially lost the vote of confidence from the purists. It will be intresting to see how many people will judge the film just on the changed ending and not the rest of the film.
User comment: By: RachelHmmm...will be very disappointed if this is true, but I can see the part about the squid not being "global" enough. But, I don't see why would Dr. Manhattan help to build a machine that mimics his powers. :/ Doesn't seem very canon to me. IDK.
| [+/-] |
Terence Howard Surprised By Iron Man 2 Recasting |
“Yeah, I found that out, too,” said Howard. “It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation. Just…up and vanished. I read something in the trades implicating that it was about money or something. But apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren’t worth the paper that they’re printed on, sometimes. Promises aren’t kept, and good faith negotiations aren’t always held up. Even friendships, people you support…”
I’ve never understood the concept of contracts in Hollywood. From what I understand, they’re basically meaningless. It should be noted that Howard never specifically denies the implications that he was looking for more money, probably because its true. He mentions that “good faith negotiations” with Marvel were not “held up”. The movie studio probably should have given the star an explanation before moving on to other choices (it should be noted that we don’t know Marvel’s side of the story).
| [+/-] |
Star Trek Plot Details |
Star Trek's time-travel plot is set in motion when a Federation starship, the USS Kelvin, is attacked by a vicious Romulan (Eric Bana) desperately seeking one of the film's heroes. From there, the film then brings Kirk and Spock center stage and tracks the origins of their friendship and how they became officers aboard the Enterprise.
In fact, the movie shows how the original series crew came together: McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoë Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). The adventure stretches from Earth to Vulcan, and yes, it does find a way to have Nimoy appearing in scenes with at least one of the actors on our cover — and maybe both. The storytelling is newbie-friendly, but it slyly assimilates a wide range of Trek arcana, from doomed Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to Sulu's swordsmanship to classic lines like, "I have been, and always shall be, your friend." More ambitiously, the movie subversively plays with Trek lore — and those who know it. The opening sequence, for example, is an emotionally wrenching passage that culminates with a mythic climax sure to leave zealots howling "Heresy!" But revisionism anxiety is the point. "The movie," Lindelof says, "is about the act of changing what you know."
I don’t like the sounds of this at all. I especially don’t like the fact that they seem to be gloating about how upset Star Trek “zealots” will be. Star Trek rules for a reason - it’s fucking awesome; that’s why it has zealots and if you are pissing them off just to prove a point - fuck you.
I was introduced to the original TV show as a child and grew up loving the characters and the universe. I was more than pleased when TNG turned out to be killer as well. TNG showed us how to do something new within the Star Trek universe and make it work. Just because all other attempts at recreating this success have fallen short doesn’t mean you give up. I would certainly rather see another spin on the Trek universe rather than return to the well and piss in it with Star Trek 90210.
I hope this is good, but I’m not holding my breath. The more I see; the less I like. Right now I’m wishing Backula and company had an Enterprise film in the works.
| [+/-] |
Watchmen: Test Screening in Portland and New Footage at Scream 2008 |
If you’re not lucky enough to talk your way into the screening, check out Spike TV on Tuesday October 21st at 9:00pm for the SCREAM 2008 awards. Warner Bros will premiere exclusive footage from the Zack Snyder adaptation, as well as the upcoming Friday the 13th reboot. Check out the full press release after the jump.
Spike TV has announced that it will honor film star Anthony Hopkins with the first-ever Legend award during “SCREAM 2008.” Presented to a distinguished and legendary artist whose body of work includes outstanding performances in fantasy, horror and/or science fiction films, the Legend award will mark the third discretionary honor of the evening, as fellow industry giants Tim Burton and Wes Craven will also receive recognition. The third annual televised event tapes Saturday, October 18 at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA and premieres Tuesday, October 21 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on Spike TV.
Additionally, Spike TV has announced fresh talent added to this year’s star-studded roster. Appearing at “SCREAM 2008″ will be Malin Akerman, Selma Blair, Jon Favreau, Michael C. Hall and the cast of “Dexter,” Milla Jovovich, Jaime King, Frank Miller and Paz Vega, along with previously announced talent Kristen Bell, Julie Benz, Darren Lynn Bousman, Thomas Dekker, Guillermo Del Toro, Summer Glau, Samuel L. Jackson, Doug Jones, Kerli, Stan Lee, The Osbournes, Jared Padelecki, Ron Perlman, Amanda Righetti, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Kevin Smith, Liv Tyler, Gerard Way and Rob Zombie. Many more to be announced shortly.
The Grammy Award-winning rock band Smashing Pumpkins will perform their new hit “G.L.O.W..” Currently the #1 most added song at Modern Rock Radio, “G.L.O.W.,” has already received ninety-four adds since its release two weeks ago and has logged over 850 spins in its first week alone. Their performance on the show precedes the October 31 launch of their North American “20th Anniversary Tour.”
Also taking the stage is Island Records pop sensation Kerli, performing her highly successful single “Walking On Air.” The song, from her debut album “Love Is Dead,” is the most downloaded single in history on iTunes. Kerli is featured as XBOX 360’s Emerging Artist of the Month for November and she also wrote and performed the title track for Activision’s upcoming 007 Bond video game, released simultaneously with the new 007 movie starring Daniel Craig.
“SCREAM 2008″ will feature exclusive world premiere footage from two of Warner Brothers’ most highly anticipated releases of the coming year - “Watchmen” and “Friday The 13th.” Based on the graphic novel by DC Comics, “Watchmen” is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society and the “Doomsday Clock” - which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. Directed by Zack Snyder the complex, multi-layered mystery adventure stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson and Malin Akerman. “Watchmen” hits theaters March 6.
“Friday The 13th” comes to “SCREAM” this year as Spike TV will premiere footage of the updated cult classic in theaters Friday, February 13. Directed by Marcus Nispel (”Pathfinder”) and starring television star Jared Padalecki (”Supernatural”), Jason will once again haunt the cursed campgrounds of Crystal Lake, but this time, hockey-masked Jason is the real killer.
Fan voting for this year’s awards began Friday, September 12 and remains open until Friday, October 17. To vote or to view exclusive red carpet and backstage coverage, visit Scream.Spike.com.
Michael Levitt, Casey Patterson and Cindy Levitt serve as executive producers for “SCREAM 2008.” Greg Sills is supervising producer, Gary Tellalian and Austin Reading are producers and Ryan Polito will direct.
